Fate's Hand

by Lynn, Christopher

  “Untie me!”

  “I will once we are outside. Quickly, the word for the door!” Temo said, slamming his fist into the black stone.

  Yusar tried to look down the hallway, but Temo caught his face and pulled it back.

  “Don’t be a fool. The word!”

  Yusar stood silently before finally speaking the passphrase. Temo held Yusar’s binding across his chest as the wall opened. The second the way was clear, Temo hopped through, then immediately turned and slammed Yusar in the stomach as he came through the opening. The red wizard soared backward, crashing into several of the oncoming demons. The doorway closed and left the other demons trapped inside.

  Temo took off into a run until movement caught his eye. Three mid-sized imps were attempting to drag Jora’s lifeless body away. Temo immediately changed his course and rushed at the imps. All three panicked and abandoned the body as the large man charged them. Temo approached Jora’s body. One of the imps stood in a frozen panic, covering his face from an oncoming attack. Temo simply stripped the man’s body of his large sword and traveling pack. He jumped over Jora with a final thought to the brother’s tragic fate and ran off into the woods.

  The jailer Rurrick stood with a dead and dangling demon pinned to his chest. Breathing heavily and looking into the distance, he reached across his chest with both hands to extract the long blade from his chest and shook the dead demon from it. He looked down at the only surviving imp and immediately split him in half with the blade.

  Sirash slid up behind Rurrick and placed several hands across his wounded chest. Her touch burned, but the wound sealed up quickly. Rurrick took several deep breaths and hocked up the blood that had poured into his pierced lungs and spit it out and turned to match stares with the naga.

  “Do not make me look like a fool, Rurrick,” she said, tracing the fresh scar across his chest with her long nails. The large demon screamed out in rage and ran off into the woods, on the chase.

  Drask came out from the tower to stand by the naga sorceress.

  “He either dies or he is brought back. If he reaches a town, I will have no reason to keep you alive.” He turned and began the walk to the tower. “Send Yusar out to recruit after you fix him, and put a collar on him. Come, Arihem, I have something I want to try with this hand. ”

  Sirash noticed the wizard Yusar lying in the corridor. She charged up her hand with a healing spell.

  Temo set a steady pace with his breathing. He ran until the daylight began to fade, saving a portion of his energy for the inevitable fight. He slowed to a jogging pace and took in his surroundings, spotting a grove of small trees and deciding to make his stand there. He tossed his pack into the branches as he downed Jora’s skin of water. He set the canteen down and opened the pack, searching for anything that could help. Finding nothing but rations and clothes, he removed the sword strapped to his back and settled down on his knees.

  He placed the sword on the ground before him. and calmed his breathing and relaxed. He heard some distant yelling and footsteps. The battle mage reached into his mind’s stored spells. Temo methodically finished the phrases needed to cover himself in a stoneskin spell. A dull purple light melted across his broad frame. He knew the spell would only protect against a few hits, but that might the difference in the coming fight. Temo immediately started casting once again. . He charged his hands with two stored paralyzing spells as he heard the demons closing in on him. His fingers tingled slightly with the built up spell.

  Temo smiled slightly as he listened to their labored breathing and shouts. He could only clearly make out four different voices, but he was sure there would be more. He rolled his forearm across his smooth brow, rolling back sweat, and finished a last spell.

  He grabbed the sword before him and hefted it into the air. He grunted with force and chopped out chest-height the take down all of the small trees surrounding him. The skinny pieces of wood fell to the ground and he kneeled back down to cast once again. The spell he had finished only seconds before activated, and a ring of fire began to form across the ground, igniting all the freshly cut limbs. Several of the chasing demons saw this and began yelling excitedly.

  Three of these demons joined together and busted into the copse of trees. Temo was still down casting, unarmed. The three took their opportunity and charged the man. He finished his spell and grabbed the sword before him, jumping up and standing tall before the demons. Only one of the creatures had a weapon, the other two brandished long dagger-like nails and sharp teeth. They spread out and circled the man, taking advantage of their numbers, hopping over the small line of flame on the ground and jeering the attempt to scare the demons with such a puny fire. Temo stood his ground with the sword at the ready.

  As more demons arrived, the wind changed around Temo. Currents came from the ground and began circulating. The small burning branches lifted off the ground and made a spinning circle of flame and wood, barricading the three demons in with Temo, and the others out. The demons looked around at the spinning hazard and closed in on the man. Temo leaped at the closest two demons, bringing the circle of fire with him. The wall of roaring fire moved closer to the demon behind him. The two in front panicked and pulled back from the man. The spinning branches were at full flame now, and as the barricade moved, it smashed into other trees. The demons covered their eyes as smoldering splinters flew around them. A large branch cracked as the barricade slammed into it and sent a spear of wood into a demon's arm.

  The demon closest to him turned his attention, and Temo took a swipe with his long reach, cleaving the creature in two. The battle mage gave a wild war cry and came full sprint toward the demon behind him, with the massive sword over his head. The demon turned and ran, the cries of his demon brother being caught by the fire ring and burning only making his legs pump faster. Smoking timbers and branches buffeted him and violently gashing his arms and chest all over.

  Temo reached out with one hand and grabbed a mid-sized tree, jerking him to a halt. The demon running could not stop and charged directly into the fire, tumbling out the other side impaled with sticks and burned all over.

  Several heads higher than the fire ring, the large jailer from the tower stood glared down at the battle mage. Rurrick reached down and grabbed one of the dead demons, hoisted it into the air and hurled it through the fire. The battle mage brought up his sword and tried to block the flying, burning corpse. The two met each other with a dull smack, forcing Temo to fall on his back. He kicked the dead fiend off and quickly rolled over to retrieve the weapon as the large demon charged through the fire at him.

  Rurrick caught Temo in the chin with a knee and sent the man spinning backward into a tree. A finger-sized branch ripped through the already weak stoneskin spell and jabbed Temo in the back. He rolled around the tree and realized how lucky he was the branch didn’t pierce him. Rurrick pressed on, kicking the smoking, dead demon back into the air, before slamming it down on Temo. He deftly whipped out his blade and pierced the smoldering body, smiling a large mouth of rotting, twisted teeth at Temo as he pressed down into the demon. The battle mage screamed out in rage and pain as the blade pierced his stoneskin and sunk into his chest.

  Temo ripped his arm free of the dead weight and seized Rurrick by the hand. The large demon’s smile disappeared and his body stiffened as he collapsed, paralyzed, off to the side of Temo. The man eased the dagger out and pushed the dead demon off. In the fight with Rurrick, Temo's spinning tree branches had lost their power and fluttered through the air wildly, slowing down. Temo caught sight of at least three demons waiting for him outside the barricade. The man held one hand on his wounded chest and tried to take to his feet. He stumbled, falling down next to the massive demon Rurrick. His eyes were open and staring at Temo with murderous intent.

  Temo saw a black figure fast approaching them, as everything began to feel numb. He could feel the warmth pouring out between his fingers. He didn’t even bother to stop the oncoming attack. Instead, he smiled at the large demo
n, then plunged the dagger into Rurrick’s neck. Satisfied, Temo rolled over on his back. He watched as a small demon leaped on his chest and began biting at the hand covering his chest, activating the second paralyzing spell and rendering it still, latched onto Temo's wrist. Temo gritted his teeth and punched the demon with his free hand. With a resounding crack, the fiend's jaw broke and released its hold. Temo laid his head back and realized just how tired he was. A slender black figure leaped over him, and he closed his eyes.

  Several moments passed and he came to accept these would be his last. He didn’t feel anything, so he raised his head, only to see Virmire flinging a dagger into the back of the last fleeing demon. Temo was too weak to even muster a smile, but the feeling was there. His vision went blurry and all sound muffled. He felt Virmire lift his head and pour some lukewarm, bitter substance down his throat. His last thought before passing out was wishing it was a cool ale instead.

  The three men made their way across the rocky landscape for two days. Rylan and Asher were amazed at Val’s tracking method, but Asher insisted he save it till it was needed.

  “I could track these clumsy orcs easily, even across the rocks. They have no fear of being discovered,” he said.

  As they traveled, Val and Rylan traded stories. Asher flanked the two and scouted the road ahead. It didn’t take Val long to find himself relaxing a bit.

  “They won’t kill her,” Rylan stated. “I hate to say this, but young human women go for a high price, and for a reason. She could run away several times, and probably kill a few guards, and they still won’t kill her.”

  Val tried to put on a smile, but it was weak. “That makes me feel a little better. How long until we catch up to them?”

  “If we want to catch them where we can ambush them and have the advantage, day and a half more. There is a narrow passage I know they will have to pass through since they can’t climb with the slaves. We will be there waiting for them.”

  “How will we get there first?” Asher stopped and looked at Val, then Rylan.

  “Might as well tell him,” Rylan said.

  “What?” Val asked impatiently.

  “We passed their cave early this morning. Rylan and I discussed our plan and the ambush is the best way.”

  Val clenched his fists to hold them from shaking. “You didn’t think it was important to ask me? I could have already saved her?”

  He leered at the speechless men, then started back down the path.

  “We were thinking about Daria, kid!” Rylan cried. “We have done this kind of thing before. An ambush and all. It’s the safest way to single out friend and foe. You want to go running blind into a dark cave packed with orcs and gods knows what? You will only get yourself and us killed. I know you want to save her, but she is alive. And she will be alive after we kill them in the pass. I swear.”

  Val watched the sun with his back to Asher and Rylan. The bright light hurt his eyes, and he squinted a tear from the corner of his eye. They had passed his sister this morning. He couldn’t imagine ever making that choice himself, but he believed Rylan. Finally, he turned and looked at the two men. Asher had his back to Val, but Rylan faced him, a grin across his face.

  “Come on, kid. Let’s go talk about what we have planned.”

  “First thing is, they will be cautious since they are missing a few scouts. That’s where eagle eye over there comes into play. Then again, we don’t know what that red hand of yours can do. Asher, you think we should let the kid try his luck with a bow later?”

  Asher shrugged. “Couldn’t hurt.”

  The men walked on through the day, with Asher bringing down a deer at one point for supper. They set up a camp for the evening. Val tried to shoot a bow, which he had already had practice with, but the loss of feeling in his right hand made it hard to gauge the power or release. He sat by the fire that night and put some water on the fresh scrapes across his left forearm where the bowstring had cut him.

  “I guess that’s a no,” Rylan chuckled. “Oh, well. Keep the bow on you. When your life gets threatened, you might become a perfect shot.”

  The loud cracking sound of a stone falling from a distance came from the hills behind them. Rylan sprang up and Asher quickly slipped into the darkness. Rylan removed a vial and dabbed some blood across his fingers.

  “Stay here and stay quiet,” he said. Before taking off in the other direction.

  Val sat by the fire, every loud pop of the wood burning making him jump. He heard some low talking and Rylan's quiet laugh. The two men came back into the light.

  “Just some animal,” Asher said.

  Val nodded, but his eyes were trained on Rylan. Rylan grinned, his teeth sharp, his eyes narrow with large pupils.

  “You look like a demon,” Val said.

  Rylan chuckled and began wiping the blood off. With his other hand, he flipped his long, pointy ear covered in orange fur.

  “Doubt a demon could hear or smell as good as a fox.” His features reverted back to normal and he smiled at Val.

  “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to that.”

  Asher gave a rare smile. “You should see some of his really good stuff. He wants to get dragon blood but that isn’t easy to come by. Thought he had some at one point, but it turned out to be something…darker.”

  “Like the chimera?” Val asked. Rylan looked down, his expression turning more serious. “No, kid. Not the chimera.”

  Asher smirked and set a few more logs on the fire. “He doesn’t like to talk about it, Val. But let’s just say it’s the kind of thing nightmares are made of.”

  Rylan glared at Asher. “I didn’t know.” He broke off his look to face Val. “When I bought the blood from an alchemy shop, they told me it was of a gold drake. It cost me half my savings, but it’s not like I was saving up to buy a bar. So, we went out into the woods and I put a dab of the blood on.”

  As he spoke he reached down to his belt and opened a leather case, then removed a black bottle. “It wasn’t a drake. I don’t know what it was. But I know how it felt, and what it did to me. My blood burned like my veins were running with acid. I grew claws long as daggers and I couldn’t control myself from teleporting around at random. My vision changed to dull out all my surroundings except one thing: Asher. I could see the heat of his breath, his heartbeat, even the sweat on his brow.

  “I knew what I was doing, but my body was uncontrollable. I struck down Asher in an instant, then teleported to the next living creature. A rabbit. Then a snake, then a fox, then a bear. Each one left dead in mere seconds. I was covered in blood and that’s what actually saved me. The blood began to mix across my tattoo and I was overwhelmed. I lost consciousness, and when I woke the blood was dried and caked all across my body. That’s when I learned only wet blood worked. Once the blood dries up, so does my transformation. I ran back through the woods to find Asher. I looked for hours.”

  Rylan looked over to Asher and smiled. “The stubborn son of a bitch just wouldn’t die. He was half stitched up and passed out by a stream when I found him.”

  “What do you think it was?” Val asked.

  Asher shrugged. “A dragon, a demon, pure evil? I don’t know what it was, but it’s the only time I looked at Rylan and saw death.”

  The men were quiet for a while.

  “So…you won’t be using that anytime soon, right?” Val finally asked.

  “Nope, I’ve got something special planned for those orcs.”

  A cold sweat ran all over his body. He could feel the chill and tension all across his muscles. He tried to pull the covers tighter. At first, he thought his arms were asleep, but he soon realized that was not the case. He could not move his hands at all. He couldn’t even open his eyes! A rush of fear ran through him and swept the cold sweat away.

  A sound made him focus in and listen. He felt a slight pressure across his chest. Listening to the noise, he could only guess that his arm was moving up and sliding across his chest. He tried to wiggle his fingers
and move, but nothing. He felt his fingers moving, but not at his command. The fingers crawled like a spider across his stomach. He tried to squirm or make a noise to awaken his party, but all that escaped his lips was a slight whimper. The crawling stopped. In a dull way, he could feel the muscles in his arm tighten. He heard his hip dagger slide out of its sheath. The weight left his body, and he could feel his shoulder rotating over his chest.

  He desperation tried to take control of his body, to make a sound, but nothing happened. His arm stopped. Suddenly, an explosion of pain rushed into his hand. Val shot up out of his bedroll. All the feeling in his body flowed at once as he jumped to his feet, then immediately fell to his knees, overwhelmed. Shaking and covered in sweat, he held the wrist of his foreign hand and saw a dagger cleanly stuck through his palm. He looked across the dim firelight to see Asher perched, another dagger in hand.

  “Asher?” Val faltered.

  Asher relaxed his stance and replaced the dagger in its sheath. He calmly placed another log on the fire, then walked over to his travel bag. Val sat very still, watching the man move around and glanced over to Rylan sleeping soundly. Asher appeared over Val with a leather pouch in hand, knelt next to him and began to wrap small leather straps around Val's finger. He took each end and lashed them to Val’s belt. As he cinched them tight, Val grimaced and pulled his hand back.

  “Hold still,” Asher said.

  Rylan sprang from his bed holding a black-banded bottle he slept with. Spinning around several times, he finally focused on Asher and Val.

  “What in the hells are you doing to the boy?”

  “I’m tying his hand to his belt so he doesn’t try to stab me.”

  “Oh, okay,” Rylan replied and plopped back down, where he quickly began to snore once again.

  “Wait, what?” Val asked.