With his raised hand he gestured to Evan and spoke quietly, but somehow his voice carried over the noise of demons and battle.
“Come here boy, let me get a look at you.”
Evan walked towards the man, even as his mind screamed at him to run. He knew this was Kalkavan, the man who’d appeared before Vanderain threw him through the portal.
He heard a hissing to his left, and turned his head a fraction to see three Asharon appear at the end of the corridor. The Asharon had their laser swords drawn, and glided towards his companions, blocking Evan from them. He saw his unconscious sister too, laid against the wall, abandoned.
“That’s it little one,” said Kalkavan. “Let me see your eyes.”
Evan was only a few steps away when a choked sound made him stop. He looked back with effort and saw Tarensen, his face drained of all colour as he stared at the stranger.
“Evander…to me…now.”
He wondered faintly why Tarensen looked so terrified, but he shook it from his thoughts and took another step toward Kalkavan.
“Evan, no! He’s a Disciple.” Tarensen roared.
Evan knew Kalkavan was a demon Disciple, he shouldn’t go to him, yet he felt compelled too. Tarensen seized his collar and threw Evan behind him, passing him the Rambrace
“Go, get back to Veneseron, now!”
Evan made to activate the Rambrace and create a portal, but a force seized his body and smashed him into the nearby wall, pinning him there, as if invisible chains bound him. The Rambrace clattered out of his hands and rolled away beneath a demon’s carcass.
“I’m afraid I cannot allow that,” said Kalkavan, his voice like cracking ice.
“Release him, Kalkavan,” Tarensen pleaded. “He’s just a Venator and I’m just an Instructor at the Fortress. We are far beneath your concern.”
Evan was shocked more by the terror on Tarensen’s face than any demon he’d seen today. He looked round frantically, his willpower fighting off Kalkavan’s compulsion now. The only thing he could move was his eyes. Jed and Joelle fought at the end of the corridor, holding off one Asharon whilst the adult Realmers fought the other two.
“Ah, but he isn’t just another Venator is he?” Kalkavan said softly. “Tarensen, isn’t it? Son of the bastard, Vanderain.” Kalkavan’s subtle smile turned rancid.
“I was going to ask you kindly to hand over the spawn,” the Disciple said. “But I believe I’ll repay my debt to Vanderain instead. I think the scar Vanderain gave me equals a dead son, don’t you?”
“No! You have it wrong, Kalkavan,” said Tarensen. The demon-spawn are a myth. Surely you of all people are not foolish enough to believe it.”
Tarensen was desperate not to fight Kalkavan and Evan knew why. The magical power that had emanated from Kurrlan paled in comparison.
Evan knew how powerful Tarensen was, for a Realmer. But he wasn’t a match for one of the demon god’s chosen ones.
Evan was about to witness Tarensen’s murder in front of his eyes. And then he would be next!
“Come child,” Kalkavan whispered to Tarensen. “Let us duel. Best me and you can keep the Spawn.”
Kalkavan held out his palm, before sticking the nails of his other hand into it.
The left hand seized something and then pulled. Evan watched, aghast, as Kalkavan pulled a blade of shadow out of his own palm. The hilt of the sword was bone-white. No, it was bone.
“Are you ready? Put on a good showing and I’ll not gift your head to your father as I intended.”
“I’ll fight you,” Tarensen rasped, “if you let the boy go.”
Kalkavan tittered. “Now, that would be rather counter-productive, don’t you think? I could rip you apart with my sorcery. I’ve already granted you a boon by allowing our combat to be just swords. Do not test me, child. Now raise your blade and try to draw the blood of a Demon Disciple!”
Kalakavan sprung fast, his sword sweeping to hack off Tarensen’s head. Tarensen parried, just, and the battle was on. Evan could no longer see the swords as they were now blurs bouncing off one another.
He tried desperately to break free from his invisible prison, but he couldn’t move an inch. He heard Jed cry out and turned to see his friends desperately fighting off the Asharon. Jed and Joelle struggled against one Asharon, whilst Sofia tackled the other. Fortunately, Jason and Daniel had slain the third Asharon.
It looked like Sofia was about to kill her opponent, when steam shot out of the Asharon’s chest and into her eyes. She staggered back, blind. The Asharon moved to cut Sofia down, but then Jason barrelled into the monster from behind.
Jason and the Asharon’s swords clashed and stayed together as he and the monster pushed against one another.
“Watch out!” Evan yelled as he saw the rat-like demon scurry across the ground. But his warning was too late, the little demon sank its fangs into Jason’s ankle. The Realmer swore and turned to kick the minion away, but the distraction allowed the Asharon to slash upwards before Jason could parry. The result was the laser sword slicing through Jason’s throat.
Sofia cried out as Jason reeled back, a waterfall of blood leaking from his neck. Sofia had recovered from the steam and flew at the Asharon, throwing a spell before driving her dagger inside the monster’s hood.
It felt like his muscles were tearing apart as Evan continued fighting the confinement Kalkavan had placed on him. He felt so helpless as everyone fought around him.
From the start, Tarensen was on the defensive, backing down the corridor as Kalkavan assaulted him. It was blow after vicious blow which Tarensen barely blocked. Then one of Kalkavan’s swipes got through, opening up Tarensen’s arm, shearing through the Venator armour and biting deep into Tarensen’s bicep.
Kalkavan’s blade had to have been immensely powerful to cut through Venator armour. Worse still, Kalkavan didn’t seem to struggle in beating Tarensen.
Another slash broke through Tarensen’s defence, opening up a second gash, this time across his chest. Tarensen’s usual icy calm had evaporated.
“Evan!” Jed bellowed. “I can’t find the Rambrace.”
Jed ran up to him and attempted to prise him from the wall. Evan glanced over his shoulder to see both the Asharon had been slain now, but Sofia and Joelle also lay on the ground.
“No. Are they?”
“Not dead,” Jed rasped, “but all of us will be soon.” Jed shot a look of horror at Kalkavan, who was quickly defeating Tarensen.
“Arrgh,” Jed swore, unable to pull Evan off the wall. “Wait, I know what to do. Your sister.”
“What?” he called after Jed in confusion as he ran back down the corridor.
Evan watched on helplessly, realising two things were clear. One, Tarensen was going to die soon. Two, Evan needed to use his demon magic. He couldn’t control it, he wasn’t even sure how to summon it, but he had to try. The black mist might be able to distract Kalkavan enough to keep Tarensen alive.
A loud snap erupted as Kalkavan’s bizarre blade clashed against Tarensen’s once again, this time breaking Tarensen’s sword in half. Unarmed, Tarensen tried to retreat, but Kalkavan moved too fast, driving his blade into Tarensen’s side.
“No!” Evan screamed. Tarensen merely grunted as Kalkavan yanked his sword back out. Tarensen pressed a hand to his wound whilst blood gushed out and he fell to the ground.
Evan desperately willed his demon sorcery to appear. He didn’t care how uncontrollable it was, he needed to save Tarensen and everyone else. But it wasn’t coming. No matter how hard he tried to visualise it.
Kalkavan stepped toward Tarensen’s slumped form, raising his sword to hack off the master’s head. Before he could bring his blade down a plasma bullet smashed into Kalkavan’s face.
The bullet merely bounced off of Kalkavan, however, not hurting him at all.
Daniel ran past Evan, firing off more plasma blasts as he approached the Disciple.
Kalkavan strode calmly towards the Realmer, each bullet striking him, only t
o ricochet off without effect.
Daniel threw his gun to the side and prepared to cast an ice spell instead, but Kalkavan reached him first, plunging his hand into Daniel’s stomach and ripping out his entrails. Daniel screamed in agony for all of two seconds, before Kalkavan batted off his head with a lazy swat.
Hysteria filled Evan as he saw how much blood Tarensen had lost. The master had fainted and lay in pool of crimson. Kalkavan chuckled softly, preparing to hack off Tarensen’s head.
No, no, no! Evan’s whole body trembled as he tried so desperately to throw off Kalkavan’s spell. He couldn’t let this happen. He couldn’t let Tarensen be slaughtered by this abomination. His skin started burning. It was like a thousand red hot needles were just under his flesh. His blood was boiling, his eyes felt like they were going to explode.
A strangled roar ripped out of Evan’s throat suddenly, and his arms snapped up, breaking the sorcerous prison. He flung out his hands to Kalkavan as he bent over Tarensen. Evan’s desperate roar turned into a scream of pain as it felt like his palm had been cut open.
A sphere of shadow burst from his hands, flying through the air striking Kalkavan in the back. The Disciple cried out, in pain for the first time.
Evan scrambled to his feet, running to Kalkavan, summoning his demon magic for another attack. Before he could reach Kalkavan, the Disciple whirled round, flinging out his arm and conjuring a torrent of black flames. The demonic fire enveloped Evan, setting his face alight.
*
Taija awoke to find a stranger leaning over her, shouting at her in a wild panic.
“I’m Jed, I’m a friend. We came here to rescue you. You can trust me.”
The boy held a blood-coated axe in one hand, and an arrow in the other. As he tossed the arrow to the side, she noticed a small wound below her collarbone. Did someone shoot me?
Taija had no idea where she was or what was happening. The last thing she remembered was being tortured by Elemon in her cell.
Wait. Her sorcery had been released once again, worse than ever before. What have I done? She felt it still, the magic thrumming through her veins, desperate to be unleashed again.
“You have to help us,” the boy pleaded, wiping blood out of his eyes before pulling Taija to her feet.
“Use your demon magic, whatever, I don’t care,” Jed stammered. “Just help us, please. Or we’re all gonna’ die.”
She looked around her in a daze. She was still in the asylum, but it looked more like a warzone. There was blood and pieces of body parts everywhere. She felt simultaneously sick and repulsed by the corpses of monsters all over the place. Was this a nightmare, or had she died. The Sarume authorities wanted to execute her. Maybe this was hell.
Two women were sprawled on the ground behind Jed, knocked out, or worse. Whilst on the other side a boy stood against the wall, as if frozen in place. Then Taija saw the pale man, and her heart stopped beating.
He didn’t resemble a monster, like the carcasses everywhere, but she knew instinctually that he was no human either. His mere presence filled her with fear and fury at once. Taija’s fingers began to sting, and she looked down to see tiny whorls of black mist escaping through her fingertips.
She saw another person on the floor then, and the pale man was preparing to murder him, if he wasn’t dead already.
Abruptly the boy against the wall roared and pulled himself away violently. Something came out of his hands that was almost like her own magic.
The boy crumpled as the fire struck him. Most of the flames hit the wall to his side, melting the stone in seconds, leaving a gaping hole. But still, one flame stuck to the boy’s face, burning.
“EVAN!” Jed screamed in dismay.
Evan writhed on the ground, shrieking in agony as Jed hurried to his side.
“Heal him, please!” Jed implored her, his face twisted in anguish.
Taija didn’t know how she did it, just that she wanted Evan’s agony to stop, his screams were horrifying to hear.
As she imagined stopping the poor boy’s pain, tendrils of her sorcery flew out, masking Evan’s face. His shrieks cut off abruptly.
“No! You’re supposed to help him not kil-“ Jed cut off as the tendrils moved away, having doused the fire.
Evan lay, motionless on the stone tiles. She didn’t know whether he’d passed out from the pain, or whether she’d killed him. No. Please no. Let him be okay.
The flames had been extinguished, yet the flesh of Evan’s face was still smoking. Taija couldn’t see well, but his face appeared blackened.
“Good, he’s still alive.”
Taija looked to the pale man, shocked to see his dismay.
“I lost my temper,” the pale man shook his head, furious at himself. “I almost ruined everything, but thank the gods for you, sweet girl. I needed him alive. Then again, you also posses demon sorcery. That’s why they’re here for you. You’re a demons spawn too.”
The pale man looked at her in wonder, a chilling smile spreading across his unnatural features. “Oh, what a joyous occasion. I come to collect one demon-spawn and happen across two instead. Dear girl, I am Kalkavan, Disciple to the demon god.” Kalkavan held out his hand to her, as if he expected her to take it.
“You have no need to fear me, I promise.” Kalkavan’s eyes were the brightest blue flames, staring at her, as if gazing at her very soul.
The spiralling shadows around her throbbed, her sorcery yearning to attack Kalkavan. Taija knew her magic was right. Although he looked like a man, Kalkavan was more grotesque than any of the monsters littering the floor.
“Evan! Evan! Wake up, Evan.” Jed was shaking his friend gently, begging him to open his eyes. Taija wanted to help him, but didn’t dare get close to the boys, in case her sorcery touched them.
“Silence, fool,” Kalkavan glanced at Jed irritably, stepping toward him and raising his sword.
“Leave him alone,” Taija growled, a tendril of her magic flying at Kalkavan.
The Disciple threw himself back, cursing at her magic grazed his hand.
“You have immense power, girl.” his grin never wavered, despite the pain her attack caused. “Don’t be stupid. Come with me willingly, or face my wrath. I do not want to hurt you, like I did your brother. But I will, if you resist.”
Brother? The man was insane. Did he mean Evan? He wasn’t her brother, he was a stranger.
“No, leave here,” she replied. “Or face my wrath.”
Kalkavan flung back his head and laughed brazenly then. “I like you girl. You will serve me greatly, I know it. But enough games.” Kalkavan gestured, and the thick shadows of her magic suddenly parted to either side, thrown back against either wall and held there.
“You see,” said Kalkavan. “You are strong, but you do not know how to harness your powers. Do not try to fight me, you will not win.”
Taija raised her hands and tried to summon the magic back to her. The shadows writhed against the walls, trying to fight Kalkavan’s spell which kept them there.
“I told you, not to fight.” The Disciple strode calmly to her, walking between the mass of her magic on either side.
Taija’s skin felt like it was constricting against her bones. The image of Evan, with his face on fire, was burned into her brain. She couldn’t let this monster do that to her. She had to make him go away.
Taija brought her hands together violently, and the masses of her magic came together at once, surrounding Kalkavan who stood between them.
He screamed in pain as the black tendrils snaked around his limbs and raised him into the air. Kalkavan’s scream contorted to a roar as he smashed back to the ground. The dark mist rushed into him, but now it no longer pained him. She realised with horror that he’d consumed her magic. Kalkavan, bared his teeth, walking toward her again, raising his sword in one hand and summoning a sphere of shadow in the other.
She staggered away, barely able to stand, but she wouldn’t give up, she couldn’t give up.
Her skin
seemed to crack open and a fire deep inside of her spilled out. She was no longer in control of her body, in control of anything.
More black mist scraped her skin, billowing out to surround her. Taija poured her power in front of her, creating another swirling vortex. She didn’t know how she’d created the portal before. But she knew that’s how the monsters had come. This time she’d send them all back.
With every fibre of her being she willed it to happen. Kalkavan gazed at the portal in confusion, then in astonishment as the swirling mass dragged him toward it.
“No, this isn’t possible,” he gasped, trying to move away.
Her flesh began to blister. From the corner of her eye, Taija thought she saw the skin on her forearms melting away, to reveal black scales underneath. I’m turning into a monster!
Suddenly, more demons surged into the corridor, these ones fully alive and screeching. The horde of fiends were flying through the air, however, and pulled into her portal. She’d created a magnet for monsters. She had no idea how, or where she was sending the abominations, or if it killed them.
Kalkavan appeared to be the only monster who could fight against the vortex, however. He’d stumbled to the wall and was trying to escape. But like a hideous whirlpool, Taija’s portal sucked Kalkavan further towards it, closer and closer.
“No!” One final roar was wrenched out of Kalkavan as he disappeared inside and the portal collapsed in on itself.
As soon as the portal evaporated, so did all of her sorcery. Taija fell to her knees, her muscles turned to lead. She glanced back at her arms, the scales had vanished, but the human flesh was pink and raw, as if was brand new.
She spotted Jed, sitting over Evan’s body and staring at her in horror.
Taija attempted to speak to him, but black blood spewed out of her mouth instead. Her vision became obscured. When she tried to stand, the world spun too fast for Taija to regain her balance. As she blinked rapidly, she realised her obscured vision was because of the black blood leaking from her eyes.
Moonlight War- Act II (The Realmers Book 3) Page 35