Ultimate Fireheart Fantasy Collection, page 50
Alessandria didn’t care.
She stared at the demon. Its shadowy form an assault on her eyes. She hated it.
Hellen charged forward.
Whacking the demon.
The demon dropped Alessandria.
Hellen whacked the demon again.
The Sage charged.
The demon shrieked.
It disappeared.
Nemesio swung his sword behind him.
The demon screamed.
Something at the back of Alessandria’s mind kicked her. She knew how to kill it. She couldn’t remember for now.
Torches blew out.
The glowing swords covered everything in a red glow.
A shadow climbed on the walls.
Alessandria grabbed a red sword.
She swung it.
She missed.
The demon slammed its fists into her back.
Alessandria fell forward.
Crushing the little bird corpses.
The demon shrieked.
Why?
Why shriek at the little birds?
The demon flew at her.
Alessandria swung again.
Hellen whacked the demon.
Nemesio sliced into the demon.
Each hit made it laugh.
The Sage was frozen.
The air hummed loudly around him.
Alessandria stomped on a little corpse.
The bird corpse shattered.
The demon flickered.
Alessandria slashed and lashed at the little corpses.
The demon shrieked.
She didn’t know what was happening.
She didn’t care.
The air crackled with magical energy.
Hellen and Nemesio saw what she was doing. They joined her.
The little bird bodies popped.
The demon charged forward.
Alessandria didn’t care.
She stomped on the final little bird body. The demon stopped and laughed. Then Alessandria stopped and realised what she had done.
The Sage stepped forward. “You idiots. They were my friends. They were still alive. The demon tricked you. If you killed him they would turn back,”
Nemesio and Hellen looked at each other, their eyes wet and wide. Alessandria cocked her head. She didn’t understand magic in a lot of its complexities but that wasn’t right.
Pulling on her limited magical power, Alessandria focused on the Sage. She needed to see if he was lying knowingly or not. Alessandria’s eyes were fixed on him. She bore into his soul.
The Sage and all his secrets and lies and half truths. Then Alessandria saw his beliefs on what he had just said. He thought he was telling the truth, but he wasn’t. Alessandria knew he had been lied to.
Alessandria shook her head. “You were lied to...”
She was about to continue when she remembered what the demon was. Alessandria had found the demon’s name mentioned in one page in the Complete History of Ordericous.
Alessandria smiled and looked at Nemesio and Hellen. “Be ready,”
They nodded.
“Atarangi,” Alessandria said.
The air crackled and pulsed with bright red magic. Lightning bolts chipped and exploded some of the stone walls. But moments later a humanoid shape started to form.
A few seconds later, a creature with long elongated limbs covered in thick oily red scales formed. Its head still covered in shadow.
“Atarangi, you’re done,” Alessandria said.
Hellen and Nemesio swung.
Hellen whacked Atarangi in the head.
Nemesio sliced into its flesh.
Shadowy black blood poured from the demon.
Atarangi stormed forward.
Jumping on Alessandria.
Her skin burnt.
Smoke poured off her.
She screamed in agony.
Hellen went to attack.
Atarangi waved Hellen away.
Hellen slammed into a wall.
Nemesio grabbed Atarangi.
His hand burnt.
Atarangi waved Nemesio away.
Alessandria screamed again.
The pain was unreal.
Every cell in her body screamed.
The Sage charged.
Ripping off his bird helmet.
Atarangi screamed in terror.
Alessandria understood.
The Sage was no human.
Its head was unnatural. A constant moving mass of flesh. Millions of bird faces moved and screamed as one.
Alessandria went to scream but nothing came out.
The Sage grabbed Atarangi.
The Sage’s hands turned to talons.
It ripped chunks of flesh out of Atarangi.
The Sage’s face covered Atarangi’s.
Alessandria needed to scream.
The Sage absorbed Atarangi into itself.
The Demon gave a final horrific scream before it died.
Alessandria’s body relaxed. No pain was left inside her.
Even stranger the Sage lumped against one of the stone walls as he fell to the ground. Alessandria crawled over to him. His face a horrible thing to look at. So many bird faces screaming and shrieking in eternal torment.
Alessandria bravely touched his talons.
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you,” he said, clearly in agony.
Alessandria didn’t know what to say.
“Your Mother a clever woman. She didn’t care about Fateweaver for now. She wanted you to get my support,”
Alessandria smiled. Her Mother was always unpredictable.
“She loved that damn brother of yours,”
Hellen and Nemesio walked over.
The Sage grabbed Alessandria’s hand and forced his seal into it.
“Here have your pledge. You and that brother deserve it. Destroy the Church. Make Ordericous great and equal,”
Alessandria nodded. She would make it a place where everyone could be free.
The Sage stroked her face weakly. “Your Mother said a final thing. She got you this far. The rest is in you and your Brother’s hands. You’re never alone and she loves you so much,”
The Sage turned into a pile of little bird corpses that turned to dust.
CHAPTER 18
My muscles were stiff as the magic from Fateweaver's staff continued to hold me. It felt like a bodybuilder was holding you. I didn't enjoy this. At least Fateweaver had been 'kind' enough to allow me to move my head.
The corruption was definitely growing, I realised as I looked around. The long black mouldy sheets of silk were frayed so badly massive holes littered the sheets.
My suspicions about the gold walls, with all their amazing depictions of battles and vital historical moments, were clearly correct. Great streaks of black shot up them. It was like someone had grabbed a paintbrush and stroked the walls with it. Little amounts of black gold fell off as the golden walls turned flaky and died.
The sound of the Word Bearer and the mind controlled mob was awful. Their loud moaning animal noises were disgusting.
My dulled blade was frozen in my hand. I wanted to turn it but Fateweaver must have known I needed it to stay calm. Maybe that's why he let me keep it.
The smell of chemicals with hints of cinnamon and dried herbs was weaker now. Being replaced with the smell of rotten meat and sweet frankincense.
Turning my attention to Fateweaver, I cocked my head and my eyes narrowed. His long red scaly limbs and talons were fingers and toes should have been were strange. They were drawing weird symbols on the floor that busted into crimson flames when they were done. That was all outside another shape.
This other shape was some kind of pentagram with the Queen sitting in the middle. She sat there smiling. Her eyes were still dead and they started to look cooked. I needed to act now. I just hoped my beautiful Harrison was okay. But I really needed my sister here.
I had to buy more time.
“Your Majesty listen to my voice. Look at me!” I shouted.
She didn’t. The Queen just continued to sit there in the pentagram.
“Isabella,” I said.
The Queen seemed to register the name. Her eyes became softer and more life filled.
“Isabella listen to me. Fight this. I know you can. I believe in you!”
Pain flooded my body. Harrison screamed in agony. My limbs twisted in strange directions.
The Queen’s eyes turned distant and lifeless. The pain stopped but I hoped I had done enough.
Fateweaver looked at me after he finished another symbol that busted crimson flames.
“I admire you for that. It was brave. Stupid but brave, Daniel Fireheart. Your Queen is mine,”
Feeling something within my mind click, I felt as if I could move a finger. I had no idea what my autistic mind was doing but it had defeated Fateweaver’s mother. Hopefully I could defeat his mind trick. I just needed time.
“Isabella is stronger than you know. She is a Queen, a Goddess. Her people love her,” I said.
Fateweaver nodded. “Daniel Fireheart that is what made it all so easy. It was simple to convince the Word Bearer here to attack the Queen out of love,”
The Word Bearer made a sound. Maybe he was protesting his innocence or something. It didn’t matter.
“Then once I controlled him. His worshippers followed. I didn’t need to do many of my normal tricks to weave this Fate, dear Daniel Fireheart,”
“Is this really all so you can just kill me and my family?” I asked.
He seemed a bit confused by the question. I’m not sure he even knew why he was doing this anymore.
“The Fateweavers Weave the Fate of the world. Your family prevented us from conquering the world years ago. I am here for revenge. My brothers and sisters murdered by your Father. Daniel Fireheart, Kinaaz Fireheart and Alessandria Fireheart will all die,”
I cocked my head. “Where is my Mother?”
Of course I knew the answer but I’m not sure if he did.
Fateweaver smiled. “Daniel Fireheart I do not know but when I do-”
I laughed at him. I really laughed so did Harrison.
“My Mother is dead,” I said.
Fateweaver looked horrified. A lot of things became clear for me.
“She beat you. You weaved her Fate or tried to and she denied it. She killed herself. She must have. All in an elaborate plan to kill you. Yes, yea that’s it. My Mother was clever. She would make Alessandria think her plan was to get support for the law change,”
Fateweaver’s beak snarled.
“My Mother always wanted to kill you. That was her final scheme,”
The mob moaned and made panicked animal noises.
“Daniel Fireheart, you forget I am free. You are not,”
I smiled. For some reason I just knew I could break free now. But I wanted to wait.
Fateweaver finished a symbol in the shape of some kind of eye and he sat in the middle of the pentagram. The Queen smiled as he sat next to her.
The Word Bearer moaned and tried to scream in protest. I knew what was going to happen. I didn’t expect the how.
Fateweaver swirled his staff in the air.
The Word Bearer tried to scream but droplets of red liquid poured off his skin. Bright red drops of something fell onto the ground.
Looking at the Word Bearer, I realised these red droplets were his skin, muscles and bones.
Each drop revealed more of his flesh and body.
He screamed in agony as his body melted.
Within seconds his entire body splashed onto the floor. His face melted last and the image of him screaming in utter terror will forever be engrained into my memory. At least in death that idiot would know how my people felt as he pointlessly killed them.
The air crackled with magical energy.
Bright red lightning shot around the throne room.
The Queen smiled.
Fateweaver’s beak opened.
His long bird like tongue shot into the Queen’s mouth.
She laughed in delight.
Her skin paled.
He was doing something.
The lightning got fierce.
The throne exploded.
Turning to ash.
I needed to act.
Breaking free. I charged forward.
I was free.
I was ready to kill him.
CHAPTER 19
Alessandria closed the massive cold wooden door as her, her stunning Nemesio and Hellen walked into an ancient stone storage room.
She couldn't explain it but it was a sixth sense had led her from the tunnel to here. Thankfully because of whatever was going on with the Queen and Daniel, the castle was mainly empty.
Alessandria coughed as a thick layer of dust covered her skin and the smell of musty old parchment filled her nose.
Looking around she shook her head at all the rubbish in here. The chamber itself could make for a great dining room. The domed stone ceiling looked impressive as did the hard cold red stone bricks that made up the walls.
Instead some wise person in the castle had decided to make it a storage room. All around Alessandria there were piles upon piles of forgotten things. Next to her was a pile of mouldy books and other legal documents.
As a Dominicus Procurator, she was horrified. All legal documents are vital so the thought of someone abandoning them sickened her.
Hellen moved some old furniture and children toys with her massive wooden stick. Her grey Procurator cloaked already caked in dust.
Alessandria couldn't blame her friend. It was a mess in here. But there was a massive perfectly formed pile of broken looms, clothes and other textile related things in the middle of the storage room.
It was the kind of pile you would expect if someone had placed an object in the middle they wanted to hide.
Walking over to it, Alessandria covered her nose as the musty smell grew in intensity. She moved a few pieces of broken loom, the pieces feeling rough and unloved in her hands.
Hellen and beautiful Nemesio came over and helped. After moving more junk and rubbish. Including plenty of moth-eaten clothes. The rest of the pile fell away.
Revealing their target, Alessandria gave a massive smile as she admired the smooth, perfectly intact wood and the impressive array of glowing threads of cotton on the loom. The threads were wrapped and weaved perfectly. They formed a strong looking sheet of cotton but Alessandria sensed something.
She wasn't sure if Nemesio and Hellen could see it but some of the threads were pulsing brightly. And on every thread, there was a little white light. Presumably someone's soul travelling towards their Fate.
Some of the lights were close to the right of the loom. Lots were to the left. Presumably the threads of Fate went left to right but this was still amazing to see.
Hellen stepped closer. She raised her massive wooden stick.
Alessandria went to stop her. It was too late.
Hellen whacked it. A burst of magical energy flew her across the room.
The air hummed with magical energy and something stepped out of the loom.
It was something strangely humanoid. It wasn't made from flesh and bone but crackling magical energy. The thing's red skin was unhealthy and thin. The creature was hunched.
Alessandria stared at its face. The strange triangular nature of it reminded her of bedtime stories. Those two black abysses for eyes weren't right. But two long fangs hung out of its mouth.
The creature looked at Alessandria. Those black abysses seemed to darken even further.
“Alessandria Fireheart,” the Creature said, its voice strained like it was learning how to speak.
Alessandria smiled. She had a feeling who it was from what Daniel told her.
“Fateweaver Primus or a shard of that foul thing,” Alessandria said.
Primus seemed to nod and give Alessandria something like a smile but it wasn’t. It was deformed and twisted.
“You cannot kill the Loom. If my Loom dies then my son cannot regenerate,”
“If ya Loom that good missy. What happened to the rest of ya children?” Hellen said.
Primus paused. She didn’t know. Maybe her true self did but this little shard of consciousness and power had no idea.
Alessandria whipped out her sword.
Primus shook her head. She reared back.
Nemesio, Hellen and Alessandria charged.
They swung their swords.
Primus shrieked.
Hellen whacked her.
Primus screamed.
Alessandria covered her bleeding ears.
Primus waved her hand.
Hellen flew back.
Her head whacking into a pile of junk.
Nemesio dived out the way.
Primus’ eyes glowed red.
The air crackled and hummed loudly.
It was like a thunderstorm.
Massive crashes of thunder filled the room.
Alessandria charged.
Lightning bolts hammered the floor.
Alessandria dodged them.
Primus went to attack.
Nemesio charged.
Primus turned.
She threw a lightning bolt.
It slammed into Nemesio.
It exploded.
Nemesio flew into a wall.
He was out.
Alessandria dodged more lightning bolts.
The little lights on the Loom flashed.
Millions of lights zoomed to the right.
So many lives about to die.
Alessandria stopped.
The lights moved back to the left. Alessandria focused on Primus who was still in battle mode. Fateweaver Primus launched a horrific lightning bolt at where Alessandria could have been standing if she had continued.
Primus still hadn’t realised she was standing there.
Looking back over at the Loom, the little lights started to gently move towards the right. She needed to move. Alessandria needed to attack.
She charged.
Primus was distracted.
Nemesio regained consciousness.
He shouted and screamed at Primus.
Primus turned.
Magical energy thundering around her.
Primus launched her attack.
Alessandria kept charging.
Massive bolts of lightning screamed towards Nemesio.
All the junks and rubbish in the room lifted up.
It floated in the air.
The junk zoomed towards Nemesio.
She stared at the demon. Its shadowy form an assault on her eyes. She hated it.
Hellen charged forward.
Whacking the demon.
The demon dropped Alessandria.
Hellen whacked the demon again.
The Sage charged.
The demon shrieked.
It disappeared.
Nemesio swung his sword behind him.
The demon screamed.
Something at the back of Alessandria’s mind kicked her. She knew how to kill it. She couldn’t remember for now.
Torches blew out.
The glowing swords covered everything in a red glow.
A shadow climbed on the walls.
Alessandria grabbed a red sword.
She swung it.
She missed.
The demon slammed its fists into her back.
Alessandria fell forward.
Crushing the little bird corpses.
The demon shrieked.
Why?
Why shriek at the little birds?
The demon flew at her.
Alessandria swung again.
Hellen whacked the demon.
Nemesio sliced into the demon.
Each hit made it laugh.
The Sage was frozen.
The air hummed loudly around him.
Alessandria stomped on a little corpse.
The bird corpse shattered.
The demon flickered.
Alessandria slashed and lashed at the little corpses.
The demon shrieked.
She didn’t know what was happening.
She didn’t care.
The air crackled with magical energy.
Hellen and Nemesio saw what she was doing. They joined her.
The little bird bodies popped.
The demon charged forward.
Alessandria didn’t care.
She stomped on the final little bird body. The demon stopped and laughed. Then Alessandria stopped and realised what she had done.
The Sage stepped forward. “You idiots. They were my friends. They were still alive. The demon tricked you. If you killed him they would turn back,”
Nemesio and Hellen looked at each other, their eyes wet and wide. Alessandria cocked her head. She didn’t understand magic in a lot of its complexities but that wasn’t right.
Pulling on her limited magical power, Alessandria focused on the Sage. She needed to see if he was lying knowingly or not. Alessandria’s eyes were fixed on him. She bore into his soul.
The Sage and all his secrets and lies and half truths. Then Alessandria saw his beliefs on what he had just said. He thought he was telling the truth, but he wasn’t. Alessandria knew he had been lied to.
Alessandria shook her head. “You were lied to...”
She was about to continue when she remembered what the demon was. Alessandria had found the demon’s name mentioned in one page in the Complete History of Ordericous.
Alessandria smiled and looked at Nemesio and Hellen. “Be ready,”
They nodded.
“Atarangi,” Alessandria said.
The air crackled and pulsed with bright red magic. Lightning bolts chipped and exploded some of the stone walls. But moments later a humanoid shape started to form.
A few seconds later, a creature with long elongated limbs covered in thick oily red scales formed. Its head still covered in shadow.
“Atarangi, you’re done,” Alessandria said.
Hellen and Nemesio swung.
Hellen whacked Atarangi in the head.
Nemesio sliced into its flesh.
Shadowy black blood poured from the demon.
Atarangi stormed forward.
Jumping on Alessandria.
Her skin burnt.
Smoke poured off her.
She screamed in agony.
Hellen went to attack.
Atarangi waved Hellen away.
Hellen slammed into a wall.
Nemesio grabbed Atarangi.
His hand burnt.
Atarangi waved Nemesio away.
Alessandria screamed again.
The pain was unreal.
Every cell in her body screamed.
The Sage charged.
Ripping off his bird helmet.
Atarangi screamed in terror.
Alessandria understood.
The Sage was no human.
Its head was unnatural. A constant moving mass of flesh. Millions of bird faces moved and screamed as one.
Alessandria went to scream but nothing came out.
The Sage grabbed Atarangi.
The Sage’s hands turned to talons.
It ripped chunks of flesh out of Atarangi.
The Sage’s face covered Atarangi’s.
Alessandria needed to scream.
The Sage absorbed Atarangi into itself.
The Demon gave a final horrific scream before it died.
Alessandria’s body relaxed. No pain was left inside her.
Even stranger the Sage lumped against one of the stone walls as he fell to the ground. Alessandria crawled over to him. His face a horrible thing to look at. So many bird faces screaming and shrieking in eternal torment.
Alessandria bravely touched his talons.
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you,” he said, clearly in agony.
Alessandria didn’t know what to say.
“Your Mother a clever woman. She didn’t care about Fateweaver for now. She wanted you to get my support,”
Alessandria smiled. Her Mother was always unpredictable.
“She loved that damn brother of yours,”
Hellen and Nemesio walked over.
The Sage grabbed Alessandria’s hand and forced his seal into it.
“Here have your pledge. You and that brother deserve it. Destroy the Church. Make Ordericous great and equal,”
Alessandria nodded. She would make it a place where everyone could be free.
The Sage stroked her face weakly. “Your Mother said a final thing. She got you this far. The rest is in you and your Brother’s hands. You’re never alone and she loves you so much,”
The Sage turned into a pile of little bird corpses that turned to dust.
CHAPTER 18
My muscles were stiff as the magic from Fateweaver's staff continued to hold me. It felt like a bodybuilder was holding you. I didn't enjoy this. At least Fateweaver had been 'kind' enough to allow me to move my head.
The corruption was definitely growing, I realised as I looked around. The long black mouldy sheets of silk were frayed so badly massive holes littered the sheets.
My suspicions about the gold walls, with all their amazing depictions of battles and vital historical moments, were clearly correct. Great streaks of black shot up them. It was like someone had grabbed a paintbrush and stroked the walls with it. Little amounts of black gold fell off as the golden walls turned flaky and died.
The sound of the Word Bearer and the mind controlled mob was awful. Their loud moaning animal noises were disgusting.
My dulled blade was frozen in my hand. I wanted to turn it but Fateweaver must have known I needed it to stay calm. Maybe that's why he let me keep it.
The smell of chemicals with hints of cinnamon and dried herbs was weaker now. Being replaced with the smell of rotten meat and sweet frankincense.
Turning my attention to Fateweaver, I cocked my head and my eyes narrowed. His long red scaly limbs and talons were fingers and toes should have been were strange. They were drawing weird symbols on the floor that busted into crimson flames when they were done. That was all outside another shape.
This other shape was some kind of pentagram with the Queen sitting in the middle. She sat there smiling. Her eyes were still dead and they started to look cooked. I needed to act now. I just hoped my beautiful Harrison was okay. But I really needed my sister here.
I had to buy more time.
“Your Majesty listen to my voice. Look at me!” I shouted.
She didn’t. The Queen just continued to sit there in the pentagram.
“Isabella,” I said.
The Queen seemed to register the name. Her eyes became softer and more life filled.
“Isabella listen to me. Fight this. I know you can. I believe in you!”
Pain flooded my body. Harrison screamed in agony. My limbs twisted in strange directions.
The Queen’s eyes turned distant and lifeless. The pain stopped but I hoped I had done enough.
Fateweaver looked at me after he finished another symbol that busted crimson flames.
“I admire you for that. It was brave. Stupid but brave, Daniel Fireheart. Your Queen is mine,”
Feeling something within my mind click, I felt as if I could move a finger. I had no idea what my autistic mind was doing but it had defeated Fateweaver’s mother. Hopefully I could defeat his mind trick. I just needed time.
“Isabella is stronger than you know. She is a Queen, a Goddess. Her people love her,” I said.
Fateweaver nodded. “Daniel Fireheart that is what made it all so easy. It was simple to convince the Word Bearer here to attack the Queen out of love,”
The Word Bearer made a sound. Maybe he was protesting his innocence or something. It didn’t matter.
“Then once I controlled him. His worshippers followed. I didn’t need to do many of my normal tricks to weave this Fate, dear Daniel Fireheart,”
“Is this really all so you can just kill me and my family?” I asked.
He seemed a bit confused by the question. I’m not sure he even knew why he was doing this anymore.
“The Fateweavers Weave the Fate of the world. Your family prevented us from conquering the world years ago. I am here for revenge. My brothers and sisters murdered by your Father. Daniel Fireheart, Kinaaz Fireheart and Alessandria Fireheart will all die,”
I cocked my head. “Where is my Mother?”
Of course I knew the answer but I’m not sure if he did.
Fateweaver smiled. “Daniel Fireheart I do not know but when I do-”
I laughed at him. I really laughed so did Harrison.
“My Mother is dead,” I said.
Fateweaver looked horrified. A lot of things became clear for me.
“She beat you. You weaved her Fate or tried to and she denied it. She killed herself. She must have. All in an elaborate plan to kill you. Yes, yea that’s it. My Mother was clever. She would make Alessandria think her plan was to get support for the law change,”
Fateweaver’s beak snarled.
“My Mother always wanted to kill you. That was her final scheme,”
The mob moaned and made panicked animal noises.
“Daniel Fireheart, you forget I am free. You are not,”
I smiled. For some reason I just knew I could break free now. But I wanted to wait.
Fateweaver finished a symbol in the shape of some kind of eye and he sat in the middle of the pentagram. The Queen smiled as he sat next to her.
The Word Bearer moaned and tried to scream in protest. I knew what was going to happen. I didn’t expect the how.
Fateweaver swirled his staff in the air.
The Word Bearer tried to scream but droplets of red liquid poured off his skin. Bright red drops of something fell onto the ground.
Looking at the Word Bearer, I realised these red droplets were his skin, muscles and bones.
Each drop revealed more of his flesh and body.
He screamed in agony as his body melted.
Within seconds his entire body splashed onto the floor. His face melted last and the image of him screaming in utter terror will forever be engrained into my memory. At least in death that idiot would know how my people felt as he pointlessly killed them.
The air crackled with magical energy.
Bright red lightning shot around the throne room.
The Queen smiled.
Fateweaver’s beak opened.
His long bird like tongue shot into the Queen’s mouth.
She laughed in delight.
Her skin paled.
He was doing something.
The lightning got fierce.
The throne exploded.
Turning to ash.
I needed to act.
Breaking free. I charged forward.
I was free.
I was ready to kill him.
CHAPTER 19
Alessandria closed the massive cold wooden door as her, her stunning Nemesio and Hellen walked into an ancient stone storage room.
She couldn't explain it but it was a sixth sense had led her from the tunnel to here. Thankfully because of whatever was going on with the Queen and Daniel, the castle was mainly empty.
Alessandria coughed as a thick layer of dust covered her skin and the smell of musty old parchment filled her nose.
Looking around she shook her head at all the rubbish in here. The chamber itself could make for a great dining room. The domed stone ceiling looked impressive as did the hard cold red stone bricks that made up the walls.
Instead some wise person in the castle had decided to make it a storage room. All around Alessandria there were piles upon piles of forgotten things. Next to her was a pile of mouldy books and other legal documents.
As a Dominicus Procurator, she was horrified. All legal documents are vital so the thought of someone abandoning them sickened her.
Hellen moved some old furniture and children toys with her massive wooden stick. Her grey Procurator cloaked already caked in dust.
Alessandria couldn't blame her friend. It was a mess in here. But there was a massive perfectly formed pile of broken looms, clothes and other textile related things in the middle of the storage room.
It was the kind of pile you would expect if someone had placed an object in the middle they wanted to hide.
Walking over to it, Alessandria covered her nose as the musty smell grew in intensity. She moved a few pieces of broken loom, the pieces feeling rough and unloved in her hands.
Hellen and beautiful Nemesio came over and helped. After moving more junk and rubbish. Including plenty of moth-eaten clothes. The rest of the pile fell away.
Revealing their target, Alessandria gave a massive smile as she admired the smooth, perfectly intact wood and the impressive array of glowing threads of cotton on the loom. The threads were wrapped and weaved perfectly. They formed a strong looking sheet of cotton but Alessandria sensed something.
She wasn't sure if Nemesio and Hellen could see it but some of the threads were pulsing brightly. And on every thread, there was a little white light. Presumably someone's soul travelling towards their Fate.
Some of the lights were close to the right of the loom. Lots were to the left. Presumably the threads of Fate went left to right but this was still amazing to see.
Hellen stepped closer. She raised her massive wooden stick.
Alessandria went to stop her. It was too late.
Hellen whacked it. A burst of magical energy flew her across the room.
The air hummed with magical energy and something stepped out of the loom.
It was something strangely humanoid. It wasn't made from flesh and bone but crackling magical energy. The thing's red skin was unhealthy and thin. The creature was hunched.
Alessandria stared at its face. The strange triangular nature of it reminded her of bedtime stories. Those two black abysses for eyes weren't right. But two long fangs hung out of its mouth.
The creature looked at Alessandria. Those black abysses seemed to darken even further.
“Alessandria Fireheart,” the Creature said, its voice strained like it was learning how to speak.
Alessandria smiled. She had a feeling who it was from what Daniel told her.
“Fateweaver Primus or a shard of that foul thing,” Alessandria said.
Primus seemed to nod and give Alessandria something like a smile but it wasn’t. It was deformed and twisted.
“You cannot kill the Loom. If my Loom dies then my son cannot regenerate,”
“If ya Loom that good missy. What happened to the rest of ya children?” Hellen said.
Primus paused. She didn’t know. Maybe her true self did but this little shard of consciousness and power had no idea.
Alessandria whipped out her sword.
Primus shook her head. She reared back.
Nemesio, Hellen and Alessandria charged.
They swung their swords.
Primus shrieked.
Hellen whacked her.
Primus screamed.
Alessandria covered her bleeding ears.
Primus waved her hand.
Hellen flew back.
Her head whacking into a pile of junk.
Nemesio dived out the way.
Primus’ eyes glowed red.
The air crackled and hummed loudly.
It was like a thunderstorm.
Massive crashes of thunder filled the room.
Alessandria charged.
Lightning bolts hammered the floor.
Alessandria dodged them.
Primus went to attack.
Nemesio charged.
Primus turned.
She threw a lightning bolt.
It slammed into Nemesio.
It exploded.
Nemesio flew into a wall.
He was out.
Alessandria dodged more lightning bolts.
The little lights on the Loom flashed.
Millions of lights zoomed to the right.
So many lives about to die.
Alessandria stopped.
The lights moved back to the left. Alessandria focused on Primus who was still in battle mode. Fateweaver Primus launched a horrific lightning bolt at where Alessandria could have been standing if she had continued.
Primus still hadn’t realised she was standing there.
Looking back over at the Loom, the little lights started to gently move towards the right. She needed to move. Alessandria needed to attack.
She charged.
Primus was distracted.
Nemesio regained consciousness.
He shouted and screamed at Primus.
Primus turned.
Magical energy thundering around her.
Primus launched her attack.
Alessandria kept charging.
Massive bolts of lightning screamed towards Nemesio.
All the junks and rubbish in the room lifted up.
It floated in the air.
The junk zoomed towards Nemesio.
