Ritual of the Lost Lamb

by Charles E Yallowitz

  “I can try to send a pulse into her,” Zephyr timidly offers, the blind boy hugging his battered flute. He licks his lips as he gets near Nyx, but stops when an ache appears around his eyes. “I was only recently awakened as a channeler, but I’ve been training hard since I arrived in Helgard. Casandra lets me work in Bor’daruk since I’ve learned control. Lady Nyx is still much stronger, so I can’t make any promises. My hope is that my power can disrupt the trance long enough for her to wake herself.”

  A look of determination falls over Zephyr’s face as the bard remembers how Nyx allowed him to see for a day. Playing a lilting tune of his own design, the young channeler uses his flute to focus his power and mind. With a gentle spin, he creates a circular musical staff that sprouts the notes of his song, each one bouncing in place and glowing like a firefly. When the bard hits a high note, the construct turns into a ribbon that stretches and wraps around Nyx’s body. Zephyr’s spell envelopes his arms as the other side sinks into the other channeler’s skin. He plays louder when he feels her begin to push against the thin bindings, the brief struggle stopped by a wave of tranquility.

  The bard is about to conjure a pulse of force when his spell tightens around his arms and drags him toward Nyx. Crimson flames ripple along the music staff and threaten to burn Zephyr’s skin until a series of notes explode with water to put the fire out. A gaping maw looms out of the champion’s stomach and her real mouth licks its lips, the taste of aura dancing on her glistening tongue. The terrified boy tries to end his spell, but finds that he no longer has control of his own magic. He can see an inferno looming in the throat of Nyx’s nightmarish form, the older channeler showing no signs of stopping her attack. Zephyr’s head is nearly inside the tooth-filled maw when Dariana and Delvin grab him by the waist. The pair use all of their strength to hurl themselves and the boy toward the bed, all three hitting the footboard with enough force to crack the wood. The hungry mouth growls as it retracts back into its creator’s stomach, a slimy tongue making a final lick at the air before dissolving.

  “Are you okay?” Dariana asks the boy, who is shivering from fear. Placing a hand on Zephyr’s brow, she eases him into a relaxing slumber and places him on the bed. “He might be right about how to get out of this, but we need to overpower Nyx. It should be me even if I’m weakened. Yola might be in her mind, which means I can reason with her. There’s still a lot of risk because the ritual energy might be in there too. It could see me as a threat and do a psychic version of what we just saw. Not sure if I can get away from that.”

  “Let me try something,” Delvin suggests as he inches closer to Nyx. He takes her face in his hands and gives her a passionate kiss, which results in him being gently pushed away. “Didn’t break her out of the trance, but at least the reaction wasn’t violent. Using force causes her to react in kind, so maybe we need a softer approach.”

  “She’s absorbing Luke’s energy, so let me try,” Kira requests before giving the channeler a kiss. Nyx blinks once before shoving the heiress away with slightly more power than she used on Delvin. “That did something to her. Not sure if she liked it or not. I really shouldn’t concern myself with that, so forget I said anything. Now, do we just line up and take turns locking lips with her?”

  “Let an expert handle this,” Sari replies with an impish smirk. Adjusting her top and hiking up her skirt, she skips over to Nyx and locks her body in place. “This is all about distraction and flustering a woman who is easily shaken. There are so many fun things to choose from. I might as well mention them all.”

  Loosening her powers, Sari leans far enough to place her lips against Nyx’s ear and freezes again. Nobody can hear what she is whispering, but the words cause the channeler’s face to blush and the floor to rattle in an attempt to reject the gypsy. One of the boards splinters and rears up for a stab that turns into a convulsing crash back into place. The blue-haired woman licks her lips and giggles before continuing, the effect causing the half-elf’s breathing to become heavy and staggered. Nyx’s eyes blink rapidly and her arms uncross while her sweat-covered body shudders against the forced trance, which snaps with an audible twang. Free to move on her own, the channeler steps away from Sari and slaps the gypsy across the face, leaving both women cursing in pain.

  “You slapped me in the face, Nyxie!”

  “Be thankful it was only a slap after what you suggested.”

  “I only did it to break you out of your trance.”

  “How can a person even bend enough to do all of that?”

  “Not going to let this go, are you?”

  “I just don’t see how it’s physically possible.”

  “Let’s not get into that when young ears are listening.”

  “Who?”

  Nyx turns around to notice Zephyr for the first time since taking Luke’s aura and opens her mouth to apologize. Before she can speak, a gurgle of noise spouts from her throat and her eyes roll back. With a whimper of frustration and defeat, the channeler collapses to the floor and unleashes a snore that rattles the cabin. A small twitch of her finger frees Timoran from the bathroom, the barbarian visibly confused about what is going on.

  “At least she’s out of the trance,” Sari says when everyone looks at her. Stretching her arms over her head, the gypsy goes to the icebox and reaches inside to rummage through the well-preserved contents. “I found some ale. Anybody want to share?”

  *****

  Delvin stares out the window at the bizarre landscape that has become a combination of the Chaos Void and an evergreen forest. He can hear the others snoring from wherever they decided to sleep since Nyx and Zephyr have been given the bed. All attempts to get out of the pocket cabin have been met with failure, but the warrior considers it a good sign that there have been no violent outbursts from the magic that has them trapped. The worst they have seen is a spell getting reflected off the door and bursting into a swarm of butterflies. He still sees one of the insects fluttering around the ceiling, the others having left through a crack in the window that is no longer there. Delvin takes a sip of his drink before attempting to use a fraction of his fount powers to probe the trap. As with the previous times, his energy is redirected to another target, which turns out to be Kira. The heiress shifts against the wall as the crimson line along her spine heats up and leaves a temporary burn mark on the wood.

  “I do not believe we need to keep watch in here, but I assume it helps when one cannot sleep,” Timoran says as he joins his friend. The barbarian stands with his back to the window, his eyes locked on Nyx. “I am sure she is the key to getting out of here. Again the fire sprite takes everything on her shoulders and leaves little for the rest of us. This worries me because it is becoming more common.”

  “Nyx isn’t going to try and sacrifice herself against the Baron. Not unless it’s the only move she has left,” Delvin replies in a numb voice. Turning to look at his fiancée, he smiles at the way she is using Fizzle as a pillow. “To be honest, I’m not as worried about Nyx as I thought I’d be. This is her plan and I trust her to keep everything under control. Yes, the idea of her turning into Luke threw me off and made me wonder if she would be taking his place. I’m doubting that because of how she described the ritual as a summoning instead of a transformation. It could be that both of them being champions means their auras are similar, which is causing the physical changes.”

  “An interesting theory,” the barbarian agrees. Noticing that Dariana is shivering, he goes to put his Ifrit fur vest over her and pats the telepath on the head. “There is something on your mind that you are keeping from the group. Since it is only the two of us, would you care to lessen your burden and share your thoughts?”

  “Why Luke?”

  “Because he happened to be out in the open.”

  “I thought that too, but it doesn’t feel right.”

  “Dariana was too dangerous a choice.”

  “And it seemed like he wanted to kill her.”

  “What is it you are trying to s
ay, my friend?”

  Delvin growls in frustration and starts pacing across the cabin, his path forcing him to repeatedly step over Sari. He pounds his fist into his palm and bites his lower lip as he tries to put his concerns into clear words. All the warrior can think with any certainty is that he feels like they are missing a piece of the puzzle. It is a sentiment that has been said by all of them since Luke was taken, but Delvin feels like the only one refusing to release his dread. With Nyx attempting an ancient ritual and Dariana in constant pain, he cannot shake the idea that there is more to what they are dealing with than rescuing their friend. He stops pacing and returns to the window where he watches a four-legged demon cross into the evergreen territory and transform into a reindeer. The beast continues on its way as if nothing has changed, which makes the champion feel more unnerved than before.

  “I’m wondering if there is something special about Luke that we’re overlooking,” Delvin explains, letting his words come slowly. Placing his head against the pane of glass, he watches his friend’s blurry reflection. “The Baron is supposed to be very smart and cunning. To the point where he can stand up to Gabriel and possibly the other gods too. Maybe he knew what would happen if Dariana was put in danger and he moved the pieces into specific positions to make sure that happened. He’s been watching us for a long time, so he could have targeted Luke on purpose. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time he jumped in front of a spell to save a friend. Of course, this is assuming that we’re being manipulated by two sides, one of which is our mortal enemy. I just want to know if there is anything about Luke that would draw more attention than the rest of us.”

  “Long ago, we said that Sari was the heart of our group and that is still true. Yet, what if Luke is something even more fragile?” Timoran asks, putting a firm hand on his friend’s shoulder. The barbarian nods his head and feels a knot growing in his stomach as he considers that there is more going on than they realize. “He might be the champions’ spirit. We have seen what happens when Luke is in danger. Nyx and Sari become erratic due to their love of him. This time, Dariana is tormented by guilt, which I believe comes from a mental bond she has shared with him since she stopped him from becoming a chimera. Not to point a finger entirely at them since I admit to wanting to tear the Baron’s head off. I want action to be taken and it is only my years of training that keep my rage from erupting. The mere thought of Luke being tortured makes my throat tighten in anger and prepare to roar at the heavens.”

  Taking comfort from the barbarian’s honesty, Delvin relaxes and lets a tear roll down his cheek. “That sums me up too. By the gods, I despise being the rational one at times. My training tells me to make a plan and not act recklessly, but my heart is screaming for me to jump through this window and hunt the Baron down. It hurts to know Luke is in pain and to see my friends suffering because of it makes things worse. As much as I believe that we’ll get him back, I really do worry that it won’t be the man we remember. Every second that passes is one where the Baron could break him for good. This whole mess keeps reminding me that we’ve never been in control during this prophecy. Our enemies have always been several steps ahead of us, which forces us to react to their plans. Maybe this ritual is our first attempt at doing something unexpected, but I do worry that we’re still playing into the Baron’s plans.”

  The screeching of nails on glass causes the warriors to look at the window where a demon is pawing at the cabin. Long claws search the panes for grooves to stick into while the hairless beast stares inside with bulging eyes of white. A slavering tongue runs along the frame, leaving a trail of drool that seeps into the wood and turns it gray. Fan-like ears twitch whenever one of the potential meals mutters or shifts in their sleep, but the creature is unable to see its prey through the fogging glass. Yellowed teeth that curve outward gnaw on the window, removing splinters that stick into its blackened gums. Leaping back, the demon splays its leathery tail and launches itself forward with a single flap. Humming and revealing a prismatic sheen, the pocket cabin reflects the attack and violently bounces the monster into a nearby cliff.

  Delvin and Timoran draw their weapons when the demon returns and charges at the building. As it jumps, the creature turns into crimson mist and passes through a small gap at the base of the window. Unable to harm the incorporeal enemy, the warriors grab nearby rags and try to block the space with no success. They can sense the demon trying to invade their lungs, but it leaves them alone to go after easier prey. The two champions glow as they attempt to use their powers against the mist, which slithers toward Zephyr. Delvin lunges over Nyx to shove the boy out of the way while Timoran hurries around to the other side. The barbarian dives to catch the bard, but another tendril of mist strikes from underneath the bed. It enters Zephyr through his nose and mouth, giving his body a grayish hue.

  “What’s going on?” Sari asks as she wakes up. Seeing the boy levitating to a standing position, she draws a dagger and remains crouched. “Is Nyx doing this or did something get inside?”

  “So . . . much . . . flesh,” Zephyr hisses in a guttural voice. He swoops along the floor towards Sari, who rolls away from his reaching hands. “Want . . . supple . . . flesh . . . so . . . hungry.”

  The possessed bard crashes into the wall and scuttles over to the window, his hands growing long claws. Rearing back to shatter the glass, he is stopped by Kira’s chain wrapping around his arm. He yanks the heiress off her feet and tries to whack her against the wall, but she braces her feet against the kitchen counter. Only her head bounces off the window, leaving a small crack and some blood from a superficial cut. Tossing the woman aside, Zephyr jumps to the floor and prepares to pounce through the creaking wall. Water erupts from the sink and creates a wall of ice that the bard slams into, the impact barely making a dent. He slides to the floor and shakes his head, which is bleeding from a gash across his brow.

  “Let’s trap him in the bathroom,” Kira suggests as she leaps on the boy. Feeling a sudden pain in her stomach, the heiress retreats to find a mouth has sprouted from his back and taken a bite out of her belly. “Felt like it was trying to possess me too, but I got away before it could take hold. Try not to touch him for too long.”

  Dariana catches Zephyr by the heel, but all of her fingers are dislocated when the boy whistles at her hand. “The demon is using his magic too. We need to get that thing out of him before it blows up the cabin. That could send us into the Chaos Void or even split us up across the world.”

  “Guess we’re lucky it didn’t go after Nyx,” Delvin replies while banging his sword against his shield. The boy turns to him and grins wide, his teeth curving like those of the demon. “Not sure why I wanted its attention. Standing on a bed is not a great position to defend. I’d yell a plan, but I’m sure it can understand me.”

  Zephyr jumps onto the ceiling, avoiding Timoran and Sari who collide and quickly get back to their feet. The possessed boy scuttles toward Delvin and sidesteps whenever Dariana leaps for him or Kira attempts to snare him with her chain. The demon twists its body to avoid Fizzle and watches the drite crash into the bathroom, the door slamming shut and locking. With a low growl, Zephyr pounces at Delvin only to be met by a blinding flash of light. The warrior tries to purge the demon from the boy, but he realizes that he has started the exorcism too late. A clawed hand slams into his shoulder and pins him to the wall, the burning pain breaking his concentration. With the sound of splitting flesh, the leathery tail comes out of the bard’s back and swings to knock the other champions against the walls. Stretching his mouth, Zephyr is about to bite Delvin’s head off when he feels a gentle tapping on his ankle.

  “You’re standing on my face,” Nyx says before a blast of magic erupts from her hand. The energy rips the demon from Zephyr’s body and tears it apart, the attack happening so fast that the creature has no time to scream. “Sorry about falling asleep so much, but I think I have a handle on this extra energy. Though, it’s like all of my spells want to take the form of swords or a
dog. Now, can somebody please tell me where we are and why we aren’t on our way to the next aura source?”

  *****

  While she listens to her friends, Nyx runs her hands over Zephyr and works to remove the last of the demon’s energy. She frowns at how his aura has black threads around his throat, but relaxes when they are absorbed by his own energy. Not wanting to put her hands in the other channeler and cause damage, she creates a magical hook to gingerly remove the corruption from the groaning bard. As the demonic power squirms in her fist, Nyx moves to allow Delvin a chance to examine Zephyr whose breathing has become shallow. The channeler walks to the window and presses the sinister energy against one of the panes. Concentrating on a distant boulder, she fires the black aura out of the pocket cabin and watches the giant stone explode into a shower of charred pebbles. Letting her steaming fingers run along the warm glass, she licks her lips and turns toward the door. A small fireball appears in her palm and she is about to hurl it when Kira leaps in the way.

  “Are you trying to get us killed?” asks the heiress while bouncing on her toes in case she has to dive out of the spell’s path. She breathes a little easier when the half-elf lowers her hand, but the churning flames remain in existence. “We’re inside the building. If you do manage to set the cabin on fire then some of us will die before it burns through the thick walls. That’s if you can even get that far since this is an enchanted building.”

  “The only way out is to destroy this place,” Nyx insists, raising her arm again. She is about to unleash the fireball when she sees that Sari has already coated the door in ice. “We don’t have time for puzzles. The easiest way to get out of here is to bust through the door and tear down the walls. I can tell that we’re still in Bor’daruk, so we won’t get sucked into the Chaos Void like you think. I guess your fear does make sense since whoever set up the illusion outside sent a real demon after us. They’re probably going to be sending more, so we have to move. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t burn this place down.”