Stoke - 18. Corruption

Short-sighted, reckless, and simply stupid. Anders had been lost on a tangent about the plan Talon and the others had in place for some time now. I was face down in my cell where I’d been dumped by the guards. I had no idea how long it’d been. Once again, I was having a hard time remaining conscious as a fever ripped through my body. I could hear Anders’ voice, but every now and then I would find myself lost in his monologue. There were gaps in my memory where I had to have passed out. Did he even stop talking? Was he such a fan of his own voice that he didn’t even notice his audience wasn’t conscious or listening? Maybe he didn’t care? A captive audience was probably his most vivid fantasy. I had awoken again, irritation forcing its way to the forefront of my mind. The man was beyond insufferable. He thought he was the Gods’ gifts to Syrin, to Dimian. Why was he here? Why was he telling me this? Any of it? With the poison in my system did he think I wasn’t even coherent enough to hear him, let alone comprehend?

“I was born a peasant you see. No one knew what I was capable of. I was an abomination like your Talon. People didn’t wish to be around me or my mother. In the end, their prejudices hurt only them. She was accused of bewitching a lord of low standing into her bed. His wife sent men to beat her to death. I stopped them, using my power to influence them to instead kill their masters. They were hanged for it later in the week.” He chuckled softly to himself as if this were a fond memory and not a horrific retelling of a traumatic story.

“She was a good woman. Never explained exactly how she managed to conceive me, but she was a good mother too. She looked after me as well as you could expect a poor, single mother to. She was seen as a whore. Hard to get work, you understand.” He droned on and on and I hoped for another bout of unconsciousness.

“She held me back. I couldn’t let people at court know of my…questionable lineage. People are still very superstitious. When she began to drag me down, I disposed of her.” Again, no emotion. As if he was simply commenting on the weather and hadn’t just implied he’d murdered his own mother.
He was insane.

I shut him out. All the symptoms were the same but seemed to be less harsh then the two times before. Perhaps some of Nyx’s medicine had countered the new dose? I wasn’t sure how any of that worked to begin with. I hadn’t been physically sick. I wasn’t out of commission for days as I had been. I could form my own thoughts. Well, when Anders wasn’t rummaging around in my head. The poison had lowered my defenses and strength. He’d waltzed right back into my mind and I had been powerless to stop him. My connection to Talon was hidden from me and I didn’t know if my partner could even feel me. Did he think I was already dead?

There was a strong possibility. The only thing that might’ve made it over was pain, and Anders had been putting me through plenty of that. He’d take breaks in speaking to raise his hand. He’d wave it or bend his fingers and I’d plunge into a new, painful delusion. My entire body would feel frozen, my fingers and toes numb as I shook. My teeth would chatter and my body would lock up. Or I would feel as though every bone was being smashed with a hammer, one by one. Yet another delusion had me believing I was being cut hundreds of times all over my body. It was agony and I couldn’t imagine Talon’s frame of mind if he was feeling even a fraction of it from me.

“Did you honestly think you could take an entire city with only a handful of men? My army will crush them before they even get close. They plan was for your lover to ‘jump’ everyone in, correct? They won’t have a chance. The entire Crusade will meet them at the front gates. We’re searching out the pitiful attempt at a rebellion right now as well.” Anders sneered down at me. Faint bruises spanned his cheeks and I smiled weakly. At least I had managed to do a little damage. His eyes stayed focused on me, looking down the slope of his nose. At some point, a chair had been brought in for him. It looked ridiculous in the filthy cell. Brightly polished wood with a nicely upholstered, sage green seat. He perched on it and I wondered what he was thinking. His blank stare didn’t change and he remained quiet for a long time. Shockingly, no pain came. He just sat as if he was waiting for something. I shifted and my cheek ground against the rough floor. My lips were severely chapped and my throat was dry. I was beginning to wish he’d get whatever he had planned over with. I was so tired. I had been fighting every day since I left home and I didn’t have any more fight in me.

“In your heart you know. I can tell. You know that you don’t win here. You’ll die, the former assassins will die, your family, the teachers, and everyone else who ever meant anything to you. There is no happy ending here. You’ve accepted it. It’s written all over your thoughts. The resignation.” His voice was monotone, and the lack of inflection made the words hit harder for some reason. I wanted to argue, to disagree, but was he really wrong?

He wasn’t. Not really. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I had been thinking it since Ajul. How could we hope to win against someone like this? Someone so cruel. Ajul. The heart in my chest that I’d locked up to keep from feeling, hammered against its restraints. She’d given up so little information. It was the only reason her friends in the rebellion were still safe. She hadn’t given up any part of my role either, whatever that was. I’m sure there wasn’t one set in stone. Take strong power and blast a hole through the traitors? Something like that? I forced Ajul from my thoughts. Thinking about it did me no good.

I let my eyes slip closed as I tried to dig through the tangled up mess that was my mind and heart. Who was I? Who was this person laying in a cell, waiting to die? I had tried to give up plenty of times before and someone had always been there to spur me on. Eon, Talon, and all my other friends. They’d shouldered this burden with me and now that I was alone, the weight was crushing down. Who was I? Who did it leave behind? I had been so many different people in the last year and a half. A clueless, entitled, little lord stumbling through the real world. A young man drowning in a sea of guilt filled with the blood I’d spilled. My hands now permanently stained crimson. An idealist warrior defending those most important to me. I’d had bigger dreams to save an entire kingdom, setting aside my guilt to do what needed to be done. Finally, a man so traumatized by the suffering of innocents that I’d shut down all feelings to be numb.

No, that’s not what I had done.

I’d taken the easy way out again. I was on my own, but I pulled back in favor of letting it be someone else’s problem. Again. Phelti’s rebellion would save me. My friends would save me. Talon would save me. Who gave me the right to shrug off responsibility when everyone else was already buried under so much struggle? My thoughts turned to Nyx. He’d said he’d fight either way and his power was nowhere near mine. He hadn’t even hesitated. He hadn’t whined about how hard things were for him or how much pressure he was under. He wasn’t waiting for a knight in shining armor to ride in and fix all his problems. There was something that needed to be done, a thing that was important to him, and he’d see it done. Simple.

Anders was still talking but I couldn’t hear him over my brain’s sudden realization. Weak, Kalian. I was being weak. If this was who I wanted to be, I didn’t deserve my friends. I didn’t deserve this great power. All of it was given to me for a reason. I was so blessed. I’d hidden the fact from myself so I could continue whining about how hard my childhood had been. How hard learning was. How too much was being thrown at me. So many excuses while those around me held everything down. I wasn’t alone anymore. I wasn’t a kid sitting in a tiny room staring at a candle. I had friends. I had a partner.

Talon.

I squeezed my eyes closed and my fingers scratched against the ground as they balled into a fist. He’d given up his entire life for me and I rewarded him by giving up. By thinking that I didn’t care if I died. He’d gone to great efforts repeatedly to make sure I remained among the living and he only got more trouble in return. I slowly managed to get my other hand under me, pressing to the dirt-covered stone under my torso.

Eon, Wren, Hanja, Tyren, and Amaris had, on more than one occasion, followed me into horrible situations without a second thought. Well, maybe not Hanja. I’m positive he questioned all our decisions. A small smile pulled at my lips as I saw the nights we’d spent around a fire. Talon’s arms wrapped tight around me with an extra blanket to avoid the cold, shooting snarky remarks out while his chin balanced on my shoulder. Amaris huddled into our sides, tearing Talon down a few pegs every chance she got. Tyren and Hanja snuggled up with the latter shaking his head at nearly every remark exchanged. Tyren always had the kindest smiles to balance his partner’s sour mood. I remembered Wren poking at Eon sneakily whenever the former head assassin wanted attention. He seemed to think he was far more subtle than he was. My smile grew and I managed to get my arms underneath me and push. My torso was off the ground and even that had taken almost all my energy. I panted softly and dragged my knees underneath me. I could do this. I hadn’t decided what “this” was, but we’d figure it out as we went along.

“You shouldn’t be able to move at all. You should be laying in a pool of your own vomit and convulsing.” Anders’ voice had a tinge of worry and I paused on all fours. I took deep breaths and hauled myself up so that I was kneeling. I let my eyes fall closed. It wasn’t as strong, but I could feel the energy around me. I began to pull at it.

“G-guard! Guard! Yamir!” I opened my eyes as my hands started to glow. The covered man who’d captured me appeared at the base of the stairs and darted for Anders. I didn’t have time to think. I jerked my hand forward and Anders screamed. He held his face and blood splattered against the cell wall. I watched him grip his eye and cheek and the man in blue wrapped his arm around Anders’ shoulders. They blinked out of existence and I growled in frustration. I slumped and quickly brought my hands up as I tipped forward, spent. It’d taken a lot out of me, but it’d been worth it. I wasn’t going to give up. I had almost let myself. I’d almost given into my pity party. No. There was too much riding on me playing any part I could.

*

I had either moved the schedule for events up by assaulting Anders, or my concept of time was truly shot. There were voices at the top of the stairs and I strained to listen. The door at the top of the steps was open, torchlight spilling down from above. Two shadows stretched down to me and I narrowed my eyes.

“He’s called everyone within the upper layers to meet in the throne room. Some are being brought against their will.” A tired voice sighed out.

“What for?” A second, gravelly voice asked.

“Something to do with the prisoner. I heard the king died. They’ve been keeping it hush hush, but if that’s the case…”

“How? He was healthy only a few months ago. It doesn’t make sense.”

“No. It doesn’t, but I ain’t disagreeing with him. Look where it gets you. Look at what happened to Nainde. Punished even after the abomination ripped him apart. Dishonorable discharge. His family can’t show their faces around Syrin.”

“When is this happening?”

“Not sure, but soon. The Crusade soldiers in the upper layers are to attend as well after rounding up whoever’s left in the school.”

I stared at the backs of my eyelids. Anders was moving. He’d apparently decided the time to plot and scheme was over and now things had been set in motion for real. Hopefully Talon was on the way. They had to get the people out of the city. Who knew what lengths Anders was willing to go to secure the crown for himself? Would he kill civilians if they got in his way? Probably. I swallowed hard and tried to shift myself off my stomach. It was too much work. Too much effort in my current state. My vision blurred and I felt myself shutting down.

I woke up to hands gripping under my arms. I struck out with light and was immediately dropped as liquid hit my face. The smell of iron. Well, again, at least I was doing damage. Someone hit me once, twice and I was so dazed that I didn’t have the wherewithal to strike out in retaliation. I was dragged through the building. I assumed our destination would be the throne room and I was proven right. The thrones were empty, red paint messily slapped across them with the Crusade’s symbol. The king’s crown sat on the seat of his throne, looking out of place and grim. I guess Anders had officially given up on his lie that he was simply carrying out the king’s will. No, Syrin and Dimian had been gift wrapped for a madman and he was no longer hiding it. Why would he? It was too late to stop it.

“Ladies and gentlemen of Syrin!” Anders’ voice carried across the room, cold and empty as usual. There was a fair amount of people gathered. My head spun as I tried to recognize faces. The Oben. Their pins were now marks of their treachery and I shook my head. The king’s most trusted indeed. They stood to the far left. Many looked downright scared or like they would run at any minute. There was a line of guards between the people gathered and where I was being dragged to Anders. I noticed some servants, some men in regular blue military uniforms, the short haired female teacher I’d seen with Hanja at my wedding banquet, and poor Potlyne. Her eyes went wide as saucers when she saw me, and I had to look away as my eyes threated to answer the tears that wet her cheeks.

A metal table sat in the center of the room behind Anders. Hm, I wonder where I was being taken? I grit my teeth and tried to get up energy to struggle. There were straps on the table. They meant to tie me down and do gods knew what. I elbowed a guard in the gut, stomping on another’s foot. I received another punch for my efforts and spit blood. My progress to the table never even paused. I was thrown up onto it harshly. Hands pinned me down while others secured me to it. Anders was still talking. I tried to pay attention.

“The king has died. We have been aware of his sickness for some time, but it is with a heavy heart that I must inform you he didn’t pass peacefully. The fugitive Sun Bringer, Kalian Alauis snuck back into the palace and ended his majesty’s life last night.” My head whipped in the direction of his voice, but his back was to me. No. No way. There was no way he pinned this on me. He took a moment to look grief-stricken, “The king was my oldest, dearest friend and I will miss him every day. The only thing I can do for him now is to punish his murderer.”

“Where’s your proof?” A voice yelled from the back of the crowd. Why was it familiar?

“Excuse me? This is not an appropriate place to discuss a heinous murder. This is an execution not a trial.” Anders scanned the crowd and leaned toward a guard, “Where did that come from?”

“You admit it! There was no fair trial then! Have we already slipped into anarchy? Our justice system forgotten?” The same voice called again, closer this time. Anders stiffened and shoved at the guard he’d been speaking to. There was quiet murmuring drifting through the crowd and Anders schooled his face carefully into neutrality.

“Find the heckler!” He hissed quietly and then his voice rose as he again addressed the crowd, “As I said, this is not the place. There was undeniable proof. A witness.”

“Produce this witness! The Sun Bringer was toted as the King’s tool for peace, now you will publicly execute him without appeasing the court?” That voice was closer, and my eyes widened. A man had stepped to the front without me noticing. He wore a dark green coat, black fur-trimmed hood shadowing his face. He titled his head back slightly and I saw one brown eye and one green. I had never been so happy to see that stupid, smug grin.

“We haven’t the time for this!” Anders shouted suddenly and Loren’s head turned slowly to the man who was stomping the short distance to me, “The boy will be executed and we will start the new era Dimian has been destined for!”

Loren’s eyes disappeared in the hood’s shadow, but I saw his head turn as he took in the line of guards and the couple working through the crowd. They were close and if he yelled again, they’d be on him. Anders’ cold fingers gripped my chin and he stared down into my eyes. I glared and jerked my chin from his grasp. He backhanded me hard and my teeth cut into my cheek and lips. I winced and tasted my own blood. My heart sank as that voice rang out over the now uneasy crowd, “You can’t tell me you aren’t all a little uncomfortable with our new overlord? The king dies suddenly and then General Anders kills his favorite person? No, there’s nothing wrong with this picture at all. How long until he declares his rule, huh? Think about it people. Oh hello, yes, you’re very close.”

I heard blades clash and Loren’s laugh as a female screamed. I caught a flurry of movement. Jerk or not, Loren was a wonder. He rolled over the back of a soldier bent forward, blood flying into the air as he went. His boots hit the ground and his momentum carried him forward. His knees slid across marble and his hood flew back as a blade cut through the air above his upturned face. Hand pressed to the marble, he spun on his knees. An attacker brought a sword straight down and his chest hit the ground. His reflexes were so fast. He reacted faster than the man could bring his weapon down. He pushed and slid through the man’s legs on his belly. The slick marble seemed to be giving him an even greater advantage. He popped up and dragged twin knives up the man’s torso. A crazed glint filled his eyes as hands gripped the back of his coat. He dropped his knives and bent awkwardly. As the Crusade man yanked, he pulled the jacket clean off Loren’s torso. A thin, forest green shirt clung to him as he snatched the edge of his own coat, throwing it over the man’s head before punching him hard in the face.

Loren was impressive, but he was one person. Dread filled me as men in red began circling him, filing in from the door I’d come in from. He dodged and darted around. He kept them from closing him in completely, but he was slowing, fatigue setting in. He caught my eye with a tired smile and saluted me with a long hunting knife as the men surrounding him seemed to multiply.

“Hey Anders! How many pieces was that captain in? How many you think Talon’s gonna cut you into?” I heard his loud boisterous laugh carry over to us, but I could hear the strain in it. He was flagging and it was only a matter of time. Loren’s clock was ticking and I felt each minute in my chest.

Anders looked behind him and then back to me, eyes filled with anger, “I should’ve kept that idiot under my control. No matter, your thoughts were priority and he’s little more than a nuisance. He’ll be dead in a few minutes.”

I struggled and pulled as hard as I could on my arms. I had lost Loren in the mass of red. I still heard metal clashing, though. That was good. When those noises stopped is when I would get scared. Anders watched me with pity in his dull eyes and held his hand up. I winced, expecting his mind games and the pain that came with them. Instead, his hand became translucent and he smiled down at me, “A skill I stole from the Soul Eater. I’m still disappointed that you killed him. I wanted the rest of his power. It’s more than mine. Being half human truly robbed me of greatness. What I could do at the level you and Talon started at. I’d be a god. I will be one with your powers.”

The cruelty and evil in his smile made me thrash harder. I didn’t know what the expression meant, but it was not going to be pleasant for me. I knew that much, especially with this man’s penchant for torture. Now I could barely make out the sounds of fighting over my own blood rushing in my ears as his hand descended towards my chest. Was Loren holding on? Was he okay? Had he already fallen? Amaris would be crushed.

I watched in horror as Anders’ hand disappeared into my body. I didn’t feel anything at first and then I jolted as his fingertips brushed against something. Lex had violated my body and Anders had already violated my mind, but this was different. It was on a new level. The wrongness filled my mind. I screamed and tried anything I could think of to get away from that hand as it closed into a fist inside of me. It held something. I wasn’t sure at first what, until he started pulling. Somehow, he had the very thing that made me, me, gripped in his hand. He held my soul. The source of my Magik and everything else.

A level of exhaustion I had never experienced ran me over as he began pulling his hand away. A voice inside my head that wasn’t mine screamed in alarm and warning. Anders’ smile had transformed into something even more sinister, a sick kind of glee shining in plain blue eyes. My body shook and noises filled the air around me. Part of me knew it was my own voice. It was me making the noises. Someone yelled my name nearby a few times and then screamed something I didn’t catch. My back arched off the table and my eyes rolled back as Anders twisted what he had free from my body. The building shook and he paused. I sagged against the table as he withdrew his hand. My eyes were barely open as I watched him look up at the ceiling and then around the room. The shaking stopped abruptly and there was a loud crack that made my ears ring. Anders staggered and screams rose from around the room as a huge black guillotine-shaped sheet sliced through the front of the room. The black vanished and a loud groan drowned out the screaming. The wall and door farthest from us lifted and then left my vision. The entire front of the room had been cleaved off, the wall thrown to unknown parts.

“Knock, knock. I don’t seem to remember getting an invitation and it looks like you’re having a party. I’m hurt.” Talon’s voice floated on the edge of my mind as my body screamed inside and out. The noises were leaving my mouth still as my body and mind tried to process the crime that had been committed against me at the basest level. I let my head fall to the side and forced my eyes open.

Talon strolled into the room that was now open to the outside world. His arms and torso were black, a torn grey vest hanging off him. A look confirmed his eyes had become voids as well. He stood at the edge of the crowd, eyeing something I couldn’t see. A long black claw tapped against his lower lip as he looked around the room. I stared. That wasn’t all. His ears were pointed, feet bare with sharp claws extending from his toes as well. Blood already caked his skin up to the elbow and members of the crowd cowered away from him.

Anders whipped around, waving his hand. I screamed out. It felt like rocks were pressing down on my body. My bones snapped, my skin tore, and I could even swear I felt my organs being crushed. The feeling stopped and I collapsed again. Anders was no longer by my side. Wren was slicing his way through red uniforms, Eon guiding the civilians to the exit. A guard slashed at his shoulder and Eon turned an expressionless face to his attacker even as blood ran down his arm. He didn’t have a chance to do anything. Wren dropped onto the man’s shoulders from above. I couldn’t see them on the ground, but an arm sailed through the air and screams sounded. The straps securing me jerked and sharp claws sliced through them like they were paper.

”Kal, Kalian!” Hands cupped my face gently, tilting it to face him.

“M’fine, Loren?” I mumbled, lifting my hand to rub my chest.

“We’re going to revisit him being the first thing you ask about later. He’s alive. Got the shit kicked out of him, but alive. He’ll be- “Talon’s hands left my face. He turned away from me and fell back against the table as he avoided the business end of a sword. My eyes widened and I tried convincing my weak hands to undo the remaining straps on my left side. Yamir stood in front of Talon with a long, curved sword. The blade was inlaid with beautiful gold designs and was already wet with blood. Talon reached behind him, awkwardly slicing through the leather strap tightened down on my left wrist. I gasped nervously as Yamir stepped closer, blade held out to the side. The lower half of his face was covered like usual as he stared Talon down.

“Talon, go. I can get myself free.” He spun away from me and the blade hit the edge of the metal table where I lay. I jerked away and Talon lunged forward. He tackled the other man to the ground and Yamir caught his claws on the edge of his blade. He whipped the sword to the side, cutting through the ends of Talon’s fingers. Talon stumbled back and hissed. His fingers were still attached and he held them close. The other man had gotten to his feet and closed the gap between them. Talon winced as he waved his hands. Shadows whipped out, snapping at Yamir and whipping at him when he got too close. Hands scrambled over my chest and Anders used my shirt to pull himself to his feet. His eyes darted between Yamir and Talon as he lifted his hand.

My heart dropped. No. He wasn’t doing that again. He would never do that to me again. I lifted my hands and called any Magik I could to me. Anders ducked at the last moment as light sliced through the air where he’d been. He scowled and I felt his haze descend in my head. I tried to shake it off, struggling to get my left foot free. I glanced to Talon who was snarling at Yamir as the other man fought off his shadows, bloody hands still held to his chest. If I could get over there, if I could get close enough, I could heal his fingers. Heal. I could heal. Gods, sometimes my brain didn’t work the way it should. I kept my eyes on Anders as I mumbled the spell, trying to focus it on the wound in my shoulder. The one Yamir had created with the second arrow. Hanja worked by narrowing down what ailed the body and solving each problem one at a time. Maybe I could do something similar. If I could work the rest of the poison out of my system, I would have access to all my Magik.

I dug my nails into the partially healed wound as it began to burn and itch. I’d reopened it. Once I did, black and green began to ooze from the hole. It smelled foul and I grimaced as I continued to work. Every bit. As much as I could get out. Hands gripped my shoulders and I opened my eyes. Anders again. He was like a fly, always buzzing around. I gripped his collar without thinking and headbutted him hard enough that it made me dizzy. He cried out, gripping his head as he fell back. Without his mind tricks and minions, he was far less intimidating. The goop stopped coming from my shoulder and I wiped it away with my tunic the best I could. Now, I stared down at Anders as I turned inward mentally. Like before, I found that twisted branch in my head. The connection he’d been using to control me. I seized it and resolved myself to purge him from my mind as I had done the poison in my body.

Anders approached again and I raised my hands. A fist connected with my jaw and I fell off the table, hitting the ground hard. A smaller version of Yamir. This one female, her dark eyes blazing and lower half of her face covered. She held a long spear, its blade decorated in the same way Yamir’s was. She aimed it at my chest and raised her covered nose. Anders hurried forward, hand outstretched. I knocked the sharp edge aside, but she was too fast. The spear came back around, slicing across my neck. I looked up at her, my hands raising to my throat. Blood, so much blood. She’d…slit my throat.

“Yamisha you couldn’t have done something a little less fatal? He’s going to bleed out. I might not have time!” Anders dove forward. I gasped like a fish out of water, my eyes painfully wide as I held my throat. I wasn’t paying attention as he slid his hand back into my chest. I was trying to slow my breathing. I couldn’t panic. Panicking would make it worse. I gasped through my spells, fumbling the words as I lost more blood. The healing was slow because of it. Anders stole my attention as he once again seized the seat of my power. A scream tore up my throat and added to my pain. I fell to my back, head turned to the side.

Yamir had a hold of Talon’s hands and was abusing the poor sliced digits. Low growls ripped from Talon’s chest. He wasn’t even looking at the man on top of him. His eyes were locked on me. I noticed Wren forcing his way across the room, Eon hot on his heels, both their eyes wide. Yamir looked troubled as the growls below him alternated with snarls. Talon kicked Yamir hard in the gut and the covered man staggered a few steps back. Talon stilled and began clawing at the ground as a scream tore from his mouth. Horns erupted from his forehead, black, and curling a few inches toward the ceiling. Wren was closer now and he stopped in his tracks, bloody hands falling to his sides. He watched as Talon stood. His fingers were healed, shadows floating around him as he moved. The air in the room was closer now as if it had taken notice of the change in dynamic. Eon had managed to get most of the people out, but the ones that remained screamed at the sight of Talon.

Yamir stood with his sword in hand, shocked. To his credit he ran forward, bringing the weapon up. He swung it down at Talon’s head. Black claws caught the blade and it shattered in their grip. Yamir screamed as claws sunk into the sides of his neck through his layers of fabric. Talon ripped the man’s throat from his body, dropping the carnage to the ground. The body collapsed backwards. Onyx eyes raked over the room and came to settle on Anders’ hand in my chest. We’d all been frozen in shock, but Anders seemed to remember himself. He latched onto his goal again and began to pull. The woman reluctantly stood. Her body was tight with fear. It poured from her and I noticed her legs shaking. Shadow wrapped around Talon’s body and he appeared behind her. She spun at the last minute and did her own disappearing. She was suddenly next to us. She gripped Anders’ arm and mine and then the world around me fell away, replaced with outside scenery I didn’t recognize at first.

“We have to escape.” She panted, “He slaughtered Yamir as if he were nothing. He tore the front off a building! You didn’t tell us this was what we were up against! What is that monster?”

Anders had withdrawn his hand when she teleported us and I forced myself to stand. He tried to drag me back down and I hit him hard in the face. I didn’t know where I was. The girl would no doubt catch me, but maybe I could send Talon mental images of my location. I held my neck and tried to finish the healing as I stumbled away. I could barely walk. A body tackled mine and my hands failed to catch my fall. My face hit the dirt and hands held me down.

“I have to take his power. That’s the only way I will be able to stand against the Shadow Summoner. Especially in his current state. He’s been taken completely over by dark Magik corruption. Soon, his mind won’t even be his own. If I don’t have the light, we’ll be no match.” Anders was panting and I felt that damn hand grip at me from the center of my back.

“We? Once I get you to safety our contract is fulfilled. You’re on your own. I don’t want to die like that.” As they spoke, Anders was pulling my power from me again. He ignored her. I turned my head and tried my best to look around. Rocks, a long barrack-like building, a training ring. We were on the training grounds. I grit my teeth and tried to communicate what I knew to Talon. We weren’t far. The connection wasn’t normal. There was truth to what Anders had said. The voice in Talon’s head wasn’t his own and it had complete control. It acknowledged my words and I think it only obliged because I was its host’s highest priority. It didn’t know why it had to go. It simply would. Footsteps crunched the dirt and gravel nearby and then I heard a loud ruckus.

Eon and Talon. It looked like my brother had tackled Talon from behind. Eon’s eyes were wide and filled with rage. His hands lit and Talon growled as flames licked at his bare skin. What was going on? Why was Eon attacking him? What would make my brother snap like this? Flames crept up Talon’s torso and I cried out for them to stop. Claws struck out and raked across Eon’s face. He flew back and I watched my brother fall limp to the dirt.

Talon stood, staring at Eon’s prone form, eyes narrowed. His head fell back as he looked up at the evening sky, confusion on his features. Clawed fingers touched horns gingerly until I whispered Eon’s name softly. Eon didn’t move. Talon’s hands dropped and his head turned, black eyes taking us in. They didn’t linger on me. He barely looked at me. He’d come at my call, but this creature had no idea who I was. My stomach sank as he lurched in our direction. Eon was down. Talon had been taken over. Where was Wren? Wren…Eon’s reaction. No. Oh no. I watched Talon get closer and fear chilled my spine.

This wasn’t how any of this was supposed to go.

I hadn’t had much hope, but this was all going worse than I had ever imagined.