Phantom Campaign

by Eden Redd

  “What do you say, Master Dax?” the shadow elf said as she was close, her pointed nipple a foot from Dax’s head.

  “I agree,” the mage huffed as he felt himself getting closer.

  The shadow elf put the dagger to the side of Dax’s neck, the cold metal touching hot skin, “Come and the agreement will be finalized.”

  The sultry words touched Dax’s already blazing senses. A whimpering moan rose up from Ressa as her mouth and head worked. The moment took hold and Dax unleashed himself.

  Ressa’s head sank down as Dax’s cock thickened. Come spurted into her mouth, filling the back of her throat and drinking it down. The dranar’s eyes rolled into her head as she moaned, drinking and suckling on the man’s cock. Ressa sucked every drop, her lips coaxing along the shaft. A happy moan rose up as another spurt touched the roof of her mouth. A drop of come slipped down from the corner of her mouth. Pulling away, she licked it up before looking up with bright serpent eyes.

  “The agreement is sealed,” Isani smiled as she pulled the dagger away and slipped it into her forearm rig.

  Dax sat, his cock still throbbing and refusing to wilt.

  “Now, it’s my turn for some fun,” Isani smiled when a knock at the door caused her eyes to widen.

  “Dax?” came a timid voice from the other side of the door.

  Bodies moved. Ressa was standing as Isani picked up her leather top and slipped it on. Bending down, she snatched her cloak off the floor and twirled it around until it latched to her neck and settled on her shoulders.

  Dax was up, lifting up his small clothes and closing his robe.

  “Dax?” came the voice again.

  Isani marched to the door and wretched it open a crack. The shadow elf scowled as she saw Nuria standing there with wide eyes.

  “We are currently having a meeting,” the shadow elf said with an edge.

  “I have to speak to Dax. It’s important,” Nuria said with her own pleading edge.

  Isani eyed the beautiful mage, seeing the panicked energy in her wide eyes. A long second ticked by before the rogue opened the door and stepped to the side.

  “Ressa, let’s leave them to talk,” the rogue addressed her friend before looking at Dax. “We will continue our meeting another time.”

  Ressa moved across the room to Isani’s side. The pair slipped past Nuria and into the hallway. Nuria stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.

  Dax stood, concern bleeding into his expression. Nuria crossed the room and stood before the mage by the bed.

  “Is that invite to listen still okay?” Nuria asked with a weak smile.

  Dax nodded. “It’s always there, for you.”

  The beautiful mage looked down, her eyes watering. “You’re becoming popular. I can smell it on you.”

  “I…” Dax began before Nuria shook her head.

  “I don’t care who you fuck. I hear so many students from different classes talking about you, it was only a matter of time before they came for you.”

  Nuria looked up, her eyes on the verge of tears. “I’m changing.”

  Dax’s eyes widened. “You’re changing? Changing into…” the mage trailed off.

  “I don’t know,” Nuria sniffed. “I can’t understand it. It’s been happening for months. My eyes turn black at times. My legs tingle like they want to split in different directions. My hungers…” Nuria let the words hang in the air.

  “Lyla,” Dax whispered, using her true name, “Are you changing into what you were before?”

  “It feels like it. I don’t know, it’s so hard to think sometimes. I’ve woken up, my face snuggled in my own cards and small magical items. I can’t account for time, everything a broken jumbled mess.”

  Lyla hugged her own waist, “I did…terrible things.”

  Dax’s inner alarms went off. The mage reached over and placed his hands on Lyla’s shoulders, staring deeply into her wet eyes.

  “What did you do with Nuria’s parents?”

  Lyla looked away, a tear streaking down her cheek. “I tried to be their daughter. I have all her memories, but they could still see through it. They started to withdraw while I was there, talking to each other when I wasn’t around. They thought I couldn’t hear them but I could hear every word. They spoke of calling magistrates and the academy. They wanted to know what happened to their daughter.”

  The beautiful mage looked into Dax’s eyes, her very soul cracking. “During dinner one night, the three of us were talking. It was supposed to be a simple meal. I would eat and leave them alone. Instead, they began asking me questions, almost like an interrogation.

  “I answered them truthfully, but they were still suspicious. They kept asking questions, waiting for me to say something wrong, but I knew everything Nuria knew. They kept pushing and pushing.”

  Nuria kept her gaze as another tear rolled down her cheek. “I was emotional and my eyes turned black right before them. It was enough for them. They leapt up from their seats, daggers in hand. They knew I wasn’t their daughter anymore and they were going to kill me.”

  Dax’s heart sank in his chest.

  Nuria bowed her head, darkness covering her face. “I killed them. I killed them in self-defense. They loved their daughter, but knew I wasn’t her. They knew I was a monster. They tried to kill me and I killed them.

  “I knew from their conversations that this couldn’t get out. It couldn’t get out that their daughter had become some monster. They planned to slay me, bury me, and tell others I had an unfortunate accident. But I killed them, weighed their bodies with stones and dumped them in the nearby lake.”

  “I can’t stay here. I know the professors are concerned about me. I know they are trying to figure out what happened. I felt others trying to probe my mind, but my people have great psychic abilities and powers. We can’t manufacture magical artifacts because of how our minds and bodies are. That’s why my people attacked your world. We needed them to fight the Elder Things.”

  Dax’s mind was spinning. The words cut his resolve into shreds. Instincts glowed with wanting to understand and protect her at all costs. For months, the mage wanted to forget her and now, they shifted into the polar opposite. The connection blazed like a roaring fire and Dax was no stranger to death and secrets.

  “What should I do?” Lyla whispered.

  Dax’s fingers clamped into Lyla’s shoulders, holding her in place as she looked to him with wide eyes.

  “You have to keep everything as normal as possible. The professors and High Dean have asked me about you, wondering why you’ve been shut off since learning about your parents… I mean, Nuria’s parents. If you run, they will know you had something to do with it. You have to stay and deny everything. Don’t give in to the truth, at least with the academy faculty.”

  Dax let out a long sigh. “We need time to come up with a plan, but we can’t do it ourselves. I have to bring others into it.”

  Lyla shook her head. “You can’t. If others know, there is a chance they will tell the faculty. I’ll be killed.”

  “You have to trust me. I won’t let anyone harm you, but this is really big. I can contact others in Hydale. It will take time, but I can have you disappear, start a new life. People do it all the time. You just need to stay strong and act like nothing has changed. You have Nuria’s memories, use them to your advantage.”

  Lyla shook her head. “I can’t. I haven’t even told you what Kinarth Academy’s enemies are trying to do.”

  Dax blinked. The vision from the mind maze quest in Butterpond filled Dax’s mind’s eye. He saw Nuria speaking with shadowy figures, making deals to hurt the academy. It was something he wanted to discuss with her, but she shut herself off to him after what happened in the Raven Tower.

  “One problem at a time. Right now, we have to look out for you. It’s true, you may not be able to stay, but we can take our time and make sure you’re set up elsewhere. Maybe someplace along the Void Border?”

  Lyla gave a weak
nod when the door to the bed chamber opened.

  “Dax?” Zarra said as she slowly stepped in.

  “Zarra?” Dax said as Nuria pulled away from him and stood at his side.

  The cleric stepped in and closed the door. Golden dragon eyes looked to Nuria.

  “I apologize. I was invited to the party and I thought Dax’s meeting was finished since I saw Isani and Ressa come downstairs.”

  Dax made a hasty nod. “Yes. Nuria and I were just catching up and ready to come downstairs. It’s been a crazy time for everyone.”

  Zarra nodded before she took a silent inhale. Time slowed down as Dax stared at the cleric. The movement was small, barely noticeable but Dax’s senses were dialed to eleven, seeing Zarra’s nostrils flaring slightly, taking in the scents of the room. Yellow eyes glowed before they narrowed. The gem in the middle of Zarra’s circlet began to glow with magical power.

  The tension thickened as Zarra’s often blank, shy demeanor shifted in an instant. The circlet glowed brighter, containing her natural dragon power, but it didn’t stop the cleric’s gaze, twisting into rage.

  “Zarra, please, we need to stay calm,” Dax said.

  The words hung in the air as Zarra glared at Nuria. Nuria lifted her hands, magical energies filling them as fear and self-preservation blasted her body, spells forming.

  Zarra’s body bent, ready to pounce, eyes staring holes into the Nuria. “Your… your void spawn! I can smell it. I can smell that foul scent anywhere. You… you…”

  Dax moved in front of Nuria, eyes with a pleading gaze. Zarra’s powers were held back by the circlet she wore at all times. It prevented her from having too much of an edge over her other students, but it didn’t quell all of her draconic power. The fear and rage blended into a contained storm as the very air prickled with power.

  “She’s going to kill me,” Nuria hissed as she took a step back.

  Zarra took a menacing step forward. “Dax, remove yourself.”

  The mage shook his head while never taking his eyes off the cleric. “Zarra, there is a lot going on here. We have to stay calm. I’ll explain everything.”

  The cleric’s eyes filled with sorrow. “You knew what she was? You knew this entire time?”

  “She’s not like them. She ran from them because they killed her family. She’s not here to hurt anyone.”

  Zarra’s sorrow shifted into demonic rage. Golden scales appeared along her shins, forearms and hands. Claws stabbed out from fingertips as the cleric stared daggers into Nuria behind Dax.

  “Those creatures killed my family, my clan. They cannot be redeemed. There can be no forgiveness for such evil!”

  Dax put up his hands. “I know. I know. Her people broke our world, but we are healing. We are coming back from that dark time. We just have to keep our heads and talk calmly.”

  Dax took a step forward, “Zarra, I love you. I love you so much. Please, hear me. I know this seems strange, but the entire academy is in trouble and killing anyone right now won’t help. Nuria knows things and we have to find out why others are trying to destroy the academy.”

  A tear rolled down a gold scaled cheek, “She is the enemy! She must be destroyed or we all die. I’m sorry, my love.”

  Zarra bent her legs.

  Dax’s hand reached into his robe, fingers touching a card as he rushed toward the dragon in humanoid form.

  “Zarra, please, we can’t…” Dax managed before the cleric jumped.

  The high ceiling allowed for Zarra to leap high into the air. Dax turned his body as he looked up, card clearing the inner robe pocket. Cold mist flowed from Nuria’s hands as she lifted them up and shouted a word of power. A stream of ice shot forth. Zarra’s arms were up, the ice slamming into her scaled forearms but the cleric didn’t slow down. She landed hard enough for the floor to shake. The gem in the circlet glowed bright as ice covered the cleric’s arms.

  Dax lifted his card and spoke the word of power.

  Name: Troll

  Element: Life

  Degree: 2

  Ability: Damage

  Special Ability: Tough

  Mist flowed out and struck the floor just as Zarra flexed her arms, ice shattering and blasting out. Nuria had leapt backwards, landing feet first on the bed as she rattled off another incantation. Mist flowed off her hand as a spiky ball of ice appeared, growing bigger by the second.

  A pale troll with a club appeared.

  “Restrain her!” Dax commanded.

  The troll dropped his club and launched onto Zarra, thick arms wrapping around her arms and pinning them to her sides. The gem glowed brighter as Zarra grunted. Nuria lifted the large spiky ball of ice in her hand, ready to drive it into Zarra’s face.

  “Nuria! No!” Dax shouted.

  The gem in the circlet vibrated as Zarra’s eyes flashed with power. The spiked ice ball came down as the troll tried to contain the cleric. Energy filled the room before Zarra’s arms shot up. The troll’s arms shattered first before it grunted and faded away. A clawed hand shot up as the spiked ice ball came down. The spiky ball hit Zarra’s open palm and exploded.

  The shock of the explosion sent Nuria into the air, flying back and landing on the floor on the other side of the bed. Power came off the cleric in waves as she bent her legs, ready to leap after the mage when Dax was on her, hands grabbing her shoulders.

  “Zarra! Don’t kill her! We…” was all the mage could manage before Zarra whipped her forearm around, striking the mage across the chest and sent him flying into a wall.

  Dax saw and felt everything as his back struck the wall and cracked it. He fell in slow motion, Zarra’s head turned slightly to him, a mad fury in them before they widened in shock. When he hit the ground, pain enveloped his chest as several bones were broken. His breathing was labored, each inhale and exhale causing shooting pains.

  Nuria was to her feet, magical energies filling both of her hands. Zarra turned from the downed Dax, a growl causing the very air to vibrate.

  The door to the bedroom slammed open, Isani and Ressa darting in and seeing Zarra ready to jump, Nuria standing on the other side of the bed with spells at the ready and Dax slumped against the wall, his hand up and pointing to Zarra.

  “Stop…her,” Dax managed through the pain.

  Ressa rushed to Dax while Isani took a quick breath and darted forward. The shadow elf’s legs blurred just as Zarra leapt into the air. Nuria raised her hands, ready to unleash her spells when Isani crashed into Zarra’s side. The force was just strong enough for both women to land in the bed and bounce. The rogue’s hand took hold of something from her belt. Zarra righted herself in midair, her scaled arms and legs hitting the bed as Isani slammed a small orb against the cleric’s face.

  Smoke blasted out as Isani leapt from the bed. Ressa covered her mouth and Dax’s as the room filled with smoke. The air swirled as Nuria cast an air spell. The smoke shifted away as the mage darted for the bed chamber door.

  Isani landed by Dax and Ressa, another small orb in her hand. She didn’t bother to watch Nuria leave as the smoke enveloped the bed. Golden scales gleamed in the smoky light as Zarra emerged.

  Nuria was gone. Dax sat, laboring to breathe through the pain. Ressa’s hand was close to her own belt as Isani stood, ready to take on a dragon.

  The cleric stumbled out, barely able to stand. Legs trembled, her eyes wide as she looked to Dax on the floor. The dragon in humanoid form coughed as she took shaky steps forward. Isani stood at the ready, crimson eyes filled with determination.

  “Dax…” Zarra said before her eyes rolled into her head and she crashed, face first onto the floor.

  Dax couldn’t move as he stared at Zarra. The pain grew with each passing moment, Isani moving to the cleric and bending at the knee. She touched Zarra’s neck and caressed her hair.

  “Zarra,” Dax whispered before he passed out, darkness consuming him.

  Nine

  Darkness parted. Dax slowly blinked. Wits returning, he felt he was on his bac
k on the bed. Several blurry heads looked down before they began to fall into focus. Ressa looked down with wide, unblinking eyes. A wicked smirk filled Isani’s cheek while Zarra looked down with immense sorrow in her golden serpent eyes.

  Dax tried to move, a wave of weakness filling him.

  “Please, don’t move. Your body is still healing. You had six broken bones and some organ damage. I did my best to heal you, but you still need time,” Zarra said in a low, sad tone.

  “Where’s…Nuria,” Dax said, his throat dry.

  “She left,” Ressa whispered. “We have some of our friends searching for her, but last anyone saw, she was heading back to the academy.”

  Isani nodded. “Thankfully, the party was pretty rowdy downstairs. No one has any idea what happened up here besides us.”

  Zarra put her now normal hand on Dax’s chest, “I’m very sorry.”

  Dax weakly lifted up his hand and placed it over hers.

  Isani was up and tapping Ressa’s shoulder. “Let’s give them some time to talk. We’ll be in the hallway.”

  Ressa was up and following her fellow rogue. The dranar looked back in concern before the two left the room and shut the door behind them.

  Zarra hovered over the mage, her hand still against his chest, feeling the warmth of his hand over hers.

  “You have every right to be mad,” Dax said simply.

  The dragon woman shook her head. “Not like this. My rage hurt you. I should have listened. You were trying to warn me and I wouldn’t listen.”

  “And because I love you, I should have told you the entire truth,” Dax said before he explained everything.

  Zarra listened intently as the mage told her what happened to Nuria, her soul dying in the mana spring and Lyla’s soul entering her body. He told her about the mind maze and the memories they shared. Dax gritted his teeth as he told her about the man he killed when he was younger and finished with what Nuria told him about secret enemies in the shadows and the threat to the academy.

  Zarra lay by the mage, soaking in every word. She made no expression, her hand still on his chest. When Dax finished, she simply looked to the side, deep in thought.