Sin - By Firebrand, Chapter 23

Chapter 23

“Yes!” Sin cheered as his arrow sank into the very center of the target. He nocked his bow again, and sent another arrow flying. This one barely hit the painted ring on the tree, vibrating dangerously in the trunk.

Signe slapped the young man’s back. “Ha, you just got lucky! Keep working at it.” She fired off four arrows lightning-fast into her tree, each one within an inch of its predecessor. “Maybe someday you’ll have the hope of being on my level.” The Forester winked.

Sin yanked his arrows from the trunk with quick, practiced motions. “You laugh now. Just wait until I’ve practiced a little more. I’ll be better than Roy someday!”

“I’m sure. Oh, look. Kelrick’s glaring at me. Time for your sword practice.”

Sin laughed and dropped his arrows in the boiled leather quiver he had received from Harrison. He clipped on his sword belt, and walked with Signe to where the Hellhound stood, tapping his foot. “In the future, Signe, I’ll thank you not to steal my pupil.”

Signe cuffed his arm, and walked away laughing. Kelrick drew a wooden broadsword, and looked down the blade. The early afternoon sunlight caught on his dark hair, making it shimmer. “You’ve gotten better, Sin, but there’s still a ways to go. Ready?”

Sin selected a hand and a half sword from the wooden rack, and then paced around the dirt ring once. “Naturally.”

Kelrick grunted, then lunged forward. “Have at you!”

Sin threw up a parry. In the recent past, he had discovered that parries worked better with his unique style better than stationary blocks. Besides, with his slighter frame, Kelrick could blow through him if he tried to put his mass behind a block.

The Hellhound was merciless, even with a practice blade. Sin was able to fend off the demon’s attacks, but could not find a way to slip through Kelrick’s guard. When his mentor finally called the bout, Sin was dripping with sweat. Kelrick was panting heavily as he grabbed a waterskin and poured the cool liquid over his head. “Good work today. You’ve made a lot of progress.”

“That’s pretty high praise, seeing as I almost beat you back in Harrisholt!”

“That was a fluke!”

“No way!” Chifumi cried, running down the path. “Sin’s like a hero from one of Harrison’s books! He can do anything!”

“Don’t get your hopes up, Fuzzball. I won’t be slaying any dragons any time soon.” Sin glanced at Kelrick. “You know, I’ve been wondering something. You, Anjaru, Thalia, and a lot of the other demons we’ve met have two forms, and animal-like one and a human one. But Fuzzball and a couple other demons only have an animal form. Why?”

Kelrick scowled. “Chifumi has a human form. Surely you’ve seen it.”

Sin shook his head. “No, never.”

“Chifumi, would you be so kind?” The silver monkey nodded, and shook out her fur. In an instant, where the monkey had once stood was a little girl with a tousled mop of silver hair. She looked up at Sin, and spoke in Chifumi’s voice.

“Do I have to stay like this? The clothes itch.” She picked at the white and blue linen dress she wore, trying to hold it away from her skin. Sin chewed his lip, processing the information Chifumi had just dumped on his lap.

The little girl, upon first glance, certainly looked human. But anything more than a cursory glance revealed startling differences in the facial features and overall posture. Chifumi’s human face had a flatter nose than a normal human’s would, and a slightly larger brow. She was constantly pulling her lips back from her teeth, and she was slumped over, used to her arms brushing along the ground. Her hands and bare feet were a little too dexterous for a normal person’s, and the constant twitching the demon was doing was a little too much for even a normal young girl.

“Can I change back now?” Chifumi asked petulantly. “I miss my tail.” Before waiting for further comment, she was back in her monkey form.

“Why aren’t you in your human shape more often?” Sin asked.

Chifumi scoffed. “Because human bodies are no fun. Uh… no offense. The clothes itch, you have no tail, and if you can’t reach sweets on a high shelf, you can’t just scamper up the pantry. Anything I can do as a human, I can do better in this form.”

Kelrick nodded as they began to walk back to the cabin. “Plus, in messenger demons like Chifumi, their animal forms are often better suited for their tasks. If a demon has an animal form of say… a sparrow, they can travel much faster by air than by land. Chifumi could carry messages through the Forest by swinging through the trees, unlike a land-bound demon such as myself, who would be stuck taking the paths.”

“And,” Chifumi added, “if my feet get tired, I can ride on Sin’s shoulder. I couldn’t do that as a human.”

Sin aimed a kick at her. “Worthless freeloader.”

They came back to the cabin as Lisana finished her magic lesson with Ivan. Together, the two of them were growing a vibrant garden with the Wild Magic Ivan was teaching Sin’s companion to channel. Anjaru lounged on the newly painted roof as Thalia and Damin prepared the evening meal. Signe was busy repairing the last broken window frame. She whistled up to Anjaru.

“Hey! Next time you go into town, pick up some shutters!”

The Air Master leaned back, soaking in the sun’s rays. “What are the magic words?”

“The hell if I know! I’m no sorceress! Ask Ivan!”

The male Forester chuckled. “Signe, he means ‘say please’.”

Sin laughed, and went to go brush down Dusty’s coat. The grateful villagers of Darkrest had returned the draft horse and Damin’s black mare to them soon after Masgard’s tower fell. The giant beast huffed out a breath and nudged Sin, nearly bowling him over.

“No food today, old boy,” Sin said as he pushed the horse’s inquisitive nose out of the way. Dusty stared at him for a little while longer, glancing at Sin’s empty hands. Finally, the rather simple creature seemed to get the idea, and went back to cropping grass.

Sin stretched, and turned to the cottage. It had come a long way in the past month. It barely resembled the run-down shack the Winterholds had led them to as they escaped from Masgard’s fury. It had a new coat of white paint, and the roof had been completely repaired. A quaint garden was planted by the door, and the well water was no longer tepid and murky. Vegetables grew on dowels set along the walls, and in window boxes Damin had cobbled together. There was nothing in the windows yet, but the new dark blue shutters kept the early autumn chill at bay.

It was all rather idyllic, and fairly quaint, too. Finally, Lisana was in a safe place where she could train in peace. The Chancellor was a distant shadow, far, far away in the Capitol, and Masgard was long gone.

The young man sauntered over to the kitchen window, and leaned in. He selected a small tin spoon from the counter and went to dip it in the stewpot. “Smells good, Thalia.”

Damin leaned over and swatted Sin’s hand with the ladle he held. “Hey! It’s not ready yet!”

“But I’m hungry!” Sin moaned, then grinned. “How much longer?”

The Ice Maiden chopped up a carrot, and dumped it rather unceremoniously into the bubbling brew. “An hour. Or two. Or a moment. I don’t know.”

At Sin’s sigh, she rolled her eyes. “Wash your hands or something. Stay out of the way.”

The young man grudgingly complied. He hauled up the bucket from the well, cleaning the dirt off his palms. He dumped the bucket onto the garden as Lisana walked over, twirling her wand. “Oh,” she sighed. “I was about to tell you not to.”

Sin leapt back. “Did I mess up a spell? Are the plants going to eat me?”

Lisana laughed and walked to the well, turning the crank. “No, silly. Flowers can’t eat anything. They drink water from their roots. It’s not like their petals are hiding little mouths.”

“Then why shouldn’t I have done that?”

“Because,” Lisana groaned, hauling the bucket over the lip of the well, “I have to get water myself now.” She finished washing her hands and arms from the days work, and tossed the water at Sin. “You’re supposed to be chivalrous and a gentleman.”

Sin leapt out of the way of the cascade. “Of course! I’m always chivalrous to ladies.” At Lisana’s glance, he laughed. “And you’re not a lady!”

She hurled the bucket at him, laughing. Sin’s hand snapped out, caught it, and tossed it back. Lisana whistled. “Nice reflexes.”

“Anjaru moves quick. I’ve got to move faster, or I’ll have some nasty bruises.”

They walked back to the cabin, and lounged on two tree stumps outside the door. When Damin finally called the group in for dinner an hour later, it seemed to Sin as if no time had passed at all.

***

A thin branch crunched under Thalia’s foot as she and Sin tramped through the Dark Forest. They had made many such excursions in the past month, for hunting, or foraging, or simply just to relax in the tranquil atmosphere of the trees. The initial discomfort the company had felt in the forest had died with Masgard.

The Ice Maiden led him to their favorite grove, a natural orchard where apples of several different varieties grew. They immediately began to fill Thalia’s wicker basket. Sin’s head snapped up as he heard a rustle in the woods.

Thalia rolled her eyes. “It was that rabbit, fool.”

Sin slowly drew his bow, careful not to startle the little creature. He set an arrow on the string, and pulled it back to his cheek. “How long has it been since we had rabbit, Thalia?”

“Two nights ago.”

“Long enough for me.” With a twang, Sin let the arrow fly. It went wide, glancing off the ground and bouncing several times before rolling to a stop. The rabbit bounded away. Sin cursed as he started to retrieve his arrow.

“I’ll get it,” Thalia purred. Sin paused, thinking she meant the arrow. But quick as lightning, the Ice Maiden shifted to her feline form and darted into the underbrush after the rabbit.

Sin sprinted to retrieve his arrow, and then ran after Thalia, tracking her by the rustling of the brush she caused as she passed beneath. The rabbit knew the Forest well, and was expertly weaving and dodging around trees. Soon, Thalia lost the trail, and returned to Sin, her head drooping. She curled her tail around her and began to lick her paws clean.

Sin reached down to stroke her fur, but the cat’s hackles immediately went up. She hissed at him, and Sin quickly withdrew his hand. Thalia shook her head, eyes almost apologetic, and then returned to human form. “There’s powerful magic here.”

Sin looked around. There was nothing but a rocky knoll and some very old trees to set this place in the Dark Forest apart from any other. “Wait here,” Thalia cautioned. “I need to fetch Lisana and Ivan, immediately. We’ll find our way back by scent.”

***

Sin waited in the clearing for a full hour before Thalia returned, with their entire company in tow. Ivan was glancing around furtively, muttering things under his breath. Anjaru and Kelrick were tense, circling protectively around Lisana. Damin and Signe glanced at the warrior demons, and fanned out to form a perimeter.

Sin groaned. “Can someone please tell me what’s going on?”

Lisana twirled her wand between her fingertips. “There’s a lot of magic present in this clearing. Ivan, I can feel it more clearly here than ever before.”

The wildmage nodded. “There is a vast reservoir of magic around here, very close.” He stalked around the clearing, muttering incomprehensibly. Signe tensed as he passed by her, the iron tip of her arrow glinting. Ivan paused in front of the knoll. “Here. It’s strongest here. Tell me, Lisana. What do you See?”

Lisana closed her eyes, which to Sin seemed counterintuitive. But the young sorceress nodded. “I see… a large force beside you. But it seems like there are two distinct layers, as if a smaller fire were inside a larger one. That’s the only way I can think to describe it.”

Ivan nodded, and tapped the rock formation with his fingertip. A green aura flared around him as he pushed his palm against a peculiar rock formation, his eyes narrowing in concentration. “I think… I think I’m getting something here. Be ready.”

Sin reached for his sword, before remembering it was back at the cabin. Anjaru clicked his tongue, and tossed the leather-wrapped blade to him. “I thought it might be wise to bring it along.”

With a quick motion, Sin grabbed it out of the air, swinging it around to attention. Damin had tensed as the magical aura around Ivan grew brighter, and Signe’s fingers strained against her bowstring. “Any second now…” Ivan growled. There was a sharp crack, like hundreds of branches snapping at once. A cloud of birds rose from the trees, screaming frantically. Ivan leapt back as Sin and Damin advanced.

“No need to be afraid,” a deep voice murmured. Sin dropped to a crouch, bracing himself. The voice seemed to shake the very earth itself. It seemed to come from all around, and he could not for the life of him determine the source. Kelrick growled, and his shoulders tensed.

“Please,” another voice, this one softer, beseeched. “Sheathe your iron. I mean you no harm.”

Damin nodded to Sin, and sheathed his sword. However, the young man watched as his mentor quietly drew the wooden quarterstaff he had carved two weeks ago. Singe loosed the tension in her arm, and stuck the tip of her arrow in the dirt. However, she kept her bow strung, and an archer of her caliber could quickly draw the arrow from the earth and fire it in a split second.

Sin followed his tutors’ lead, and wrapped his bastard sword in the cloth Anjaru had carried it in. “Thank you,” the softer voice sighed. “I can breathe easier now.” A piece of rock at the base of the knoll moved slowly, jerkily. A long, thin, spar of rock tried to detach itself from the mossy curtain grown into the rock. The spar separated at the tip, forming five long, delicate fingers.

More of the rock began to pull itself away, until a roughly human-shape figure was scrabbling away from the hill. The spar had revealed itself to be not mere rock, but a thin, graceful arm. Two deep emerald eyes peered out from a face smeared with eons of dust and dirt. The figure wore a garment woven of moss and plant fibers. The creature inclined its head in a rough approximation of a courteous bow. “Good day. It is my very good pleasure to meet you.” It held out a hand, obviously expecting someone to shake it.

No one moved forward. Sin glanced around, sighed with exasperation, and crossed to the stone creature. It had given them no reason to be wary, save it’s rather unorthodox appearance. He would rather fend off a tricky enemy than drive away a potential ally. Sin gave the rough hand one firm, brief shake and broke the contact. The stone humanoid’s eyes twinkled with merriment. “Well, look at you. All grown up.”

Sin shook his head. “I’m afraid I have no idea what you mean. Surely I have never met you.”

The stone creature turned its head to one side. “Truly? Well, no matter. You looked like someone I once knew.”

Lisana stepped forward. “Excuse me… uh… well, I really don’t know what you are.”

The creature laughed, a high fluting sound quite at odds with it’s stony appearance. “Well, my girl, you sound like you’ve never seen one of the fae! I know that can’t be true, because there’s four here with you!”

“Fae…” Anjaru whispered. Kelrick’s brow furrowed, and Thalia licked her lips.

“What’s a fae?” Signe asked the Air Master. “Anything we need to worry about? Why can’t we see them?”

The creature laughed. “First, my girl, it’s not a fae. It’s the fae. The single would be Fiery Folk, or Fair Folk, or Faerie. And of course you have nothing to worry about, you’re talking to one!”

Ivan shook his head. “Faerie… I know I’ve heard that term before somewhere.”

Kelrick sighed. “I’m of the fae. And so is Thalia. And Chifumi. And Anjaru. Demons used to be called that, before the humans came and thought us something rather more sinister. This creature must be very old indeed if it still uses the old word.”

The creature laughed again. “Demons? Oh, so that caught on, did it? So strange, you humans always were. So strange…”

Lisana stepped forward again. “You’re a demon? If you don’t mind my asking, how old are you?”

The stony demon glanced around. Finally, he pointed to an old oak tree that towered above its companions even in death. It was so massive; Sin doubted that he, Kelrick and Damin all together couldn’t have wrapped their arms around it.

“I was a few hundred years old when that was just a sapling.”

Lisana took another tentative step forward. “Sir, what is your name?”

The demon balked. “Why, young woman! You certainly lack for manners! It is not polite to ask a demon for their name! Names have great power!”

Anjaru held up a hand. “Easy, old one. Conventions have changed. The girl does not know. Please, she was merely seeking to acquaint herself.”

The stony demon inclined his head. Sin could now make out a strange formation he once mistook as part of the rock the demon emerged from, as actually antlers, like those of an elk.

“Then I suppose it is I who must apologize to you, Madame. You may call me… hm… Gwythr. Yes, I’ve always rather fancied that name above my others.” He turned and swept his hand around the clearing. “And this is my friend, Solomon.”

There was no one there. Ivan fingered the pommel of his silver knife. “Gwythr… I don’t see what you’re—”

“Well of course you don’t, not yet. Up, you lazy brute!” He thumped the hill with his fist. A clutch of saplings at the top of the rise suddenly was wrenched up, their roots popping as they tried to remain anchored in the ground. A semi-translucent membrane rose all around one end of the hill, and a group of five boulders suddenly realized that they were gifted with mobility, and started to claw up the ground. Lisana screamed as the ground beneath her cracked, and Kelrick ran forward, his sword drawn.

Sin grabbed Lisana, pulling her away as a serpentine form lashed up from the earth where she had just stood. Signe quickly drew her bow. “What magic is this, Gwythr? Stop it immediately!”

“Ohoho!” Gwythr chuckled. “I assure you, I have nothing to do with this, nothing at all!”

Two more translucent membranes rose up from the highest points on the knoll, these much larger than the ones that had appeared near one end. In fact, to Sin they almost looked like… wings. Parts of the hill were moving of their own accord now, stretching and flexing. Small stones along the top now struck straight up, forming a ridge of spines. A large part of the knoll, near the five moving boulders, moved slowly forward, almost like the leg of a cat stretching.

A large mound near the far end of the hill rose up a few feet, and a fragment of rock slid back, revealing a glinting black gem. A part of the bottom dropped away slightly, revealing pointed, jagged shards of marble. There was a great growl, and the large membranes on the back flared out. The two clusters of boulders, one to Sin’s right and the other to Sin’s left, pushed off the ground slightly as a long part of the hill reared up and turned to look down on the assembled company.

“Elementals!” Kelrick cried, his sword halfway drawn. “It’s… It’s a…”

“Dragon…” Anjaru gasped.

The dragon, Solomon, encircled the entire clearing. He was the entirety of the large hill that had dominated the space so soon before. Now that he was moving, it seemed as though the earth itself was a living, seething, breathing thing.

“Well, hello there,” the dragon rumbled in a deep voice that seemed to shake the ground itself. “No need to be afraid. I’m hungry, but I’m not that hungry. I wouldn’t eat humans unless I was ravenous.”

Ivan fell over into a fit of nervous laughter. “Never on my life! Never would I have dreamed I would meet a dragon! Light, a dragon! No one’s ever going to believe this!”

The membrane around Solomon’s head flared up and down, catching the sun. When the rays struck it, the material flared violet. The effect it gave made Solomon seem to have a halo. “Well, I daresay. You all act as if you’ve never seen one of my people before!”

“We haven’t, Wise One,” Anjaru said with a bow. “In the modern epoch, many believe dragons extinct. Are there others of your race hibernating around the kingdom?”

“I do not know,” Solomon growled. His head sank back to ground level. “Extinct, you say. Well, we never were as populous as the fae, let alone those human upstarts. Gwythr, how long were we asleep?”

“Long enough, my friend. Long enough.” The stony demon wrenching layers of rock off of himself, much like Sin would a scab. Each piece of rock he removed revealed more and more of his dark skin. He pressed his forehead against Solomon’s flank and closed his eyes. “This world has moved along without us, I’m afraid.”

“More than you might ever imagine,” Anjaru added. “For you see, the 'human upstarts' have become the dominant race of our kingdom. Demons such as I and my comrades must either live on the fringe of society, or Bonded to the sorcerers.”

“Shamans no longer, eh?” Solomon rumbled.

“Yes, indeed. For several centuries in fact. Before I was born, and I am nearly three and a half centuries old.”

Gwythr stroked his antlers. “And you two. You are shamans… erm, sorcerers?”

Lisana nodded, but Ivan held up a hand. “Well now, I do think I am the closest thing to a shaman to walk this world in a long time. You see, Gwythr, I do not Bind demons as other sorcerers do. I use only the magic of nature.”

“If you seek to rise in my esteem, shaman, prove your worth, do not just tell me of it. I have never had a high opinion of human mages regardless. Less so now that I know they have Bound my people against their will.”

He lowered his tined head. “Tell me, my brethren. Shall I free you from this slaver, who wears the guise of an innocent maiden?”

Now Sin did indeed draw his sword on Gwythr. “Don’t you dare touch her. I'll have your hide.”

Kelrick too growled, and fire crackled along his fingers. “No one hurts Lisana. No one.”

“My friends, you are blind. If she is your mistress, she commands your will as well! I only want your freedom!”

Anjaru stalked in front of Gwythr. “We entered Mistress Lisana’s service of our own free will. She is our hope for the future. If you move to harm her, I will not hesitate. And I will not be merciful.”

Thalia silently ghosted to their side, icicles already forming on her fingertips. She hissed, baring her teeth. Damin twirled his broadsword, and leveled the tip at Gwythr. Signe’s bow was pulled taunt, ready to fire.

Solomon leaned down, his large black oculus blinking. “Gwythr, I see true resolve in their eyes. Surely no spell…”

“Surely this girl is more potent than she seems. Come, Solomon. With your strength, and my powers as one of the First, we could brush her aside like a leaf in a tempest.” Vines began wrapping around Gwythr’s ankles as he channeled the power of the Dark Forest.

Lisana drew her wand but murmured to Sin, “I don’t want to harm a demon if I can’t help it. Try to be careful with your iron.”

“First?” Anjaru murmured. “My comrades, this is one of the First Demons, who was shaped by the Elementals at the Origin Dais. Perhaps there was a serious error in our judgment here. I do not doubt his power is great…”

Sin gripped his sword. “No. He threatened Lisana. If he goes for us, I’ll fight for all I’m worth. Woe to him if he stands in my way.”

Thalia raised an eyebrow, but nodded. “I am with him.”

“We abandoned our friends once,” Kelrick growled. “I couldn’t live with myself if we did it again!”

“We were under orders!” Anjaru snapped. “We couldn’t have stayed if we wanted to!”

“I want to stay now,” Thalia hissed.

Ivan’s hands were glowing green. “Here now, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but Gwythr is coming!”

The First Demon stalked towards them, fully kitted in armor from the forest. Greaves and gauntlets of oak supplemented his moss kilt. A crown of holly rested on his brow, and in his hand he carried a wooden sword. A cape of leaves trailed behind him, and his antlers glowed.

“Elementals!” Kelrick growled. “We’re fighting the Holly King! The king of the forest, the lord of winter!”

Sin glanced over his shoulder. “Then be ready to bring the fire.”

Gwythr ran towards them, hefting his sword. “Freedom for my people!” he roared, catching Damin with his left arm and sending the man flying. Signe shot five arrows in rapid succession, only to be stopped by a large fragment of stone still on Gwythr’s arm.

Anjaru leapt at the Holly King with his rapier ready to strike, and drove the point into a crease in the stones that still covered his body. The demon howled, and threw him away. Thalia darted in with a shriek, only to be cast aside by Gwythr’s sword. Kelrick fenced with the forest demon, only to be disarmed and thrown back.

The Holly King’s power over the forest negated Ivan’s wild magic, and he signaled Solomon. Somewhat reluctantly, the giant dragon picked up the two Foresters and Damin as they tried to rise, holding them away from the struggle. Now it was only Sin and Lisana who stood before the mighty force of nature.

Sin wrenched the last of Harrison’s offensive amulets from his arm and crushed it underfoot, knowing that he could not fight Gwythr alone. Indigo fire blazed up around him, an unquenchable aura that filled Sin with raw power. He leapt at the demon, his sword flashing. He was able to meet all of Gwythr’s blows, despite the great amount of skill and speed the demons showed.

He locked blades with the Holly King, and shouted over his shoulder, “Lisana, now!”

The sorceress blasted the Lord of Winter with a repulsion spell, sending him reeling. Gwythr rose, and began to laugh. “Something as petty as that is nothing to me! Human, set your demons free, and I won’t have to kill you!”

“No!” Anjaru roared, as he, Thalia and Anjaru leapt at the Holly King all at once. “Mistress Lisana will change the world! She’s the hope for all demons! One day, we might all live in peace and freedom thanks to her!”

“I see it now,” Gwythr said softly. “That light in your eyes… no spell could duplicate that. You genuinely care deeply for this girl.”

“Damn right we do!” Kelrick growled as he tossed his sword away, grabbing Gwythr’s sword in both his hands. Fire crackled down his arms as he fed more and more power into his attack. Thalia swept around the Holly King’s back and placed a knife at his back, while Anjaru leveled his rapier tip at Gwythr’s throat.

“Never, ever raise a hand against Mistress Lisana in anger again.”

Solomon placed the humans back on the ground with a murmured apology. “You see, Gwythr? These demons made their choice.”

The Holly King glared at Lisana. “So… you’re the hope of demons everywhere then? These three are not exaggerating?”

“No,” Lisana said softly. “It’s my burden to bear.”

“Well, you’ve got a long ways ahead. Shaman, are you teaching her?”

Ivan nodded. “She has had another mentor before me, but her education has many gaps.”

“Bring her back here tomorrow. Gwythr and I will try and impart some knowledge to her.” The dragon inclined his head to the young sorceress.

Anjaru fixed his cloak. “Well. It is rather late in the day now, isn’t it? Perhaps we should be getting back to the cabin.”

He led the procession back, but Sin couldn’t help glancing over his shoulder. The young man could hardly believe it. In one day, he had met a real dragon, and fought one of the oldest demons ever! And they won! Well… it felt like they won. Still, he was not likely to forget this day, not for a long time.