Chapter 29: Yoru

Yoru and Josh had reached Hinton, a small town in western Alberta. The people were scarce. Apparently while they had been traveling, Canada had been experiencing attacks by things Yoru and Josh knew as Anti-Magic poets. People had been stocking up on resources to survive.

“I don’t know, Yoru, do you really think we’re going to find the poets in Jasper National Park?” asked Josh.

“Acording to google it’s where most of the attacks have been concentrated,” replied Yoru, turning off his phone.

“Okay, I trust you,” said Josh, nursing his injured chest.

Josh had been holding his chest a lot lately, Yoru guessed that he had hurt his ribs during their fight with Iris.

Yoru and Josh started walking to the hotel they were staying at, they were going to rest in Hinton for a day before driving to Jasper National Park.

Yoru laid down in his bed, it wasn’t that comfortable but for twenty five dollars a night it was enough. He felt the springs below him snap as he sunk a few centimeters into the mattress.

Yoru sighed, My summer break was supposed to be playing boggle with my grandparents but now it's journeying across Canada to stop an evil maniac from destroying the world… I guess it’s more exciting but I’ve risked my life so many times. I just want to relax.

“Hey Josh?”

“Yeah,” replied Josh.

“What do you think is going to happen to us? After all this is over I mean,” continued Yoru.

“I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to settle down in the countryside and watch the squirrels run around my backyard.”

Yoru chuckled, “That is the corniest dream ever, bro,” Yoru sat up in his bed, “but it sounds like you.”

Josh let out a laugh that sounded like a horse's neigh, “I guess it is.”

The room shook slightly before Yoru heard a scream to the left of his room.

“Analyzing…Analyzing…Zero Magical Percentage. Terminating.”

Yoru’s gaze snapped to Josh, “Get down,” he whispered.

Josh slid under his bed and Yoru the same as their door burst open. Anti-Magic Poets! But why are they here? Shouldn’t they still be at Jasper National Park?

“Analyzing…Analyzing…Life form found. Retrieving.”

The poet bashed its arm through the bed and picked up Yoru in one of its cold hands. It was about fifteen feet tall with large muscles and several weapons strapped to its body. A large mace and around three daggers the size of Yoru’s forearm on their waist. Strapped to their chest were two large swords. “Intilizing magical extraction…five…four…” Yoru started panicking, he tried to channel his mana but it seemed to be sealed off as the Anti-Magic poet was choking him.

“Josh…run,” choked Yoru, his voice hoarse.

Josh grabbed a piece of splintered wood from Yoru’s bed and smacked the poet.

“Process delayed. Terminating new target.” The poet grabbed the mace. It was five feet tall with barbed edges and a slight glow at the end.

It turned to Josh and dropped Yoru to the floor.

Josh had a look of fear on his face.

“Braris!” A bolt of fire sprung from his hand and fizzled out behind the poet. Damnit!

Ae’vora peeked out of Yoru’s bag. He slithered through the ground and onto Yoru’s shoulder. “Vael’tharos Taal.” Yoru grabbed the sword he had summoned and threw it at the poet, there was a squelch as it pierced its skin.

“Josh now!” commanded Ae’vora. Josh darted forward and narrowly dodged the broad swing of the poet's mace. It had grazed his back, burning his skin.

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” panted Josh.

“Vael’tharos Taal, Vael’tharos Taal.” Yoru pulled an axe out of the ground and tossed it to Josh, “You feel like more of an axe guy to me.” Yoru had given himself a spear, “Thalorian and Limiria use swords but this feels right for me,” said Yoru twirled the wooden shaft in his hand.

“I like it,” said Josh, crashing his axe down, slicing his skin down the center. Yoru thrust the spear forward into the wound.

“Voltis!” Yoru had used the spear to conduct the electricity to send the spell straight into his wound. Due to this the poet’s magic cancelling hadn’t worked.

The poet screamed in pain. It seemingly wasn’t used to pain from magic.

“Again!” yelled Yoru, as Josh sliced another hole in the poet’s body and Yoru stabbed him again. They repeated this until they were sure that it was dead. By that point the weapons had dispersed and Josh was on the ground panting. Yoru could see that he was in pain from his injured ribs as well as the blow he had suffered in his fight with the poet.

“I never want to do that again,” said Josh, emphasizing the ‘never’.

“I wish we didn’t have to, but we said we’d take care of the poet’s,” said Yoru.

“Yeah…we did,” said Josh standing up, he turned around and gave his hand to Yoru, “so let's get to Jasper and kick these bastard’s asses!” said Josh with a huge smile on his face. There's the Josh I know.

Yoru smiled and took his hand, “Yeah!”