by M. D. Grimm
I wasn't scared. I was fucking petrified.
Chapter Thirteen
Enfernlo caught some fish for supper. He shrunk in size and dived into the water, coming out with four large quall, which were the size of a salmon. While he was doing that, I said a word, and Aishe's bow, quiver, and pack appeared beside him. Aishe jerked and laughed.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to that," he said. "Thank you so much."
I shrugged, trying to act like his gratitude didn't make me feel as big as a mountain. "Don't mention it. It keeps my traveling light. Everything I need is at my home, and I can just call it to me instead of packing it. Since I was so inconsiderate as to forget your things, I thought I'd have them join us. I know you have a spare tunic in there."
"And boots. Thanks, Lazur." He kissed me on the cheek, and I looked away.
"Could you...not call me that when others are around? Only you and Enfernlo, and my rotten family, know me by that name. I don't like it."
"Oh." Aishe tugged on the tunic he'd stitched back together a few days ago and continued to search in his pack. "I won't call you by that name if you don't like it."
"Well." I shrugged and rubbed the back of my neck. The last few days had caused me numerous moments of awkwardness. More than any other time in my life.
"I don't mind it so much if you call me by that name. Just not in front of others, okay?"
Those green eyes turned soft again, and Aishe nodded. "Promise. Lord Morgorth."
I smiled slightly and stood up. I needed to move, to think. To create some distance. My resolve had crumbled to dust, and Aishe's words would not leave my mind. How could that dialen be so confident?
I ran my fingers through my hair and tugged painfully.
"You think too much," Aishe said from behind me. I jumped and turned around. He was only a few inches away. "I've never known anyone who needs a vacation more than you. Do you even know how to relax?"
"I thought I did," I said. "But I think I was mistaken."
Enfernlo came back and dropped the fish at our feet. "Enjoy. I ate mine already." I held out my arm, and he landed on it, perching like a large bird. Enfernlo was incredibly heavy, and I knew I couldn't hold him for long. Aishe smiled at my friend, his eyes always lighting up whenever he looked at the payshtha.
"Thank you for providing for us, En. It is an honor to know a powerful payshtha such as yourself."
"I like him," Enfernlo said, twitching on my shoulder. "I heartedly support his pursuit of you."
"Oh, by the Mother," I said with exasperation, and shook my arm, causing Enfernlo to take flight. I picked up the fish and glanced behind to see the payshtha perched on Aishe's arm, and they began to talk in low tones.
Glowering, I slammed the fish on the ground and yanked a knife out of my belt, knowing that gutting the fish would help me act out my resentment. I could listen in if I wanted to, but something stopped me. I really didn't know what.
They joined me not long after, and I stuck half a fish on a stick and held it over the fire. Aishe settled on the blankets I had provided for him and wrapped one of them around his shoulders. He pressed a corner to his nose and sniffed.
"They smell like you," he commented. I said nothing and gave all my focus to the fish. We ate in silence, the way I liked it, and Enfernlo grew to slightly smaller than his usual size and sat across from me, his tail curled deeper into the cave.
I sat against the cold wall and took a moment to look at the cave we were in. There was nothing remarkable about it. It was cold and damp, and the air was stale. We had set up camp around the first bend, out of sight from the entrance. The ceiling dripped now and then, mixing with the sound of the flames licking at the wood. I was amused by our distorted shadows that danced on the cold walls.
I had begun to drift off when I heard something stirring outside. I immediately stood, magick flowing into my hands. But Enfernlo's snout nudged my shoulder.
"Easy. My brethren have come." He moved past me, and I moved towards Aishe, who was curled in my blankets, his eyes shining in the dark.
I saw the dark shadows of the payshthas fly in front of the opening as Enfernlo flew out to meet them. I've only met one other payshtha in my life, and to suddenly be near so many of them at once… It was very overwhelming.
"They are so beautiful," Aishe whispered. I smiled and sat beside him.
"That they are," I agreed. "The Mother was said to have created them personally, by hand. It's said they are her favorites."
"A true mother has no favorites." Aishe leaned closer to me.
"I wouldn't know." I rested my arms on my bent knees and wondered what they were talking about.
"I would," Aishe said. "My mother loved all her children equally."
"How do you know?" I asked, turning to meet his eyes. "How do you know she didn't have favorites? And just kept it secret?"
Aishe just frowned at me. "You were born thinking the worst of everyone, weren't you?"
"Yes," I said. "I knew the cruelty family can inflict upon you before I ever realized that wasn't the way it should be. My mentor was the one to tell me that my family life was not normal."
I didn't see pity in Aishe's eyes. I saw sadness, sympathy. He laid his head on my shoulder and curled his arms around mine.
"The Mother loves you," Aishe said firmly. "Be sure of that."
I smiled in the dark, remembering the vision I had of her when I was seven. The night before I planned my escape from my family's prison. Of that, I knew Aishe was right.
***
Despite being thrown around, nearly having my guts spilled onto the ground, and fighting the revenai, I felt ready for this battle. I wasn't alone, and I had a plan. Part of my confidence might also stem from the fact that I had a damn good night sleep. Somehow, Aishe had convinced me to sleep on the blankets with him, and he'd curled around me, his body pressed to mine. I fell asleep quickly, surprisingly, and no bad memories or dreams chased me. I felt safe, warm, and loved. Focusing on that, and not on the unknowable future, I used the happiness I felt to empower my magick, to make me stronger and swifter. We would be victorious, and the world as we all knew it would not be taken over by a mage with a thirst for power.
I went in first. Rested, fed, and determined, I strode confidently toward the sorcerer's tower.
Kayl spun around and snarled at me, pushing his hand forward, the ruby burning bright. "Don't you ever die? Do you know what you did to my home? All because I stole your little dialen whore!"
I wanted to kill him for that alone. But that wasn't my responsibility. That wasn't my mission. Mine was the stone. Rambujek glowed brightly in his hand, and it seemed to me as if it was grinning wickedly, daring me to come for it.
I shot lightning at him, and he threw a fire blast at me. I ducked and swerved before blowing a large gust of wind his way. He staggered, surprised, and I took the opportunity to gather my focus, take aim, and shoot a small stream of whitehot fire from my finger. The beam shot straight and true and collided with its desired target -- my hairs, which were wrapped around Rambujek.
The beam missed the stone by millimeters, and the fire consumed the hairs in seconds, turning them to dust. I grinned as Kayl recovered his balance. He snarled, and the heat from the fire must have caught his attention because as he looked down at Rambujek, I saw the shock on his face.
"Like I've said before," I said, dusting off my sleeves. "You might have the power, but you don't have the skill. Or the experience."
"I will not let you live this time!" He tossed a large punch of force at me. I swerved, easily missing it.
We tossed spells at each other, using the elements as our swords, and because I knew his fighting style, if it could be called that, I was always one step ahead of him. He couldn't get the upper hand, even with the stone.
He snarled and raised the stone above his head. It flashed three times, and, seemingly out of nowhere, revenai appeared. There were twenty of them, and they were all worse than the one he'd sen
t after me before. They were all manner of hideous: multiple eyes, legs, and heads. Sizes varied and so did color, but they all thirsted for blood and chaos. Kayl grinned in triumph and pointed at me. The revenai lurched forward, and I backed up slowly, angered. But I expected this. I planned for this.
Enfernlo and his brethren, twelve in all, burst out of the invisibility cloak I had put around them and dived for the revenai, spewing fire all the way. I grinned at Kayl, who dodged the flames and stared in horror as the payshtha went head-to-head with his minions. And were winning.
"You're an amateur!" I shouted over the roar of battle. Kayl screamed and came at me bodily. I swung my arm through the wind and knocked him of his feet. But some sense of survival made him remember that he had magick, and he swung an arc of blue fire at me. I raised my shield and blocked it at the same time I made the grass beneath his feet grow exponentially and wrap around his legs.
"You won't defeat me!" He slashed at the grass with a blade of pure force. "I have Rambujek! No one can defeat me!"
"Let's just put that to the test," I yelled back. While I fought him, I kept an eye on Enfernlo and his location. He was currently ripping apart a revenai and setting fire to another one. My friend's violent streak was scary, even to me. Blood and flesh and other various body parts were flying everywhere as the payshthas fought with maniacal delight.
Kayl struck the ground with his hand and a crack appeared, heading straight towards me. That was a new one. Seems you can teach a thieving-mageturned-sorcerer new tricks. I leapt into the air as a hole opened up beneath my feet. He shot fire blasts at me, and I blocked them easily, keeping him distracted from the rest of the battle. His back was to the payshthas and revenais, and I realized his focus was firmly on me.
Perfect.
"En! Now!" I shouted at Enfernlo with my mind. He gracefully looped around the battle that was currently soaking the ground with all manner of bodily fluids and swooped down behind Kayl. He let loose a fire blast as I jumped to my feet, and I watched the payshtha's fire burn through Kayl's magick defenses. The stone might have been all powerful, but Kayl wasn't. With all that fire power and heat directed at him, he couldn't keep spelling and instinct took over. Payshtha's fire ate through anything, and it was currently eating through that awesome shield the ruby had provided for Kayl.
I waited and readied the next and final spell. I closed my eyes for a moment and slowly, carefully, opened my third eye which would allow me to see the barrier around Kayl disintegrate. Only then could I cast the final spell. Opening my third eye allowed me to see everything on a different plane, and I would have to work not to be blinded by the magickal brilliance and cosmic power of Enfernlo's fire.
I took a deep breath, opened my eyes, and winced. The fire was like a star searing into my eyes, and I had to focus on Kayl's feet, which were free of the fire. My eyes began to water. His shield was a pinkish-red, like the ruby, and it was thinning and beginning to crack. Tension built up, and I flexed my fingers, the damned ruby nearly in my grasp.
The shield snapped, and the pinkish-red disappeared. I shouted words, and the magick flew out of my hands and wrapped around Kayl, taking away his mobility. His limbs froze, and Enfernlo ceased with his fire. The window of success was short, and I shouted to Aishe, who stepped out from within my invisibility cloak. He strode forward, nocked an arrow, and aimed it at the sorcerer.
He launched it, and for a second I thought he had aimed wrong, which was not what I expected of him. But the arrow flew through the air and hit Rambujek. It hit at an angle, which caused it to ricochet off the stone and sink into Kayl's chest, right through his heart. With a stunned look on his face, Kayl fell to the ground, and I ran over before he could activate the stone and somehow survive. I stepped on his wrist and, with a linen cloth from one of my pouches, grabbed Rambujek out of his hand. It vibrated in my palm and called plaintively to me. I could clearly hear the sweet, faint voice and the promises. I ignored them as best I could as I folded the cloth over the ruby carefully and put it in one of my pouches, tying the strings tightly closed. I wasn't letting this thing out of my sight until both of us were in Geheimnis.
I knew what I would become if I accepted what they promised -- a monster. One that would rival the darkness of the revenai. One far worse than this pitiful creature lying at my feet.
Kayl twitched as he lay dying, and I backed away when Aishe pulled the short sword out of the strap attached to his quiver. He finished his mission swiftly and mercifully. Kayl deserved worse for massacring an entire tribe, but his fate was for Aishe to decide. Aishe's compassion and mercy touched my heart, and when he leaned into me, I wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
Enfernlo landed, and with a gentle stream of fire, he burned Kayl's body. I touched the pouch where the ruby rested. I closed my third eye and enjoyed my non-enhanced vision once more. I heard the battle behind us grow silent as the revenais, who were still alive, sank back into the underworld while those who'd been torn to pieces dissolved, leaving only black goo.
"Why didn't you take a clear shot?" I asked softly as I looked up to see the payshthas circling above us.
"I remembered what Enfernlo told us," Aishe said just as quietly. "The stone deserts its wielder when he becomes almost all powerful. And I thought about the consciousness within the ruby. It would want some part in the demise of its wielder. I figured I'd give that to the treacherous stone. I didn't want to risk making a clean shot, and then have Rambujek deflect it out of pettiness."
I smiled and squeezed him. "You're a smart dialen, you know that? I'm proud of you. Your tribe would be too."
Aishe's breath hitched in a sob, and he flung his arms around me and cried. I held him as we sank to the ground. He clutched me and sobbed into my shoulder, soaking my shoulder with his tears. I just held him and stroked his hair, not feeling awkward or nervous, only sad and angry at the waste of so much life. Sad about what had happened to the courageous dialen I held in my arms. I meant what I said to him, just as I'd known he needed to cry. He needed to let it out.
Enfernlo shifted, and I looked over, meeting his eye. "You might think of letting him comfort you. When you return home."
I frowned but continued to hold Aishe. I needed no comfort. What in the name of the Mother was he talking about?
"Come," Enfernlo said. "I will take you home."
"What about Aishe?" I asked. Aishe seemed to be trying to climb inside me, holding on to me as if for dear life.
"I'm coming with you," he said with a thick voice.
"But --"
He pulled back, and I looked at his puffy, red eyes and trembling mouth. I crumbled.
"Please, Lazur. Take me with you."
The plea nearly killed me. "Okay, okay. Come on then. On the payshtha."
He climbed up first, and I sat behind him as Enfernlo launched into the sky, leaving most of the nightmare behind. I waved to the payshthas, knowing they would see that as a thank you. They flew around us for a moment before separating. I wasn't surprised that so many had helped; they didn't want the world destroyed by Kayl anymore than we did. I held Aishe tightly around the waist, and he leaned back against me. I was beginning to grow comfortable with his weight, his smell. His voice and his...
By the Mother, I was so in love.
Chapter Fourteen
We stopped at the Velorn tribe, and, after seeing that they were all right, we headed to my home. I sent a querian to the Lania tribe and to Elissya, informing them that Kayl was no longer a threat. I had no desire to report that in person. I just wanted to go home.
"We did it," Aishe said as we neared Vorgoroth. "My tribe is at peace, and the world is safe."
I smiled. "Yeah. Feels nice, actually." I heard the awe in his voice, the disbelief that it was actually done. I squeezed him a little and looked down at Happy Valley, glad to see that it looked no worse for my week of absence.
Enfernlo flew over my castle, and I heard Aishe gasp. I smiled and waved down the gargoyles about to attack
us. They quivered at their posts, and I saw the vines ripple, happy that I was home again.
"I've never seen it so close," Aishe shouted to be heard over the wind as we descended.
"You'll be seeing it closer," I said near his ear. He covered my hands with his, which were currently around his waist.
Enfernlo circled Geheimnis and hovered over the short ledge right outside my front doors. I leapt off first, easily landing on my feet and keeping my balance. I turned around and held out my arms to Aishe, who looked a little hesitant.
"I'll catch you," I shouted. He met my eyes and nodded. He secured his gear, and I saw him take a deep breath before jumping off the payshtha. I did catch him, but we tumbled to the ground and I found myself laughing. He was just too heavy for me, but I liked his weight, his muscles; he was just so different from me.
"Oh, by the Mother, are you okay?" he asked, rolling off of me. I saw the worry in his eyes disappear when he saw that I was laughing. He rolled his eyes and grinned.
"I did catch you," I pointed out and sat up. I waved to Enfernlo as the payshtha flew away. I knew he would rest for a few days in Vorgoroth. We had a lot to discuss. But for now...
I helped Aishe to his feet, and we walked to my front doors, which stood ominous and opposing. Aishe's head fell back as he tried to take everything in.
"It's beautiful," he said in an awed whisper. Pride filled me.
"I think so," I said and pressed my hand to the thick wood, the doors swinging open soundlessly. I took Aishe's hand and led him inside my home, knowing he was the only one I had ever invited. I let him look and roam in silence, making his own impressions. But a thought struck me, and I winced.
"Aishe, could you wait right here a moment?" I asked. He looked over at where I was pointing.
"Exactly right there?"
"I'm afraid so. I'll be right back; no touching anything, okay?" I dashed up the long curved stairs and sprinted to my bedroom. I ran to a small chest that sat on the table by my bed and opened it. I began to search, becoming more frantic when I didn't find what I needed instantly. I hadn't gotten rid of it, I knew that. I had made it on a whim, as a "what if," but now I needed it desperately.