by Eric Vall
“I can,” I argued. “And I will. Why did you come to my core?”
“Stupid dragon,” the spirit chuckled hoarsely. “Why… should I tell you?”
“Your plan already failed,” I replied with a squeeze on his throat. “So, you might as well make things easier on yourself.”
“You should really… know more about your… spiritual sea,” Karys said between gasps. “Your vulnerability… is disturbing.”
“So, the core is where I’m most vulnerable?” I wondered. “You thought you could beat me here?”
“I should have,” he replied with a scowl. “No magic… can stop mine. Once we reached… your core, you should have… fallen prey to your desires. It is… the way of the dragons.”
“Sounds like you and your siblings thought I was no different than your previous opponents,” I said. “They were wrong, and so were you. Now, you will bow to me just as they did, and I will let you live.”
“Never,” Karys nearly whispered, and I tightened my grip on his throat as he gasped for air again.
“Bow to me,” I commanded. “Or die by my hand.”
“And you… will let me live?” he asked carefully. “With my brother and sister?”
“You have my word,” I answered.
“Then I must surrender,” Karys said in a soft voice as he finally stopped fighting me and lowered his head. “I will do it.”
I kept a close eye on the spirit as I slowly released the hold around his throat, and he immediately collapsed to his hands and knees as he gasped for a full breath of air.
“Now, spirit,” I demanded.
Karys nodded as he turned to face me while still on his knees, and as I stood above him, he dropped his hands to my feet with a bow.
Predation: Activated
Skill: Target Precision
The final cage appeared in the clearing, and I cleared my throat and gestured to the door.
Karys looked up and then over at the cage, and he stood with his head low and trudged inside. I slammed the door shut behind him, and I felt a sense of the old magic as it rushed through my veins.
I’d defeated all three relic spirits.
Holy shit.
Now, I had to get this one back to the beach. He didn’t need to know anything else about my core.
So, I conjured a fire rope and whipped it around one of the bars of the spirit’s cage. Then I tied it into a knot and threw the other end over my shoulder as I began to drag him back through the forest to the beach.
It felt like an hour had passed before we broke free of the trees, and I looked over at the anchor to see Miraya as she paced back and forth across the sand.
“Lord Evan!” she cried out when she saw me, and the sword spirit ran across the sand and threw her arms around my neck.
I wrapped my arm around her waist as she squeezed me and then planted a kiss on my lips.
“I told you I’d be back,” I teased as I released her.
“I know,” she said with a shy smile. “I still worry. It seems the relic spirits should have been more worried than they were.”
Karys scowled and crossed his arms over his chest, but he didn’t say a word.
“The displacement worked,” I told her. “He couldn’t hit my real body. So, no more arrows in my gut.”
“That’s amazing!” she gushed. “You have a brilliant mind, Lord Evan.”
“Hey, I have some pretty damn good women to keep me sharp.” I winked, and Miraya giggled. “Anyway, let’s load him up in the boat and get him back to shore. We need to get to the cavern and give everyone an update.”
Miraya nodded, and we walked over to the motorized boat. I rubbed my chin for a moment, and then I decided that Karys’ comfort was not worth my efforts. So, I grabbed a rope from the floorboard and tied it to one of the oar hooks. Then I tied the other end to the cage and slapped the top with a grin.
“Enjoy the ride,” I chuckled.
“Ride?” Karys asked as he gripped the rails. “What ride?”
I laughed as I lifted Miraya into the boat and climbed in after her. Then I yanked the cord on the motor and sped back to the beach with Karys’ cage skidding along the water behind us.
The spirit alternated between yelling and gagging as we made our way to the shore, and I breathed in the salty air as a careless grin stretched across my face.
The relics had bowed to the dragon.
And eventually, so would the world.
Chapter 5
We coasted from the island across my spiritual sea, and the waves lapped at the sides of the boat as we sailed along. I could feel the mist of the water from the hull, and I went just fast enough to keep Karys’ cage above water. Well, mostly. He didn’t drown at least, which wouldn’t have bothered me, but I had a feeling he’d be of more use if he stayed alive.
“So, now you can use each of their abilities?” Miraya asked suddenly as we got closer to the shore, and the spirit cocked her head to the side with curiosity.
“Yeah,” I confirmed. “I’ve never gained so many powers in such a short time, so I’m still trying to figure it all out. I have precognition from Rana, so I can see the paths an opponent could take, and the automatic healing and swiftness from Mollo, which are pretty easy to figure out since they don’t require any kind of activation.”
“And the ability to hit your prey?” the spirit wondered.
“Yep, got that, too.” I nodded. “I haven’t used it yet, of course, but I’ll definitely want to try it out soon. I need to know how it works if I need to use it in any battles.”
Just then, the boat slid onto the sand of the shore, and the cage skidded up behind us with a lap of the waves. Karys gripped the bars and spat out a mouthful of water before he gasped for air.
“How was the ride?” I smirked as I swung my body over the side of the boat and into the shallow water with a splash.
“Memorable,” the Bow spirit croaked with a glint of hatred in his blue eyes.
“Great!” I said with a grin. “You’ll have plenty to tell your siblings about when you join them.”
Karys grimaced as I grabbed the rope from the boat and dragged him closer to the other spirits, and the Sundex and Eternal Flame’s spirits looked flabbergasted as I pulled the cage up next to theirs and took a step back.
“Brother,” Mollo nearly whispered with wide eyes. “You have been bested?”
“Oh, gods, what do we do?” Rana moaned. “This is a disaster. We must do something!”
“There’s nothing we can do,” Karys grunted. “The dragon has defeated us all.”
“How did he defeat you?” the Flame spirit wondered. “You are a mighty warrior, and no one has ever been able to survive one of your attacks. Did he use his power against you? Oh, gods, did he use my power? I no longer can heal without effort, so I know the dragon has taken my ability. He must have used it against you.”
“I prefer not to discuss the details of my failure,” his brother replied and averted his gaze with his nose up in the air.
“I wouldn’t, either,” I chuckled before I turned back to Miraya. “Now, we need to find somewhere else to put them without taking them out of my spiritual sea. They need to stay here, but I don’t want to see them every time I come to meditate.”
“Me, either,” the sword spirit agreed. “Do you know of a place here?”
“I didn’t even know my core island existed,” I laughed. “I’m just going to make a special place just for them. Shouldn’t be much harder than making a boat, right?”
“Good idea,” she chirped.
So, I closed my eyes and pictured a cavern dug out of the base of the grassy mountain next to the beach. It only needed to be big enough for the cages, and it didn’t have to be anything special, since they didn’t deserve some kind of mansion on the beach for the remainder of their lives.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I was ready to take the trio to their new abode.
I walked back over to the golden cages and weaved the ro
pe into Rana and Mollo’s cages, so all three were linked together. Then I knotted the rope securely against the one I held, and I yanked on it to tighten the bond.
“Where are you taking us?” Karys demanded as he grabbed the bars and pressed his face to the side of the cage. “I won’t be kept in another case like you built in the cavern.
“You’re going to a new hiding place,” I said with a shrug. “I’m just following orders here.”
“’Tis nothing to worry about,” the Bow spirit announced to his siblings over his shoulder. “We’ve been hidden away before, and we can do it again.”
“Yeah, but this time will be, you know, forever.” I smirked. “And you won’t be enjoying the beach view. I have a much better place in mind for you.”
“You do?” Rana asked as she chewed her bottom lip. “Do you want to kill us?”
“I want to,” I grumbled, “but I’ll keep you alive for now. So, let’s get to your new hiding place.”
As Miraya cocked her head with curiosity, I threw the rope over my shoulder and dragged the captured spirits across the beach and into the grass. I went left along the base of the mountain, and exactly where I expected, the mouth of a cave waited for its new occupants. The interior was dark, though some light from outside squeezed into the space.
I pulled the cages inside, and I conjured a torch and lit it with a fireball to hang on the wall. I pulled the rope free, and then I pushed each cage up against a different wall, so they couldn’t reach each other.
“There you go,” I announced as I dusted my hands off. “Home sweet home.”
“We are not pleased with these arrangements,” Rana said with a smug expression as she looked around the room. “We need something less constrictive and definitely with more light.”
“Well, I was not pleased with some old spirits trying to take over my power,” I growled. “This is what happens when you fuck with a dragon, and I’ll teach you how to respect me.”
All three spirits gasped as my voice rumbled through the cave, but I turned on my heels and strode out into the sunlight before they could say another word. As soon as I was outside, I relaxed, and I could feel the surge of all the old magic swirling around inside me. I was more powerful than ever, and the knowledge left me feeling a little heady. I’d defeated all the relic spirits, and now I held all their magical abilities within me. It was strange to feel the combination of old magic and new magic, though. It was almost like looking at two sides of the same coin.
Then the power seemed to expand, and I had to stop and take a deep breath. I was worried about one person holding all of the relics before, and so were the gods when they took them away. I knew they had a ton of power from the moment I’d seen the Sundex, so what made me think I was the right person to handle all of it? What if their power corrupted me somehow?
I was suddenly overcome with anxiety at the thought of the gods for this world getting pissed off that I’d kept the power for myself. They could just smite me if they wanted to, right?
Or maybe not.
What if I was becoming a god?
“My lord?” Miraya’s voice broke through my inner thoughts. “Are you alright?”
“Huh?” I looked up, and I could feel beads of sweat drip down my forehead while I wrung my hands together.
“You seem to be quite tormented,” the spirit said softly. “Do you need to sit down?”
“No,” I muttered and shook my head. “I need to figure out what to do with all this shit. It feels like I have so much power rushing around in my head.”
As if on cue, the waters of my spiritual sea began to churn with discomfort, and several waves crashed over the shore. The wind picked up and blew small sandstorms around the beach, and dark clouds seemed to appear out of nowhere as shadows passed over the sand at our feet.
“Perhaps some meditation?” Miraya suggested as she looked up at the churning sky overhead.
“Eventually,” I agreed. “I think the first thing I need to do is talk to the person who helped me understand my power and how to access my spiritual sea.”
“Who is that?” She frowned and looked at me curiously.
“My dad,” I replied. “It’s time to get back to my roots.”
I hoped Ruslan would know exactly how to help me work through my new powers. He’d helped me understand my spiritual sea and how to cultivate, and he was a skilled cultivator himself, not to mention a wise old fox. Since we’d already planned to go back to Hatra, it would be easy to continue with that plan, and I could talk to him about everything that had happened, including the new abilities.
“You know best, my lord,” Miraya agreed as she dipped into a curtsy.
“Let’s get back, then,” I murmured and took her hand.
“Do you wish me to join you in physical form?” the spirit asked with her head still lowered.
“Of course,” I replied with a smile.
Before I could take another breath, the sword spirit and I stood in the cavern where I’d reached for the Bow. It seemed like days had passed since I’d started to pull the Bow of Wellston from its case, but I couldn’t tell much of anything while we were underground in the catacombs.
The artifacts clattered to the ground in front of us, and the sound echoed around the cavern to announce our arrival like a set of crashing cymbals.
“Lord Evan!” Alyona squealed and wrapped her arms around my neck. She must have been standing in front of my physical body while I fought the spirits, and I could only imagine all of my companions had been waiting impatiently for my return.
“Oh, gods, you’re back!” Polina cried out from just beyond the princess.
“You’re safe!” Marina chirped.
“The battle is over!” Trina declared. “And obviously Lord Evan won. We knew he would!”
All three dryads rushed over to hug me as well, and then Aaliyah, Ravi, and Laika followed suit. All of my women had their arms wrapped around me, and I chuckled as I tried my best to hug them all back.
“We were so anxious,” Laika murmured, and her furry gray tail swished around behind her. “We didn’t like letting you fight a battle alone, but we couldn’t do much from out here.”
“I’m okay, it’s fine,” I assured them. “Don’t worry.”
“We got all our worrying out while you were gone,” Aaliyah mumbled against my sleeve. “Now, we’re just relieved.”
“So, what exactly happened?” Naomi asked from just outside the hugging circle. “You’ve been standing in that same place for hours like a statue. You didn’t move, and your breathing was so light.”
“And how did it happen?” Alyona wondered as all the women took a step back. “I’ve never seen someone go into their spiritual sea without trying, nor while simply standing up. It was eerie to look into your eyes. They stared into nothing, and I wanted to come help you, but Miraya assured us you were handling the situation just fine. So, now we need to know what happened.”
“The spirit of the Sundex, Rana, said it happened when I brought her closer to the Bow,” I explained. “She said it gave her the last boost of power she needed to move from my storage into my spiritual sea, but she wasn’t expecting me to show up there, too. We basically arrived on the beach of my spiritual sea at the same moment.”
“How did you know she would be there?” Ravi asked, and her blue eyes were wide with wonder as my women spread out around me like they were waiting for story time.
“I didn’t.” I shrugged. “It must have been some kind of natural instinct. As soon as I got there, she said most people don’t know when she’s about to attack them. So, I had to defend myself against her. She put up a good fight, but I knew I had to come out on top somehow. Once I kicked her ass and made her bow down to me, I realized I could fight each of the relic spirits, and that would be one less thing for me to worry about with the princess carrying part of the Celestial Triad.”
“She bowed to you?” Naomi’s magenta eyebrows shot up with surprise. “They are very old ma
gic that typically can’t belong to anyone, yet you were able to become her master. Why would she do that?”
“Because I won,” I replied with a smirk. “After I had Rana dead to rights, she agreed to bow to me. So, then Miraya brought the Eternal Flame in next.”
“What was that spirit like?” Trina asked.
“Mollo was a bit of a challenge since he could automatically heal himself.” I scratched my head as I remembered the spirit’s tenacity in battle. “Every time I injured him, he was quick to heal and go back to sending animals after me. Lucky for me, I had Miraya to help, and she used some of her power to shock him long enough for me to trap him.”
“Shock him?” Marina repeated as her green lips pursed into a frown.
“She, ah, used electricity?” I fumbled for an explanation. “Like harnessed lightning. It was cool. Anyway, she hurt him longer than I had been, so it made it harder for him to heal. And it worked, but the Bow was the biggest challenge of all of them.”
“Did it have the same power as this?” Polina wondered as she gestured to the physical bow on the ground.
“Yes,” I confirmed. “Plus, he kept conjuring animals to fight us off, so he could get to my core, where he thought I’d become weaker and give him an advantage, but I was stronger than he thought I would be.”
“Of course, you were,” Marina giggled as she squeezed my bicep.
“Dumb old spirits,” Trina agreed.
“Thought they could take on the sexy badass dragon,” Polina scoffed and rolled her jade eyes.
“Don’t forget about the best part,” Miraya whispered, and her eyes were alight with excitement as we retold the battle story.
“Dragging Karys through the water?” I grinned as I pictured the pompous spirit spitting out water once we landed.
“No,” she laughed. “Your skill.”
“Ohhh,” I breathed. “Yeah, I assimilated all their powers.”
“Incredible,” Lord Vallen sighed, and I jerked my head toward him.
I’d nearly forgotten the lizard leader was in the cavern with us, but he was also watching me with a childlike excitement that matched my women’s.
