The King Trials 2: Beyond.

~The Death of The Light~

Primus Kelan P.O.V

The colossal expulsion of energy weathers my vigour, taking its toll on my body. But nothing will hinder, nothing will stop me. In the treeline a rectangular-shape wooden dwelling emerges, rising as I race closer. A provisional stable on the one flank that houses two fretful horses. The door is wide open, a tall frame of black, I hurry inside. A girl with convoluted markings etched in the sides of her head, carelessly throws items into a carrier bag. She then gasps in delayed fright at my sudden advent. She stumbles back, but her frantic demeanour tempers at the sight of Aurora in my arms.

"Where is Erulis?"

The girl shouts a name in a foreign language. From the archway in the centre of the back wall, an older female rushes out, but her eyes instantly draw to me. Then it falls on Aurora.

She takes me in, standing unnaturally still before rendering her judgment. "Primus Kelan, my daughter and I just came from city," she says with a choppy accent, "where I was healing sick boy until Emikrollian troops invaded. We are leaving now. I cannot help you."

Ropy, vivid red scars run across her face, from the one temple to the opposite jaw, scars that appear that she was clawed by a wild beast and had the misfortune of surviving. Only her eyes, a lurid and dark, remain whole. I do know the tale behind them. But she disclosed that she refuses to heal her own scars; they serve as a personal reminder.

"You can save us both time and heal her now," I roar. The daughter quivers, fear shaking her, "or I rip your daughter's head from her shoulders, and we can truly test your healing capabilities."

The girl frees a high-pitched wail.

Her dark eyes do not betray daunt, but she yields and tersely nods me over as she hurries to the left side of the room. A large table in the centre cluttered with tomes and scattered parchments. The flanks are lined with cases that bear the semblance of the store in the Tent-City with strange, glittering concoctions that occupy the shelves.

With a mere flick of her wrist, all the contents on table go flying, crashing to the ground. I rush to lay her gently on the surface, deadly still, so stagnant. I move aside, allowing Erulis to begin undoing her bracers, then her corsage beneath it.

An ear-shattering scream sounds from behind me and I whirl around. An object smashes through the window, rocketing to the wall, exploding on impact. The girl leaps out of the way as an inferno of fire burst out to sheathe the walls in flames, quickly rising to lick the ceiling.

Erulis whips out at her arm, hand outstretched to the flame, face contorting as she turns her splayed fingers like she's turning a knob. Then her fingers contract slowly as flames begin to shrink rapidly as if bending to her will. Like she's sucking out the oxygen from just the fire, constricting its breathing, hampering its ability to expand, it diminishes until seconds later. The air is clear, the only remnant is a brush of black shades on the wood.

I dart around the table to peer out of the window. Figure by figure, armed soldiers prowl out of the woodland, the dark silver of their armour a-gleam, their drawn blades glinting menacingly.

How did I not sense them?

"The Emikrollians are here," Erulis states without looking up at me. A fearful tone undermining her austere voice. She flings off the bracers, then her hands work to undo the corsage. "They are here for me." She gives me a rapid once-over. "As you are no mere Primus. I am no mere shaman."

"Do not worry about them," I say as I make a start to the door. "Just focus on healing her."

Erulis shouts alien words to her daughter. I hear small steps scurrying behind me.