Page 118 of Twisted Bonds
My grip tightens on the last drops of Chroma, my only hope for survival. With a guttural scream, I channel all of its power mentally with both hands, just as Tairyn taught me. A blinding beam of white light explodes from my palms, piercing through the darkness and striking him directly in the chest. The world stops spinning and everything falls silent as the vortex abruptly stops, winds dying into a gentle breeze. Victory pulses through my veins as I watch him falter.
Yurghen’s eyes widen in shock as he turns to face me. He staggers backwards, as something milky white leaks out of his mouth, his ears, his eyes.
I gasp in shock.
It's working.
His soul is leaving his body.
Yurghen stumbles another step. And another. His soul seeps out from his pores, drifting away from his body.
The beady eyed pixie hesitantly approaches his friend, now clutching his chest. The life in his eyes is fading away. I have no magic left inside me, so I grip the handle of my dagger tightly, prepared to engage in close combat with this creature. But then, to my surprise, he turns away from me to look over his master.
I gasp as the little mouse-like fae grabs his own knife and plunges it into Yurghen’s chest.
He falls, lifeless, to the ground. A plume of dust wells up in the surrounding air. I can barely process what is happening. Yurghen’s limbs are limp, his body separated from his soul that now floats away, and I catch a glimpse of the little fae scurrying away with a seemingly self-satisfied expression on his face.
High above, the rift in the sky begins to close, drawing in the remaining souls. Those ethereal warriors bravely fend off the few remaining Underworld demons and herd the souls back towards the Great River where they belong.
In my peripheral vision, I see the light around Yurghen’s body stir. His spirit floats, not up to the great river but sideways towards something else. My heart races. What if he has another Vessel waiting for it?
A malevolent demon from the depths of the Underworld swoops down, its razor-sharp fangs snatching the vulnerable soul in its jaws. With a guttural growl, it devours the essence whole before vanishing into the earth, pursued by a relentless ghost warrior.
Just as the demon disappears, the warrior stops before me. He’s tall and lanky, eyes like piercing blue diamonds.
“Vessel.” His head bows in respect. To me. My jaw drops. “My name is Rynlin, Guardian of the Otherworld. Congratulations on the impossible.”
With another subtle tip of his head, the warrior zips off to chase another demon. I shake my head, unsure what to make of that interaction, when my eyes catch sight of Tairyn barreling towards me down the street. His face alight with joy. Behind me, Callum stirs on the ground as Bobble comes into view around the corner, supporting a limping Sunder. Relief floods through me - we made it. Against all odds, we’re alive. The air hums with the energy of our shared victory, and I can’t help but let out a grateful laugh.
In the distance, I can hear jubilant cheers and melodic singing. The Guardians of the Otherworld, having successfully chased off the demon, now herd the lost souls back to the sky. The citizens of the city are celebrating as the spirits are returning to their rightful place. Their loved ones and ancestors have finally found peace and will be reborn for another lifetime.
sixty-eight
Mira
After gathering those waiting behind barricaded doors in the palace, we spend the rest of the night helping put out flames and excavate fallen buildings looking for survivors. My Chroma depletes over and over again. With each single drop that refills my magical well, I spend it as fast as it comes. Whether it’s using air to lift piles or stone or water to douse flames.
It’s almost lunch the following day when my body is no longer running on adrenaline and threatens to collapse with exhaustion. Lisa pulls me to the side, giving me water and a baguette while we rest in the shade. I rest my head on her shoulder, watching the people of this city come together in the light of this tragedy, already planning to rebuild better.
“I think you’ve done enough, don’t you?” Lisa asks, biting into her own piece of bread while looking at the debris-covered streets. “You’re going to kill yourself if you keep going.”
I groan in response, my eyes heavy with fatigue. She’s right, but it feels like the work is never ending. “Takes more than this to kill me. Can’t you tell? I’m basically indestructible.”
“I knew all that magic would go to your head.”
I chuckle softly, daring for just a moment to close my eyes against the warmth of her shirt. “Any sign of your friends?”
I sense it more than see it as she shakes her head. “Hopefully, they’re long gone from here. But I gave descriptions to your groupies just in case.”
“My groupies?”
“Those guys follow you around like lost puppies. Not to mention the entire city. Look at how they fawn over you. You saved them.”
There’s admiration and awe in her voice as she talks about me. I open my mouth to argue. To explain how I only helped, and the others did the real work. But, I stop myself. Because I did save them. I defeated Yurghen, without Dan’thiel’s help this time. So instead I say, “All I’m saying is that they better build me a damn statue. A fountain statue. With real gold.”
“And holy water.”
I open my eyes and spot Cor’than marching our way. Behind him, Amirah gives me a salute of respect. Thankfully, Elora was found late last night under some rubble. She’s recovering well, I hear.