State of Flux

“Yuji, lean back.” Yuji did as Mirk commanded leaning far back in the saddle.

There was a sharp pop. A small gash appeared across Yuji’s nose, the members of the vanguard accompanying him fell dead from their saddles.

A bullet?

“It’s elven magic Yuji!”

An impact came from the forest, an explosion leveled trees several miles away. The horses reared at the sound. Yuji fumbled with the reins toppling to the ground barely avoiding being trampled to death as the destriers fled. Yuji spat the blood from his mouth, the wound from his nose bleeding profusely, while getting behind clumps of foliage. Mirk was nowhere to be seen and he didn’t dare try calling out to him least he reveal his position.

Against the dense bark of an outlying tree Yuji listened for sound, his heart pounding so hard it made his head throb. The fuzz in his brain from the poison was slowing him. Well aware he wouldn’t be able to run far, if he could at all. He was certain he could not survive a second time opposite whatever weapon was just used against him, so he remained where he was listening for his life.

“Come now little brother, why do you hide from me.” Lord Dain’s voice seemed to come from all directions. “Haven’t we played cat and mouse long enough? Aren’t you tired of the monotony?”

“Lord Dain is near where the magic originated. He reeks of elven magic. Be wary and don’t do anything that might compromise you. I will watch for an opening.” Mirk’s voice came from somewhere Yuji couldn’t pinpoint.

“Do you recall when we were children and I and Lord Halius would come to find you. I remember how you’d shake in fear when we did.”

There was a piercing sound, Yuji covered his ears. An explosion went off several yards to his right splattering dirt, twigs, and obliterated plant life in all direction.

“Come, come now Lord Till, don’t pretend you haven’t been waiting for this. Surely, you’ve wanted this as much as I have. To face each other on the field of battle. Let us do it now and decide finally who deserves to be father’s heir. The son born to him by his true wife, or from a whore given him by the throne.”

Yuji searched for somewhere to flee, but there was nowhere to go where he wouldn’t be visible the trees were too sparsely grown. Again, he spat blood that had seeped into his mouth from the wound on his nose.

Another sharp sound, a section of the forest quite near this time was eviscerated, flames lapping up the debris that were left in the wake of the blast.

“Come now, you needn’t worry. I won’t kill you right away. I want this to be gratifying for both of us. I want to see you die on your knees and to give you the satisfaction of succumbing to your betters. Ahhh.”

“Run now!”

Yuji took off to his left where a blast had yet to occur. Listening to the sound of Mirk’s struggle with Lord Dain to tell him how long he had. Stopping when he felt he had played out all his luck he hid once more behind a large tree, blood racing down his face, the wound on his thigh bleeding through its bandages, pain itching at the gash at his side with each labored breath.

“Do you think this pest of yours is enough to keep you safe!” Lord Dain wasn’t far. Yuji was sure he couldn’t be more than twenty feet away.

“Whatever he is using to enhance his ability is voiding some of my enhancements and my flames don’t seem to be able to gain traction. I cannot force him away and the damage I do to him though injurious is not fatal. You must be careful my friend, I will not be the aid I had hoped to be.”

He wanted to yell for Mirk to confirm he hadn’t been injured but didn’t dare raise his voice. Even his breathing feeling too loud for the unearthly silence that had come over the forest.

“Will you not come out on your own? Are you frightened my beloved little brother? There is no need to be. Here let me show you.”

An invisible vise wrapped around Yuji’s right ankle, there was nothing he could do as he was ripped from his hiding place dragged into the open. He made a desperate attempt to get a hold of something, his fingers leaving furrows in the soil to no avail.

“Ah, there you are. You put me to a lot of trouble, but I suppose this being our last meeting it is only right we make it a meaningful one.”

Lord Dain’s usual dark blue eyes were now molten gold, just as the elves had been. Only the color didn’t seem content to stay in his irises, slender fissures were cutting across his face with vibrancy, the pigment bulging from where it should be trapped seeping into these cracks developing a breaking crust like lava as it made contact with the air.

“Come, come little brother, what is this look you give me? Are you frightened? You have every right to be of course, but I’m a bit insulted.”

“I’m not your brother.” Yuji groped for anything to distract him, his leg still tight in whatever vise he had caught it in.

Lord Dain laughed hysterically. “That is your defense now that we’re here at last, that you are not my brother?” His amusement almost became violent. “You honestly expect me to believe that?”

“It doesn’t matter if you believe, it’s the truth.”

Yuji threw a handful of dirt at his face; Lord Dain reflexively covered his eyes. From the trees Mirk’s flashing aura appeared, in a great burst the mongoose knocking Lord Dain off balance. The grip on Yuji’s leg gave. Scrambling to his feet he ran. Glancing back, he could see Lord Dain fling something. Yuji threw himself to his right as whatever it was made contact with the ground. There was a blast. He was sent flying into the trees.

“Yuji, all your father and I want is for you to live a long and happy life.” Yuji’s mothers voice played through his head as he gasped for air. The impact with the tree having knocked the wind out of him. The world swam. His vision collapsed for a split second coming back in a blink.

Pathetically he tried to crawl away, ribs screaming for mercy.

I’m going to die.

The vise took hold of Yuji’s ankle dragging him back to Lord Dain who was bleeding from a large gash on his face, viscous gilded blood. In his hand a spear of gold formed.

He’s going to impale me. Is this just my fate? If so, I refuse.

Lord Dain raised his spear to strike. Without hesitation Yuji pulled a dagger from his belt, throwing it catching Lord Dain in his lower abdomen. Crying out he once again broke concentration giving Yuji a second to react, stumbling to his feet he pulled his sword from its sheath striking at Lord Dain who caught the blow against a shield he had conjured.

“Why won’t you die!”

“Mirk run!” Yuji yelled at the top of his voice. In a quick movement he freed his weapon striking again, once more his blow was caught.

“It is you who must flee! Whatever was utilized to give him such immense power is destabilizing, his body will not be able to contain it for much longer.”

Mirk appeared throwing Lord Dain off balance darting away, Yuji attempted to leave barely deflecting a blow from Lord Dain’s spear.

“Just get out of here! Go. Please go!” Yuji deflected the next blow then attempted a strike getting caught and blown back.

The fissures across Lord Dain’s face had grown, traveling down his jaw and neck, oozing gluey streams of gilded blood.

At least if I die now, I die fighting. I die with honor. I die protecting my friend.

“I will not leave you.” Mirk flashed in throwing Lord Dain off balance.

Again, Yuji attempted to make a retreat and failed, catching Lord Dain’s conjured blade with his own.

“Please Mirk let me save you! Let my death mean something!”

“Yes, let him die!” Lord Dain bore down on Yuji, not thinking anymore, his mind focused on a single goal.

Yuji’s leg gave, body shaking to keep the blade up. Blood seeped from the wounds across his body. He could hardly breathe, his broken and bruised ribs squeezing the air from his lungs. Every drop of golden liquid dripping from Lord Dain’s face imitated light, the acrid odor rising from it making it difficult to breathe. His body was fusing with the earth as if to get leverage against Yuji’s blade. Arms shaking, he had no idea how Yuji was continuing to resist.

Please Mirk, please go! I-I can’t… continue to resist.

A pained cry. Yuji’s arms were beginning to wear down a tearing sensation peeling through his shoulders. The choking liquid dripping from Lord Dain’s face and body dropped on his skin seared like acid.

“I’m sorry Yuji I cannot do as you request.” Mirk came from the woods in a streak of light. “I was not able to save my master, but I can save you, my dear friend.”

“No!”

Mirk collided with Yuji. He lost his grip flying into the trees.

“It was an honor to serve at your side.”

Yuji caught sight of Mirk running to follow. An infinitesimal dot among the great forest. Light erupted.