The Holtur Curse (The Holtur Trilogy Book 2)

by Cameron Wayne Smith

  Sonja collapsed into her bed wearing nothing but her underwear. Sonja was too tired to bother bathing, she didn’t really care either; it was finally all over. Given how tired she was, she was overjoyed at the concept of finally securing sleep.

  By the time Volk, Ivan, and Sonja had flown the wyverns home, the sun had begun to rise. Sonja immediately checked in with Commander Zeilgen to inform him of all that had happened. Going against Rigst’s words, she did inform Zeilgen about House Aepherius and the vampires. Sonja did make him swear to keep his knowledge a secret, even from Volk and Ivan. He also said he’d do his best to keep the slayers from openly talking about the shadowy creatures that helped them hold the gate when the Brothers of Eternity attacked.

  The end of their meeting was interrupted by more of those cursed rock golems coming down from the mountains. Sonja didn’t mind though, it was actually refreshing to smash apart an inorganic, non-human foe for a change! Secretly, she was really looking forward to hunting down and slaying whatever had been forming the things, but that would wait for another sun.

  A trip to the Formidor residence—to inform Wilbart’s wife of her husband’s demise—was another shock to Sonja’s system. Mrs Formidor took her husband’s death surprisingly well. She said they were both aware his existence would be coming to an end soon. Sonja deduced that knowing these things must be an element of horror research. The Formidor widow also asked about House Aepherius’ and Moongate’s welfare after the whole ordeal. It made her wonder how many others knew of the vampires and everything that lay east of the town. So much for it being some big secret.

  The hardest part for Sonja that sun had been confronting her father. It was amazing to see him, but keeping secrets from him, about the vampires, Aepherius, and Moongate, was difficult. They had gone on many leech hunts together—while failing to find any—in the past. Knowing the truth, but holding it back, was a bitter thing for Sonja to do. Confirming that the Brothers of Eternity were no longer alive felt wrong too. She knew they were finished, but she didn’t actually see the corpses of Caede or Crispin. Sonja was pretty sure Kaine sensed that, despite the fact she omitted saying it.

  At least Kallum had been in high spirits. Eltra was around—he always seemed chirpy around the girl—and they cracked a bottle of lolligolp to Sonja’s success. The booze swirling around her mind as she lay in bed did nothing to stall her from slumber. Soon enough, she was fast asleep. Away from the world, away from the horrors.

  ***

  Something stirred Sonja from her rest. “What?” she asked out loud.

  Listening carefully, nothing but the howling wind announced its presence. Sonja relaxed, then a loud, high-pitched, chirping click made its way through the bedroom window. She sat up and blinked through—despite a racing heart—groggy eyes. Another chirp… then another; it sounded almost like a cicada, just much louder and giving a longer pause between each noise.

  Sonja threw back the sheets, climbed out of bed, then stumbled to the window. It was dark outside, and the streetlights were out; a product of high winds this moon no doubt. She peered upwards, noticing the silvery outline of a cloud floating over the moon. Squinting, she scanned outside her window, watching the light from the moon slowly illuminate the ground once more.

  Staring right at her was one of those insect-horror steeds that belonged to Caede and Crispin. It flexed its mandibles and released another chirp. How did it get into Holtur? Surely this thing alone couldn’t get through the few slayers who took the moon shift? Could the freakish things fly?

  “Alright beetle,” Sonja said lazily, “time to put you down, like your master.”

  The thing didn’t appear as though it would be too difficult to end. A claymore through the neck sorted out most creatures, insects were no different. Sonja turned back and reached for her claymore, only to set her eyes upon something she had hoped to never see again, standing between her and her weapon. It was Caede. All of a sudden she was awake and sober.

  “Well, well, well,” Caede said smugly. “You did try hard to stop us, but you were never going to succeed.”

  “You have your relic, why are you still here?”

  “Such hostility,” Caede said, walking towards Sonja slowly. “Do you remember what I promised you when we first met?”

  “That you’d leave us alone if you acquired the Eternity Grail.”

  “I did!” Caede exclaimed. “If you found it for us, that was the deal! But you didn’t. Do you remember what I promised you if you failed us?”

  Sonja’s eyes flicked off Caede and to her claymore. If she timed it right, she could barge him down, grab the blade, and detach his head from his body. She charged her shoulder into the man, but he didn’t budge. Caede laughed, then threw Sonja past her blade and onto her bed.

  “You forgot?” Caede asked. “I promised I’d fuck you bitches like it’s the final sun of our glorious existence! Don’t you remember that?”

  Sonja spat at the man and made to roll off the bed. Caede was too fast, before she could move, his form became a blur of smoke. He then materialised on top of her with hands firmly wrapped around her wrists. He had become a vampire.

  Caede grinned with delight. “While I’m not going to give you the honour of fucking you first, I will still give you the pleasure all the same.”

  The deranged man—despite being less masculine than Sonja—had far superior strength. Is this what being a vampire meant? He pressed his lips against hers and forced his tongue into her mouth. Sonja opened her mouth wide, letting the tongue snake its way in, then chomped down hard. She didn’t rip it off, but the bastard’s mouth began pooling with blood. Her knee was also offered to his groin as he pulled away. The grip around her wrists weakened, so she planted her forehead into Caede’s nose.

  “Get off me, freak!” Sonja pushed the man off her bed, then made for her claymore.

  “Yes!” Caede cheerfully said. “I like you, Sonja. Remember?” His eyes and cheeks crinkled with a toothy grin, then he offered a sly wink. “I like em feisty!”

  “Die!” Sonja leapt at the man, swinging her claymore with everything she had.

  Moving in a blur of shadows, Caede closed in on Sonja, his hands firmly gripping Sonja’s bulging biceps. “No one shall die this moon,” he said, then sunk his teeth into Sonja’s neck.

  Sonja could feel her life-force flowing through her veins, heading towards the cold fangs that sank deeper into her flesh. She tried to scream, but felt the more effort she put into it, the faster the blood fled from her torso. “Stop,” she rasped.

  Caede chuckled a muffled sound, allowing blood to bubble from his mouth as he fed. He then gripped her tighter and sucked harder. Sonja now felt light headed and dizzy, not blissful like intoxication; it was closer to a horrible, spinning dream where you keep falling, unable to find your footing or wake up.

  A thud went through Sonja’s body and she collapsed. So did Caede. She blinked a few times, trying to figure out what had happened. Was she asleep, was this all just a dream?

  “Sonja!” Rigst’s called out. “Are you alright?”

  “Rider?” Sonja sat up slowly, but couldn’t see him.

  Another shadow-thing then flew through the room, pummelling Caede back to the ground. “Stay down!” Rigst appeared from the shadow, one foot firmly planted on Caede’s chest.

  “Ugh,” Caede grunted.

  “You and your brothers have killed too many,” Rigst said, “both human and vampire. Your existence ends here.”

  Caede struggled, grabbing Rigst’s feet with both hands, but he was unable to throw the ex-slayer off. “How are you more powerful than me? Drinking from the Eternity Grail should have given me powers far beyond yours! Why? How do I unlock my full potential?”

  “There’s two parts to the ritual,” Rigst said. “You’ve taken on the curse, but not the blessing.”

  “The blessing?” Caede asked, hopeful.

  “Something you will never obtain,” Rigst said, shaking his head and baring his fan
gs.

  “No!” Caede begged.

  Rigst ignored the plead, unsheathed his blade, flipped it into a reverse grip with both hands, then brought it down. Caede pleaded more words that transformed into a scream. It didn’t stop the sword. The weapon pierced through the villain’s neck, detaching Caede’s head from his body.

  Sonja stood wearily. “Thank you, Rider…”

  “I told you,” Rigst said. Sonja felt a presence fold around her as he spoke. “The Moonwatch protects Holtur.”

  “Rigst, we need to move,” a voice from the shadows, another vampire?

  Sonja’s head spun. She was dizzy and disorientated. Had she simply consumed too much booze before passing out and now suffered hallucinogenic dreams? Or was this truly real? She felt an off presence materialise around her, clutching at her weakened body.

  Rigst turned around. “You!”

  “Me!” Crispin said. His head was right beside Sonja’s. It was him that held her tight.

  “Rigst!” the voice from the shadows urged.

  Crispin released one hand from Sonja and fired a ball of flame into the shadows. One of the shadowy creatures swirled away from the created light, then reappeared in its humanoid form, it was Savra.

  “We can’t stop his fire!” Savra cried. Twirling through the shadows as Crispin lazily launched another fiery projectile.

  “Release her!” Rigst roared.

  Savra shook her head. “We need to go, now!” she cried.

  “I think I’ll hold onto her, if it’s all the same to you,” Crispin said. “Even if I am the more powerful being, I am still a fan of leverage.”

  Crispin pointed at Savra and a blast of fire ejected from his finger tips. Savra melted into the darkness, then fled out the window.

  “Savra!” Rigst called after her, then fixed his gaze upon Crispin. “You’ve got what you want, now let her go.”

  “Ah, the vampire that loves his cattle,” Crispin said. “You realise she is nothing but a meal? Why not go chase down that luscious lady—Savra is it—and indulge in your blessing together? It is your right as an immortal after all.”

  “Let her go!” Rigst demanded.

  “Good,” Crispin said in a calculated tone. “I will depart, and I’ll leave Sonja all to you.” Sonja felt the man’s grip tighten on her.

  Rigst blinked. “Alright, go.”

  “On one condition.”

  “Yes?” Rigst swallowed.

  Crispin laughed briefly then sighed. “Give me the blessing.”

  “I can’t gi—”

  “You can,” Crispin interrupted. “I know you can. Do it. If you try anything funny, you and your friend go up in flames.”

  “What will you do?” Rigst asked nervously. “Two blessings and a curse… it would make you one powerful being.”

  “The Brothers of Eternity are all dead,” Crispin said with a hint of sorrow. “I am the last one. My goal hasn’t changed; obtaining this power was simply a step in usurping my treacherous brother, Lord Asolf Turice. Finish my ascension into your ranks, and I will leave Holtur and pretend it never existed. You can have your precious human, unharmed, and tell the others you finished the final brother. We can leave each other alone, leave each other to live our own lives.”

  “Don’t listen to him,” Sonja said hoarsely, feeling Crispin’s hand tighten around her neck. “He’s a killer, he’s killed too many and will keep—” She stopped, finding it hard to breathe.

  “Perhaps I will keep killing,” Crispin said. “Who knows what the Altkrugan throne would do to my mind. I am, however, a man of my word. Deliver the blessing and Sonja lives. Don’t, and…” Crispin’s hand began to glow red.

  “I’ll give it to you!” Rigst said. “Just don’t hurt her.”

  “No!” Sonja exclaimed.

  “Might I suggest you hurry,” Crispin said. “My hand is getting awfully hot.”

  Slowly, Rigst strode up to Crispin, baring his fangs. “I’m sorry Sonja,” he said. “I don’t want to lose you.”

  “And you won’t have to,” Crispin said, tilting his head to the side and offering his neck.

  Rigst clamped his jaws around the exposed flesh, biting down hard. Sonja felt the hands around her pulse, from icy cold to scolding hot, as this alleged blessing took place over her shoulder. She could feel the grip loosening and wanted to fight back; her strength was just too depleted to do anything.

  “Ahh…” Crispin sighed in relief. “I feel it it.” He released his grip on Sonja, allowing her to stagger away. “Tethaya’s blessing swirls with that of Aesterus.” A purple hue raced across his skin, chased by an orange glow. “Yes, this should be enough.”

  Rigst growled. “You will leave, now!”

  “I will indeed. As I said, I am a man of my word, and shall uphold up my end of the bargain,” Crispin said dryly. “The Brothers of Eternity are no more. I no longer have business here in this wretched, frozen wasteland.”

  Sonja collapsed into Rigst’s arms. “What happens now?” she asked him.

  “Now?” Crispin asked back, as though the question was aimed at him. “I simply depart, never to return.” He whistled, turned to the window, then waited for a moment. After an awkward silence, Crispin cleared his throat. “My triequine… did you tamper with it?” His voice rose in anger. “Those things are near impossible to tame, damn it!”

  “That insect thing?” Sonja asked. “Do you really need it? Aren’t you all powerful?”

  “I guess I no longer require her,” Crispin said, disappointed. “I’ll just have to do with this sluggish shadow-form for transport.”

  Sonja raised a brow at Rigst and he offered a similar look back. Caede whistled again, hopeful for the return of his horror-steed. A single chirp—like the one that awoke Sonja earlier—sounded from the darkness. She waited to hear another chirp; it started, but was cut off short with the crunch of snapping carapace.

  “Nomi?” Crispin called into the darkness—the name of his steed Sonja assumed. “Are you there Nomi?”

  No chirp, but a low gargle, came in response. The cobbles outside creaked under the pressure of the creature approaching, something far heavier than an average steed. Smoke filled the room, causing the three within to cough. When it cleared, Raithia’s thin, vertical pupil expanded as it peered into the room.

  “Stupid wyvern!” Crispin yelled. “I. AM. A GOD!” Orange flames twirled along his arms, then a beam of fire shot towards the wyvern.

  Raithia flicked her head around, belching forth her own stream of flame. The attacks collided together at the window, exploding out in a violent, chaotic clash of energy. Stones blasted out into the street and back into room as the window’s radius rapidly expanded. The blazing inferno crept towards Sonja and Rigst along the roof, walls, and floor.

  “You know how flammable we are, right Crispin?” Rigst asked. “Even with Aesterus’ blessing, you’re still one of us.”

  Crispin roared, redirecting the encroaching flames to seek the open air outside.

  “The sorbguamis armour,” Sonja whispered into Rigst’s ear. “Put it on. Avenge our fallen. Finish the bastard!”

  Rigst glared at the armour sitting in the corner of the room. He then staggered towards it, dragging Sonja with him. He picked up the chest piece, then placed it over Sonja’s head, fitting it to her.

  “No!” Sonja cried. “I won’t lose you, not again!”

  “I’m already lost to you Sonja,” Rigst said sternly. “Besides, this armour isn’t fitted to me.”

  “Rigst!” Sonja exclaimed as Rigst fitted the helm in place.

  “This would be easier if you’d help yourself into it,” Rigst said, pushing a plated sleeve onto her arm.

  Sonja stood up and put the rest of the armour on herself. “I’m sorry I took advantage of you, sorry I didn’t want to be with you. We would have been good together.”

  “Don’t!” Rigst embraced her. “I’m thankful for what we did have.” He pulled away and nodded. “My fortune was grand for hav
ing the chance to know you, Captain.”

  “Escape if you can,” Sonja said.

  She turned back to Crispin; he and Raithia were continuing their fire fight as he slowly crept towards the room’s exit. He had almost escaped Raithia’s vision when a juvie raced through Sonja’s house and into her bedroom. It blasted Crispin with a flame that caught him alight.

  “You little shit!” Crispin cried, then redirected the fire from his body back to the little wyvern.

  Sonja grabbed for her claymore and charged at the man. She felt the heat rising as she closed in. She felt it, but it didn’t burn or overheat her. Instead, it felt like the fire was energising her body. All the strength Caede had taken was returning—with extra reserves to boot!

  A sweeping arc of her blade went for Crispin’s chest. The strike was backed with enough power to slice a slater beast in two. Crispin, however, did not divide. He disappeared, forming a flaming shadow that was nowhere near her strike.

  Raithia’s stream of fire was no longer held back either, and Sonja felt the full force of the alpha wyvern’s attack pound into her chest. The room ignited, exploding around her. She glanced at Rigst; he turned into a shadow and attempted to flee. Mid-air the shadow caught alight and turned back into Rigst. The fire tore through him, and by the time he struck the ground he was nothing but ash.

  “Rigst!” Sonja cried. The weight of her heart became too much to bear; she had finally found Rigst again—finally returned to his embrace—only for him to be taken away from her again. This time, he was gone for good.

  Crispin’s shadowy form was nowhere in the room. Raithia mustn’t have been aware though, her breath continued to tear through the house and into Sonja herself.

  “Raithia! Stop!” Sonja screamed. Her voice was but a whisper among the crackling timber and popping mortar around her. “You’re going to kill me!”

  Everything was burning, everything was fucked. Sonja had failed and this was the end. She roared with pain and despair, watching as the roof above her began to crumble down on top of her. There was nothing she could do but collapse beneath it all.