With the only competitor who possesses an energy attack dead, the others are more comfortable rushing Clyde. Batting the orc’s regenerated tongue out of the way, he stops the metal fist of one vampire with his forehead and catches a hand by its obsidian claw. Snapping the blade off, he threads it through his iron-skinned enemy’s eye-sockets and lunges forward with enough force to send the man’s arm flying into the forest. Hearing a croak from above, he remembers the frog-like vampire and steps aside to prevent the bloated gnome from smashing him into the floor. Reminding Clyde of a bubble, the green-skinned Dawn Fang bounces and floats after the failed attack. With a wide grin, he delivers a kick that punches a hole in the vampire’s stomach and rockets him through the ceiling. The jet of air and blood from the shrieking gnome is enough of a distraction that the thief has time to grab a cookie. Swinging behind him, Clyde pulverizes the upper body of the one-armed vampire and turns in time to receive a knife to his throat. The invisible attacker tries to saw his head off, but he quickly removes the blade by leaning backwards. Still unable to see who he is fighting, he waits until he is stabbed again. The instant he feels a pain in his chest, the Dawn Fang punches forward to turn the other vampire’s ribcage into shrapnel that shreds the clawed competitor standing a few feet away. Clyde is about to face the orc, who he has saving for last, when he remembers the brave canary. Seeing the bird cowering under a chair, he makes it believe he is advancing on his other target. Unaware of the danger, the feathered vampire puts up no resistance when a foot comes through the chair and grinds it into the ground.
“Can’t say that wasn’t a little fun,” Clyde admits while he searches for a napkin. He cleans off the bottom of his shoe and casually smacks the incoming tongue out of his way. “That can’t be your only trick. The Dawn Fangs made by Jewelz are really sad. It’s like she gave you what she wanted and it has nothing to do with your nature. I mean, why would a warrior have a canary form? Well, I have a friend who becomes a raven, but he isn’t stupid enough to fight that way. I should probably finish you off and get things moving at my speed.”
“I promise that I’m-” the vampiric orc starts to say before an axe kick sends his head down into his stomach.
“I really don’t care what you are . . . I mean, were.”
*****
The crowd erupts in anger and begin hurling whatever they can lift into the arena when Clyde walks through the door. A train of eight pieces of wood are being dragged behind the Dawn Fang, each one with a dead competitor on top. Having had trouble finding all of the parts, most of the corpses are filled out with illusions. The canary’s makeshift sled appears empty, but those in the front row are able to make out the yellow feathers. Walking around a smoking mark that reeks of burned meat, Clyde waves for Xavier to stay seated on a bench. Rubbing his shoulders, he ignores the garbage that bounces off him and only bothers to knock the sharp projectiles out of the air. He calmly checks the bodies to make sure they are secured and spreads them into a line. Going back to the vines he was using for rope, the Dawn Fang grabs four in each fist and begins to spin. As red mist flows from the vampire, the audience grows quiet and many look to the Vampire Queen, who is watching from above. She is on the verge of stopping Clyde when he lets go of the corpses and sends them crashing in every direction. While the crowd scatters, the sled holding the dead orc soars towards the viewing box and smashes through the floor between Jewelz and Dean. An illusion of Mab’s face grinning appears on the headless body, which is immediately melted by the Vampire Queen’s acidic touch.
“I’m bored!” Clyde announces, his voice booming across the island. He cracks his knuckles and rips a metal door off the wall, which terrifies the guards waiting on the other side. “I told you that I would behave until I stopped having fun. Well, I gave your tournament more than enough time to entertain me. Now, I’m either going to get a real fight, be sent home, or turn Apelios into a sunken graveyard. This is what happens when you mess with monsters, Jewelz. Eventually, we stop playing nice and try to kill our way into a good mood.”
“Arrogant bastard,” the Vampire Queen mutters under her breath. She is about to yell down when her wrist is gently gripped by Dean. “You better have a good reason for touching me when I’m angry. Otherwise, I will throw you down to him without your cloak. At this point, I don’t care if I lose your knowledge and expertise.”
“You should because this is when you need it most,” the butler whispers as he takes a step away. Feeling the viewing box shift beneath his feet, the old-world vampire casts a quick spell to make himself as light as a feather. “It is obvious that the curse has not taken enough of a hold to stop his full strength. Lashing out at him now will result in massive destruction and possibly your own death. Even if you did survive the battle, the citizens of Apelios will lose faith in you protecting them. I feel we should find a way to pacify the monster without risking your life and reputation.”
Listening to the screaming crowd, Jewelz taps the side of her cheek with a glittering nail. “I see your point. Battle him now and I may be too weak to face Mab. Her showing up with him already dead might not get the response I want either. I need her at the deepest level of rage that she can muster if I wish to get my revenge. Do we have any idea how close she is to reaching the island?”
“I’m sorry, but we lost track of our enemies when the fake Apelios was destroyed,” Dean says with a small bow. He jumps to the other side of the hole an instant before half of the viewing box falls into the arena. “The plan works as long as he’s alive and under your control. I know it isn’t perfect, but we can have him battle Xavier right now. That should push the curse to near completion. At the very least, you can finish the process in front of Mab and show her how close she came to saving him. If you wish to break an enemy then it is better to snatch victory from their grasp.”
“That would eliminate the other nuisance.”
“We do lack anything to keep Lord Tempest occupied.”
“Do you think I executed Titus too early?”
“It was a necessary sacrifice.”
“Then I might as well make another one.”
Snapping her fingers, Jewelz summons a large swarm of gemstones that emerges from the jungle and washes over the crowd. The people are silenced by the infectious stones, which urge them to take their seats and follow their ruler’s movements. Transforming the viewing box into a staircase, the Vampire Queen makes her way down to where Clyde is waiting. She steps to the side to allow Dean to get off the colorful steps, which she turns into a beautiful throne. Waving for the butler to retrieve Xavier, Jewelz takes a seat and calls a ruby scepter to her outstretched hand. Demurely crossing her legs and leaning on one of the cool arms, her eyes never stray from those of her monstrous prisoner. She finds herself engrossed in how his pupils flicker with a rage that gives them a fiery red hue. The idea of turning such enchanting orbs into earrings brings a wide smile to her face. Once the Lord of Nyte is brought before her, she clears her throat and frees the citizens of Apelios from their trances.
“It appears it is true that monsters can only be controlled for so long,” Jewelz admits to the murmurs of her people. Holding up a hand for silence, she has a large hourglass rise in the middle of the arena. “We have no choice, but to hold the final match. I do apologize for not giving you more entertainment like I had promised. Yet, how much fun would the fights have been considering Clyde defeated eight of the nine finalists alone? His battle with Lord Tempest is the inevitable confrontation that we were waiting for, so why draw things out? That does not mean we are going to start right away. The arena is a mess and both of our guests must be tired after their latest victories. There is enough sand in the hourglass to give us two days for rest and repairs. I feel that is plenty of time for all affairs to be put in order.”
“We still going to get our three doses of torture a day?” Clyde asks, the red mist around his body fading away.
“No, but neither of you will leave your rooms,” Dean answers for hi
s master. A rumble beneath his feet causes the old-world vampire to kneel and place a hand on the ground. “Dark One wishes to devour the loser. It appears he has tasted the blood of each man and finds them both intoxicating. He claims to be very hungry and has not had a decent meal in weeks. Should I bring him a sacrifice?”
“Let the demon eat scraps because a great feast will be given to it soon,” the Vampire Queen declares with a sigh. As her throne floats into the air, she aims her scepter at the two prisoners and creates jeweled manacles on their wrists. “A little precaution. These will let me know where you are at all times. Don’t worry because they will only appear on you outside of your room. No illusion or spell can trick my toys. Enjoy the rest of your stay on Apelios. I recommend treating the next two days like they’re your last ones on Windemere.”
14
Caught in the powerful current, the crew works to maintain the sails and make sure the ship remains safe. There is already a hastily patched hole in the front of the hull due to a magically preserved oak crashing into them. Now aware of the wide variety of debris, they have managed to avoid any further collusions, but have come dangerously close to crashing many times. Sitting in the crow’s nest, the ship’s mapper hastily draws the river while watching for danger. She is repeatedly snapped at by the captain when she gives her crewmates less than a minute to react to floating obstacles. It does not take long for them to discover that it is safer to use push poles instead of fire to avoid burning their vessel. The halflings shiver whenever they move a preserved piece of wreckage out of the current and watch it fade out of existence once it passes into the ocean. Whispers about them suffering the same fate run throughout the ship, but the fear is not enough to make them stop working. Their nerves are strained even more when the landscape changes every few miles to reveal the flickering image of the land that once surrounded the river. It is such a quick sight that the vampires are not completely sure it was ever truly there. Refusing to let the crew get distracted, the captain shouts orders whenever the phenomena occurs and grips the wheel in case he has to make a sharp turn. Sailors point out creatures that can only survive in freshwater and they use the sightings to make sure they are still on the correct path.
Trying to stay out of the way, most of the rescue party has been staying in their rooms. Only Mab and Titus have remained above deck, the siblings refusing to miss even a second of what they hope is the final approach to Apelios. Watching the open ocean from the prow, the Dawn Fangs keep scanning the vacant distance for a splash of color. It is not until Vir the Crimson Moon and Ult the Amber Moon replace the sun that they catch a flicker of what they hope is the mysterious shadow. It is nothing more than a trembling line on the horizon, but it remains straight ahead even when the current abruptly changes direction. Titus nudges Mab when he looks over his shoulder to see that Tavon the Sapphire Moon and Canst the Emerald Moon are in the sky. Knowing that the two celestial orbs should not be visible so late in the summer, they wonder if it is another illusion left by the Great Cataclysm. The crew becomes silent and still as the four moons move unnaturally quickly through the night and merge into a single disc on the horizon.
“We must have traveled far enough to trigger the portal,” Stephanie mentions as she comes up on deck. Stretching her arms, she revels in the thick magic that causes her skin to squirm and shift. “This is ancient magic combined with the essence of a single being. The Vampire Queen connected herself to the river long ago. She used an eclipse to forge the entrance and it exists as long as she does. The day she dies is the day Apelios will vanish and this river will dispel into the ocean. We need to be careful. Even with it being difficult to find, I doubt she has left it unguarded.”
“Is it moving away from us?” Luther asks as everyone comes out to watch. The forest tracker nimbly climbs up to the crow’s nest and remains standing on the railing behind the hard-working mapper. “Remember that the riddle said we had to chase the moon. I think we have to move faster or risk getting left behind, captain. All of us will handle the debris and any guardians who appear.”
“Fifty . . . Five hundred . . . I don’t think I can count that high,” Lost whispers as she climbs onto the figurehead. Titus quickly catches her by the arm and pulls her back, which snaps the girl out of her trance. “We’re surrounded. I can’t take them over, but they’re alive. Yet, not really alive. They don’t work for the Vampire Queen. This is their home. We’re intruders. No apologies allowed. Offering snacks made them mad. We have five fingers to turn away and leave the lost river.”
“I hope you mean five hours and not seconds,” Decker mutters, his axe drawn and his beard bristling.
Standing on the rear railing, Bob whistles and waves his lance for attention. “We have fins coming! Big ones that don’t look like shark or dolphin. They’re telling me to shut up and leave the river.”
“Push forward to the shadow!” Mab screams at the crew. Forcefully shoving the others in various directions, she bares her fangs and draws her claws while standing in the middle of the deck. “We’re too close to Apelios for a drawn out fight. You’re only job is to get us to that shadow, captain. We’ll defend the ship.”
Before she can give any more orders, a pair of slimy skinned creatures leap out of the water and land on the prow. Their bulbous eyes blink with x-shaped lids and frilled tails drag behind them to leave a trail of sticky ooze. Swinging webbed hands that fuse to any flesh that they come in contact with, the creatures drive the crew away from the front of the ship. With a loud sucking sound, they inhale anything that looks edible and make their way towards Mab. The salamander-like beasts momentarily blink out of existence and reappear flanking Stephanie, who they try to lick with tongues that are wider than their heads. The ritualist rushes to the other side of the ship, which causes her attackers to release a gurgling call. Fearing that the creatures are contacting their friends, Archillious kills both with a piercing fang to each of their heads and Bob quickly shoves the bodies off the ship.
Seconds later, a chorus of wet slaps and thuds can be heard coming from the hull and the ship lists to one side. The creatures swarm up the sides and crawl over the railing, which becomes covered in a foul-smelling slime. Globs of toxic spit go flying and several crewmen are felled by the barrage, their shuddering bodies easy pretty for the beasts. Titus and his phantom work to protect the captain, who struggles to steer the ship. The vessel repeatedly lurches and threatens to turn, which makes the halfling fear that their enemies are trying to manipulate the rudder. Seeing the problem, Decker rushes to the back and blindly fires lightning orbs into the water in the hopes of driving the swarm away. He curses when the blasts hit the slimy bodies and are absorbed, the crackling energy becoming a thin layer on their skin. The dwarf is about to try ice when Lost lifts him over her head and jumps away from a bolt that erupts from the creatures to destroy the rear cabin. The solider is about to thank the girl for saving his life, but she tosses him to the prow where Luther is fighting alone. Decker flips and crashes feet first into the gurgling enemies to send many of them flying. He kicks off one of the attackers and lands next to the forest tracker, whose sickles are dripping with thick blood.
Standing in the middle of the battle, Mab guts any creature that comes within reach. She watches as the others fail to push the swarm back, the hundreds of bodies becoming too much for the Dawn Fangs to handle. The burglar whistles for Archillious to get in the crow’s nest and snipe from above, but the idea is crushed when they hear the mast start to crack. Leaving the captain to be protected by Bob and Stephanie, Titus charges through the crowd to grab the massive pole and keep it in place. Unable to defend himself, the warrior is nearly crushed by the wriggling creatures, but Mab and Lost swiftly slaughter the gurgling monsters. Darting and slashing through the growing mass of enemies, the burglar catches sight of the colorful moons in the distance. They are visibly smaller than before and she can barely make out the hazy tremor on the horizon.
“We aren’t going to make it,” Mab
angrily hisses. With a roar, she drives back all of the enemies in front of her and sends several of them into the water. “I’m not going to play by her rules anymore. What kind of thief goes in through the front door anyway? Get ready for me, Jewelz, because I’m coming to take Clyde back.”
Stepping off the railing, Mab ignores the shouts of her friends and the hungry gurgles from the creatures. She sees that the ocean is filled with the slimy beasts, but they are entirely focused on the ship. The burglar catches the hull with her claws and closes her eyes to concentrate on an image of Clyde. Nothing happens like when she rescued Titus, but she feels a pull on her body once she relaxes. Giving in to the sensation, Mab swears that the darkness surrounding her is adhering to her body and seeping through her pores. She is barely aware of the creatures retreating, their instincts warning them that it is too dangerous to stay. The Dawn Fang pushes away her long held anger and replaces it with a sense of calm that she usually only reaches during a heist. With a slow exhale, the burglar stretches her legs, which disappear into the shadows and help her climb down to the underside of the hull. Sinking into the darkness, Mab grits her teeth and pulls the entire ship into the void.
Rivalry (War of Nytefall Book 3) Page 24
