Odder- The Blood Curse

by Nathaniel Red

  Odder put on the spectacles, not sure what to expect. A purple aura surrounded Karzan, and a rosy energy flowed throughout the room.

  "Now, you will understand how to control magic." Karzan waved his hand back and forth. Energy swirled and concentrated around his palm until a fireball formed.

  "Do you see?"

  "The energy created your fireball." Odder said, uncertain. "But you didn't chant any spells."

  Karzan smiled. "Magic flows all around and through us. We can focus the energy by using words, objects, and even thoughts."

  "How big can you make it?" Odder asked.

  "Big I suppose, magic has no limits." Karzan scratched his cheek. "But we do. Wielding magic drains us spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The larger the spell, the longer the recovery."

  Odder reached in the air as if trying to grasp the waves of energy. Excitement danced on his fingertips, and his attitude gleamed. "Can you teach me?"

  "That I can, lad." Karzan threw the fireball above Odder's head. It danced on the waves of energy. "To those who do not see the energy, the fireball appears to be acting on its own, but as you can see, I'm using the energy to move the fireball."

  Karzan gripped his wand and waved it in the air. He chanted a spell, "vatnu forma."

  The wand lit up and energy formed around the tip. Karzan flicked the energy, which turned into water, toward the fireball and doused the flames.

  "I can see the magic." Odder grinned.

  "Yes," said Karzan. "This time, I used a magic item, my wand, and a spell to create water."

  "You didn't use either when you created the fireball."

  "Correct. Once mastered, you can conjure a spell by a single thought. It takes years, sometimes decades to master a spell." Karzan straightened his spectacles. "Now wave your hands in the air."

  As Odder waved the energy dispersed. "I’m pushing the energy away."

  "Indeed, and this is why you cannot conjure magic. Your demon curse deflects the energy needed to create the spell."

  "What about magic items?" Odder asked.

  "Do you see the glow of my wand?"

  "Yes."

  "Grasp it in your hand."

  As Odder did, the glow faded.

  "Your curse nullifies the magic."

  Odder frowned and placed the wand back in front of the wizard. Frustrated, he took off his spectacles. The reddish energy disappeared, and the air cleared. "So how do I break the curse?"

  "You must defeat your demons."

  "And how can I possibly do that?"

  Karzan held up his index finger. "Rule number one, magic comes from the spirit realm. Magic creates all things."

  "Alright, I can remember rule one, but rules don't defeat demons?"

  Karzan pursed his lips and rubbed his hands together. "This room is stuffy. Let's get some fresh air. We'll call the others outside as well."

  ***

  Martha sat on a leaning chair, her sandals placed next to her, and her toes buried in the tall green grass. A long-brimmed straw hat shielded her face from Kellas's rays. The others hid in the shade of a giant oak tree.

  "Let's get on with it," said Finkle. "It's lunchtime."

  "Calm down gnomie," Serra said. "This is more important than filling your belly."

  Aimma leaned quietly on the trunk of the tree.

  "We have little time," Karzan said. "Odder needs examples of the rules of magic. I told him the first."

  Serra spoke up, "The second is-"

  "I got this one missy." Finkle held up his arms. "Magic is conjured by intention and willpower." He spun his hands and created a small tornado that twisted in his palm.

  Aimma applauded and then pulled a glass wand from her cloak. She whispered and pointed the wand at the tornado. It turned into stone. Finkle struggled to hold its weight and dropped it on the ground. "Three - Objects, like my wand, words, and thoughts," Aimma said, waving her wand, "can focus your intention to create magic."

  Serra disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. The stone suddenly crumbled. She reappeared in front of Finkle and pushed him down. "Don’t ever interrupt me." She turned toward Odder. "Four - Once you master a spell, you can use thought alone to wield it."

  Karzan and Martha clapped. "Nicely done," said Karzan. "Over the centuries, the elves developed affinities to control certain types of magic depending on the region where they live. We call these disciplines. For example, the Rigans developed their discipline to control fire while the Gelasdorans are proficient in controlling ice-"

  "And what about the dark elves, is evil their affinity?" Aimma said under her breath.

  Serra's nostrils flared. She marched toward Aimma. "I have an affinity to kicking a little healer's-"

  "Whoa Serra." Odder stepped in front of her.

  Aimma gave her a contemptible stare. Finkle stood wide-eyed and waiting for a show.

  Karzan clawed his hands in the air, lightning shot from his fingertips and ripped the ground between Serra and Aimma. Odder jumped just before sinking into the crevice. Karzan continued. "The final rule." He held his finger up to Aimma. "Magic is neither good nor evil."

  Serra and Aimma, turned their noses away from each other as Karzan glared. Odder interrupted the awkward tension. "The rules seem easy to remember, so how do I use them?"

  "Do you think you are ready?" Karzan asked. "Once the doors are opened, there is no going back."

  "I don't know. How do you prepare the blind to see for the first time, or explain to a graggle what life is like when it leaves the sea? I suppose I'm as ready as can be."

  "You sound unsure,” said Karzan. He raised his voice. “Some say we have a destiny. Some say we create our destiny. I say we must rise up against our fears and confront the challenges. The outcomes will be what they are." Karzan held out his hand. "Odder, do you rise and accept the challenge?"

  Odder cleared his throat.

  "You are far too weak, a child, useless, and powerless," His inner voice said, more intense than usual.

  Odder pictured the demon's faces from the book and ignored his quiet desperation. He lifted his chest and with resolve asked, "What must I do?"

  "You will face your demons in their lair. You cannot die, but if you are defeated, you will be a slave to them for eternity." Karzan leaned toward Odder, his expression stone-like. "A fate worse than death?"

  Odder looked toward Serra. She looked away and scratched the back of her neck.

  "You got this, laddy," said Finkle.

  Aimma avoided making eye contact.

  "Aimma. What do you think?" asked Odder, searching for approval.

  She hesitated then spoke in a stern tone. "I don't like it. Your life, all life is cherished. I don't think it's worth the risk-"

  "Don't listen to her." Serra interrupted. "She's weak. It's your destiny."

  "I'm not weak! My sworn duty is to protect life."

  Odder bent over slightly and placed his hands over his stomach. His gut knotted, and his breathing became shallow. Fear, in seeming a physical form, filled his lungs.

  "Odder?" Karzan asked. "What's your decision?"

  "Uh...," Odder said, the word lingering in his throat. His mind wandered back to the pain he experienced while growing up. His nerves tensed. He remembered the persecution, the name-calling, the fights, and the loneliness. His anger toward Renzt fumed, and his heart ached for his friend, Destin. He needed justice. A sudden sharp pain struck his forearm. He winced. Just a reminder of the curse and what's at stake. "Yes, I do. I will rise to the challenge," he said with confidence for the first time in his life.

  "Perfect," Karzan said. He placed a firm grip on Odder's shoulders and gave him a nod. "Tonight, we confront your first demon." He turned his attention to the others. "It will take me some time to prepare the spell. Continue to teach and show Odder examples of the rules and meet me in the potion room at sunset."

  ***

  "Drink this." Aimma handed Odder a cup. "The elixir will calm your nerves but keep your mind str
ong and alert."

  "Thanks." Odder took a drink. His face turned red and wrinkled like a prune. He shook his head and cleared his throat. "I'll die before I even meet the demons."

  "It tastes awful, but grandmother’s special potion works."

  Odder placed the cup on the same table where Karzan identified the demons. He paced from one end of the room to the other.

  Finkle sat across from Serra. "Relax, laddy. Your pacing is making me nervous."

  "Where's Karzan?" Odder wiped his brow. "He called for us to meet him here."

  "He'll be here soon, I'm sure," Serra said.

  The sound of a door opening and shutting came from another room.

  "See." Serra winked.

  The squeaking of rusty metallic wheels inched closer. Finkle held his ears. Karzan entered the room, pushing a large looking glass. Aimma stepped past Odder and helped pull the mirror.

  "In the corner." Karzan pointed. "That's where it needs to go."

  Karzan caught his breath and sat at the table. He placed the tattered leather book on the tabletop and turned the page to the demon, Infadecus. "Gather around, and I'll tell you about the demon of Self-loathing." He read the description aloud and pointed at the drawing.

  "Just old bones," Finkle said. "You can crush him with a club -."

  "Or slice through him like reeds." Serra placed her dagger on the table and pushed it toward Odder.

  "Don't underestimate Infadecus." Karzan intercepted the dagger and pushed it back to Serra. "Odder, this is a spiritual battle. He will attack your insecurities, your past, present, and future."

  "Just tell me what I need to do."

  Karzan pointed to the looking glass. "The mirror is a doorway leading to the dark parts of your soul. A realm in between our material world and the spirit realm."

  "Is it death?" asked Aimma, concerned.

  "It's purgatory, but with this enchanted mirror, Odder can enter and exit where this demon has taken a stronghold."

  "How do I defeat him?"

  Karzan pointed a crooked finger to his ear. "You must listen to your instincts." He adjusted his spectacles. "Allow the Celestines to guide you. Remember you cannot physically die there, and the intensity of your pain will be tenfold, but in this realm, pain is just an illusion."

  Odder crossed his arms. A cloud of doubt covered him. "I don't know if I'm ready."

  "What's the alternative?" Serra asked. "A life without magic? A slave to the goblins? Regret?"

  Odder stood, his posture stout, and his voice commanding. He accepted his fate. "I'm not much of a believer in the Celestines but if they are real, pray that they are with me."

  Karzan walked up to the looking glass. He placed his hands together and chanted. The mirrored glass waved like a stone thrown into a still pond, then cleared. An image of a desert wasteland formed with a pyramid in the background. "There is where you must go. Do not let anything distract you and remember the demon will lie to keep you from defeating it."

  Odder stepped up to the looking glass and pushed his fingers against the cold, smooth surface. It resisted at first but gave in like pressing a soap bubble. His fingers slipped in, then his hand. He took one last glance back. His eyes met Aimma's. Her expression looked familiar. He had seen it before, many times, whenever he looked into a mirror. He closed his eyes, shook the image from his head, and stepped in.

  He fell to his knees. The air forced out of his lungs as if a battle hammer hit his chest. He gasped taking in the thick, dry air with a hint of sulfur. Blowing sand gathered on his feet. He looked around at the massive dunes. The sand will bury me if I stay there too long. He took a quick look back at the looking glass. A black void replaced the natural reflective surface. He stood, shielding his eyes from the hot blowing particles, and hiked toward the pyramid. Each step met with greater resistance.

  He noticed the demon symbol for Infadecus glowing on his arm.

  "Where are you going?" asked a faint whisper of a voice.

  Odder's senses sharpened. He stopped. "Who's there?" He held out his fists.

  "Look to your side," the voice said.

  Odder cleared his eyes. The blowing sand took shape, and he flinched at the sight of his own face. "You're not real."

  "As real as you are here at the steps of my dominion."

  "I won't fall for your deception, demon!" Odder reached for his wooden sword.

  "And how do I deceive you, Odder?" It stepped closer. "Your weapons don’t work here."

  The demon, it has my face. How am I supposed -

  "- Destroy me?" The voice laughed. "You can't. I'm part of you."

  Odder shook and abruptly stepped back. "You can read my thoughts?"

  "Like I said, I am a part of you, and I know you Odder the vekart. You are nothing. You are worthless. I have protected you all your life from others."

  "Your voice. It sounds familiar." It took a moment, but Odder remembered. "Yes, you. My inner voice."

  Infadecus pointed back at the looking glass. "I protected you from them." The black became transparent. On the other side, Serra, Aimma, and Finkle laughed and pointed. "Look at them, they mock and pity you. They hate you."

  A lump formed in Odder's chest and moved into his throat.

  "Yes, I can feel your pain. Go back through the glass. Tell them you failed and then flee into the woods. Do it, and I will protect you."

  The demon's words shrouded Odder's thoughts like a weighty burial cloth. He attempted to fight but conceded to its influence as if lost in a dream.

  Odder looked at his friends. How could they be so cruel? He gripped his sword until his hand became numb. Wait. He rubbed his eyes. They're not laughing. Finkle held his hands to his mouth as if yelling. Aimma and Serra waved their hands forward.

  Vanquishing the demon's fictitious authority, Odder stepped toward it. "No demon. You're wrong. They are not mocking me. My friends are encouraging me."

  "Arrr..." The demon's face twisted and convulsed from side to side then it vanished into the sand.

  Odder pressed onward toward the pyramid. The blowing sand raged and punished his exposed flesh. The thought of turning back and taking the demon’s offer, tempted his mind more than once. He heard crying up ahead. The demon sat on the ground with its head resting on its knees and its arms wrapped around its legs. It looked up, its face still in Odder's likeness.

  "Odder, please listen to me. You and I suffered together. We deserve more." The demon wiped its tears. "Take my hand, and we can escape this land together."

  Odder peered into the demon's eyes. He recognized the pain and sorrow.

  "You know you're weak, but together, we are strong. I can teach you magic, and we can make everyone who has ever harmed you suffer." The demon swayed its hand over the ground. A figure lifted from the sand and took the shape of an elf.

  "Renzt!" Odder said under his breath. His blood seethed, and he clenched his hands. He had an impulsive vision of scorching Renzt as he cowered on the ground.

  "Yes, I sense your hatred." The demon smiled.

  Its rotting dead teeth distracted Odder, causing his anger to retreat like a low morning tide. He shook the thoughts from his mind and walked past the demon, and through the sand figure of Renzt.

  "No! You'll regret this vekart."

  Odder ignored the demon's threat and continued his journey to the pyramid.

  The sand blew harder, nearly tearing Odder's skin. Almost there. Must keep moving.

  He held his hand over his eyes to get a clear view of the structure. As he walked closer, the pyramid emerged like an impending storm.

  In an endless ballet, the sand danced and climbed the golden bricks. Attempting to bury the pyramid in the desert wasteland.

  Odder spotted the arched entry.

  The demon appeared once again, blocking the entrance. "Stop," it commanded. "To enter, you must go through me, and to go through me is death."

  Rage fumed within Odder. He snarled and stepped forward in defiance. "I see you for what you
are. You no longer control me."

  The demon puffed its chest, and shouted, "then die!" It held out its arms and arched its back. Its body burst into a million raging particles.

  A tornado of sand engulfed Odder. He gripped his sword and pushed through the demon.

  The demon continued to yell, "die, die, die," as Odder pushed through.

  Continuous waves of sand ripped at Odder, throwing flesh and blood into the wind - leaving only muscle, and bone exposed.

  Odder cried out like a wild beast thrown into a vat of acid. He pulled his sword from its sleeve, and the wood burst into flames. He swung slashing and striking the demon, sending sand in all directions. "Demon... be... gone!"

  The wind diminished, and the sand retreated. Odder held the flaming wooden sword in front of him, his teeth clenched, his breathing heavy. He searched, but the demon vanished. He glanced at his arms, whole again as if the horrific lacerations happened in a nightmare. He eyed the flames on his sword, and with renewed confidence, marched into the entry.

  The flames chased away the shadows as Odder moved his sword from side to side. A loud crash sounded behind him. He veered his sword toward the noise with his body trailing. A burst of sand struck his face. He wiped his eyes only to see a solid stone sealing the doorway. He turned back around and assessed the room. He glared at the glowing symbol on his arm, and an ill feeling festered inside of him. Is it a trap?

  The room reeked of sulfur, mold, and dust. He ran his hand over the smooth surface of a wall, then struck it a few times.

  Four walls, no doors, no stairs, no halls. His blood vessels narrowed, and he wiped his soaked palms on his cloak before surveying the area again, this time looking up. The ceiling faded into a deep darkness like staring into an abyss. Fear and dread overtook him, and the flames on his sword faded.

  "There must be something!" He tightened his grip, his passion reigniting the fire. He struck the wall, the familiar sound of metal hitting stone echoed, but with no damage. His anger erupted, and he swung ferociously at the wall. Sparks painted the room in amber light as he moved along the sides, swiping from side to side until his sword cut only air in one of the corners.