by N M Thorn
Even though Damian reassured him that no forest animal could break through the shield of protective magic he had been erecting around their camp each time they stopped, Jamie kept staring into the dark with wide-open eyes, jumping to his feet at every sound. Hence in the end, Damian decided to take shifts, so at least one of them could get some rest while the other watched the area.
The last colors of the late dusk were long gone when they reached a small clearing encircled by thickets of shrubbery. Damian caught up with the ball of yarn before it had a chance to disappear behind the bushes and ordered it to stop. He picked it up, brushed the dust and dried grass off of it, and put it in the outside pocket of the backpack Zabava had given him.
While Jamie gathered some branches and set up a fire, using his magic, he surveyed their surroundings, carefully checking the area for any magical or mundane presence. Except for a few wolves, he didn’t notice anything hostile or dangerous. Nevertheless, he drew a circle around the clearing, infusing it with his magic, and conjured a powerful protective shield.
The night brought coolness, and the forest was filled with rustling noises and screeches of birds. Damian sat down on the ground and shifted closer to the flames, rubbing his arms with his hands. The warmth of the fire and the scent of burned wood had a calming effect on him, making his eyelids heavy and fogging his already frazzled mind. Besides, he was so tired after following the relentless ball of yarn for hours that he didn’t feel the hunger, having only one desire—to assume a horizontal position and stretch his worn-out body. Since it was Jamie’s turn to stay guard, he gave him the backpack, telling him to get something to eat for himself, and then lay down, turning to his side.
After that, he reminded Jamie to wake him up in two hours and closed his eyes. The elemental energy of Earth embraced him like a loving mother, pacifying his aching, buzzing muscles, and before he knew it, he was fast asleep.
Damian woke up before his two hours ran out but didn’t get up. Instead, he sharpened his senses, carefully scanning the forest with his other sight. A slight fluctuation in the magical energy field that had awakened him seemed to be increasing rapidly now. While the energy wasn’t pure dark, there was something unusual about it, and its presence was growing too fast for his comfort. He rose soundlessly to his feet and approached Jamie, who sat by the fire, poking the flames absentmindedly with a small twig.
Bending down, Damian touched Jamie’s shoulder, causing him to gasp and snap around. Before Jamie could say anything, Damian gestured for him to be silent and straightened, pulling the wizard to his feet.
“Jamie, do you sense it?” he whispered into his ear.
“Sense what?” Jamie looked around, his eyebrows snapping together. “What should I be looking for?”
“Shh… just close your eyes and open yourself to the flow of magic.” Damian moved his hand over the flames and whispered, “Aquamius.” A stream of water erupted from his palm, extinguishing the fire, and complete darkness surrounded them. “I think we’re close to our final destination. I’m just surprised I hadn’t noticed it earlier.”
“Hmm,” Jamie murmured, slowly turning around in place. Damian sensed Jamie’s magic spiking and wrapping around him, but a confused expression on his friend’s face told him he had no idea what to look for.
Damian moved his hand in a wide arch, and a flare of glowing white light followed his move, slowly melting back into the dark. Then he touched the ground, whispering a quick spell, and the grass lit up with a dim purple glow.
“The Darkness and the Light,” he explained. “They are both here. So, it’s safe to assume we’re standing right on the border between the Dark Nav and the Yav. If you recall, Veles said that currently, the Sacred Isle is located between two realms. It has to be somewhere close by, but—”
He cut himself off and fell silent. Opening his other sight again, he scanned the forest around them and frowned, scratching the overgrown stubble on his chin.
“What?” asked Jamie grumpily. “I don’t like the expression on your face, and usually when you scratch your five o'clock shadow like this, it means nothing but trouble.”
“It means I need to shave,” murmured Damian, amused. “But you’re right. Something is off here.”
“I knew it!” Jamie’s hand reached down to his belt where his new dagger was sheathed in a leather scabbard.
“Remember my explanation about the balance between the Darkness and the Light?” asked Damian, and Jamie nodded, his face turning almost blue, shaded by the colors of the night forest. “It’s not the first time I’m standing on the border between two realms, and usually, both the dark energy and the light one are present in equal measures. But here, the darkness seems to be prevalent, and it’s growing exponentially.” He closed his eyes and moved his head from left to right, tuning his senses to the continuously increasing flow of the dark magical energy. “We need to go.”
Keeping his other sight open, Damian took off running, relying only on his senses. Without slowing down, he connected with his element, commanding the thick shrubbery to give way, and it obeyed him immediately, parting before him. Long roots submerged under the ground, allowing him to move forward without the fear of tripping over, and the trees lifted their low-hanging branches. Under the cover of night, he ran, fast and soundless like a shadow, stepping softly on the carpet of leaves, and nature bowed to him, complying with his every command.
Damian didn’t look back, but the heavy steps and an occasional slew of profanities told him that Jamie was following him. Soon, the presence of the dark energy became so heavy that it overwhelmed his senses, suffocating him. Struggling to fill his lungs with oxygen, he slowed down but didn’t stop until he reached the edge of the forest.
“I can never get used to the way you run, man,” Jamie panted, pressing his hand to his chest. “I swear, one day you’ll give me a heart attack.”
“Well,” murmured Damian, spreading the shrubbery to peek outside, “if I don’t give you a coronary, then this most certainly will.” He motioned for Jamie to approach and take a look.
The forest opened into a long, narrow clearing ending on a steep chasm. He couldn’t see far enough from where he stood, but he was positive that the flaming river Smorodina flowed at the bottom of it. Swirls of dirty, gray smoke rose into the dark sky, partially obscuring the view, but the pungent odor of sulfur and the reek of demonic essence left no doubt—they stood just a few feet away from the river of eternal torment bordering with the Slavic realm of demons and spirits.
Right by the chasm, a giant oak tree spread its massive branches, reaching high into the starless sky. Its hefty crown was partially hidden beneath low, gray clouds, and its trunk was so thick that it would have taken at least ten people to circumvent it. The harsh gusts of cold wind, which they hadn’t felt under the cover of the forest, battered the oak, rustling its heavy foliage, and it looked as if the ancient tree was shaking in fear.
“Oh, God,” Jamie exhaled. “What the hell is that?”
An enormous nest, roosting high on the thick branches of the oak, was as large as any one-bedroom apartment. At least Damian thought it was the nest of a bird, and the mere size of this contraption chilled his soul.
“Is that a… bird’s nest? What kind of flying monstrosity would build a nest this size? A pterodactyl?” Jamie exhaled, mirroring his thought.
“I’m afraid the owner of this nest is a lot bigger than a pterodactyl.”
Damian strained his hearing, but through the howls of the rapidly increasing wind, he couldn’t hear anything else. Thick, low clouds gathered over the chasm, and lightning forked through the sky, followed by a heavy rumble of thunder almost immediately.
“I don’t think mommy is home though, so this is not our biggest concern at the moment,” murmured Damian, pointing at the tree. “But this is...”
Barely distinguishable from the whitish-gray bark of the oak, an enormous snake coiled its way up the tree. Its body was thicker than the torso of an a
dult man, and while Damian could see its tail wrapped around the trunk of the tree just above the ground, its head was already reaching the lower branches of the oak. Dark energy surrounded the monster like a dirty veil, and as it slowly progressed up, the flow of its magical energy kept increasing.
“Holy snake,” Jamie gasped, his hand landing on the grip of his dagger. “What the hell is that?”
“Not sure,” murmured Damian. “I think it’s some type of an Aspid or maybe a Basilisk. From what I recall, these two types of serpents could reach this size or even bigger, and some of them have wings. The biggest problem is that both the Aspid and Basilisk can kill you by just looking into your eyes, so, if you don’t want to decorate Paradise Manor as a nice marble statue, do me a favor and avoid eye contact.”
“Thank you, but no, thank you,” murmured Jamie, shaking his head. “I hate snakes. Trust me, I’m not coming anywhere close to this monster.”
“Something tells me staying away may not be an option. At least for me,” Damian muttered and channeled his magic, pressing his hand to the tattoo on his arm. “Zhulik, are you with me?”
“Where do you expect me to be?” the gargoyle grumbled in his mind.
“Can you do me a favor?” asked Damian and quickly added, “Please?”
“Hmmm, he said please,” purred Zhulik, amusement in his high-pitched voice. “This can’t be anything good. What do you need, Commander?”
“You see this giant nest on the tree?” asked Damian, pointing up. “Can you check and let me know if there is anyone alive there?”
Zhulik gasped, sending a low-voltage jolt of electricity through Damian’s arm, causing him to hiss and clasp his tattoo. “Are you out of your friggin’ mind, Commander? You hate me so much already? There is a low-level Aspid over there. It can turn me into stone!”
“Oh, come on, Zhulik,” Damian whispered, throwing his hands up. “An Aspid can’t turn you into stone because you’re a stone already! You’re a gargoyle, for crying out loud!”
“Aw, yeah, right.” Zhulik snickered. “I just wanted to check if you remembered.” With a light pop, he appeared next to Damian in the form of a German Shepherd puppy. Spreading his leathery wings, he wagged his doggish eyebrows at him. “Let’s kick the tires and light the fires. Wish me luck, Commander.”
With one flap of his wings, he rose high in the air and sped toward the oak. He made a few circles around it before vanishing behind the thick screen of foliage. He was gone no more than a few minutes, but even though the serpent was moving slowly, it was still progressing upward, and to Damian, this short time seemed endless.
Shivering from the touch of the cold wind, Damian stared intently in the direction the gargoyle had disappeared, when suddenly he popped out next to him, manifesting out of nowhere. Breathing heavily, he landed on the ground and raised his paw, asking for a moment to catch his breath.
“The nest is not empty,” he managed to say finally. “There are three young birds inside, nestlings at best. They can’t fly. I’m sure the Aspid thinks they’re his easy breakfast. But between us, the birds are also emitting the energy of the dark, similar to that of the Dark Nav.”
Damian nodded and bit his lip, staring at the nest and the well-camouflaged serpent as it slowly moved toward it. Then he looked toward the chasm and frowned, a crazy thought rushing through his mind.
“If you’re thinking what I’m thinking you’re thinking, then think harder,” barked Zhulik, snapping at Damian’s leg for good measure, and just now, Damian noticed that the gargoyle spoke out loud instead of using telepathic communications. “Each baby bird in that nest is the size of a small pony. How big do you think their mama is?”
“You can speak aloud?” asked Damian, staring at Zhulik, flabbergasted.
“Only when I have to, and your stupidity leaves me no choice,” Zhulik growled, scowling angrily at him, but his high-pitched voice sounded anything but intimidating. “Hey, wizard!” He turned toward Jamie. “Would you please talk some sense into him? He can’t go there. Period. Even if the Aspid doesn’t turn him into a giant chunk of rock, the mama-birdie will make him wish he was never born.”
“Damian, I think Zhulik is right—,” Jamie started, but Damian shook his head, stopping him in mid-sentence.
“Of course, he’s right, and that’s the beauty of it, Jamie. Try to remember what we discussed a while ago and do the math,” he said quietly. “There are no coincidences in the World of Magic, and the Land of Dreams is the embodiment of magic. So, there is a reason you and I are here at this very moment, and as far as I can see, this reason is staring us in the face.” He motioned at the tree. “Think back to Slavic lore. Nothing is ever pure good or undiluted evil, and things are never what they appear to be. So, to me it’s clear. If I want to cross the chasm, I have to save the birds. Besides, this serpent is shifting the balance toward the Darkness, and since I’m a Destiny Enforcer, keeping the balance intact is my direct obligation…”
“You’re going to risk everything to save some birds? You’re kidding me, right?” Jamie glanced at Zhulik, shock imprinted on his face, but since Damian didn’t move, he threw his hands up. “You’re not kidding me. You are going to go and fight this giant reptile.”
“Jamie, trust me, my friend,” muttered Damian, carefully surveying the area around the oak. “I wish I didn’t have to, but I know this is the right thing to do.”
“Don’t tell me… the paths of the Board of Destiny, and blah-blah-blah,” grumbled Jamie, and Damian nodded, suppressing a chuckle. “If I ever find this friggin’ Board, remind me to bring the biggest sledgehammer I have.” Jamie exhaled a ragged breath, and a chain of emotions crossed his face, starting with fear and finishing with cold determination. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but…” He shook his head in disbelief. “What do you want me to do?”
“Fighting the Aspid is not an option—too hard to kill and too dangerous. Not only can it turn you into stone by just looking into your eyes, but it also breathes fire and has deadly fangs,” said Damian, speaking in a fast whisper, his mind shuffling quickly through all possible options and outcomes. “It’s not enough to decapitate it, you then have to burn its body, otherwise it’ll regrow the head back. Regular fire magic is not going to cut it. You need the purifying energy of the fire… A Phoenix or a Fire Salamander could—”
He fell silent, nibbling on his lip, his fingers tracing the shape of his bracelet. Jamie shifted from foot to foot, his eyes igniting with nervous excitement.
“Here is what we are going to do,” said Damian at length. “I’m going to take a flight to the nest and see if I can save the birds. You and Zhulik are going to stay under the cover of shrubbery and keep an eye on the Aspid. I need to know that if things go south, I can count on your help.”
“Damian, you can’t fly,” said Jamie, his eyes sliding from the nest to the bottom of the tree, measuring the distance. “The farther you’re from the ground, the weaker you’ll become.”
“I know,” replied Damian. “I’ll be all right, though. Since we’re in a magical nexus, my connection with the element of Earth is a lot stronger than in the human realm. Besides, we’re in the middle of the wilderness, so I’m surrounded by my element, unlike when I’m in Downtown Phoenix.”
“Aw… how sweet. A ‘divine wind’ reincarnated,” murmured Zhulik, tilting his head from side to side, his long ears flapping. Catching Jamie’s puzzled gaze, he rolled his eyes in an undog-like manner. “Kamikaze? I hope you’ve heard of those, little wizard? What he’s planning to do is a suicide mission. Are you out of your friggin’ mind, Commander?”
“If you have a better idea, I’m all ears,” said Damian dryly, but since the gargoyle didn’t say anything and lay down, placing his head on his paws, he turned around and stepped through the bushes into the clearing.
“Oprimenta Amnia,” whispered Damian, casting a cloaking spell as he ran stealthily toward the tree. He had no doubt that the serpent would see through his spe
ll as soon as he opened his wings, but he was hoping that it would happen later rather than sooner.
The closer he came to the oak, the stronger the wind became. It blew through the branches, bending and shaking the tree, seemingly coming from everywhere at once. Through the howls of the wind, he isolated a soft, rustling noise accompanied by a loud hissing as the giant snake kept circling the oak, its scales rubbing against the bark.
A blinding flare of light made him halt and look up just in time to see multiple lightning bolts spreading through the dark sky in all directions like some nightmarish fireworks. Thunder boomed, filling the chasm with a long-lasting echo, and Damian shivered, swallowing hard.
Carefully, he approached the tree, stopping a few feet away from it, and craned his neck, staring at the bottom of the massive nest visible through the canopy of leaves.
Dammit, he thought, shaking his head. There is no way I can fly straight into the nest. It’s surrounded by too many thick branches and foliage.
The flat head of the snake was just a couple of yards away from the nest, and he had no time to strategize.
Perun almighty, help me survive this suicide mission and save my brother… He channeled his magic, and his entire body lit up with a blinding white light, his black wings opening behind his back to their full extent. The hissing and rustling ceased immediately, and the Aspid’s thick tail hit the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
Forcing himself not to look at the monster, Damian rose in the air, quickly picking up speed. With his peripheral vision, he noticed the snake’s giant head separating from the tree and turning in his direction, its sinister eyes igniting with a deep red glow. The snake inhaled with a loud hiss and opened its enormous maw, two long, sharp fangs protruding from it. As it exhaled, a powerful jet of fire erupted from its mouth.