The forest's embrace had turned treacherous, its once-welcoming shadows now flickering with the threat of encroaching light.
My body still hummed from Lirael's stolen essence, the blood coiling through my system like a lover's fingers tracing hidden paths beneath my skin.
It was warm, insistent, a pulse that synced with the earth's subtle rhythm, making every leaf's whisper feel like a caress against my heightened senses.
But the respite was fleeting. Elandor's heavy footsteps echoed closer, the ground vibrating under his armored weight, each thud sending a shiver up my spine.
I crouched in the dim hollow of an ancient oak, its bark rough and textured like weathered leather against my palms.
The air hung thick with the scent of damp soil and crushed leafs, mingling with the faint, metallic smell of my own blood from the earlier wound.
My vision sharpened unnaturally, the timer in my sight ticking down mercilessly.
[Time Remaining: 3:57]
It glowed like purple in velvet darkness, a constant reminder of some impending doom I couldn't yet grasp.
From the underbrush, Elandor emerged like a storm given form, his silver hair disheveled, eyes blazing with righteous fury. He spotted me instantly, his lips curling into a grim snarl.
"You dare to feed on my sister! shadow spawn? I'll rip you apart!!"
His voice was a low rumble, resonant as thunder rolling through the canopy, stirring the leaves to quiver.
Before I could summon a response, he lunged, his boot snapping forward in a powerful kick aimed at my midsection.
The motion was fluid, honed by years of battle, the air whistling softly as his leg cut through it.
Time seemed to stretch, the forest holding its breath—the scent of polished leather from his boot mingling with the crisp night air, his approach carrying the faint, clean aroma of elven steel and sweat.
Instinct surged, the blood within me responding like a tide drawn to the moon.
I didn't think; I felt it. Crimson tendrils materialized from thin air, pooling in the winds before me like liquid silk spun from my will.
They hardened in an instant, forming a shield of solidified blood that gleamed wetly under the moonlight, its surface smooth and unyielding as cooled lava.
Elandor's kick connected with a resounding crack, the impact reverberating through the barrier and into my bones, a jolt that tingled like electric fire dancing along my nerves.
He staggered back, eyes widening in shock, his armored chest heaving.
"What... how? Blood from nothing? This power—it shouldn't be!" His words tumbled out, laced with disbelief, his gaze flicking from the shield to my face.
The shield held firm, droplets of blood beading on its edge like dew on a forbidden fruit, slowly trickling down in lazy, sensual rivulets that caught the light.
Confidant, I extended my command, the blood obeying with eager fluidity. It seeped forward, a creeping fog of red mist that slithered across the ground like serpents seeking warmth.
Blood found the seams of his armor, probing the joints with insistent whispers, then pouring in like molten desire.
Elandor froze as the blood hardened within him, locking his limbs in place—his arms pinned to his sides, legs rooted like ancient oaks.
The metal creaked in protest, the sound cracked, as if the armor itself gasped under the invasion.
"Gah! Release me, you abomination!" he roared, straining against the bonds, muscles bulging beneath the plates.
His face contorted, veins standing out on his neck like cords of heated wire, the effort making his breath come in hot bursts that fogged the chill air.
[Time Remaining: 2:47]
I stepped closer. The newfound power thrummed in my core, familiar in a way that sent a shiver of recognition through me.
"This... feels like...." I muttered to myself, voice barely above a whisper, lost in the haze of the moment.
It was nostalgic, like rediscovering a long-forgotten skill—memories flickering at the edges of my mind, echoes of battles long past where blood had been my ally, flowing through my hands as naturally as breath.
'Had I wielded this before?'
The world narrowed to that sensation, the blood's warmth spreading through me like a slow, indulgent embrace, lulling my thoughts into a dreamy reverie.
But the trance shattered with a surge of light from the side.
Lirael burst into the clearing, her robes flowing like liquid moonlight, her face pale but determined.
She raised her hands, palms glowing with a soft, healing radiance that bathed Elandor in golden warmth.
"Brother, hold still—I've got you!" Her voice was steady, laced with urgency, the words weaving through the air like threads of silk.
The light pulsed, seeping into the blood binds, dissolving them with a hiss like steam escaping heated flesh.
The crimson restraints melted away, dripping to the ground in harmless puddles that steamed faintly, their essence evaporating into the night.
Elandor flexed his fingers, shaking off the remnants, a low growl escaping his throat.
"Lirael... thank Goodness. That foul magic nearly had me."
She nodded, her emerald eyes locking onto me with a mix of revulsion and resolve. The marks on her neck from my bite still bloomed faintly, twin points of scarlet against her porcelain skin, a reminder that sent a forbidden thrill through me.
"He's stronger than we thought, drawing power from what he took. But we end this now. Elandor—use the Sun Flare! Strike at his undead core!"
Elandor's hand dipped to a pouch at his belt, pulling free a small, hand-sized glass tube. It was exquisite in its simplicity, the crystal clear and multifaceted, capturing the moonlight in prismatic glints that danced like fireflies on water. Inside, a faint swirl of golden ether churned, promising devastation.
"For the light eternal," he intoned, hurling it toward me with precise force.
The tube arced gracefully, spinning end over end, the air humming softly around it.
Panic flared, sharp and hot in my chest. I summoned blood once more, a whip-like lash of red that lashed out to intercept. It coiled around the tube mid-air, squeezing with crushing intent.
The glass shattered with a sharp crack, fragments scattering like brittle ice. But in that instant, the contents erupted—a blinding cascade of light that mimicked the sun's merciless glare, pure and unrelenting.
The brilliance seared my vision, a white-hot veil that swallowed the world. I threw my arm over my eyes, the afterimage burning like embers pressed to my lids.
The light washed over me, warm at first, then probing deeper, seeking to ignite the shadows within.
Yet... nothing. No scorching agony, no withering of my flesh.
It tingled against my skin like sunlight on bare shoulders after a long winter, invigorating rather than destructive.
My body resisted, the blood magic shielding me in ways I couldn't comprehend, turning the assault into a mere caress.
From behind my hand, Elandor's voice cut through the dazzle.
"Now, Lirael! He's weakened—the flare should have burned him from the inside out. Strike!"
I blinked furiously, spots dancing in my sight like fireflies in a storm, the forest reduced to blurred silhouettes.
The air still hummed with residual energy, carrying a scent like sun-warmed stone and ozone, sharp and invigorating.
Elandor scooped up his sword from where it had fallen, the blade singing as he advanced, each step deliberate, boots crunching leaves with a crisp, satisfying snap.
"Your tricks won't save you forever, boy," he growled, closing the distance.
His swings came fast, a whirlwind of steel—horizontal arcs that whistled through the air, vertical chops that cleaved the night.
I dodged on pure instinct, my body twisting away, the blade's edge grazing my arm, slicing a shallow line that wept warm blood.
The pain was acute, a stinging cut soon bloomed into heat, trailing down my skin like a liquid droplets.
'Damn it all'
I cursed inwardly, heart pounding a frantic rhythm.
'I can't see a thing—everything's a white blur. How am I even avoiding these?'
It's like my muscles remember, moving without thought, shadows guiding me even in the light.
Another swing nicked my shoulder, the impact jarring, blood flowing freely now, slick and sticky against my shirt.
The wounds throbbed in time with my pulse, each one a vivid reminder of vulnerability, the metallic scent rising to mix with the forest's earthy perfume.
Elandor pressed on, his breaths steady, sword a blur of motion.
"Stand and face me! Your cowardice shames even the darkness you serve!" Sweat glistened on his brow, catching the fading light, his movements graceful yet brutal.
I weaved and ducked, the world a haze of shapes and sounds—the whoosh of air displaced by his blade, the thud of my feet on moss, the distant rustle of leaves applauding the fray.
A deeper cut opened on my thigh, the pain lancing sharp, forcing a grunt from my lips.
Blood soaked through, warm and insistent, urging me to summon more power, but the blindness hampered my focus.
Then, a new sensation—a tingling warmth rising from the ground beneath my feet. It spread like roots unfurling, coiling around my ankles with silken threads of magic. Lirael's voice rang out, triumphant and clear.
"I've got him, Elandor! The binding circle is set—his shadows are sealed!"
I looked down—or tried to, through the lingering spots—and saw the faint glow of runes etching the earth, a luminous magic circle that pulsed with ethereal light.
It locked me in place, my legs heavy as if mired in concrete, the magic humming against my skin like a thousand tiny sparks, strong and unyielding.
Struggle only tightened its grip, the energy seeping into my pores, tasting of clean wind and sacred herbs.
"Tch...!" I snarled, pulling against the bonds, but they held fast, the circle's warmth contrasting the chill of fear creeping up my spine.
I tried summoning blood again but....
[Mana Resurve: 13% (insufficient)]
Lirael stepped forward, her presence a soft glow in my peripheral blur, her voice laced with finality.
"It's over, Little boy. Your stolen power can't break divine will. Elandor, finish him—sever the shadow at its root. For the prophecy, for our world."
Elandor paused, sword raised high, the blade catching the remnants of the flare's light.
I struggled, thrashing in and out, but it yielded no results.
He chanted softly, words of ancient power rolling from his lips like a prayer turned weapon.
Golden luminescence coated the steel, flowing along its length in rivulets of pure radiance, making it hum with barely contained energy.
The air around it shimmered, hot and electric, carrying the scent of sunlit meadows and forged steel.
"By the Goddess's grace, I consign you to oblivion," he declared, voice steady as stone.
His eyes met mine—or what he thought was mine, through the haze—and held no mercy, only the weight of duty.
The sword descended in a slow, inevitable arc, the golden light bathing me in its glow.
Time dilated, every sense alight—the warmth on my face like a final, mocking kiss from the sun; the forest's whispers fading to a hush; the blood in my veins surging one last defiant pulse.
I twisted futilely, the circle's hold unbreaking, my body screaming in silent protest.
[Time Remaining: 0:00]
Something connected with a wet, tearing sound, flesh parting under its edge like silk rent.
Thud....Thud..Thud...
A head rolled off the ground, eyed wide open. As slowly the light of those eyes dimmed.
[A/N: Amateur Author here, Enjoying the novel? Don't forget to use Powerstones.]