by J E Mueller
“How far were we from the camp when we began?” I asked.
“We rode on horseback for about four hours… so around eighteen miles. We can walk about a mile in fifteen or twenty minutes.”
“This is not the time for math.” I was aching more now than I had earlier.
“It would take about six hours for us to travel the same distance,” Ria replied regardless of my protest. “We’d never make it to the camp in time, but I doubt they sat idle either. I just don’t know where they are.”
“The worst seeking game you can play is with two teams traveling in a woods looking for one another. One should stay put. Not that we have much choice… Ugh, Lee where are you?” I complained loudly.
“They may have a plan different than ours. Or a better one.” Ria offered as an answer.
“Or things have gone horribly wrong and they’re not going to make it… or are dead. I doubt they’re dead though. I think if Lee was going to die I would have accidentally killed him by now.”
Ria shrugged. “Not going to lie, he seems like a tough to kill man. Then again, anyone with mixed blood like his or ours is hard to kill. Not that we can’t take on one another. You just need to be more creative.”
Glancing in the distance, Ria’s face paled.
“We’re out of time,” I guessed.
“So fucking out of time,” she admitted, took a deep breath, and readied herself.
Mimicking her, I took a deep breath and cleared my mind. I had no idea what to expect, but at long last, I finally knew who was behind all this nonsense.
No name, no soul, just a man who wanted to rule it all, stepping on any who dared to get his way.
His presence was announced by the sudden silence of the forest. Everything stopped all at once, and the lack of even a slight breeze made the silence almost deafening.
Abruptly, with a strong gust of wind, he appeared in front of us. The trick was flawless and would have been startling if we hadn’t been expecting him.
“Cassandra…” he whispered angrily, pulling back his hood. You could see the hatred in his eyes. “You had such potential. Why did you lie to me?”
“I didn’t,” she replied. “I said I would find her. I never said I’d bring her to you.”
“You know the price for treachery.”
“It’s the same price for tripping over your own two feet. There is no leeway with you, no understanding. You don’t want to make us great… you’ve just been using us to make you great. A lovely lie painted on an even prettier pedestal.” Ria spat. “Now we can fight, or we can skip it. Either way, I don’t give a damn about your goals and lies.”
“I should have had you cast your soul aside sooner. There would be no chance of redemption then.” He clicked his tongue, letting his disappointment show for a brief moment.
Powering up a shield around us, I shook my head. “You’re not going to get her that easily.”
“Yes, yes, the kid who overuses magic. You’ll black out soon and things will go back to my plan.” He rolled his eyes, making me feel as useless as I had felt earlier.
Ria smiled at me and started adding her magic to my shield, giving it an extra boost. “At least if we go down, we will go down in brilliant flames.”
I snickered at the bad joke. “Best way to go.” At least together we wouldn’t die instantly.
Lord Evil tried throwing his magic at us to crack the shield, but together we held it firmly against him. It was a comfort to know he couldn’t just overpower us, but it left us at a standstill that couldn’t be easily won. If we were to release the shield, it was likely his magic would disable us and he’d win. Without a soul, his demon gave him extra power that we likely couldn’t match. We needed a miracle, and I prayed Lee would show up as a distraction so we could kick this guy’s butt. I had no doubt the three of us could win.
The fixed points Lee had mentioned came to mind and it caused my heart to flutter. There was a chance we would be at a point like that. He never said if they were uncommon or not, and I wished I knew more. There was a chance we could die even if he did make it here. Pushing away that fear I turned to Ria.
“We need a plan.”
“I guess we can’t rely on backup if they don’t know our plan,” she agreed. Her eyes showed her concern, but she stood in a defensive stance. “I’m ready for anything you’ve got.”
Taking a deep breath I made my suggestion. “We can fight with all we’ve got or wait until the shield runs out and hope help comes before that.”
“You don’t think help will make it here first?” Ria smirked.
“We can’t count on it. It could go either way.”
“I would rather go down fighting.” Ria agreed, staring down her former master.
“You’ll fail either way.” Lord Evil shrugged while glancing at his nails.
Nudging Ria, I dropped the shield, and together we started our attack. While we were strong, he was stronger.
Any advantage we had gained was quickly lost. Our attacks were only a bother to him, while his stung and pierced us. There was hardly a bruise on him, but a hit from him gave us a black and blue mark or gash.
We were quickly beaten. The shield was remastered around us.
“I could crush you. Such a pathetic attempt to remain alive,” he commented, looking nonchalant. He didn’t even appear to be winded.
“I hate my life,” I grumbled, already collapsed on the ground. In that moment I had no doubt he had been holding back.
Ria was still standing. “Yeah… we’re fucked.”
“I’ll tell you what. I’ll let you both live if you give up your souls and bow down to me,” Lord Evil suggested.
“Can’t bow, I’m already laying down,” I replied sarcastically. Why not let him hate me more?
Ria doubled over laughing. “Can’t bow, can’t take death seriously.” She gasped, amused by my bad joke.
Anger filled his eyes, and as promised he smashed the shield. I rolled away and Ria leapt back. Our fight resumed, but it was a losing battle. My arms were covered in open cuts and gashes, my face was sticky with sweat and blood, and I wasn’t sure if my ankle was broken or if I was just dying.
The impact on my shield hurt me inwardly because it was a direct attack on my magic. My vision blurred here and there, but I didn’t give in. I couldn’t afford to blackout again. I might never wake up.
He wanted us right where we were, hurt, and scared. Ria was much better at this than I was. Her control over her magic and fighting form was amazing, and I wished I had spent more time on both.
I carefully pushed myself up but I wasn’t ready for the next hit. After a sharp blow to the ribs, I couldn’t get up again. Ria gave him a good kick to try and buy me time, but she was knocked away and sharply hit her head against a tree. I couldn’t tell if she was alive or dead. Fear finally took over.
“You should have sold your soul. Do you want to change your final answer?” he asked, offering me his hand.
My vision was spinning and blurry, and I couldn’t concentrate on his figure anymore. This had to be it. My final moments. Closing my eyes, I replied with the attitude Ria would have loved. “Go fuck yourself.”
Heat rushed around me and I felt as if I was on fire. The pain was terrible and I screamed. The fire itself wouldn’t leave burns on my skin or boil my blood. No, the gift he used of fiery cursed magic couldn’t kill me itself. It could make me wish I was dead, though.
A moment of relief came and I expected him to say something. Maybe he would make another offer or say a final word before he ended this. My eyes were closed and I could smell blood and taste dirt.
Instead, the sound of fighting resumed. Swords clashed and I willed my eyes to open. It was hard to focus, but I saw Lee and two others fighting Lord Evil.
My head was pounding as I pushed myself back up. Blood ran down the side of my face, barely missing my eye.
Every movement made me want to scream, but I pushed myself to move and check on Ria. I wa
s too badly hurt to fight anymore, but maybe I could help her.
I just about collapsed at her side and listened for a heartbeat. Hearing nothing, instead I listened for a breath. It was faint, but it was there. I took her hand in mine and felt her magic latch onto mine. I tried moving some of my magic into her, in the hope that it would help her regain energy. It did for a moment. Her eyes flickered. Seeing me, she smiled and her eyes shut again.
“Come on, Ria. We’re not out of this yet,” I told her. My voice was raspy and tired.
In response she sent her magic to me.
“That’s not going to help you get up,” I said, trying to stop the flow of power.
“Take it,” she insisted. Pain filled both words.
Not wanting to argue, I let her have her way. The extra magic was like a surge of adrenaline. It didn’t help me feel any better, but I could concentrate again.
Ignoring the pain as best as I could, I stood once more. I could see that Lee, Jameson, and one other working together to try and wear down the evil lord. I hoped I could tip the scale in their favor.
My steps were pained, but I could walk. It was more of a shuffle. My careful movements caught Jameson’s eye. With what little force I had left I summoned up a fireball. Jameson nodded and dodged out of the way so I could hit my target. My magic struck Lord Evil, distracting him so that Lee and his ally could attack.
There wasn’t much magic or energy left in me for another attack. Making a small shield, I pushed it within reach of the group. The evil lord had to dodge away from me, but I kept it pressed towards him. It wouldn’t kill him. I didn’t know what effect it would have on someone who was soulless. He still tried to avoid me, giving the others the opportunity to take better shots at him.
Jameson scored a cut on the evil lord's side at the same time the Lord Evil struck Lee. The evil lord recovered quickly, but Jameson took out a dagger along with his sword and dropped it.
For a moment I was baffled as the fight continued, but then I saw the genius of Jameson’s unspoken plan. As they moved away from the spot it was dropped, I forced myself to move and pick up the dagger. Still keeping the shield up, I left it on its own, stuck in place, and prepared myself to strike.
The evil lord wasn’t expecting it. I flanked him and managed to stab him in the gut and he turned to run his sword through me. In that moment, I saw Lee make the killing blow. It filled me with relief, but everything felt cold and my vision blurred. I hadn’t realized that Lord Evil had actually stabbed me. Shoving the evil lord aside, Lee rushed to me. I couldn’t understand his words. I could see his fear, and I felt my own.
“I’m sorry, dear,” I said as I tried to fight the darkness. I wanted to say more, but I tasted blood. There was more than I had already been tasting. It felt like I was drowning, and the world wouldn’t stop shaking. As the pain increased I welcomed the wave of darkness, hoping it would be the end of my pain.
31
The pain didn’t end. Something kept jolting me back into the world of the living. It hurt too much to move and I wanted to beg the darkness to come back and claim me. I wasn’t sure if my cries were heard or if they fell silent on my lips. The only consistency was the warmth I felt before the darkness reclaimed me.
Finally, I was able to open my eyes. My body ached, but I didn’t feel like screaming. I found myself on a bed in a small room that was lightly furnished with a desk, chair, chest, and a window. This was most welcome compared to what had awaited me the last time I had blacked out.
Outside the window, I could see the slowly lightening sky marking the fact that it was early morning. The person I had seen with Lee during the fight was sitting at a nearby table writing something. Lee was asleep at my side. I wondered how they had brought me here, and what had happened at the end of the fight. The pain was slowly growing and I sobbed for a few moments before the person I didn’t know looked my way.
Surprise filled his blue-gray eyes and he came over and placed his hands on the area where the sword had penetrated. His long brown hair was neatly tied back. I could sense the use of magic and the pain slowly lessened until I could stop sobbing.
“I didn’t think you’d wake for a few more days,” He commented softly. He looked from his work to me and answered my questions without me having to say a word. “It’s been five days. Yes, you should be dead, but I’m more than just a healer. Your friend is alive. Drakus is dead, but I think you saw that.”
So that’s what the Lord Evil’s name was. I ignored the fact. He had caused too much damage to be worth remembering.
“I’m Emmyth,” he said as he nudged Lee to wake him up.
Lee looked at him with confusion. “Is something wrong?” he asked and looked quickly at me with fear in his eyes. Relief filled his face. “You’re actually awake!”
“Let her rest. She is still in a great deal of pain.” Emmyth warned, “But first have your moment.” He left the room.
“I thought I had lost you,” he said holding me carefully.
“I thought I was dead,” I agreed as the pain slowly crept back with Emmyth’s magic gone. Five days? It sounded like there was a lot more healing to come.
“Emmyth has Blessed blood. It’s like being an extreme healer,” Lee quickly tried to explain. “If he reaches someone in the right moment he can keep them alive. With his normal healing magic, he’s able to make repairs on bones and muscles, and he can bring people back who haven’t completely crossed over yet.”
“I’m not sure how anyone can be blessed like that.” That sounded more unbelievable than demons, curses, and magic.
“Since demons like to make pacts, why wouldn’t angels have their own fun?” Lee asked and gave a small chuckle. “Mother certainly lied about that one, but I don’t hold it against her. The story is complicated.”
“But gods don’t interfere…” I argued what I had been taught.
“No, they don’t,” he agreed. “But the gods of hell have their demons. Demons are what caused the problems, right? The gods of the heavens have angels. They can make their own decisions, foolish or not. Instead of corrupting us like demons do, they try to do more good for the world. Bring a bit more balance.”
The pain was starting to come back intensely and my eyes teared up. My composure was fading fast.
“When will it stop hurting?” I asked, letting myself see and feel the stab wound. Forget the Blessed blood nonsense, it would have to wait until later.
“A few days. He didn’t think you’d wake up until you were done healing,” Lee said and gave my forehead a kiss. “I’ll grab Emmyth. Get some rest and we can figure out everything when you’re feeling better.”
Lee went into the hall and Emmyth returned. “He’s going to tell everyone you’re making progress. Now, I’m going to put you back into a slumber. It’ll likely wear off again, but you should be well enough to move back home in four or five days.”
“Okay.” I cringed at the pain. It seemed like a long time, but it was better than being dead.
This time when the magic washed over me it was intoxicating. The warmth felt like the deepest joy my heart knew. My eyelids grew heavy and everything slowly went numb as I drifted back asleep.
From time to time I’d wake up. I was able to eat some food and talk for a few minutes before the pain would kick in and become unbearable and I’d be sent back to sleep. By the fifth day, I had managed to sit up, eat, and have a full conversation before any pain decided to trickle in. It was the first time Zarek made it to see me before I was back asleep.
“You are the worst rescue team ever.” He laughed, giving me a tight hug. It hurt but I didn’t say anything about it.
“We’ll see if I nearly die by a soulless, demon filled person for you again,” I shot back. My anger wasn’t convincing.
“Please don’t. Sandra and David already hate me for everything that happened, even though their letters have been very polite. It’s the polite ones that scare me the most.” Zarek shuddered.
�
�Awww, they missed me.” I laughed, which quickly turned into a pained cough.
“I didn’t know your friend was of Blessed blood,” Zarek commented.
Lee picked the perfect time to enter the room. “That was a fun question to ask my mother. ‘So Mother, I killed a demon today. Normal people can’t do that... So what really happened to my father?’”
“That would have been an excellent story.” Zarek laughed, clearly interested in learning more.
“I’ve never seen my mother blush or be so awkward. Apparently, she had, in fact, married him and everything was normal until he had to resume his duties after a ten-year vacation. He promised to keep her safe. I wonder if and when he found out about me?” Lee shrugged.
“That sounds like an even more awkward family reunion than ours.” Zarek nudged me gently.
“I didn’t know angels slept with mortals,” I mused. That could cause a lot of interesting problems.
“Please let’s not talk about my mother sleeping with an angel.” Lee shook his head and cringed before changing topics. “Anyway, apparently there’s some unique magic I can tap into because of this, so learning more will be my next project.”
“Is Emmyth teaching you, then?” I asked curiously.
“Yeah, he’ll be staying around for a bit to help me with that,” Lee replied.
“Where did he come from, anyway?” I asked. He had appeared out of the blue, and I never had time to ask before now.
Zarak shrugged. “He appeared out of nowhere, got in touch with Jameson, and explained that he was hunting a demon lord who might be in charge of all the nonsense going on, and together they joined up with everyone else. I’d have been there too if I wasn’t injured.”
My pain was starting to return but I tried to push it away, “What’s going to happen now that this is actually over?”
Zarek shook his head. “Well, you’re stuck coming to my wedding, then you’re probably going to settle down with your boyfriend. He says you’re fond of the idea of having sheep.”