The Blood Witch Chronicles

by L. A. Stinnett

  None of this changed the fact she wanted more than what The Citadel offered. But there was no place else to further her magic. Having achieved the pinnacle of Blood Magic power she hated there was nothing left to learn, no more power to gain.

  U’ka couldn't help but feel there had to be more out there somewhere and wondered if she’d ever be content. She was tired of always feeling restless.

  The belltower tolled three times, the hour for her sword training finally here. This was the only time of the day she looked forward to anymore. U'ka already mastered her sword fighting, but she downplayed how good her skills really were in order to spend time with the Blade Master, Vahlyn. They were having a wonderfully torrid affair these past several months. U'ka planned to let him best her on the fighting floor; then she’d best him in her bedchamber.

  The tall, dark-haired Vahlyn sparred with another student. He moved with a fluid grace that was mesmerizing to watch. He fought Tohl, one of the best swordsmen at the Citadel. But even he could barely keep up with Vahlyn, who ended the fight with a swift kick to the chest. Tohl flew backward, hitting the floor hard. He raised his hands to yield the match. Vahlyn held out his hand to help him stand and slapped Tohl on the shoulder.

  "Good fight, Tohl," he said. "You almost got me this time."

  Tohl rolled his eyes. "The only place I can best you is at the tavern bar."

  "True, true," laughed Vahlyn. He looked over at U'ka, motioning her to the sparing circle.

  She pulled out her dirks, giving them a flourish as she strode towards him. It was a useless, showy display, but it made Vahlyn smile and she absolutely loved his roguish grin. He was sweaty from the workout, all muck and muscle, just the way she liked it.

  Vahlyn held up both hands. "I yield."

  "Come on, let's begin," said U'ka, getting into her fighting stance.

  "Put those away," he said. "There is nothing more I can teach you."

  “But . . .”

  "But nothing. I know you've been holding back to keep me here longer," Vahlyn said, taking her into his arms.

  "We've had fun, haven't we?" she said, running her finger lightly along his jawline, feeling the fine stubble on his chin.

  "Absolutely," Vahlyn said, looking into her eyes. "But all good things must come to an end, I'm afraid my services are needed elsewhere."

  "One more session in my bedchamber?" U'ka said, grabbing his hand to lead him upstairs to her private chamber.

  * * * * * *

  She awoke an hour past midnight next to Vahlyn's warm form. The night was warm, with no breeze even though the window was open. Unable to sleep anymore in the heat, she slipped out of bed and tied a light robe around her. She decided to go down to the grand library. Walking through the rows and rows of books, she searched for anything she hadn't read hundreds of times before. U'ka pulled a dusty old tome off the shelf and sat in a secluded corner of the library near an open window. Opening the book, she saw the preservation symbol painted on the inside cover to prevent it from deteriorating any further. She skimmed through the pages, reading a paragraph here and there. It had the desired effect and she soon nodded off.

  Startled awake when the book slid off her lap and slammed onto the hard stone floor, she looked around the room bathed in pale moonlight. It was eerily silent, even the night creatures outside were strangely quiet. She stretched out her arms, ready to head back to bed and snuggle in with Vahlyn.

  As she stood, something about one of the walls of the library did not seem quite right. Looking back and forth, she tried to figure out why it seemed so wrong. The entire wall should be bathed in the moonlight, but there was a strange shadowy rectangular patch where there shouldn’t be one. U’ka scanned the room, trying to figure out what might be casting the shadow, but there were no bookcases or columns which would block the light at that area of the wall.

  Could it be a secret doorway hidden by a camouflage spell? She felt around for any hidden latches which might open the door but found none. Tracing out a Reveal spell on the darkened part of the wall, she heard stone grinding stone as the wall slid slowly inward.

  U’ka found a small alcove inside. A light orb she cast revealed an old wooden case filled with books she’d never seen before. The prospect of books with new knowledge made her heart beat faster with excitement. U’ka reached out to pull a book with a faded red leather cover from one of the shelves. The title was written in the ancient language of their ancestors. It took a few moments for her to decipher it. "Summoning Daemons from the Dark Realm."

  7

  It felt good to be back in Bud's saddle again. His precise, even gait was very soothing, unlike the way the caravan bounced and swayed around. U'ka looked back at R.K., seeing his thoughts were elsewhere. Luckily Daisy was good at just following along behind them. Teek still guided them north. The forests gave way to open grasslands. Her mind wandered to recent events. She was relieved the land was finally healing and glad that task was now behind here. U’ka did not have the connection Teek had to the earth but even she felt the renewed strength growing in the land. The few Daemon Lords she faced had taken a lot out of her, but she felt more confident now in facing the remaining ones that remained out there somewhere; still determined to take them out for good. In the end, would that serve as her penance for all the horrible things she’d done?

  She couldn’t wallow in the mistakes of the past and needed to focus on the current task of helping R.K. and figuring out where all the animals were. She futilely scanned the long waving grass for any sign of deer or other large animals. They had to be somewhere.

  "Where are we going and when are we going to get there?" R.K. yelled in frustration.

  U’ka looked back, seeing his furrowed brow. "Teek is aware of your desire to find the mystery place. And like I told you, we're on a mission and you're along for the ride for now. You need to trust that Teek knows where he needs to take us."

  "Just how long is this going to take? I really want to find this place," he said, holding out his arm.

  U'ka sighed. "I'm sorry, I don't know. Soon I hope."

  Teek motioned to a partially burned out stable to set up camp for the evening.

  "Can you get the animals settled in for the night, R.K.?"

  "Yes. I have more questions I want answered, though."

  "We'll talk while we eat, said U'ka, climbing into the caravan.

  Opening the Infinity Chest, she pulled out a small iron spit and a cooking pot to make rabbit stew along with the last of the food supplies from Forlorn and a bag of calming tea from the apothecary supplies. R.K. especially needed something to help him relax.

  By the time the stew was ready, R.K. sat near the fire, staring off into the darkness. She knew his thoughts were far away from the here and now. Handing him a bowl of stew, she set a cup filled with the warm tea next to him.

  R.K. sniffed at the tea with a sour face. "I could use something stronger, like a nice lager."

  "The tea is to help calm you," said U'ka, taking a sip from her cup.

  "I don't want to be calm! I want answers!"

  She pushed the cup towards his mouth. "If you'll just drink it, I'll answer your questions."

  R.K. took a reluctant sip and glared at her. "A pale lager would be better."

  "I had some wine, but it's all gone now. I don't have any sort of liquor to offer you."

  "Can I at least ask my questions now?"

  "Go ahead," she said, draining her cup.

  "Why did you fight on the side of the Daemons?"

  U’ka sighed. It was a costly and stupid mistake she dreaded revealing. "I had a desire for power the Citadel wouldn't teach me and sought out forbidden knowledge. I was stupid enough to think I could summon a Daemon and control it."

  "So, this is really all your fault? All the death and the destruction of everything?"

  She turned her head, unable to look at him. "Yes."

  "You're the bad guy. How am I supposed to trust you?"

  "Because I'm trying t
o set everything right and I'm the only one who can get rid of your Daemon."

  "Yeah, you said that before," he said, taking another gulp of tea. "I don't think this calming tea is working too well."

  "Give it time," said U'ka. "Any more questions?"

  "Something else has been bugging me. If Teek is your companion, that makes him Bloody Bark, right?"

  Teek let out a low growl behind them.

  "He doesn't like the name, but yes. He was my guardian during the war, kept me from being attacked while I cast my Blood Magic. Now he is my keeper and will kill me if I lose control of my Daemon."

  "Okay. Next question," R.K. said with a trembling voice. He nervously averted his eyes before asking, "How come he looks so different? From the descriptions, he was terrifying to look upon. Was he Daemon compelled?"

  "Yes. Queen Baht' ma forced a Daemon possession on him. The dark magic deformed him. After he freed himself from the Daemon influence, he regained his true appearance." She left out the part about the control collar.

  "I thought magic didn't work on the Green Folk."

  "Teek never encountered Daemon magic before. He was caught off guard by the power of the Queen."

  R.K. 's eyelids were starting to droop, finally feeling the effects of the tea.

  "I think we’ve had enough questions for tonight," she said, holding out her hand to take R.K. 's plate. "Let's get some sleep. It's late."

  By the time she got back from cleaning the dishes, R.K. was already snoring. She covered him with a blanket, then climbed inside her bedroll and fell fast asleep.

  A dream of the grand dining Hall at the Citadel filled her sleep. Musicians played a ballad from a small stage. Tables overflowed with wonderful smelling food filling her senses: roasts, pheasants, venison, piles of savory vegetables and a wide range of delicious-looking desserts.

  U'ka picked up a huge turkey leg and bit into it, juices running down her chin. Wiping her greasy hand on her beautiful brocade gown, she continued to shove food into her mouth as fast as she could.

  Heavy footsteps came up behind her. Bahlmet laid his warm hands on her bare shoulders, caressing her softly.

  "This is a luxury you deserve again. A high Blood Witch like yourself shouldn't be scrounging around in the dirt for your existence. You could have all this again. Just let me guide you like during the war. We made an outstanding team, you and I."

  U’ka quickly swallowed a big mouthful of turkey and was about to tell him off when she heard a twig snap. Why is there a twig snapping in the grand dining hall?

  He leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "You're in danger. Time to wake up."

  Abruptly thrown out of her dream and back into reality, she lay still. Nothing moved out in the darkness. Daemon sword in hand, she got to her feet, straining to hear any movement out in the stillness of the night.

  She thought Bhalmet was just messing with her mind when she caught a glimpse of motion in the tall grass.

  Where’s Teek? U’ka crouched to touch the ground, pushing her magic into the earth. Teek! We're in danger! She kicked her dirks toward R.K., hoping he had some basic sword training.

  "R.K. get up. We're under attack!" U'ka yelled. "Grab my dirks. Defend yourself!"

  R.K. pulled one of the dirks from its sheath and stumbled to his feet as intruders came rushing out of the darkness.

  She could almost hear Blood Drinker singing its anticipation. Blocking several blows, she stabbed one attacker in the gut. Blood quickly flowed from him into the sword, draining the attacker dry. Slashing at another man, she caught him on the upper arm. The smallest of cuts was all the sword needed to pull all the blood from its victim.

  R.K. faced two swordsmen in dark clothing. Long blades drawn, they slashed at him. R.K. clumsily blocked their blows. They were much better fighters, but they wanted him alive and were only seeking to incapacitate him. One of the swordsmen jumped in close, R.K. was slow to bring up the dirk to defend himself and the attacker’s sword sliced open the back of his hand. Wide eyed, the dark warrior backed away, realizing his mistake.

  R.K. stumbled backward a few steps, looking down in shock at the blood flowing from the wound. His eyes shut and when they opened again they were glowing bright red. There were no whites left, just solid red orbs. His Daemon now fully awake. R.K. stepped into the fight without fear, easily blocking all the blows thrown at him. He smashed his fist square into the chest of the first attacker, sending him flying backwards, neck breaking when he slammed into the ground. She scanned the darkness for anyone else who might be hiding in the tall grass. The head of R.K. 's second opponent flew past her shoulder in a spray of blood.

  He turned his attention to her. His blood-spattered face blank and emotionless, the Daemon entirely in control now. U’ka raised her sword but didn’t want to attack him, so she kept backing up.

  "R.K., wake up. I don't want to hurt you."

  The Green Ways opened behind her. Teek roared into the campground, which drew R.K. 's attention to him. He ran forward to grab R.K. Reaching out impossibly fast, his hand wrapped around Teek's lower arm. U’ka heard the cracking of wood as R.K. snapped Teek's arm off below the elbow, gaping at the sight which should not have been possible. Iron Oak was unbreakable.

  Teek's eyes widened in disbelief before he gained his composure and shot out vines with his other hand that wrapped around R.K. The vines popped as he struggled against them. She needed to incapacitate him quickly if she was going to save him. U’ka ran forward, reaching for his forehead. He snarled at her and shook his head, trying to avoid her touch. She slapped his forehead and pushed a sleep spell into his body. R.K. threw his head back in one final fit before crumpling to the ground.

  "Teek. Are you going to be alright?"

  He held up his stump to reveal a green sprout already forming to regrow his arm.

  U’ka sheathed her Daemon sword, feeling its eagerness for more blood.

  "Wherever you were, I hope it was important. This could have gone really badly."

  She kneeled next to R.K. to remove Teek's vines and peeled back his eyelids, relieved to see his eyes back to the usual red; his Daemon unconscious again. U’ka shook him but got no response. She covered him with a warm blanket and left him to wake on his own.

  "Well?" she said, looking at Teek.

  He held out his hand to mind share with her. She laid her hand on his saw images of a dense forest, the Weeping Woodlands, one of the oldest forests in Eleanthra. Humans were always forbidden there. Teek stood near the base of a huge, ancient tree completely covered in long, hanging moss. It was at the end of its life and did not wish to renew, deciding it’d lived long enough. Teek reached out and touched the tree's giant trunk. He convinced the ancient being to pass on its knowledge and experience before passing onto the light realm.

  Teek reached into the ancient tree's trunk, pulling out the heartwood and holding in reverence as the consciousness of the great tree faded away. He bowed his head in respect and mourning at the loss of such a powerful force of nature. He absorbed all of the tree's ancient knowledge into his being so it would not be lost forever. It flowed out to the Green Ways, adding to the collective memory of the Green Folk.

  Teek let go of her hand. U’ka fought back tears. She couldn't fully understand what the loss meant to the Green Folk, but some of his emotions bled over during the mind share. He hurt, so she hurt.

  "I'm so sorry, Teek," was all she could say.

  He nodded and pointed to his severed arm on the ground.

  "I'm as shocked as you are. That should not be possible. I'm glad you can regrow limbs."

  R.K. sat up with his hand on his head and let out a low moan. "What happened?"

  "Your Daemon woke up," said U'ka, kneeling beside him. He looked like someone getting off a three-day drinking binge.

  "Wait . . . What? . . . How?" he said, barely able to focus his eyes.

  "Were you aware of what was going on?"

  "No. After my hand was cut everything we
nt black."

  "Hmmm . . . I suspect your Daemon gets its power from the spilling of blood. It woke up when your hand was cut and defended you as his vessel."

  "Did I win the fight?"

  "Well, there are pieces of the men you defeated over there, a few near the tree and a head went flying past me at one point, not sure where it landed," said U'ka, pointing around the campsite.

  "So now I've got this kick-ass ability?"

  "Nooo. I don't think you want to risk waking your Daemon again. Blood Daemons gain power from the spilling of blood. He'll get stronger and take you over completely. If that happens, Teek or I will have to kill you."

  "How did you stop me this time?"

  "I pushed a sleep spell into your body. I wasn't sure it would work, but I'm glad we got you back. You ripped off Teek's arm in the fight just so you know."

  R.K. 's mouth hung open. "I . . . I thought his kind was indestructible," he said, looking at Teek's arm stump.

  "That's always been the belief. You've officially proven it wrong."

  R.K. slowly got to his feet. "I'm really sorry I hurt you, Teek."

  Teek let out a low grumble and waved him off.

  "He's already sprouting a new arm. With luck, he should be whole again in a few hours."

  He let out a sigh of relief. "Thank the gods. I'd feel so awful if it was gone for good."

  "There's a water jug in the caravan. Why don't

  you go get cleaned up while Teek and I take care of the bodies."

  R. K. looked around the campsite for the first time since he woke up, seeing all the carnage he caused. "Who were these men?"

  "Hired swords sent to retrieve you. There's a big, mean someone out there who wants your Daemon really bad."

  "Why me?" he said in a hoarse voice. "I never wanted this."

  "I know," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "We're going to help you get through this, okay? Now go get cleaned up."

  R.K. nodded, walking silently to the caravan.

  U'ka helped Teek drag all the bodies into a pile. Dealing with the dead no longer bothered her, which made her worry about her sanity. The Green Ways shimmered around Teek as he and the bodies disappeared. She didn't know what he was going to do with them and wasn't sure she wanted to know since he was a carnivorous plant.