“I did what had to be done! You don’t know how things were back then. This was many generations ago. Children born to girls at my age were forbidden. His father would have been executed, and the child... far worse. It was something that happened in the heat of the moment, and he took responsibility for our son.”
Adela stepped forward and stood beside Kassina, who had risen to her feet and stared at her mother in dragon form.
“Adela is family, our family, and a long descendant of our blood,” Niesha said.
Adela’s eyes widened and she took steps backward, swiftly paling. “What? Are you telling me that I am related to the queen of the underworld?”
“Don’t sound so pleased. You should be honoured, and I... I should be ashamed. I do not need sorry excuses for family who are useless to me,” Kassina said.
“Adela is anything but useless, Kassina, and if you can’t see that, then you are far more blinded than I realised. How do you think I reached out to her in the first place? I sensed her presence.”
“Mother, let us be done with this. You could use your powers to help the King of the Underworld accomplish his dream for Marithia. Shindar will rejoice at the news of you being alive and with your strength, you can help us win this war. The dragons would never see you coming,” Kassina said, smiling and revealing her fangs.
“Oh how I wish it did not come to this, but I see that there truly is no other way or a path to talking you out of whom you have become,” Niesha said, lowering her head.
The dragon took a deep breath, exhaling over both Kassina and Adela. Her eyes glowed red as she mouthed the words. “Vitae vestrae sanguine coniunctis. Mortis enim et sanguis post tertium.”
Adela and Kassina both stepped back and looked around, seeing that nothing was happening around them. Kassina froze as her heart thumped against her rib cage.
They both placed a hand on their chests, and Kassina raised her widening eyes as she ran to Adela, putting her hand on the young woman’s chest. She couldn’t believe what she was feeling. This could not be real.
“What do you think you are doing?” Adela said, staring at the hand on her breast.
“Shh! Be quiet for a moment,” Kassina said, focusing. “Why are our hearts beating as one?”
Kassina’s smile wiped from her face as the truth of what this could mean hit her like an axe. “What have you done to me?”
“You are now soul bonded. It is something that can only be done with those who share the same bloodline. You share this life together, and die together, so I suggest you stay close to one another.”
Kassina’s world spun around her. She spat out the words as if they were poison. “You made me mortal?”
“But, why did you do this?” Adela said.
“You need each other, and Adela is the only one who can bring you back to the girl you once were. I just severed your ability to be seen by Shindar. If you step into the underworld again, then you will break the spell and will both die.”
Kassina’s mouth gaped wide as she struggled to speak. Words jumbled in her mind, and she couldn’t unravel them into a coherent sentence.
Niesha circled them both. “You will learn to care for one another, even with your unique needs, Kassina, and you will discover who you both truly are. Either you will both emerge changed for the better, or both continue down the path to darkness. Do not harm each other, as you will equally feel pain inflicted.”
Kassina’s eyes narrowed as she yelled at her mother. “I did not ask for this!”
“Before you do something you regret, you had better see what lies down your path of darkness, should you succeed,” Niesha said.
Kassina’s mind connected with her mother’s and the jolt made her collapse to the ground.
Kassina watched from the clouds as if she was a god in the stars. The once familiar landscape of Marithia was a ravaged carcass beneath her. Buildings were shattered. Trees were dead and the lands stripped of all life. Her vision descended on the ruins of Greenhaven, dropping through the sky to come to a gliding landing on the only standing turret.
This is what the world will look like, Kassina, when the Blood Red Moon prophecy is fully realised, and Shindar wins the war. Do you like what you see?
Through a dragon’s eyes, they watched as wretched and thin bodies crawled along the ground, starving to death. Skeleton warriors whipped them with chains, shrieking for them to continue on, and they descended toward a pit, where vampires awaited.
Among the wreckage, Kassina recognised herself as she walked beside Shindar. Their voices were too far away to be heard, but it was clear that she was pleading with the Demon of Darkness.
Shindar snapped toward Kassina, back handing her harshly, returning to march toward the pit. Niesha climbed down the turret walls, her body remaining hidden from the world, and Kassina heard their raised voices.
“You promised. You said we would rule Marithia together!” Kassina said.
Shindar growled, “Are we not?”
“There is nothing left to rule. We have turned them all and stripped the land of everything.”
“Yes, we have. Now the gods have nothing left of their creation. They suffer for what they have done and have no way to save this world they pretend to love.”
“As do we, Shindar. This has eased nothing, and for our victory, we do not rule. We simply exist in our misery.”
Shindar stopped marching and cocked his head. “You disappoint me, Kassina. I thought you understood.”
“I do, but I am bored of this life. There is nothing left for us here, and nowhere for us to go.”
Shindar said nothing for a moment, and opened his arms for her to embrace him. He held her close, before bringing her face to his.
“You want so badly to be free of this life?” Shindar said.
Her confused face twisted as in a swift swing of his sword, he decapitated the queen of the underworld. The vampires around him stopped in their tracks, staring at Kassina’s decomposing body as it turned to dust.
That fucking bastard! Kassina thought.
And you still think he loves you? Niesha said.
“You served me well, but your heart belonged to another. I always knew,” Shindar said.
He lifted his head to stare into the skies. “You took everything that mattered from me, and I have returned the favour! May you forever feel the pain of loss, like I endure mine.”
Chapter 14 : Cruel Hand Of Fate
“We like to think ourselves in control of our fates, and that our actions can change what is to be.
We can create ripples, but life has a way of surprising and making fools of us.
The question is, who are the true fools?”
(Kai’En - Seer)
The sunlight’s warmth and cool breeze provided a sense of normality in what become an unknown world. Drubb removed his elven helmet for a moment to scratch his head, before sinking his teeth into the cooling meat of a Lemonbird’s thigh. He was sick and tired of this war. Life was much simpler when he was younger, and he longed to return to Veldrenn.
He leaned against the cold wall of the abandoned home, from which Tusdar and Mestal had escaped. “Hmmph, so it’s true then. Lemonbirds taste sour.”
Nobody was close enough to answer. He noticed the strange glances from distant elves, nodding to the group of elven warriors marching past.
A few elves snickered and Drubb heard an elf mutter, “Simpleton.”
There wasn’t much he hated more than being called dumb. People assumed that he was stupid because of his size, or because he didn’t talk much. They just never took the time to know him.
Damn them and their judgements.
Throwing the bird’s carcass with full strength, it smashed into the helmet of the marching elf, who drew his sword and charged at Drubb. His heart raced at being given an opportunity to knock his tormentors around.
Drubb drew his own sword and growled at the sight before his furious eyes. “Whatchya make of it, hey? Come on then!”
The charging elf slid to a halt, looking around to see that he was on his own. “I will not let this stand!”
Drubb laughed. “But there ya are, standing.”
The elf narrowed his eyes and sneered as he said, “I will remember this.”
“Go on, get outta here,” Drubb said, leaning back against the wall. It was a small victory, but it made him feel better.
Hearing laughter and merriment inside the walls, he frowned and banged the hilt of his sword against the door. Deep down, he hated being alone, and his companion getting all the attention. He didn’t have many friends, so he didn’t want to upset him by voicing his feelings. “Alright, you’ve had enough fun in there, haven’t ya? Come out already, I’m sick of waiting for ya.”
The door creaked open and a sweaty Marr emerged, sliding his helmet on and sheathing his sword. He shut the door behind him and stared Drubb down. “Alright, I gotcha already, sheesh! What’s your problem?”
“I am bored and sick of this. Since those blood suckers escaped, we’ve seen no action, have we?”
“And yer complaining about that? Yer crazy.”
Drubb shrugged and spun around. “What else is there to do around here?”
The door creaked open again and a curvy elven warrior emerged, winking at Marr before heading back toward her post and frowning as she saw Drubb.
“Ya lucky sod,” Drubb said.
Marr frowned and his shoulders drooped. He wrapped his arm around his much larger friend and walked with him toward the centre of Crondor.
“I’m sorry Drubb. I’m sure your time will come, hey?” he said, smiling.
Drubb felt his pride was dented, and wanted nobody to see his weaknesses, not even Marr.
Drubb’s face hardened and he shook his head, “Whatchya talking about? I don’t need no troubles from women.”
Marr laughed as they continued. “Yer a smarter man than I, Drubb.”
That made the bulky elf smile. Marr could say the nicest things to make him feel better. They neared one of Crondor’s cemeteries and both stared at the graves in silence.
“Drubb, Do ya still hear them?”
“Every night, I do.”
They walked toward the freshly dug graves, reading the names of the many elves buried before them.
“If we stay here too long, we’ll likely become one of them,” Marr said.
“Let’s get outta here then.”
“No, desertion’s punishable by death. Do ya want to die? And did ya hear the battle in Greenhaven? Now is not the time to go anywhere. I’m surprised they haven’t sent a messenger already. Sounded like they took quite the beating.”
He knew that Marr was right. Maybe he should count himself lucky for being so far from all the conflict. After all, he would rather deal with ghosts than battle an army. He nodded and raised his head. The sight he laid his eyes on made his heart skip a beat.
Drubb stared over Marr’s shoulder, his mouth gaping wide as he pointed and began stuttering. “M... m... m... Marr!”
Emerging from the south-western lowlands, and marching through the endless dead and dying trees, were a long line of women and men, their eyes glowing shades of red.
“Shit, Daywalkers! A whole army of ‘em. Sound the alarm!” Marr said, his face paling beneath his helm.
A loud bell rang out over Crondor, and the many elves scrambled to attention within. There were frantic cries all around them. “Demons!”
A rogue elf ran toward the town, escaping from the dead tree line. One of the demons snapped out her arm, her hand splitting open and a long tentacle flew through the air, its tip a metallic snake-like head. The demon’s weapon plunged through the elf’s armour. The demon yanked its arm back, and knocked the elf off its feet, retrieving its weapon as the elf bled out on the ground, crying out for help.
Drubb wished he hadn’t longed for excitement. He turned to Marr and asked, “Aren’t ya commander now? Do something!”
Marr clenched his jaw and drew his bow, pointing at the outer houses of Crondor. His concerns were overtaken by his training and experience. He was in charge of defending the town, and that was exactly what he would do.
“Form a line. Shields at the front, archers behind. Move your arses!” he said, drawing an arrow and taking aim at the long line of fast approaching demons. Letting his arrow free from its binding, it sped through the crisp air. A demon laughed as she spun to her right, avoiding the sharp tip from finding her flesh.
Damn these fucking demons! he thought.
This was not going to be a standard battle. The rules were as unknown as the enemies they faced, and for the first time in his life, his battle training was being questioned. This was not what he signed up for, but he would be damned before he died in this forsaken town.
I need reinforcements, and I need them now.
Marr turned to an elf and pointed at the stables. “Ride to Greenhaven, and ask for help. Go!”
The elf nodded, his face brightening before he sprinted away.
The elves knelt in a long line between the houses and trees, planting their large shields into the dirt and staying behind them. Archers quickly reached their places, taking aim.
Marr snapped his face back to the incoming army, his helm shaking in his peripheral. Grimacing, his stomach sickened at the realisation that the elves were not at any advantage.
They heard the demons’ shrieks, wails, and chattering in the winds, but could not make out a word. Marr marched behind the line of elves, drawing another arrow from his quiver and aiming high.
“Hit them high and rain our arrows down on them. Fire at will!”
Bows released and their arrows whistled through the air, the sky filling with them as they sped toward their targets. One demon, a woman, appeared to be leading the demons toward Crondor. She pointed in the elves’ direction and the demons burst into a run, dodging from side to side.
They were an organised, clever army of demons. This was unlike anything he had prepared for. Demons had never worked together before.
“Again, but aim ahead of their path! Fire!” Marr said.
Another volley of arrows launched at the now running demons. A few of them growled and cried out as the arrows found their targets. Most demons remained. A few unlucky demons were launched off their feet as the arrows plunged through their skulls. It stopped them as they remained on the ground, twitching.
A surge of hope charged through Marr and he managed a cheerful grin at their success.
They are not invincible.
“Kill them, kill them all!” shouted the demon leading the charge.
Drubb’s smile was wiped from his face as the demons approached at speeds leaving them little time to react.
The demons began to change forms and the elves laid eyes on the many horrors bearing down on them. A woman’s head split open as snakes burst from her skull and slithered through the air. One elf fell to the ground, screaming as his fist and then body turned to stone.
A male demon leapt to the ground, his skin splitting open to unravel arachnid-like legs.
“Don’t look into their eyes. Prepare for battle. Hold the line!” Marr said, seeing that they were evenly numbered, but underpowered.
No, I will not let fear into our hearts.
Drubb looked to his friend as they shared a glance, perspiration covering his skin like a moist sheet. Marr saw his reflection in Drubb’s helm, looking like a man possessed.
“Crondor cannot be lost. We were waiting for a fight, and a fight we have! For Marithia!” he said, notching another arrow and taking aim at an abomination before them.
“What do we aim for?” an elf said.
Marr answered while releasing an arrow. “Just like any other demon we’ve dealt with. Head and heart!”
The front line of elven warriors held their swords steady as the ground shook beneath their feet. A few shared nervous glances.
“Hold!” Marr said, staring down a newly notched arrow at the demon leading the
charge. The lead demon narrowed her eyes as she swept her arms upward. The ground before them exploded, covering the elves in dirt and resulting in a thick dust cloud.
Marr coughed the dirt from his lungs. The demons were already upon them. His heart felt as if it thumped through his throat.
“Now!” he said, leaping over the elf crouching in front of him and turning to the side, hammering an arrow through the skull of a demon.
The elves burst forward and into battle, their shields and swords meeting flesh. Shrieks of demons and elves pierced the air behind him. His feet pounded into the ground as he notched another arrow, looking deep into the cloud of dust.
“Where are you, you fucking wench!” he said, scanning for the lead demon.
The dust cloud whipped through the air, and he caught sight of her. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled as his arrow launched toward her. The demon rolled to the ground to avoid his arrow.
“Damn you. Just die already,” Marr said, notching another arrow.
Each arrow he smoothly fired, could not find flesh. She launched at him, knocking him to the ground. He scrambled for a weapon, but she pressed his arms to the ground. Struggling against her hold, he spat in her face.
“Drubb! Anyone, Kill this bitch!” he said.
“The name is Wumvarn, and you will serve as a fine meal,” she said, smiling with razor sharp teeth.
She tore his chest plate off him and dug her claws into his sternum. His screams were interrupted as Drubb knocked her to the ground, rolling on top of her as they landed in a pile of dirt.
Clutching his chest to stop the bleeding, Marr retrieved his bow with one hand and stumbled toward Wumvarn. The dust clouds had mostly cleared, and he saw that many elves had been defeated, leaving few to defend the town. He watched Drubb stand and towered over Wumvarn’s body, raising his sword high. As his sword cut through the air, Wumvarn rolled out of the way and stood defiant, the tip of the blade hit nothing but dirt.
Marr swallowed hard. He knew that this may be the day he would die. A thought crossed his mind that at least he had experienced some pleasure on the day of his death. He would go down fighting.
Legends of Marithia: Book 3 - Talonsphere Page 17
