Struggle

“Did you really think you could escape my mistress’ grasp?” Qiin’s voice was just loud enough that she could hear it. That it was lost to the rest of the council had to be another magical effect. Maybe that magic had also allowed him to approach them before she even knew he was there.

“There’s no escaping your fate, my little priestess of light, my little saint.” The way he whispered those words made her skin crawl. The adrenalin allowed her to raise her hands, to try and grab him.

“I don’t know why you can move after your last wound,” he continued his monologue, “but this time, I’ll make sure that you won’t be able to, for a long time.”

She had to do something. The pain caused by the sword made it impossible to concentrate on her magic, but she had to do something.

The others finally reacted and drew their weapons.

Then the pain exploded in her chest. Qiin twisted the sword with unnatural strength. He pushed her aside and produced a dagger, a red glinting dagger.

“I, high priest Qiin, shall purge the traitors from this world. In the name of Luaria!” He held the dagger high, and its blade seemed to glow with an unholy red light. A moment later, an arrow poked out of his throat. Tom’s hands shook, bow still in hand.

“They’re attacking Luaria’s high priest,” Zarah observed. “Get the city guard!”

“At once!” Trewalis ran through the doors, as the edges of Nia’s vision turned black.

“Something … is wrong,” the seer remarked behind her.

Really Sherlock? You’re getting this now? Did you stumble on your on prophecy? At least your name makes sense now …

“Qiin is an agent of Saesquar!” Mother Clemen’s shouted.

“I have been given immortality by the goddess,” Qiin declared. Nia could only see the arrow clattering on the ground. A moment later metal clashed on metal.

Nia closed her eyes and concentrated on herself. She needed strength, but more importantly, she needed healing. She couldn’t really concentrate. But if she sang …

“Luaria, my goddess of Light,” she began and coughed. Blood splattered on the floor.

“Please hear of my plight.” Her voice was so very shallow that there was almost no melody to her words. Would the magic even react to those whispers?

“In your service, power was given, but new threats have arisen,” she continued the chant she had used to give Mother Clemens some energy.

“I ask for my strength to be replenished, so the task you’ve given me can be finished.”

Her vision cleared. She felt how some power flowed into her from somewhere.

“She’s blessed by Luaria herself.” Stumbledoor almost gasped. “She is a saint!”

Thanks for realizing that, old man. But it’s a bit late, don’t you think?

“But then why is she also the source of the shadow?”

Nia ignored the seer and righted herself, sitting on the cold stone floor. She gripped the hilt of the sword and boosted her strength. With a grunt, she managed to pull the sword out of her. It clattered to the ground and even more blood pooled around her and into her clothes.

Pulling it out after it has been twisted around won’t make it worse, she told herself. And it’s in the way of being able to heal proper.

She tried to connect to her soul, to get the magic in her to restore her body according to its template, as she had learned from Mother Clemens, but nothing happened. She coughed up blood and her strength faded again, quickly.

“You can still move?” Qiin pushed Ralf and his ax away, ducked beneath an arrow from Tom and ran toward her.

Mother Clemens was chanting the healing prayer …

Nia’s hands trembled as she reached for the sword. It’s blade was the same red as the dagger’s.

As her strengthening magic faded, she lifted the sword. It barely managed to redirect the dagger aimed at her.

Qiin stared at her wide-eyed. Apparently he hadn’t thought that she’d be able to block his attack.

An arrow struck the monk from behind, then an ax bit into his side. Ralf jumped backwards, making way for a fireball that exploded in Qiin’s back and almost singed Nia.

“My lady gave me immortality,” the rogue priest said, and both wounds healed within moments in front of her eyes.

What? That’s just unfair!

The fire died down within moments, too, and Nia was sure that there wouldn’t even be any burn marks on his back.

Mother Clemens’s prayer took effect. Nia’s wound began to close. It felt as if it was sapping the last of her strength, but she fought to stay awake.

“I see you have gone rogue,” Qiin told the older priestess. “I ask the council to excommunicate Priestess Clemens!”

“Cease this foolishness at once,” Rafhina declared. “No further blood shall be spilled in the council halls.”

“Stumbledoor, what is the meaning of this? How can she be a saint and at the same time a danger to us all?” That was Rahl.

“I have no idea.” The Seer’s voice trembled.

“This warrants further investigation. Head priest Qiin, stand back.” Zarah’s voice sounded as if they wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Qiin moved before Nia could react. The dagger plunged into her healing wound, halting Mother Clemens’ magic. It felt as if everything the older woman had accomplished was unraveling.

Nia coughed blood. Her arms and the sword sank. She had trouble focusing, the edges of her vision faded, her magic faded. She was left with a tunnel view of Qiin in front of her. The monk grinned. Almost maniacally so.

A spark of anger reignited the magic in her veins. With more power than she should have, she lifted the sword and pushed it into the grinning monk. Even if it didn’t kill her, he’d at least feel the same pain!

He laughed at her and stepped backwards. Then he coughed blood up as well. “How?” he asked, his voice sounding raw, gurgling. “Why am I not healing?” The monk tried to pull the sword out, but his strength seemed to fail him.

Had they overpowered his own healing? But then she remembered how she had touched Saesquar. The dark lady had been burned by her touch alone. And the sword was covered in her blood.

She smiled slightly as she realized what has been happening. “Saesquar has given you immortality,” she whispered, falling to the side. Her vision faded completely. At least had managed to take him out with her. “My magic rejects her.” She took a deep, rattling breath. She felt cold, so very cold. “The sword cut through her power … ” I think.

The last of her power vanished. Her breathing stopped. There was no light. No tunnel. Nothing.

If Qiin had any retort, she didn’t hear it.