Odder The Demon Hunter - The Blood Curse

Odder fell to the ground. His body quivered from the pain. Still blinded he could hear the shuffling of feet, furniture moving, and voices.

“Quick Aimma, clear some space on the table,” said Karzan.

Finkle helped him to his feet. “You made it, laddy.”

“I… I can’t see.” Odder rubbed his eyes in hopes of recovering his sight.

“Just relax,” Karzan said. “Your brain is reacting to the trauma. Your blindness is only temporary.”

“Lay him here.” Aimma tapped the table. “I’ll use a healing spell just in case.”

Odder moved his head in the direction of each sound like a blind dog.

Finkle guided him to the table and helped him lay flat. “Don’t worry. You’re in good hands.”

Aimma chanted a spell for several moments. Odder felt a wave of warm energy cover him. Red and white flashes danced under his eyelids until the shadows started to take form. He gently opened his eyes, blinked several times, and then smiled at everyone around him.

“I defeated him.” Odder sat up. A sharp pain shot up his spine, and he laid back down.

“Your mind and body need time to recover.” Karzan lifted Odder’s neck and helped him take a sip from a cup. “This will help.”

The elixir gave Odder a sensation of drinking liquid light. The warmth traveled down his throat, filled his stomach, then expanded into the rest of his body. He felt weightless and lethargic.

“I thought we lost you when the demon destroyed the mirror,” Karzan said.

Odder’s eyelids became heavy. “How did you summon another?” he slurred.

Karzan smiled and stepped aside. “I had some help.”

Serra stepped forward, a big smile on her face. “Hey, Oddy.”

“Serra, you came back.” Odder tried to stay awake, but drifted to sleep.

Odder woke to buzzing and whistling sounds. He sat up from a cot and looked around to get his bearings. The room was large and felt muggy like an underground mineral spa. At the end of the room, stood the golden golem shoveling coal into a furnace. Copper tubing with all types of gages, bubbling tubes, swirling knobs, and spinning dials traveled from the furnace to a large boiler then in all directions, some leading into another tank marked mulder berries, and some into the walls and ceiling. Odder walked up to the golem, who apparently was unaware that Odder woke. He jumped when Odder tapped him on the leg.

Odder held up his hands. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

The golem put down his shovel.

“Corbin, right?”

The golem bent down, his gears cranked and whistled, he held out his hand. “Yes.”

Odder grinned. “You are an incredible creature.” He shook the golem’s finger and looked around. “I think I’m still in the basement, but what is this place?”

Corbin’s blue eyes blinked, but he did not respond.

“A furnace and boiler, is it to provide heat?”

“For protection.”

“Protection?”

“Ah Odder, you’re awake.” Karzan walked into the room carrying a basket full of purple berries. “How are you feeling?”

Odder rubbed his head. “Much better. As if nothing ever happened.” His forehead wrinkled as his brow furrowed. “So, what is this place.”

“Yes, yes.” Karzan poured the berries into the tank. “Remember that protection and cloaking spell I have on the area?”

“Sure.”

“Well, this is the source. The mulder berry juice is heated, turned into steam, and disbursed to different areas along the perimeter. The steam feeds magical crystals which provide protection.”

“Amazing.”

“Yes. Otherwise, I would have to have several clerics continually feeding magic to the crystals. If something should happen to the clerics, then the stronghold is vulnerable.”

“Do you think that’s what happened to Elestus during the attack?”

“If it was, then it must have been someone on the inside.”

Odder instantly thought of Drugan. “I think I know who?”

Karzan looked puzzled. “Who.”

“The King’s defense advisor, a Xenduri named Drugan.”

“Just because he’s a dark elf does not make him a traitor.”

“No, but just before the attack, I saw him arguing with the King. He disappeared and never came back.”

“Let’s concentrate on breaking your curse first. May I see your markings?”

Odder pulled up his sleeve. “I still feel some pain.”

Karzan examined his arm, moving it from side to side. “The poison’s spread past your shoulder. We must break the curse before it reaches your heart. Are you feeling anything else?”

Odder wanted to say tell Karzan that in order to break the curse, he had to sacrifice someone close to him, but he hesitated. He hoped destroying the last demon might suffice. “Yes, calmer and my thoughts are crystal clear.”

“Wonderful. Just one demon left.”

Odder walked over to the many gages and instruments. “Do you need all these?”

“I assure you, every whirling, wheezing, twirling, knocking, and clanging thing you see there has its place.”

Odder tapped the glass on one of the gages. “Did Serra really come back to help.”

“She did,” answered Karzan. “Despite what you may see on the outside, on the inside, she is kind, gentle, and even meek at times.”

“After what I saw the demon do to her, I understand.” He tapped on the glass once again. “Karzan, is this gage supposed to be reading this high into the red?”

Karzan nudged Odder aside and tapped the glass. “This is not good. Come with me upstairs.”

“What’s going on?”

“We may have company.”

They ran into the other room. “Corbin,” Karzan said, “guard the looking glass.”

Corbin whistled.

Odder and Karzan ran down the hall and into the main house.

“Everyone, to the third floor,” Karzan announced.

Finkle, Aimma, and Serra stood from the table and followed Odder and Karzan up the stairs, down the second story hall, and up a spiral staircase. They entered a dome shaped room with panoramic views of the entire area.

“Where’s Martha?” Karzan asked.

“She’s in the field picking mulder berries,” Serra responded. “What’s wrong?”

“Something’s attempting to enter the barrier.”

“I see her.” Odder pointed. “To the north next to the river.”

“She’s not alone,” Finkle said, terror in his eyes.

“It’s a shadow reaper.” Serra clenched her fists. “It’s hovering in the air above her.”

“No, can it see her? How do we warn her?” asked Odder.

“The cloaking spell is powerful. The shadow reaper shouldn’t be able to see anything but the marshlands. If we shout or air script, it may sense us.”

“I think it may already sense her,” Odder said.

“It’s also hovering near one of the crystals,” said Karzan.

“Can it break the crystal and enter the perimeter?” asked Odder.

“No, even if it can detect the crystal, all seven would have to be destroyed at the same time.”

“Look,” Finkle yelled. “The shadow reaper’s pressing on the shield. It knows we’re here.”

“Quick Serra,” Karzan said. “Mind whisper to Martha, tell her to hurry back.”

“I see another shadow reaper to the east.” Odder pointed.

“And I see several more,” added Aimma.

“They always travel in threes,” Serra said.

“I count seven,” said Odder.

“Then that means two more are out of sight,” Karzan said.

Serra focused and whispered to Martha, “come back, hurry.”

“Impossible! The reaper’s hovering over and reaching for the crystal,” said Karzan, flustered. “Serra get her back now.”

“I’m trying. She’s singing a musical tune in her head.” Serra placed her fingers on her temples. “Martha, danger, come back now.”

Martha stopped and looked back at the home. She waved.

“I don’t think she gets it,” Finkle said.

“Hurry Serra,” said Aimma. “Whisper something else.”

“Martha look up behind you.”

Martha waved again but this time turned. She froze for several moments. The shadow reaper soared above her then launched lightning bolts at a crystal embedded in a boulder. Martha turned back, dropped her basket, and ran.

“I suspect the reapers have found all seven crystals and are attempting to destroy them.” Karzan gripped Serra by the shoulder. “Take Odder back down past the potion room, into the boiler room, and seal the door. Tell Corbin you need to escape. He’ll lead you down an underground tunnel to just outside of Salvat’s land. I’ll meet you there.”

“Salvat? He’s the wizard that gave me this curse,” said Odder.

“We don’t have time to argue. I will meet you there.”

Odder stood his ground. “We can’t leave you.”

Flashes of purple lightning raced across the sky from the crystals. Martha glanced up and tripped into the bushes. The shield shattered above and shards, resembling glass, fell to the ground. The shadow reapers shrieked then flew into the fields shooting energy bolts at anything that moved. Karzan jumped out the window and levitated to the ground. He raced toward Martha, waving his wand.

“Odder, we have to go.” Aimma tugged at his arm.

He hesitated but started for the door. The home filled with smoke and fire just as they made it to the potion room.

“The looking glass.” Odder attempted to pick it up. “We have to take it with us.”

“Too bulky. You have to leave it,” Serra said.

“No, I won’t. It may be our only hope. Finkle help me lift it.”

Finkle grabbed the other side. “I think she’s right, laddy. This thing’s going to slow us down.”

Odder lifted the mirror. “I’m not leaving it.”

The door to the potion room heated red and then started to implode.

Aimma screamed. “It’s the shadow reapers.”

Startled, Odder dropped the looking glass. It shattered on the floor. “NO!”

“Now forget it and let’s go,” Serra shouted.

They ran into the boiler room.

Corbin seemed to know already what to do. As soon as everyone entered, he pushed a massive stone to block the door.

Serra chanted a spell and blue energy launched from her hands to the stone.

“Create a portal and get us out of here, Serra,” Aimma said.

Serra reached for her bag, but her hand slid down her skirt. She growled and kicked a nearby table. “I left it upstairs.”

“What now?” Finkle asked, twiddling his fingers.

“This way,” said Corbin. He lifted the boiler to reveal a hidden staircase leading into a tunnel.

They all climbed down into a foot of water. Corbin lowered the boiler.

Aimma and Serra ignited a magic torch to light the way.

“I will guard the rear,” said Corbin as he followed.

At a near sprint, they traveled down the tunnel, looking back several times along the way. They passed two large rusted chains attached to the walls.

“I will wait here,” said the golden golem. He grabbed the chains and wrapped them around his wrists.

The others continued until they heard screeching sounds.

“The reapers,” Aimma said.

They turned to see Corbin wrenching on the chains with a reaper clawing at his chest. Corbin pulled and yanked until the walls fell in. Water gushed into the tunnel. The reapers retreated except one trapped by the water. It flew against the caves walls, bouncing wildly like an insect trying to escape a fire.

“Hurry!” Serra said.

The water quickly rose. Finkle hopped on Serra’s back.

“What the…”

“Forgive me Serra. I need a ride. I’ll drown in this water.”

She didn’t look happy, but she kept moving.

“There.” She pointed. “I see a light up ahead. We’re almost to the exit.”

The water rose to their waist before they climbed out of a vine covered fountain. They waited at the outside edge for Corbin.

“we have to go,” said Serra, impatient.

“No, we wait,” demanded Odder.

“He saved us,” Aimma added.

“He sacrificed his life so you can live Odder.” Serra tugged at his arm. “Don’t waste it, let’s go.”

Odder bowed his head and pulled at his hair. He knew Serra was right, but his insides still knotted. He turned away from the fountain.

Finkle patted the back of Odder’s leg. “He was a gentle creature.”

A sudden rush of water shot out of the fountain. Everyone turned. Serra pulled out her daggers. “Get behind me!”

A golden hand lifted from the water and gripped the side.

“It’s Corbin.” Aimma ran over and attempted to pull him out. Odder followed.

Corbin lifted himself over the edge and rolled onto the ground. His gears moved and twisted. He coughed and whistled in between fits.

“You’re alive,” Odder said, with a joyful grin.

“Yes, alive,” said Corbin, sitting up.

“Don’t be too thrilled,” said Serra, rubbing her daggers together. “The reapers will be next to come out of that hole.”