To the Stars End- Original Soul

by Demetri Grim

  Releasing the lock on his target he charged forward, trailing the spear behind him as he sprinted low to the ground. Lavets swept his hand in an arc once more manifesting his rune array. “Leaf Slash!” He shouted. A rune sparked from his touch and both her brother and his array vanished. Only a flurry of leaves remained. “Leaves? What the hell?” Beka blinked. One second Lavets was there, the next only a swirling vortex of glowing emerald leaves. The goblins seemed just as confused as they halted there, circling as they began to move together, keeping their shields held high and weapons ready. Beady eyes darting about looking for him. A heartbeat later Lavets reappeared, his form materializing in the air several feet above the goblin he had been targeting. Glowing verdant leaves caught in a magical wind spiraled around his chest and arms, flickering in and out of sight. He floated in the air for a moment, his momentum holding him aloft before he dropped from the sky.

  “Is that what his aura looks like?” She mused as the glinting crimson tip of the spear locked onto the goblin’s rapidly beating heart once more. He lunged forward as he fell and the spear slid into the goblin’s back without any hint of resistance. Lavets landed gracefully behind the filthy thing. Despite his heavy-looking scale armor he was completely silent. The leaves fluttered down around the pair as he came to rest. The goblins stood there for a moment, blinking stupidly at the length of blood-slick crimson sticking out from the soon-to-be-dead goblin’s chest. The off green color of the blood standing out against the bright metallic shine of Heartseekers. “Nice one brother! Did you get the leader?!”

  At her shout the goblins broke out of their stupor with a cry of rage and rushed him. The closest one swung its filth-stained club toward him just as he swept his arm through another rune array. “Fade!” he shouted. A rune flared and he blurred slightly, the club passing through his almost transparent body. He touched another of his runes as he leapt away. She recognized it as the leaf slash rune just before he vanished, dispersing into a spray of verdant leaves. The goblin pack screamed again another heartbeat later, and Lavets appeared to the side of the goblin that had struck at him. He slashed the spear upwards with one hand. The blade arced wide as a glowing trail of embers followed in Heartseeker’s wake. The blade passing through the goblin’s neck without any resistance. His martial dance spinning him around the decapitated goblin, narrowly avoiding another club strike as his array appeared once more. He again vanished from sight.

  As cowardly and stupid as they were, the savage creatures were quick to adapt, their survival instincts honed from generations of slaughter at the hands of adventurers. Each of the goblins lifted their shields the moment leaves appeared and marked his return. Heartseeker flashed out of the vortex of vibrant green in a hard downwards stroke, connecting this time not with flesh but with the edge of a goblin’s crudely carved shield. The hewing blade of the spear slicing deeply into the wood, splitting it in half. The goblin behind cried out in pain as the speartip sheared though its arm. The shield falling away in a spray of ichor. Four clubs all swung in unison at him as they capitalized on their fallen brethren’s wounding.

  “Lavets watch out!” Beka cried and held her breath as he spun away from the closest attack. Using Heartseeker to parry another strike his array flashed to life and he faded away once more, untouched by the last two filth-covered clubs.

  The small savage monsters surged forward, swinging wildly in the open air where he stood. His fade spell lasting just long enough for him to withdraw before he solidified. His hand snapping up to his array as the wounded goblin lunged at him, its stump spraying blood across the ground. “Disperse!” He shouted and his aura burst to life. It surrounded him in a flurry of leaves, dissolving his form in emerald light that rushed through the goblins and streamed along the arena floor towards her. With a gust of wind that made her eyes water as it carried the goblins stink back to her, her brother reappeared. Glowing blue green eyes gazing up at her. He shook his head and let out a suffering sigh. “Please, don't help me.” His voice was monotone as he held her gaze. His expression flat.

  Beka blushed and fidgeted, working to find words that did not sound pathetic.“Sorry, I just wanted to help.” She chewed at her bottom lip and tucked a strand of hair.

  His face split into a wide grin and he beamed up at her. “I'm just kidding, that was a good call sis. I did not expect them to react that quickly. I don't think these are ordinary goblins.”

  She returned his smile and sighed, sticking out her tongue at him, glad he was not upset with her. “Why do you say that? They looked like ordinary goblins to me, though I only have descriptions from stories and first hand accounts from adventurers and mercenaries to go on.”

  “Because, I have already killed the leader as far as I can tell. Twice actually.” He grinned up at her before his face schooled and his eyes darted to her side. A chill of ice creeping up her spine. She knew what that had to mean. He was back.

  “They are all raid leaders. Captives, stripped of their warparties. They will not flee unless you break there spirit fully. Tell me Sir Lavets now that I have seen your magic in practical use. That is what the sprites call leaf dancing, is it not?” Kindredstar asked. His tones made it clear he already knew the answer. “The Wildland Elves from my home land call it wind step. It is a defensive magic I never thought could be put to use as an attack. Did I hear you right when you called it Leaf Slash, or some such nonsense?” The mage leaned up against the low wall and peered down into the arena at the goblins a moment before turning his gaze onto her brother. “Whatever you call your magic, it is nonetheless a particularly powerful set of runes to find being used by a half breed.” She felt her brows knit together, what kind of a remark was that? Half elves were well respected, they had family lines as long as some full blood elves. More than that, Lavets was a true half elf. Both his father and their mother were half-elfs. Lavets was anything but a half breed, unlike herself. She opened her mouth to remark when the mage continued, ignoring her fuming as he addressed only her brother.

  “You are using your family's rune array I see. I did not expect it to work so well. Try casting a rune through the spear itself as a Magi would use a rod or wand as a focus. You’re only accessing the etherium within the weapon passively with how you are doing it. If the rune array of the weapon is a malleable as you claim you should be able to transfer a rune from your array into the blade’s own.” The mage leaned back from the wall and turned to look at her. Her fury at his remark faded as his instructions piqued her curiosity.

  “Will that work?” Beka knew the spear had an aura of its own, powered by the etherium and that it created the weapon’s array with its own magic... but how was her brother supposed to add his to it. Or was that part of the power of etherium? She supposed if any one knew how the rare ores magic enhancing effects worked it would be Lord Kindredstar.

  “Under normal circumstances no, but I believe this weapon will allow it, your brother is particularly skilled with his rare magic. And your family's rune array is remarkably versatile as well considering his use of it here.” He turned to address her taking on a tone of an educator that reminded her of how her mother got when she was preparing to give a lecture. She stifled a sigh. This time she actually wanted to know what he had to say. She had only a few misgivings about that fact, but he was a very powerful mage so it could not hurt to listen. “ Most battlemages use a sword and shield. Many can even push their aura into a solid barrier, forming their array itself into a shield of magical force. Others manifest them onto the back of a handheld armored shield. There they can then access there spells without ever dropping their guard. Most magi are slowed down to cast their spells, but not your brother. That is why I chose him.” His eyes flashed and he turned to Lavets. Her brother nodded silently and lifted Heartseeker. She frowned at she watched their exchange, his comment from before the fight coming back to mind.

  A glob of filth suddenly splattered against the wall of the arena near them. They all turned to look back at the goblins.
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  The goblins could not have been more than a few yards away chittering and growling angrily, their beady eyes narrowed as they gestured threateningly. The one armed goblin looked weak but clearly the most upset as he ripped a rotting chicken head from another goblin’s shield and tossed it towards them. Fear and hatred in equal parts flickering across their faces as the noble turned to regard them with disinterest. Lavets took a step towards the monsters. Closing his eyes to concentrate on the spell he wanted, he thrust the spear and his hand forward. His array appeared above the filigree of the blade. The spear pulsed once and its own crimson aura brightened as a rune from Lavets’s array flickered. She thought she recognized it as the one he used to cast Leaf Slash a second before it vanished. His array disappearing only for it to reappear and hang in the air above the pulsing crimson glow of the weapon.

  “Did it work?” she asked. Lavets looked over his shoulder with a smirk, winked at her, and vanished. The flutter of leaves from his spell now flickered with embers as if the leaves had caught fire and smoldered. It reminded her of her own aura mixed with his and she felt her grin widen. Beka leaned forward over the wall in excitement as he appeared next to the pack of angry goblins. “Get em Lavets! Chop there stinking heads off!” She cheered and hollered a whoop of excitement. Her voice ringing out over the empty arena as if this was a match at the tournament proper. The elf lord took a step away from her with a huff.

  When the goblins rounded on Lavets once more he vanished almost instantly, appearing first on the group of monsters’ right, then left, behind, above, and finally directly before the frontmost confused and angry goblin. Not once did he summon his rune array. The red leaves of his maneuver spiraled around the confused goblins blocking their vision of where he would appear next, beady eyes wide in fear. Apparently they had some idea about how magic should work. This was unlike anything she had ever heard of. To cast spells without an array was a power only Primals were able to do, and now it seemed her brother. As he appeared one last time in the center of the pack he snapped his fingers. The fluttering leaves around the monsters burst into tiny flames and vanished, revealing himself in their midst. The shocked monsters hissed as one, raised there weapons threateningly and then scattered in all directions in fear. Locking Heartseeker onto his chosen target as their cries of anger became screeches of fear. He took a single step forward and vanished. Heartseeker plunged into the chest of the goblin savage he had wounded before. It gave a gurgle and took a weak swing at him. The monster’s filth covered club passing through only open air and a flutter of smoldering crimson tinted leaves as he vanished again.

  Another flash of light blossomed twenty yards away as Lavets leapt forward from the vortex of his spell with a wide horizontal slash. The ember wake of the spear lingering in the air as the blade effortlessly sliced through another of the goblin’s chests. A vortex of leaves and light appearing just above the ground as he passed the slain goblin. Beka could almost swear his feet never once touched the arena floor, his body seemed to drop into the ground itself as he triggered his magic. The cascade of crimson leaves from his spells flared into tiny flames as the top half came free of the monster’s bottom. The tiny legs of the monster continued to run a few paces before falling into a heap.

  Less than three yards ahead of the severed remains, the fastest of the goblins screeched and skidded to a halt as it looked back at its fallen kin. Its beady eyes darting about for its brother. She grinned and held back another cheer of encouragement as she watched the monster’s eyes widen in horror. As a single red leaf passed its vision. The creature snapped its head around as the glinting spear slid into its stomach and out it's back, dripping with filthy ichor. Lavets heaved the spear upwards, the goblin split in half as if it was nothing more than paper. Her brother vanished seconds before the spray of goblin gore splattered into the place he was standing. The two halves of the goblin fell to each side of the sparking flames of his leaves. Within seconds, only one goblin remained. The last monster scratched and clawed at the stone surrounding the sides of the arena. The inward slant of the barricade wall keeping the now disarmed monster from getting any purchase as it tried in vain to flee. Her brother appeared once again at the bottom of the wall, breathing hard but his eyes were wild with excitement.

  “By the, God's, what a, rush. ” He bent over at the waist catching his breath. The spear glimmering in his hand and seeming to pulse in time with his breaths. “With my array in the spear I don't even have to open it! I can trigger the effect with only a slight push of my aura into the weapon. I adjusted the spear’s array to work automatically and use the last rune triggered. This spear is amazing sister!”

  “Have you determined the use of the orb then?” The elf asked. Both of them looked at him confused a moment before turning their attention to the spear. Only then did she notice the orb in question. Within the crimson metal ring at the end of the spear a slowly pulsing crystalline orb the same off-green color of goblin blood floated within the center.

  “What the bloody hell is that!” Beka exclaimed before blushing brightly and slapping her hands over her mouth. Turning to peer at her brother and then again at the noble who looked down his nose at her.

  “I was under the impression you as the weaponsmith, should know.” The elf lord’s tone was teasing and accusatory at the same time. It unnerved her enough to silence her usual sarcastic comeback. She did not want to get her family in any more trouble with the possibly murderous elf. Instead she just bit her lip and responded with the truth.

  “The ring was just decorative when we designed it, a place to tie things or put a retrieval cord if you were going to throw it.” She tucked her loose strand of hair behind her ear and dropped her hands to the hem of her shirt. “I never thought it would do anything, it was not even used in the enchanting.” She fidgeted nervously and glanced between the two men before looking to her brother. “Might it have something to do with whatever you did to its array?”

  “It might, but this time I think this is on you sister.” He shot her a smirk as she frowned at him.

  “My fault! How the hell is it my fault?” She huffed at him and shook her head.

  “I can't help but notice that every time I use the spell it changes, adds shall we say a little spark to it?” He smiled wider. “The Windstep spell rune I use for my Leaf Slash shifts me slightly into the Wildlands. That's how I disappear. It's like stepping through a doorway. Normally it's a serene sensation, I can feel the energy of the wildlands with every step, but when I use the spear to cast the spell rune it’s something else entirely. It's not the verdant life of the wildlands I feel but something else.” He turned to look up at the magelord. "I would say it feels almost elemental when cast from the spear.” The mage nodded to him and leaned in to whisper back and forth. The Elf Lord manifested his own array with a flash of blue light. The same cold flicker and spiral of runes surrounded his hand just as they had done in the smithy. She felt her nose scrunch as he hid the light of his spell behind the sleeve of his elaborate robe.

  “What does that have to do with anything?” Beka was not following the silent exchange between the two and once more she began to worry for her brother in his dealings with this noble. “Hey! What does elemental magic have to do with anything!” She asked again. The both of them ignored her and she blew out a sigh. “Typical mages. Whenever it has to do with magic you always have to be so damn mysterious about it. It’s bloody annoying.” She muttered under her breath as they continued to quietly converse with each other. A flash of crimson light lit up the elf and her brother’s face a moment before the noble stood again and waved off her brother, who in turn looked up at her with a bright smile. Beka lifted a questioning eyebrow at him but he only shrugged and said nothing.

  “Fascinating." The noble’s sharp voice broke into the silence. "Finish this test then and clear the arena grounds. I want a second opinion on the weapon’s capabilities.” The elf turned his glowing blue gaze to Beka, interrupting her silent pleading at
Lavets. “You will join me after. I have another job for you.” His words left no doubt in her mind that this job was an order and not a request.

  “Of course, my lord.” She nodded her head and bit back a frown, turning her gaze to her brother. A flicker of concern in his eye was quickly replaced with his usual bright smirk.

  “How about we test your theory about throwing this weapon shall we?” He smiled reassuringly and made a show of tossing the spear into the air.

  The spear flickered and disappeared into a flurry of cinders and smoldering leaves before reappearing in his hand. All three of them stopped and stared as Heartseeker unveiled another of its mysteries. “Did it just…” Lavets trailed off, marvelling appreciatively at the weapon. His hand swiping his array into being as he studied the weapon, his hand flashing over a completely different set of runes than the ones he used for fighting.

  “Fascinating.” Came the elf's dry response once more. “ It is not surprising. Clearly the spell is maintained by the spear, it is only natural it would have an effect on it directly. Now quit dawdling and finish your task as I asked.” He swept his hand dismissively through the air and turned away. “Bring the spear to the Menagerie young miss. When your kin is finished.” He disappeared once more down the alcove. With him gone she let out a sigh and rubbed her arms, trying to release the tension and odd chill that crept into her bones every time the elf magister was near.

  Returning her attention to Lavets, Beka leaned back over the wall. The goblin was on the far side now trying to scurry along the edge of the arena desperately looking for a way out. “It's like a rat looking for its hole.” She absently commented and leaned her elbows on the walls edge, her head in her palm. “They really are just as gross and pathetic as the stories claim.”