Inassea Chronicles: The Blighted Flame

by P. A. Peña

  Cecelia placed a hand on her hip. “I’ve ruined a lot of lives. I’m afraid you’re going to have to be more specific.”

  Virgil fell silent, entirely floored by Cecelia’s response. His flames subsided, and his arms fell loosely to his side.

  Cecelia rolled her eyes, her patience clearly waning. “Look. Now’s really not a good time, so here’s the deal. I can either kill you, or you can let me go. Normally, I wouldn’t be so generous, but it’s been a bit of a shitty day for me, so I’d rather not be bothered.”

  “You’re never leaving this island,” Virgil said, snapping out of his stupor. “I’m going to spend hours melting every inch of flesh off your bones.”

  Cecelia’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Wait a minute,” she said as her eyes trailed downward falling upon Virgil’s neck. It was subtle, but her body tensed up. “I remember now. You’re Vincent. Right?”

  “It’s Virgil.”

  “Whatever. You’re Danny’s brother. I remember you from that night all those years ago. You got that same hateful look in your eyes. Wait. No. It’s much worse now.”

  Virgil balled his fist. “I’m glad it’s all come back to you. Truthfully, I would have taken your life either way, but it warms my heart to know that as you die you’ll understand why I’m burning you to ashes. You’re going to pay for taking my brother and father away from me.”

  Cecelia’s brow raised and she pursed her lips. For a brief moment she stared Virgil down, and then flashed a devilish grin. “You don’t remember what happened. Do you?”

  “I’m not falling for your tricks,” Virgil said shaking his head. “You killed my brother. You cursed my father. If it wasn’t for you they’d still be here!”

  Cecelia let out a hearty laugh before holding out her hand. “Can’t pull the wool over your eyes, huh. Nevertheless, it seems like my luck’s turning around. So, here’s the new deal. If you hand over the Fang of Kayveon, you get to leave here alive. Refuse, and I’ll feed you to my demons. Oh, but not before enchanting your body of course. We wouldn’t want you passing out during the feast!”

  Virgil’s skin ached with heat. He forced the pain down, and placed his left hand over his right wrist. “You’re going to pay for every family you’ve ripped apart, starting with mine.” Virgil’s aura began to swell as he focused his mana into his right hand. “Hand of Destruction. Immolation!”

  His right hand burst into flame. Only this time, it was different. His hand wasn’t merely surrounded by an inferno. It was an inferno. The roaring fire lit up the night in an ominous purple glow. It was nearly impossible to distinguish just where Virgil’s flesh ended and the fire began. A stark sensation overtook the air. Despite the fire roaring from Virgil’s wrist, the air felt cold, as if Virgil’s flame siphoned all of the heat from around him.

  Neither Virgil nor Cecelia blinked as their eyes were locked on one another. Virgil took flight, charging directly for her. Cecelia appeared unfazed. In fact, she smiled with a sinister glint in her eye. Virgil drew in close. He reached for Cecelia, but quickly pulled backward, retreating to a safe distance. He wasn’t nearly fast enough. A trail of blood spattered across the grass from his chest. He was losing blood fast. His hand returned to normal, and his breath became burdened. His mana reserves were nearly empty.

  Virgil looked over at his assailant. A man stood in front of Cecelia, holding a blood-soaked sword. He couldn’t have been taller than five foot eight, and he wore a red and black cloak with a lowered cowl. A black mask decorated with splatters of red paint covered his face. Slits in the mask revealed bronze skin and a pair of dark brown eyes. His hair was as black as midnight, and a mess of untamed curls sprouted in nearly every direction.

  “Hmmph,” Cecelia said, placing a hand on her hip. “Look at you, coming to rescue little ol’ me.”

  The man remained silent, his attention fixed on Virgil. He raised his palm, and a red void formed behind him.

  “He doesn’t know,” Cecelia said as she turned to walk away. “Make it quick before he figures it out.”

  Virgil waved his hand, summoning the mightiest wall of fire he could muster between Cecelia and the void, but given his current state, he could barely keep his legs from shaking, let alone conjure a decent wall. “N-no,” Virgil said, his breath escaping him. “I’ve waited, I’ve waited too long for this. You’re—”

  Perhaps it was the blood loss finally settling in. Or maybe the man was just that fast. Virgil blinked and the man was in his face, slashing him across his chest once again. Virgil cried out as he stumbled backward. The wall of fire disappeared, and Cecelia stepped through the void.

  “You,” Virgil whimpered. “You’re the Scarlet Mage. Aren’t you?”

  Just like before, the man didn’t speak. The Scarlet Mage walked towards Virgil. His instincts told him to move, but his body refused. The Scarlet Mage reached out towards Virgil, grabbing hold of the Fang of Kayveon.

  “That’s mine.” Virgil raised his hand to stop him, trying his best to conjure flames, but to no avail. “You can’t. You can’t take it.”

  The Scarlet Mage pulled the necklace over Virgil’s head, and casually placed it around his neck. He placed a hand on Virgil’s chest. “I expected better from you,” he said, finally breaking his silence.

  Virgil’s eyes grew wide as the Scarlet Mage’s words echoed through his ears. But it wasn’t what the man said that rocked him to his core—it was the familiarity of his tone. The Scarlet Mage nudged Virgil, knocking him onto his back. He turned and walked towards his void.

  Virgil closed his eyes. He had to confirm it. A quick scan was all it took to turn his worst fears into a horrifying reality.

  Get up. You can’t let him go. Get up.

  Despite his desires, his body simply wouldn’t obey. He could only lie there helpless, the dreams he had for so long slipping away.

  His ears perked as he heard another familiar voice. “Stop!” Olivia shouted. “I’m placing you under arrest by order of the Crusader’s Alliance.”

  GET UP! Virgil dug deep, finally summoning the strength to sit up. The Scarlet Mage turned to face Olivia.

  “No,” Virgil said.

  Olivia raised her hands to the Scarlet Mage, summoning a massive wooden fist. It flew towards him, and the Scarlet Mage returned the favor with a conjured trident. As the trident hit the wood, it split it clean in two. Each half of the fist flew past the Scarlet Mage, bypassing him entirely. However, the trident didn’t stop there. It kept going, plunging deep into Olivia’s stomach. She shrieked as she stumbled backward. Blood began gushing onto the ground, and she gasped for air.

  Virgil’s screams grated his throat. Tears flowed from his eyes in a downpour. It wasn’t too late. If he could just make it there, he could do something. Anything. His jaw tightened, and he pushed himself further. His body throbbed with the slightest bit of pressure. He grunted as he forced himself onto his feet. His muscles felt as if they were being shredded.

  Virgil took a step. It was small, and his leg gave out from under him, but it was one step closer to Olivia. He looked over to her, and the Scarlet Mage snapped his finger. The trident began to spin like a tornado, completely eviscerating Olivia’s insides.

  Chapter 34

  The Scarlet Mage left through his void, leaving Virgil alone with Olivia. Virgil was mindless, his breath shallow and full of pain filled grunts. A mix of sweat and blood soaked his torn and ragged clothes. His only concern was reaching her. He forced himself up and took another step only to succumb to the pain shooting through his legs. Virgil fell to the ground, but still, he pressed forward, dragging himself across the grass.

  “Olivia,” he choked. “You, you have to get up.”

  Olivia didn’t respond. Her open eyes lifelessly stared into the night sky. The trident was gone now, leaving a gaping hole in her gut. The pool of blood around her was extensive, and still warm to the touch as Virgil approached her body. The few entrails that hadn’t been obliterated in the attack were scattered across t
he field in bits and pieces. Virgil reached out, his hand trembling as he placed his palm on Olivia’s face.

  “Please,” he said, struggling to lift Olivia towards him. “You have to get up.” Tears covered his cheeks. “No one was supposed to die. Not anymore. Not because of me. You have to get up.”

  Something touched his shoulder, but he didn’t turn back. He couldn’t. Although it tore him apart to see Olivia in his arms, he couldn’t bring himself to turn away.

  “Virgil,” Roxanne said, pulling his attention away from Olivia. “You can’t stay here. It isn’t safe.”

  Virgil looked Roxanne in her eyes. “It’s my fault,” he whimpered. “I did this.”

  Roxanne frowned. “As much as I would love to comfort you right now, we’re still securing the island.” Roxanne turned to Clayton. “Can you ensure Virgil makes it to Cordellia? It’s a miracle he’s still holding on.”

  “Of course.” Clayton nodded as he approached.

  Virgil turned back to Olivia’s corpse. “We have to bring her,” he said. “We can’t leave her here alone.”

  Roxanne turned quickly, fiddling with her glasses. “She’s gone, Virgil,” Roxanne said, her voice choppy. “I swear to you we will mourn her later, but for now, you need to go with Clayton.”

  Clayton hoisted Virgil up, helping him back onto his feet. They began walking towards the white void from which Roxanne and Clayton had arrived. Every step Virgil took felt wrong. His mind knew he had to leave. His body knew it as well. However, his heart begged him to stay. With every pump, it pleaded for him to rush back to Olivia’s side, even as Virgil stepped through the void and disappeared from sight.

  When Cordellia saw Virgil, her mouth dropped. It was clear she was drained and running on fumes, but she immediately got to work nonetheless. Not a word was said between them. When her strength finally began to fail, Cordellia stepped out of the room. For several minutes, Virgil was alone. Although, nothing really changed. At that moment, he could have been in a room full of people and still felt as if he were the last man alive.

  Aurelia stepped into the room. They locked eyes, and Virgil turned away. It was a brief exchange, and he hoped she hadn’t seen the loss tugging at his heartstrings. The failure cascading over him. The shame bubbling inside him. Aurelia made her way over to the hospital table. Without speaking a single word, she took Virgil into her arms and held him tightly.

  Virgil lay there. Trembling. It was as if the only thing keeping him together was her arms wrapped around him. He tried to keep his composure. To hold it all in. That didn’t last long, though. The dam holding his tears back shattered, and he melted into Aurelia’s embrace, his grip tight as he held onto her. He couldn’t control his sobbing. She ran her fingers through his hair.

  For hours, Aurelia remained with Virgil, even after she had finished restoring him. They talked, or rather, Aurelia did. Virgil mostly listened as she caught him up what had happened outside the coliseum. She told him how she and Cordellia fought to protect the injured Crusaders until reinforcements arrived. She gushed over how it was an honor to see Cordellia in combat, and she informed him that everyone had been released from inside the barrier unharmed. Eventually, her words slowed.

  “I noticed you’re not wearing your necklace,” Aurelia said. “They took it, didn’t they?”

  “Y-yeah,” Virgil muttered. “Slipped it right off my neck. I was powerless to stop them.”

  Aurelia reached over and placed her hand over Virgil’s. “You were in a bad position and did the best you could. You’re still alive, and that’s what matters.”

  Virgil forced a smile. “I know you’re right, but—”

  “But nothing. We’re going to get your fang back. It’s only a matter of time before whoever attacked us shows up again. When they do, we’ll be ready.”

  Virgil looked to Aurelia. There was so much conviction in her eyes it spilled over into him. It filled him with a confidence he thought abandoned him the moment the Fang of Kayveon was removed from his neck. He smiled, much more genuinely this time around. “I don’t know what I ever did without you.”

  Aurelia gave Virgil’s arm a playful nudge. “Of course not. Didn’t you know I’m one of a kind?”

  The door flung open and in walked Clayton, Roxanne trailing close behind him. “You’re making a mistake,” Roxanne insisted. “It’s far too soon.”

  “No,” Clayton argued. “You and Cordellia are mistaken. We’ve given Virgil more than enough time. We need to know what they are planning, and he’s our best shot at achieving this.”

  “Who’s they?” Aurelia asked.

  Clayton turned his attention to Aurelia. “Leave now, Fairbanks.”

  “It’s Bryant,” Roxanne quickly corrected.

  “R-right,” Clayton stuttered. “My apologies, but what we are about to discuss is classified information. I need you to leave immediately.”

  Aurelia stood, only for Virgil to take hold of her arm. “Why does she have to go? We’re both probationary Crusaders, so I fail to see what’s okay for me to hear, but not her.”

  Clayton’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Virgil. “Excuse me?”

  Virgil opened his mouth to reply, but Roxanne beat him to it. “We’ll have to reveal this soon enough, Clayton. Does it really matter if she knows now or later?”

  Clayton looked at Roxanne, and paused. It looked as if he were searching for an excuse, but he merely sighed after a moment of silence. “I suppose not.” He turned back to Virgil and Aurelia. “Go ahead and get comfortable. We have a lot to talk about.”

  Roxanne turned to Virgil. “If at any point this becomes too much to handle, we can stop and reconvene at another time.”

  “He’s a grown man,” Clayton scoffed. “Stop treating him like a child.”

  “This grown man just witnessed the murder of someone he cared for. It doesn’t matter how old you are, you don’t just brush that off.”

  “Of course you don’t. I’m not as callous as you think I am. However, the Scarlet Mage is still at large and now equipped with the equivalent of a magical warhead. I hate to say it, but right now, his feelings are irrelevant.” Clayton turned his attention to Virgil, locking eyes with him. “Speaking of magical warheads, just how did you manage to lose the Fang of Kayveon?” Virgil remained silent, his face turning red from embarrassment. “I can understand not using it before,” Clayton continued. “A weapon of that caliber shouldn’t be used on people you would soon enough be calling your allies. But this. I struggle to see why you wouldn’t call upon its strength to defend us.”

  “I couldn’t use it,” Virgil replied, his tone just as low as his eyes.

  “And why is that? Why would you withhold—”

  “No. I mean, I don’t know how to use it. My father never taught me. I’ve tried to tap into the Fang of Kayveon before, but I’ve never been able to.”

  Clayton closed his eyes, placing his palm over them. “Unbelievable. One of the most powerful magical weapons, reduced to nothing more than a flea market trinket.”

  “It’s okay,” Roxanne said. “It isn’t easy to wield a catalyst properly. Especially a Dragon’s Treasure. Please forgive us for being so forward.”

  “No,” Virgil replied as he looked back up. “Clayton’s right. I should have worked harder to use the fang. If I knew how to use it, we wouldn’t be here. I would have killed her, and Olivia would still be alive.”

  The room fell silent. A brief moment passed before Roxanne broke the ice. “You said ‘her.’ I’m assuming you’re talking about the witch in the green dress.”

  Virgil nodded. “Her name is Cecelia Holland.”

  Clayton folded his arms. “That’s interesting. The woman is a complete mystery to us. How have you come to know about her?”

  Virgil paused as thoughts of Cecelia flooded through his mind, and then it dawned on him.

  “What is it?” Roxanne asked. “Do you need a break?”

  Clayton groaned, grinding his teeth as he looked at Roxa
nne.

  “I’m fine,” Virgil answered. “I just, I’ve hated Cecelia for so long, but I’ve only just realized I really don’t know much about her. This is only the second time I’ve ever even seen her.”

  “Then tell us what you do know,” Roxanne said.

  “Well, she’s as old as dirt. The first time I saw her, she was transferring her soul into the body of a younger woman. Who knows how old she truly is?”

  “That’s lost magic,” Aurelia muttered. “How could someone actually stoop so low?”

  “You’re a Crusader now,” Clayton said. “Get used to it. We may be civilized enough to leave such barbaric sorcery in the past, but don’t count on our enemies to return the favor.”

  “What else do you know about her?” Roxanne asked.

  Virgil shrugged. “Beyond the fact she killed my father, nothing really.”

  “And what of your other family?” Clayton asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “He means your brother and mother,” Roxanne answered. “Our record of your family isn’t exactly the most accurate. Is Cecelia connected with them in any way?”

  “No,” Virgil replied. “Well, not my mother. She died when I was young. I don’t even remember what she looked like. My brother, though,” Virgil paused as his shoulders tensed and he looked down. “He left home at eighteen to go out on his first solo hunt. He, he never came back.”

  “Was he hunting Cecelia?” Clayton asked.

  “Yeah.” Virgil nodded.

  “And what became of him?”

  “I’m sure you know what happens to hunters who don’t return home.”

  “Okay,” Roxanne said. “It’s not much, but we have a basis to start from.”

  “What’s this all about?” Aurelia asked.

  “Nothing you need to worry about at the moment,” Clayton said. Roxanne shot him a look, compelling him to rub his neck. “They call themselves Nobody. From what we can gather, they are led by Cecelia.”

  “They appear to be a new group on the scene,” Roxanne said. “But considering how well they executed their attack, I sincerely doubt they’re amateurs.”