Champions of Serenity: Destiny Fulfilled

Chapter 28

Chaos had been so caught up in Tris, for a moment he almost forgot about the others. As he had in the spring, he wondered how Debra was dealing with the basic Demon nature of her counter and took a quick peek before the fight in Saldowns began.

Phil put his hand on Debra’s shoulder and she jumped around to face him with a hiss. Green bubbled up in her eyes and she had to take several deep breaths to calm herself. “Don’t sneak up on me, Phil. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Debra, what’s wrong? You haven’t been yourself for the last day. What is with this proposal? If I turn that in, I’ll be tarred and feathered in the business world. This isn’t your usual work.” Phil said, dropping the report on her desk. “Now talk to me, Debra.”

Debra looked at the report and flinched a little. “It’s Tris, she feeding her Demon side. I didn’t realize how strong that side was until now and I’m trying to contain it on my end, but it isn’t easy.” The green bubbled up in Debra’s eyes again and Phil nodded, understanding the battle.

“Go, Debra, take some time off and when she’s calmed down, come back to work. We still have to find the balance between our two sides.” Phil said and waited until Debra fought with herself and then picked up her purse and left the office. He felt a little more relaxed and hadn’t realized just how tense he had been around this more violent version of Debra.

Chaos wanted to spend more time watching this version of Debra, as Phil called her, but the events in Saldowns screamed for his attention and he didn’t want to miss a single detail.

The man who had singled himself from the crowd took another step forward and stared hard at Tris and Airidon behind her. Then his gaze went back to Tris once again before turning to face the citizens of Saldowns who were crowded in the square to see what would happen.

“How dare this terrorist make those claims against our loving lord and master Emperor Greshinea? Our lord and master didn’t come here and murder everyone in the garrison and then blow it up. These two did. And the others they spoke about? They attacked the honest business owners in the slave district and then caused riots in the taverns. Do you really think you can trust these demons that smear the name of our beloved Emperor Greshinea?” His voice was strong for all it’s nasally tone. Murmurs ran through the crowd as they shifted uneasily.

Tris found the faces of her family and then started to laugh. She walked over to the man and stopped a foot from him. “It’s funny that you would select that word to use. Demons. It’s a race belonging to Sandeenai and yet it’s also used to define those who embrace evil. Now, in this case, Demon fits both you and I.” Tris looked at those standing around listening. “I am a Demon, from the race of Demons, well, half Demon. I am not hiding who I am; I come to you without masks, without lies.”

The man watched as Tris paced around him, speaking to those watching and yet keeping him always under her full attention. “Now this man here, he wears a mask. One Demon always recognizes another. Did he ever tell you he is also from the Demon race? Did he ever tell you he’s sold his soul to the Emperor and thus falls under both meanings of the word demon?” The people moved again, this time watching the slaver who worked for Handsome.

“What is your name?” The man asked in a hiss. He didn’t like having his lies turned on him and Tris grinned as she smelled the anger on him.

Looking at the people gathered, Tris spoke to them rather than the man who asked the question. “My other half is Elven, in case you wondered. Yes, I can hear your whispers, is such a thing possible? As far as I know, I am the only one of my kind. My parents had a dream of all the races working together in peace, of throwing away old hatreds. I am the result of that dream. It was demons like him that murdered my parents and is now trying to kill their dream of a united world. I am Trisinda Jaqukwen, named for my parents who died so I could live.”

“You!” Hissed the man. “You should have been killed! You are an abomination of Demon kind! How dare you defame the best high priestess of the Demon nation by using her name for your own! I demand you stop using it now!” He threw off his cloak and his human guise, taking on his Demon aspect. “I shall enjoy sending you to hell.”

The crowds fell back with a gasp. Tris was ready though. She tossed her own cloak aside and pulled out a Demon made dagger. “Do you have a name, spawn?” Tris asked as she slowly licked the blade, slicing her tongue and letting the blood flow. She swallowed the blood and green started to bubble up into her blue eyes. “Or are you too cowardly to let me know?”

“I am called Jarqukis, and I will enjoy ridding the world of your vile carcass.” Jarqukis said, pulling out his own blade and crouching in a fighting position. As soon as he spoke his name, several Demons appeared and created a circle around Tris and Jarqukis. They made sure no one crossed into the battlefield.

Tris knew this was a fight to the death. She smelled his relationship to her when she first knew him for a Demon. She could also smell he was not a full Demon either, only his father had been a human. She felt the human emotions rolling off of him like a fog and she was going to use them to her advantage. The world narrowed down to her half-brother and the circle created by the other Demons.

Blood filled her mouth and she felt it burning with the acid created when her own blood was mixed with her saliva. The two circled each other and Tris wondered why he hadn’t sliced his own tongue yet.

“I wasn’t old enough to join in the hunt when mother turned her back on her nation and played the whore to that Elven bastard.” Jarqukis said. “It will be a pleasure though, to be the one to bring you down.”

Tris shrugged once. “You are repeating yourself, Jarqukis. What are you so nervous about if you are looking forward to killing me so greatly? You truly are the weaker Demon and a coward to boot.” She taunted, keeping her movements light and fluid.

With an angry roar, Jarqukis charged Tris, only to have her side step and he fall on his face in a fresh pile of manure. “What’s wrong, brother, trip?” She said flippantly as she appeared to take no notice of his fumbling around in the filth. “Or is it just time for your yearly bath?”

Again Jarqukis charged her in blind anger and Tris stepped aside. This time, she spit a mouthful of her blood and saliva in his face. He screamed and began to claw at his burning flesh as the acid of her blood ate at his skin.

The Circle watched the battle from outside the arena created by the Demons with concern. Tris seemed to be doing okay, but she was losing blood and he wasn’t. They didn’t understand fully what was going on and it bothered them that the Demons wouldn’t let them help their Circle sister.

Tris smiled in a manner the others in the Circle knew meant trouble as she watched Jarqukis stand. His eyes flashed red and he slowly slit his own tongue, making his own acid. Slowly, he wove his blade back and forth, spitting on it every second pass. His red blood sizzled on the blade as he paced forward.

Anyone who didn’t know Tris, would have thought her next move was the most stupid thing ever done in history. Those who knew Tris backed away to get out of her attack range. Tris closed her eyes for a second and allowed the bloodlust to fully consume her, filling her blood and body with a rage that had nothing to do with anger. She felt the hiss of air alerting her to the charge of her brother.

When her eyes opened, they were bright emerald and shone with an eerie light that made Jarqukis’s red eyes look pale. She reached out a clawed hand and grabbed his throat, stopping him mid charge. Lifting her dagger, she brought it down swiftly and cut off his hand holding his dagger.

Jarqukis screamed and tried to free himself from Tris’s grasp. Tris opened her mouth and her hunger sharpened teeth gleamed in the mid-morning light. Not Noshtra at her most dangerous, not Jehro in his natural form, not a dragon in full attack had the amount of power in their jaws as Tris right that moment. She sank her teeth into the warm pulse at Jarqukis’s neck.

She didn’t feel his remaining hand clawing at her or hear his fading voice screaming in her ear. She felt his life blood coursing down her throat, filling her with an unholy lust for more. Her hands ripped into his chest, grabbing his heart and draining it completely before devouring it. She savored his sweet flesh and life giving essence, not remembering where she was or who was watching.

When Jarqukis fell, the Demons dropped the protective ring around the combatants. They knew who had won and who the stronger Demon was. They nodded to Airidon and then waited to see what would happen next.

Airidon stepped up to Tris as she was gnawing the flesh from the ribs of the slave trader who challenged her. He didn’t know who the man was, but it was clear she knew him. He only hoped she wasn’t too far gone to realize most of Saldowns had just witnessed her turn to her Demon side.

“Tris?” He asked softly, reaching out to touch her shoulder. He flinched back as she growled at him. Swallowing, he tried again. “Tris.” He said more firmly, watching as the green faded from her eyes.

Even the air seemed to be holding its breath to see what would happen next. The silence and stillness echoed in Tris’s mind and she looked down at the half-eaten corpse at her feet and felt sick. She held the back of her hand to her mouth and choked on a sob. Looking up at her mate, she stood to reach for him, her arms held out in supplication.

Airidon took a step back, shaking his head. He wasn’t denying Tris, he was making sure it was safe. He saw in her eyes the pain his denial caused and then she fell to the ground, hiding her face in her arms, hands above her head.

Jehro stepped forward and dumped a bucket of icy water over Tris’s head and hands, to try to wash some of the blood away. Tyra dropped a cloth on Tris’s head, so that if Tris was herself, she could clean up. All were ready to run if the blood lust was still in control.

Tris grabbed the offered cloth and scrubbed as more buckets of water joined the first in cascading over her head. When the stink of blood was gone from her, she stood slowly, shakily. Airidon caught her in his arms and held her close as she grabbed his tunic and held on, pressing her face against his chest as if memorizing the beat of his heart.

“Tris,” he whispered softly. She looked up at him and then seemed to remember what was happening. She looked into the stunned faces of the people of Saldowns. Her voice was shaky, but it still filled the ringing silence.

“As you can see, I am a Demon. I am not evil and I do not relish the taking of life. He was a traitor to himself and his people, it was better he died now than suffer longer in his self-poisoning. My Demon kin witnessed the proper ceremony in dealing with a tainted Demon.” Tris waved to the Demons still present. They all bowed to her and then vanished back to their realm, taking the remains of Jarqukis with them.

“The Elf in me cries out against what had to happen and now that it is over, I am sick and ashamed that I had to do that in front of so many innocent witnesses. I am sorry for that.” Tris looked at their faces and saw some fear but also confusion. “I am the same person I was before the fight. I still promise you the same things. Think on my words, if they sound false to you, I will leave and never come back. But if you find in them truth, then let us help you gain your freedom.”

Her voice failed and Airidon quickly added his strength to hers, holding her up so she wouldn’t fall again. Then Tyra stepped forward. “People of Saldowns and Catira, I am one of you. I was born and raised here, on Catira. Many of you know my clan, I am Rizlishken! I follow that woman and count myself blessed to have her call me family. If you can’t believe in her, believe in me and my clan. Join us in pledging to rid Sandeenai of the Emperor for once and for all!”

The shaky sound of a voice in the back shouted, “For Rizlishken and the Circle of the Star!” It was taken up by others and soon the whole square was chanting it.

Tris looked around and found Andro in the group and pointed him out. “There, he will lead you until you can select your own voice. He is pledged to Serenity and will fight for freedom until his dying breath.” Andro blushed as Tris brought attention to him. But he didn’t back down from what she said and the attention of the crowd was off of the Circle and focused on Saldowns and the plans needed to keep the freedom the death of Jarqukis gave them.

Without further notice, Tris took the Circle back to her forest and Drianne’s glade. She collapsed at the Dryad’s roots and started to sob into the moss. Airidon tried to comfort her, but Drianne gently moved them all away from Tris’s body. “Let her be for now. When she is ready, she will return to you.” Then Drianne closed her branches around Tris’s form to let Tris begin to heal.

Chaos sat back on his cushions and took a deep breath. It wasn’t what he expected and yet he wasn’t disappointed. He took a long drink of his wine and took a quick look at Debra and found her curled into a tight ball on her bed, asleep. It seemed for a time, blue would be out of action. Then he turned his attention to Dreybrenic, to see what his champion was up to.