Poisoned in Light

by Ben Alderson

  “You don’t need to listen to him,” I screamed, moving for the passageway to look for any sign of life. The ground trembled again, an aftershock of the avalanche. No one could have survived that. No one.

  “Monster,” I muttered. “No better than him.”

  “Speak up and face me if you have something to say. And watch what insults you choose, some are more like compliments to me.”

  I turned slowly, the anger now a twisting hurricane begging for a release.

  “You are mistaken,” I said, preparing myself. “It was not you I called a monster. It was me.”

  Before I could lift my hands to stop her, Marthil lunged forwards. In a few swift steps, she had turned me around until my back was no longer facing the ruined passageway. Then she pushed. One hard knock to my ribs ripped me off my feet. Over the edge of the pathway and into the abyss I fell.

  I clawed for dirt, rock, stone, anything to stop me from falling. But it failed. I was a prisoner to the air that screamed past my ears as I free fell over the lip of the mountain’s pathway. I was frightened for only a moment. Although my body was numb from shock, my mind still whirled at a speed that gave me control.

  For the first time in weeks, I shifted. My wings melted into existence, spreading wide. I caught the wind beneath my leathered limbs and jolted to a stop. Looking up, I gave them one command. Fly.

  “You demon!”

  I screamed as I raised above the lip of the pathway. But something heavy caught my stomach and knocked the words from my lungs. Winded, I lost control for a moment and rocked backwards midair. Marthil was standing, ready, with slabs of stone floating around her. Looking down, I could see it falling into the chasm below.

  “I’ve waited for someone to train with. Using my powers against someone unmatched is pointless. But with you, I can flex my full potential. I think it’s time I see just how much control you have.” Marthil’s narrowed her gaze, the corners of her mouth lifting ever so slightly. “Your move.”

  Slashing a hand through the air I sent a slash of condensed wind her way. Never had I seen it so physically before, strands of moon silver and faint purples, as if my power gave its own appearance in the air. Like Hadrian’s blue fire. Heart Magick, it must be. I felt it feed off my anger as I forced more wind towards Marthil, my arms moving quickly to overwhelm her.

  Marthil moved stones before her as protection, just as I gambled. My wind slammed against her rocky shields as a distraction. At the last possible moment, I willed the air to aim for her unguarded feet. In a turn of events, it crashed into her. The sound of her back hitting the harsh ground was beautiful. She spluttered on her breath, unable to catch another quickly enough.

  I allowed more of my anger to seep into my air. Like a twig caught in the stream of a river Marthil was forced backwards, skidding along the ground until there was no more to move on. She was my fly, I was her spider, and my air was the web.

  “Regardless of what the Druid says, you don’t need to kill. That is your choice and your choice alone,” I screamed, pushing more wind on top of her. Crushing her would be easy. So very easy.

  Even if I wanted Marthil to respond, she couldn’t. Not when she was buried beneath my pressure. It allowed no room for her to move, let alone open her mouth. I could see her face turning a hint of blue from her lack of breath.

  A shuffling of feet made me turn to the narrow walkway. Shadowbeings ran forward, rusted swords raised to stop me. Gordex knew what was happening. Good. He knew all along. This felt like a test of sorts. And if my instincts were right, I would make sure to succeed in it.

  Relaxing my hold on Marthil, I allowed her to drop to the floor. Out the corner of my eye I saw her scratch at her throat as the color returned to her face. She was no longer my problem.

  I knocked my hand to the left, sweeping my air towards the shadowbeings until they each were knocked like reeds in the wind. I didn’t stop until each one fell from view, disappearing into the abyss that waited to devour them. A small part of me twanged with symphony. They’d once been people, elves with lives and loves before the Druid came and stole their choice to live.

  But I knew the fall would not kill them. I’d learned that only severing the head would truly end a shadowbeing’s imprisonment to Gordex. Or blessing the dead bodies with my air, forcing the power out of them.

  A scattering of dirt scratched my face. Sent as a gift from Marthil, who still struggled on the floor. Her eyes wide in terror, his hands raised as she tried to call for her element. The ground groaned, but she failed to connect to it fully. Only specs of dirt rose to greet me.

  “I should kill you myself. Avenge the many deaths you have caused. But you have spilled enough blood for the both of us. I’d hoped there was something left in you before Gordex poisoned your mind.” The vial of Forbian grew heavy in my pocket. The only act of misplaced kindness Marthil had shown me.

  “Go on, do it. End me. Do you think he will let you?” Marthil asked, black blood covering her teeth and dribbling down her chin. Her voice was hoarse and appearance disheveled. “If he wanted the Dragori dead, he would have let me kill you days ago. But he didn’t.”

  “I am not like you. I don’t kill for gain,” I shouted back. “Why should I give you the easier route out when you deserve to suffer for what you have done?”

  Marthil looked up through her lashes, giving her face a demoness appearance. “Then who would become the monster?” She raised a dirtied finger and pointed at me.

  “Didn’t you listen to me, I’m already a monster.”

  I thrust forward my hand, reaching my winds into her throat. My presence forced her mouth open. I fumbled amongst veins of black blood to find the source of her life. One clot of air and she would suffer pain like no other—

  A cold trickling slammed into me with such force, more than I’d felt before. Nyah.

  She begged to get through.

  Again, it hit me, this time so cold it was freezing. I yanked my air from Marthil, and she stayed on the ground. For good measure I flicked a single burst towards her, causing her head to snap backward. It collided with the wall, and her eyes rolled back into her skull.

  Closing my own eyes, I brushed the cobwebs from my metal door and brought down the barrier that protected it. Nyah’s awareness flooded into me.

  I am sorry.

  Nyah?

  I could feel her regret as if it was my own.

  You need to listen to me. I don’t have much time.

  Where are you? I sent my question to her, imagining she was beneath the rubble of the passageway.

  I have failed. We had one shot to get you, and I failed. Nyah forced her words into my mind. Just hearing her again, no matter the clear panic in her voice, calmed me. I’d dreamed about this.

  Tell me where you are. I will help you!

  A dark laughter filled the air. It raised from the city far below. It should not have reached me from this height, yet it did. Only Gordex had powers so mysterious he could cause sounds to travel beyond their natural constraints.

  He has me.

  Her presence left mine in a blink of an instance. I tried calling out for her, but the door was no more, instead a stone wall stood in its place. She’d blocked me out.

  I flew for the city. My wings pumped with vigor, power and panic. I didn’t stop pushing the limits of my energy until I reached the palace. Nyah was here.

  Gordex waited for me in the throne room. I touched down on the floor beyond the room and strolled towards the closed doors.

  I shot wind forward, smashing the doors wide to signal my entrance. I’d under estimated my force, which ripped the doors from the walls and sent them twisting in opposite directions. They crashed towards Gordex, where he sat on his new throne.

  He didn’t flinch. With a brief lift of his fingers, shadows spilled forward and encased the doors before they could reach him. The shadows were in control now. They moved the doors to the side and lowered them slowly to the ground. That was all it took. With a w
ave of his hand they fell quietly beside him.

  “Back so soon?” he said, peering down to his nails. “I did not expect your task to be over with so quickly.”

  “Where is she,” I shouted, wings spread wide like a swan under threat. Their span was so great, it was twice the length of my arms on either side.

  “May I ask who you are referring to?”

  “Stop,"—my wind wailed around us— “playing these games. I know you have her.”

  “Ah, of course,” he said, shaking his head as if he had forgotten so clumsily. “That nifty little connection you have with her would have given it away. And here I was hoping to surprise you.” Gordex released a breath and tutted. “I really do not like that. I am going to have to think about what I can do to ensure you both stop using it. I suppose there is one thing I could do to put an end to it permanently.”

  “If you harm her…”

  “I admire your anger, but these empty threats are getting quite boring.”

  “Gordex, please. Do not hurt her.” I couldn’t hide the begging tone embedded in my voice.

  “And what is it you will do for me if I agree to your request? Yet again I give you freedom to show me loyalty, and then you leave your sister unconscious. Again, you have failed. Punishment is due for you, Zacriah.”

  I was speechless.

  Disappointment dulled his dark gaze. “Nothing to say?” Gordex reached into the folds of his robe and pulled out a jar. It was glass, small and lidded. Even from across the room I could see something emerald speeding around inside it.

  “Since we are all here, I have a few questions I want to ask your friend before dinner.” Gordex said, “Marthil, may you do the honors?”

  I snapped my head around. Marthil stood right behind me, her face screwed with hate and covered in her own element. I had not heard her come in, and now it was too late.

  “My pleasure,” she said.

  Her fist connected with my stomach. My knees slammed into the floor as the wind was driven from me. I looked up as another came straight at me, head snapping back, chin screeching in agony. Marthil’s fists were like pure stone. I raised my hands to try to stop her constant smacks.

  “Sweet dreams.” Marthil’s cocked her head, studied me, then moved like lightning. Darkness overwhelmed me when one final punch hit true. No matter how much I desired to stay conscious, I couldn’t.

  I DIDNT NEED to open my eyes to know my wrists and ankles where bound in stone. I recognized their rough bite as it rubbed against my skin. The bindings were cold. Stone cold. They left no room for me to flex my fingers, let alone twist my wrists to ease their tightness. I groaned, and awareness to reality crept back to me.

  It took a moment for my eyes to open. Then another for them to adjust to the dark lighting of the room. My head throbbed, my face burned with pain. All I could think about was my dire thirst for water. I couldn’t tell how much time had passed since Marthil had knocked me out, but I was no longer in my Dragori form. My exhausted body was enough proof of that.

  “Welcome back,” Gordex cooed from his throne, fingers tapping loudly on the arm rests made completely from bone. How he could touch it so freely sent my stomach twisting.

  I narrowed my gaze. If it could kill, he would have been littered with daggers of hate with just one look.

  “Nyah,” I croaked, throat as dry as the stone binding me. “Where is she?”

  No longer could I see the jar in his hands. I searched frantically around his throne for any sign of it but came up without.

  “All good things come to those who wait.” He waved a hand at me as I sat in the scuffed chair. “I am sure you can understand why I have tied you up. Cannot have you acting out again when I have many questions. I thought it best you are not tempted to try to stop me. Marthil also deserved her repayment for the little tussle you had with her.”

  Gordex looked disappointed. From the pinch of his face to the disregard he had for me as he spoke.

  “What have you done with her?” I asked again, crystal clear.

  “Looking for this,” Marthil said behind me, so close her breath caused the hairs on my head to dance. I’d not noticed her presence. Not until she lifted the jar over my shoulder and into my vantage point. “What a small creature. Her coloring is beautiful, although I am bias. Green is my favored color.”

  She gave it a great jolt and the moth within bounced on either side of the glass. The movement left dust across the glasses surface from Nyah’s small wings. I jammed my tongue between my teeth and bit down to still my cry. Copper filled my mouth, overwhelming my sense of taste.

  “Oops.” Marthil giggled. “This reminds me of what I’d do when I was a youngling. But I’ll keep it to myself. I would not want you to worry with my stories.”

  I turned away from Marthil as much as I could, unable to look at her in the face. Her smile unnerved me, but her dark stare was what truly frightened me. It was full of intent. Intent to cause pain. I couldn’t urge her on when Nyah was held so dangerously in Marthil’s careless grasp.

  “Go on, my dear, tell him.” Gordex pushed for her to carry on. “I for one would love to hear your story.”

  “I don’t want to hear it.” I tried to push as much strength into my reply but ended up sounding as anxious as I felt.

  “Oh, Zacriah, do not be such a spoiled brat.” Gordex waved a hand this time and Marthil continued.

  “After my own people disowned me, pushed me from my home and forced me to live in exile beyond the protection of their wards, I had to find a new way to occupy myself. The Deserts of Doom were vast and empty. Beside the terrible sand serpents and small insects, I found no company. Being lonely can drive even the strongest of minds to insanity. I’d collect anything I could find: insects, small snakes, even smaller lizards, anything brave enough to venture my way. Then I would name them. One for each person I’d left behind. Then I would crush them. Smash them. Kill them. One by one and over and over...”

  She didn’t need to say any more. I knew where this story was going. Although it sickened me, I couldn’t deny the small sadness I felt for her. Being pushed away from everyone she had loved just because of their deep routed fear, it was no wonder why she was so warped. It made Gordex’s latch onto her like a leech. Made easier with her heart already full of hate. Just like Petrer.

  “I always had an interest in creatures with wings. After I came into my own I’d wonder what would happen if they simple disappeared. I tested my wonders by plucking said wings from the insects I stored. Pretty little moths just like this one.” Marthil lifted the jar up before her eyes so they crossed with the object being so close. “Reds and greens, ocean blues and the darkest blacks. I wanted to know if they grew back. Can you guess what my marveling resulted in?”

  She moved the jar right in front of my face until my breath fogged across its smudged surface.

  “They died,” she whispered her answer just for me. Shivers ran down my spine and across my arms until all my visible hairs stood on end. “Dead, dead, dead.”

  “Don’t hurt her,” I said through bared teeth, spit hitting the glass jar before me. “I swear it, if you do—"

  “Marthil will not harm the shifter,” Gordex said, plainly. There was a paused moment of silence before he broke. “That will be my pleasure, and mine alone.”

  Gordex stood from the throne and walked towards us. His hand extended for the jar.

  “No,” I begged, tears pooling and blurring my vision.

  I knew it was wasted effort, but I yanked at the stone bindings and thrashed in my chair. “Please, no.” Seeing him so close to her caused panic to burn through me hotter than any fire Hadrian could ever conjure.

  “Ah, ah, ah, you stay still, my boy. I want you to watch.” Gordex turned his back on me and walked for the throne, jar in hand. “You see, I have some questions for the shifter girl. And I am prepared to do anything to ensure I get them. Anything.”

  Lightning fast, Gordex raised the jar above his head. In
the next moment the sound of glass against stone vibrated around the room.

  I spluttered a gasp, trying to see Nyah amongst the shards that littered the floor. I screamed, a sound so deranged that it pulled on the animal inside of me. Spit linked my open mouth and splattered across my chin. “Leave her. LEAVE HER!”

  “It pains me to hurt one of my creations, it really does.” Gordex raised an open palm towards the broken jar. In response, black smoke leaked into the air, revealing Nyah in her elven form, spread across the floor. She wore Alorian armor, silvers and whites. Her hair tumbled around her head, fanned out across the floor and glass. She stirred but did not rise.

  At the sight of her, my breath halted. Only did I inhale when I saw her finally move. Putting both hands atop of glass shards, she raised herself up and look directly at me. The whites of her eyes were blood red, her skin the color of fresh snow.

  “Zacr—” Gordex kicked his foot into her jaw, stunting her words. A cry of pain broke past her cracked lips. Pain, her pain was so intense I could feel it in my own being.

  “Marthil,” Gordex called for her. “Would you please restrain our guest here.”

  “Happily, master,” she replied, the ground rumbling with the twisting of her fingers.

  The floor around Nyah’s hands and feet raised like water. It snaked up, rising like a wave before it broke. It enveloped Nyah’s limbs and solidified once again. She was trapped. From a glass prison to one made of stone.

  “Nyah.” Gordex pronounced every letter and sound of Nyah’s name. It had a taste of possessiveness, the way he drew out the syllables in his deep husk. “Since you have so aptly returned to my city, I think it only right that we bypass formalities and move strictly onto the situation at hand. I must admit, I was disappointed that it was you who tried to deceive me. I would be lying if I said it was not Emaline I hoped would return. But, I suppose, you shall do just fine in the meantime.”