Chapter 22

Part 1

My arms bound together at the wrists, mouth sealed, completely unable to reach the ground, the situation was horrid! Those magically made ribbon tentacles, though appearing as lengthy, nearly translucent tapestries, were restrictive, more than my own magic ribbons! I could do nothing other than continue to be whisked along through the air, trying in vain to break the grasp! “My Lady!” The sudden cry of my familiar, that old dog, Bramble was followed by him chumping down onto the tentacles wrapping me! A shirk signaled my apparent release!

With the clutches loosened, I plummeted toward the ground! “Repel, all those who wish harm me!” I unleashed a bubble, knowing that it would aid me in righting myself. Within my calculations, bouncing off the magic and landed me, unfortunately, into the mud below, saving myself with a roll through the sludge. Down fell Bramble, right into my arms! “Well, well…I do believe that we’ve been separated from Fate.”

“It would appear so, My Lady.” Once again, we were lost in the swamp, however in a further unexplored portion. I could sense Fate, using the seed’s power, obviously something had gone awry. “It would also appear…our time is now being occupied, My Lady.” It slowly descended, that familiar, one whose design I was well acquainted with.

Its wispy body billowing in the wind with a multitude of white tentacles, dancing around, lively as if swimming through the air; an elegance in mysteriousness which could only be created by one person. The head of that squid like being, a familiar, was nothing more than a mound of endless ribbons sprouting outward, covering a singular, glowing umbral eye.

“One of Caelan’s, as expected.” A familiar made personally by one of the most powerful members of the Grand Witch’s Cabinet. “Communication between the two cannot b-” I could sense a singular thread of mana begin to radiate from it! Drawing my saber and aiming to cut through the familiar, the blade missed only by a hair! The mana signature dissipated, but then began to grow again! “Honestly!” I attacked again, causing the wisp to dance away. “A killing blow must be struck, posthaste! Should it connect with Caelan, then surely council will-” Again with attempting to reach Caelan, and thus, I lunged forward! The familiar dodged away, quickly fleeing beyond the trees! “Vanguard, rise!” Releasing my chess familiars forth to pursue the wisp, I followed by calling my broom! It flew in through the clearing, halting before me. I sat atop the handle, pausing for a moment to think.

“Would My Lady have me track down Young Fate whilst pursuing Caelan’s familiar?” An idea posed by Bramble, one I wasn’t fond of. The old dog was no fool, nor defenseless, lo’ leaving him to traverse the swamp in search of Fate was not optimal.

“*Sigh*…do so. We’ve little options. Once he is located, report to me!” I acquiesced. Bramble ran off, his fat body lumping along the mud islands as quickly as he could. (Fate…I’ve little reason to believe you cannot handle whatever you may come across, lo’…the sporusis still may be more dangerous than I first anticipated. I truly am…the biggest fool.)

Part 2

Who was that? “Teddy…” I’ve heard that voice before. “Teddy…” Where was I heard that voice from? “…” It stopped. I didn’t want it to stop! I needed it to go again! If it didn’t…I’d drift away. “Teddy!” It was mine, of course it was mine! “Ow…fuck…” Without even meaning to, I was standing, tracing fingers around the back of my skull, along the gash formed, through my blood drenched hair. My head was in splitting pain, with blood trickling down my back, a clear problem. “S…shit…” The whole world spun until my stomach churned and I vomited. My hands and feet trembled badly, unable stand anymore; so I crawled the stony floor. In-between shallow breaths and numbing limbs, nothing felt right. Gathering any strength just stay to awake, was barely sustainable. “T-T…Teddy!” Blood dribbled down into my eyes, tinting half my vision red.

Plants rustling pierced the silent darkness all around. The purple glow of mana hovering prevalently in the air alleviated the shadows, but even looking up from the ground to survey the area intensified my headache. Violent shaking accompanied loud crunching out of nowhere! I fell back to ground, consciousness fading again. With what little energy I had, I looked up to see that white fungus on the wall, breaking away concrete and amassing around the red mushroom monster, and in its hand, Teddy.

“Te…ddy…” Was the last thing uttered before passing back out.

Part 3

Even laying down atop the broom didn’t offer me enough speed to catch the wisp! Each time it would attempt to establish a connection with Caelan, one of my familiars would barely manage to interrupt it with a glancing blow. We hurriedly weaved in between the trees; keeping an eye on the creature as it dodged about, grabbing my familiars, slamming them into logs or dragging through the swamp waters as it vexingly made an escape! “Ensnare, all those who I wish held!” Even my strings couldn’t halt its movements; the familiar would fluidly dance about, eluding everything as if paper in the wind! (Something else…another plan to slow it…)

Through the trees, over the water, past mounds of mud, it would fell one after another of my pieces! Those erratic movements made slowing the familiar feel impossible; to worsen the situation, I was running low on familiars. Reconstructing one of the chess pieces wasn’t difficult but required time and attention. Only two left, I needed to secure the wisp immediately! It suddenly came to me, an all or nothing play! With minimal instruction, I sent one of the two pieces forward, latching onto a tentacle. Quickly, the wisp responded by swinging my familiar about, all the time still hurdling forward at insane speeds! That distraction allowed me to get ahead, laying my hand on a tree as I passed!

The wisp spiraled, slamming a pieces about as its body floated toward the tree I touched, just as planned! “Grow, break through the soil which you call home, sprout forth!” A myriad of branches, veins and leafs sprung forth, entangling the tentacles! With a singular piece remaining, spear in hand, aiming for the wisp’s head, my familiar lunged forth, but was stopped by what a freed tentacle! “Just…as planned!” I couldn’t help but shout that as I leapt from my broom handle, tightly gripping my saber raised over head, prepared to end the battle! Everything fell into place, even so far as to count the tentacles, lo’ that was a foolish move! Such a thing would be difficult even if the dastard were not to have been flying about. I neglected two of the tentacles. One simply slapped the sword from my hand, the other aimed to capture me again! (No! Another mistake?!) Was I truly so inept? To allow myself such a folly, had I grown complacent? Everything I was working toward; would I fail because I eased my guard?

…Anesha…

Her voice, I could hear it in that instant. For only a second as time slowed, I could see her too. She was my reason, my motivation, raison d'etre! I hated it, despised myself for needing it, for drawing that weapon, mother’s weapon.

With a single motion, I drew it, cleaving those tentacles, tree branches, my damaged familiar, and all within its path length wise, in half! “Haaa!” The resulting blast launched murky water, earth and timber everywhere! Again, I caught myself letting loose an embarrassingly childish outburst! Truly something I was happy no one would hear, as I wielded that bardiche. “You shall die a most indignant death for making me summon this weapon. Enjoy your last breaths, lowly scum!” What remained of Caelan’s familiar once again began to float, though it was slow and staggered. Most of the tentacles had severed, dropping into the swamp water. It attempted connecting again, as expected. By then, the battle was already won; it was over the instant I was forced to use the bardiche. “Fool.”

A burst of invisible mana cleaved at the familiar! Yet another blast slashed the manifestation, halting another escape attempt! It fell to the ground, trying to regenerate its tentacles, yet another burst cleaved into the being, followed by another and another, consecutive slashes rained down onto the familiar like drops of rain! It couldn’t manage to connect, let alone move.

Evidently, based on the eye’s movement, the familiar noted the azure blade of the bardiche. That was in fact the origin of the attacks. Thanks to the azure blade, the sparkling jewel affixed to the end of the rod, and the perpetually stilled pendulum hanging behind the blade, all magical items made to enhance its abilities, that weapon was truly a deadly armament; I hated it. Having that thing in my possession was proof that I was its master…existing master.

The familiar charged me, a last-ditch effort, obviously. My familiar simply ran the eye through with its energy spear, felling it! As per usual, watching a familiar pass on was a somber affair. The translucent soul being released from its vessel, as said vessel slowly crumbled apart, leaving only a shell that would return to nothing but crystalized mana.

“Bramble…I need to contact him.” I quickly went about retrieving my saber and returning the bardiche to one of the trinkets attached to my belt. The remaining familiar gathered the pieces of the others, which I could use to remake them. I started focusing, aiming to connect Bramble. “Bramble, you can hear me, yes?”

[Yes, My Lady! There are…things that must be reported. The situation has escalated to a level-] An earth-shaking explosion ended our communication! It was far from where I was, but noticeably in the direction of the flowing mana.

Part 4

“…ong…te…” The throbbing of my skull slowed as I regained consciousness, already on my feet again. “You…Fa…” Warm trails of blood had grown cold, feeling returned to my fingers and toes, though persistent plumes of light rocked my vision. “Young Fate!”

“…I heard you already…Bramble.” The old dog man’s gruff voice was easily recognizable, and irritating, as sound flooded back in. I looked down and saw him sitting before me, face full of concern. “What is it?” Dazed still, anything before reawakening was hazy. “What’s…where’s Anesha?”

“My Lady? She’s trying to reach out now…” Watching Bramble unhinge his jaws to contact the witch remained unsettling. Black mist oozed from his maw forming the visage of Anesha. “Yes, My Lady!” Seeing Bramble, still mouth agape, flexing his lips able to form words was disturbing. “There are…things that must be reported. The situation has escalated to a level-” Suddenly the whole world shook! It came back to me, finally!

“Shit! Where’s Teddy?! Bramble, come here!” I grabbed Bramble up in my hands just as the massive concrete ceiling began to collapse! With the dogman pushed firmly against my chest, I effortlessly dodged the onslaught of rubble, though each step and slight movement elicited a migraine! In my heightened state, the seed was coursing energy through every cell of my body, so avoiding the debris was the easy part! “Why’s the whole thing collapsing?” The answer arrived quicker than expected! Light squeezed in between cracks formed through the crumbling roof, leading my eyes to the vibrant red sporusis’ back disappearing past the falling ceiling, and cascading swamp water pouring into the cavern! “Teddy! Are you up there?!” White fungus clung to the monster, dragging along parts of the surrounding walls and floors behind the lumbering colossus! “This isn’t good! Contact Anesha, we need to go after that thing!” Following the spoursis became impossible as more and more of the room caved in, blocking my path! Regretfully, I was forced to turn about-face and run for the opposite end. (I’ve got to make it back up that drain!) Even at full speed, I couldn’t move fast enough! My feet slid with every step, I ran directionless in the dark, all with rubble overhead closing in!

“Young F-” Bramble called my name, yet again, before the ground completely collapse on top of us!

For an instant, I could feel he hard cement hovering just above my head. (I can’t let this happen! I can’t fall back into that darkness! I can’t die while my friend is in danger!) “Argghh!!” I caught myself screaming, clutching at debris crushing me, breaking it like a brittle gram cracker! Again, I howled, punching, striking the earth falling toward me! With all of my being, all of my energy destroying, digging, fighting against the ground until eventually there was light again! “Yes…Yes!!” I cried in victory! A pointless victory against no one, but one showing I could push my way out of that darkness, climb that insurmountable wall, free myself and maybe my friends!

“Excellent work, Young Fate!” Bramble crawled out from under me, as we slowing shambled across broken flooring far beneath the hollowed-out shell of the factory we first visited. “I believe we can scale the incline here! Come along!” Traversing destroyed building floors, mud and lab equipment, hoping the rest of the facility wouldn’t fall inward, Bramble and I made our way to the top of the hill. “That creature…which direction did it go?”

“Well…since it’s was heading opposite us…it’s got to be going to Jasontown. Damnit!” Even with my head aching, I grabbed up Bramble in my arms again and started to pursue the spourisus as last bit of daylight drained from the murky sky.

“Young Fate, please, I must advise you to hold position until My Lady communicates with us again!”

“Not happening, Bramble! If that thing gets to the town, then everyone’s in danger! I know Anesha’s going to be mad, but if it comes across my friends, then I have no idea what it’ll do!” I picked up speed, running along the paths, hoping I could find the monster before it reached town. “If I follow the flow of mana again, I should find that thing, right?” Brambled nodded in confirmation. (Alright…breathe…) Sharpening my senses, I could feel the current of energy sucking me in! “That way!” I pointed…not really at anything in particular, but I was sure it was in that direction! “Can you reach out to Anesha while I run? If you can, tell her we’re going after it!”

“…As you wish!” Bramble once again unhinged his jaws to communicate with Anesha. The black smoke wafted out from his mouth but didn’t take Anesha’s form. This continued on for a while until it just faded away. “This cannot be good. My Lady is not responding to my calls!”

“What’s that mean? Is she alright?” Unintentionally, I showed a little concern for the evil Anesha.

“Most likely, she is engaged in battle!”

“…Well, let’s hope she’s fighting that sporusis!” As quickly as possible, I navigated the swamp until it occurred to me. “…Running right now is a pain. I bet I could just jump up to one of those trees and see the whole swamp!” Jumping between tree branches like a ninja was honestly, a pretty cool idea in my head. “Hold tight, Bramble!” I leapt with all my might, aiming for a nearby branch…only to miss! “Oops! Oh crap!” Not only did I miss the perch I’d aimed for but kept flying! I drastically miscalculated my own strength! Me and Bramble hurled through the trees, curled up until we reached beyond the horizon!

The whole tree line was below us! I could see right into the darkening sky, which contrasted heavily with the mushroom cap head peeking out over top just about a mile away! A terrible mistake, but it yielded about the same effect. The next problem was landing! We fell back toward the swamp, landing with splash into the algae filled water!

“Well…that was basically your intention…let’s soldier onward.” I smiled half-heartedly to Bramble, who scowled at me, angry with his sopping wet fur.

Part 5

Chastened as I was at my misgivings of the situation, stewing in past failures would not yield results! I boarded my broom, saber in hand and pursued the primal being, the sporusis! Bramble’s presence sounded in my head, he was trying to reach to me, however time was short. The seed’s mana was still being produced, meaning Fate lived. At the time, the gargantuan mushroom creature made its way toward the town; would it become known to the uninformed, another problem would arise.

(Should I use a barrier? A ward? No. I’ll need all my faculties about me should I face it!) The mushroom cap sat just above the trees, within a mile or so of the town. Lo’ a fog rolled in, holding steady, it wouldn’t conceal the creature for long. “Strands of flame, come forth!” That may have been a mistake, my body felt weak, casting fatigue. As the flaming strings discharged, reaching for the sporusis, the monster turned, blocking the attack with its arm! “Oh, are you now able to comprehend danger? My oh my…I should’ve allowed those other monsters to devour you.” A noticeable hum echoed from somewhere nearby, drawing my attention. “What on earth…?”

Before I could locate the source of the racket, a large piece of rubble flew in my direction! I dodged, just barely! With a swing of my saber, I launched another attack, hoping to cut down the creature in one fell swoop, though it blocked the assault again, with a piece of rubble again, no less! It was then that I noticed the pieces of ground hanging from the sporusis; many parts of a building, earth and other metals were stuck to that creature via long white fungus coils.

“Disgusting. I’ll happily rid the world of you!” I needed concentration for any larger spells, but smaller ones who be simple, even with my own mana low, I could simply blast the creature repeatedly until it would succumb! “Ignite!” A single flickering blast quickly followed by another! “Ignite! Ignite!” I began raining down bursts of my weakest offensive magic onto the creature, which appeared to cause the monstrosity some harm as it reached down and pulled up wall, which clung to it, as a shield! My body slowed further as my muscles stiffened, hands chilled and mind became unfocused, typical. “Ignite!” Focus was the key! (Remain keen, steadfast and vigilant!) So long as I kept my wits about me, defeating the creature would be a simple task, I believed!

That humming again, accompanied by voices, all too recognizable! “What on earth?!” That homely one, Chester cried out! Down on the road sat the vehicle of Fate’s group! Within the confines, I could see them in their entirety! The spoursis took notice of them as well and moved its hand toward them! Screams radiated from inside as I flew in as fast as I could!

“Ignite!” My incantation with just a millisecond to spare, succeeded, but the explosion steered Chester’s automobile into the swamps thickly mud-covered path! “What foolishness has possessed you all?”

Chester’s exasperated face appeared from the window. “We’ve yet to hear from Fate, and Teddy had disappeared!”

“What do you mean?!” Another attack came our direction of the spoursis, its massive, stone clad fist barreled down upon us! “Vanguard, rise!” Though only one could stand, I summoned forth my familiar and alongside it, attempting to brace for the impact with my saber! We could not. The blow caused me separate from my broom, shattering my last familiar as well! I was hurled into the filthy swamp water, sickeningly grimy and filled with other beasts, I floated beneath the surface, cursing my unpreparedness! The spoursis loomed nearby but seemed to have lost sight of me. Though it was difficult, and disgusting, I slowly swam through the marsh. (I will make you suffer greatly for such an indignity.) When I was sure enough that I’d gotten to a safe location, I peeked my head out of the water.

“Anesha, here!” Demica suddenly reached out her hand to me! Apprehension to touching her hand pulled me back, though the monstrous visage of the spoursis which towered over us in the distance reignited my focus. I pushed her back and jumped onto the muddy ground, hiding us beneath a tree for cover.

“Return to town, immediately!” We were fortunately beyond the monster’s gaze.

“Slight problem!” Was barked across the swamp. The tires of the vehicle were submerged in the swamp water and mud. “I can’t get traction! Is there a magic you have that help?”

“…Grow, break through the soil which you call home, sprout forth!” Breaking off a branch from one of the nearby trees, I cast the spell to push the hulking vehicle back onto a safe ground. “Now, be off with you. Leave the swamp and drive as far away as possible!” Brushing off the repulsive smelling water and algae from my person only amplified my fury.

“What, and just leave you, Fate and Teddy? We can’t!” I appreciated the concern from Demica, lo’ that was unnecessary. It was also best they remained unware of my plan formulating.

“I will retrieve Fate. He is, after all, my property. He will become uncooperative should one of you be hurt, and as such, I shall also rescue Teddy.” As soon as I began to walk away, the fatigue finally set in. I nearly fell to the ground, only wavering for a second, yet unmistakable to the group. “Do not make such absurd faces, I too am a person, much like you all. I do also grow tired; however, we magekin are far more adapt than one would believe. Now be off with you!”

“But…Teddy…” The younger sibling, Perry urged. “He seemed…really weird. Like he was high or something. He just took off sprinting into the swamp without saying anything, even though he was limping beforehand!”

“Worry not for your friend…” A strange warmth resonated from with my breast. “I shall do what I can.” Finally, my broom reentered the clearing! With sore muscles and a head still swimming, my mind began to wander. (For it wasn’t long ago that I’d had people like them; friends.) Becoming sentimental, unwise. (Never again will we happily share days like before.) Those cerulean locks billowing in the wind, and those silvery eyes shining in the dark…again, my resolve was tested just thinking back.

Part 6

The squishy, mud beneath my sneakers exploded, repeatedly; each jump launching us high in the air and across great distances! I was quickly catching up to the humungous back of the spoursis which hauled most of the wrecked factory along via tendrils of spongy white fungus. “Bramble, I’m jumping on!” An exasperated groan erupted from my companion. We landed on the brick wall connected to the monster! I clutched Bramble tight and scaled the outside toward the head, though each step of the centaur-like body nearly jostled me loose. (I don’t see Teddy. Where is he?) We continued up toward the head. Once the lower back was reached, the sun had completely faded from the sky, all the while, Teddy remained lost. “Damnit! Where is he?” My anxiety worsened. “Teddy! Where are you?!”

“Young Fate, no!” The spoursis, upon noticing me climbing its body, gyrated to launch me off! I dug in deep, feeling those roots sprout out of my finger again! The concrete cracked in my grasp as I didn’t budge! A freshly regenerated hand reached for us as the monster began folding and twisting its body around; clearly there were no bones inside that rubbery form!

I leapt up the side of the body, avoiding the hand! With Bramble in one arm, I slung around the abdomen, my claws ripping into the creature’s flesh and landing back onto the other side of the fractured building! (Instincts…brain off…instincts!) Fighting without thinking was hard no matter how much I’d trained. Another churning of the body caused me to finally be detached!

I flipped back and landed on my feet, fortunately. “I can sense My Lady! She’s nearby!” There wasn’t a chance to respond as the spoursis grabbed a piece of the factory and launched it our direction! With only a second to think, I rolled away, but once I stood up, monster’s hand was quickly closing in on me! I tossed Bramble and without thinking, used both clawed hands to slash outward, sundering the hand!

It backed away, seemingly fearful of the power I’d unleashed; to be honest, so was I. That attack felt like a bomb had gone off when my claws cut through the elastic appendage, destroying it all the way up to the wrist! (These claws are really useful! If I keep attacking with them, I should be able to…) A wave of mana all by crashed into me from behind. I could feel all the energy wash over my shoulders as it headed toward the spoursis, making me stagger. The damage I’d done, to both the arm and abdominal began to regenerate! “Seriously?! That’s not fair!” I yelled at no one in particular. With its arm healed, the creature began to slowly move in my direction, which was good, however I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to kill it, which was bad. “Bramble, you said Anesha is coming right? Tell her to hurry, we’re in trouble!”

The dogman pulled himself up from the swamp water with a frustrated grimace. “I’ll ignore your insistence on disrespecting me and tossing me about, as this is rather important!” Off he ran into the brush, with the goliath continuing to close in! I readied myself as best I could for another attack, but then, from between the cracks of building remnants, housing its lower body, whiteish-purple tendrils shot forth! They quickly attached to me, sticking to my skin! I was drawn into the concrete building with tons of force, only keeping from smashing headfirst in by my hands catching me!

“Aghh!” The wall started to crumble under the power of my talons while my feet sank beneath the surface of the swamp! I couldn’t overcome the sticky white strings clinging to my skin dragging me beneath the monster! “Damnit! Agh!” With all my strength, I pushed hard, trying to free myself, only to have my foothold dwindling, sinking deeper in the bog! Again, a heat like lava radiated in me, something wanted out, a roar that couldn’t be ignored! The wall gave in with the spoursis taking another step forward, trouncing me underfoot! Swamp water claimed my shoulders before I’d even noticed, struggling desperately to just stay alive, keeping my head above water and not drowning!

“Ignite!” An explosion blasted the spoursis back, allowing me some breathing room only to see Anesha fly in through the clearing! In the second that she was close enough, I grabbed onto the tail of her broom and was pulled free! “Hold tightly!” We quickly soared through the air, in between trees, as more of the sticky strings came for us! I managed to tighten my grip intensely enough that I held on as Anesha zig-zagged around trees, using them to cover us while evading the spoursis’ onslaught! I thought we escaped, but just then a string wrapped itself around one of the trunks near us, tripping Anesha, launching her from the broom and me along too!

With only a second to spare, I righted myself, landed on my feet and readied as a torrent of the strings closed in on us! I took a breath and swung my claw down, obliterating the strings, like I unleashed a canon, the torrent disintegrated!

“Well…impressive.” Anesha regained her footing behind me, brushing off mud from her dress. I’d never seen her looking so disheveled, and oddly, I could feel a surprising weakness emanating from her. “You appear worried. Are you showing concern now for your master?” The same old smug grin, she was fine, not that I cared.

“I’m more worried about Teddy. I saw him back at spoursis’s pit, but I haven’t seen him since. He was acting really weird.”

“I’m aware.”

“What? How?”

“I’ve come across Chester and the others.”

“When?! Are they here?!” A new batch of despair plopped down onto my plate like cinderblock!

“You needn’t worry. I met with Bramble on the way here, instructing him to look after all of them. The real question, how to deal with that.” The earth quaked with each step of the spoursis closing in on us.

“It’s regenerating every time I attack it. Can you blast it with something big? Like, destroy the whole body all at once!”

“Hmm…that would not suffice. I am to assume the spoursis regenerates in a way similar to the seed, using mana. That sensation of mana being drawn in is quite substantial. However, if I were to use all the mana in the surrounding area with a large enough spell…it may not be able to regrow in time to survive further onslaught.”

“Fine. Just as long as we can find Teddy.”

“We shall locate your friend. Draw the creature’s attention, I need time to focus, draw enough mana, and then recite my incantation. I will have you clear of the area before I attack, so pay attention!” Anesha yelled the last part while floating off into the sky via her broom.

The earthshaking beast approached as I prepared myself, feeling the blood in my veins pump, heart pick up pace, and my mind clear. I took the opportunity to charge, not sure exactly what I was aiming for, but knowing that I needed to, at the very least, distract the spoursis! With a massive hand overhead, I dodged to the side, avoiding a slow yet devastating attack! Prepared to counter, those sticky whitish-purple strings interrupted me, shooting from a crack in the side of the spoursis makeshift building coating!

The talons on my hands made gripping the trees around me easy as I swung about, keeping momentum as I moved! Evading the strands as they narrowly missed me was immodestly boosting my ego. (They can’t keep up! This is awesome! So long as I keep moving about without thinking too much, this will be easy!) My body was light, everything was slowed down in my mind’s eye! Every string clung to a tree as I leapt in again, swiping a claw through the spoursis’ defending hand, obliterating it! Another wave of mana washed over me before I had a chance to even land. (Healing again? Go ahead, I’ll cut you dow-) The wave grew even greater, move drastic than ever! Not even a second later, the feeling of the spoursis’s massive hand blindsided me! I was sent through the air, skidding across the water until smashing against a tree and coming to a sudden and complete stop! My body nearly folded around the tree, only staying intact thanks to the seed, assumedly.

Next thing I knew, the monster had already caught up to me, moving with a newly invigorated speed! It tried to trample me underfoot, but I leapt away, thinking I’ve maneuvered away, I tried again to run, though a single string of sticky white tread caught my ankle! The spoursis quickly turned, swinging me into another tree trunk!

(What the hell is going on?!) The lumbering movements I was used to had totally changed, all of sudden not only was the dumb beast fighting with tactics, it also was moving swiftly, I couldn’t react! Again, it tried to trample me, but I grit my teeth and launched an upward slash with my talons using all my might, blasting portions of the shambled building apart!

The spoursis was off balance from my attack still, so I pursed! The string was still attached to me, so I grabbed it and pulled the creature in, blistering its legs with hardest punch I could manage! The attack was so strong even a body as large as the spoursis was blown off the ground for an instant! It flew back, toppling trees under its weight, sending concrete, metal and scraps of cloth everywhere!

“How’s…that!” I tried to quip while dropping to one knee. My injuries were catching up; ones that I’d not only ignored but had forgotten about entirely. I was straining to even lift my arms, like my hands suddenly weighed thousands of pounds. Blood began running from the back of my head once more, intensifying the pain of an ongoing, numbing migraine. Only shallow breaths could enter my lungs through pained ribs. I was quickly losing all strength, looking up to see Anesha, sat atop her broom, legs crossed and meditating while mumbling something to herself. Just as I was beginning to fear for the worst, a red magical circle spread out from under her, letters appearing in sequence within the glyph.

Amazingly, I could sense the flow of mana in the surrounding area, it was like a change in the current of a powerful stream! As if someone had pulled my eyes in her direction, the waves surged toward Anesha. Particles of purple sparks broke from the earth and danced for the witch. Regardless of my distain for the witch, watching her prepare a massive spell was breathtaking, an otherworldly sight.

Staggering to my feet again, I felt the other pains be overwhelmed as that heat burned in my chest, hotter, more intense once again! “Gahhh!” Worse than a hot knife cutting into my neck, worse than knife-like claws gouging at my back, the fire inside of me was closer to a sun being ignited within my collarbone! Just then, the spoursis up righted itself! (Shit…can’t focus!) The mana in the area was suddenly being pulled in two directions, to Anesha and to the beast! (I hope this doesn’t mess with Ane…) Within the shattered remains of the building, I could see it, that white bud. (That thing!) It was bigger than before, swollen like a tumor! The fungus had grown to be larger than me, almost twice as large as it was before! (…I wonder if I kill that, will that be like crushing its brain?) It was worth a shot! As I readied to leap in, forgetting all the agony I was suffering, a gasping noise resounded.

The spoursis’s bud within the building slowly grew and shrank, like it was taking in air while absorbing mana. The black, clumped hair in each fold was topped with a patch of orange, curly locks, I’d not noticed before…and an unfortunately familiar face, and frame joined to it by the hip…Teddy’s.

Part 7

It wasn’t the pain of my head, back, ribs, legs, or anything else that stopped me dead in my tracks…no it was seeing the mangled form of my friend Teddy. His normally large, six-foot plus frame was warped, clothes torn, and with a bulbous, throbbing tumor melding Teddy with the spoursis’s white bud. He sat inside of the remnants of the destroyed factory, dragged about by the fungus attached to the massive red mushroom monster’s body!

“Teddy…Teddy! It’s me, Fate!” He was far enough away I couldn’t exactly make out the expression on his face, but no response came. “Teddy, please!” Again, no response. “…Te…” My already shallow breaths grew even weaker as despair set in. (…what do I do? What do I do? What do I do?!) Indecisiveness paralyzed me. My eyes perceived the spoursis regrowing the section of its body I’d destroyed with an incredibly powerful punch, but my body refused to take action!

The massive centaur like creature stampeded in my direction, so I moved as fast as I could, but was struck by a swipe of its hand! I skidded across the gross swamp water, onto a small mud islet! I laid there, thinking, wracking my brain for a solution! Another wave of mana pulled my attention toward the floating witch, Anesha, as yet another magical circle extended from beneath her!

“Anesha…Anesha stop!” My yell either went unheard or ignored as she didn’t even bother to look my direction! “Teddy’s inside…he’s inside of the building! Don’t cast your spell!” Nothing, she continued on, but spoursis turned its body to face us! (Shit…no!) Like a bull, it charged her, and reached its hand to grasp Anesha! With every ounce of my strength, I jumped and obliterated the hand within reach of her with the swipe of my claws! “Anesha, stop casting! Teddy’s inside of the-” Again, I was swatted out of the sky, right into a tree, toppling it, and only being stopped by the mud-covered ground below.

I tried to climb to my feet again, but it was no use. There was nothing left, no strength or even a modicum of power behind my legs or arms. I just laid on the ground, breathing, attempting to subdue the pain ravaging me, though the heat boiled up, endlessly. Somehow, I managed to draw the attention back to me, creating a worst possible scenario. Completely incapable of moving, I just watched as the hand I’d destroyed slowly regenerated.

A hefty tug grabbed at my shoulders lifted me from the algae layered swamp. “Fate, are you alright?!” Chester, behind him, Demica, Perry and Erna! Filing out of his van, my friends appeared from nowhere, terrified, running to my side giving what little hope my heart held a small, fleeting comfort.

“You guys shouldn’t be here!” Bramble shook himself free from Erna’s arms and ran up! “Bramble, what the fuck?! Get them out of here!”

“My apologies, I was overruled!” He also joined in by chumping onto my jacket and dragging me along.

“Is that…Teddy?” The trembling Demica’s voice, I hated it. “What’s happening, Fate?” The spoursis finished regrowing the hand, slogging through the swamp toward us. Just then, a third magical circle sprung from beneath Anesha, as heat swelled again within my chest, and Demica screamed!

“…Finally.” She spoke in such a low tone, I could barely hear it, but Anesha muttered to herself. “Incinerate, swallow up all within your grasp, consume all creation and flourish!” The heat in my chest meant nothing before the sudden swelling warmth from in front of us.

Steam began filling the air as the swamp bubbled; animals fled the area like mad, alligators, frogs, birds, and bugs whizzed by paying us no mind! The air got thinner, choaking us, the temperature went from warm to hot and then all in an instant…an explosive, red fire engulfed the sporusis!

The overwhelming blaze swallowed the building sized monster in the blink of an eye! Roaring flames spiraled upward, like a tornado, with heat sucking in air from the surrounding area! Radiantly orange, even in the night, it felt as if the sun itself had descended into the clearing. Trees nearby ignited as ashes would feed the inferno, growing the massive fire more! Embers twirled by on the wind like pixies, whirling and combining, rising into snakes coaling around their prey, crushing them within their incandescent forms!

That’s when it ended. Not the splendor of Anesha’s spell, not the battle, no, my disillusionment with the reality of the twisted, cruel world I was cast into. From beyond the cage of flames a hand shot forth! The spoursis, enveloped in fire as it was, lived! Pieces of the beast’s crimson body crumbled within the inferno. A haunting aria resounded from the spoursis, a harrowing death throe mixed in, growing, vibrating throughout my body!

“Fate! Move, run!” Anesha’s words reached my ears, but not my consciousness. Even with the gigantic, burning hand of a human assimilating, mushroom abomination barreling down on me, I just couldn’t escape the dreamlike space captivating my mind. My body hurt, my chest seared, my heart cried, my eyes welled with tears and finally…my ears rang as Erna, Demica, Chester and Perry all screamed in terror!

Everything ended, the spoursis, the battle, and everything in the wake of my roar. That heat erupted forth from my chest like an atomic beam, bursting past my teeth and shooting red light into the spoursis, through its body, into the night sky and far, far into the distance! The burning within my chest was nothing compared to the intensity scorching my lips; so mighty and limitless was the energy, I wasn’t sure if my head wouldn’t just break off! I gripped the ground, trying desperately to remain still, and though it may have only been a few seconds, the experience felt like it lasted for minutes, until it faded and left nothing behind…

Part 8

My teeth were either cracked or smelted to my jaws, my lips had been charred black, cracking up past my cheeks and onto my nose, which bled buckets down my face mixing with the horse throat ravaged by the beam and leaving ash where my tongue once was. Saliva, blood and ashes poured form what was left of my mouth as I laid, unable to even fall unconscious. An agony like none other wracked my immobilized body. “…” Chester spoke, but my ears rang so intensely no sound could reach me.

With only the ability to move my eyes, I watched as it seemed Anesha plummeted to the ground; Bramble dashed up comfort her! “…” She yelled at him, staggering just to get upright, her insistence on maintaining an air of superiority succumbing to an obvious feebleness of her legs. Demica dashed up, trying to aid her in standing, but her hand was swatted away violently. “…” A look of disgust and insecurity flashed on the witch’s face; it was unfamiliar, though I’d seen it at least once before. “…” Anesha began instructing the others, all from a seated position with hasty eyes darting about!

The others all began to scramble! Perry quickly grabbed Demica by the arm and yelled something to her. Nothing was said in response as Demica just stared off into the direction the beam I had shoot, until Perry pulled her around and slapped her across the cheek, yelling again directly at her! She reciprocated by slapping him back! The two argued until the only sound I could barely make out came. “Cu…ou…” Chester screamed, more frantic and serious than I’d ever seen him! He stormed over to the two, pointed somewhere I couldn’t see and the two moved to wherever he led. All the while, Erna cradled my head in her lap, digging through her doctor’s bag. She desperately pulled bottles, scapples, and syringes out.

The instant she rested her hand on my jaw, I felt tearing. The lower half of my face was coming apart, ripping under even the smallest provocation. I could only manage the smallest of agonized groans, which Erna must’ve heard. She started sobbing right away, tears barreling down her face, onto mine. I was insanely hot, all over my body, that the water helped; It was an oddly solemn moment.

Someone said something to her, and just out of my sight, both Demica and Perry ran by! I felt my body being slowly lifted, Erna making a fuss about something as I was hoisted onto Chester’s back. I was finally able to see the swamp for only a second. All the trees, the water, and the ground hit by that heat I unleashed, annihilated. Just ashes, fragments of the earth still deteriorated, floating away, brushed along simply by gusts of wind.

It was faint, as most of my skin was numbing, but I could tell, Erna held my hand gently, trembling the whole time as I was loaded into Chester’s van. My wrecked body was set down on the floor of the middle aisle, once again cradled by Erna, softly. Though the others all argued, screaming back and forth to each other only one thing mattered to me, one thought overcame both pain and fear for my future ability to move. I tried to speak, only to have Erna do what I assumed was plead with me to stop.

(Where’s Teddy? I don’t see him! Please, someone tell me he’s alright!) Not like they could tell me, even if I begged.

Part 9

We arrived back at the town and within seconds we were surrounded by people! They swarmed us, so many screaming, crying, and scurrying around. The owner of the motel, Mr. Sander ran up, yelling something incoherent while holding a phone to his ear. Every member of the club remaining moved back and forth, speaking with the townsfolk as Bramble seemingly snuck into the truck behind their backs.

The old dogman spoke with Erna, who’s face filled more with concern as they conversed. Something was said under those haphazardly kempt bangs I couldn’t understand. Next thing I know, using her scalpel, she dug at my talons! It was more intense than, I imagined, having my fingernails pulled off would feel like! Each dried wooden claw was torn off and discarded. Once she finished that, Erna took a pair of scissors and quickly trimmed all of my long, silvery hair, tied it together and tossed it into her bag. Again, she spoke something, I assumed it an apology, as she injected something into my neck with a syringe. My pain was slowly numbing, easing my mind as more tear streamed down Erna’s cheeks. I was unable to comfort her; unlike she did me.

Time passed and the red and blues lights of an ambulance entered my sight, many of them. The whole time I waited, Erna remained, softly stroking my hair, doing all she could to ease my pain. The medics entered the van looking upon me with disbelief. They loaded me into their vehicle leaving my last sight of Jasontown and my friends that night as faces of despair, a town of ruined dreams and the end of any hopes I had for normalcy or my dream, gone.

End of chapter 22