The darkness of the forest reminded Airess of the Magick the Luciena guards had wielded against them. She knew the Elven people could wield energy–hence how she is able to wield light, but she had thought Shadow Magick was a rarity these days.
“Those guards were wielders,” Airess said, the sentence coming out more like a question.
“Shadow Wielders,” Taryn confirmed.
“I thought they were extinct.”
“I thought so too, until I got hit by one.”
Airess' head snapped towards him. “You have? Did you pass out as well?”
Taryn shook his head. “No, but I was severely lethargic. I could barely control my body, but I didn’t lose consciousness. Each person reacts differently. Shadow Magick, in a way, is more lethal than a stab wound. It incapacitates you, renders you unconscious or weak, making the opponent’s fight much easier for them.”
She thought back to her vision, blurred by black splotches when she got hit by the Shadow. Her body felt uncontrollable, her reactions slowed. If she had gotten hit by it on foot, without Taryn, her situation could have been much worse right now.
Yes, Shadow Magick was definitely more lethal than a blade. One hit could bring an armed soldier down. Multiply that by twenty and they could take down entirearmies. The fact that some Shadow Wielders still existed in the present day made her stomach drop.
The real world was not only full of excitement, but horrors. Like this forest, though unnerving, possessed a certain beauty of its own. Bad things could be beautiful too.
Airess had begun to realize the duality of life, the good and bad coexisting together in an endless cycle of rebirth.
Life and death. Sun and Moon. Sorrow and joy.
“I had always learned about Shadow Wielders growing up, but never thought I’d live the day to experience one.”
“There won’t be any of that in Rune,” Taryn assured. “Darkness doesn’t dwell there. Only Elements.”
After ten minutes of trekking forward, Airess began to doubt they knew where they were going. “Shouldn’t we have reached the edge by now? Surely we didn’t stop that far away from the treeline.”
Taryn pursed his lips. “It can’t be much further.”
They kept riding until Taryn came to a stop, scratching the back of his neck.
“We should have been well out of the forest by now.”
Airess bit her lip. “Let’s try another direction.”
Surely it couldn’t be that challenging to find their way out of the forest. But as time passed, doubt crept in. They rode through the forest, silent and alert. They saw nothing, but endless trees scattered amongst the darkness.
Airess couldn’t help but feel as if she were being watched. As if something were keeping them there. Lurking.Waiting.
They never found their way out of the forest that night.
Chapter 19
‘I will become the ultimate Godling. I will kill them all. Will Tinyrah still love me? Perhaps not, but I will have the Allpower. I will do it for her.’
— Written entry from Evyen Deyanira’s personal diary (Pre-Division)
The Vulture
The Vulture slammed the satchel on the desk. The severed head rolled out like a toy ball, landing perfectly in front of the man. His lilac eyes narrowed as he sat back in his chair, fingers clasped together.
“What is this?”
“The real question, Eryx, is what are you keeping from me? We had a deal.” The Vulture stabbed the crystal dagger into the desk, wedging it within the wood. Hot anger brimmed within their chest as they looked into Eryx’s eyes.
“You told me to have my spy ready for the Fae male the night before the ball. I did as requested, yet you conveniently left out the strength ofhis abilities. That plan failed. You say to try again at Arzhel Lucien’sengagement ball.Thatplan failed as well,” The Vulture sat back in the velvet chair, gaze intent on the man. Eryx sat back in his chair patiently, and The Vulture was surprised to feel the intrigue coming off the man.
