Magic Corrupts, Magic Conquers, page 25
My body shook. From grief, from my injuries. My palms were flat against the ground, trying to hold my body up so I wouldn’t collapse.
I raised my head and could hardly understand what I was seeing, what I was feeling.
Not only was Divine magic coming from within me, moonlight was being drawn in. Bands of it were moving, swirling around the square, flowing over to me and joining the sphere of magic that had engulfed not only me but the entire area, including the collapsed warriors, and Kana.
I felt it, all of it, like this was all one very long rope and it wasn’t that I was holding one end of it, I was the end of it.
And the beginning. I was all of it.
Kana staggered back and dropped the sword.
“What are you doing!” That horrific voice. How I hated to hear it coming from Kana.
She didn’t deserve for this fragmented son of a bitch to be using her this way.
I had no training on how to handle this, barely even understood what I was doing, but I knew enough.
I balled my hands into fists and made a short drag across the ground. The bands of Divine magic shifted.
“Wh…what are you doing!” Kana demanded again.
She sounded afraid. Good.
As for what I was doing…I didn’t know. But we could find out together.
I was a Shaper who’d been protected by Divine magic for almost three hundred years. I couldn’t do card readings, I couldn’t communicate with the Celestial Divine, but I could Shape weapons.
I drew a ball of Divine magic into my hands like I’d done at Quivess. Thought about a shape I knew well; three of them were currently lodged in my body.
My strength was rapidly dwindling. Either I was about to do something, or this was nothing more than a pretty light show before I fell over and Kana finished me off.
I moved my hands as quickly as I could, Shaping the Divine magic into a long, slender arrow. When I looked up, all the Divine magic around us had taken on the same shape.
Now, instead of bands of glowing, celestial magic surrounding us, there were sharp-edged arrows, their bright glow lighting up Kana’s uncertain expression. All the arrowheads pointed inward.
As a test, I arched the arrow in my hand over my shoulder. The Divine arrows hovering in the air moved as well.
A smile curled my lips.
I moved my hand, a quick motion like I was about to launch a projectile, and all the other arrows made the same movement.
Kana flinched.
I wanted to collapse, wanted to black out so the pain would stop.
The pain not only in my body but my heart.
But it wasn’t over yet. I had to hold on a little longer.
“You fear me,” I said, my voice raspy. “The moment you woke up, you sensed me, and you came after me because you know I pose a threat to what you want to do. I intrigue you. Do you want to know who I am?”
I took in a shuddering breath, continuing to fight past the pain that ravaged me. Kana stared at me as though she couldn’t look away.
“I spent two hundred and ninety-two years asleep under the protection of Cephis who gave up their Divine magic so I could live,” I began. “I have a lot to figure out about what that makes me, and I am beginning to understand that there is likely a lot about my life that has been steered by someone else’s hand, but I want you to understand something. I want to continue existing. I want this world to endure. I don’t care about your celestial beef, your destructive purpose, or your bitterness about being entombed.”
I paused, feeling out of breath even though I wasn’t moving, and kept grasping to the little strength I had left.
“You terrify me, I will admit that,” I continued. “I know I am not strong enough to go up against you. Not yet. Maybe I will be one day. But maybe, right now, I can be strong enough to stuff your ass back in your tomb.”
I rose to my feet, hardly knowing how. The arrows in my body sent burning pain through me, but my Divine magic seemed to be helping to keep me coherent and holding on to this power. I was uncertain and scared. But I wasn’t ready to give up.
“Get out of Kana,” I said, my chest heaving as I struggled to take even breaths. “Get out of her and flow back to your grave in the forest. Pull your fragments out of this world and go back to sleep.”
I didn’t want to attack Kana with all this Divine magic. That was what Gideon had seen. I couldn’t kill Kana for something she didn’t do.
Kana laughed. She bent down and retrieved the haladie, whipping it in front of her in a quick slash. Discordant magic sizzled on the air.
“Bold words, little warrior,” she said. “You really think you can stop me? Command me?” She laughed again. “I am darker than you can ever shine a light upon. I will awaken. You alone cannot stop me.”
She came at me with her sword.
I released several arrows, aiming for her arm. They shot straight through and she screamed and dropped the sword. She staggered back, clutching her arm to her chest, which was smoking. Blood splattered to the ground. Her arm was now charred black up to her elbow.
Sorry, Kana.
But at least now I knew what the Divine arrows would do.
Kana was seething, literally frothing at the mouth as those all-consuming eyes remained fixed on me.
“Imagine what happens when I release all of them.” There were dozens of Divine arrows around us, and I formed a few more. Kana’s eyes flicked to the movement.
She turned her gaze back to me.
I could end this. I could end this. I just had to hold on a little bit longer.
“It won’t matter to you if I tear the body you’re in apart with these arrows,” I said. “But you will be torn apart too. All of you.” I flashed a smile and indicated the bodies of the warriors lying around us. “You took all the fragments back into yourself. How convenient for me. I can sacrifice one if it means stopping you.”
I was bluffing. I had no desire to kill Kana, but I had to hold the line and see what prevailed.
“You have played a very good game.” Her glittering eyes were narrowed, and her voice sounded strained. The injured arm was still smoking.
“But I have played at this much longer.” A quick smile pulled her lips. “This is merely the beginning. I will be the end. I always am. Remember that, little warrior.”
She threw her head back and screamed. It was a sound I never wanted to hear again. Her mouth was twisted open, her body rigid. All that dark, smoky power that had been wrapped around her and the sword rose off her like a curtain was being lifted.
The Discordant Dark was releasing her!
And trying to make a run for it.
But I had other ideas.
I waited. Gritted my teeth, tried to stay on my feet, and waited until I saw the last lick of darkness release Kana. The second her body was free, she fell to the ground and I hoped she hadn’t broken anything.
I redirected the arrows. All of that Divine magic was tightly connected to me and responded to my will. The arrows aimed up, and I released every last one of them.
They flew straight at the dark cloud of Discordant magic. I was under no illusions that it had released Kana so it could go back to the forest. It would have fled Bastillen and found someone else to take over.
The arrows slammed into the Discordant magic and the sound was deafening. There was an explosion of magic so bright I couldn’t look at it. A blustery wind whipped up, pushing me back. I could barely keep my footing as the force of my Divine magic ripped through the Discordant magic, shredding that festering miasma to pieces.
The light dimmed. I slowly lowered the hand that was shielding my eyes.
The Divine arrows were gone. My magic still simmered within me, but it no longer filled the air around me.
The Discordant magic was gone too. The wind was dying down and there was a fresh feel to the air, something so clean and pure it was almost too much to be touched by.
Was it over? Had I done it? I looked around. I didn’t see or feel any Discordant magic.
I lowered my gaze to the bodies around me. People were stirring. The Apprentice Warriors were coming to. They looked as bewildered as Cindra had.
Kana wasn’t moving though. I tried to move toward her but the last bit of strength that was holding me together gave out and I fell, my palms slapping against the ground.
My magic quieted. Now that it receded, all I had left was my own strength, and there was barely any left.
I had stopped the Discordant Dark’s soul-eating plan and hopefully hadn’t done more to Kana than hurt her arm.
But I didn’t feel victorious.
A sob choked me.
“You’re hurt!” I don’t know who had come up to me because I had fallen onto my forearms. All I knew was that there was someone on my right and left.
“Three arrows, the one in her left shoulder is the deepest. We’ll have to pull them out the bad way but I have the salves that will start to close the wounds so it will be okay.” They had a brusque voice and spoke in clear tones.
I heard things opening and ripping, then felt searing pain as the arrows were pulled from my body, followed by stinging cold as a liquid was poured onto the wounds to clean them.
“You’re gonna be okay long enough to get to a proper healer,” a gentler voice said. “Drink this, it will help with the blood loss and give you some energy.” A small vial of mottled gray liquid was pressed to my lips.
I drank it and felt better almost immediately. My headache started to ease.
The arrow wounds were being smeared with something pungent and the pain in my body further decreased. The quick patch-up plus the boost I got in healing due to having Talent magic would keep me in one piece for the time being.
“All done for now,” the first voice spoke. “You saved us, thank you.” Before I could look up and thank them, they had already sprinted off.
I stayed crouched for a few minutes, trying to settle my thoughts, trying to feel like I really had some strength back.
“Need a hand?” I raised my head to see Noyah there, extending his arm.
He was plenty bruised and there was a long gash at the side of his face, but he’d made it through this better than I had.
I took his hand and he gently pulled me up. The urge to fall apart was still clawing at me but I swallowed it down. I was at the head of this battle and there were still things that needed to be done.
“Thanks.” I dusted at my armor like my feeble efforts would make a difference. It had done a bang-up job protecting me from being more seriously hurt, but it would need significant repairs and cleaning.
I looked around. Noyah’s warriors as well as the Bastillen fighters were approaching carefully, watching as the Apprentice Warriors tried to get their bearings.
“It’s over!” I called out. “They’re no longer under control. Please help them.”
There was a moment of hesitation, but after Noyah gave his people a nod, they put away their weapons and moved in. The Bastillen people followed.
I headed over to Kana and crouched in front of her. Relief flooded me when I found her pulse. Her arm was badly wounded; I could see bone, and there was a lot of blood. Her charred skin was flaking off.
The Divine arrows had done catastrophic damage. I shuddered to think about what would have happened if I had shot them through her body.
What Gideon had seen hadn’t come to pass as we thought it would. I was so fucking thankful.
A couple healers came over and knelt next to Kana.
“Please patch her up as much as you can,” I said as they opened their supply bags. “She needs to get to a hospital as soon as possible.”
They nodded and I stood up and stepped back so they could start to work on her. After watching for a few moments, I walked back over to Noyah.
“How many casualties?”
“None from my ranks, but seven seriously injured, two of whom might not make it.” The skin around his eyes tightened. This wasn’t what any of them had woken up this morning expecting to encounter. As Guild warriors they had to be prepared for anything, but this was still heavy.
“Nine of the town’s fighters hurt to various degrees,” he continued. “Four deaths.”
Sorrow lanced through me. There were always casualties in war, but I hadn’t wanted anyone from Bastillen to die. Not when so much had been done to give them a safe place to live.
Noyah and I started walking away from the town square. I needed to get to Ashe and tend her wound.
“The Vicasiv and one Jagark live,” he continued. “Unknown how many of the Foleji survived.”
“Copy,” I said listlessly.
We rounded a bend and I saw Ashe up ahead, where I’d left her with Dae-Hyun and the Vicasiv. I quickened my pace to reach her.
Ashe lay on her non-injured side and Dae-Hyun and one of Havenrow’s healers were crouched near her. When I reached them, I saw that the arrow had been removed. The healer had a bag open with various medicines, potions, herbs, and poultices.
Noyah nodded at the man, who returned it.
“How is she?” I asked. A bluish paste was smeared on her wound, which had been cleaned of blood, and Dae-Hyun was helping the healer wrap a bandage around it. I caught sight of the Vicasiv curled around the thick trunk of a nearby tree, reaching for the mangoes it bore. I bent my forehead to Ashe’s and she whined softly.
“How you doing, girl?” I scratched behind her ears.
She flicked out her tongue and licked my nose.
“I gave her healing herbs that match her constitution, cleaned and stitched the wound, and applied a balm that will provide further healing,” the healer said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his freckled nose. “Leave her leg wrapped for a day, then wash the poultice off. I recommend following up with a healer after that.”
“Will do, and thank you for helping.”
“Is it over?” Dae-Hyun asked, a thread of nervousness in his voice as the healer finished with Ashe.
“It’s over.” As I looked up at the unobstructed view of the sky, I was again reminded that the time pocket was down. The lands it had enclosed were still safe, but it would always be in their best interest to have a time pocket around the town.
“Who is the strongest Temporal here?” I asked Dae-Hyun.
“Eruci.”
“Find him and tell him to get a time pocket up as soon as possible.” I didn’t want to face Eruci myself, didn’t want to have the sorrow-laden conversation we’d have to have. Dae-Hyun nodded, then called the Vicasiv out of the tree and headed further into town.
I looked at Ashe and opened my mouth, but before I could even suggest it, Ashe’s magic rose and wrapped around her, and moments later she Morphed into her fox form. The bandage around her leg remained secure.
I picked her up and snuggled my face into her fur. She wouldn’t be able to walk properly on her injured leg, so it would be best to carry her.
“Where am I most needed?” the healer asked as he finished packing his bag.
I deferred to Noyah, who went with him to tend to more injured people. I continued to the outskirts of the town, feeling like I was walking in slow motion, through mud, half awake and half in a deep, fevered dream.
When I exited Bastillen, I took a moment to look around.
There were bodies on the ground. Splashes of blood on the dirt. Rubble from toppled trees and exploded rocks. A smoky haze hung over everything from the Suniksu’s fire.
A lot of the surroundings were scorched, but it was a testament to Igiro’s control that he hadn’t started a forest fire. Speaking of Igiro…I caught his eye. He was some distance away with a healer who was working on the steely-eyed woman who’d gone from gardening to fighting. I hoped she made it. Igiro’s expression was full of sorrow.
He’d seen Callan be Erased. They’d all seen it.
I didn’t go over to him. If I opened my mouth to try and talk about it, I might cease to exist myself. I kept moving, holding Ashe close, who was quiet, giving my arm the occasional comforting lick.
“Penn!” I barely turned around before a human projectile slammed into me. Sage. Despite the dark place I was sinking into, I was relieved they were alive. Ashe squealed and Sage jumped back.
“Sorry! Didn’t see you there, little furry.”
“Her leg is injured so it’s easier for me to carry her.” I looked Sage over.
Their clothes were a little disheveled, as was their hair, and they looked spooked, but they were in one piece.
“I saw what you did!” Sage’s eyes were wide. “How you…summoned Divine magic? Turned it into arrows? Incredible… How the hell can you do that?”
I shrugged, which made their brow furrow. I was looking around again, the smoky air filling my lungs, in and out, in and out. I felt like I was turning into my shadow, a dark stain flung across the ground, dragged around by a force I had no control over.
“Well, in any case…”
Lightning exploded out of the earth.
A harsh wind blew through, clearing the smoke and kicking up dust.
Magic that felt familiar frizzled over everyone who was standing out here, bringing forth startled cries, including from Sage, who shifted closer to me.
Ashe raised her head and started growling.
I made no sound, didn’t move as the dust cloud died down to reveal a Kiabi Warrior standing about twenty feet away.
Sound was cut off like we’d entered a vacuum. All eyes were on the Kiabi Warrior.
The moonlight cast a soft glow around him, making him seem even more ethereal. The lines of gold in his body sparkled.
“Oh, whoa…” Sage sounded awestruck.
I took a step forward.
Some of the Kiabi Warrior’s vines and branches shifted, moving something that was behind it to the front. A cocoon of tightly wound branches pulled back to reveal something.
