Elemental Courage

by M. W. McDonald

  “Walk with me, William,” Owen said as William tried to match the giant man’s stride.

  “Why do you care so much about what I become?” William asked, and Owen smiled.

  “We want you to succeed, of course. You are Dyaina’s son.” Owen spoke selectively.

  “That’s not what I mean, and you know it.” William was frustrated at the dodged question.

  “I know,” Owen smiled, and then he continued. “You are wondering why everyone is making such a fuss over you. Why everyone is so interested in your training.” William nodded, and Owen took a deep breath. “Archmages are a fulfillment of a prophecy of sorts. They are the only ones capable of destroying the greatest evil of any age.”

  “That’s kind of broad, isn’t it?” William asked.

  “I suppose it is,” Owen laughed.

  “Who is to say what evil is?” William asked.

  “There is only one true evil,” Owen said solemnly.

  “Khorynn.” William finished Owen’s statement. Owen shook his head.

  “No, Khorynn was never truly evil. She became a destroyer, and she was twisted at the end, but she was seeking revenge from the world for the death of her friend and then the death of her husband and child.” Owen paused, letting his words sink in as he continued walking down the hall with William in tow. He continued. “It was evil itself that caused those things to happen.” Owen paused again.

  “Your mother told you the story of Khorynn a couple of days ago, didn’t she?” William nodded.

  “Yeah she did, why?” William asked.

  “The story itself is a great measure of one’s convictions. More to the point, evil is present throughout.” Owen said.

  “What do you mean?” William asked, far more confused than when they had started.

  “Evil pushed Khorynn’s friend off the cliff where she died. Evil whispered in her ear at her sentencing and caused her mind to snap when she felt her best friend die again. Evil itself corrupted the two shaman who killed Khorynn’s family, and Evil was waiting for her to get home and witness that carnage. It embraced her mind and comforted her as it used her power for its own amusement.” Owen was gazing up as he walked. “No, Khorynn was never truly evil, she sought exacting revenge upon the shamanic race, and that need for revenge was exaggerated and amplified by that evil. She was an unfortunate victim of a mind weakened by hate. Evil got through the cracks.”

  “The way you are talking makes it sound like evil is a person and not just a thing,” William said as the story resounded in his mind.

  “It’s both,” Owen said sadly as they rounded the corner at the end of the hall that opened into the kitchen and dining area. Owen beckoned for William to sit at the table and he did the same. Brian and Alex nodded to the other two men who came in. Michael and David were having some type of discussion about rifting at the other end of the room. William settled down just across from Owen.

  “How was training today?” Brian asked.

  “I…almost killed Ren,” William replied quietly. Brian’s face went ashen.

  “This is the death sentencing then?” Owen smiled weakly, the thought of his wife hurt by the element he controlled made him feel helpless.

  “No, she is ok, just unconscious. Don’t worry Brian, her chest is just fine.” Brian flushed, and Alex laughed. Brian grumbled and went back to his food. Owen continued his story-telling.

  “He is both a person and a thing. He was the very first shaman, period. He quickly developed an affinity with the shadow element, raising himself to Enchanter. This wasn’t enough he wanted more power as all men with power do. He stumbled across a black rite that was supposed to summon an archfiend in his searches for bolstering energies. Against all warnings, he attempted it hoping to enslave the fiend and reap its power for his own.” Owen now had the undivided attention of everyone in the room.

  “He succeeded in summoning a demon of immeasurable power, but it was his power that was reaped. The archfiend took his body as a vessel and became the very first shade. He is the oldest of them all and the strongest by far. Khorynn herself was said to be dwarfed in comparison.”

  “What was the Enchanter’s name?” Alex asked before William could speak. Owen looked at Alex.

  “I was hoping you could tell us.” Owen’s gaze locked with Alex’s.

  “How would I know?” Alex said defensively.

  “The only person who has ever seen it and lived is your grandfather. The shade was the accident that caused your grandfather to seal off his powers. He is also the only reason that we know anything about it at all.” Alex sat motionless, his eyes staring at the center of the table in shock.

  “I told you that calling you Emberchild was a compliment,” Owen stated.

  “I’m supposed to destroy this thing?!” William’s voice cracked, he was breaking down.

  “If you don’t, more evils will be done, more people will heed its whispers. Another Archmage will be created in 5 thousand-ish years if you fail. If the world remains intact that long. Rest easy, you won’t be doing this alone.” Owen stood up and got himself a drink.

  Brian was still grumbling about the chest comment when he felt a tug in his mind that demanded his attention. He felt an ominous power spike, powerful in fact and it was close. His face darkened and lost all emotion, his mind was jarred by the impact of what the significant energy felt. His mind felt the vibrations of energy ricocheting down the canyons, it was moving fast. Then…it abruptly stopped. Brian’s mental proximity to the source caused a little empathic feedback. He lurched forward in pain and unconsciously caught Owen’s arm in a furious grip of white knuckles and taut muscles.

  “What’s wrong Brian?” Owen asked him seriously concerned.

  “Brian couldn’t speak, he gripped Owen’s arm tighter from another wave of pain. Owen’s pupils dilated as Brian did the only thing he could do. He showed Owen what he felt and saw. An old man, Owen instantly recognized as Lorailyen Emberchild, was bound by rusty chains of ancient darkness. He also saw an ancient shade, it felt older than anything Owen had ever felt. His power reeked of blood and death. He glanced at the area and recognized it as a portion of the canyon that narrows significantly approximately 60 miles down the canyon. He saw the shade materialize a wicked scythe and could even feel the dread that the heavy crescent blade possessed.

  “Keep your distance Brian, and try and make out any words. Owen dislodged Brian’s vice-like grip and was brought back to reality. Everyone was looking at the two men intently, Brian was still in a trance-like state. Owen glanced at Alex a moment then at David and Michael.

  “I need to get about 60 miles down the canyon, almost a straight shot from here.”

  “When?” David asked.

  “10 minutes ago,” Owen said death was in his eyes. David nodded quickly, shifting almost instantly. David’s howl tore the air, the crackling energy greeted them.

  “Let’s go!” David growled, motioning with his massive head, for Owen to get on.

  “We may already be too late,” Owen said.

  “Michael, run ahead of me and open the portal, we are coming in fast. You said you’re faster than me, prove it.” Michael’s wolfish features managed a grin as he leaped through the portal at breakneck speeds.

  “I’ve never done a jump completely parallel to time Owen. Hold on.” His large broad paws whispered over the stone floor as he leaped impossibly fast through the rift leaving behind Alex and William to look after Brian.

  39

  The Shade of Khorynn was making quick time, pushed by the need to survive. The lingering sensation of danger filled its mind as it recalled the steely, shrouded presence of the ancient shade.

  “You must consume the Archmage quickly,” the voice from the pendant came softly. “He will probably be tracking you.” The Robed-one couldn’t feel the presence of the ancient shade, but it didn’t doubt the words from the wizened woman it called mother. The reaper had been around for ages, and the Shade of Khorynn knew beyond a do
ubt that the reaper would stay hidden until he wanted to be found.

  “Are you listening to me?” The voice asked agitatedly.

  “Yessss” The shade hissed. The shadows from within its robes darkened the landscape visibly as it passed through the lower valley of the Grand Canyon. Its path through the shadows was made more accessible by the setting sun. The memories of its latest shaman kill had been absorbed from his very essence and it now filtered through the shades mind like a slideshow. The memories guided it towards the end of a section of the canyon like a tugging child guides a parent. The shade grasped onto its illusion of the old man as it prepared its secret plan.

  “You surprise me, young one.” The voice came echoing through the canyon, amusement dripped from its voice. The sound was snake-like but thick and rich with malice.

  “You bring too much attention to yourself.” The voice laughed, “Your methods are intriguing, a little unorthodox, but very interesting. You had promise.” The tone of the voice had changed to ominous. The Shade of Khorynn paid little attention to the voice in the canyon and continued on its path.

  “RUN! It's him.” The voice yelled from the pendant.

  “You would do well, to mind your elders.” The voice of the ancient evil boomed behind the shade. Rusty chains of energy born from ancient corruption and evil, erupted from the shadows running parallel to the Shade of Khorynn. The chains slammed into the ethereal form and dragged it out of the safety of its swirling black vortex.

  “NO!” The voice from the pendant screamed in desperation. “You must leave now!”

  “Can’t…Move…” The shade was fully exposed of its cloak of shadows, the shadows around the robed-one grasped at their master to attempt to hide it from vision. The darkness still clung to the illusion of the old man even though the tremendous agony of the chains ripped at the souls that made up its essence. A figure draped in a long flowing robe with shredded cloth near its hands and feet, jumped down from the cliff side, and landed softly on the shadows below, merely feet from the Shade of Khorynn.

  “Forgive me, child, I’m a little rusty.” The voice was heavy with sarcasm as the chains sawed across more souls within the shade. The shade howled in agony echoed by a hundred voices. “I do hope it doesn’t hurt too much.” The chains lurched and twisted again. The ancient one smiled beneath its deep low-drawn cowl. A smile filled with hundreds of inhuman teeth gleamed in the approaching moonlight.

  “MOVE…You have to move. Please move.” The voice from the pendant was pleading. The chains were sapping the energy of the shade, and it was barely able to speak.

  “…Can’t…” The reaper looked down at the crouching shade, once again amused. “You are still conscious, impressive. This is always more enjoyable when the victim is awake.” The Reaper held out a hand to his side, outstretched palms and impossibly long fingers adorned with embossed black and red claws, flexed. The form of a long handle started to materialize from the darkness of night. The handle was long and curved near the top. A massive crescent blade that was as long as the shade was tall adorned the top of the long handle. It was a scythe of deadly proportions, and the edge itself seemed to suck the life out of everything around it.

  “NO! You cannot have my child!” the voice screamed from the pendant, a bolt of red energy exploded from the necklace and struck the reaper sending him slamming into the cliff wall behind him. He hit with such force that he burrowed into the rock a solid 30 feet.

  “Hello Khorynn, it’s been far too long.” The voice hissed in mock delight as it emerged unscathed from the cliff wall.

  “Impressive display for someone trapped in a blood ruby a thousand miles away.” The Reaper smiled again. “Perhaps you would have hurt me if I hadn’t been exposed to your energy for so many years.” The voice of the Reaper wavered between a deeply human voice and a demonic grumble. “Oh, that’s right. You didn’t know I was there.”

  “What are you talking about?” Khorynn was buying time for her child. If death was a couple feet away, it couldn’t take her child. The fanged grin of the Reaper flashed again, “It was me. All of it was my doing. I sought you out all of those years back, not because you were an Archmage, that was just a delicious bonus. I chose you for your capacity to hate. I stretched that capacity to breaking by taking everything from you. You entertained me more than you could possibly imagine, and all it took was mere whispers from your shadow.” The reaper laughed maniacally, the canyon walls shed debris as the voice echoed deeply.

  “Your mind was so easy to break once I killed your friend, I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome at the sentencing. Wait, I did ask didn’t I?” The Reaper laughed again, this time his eyes glowed brighter, and he stepped forward. “Your power was used to do my bidding. You disappointed me when you tried to forget the rage and hatred and tried to lead a normal life. I couldn’t have that. I corrupted two other meatbags to murder your husband.” The Ancient one looked at the Shade of Khorynn and continued. “And your child. Your renewed vows of vengeance would have brought me to tears of joy if I had tears or felt joy. Let us find out if I can rekindle your lust for hate once more.” The reaper curled his fingers around the shaft of the scythe, and with both hands, he swung it in a massive arc.

  “NO!” Red crackling energy swirled around the pendant, but the scythe continued its arc.

  It sliced into the very darkness of the shade. The souls contained within the shade of Khorynn leaked out like blood from an arterial wound. The shadows that had swirled around it in numerous times before were now pouring into the Reaper., The Reaper’s head tilted back, and he intook breath sharply as his essence consumed their energy hungrily.

  “Yesss.” He let the scythe fall to the ground with a heavy clang and held out both hands in front of him. He grabbed two handfuls of the shadows now swirling more erratically around the shade. The illusion of the old man bled away. The Reaper tore the souls from the darkness as the child of Khorynn screamed in pain. It took only moments for the shadows to stop swirling as the Reaper’s own essence lapped up at the remaining souls like warm milk. The Reaper took a step back, and the scythe flew back to his hand once more.

  “Tell me Khorynn, are you interested again?” The Reapers laugh was maniacal as he brought the scythe up once again. The shadows flaked away from the Shade of Khorynn, the Reaper wanted to kill the child; it had consumed all of the souls save for hers. She was nearly naked and clung to the last remnants of the robe for protection. This time his only target was the child of Khorynn itself.

  “NO! Don’t! If I say yes will you stop??” Khorynn’s voice spoke in a tone of desperation and tears.

  The Reaper grinned evilly. His inhuman fangs glistened and heaved mightily as he brought the scythe down in a mighty arc on the now raven-haired woman. The pendant around the woman’s neck shattered as the voice from the necklace screamed and echoed down the canyon walls.

  40

  The reaper was on the verge of destroying the child of Khorynn. The dark-haired woman had tears rolling down her cheeks and fear was written plainly on her face. His scythe had been loosed. The raven-haired woman’s eyes closed in preparation for her death. The pendant around the woman’s neck shattered into a million dazzling shards and a snap of thunder and crackling of energy. The shards hung in mid-air. The reaper grinned with twisted glee as the scythe inched nearer and nearer to its mark.

  Time moved slowly.

  The malicious grin of the Reaper turned into a scowl of frustration and confusion as the scythe stopped moving. His glowing eyes narrowed, and then he glanced up the scythe handle to the blade. There was a woman’s hand at the leading portion of the handle, and the tormented weapon wouldn’t budge.

  “Impossible!” The Reaper’s voice boomed.

  “I will not lose her again,” Khorynn snarled, as she sent a massive surge of energy down the handle and into the Reaper’s form. His body convulsed from the current passing through it. The chains that had anchored into her child’s shadowy form, now dissol
ved. The reaper howled in pain and frustration.

  “How can you hurt me?” the voice managed between spasms. The voice was thick with anger, but it couldn’t control its body.

  “You’re immune to my hate, not my will to protect my daughter.” Khorynn’s body began to glow. The earth around her feet began to tear under the pressure of the energies she harnessed. “Never hurt a mother’s daughter.” She spread her palms wide and positioned them in front of the Reaper’s face.

  “You cannot have her!” Khorynn’s eyes gleamed with tears, as powerful beams of light erupted from her hands and smashed into the hooded face of the Reaper. He howled in pain once more as he was launched out of sight by the force of the beam’s impact. Khorynn kept her eyes on the sky following the path her beams had taken their passenger.

  She felt rather than saw the rift open about 50 feet from her daughter. She looked over her shoulder and saw two large rift wolves appear, one bearing a large man that looked familiar.

  Owen quickly took stock of the situation. The shade was gone, and only a dark-haired woman, nearly naked, lay unconscious or dead just feet from him. What he saw next he was not prepared for. He saw Khorynn herself standing near a scorched ring of earth. Remnants of energy still rippled off of her ornately decorated robes. Owen acted by reflex, instantly summoning his earthen hammer as he dismounted from David’s back gracefully.

  “Get out of here Michael! David, I may need an exit.” David nodded quickly, he knew who she was, if he didn’t know any better, he could have sworn he was looking at Dyaina, but this woman had a different air about her. David’s body begged him to leave, but he resisted.

  “Why do I have to leave?” Michael asked, unaware.