Valgrin felt a sharp stab of pain when the bolt meant for him hit Skwilly instead.
“Skwilly!” Valgrin ran towards the fallen priggy.
He saw Malcolm get there first and take a knee. Healing, most likely. Be okay, please be okay. I’d feel it if he died, right? Malcolm nodded. It’s going to be alright—has to be alright. Valgrin reached Skwilly a few seconds after Malcolm had sprinted away.
“He’s still breathing, seems stable, at least,”Valgrin called out. Now to make him pay.
A blast from the temple shook the ground beneath Valgrin's feet. Tahlur's singed robes smoked as he staggered backward, the shaft of an arrow quivering from his belt. His shoulder blades slammed against the temple wall, dislodging ancient dust before he spun and disappeared into the darkness beyond the entrance. The guards' heads snapped toward the crater where stone had been moments before, their mouths hanging open beneath their helmets. Malcolm darted between them, his footfalls silent against the temple steps.
Valgrin's fingers tingled with cold as he channeled his magic, the air crystallizing around his hands. One by one, three jagged spears of ice materialized and whistled through the air. Two guards dropped to their knees with wet gasps, ice spears jutting from their backs. The third guard's scream transformed into a bestial growl as the ice impaling him hissed and dripped, orange light rippling beneath his armor like molten metal.
Crap, some sort of fire magic. I’m screwed. He picked up Skwilly and shuffled backward. A quick attempt to freeze the ground in front of him proved unsuccessful. Not enough water? No, this is swamp land, must be some magic resistance or counter. His shuffle sped up to a near run. The flaming guard snarled and jogged towards Valgrin. He cast Ice Wall between him and the guard—cursing at himself when an arrow sunk into the ice.
“Sorry Izzy.” He shouted toward her. “Needed to get Skwilly out of harm’s way.”
“Bring him my way, then you can help Deeah. Get rid of the wall. It’s blocking my shots.” She replied.
Valgrin nodded his agreement, looking over his shoulder. He spied Deeah engaging with the two bog-monsters Skwilly had been handling. A quick glance showed a glow on the ice wall, the fire guard melting through instead of going around. He dismissed the wall, and an arrow hit the guard’s shoulder. Valgrin turned and ran to Izzy.
The whoosh of two more arrows flying by him tempted him to look back, but he decided not to slow himself down. He laid Skwilly behind Izzy, hidden by the taller grasses at the edge of the clearing. He heard Izzy swearing under her breath.
“What’s wrong?” He asked.
“You have anything to use on this guy?”
He finished turning his head and assessed the guard as he plodded towards them. Slow walk, wonder if he has to concentrate to keep the fire going? Not shot anything, so armor only? Izzy shot two more arrows. He saw no noticeable impact.
“Damn it,” Izzy muttered. “The arrows are consumed before doing any damage. I thought a few in quick succession might break through. I have nothing else that works against fire except another magic disruption arrow. But that will be the last one of those I can fire for about an hour.”
“I knew I should have taken Bloody Vision. I don’t have anything not ice based for a distance attack.”
“I’ll try a few more normal arrows in a row and then fire the magic disruption if that doesn’t work. Need to chase down Malcolm. Who knows what the idiot just ran into?” Izzy released two at once, then followed that up with several more rapid shots.
Valgrin watched as two more swamp monsters formed near Deeah. “I’m running to Deeah. Looks like more coming her way. Hope these are as easy as the other creatures.”
“Me too.” Izzy called out as he headed to Deeah.
Eight steps in, Valgrin tripped, twisting as he fell in order to land on his back. It also allowed him to see what he tripped on. A vine had wrapped around his ankle and within seconds others had joined to tie him to the ground. The ground squelched as he fought against the bindings. He paused when a column of fire shot up into the sky.
“Got him.” Izzy shouted.
“Move back from where you’re standing. Vines may attack.” Valgrin called out. His twisting was keeping the bindings from getting much tighter, but were doing nothing to loosen anything. Hope these things don’t have a defense against ice. The surrounding ground froze, causing the vines to thrash and then fall motionless on the ground. Fire guy must have been casting an area of effect counter. He jumped up and resumed his run toward Deeah, who was now fighting off four of the swamp monsters.
He shot several Ice Daggers, causing two of the mounds to melt back into the ground. The other two turned to face him as he closed in on them. One shuddered and fell to the ground. Deeah stood with a long dagger in her hand. Which she slashed toward the remaining mound. A brownish, woody vine wrapped around her wrist and stopped the slash as another vine circled her neck.
Crap, hope I have enough charge left. Need to have a fuel gauge on a HUD. Valgrin pointed his katar at the monster choking Deeah and fired ten ice daggers—each one hitting the center of the mound. The vines holding Deeah fell away as the rest of its body dissolved back from where it came.
“You okay?” He stopped and called to Deeah.
“Yeah, didn’t last long enough to cause damage.”
She rubbed at her throat.
“I’m going in after Malcolm. You should keep an eye on those gigantic shadows out there in the swamp water.” Valgrin pointed past the temple. “Not sure if good news or bad.”
“Got it. Don’t seem to be moving. I count four out there.”
Valgrin began running to the temple. “I must have missed one.”
What could they be? Didn’t see them until right after I shot that last swamp thing. They weren’t there before then. At least I didn’t see them. He jumped over a vine that might have moved and closed on the temple.
Mud and muck sprayed everywhere, covering him with rank slime. Five large thorn covered
vines erupted from the ground blocking the entrance.
“More? Really?”
He parried a tendril thrusting at him. His back swing hit the second vine, glancing off a tougher exterior than the swamp creatures. The blow from the vine landed, but off target. The thorns bit into his left shoulder, shredding some skin. Dark red blood welled up within the wound.
“That burns.” He shouted. Is this poisonous? The numbness radiating from the wound convinced him he’d been correct. “This thing is poisonou…”
A small explosion set the middle vine on fire. A second explosion took out the vine Valgrin had parried first. The burning in his shoulder intensified when another blow landed. Pay attention, idiot. He
fell back and watched an arrow set his attacker on fire.
“Thanks, Izzy.” His words slurred. The world took on the look of a painting just beginning to melt as he stumbled into the temple, avoiding the lunge from the fourth tendril. Keep it together, save Malcolm, then I can die.
He heard another two explosions as he turned down the hallway Tahlur had escaped down a
few minutes ago.
“Thanks, Izzy.” His shout came out as a slurred grumble. He bounced off the wall, trying to keep his balance, which he did, barely. His vision blurred, then cleared up again. The burning is getting worse. My arm is numb and won’t move. The burn is down to my chest, too. My heart? His run had slowed into a stagger. He yelled when his left shoulder hit the wall. Want to, can’t sleep. Hurts. Malcolm, find Malcolm. He turned and stopped. Right or left? Wall is pretty too. His hand ran across the pink and cream hued stone wall. Sleep. No! He shook his head and took a deep breath. A distant noise captured his attention and gave him a direction. Right, right, right. He giggled and staggered right. Drunk? Or dying? Maybe a little of both?
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
He blinked his eyes several times as he ran his right shoulder into the wall. Better than the other one. Concenk…uh…concenkrate. No, concentrate. His steps slowed as he struggled against the burning and confusion. The sound grew louder. Someone was talking, but Valgrin couldn’t make out the words. Some scuffling noises echoed behind him.
Crap, more emini…eniimies…enemies. Right foot down, left foot down. His steps slowed. The voice grew louder. He leaned into the wall as he fought for each step.
“Aaah!” He jumped, falling as he tried to turn. “Izzy?”
She handed him a silver vial. “Drink all of this as quick as you can. You don’t look good, more gray than blue and blackened veins down your arm.”
It took three swallows to down the vial. His mental fog cleared by the time he finished. “Thinking better already, but only decreased the burn a little—so far. Oh, and thank you for the arrow and the
potion.”
“It’s only a strong healing potion, not an antidote to the poison. You just drank three servings. I wasn’t sure if it would work at all. Now that we see it is, hopefully it keeps the poison at bay for an hour or more. If the burning gets worse or the confusion starts back up. I have some lesser healing potions we can try. I also have two more vials of the strong stuff, but would like to save those for later needs, if we can.”
Valgrin nodded, sending stabs of pain through his head. “Argh, headache coming on. Side effect?”
“Shouldn’t be any from potion. I’ll watch, but let’s get going.”
Valgrin pointed down the hall. “Heard voices that way. Echo made it impossible to tell more than the general direction. It was getting louder, but that could have been the poison.”
He stood up, nearly falling again as a knee buckled.
“I’ll steady you.” Izzy put her shoulder under his arm. “Not sure if this will work. You might be too tall. At least your light, even for an elf.”
Valgrin nodded as he worked on his balance. “Thank you, again. I should be good to go forward now.”
They took a couple of tentative steps before quickening the pace. The sound of their
shoes scuffing the stone echoing off the walls. They took a few more steps
before the voice sounded again.
“That’s Malcolm.” Valgrin sped up.
“Don’t go too fast. We need to be able to help him when we get there.”
Valgrin nodded to Izzy and slowed down, slightly.
“…for Steeyann.” Valgrin heard the voice say.
“Did you hear that?” He asked Izzy.
“Couldn’t make it out, but yes.”
“Something about Steeyann. So Malcolm is alive and probably has the upper hand.”
Izzy’s mouth quirked into a slight smile. “Good news.”
More muttering led them to an open door. Both froze in the doorway, the scene hitting them like a physical blow.
Malcolm—drenched crimson, his face spattered with arterial spray—loomed over Tahlur's convulsing body. The dagger in his fist plunged down with mechanical precision, each strike punctuated by a wet, sucking sound.
"Another for Steeyann." Malcolm's voice was a guttural growl. The blade ripped upward, trailing strings of tissue, before hammering down again.
Tahlur's scream dissolved into a bubbling wheeze as blood fountained from his chest, painting the stone walls in crimson arcs.
"Malcolm," Izzy's whisper was lost beneath the sound of tearing flesh.
The dagger struck bone with a sickening crack.
"Malcolm." Valgrin's voice trembled.
Malcolm twisted the blade, wrenching it free. Tahlur's body bucked, his fingers clawing frantically at nothing.
"Malcolm!" Valgrin roared, Izzy's nails drawing blood from his arm.
Malcolm's head snapped up. His eyes—vacant black pits in a blood-masked face—locked onto Valgrin without recognition. A feral snarl escaped his lips before he drove the dagger down again with savage force.
Valgrin lunged forward, seizing Malcolm's wrist mid-strike. The tendons beneath his grip were iron cables. "Enough!"
Malcolm collapsed like a puppet with cut strings, crumpling to the floor. "I thought it would feel better," he whispered, voice cracking.
"Revenge rarely heals," Izzy murmured, kneeling beside him.
"Kill... me..." Tahlur's plea bubbled through the froth on his lips.
Valgrin stared down at his former friend's ruined chest. "You'll bleed out soon enough." He turned away as Tahlur's rattling breaths grew shallow.
A final, wet gurgle, then silence.
"Let's go," Izzy whispered, her face ashen.
Valgrin helped Izzy get Malcolm to his feet, and the three of them started walking out
of the temple. They rounded the corner before the exit. The silence from Malcolm was painful.
Deeah and Skwilly’s heads appeared from some shadows near the exit. Deeah’s palm extended to the group.
“Quiet.” She whispered.
“Those things out in the swamp moved closer around ten minutes ago. There’s six of them now, at least that I could see. One has moved to the shore of this part of the swamp. Looks like the rest are still in the water. At least last I saw, came here to keep the gang of you from…” Deeah’s whisper trailed off as her gaze fell to Malcolm.
“I’m fin…I’m okay,” Malcolm responded to her stare. “I’m good to go. No need to plan around defending me.”
Skwilly’s ears bounced as he shook his head. “No need to defend me either, but I’ll stay in the back in case I need to retreat.” The priggy looked up at the group and then continued. “Since it looks like you might not believe me. I’m fine, just still scrambled a little. I can glow, hurt a lot, but I could do it. Don’t think you can rely on me.”
“But you’re okay?” Izzy and Valgrin asked at the same time.
“I’m fine, just not dependable. I’ll stick to the back, intending to run away if needed.”
Valgrin gave the priggy a half nod before addressing Deeah. “With only one coming to shore, did it look like he wanted someone to talk to him? Negotiate or something?”
She shrugged, “I couldn’t tell. They dismounted and are standing next to the beast it was riding. They were covered in some greenish gauze moss like stuff, so hard to tell. Covered like it was a sheet, sort of reminds me of cartoons of ghosts, except much creeper.”
“I think we should send one of us to talk,” Izzy said in a hushed voice. “Might carry weight if they were one of the Creators.”
“I said I was fine. But not that fine,” Malcolm replied.
There’s a flash of the old Malcolm. First step on a hard road. Valgrin jumped when somebody shook his shoulder.
“Are you listening to me?” Izzy’s hand waved in the air above his shoulder.
“I spaced for a second, sorry. I heard Creator mentioned and yes, I’ll do it.” Valgrin stepped through the exit. “Let me have one of your lesser healing potions. The first one is doing a decent job of keeping my head clear.” He took the vial and downed it quickly. “Now, stay far enough behind me so you’re not seen as a threat.”
They all nodded and fell into line behind Valgrin as he made his way around out and around the corner of the temple.
“They are still standing in the same spot.” Deeah let them know.
“That’s promising.” Izzy muttered.
Valgrin motioned for the group to stop, then he moved toward the thing that stood in the shore's mud. Deeah was right. Looks like it’s draped in a gauze sheet that had something growing on it. He shook his head, telling himself to pay attention.
The creature stood up taller as Valgrin got closer. “Is the durthema dead?”
“Durthema? I don’t know that word.” Valgrin stopped walking as he spoke.
The green hump at the creature’s top cocked. His head? Maybe?
“Apologies, that is our term. It means someone who forces things to be things they are not. The one who we speak of made roots and plants defend their building. Many dead animals, not of the kroussa, were brought here.”
“If I understand you correctly. A durthema was killed, but he was a student to someone else who might also be a durthema. That person did not die. He wasn’t here.” Valgrin watched for a response.
“This is a good thing, the death of the durthema. We felt the magic flare here. So, we came ready to defend. The magic fled a few…um…minutes ago. We hoped for such news.”
Valgrin relaxed. “I’m glad we could help you. What do you mean, the magic fled?”
The creature extended what seemed to be his hands, motioning to the swamp. “This area. It has been almost two hundred years since this part of the kroussa was not under magic that enforced the durthema.”
Valgrin nodded, not sure what to say. “Th..that is good news. We’re gla…”
“We will give you a ride on our brukaz across the kroussa to the magic point you used to get here. Also, we have one that might help your friend who could be dark-scarred.”
How? “How do you know of the magic point and the dark-scarring?”
“The kroussa tells me.” The creature answered. “And of your need for transport.”
The Structure? Maybe, set this aside for later. “We are grateful for your help.” Valgrin motioned to the others, stumbling as he did so. He grabbed another vial of healing potion.
“You need healing?” The creature asked.
“I was poisoned, the healing potion is helping delay the poison, but it doesn’t eliminate it.”
A sharp trill sounded from the creature. “I have called our healer. He will be able to, as you say, eliminate the poison from you.”
It took little more than an hour before Valgrin was healed and balanced on the back of a brukaz, behind Challaretha—the kroullat who he’d met first. He glanced over at Malcolm, riding on another brukaz right beside him. The kroullat Challaretha had mentioned might help Malcolm in charge of the mount.
He kept trying to figure out what the brukaz looked like. Best he could come up with was a clay ball shaped sort of like a bison head mixed with a lion was stuck on the body of an almost hippo. All together one of the ugliest creatures he’d seen.
The other kroullats followed Challaretha into the deeper water. Valgrin watched the other brukaz swim close. Each of them had a member of the group riding. A slight grin appeared when he saw Skwilly riding on the back of a brukaz, obviously uncomfortable at the situation.
