by Eden Redd
“I AM DEATH AND I'M HUNGRY FOR SOULS!” Fern screamed as her mace and body blasted so hard through a phantom head that it continued to move until it simply vanished a few steps later, not realizing that it was already dead.
Symon’s conservative approach fell away as the spellsword marched with the skeletons, blasting all incoming bodies.
Dax’s troll roared as it rushed into the fray. Joining the skeletons, it bashed with wide arcs, sending Sukarr into trees. The troll grabbed a Sukarr by the throat, slammed it to the ground and crushed its phantom skull with its clawed foot.
The area became a battle of inches. No words were said as everyone focused on the enemy. Claws slashed, destroying skeletons in a swipe. Screeches deafened the area as the swarm pushed on the group.
Dax simply acted, blasting the Sukarr with a card in his right hand. Despite their brutal counter-attack, they were still losing ground to the phantoms as they pressed on.
A skeleton crumbled as three Sukarr rushed Dax and Zarra. The mage and cleric refocused their attack when two shadows flashed down from the trees, short swords swinging and lopping off heads. Isani and Ressa pressed into the attack, their blades moving in blurs as they cut through the enemy with skill and deadly finesse.
Noss concentrated on creating more skeletons when a Sukarr attacked him. The kobold backpedaled as the fish creature hissed and spit, reaching for him. A thick fist struck the Sukarr in the side of its head, causing it to stumble to the side when a card aimed at its chest and fired. A fire bolt blasted the Sukarr to nothing as Clive stepped in front of the kobold, unleashing spells into the swarm.
“Keep making skeletons!” Clive ordered.
Noss nodded and resumed his spellcasting.
The urth elemental rushed into the horde, bashing everything in sight. Sukarr leapt onto the creature, biting and clawing. Sparks flew into the air, chunks of rocks and dirt falling away as the monsters continued their attack.
Zarra’s bright staff flashed in arcs, knocking away Sukarr and sending them hurtling into trees or the cloudy sky above. She moved with strength and grace, every strike deadly to the phantoms.
Symon turned into a battering ram, shoulders low and cutting through the phantoms. Lighting and fire blasted out, every footfall measured and every strike true.
Vance and Nuria pointed their cards like miniature crossbows, every shot landing and blasting Sukarr to bits of ghostly light.
Dax eyed his stats as he blasted everything in his way:
Name: Dax Sage
Class: Mage
Health: Normal
Mana: 350/1400
Mana Shards: 0
The mage used 50 points of mana for every blast but even at half power, he was draining his mana much too quickly. He would be drained in moments. Looking to Fern, the urth elemental and his troll, they were bashing their way into the crowds of creatures, forcing them apart and having them regroup.
We have to break them!
Dax slipped the cards he was using into his robe pockets. Hands out, he twisted his wrists in different directions, two new cards slipping into his hands.
Name: Unicorn
Element: Life
Degree: 3
Ability: Charge/Horn/Trample
Special Ability: None
Name: Fire Armor
Element: Fire
Degree: 1
Ability: Protective Armor
Special Ability: Inflict damage on contact
“I need you, my friend,” Dax whispered before saying the trigger word.
Mist flashed forward, slamming into the ground and a majestic unicorn appearing. Dax uttered another word and flames erupted around the unicorn.
Isani and Ressa kept the enemy at bay, just barely, slicing like surgeons. The fish people crowded in, the phantoms pushing each other closer to further overwhelm the invaders of their island. A loud neigh filled the air. Isani grabbed Ressa and pulled the dranar with her, the two falling to the ground their eyes wide as they saw a flaming unicorn charge past them.
The flaming unicorn charged past them, it’s head down and horn aimed low. The entire creature was on fire, mystical horse armor affixed to its body and each piece blazing bright. The unicorn crashed into phantom bodies, blasting them to light. Some were trampled under flaming hooves, crushed to nothing.
Dax watched, charging the cards again and ready to unleash a second unicorn before he stayed his hand. The flaming unicorn moved, hooves kicking up dirt as it leaned into a turn. It stabbed its horn into bodies, phantoms screaming before they shattered into ghostly mists. The troll, urth elemental, and skeletons pulled back, the blazing unicorn circling the entire group in a rapid gallop. Phantoms were scattered or destroyed, their ranks crumbling to the powerful creature.
A phantom leapt onto the back of the unicorn only for it to burn up and flash to nothing. Bodies burst into light and when the unicorn began a second pass, the horde of Sukarr screeched and began their retreat.
Scaled ghostly bodies turned and ran. Some of the phantoms trampled each other in the mad dash to flee from the flaming unicorn.
Dax watched in astonishment as the enemy quickly left the area, running in every direction to escape the burning unicorn. After a long moment, the enemy was gone.
“RUN YOU COWARDS!” Fern shouted like a cannon.
Heavy breathing filled the area. Legs and arms began to tremble before bodies began to sit down in the middle of the forest. Vance and Nuria sat down, using each other’s backs to allow them to sit up. Isani held Ressa to her, the dranar’s head on the shadow elf’s lap. Clive leaned against a tree, huffing loudly. Noss sat on a small rock, his head in his scaled hands and eyes wide.
Fern flew back, the aura around her fading. Dax sat down, his troll and unicorn checking the area for any stragglers. Fern barely made it, floating down and falling into Dax’s hands, her eyes closed and her breathing gentle.
Zarra was the only one standing, staff in hand and watching over the coterie.
Dax cradled the sleeping fairy to his chest as he looked up. Symon was away from the group, on his knees and his back to them.
Dread crawled into Dax’s heart. He took away his best friends’ moment and now it was sinking in what just happened.
The spellsword rose up to his stoic height.
“Catch your breath. We’ll move in a few moments and we’ll set up camp,” Symon commanded before walking off as the sound of rain filled the forest again.
Fourteen
The light rain faded as the sky slowly began to darken. Bodies moved silently, setting up tents and gathering rocks for a fire pit. Tired muscles ached, but the coterie settled in efficiently, setting up camp for the long cold night.
Dax finished setting up his tent with Fern. The fairy crawled in with their bedrolls to set up. The mage stood outside, glancing at Symon. The spellsword had finished his tent and looked out to the woods around them, his back to the group. The air grew colder, mist falling from noses and mouths as the light slowly faded from the dark clouds.
Noss worked, setting up the fire pit. The rest of the group finished with their tents. Senses were alive, the entire group glancing beyond to the surrounding trees for any phantoms that might be lurking.
“Everyone, finish with setting up camp. Dax, come with me to gather firewood,” Symon ordered and began walking.
Eyes looked to the mage for a moment before looking away. Dax’s heart sank in his chest, knowing full well his friend was mad. A second later, the mage followed the spellsword into the woods.
Drops of rainwater fell from wet leaves. The pair moved through the brush until they came across downed branches. Symon knelt down, scooping up branches and holding them in his other hand. Dax did the same, working in silence.
The spellsword lifted up another branch when he began speaking, “You were right.”
Dax stood up with branches in his arms, gaze on his friend.
Symon turned around with a grim, sad look. “You were right dur
ing the attack. I spent the last hour thinking it over and kept coming to the same conclusion. If we were hunkered down behind some protection, we could have conserved our strength and taken down the enemy.
“Instead, we were out in the open with no protection. We had to break their ranks and holding back wasn’t going to cut it in a battle like that. I almost cost us our chance.”
Dax stepped closer, “Symon, you had the right idea. I’m sorry I overstepped your command. I just saw what we had to do and took it.”
Symon nodded. “I know. That is why I shouldn’t be leading us. I see things in orderly logic, like a game, you move each piece for a desired action. What we just went through was anything but a game. They came at us with everything they had, showing no regard for the safety of their own. I didn’t even imagine a scenario like that until we had it today.”
Dax stared at his defeated friend as regret and lack of confidence filled the spellsword’s eyes.
“Symon, you are made for this. We just had a starting hiccup. Your leadership is what we need. Our friends understand. We are all part of this campaign and learning as we go. It will never be perfect right out of the gate.”
Symon’s gaze met Dax’s, “My sheltered life is not an asset.”
Dax nodded. “You’re right, you are our asset.”
The grim sadness pulled back a little and a small smile formed.
The mage stood at full attention, chest out and with branches in his arms. “I follow your command, Symon Shieldbrook.”
Symon did the same and his small smile grew wider. “Fuck, that battle was hard.”
Dax raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Yes, it was. You curse now?”
The spellsword nodded. “Now is the best time to take it up.”
The mage grinned. “See? Now, you’re starting to understand.”
The two friends chuckled before resuming picking up branches, their hearts a little lighter.
Returning to camp, the rest of the coterie sat around the empty fire pit, wrapped rations in their laps. Dax and Symon brought the wet wood and dumped it into the pit. The mage took out a card, aimed it as the full pit and said the arcane trigger word. A stream of fire blasted out, striking the wood and smoke rising up.
“We’ll have a little smoke for a while before the wood catches,” Dax said as he kept the stream of fire on it.
Heads turned, senses alert. Everyone waited silently as smoke rose up from the pit. After a long moment, the wood caught and soon a fire crackled.
“Eat and warm up. We won’t have this fire going for too long,” Symon said as he sat down and pulled out his wrapped ration.
Heat glowed from the pit, wet bodies slowly warming up. Muscles relaxed as the coterie began eating. The sky continued to darken as the light of the fire cast moving shadows on nearby trees.
“We are going to have more battles like before. We should come up with a strategy,” Vance said in a low tone.
“I’m open to suggestions,” Symon smiled.
Clive nodded. “I think I may have the highest degree of the urth sphere. If we run into another situation like before, I can create a wall around us.”
“That could be our death trap,” Isani said.
Clive looked to the shadow elf, “It worked during the Trial Exams in the Amphitheater.”
Symon nodded. “No, Clive has a good idea. Forming a fort would give us an added benefit. From what I remember, the mages created stairs and small alcoves to shoot spells from.
“Clive, how much time do you need to cast such a spell?”
The large mage nodded. “A long moment. I have a card that can cast the spell, but I will have to use it again to shape the stairs and the openings.”
Noss spoke up, “I think I can create greater numbers of undead. I was holding back and didn’t realize it until they were on us.”
Vance looked to Nuria, “I think we made a good team for striking at them from a distance.”
Nuria smiled and nodded.
Fern’s eyes slowly blinked before she leaned on Dax’s shoulder. The mage looked to her, exhaustion coloring her eyes. The fairy had used one of her stronger attacks and it took a terrible toll on her. Dax put his arm around her shoulders and held her close as the group continued to discuss.
Zarra sat, eating small chunks of meat in silence. Ressa looked to Dax with longing before Isani reached over and took the dranar’s hands into hers. The rogues squeezed each other as firelight touched their bodies.
The air grew colder as the last of the sun began to set behind the clouds. The forest was eerily quiet as the discussion fell away to eating once again. Primal darkness crept over the area as the last drop of sunlight disappeared and night cast her shadow across the world.
Symon stood up and addressed the group. “We all need to get some rest. Tomorrow, I want us to double time it so we can gain some more ground. The first day slowed us down and probably slowed down everyone as well. The phantom armies must be big if they can fight like before. The good thing about fighting phantoms is they are easy to spot in the dark. Have weapons and spellbooks at the ready so we can be prepared to defend ourselves.
“I’ll take the first watch. Isani, you can take second watch,” Symon finished.
Heads nodded in agreement. Vance whispered an incantation and frost shot forth, extinguishing the campfire. The heat vanished instantly and the cold began to creep in again. Bodies were up and moving to tents. Noss crawled into a tent and Zarra followed. Isani and Ressa crawled into their tent, the shadow elf giving Dax a small smile before closing the flap. Nuria and Clive moved into their tent and Vance climbed into his.
Fern sheepishly moved to her and Dax’s tent, fell to all fours and climbed in. The woods had become black as pitch. The mage could barely make out Symon’s outline but he didn’t mistake the approving nod of the spellsword. The two friends understood each other and silently, they agreed to work better together.
Dax moved to his tent and crawled in. The flap closed, he felt around in the dark until he touched Fern. The fairy was undressing, pulling off her leggings and falling onto the bedroll. The pair had put them on the floor of the tent, having them overlap so they could sleep together.
“Take off your clothes. They won’t dry if you sleep with them on,” Fern whispered.
Dax nodded in the dark, taking them off and putting them by the tent flap. When the mage was naked, he lay in the confining tent, Fern putting her arm and leg on him. Body heat warmed up tired muscles. Dax turned on his side, holding the fairy to him and Fern pressed her head to his chest.
The warmth was comforting as Dax began to doze. Eyes closing, he began to drift off when light began to fill their tent. Blinking, he looked to a crown of lights around Fern’s head as she pressed her body to him.
“I won’t be able to sleep,” Fern said in the barest of whispers.
Dax tried to touch the crown on lights, his hands passing through like they weren’t even there. “We have to put out those lights.”
Fern nodded against his chest.
“Dax,” the fairy began with a light whisper, “I was scared today.”
The mage looked down to her, listening intently.
“I was scared, like when the sea monster attacked us scared. There were so many of the Sukarr and even as I was fighting, all I could think about was you being hurt. That fear grew, not wanting any of us to fall. If you didn’t tell me to use my ability, I think I would have hesitated.”
“I think we were all scared,” Dax said, his arms holding her to him.
Fern closed her eyes, drinking in the mage’s scent. “The life we have chosen is a hard one. Champions die in the service of others. We could die. Death never bothered me before because I only had myself to rely on. I’ve told you about how lazy my family is. Even when someone passes, they just lift a drink in their honor and that is it. I have thoughts of my family doing the same, no one really shedding a tear because it would spoil the party.”
Fern pulled her
head back and looked up with wet eyes. “When I met you, my whole life changed. Death has come closer, laughing at me in my dreams. I don’t want to lose you or any of our friends. I’m still scared and all I want to do is feel you all the time.
Fern pulled away and laid on her back, “I need you to help drown out this fear.”
Dax’s hand drifted along the fairy’s bare skin. The crown glowed with dim light, Fern’s breathing slow and steady. The mage marveled at her body while his heart sang to her beauty. Chest heaving, Fern gazed on the handsome mage by her as his fingers ran along her smooth skin, goosebumps rising.
“I want our clan to be strong. I want our family to never not know affection and love,” Fern said with a sultry whisper.
Blood pumped as Dax continued to touch the fairy. The heat in the tent grew with each passing second, the chill of night nothing more than a memory. The mage couldn’t deny his arousal, his manhood firming up against the fairy’s hip. The warm touch of their bodies caused Fern’s body to writhe in wanting. When Dax’s fingers touched her valley, wetness coated his fingers as he lingered. Hips moved to his touch as Fern’s breathing quickened. A hand took hold of Dax’s cock and stroked it.
Love and lust spiraled, the two champions and lovers caught in each other’s gravity. It consumed all reason, hearts glowing with seductive need to chase away the dark terrors of their minds and the outside world. Senses drank in each other, never wanting to turn away.
“Dax…” Fern said with a sultry hiss. “Please.”
The mage couldn’t deny the hunger and heat between them. The mage slid over the fairy, onto his arms and knees. The tip of his member touched her valley and urgency took hold, not from Dax but from Fern. The fairy let out a wet moaning whisper as she clutched to the mage. Arms and legs pulled him on top of her, his cock pushing against her thin line and sinking into blissful warmth. Inches pushed, forcing her to accommodate him and the fairy buried her face in his neck. Whimpers rose up from Fern as Dax’s hips moved to a familiar primal need. Any thoughts fell away as he gently thrust with loving power.