by Aubrie Nixon
Suddenly a hand came out of the pool and dragged her in. She struggled, flailing and kicking, trying to break free. But it was too strong. It pulled her underwater. She reached for her weapons only to find that her hands were gone. She looked around desperately, her vision hazy. The rest of her body started to disappear. Closing her eyes, she felt herself being shaken awake. She looked up into the face of Chantry.
“Time to go,” she said curtly, offering a hand. Heart still pounding from the strange dream, Sephera accepted and got to her feet, brushing dust from her pants. “We are almost done packing the supplies up. You fell asleep just before dawn. I figured I would let you rest a bit.” Chantry handed her a piece of dried meat.
“Thank you. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to doze off,” Sephera said gratefully, taking the meat and eating it quickly. It left an awful taste in her mouth. Too much pepper. She reached for her canteen and gulped down the rest of the water. Chantry nodded and walked toward camp. Sephera headed to the edge of the wood with her bag to change and relieve herself. She splashed a bucket of newly collected rain water onto her face and pulled her dark hair into a braid. She met the others just as they were going over the maps and planning their trek for the day.
“I’ve been thinking,” she announced to the group. “I know I haven’t been the best leader—or even companion—since the start of this journey, and I am sorry. I haven’t exactly been myself. There are many things at play here, and we all need to be at the top of our game if we are going to win. We can do this. We can find Reina and the cure. We can save our world, but we must be unified.” She looked at Zad and Daegan. “We don’t need to be friends, and we don't need to like each other, but we do need to work together. I know it will take time for you guys to trust me, and that is okay, but we need to be able to put our differences aside. Otherwise we will not get through this. To be completely honest with you, I’m scared, I’m tired, and I don’t know what I am doing. But I do know that if we do not succeed on this mission, we will all die. We need to get to that altar, find that item, and get off this mountain.” She looked to her companions. Their eyes flashed in silent agreement, and she nodded, motioning with her hands for Zad to lead the way.
CHAPTER 14
They hiked into the afternoon, stopping only for water and to share some dried fruit. They were running low on food and were a day’s journey from the base of the mountain. Though Sephera had gone for longer periods of time without sustenance before, the thick air and strenuous path were rapidly depleting her energy stores. She could see that the others were tiring as well. They would need to hunt that evening and catch enough game to sustain them until they arrived at the mountain village.
She eyed the terrain that surrounded them. The mountains were odd. They contained several different biomes, and the group could walk through one environment to another within minutes. Dark woods surrounded them now, with vegetation so thick the light from the sun was almost completely eclipsed. Their journey was hampered by the old, overgrown path they followed.
Within the densest part of the forest, they found a series of crumbling stone pillars. Strange symbols were carved into them, signaling that the group was near the altar.
She leaned against a pillar and watched as Daegan sketched the symbols onto a drawing pad. His large hands moved gracefully across the paper, and his dark eyes were wide with wonder. He looked relaxed, almost kind. As if realizing that someone was watching, he glanced up. His posture went from light to tall and strong. She met his eyes and quickly looked away. He stalked off. Sighing, she closed her eyes and tried to listen to the world around her. The thick shrubbery made it impossible to hear anything but Zad and Chantry’s short breaths and quiet conversation.
A branch snapped, and her eyes flew open. She threw a glance at Zad. He held up his hand to quiet the group. The only sound she could hear was her own breathing, which she slowed to almost non-existence. She waited in tense anticipation. Suddenly, the earth began to rumble. A loud roar issued forth from the woods in front of them, and something crashed through the vegetation. The group reached for their weapons, readying themselves for battle. Sephera stole a glance at the others. They seemed calm, prepared to face whatever horror was headed for them. She didn’t know if she hoped for one large creature or many smaller creatures. Whatever it was, she was ready.
Squinting into the black abyss, she noticed four tall, dark figures creeping towards them. Her heart began to race, and the familiar scent of death and decay filled her nose. The members of the group split off into the woods. Brenner shot a ball of blue light into the air. It illuminated the thick wood around them, showing her a break in the woods. If they were going to gain the upper hand on the monsters, they would need a clearing. She whispered a prayer to the gods, hoping the break would lead to a glade. She ran with the creatures at her heels. She saw another ball of light just a few yards ahead of her and followed it. She both cursed and praised Brenner for the help, for if she could see the light, so could the things behind her. She came to an open field and almost cheered. But remembering the monsters behind her, she put her joy away for later—if they survived what was about to come.
You are Sephera, Lady of Death, and you will defy all odds and win, Brenner spoke calmly to her mind. Breathe, Sephera. Hope, fight, and win.
She chanced a glance over her shoulder at the creatures behind her. They moved from the dark wood into the magicked light. She could now see their grotesque shapes. They were compiled of dozens of different animals. The smallest creature was the size of a grown man and had the face of a lion and the wings of a bat.
She stifled a scream. A creature with the head of a boar and the body of a tiger roared in challenge. It started towards Brenner. The mage’s blue light shot out at the creature, shocking it. The monster’s body fell to the ground with a thud, shaking violently. When the deadly convulsions stopped, black ooze seeped out around it, forming a pool of sludge.
The other creatures circled the perimeter, growling and grunting as if trying to find another way to get to them. Sephera watched quietly, trying to decide what to do. Her best option was to charge directly at the smallest one. His disproportionate frame made his movements awkward, which made him the easiest prey. Just as she moved to attack, an arrow flew by, missing her head by inches. It landed in its intended victim, and the small creature yelled with rage, pawing at its body and trying to dig the arrow out.
Sephera took the opening and ran toward the ailing monster. She slid under its legs and sliced its heel with her dagger. Then she shot to her feet, bringing herself into position behind it. She bashed the creature's head with the hilt of her curved blade. It cried out, not knowing which wound to hold. Sephera smiled wickedly as the creature chose its sliced heel. She gripped her dagger tightly and threw it into the creature’s exposed neck. It bled out in seconds. Sephera fished her blackened knife out of the creature, a gleam in her eyes.
Her success was short-lived. She was knocked down by a powerful kick to the back of her legs. The air fled her lungs as she hit the ground. Cursing, she rolled onto her back. As she struggled to catch her breath, another kick slammed against her head. The world grew blurry. She shook her head, trying to clear her vision, and sloppily got to her feet, drawing in great gasps of air. The thing that stood in front of her had yellow eyes and catlike teeth. He smiled, revealing his fangs and letting out a growl.
He had every characteristic of a human, yet he was no man; nor was he a creature. He drew his sword and motioned for her to grab hers. She bent down slowly and picked up her blade. Her heart pounded with uncertainty. She risked a glance at the others and saw that they were all facing battles of their own with the remaining creatures.
Sephera and the man-beast circled one another, their blades raised and their stances in sync with one another. Their feet crossed in an intricate, deadly dance, and their bodies swayed to a tune that only she and the man-beast could hear. Sephera glared at her opponent, her eyes narrowed and her face a cruel mask. Th
e man-beast snarled, spraying red flecks that looked like human blood into the air. She rushed at the man with a guttural scream and brought her blade to his chest. He blocked it easily, something Sephera had counted on. She brought her second blade down across his thigh, cutting through his dark flesh and leaving a thin line of charcoal-colored blood. The man-beast smiled.
She sucked in a breath. This warrior was not of this world. The black slime that oozed from his wound smelled of darkness. She lifted her eyes from the creature’s gash and smiled back wickedly. The creature barked a laugh and lunged for her again. She parried, but he caught her curved blade with his own. They stared at each other, both daring the other to move first. Their blades kissed as they leapt into a dance of clashing metal and swooshing air. They continued on, striking and parrying, only able to scratch each other with their blades. It was an impossible fight. He was a skilled warrior and she was a trained assassin. They were too evenly matched.
There was a loud crash, followed by fire. Towering flames engulfed the woods around them. If they didn’t move fast, they would both perish. Another ball of flame hurtled into the clearing. Sephera dove out of the way as a large tree fell to the ground where she had just been. She didn’t waste any time looking back to see if the creature had survived. She just ran.
Back through the woods, Sephera, Brenner said in her head. Hasten to the cliffs. We are close to the altar. Run
She fled to the woods. The screams of the dying creatures followed her. She didn’t stop running until she made it to the cliffs. Spotting her companions, she finally fell to her knees. After calming her breath and her pounding heart, she walked over to the rest of the group. Something was wrong. Fear and anxiety permeated the air around them. Zad and Brenner were standing over a seated Chantry. She was covered in soot and blood, and she was holding her extended leg, her expression pained. Only Brenner looked up when Sephera arrived.
“I think it's broken,” Chantry whimpered.
“Brenner, can you heal her?” Zad asked quietly.
Brenner examined the leg, his face a mask of composed peace, the crease in his brow the only sign of concern. The bone had snapped and was protruding out of her bloody, swollen leg. He shook his head slowly. Brenner motioned for Sephera to follow him, and the two walked just out of earshot of Chantry and Zad.
“How exactly are we supposed to help her? Is she in any danger of dying?” she asked the mage.
At the moment, no. But if we do not get her to the nearest village soon, infection could set in. If she wants to keep her leg, we need to set the bone. My magic stores are nearly depleted, but I can use what magic I have left to heal her.
“How are we going to reset the bone?” Sephera asked quietly, a grim look on her face.
“We are going to have to hold her down,” Daegan said coolly, emerging from the woods. Sephera must have looked horrified because Daegan quickly reached into his bag and pulled out a flask.
“Take a swig of this, buttercup. You are going to need it,” he said lightly, taking a large swig himself.
He passed the flask to Sephera. She crinkled her nose at the smell of the alcohol and cleared her throat. “Bottoms up.” She grimaced as she raised the flask into the air. The taste was atrocious. Some called it liquid courage. She called it liquid ass. She wondered how anyone could stomach the taste. She handed the bottle to Brenner, who refused.
“What about the creatures? Are they close? Won't they hear her scream?” Sephera asked quietly, the warmth of the drink permeating her bones.
“I searched the area. They have retreated. I doubt they will attack us again anytime soon. They are just as wounded as us, if not more so.” Daegan paused. “As much as it pains me to say, I believe you and I are the only ones who can continue on to the altar.”
Sephera laughed at the irony.
He raised a bloodied eyebrow at her. “Brenner needs to stay with Chantry and will need what little energy he has left to get her to the village at the base of the mountain. They will need Zad to help fend off any incoming threats. Unfortunately, that leaves you and me to finish off the first leg of our journey.”
Before Sephera could protest, Brenner grabbed her shoulder softly and nodded. There are bigger things at stake here, Sephera.
“Fine,” she grumbled. She motioned to where Chantry and Zad were sitting. Zad was whispering to her and stroking her hair. Chantry had a tight smile on her face. They looked up when the trio arrived.
“Chantry, are you in any pain?” Sephera asked her gently, sitting down next to the girl.
“Not much. I think the adrenaline is numbing the pain. Is it bad? I can’t see with all the blood and dirt.” Sephera caught a glimpse of her leg and choked down vomit. Her leg looked like shredded meat, and her bone was sticking out of the skin like an arrow protruding from the back of a stag.
She took a deep breath. “Chantry, I’m not going to lie to you. I need you to stay calm. Do you understand?” Sephera whispered with as much confidence as she could, her voice quivering only a little. Chantry’s green eyes widened slightly, and she nodded her head.
“Your leg is . . . well, Brenner is going to try to heal what he can. But your wound is very severe. If you want to keep your leg, we are going to need to set the bone. It's going to hurt badly. You will need to be held down. Otherwise we risk the bone not setting correctly.”
Chantry sat quietly, looking at all of their faces, her face unreadable. “Okay,” she finally whispered, tears pooling in her eyes.
The group scurried into action, collecting two straight sticks for a makeshift splint and ripping apart bedding to tie the wound with.
Chantry watched as they prepared for the horrific thing they were about to do, Zad never leaving her side. He whispered to her, explaining every detail of what was going to happen next. When they were ready, Sephera pulled Zad aside to explain that she and Daegan would be leaving the main group. To her surprise, he didn’t object. Sephera felt an odd sensation in her stomach. She shook her head, letting the feeling fade away as quickly as it came. She turned to walk back to the group. Zad frowned, grabbed her hand tightly, and pulled her towards him.
“I love you, Beasty. We will get through this.” He smiled sadly at her and then planted a kiss on her forehead and held her a minute longer. She met his eyes, giving him a half smile, and let go of his hand.
Daegan was standing over Chantry. He held out his flask to her. “For your nerves?”
Sephera laughed at Daegan’s expression when Chantry guzzled down the whole flask without so much as breaking a sweat. An eerie, strange silence descended upon the group. Daegan and Zad lifted Chantry onto the cleanest cloth they had and placed a strap of leather in her mouth. Sephera sat at her side. Chantry’s fear was palpable. It was the kind of fear that Sephera saw in her victims before she killed them. She had always been the one who caused that fear. Now she had to ease it. She had no idea where to begin. Chantry must have sensed her hesitation because she smiled weakly up at her, nodding slightly.
Sephera began to hum softly. It was a song she hummed to herself when she was sick or tired. She didn’t know where she’d learned it from, but she’d always known it. The melody was dark and strange yet peaceful and strong. Sephera closed her eyes. She was so engrossed in calming the girl that she didn’t realize Daegan was watching her with his piercing stare. He too knew that song.
Daegan tightened his hold on Chantry. Sephera held her down on the other side, continuing to hum the dark tune. Chantry looked up at Zad. He stroked her hair and smiled softly.
Brenner prepared the dressings and ointment. He didn’t wait for the song to finish before he held up his fingers in a silent countdown. Three. Two. One. The quiet calm they had established was broken by Chantry’s primal scream. The sound echoed off the cliffs and clawed through the air around them. Sephera closed her eyes and held Chantry down as tightly as she could. Brenner cut the mangled skin and poured boiling water onto the wound. Chantry thrashed and wailed. Sephera’s h
old on Chantry was slipping. Zad motioned for Sephera to switch positions with him.
She shook her head. She couldn’t try to do what Zad had done for Chantry—to hold her hand and be her rock. It wasn’t in Sephera’s nature, especially not while Chantry’s bone was being pushed back into her leg. She cursed her weakness. Finally, as Chantry’s arm slipped from her grasp again, she let Zad take over. She scrambled to Zad’s abandoned post at Chantry’s shoulder. She cast around for ways to ease Chantry’s suffering, but her mind was blank. She panicked. Her eyes darted from Zad to Daegan, begging for help. Zad didn't look at her. He was holding Chantry down and for some godforsaken reason was putting all of his energy into it. Daegan met her eye for a moment before looking down. A ghost of a smile drifted across his face.
Chantry continued to scream and thrash. Sephera was beginning to get a headache from the noise. Her panic turned into impatience. She clucked her tongue as Brenner carefully peeled the skin back and found no bone spurs.
Chantry screamed again. Sephera grabbed her dagger and brought the hilt down hard onto the girl’s head. She went limp. Zad and Daegan looked at her incredulously.
"What?" she shrugged. "It was getting annoying. Knocking her out was a mercy for her and for us.