Chapter 5: Conflict

This wasn't part of the plan.

I had been distracted for a moment. This woman with jet black hair and forest green eyes had reminded me of a past love ... and I had dropped my guard.

Had I been aware I would have realized that no woman living in the forest has a teacup made of jade.

Green sparks had danced from the cup as soon as Maria had laid hands upon it.

The jade must have a glyph of power written upon it.

Maria's body was frozen where she stood. For a brief moment eyes that I had mistaken for pale blue flashed a brilliant silver ... before dimming into lifeless empty eyes.

Vraiel whispered in my head.

I shook myself, and dropped my teacup like a snake. I hadn't taken a sip yet, and I doubted that I wanted to.

My cup made the smallest of sounds as it thumped into the grass.

The black haired woman whirled around and crouched defensively in front of the paralyzed Maria. Her face was contorted into a hideous snarl. The veins around her eyes bunched grotesquely, and her pupils dilated until even her sclera was as black as night.

Vraiel said,

The woman spoke in a voice distorted by stolen magic. It was harsh and unnatural sounding.

"I give you one chance mortals," she said in her bizarre voice, "Walk away at once, and I will let you live. The girl stays with me ... her power belongs to me."

With a flourish Jon drew his beautiful old hand and a half sword. It gleamed in the light of the sunset, and he twirled it gracefully before bringing it to the ready.

"I will not let you touch the Master's possession," Jon said calmly.

I put my hand on Fleeting Light.

Vraiel reminded me.

"You can't hope to best both of us Afflicted," I said sternly. "Undo the glyph and we shall depart without slaying you."

The creature threw back her head and laughed. It sounded like metal bending and children crying all at once. Demon's at least had a grace to their evil. This creature was simply ugly in its depravity. I moved into a ready stance, with my hand on my sword.

The woman drew back her hand. Upon her palm multicolored sparks of green, red and blue mingled. She flung the spell at Jon, whose eyes went wide.

The outmatched swordsman threw himself to the ground and rolled away. The barrage of magic collide with a tree behind him and instantly shattered the bark. The old oak crashed down to the forest floor.

As Jon neatly rolled back to his feet, I charged the abomination. My fist was cocked back, and secretly load with Light magic. My knuckles would feel like a cannonball when they met her face.

With Vraiel enhancing my eyes with his magic, I could see the creature augment herself with her own power, and move supernaturally fast out of my reach.

"You are quick human," the woman said with narrowed eyes.

I grinned, "I've killed much worse things than you sinner," I said mockingly.

Jon and I slowly advanced on the woman.

She took measured steps backwards. Her black eyes and veiny face stared hatred at us.

She brought her hands up, and tossed more multicolored magic at Jon and myself. These bolts of magic came fast ... much faster than magic usually travels.

I called upon my Light magic to neatly step to the side.

Jon ... having no such advantage, took the brunt of the blast to the chest. His limp body flew through the air and landed with a soft thud nearby.

The woman had her hands at the ready ... sparks dripped from her fingertips as she turned and faced me.

"You ... you are no human," she said in ragged breaths. The constant casting must have taken it out of her.

I cast a look back at Jon. He looked to be safely unconscious. Some of his clothes and skin were smoldering.

"Yes," I said as smiled at her. "I'm afraid I'm more than human."

Fleeting Light sung as I drew it from its scabbard. A clear and pure ring filled with air ... like a church bell calling the faithful to worship, or a war horn condemning sinners to death.

The metal glowed with Holy Light, and the sword's name shone bright blue.

I gazed upon her now ... my normal eye color would have been replaced with a magnificent silver. If she was wise she would run ... for she was about to be judged.

"Judicar..." she whispered ... as if she couldn't quite believe it, "why couldn't I sense you?"

Vraiel spoke through me, "We have lived a very long time ... we have completely mastered suppressing our nature."

"Let me go," she said softly in a voice that sounded a bit more human, "I'm sorry, I didn't know ... just let me live."

Vraiel and I spoke as one mind, "Your sins are too great my child," we said in the voice of Heaven, "you reek of many magics that are not your own."

We took a step forward, and the craven before us took a step back.

"As a Judicar of heaven, I judge you to be a sinner in the eyes of God, and condemn you to die on my blade. May the Lord have mercy upon your soul."

"Die!" she shrieked as she hurled magic at us.

With our sword raised, we dodged her first spell, and took the second to the shoulder. The sorcery burned and ate at our flesh, but it didn't slow us. Her hateful black eyes widened in fear as she realized she couldn't stop us that way.

Using stolen supernatural speed, the woman dodged the tip of our sword by mere inches.

The woman produced a small knife that looked to be made of more jade, and hurled it in our direction. I was caught unawares, but Vraiel was not. Fleeting Light shot up, and the dagger clanged against our sword. A glyph written on the side of the blade tried to splutter into existence, but blue sparks poured from our sword and drowned out whatever stolen magic lingered there.

I straightened to my full height, and once again began stalking toward the abomination.

My Demonic core was beginning to ache. With our sword drawn our Light magic was at its fullest. My heart of stone and evil would only hurt more as this battle wore on.

The woman pulled both her hands back and frenzied magic began to dance upon her hands, "FUCK YOUR GOD PUPPET," she screeched.

She threw her magic at me, and with an Angel's grace I slipped in between the two bolts, and suddenly stood before her. With her magic spent, her eyes had returned to their natural green, and her face had settled into her original beauty.

She slumped to her knees, exhausted and spent.

"Hand in hand," Vraiel began to quote as we raised our blade, "the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered."

Holy steel bit into her shoulder, and Light magic coursed through her body.

She shook and twitched as she tried to remove the blade from her body ... but eventually her struggles grew weak ... and then they stopped altogether.

With a sigh, I sheathed Fleeting Light.

I could feel my magic recess until it winked out of existence. My stone heart ached, and I absently held my chest. Our little camp next to the well was in tatters. The Afflicted's chaotic spell casting had left the nearby landscape smoldering slightly. Patches of grass were curled and burned.

Maria was still frozen holding the enchanted jade cup.

Vraiel said softly in my mind.

"Won't I be frozen too if I take the cup?" I asked aloud.

Vraiel replied,

"I can't believe she is an Angel," I said softly.

"Aethling," I whispered.

I gazed upon the girl in silent awe. She was human, yet she was also divine. This young woman would be welcomed into heaven by right of birth. She would not have to claw and scrap and pray to be admitted to paradise.

Bitter envy stabbed at me.

Vraiel proffered kindly.

Before I could think better of it, I took the cup and held it to the young girl's lips. She drank unconsciously, with her eyes unseeing. When the last drop was finished the Aethling blinked once, and passed out.

"What did you do?" Jon asked from behind me.

I turned to observe the swordsman. He was holding his injured solider. His clothes were burnt but his eyes were clear and lively. He would live.

"The cup held the girl's magic," I said as if I had known the girl's true nature the entire time. "She will sleep for a while and then she will be recovered."

Jon wearily got to his feet, and retrieved his gleaming sword from where he had dropped it. His eyes glanced at the husk of the Afflicted's body.

"You are apparently very skilled Daniel," he said after a beat.

With the same motion he demonstrated once, he kicked his sword up into the air and grasped it ... then he replaced it in its sheath. He spared the corpse one last look, before staggering back to the well.

"I'm very glad you happened along when you did Daniel," Jon continued, "I'm sure we can find more coins for you after going above the call of duty."

I smiled warmly, "That is very kind of you."

He still thinks I'm nothing but a sell sword and a Hunter ... my ruse is safe.

Jon agreed to look after the comatose Maria while I excused myself to search through the abomination's cottage. I genuinely did think that there might be something useful or valuable inside, but that wasn't the reason I volunteered.

As soon as the creaking wooden door was shut behind me, I dropped to the floor in convulsions.

My demonic core was aching and throbbing inside my chest. It felt like I had swallowed a hot coal, and now it was burning a hole right through my center.

I opened my mouth to scream, but Vraiel clamped my mouth shut and muffled my cries.

Vraiel said softly in my mind.

And he was right. Small angry red sparks jumped about my flank as they healed my wound.

I sat there for about three minutes until I found the strength to stand.

I smiled.

The cottage was immaculately clean. Tasteful white sewn linens and brass pots decorated the kitchen and living area. The back room was made up of one tidy bed, and several books.

Books are expensive, I wonder how she managed to afford all these.