Chapter 3:

Chapter Three

A Whisper in Scarlet


Ven ran headlong into the darkness. Her lungs burned, and her pulse pounded in her chest, but she couldn’t stop. She couldn’t stop. Stopping would mean death.

Ahead, flames rose into the air above the skyline from a couple buildings at the other end of town. Even at this distance, hard shadows danced across the fronts of nearby buildings, and Ven constantly found herself jerking her gaze around at flickers in the corners of her eyes. She was most of the way to the next intersection when a trio of people ran through it down another street. Several large shapes lumbered after them, managing to snatch one of the men up by an ankle. The man flailed and screamed loudly before the creature promptly silenced him by slamming him into the street.

Syrvena gasped involuntarily at the sight, and the creature’s head jerked up, its luminescent gaze falling directly on her as Ven froze. For the second time in only a few moments she found herself unable to take another step out of sheer terror. The beast howled and tossed the broken body of the man to the side. Then its eyes snapped towards her. Something about that seemed to clear her mind enough that part of her took over and started shouting instructions at the rest.

Move, legs! Move! Move, damn you! Get in the alley! Now is not a good time to die!

Coming out of her stupor, Ven turned and ran into the nearest alleyway off the street. She wasn’t sure if the creature was following after her, but she wasn’t about to stick around to find out. She cleared the alleyway, before immediately ducking back in as one of the crow beasts flew past overhead, croaking balefully as it flapped its way towards the burning end of the village. Once she was certain nothing else was coming, she continued onto the next street. The inn was several streets over. If she could just make it a little farther, she’d have a safe place to hide.

She was nearly to the next alley when something exploded in the direction she was going, sending a giant fireball of heat and ash skyward. Ven’s heart froze in her chest. Was that the inn? All-Mother please don’t let that be home!

Ven ran into another long alley that she’d run through many times before. It dumped into another side alley that connected to the street in front of the inn. That other alley was narrow enough that even she could barely fit shoulder to shoulder down it these days. If the creatures she’d seen thus far were any indication, none of them would be small enough to follow her down it, even if they somehow managed to spot her. Something slammed behind her, and she turned to see the dark creature from the street had entered the other end of the alley she’d just left. It seemed as though her hope was about to be put to the test. She sprinted down the alleyway towards the far wall as the beast pounded after her.

She made it into the small side alley only a few seconds before the beast did. It howled and swiped down the narrow opening at her, the glistening claws on the end of its too long fingers cutting the air inches from her face. To her relief, she had been right. After a few long moments the beast finally seemed to give up, howled in frustration, and left to find easier prey. Syrvena continued onwards, gingerly navigating the narrow corridor as quietly as possible. As she drew closer, the air grew hotter, flames crackled in the distance past the exit. Right at the end, she crouched down and slowly peeked her head out. Both directions of the street were clear as far as she could see. The inn was only a single street width away. She was so close.

There was only one problem.

The second floor of the inn was on fire. The roof had several gaping holes in it, and all of the shutters, including the ones over her bedroom window, were burned away. Flames roared and surged in the openings, spitting out jets of fire as wind rushed into them. The blaze was already creeping down the wooden posts of the first floor, leaving charred black lines in its wake. Ven stared at the sight in front of her, unable to comprehend what she was going to do next. If she tried for the crawlspace, if she was even able to get close enough to try, going into it was a deathwish.

Oh All-Mother, what am I going to do…?

A noise broke the air above the din of the fire. It was a scream, and nearby. It had to be a woman or a child. Ven looked in the direction of the sound, her focus diverted for a brief moment away from the larger problem in front of her. Someone was struggling on the far side of the weaver’s house next to the inn. Suddenly, a small shape ran out, stumbling over its feet as it tried to flee from whatever was behind it. Something small and dark whizzed out after them, sending the shape headfirst into the street with a yelp as whatever hit them bound their legs together. It was a child. Ven was sure of that now. She looked closer, straining her eyes to try and make out who it was. Another shape walked out towards them. To Ven’s surprise, it was another person, not one of the creatures. She moved to leave the alleyway towards the two of them, then stopped short when the man pulled a club off his belt. He walked casually over to the scrambling child and cracked them across the back of the head with it. The little body went limp, and the man bent down and slung it over his shoulder.

“Serves you right for not making this easy, you little brat.” The man said as he walked back the way they’d come.

It was not easy to understand him over the sound of the burning inn in front of her, but there was no mistaking the man’s nasal voice. He had been the one she’d heard this morning. Hot and cold prickles ran up and down her body, and she felt sick. Was he part of what was happening somehow? She’d heard him talking. He’d warned of a possible attack coming tonight. He’d known. And, by listening to him, she’d known too. She could have said something to someone. But she didn’t. Tears flooded her eyes for the first time now, clouding her vision and pouring down her face. This was all her fault. If she’d just thought about it longer, and maybe got someone to listen, she could have stopped them from starting it somehow. Maybe if she had warned everyone ahead of time they could have canceled the festival and closed the gates. Then everything would be okay and everyone would still be alive.

You did this, you stupid fool. Mother is dead because you. Mikken and Anders and Logen… all of them are gone, and it’s your fault. Stupid, stupid girl.

She collapsed to the ground and sobbed, completely oblivious to the world around her. There was nothing left. She had no one. Everyone she had ever known or ever loved was dead. Home would be nothing but ashes by tomorrow, along with most of the rest of the village. Even if she survived, what could she hope to live for now? Where would she go?

Something in the narrow alley behind her stirred quietly, like something slick sliding across the ground. Ven froze, the tears in her eyes suddenly drying as the fear returned.

You need to move. You need to get out of this alley. You need to get out RIGHT NOW!

Unable to stop herself, she turned to look behind her.

There, less than a foot from her face, was a jagged black spike protruding several feet from the misshapen head of some insect-like monstrosity. As soon as she saw it, two incandescent eyes flared to life, dousing her in harsh yellow light. She screamed and leapt out of the alleyway as the beast emitted a ear-splitting shriek and dove after her, its needle-like proboscis tearing out of the ground where she’d been crouched not three seconds before.

Ven ran headlong down the street, her pulse roaring in her ears as the creature pounded after her. Without thinking, she dove down the same side street the nasal-voiced man had carried the child not a minute before, the shrieking terror chasing her hot on her heels. It was getting closer. It couldn’t be more than three feet away now, its many spindly limbs thundering over the hardened ground. She was so focused on trying to stay one step ahead that she failed to notice the rise in the ground. Her foot caught, and she tumbled headlong onto the street with a painful crash. Immediately the creature was upon her, tearing at her with small, viciously sharp claws as it tried to pin her down.

Ven jerked away, managing somehow to get one of her legs free. Thinking quickly, she drove the heel of her slipper into the creature’s eye. It crunched like she’s just stepped on a glass bowl, and the creature reared up with an anguished whine as a jet of yellow flame erupted from its face. Seizing the opportunity, Ven tore herself out from underneath the flailing beast and scrambled back to her feet. She made it about three more steps when a human shape emerged from another side path directly into her own, their face and body shrouded by a pitch black cloak.

For the briefest moment, she felt a wave of relief. Then she heard a man speak.

“Thank you, dear friend. I shall handle it from here.” Sevastian said. His strangely musical, sonorous voice setting all of Ven’s nerves alight. She skidded to a stop a few paces in front of him, finding herself for some reason suddenly unable to breathe. At his words, the creature to a halt and whined, almost like a dog being chastised for playing. It made a couple grumbling clicks and squeals, then there was a rush of air as the horror left the two of them alone.

Sevastian lowered the hood from his head with gloved hands, and appraised her. He looked young, perhaps not even thirty, with porcelain white skin and sharp features. Long dark hair fell in curls that framed his face, and served to draw attention to his unearthly golden eyes. He was smiling.

“It seems you’ve had quite the evening, haven’t you?” He said, giving her a once-over with his eyes. Following his gaze, Ven looked down. Dozens of gashes marked her arms and legs and torso, leaking steady streams of blood into small pools beneath her. All-Mother, she hadn’t even felt them. Seeing all the blood, she suddenly felt light-headed, and struggled to stay on her feet as Sevastian took a step towards her.

“I am sorry, little one. Under more… amenable circumstances, our meeting might have been a more positive one. Unfortunately, as of a few moments ago, I now have what I need. This, regrettably, makes you a liability, rather than a potential asset.”

He reached underneath his cloak and pulled out a dagger. Its blade gleamed red from the nearby firelight.

“When you make it to the Final Counting, I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me for what I’ve done.”

The thrust felt like a punch in the stomach, and Ven looked down numbly at the blade as it slid sticky and wet from her. There was no other pain, and strangely, she felt no fear. This was just how it ended. At least she wasn’t going to die in pain.

Time slowed as she fell to her knees into the pooling warmth around her. Sevastian looked down at her. He looked almost sad. He raised his blade to thrust again, but stopped short. His eyes snapped suddenly to something behind her, and his face twisted in fury as he drew back.

“I suppose I should have expected you, Vast. You do like making my work complicated.”

“I never drop a contract, LeCrae. You should know that by now.” Another voice said. It was low, and rough.

Sevastian smiled humorlessly.

“No, I don’t suppose you do.”

He glanced down at Ven, then back at the man behind her.

“And now, a question of morality, my friend. Do you save this little one right here, or do you cross blades with me? I assure you, you cannot do both.”

Silence hung in the air for several long moments. Ven, unable to keep herself upright any longer, slumped to the ground as her vision began to fade.

Sevastian smiled.

“That’s what I thought.”

The last thing Ven saw before everything went dark was Sevastian disappearing in a flash.