by Erik Weir
The man took a step closer, hands out and his hard gaze softening. “I’m not a greedy man. Hand over the elf, demon and Victor Hobbs and we will not speak of your involvement. You get to go on with your lives in this beautiful shop.”
Kira stepped behind Skye, eyes on Lily. “We can’t. She is from my dreams.”
Skye turned her gaze to Lily. The succubus stood; limbs loose and red eyes on the Spell Swords. The redhead grinded her teeth as she turned her head just enough to see Kira’s pleading gaze.
Skye turned her attention to Lily, “Did she send you?”
Lily kept her gaze on the man and woman, lips parting, “Vala protects.”
The man’s hands dropped to his sides. “By order of the Authority, you’re all under arrest!”
“Fuck the Authority,” Lily said with a razor leer, hand open and her staff extending from her palm.
The man and woman stood shoulder to shoulder, hands out and energy blazing to life. Lily, Skye, and Kira watched as mana poured into their hands and formed into blades of blue-white light. The female Spellsword moved off to the side while the male took a swordsman’s stance.
“Death will take you just as it took your goddess,” the man said with an evil smirk.
Skye pulled two vials from under the counter and held them up, “Not if we have anything to say about it,” and threw one of the vials.
***
Victor tried to open the wrist bindings, but the runes along it only glowed with each attempt. Dawn remained a zombie as Victor tried again. When the metal cuffs didn’t budge, Victor spent two points of Strength. Power flowed into his body as he felt stronger, faster and a dash more agile. Taking hold of the rune covered cuffs, he attempted to pull them apart. The metal groaned as the runes glowed brighter. Victor grunted as he strained against the metal. A crack formed and a second later, the metal bindings snapped in half.
Victor smiled as he pulled the other metal cuff apart and then worked on the ankle cuffs. When the final one snapped in half, Dawn sat up, eyes wide and taking in a deep breath. Victor grabbed her and smiled. The elf looked into Victor’s green eyes, gasping for breath as she began to calm down.
“The cuffs barely kept me alive…letting me breath just enough… so I wouldn’t die,” Dawn gasped with every inhale.
“It’s okay, we’re here to rescue you,” Victor said as he took hold of the elf and helped her to her feet.
The moment Victor and Dawn were standing, a muffled explosion caused the wood above them to shake, pockets of dusts raining down.
“What was that,” Dawn said with wide eyes.
“Trouble,” Victor answered as his gun blade slipped into his hand.
Spending a point of Constitution, the six holes along the hilt of the blade glowed.
“Stay here…” Victor began.
“I’m not leaving your side,” Dawn shouted back as the room above them rattled in chaos.
Victor let out an exhale as he darted to the stairs, Dawn right behind him. The Blade charged up the stairs and when he reached the top, he rammed his shoulder into the door. The door blasted open as Victor barreled into the shop. Eyes drank in the bedlam as it unfolded right before his gaze.
Lily’s staff whipped through the air, clashing against a man with a glowing blue blade, sparks jumped from each clash. A woman with a similar blade charged into the fray, blade slicing down as Lily turned her body, staff parrying the incoming blow. Skye threw a vial at the floor. The glass shattered and energy arced up, stabbing at the two people in leather armor. Runes glowed as the energy struck shields covering their bodies. Lily didn’t slow down as she held the two spell swords at bay, her staff knocking away incoming strikes. The woman with silver hair darted behind a curtain while the redhead lifted up another vial and threw it. The vial hurtled toward the man with the glowing blade. He turned and smacked the vial aside with the flat side of his energy blade. The vial shattered and darkness jumped up, wrapping around his body and tightening. The man grunted as he brought his blade to the darkness coiling around him, the energy of the blade burning it open and the darkness vanished into a puff of smoke.
Victor didn’t know what was going on, but it didn’t stop him from lifting his gun blade, aiming at the female Spellsword as she rained down attacks on Lily’s staff. Pulling the trigger, an energy bolt blasted out. The Spellsword’s blade whipped up, parrying the energy bolt and smoldering eyes centering on Victor.
Energy fueling Victor’s muscles, he bolted forward in a blink, gun blade up and coming down. The female Spellsword parried the incoming blade with her own, arms struggling against Victor’s strength. The male spellsword came at Lily with a flurry of attacks. She parried the strikes until the sword shifted against her staff, clamping on and moving it to the side. Lily watched with wide eyes as the Spellsword’s free hand opened and he whispered an arcane word. Lightning blasted out, Lily shifted her body but still took a direct hit to her shoulder. The succubus spun in the air sideways and crashed into the corner of the counter.
Victor saw everything from the corner of his eye, leg up, he brought it down on the Spellsword’s knee. The woman grunted as her entire body shifted to the side and Victor drove his boot into her ribs. The female Spellsword was rocked to the ground as Victor turned his attention to the male Spellsword. Light flashed and swords sparked as the man was on him, pushing his blue energy sword against Victor’s gun blade.
Skye lifted up another vial and threw it at the spellsword on the ground. The female Spellsword managed to make it to her feet when a vial shattered at her side and darkness wrapped around her. Letting out a grunt, she fell sideways onto the floor. Energy glowed from her eyes as she whispered arcane words. Fire blasted out from her eyes and slammed against the darkness coiled around her body.
Lily tried to stand on her own power, pain dazzling her senses as Victor and the Spellsword went blow for blow. Blades clashed again and again as Victor tried to gain the edge. The man was skilled, his body moving like a powerful dancer against Victor’s clumsily sword play. The Blade figured his increased strength, speed and reflexes were the only thing helping him to keep up with the spellsword. Sparks flew in all directions as blades whipped at each other in small arcs. Victor took a stab and the Spellsword’s blade crashed down against it, forcing it into a nearby shelf. Victor pulled back, a book run through and stuck on his sword. Pulling the trigger, the book was blasted away as Victor spun around and barely parried an incoming strike.
The Spellsword on the floor burned away the darkness binding her. Jumping to her feet, she didn’t let the flames in her eyes die away. Instead, she turned them toward Skye. The redhead ducked down as flames blasted out, burning against the wood counter. Skye huddled behind it, hand reaching for potions stored there and taking hold of two. She braced herself for a moment, gathering her courage. When the flames and heat seemed to ease up, she jumped up and threw the vials from her hands. The world moved in slow motion as the Spellsword screamed, fire pouring from her eyes and shattering the vials in midair. Skye was about to duck down and grab more when a staff shot through the shop and struck the Spellsword in the side of her head. Body spinning, streams of fire blasted along curtains, wood walls, and shelves full of books.
Skye looked over to Lily as she stood, hand out. The staff flew back into her hand as she grunted from the blast mark against her shoulder. The Spellsword landed on the ground, clutching her face for a moment as the fire died in her eyes. Flames began to eat parts of the shop and smoke billowed. Skye looked on with wide eyes as she scrambled for more potions.
Victor and the Spellsword clashed like two titans among the growing flames. The sounds of metal against energy rang out in strange harmonic ripples. Victor took in the scene as the mad Spellsword continued his skilled attacks. The female Spellsword was crouched down, a new blade forming in her hand. Skye and Lily were backing up as the smoke and flames grew. A savage shriek filled the burning shop as the female Spellsword launched herself into the air and landed
on the wooden counter. Eyes focused on Skye as the Spellsword raised her blade.
“Vala’s hope dies today,” the male Spellsword shouted in Victor’s face.
Anger flared as Victor spent another point of Strength. The Spellsword’s blade clashed against Victor’s gun blade again, but this time, Victor pushed back hard. The Spellsword’s eyes widened as pure power sent him flying backwards. Victor glanced to the female Spellsword rearing back her blade to stab Skye. Lily reached over the counter, grabbing Skye and pulling her away. A look of murderous intent filled the female Spellsword’s face as she drove her blade toward the shopkeeper. Victor turned his blade, aimed and pulled the trigger twice.
The female Spellsword roared until a blast struck her side and another hit the side of her head. The roar died as her body spun, a thin stream of blood spiraling around her body before she crashed into the wall, bounced and landed half on the counter. Body slumping down, the Spellsword’s eyes were lifeless as she fell behind the counter.
“Amber,” the male Spellsword wailed as he struggled to his feet.
Victor aimed at the Spellsword and pulled the trigger twice. Energy bolts blasted toward the man. Blue energy sword up, he parried one energy bolt but took the second one to the shoulder. Body whirling, he crashed into flames and screamed. Limbs flailed as fire consumed him. A pang of regret filled Victor as he spent another Constitution point and recharged his gun blade. Flames roared and black smoke billowed. Victor aimed at the flailing spellsword and pulled the trigger again and again.
Energy bolts struck the burning man, each one in turn until he fell in the flames, his body burning black. Victor hoped he ended his suffering when smoke filled his lungs. Coughing, he searched the black fog for his friends. A hand grabbed him from the smoke and pulled him. Victor followed, coughing and hacking. The fire was a full blaze, engulfing the shop in flames. Victor tried to fight off the stifling confusion. When it had become its darkest, shafts of sunlight lit the way.
Victor stumbled out to into the main street. A large crowd had gathered but Lily, a redhead, and a silver-haired woman stood there coughing. Victor turned his attention to Dawn as she pulled him out, ash coloring her pale cheeks. The Blade turned his head to see the shop going up in flames.
“We have to get out of here before others arrive,” Dawn hissed.
The elf pulled Victor with her toward the small group of women. Taking hold of Lily’s arm, the succubus simply coughed as Dawn pulled her and Victor away. Skye and Kira watched as the elf led Victor and Lily through the crowd. They quickly followed as several mages in the crowd held up hands and blasted the fire with streams of ice magic, black smoke curling into the clear blue sky.
Six
The forest spun as Victor coughed. Lungs ached as he tried to get a breath in. Lily pressed a hand to her partner, glowing energy flowing into his stumbling form. The coughing began to die down and Victor took the deepest breath of his life.
Dawn pressed on, Lily and Victor in tow. Behind them, two women followed, coughing and hacking. The elf with glasses glanced back to the women, her brow hardening and dragging her friends along. Victor took another deep breath before he regained his balance and pulled against Dawn’s grip. The elf slowed down with concern in her oval eyes. Letting go, she continued to walk, pillars of black smoke filling the sky behind them.
“…Wait…,” the redhead managed before her throat croaked.
Victor and Lily slowed to a stop while Dawn continued to march along the sparse forest.
“Wait…,” Skye said again before slowing down and falling into a coughing fit.
The silver-haired woman at her side patted her back, struggling against her own coughing.
Victor looked to the two women and then turned to Dawn, “Hold up, Dawn.”
The elf slowed her march and stopped, not turning around. “We need to keep moving and get as far away as we can before more Spell Swords arrive.”
“I think it’s okay to take a breather,” Victor said as his body began to feel better.
Lily moved to the two women, her hands glowing. The succubus touched their shoulders, healing their lungs and bodies. Skye and Kira looked to the succubus with thankful eyes before their coughing subsided and stopped completely.
“Thank you,” Skye said as she stood straighter.
Dawn’s fingers clenched into tight fists before she spun around with a furious gaze, “Why are you following us? Haven’t you done enough?”
Skye’s expression solidified into an angry gaze. Kira’s eyes saddened as she stayed to Skye’s side.
“I should be saying that to you,” Skye shouted. “You destroyed everything!”
Victor looked to the two women and then to Dawn before putting his hands up, “Emotions may be high right now. Maybe we should take it down a notch.”
Dawn’s eyes never wavered as she glared at Skye, “Victor, you would be angry too if you were drugged and kept tied up in a basement!”
Skye took a step forward, rage filling her eyes, “You manipulated us and stole from our shop! You’re lucky we decided to protect you or those Spell Swords would have carted you off to the Authority!”
Victor looked to Lily as she stood with crossed arms and an annoyed look in her eyes. “Calm them down while I calm Dawn down.”
The succubus exhaled in annoyance as she turned and stepped to Skye and Kira. Victor turned and walked to Dawn as she stood, nearly trembling in rage. The forest around them grew silent as birds looked down, heads cocking to the side in curiosity.
Victor approached the elf, trying to keep his demeanor as calm as possible. Dawn’s gaze shifted to him and her rage cooled slightly. When Victor stood before her, she rushed him, circling her arms around his waist and pressing her head to his chest. Victor couldn’t help himself as he hugged her close.
“Thank you for saving me,” Dawn said in a low, sad voice.
“No thanks needed...but you’re welcome,” Victor smiled.
The two held each other while the murmurs of Lily, Skye, and Kira filled the background.
“What happened,” Victor asked.
Dawn was silent before she uncoiled her arms and stepped away. “I was trying to make amends. I broke into their shop and left a pile of gold for them until they attacked me. They kept me in the basement and drugged me so I wouldn’t try to escape.”
“Tell them the whole story or I will,” Skye shouted as Lily put her arm out to stop her from advancing.
Dawn looked down but remained silent. Victor turned to Skye, Kira, and Lily with a confused raise of an eyebrow.
“I’m okay, but if you are her friends, you need to know what happened,” Skye said to Lily.
The succubus let her arm drop to her side. The redhead bowed her head to Lily before stepping closer to Victor. The Blade stayed his ground as Dawn took a few steps away, not looking in their direction. Kira stood, a backpack over her shoulders and a gloomy darkness in her eyes.
Victor waited as Skye was about to speak when a deep warmth washed over him. Skye’s expression changed from fury to warm confusion as she stood before Victor. The play of energy between them was overwhelming and Skye hesitated. Victor knew this feeling, but kept his expression neutral so not to add to the already confusing start of the day.
Skye blinked as she steadied herself, “You...you belong to Vala.”
Victor said nothing.
“I felt it too,” Lily said from the background, “We all felt it in the shop.”
“Let’s start from the beginning before we begin talking about Vala,” Victor said diplomatically.
Skye’s eyes closed slowly as if she was regaining her balance. When they opened, a new fire lit her spirit.
“Your friend seduced us and then took many items from our shop weeks ago. I placed new wards in the shop and when she broke in, the wards alerted me and I subdued her. I was ready to call the magistrates when two things happened. One, she felt…like family. Two, she was being hunted.”
Kira
stepped over to Skye’s side, head bowed. “Skye tells the truth. We noticed strangers eyeing our shop. We didn’t know their intentions so we decided to keep her locked up until they moved on…but they didn’t move on.”
Dawn looked to the two women and frowned. “You should have just let me go. I would have handled them.”
Skye crossed her arms against her stomach, “Like you handled us? They would have killed you or taken you prisoner.”
Victor turned his attention to Dawn as she stood. The elf glanced to him, her frown deepening before turning away.
“Dawn, it will help your spirit feel lighter if you just come clean to them,” Victor said.
The elf’s head leaned forward before she turned around, darkness under her eyes. “Fine, yes, I seduced them. When we needed ingredients for Night’s potions, I knew I could get them at their shop. While they were out one night, I introduced myself and we started to talk. One thing led to another and we ended up in their bed.
“Afterwards, when they were sleeping, I snuck down and took what we needed for the potions. I had full intention of returning and paying them back.”
Skye’s brow grew softer, but her gaze remained hard, “If you told us you worshipped Vala, we would have come to an understanding.”
Even Lily looked to Dawn with hard eyes, “You didn’t have to steal from them. We all could have worked to some kind of agreement.”
“Time was not on our side and I made a decision. The proof was there when I broke in to pay them back. As for the seduction, we were all willing partners.”
“And because of you, our shop went up in flames,” Skye growled.
Kira stepped from Skye’s side and walked up to Dawn. The elf with glasses stood with a blank expression until the silver-haired woman reached for her hands, took hold and held them up. Warmth played between their fingers as Dawn’s demeanor seemed to ebb from the woman’s touch.
“I never had a chance to thank you for that night,” Kira said softly.
Lily moved to Victor’s side as they both watched Dawn and Kira.