by Bri Sailor
“No!” screeched the leader.
“What is this!” hissed another.
“She must be stopped!”
“Our Lord!”
They cried out and cursed the witch as they struggled against the snake-like constriction. The light died and the barrier was completely gone. Lusha stood laughing in the dark and glowing green light.
“You fools!” she bellowed maniacally. “You think I didn’t sense your presence the moment I arrived!?”
They hissed in response.
“I will NOT be the source of HIS return! My power is my own! I found the connection within. He will not be resurrected! Béloneras will not be brought back! I shall take his place! I will rule over the realms forever. My power absolute! I am, and have always been, inevitable!”
The phantoms screamed and wailed as Lusha sent shockwaves of electricity up the green tendrils. She clapped her hands and lumped the phantoms together. She stopped the shocks and held her hands above her head. A bright red disk appeared. She stretched her arms out and the disk expanded. Venom dripped from her sharp teeth and her eyes glowed white.
“My reign is absolute!” she screamed as she hurled the magical disk at the phantoms. It completely enveloped them into a brilliant red ball and shrunk as they screamed and screeched. Within moments all was silent and the small orb casually returned to her and alighted on her hand.
“I win again.” She smiled to herself.
The small red orb absorbed into her hand and she felt a rush of power like she had never before experienced. It nearly knocked her over, but she stood her ground.
“Amazing!” she gasped against the force. “I knew you lot were powerful but this…now I know the true level of what awaits me in the depths. What I am truly to become.”
The witch snapped her fingers and her dress was restored to its white, silken beauty. It no longer mattered if she went back to the realm of spirits. It was all over now. With determined steps she marched to the stairs that led down into the never-ending black. She conjured a small orb of light and began her descent. After some time the narrow passage gave way to a mountain of steps descending even further down. The witch paused a moment and threw out more orbs of light. It appeared that they very mountain itself had been hollowed out. The lights danced around the cavern. As she continued hundreds of cauldrons lit up with ancient flames illuminating the entire space. Lusha froze in place as true fear began to reach its icy touch into her soul as she stared at a strange rock formation that sat deep within the pit of the mountain. As she neared the center of the pit more cauldrons of flames sprang to life. All of the blood within her drained to her feet once she reached the bottom. The final flames revealed what truly lay in the center of the pit. The strange rock formations weren’t rocks at all. They were bones! The witch visibly shook as she stood face to face with the skull of Béloneras. It was the size of a ship and the smallest of its sharp teeth was taller than she.
“By the gods…” she managed to whisper.
An otherworldly breeze stirred the ancient dust and dirt. Lusha pushed down her fear and dread as she tried to focus on the power housed within the grave. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. The evil was palpable, that much was certain, but not a single trace of magical power could be felt. She opened her eyes, her brow furrowed in confusion.
“This is it?” she shouted as her temper was rising. “After everything that I have done! Everything I have been through! Everything I have fought for…this is how I am rewarded!? I AM A GOD!” she screeched.
A low rumble shook the ground. Suddenly, the empty eyes of the skill glowed a dim, evil white. An ungodly, low, demonic voice filled the cavern.
“You are no god. You are but a means to an end. You are nothing! My decayed body is your prize.”
Lusha bristled and her hands turned to claws.
“Damn you! I am the only true power of this world. I am the true power! You can only do things through me! I see it now! I see it now! You are nothing without me!” she spat. “Where are you? Show yourself! I will show you what true power is!”
Béloneras laughed evilly. “You have power because I allowed them to give it to you. Puppet. Phantom. What you are doesn’t even exist without me!”
“Lies!” screeched the witch.
The dragon laughed evilly again. “We shall see. Come. Face my true power. Then we shall see who the god of all realms is!”
The glowing eyes vanished and the air was still once more. Lusha snarled. Fine. If the dragon wanted a fight, she would bring it to him. She was itching to test her new powers just as well. The witch took a deep breath and centered herself. Just as she was about to project her spirit into the realm she vanished suddenly in a black mist. Not a trace was left as the flaming cauldrons died out and the skeletal remains were once again blanketed in the darkness of their eternal grave.
Chapter 27
The precarious face of the cliff crumbled under her feet. All around her raged an endless storm as lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Ky held on for dear life as her feet frantically searched for purchase. They slipped and slid on the wet rock before finding a small sharp protrusion. Ky grimaced and grit her teeth as she moved the weight of her body onto the tiny formation and continued to climb her way down the cliff. Her muscles ached and shook from the exertion. After what felt like years she finally reached the muddy slope at the bottom. Before she could catch her breath she slipped in the slick mud and was sent sliding down the hill. Her screams were drowned out by the thunderous storm.
Tears streamed down her face as she came to a stop. Her chest heaved as she tried desperately to catch her breath. How could she continue on? She was a mere mortal. A human. All of her strength, all of the power of being Descended was gone. Vanished in the black mist of the Mälgrav. She felt truly abandoned. A weak human succumbing to her hellish surroundings. How would she be able to find the crystal sword? How would she be able to fight back against Lusha and Béloneras? How could she do anything when she couldn’t even get up out of the cold mud that was seemingly swallowing her alive. Once again she found herself longing for a death that she knew would never come.
As she lay in the freezing mud, numbing her heart to her circumstances, there was something there that she couldn’t quite describe. It triggered her curiosity and she began to dig deeper. The feeling began to spread throughout her body, driving away the cold and emotionless numbness. The sound of the storm faded away. She felt like she was floating. The warrior opened her eyes and all she could see for miles around was deep blue waters and a bright blue sky with a warm sun streaming down on her. She floated in the calm, endless waters. An odd sense of peace washed over her as she dwelled inside this energy within.
The serenity suddenly disappeared and she felt herself falling into a dark abyss. Falling. Falling. With a jolt she landed on a stark mountain top. She stood on shaky legs and gasped. All around her the world seemed to burn. She looked to the horizon and a palace appeared and was brought towards her. It seemed familiar. Her eyes widened in fear as she recognized Lynica. The city was half destroyed and so was the palace. What people were there were being led away in chains. They were beaten and broken, all hope and light had left their eyes. Demons laughed evilly while they pushed and kicked the people.
“No.” whispered Ky in defeat.
Her eyes turned to the palace. Suddenly, she was inside the throne room. In the center of the mostly destroyed room were four large stone coffins. On shaky legs the warrior walked over and traced a hand on the cold marble. There was only one name simply carved on each of the tombs. Toran. Arainya. Ehren. And…
Ky’s heart stopped. “Atreyis.”
Before she could react the warrior was flung to the Temple of Ages. It was completely destroyed. Nothing remained but a burning crater. There were bodies strewn about the land. Her eyes landed on a woman with bright blonde hair. Ky ran over to her and dropped to her knees. Her mother’s lifeless eyes stared up at the sky. Tears stung her eyes.<
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“No!” she roared to the sky.
Ky gasped as she was thrown back into her body. She was back in the cold mud and the storm raged around her once more. The warrior set her jaw. She no longer felt the cold, only the heat that burned deep within her. She rolled over to her knees and stood up. The square white fortress was still off in the distance. The legions of demons that had surrounded it were moving. Ky took a deep breath and ran.
The white fortress was bigger than any palace she had ever seen. The walls were completely smooth. No windows. No doors. No way in. Ky ran her hand over the stone.
“There has to be a way.” she whispered to herself.
She kept her hand on the wall as she ran alongside it. Nothing. She rounded the corner and continued to the next wall. She was nearly halfway when her hand slipped and passed between the white stone wall. The warrior stopped and studied the stone. Nothing seemed out of place. She reached out to touch it. Again her hand passed through as if there was nothing there. The warrior took a breath and walked through.
Inside the fortress was a stark contrast to the blinding white outside. She was in a hallway that was dark and dry. The only light was somehow coming from the lightning outside. She felt her way through the darkness, the flashes of lightning illuminating her way.
The hall turned into another. And another. And another. Ky’s heart began to pound as she raced through the maze. More walls. More lightning.
Suddenly, the warrior came to a stop. The maze had ended and she found herself in an enormous room nearly the size of the fortress itself. Ky’s heart stopped. In the center of the room was a giant throne made of the same white stone. There, on the throne, holding the second crystal sword was Saebic. His blonde hair just touched his shoulders and he was wearing all white; it was the same sickly white of that temple. Ky’s stomach flipped. And her eyes narrowed.
“General…” purred Saebic. “…it’s been too long.”
“You!” bit Ky. “How?”
Saebic played with the crystalline blade in his lap.
“I could ask the same.” Said Saebic simply. “But death has a funny way of making you not care.”
Ky stepped forward. “Funny. I thought the same thing, but my eyes have been opened.”
Saebic chuckled evilly. “I figured as much. As much as you would try to deny it in your old life, your bleeding heart will never change.”
“At least I have a heart.” Countered Ky.
Saebic slammed his fists down and stood up.
“I did once too!” he roared and pointed the sword at her. “You took everything away from me!”
Ky unwrapped the whip from her waist.
“I wasn’t the one who blindly followed such evil!” she shouted.
“Then what do you call your years of service to your king. What of the hundreds and thousands that you killed all in the name of your kingdom’s long-lost glory?” growled Saebic.
“That’s not the same!” Ky gripped the leather whip tightly.
Saebic threw his hands up. “How is it not? The only difference I see is that because of you my choice was taken away from me by the cut of your blade!”
Ky smiled wickedly. “The spell only works on a willing soul. Which means you chose it!”
Saebic roared. He pulled a necklace out of his shirt. A small, jagged, blood-red crystal hung from his neck. It had a soft glow around it.
“At least I still have my soul!” he laughed evilly.
Ky’s eyes widened and then narrowed at the necklace.
“How did you—”
Saebic cut her off. “When I died I was given a choice. It would seem that I’m not the only one who wants Lusha dead. I made my choice and then I took my rage out on every creature that crossed my path. Somehow I found this gateway.” He looked at the crystal sword. “And this. As soon as I touched it I could feel the power within. I used it to build my armies.” He glared at Ky. “I took my destiny into my own hands this time. I will end you and that witch! I will make her pay!”
Saebic roared again. He hunched over. Coarse black hair began to cover his body and he grew taller. Two sharp tusks jutted out of his mouth. Black scales covered his legs. His eyes turned yellow and his nose elongated into a pig-like snout. He gripped the hilt of the crystal sword.
“This time I choose real power.” He said in a deep voice.
Dark blue leathery wings protruded from his back and he unleashed a barrage of flames at the warrior. Ky dove out of the way. The flames scorched the stone floor. She rolled to her feet. The half-demon dragon quickly turned and spewed more flames. The warrior jumped out of the way, the flames just catching her feet.
“I don’t know why you are even trying, you are just prolonging the inevitable!” shouted Saebic.
He charged at her with his sword raised. Ky snapped the whip hard in his face. Saebic screeched in pain as the whip lacerated his eye. Ky quickly snapped the whip again and it wrapped around the beast’s neck. She pulled with her all. Saebic stumbled. The warrior jumped on his back and pulled the ligature harder. The beast gasped and clawed at the thin leather around his neck, dropping the sword in the process. Ky strained as she pulled. Saebic dropped to his knees. In one final attempt he reached towards his back and grabbed ahold of Ky. He managed to grab her shirt. In one swift motion he pulled her over his head and slammed her on the ground, shattering the stone floor.
Ky gasped as all the breath left her body. She lay in agony trying like hell to breathe. Saebic loosened the whip around his neck and fell on his hands and knees gasping for air. Ky rolled over on her side. The crystal sword glinted in the corner of her eye. She desperately crawled over to it. Just as she grabbed the hilt Saebic caught her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. Images of Atreyis being held up by the witch flashed in Ky’s mind. A fired burned deep inside her. She swung the sword feebly. It grazed Saebic’s coarse fur covered chest, hooking the necklace, and cutting it off. Saebic watched in horror as the jagged blood-red crystal flew through the air and shattered into a million pieces on the ground. A bright red mist rose up out of it and flew at Ky. The warrior gasped and closed her eyes. Suddenly they opened and were burning a fierce red. She dropped the sword and grabbed Saebic’s arm with her black scaled claws. Her mouth opened wickedly and revealed sharp teeth as her hot breath hit his face. He howled in pain as her claws penetrated his thick hide and he dropped her.
Ky roared as she quickly transformed into a dragon and launched herself at Saebic. He recovered and jumped into the air, flapping his wings like mad towards the ceiling. He covered his head with his arms as he burst through the white stone into the sky above. Before he could react he was engulfed in Ky’s white-hot flames. He roared in pain. Out of the flames came Ky barreling towards him. She grabbed him and climbed high into the sky. The demon fought like mad to free himself from the dragon’s grip. Ky climbed higher and higher before suddenly flipping in the air and kicking Saebic square in the chest, sending him careening out of the sky like a fallen star. He crashed through the fortress, the impact of his landing leveling the entire thing. Ky fell from the sky and landed next to him. Every bone in his body seemed to be broken. He struggled to get up. Ky transformed back into her human form and reached for the crystal sword.
“You should have chosen better.” She stated flatly. “Much has changed since your death. Since my own. Had you lived we could have used your help against the witch.”
Saebic spat at her in response.
Ky wiped her face. “I had thought that I was irredeemable. But someone showed me that there was still light inside me. All I needed to do was help it grow.”
The demon glared at her. “Some are a lost cause.”
Ky looked him over. “Maybe I can find yours.”
She knelt down and placed a hand over his heart and closed her eyes. All she could see was darkness. She pushed deeper and searched. There, something flashed and caught her eye. A small speck of light in the dark. She reached out her hand and touched it
and concentrated. She felt a heat build in her body but it wasn’t like the heat from when she transformed, no, this was different. It felt warm and soft. Atreyis’ sapphire blue eyes penetrated her memory and the heat grew. The warrior focused on the energy and directed it to the small speck of light. It responded by flickering and began to grow. Ky gasped and took a step back. Saebic’s body began to glow with a soft white aura. Slowly a black mist rose up from his body. It took on a beastly form with yellow eyes. It stared Ky down. She met its gaze and straightened her back.
“He is no longer yours.” She said through clenched teeth as she visibly bristled.
The shadow radiated dark energy towards the warrior. She fought back with the warm light she felt deep inside. The shadow instantly cowered and disappeared. Saebic remained and was back in his human form. His body appeared as the rest of the souls that were trapped in this place. Ky looked on him with compassion.
“May you find peace.” She said softly.
She unfurled her wings and flew off. The miserable realm raced below her. Her heart ached for the souls that were still trapped. She set her jaw. As soon as the witch was dealt with, she and Atreyis would come back and free them. Once again the warrior lost all sense of time as she flew. She scanned every direction. Suddenly, her heart began to pound. Where was the gateway? Her wings beat harder and the rain stung her eyes. Where was she? No matter which direction she flew it all looked the same. Fear began to creep into her heart. How would she get back to Atreyis if she couldn’t even find her way out?