Blinded by their hateful lust, the bandits had pursued Venna and Tási as they fled down the narrow trail. The three suddenly found that the tables had been turned when Broda, Khorim, and Stel jumped out at them from the forest. Stel tossed Venna her mace and Broda handed Tási her staff as the two groups faced off against each other.
Confident in the outcome of that fight, I turned my attention back to the camp. With my traps having killed or captured ten of the bandits, and the three I had let chase after Venna and Tási, I was left with only two bandits unaccounted for.
I spotted the first one as he climbed down from the guard tower. Drawing back on my bow, I sighted in on him and released a Swarm arrow. The arrow flew unerringly, and the three shafts flung his body backwards when they impacted across his chest. The bandit’s health bar vanished, and I paid him no further attention as I sought out my final target.
I spotted him as he inched his way slowly outside the camp’s gate, trying to avoid falling into the spike pit I had placed across the entrance. It was the bandit scout we had seen the night before, attempting to sneak away from the carnage. But I had no intention of letting him escape, and I nocked another arrow. Casting Penetrator, I aimed for his leg. The arrow flew fast and slammed into his calf as he pressed against the stockade wall. The bandit screamed in pain as the shaft impaled him, pinning his leg to the wall behind him. With the rest of the bandits still entangled in my vines, I rushed to join my friends in case their battle had not gone as smoothly as I thought, but my concerns were unfounded.
The three bandits lay dead, scattered across the narrow path. Venna and Tási still wore their light dresses, but with the bloodstains streaked across them, the outfits had lost most of their appeal.
“Sorry about your dresses,” I smirked at them.
“Don’t you ever make me do anything like that again,” Venna grumbled as she futilely tried to wipe away the stains.
“I don’t know,” Tási replied cheerily. “I thought it was kind of fun.”
“If you three are finished, there’s still a few left alive down there,” Khorim said, jerking his thumb in the direction of the camp.
Remembering my purpose, I turned back to the camp and marched intently towards the remaining bandits. Stopping before the trapped criminals, I asked a single question.
“Is your leader here?”
“Let us go!” One replied. “You killed him already, he’s at the bottom of that hole!”
Peering into the spike pit yielded no clues as to which one might have been the leader.
“Please let us go!” Another bandit cried.
“Do you know why I’m here?” I replied icily.
“We found the wagons you raided by the roadside,” I said when none of them responded. “I saw what you did to those people. To the men, the little boys. To the women. To the one you tortured to death.”
“I’m here for them.”
My rage took over as I recalled the sight of the broken and abused bodies. Drawing the Essence Blade from behind my back I swung at them, striking each between the legs in turn, mutilating their bodies just as I had done to Seera’s killers. I left them to suffer and die slowly as I turned to the last bandit, still pinned to the stockade wall by my arrow. As I closed in on him someone may have spoken, I cannot recall, but I thought I heard dim voices calling to me through the thick haze of my fury.
I intended to strike him down, just as I had done to the other bandits. As I closed in on him, I stared into his eyes without remorse, knowing full well the excruciating agony I was about to inflict on the vile piece of shit. He recognized his fate as well and recoiled against the stockade wall in abject terror.
My rage boiled inside me, but somewhere through my seething hatred, a thought came to me. As I drew closer to the last bandit, I put away my blade and pulled the glove from my hand.
I stood before him at arm’s length and gathered all my rage into a dark, wicked ball. Unlike earlier, I left all of its jagged edges and sharp points fully intact as I reached out towards him. Laying my hand across his throat, I channeled the ball of raw hatred and poured it into his body.
The bandit jerked as the power of the dark energy sliced through him. His body spasmed and I sensed every nerve in his body react as they overloaded with intense pain. Blood flowed freely from his nose and mouth and the clear orbs of his eyes turned milky white before bursting apart. The wet snapping of bones shattering inside him reverberated back through my arm as the raw energy continued to wreak its havoc on him. He jerked and spasmed in agony as I held him by the neck, pinning his body to the wall, refusing to allow him to escape even a single second of his well-deserved punishment. When I felt the last shred of life pass from his body, I finally released my grip, letting his body crumble to the ground in a boneless heap.
While I had not felt any of his pain, the exertion of maintaining the dark energy had taken its toll on me as well. As soon as it ended, I stumbled backwards, and my head spun dizzily. Unable to maintain my balance, I fell to the ground.
Everything after that was a haze. I recall my friends helping me up, and then… nothing. The next thing I was aware of was waking up in inside my tent.
“How are you feeling?” Venna’s soft voice came to me.
“Tired. Headache.” I mumbled.
“Whatever you did, it took a lot out of you,” she soothed. “Have a drink, then rest.”
She sat me upright and held a glass of water for me as I drank. When I finished it, Venna laid me back down and I immediately fell into darkness once more.
The next time I awoke, I had a bit more energy. I got up and was about to step outside when I noticed that I was only wearing my nightdress. My equipment was lying in the corner, and as I put on my gear, I wondered just how long I had been unconscious. Obviously long enough for someone to think that I needed a change of clothes.
I finally emerged from the tent and realized that my companions had set up camp inside the walls of the bandit compound.
“You should be resting!” Venna scolded before I could get my bearings.
“I think I’m better,” I replied. “How long was I out?”
“Three days, Dreya,” she replied, her voice filled with concern as she looked me over. “You were unconscious for three days.”
“Is there anything to eat?” I asked absently, somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of time that had passed.
“Ugh!” Venna grunted in frustration at my response. “Come with me, I’ll get you some food.”
Venna led me to the small campfire where everyone else was gathered. For some reason, they had decided to make camp in the middle of the compound, apparently avoiding any of the bandit’s buildings. Everyone started to speak as I approached, but their words withered away under Venna’s intense glare.
I sat down where she indicated, still operating in somewhat of a haze. Venna placed a bowl in my hands and I ate slowly, tasting nothing as I consumed whatever it was she had given me. When I was done, Venna took the bowl from my hands before sitting down beside me.
“We couldn’t wake you,” she said softy. “There was nothing we could do. We tried everything, Dreya. My magic, healing crystals—nothing worked.”
Her voice cracked as she spoke, and she took a moment to gather herself before continuing.
“Can you tell me what you did?” Venna asked. “Maybe if I knew, I might be able to help if it happens again.”
“Do you remember when I sent my feelings to you and Tási?”
“Yes, I do,” she replied.
“I did the same thing to him,” I told her, my voice becoming firmer as I recalled my bitter anger. “But instead of love and affection, I filled him with my rage and hatred.”
“Oh my,” Venna said in shock.
“I don’t think I should practice that particular talent on anyone I care about,” I added.
“No,” she replied. “Absolutely not.”
I explained to her what little I could remember after the band
it’s death. She listened closely but confessed that she was still at a loss for what to do should it ever occur again.
“I’m sorry that I caused you so much concern,” I offered after a pause. “I didn’t know it would be so draining.
“We were all very worried Dreya,” Venna answered. “But it seems that you’re alright now. Hopefully the experience will help you in the long run.”
Venna pronounced me fit for a short discussion, and my friends eagerly welcomed me back among them with a round of greetings. We spoke for a while, and I assured them that I was fine. Although I tried to stay awake, I soon felt tired once again, and when I failed to stifle a yawn, Venna declared it time for me to rest again and bundled me off back to my tent.
She had just wrapped me in blankets and was about to leave me to fall asleep again. I was barely able to keep my eyes open, but I asked her the question that had been bothering me since I first woke up.
“Are you angry with me?”
I didn’t have to explain; Venna knew what I meant. She had expressed her disapproval when I had slaughtered Jorum and his fellow criminals, insisting that I should have dispatched them more humanely. While I had killed the bandits trapped in my snares in a similar fashion to Jorum’s men, what I’d done to the last bandit was far worse than anything I had ever done before.
“No,” Venna replied. “I would not have done what you did, but I do not object to your actions.”
Her complete reversal caught me off guard. She had been so adamant in her near condemnation of me that I couldn’t comprehend the sudden change. The confusion must have been clear on my face, and she elaborated.
“I thought poorly of you for the way you took the lives of those criminals in Hasse,” she explained. “But I was the one who was wrong.”
“My entire moral code was based on theory, on academic speculation. In all of my travels, I had never been confronted with the utter barbarism of true evil. I had never witnessed the harsh reality of its cruelty until we came across those bodies.”
“Seeing how those helpless people had been so viciously slaughtered, the merciless torture of that one poor woman,” she paused, momentarily overcome by the vivid memory. “Made me realize that you were right. The pain you inflicted on them, those final few moments of suffering, were only a fraction of what they deserved. Their crimes warranted far worse punishment than what you did to them.”
“Before, I saw only your actions, and falsely viewed them in the same light as theirs. What I didn’t realize was that motivation matters even more. While they were driven by perverse cruelty, you sought justice and a measure of revenge. They picked their targets at random, you only punish the guilty.”
“I cannot bring myself to do what you do, but I’m glad you can.”
“Thank you Venna,” I whispered as my eyes slowly closed shut.
I woke some time later to find Tási curled up next to me. She had either snuck in, or Venna felt that I had improved enough to allow me the company. Regardless of the reason, I was glad to feel the warmth of her body next to me. Wrapping my arm around her, I snuggled her back, enjoying the simple comfort of her presence.
“Don’t tell Venna I was here,” she whispered.
“When did you become so sneaky?” I asked.
“Oh, about three days ago,” Tási replied.
“Seriously though, don’t tell her,” Tási added. “She got really mad the two times she caught me in here.”
“Tási!” I exclaimed suddenly realizing just what my long convalescence meant for her. “It’s been so long since the last time I eased your suffering. Are you alright?”
“Yes, actually. I’m fine,” she answered. “Our last time together was rather intense; I think the effects are lasting longer. I think the thing you did with me and Venna helped as well.”
“Show me your hand,” I demanded, full of doubt.
Tási pulled one of hands out from under the covers and held it out for me. There was no sign the trembling or shaking I had expected. She held it steady, smirking at me in rebuke.
“Told you so,” she taunted.
“That you did,” I smiled back at her.
We lay together quietly for a while after that. I thought I might fall back to sleep, but the longer I remained awake, the more my energy seemed to return to me. Finally, I decided to test myself and I rose from beneath the covers. When I left the tent, Tási stayed behind, waiting for the opportunity to sneak out unnoticed by Venna’s watchful eyes.
“Venna,” I called out loud enough for Tási to hear inside the tent. “Come sit with me by the fire.”
Venna hurried over to me, thinking I might need her support. I felt much better but let her guide me over to the campfire so Tási could escape unseen. As we sat down, Venna passed me some water, and I drank thirstily.
Food was soon prepared, and Venna peppered me with questions as I ate. I answered as best I could, reassuring her that I was feeling much stronger than before. It was true—the lethargy I had experienced the last time I was awake had vanished. Replacing it was a ravenous hunger and nearly unquenchable thirst. Understandable, considering the fact that I barely had anything to eat or drink in days. When my pangs of hunger were finally abated, I spoke to my friends who had all come to sit with me around the campfire.
“I want to thank you all for helping me do this, and for taking care of me after,” I began. “Many incredible things have happened to me, and I’m certain many more are still to come, but none of them would be possible if I didn’t have your help. Without you, I would be lost.”
“The honor is ours, Sintári,” Stel replied.
The others nodded their heads in silent agreement. I knew they viewed me as a storybook legend come to life, and I was uncomfortable with that—I was just a person forced into playing a role I had never sought, but I also knew that arguing the point with them would be futile, so I changed the subject instead.
“Why are we camped outside when there are all these buildings?” I asked.
“They have been… tainted,” Venna replied cautiously.
“Tainted?” I asked. “What do you mean by that?”
When Venna seemed reluctant to reply, Stel took up for her.
“When you collapsed, we sought shelter inside these walls,” Stel explained. “We barred the gates and checked each structure, searching for a suitable place for you. What we discovered was unsettling. I will spare you the details, but we all felt it best to set up camp outside rather than use any of these foul buildings.”
“Tell me what you found, Stel,” I pressed.
When no one would answer my question, I rose and began walking towards the nearest structure. Venna ran after me, grabbing me by the arm.
“No, don’t!” She pleaded with me. “Spare yourself. It’s too disturbing.”
“Venna,” I answered her firmly. “I need to see these things, to witness evil and confront it wherever I find it. You told me yourself that seeing things with your own eyes changed your understanding. I must never turn my gaze from it; I need to be prepared to face whatever horrors are set against me, and I cannot do that if I shrink away from every gruesome sight.”
“I understand,” she replied softly. “But do not go in there. It’s too soon, and you’re still not fully recovered. Let me tell you what we found instead.”
I nodded my assent, and we walked back to sit by the campfire.
“Those two,” Venna began, indicating a pair of buildings, “were bunkhouses. The one over there was the leader’s private quarters, and the other served as a common area and mess hall.”
“When we entered them, we realized that the bandits did not kill all of their victims. They brought many of them back here. Each building has several sets of restraints attached to the walls and beds that are fashioned for a similar purpose. Even in the common area.”
“We discovered… implements as well. Torture devices, some of which are so elaborate that I cannot even comprehend their purpose.”
&
nbsp; “The leader’s rooms had several of these beds, all of them filthy and bloodstained. I believe it was him that tortured the woman by the roadside. Her mutilation was not random or done in anger—he was collecting a trophy.”
“What do you mean,” I asked, stunned by the revelations. “What kind of trophy?”
“Fingers,” she whispered as a tear slowly traced down her face. “He collected fingers from his victims.”
“How many were there?” My voice trembled as I spoke.
“Twenty-two,” came her soft reply.
I bowed my head, cradling it in my hands as my own tears began to fall freely from my eyes. So many had suffered at the hands of these animals. So much pain and anguish had been inflicted on innocent souls, and my heart ached for them. My silent tears turned to wracking sobs of guilt as I was overcome with a sense of powerlessness in the face of so much evil.
This was a tiny band of worthless criminals, yet they had tortured and destroyed so many lives to satisfy their own perverse desires. And this was no isolated event. The same scene unfolded countless times all across the face of the continent. What hope did I have of ending it all?
“Dreya, what you did here, it mattered,” Tási said, taking my hands in hers. “Your decision to hunt them down saved many more from sharing the same cruel fate.”
“But there’s so much more,” I choked out between heavy sobs. “How can I possibly end all of it?”
“I don’t know,” she replied honestly. “Maybe you can’t end it all, but you can end all that you find. Focus on that Dreya; focus on doing what you can, not what you cannot.”
“You are Sintári, Dreya,” Venna added. “If the world is not what you wish, you will change it.”
“Listen to them, Sintári, they are both correct,” Stel joined in. “For now, you must do what you can. But in the fullness of time, when you have gained the true measure of your power, this world will bend to your will. Of that, there is no doubt.”
I knew he was right, and his words rang true in my heart. I looked at his earnest expression through my tears and saw his confidence in me. Reaching up, I threw my arms around him and pulled him into me. I hugged him fiercely, feeling his strength flow back to me gently. I was surprised to sense him so clearly, and I sent back my own feelings of love and respect in return.
Second Skin Omnibus Page 80
