By Ed White
Gray studied the coarse texture of rubble under his feet. His elven ears twitched at the distant sound of buildings groaning. An acrid stench wafted in the air, smelling of ash and decay.
At his side stood Amelia Slyhart, a tall human with red hair and blue eyes. At the moment, judging by her contorted face, her thoughts seemed as conflicted as her features. She stroked the ruby-encrusted hilt of her longsword, its blade shining with blue runes.
Unable to bear the strained silence any longer, Gray brushed some soot off of his white robes and made a face. “Heavens, it must be Nog’roth. If only the goddesses of Atläs would banish those hellspawns.”
“This town was fine a week ago,” Amelia said. She glowered and stomped her boot. “I swear in the name of the seven Goddesses, I’ll avenge every last person they’ve slaughtered!”
Gray blinked. “P-pardon me, milady, but have you lost your wits? These are demon soldiers, not your conventional brigands.”
A grin spread across Amelia’s face. Gray gulped; he knew that look. She was plotting something.
As if to verify his qualms, she started forward and waved him on, her ponytail swaying behind her. “Let’s see what’s further in. If we’re lucky, we’ll be able to find a Nog’roth straggler.”
Gray’s pulse accelerated. He rushed in front of her and stomped his staff. “Amelia, no! This is madness!”
She pouted, hands on her hips. “Why? Are you afraid, Gray Beyworth?”
“Afraid? Of course I am, but—” He faltered as she pushed past him. Great, she was off on a tangent again. He rolled his eyes. Why did he even bother?
Amelia faced forward—away from Gray—as the pungent decay of cadavers turned her stomach. She refused to betray even a hint of doubt to her ever-faithful bodyguard, but when she glanced back at him, his ashen complexion suggested that he wasn’t faring any better than she was.
Such horrible destruction, she thought, frowning at the large heaps of smoldering debris all around her, their smoky tendrils stinging her eyes. The humidity made her tunic stick to her skin, and every breath threatened to choke her. It’s all happening again…
Nog’roth had killed Amelia’s parents, leaving her an orphan at the age of six. Her grandfather, a retired soldier, had trained her with the sword since then, tempering her anger into a need for revenge.
That vengeance erupted as she entered a clearing. A robed figure stood in the center. His pupils glowed with a magical fire, matched by the glow of his oaken staff.
Amelia’s throat tightened.
The man turned to her and Gray. “Who are you?” he asked. “You shouldn’t be here—no one should!”
Amelia tipped her chin up. “We’re travelers who saw smoke on the horizon and found this town ruined. It was fine a week ago. What happened? Who are you?”
The robed figure chuckled. “My clan destroyed this pitiful town. I am Pyross, Nog’roth faithful of the Flame Tribe.”
Gray winced, and he raised his staff in front of his body. “Y-you helped kill thousands of p-people?”
Pyross smirked. “Tsk, we can’t have adventurers like you two walking around, asking questions. Your blood will stain the soil of this city.”
Amelia grabbed the hilt of her sword, her pulse racing. “You talk big.” She unsheathed her blade, pointing it at Pyross. “Let’s see how cocky you sound when my blade punctures your windpipe!”
Amelia clenched her jaw and her pulse continued to accelerate. Gray stood off to the side, gritting his teeth as he prepared a spell with a few waves of his staff.
Pyross charged forward, and Amelia met him halfway across the clearing. Sparks flew off their weapons and howls tore from their lips. Her arms shook each time her blade made contact. The demon’s strength and agility seemed limitless. Perhaps she had underestimated him.
As they danced, flames gathered around Pyross. A fireball slammed into Amelia. She staggered backward. Hot pain shot up her body as a large burn blossomed on her stomach. She cried out in pain and clasped her free hand over the wound.
Gray finished his spell with a wave of his fingers. Lights leapt from his staff to Amelia’s injury. The flesh healed and the agony vanished. She gasped in relief.
Focused on healing Amelia, Gray failed to notice Pyross approaching him. Fire lashed out from the Nog’roth’s staff. A molten chain wrapped around his arms, pinning them to his sides, and he gasped in a choked breath. His knees hit the ground.
Pyross lifted his weapon to strike, and Gray shut his eyes.
But newfound fury erupted inside Amelia, banishing all caution. “The Goddesses smite me if I let you take another life!”
She charged forward. Pyross paused and turned, blocking her strike. He grunted and his arm shook from the clash, as if weakened from maintaining the enchantment over Gray.
Amelia struck with reckless abandon and roared like a lioness, allowing the rhythm of battle to envelop her. Pyross checked the strikes, but his face grew paler with each exchange.
Finally, his guard slipped. Her blade found Pyross’ neck, cleaving off his head. His body collapsed at a grotesque angle.
In the silence that followed, the molten chains around Gray vanished. He gasped, examining his freedom and then the beheaded sorcerer.
“Is he… dead?”
Amelia panted to catch her breath. She stared her fallen adversary. Raising her blade skyward, she whispered, “It is finished. At last, mother and father—may you rest avenged.”
She helped Gray to his feet and looked him over. “Are you okay, Gray?”
He nodded and touched the seared marks he’d received from the chains. The trauma vanished with a healing spell. “Well, you got your straggler.”
Amelia nodded. “Yes.”
He held his head and sighed. “N-next time, let’s not wander into bloodthirsty Nog’roth that want to kill us, yeah?”
She smiled and raised a clenched fist. “My parents are avenged. There’s no more need.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
What an exciting adventure! It’s dripping with worldbuilding, hinting at hidden depths.
This is exciting and well told! I liked the characters, too. Very engaging ☺
I very much enjoyed reading this. Took me right to the thick of the battle. Look forward to more.
Interesting! This story has some great Fantasy vibes =D