by Eden Redd
We all will stay true to our word, helping you live your new life.
“Thank you, Dax. It means everything to me.”
Nuria squeezed Dax’s hand.
Dax’s heart lifted in his chest. He could not deny the connection they shared. It glowed powerful between their spirits. The old Nuria was a cruel woman with desires to take down the academy, but Lyla was different, alien and scared of his world. She wanted a new start and he wanted to help bring that to her. He wished he could say it was a selfless act to help another, but deep down, he knew he wanted Lyla to live a long happy life.
Symon halted and raised a fist.
The rest of the coterie hunkered down, hands on weapons and spellbooks. Symon made another signal and Dax understood what he wanted.
The mage reached into his robe and pulled out a card.
Name: Mind Speak
Element: Mind
Degree: 2
Ability: Speak via thoughts
Special Ability: None
The mana charge was already used up for the day so Dax channeled mana into it.
Name: Dax Sage
Class: Mage
Health: Normal
Mana: 1375/1400
Mana Shards: 10
A moment later, he activated it. Minds connected along the wide corridor, gentle thoughts touching each other.
“Around the corner of the intersection, there is a room with some torchlight. I also managed to see a few sukarr phantoms standing within. The corridor to the room is rather long, I’m guessing so that they will know we’re coming. I’m open to ideas on how to handle this,” Symon said.
“Maybe we should just slip past and keep exploring,” Noss chimed in.
Symon’s head gave a mental shake. “We have no idea if there is a trophy crystal in the room. If we just keep going, we might miss our chance. We have to check it out.”
“Ressa and I can sneak close and observe. If there is a crystal inside, we can tell everyone. If not, we can move on.”
“Good idea. We’ll stay here and wait. If there is a trophy within, stay where you are and we will approach. If we are spotted, take down any who rush us and we will meet in the middle. Is everyone okay with that?”
All heads nodded silently.
Symon continued, “Okay, Isani and Ressa, you’re both up.”
The two rogues stepped away, shadows nearly consuming their bodies. A blink later they were gone.
Dax, much like everyone else, mentally listened. The two rogue’s minds were silent as a grave. A gentle pull could be felt, the pair moving away, but still in contact.
“Fern and I will lead the charge. The rest of you follow close and offer support. Zarra, pull anyone away who gets hurt,” Symon directed.
Heads nodded.
Silence resumed before a whisper touched their minds.
“There are ten sukarr inside. A trophy crystal is in a corner,” Isani said coolly.
Nuria’s brow wrinkled.
“There are Illkith hiding. I can sense them,” Nuria added.
“How do you know?” Vance asked.
“I just do. I can feel their minds even if they are phantoms,” Nuria said.
“Right now, we’ll take any advantage we can get. I want everyone to get ready. We’ll edge as close as we can. If they charge us, Fern and I can defend the corridor. Dax and Noss, can you both create constructs in front of us?”
“Yes,” the mage and necromancer said in unison.
“Alright. Isani and Ressa, we’re coming to you now.”
The group moved as one. Fern’s wings blurred, but a faint humming sound followed her as she floated along. Symon was ahead, slowly drawing his sword. The silence pressed down as they made their way closer, closing the distance.
Isani was to one side of the entrance, Ressa on the other. The two rogues had their short swords out and to their sides. Isani’s crimson eyes barely moved as she watched some of the sukarr standing. The phantom fish men and women swayed, but did little else. They seemed completely oblivious to the world around them.
“This feels too easy,” Dax said across their minds
“It’s a trap. I’m sure the moment we attack, the Illkith will appear from their hiding places. When we reach the entrance, Myself, Isani, Fern, and Ressa will charge in. The rest of you provide support,” Symon said.
Fern hovered, mace in hand. Symon stepped closer, a foot away from Isani. The shadow elf nodded, her grip tightening around her blade handle.
“Now!” Symon mentally shouted.
Isani and Ressa slipped in as Symon and Fern charged. The sukarr turned their heads to the invaders before short swords sliced across necks. Fern screamed as she drove her mace into a sukarr skull. Symon slammed his shoulder into a standing sukarr and slashed hard across the monster as it fell back. Bodies wrinkled and flashed or melted away.
Isani moved to another sukarr, blade at the ready until she skidded to a halt in front of it. The phantom didn’t move other than a simple swaying. It didn’t respond to her presence at all, content to do nothing to defend itself.
“Everyone stop!” the shadow elf boomed.
Symon stood in a defensive stance while Fern hovered with her mace raised over her head. Ressa was behind another sukarr, the point of her blade inches from the phantom’s back.
The phantoms continued to sway, not acknowledging the group that just entered.
“Is this some kind of trick?” Vance asked, spell card in hand.
No one said anything as they inspected the large chamber. A small, round crystal glowed in the corner. A few torches lined the walls, their flames flickering.
Nuria moved to a wall, hands up. The mage ran her fingers along the surface before she touched something and there was a click. The wall slid away to reveal six Illkith. Everyone whirled on Nuria and the Illkiths direction, but the strange phantoms didn’t move. They didn’t even seem to know anyone was there.
“This is weird,” Noss said as he eyed the Illkith from a distance.
“This does not feel…” Dax trailed off.
A blissful invisible cloud filled the large chamber. Dax’s shoulders relaxed, a smile forming. Fern’s brow wrinkled before she too began to smile. Symon rushed to their sides before he slowed, his eyes growing blank. Vance, Clive, Noss, and Zarra stayed where they were. Isani and Ressa moved to each other’s side before they too were enveloped in the pleasant gloom.
Nuria stood unaffected as four bodies melted away from the walls. Chandra stepped out as Owyn, Vizith and Luca stayed to the sides. The kitun blew the mage a kiss, waves of energy flowing outwardly from him.
Chandra stepped through the group, making her way to Nuria and standing before her with a confident smirk.
“We gave you some time to think about our offer. This is your final chance to join us. Come with us and we can be back at Prenmore Academy before sunset,” the elf grinned.
Nuria stood her ground. The mage eyed Dax who stood with a smile on his face, but his eyes betrayed him, showing that he wasn’t fully there. Glancing to the others, they all had the same simple blank gazes and strange smiles.
“You’re worried about them, aren’t you?” Chandra said with an almost slithery hiss.
Nuria gave a slight nod.
“I’m sure they will be fine,” Chandra said and held out her hand.
Nuria looked down at the hand, her heart thudding in her chest.
The mage looked up with a fire in her eyes. “I need assurances they will be fine.”
Chandra kept her hand out but her eyes took in Nuria’s inner fire. “Everything will be fine. We won’t let anything bad happen to your friends. All of this is about furthering agendas. We don’t want anyone to die. Take my hand and we can leave for your new home.”
Nuria slowly blinked. “Can I say something to Dax, before we go?”
Chandra’s smile grew wider. “Sure.”
“Dax, go to your friend,” Vizith’s voice came out smooth as silk.
Nuria stepped closer, making eye contact with the mage, “Dax, you have done for me more than anyone else had a right to do. I wouldn’t have survived this long if it wasn’t for your unwavering loyalty, when you had every reason to let me perish. I’m sorry for how Nuria had treated you. I’m sorry for how I treated you.”
“So sweet,” Chandra whispered.
Nuria kept her gaze on the mage before her. “Dax, I love you.”
Dax blinked as something internal fought to the surface of his heart and mind. The mage’s blank gaze took on some color, as if his inner spirit was fighting to be heard. Distant memories crashed into him as heat ran up his neck and filled his face. The words hung heavy on his soul as he wanted to say those very words back to her. Truth clawed its way upwards until it touched his surface thoughts.
“I… love… you… too,” Dax said before turning his wrist and triggering the rig to shoot a card into his waiting palm.
Chandra’s eyes just turned downward, the click from a hidden rig setting her senses on fire as her eyes widened to a card in the mage’s hand.
“Shit!” Chandra shouted.
The card flared with mystical power. The cloud in Dax’s mind instantly went away. The mage looked to the strange woman standing before him, realization blasting his nerves as he remembered everything.
“Fuck this!” Chandra said as she jumped up and kicked out with both legs. Each boot struck true, one hitting Dax’s chest and the other hitting Nuria’s chest. The two mages were thrown back and hit the floor.
Dax dropped his card and twisted his wrist. Another card shot into his hand. The sound of a dagger being drawn filled the room before Chandra pounced on the fallen mage. Dax curled his arm and activated the card.
Name: Air Bolt
Element: Air
Degree: 3
Ability: Damage
Special Ability: Knockdown
Chandra’s body tried to twist away when the white air bolt struck her side and sent her spiraling into a standing sukarr. The elf’s body smashed into it, she and the phantom hitting the ground.
“I knew this was a mistake,” the orc woman growled. “Owen, call in reinforcements!”
The bald man with the staff began an incantation. Luca turned, green hands up and fingers curling. A spell fell from her lips.
Nuria curled back to her feet, card in hand before her very blood felt like it was on fire. The card in her hand fell away as she fell to the floor onto her hands and knees, screaming in pain.
Dax was up as he pointed his air bolt card, charged it and flicked his left wrist. Another card slipped into his hand as he whispered both trigger words in rapid succession. An air bolt blasted out, striking the orc woman and sending her stumbling back.
Name: Troll
Element: Life
Degree: 3
Ability: Damage
Special Ability: Tough
Light flashed as mist flowed and slammed onto the stone floor. A phantom troll with a club appeared, its eyes narrowing at the blooming chaos.
“Stop them!” Dax commanded.
The troll burst into a charge, barreling toward the fox man.
“Oh dear,” Vizith said before drawing out a dagger.
The troll was nearly on him when a dagger spun through the air and stabbed into his back. The troll ignored it, lifting his club and bringing it down. Vizith leapt to the side, the club striking the floor and cracking the spot.
Chandra’s hand pulled back, grabbing another throwing dagger from her belt before an air bolt slammed into her chest and sent her crashing onto her back.
“Defend me!” Vizith called out as he dodged the troll’s attacks.
Symon turned and charged, his sword stabbing into the phantom construct’s back. The troll grunted before its body dissolved.
Owyn drove his staff into the ground, energy flaring. “Reinforcements are coming!”
Chandra’s legs spun and she was back on her feet, daggers were in each hand. Oval eyes widened as Nuria aimed a card, a firebolt blasting out. The elf spun away before flicking her wrists. Nuria was still on the floor, rolling away as a dagger clattered against the floor.
Dax looked to his friends as they stayed where they were when a dagger stabbed into his left arm. Fingers released his troll card as he spun, charged his air bolt card and triggered the command. Another white bolt shot forward but Chandra was already spinning away. Her hands moved in a blur, small throwing daggers in them.
Time slowed down as Dax concentrated, feeling the foggy connection of his coterie and his friends.
WAKE UP!
The mental shout caused the dazed group to flinch as other bodies moved. Isani blinked before something growled at her side. The shadow elf looked down as a rat the size of a large dog pounced at her with claws and teeth. It was enough for her mind to push away the fog and slice hard across. The rat’s body separated in two before both chunks hit the floor. The rogue backed up as a stream of very large rats emerged from the hidden tunnel where the phantom Illkith stood.
Nuria aimed her card and fired off fire bolts in rapid succession. Each bolt blasted through, missing Chandra as she spun away. One struck a standing sukarr and it faded away to nothing upon impact.
Fern blinked as she looked down in horror. A wave of large rats moved into the chamber, many of the front line jumping into the air. The rest of the coterie woke up, limbs moving. Chaos bloomed as spells went off and blades sliced. Vance moved with precision, blasting out fire spells. Clive growled as rocks jumped up to his commands and shot forward like miniature cannon balls. Rat bodies were shredded or burned from the attacks. Ressa was low, her sword slicing the invading rats with each strike.
Noss backed up, his clawed hand trembling with a card in it. He tried to think of the trigger word when a rat nearly his size jumped at him, red eyes glowing with hunger. A hand shot out, grabbing the rat by the neck and wrenching it in such a way, its neck snapped.
Zarra pulled back her arm with the dead rat in it and threw it. The dead rat hit another one in midair, both tumbling to the floor.
Noss’s eyes narrowed as he gained a moment of bravery and activated the card. Phantom skeletons rose up from the floor in mere seconds. Ghostly blades in hand, they marched into the wave of rats, slicing and sending blood in every direction.
Bedlam filled the chamber as bodies moved. Fern screamed as she dove down, mace swinging. A rat skull cracked, followed by another as the fairy moved like a bullet.
Symon eyed the kitun as he stalked closer, energy filling his left hand.
“We’re friends,” Vizith said with a nervous grin.
Symon said nothing as his left hand shot out and grabbed the kitun by the collar of his robe. Energy sparked and slammed into the fox man as he screamed. Vizith went limp and the moment Symon let go, a staff struck him in the back of his head. Owyn raised his staff again to bring it down when an air bolt struck him hard, sending him flailing to the floor.
Luca rose up, pure hatred bleeding from her eyes. Seeing blood splatter from the wave of rats, the orc lifted her hands and curled her fingers again.
Chandra moved, dodging air bolts. Boots touched the wall and she jumped off, flicking her wrists. Daggers shot out, one aiming for Noss and the other for Vance when short swords flashed out and knocked them from the air. Chandra landed on her feet, drawing a blade from behind her as Isani and Ressa charged.
The three women met in the middle, blades clashing. Chandra’s body bent and twisted as she pulled away. Isani and Ressa pressed their attacks. Blades swung as the rats pounced on the three women. Each strike cut a rat in half as they continued to pour it on the lone elf. Chandra was adept, leaping and spinning like an acrobat in a hurricane.
Fern lit the candle and her eyes grew wide as power surged into her body. With a bloody scream, she launched full force into the never-ending waves of rats, m
ace in hand. Like a comet, she bashed away the large vermin with powerful strikes from her little body. Wings were a blur as the berserker smashed her mace into fur and flesh with a satisfying crunch.
Vance held a card at the incoming horde of rats from the secret tunnel. A stream of fire blasted out, cooking the rats as they pushed into the flames.
“We have to seal that tunnel!” Vance shouted over the chaos.
Dax resisted the urge to clutch at his bleeding arm. The rats were too many and it was only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed. Twisting his wrist, a card slipping into his right hand.
Name: Unicorn
Element: Life
Degree: 3
Ability: Charge/Horn/Trample
Special Ability: None
Before Dax could activate the card, blood rose up from the floor and swirled into sickly thin creatures. Their arms were nothing but pointed spikes as their vaguely humanoid bodies turned and rushed into the fray.
“Dammit!” Dax shouted before he activated the card.
Mist shot out and formed into a majestic unicorn.
“Close the tunnel,” Dax ordered before he dropped the card.
The unicorn understood the command. It bolted through the chamber, rats leaping onto it and biting into its phantom flesh. A blood thing leapt onto the unicorn stabbing into its side, but the majestic creature didn’t slow down.
Zarra spun her staff, knocking away rats as Noss called on more skeletons. The pair watched as Dax’s unicorn barreled past them.
Symon slowly rose up and shook his head to knock away the cobwebs. A staff swung down on his head but the spellsword caught it with his left hand. Owyn was at the other end of the staff, a nervousness in his eyes. Symon’s brow hardened as he pulled the man closer and drove his boot into Owyn’s midsection. The man bent in half before Symon brought the pommel of his sword down on the back of Owyn’s head. The man hit the floor instantly, a small groan escaping his lips.
Isani and Ressa slashed and sliced at Chandra, the elf blocking and parrying every blow. The three were locked into a stalemate before a blood creature ran up on Isani and stabbed her in the leg. The shadow elf’s leg gave out and she hit the ground. Chandra took the advantage by slicing down at Isani’s head when another blade parried the blow. Ressa hissed her fury as she became a whirlwind of attacks. Chandra backed up, parrying blows before a unicorn shot past them, the creature’s head swinging wide and crashing into Chandra’s back. The elf’s eyes went wide before Ressa’s knee slammed into her stomach, Chandra collapsing from the blow and struggling to catch her breath.