Chapter 4

Serena

We arrived at Legacy Park and we didn’t have to look far before we stumbled upon the carnage. From the distance I could see the figure which radiated power and malice, dripping with a need for vengeance. A human-like figure with large gray wings adorning its back. 

Holland held out a hand when we were about a hundred feet away, halting the entire group. He pulled a pen from his pocket and began scrawling a familiar rune on his wrist: the shielding rune. 

For a mercury witch like Holland runes helped to give his magic shape and direction. Without the rune on his wrist he wouldn’t have been able to form the shield which surrounded the creature in the center of the carnage.

That’s when I heard it, the taint filled my voice, filling my head. “I’ll get rid of this puny witch and his friends. Then I’ll complete my revenge.”

I reeled back at the sheer power and resentment in the voice. It’s words clawed at my brain, sending shivers down my spine and making my head explode with pain.

“What is it?” Val asked, noticing my pain.

“I can hear it.”

“Hear what?”

“That thing? Person? I don’t know, but I can hear its thoughts.”

“Well what’s it saying?” Silas cut in. 

“It’s angry. It wants revenge.”

“Revenge on who?!” 

“I don’t know, and I’m not going to go looking for it!” The irritated tone of my voice seemed almost foreign. I wasn’t really mad at Silas, he asked a perfectly reasonable question, but for some reason it made my blood boil. “Sorry, I don’t think that was totally me.”

Silas’s expression softened, “don’t worry about it.”

“Fuck!” Holland’s cry immediately called Silas to his side. “Shit! That thing’s strong. I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.”

I could see Holland’s shield flickering in and out, its power wavering. “Let me help.”

I placed my hands on Holland’s back and pushed my magic towards him. The green and purple swirled together until it became one, increasing the power of the shield.

“We can’t keep this up forever Val, we need a plan,” Silas urged, worried by the strained look on his lover's face. I could feel his magic coming to the surface, ready to burst when Val gave the command.

“Ren, can you calm it down?”

I simply nodded. I took my hands off Holland’s back and turned my magic towards a new purpose. I pushed out my magic, weaving inside it a soothing property. The purple tendrils slipped easily through the shield and began swirling around the winged figure. 

Nothing happened, it didn’t even bat an eye, so I pushed more of my magic out. This time it was enough to prompt the creature. “Stupid witch! Get out of my head!”

The screeching voice made my head pound more, but I kept pushing my magic out, more and more until the anger seemed to abate, if only for a moment. Once I had poured out enough to quell the anger, I held it at a steady stream.

The swell of power surrounding the creature came to a more manageable level. “Silas, shift now. Holland drop the shield.”

They both did as they were told. In one seamless transition Silas transformed into a giant wolf. About twice the size of its natural counterpart, Silas’s wolf form was a shimmering grey. His powerful body remained on alert, waiting for Val’s instruction.

Holland dropped to the ground with exhaustion as the shield came crashing down. I desperately wanted to help him, give him just a sliver of magic, but I was already reaching my limit. 

I could feel sweat dripping down my back and my hands began to shake with fatigue. I put Holland out of mind and focused on the task at hand. I had to keep it calm if this plan was going to work.

“Let’s approach, slowly.”

We crept towards the figure, completely exposed by the flat grasses of the park, but the creature remained focused on the limp body dangling from its fingers. With each step we took I pushed more of my magic into the creature, praying that it would remain docile enough for us to restrain it.

As we got closer to our destination I finally got a good glimpse of the monster we were supposed to take down, and it wasn’t a monster. It was a girl. It was the girl sitting in the corner of the pub, but she was no longer a mundane girl. Instead, her eyes shone a dirty yellow and wings protruded from her back, covered in gore. Around her was a swirl of magic matching the uncanny color of her eyes. 

Beyond that, it was the complete lack of humanity behind her eyes. The lack of any complex emotions flowing off of her. Rather, the only thing I could read from her was intense rage, dulled only by my smothering magic. Not to mention, the presence that had ripped through my mind, a presence that isn’t hers. It wasn’t the same brush of contemplation I felt in the pub, it was an entirely unnatural entity born only of the negative emotions it expelled.

I pushed my magic out even more, shovelling more out of my well of magic, a well that was running out and fast. Even though I knew the consequences I couldn’t help but want to soothe the raging soul trapped in a seemingly regular girl’s body. 

We took another step closer, Silas was ready to pounce, waiting only for Val’s signal. That’s when the malice filled eyes locked onto mine. You want to control me too, don’t you?! 

It dropped the body in its hands and before I could even blink I felt a sharp grip against my neck. I choked, my breath immediately cut off and sharp claws dug into me as the grip tightened and my oxygen faded. 

I tried to open my mouth, explaining that I didn’t want to hurt her if I didn’t have to. How I only wanted to help, but nothing came out. No more air escaped my lips and my vision was going black around the edges.

I changed my approach, pushing all my magic into projecting my thoughts to the creature inhabiting the girl’s body. Please, I don’t want to hurt you. I want to help you.

Lies! It hissed and the nails dug deeper into my neck,  and blood dripped onto my collarbone.

I’m not lying. We just don’t know how to help you. Please, I want to help. I opened up all my gates, pouring my emotions towards it, praying to any God that would listen, praying that it would believe me. Please, there’s a girl in there and she won’t appreciate what you’ve done.

She asked for this.

She didn’t know what she was asking for. She’s human. Was human. She doesn’t understand you, doesn’t understand our world. Please, let her go and I promise to protect you.

I could feel the creature's contemplation, I could feel the anger ebb and soften. Prove it.

It dropped me and I hit the ground hard feeling pain shoot up from my shoulder. Then the hacking started. Air hit me in a glorious wave that made me gasp and cough, trying to scoop up as much of it as possible. 

My vision evened out slowly. I couldn’t quite clear the dizziness, but I could see enough to find my teammates banging against a shield that encased me and the winged figure. 

“Stop,” my voice came out as a screech, slowly being constricted by inflammation. “Stop, It’s fine. I’m okay. It’s just… They’re just scared.”

I wasn’t sure my damaged voice reached them. Val looked like he was seething. A vein was protruding in his forehead from the exertion and I wasn’t sure he would give in. I held his gaze, projecting my sincerity, begging him to trust me.

The tension continued to wrack his body, so I continued to look him directly in his eyes. An eternity seemed to pass before his gaze softened and he gestured for Silas and Holland to stand down. Holland did, without question, but Silas wasn’t so sure. He continued to growl and bark, until Val gave him “the look” and he sat back onto his haunches with a wine.

You are true, young psychic.

I will protect you. We will protect you, so let us take over.

We will trust you for now, but I am always here and if you break our trust, you will die.

The magic suddenly retreated and the presence bearing down on me was replaced by the quiet mind of the girl from the pub. I turned to the creature that had become the girl. The yellow faded to green before she came tumbling to the ground. I used all my strength to push off the ground and cushion her fall.

I managed to catch her before she fell, but my fatigued body immediately gave out and I returned to the grass, a warm body lying on top of me. I could hear her steady breathing and the completely mundane energy of a human, but this human had a sliver of magic. I could finally place the weird feeling from the pub. It was her magic sealed tightly by whatever entity shared her body.

The adrenaline was fading and the pain began to come back. I began to shiver uncontrollably and I was losing my grip on consciousness. That’s when I felt Silas’s warm fur against my side. I could hear his whines but everything seemed to be out of focus.

“Ren,” the distorted voice of Val floated to me.

I reached my hand out and he took it, but didn’t push for any further conversation. I heard Holland’s voice distantly as he talked urgently with someone who wasn’t here.

“Holland’s calling your brother, don’t be mad.”

I wanted to protest but I couldn’t find the energy to respond. My throat was on fire and my body ached and I just wanted to sleep. There was a stray thought floating in the back of my mind, but I couldn’t quite grasp it before I faded into the darkness.