As Winter Spawns

by Jason Hamilton

  She shook her head to rid herself of distractions, focusing once more on her training. Her time with Skellig the day before had helped her grow more confident in fighting an opponent she couldn’t see. But real training took months and years of practice to get to the point where her muscles could react instinctively. She wasn’t sure what she had practiced would be enough against Vander.

  But it would have to be. She would just have to act fast, and rid Vander of his weapon early on so she would have the advantage. That was really the best hope she had. Either that or stab him before he could bring his weapon to bear. But the Shadow Elves were fast, and Vander was one of the oldest members of their race. He had far more experience using his powers than almost any Fae alive.

  The crowd on one side parted as the people became aware of who approached. It was Vander, accompanied by Viona and several others of the Shadow Elves. Girwirt, Perchel, and many other Fae trailed behind them as well. And in the back Jak saw several dwarves pulling a large wagon filled with water.

  It was Amelia! The Fae were bringing her friend to watch. Their eyes met as Amelia’s wagon rolled into view. Her skin was pale and she looked exhausted, at least mentally speaking. There were gray shadows under her eyes and her hair was a mess. The look she gave Jak did not look anything like the cheerful expressions she had come to expect from her friend.

  Jak had almost forgotten how restricted the Water Fae were in those wagons. They didn’t have any lakes nearby that they knew about, and besides it was too cold for any of that. So they were forced to remain in wagons at the back of the caves. What had they been doing this whole time besides sleeping and eating? There couldn’t have been anything else to do.

  The sight of her friend only reinforced Jak’s determination. She had to win this, or more would suffer. Putting Vander in his place would be the best way to heal the wound between humans and Fae, or at least she hoped. She knew enough of the others to know they were disgruntled with Vander’s leadership. Perhaps even if she lost this fight they would realize that putting their faith in the Shadow Elf was no longer in their best interest.

  But she would not lose. She could not.

  Vander strode ahead of the others, into the dry circle, his arms outstretched to either side. “Well, I’m here, Jak. You sure you want to throw away your life? You could just instruct everyone to leave us alone, to leave the caves, and then none of this will be necessary. Not to mention you would have your life.”

  Jak stood up from the rock where she had been sitting. “I would ask the same of you. All you have to do is give us all a chance to work together, instead of isolating yourself and the other Fae. We could all find a way to survive.”

  Vander came to a halt in the middle of the circle. “Very well then, we both know this is the only way, and neither of us are willing to back out. Then let’s get this over with. I always liked you, Jak. You were your mother’s daughter. And I’m truly sorry to be the one to end your life.”

  Jak resisted the urge to verbally spar with him, to tell him that he shouldn’t be so overconfident, that she would put him in his place. But no, she wanted him to underestimate her. That would provide her with a crucial advantage at the beginning. And she needed every advantage she could get.

  Skellig strode into the circle holding two spears. Jak met her and Vander in the center of the circle, and took the spear Skellig offered.

  “These are the terms,” Skellig shouted for all within earshot to hear. “Should Vander win, I and all of the human population, as well as any Fae who wish to accompany us—” Vander sneered as she said this. “—will leave this place in search of a more permanent home. Should Jak win, the Fae will defer to her will, and join with us in a centralized order that will determine how best to use all of our resources to the best advantage of everyone.”

  Jak’s eyes remained locked on Vander, though she wanted to find Seph among the crowd. She knew he was there, watching. No one would care more about the outcome of this fight than he. And broken brands but she was going to make sure his fears were never realized.

  Skellig retreated backwards, and Jak fell into a defensive stance, her eyes still never leaving Vander.

  “Begin,” shouted Skellig.

  Vander let out a slight smile before disappearing from her view completely. She had been expecting this, and tightened her grip on her spear.

  A slight flow of air to her left was the only warning she got. She flung the shaft of her spear in a downward motion, whilst simultaneously rolling her body away from its previous position.

  For a split second, Vander reappeared as Jak’s spear collided with his own, smashing it down to the ground. There was a look of surprise on his face.

  This was her moment. With a twist of her wrists, she brought the tip of her spear back up again and swung it at Vander’s face with all the speed she could muster. He backed away just in time to avoid a fatal blow, but the tip of the spear carved a long gash across his dark skin.

  Vander yelled in pain and anger before disappearing once again. Jak cursed. That had been her best opening. He would be on his guard now.

  Suddenly a darkness closed about her eyes. The bright light of day faded as she went blind. She blinked but immediately knew what was happening. Vander was using another of his Fae abilities to create darkness around her. Not only could she not see, but onlookers wouldn’t be able to see what was going on around her either.

  She took a deep breath. This was just like the blindfold Skellig had given her earlier. She just had to remain calm.

  A slight whistle through the air indicated Vander’s spear coming towards her again. Vander was swinging it too much rather than using it to puncture. He wasn’t experienced with the spear, and right now that was her only advantage.

  Her spear connected with his, but his blow was strong enough that it almost ripped the spear out of her hands. She gripped it tighter, but in the process lost her footing. A follow-up swipe with the butt of Vander’s spear connected with the small of her back and she fell entirely.

  She scrambled out of the way just as she heard the clink of metal against stone as Vander’s spear tip stabbed right in the space she had just occupied. On a hunch, she threw herself backward, rolling right into the opposing spear.

  Sure enough, Vander wasn’t expecting that move. Jak’s roll sent the end of the spear flying out of the Shadow Elf’s hands.

  Mustering all her strength, such as it was, she rolled out of the way and quickly got her feet underneath her. She held Vander’s spear in her opposite hand. Then she brought it down on one knee and heard the satisfying crack as it broke. Before Vander could attack further, she flung the broken weapon away from her, far enough that it would likely land in the crowd.

  Jak braced herself, still sightless. The move had lasted mere seconds, yet Vander’s surprised and frustrated yell was enough to tell her that she’d just scored a significant blow. She’d rid him of his weapon.

  A chorus of cheers erupted around her, though Jak still couldn’t see any of the onlookers. She couldn’t grow too confident now. Vander still had his eyesight, and that was more than Jak could say for herself. He could still easily kill her without a weapon under these circumstances.

  Vander grew silent, and Jak waited for a brush of air, anything to indicate which direction he would strike from next. But she felt nothing.

  “He’s disappeared, Jak.” Skellig shouted at her.

  So he was turning invisible and clouding her vision. That meant that he didn’t want the crowd to know where he was. She swallowed a lump that suddenly appeared in her throat.

  He wasn’t coming for her with any big attacks, this time. He was coming for her like an assassin would, slowly, carefully, and without warning.

  Jak stilled herself, and she wasn’t the only one. A hush sounded across the crowds, so silent Jak could hear the wind whistling above them. She breathed in then let it all out in a constant, steady stream. She had to remain calm, or…

  Two hands clos
ed around her neck from behind. Jak gasped and tried to breathe in, but her airway was completely blocked.

  Vander was choking her.

  Time slowed as she brought her spear to bear. She grabbed it by the front of the shaft, with the pointed end below her palm. Then she swung it backward. Perhaps the tip could reach his leg or side and cause him to release her. Sparks flew in front of her eyes as he tightened his grip and dodged out of the way of her spear.

  She changed tactics, feeling herself grow dizzy as she did so. This time she brought the end of her spear up to her neck. It was risky to have it that close to her face, but if she could stab over her shoulder…

  The strong force of Vander’s hands wrenched her to one side. She would have cried out had his hands not been blocking her airpipe. Her spear fell out of her hands and she was flung to the ground, face first. She felt the force of Vander pinning her to the ground from above. His hands had never left her throat.

  Jak reached forward, searching for anything that could help her. Her hands found a rock, which she flung backward as hard as she could.

  A satisfying grunt from Vander indicated she had met her mark, and the grip on her throat loosened. She clutched at the hands and managed to pry his index finger away. Then without hesitating, she bit down on it as hard as she could.

  Vander’s screams flew across the small clearing and Jak tasted the metallic blood that gushed from his hand, and nearly gagged as the tip of the finger came off completely so that she had to spit it out.

  The pressure on her back loosened and she squirmed to get out from under him. Heaving to one side, she threw Vander off balance, and caught a glimpse of him cradling his hand, now missing the tip of his index finger.

  She hadn’t meant to bite that hard, but it had given her the time she needed. She scrambled to her feet and her eyes swept the clearing to find her spear. Just as her eyes found the weapon, she hit the ground hard as her leg was pulled back and out from under her.

  Vander had regained his feet. He glared at her, hatred burning in the green flames of his eyes. “Witch!” he said, before lunging at her.

  Jak tried to roll over and get her feet between them so she could push him away, but just as she prepared to hold him off, he pulled a small knife out of his sleeve and dug it into her thigh.

  Jak screamed. It was the first real blow he had inflicted on her, and pain tore into her in waves. He wasn’t supposed to bring a knife.

  Jak breathed. It wasn’t a deep wound. She could survive it if…

  Vander abandoned the knife, launching himself forward so that he pressed Jak to the ground, one knee on her torso, pinning her in place.

  The pressure made it difficult once again to breathe. And while Vander had all but forgotten the knife he had used to stab her leg, it still lay embedded in her thigh where he had left it. What was he waiting for? All he had to do was take it and end this.

  “Oh no, I’m not going to kill you,” he said, grinning as if knowing he had guessed her thoughts. “You’ve caused me too much pain for me to end your life and give you release.”

  His fist, the one without the missing fingertip, flew down at her face. Jak called out as a burning heat spread on her face where he had hit her. Then before she could react, the fist came down again, this time on the other side of her face. He hit so hard that sparks began to swim in front of her eyes, and the world swam around her.

  “You will pay for what you’ve done to me,” Vander said, with another strike that left her reeling. “You will—” he hit her again, “—become—” and again, “—an example—” another strike, “—for all to see!”

  Jak felt her vision blur. She glanced to either side to see if there was anything she could do. But her eyes were beginning to swell shut, and the fallen weapons were likely too far away. This was it. This was her end. Though her vision blurred, she could see the faces of the onlookers, all of which were clutching at their mouths, or gazing on with expressions of horror on their faces.

  She choked as blood trickled down her throat from the many cuts inflicted by Vander’s beating. But even as he beat her senseless, she had a moment of clarity, a moment of hope. In between blows, she caught the horrified faces of humans and Fae alike, as Vander beat their former leader, their previous beacon of hope.

  Despite herself, she couldn’t help but choke out a laugh.

  20

  Vander stopped beating her.

  “What?” he sounded almost afraid. And who could blame him when the person he was beating began to laugh. With that one simple action, she had undermined his dominance of her.

  “You don’t get it, do you?” she croaked. It hurt to talk. Her face and tongue were swollen, and her eyes were closing up with the beating her face had taken. But she forced herself to speak. “These people will never follow you again. You’ve just proven to them that you’re unworthy of leading them.”

  Vander raised his glowing green eyes to stare around him, tensing as if only now aware that everyone was watching. No one met his eyes, not even the others of the Shadow Fae.

  “I’m sorry for you, Vander. You were one of the first Fae, and now you’ve thrown away everything that stands for. You’ve abandoned your gifts.”

  “You shut your mouth!” he hit her again, and this time Jak’s vision darkened. She was about to pass out. “The Fae are everything you are not. We are the next stage of humanity, a superior version, we are gods compared to you.”

  “And yet,” Jak managed to say, summoning the last of her strength. “This pathetic, helpless human, has just undermined everything you claim to value.”

  Once again, Vander scanned the crowd. And once again, everyone averted their eyes. He knew she was right. Jak smiled. She had lost this fight, but if it meant dying as a martyr, and teaching a lesson to the Fae so that something like this would never happen again, well perhaps that was worth it. She could die, knowing her memory would live on as both inspiration and a reminder of what could happen if the Fae lost their way.

  But no, that was not how this was supposed to end. Seph was out there, counting on her. She had to live for Seph. She could become a martyr and it would inspire people for a time, but then what? And what more could she do if she weren’t alive to do it?

  You are not done yet, Gabriel’s words came to her. This time they truly resonated. No, this was not the time for her to die.

  With a scream, Vander raised both fists high into the air, getting ready to bring them crashing down onto her head. Jak acted quickly. In an instant, she grabbed the knife sticking out of her leg and pulled, hard. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as pain lanced through her, but she maintained just enough lucidity for what came next. She rammed the small knife into Vander’s side.

  He let out a cry, but Jak did not give him enough time to react. She plunged the knife into him again, and again.

  His fists came down on her head once more, and this time, she faltered. The knife slipped from her fingers as the shadows closed in. Vander grabbed a nearby rock and raised it above his head. Jak closed her eyes.

  But the blow never came. Instead, she felt the pressure of Vander’s form on top of her release, just as the Shadow Elf screamed in what was sheer, utter agony. A wave of heat cut through the freezing air. Was Skellig or another Flamedancer attacking? They couldn’t do that! It would ruin the point Jak had just tried to make. If humans killed Vander, none of the Fae would ever trust them again, even if they acknowledged Vander’s error.

  Jak opened her eyes as best she could, given her swollen face. Even that small action took an extreme level of effort. But she could still see.

  Vander was thrashing his arms through the air just above her, his entire body alight, the bright warmth of the fire at odds with the dark shadows that emanated from the Shadow Elf. He was screaming but the flames would not relent.

  Jak tried to turn her head to locate the source of the flames, but there didn’t seem to be one. Vander was simply on fire, from his head to his boots, almost as t
hough he were burning from the inside. And try as she might, Jak could not identify a direction that the flames had come from.

  Vander’s screams did not last long. Soon after they began, he collapsed to the cold, hard ground, while the fire continued to consume his flesh. Jak gathered what strength she had left to raise her head and see the Shadow Elf’s corpse more clearly. And that was when she finally realized what had happened.

  Girwirt was standing next to the burning corpse, his hands still latched onto what had been Vander’s leg. Tears were streaming down his eyes. “He was going to kill you,” he cried, as his eyes met hers.

  Oh Girwirt. It had been the little gnome who had killed Vander. He must have come forward during the battle, grabbed hold of Vander, and worked his Fae magic. When that magic could melt rock, Vander would have had no chance.

  No one said a word. No one rushed forward to attack Girwirt, or to help Jak. You could have heard a pin drop, even though hundreds of people were watching. It was a somber moment. For the first time, a Fae had killed another Fae. The weight of that was beginning to sink in.

  And yet, as Jak surveyed the faces of the remaining Shadow Elves, or other Fae within the clearing, she saw their eyes fall. They were ashamed. And clearly, not one of them blamed Girwirt or Jak for anything. This time it hadn’t been Cain who had oppressed them, nor the queen, nor any form of demons. It had been one of their own. That was not a burden they were likely to forget any time soon. But it was a lesson they would all learn.

  Jak let her head fall back down to the rock, finally allowing the darkness to take her.

  21

  It took several days for Jak to get to the point where she could move about again. Li saw to her healing, making sure she had plenty of warm fluids, a poultice for the knife wound in her thigh, and ice to help curb the swelling on Jak’s face.

  Besides the gash in her thigh, and the beating of her face, she hadn’t suffered much worse. Li informed her that she probably had a fractured rib, which would explain why it hurt to breathe. But apparently that wouldn’t cause any lasting problems as long as she got plenty of rest.