by Erik Weir
Victor’s expression stayed the same, unsure what she was asking exactly. Lily on the other hand shook her head.
“We are not ready to go there,” the demoness stated.
Shyryth gave Lily a somber exhale. “I understand the lands to the east are dangerous. I could travel there myself but I would prefer the company. From what I know of Vala’s ways, high priests and priestesses like yourselves grow by connecting to others. I am more than willing to aid you…if you travel with me to my destination.”
The red dragon woman looked to Victor, “Or I could go alone and if I perish…”
Victor smiled. “We would never let you go alone. Of course, we will accompany you.”
A vein throbbed along Lily’s forehead. “Victor, we don’t have any sleeping gear, camping supplies or the power to be safe in the Forsaken Lands. You’re not…”
“Ready,” Victor cut her off. “I know I’m not ready, but like you and Cassandra said, I’ll learn as I go.”
Dawn stepped closer, “I can help guide you to the Forsaken Lands. I’ve been there a few times and know the towns along the border. If we leave now, I know an inn we can stay in for the night and be to one of the border towns by tomorrow evening.”
“You speak,” Lily said in a sarcastic tone.
Dawn turned her attention to Victor and Shyryth. “The only payment I ask for is when the time comes; you help me when I need it.”
“Ominous,” Victor smiled.
The elf with glasses held out her hand. “Do we have an accord?”
Victor took the elf’s hand and gave it a firm shake. “We have an accord.”
Lily rolled her eyes.
“Shall we be off,” Shyryth smiled.
***
The sun moved slowly across the alien sky. Victor looked up, seeing the rising of a moon in the distance, followed by another. The group of four spoke little as they travelled through the peaceful forest. Lily led the way as Shyryth followed. Victor knew he was looking around like a tourist, but it didn’t really faze him as he enjoyed gazing on the mystical woods. Dawn stayed to the rear, occasionally directing where they had to go but her body language suggested she wanted to stay to the back.
Victor found in some quiet moments, his gaze lingering of each of the women in the group. A song played to his spirit and he could see a similar tune playing between them. Thoughts spiraled back to Dawn in the library, remembering her words and wondering who else she knew who needed Vala’s help.
The sun sank lower, touching the horizon. A third moon began to rise as the other two climbed the darkening sky. A chill filled the air and Victor looked down at his shirt. It was ripped and torn at his side, keeping very little warmth. If they didn’t reach the inn soon, the young man wondered if he would catch a cold in a world of myths and monsters.
“It’s not much farther,” Dawn said loudly from the rear.
The rest of the group nodded. Victor looked ahead and when his eyes lingered on Lily, she stumbled a little and quickly caught herself. The demoness in human skin continued to walk as if nothing happened. Shyryth looked to the woods around them, her wings folded back. Victor glanced back to Dawn; the elf silent as she walked.
Picking up his pace, Victor walked past Shyryth and reached Lily’s side. It was then when he noticed a strange look in her eyes. Lily continued to walk, barely acknowledging Victor as he walked to her right.
“Are you okay,” Victor asked.
“I’m fine,” the demoness said sharply.
The Blade mentally shrugged but stayed at her side. “I was able to use my influence during the fight with the War Wolves. I didn’t know it would increase my natural abilities.”
Lily glanced to the Blade before turning her gaze back to the small dirt path. “Using your spheres of influence, you can give yourself an edge in almost any situation. What you should understand is that is can be short lived unless you’re using one of your abilities. Every power, ability or feat may require some influence. The more you spend, the more powerful the actions you can take.”
Victor nodded. “I used my strength and my charisma. Each point came back after an hour. Is that the normal rate?”
Lily blinked. “I think I understand what you’re asking. Yes, the spheres regenerate once per hour. I don’t understand what you mean by points. I see my abilities as orbs filled with water. Once they are used, the water in the orbs shrinks.”
“It seems like it is different for each of us,” Victor said lightly.
“We all come from very different backgrounds. Vala, like any god or goddess, allows a deeper understanding from what you know or experienced.”
Lily’s foot gave a little as she took a step. The Shield stumbled and Victor was quick to catch her arm. Helping her regain her stride, the demoness pulled her arm away and even growled a little.
Victor’s brow hardened. “I don’t want to be rude but what is your problem? You nearly fell and I wanted to help. You’ve been grumpy this entire time. Is being my Shield that much of a problem?”
Lily’s hard eyes turned to the Blade, the last rays of sunlight fading from the sky. Victor could see an internal dialogue happening behind her purple eyes. It seemed to reach its zenith and purple eyes saddened.
“I…I apologize. My upbringing sometimes gets the better of me. My people…despise weakness.”
Victor kept a stern look, “You think I’m weak?”
Lily reluctantly nodded. “You may not think it…but you are. I don’t wish to be mean…but this quest we are on can be very dangerous. The Forsaken Lands can be a difficult place. I don’t believe you’re ready for it, not yet.”
“Then help me be ready. What do I need to know?”
Lily tilted her head up, the last rays of sunlight gone and the twinkling of stars filled the clear night sky. Three moons gave the trees a glow as the air grew colder by the moment.
“The realm of Eddor has two very powerful factions. To the west are the lush, mystical lands of Casters. It is an ideology that mana and magic can be drawn peacefully from all living things. Their way has been the true way in these lands for tens of thousands of years. They draw on enough mana to weave spells and magic.”
Lily’s head tilted down, shadows covering her eyes. “To the east are the Forsaken Lands. There dwells a different sort of people who use magic in a new and alien way. They appeared over a hundred years ago but many have flocked to their side to learn the art of being a Slinger. It is a potent way of using magic and mana in a way never thought of before.”
Shyryth walked up to Victor’s right side. “Slingers are able to craft special weapons called ‘guns’. They harvest mana and distill it into a pure form not seen on Eddor. Their mana charged weapons can break magic shields and even split spells. Because of how dangerous they are, many of the kingdoms to the west have outlawed Slingers. Any who come over the border are arrested…or killed on sight.”
Victor and Lily looked to the dragon woman but Victor was the one to speak up.
“What are you looking for beyond the border?”
Shyryth looked to Victor with an almost shy, sweet expression. “It’s personal but not personal where your lives are in danger. I’m happy to have…,” Shyryth trailed off as her serpent eyes turned to the shadowy forest around them.
Lily’s eyes also perked up, hand reaching out and her staff appearing. Dawn stepped closer to the group, turning around and drawing her dagger. Victor spun around; iron sword sliding into his hand as he searched the inky darkness around them. He had no idea what the women sensed, but it was a clear threat if they all were on edge. Before he could ask a question, a patch of darkness writhed, falling from the side of a tree.
The group turned their attention to the thing mewling about like a black maggot. Small sad moans rose up as its thick form bended, shifted and moved, crawling closer to the four. Lily’s hand grabbed Victor by the arm but it was Shyryth who took a step forward, opened her mouth and blasted out a thin stream of fire. The forest l
it up as dragon fire surged ahead and struck the black thing on the ground. The moans grew louder as the shadow reared up.
Victor stood, frozen. Shyryth continued to pour fire from her mouth as the shadow rippled and groaned. A face began to take shape as crisscrossed markings formed into tormented eyes and a misshapen mouth oozed clear bile. The rest of its form was black as pitch. Shyryth’s eyes widened as a tentacle formed and lashed out. It struck her across the midsection, bending her in half and forcing her mouth shut in the process. The dragon woman was thrown back like a bullet, her body slamming into a thick tree, sending shards of bark into the air.
Lily pulled Victor back as he stared at the dark monster crawling toward them. Eyes moved in different directions as it approached. The mouth gaped open and closed like it didn’t know how to breathe. Bile touched the moonlight grass and blades of dim green turned brown and white before crumbling away. A foreboding gloom seeped into the area, attaching and cooling muscles, hearts and bones.
Run before it’s too late!
Victor’s legs refused to work, his mind caught in the creatures haunting, disfigured face. Lily shouted to the Blade, trying to pull him away, but the world became silent, the horror edging closer. Time slowed and all Victor could feel was madness and despair as the thing oozed closer, rising up with thin, black hands.
Shyryth was to her clawed feet, hand out and arcane words spilling from her lips. Lightning crackled from finger to finger until mana blurred together and blasted out with a thunderous boom. Victor watched as lightning struck the shadow and it screamed. Several more black arms formed and they lashed out. Lily stepped before Victor, staff spinning and knocking away each incoming hand with incredible speed. The demoness’s staff moved in a blur, blocking the shadow as it tried to move closer, odd eyes focusing on Victor.
If you won’t run, FIGHT!
Something cracked in Victor as he spent a point of his Strength. Power surged into his limbs as he darted to the side and leapt at the shadowy monster. Iron sword flashing, he drove the point down into the bulk of its mass and twisted the blade. The shadow continued to moan as a tentacle arm lashed out, striking Victor across the chest and sending him flying twenty feet back. The Blade hit the ground, losing his sword and rolling to a stop. Strength pumping into his body, he pushed himself off the ground and back to his feet. Hand out, the iron sword flew into his hand. Before he could charge again, Shyryth let loose a barrage of lightning bolts while Lily slammed her staff into the monster again and again.
The shadow reared up again, arms spilling out and ready to overwhelm the demoness but the lightning attacks stalled it. Lily’s human looking form vanished as her demon self appeared. With a loud growl, she reared back a glowing white fist. With a defiant shout, she rammed it into the misshapen shadow. The thing roared as light burned at it. A tentacle came down like a whip as Dawn slammed into the succubus and they both hit the ground. The tentacle hit the ground where Lily had stood not a moment before. Dirt and rock shot up like a cannon blast, sending debris into the air.
Shyryth opened her mouth and blasted out a new stream of fire while her hands unleashed lightning attacks. The shadow moaned and groaned, the three attacks burning away bits of darkness. With one last moan, it turned and writhed away. The shadow splintered into several small shadows and slipped away from sight. The forest glowed in the moonlight as calm returned.
Lily looked up to Dawn as she slowly stood up. “Thank you.”
The elf said nothing as she turned away. Victor rushed to Lily’s side, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet. The Blade looked on her with concern, black horns shining in the moonlight and her pointed tail trembling with an agitated vibration.
“What the hell was that,” Victor said a little too loudly.
“A shadow,” Lily and Shyryth said in unison.
Lily continued, “They are lost spirits…or souls. They wander the realms, chaotic and monstrous.”
“They are a burden to every land and realm. Light and…,” Shyryth looked to Lily, “…and healing are the only things that seem to hurt them.”
The dragon woman bowed her head to the succubus. “Pardon my surprise, but I never knew a demon could heal.”
Lily’s eyes glowed a dim crimson as she looked away. “We can’t.”
Victor looked out to the dark trees where the shadow disappeared, “Will it come back?”
“Maybe,” Dawn spoke up, “That is why we should keep going. We will have a better chance to stay alive by the border towns.”
“Why is it safer by the border towns,” Victor asked as he rubbed his chest where the shadow tentacle had struck him.
“Slingers are the only people that can effectively kill shadows,” Shyryth said.
Dawn nodded. Victor raised an eyebrow; thoughts clawing up from the deepest parts of his logic, asking how such things could even exist. Lily moved to the Blade, touching him and pumping energy into his body. The sharp pain in his chest blunted and soon drifted away.
Dawn took the lead, pointing at the forest ahead of them. “The inn is not far. We might be safe for the night if we keep moving.”
***
The inn was nearly empty as the group stepped through the door. A snoring lone figure slumped in a chair by a corner. The innkeeper was leaning against a counter, nearly falling asleep before standing up at the sound of the newcomers. The room was weathered and several blast marks were on the walls and even on the ceiling.
Victor took it in with cool eyes. “This place seems homey. I wonder if they charge extra for the bed bugs.”
Dawn moved to the warm hearth, putting out her pale hands and rubbing them together. Shyryth moved to the counter, snapping her fingers. A gold pouch appeared out of nowhere and several gold coins floated up and landed on the thick wooden counter.
The innkeeper smiled with missing teeth. “Welcome to the Manticore Inn. The place is empty so you have the pick of the rooms on the second floor. I can have meals made and bring you drinks to chase away the chill.”
Shyryth smiled, “Thank you. Mead for the others and rum for me, please serve us your finest meal.”
The innkeeper bowed, “Of course Mistress. Will that be all?”
“For now, yes.”
The innkeeper hurried off as Lily moved to a table by the fireplace. Dawn took another seat opposite the demon in human skin. Victor stepped over, sitting next to Lily as Shyryth sat in the last empty chair. The four sat in silence for a long moment before the innkeeper came out with a tray of drinks. Setting them down in front of everyone, eyes looked at the liquids.
Victor didn’t realize it but he hadn’t eaten since he left his realm behind. Hunger roared as his stomach made sad grumbles. Not able to wait for the food, he needed something in his stomach. Lifting up the mug of mead, he gulped it down in short order. Putting the mug down, it barely could keep his hunger at bay but his eyes lit up when the innkeeper returned with steaming trays of food.
Victor could barely contain himself as he gazed upon the freshly cooked pieces of lamb and ham laid before him, with some meager vegetables completing the meal. Without a word, he picked up a two-pronged fork and serrated knife and dug in. The others followed suit, their eyes on the young man as he chewed and swallowed like a beast after a fresh kill. The uncertain mood melted away as smiles bloomed, food and drink filling bellies.
The hearth crackled as the small group sat back, their hunger and thirst slacked. Victor’s eyes grew heavy as a pleasant fullness whispered along his senses. Dawn was first to stand up. Without a word, she moved to the stairs and began climbing them until she was out of sight.
Shyryth looked to Lily and then Victor. “I too shall retire. We will begin our journey again at first light.”
“Should we see you to your room,” Victor asked, the mead going directly to his head.
The dragon woman gave the Blade a small smile. “Normally that would be lovely but I fear I may take advantage of you in your happy state. As promised, there wil
l be rewards, once we reach Black Stone Tower.”
“Is that the name of the town,” Lily asked, her eyes growing heavy.
Shyryth nodded. “It is. It’s not far past the border. I do believe our elf friend will know it well for I only know the name and this is my first time leaving the west.”
The dragon woman stood up and gave the pair a gentle bow. “I’ll see you both at first light.”
Victor picked up his third mug of mead and guzzled it down while waving to the beautiful dragon. Lily sipped her drink, eyes solemn as the dragon woman moved to the stairs, climbed them and was gone from sight.
Lily turned her attention to Victor as he put the mug down, a stupid smile on his face and rosy cheeks.
“That has to be the best meal I have ever had. The mead was really good too!”
Lily’s eyes looked away for a moment.
“Something you want to talk about,” Victor asked with a slight slur.
Lily’s brow hardened. Standing up, she reached down and grabbed Victor by the wrist. The Blade found himself pulled up and dragged along by the surprisingly strong Shield. The climb up the stairs was quick. Victor tried to keep his senses alert as Lily dragged him down the hall. Many rooms lined one side of the long hallway. Two were closed but the rest were slightly ajar. The Shield pulled Victor along until they reached an empty room.
Victor didn’t fight as he was nearly pushed into the room and Lily closed the door behind them. The mead was in full swing as Victor spun around once, legs touched the bed and he flopped onto his back. The bed bounced to his body and quickly settled down.
Lily stepped closer, her form shifting to her true self. Victor looked up; lantern light painting her light purple skin with shadowy touches. Purple eyes now red, they seemed to gaze into Victor’s spirit as he lay.
“Victor...,” Lily began.
The Blade sat up, eyeing the succubus with a kind edge. “Are you alright?”
Lily’s gaze met his, softness touching the corners of her eyes, “No, not at this moment.”
