Feral Magic

by J E Reed

  ~~~

  Vixin knelt outside the wall’s edge, glancing through a crack between the planks. She eyed the guards, counting the seconds between their back-and-forth movement. One. Two. Three. Vixin wrapped her vines around herself, Zak, Sam, and a handful of others. They rose over the wall and scattered upon hitting the ground on the other side. Each had their orders.

  She took a breath and pressed her body against a nearby wall as another guard made his rounds. Three towers and she was to take out one. She wasn’t worried about her role of course, it’d be easy, but if the others messed this up—Vixin shook her head. She couldn’t think about them. If she let herself get distracted, then she’d be the one to mess up their plan.

  Vixin headed for the ladder, pausing to check its stability. A rough storm would blow it down for sure, but it seemed sturdy enough for now. She hoped. She eyed the guards. Bord. Tired. A smile crawled to her lips. A perfect target.

  Vixin eased herself onto the steps, tugging at the greenery to follow. It twisted along the rails like a shadow, an extension of herself.

  Zak had seemed uneasy about her untested abilities, but she’d waved off his concerns. It wasn’t like she had to rely upon the magic to fulfill her part of their plan. It was simply a convenience. And a perfect opportunity to test her limits.

  Vixin peeked her head over the uppermost floor to find a guard with his back turned. A smile crawled to her lips and in one swift movement she hoisted herself up on silent feet and slammed the hilt of her dagger in the back of his head. Vixin secured him with the plants and ran back down the stairs.

  One down. Hopefully she wouldn't have to assist with the others. Even though their planning was sound, Vixin couldn’t be sure how many successful heists they’d actually pulled off.

  She crouched at the rendezvous point, the first to arrive. Minutes ticked by and Vixin kept her breathing calm. If the others were caught, an alarm would sound, and she’d be long gone before anyone could even think about catching her. She knew how to get in and out safely. If they didn’t, that was on them.

  Footsteps skidded through the dirt and Sam appeared with a very winded Zak following.

  Zak grabbed his knees. “You purposely gave me the big one,” he accused Sam.

  Sam winked, then gestured the two toward the storehouse. No one guarded it. She waited. Watched. But no guards were patrolling the area.

  “Do we just walk in?” Sam asked.

  Zak glanced around and spoke before she could. “They’ve been warned.” She followed his gaze as it traveled from house front to house front. No one stood in the street. “There,” he pointed. “See the tracks? They moved something heavy. Today from the looks of them.”

  Vixin smiled. Well, at least he was good for something. She furrowed her brow as a thought came to mind. “How many times have you hit these people?”

  “None, but we aren’t the only ones out there and unfortunately there are others who take a more violent approach.”

  Sam shifted on his feet. “Should we abort?”

  Zak shook his head. “We still have the distraction.”

  “That’s meant for emergencies.”

  “It’ll be fine.” Zak turned to her. “You might want to cover your ears.”

  He nodded to Sam who gave a reluctant sigh before scampering off. Zak placed both hands over his ears and hunkered down. Vixin simply stared at the empty street, wondering what kind of traps they might have laid. Physical? Magical? Her gaze drifted to the rooftops, but there weren’t any shifting shadows to cause alarm.

  She had just started tugging at her magic when a resounding boom echoed across the area and rattled her core. Vixin’s hands shot to her ears, sure her drums had ruptured from the vibrations alone. Another boom cracked the silence and Zak tugged on her arm as people shot from house after house, weapons drawn.

  He pushed her forward and Vixin all but growled at him. She didn’t need to be told to move, but Zak ignored her and peeked around the opposite corner. Her ears rang with the aftershock and another boom echoed that had Vixin clenching her teeth so hard she was sure they’d break. Great, as if she needed hearing loss during a time like this.

  Zak’s comrades leapt from their hiding place and Vixin followed Zak toward the storehouse. She should run. Everyone had been alerted and her hearing was definitely off, but when no one opposed them, Vixin couldn’t bring herself to abandon the goal.

  Zak lifted the wooden bar from the doors and kicked them open. Boxes, weapons, and clothes were scattered inside, stacked messily as if someone had been in a hurry to move them.

  Each individual grabbed something and headed out like scampering mice. She pocketed a few things and picked out a handful of weapons before shouldering a pack. Within seconds they were darting back toward the trees.

  Someone on her left shouted and Vixin twisted around in time to see the young man engulfed in flames. His screams ran straight down to her core, but before she could react, water drenched the surrounding area. Zak skidded to a halt at his side and dropped his load to wrap an arm around his companion.

  In another flash of blinding light, fire shot from the shadows again and spun toward her like a missile. Vixin rolled to the right, her heart hammering as she scanned the area for their attacker. More flames lit up the night, spiraling around a body stalking toward them. Magic or no, how was she supposed to fight against fire?

  “Let’s go,” Zak yelled.

  Vixin shifted on her heel, but the fire user attacked, sending several spears of light their way. She couldn’t dodge them all but could her magic—water collided with the flames in midair, and steam rose from the colliding forces. He attacked again, this time in a wave, and Zak dropped his companion to defend.

  The two forces fought, a wave pushing against living flame. She could hardly see the other, but Zak gritted his teeth in concentration then fell to one knee. Chaos ensued around them and Zak wasn’t the only one in a heated conflict. They needed to get out of here. Now.

  Vixin shoved her magic through the earth and pulled at the dormant seeds beneath their feet. She knew what needed to be done, even if Zak wouldn’t like it. He’d thank her later.

  Plants burst from the earth like a violent monster. The leaves unfurled and thorns raced for their assailant. It spiraled, then slammed into him, carving a deadly path through his flesh. The man screamed, wrapping himself in fire as he tried to fight off her magic. She could almost feel the blood rolling down the stems. Vixin took one step toward him, but Zak’s call had her whipping around.

  “Let’s go!”

  Reluctantly, Vixin turned from the still screaming man. He was fading and she wished she could take the time to make the rest of his companions do the same.

  Vixin bounded through the trees after Zak and took his pack so he could focus on carrying his injured companion. Burns ran up and down the young man’s arms and she cringed at the thought of the pain.

  Once again, the enemy didn’t pursue them and Vixin wondered why. If someone were to attack her camp, she’d give chase until every last one of them paid.

  When his breathing turned haggard, Zak set his companion on the ground, the young man hissing through his teeth from the pain. Vixin glanced at the bubbles forming along his arms and turned away. They were worse than she’d first thought and trailed up his neck. He needed a hospital, but if what Zak had said was true, then hospitals didn’t exist in this world.

  Sam emerged from the trees a moment later and his eyes locked on Zak and then to the boy on the ground. Family. Is that why they had such anguished looks on their faces. Sure, she felt for the boy, but the pain Zak and Sam felt seemed...different. Deeper.

  Sam placed both hands over one arm and a faint glow emitted from his palms. Vixin stilled and everything went silent. She couldn’t tear her gaze away this time as the bubbles receded. The skin patched itself together, the redness giving way to new skin as if he were being burned in reverse.

  Vixin’s mouth gaped as she watched Sam shift
to his other arm, focusing on the worst parts first. She almost couldn’t believe it. Zak had mentioned the elements, but she never imagined the magic of this world would include healing. Had Zak not wanted to freak her out again, as he’d so eloquently put it, or had it simply slipped his mind? How far did healing go? Could it repair internal wounds? Bring someone back from the brink of death?

  The young man winced a time or two but once healed, Zak placed a pack under his head and stood. He instructed the others to head back to their camp. Only Sam stayed behind.

  Vixin still couldn’t tear her gaze away from the young man lying on the ground. He would have died. There was no doubt now. Not from the wounds themselves, but from the aftermath of them. After watching his skin knit itself back together, she could envision the weeks of changed bandages and the smell of rotting skin. But now—

  “What the hell was that?”

  Vixin raised a brow at Zak’s voice and glanced behind, sure he was addressing someone else. “Excuse me?”

  “You could have killed that guy.”

  “What guy?”

  Zak gave a frustrated snarl. “The one back at the camp.”

  “You mean the one trying to kill us?”

  He gave her a blank stare. “You don’t know—”

  “Oh, I think I do.” She gave his friend lying on the ground a pointed stare.

  Zak worked his jaw. “We don’t kill people Vixin.”

  She crossed her arms. “Maybe you don’t, but if someone comes after me with the intent, I’m not holding back.”

  Silence passed between them and Zak took a settling breath. “Look, I know we’re in here because of a game, but that doesn’t mean it is one. If we die in here, that’s it. Game over.”

  “And that’s supposed to what? Make me feel guilty?”

  “Yes. No. I don’t know all right?”

  She glared at him. “Reality check. Without me, you and your friend would have died today, so how about a little more gratitude and a little less of your moral bullshit.”

  Zak opened his mouth to respond, but instead clenched his fists and let out a defeated sigh. “Come on, let’s get back to the others.”

  Zak and Sam draped the arms of their friend over their shoulders and carried him through the trees. She followed on near silent steps, keeping her ears and eyes peeled for anything out of place, but the forest was quiet.

  Vixin let her magic fan out, grazing the plant life in all directions. They reached out to her in turn, letting her pulse energy through their branches, feeling for anything unusual, before slipping away again. Animals lurked in the treetops, but nothing that would deem them easy prey. Even with an injured member of their party.

  She’d learned the plant names years ago, but now she could identify them by a different means. Their energy. Each had a different signature attached, almost like people had fingerprints. The vines were the easiest to identify. They carried a strong light, only dimmed by the surrounding trees. Flowers were more delicate, and the poisonous ones carried a bite that reminded her of spicy food. She half wondered if she’d be immune to their effects.

  Upon reaching the camp, Zak took the full weight of their companion who was still dragging his feet. She supposed healed or not, his body was still spent. He needed rest. So did she, but Sam turned to her when Zak was out of earshot.

  “If he won’t say it, I will. Thank you.”

  Vixin clenched her jaw. “He’s delusional if he thinks he can do what you guys have been doing and escape without hurting someone.”

  “I know.” Sam walked after him, leaving her to wander toward her normal spot. A place on the outskirts against a tree. At least here no one bothered her. Usually.

  A short while later, Vixin took note of Zak wandering around the center of the camp. He stared at the fires, at the people, and finally toward her secluded resting spot. It seemed she wouldn’t get to sleep just yet.

  Zak took his time coming over and stopped several paces away. He shuffled his feet and she resisted the urge to scream at him while he fought some internal battle with himself. If he wanted to say something, he should just say it.

  “Can I sit?”

  Vixin gestured toward the ground. “Not like I can stop you.”

  Zak wrung his hands together, then sat and folded his legs. Neither spoke for a time.

  “I’m sorry I yelled at you. I just—would it really be so easy for you to...”

  “To kill someone?” she finished. Zak nodded and Vixin let out a long sigh. “If I had to think about it? I don’t know, but in the moment, it’s me or them. I’ll do what I have to do to survive.”

  “And if they have a family?”

  She shrugged. “That kind of thinking will get you killed.” Zak went silent again. “I’ve never killed anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about. Sure, I grew up hunting and doing crazy stuff, but I’m not heartless.”

  A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “That’s not what I was thinking at all.”

  “Then what?”

  “I’m just hoping you don’t disappear in the middle of the night.”

  Disappear? “Why would I—” Realization dawned on her and Vixin had to resist the giggle that tried to escape. “I’m not that easily scared off and you guys have become a little too convenient for me to just up and go. Besides, I like the cooking.”

  Zak chuckled. “I’ll be sure to give Sam your regards.” He looked at her for another long moment and stood. “Goodnight Vixin and thank you.”

  She didn’t reply and as Zak walked back toward the center of camp, Vixin curled in on herself and let her thoughts drift. Killing. She’d done it once already and she still wasn’t sure if it bothered her or not.

  Chapter Four

  They trudged through the forest like a herd of elephants. Every single one of them. If they died, it'd be no one's fault but their own.

  Vixin marched along the outskirts, scanning the trees, the ground, and everything else the fools around her failed to notice.

  They’d entered the third realm three days ago and had already hit two other camps along the way. Thankfully, those two had been less prepared than their previous target and Zak’s group escaped without so much as a scratch.

  Days ago, those around her were barely carrying any supplies. Now, many had packs slung across their shoulders and new weapons in their belts. She idly wondered how much they’d gather before heading back to the first realm, or wherever Zak claimed to share his treasures. Maybe he’d been lying before. Perhaps he kept it all to himself, tucked away in a thief’s den somewhere. She eyed his back. But that would require him being a good liar. And she doubted that very much. Not based on his character, of course, but there were signs when someone lied. A tilt of the eyes, a shift in the body. He’d have to be a master of himself to lie to her. Though half-truths didn’t seem beyond him.

  He’d eased back toward the middle of their group already, walking at a slow pace while talking to yet another of his followers. He did that every day. Started out by leading the line and then slowing down to speak to almost everyone as the day wore on. Vixin had counted forty-seven in total.

  He glanced over his shoulder, eyes scanning until they finally landed on her. They always landed on her, like he was keeping track of her whereabouts, afraid she might disappear.

  He talked and talked and talked. Smiling and laughing with the others. But when it came time to talk to her? Silence. She should enjoy that, really, but it irked her. Why could he be so merry with the others and then with her—nothing?

  Zak glanced her way again and offered a grimaced smile when she met his gaze. A rush of annoyance flew through her and Vixin clenched her fists.

  He hadn’t stopped by her spot on the outskirts of camp. He hadn’t invited her on their heists, though it didn’t stop her from going. And now, he wouldn’t even speak to her, yet somehow felt gawking time and time again was acceptable.

  She’d had enough.

  Vixin stalked toward
him. She’d get to the bottom of this right now. Whether it was from her seemingly unpleasant company or the fire user’s almost death, Zak was going to tell her exactly what was on his mind.

  Vixin grabbed his elbow while he was in mid-conversation and spun him around. “What’s your problem?”

  Many turned to stare, but she didn’t bother looking their way. Zak just gave her a blank expression, blinking several times as if he didn’t understand. He nodded for the others to continue, but their backward glances told her enough about their inner thoughts.

  “I’m not sure what you mean?”

  Vixin waited for the nosey ones to be out of earshot and even glared at a few who lingered too close. “You keep looking at me.”

  He cocked his head. “Is that a crime?”

  “It is when you don’t speak to that person.” The way he looked at her now… Maybe he did want her gone. Vixin huffed. “If you want me to leave, then just say so.”

  “What?” His eyes widened. “No, why would I want that?”

  “Then what is it? If you have a problem with me, man up and—”

  “Can’t a guy just admire a pretty girl?”

  Vixin went still. The world shifted and everything she thought she’d been piecing together crumbled. She opened her mouth to speak, then clenched her jaw as an unfamiliar warmth filled her cheeks. Zak gave her a sheepish smile and her stomach flipped in response.

  “Come on,” he held out his hand. Something he hadn’t done in days. “We still have a ways to go before we make camp.”

  Vixin stared at his palm, then his smile, and finally stomped past him, still unable to form words. Zak chuckled behind her and her face heated again.

  She picked up her pace, weaving in and out of the people as she made her way to the front. Away from Zak. She was running; she knew, but—pretty?

  Had she ever used that word to describe herself? Had she ever had a reason to? Vixin suddenly became aware of how she must look. Hair in disarray, dirt caked over her face and clothes. And her clothes. Plain and tattered.