Desire, page 10
As they got closer, Tom felt the change in the energy around them, like the short stone portal was waking up after two thousand years of sleep. It alarmed him, and he changed his grip on his bow.
“I don’t see any sign of animal-demons,” he said.
As if that was his cue, the first demons rushed from the trees. The next second, he shot an arrow at the nearest demon. By the time the arrow hit its target, he was aiming again.
More demons poured from the forest, swarming them quickly, and Tom’s guts tightened. There was something odd about the way the creatures attacked. Almost like they were commanded.
Tom balanced in the mud, trying to find a firm stance. He couldn’t use his bow as dozens of rat-demons ambushed them, too close to shoot at. Some of them had fur—mostly brown or gray, but a few were green or yellow. Some had wrinkled skin or were covered with scales.
Tom wiped his hair from his forehead when he had a second. The fucking rain made fighting nearly impossible. He managed to avoid falling on the slippery surface while dodging a demon. He slit another open, spilling its guts and blood into the mud while it squealed in agony. With his body filled with magic, he could move faster and see better than an ordinary human but, even like this, it was barely enough to keep up with the swarm of the creatures. And it wasn’t just these small, annoying rat-demons. They faced dog-demons, lynx-demons, and from the shaking of the ground, probably a bear-demon or two headed towards them.
Tom jumped away from a dog-demon and rolled in the mud to get back on his feet. He stabbed his weapon into his attacker’s eye and spun to face the next one. His heart skipped a beat when he found himself in front of an open mouth with sharp fangs. He leaned back, but it was too late.
Just an inch away, an ice dart flew by, piercing the demon’s skull and it fell harmlessly to Tom’s feet.
“Thanks,” he shouted through the sounds of the storm to Declan. “Can’t you stop the rain?” He sliced again, killing another demon.
Declan pushed back a pair of lynx-demons with a wave of water. “You know I don’t have power over the weather.”
“But it’s still water.” Tom leaned to the right, but a leaping rat-demon bit into his neck. “Fuck.” He grabbed the creature, broke its spine, and threw it into a dog-demon’s mouth.
“Why don’t you concentrate instead of chatting?” Declan asked, decapitating a demon with his sword.
Tom snorted, but he was too busy to come up with a witty response.
The ground shook with greater intensity, and he knew the bears couldn’t be far.
Blood, rain, and sweat dripped from his chin, and he stopped to wipe it down, when a bear-like creature broke through the line of trees not far from Lili.
It was twice as big as a normal bear. Its body and legs were covered with thick black fur and sharp as steel needles.
The other demons ran as fast as they could, forgetting everything else.
A roar came from behind, announcing the arrival of another bear-demon, an older one, based on the gray and black spikes covering the demon’s body. They varied from the size of an ant to the size of a man’s arm. Smaller, weaker spikes protected its joints and groin.
Tom glanced at Declan. “This sucks.”
Declan nodded and changed his grip on his sword. “Can you do that magic trick? With the speed and stuff?”
Tom nodded, put away his stilettos, quickly drawing a rune circle around himself. Simple lines and forms connected to each other. It wasn’t his best work, but it would do it. As he stood, he reached for a little more magic and chanted a spell, giving Declan and Lili more speed, strength, and sharper senses.
He kept the magic in and used it to strengthen himself. He dodged a paw and tried to get under the spiky bear, but the creature’s reaction was fast and it stepped out of his way.
Tom jumped back, barely leaning away from a claw. He pulled out his weapons again and sliced into the muscled arm.
The feeling of something not being right still shimmered inside him. Bear-demons were dumb. Strong, but not really clever. And these two moved like their sole purpose was to kill them. Not to mention the fact that other demons slowly rejoined the fight.
Declan shot a series of ice darts at the spiky bear, but most of them melted without causing real harm. The demon roared when a dart pierced its eye and attacked Declan with all its force and speed.
Declan dodged and rolled away from the claws and teeth. Tom jumped to help him, but the demon threw him against a tree. His back cracked and he couldn’t breathe. He moved, but a dog-demon jumped at him. A scream broke from his lungs as its teeth drilled into his left shoulder. Tom stabbed the creature and pushed it off.
Before he could stand, Lily ran to help Declan. She cut through the back of the demon’s knee, causing it to collapse. Declan screamed as the claws sank into his belly. Even the dicralux, woven into the cotton, wasn’t strong enough to hold back the powerful blow.
Declan fell to his knees, agony playing on his face, and he pressed his hands on his stomach. “Fuck.”
Tom dragged himself to his feet. Pain shot through his back and arm. He breathed, his shoulder blade protesting the movement. He focused on the wound, and sent magic to the source of the pain, blunting it just enough so he could move without being in agony.
Lili ran to Declan and put her hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”
Declan nodded. “It’s healing,” he said in a raspy voice. “Don’t worry.”
Lili nodded and turned her attention back to the spiky bear, which tried to balance on three legs. She ran towards it and slid under its belly.
Tom had to spin away from the other bear’s claws to avoid being sliced open. He tried to get closer to its throat or belly, but the sharp needle like fur was hard to avoid and his aching left arm made it hard to move. He jumped back, getting away from the creature to catch his breath.
Lili cut the other bear open, and it collapsed with a roar, then didn’t move again.
Declan stood, his face still held some of the pain, but his body was healed. With a deep inhale, he took his sword and attacked the remaining bear. With one bear-demon dead, more of the other demons crawled back. One by one, attacking, pushing them towards the large demon, but never coming close enough to get hit by it.
Tom stabbed a lynx-demon and hissed from the pain radiating from his left arm. He was tired, wet, and bloody. His movements were slowing down, even with the magical boost.
With his power, Declan froze and cut off one of the bear’s legs. The creature screamed, its remaining limbs thrashing unpredictably, crushing everything they touched.
Tom backed off just in time from a paw and slipped in the mud, falling to his back, groaning at the new wave of pain erupting from his shoulder. He sat up but quickly lay back when the bear’s jaw snapped toward his chest.
Lili’s scream broke through the rain. The bear hit her, throwing her at the dead bear-demon’s body. He watched in horror as a spike pierced through her thigh, and another drilled into her back.
Declan ran to her and helped her down.
Tom stood and looked around. His arm was numb, his back hurt, and he barely had the energy to stand. The bear-demon raged, and he dodged it again. Lili was dying and from the injury, Declan was too hurt himself to heal all her wounds. A dozen of smaller demons crawled back to them, and Declan fought them as much as he could, without leaving Lili alone.
Tom swallowed and closed his eyes. With his stilettos still in his hands, he filled his body with magic and called for nature, for all the energy around him. He felt where the demons were and he felt the rain. Every drop of it. Not just on his body, but everywhere near him. A strange magical force crept in the background. Another witch? He frowned. No, it didn’t feel human. He didn’t have time to observe that other power, he just concentrated on the shape of the demons and the force of the lightning.
A moment later bright white light filled his eyes through his closed eyelids and a thunder shook the air.
Tom let the magic flow out of his body and collapsed to the ground. Pain radiated from his shoulder , he tried to move his arm, but couldn’t. Exhaustion trembled through his limbs, and he didn’t have the strength to stand.
Strong hands shook his shoulders and all he could feel was an overwhelming pain from his left arm and shoulder-blade.
“Tom!” Declan shouted.
He cracked his eyes open. “Did it work?”
“You fucking idiot. Do you have a death wish? Summoning lightning is suicide! Even with your powers.”
Tom sat up and shook Declan’s hands off as he felt the familiar warmth of his healing. “I just channeled it.” He pressed the back of his hand to his mouth and swallowed back some acid. He blinked and tried to stand up, but fell back into the mud. “Lili?”
“She’s alive. Barely.” Declan’s voice was filled with worry. “You could’ve died.”
“But I didn’t.” Tom smiled weakly. “Help me get up and take Lili back to town.”
Declan dragged him to his feet and lifted Lili from the ground. Her pale face made a sharp contrast with the black mud. Blood oozed from her back and legs, and her chest rose and fell in a rhythm much too slow.
“Can’t you heal her?” Tom tried to keep up with Declan, but he was faster, even with carrying Lili.
“I healed her as much as I could.” He shook his head. “I can’t heal more without my own wound reopening.”
The horses—except for Tom’s horse, Daffy—were gone. Even though the reins were cut, Daffy didn’t seem to notice that she was free and could leave. She simply danced around the tree, agitated.
“It’s okay.” Tom approached her, making sure she saw him before he touched her. “I’m here.”
At his words, Daffy stopped and lowered her head.
“You’re so dumb and I love you for it.”
They secured Lily in the saddle and walked back to Nesael.
By the time they reached the edge of the town, Lili looked even worse, barely breathing.
“We won’t make it to the witches,” Tom said. His injuries slowed him down and agony followed every step he made, all increased by the severe case of magic overload. He had no idea where they should take her. A hospital was out of the question. They didn’t have anything that could help her.
The herbal shop.
Tom changed direction and waved Declan to follow.
“Where are we going?” Declan asked.
“To the herbal shop.”
“You want to take her to a non-magical shop?”
Tom stopped and turned back. “Do you have a better idea?”
Declan shook his head and followed Tom down the street.
They got to the store just when Dave locked the door. Tom knocked and the young man opened it again. Confusion spread across his face as they stormed in.
Declan laid Lili on the floor and turned her on her stomach.
“Go to my room and bring my supplies,” Tom said. Declan nodded and ran out of the store.
Tom looked up at Dave. “I need you to listen carefully. I’m going to list a few things I need you to bring me.”
Dave opened his mouth, but no sound came from him.
“Look, I don’t have time to explain. Just do as I ask.”
Hesitantly, the young man nodded. Tom jabbered herbs, crystals, and supplies he would need, then turned his attention back to Lili.
He dragged her uniform down her torso and hissed. She had several puncture wounds on her back, three directly on her spine. Even if she survived, she’d be paralyzed.
Once more, he reached for magic and started a spell. The bleeding stopped and some of her smaller wounds closed, but she’d lost a lot of blood and her breathing was still shallow.
Tom shook and bent forward as a wave of nausea ran through him. He turned away and puked. The energy escaped his body, and he retched when he tried again to cast a spell.
“Fuck.”
Dave arrived with everything Tom had asked for and looked around. “What happened here?”
“I have magic overload,” Tom muttered, starting to mix the ingredients.
Tom kept glancing at Lili, hands trembling as he worked. They were running out of time. Declan arrived with his bag and Tom scattered everything onto the floor. Herbs and animal parts rolled everywhere, along with his enchanted throwing stars and arrow heads.
“I can’t do magic.” He looked up at Declan, his eyes tearing up from exhaustion and helplessness.
Declan wet his lips and knelt next to Lili, placing his hand on her back. “Then do what you can.”
Tom wiped his eyes and mixed everything he could use for a healing potion. He even broke a pure crystal and put that in. Declan healed her as much as he could, but blood dripped from his torso, and with a painful groan, he had to stop.
Tom reached for magic again and tried to cast the spell on the potion, but failed. He tried again. He needed the potion to work.
He bit his lip and twisted his ring.
“Don’t do it.” Declan placed his hand on his. “You’ll kill yourself.”
Tom pulled his hand away. “I’ll be fine.”
“You’ve already used too much magic. Tom, please.”
“She’ll die without this.”
“Do you want to die too?”
“I won’t.”
He opened the ring’s power, using the magic of those who’d come before him. He needed all his energy to keep it under control. His form vibrated and his silhouette lit up with white light. Lifting the pot with the lotion, Tom cast a spell. The liquid swirled in the bowl and it shone with a blue light.
“Put it on her wounds.” He gave the pot to Declan and glanced up at Dave, who stared at him, eyes wide and face pale. Tom shook his head and quickly made a memory modifying potion while he had the ring’s energy.
Declan finished applying the lotion and watched Lili. It worked, and she took a deep breath, but then her body trembled and she stopped breathing.
“No, no, no. Not now. Not like this.” Declan rolled her over and started to massage her chest to keep her blood flowing.
Tom froze for a minute, then crawled closer and used the rest of his magic and energy to try to revive her. Tears flowed down his cheeks, but he kept giving energy to make her breathe again. The magic left his body, but he kept trying. There was no way he could use more magic, not without killing himself. He fought the dizziness taking over and blinked against the darkness, trying to consume his mind.
After a while, someone pulled him away from her. “That’s enough,” a strong male voice said. “Tom, she’s gone.”
“Declan?” He shook his head and moved. “I have to try.”
Strong arms held him back. “You tried everything.”
Tom shook his head again and tried to get away, but he was too weak, too tired. “I have to.” He struggled more against Declan’s grip, but it was no use. Once more, he reached for power. The moment magic entered his body, he screamed in pain as his channels resisted and the world went blank.
Chapter 14
Kylan
Kylan stopped his horse to take in the view of Aldness. The buildings glittered in the sun; a strange mixture of glass and metal. It was breathtaking. He’d never seen anything like this before, but even with the millions of colors and the dozens of shades of light, something was missing.
Nature.
There was some green at the edges of the city, but there wasn’t any in the center. It wasn’t like Ugresh; from the sea, the houses were barely visible through the trees.
He motioned Nightsky forward and used his lion’s eyes to see the protection spell around the city. Circles and runes were connected to each other with thin, silver lines, like a spiderweb. The whole dome vibrated with life. It pulsed with strength near the ground where the witches had cast the spell. The runes were connected—not just to each other, but to the earth, using its energy to feed the dome—but Kylan noticed holes in it where the magic faded.
A chill ran down his spine when he crossed the line of the spell.
He walked the streets in silence with his bag on his shoulder, leading Nightsky. People hurried around them with downcast eyes. No one cared about anyone and no one looked up, not once.
His senses sharpened, his eyes searched for danger in everything and everyone. The buildings were taller than at home and the sidewalk was actually used by pedestrians; there were many more automobiles on the streets. His muscles tensed, and he slid his hand closer to the pile of clothes on Nightsky that hid his sword. He wasn’t in danger, but the thought didn’t help. Kylan stopped and inhaled deeply.
Disconnected people walked around him, some even muttering something about him stopping in the middle of the road. They were disconnected from the community, from themselves, from nature, and from magic.
“Dude, you and your giant horse are blocking the way.”
Kylan spun and glared at the middle-aged man pointing at Nightsky. Kylan growled. How could a peasant talk to him like this?
“Hey, nice effect on your chest.” The man stared at him. “Cool tattoos.”
Kylan quickly buttoned his jacket. After muttering an apology, he headed towards the other edge of the city, towards the Institute.
His anger calmed as he tested his new role, a nameless, faceless man. He was no one here, just a dude. No one knew him or feared him. He was just one of many.
The absence of nature hurt his eyes, but there was something magical in the city, even without that connection. The people didn’t look so different. Their clothing wasn’t entirely the same, and many women wore loose pants instead of long skirts or dresses. They were just people with no humanoids among them, no creatures with colorful skin, scales, or fur.
Instead of the noises of a fight, music and laughter came from bars and restaurants. The city pulsed with a fast rhythm. People walked, danced, and kissed on the streets. No one looked over their shoulder for danger. No one had to be afraid. Kylan shook his head. If only they knew what lurked in the shadows.
He was free of his burdens here. After just a few minutes in the city, he felt the difference.
