by Candy Crum
Do not fail. Do not fail. Do not fail, were the only words that occupied her mind. It was empty otherwise.
Nika rushed forward as Arryn’s arms lifted to her sides, palms up as buckets of rain then fell from the sky in thick, heavy drops. The bare ground immediately became muddy with the beating that the rain gave, allowing Arryn to take the extra moment that she needed.
Just as before, she tightened her entire upper body, her fist clenching hard as a barrier sprang forth—only this time much more powerful. Nika hit it full force, stumbling back. She slipped and fell hard on the ground, landing on her hand.
Arryn heard the snap of a bone in Nika’s wrist, causing the warrior to cry out as she rolled onto her back and tried to sit. Arryn wasn’t sure if that was a loss for Nika, but she wanted to make certain.
As Nika tried to stand, Arryn took a step forward, quickly swinging her arm to the left. As she did, the water in the ground under Nika froze, causing the woman to slip back into the ice and mud. Before Nika could correct herself, Arryn was on top of her.
She landed a hard punch and then another to Nika’s face before Nika pulled Arryn down and headbutted her in the nose, blood once again spurting out. The wind and rain died down as the women struggled on the ground.
Nika managed to get her feet under Arryn’s stomach to kick her backward over her head. Arryn was tossed in an impressive arc behind Nika, landing hard in the mud flat on her back, their heads only inches from one another. Nika was lightning fast as she flipped backwards and straddled Arryn, punching her in the face again.
“Enough!” the Chieftain shouted. “The battle is over.”
Arryn laid in the mud, dazed and weak. The magic had taken a hell of a toll on her physically and mentally. It had been her rage and emotion that allowed her to touch that much power, but it fed on those negativities and drained her dry, leaving her only half-conscious on the ground. Her entire body felt like it had been beaten the hell out of, not just her face.
“Sorry, about that,” Arryn choked out, turning her head to spit out a mouthful of blood.
“For which part exactly? My broken face? Or the heart attack when I thought you’d actually kill me?” Nika asked, her brows furrowed.
Arryn smiled, even though it was incredibly painful. “No. Not that. You deserved it for being a bitch.” Arryn’s eyes were growing very heavy. She was very close to passing out. “I’m sorry that my head took so many punches. I really meant for it to be yours instead.”
“What the hell? You’re as bad as that shit, Cathillian,” Nika said as Arryn’s consciousness faded.
7
Cathillian jumped the barrier and rushed to Arryn’s side, sliding a bit from the momentum as he dropped to his knees in the mud. He passed a dirty look to Nika who wisely backed away. He turned his attention back on Arryn. Her face was covered in blood and mud. Her hair was matted with it.
“Let me help—” Nika began.
“I think you’ve helped enough,” Cathillian interrupted, placing a hand on the side of Arryn’s face.
He immediately felt the swell of the magic in the elements and nature around him, allowing him to borrow enough energy to push it toward Arryn. Her eyes fluttered open, though it was obviously hard for her to keep them that way.
“Are you OK?” he asked.
Arryn nodded her head, but the movement was barely visible. “Oh, hell. I feel like I got punched in the face five hundred times by some super crazy bitch.” Her face scrunched a bit as she moaned. “Oh, wait… I did.”
“You’re ridiculous,” Cathillian said. He stood then, picking her up in his arms and carrying her off the field.
“The fight isn’t over,” Jenna, another warrior, said.
She stepped across the barrier and into the pit, her long, porcelain face and fighter’s body displaying intense aggression. Her dark, blonde hair hung loose down her back, blowing in what was left of the now gentle wind.
Her arms were crossed defiantly over her chest. “The Chieftain has to call the winner.”
“The fight is done, Jenna,” Cathillian said, his expression angry.
He had no idea what her issue was, but she’d never much cared for Arryn. It didn’t matter what she tried to do, Jenna was always there to kick her while she was down.
Cathillian continued, interrupting the argument the angry warrior was about to make. “With her half passed out, it might be a bit hard for her to swing a spear or throw an axe, wouldn't you say? Now, unless you wanna try to stop me from carrying her out of here, I’d have to say that you should step the fuck back.”
“Cathillian is right,” the Chieftain said. “The fight is over right now.”
“Right now?” Jenna asked. “She cheated! She used heavy magic! Or am I the only one that noticed that shitstorm she just conjured? The rules are clear. Small amounts of magic can be used, but it cannot be used to overwhelm, disorient, or completely subdue the opponent.”
Nika stepped forward then. “She was unfairly pitted against me in the first place. It should have been you in there. Someone she could stand a chance against. I don’t know why you’re coming to my defense, but I have a feeling it’s not for my own benefit. Her heavy use of magic was completely my fault. I never should have mentioned her father.”
“That doesn’t excuse the outsider bitch for cheating. She lost. She can’t carry on if she loses one of the battles. She has to pass all three,” Jenna said, her fists clenched at her sides.
Cathillian turned to face Jenna, Arryn still unconscious in his arms. He was about to unleash hell on the girl, but Nika stepped in.
“You heard him. Back the fuck off,” Nika said. “The Chieftain has made the call. Once Arryn’s made a recovery, I’m sure we’ll continue. Until then, you’d be wise not to completely disrespect the man that’s responsible for your position. Everyone knows it sure as shit isn’t your talent. Your brother had the skill to make it. You only got lucky the Chieftain was feeling sorry for you that day.”
“Don’t ever mention my brother again,” Jenna said, her eyes glowing greener.
“Why? Because he had more talent? Or because he disgraced his family and his entire tribe? Don’t dare flash those eyes at me, little girl. You’d do well to sit your ass down before you get yourself hurt. We both know, even with a busted wrist, I’d lay you out faster than you could cry for help. Or do I need to remind you of the last time I made you cry? When was that—just a week ago?”
Nika gave a shitty smile and turned away, leaving a young and silently raging druid in her wake.
“Thank you,” Cathillian said as Nika helped him cross over the barrier to carry Arryn back home to be properly healed.
She waved a hand in the air. “It was the least that I could do. We may not like her much because she’s a condescending bitch, but we’re all still very kind to her. I wasn’t allowing her to get away with that today. That girl has a serious attitude problem.”
Nika sighed heavily as she shook her head, clearly still angry about the dispute.
She rubbed at her aching wrist before continuing. “Anyway, I know Arryn hates me for what I said. I’d hate me, too, but my intentions were good.”
“I know,” Cathillian said. “You were trying to piss her off so she’d kick your ass. I’m sorry I got so shitty with you back there. I was just worried about her.”
Nika gave a small laugh. “It’s fine. I deserved it. And I was definitely trying to make her angry. I thought if she was mad enough, she’d get stronger.” She shook her head again, this time with a smile on her face. “I never expected that. If I’m to be honest, she scared the hell out of me. There is a lot of pent up emotion hidden away in that girl.”
Cathillian walked in silence for a moment as he thought over what Nika had said, but also the things he’d seen Arryn do.
He’d never seen anyone wield two kinds of magic in person. In fact, he’d barely seen Arryn do it. He hadn’t lied when telling Elysia he’d caught her practicing physical magic. Mos
tly fireballs, creating ice, and even trying to teleport—though she’d never even come close to that. It was far too advanced for a novice like her.
Still, it didn’t stop her from trying.
Her fireballs were strong for their size, but he would never forget the day Elayne, Arryn’s mother, had saved him. She was a very strong physical magic user. Her fireballs were powerful, and still to this day, he’d never seen a fire burn as bright or hot.
Arryn’s were only slightly larger than her fist, but packed an impressive punch for how small they were. If she’d been formally taught, it was hard to say just how powerful she’d have been by then. She was great with ice because of her affinity for nature magic to add to it, but even her nature magic was weak in comparison to Cathillian’s.
“I think Arryn’s watched us and learned from us over the years. She has the knowledge—she’s only been lacking the execution. The form. She’s memorized all our movements, our lessons, and our ways—but she had no idea how to connect her own body with the things that her brain knew.”
“Until today,” Nika said.
Cathillian nodded. “Exactly. You may feel terrible for what you said, and she might be angry at you for a while—she did call you a crazy bitch after all—but I think it was the best thing for her. Especially if she plans to run off to Arcadia.”
Nika laughed. “I heard it. I just didn’t say anything. I can’t blame her for saying it.” They took a few more steps in silence. Nika reached over and wiped some wet mud away from Arryn’s face. “Do you think she’s ready now? I mean, she’s learned a lot of our magic, but there is an enormous difference between learning a few things and thriving with it.”
“After what I just saw?” Cathillian asked, briefly looking at Nika. “I think she’s finally broken her mind open in a way that she can now channel that pain—if she’ll allow it.”
“Jenna said she cheated, but she didn’t use the storm against me. All she did was use a bit of rain water to freeze the ground beneath me so she could physically pin me down and end the fight. The rest was all for show, a big threat, and the Chieftain should know she kicked my ass in two of the three categories.”
“So, you want to request that she’s the victor in both?” Cathillian asked.
Nika nodded. “Cathillian—I tried to control the magic she was using. I was terrified she’d release lightning and kill herself. I couldn’t even influence the wind in another direction. I was powerless against her. That being said, admitting my embarrassing failure against a novice is not why I brought it up.”
“Then, why did you tell me?” he asked.
“Because if she wins that, and then wins the weapons category, she’ll be free to go to Arcadia. With this breakthrough, and with all she’s proven herself capable of, she needs instruction. Power like that can’t just be found and left. She needs a mentor.”
Cathillian paused outside the door of Arryn’s house as Nika walked ahead to open it for him. She helped him get Arryn through and on the floor next to her bed to avoid getting blood and mud all over the bedding.
“I’ve already thought of that,” Cathillian said. “That’s why I’ve asked my grandfather for permission to take the Versuch along with her. When I saw how much power she was using, I just had a feeling she'd win. I can't let her go alone. I’ll accompany her to Arcadia when she goes.”
Arryn cried out and ground her teeth as she awoke to the sensation of her nose snapping in several places, quickly followed by her left brow bone as well as her left cheek. As soon as the pain came, it was gone. She still felt exhausted, but she no longer suffered from her injuries.
“Sorry,” Cathillian said. “Can’t cure the fatigue right away. That’s from the magic use. You depleted yourself pretty heavily out there today, so it’ll probably take a few healings or just some good sleep.”
“I don’t even understand how that happened. I kept drifting in and out while you carried me back here, or I’d have thought it was a dream,” Arryn said.
“You don’t remember doing it?” Cathillian asked.
“No, I remember all of it. It’s just—nothing about it seemed real. I remember Nika saying…” Arryn shook her head. “Anyway, after that, there’s nothing. It was like I felt so much all at once that I ended up feeling nothing at all. I guess I snapped. I didn’t even have to work to push things out of my mind. It just happened. Well, until I got slammed in the face. That let everything pour back in super fast.”
“Have you ever felt like that before?” Cathillian asked.
She shook her head. “Never. I’m so scatterbrained most of the time that I have a hard time clearing my mind. That was—strange, and I think that’s an understatement.”
Cathillian nodded. “Well, let’s not worry about it right now. We have time for that later. How do you feel? Can you walk?”
Arryn tried to sit, but with her level of exhaustion, she could barely even accomplish that. “I can hardly even sit, so I doubt it.”
“Do you think you could handle a ride on Chaos? Slow and steady?”
Arryn shook her head. “No. I can’t ride alone. Why do I need to ride anywhere?”
“I’m gonna take you to the river. You’re covered in mud and blood. Your hair’s matted to your head.”
“I’ll live. Just let me sleep in my bed. I have to wash those nasty, wolf-slobber blankets anyway, remember?” she asked. “A little mud and blood won’t hurt much.”
Nika smiled. “Luna get you again?” Arryn nodded. “Don’t fight so much. Let him help you. You’re weak. I’ll change your bedding for you while you’re gone. It was my wolf that did it anyway. When you come back, everything will smell much better—so will you.”
“I appreciate that,” Arryn said, thinking it over. She desperately wanted to get cleaned up and sleep as long as possible in a clean bed, but she also wanted no part of needing to move. “I know you’re probably offering because you feel bad, but don’t. I only heard half of it, but it was enough to know you weren’t being a crazy bitch. Just a regular bitch.” She smiled, and Nika returned it.
“Yeah, well, I have a feeling you’ll thank me for it later. Now, go get cleaned up. I’ll take care of your room and bring you some clean clothes, too,” Nika said.
Arryn didn’t protest when Cathillian once again reached for her. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders as he picked her up. Once they were outside, he saw Elysia and the Chieftain walking toward Arryn’s house.
“You looking for us?” Cathillian asked.
“Of course,” Elysia said. “How are you, Arryn?”
She shrugged. “Tired enough to let this jackass carry me around like a baby, if that tells you anything.”
“Well, you must really feel like shit then,” the Chieftain joked.
“Dad!” Elysia grumbled. “I swear—you get worse the older you get. I try to teach these kids respect for you, and you go and act just like them.”
“Oh, relax. It’s a word. A word never killed anyone. Well…” He thoughtfully looked to the sky for a moment, placing a single finger on his chin. “Unless someone used a word to order someone else’s death. Then I suppose, in that instance, words do kill.”
Elysia closed her eyes as she shook her head. Arryn heard the words fuck… me… mumbled, but she wasn’t certain. Elysia spoke a bit louder then. “I’m about to relinquish this old man of his responsibilities.”
“Not to break up the good mood, but Arryn really does feel terrible. I just want to get her down to the river and help clean her up. Can we take Chaos? He’ll be the gentlest out of the horses.”
“Of course,” Elysia said, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, the dark green glow faded to the normal green of her eyes. “Is there anything that I can do to help?”
“I think we have it,” Cathillian replied. “Nika’s bringing some clothes. I’m just gonna make sure she gets there without falling off the horse.”
“Oh, like you wouldn’t find that hilarious,” Arryn said.
He smiled. “If you weren’t as helpless as a little, baby bird, yeah. I’d probably find it hilarious.”
“You’re a dick,” Arryn said as the sound of Chaos’s hooves echoed around them.
The horse trotted up to the group before stopping completely. His head twisted side to side as he tossed his long, black mane back and forth.
“Chaos,” Elysia said, placing her hand on his powerful jaw. He leaned into her touch as she spoke to him. “Please take Arryn and Cathillian to the river. No sudden movements.”
Chaos snorted as he nodded his large head. He then extended his front legs, lowering himself enough that Cathillian could lift Arryn on the horse’s very tall back.
She was able to throw her leg over, but immediately leaned forward to lie on Chaos’s massive shoulders. Cathillian quickly hopped on before Chaos once again lifted himself.
“You should be safe lying like that,” Cathillian said. “But if you start to slide off in one direction or another, I’m pulling you back against me—got it?”
Arryn gave him a thumbs up before her arm flopped back down to the horse’s side. Chaos began walking west, toward the Kalt river, the sounds of his snorts and heavy breaths soothing Aaryn as she relaxed against him.
There was a loud screech as Echo flew by. She landed in a tree ahead, waiting for the trio to walk by before flying ahead of them again.
It didn’t take long for Arryn to fall unconscious again, but Chaos’s broad back and shoulders gave her a sufficient area to lay in. Cathillian had to center her a few times, but she didn’t care. Right then, she didn’t care about anything other than sleep.
8
It was quite a long hike for Samuel to get back to Arcadia, but that journey had finally come to an end. It never seemed possible to him—a rearick—that he would ever be excited to see the city, but that had certainly been the case after days of walking.
Food.
Drink.
The rearick was very excited to see the city.