Dragons of Marak: Book 1, Wings & Sword

#18

 Ana bent backward through the distorted realm. The dragonbound swung his rapier at her, the tip coming dangerously close to her chest. She spun in the fluid, then pulled herself away from the portal, at the same time as his whole body entered it.

The dragonbound, Eli, he gritted his teeth. He pulled himself along through the liquid, with precision and speed. There was no way he hadn't been here before. He knew how to move about better than she did. A few rapid movements, and he was driving his rapier towards her.

Ana pulled herself away from him as best as she could. There was one positive at least to fighting in the distorted realm. Everything, and everyone, moved slower. That meant it was easier for her to predict where he might strike. With each swing of his rapier, she pulled herself out of harm's way.

Ana leaned backward, dodging his rapier again, and then she kicked. Lucky for her, he didn't see the kick until her foot was already pressed to his chest. She sent him flying backward, and then she rebounded the opposite way. He fell through the portal again before he had a chance to correct course.

Ana grasped the liquid one more time. She spun herself in a counterclockwise circle. She knew what she had to do. And she had to do it fast.

She slipped the ring off her finger and spun it around as fast as physically possible. The ring sucked in the portal. The portal came apart like a ball of yarn.

As it shrank, Ana caught sight of Eli reaching out for the portal, on the other side of it. His rapier was pointed at the hole. But he was too late. His sword merely passed through air on the other side, and then the portal disappeared completely.

Ana took a deep breath, filling her nervous lungs with whatever strange liquid surrounded her.

Luka was still on the other side. She had to go back for him. What was it that Jack had said? The distorted realm was roughly parallel to the world where she was from. She reached forward in the mass of goop, pulling herself back toward the space where the portal had been.

She tried to remember the size of the room where Luka was. She had only seen it for an instant, but she could faintly recall its low ceilings, four walls, and his body on the floor, probably about...just a little lower than her current position.

She pulled on the purple liquid, then descended toward the spot where Luka had been. She backed up just a bit, so that she didn't open the portal onto him.

Just in case her father's dragonbound might be waiting and ready, she stuck out one fist, orienting herself sideways in the fluid, so that if Eli should come through she could punch him out of the portal at once. And then she twirled the ring in her other hand, opening the portal back up.

This time, as the air spun out of the ring with a whirr, she heard the sound of howling wind. As the last of the air formed a complete sphere, she pulled herself forward, slowly, ducking out of the distorted realm with only her head.

What in the name of the Uniter?

Ana was beset by a strong, cold, rushing wind. Her hair flew to the side, and as she looked out, she saw that the ground was beneath her. People walked about, not a single one of them aware of the fact that above them her head floated in the air. She could see the roofs of the other buildings, too. Colorful brick and wood shops and offices dotted the ground in all directions, all below her. She tilted her head to the left, and one of Tekor's canals came into view. There was a dragon flying over it, and even they flew so low she could see the backs of their wings.

Ana tilted her head upwards, and then she caught sight of the Iron Obelisk itself. It was the only thing that was at eye level for her.

But why in the name of the Uniter was she outside of it?