Blood of the Sorcerer

by B. C. Morin

  “AH!” Brennus screamed as the fluid that burned through his vest reached his skin and began burning its way through. “Whatever it shot at me is toxic. It has eaten through my clothes and is now burning my skin.” Alannah swung her bag off her back and dug her hand inside, searching for a bottle with a purple liquid inside. She popped the cork off and poured some onto his shoulder, while he grunted a healing spell. But the wound did not begin to close as easily as it should have. At least the pain was gone.

  Alannah felt the heat of bodies behind her as Tristan, Kaleb, Magnar, and Jadoc stood closer to her, preparing to help Brennus fight the giant lizards. One lizard began stepping forward slowly, his long tail swishing on the floor behind him, and six black claws clicking on the stone with every step. Its lids narrowed, and its jaw opened slightly.

  Instantly, Brennus knew that what had hit him before was saliva, and he was not about to let it happen again.

  “Contúndere!” Brennus yelled and the lizard before him was reduced to nothing more than a smoking pile of ash, surrounded by sizzling toxic liquid. At this, the others raced forward, clicks of their claws filling the air.

  Incendium, Contúndere, Obstupe! Spells were cast through passage, hitting some of the lizards and eliminating them on the spot. Although others had made it through the melee and managed to hiss off some of the toxic saliva at Jadoc and Tristan, before meeting their demise at the sharp end of Magnar’s sword. Though she still questioned his presence, Alannah had to admit that he was useful. The foul stench of the toxins began to fill the air around them, causing nausea and fatigue to run through the group.

  Alannah stumbled to pour the healing potion onto Tristan’s neck and Jadoc’s cheek.

  “We need to get out of here. The toxins have an effect on the senses.” Brennus took a step forward, falling to one knee.

  He shook his head trying to shake the dizziness that was overwhelming him. The shape of the passage was warping before him. He tried chanting some healing spells but nothing worked. When he looked back, he found that the others were leaning against the walls as well to keep from falling.

  Keeping a hand on the wall and only one light orb in front of him he stumbled his way out of the corridor.

  As they distanced themselves from the dead creatures, their vision began to return to normal and standing became much less of a chore.

  “Do you hear that?” Brennus stood, listening, his brow furrowed. “It sounds like-“

  “Water.” Alannah interrupted. She looked at him confused. “A waterfall, inside the mountain?” She questioned, looking around waiting to see if any of the others found it as strange as she did.

  She walked alongside Brennus towards the sound of the rushing water.

  * * * * *

  Evyette crept along the narrow path behind Maligo, who Samil had demanded walk in front in case any strange creatures came attacking. She looked down and could see the blood seeping through the makeshift bandage. Evyette was grateful that they had found a small opening in the mountain, though it had taken most of the day.

  Hunger gnawed at her belly, filling the small space with its cries. A few times Samil had huffed in annoyance but she stopped caring hours ago. If he was going to kill her for annoying him he would have done so already.

  The winding passage turned into not more than a crack in the wall and they had to make their way through by pressing themselves against the walls. It was a good thing the Dorchae had not made it, as they would have not been able to pass through.

  She was amazed at the grace with which the Drow were able to maneuver through it, but then was saddened to know that they really did not know what they were doing. She couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be to be trapped in a body you could not control.

  Maligo stopped suddenly and Evyette ran into his back, sure that she hit his leg.

  “Apologies!” She voiced quickly.

  Maligo turned, meeting her eyes.

  “You did not hit my wound, I am fine.” She could see the beads of sweat along his brow, and the color had drained from his face. The wound was affecting him more than he was letting on.

  As they neared the end of the corridor, they came upon several large stones stacked upon each other until they reached the ceiling.

  “What are you waiting for?” Samil balked at them.

  “Are you mad? They are too heavy for me.” Evyette put her hands on her hips. “Why don’t you use some of your demon powers, all mighty fae.” She said mockingly.

  Samil narrowed his eyes at her, his lip curling up.

  “Drow!” He called, still not taking his eyes off of his granddaughter. “Remove the stones.”

  The two Drow pressed by them and began removing the stones, lining them up against the walls until there was enough of a space that they could crouch through.

  As they made their way through, they entered a vast cavern with small streams leading off of a waterfall, far in the distance. The rushing sound of the water made it hard to hear Samil’s laughter as he reveled in being closer to finding the scroll. Evyette rolled her eyes at his insanity and continued forward, trying to search for other outlets, but she could not find one. Along the walls, surrounding the waterfall and the cavern, were the roots of the trees that decorated the mountainside. She walked to the edge of the pool in front of the fall, reaching her hand into the water to bring some to her cracked lips.

  As she cupped her hand in the water, something below her glimmered and she felt something tighten around her wrist. Evyette tried to pull her hand free but it was as if the water refused to let her go. She searched her wrist, and though she could see the indentations of fingers on her wrist, she could not see what they were attached to. The water glimmered again and the bits of sunshine that made its way through several openings in the stones above, where the tree roots were, outlined a figure in the water.

  Evyette tried focusing on the outline but it was too late. She was pulled into the water and dragged down deep into the pool, and pressed against the walls. The pressure of additional fingers made their way onto her neck. The water before her rippled, though nothing had been thrown in the water. She had not moved, and before her, floated a mermaid. Her skin was a deep blue, causing her bright golden eyes to stand out. Her skin, though smooth in some areas, was scaled in others. Dark brown hair floated and swam behind her as if it had a life of its own.

  She studied Evyette for a moment, before baring her two rows of sharp teeth.

  “What do you seek here, fae?” Her voice echoed in Evyette’s head, before she realized that the mermaid was talking to her in her mind. Evyette shook her head violently, trying to indicate that she was not here in search of anything when she began to get light headed. “There is an evil in this place. You must go.” The mermaid spoke to her again before thrusting her up and out of the water. She met the cold stone with her shoulder gasping for air that she could not take in fast enough.

  “What was that?!” Samil yelled, staring down at her.

  “Mermaid.” She managed through coughs.

  Maligo kneeled next to her trying to help her sit up.

  “She said we must go.” Evyette touched her neck, still feeling the fingers wrapped around her.

  “Ha!” Samil yelled out into the cave. “I will not have come this far to be stopped by a talking fish!” He stood at the edge of the water, staring in and trying to find her. “It is in the water.” He said shaking his head, as if he could not believe he had not figured it out earlier.

  “What?” Evyette said, finally standing.

  “Why else would she be so adamant about us leaving?” Samil turned smirking at her.

  Her stomach dropped. If he was right, and the scroll was here, then this would be the beginning of the end.

  Evyette watched as Samil paced the edge of the pool, while he attempted to figure out how he would get his hands on the scroll. Her breathing had become heavy. Visions of a fully fleshed Samil appeared before her and she pushed the wretched thoughts awa
y.

  “You!” Samil called out to the Drow. He pointed at the first Drow, with the blank look in his eyes. “You will distract the mermaid.” He looked at the other expressionless Drow. “You will swim down and search for my scroll.”

  “Do we kill the mermaid, Master?”

  It was only the second time Evyette had heard the Drow speak and it hurt her. She wondered if he really sounded like that or if the emptiness in his voice was completely from the mind control.

  “I do not care what you do with her.” Samil waved his hand in the air dismissively.

  The Drow jumped into the water without concern for themselves, following their master’s plan.

  Evyette inched closer and watched as the first was snatched and drug away.

  Quickly, the second Drow dove in, surfacing moments later.

  “I do not see it, Master.”

  “Search again!” Samil yelled, his ghostly form fading slightly.

  The Drow submerged himself again and Evyette watched as the glimmer in the water chased behind him. The first Drow swam over, swinging the knife he had pulled from his blade, until it staggered and the water around them began to turn red. The mermaid’s magic had faded and she was visible to them. The other Drow pulled his knife also, plunging it into her stomach. They thrashed in the water, while the mermaid tried to pull them into the depths. The odds were clearly against her, as the Drow were being successful in killing her.

  “No!” Evyette fell to her knees at the edge of the pool, but was grabbed by the back of her shirt, and yanked by Samil.

  “I’ll not have you ruining my plans!”

  The pool at the foot of the waterfall was shaded a dark pink, and Evyette swore she heard the final cries of the mermaid in her mind.

  One Drow surfaced in the bloody water, gasping for air and clutching a silver box in his hand.

  She knew instantly that the other Drow had drowned.

  Samil yanked the box from the Drow’s hand before he could pull himself from the pool. He opened the box, pulling a scroll from inside. Samil whispered some words against the seal and it crumbled away revealing the contents of the scroll. His gaze quickly landed on Evyette.

  “Restrain her!” Samil called to Maligo.

  “No.” Maligo spoke firmly, as he stepped in front of his long lost daughter. “I will not help you kill her.”

  Samil’s laugh, echoed through the cavern.

  “Then you have sealed her fate.”

  Maligo reached behind him ensuring that Evyette was safe.

  “You do not have to do this.” She whispered onto his back.

  “Contúndere!” Samil shouted but Maligo jumped out of the way, as the wall twenty feet behind him was hit and cracked.

  “Obtupe!” Samil called out, before falling to his knees, as the spell took a toll on him.

  “Evyette!” Maligo crawled over to his daughter, who was in a stupefied state. He searched her eyes, knowing that she could see him.

  “Enough, Samil!” Maligo knelt in front of her, tears streaming down his face. “Take me instead.” He begged.

  Samil’s laughter once again filled the cave.

  “You? You were a means to have the spell recited. I do not want your meager powers. My granddaughter can not only provide me the flesh sacrifice I need to return, but when her powers combine with mine, I will be unbeatable.”

  Maligo turned to the water where, from the center, a whirlpool had begun to form. When he looked up, he saw Alannah, Brennus and the others coming out from behind the waterfall.

  Seeing the same, Samil ran to Evyette, opening the scroll in his hand, already reciting the first words. Maligo used the remaining power in his staff to shoot magic at him, but Samil returned to his spirit form, and the magic went right through him.

  As he got closer, Samil returned to flesh form, pulling the blade he used for the rituals from his belt and slashing at Maligo. Maligo tried to block the blade, but was sliced across his forearm. Samil landed next to Evyette and placed the blade up to her neck, as he watched more Drow come in through the opening, which the others had entered through.

  “Looks like the odds are even now, eh, Princess?” Samil looked directly at Alannah who directed the whirlwind to the incoming Drow, as Brennus and the others ran toward them wielding their magic and swords.

  As the sixth Drow came through the opening, Maligo pulled a dagger from his belt, flinging it across the room, and burying it into the Drow’s neck, just as he was about to run his sword through Kaleb. Kaleb turned, meeting Maligo’s eyes with certain confusion.

  Samil dragged Evyette’s stiff body to the far end of the cavern, occasionally calling out demons to distract or fight Alannah.

  Alannah, on being discovered, called up another whirlpool, surrounding the demons and dragging them into the waters, until they were submerged for so long, there were no bubbles surfacing from their screams.

  Using his staff, Maligo stood again, and tried making his way to Evyette.

  “Stay away from my daughter!”

  A silence filled the air as everything around the fae seemed to go slower, Maligo’s wording hanging thick in the air.

  Samil shot a burst of energy into Maligo’s chest, dropping him to his knees. He crawled his way to Evyette, while Alannah formed clouds above them by using the precipitation of the waterfall.

  Lightning began to fill the air in the cavern, and Alannah stood at the front of the pool, directing the bolts into the bodies of some of the Drow. She tried to hit Samil, but he had put some sort of shield around himself and Evyette.

  Evyette began moving her fingers, as the stunning spell was wearing off. She tried moving her lips but could not speak. In the distance she watched as Tristan and the others fought the remaining Drow. The other fae, who was with them, that she did not know, lay on the ground with a wound to his side, his white hair, sprawled out on the stone floor behind him.

  Alannah continued to attack the shield surrounding Samil, weakening it with every strike of lightning.

  Maligo pulled himself the last few inches to his daughter, reaching his fingers to her face, as Samil’s voice faded into the background.

  “I am sorry, daughter, that I could not save you.”

  A tear rolled down Evyette’s cheek, as she used all the strength she could muster, to bring her arm up to her father’s hand.

  “I will give your love to your mother.” Maligo’s eyelids flickered for a moment before closing.

  Though, still mostly stunned, Evyette felt her chest heavy with grief, and hurt. A sob escaped her lips, and tears flowed from her eyes.

  “Keep going Alannah, it’s weakening, you are almost through!” Tristan yelled as he struck at the shield with his sword.

  “Evy!” He hammered his fist against the shield, “I am coming, Evy, fight him, do not let him take you!” Tristan stood as close as he could near Evyette, Maligo’s limp body beside her.

  Alannah dropped to her knees, the power of trying to contain the storm without causing the mountain to implode was wearing on her. She heard Brennus call her name in the distance, but could not focus on it. Out of the corner of her eye she could see a Drow running toward her and raising his sword to strike her down, but Magnar came from behind, slashing his back with his sword, and then running it through the Drow’s back and out his chest.

  Samil continued reading from the scroll, the dagger in his hand. Dark spirits surrounded him, creeping around Evyette, waiting for her soul.

  Alannah felt the strong arms wrap around her waist, keeping her from falling forward but she could not stop now. Not when she was so close. Though her vision was waning and the edges of her line of sight had gone black, she would not stop now.

  The last lightning struck through the shield, hitting the wall behind Samil, throwing him to the ground. Tristan moved Maligo out of the way, then slid his hands underneath Evyette, trying to lift her so that he could take her away from Samil.

  The dark spirits began pulling on Tristan’s
legs, making it difficult for him to move until he was almost as immobile as Evyette. He shook her, trying to get more of her to react, but she was still recovering from the spell, and despite the efforts, could not move.

  Samil stood, reciting the final words of the scroll.

  “Trist, look out !” Kaleb yelled as he ran his sword through the belly of the last remaining Drow.

  Samil threw himself toward Evyette, his dagger raised in the air, the final words of the scroll on his lips; the last words needed to take all of his heir’s life as his own, and return as flesh and blood, to destroy the fae people.

  Tristan looked at Evyette, terror welled up in her eyes at the knowledge of what he was going to do. Tristan threw himself on top of her just before Samil was able to sink his blade in to the hilt.

  “Tristan!” The pained scream escaped her lips but it was too late. His weighted body lay across hers, his face fallen into her neck.

  “I love you, Evy.” He whispered, as the tears rolled off her face.

  “What have you done?!” Samil yelled, yanking the dagger from Tristan’s back. His eyes were glowing red with anger. He looked up to see Kaleb charging at him, and with a few quick words, the dark spirits surrounded him and he disappeared into a cloud of black smoke and sulfur.

  Kaleb dropped his sword on the ground next to Tristan, pulling him off of Evyette. He tried reciting healing spells, but none would work. The sacrificial magic would not allow for healing.

  “Tristan, you must hold on, so we can get you to Anrad and save you!” Kaleb cried, as he held Tristan across his lap.