Odder The Demon Hunter - The Blood Curse

“Drink this.” The wizard Salvat poured a vial filled with a fluorescent green fluid into Odder’s mouth.

Red lights flashed in Odder’s eyes. A warm tingling traveled from his core to his extremities. The feeling in his body came back, and his muscles regained their strength.

“Thank you. Healing potion?”

“Yes, more potent than a healing touch.”

Odder rubbed his hands through his hair. “I’m glad it’s over. That was by far the hardest demon to defeat.”

Salvat picked up the wooden sword and handed it to Odder. “You were brilliant. You faced and conquered many fears. Most elves would’ve given up.” He helped Odder to his feet.

“Now what? Can I wield magic?”

“At this moment you will start to see the world differently. You can feel the magic all around you, and you will connect with life like you never have before.” Salvat created a fireball in his hand. “Take it.”

As Odder reached for the fireball, it leaped onto his palm. He moved it back and forth and rolled it over his fingertips. “I can control it.” He made it grow large, then small.

“You have been chosen to be the Champion and because of that, the magic will quickly come to you. It may take an elf several years to learn a spell, but you will learn it in minutes.”

Odder closed his hand and extinguished the fire. “I’ve wanted this for as long as I can remember, and now, I have it.”

Salvat smiled. “Celebrate. You’ve earned it. By defeating your inner demons, you are now confident, calm, and fearless. All the attributes of a Champion.”

Odder frowned. “Formeteu said he would come back stronger.”

The wizard moved his hands in a circular motion. A blue sphere formed around Odder. “I’m not entirely sure if we can ever completely free ourselves from a demon’s influence, so guard your heart. The evil ways are tempting.”

“So, what do I do next?”

“You will find the Maha’De in Elestus, hidden in plain sight. Go there and reunite the spirit. Then you must awaken the flame by dipping the sword into the molten silq of Rigan. The potion master will know what to do from there.”

The sphere brightened. Salvat and the chamber began to fade like a ship drifting into the early morning fog.

“Thank you again,” Odder said.

Salvat tilted his head. “Come back and see me after you defeat the goblins, and I’ll tell you about your father.”

“You knew my father…” The sphere flashed, and Odder stood facing a hedge of thorns.

“He’s back.” Finkle ran over to him with Aimma following.

“Did you see the wizard Salvat?” Aimma asked.

Odder bent down to Finkle, straightened his fez, and gave him a light slap on his face. “Good to see you, my friend.” He looked up at Aimma. “Yes, and I defeated the final demon.”

“What?” they both said in unison.

Corbin, who stood over Serra and Karzan by the fire, whistled.

“Well come tell us all about it,” said Karzan.

As Odder walked over, he noticed individual flames in the campfire dancing as if each spark had the breath of life placed into them. He glanced at the trees. The colors appeared crisp, bright, and deep. He felt what he saw was only a small part of the trees actual existence. Like looking at the tip of an iceberg. The wind drifted with the clouds in harmony as the sky kept watch.

Even the golden golem blazed with an intense magic aura. “Salvat was right,” he whispered, holding back his excitement. “I do see the world differently. Like a blind elf given the miracle of sight.”

He sat on the ground next to Serra and placed his palms on the dirt.

“What are ya doing, laddy,” asked Finkle.

“He’s feeling the magic vibration of the land,” Serra said. “Let him be.”

Not only could he feel the land, he felt the air, and every living thing nearby. He looked into the woods and spotted magical creatures moving between the branches. Creatures hidden to a vekart.

“It’s incredible,” Odder said, his eyes bright with wonderment.

“I suppose we do take magic for granted.” Finkle pushed a log next to Odder and took a seat.

Odder told everyone about his meeting with the wizard Salvat, the many demons trapped in Salvat’s looking glasses, and his battle with Formeteu.

Finkle sat with his mouth open the entire time, while Aimma, occasionally, hid behind her hands.

“And the spirit of the Maha’De saved you?” Serra asked.

Odder and lifted his chin. “Yes.”

“Let me see your markings lad.” Karzan turned Odder’s arm in various positions. “The poison has not receded.” He frowned. “Did Salvat tell you the poison is demon blood?”

Odder shrugged. “Yes, but how did you know?”

“I suspected,” said Karzan.

“Impossible,” refuted Serra.

“Why?” asked Odder shaking his head.

“Demons exist in a spiritual realm while we live in a material world,” she explained. “They can influence our decisions, plant evil ideas, and even possess willing hosts, but to be present in a physical form – well I thought that to be impossible.”

“He said if I enter the portal, I’ll create a bridge for the demons to enter our world.”

“That’s a scary thought,” said Aimma.

“Indeed,” Finkle said.

Serra stood and walked over to Odder. She bent down in front of him and drove her dagger into the ground. “Then we can’t let that happen. If you can learn spells and wield magic as fast as the wizard said you can, then we need to start teaching you some powerful spells.”

Finkle leaned into Aimma and whispered, “Oh she’s good.”

“I’m ready,” said Odder, “but there’s one other thing Salvat told me. The location of the Maha’De.”

Karzan moved to the edge of his log. “Where is it, lad.”

“Elestus, somewhere. Salvat said the sword is hidden in plain sight.”

“I don’t remember seeing a sword on display except in the castle,” said Aimma.

“Hmm… how about you Finkle?” Odder asked. “You know the Elestus township layout better than any of us.”

Finkle scratched at his facial peach fuzz. “True Odder, true.” He scratched under his chin, then pointed his finger in the air. “There are no swords in plain sight.”

Everyone sank in their seat.

“That’s not entirely true,” said Serra.

“Yes, Serra,” said Karzan. “Tell us what you know.”

She picked up a pile of dirt in one hand and cleared the ground with the other. She let out some of the sand which poured into the form of the Elestus castle. “Here is the main castle.” She poured in two other areas. “This is the dragon tree, and this is the market.”

“So, where is it?” questioned Finkle.

She grabbed more dirt and poured it into a pile that turned into the shape of a statue.

Odder’s forehead wrinkled as he dropped his brows. “The statue of Lazden?”

“It’s stone,” said Finkle. “It must be somewhere else.”

Odder recalled the intense pain he felt in his forearm when he stood at the base of the statue looking up at Lazden. “No… no that’s it.”

“Are you sure, lad?” asked Karzan.

“Yes, I’m sure of it.”

“Alright, if that’s it then how do we get to it?” asked Finkle. “I’m sure the township is crawling with goblins and maybe the shadow reapers.”

Aimma shook her head. “This is a problem.”

“Any ideas?” asked Odder.

Finkle spoke up. “There are underground passages throughout the city, but they’re tiny gnome size.”

“Perhaps we can use a shrinking spell to reduce our size,” said Aimma.

“It’s too dangerous,” said Serra. “The spell will make us weak. We’ll be captured or killed without effort.”

“I don’t see any other way,” said Finkle.

“I have a portal point in the alley behind the market. We make our way to the statue from there.”

“Too far and too risky,” said Karzan. “You won’t make it before being detected.

The group went silent pondering any other ideas.

“Fairies,” said Corbin.

Everyone turned, wide-eyed, and puzzled.

“Fairies are passive,” said Aimma. “You’ll never find one. They hide deep in the woods.”

“Corbin’s a genius.” Serra marked a point on the dirt map in the alley. “My portal bag is made from fairy magic, and I can use it to detect a nearby fairy like a beacon.” She drew a line from the alley to the statue. “If we can get a fairy to stand near the statue, the portal bag can teleport us to that area.”

“Nice plan but where are we going to find a fairy not to mention one that will help us?” questioned Aimma.

“Leave that to me,” said Karzan. He turned to Serra and Corbin. “Serra guard Odder with your life, and Corbin you’ll have to come with me.”

“Where are you going?” asked Serra.

“To connect with an old friend.”

“Then we should come too.”

“The journey’s too dangerous. Meet me at the hollow tree this same hour tomorrow.”

“Maybe I should go with you then,” said Odder.

“Not a good idea,” answered Karzan. “You’ll have a day to learn as much as you can about magic.”

“We’ll teach him good wizard,” said Finkle, tipping his hat.

They walked with Karzan and Corbin to the rooted trail. He gripped Odder at his shoulders and nodded. “Remember not to overexert yourself, or you’ll have a long recovery, and we don’t have time for that.”

Karzan motioned to Corbin who picked him up and placed the wizard on his shoulder. Then together they traveled north down the path.

“So what spells should we start with first?” Finkle asked.

Serra glanced at Aimma. “Let me guess.”

Aimma walked up and faced Serra. “I don’t like you.”

Odder sprang between them. “You two need to figure out how to get along.” He pushed them apart. “We are dealing with bigger issues than your catty distrust for each other.”

A gust of wind circled the group. A large leaf struck Odder’s face. He peeled it off and watched it fly into newly formed storm clouds. Everyone looked around. The clouds blocked the sunlight from casting shadows.

“Somethings wrong,” said Finkle, holding his fez, its tassel beating against his face.

Serra ripped out her daggers. “Shadow reapers. I can feel them. Run!”

“Where to?” asked Aimma.

Odder searched. “Back to Salvat’s gate.”

“Let’s go,” said Serra.

They ran to the gate. Their backs pushed against the cold metal and thorny hedge.

The trees ruffled ahead of them, then split apart. Two shadow figures emerged, their ghostly cloaks danced around their skeletal frame. Their glowing yellow eyes fixed on Odder.

“Serra get us out of here,” Odder said, his voice intense.

The reapers charged.

Serra put away her daggers. “Aimma and Finkle, I need time to open a portal.”

Finkle lifted his hands and chanted. The ground, in front of them rumbled then elevated forming a wall, but the dirt turned a bright orange and exploded. The reapers flew through the opening.

Aimma invoked a spell and motioned with her hands toward the creatures. Hundreds of vines wrapped around them and threw them to the ground.

Serra placed her satchel on the floor and unbuckled the flap.

The reapers struggled and screeched, ripping the strands one by one, but never breaking eye contact with Odder.

Aimma grunted, her body trembling. “I can’t hold them for long.”

“Serra?” Odder questioned. He felt their heavy stare and the beating of their black hearts. “We need to go now.”

The reapers tore free of the vines and charged again. Aimma and Finkle fired magic energy in an attempt to slow them down.

Serra finally finished the spell and a portal formed. “We’re not going to make it Odder. You have to jump, go.”

“What? No!”

The shadow reapers clawed and fought against the magic energy.

“Go Odder,” Finkle bellowed. “We can’t hold them.”

“I am not leaving!” He pressed against the gate and watched the reapers inch closer. Odder heard the sudden sound of rusty metal parting. He fell, landing on his back.