Chapter 28: The Great Hunt (3)

Tireyien crashed through the canopy, impaling themselves on trees as they landed.

“An everlasting winter descends, be buried in the permafrost! Nine Ice Prison!”

Theodore was the first to reach the wolf, thrown through the air by Lyza. Blue light enveloped Tireyien as ice crystals formed from their body. With a howl, numerous tendrils crash down over Tiryien, attempting to shatter the forming ice. Upon contact, though, the ice spread through each tendril. In a flash, nine pillars of ice stab through Tireyien’s frozen body, leaving the wolf entrapped as a frozen statue.

Everyone else surrounded the frozen wolf, readying their weapons for when the expected escape. But the seconds passed by without a hint of movement.

“Did— did that work?” Theodore asked.

As soon as the question left his mouth, the ground began the tremble.

“What is it now?!” Lyza shouted as the ground burst underneath them. Her chains lashed around Theodore, pulling him away from the exploding ground as a wolf’s jaws snapped shut where he was standing.

“A second Grim Diubh?” Theodore shouted. “No, look! It looks just like Tireyien!”

“It’s one of Lu Lulach's clones!” Wyn shouted. “It wasn’t just the giant, it learned all of her spells!”

She rushed forward, her sword ignited. She stabbed into its body, flames bursting forth and igniting the clone, burning the plant facsimile to ashes. As she did, two more materialized. They slammed into the pillars of ice, shattering it into glimmering dust.

“The girl is correct. Everything that that spirit knew, I now know.” Tireyien growled. “Do you now see? It is pointless to resist me. There is no point in wasting your lives here.”

The twin peaks howled, the pained ratchet stunning everyone around them. At that moment, Tireyien charged toward Magus, only to straight into a stone pillar. Wyn flew forward, grabbing Magus under his arms and charging away. With a howl, Tireyien turned towards her. Immediately the Wings began to engage them, but one managed to slip through their defenses.

“Wyn, what are you doing?” Roselwyn shouted, flying up. She slashed away at the encroaching tendrils.

“This thing’ll only chase after Magus, so I’m taking them somewhere far away.” She glanced backwards. “Running away is something I’m an expert in, after all.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Where will you run to? You can’t—”

“Maybe it can’t leave the forest? That seems to be the line that it’s drawn, after all.”

“And if—”

A massive wolf tore through the air, shooting past both Wyn and Roselwyn. Glancing backwards, they found a stone giant falling apart, the pose of just having chucked something. Turning back, Tireyien’s branches spread from their shoulders, their massive cloak of feathers slowing their descent as they landed back to the ground.

“A futile attempt. It matters not if you leave these forests. We will chase you to the ends of the world, if need be.”

“Why? What’s the point?” Wyn shouted, tossing numerous fireballs towards Tireyien. They paid them no mind.

“It is its punishment. Its atonement. From the crime of its birth, for the death that clings too warmly to its accursed being. From the destruction that emanates from its very being, that defines its existence.”

“You talk with some grand words, dog.” Roselwyn replied, flying between them. “But where is the proof? How do we know you are telling the truth?”

“The truth?” Tireyien laughed. “We are the proof. Our existence is the chain that binds it. For what other reason would it be sealed, slumbering in silence for untold eons?”

“What sort of circular reasoning is that? He’s dangerous so he needs to be sealed, and because he was sealed he’s some danger that needs to be sealed?” Roselwyn shot back.

Tireyien turned to Wyn. “Girl, you’ve seen for yourself, have you not? The destruction of the spells it wields, its reckless disregard for the sanctity of life. It doesn’t care who it hurts, so long as it has its way.”

“Thats—!”

She wanted to refute them. It should’ve been easy, a simple ‘You’re wrong!’ After all, they had been traveling together for over a week now, and no one’s died yet. Wyn turned to the man in her arms. The one whose hair shined like snow under moonlight, whose ever emotionless face didn’t seem like they could muster the effort to hold any sort of desire. But she couldn’t help but doubt. After all, the first thing he did upon awakening… was it not to try and kill three people? Did he not go behind her back, attempt to murder the Wings in cold blood? He, who knew spells powerful enough to single handedly slay a mountain-sized bird in one blow?

“Magus… is this true? Is what they’re saying true?”

The man was silent. “Perhaps. The creature may speak the truth. I have no way of knowing.”

“You’re supposed to say they’re wrong here…”

“There is a simple remedy.” Tireyien continued. “ You mortals have a spell for this, one that unveils one’s soul. You call it the Plangensoul. Why not see for yourself, the calamity that is the one you claim to protect? See for yourself, the depravity of the soul of the one you call your friend.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Wyn started to say. “Why should we—”

“It’s fine.” Magus started. “I… I want to know too. If I really am someone who deserved what I’ve been dealt. But I’m glad that you’ve been so willing to stay by my side, no matter what. I’m sure anyone else would’ve left me for the wolves long since.”

“You don’t have to prove anything to this guy!” Wyn protested.

“This could be an answer.”

Magus took a deep breath. This could answer all of his questions. It could explain who he was, why he was sealed away. The soul was the most intimate part of a being, after all. If it didn’t explain who he was, would anything else? With a finger, he carved numerous rings into the dirt, before beginning to chant.

“I yield myself unto the world…”

“Through me the world becomes…”

“To the world I bare my heart…”

“To myself I bare my fate…”

“In this world we share one beat…”

“In this world I become one.”