《Embers》Chapter 13 - Illusions
Advertisement
When the fucker finally fell, fear that has been creeping towards me disappeared. The chains that were keeping my anger together also came loose.
I lunged towards him, dagger still in my hand, but not shacking like it was before, steady, guided more by my bloodlust rather than strength.
Moments before the dagger would enter his throat I stopped, feeling the strong pressure, the density of magic.
“Never thought you to be the caring type.” – said Jean, the mysterious man, clothed in purple cloak. He was the supervisor from the employer’s side.
“Well, I am. This will make it a lot more expensive as you understand.”- I said, while standing up, unable to resist my temptation to stomp on the bastard’s face. I felt satisfaction as his nose crunched under my foot, curves of my mouth slightly going up as I heard a muffled snarl. Someone already did a fine job on his nose, my work was simply a finishing touch.
“Of course, that is evident. Mind you, we don’t want the package to be crippled…”- seeing my glare, he added a slight smile. – “ I understand the inner turmoils that you are currently undergoing, but remember Ushan, my enterprise had agreement with the Golloth’s Eye, so please be mindful.”
This shitface was really getting on my nerves. He was right, of course. But what was getting on my nerves is that he only helped after witnessing his power. To this ‘supervisor’ we were nothing but lab rats, after our fuck up. My fuck up. No matter how shitty it was, I had to swallow my pride and calm my anger in that moment. The Eye does not forgive those who tarnish its reputation. I had to remind myself ,constantly, no matter how sour it was, it was my fault ultimately. If only I judged the strength of our target correctly. My fists tightened, as memory of his aura flashed. Chaotic and messy, very very similar to a young weaver, but only a touch different. With weavers you could feel some control, here it was only pure chaos.
Advertisement
“FUCK!”- I yelled, some of my team giving me a heavy look, rest just vomiting.
Some slime fell on my shoulder and I looked up. Qir’s face stared back at me, his body broken an torn, connected to the wooden ceiling, face distorted, even liquefied but still recognisable, though barely
I looked down, realising I still had my dagger in my fist. A bit of the old anger flowed in me, calling me for vengeance or some sort of retribution. I am used to seeing people dying, on both ends. People I don’t care about, people I hate, people I love and cherish. It always felt strange, seeing the corpse of a person, you just talked to yesterday, here frozen, unmoving, with a still expression. But the way Qir left the world… was too cruel. I clenched my teeth and shook my head, these emotions are dangerous and mostly unnecessary, especially in my line of work. I sheathed the dagger back, and turned around, trying to walk towards my men.
Something produced a sound under my foot. I looked down, it was an eye.
This whole place turned into one big mish-mash of things. Things morphed with each other in one big circle or rather ball, this fucker at the center of it.
I increased my pace walking, looking down and regretting, trying not to soil the corpses more than they have already been. There is something particularly disgusting about an idea of walking on the floor fused with the corpses of your teammates.
When I reached them, I asked the man with a broken jaw, Vocir, how Gale was doing.
His response didn’t particularly lighten my mood. She was still in the same state she was after her performing mind magic on the target.
“I already knew something was wrong, when she started shaking. He was supposed to pass out before he would fight those thugs or at least in the middle of the brawl. She must’ve thought plan b would work and sent the house to his mind. But the cunt reversed it. The little stage act we were playing, he turned it real in her head. Ushan… she was still screaming that her mother and father were stolen, she thought she was that little girl… she… couldn’t remember me… tell me will that fucker will suffer. “- Vocir said quietly, tears almost rolling out of his eyes. I really should’ve scolded him for attacking the target without orders, but I just patted him on the shoulder. Everyone was full of it today.
Advertisement
“You heard him, Jean.”- I said, trying to keep my voice impassive. After so many years of practice it came out perfect.
“Uh, yes?”- he looked at us, away from the target’s face. He was examining him, rather the aura that he had, the flows of magic around him. – “Yes, yes. You should not doubt that. He will experience the cruellest of fates”- he said clasping his hands, with a sly grin across his face.
I nodded.
“So… Shall we… proceed?”- he said smiling satisfactory, whatever he was doing there, definitely lighten his mood.
The rest of the team stood up, some still shaking. I commanded Jores, a tall blonde man to pick up the target. I, myself, took out an incinerate device, weaving a little runework, a fuse and a timer into it.
‘They deserve a better way to be buried.’ – my conscience told me, rare cases where it was right.
“No evidence must be left.”- I spoke quietly dropping the little triangle on the floor.
When we were out it was already twilight, but the darker kind, clouds covering the sun, blue pre-night if anything.
“They were good friends.”- said Vocir. Friends is a hard thing to gain working for the Eye, but if anything this little family of ours are truly friends.
“Yes, they were… friends.”- I said, giving quick glance back, to the orange lights of fire, replacing the absence of the twilight sun.
______________
Author's Note
______________
Sorry, for the short chapter. Things finally start to pace up(Kind of). Also i used the naughty word (huehuehue) Anyway expect next chapter again within next 5 days. Cheers!
Advertisement
- In Serial13 Chapters
Stake
A King's grief, fueled by the loss of his Queen and their stillborn son, has created a shift in the natural balance of the world. Driven to madness by the whispers of a malevolent entity, the King unleashes a plague across his Kingdom, which seeks to spread across the neighbouring lands until all nation's citizens are consumed by darkness. The plague awakens a deep hunger in those tainted to consume the blood of those who remain uninfected. From the ashes of the old world, a new world order has arisen to unify the fallen kingdoms under the banner of one ruler, the Queen of the Night. Centuries later, the story follows the tale of Sol, orphan son of the last hero of the human resistance. A twist of fate unites him with a few unlikely vampire slayers. The group unintentionally throw the Queen's plans into disarray on the night of her envoy's arrival. Now they must band together, utilising their wits and resources to undermine the entire operation simply to survive. Proud to be the first story edited by the rep king of RR himself, msng! Drauku has also teamed up to make the ultimate editing duo!
8 69 - In Serial8 Chapters
Kingdom
Harold Grimes wrote fantasy stories to escape the debt and drudgery of his all-too-mundane life. But after waking up in the body of his main character, Harold must use every ounce of courage and wit he has to survive in a bloody world rife with betrayal and slaughter. The catch? He's now a prince.
8 121 - In Serial24 Chapters
The Beast of Ildenwood
An epic fantasy adventure with LitRPG elements. 🏹 He awakens in a strange forest with no memory of who he is, where he's from, or what has happened to him. She is on the run, carrying a precious bundle that could mean the destruction of the world as they know it, or peace everlasting. When their paths intertwine, the two of them are in a battle against time - to save him, and to save the world - with death biting at their heels. 🏹 Lahab takes her oath as a Noble Guardian with dead seriousness, so when an artifact that has the power to destroy the world - or create an era of lasting peace - shows up on the battlefield, she risks her life to make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. While on the run from those who desire the mighty power of the mysterious artifact, she stumbles upon an unconscious amnesiac and decides to take him with her. The Wanderer of Realms - the only name the man has - travels with Lahab as she makes the journey to Burj Annur, but as he begins to regain his memories, dangerous secrets come to light about this Wanderer...
8 132 - In Serial117 Chapters
Rise of the Keeper
A regular boring day is turned upside down by powers beyond Joshua Hale's perception. He's found himself in the possession of a strange crystal and now monsters are being thrown at him. He will have to figure out this strange new world of stats and skills quickly if he wants to adapt to survive. On the way he will make some interesting friends and might just rise to become someone that can take on these challenges forced upon him. This fiction is a fun pet project I've always wanted to try.(I'll try to mark the explicit chapters.) A massive shout out and thanks to my pal Silberfrost for making the amazing cover art! Chapter updates should be on Sundays at 9pm AST
8 177 - In Serial21 Chapters
The Zombie Apocalypse: The Ville
A group of 2020 high school seniors journey through the zombie apocalypse.
8 246 - In Serial11 Chapters
10 reasons to live
This book is short. and this is for the ones who felt as if giving up on the thing they should always treasure Life.
8 175

