The white tattoo on his chest pulsed. The voices in Vir’s head disappeared, as if reaped. In exchange, Vir’s vision burst with a myriad of colors he’d never seen. Strange motes of light swirled and coursed through the bandies who sprung for Maiya.
A transformation came upon Vir. He moved without effort or thought, his injuries forgotten. He knew exactly where the bandies would be. As if executing the steps of a well-rehearsed dance, he lunged at the attackers, twirling through the air with his knife.
A slice, a twist, a thrust. Within his enemies’ bodies, he saw lines of glowing light, and each of his strikes penetrated precisely where those lights shone brightest. Throat, chest, eyes.
He landed softly on his toes. The two bandies crashed in front of Maiya—dead. They never even saw what hit them.
Maiya stood stock still. “V-Vir…?” she whispered in disbelief.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, hatred flowed through Vir when he looked at Maiya.
‘Dead weight. A weakness the Fates will undoubtedly exploit. Weakness we cannot afford. I am sorry. She is a hindrance to our mission. End her now, before she becomes a problem.’
Vir approached Maiya, one part of him dead set on killing her, and another part desperately fighting against it. As if his mind had broken in two.
His steps slowed and slowed, until he stopped himself.
‘She will only bring us pain and suffering,’ the voice said, confused.
“She’s… my… friend!” Vir growled through clenched teeth.
He stumbled, returning to his senses, blessedly alone within his head once again. Then he retched into the dirt, clutching his tattoo, which felt like it had burned a hole through his chest.
What was that? he thought, trembling. He’d never experienced anything like it. Almost as if…
“As if I was possessed,” he whispered.
Vir never believed the tales of demons and possession. Now he wondered if he’d been wrong to dismiss them. Was it possession, though? That feeling of overwhelming, absolute confidence… The power!
Wasn’t this exactly the strength he’d longed for so badly? With it, Rudvik would still be alive. With that kind of power, he could protect Maiya.
Protect… Maiya?
Vir shivered. The voice wanted to kill her! Guilt wracked his body, and he found himself unable to look his friend in the eye.
I almost hurt her! The thought sent him puking once again. How could he have even thought that? It was shameful. It was despicable! What use was power if he lost himself in the process?
Awooooo!
There was no time for introspection—enemies were still out there.
The two remaining bandies howled at Neel, who’d leaped into the fray. Two-on-one wasn’t great odds for his friend, but Maiya had already stepped in to help, evening the fight. She swung her knife wildly, grazing the bandies, her actions just enough to keep them distracted while Neel attacked.
Vir found his feet again, and immediately stumbled. The voices in his head were gone—replaced by strange colors.
Not replaced… shifted? He felt it was the same information, just conveyed differently. Not through hearing, but sight.
Even so, he couldn’t make anything of it. The world looked so alien to his eyes that he could hardly walk. Even worse—his usual strength had left him. His legs may very well give out at any moment.
C’mon, you’re better than this! he thought, forcing himself to muster his strength.
“Vir!” Maiya shrieked.
He froze, thinking the bandies had gotten to her.
The reality was much, much worse.
The knight had arrived. And his polearm’s ax head was pressed against Maiya’s neck.
“Move, and you die,” the scout said, recalling his bandies to his side.
Neel stood by Maiya, growling at the new threat despite his many injuries. He needed immediate medical attention.
“Y-you’re a mejai?” Maiya said bravely, despite the blade on her throat.
The knight held up a fiery red orb that glowed with power. “Don’t have to be a mejai to use a pre-charged orb, do I? If you resist, I’ll just burn your friend with this Ember spell. Though I hope you don’t. C Grade magic is wasted on the likes of you.”
He turned to address Vir. “Now, Ashborn. It seems your father’s death wasn’t enough to cow you. My orders are to bring you in alive, but the others are expendable. Obey me, and she lives. Will you cooperate? Or will you really make me kill your girlfriend here? It is your decision, Ashborn.”
Vir ground his teeth. Think! What can you do?
Scenarios raced through his mind. What if he grabbed Maiya and fled? What if he threw his knife as a distraction? He was merely deluding himself. There was nothing he could do. He could barely even stand, let alone run. Unless…
“What are you doing? Run!” Maiya shouted. Vir couldn’t understand how she was so brave when she was but a hair’s breadth from death.
He had run once, and he’d lost Rudvik. He wasn’t about to lose Maiya, too. Falling to his knees, Vir discreetly rummaged for a pebble.
“I’ll come,” he said. “But only if you swear you won’t harm Maiya. And that you’ll heal Neel.”
The knight chuckled. “You are in no position to make demands, Ashborn. Come with me or she dies. That’s the long and the short of it.”
“No! Stop!”
“Maiya, it’s the only way! I—I’m sorry,” he said, avoiding her gaze.
Vir took a few hesitant steps toward the knight. To his relief, the knight removed his poleax from Maiya’s throat.
“Now, put down that knife and let me bind you,” the knight said, producing a stretch of rope.
Vir crouched as if to comply.
He mustered every last ounce of strength he had, and lunged for the nearest bandy, aiming for the spot that blazed brightest in his new vision. It was the only trick he had left.
The bandy jerked away at that last instant, failing to dodge entirely. Vir’s knife sunk deep into its shoulder. The animal’s survival instinct kicked in, and it bolted away before he could retrieve his knife.
Without missing a beat, Vir whirled and flung his pebble at the man’s helm. The lingering nausea degraded his accuracy, but his endless hours of practice prevailed. The pebble clanged against the knight’s eye slit, startling him.
Vir spun and grabbed Maiya’s arm. But as he turned to flee, the knight discharged his orb. He may have been targeting the ground, or Maiya, but Vir’s strike threw off the knight’s aim.
Ember leaped out of the orb and barreled toward Vir, smashing into his back.
“AAAAAAGH!” he screamed, crumpling to the ground. He’d never felt pain like this in his entire life. It was all-consuming, as if melting his very soul.
He rolled in a desperate attempt to douse the flames, but the magic fire spread, setting the ground ablaze.
“Vir!” Maiya screamed, fumbling around for anything to help put out the fire.
Neel bravely seized the opportunity to attack the knight, only to be sent flying by his poleax’s hammer. The bandy crashed into a tree and slumped to the ground, unmoving.
No! Can’t… let it end… like this, Vir thought through the veil of his fading consciousness.
The knight readied his weapon for another swing. Vir didn’t need to be an expert to know that the man intended to decapitate Maiya. She wasn’t even aware, her attention too fixed on Vir and putting out the flames.
Not like this…
Vir didn’t even have the strength left to warn his friend.
He watched as the gleaming ax head picked up speed, approaching Maiya’s neck with the promise of death. Vir’s mind went into overdrive.