by C T Scribe
“As you see we have been guarding the path. We have taken note of oddities in the domain as per the treaty. The prophecy was an, unfortunate incident. We were surprised by the beast and that man. The tall man pursuing him had too much power to be stopped. As the human world grows our encampment shrinks. We don’t have the soldiers we once did. We cannot stop every threat. And the Seven have been missing for nearly 100 years. Who did we have to call for aid? Who did we have to pass our intelligence onto. Our end of the treaty is held.” The elder tree speaking looked pleased at his response. Almost talking down to the silver haired girl before him.
“Who is this boy,” demanded the silver haired woman. The elder also looking confused before addressing the glimmer monster to explain.
“Elder this boy saw me. He saw me and he attacked me. I couldn’t leave him as a witness.” The elder nodded his head in agreement. “Food for our punisher then,” he bellowed.
The vine began to reel him in once more. Suddenly the boy, whom everyone assumed was unconscious, sprang to life. Cutting through the vines in an instant, he was quick to his feet. Tye spent no time pleading with the monsters all around him. He had no plans on fighting his way free either. As he took off running for the engraved oak door without looking back. Forcing every bit of remaining strength into his legs he was fast for a human. The elders didn’t react to the action in front of them. His attempt to flee was beneath their ancient branches to stop. The silver haired woman still clutched her hands tightly, but made no movements either. The glimmer monster was not as calm. The blood lust grew with each step the boy took. Filthy human. How dare he defy the elders sentencing. He was to feed the punisher. He was to die. The rage long sense festering in his branches could no longer be contained. His new innocent body gave way for his old murderous life. Melting into the ground beneath him, and then reemerging 100 yards away to cut the boy off was an easy skill for his kind. The boys eyes widened in fear as the glimmer monster now blocked his path. His body fortified from the soil somehow grew taller and thicker from just moments before. His mouth bigger and teeth sharper than before. Tye stood horrified in place taking in the thing facing him. Its drool now sizzling as it hit the ground, like acid would on pavement. It lunged. Leading with its mouth, but the boy evaded by rolling to the right. Its branches managed to slash at the boy before he evaded again. He was quick for filthy human, thought the glimmer. All the more reason he should die. He couldn’t leave knowing of this place. He couldn’t return with more humans and fire. The rage overtook the glimmer monster completely. Letting out a shriek so high pitched the elders took notice. It reached with his twigs to encase the boy, but found his branches ceased move. It commanded its jaws to snap around the humans neck, but even its mouth lay limp outside of its control. The rage grew as the glimmer now unable to move itself rooted into the ground. What was controlling it? This power is one it’d never heard of. Not even the elder could root it in place. In a blink the silver haired girl drew her sword, and answered the monsters questions. First cutting its branches away from its body. It watched as the green vibrant limbs drained of color and wilted away. It should be able to regrow them, but regeneration like all of its movements was halted. Where was this power coming from? He felt very little mana from the woman earlier. Even now she emitted no mana at all. How could she be so fast? The glimmer never felt her power, but instead felt her blade slice it in two. One strike through the center of its body was all it took for it to begin wilting. The glimmer remembered the stories now. The saying that had been passed down since the beginning.
“Season to season, we give them no reason.
Season to season we keep.
The Treaty of Seven,
we keep it by helping
to guard all the knowledge from beast.
Our soldiers may fall. Our seeds will regrow,
but Wrath of the Seven our forest shant know.”
– The First Elder
15
Chapter 15
Tye stood there in shock, or fear, of this silver haired women before him. She saved him. He had no idea who she was or why she was in this place, but he was eternally grateful to her. He should run for it, but he couldn’t take his eyes from her. Dragging her sword on the ground as she strode back to the spot she first stood, all eyes in the ancient forest were on her. From the massive trees, to the elders and the sentries, every life form in site feared this woman. She was a true monster wearing the flesh of a beautiful girl to mock those who would oppose her. He remembered the engravings on the hidden door in the oak. Seven girls stood ahead of the three giant men. She was a tiny giant. As she found her original mark she stood defiantly, and she didn’t sheath her sword. Slinging the blade over her shoulder casually she looked fiercely at the elders. “You mock me. You mock me and our treaty.” The sound of falling leaves could be heard. The elders exchanged sidelong glances at one another. “And to have your dog execute a human of the very area your tasked to protect is foolish. Perhaps you need a reminder of my power? Yes I believe you have forgotten your place.” With those words the silver haired woman plunged her sword down into the ground, dropping to one knee in the motion. She chanted words Tye couldn’t understand. As her lips ceased to move death spread from her sword. The lush green pastures wilted. The elders to close to her power lost their leaves before turning inanimate. The walking trees became rooted. The bright blue sky turned red. The radius of death and decay was fast approaching Tye. Fear froze him, but his voice screamed out. He hadn’t screamed since that day on the field. The day of rain. Not even during the incident did he scream. There was no outpacing this death. This beautiful monsters will was absolute. The void was quiet. It couldn’t add to the fear coursing through his body. He closed his eyes awaiting the swirling end to reach his location. Thinking of Mari in his final moments, he would die with regrets. He waited to feel his end with his eyes closed. He waited for what seemed like a lifetime, but nothing happened. Surely the death had reached him, but he felt no different. He opened one eye. Unsure of what to expect, he found the scene the same as when he first resigned himself to his fate. The silver haired woman had her hand in a fist. She was controlling the spread through gestures and will. She twirled her fist around counter clockwise. After a few twirls the darkness and the death returned to her slowly. Life returned. Animation returned. The true forest itself return to what it once was. She sheathed her sword now. The elders leaned away from her in fear. They reeked of fear. She walked to Claire. “As for the familiar, thanks. Now you will protect the library. You will resume your watch, and send out your sentries. You will report anything amiss via the old ways.” She held Claire by the throat. She was still covered in vines from her shoulders to feet. Finally awakened she took this strange seen in as a nightmare. Her screams muffled by the tight grip of the silver haired woman’s hand around her neck. Her nails pointedly dug into Claire’s flesh. Blood dripped, and then oozed down her neck. The silver haired woman licked the blood as if it was a normal thing to do. Tye felt his stomach tighten again. “She is a familiar indeed,” the woman said. Then without a second thought, tightening her grip, crushing her throat with ease, she executed the familiar on the spot. Clair was dead. Dropped onto the grass choking on her own blood gasping for air. Calm again the silver haired woman glanced at the Tye on the ground. With a wave of her hand as if pushing air she said, “be gone.” Tye found himself back on the path. Marie waiting for him. He smiled before he vomited. The weight of what he saw spun his mind. It spun his world. Then everything went black.
16
Chapter 16
Marie found herself once again blending into the corner of his dorm. In case someone came to check on him, explaining herself would be an annoyance she could easily avoid. She sat there, in shadow, watching him. He needed a healer. Her mom was a healer. One of the best, but she wouldn’t call her mom. She couldn’t explain the situation here without bringing her entire family into it. She came here to live a normal life, to be a normal gi
rl, and to surprisingly love a normal boy. Yet, she wasn’t normal. Neither was he. He didn’t just see the supernatural he called to it. Wherever he went that day on the path, she was unable to follow. That fact alone was enough to trouble her, but the magic poisoning his body is fighting to recover from was more than she’d ever seen. Without a healer all he can do is rest, and let the magic seep out. Marie found it odd how magic drained during sweat. Tye was burning up. If taken to a hospital they’d try to ease his fever. They’d do more damage than good. The first day when she returned him to the dorm, she had to pretend he was drunk. A few long glances as she drug him up to his room, but no one stopped her. She was glad. The Resident Adviser, who should be watching over the boys of this floor was never around. She remembered Tye telling her how he sends out group text to check in on the them. Also that he randomly video chats them if he feels the need. Once in his room she put sweatpants, a sweatshirt, and a coat on his body. She placed several comforters on his bed and turned the heat up in his room. She herself sweat so much the first day she stripped off her own clothes. She was shadow. She had nothing to fear if he did wake up and see her. The thought lingered as she found her face hot, but not from the rooms temperature. She wouldn’t mind if he saw her. She wanted him to make that move. It just hasn’t happened yet. She shook the thoughts from her head, and turned her gaze back to him. He was still in the sweating phase. Green shimmers leaked from his body intermittently mixed with his sweat. Green was the universal color of magic. While it took on many hues and forms when expelled, green was the prevalent color. Once enough magic left him his body would crave the power it just lost, and the shakes would start. Magic was addiction. The power it contained could change a person on a cellular level. Every atom in his body would long for more of it. The shakes would be violent. With the shakes came the screams. Tye had been gagged since she dressed and placed him in bed. Marie didn’t know when they would start. In fact the first day he called out in his delirium loudly. So she waited. She sat in shadow, and waited for him to come back. Waited to hear the story. Waited to piece together the pieces of what happened. Waited to cuss him out for looking when he promised he wouldn’t. She wondered how much damage this would do in his head. That battle constantly fought in isolation. The struggle of leaving his bed everyday. She felt his heart lighten over the last few weeks. She wondered how much this would once again weigh it down. She hurt for him. In a way she never knew she could. Raised in a family of hunters, she knew about things. Her gifts were strong from an early age, but her interest changed. She didn’t desire that life. There was a time when she felt differently, but she’d seen enough pain in her past. People died in that life, and she finally had something worth living for. Someone worth living with. For once she didn’t have to run at half speed, or come up for air to not scare someone. She could just be herself. Perhaps she wouldn’t scold him too bad. Depending on the story she supposed. Stupid boy. Rolling her neck to relieve the stiffness in her shoulders from the days of sitting on the floor, she found herself hoping he had a good excuse. Hours rolled away. The sun rose and fell again. It was day 5 before any real change happened. His sweat was a dark green now. No longer slowly leaking from him, the magic oozed through his pours. It pooled around his bed. She had dozed off before the hue darkened. Marie started to panic at the color. This was too much magic for a human to expel. She needed her mom. What would her mom do. She thought to call, but there was no time. Then the screaming began. Spitting the gag from his mouth Tye’s shouts were haunting. The pain in his voice crushing her soul. The screams penetrating her mind left her frozen for a time. It takes her a moment to snap out of it. It takes her another moment to become solid again. Returning from shadow Marie jumps atop him. Grabbing the gag and holding it in his mouth as he struggles against her. His blankets were already off him from his first fit. The magic continues to pour from him as he writhes underneath her in pain. His strong legs kicking wildly, Mari feel like she’s riding a mechanical bull at a country bar. The up and down motion of his convulsions making it hard for her to fight against him. She found herself using all of her strength to contain him. In her mind she wondered when he got this strong. He didn’t have this strength against the man outside the dorms. He didn’t have this strength as they practiced fighting in their free time. The amount of magic would have a lasting impact on his body. With a big kick Mari lost her grip, and was slammed to the ground. Quickly jumping back on top she felt her raw skin brush against his cotton. She jammed the gag back in his mouth stopping the screams. He kicked more violently but she held on this time. She needed to do something else to get the magic from him. Anything. She searched her mind, but she couldn’t focus on much beside his bulging muscles thrusting beneath her. She wanted him. Shaking the thought as best she could she continued to restrain him. The thought returned. She wanted him. She wanted all of his power. On top of him in his bed should be a much more enjoyable time than this. He kicked harder. She shoved his shoulders to the bed. She considered punching him to knock him out further, but her desire for him led her to a different answer, Succubus. It was a technique used in pleasure between higher beings. Siphoning each other’s energy back and forth. It was highly sexual, and an advanced magical technique. She knew the technique. She felt wrong considering it. She felt dirty taking advantage of him like this, but she couldn’t stop his kicks much longer. She wanted him, but she also needed to save him. This could work even if the thoughts made her feel dirty. This is the only thing a non healer could do for him. Her mind was made. She thought back to the time she read of the Succubus in one of her mother’s books. Although the technique has been used sexually, it’s history was a complex one. Many have used it since the beginning to steal power. Some lines used the technique to bestow power to the next generation bolstering their families strength. During the great war the Succubus was used as a healing method on the battlefield. Even immortals suffered from magic poisoning in those days. The fighting so intense. Weaker immortals were unable to handle the magical strain at times. This was where her mind focused. The medical use, and the risk. If the power was too much much for her to withstand they could both die. She knew the risk. Without any more thought she began by kissing him in a most unnatural way. She ripped away his shirt and other clothing. The technique required skin touching skin. Her cheeks flushed as her bare body pressed against his. She wanted this feeling. The sexual temptation was another risk of Succubus. If she gave into her desire she could drain his life force. For a human that would be fatal. She began the technique. Her own voice surprising her as the moan slipped from her lips uncontrollably. So much magic flowed between them. Her skin grew hot as the magic cradled them together. His flesh much hotter than it should be burned her skin as she pressed into him. She pulled down his pants next. Sitting on top of him carefully to avoid penetration, she touched more skin to skin. The heat spread through her whole body in a blaze. Her mouth became his mouth. The connection was solid. She felt his screams in her mind. She wondered if he felt her moans. Her sweat shimmered green, but quickly darkened. She, with the Succubus, shares his magic poisoning. She shares his body and his burden. The magic divided between them in a mixture of screams and moans as they spent the night as one. Mari found herself lost from everything outside of their skin. The magic flowing from every pore of his body finding its way into every pore of her own skin. Electricity left her hairs standing as each synapse firing between them felt like a lightning storm. As air filled her lungs she breathed for them both, and with each exhale he breathed for her. Her hips found motion without her permission. The steady rocking gaining intensity with each passing moment. She was both in control and under control of the technique. The redness that stained her face had spread down her neck onto her breast and shoulders. Her feelings laid bare in this vulnerable pose. She wanted him. She wanted him intimately. She longed for a time when she wasn’t saving his life, but sharing her energy with him as he shared his with her. The green liquid poured from her body and his. H
ours past before the hue lightened. The pleasure overwhelming her body to the point of collapse. Barely keeping control she pushed herself to the limits of pleasure. She siphoned the magic from him drop by drop. She the succubus, the healer, and the lover protected him with every part of her being long into the night.