Spirit Blood: Genesis of War

Almost two weeks passed after Ben’s battle with Deemus, when finally he seemed to be recovering from his head injury. The group had in that time researched all they could find out about the Serpith. Their new friend, Moira filled them in as to how she ventured into Fringe and found herself a captive of the magi.

Moira was a graduate of the Scholars Guild in Roog’s Port City and dedicated her life to the study of Manna after she discovered how to use gifts she’d had since childhood, but never had a direct control over. With these superb powers she started a pilgrimage to find the ancient ruins of the city of Xythan. Her travels and studies brought her to the town of Fringe where it was legend that the lost city of VonTume, or commonly titled Treasure City, resided. She believed it to be the first steps to finding Xythan. It was after three days of investigating around the mines and in town that she was eventually captured by the demon magi. The next three days she was kept drugged and restrained in the deep caves until they finally decided to sacrifice her to their god.

Terrell and Jason found all her belongings and research hidden away in the old man’s office back at the motel the day after Ben defeated him. Now with only their research, and the long wait for Ben to wake out of his coma to fill their time, the group discussed their possible plans of leaving for Karza as soon as Ben was recovered and able to travel. Moira had, in the meantime, befriended the group.

“I wish to help you take the children to Karza,” she remarked to Terrell and Jason one day as they were discussing Ben’s health.

“Karza? But I thought you were searching for the lost city,” Jason looked up from his conversation with Terrell to comment.

“I am, and that path is still before me, but I do believe my powers can be of service to you. Besides, I’ve grown to love Amon and TaeAnne. I couldn’t live with myself if harm was to befall them and I’d done nothing to help. Please, allow me to come with you when you are able to leave,” Moira humbly asked of her new friends.

Now, having everything prepared to leave, the only thing keeping them behind was their sick friend. Each day they took turns trying to nurse him back to health. Ben never woke or opened his eyes in that time, but would persistently talk in his sleep of demon rulers and one lone man falling as a star.

Today was like any other day until a loud scream bellowed down the stairs from Ben’s room. Everyone immediately rushed up the stairs, Jason in the lead, and burst through the door. There they saw Ben sitting straight up in his bed covered in perspiration wildly breathing in gasps.

“Ben, Ben calm down,” Lockefren spoke coming to Ben’s aid and lowering him back down. “We’re all here.”

Weakly Ben smiled hearing the soothing voice of his dear friend. He was relieved to be out of the consuming fire in his dream and back amongst his friends.

“Did the woman get out?” Ben abruptly asked with his eyes closed.

“Yes, Moira is safe and here with us,” Lockefren answered as she smoothed his tousled hair.

Hearing this, Ben fell comfortably asleep and dreamed of much more pleasant things than battle.

Now that Ben was out of his coma and rapidly recovering, Jason, Amon and TaeAnne made preparations to leave as soon as possible. There hadn’t been a single Serpith attack on the town since they ventured into the mines, however Terrell was not certain they’d seen the last of its tyranny. During this time Albert fluttered around the house giddy with excitement for such long-term guests and for the peace of scream-less nights. The only times Albert seemed out of sorts was whenever Jason spoke of their leaving. Openly he and Terrell frequently discussed the possibility of Jason taking the children alone with Moira to Karza and having Lockefren, Ben and himself follow behind as soon as Ben was fully recovered. Albert frantically urged Jason to not be so quick to leave and that he and the children would be much safer staying here until they could all leave together. However, he constantly, yet playfully, urged Moira that she should pack and be on her way while it was still safe.

At first it seemed like playful flirting, which made Moira blush, but everyday his urging for her to leave seemed more and more desperate and coercing. There was something in Albert’s eyes as of late that didn’t look like joking either; he instead looked demanding. One day she commented to Albert how she could have sworn she knew him from somewhere, but couldn’t place where or when that would have been. He became so furious insisting that was impossible since he’d never left Fringe, or the confines of his home for that matter that she chalked it up to coincidence and never brought it up again. However, the whole incident caused her to watch her back a bit more closely when dealing with Albert.

Since Ben had come out of his coma Lockefren never left his side. She was overcome with guilt for having left him in the cave despite his urging her to do so. Daily he tried to find some private time away from her questioning and overprotective eyes, but he couldn’t hide from her.

Terrell continued to dwell in the strange disappearance of the Serpith questioning Ben, Moira and Lockefren unrelentingly about the events that happened in the mines. He had little desire to leave Fringe until answers were found out concerning the whereabouts and health of the creature.

“If you want to sit tight and wait for me to come back Terrell, then be my guest, but I have to get these kids out of here and safely to Karza!” Jason spouted off one day after Terrell had begun his line of questions again suggesting that they all wait a bit longer before leaving. “We’ve been here too long as it is.”

“Wasn’t it you that stated you were not leaving until either it or you were dead?” Terrell calmly answered back.

“Yes, it was and I’m willing to come back and make good what I said, but I’m taking the kids to Karza first. I would prefer we all leave at the same time, however, but with or without you, we are leaving,” Jason defended himself to Terrell.

“Jason, if this creature is left to do whatever it wishes then we may as well allow all the creatures of Great Chaos to run amok. Have you never considered that maybe the creature is just waiting for us to leave before ravishing on the town again?” Terrell asked passionately and with great wisdom.

“I cannot argue with you Terrell, you will be able to overcome all of my objections, but the children and I are leaving tomorrow regardless. I hope that either you will meet us in Karza when you are done here or you will still be here and willing to allow me to help you once I’ve secured the children’s safety.” Walking off, Jason turned around to finish his thought, “Your help is needed in more places than here my friend.”

When Terrell did not comment, Jason turned away and led the two siblings off to their beds.

Night fell on the town of Fringe and the Shroud Mist followed it. The Mist blanketed the town like a veil of nightmares. However, it carried with it more than just the Serpith. Again, all was black and foreboding in the Mist except, now, nightmarish wraiths and poltergeists could be seen swirling in the air like vultures waiting for the perfect time to feed. Horrible skull like faces made up ghastly clouds in the sky with shrieks of dreadful nature filling the ears of the population. It felt as if the end had come for them all and no mercy was to be shown.

The penetrating echo of screams from town kept the mansion on the hill awake, yet immune to the turmoil happening just a short distance away. The Mist lingered on for what seemed to be an eternity concealing even the day, as the sun never appeared to rise. Jason sat with the two children packed and ready to leave, but the Mist never receded.

“I don’t get it. Is it still night or what?” Jason asked impatiently.

Terrell stepped out onto the porch of the mansion but couldn’t see anything past the gates. Oddly, even with the absence of the Mist on the actual mansion grounds it was impossible to tell whether it was night or day. Closing his eyes and breathing deeply, Terrell began to search the atmosphere using his Elvin senses. After a short time Terrell walked back into the house where Jason stood waiting anxiously for any word from him.

“It’s mid-morning, almost noon. The Mist has yet to dissipate even the slightest since we first noticed it last night. I wasn’t sure at first, but I could hear birds flying over head. By their song I do not believe they were nocturnal,” Terrell solemnly stated.

“The Mist has never lasted this long! What’s going on?” Jason asked clearly disturbed by Terrell’s news.

“Yes, it never lasted this long before. Not until you decided you and the children were definitely leaving,” Terrell said matter-of-factly.

Looking over at Albert with a suspicious glare, Jason announced, “That’s true. But who could control such an evil and mysterious thing as the Mist?”

Albert looked away from Jason’s cold distrustful gaze and stared at the large portrait of Roy Fringe while drumming his fingers across the fireplace mantle it hung over.

After a noticeable pause Albert finally stated, “Well, I guess there is no reason to hide it from you now.”

Jason took one step closer to Albert while placing his hand upon his sword. Both he and Terrell were watching Albert closely waiting for what he was about to reveal.

“It is I who controls the Mist and, in fact, everything in it,” Albert coolly and methodically revealed before smiling at Jason and Terrell.

Trying to keep Jason calm, Terrell spoke quickly, “How do you have such magic?”

“Oh, I’ve had it since I was a young child,” Albert answered condescendingly. “You see, I was here in this very town before it was the troubled and secluded town of Fringe. I’m sorry, I guess you caught me in another lie. ” With his tone growing angry and his face more menacing, Albert continued, “This is the very resting ground of the great city of VonTume. I lived there decades before the eldest of your Elvin kind were even born.”

Albert turned to face the two who had been joined by the children, the women and Ben. As he spoke his build slowly began to grow in muscle mass and his hair to grow longer while the whole of his eyes turned blood red.

“The legends you’ve probably heard about VonTume are very, very real. It was once protected by a great dragon, who has since died, but not before giving birth to a beautiful and powerful creature. Yes, my friends, the Serpith is its lovely offspring,” Albert shouted before laughing a wild laugh of menacing victory.

Quickly the women shuffled the children towards the front door while Terrell and Ben slowly backed away from Albert ready to draw their weapons at any given moment. Jason stood his ground wanting to give the children time to get away.

“You can’t run away! I control the Serpith and the Mist! You have lost and now you are all mine to do with as I like!” Albert hissed.

“Why did you do this?” Jason roared at Albert.

Like a wild animal eyeing his prey, Albert answered, “Because, how else is my master to get these children when all his other servants have foolishly lost them time and time again?”

Sneering, Jason lifted his sword and charged at Albert in a rage. In a blink of an eye, however, Albert vanished from where he stood and reappeared across the room several paces away from Jason and the others.

“I have more power than you think, Knight!” Albert yelled from across the room.

“Jason!” Terrell yelled out.

Both Albert and Jason turned their attention to the front door to see that everyone, including Terrell, had left the mansion and was headed down to the end of the gate. Laughing menacingly, Albert vanished again and reappeared directly behind his prey having fun at running madly behind them. Jason took off to follow him before he could reach the others, but the front door slammed shut just as he reached it. With all his might he couldn’t get the door to budge. Frantically he searched for any other means of getting out of the house.

When the group reached the gate it didn’t open automatically as usual. Terrell turned around to face off with Albert so the others could try and find a way of escape, but the person he had seen standing inside the house had incredibly transformed into a seven foot, four hundred pound creature of dark gray scaly skin, long claw like fingers and toes and hair down to his thighs flailing in the wind as black as the Shroud Mist itself.

“If you want them Albert you’ll have to come through me first,” Terrell yelled out hoping to delay the creature long enough for the others to get out.

Insulted, Albert stopped running and soberly walked towards Terrell.

“I am not Albert you fool! I am Carnivous!” He yelled in an inhuman and demonic voice.

Carnivous lunged at Terrell quicker than his size would suggest he could move and tried to strike out at him with his claws. One swipe caught Terrell across his chest knocking him back several feet. He clutched his chest in pain as the wound burned his skin. Looking down, expecting to see blood flowing from his chest, Terrell was disgusted to find four cauterized inflictions swollen and filling with puss. Terrell managed to crawl his way to his knees when Carnivous pounced on him like a cat and knocking him onto his back. Quickly Terrell grabbed the creature’s wrists and kept his knees up trying to prevent him from using his clawed feet as well as his hands to inflict more damage. Between the wound and the mere strength of Carnivous, Terrell was having a hard time preventing his opponent from cutting him.

“You are mine now, Elf!” Carnivous hissed coolly in Terrell’s face when he felt the elf’s strength giving.

The sound of arrows hitting a shield rang out before Carnivous shot up writhing in pain and anger. Terrell looked up at his attacker and saw two arrows piercing his shoulders and suddenly two more that ricocheted off his chest. Using all the strength he still possessed, Terrell rolled over and noticed Benthalas and Lockefren on the outside of the gate drawing another set of arrows back and firing again at Carnivous. He began to crawl his way towards the gate as fast as he could with the excruciating pain increasing with every movement when he felt a powerful clawed hand on his back. Carnivous picked him up from the ground and placed him directly in front of the gate facing his friends on the other side.

“If you want to fire another round, go ahead!” Carnivous challenged the two elves.

Ben and Lockefren stood helplessly trying to think of a plan while watching their friend being used as a shield. Carnivous muttered something under his breath and, with the sound of metal being unsheathed, a glaive of pure darkness formed in his free hand.

“Drop him foul demon!” Jason’s voice boomed like thunder from behind as he slashed the back of Carnivous causing him to drop Terrell and turn his attention to himself. “You want to fight then you’ll fight me!”

Jason’s eyes were filled with aggressive valor and his very presence was challenging enough to keep the demon’s attention on him rather than the injured Terrell. Jason glanced away from the gaze of his opponent to see Terrell being helped through the bars of the gate. He commandingly shook his head at the others as they drew back their arrows. Only once had Lockefren seen this side of Jason and he had almost died then, but she knew there was no need trying to detour him now for it would do them no good. Catching Lockefren’s eyes, Jason nodded once. She knew he meant to stand by his earlier promise that either it or he would die before he would leave this place. Sadly she turned away and swiftly began moving the children down the hill and away from the mansion despite their obvious disapproval.

“Let’s move out! We leave now!” Ben commanded as he picked up Terrell and slung him over his shoulder. “That Serpith is still in town. If we don’t get moving we will be easy targets.”

Amon began to protest to Lockefren, but Moira held him back shaking her head.

“Not this time, my young ruler. The decision has been made. It is hard enough for her to follow it as it is,” she explained calmly and to the point while leading Amon down the hill.

Jason stared up at Carnivous waiting for him to make his move. Carnivous returned the stare waiting for Jason to move first.

“I hate traitors!” Jason said breaking the silence. “They’re lower than slug dung in my opinion!”

Carnivous laughed at Jason’s feeble attempt at making him angry.

“Then don’t hate me. My intention from day one was to bring you here and keep you captive until my master’s arrival.”

Jason grinned slyly, “Your master must have given up on you then. It’s been almost three weeks and he’s never shown his face.”

Carnivous nodded agreeing, “True, but you haven’t gone anywhere either have you? In fact, the Serpith and I are just going to kill you all now anyway, so there is no need to try and keep you here any longer.”

Jason raised his sword in a salute, “Then let us get this over with Beast.”

With a fierce thrust of his spear, Carnivous came down upon Jason, but Jason parried the shot with ease countering it with a downward slash aimed at the creature’s head. However, Carnivous was too quick and blocked the shot with the shaft of his glaive. The air was filled with the unnerving sound of metal hitting metal as the two began to trade strikes, blocks and counterattacks.

A short distance away, the fleeing group could hear the battle cries of their friend and the beast, but couldn’t stop to help. Their mission was to get the children out of Fringe as quickly as possible, but their departure was markedly delayed by the Mist making it impossible to see where they were going. In a single file line holding hands with the person in front of them and behind, Lockefren led the hurried party trying to use her Elvin senses to lead them out of the forest rather than entangle them within the dense brush. All hoped they wouldn’t encounter the Serpith while weakened by their lack of vision.

Terrell had long passed out from the sheer pain of his wound. Moira could be felt moving down the line and behind Ben. She began speaking in the same unknown language she had spoken down in the mines when Ben suddenly felt a surge of energy travel over Terrell’s body as something invisible covered him as the wall had shielded him and Moira against the mage in the chamber.

“Thank you,” was all Ben mumbled before he felt Moira make her way back up the line and in between the children following behind Lockefren.

“You’re quite strong for a mere human,” Carnivous blurted observing Jason’s skill at keeping him at bay.

Jason didn’t speak, but instead used his sword to shove hard against the shaft of Carnivous’ glaive sending him onto his back. Hastily and confused, Carnivous got back to his feet.

“No human is that strong! What are you?” Carnivous demanded.

Jason raised his sword into an attack stance staring down his enemy when, suddenly, the runes of his blade began to illuminate a bright blue while surges of energy flowed over the blade like a tidal wave of power. Automatically Jason’s armor surrounded his body glowing the same brilliant blue as the runes. Carnivous couldn’t understand why, but he was so frightened by what he saw before him that he dropped his weapon and turned to run away from Jason. With a speed that wasn’t his own, Jason took off after the creature and struck him with such a powerful blow on his back, the blade slid easily through the scaly skin separating his body in two.

Instantly the Shroud Mist lifted from the town sending the nightmarish creatures away for good. The severed body disintegrated into ashes and the power, which had come over Jason, left as swiftly as it had come. In amazement Jason looked at his blade covered in orange blood wondering what had just occurred. With no time to think about these things just now, Jason pushed his thoughts far back into his mind as he began running towards the locked gate and ultimately to his friends. Quickly he activated his armor and rammed the gate causing it to crash to the ground before starting down the hill.

Relieved to be able to finally see their surroundings, Lockefren and the rest were able to find their way out of the forest and reach the edge of town. Their only obstacle now was the menacing Serpith waiting for them to come into its grasp. The Serpith rose up on its tail in anger of no longer having the Mist to camouflage. Lockefren fired one arrow at the head of the beast only to see it bounce off as if it were rock. Ben rushed the children, with Terrell slung over his shoulder, off the road into a group of trees for better cover. Placing Terrell on the ground, Ben drew his bow and readied an arrow.

Before rushing off to face the beast, he turned to the children and commanded, “Whatever happens, get out of here as soon as we have that thing distracted!”

Amon and TaeAnne nodded not having the words to argue.

Ben added, “Take Terrell with you and get him to a healer quick!”

Amon looked down at the festering wound clearly revealed on Terrell’s chest. He shuddered thinking how quickly a person’s life could change from just one set of events. Amon and TaeAnne agreed to Ben’s commands before Ben rushed out of the trees to help Lockefren take down the undefeated beast. Hidden in the brush Moira mumbled the odd language again causing an unseen shield to veil her two friends.

Quickly Ben began firing arrows into the chest area of the Serpith while Lockefren concentrated on its head. The exposure to sunlight seemed to weaken and slow the creature, as it was barely able to fight back or attack. Aiming for the same spot that had injured the beast down in the mines, Ben finally sank one arrow out of three into the soft tissue of the Serpith. The creature wailed in pain, but did not fall down as Ben had hoped it would.

“Lockefren! Split my arrow!” Ben yelled as he took another arrow from his quiver.

Without hesitation, Lockefren drew back her bow aiming for the blue feather of Ben’s arrow protruding from the Serpith’s chest. Her arrow hit dead on and the Serpith lurched back into the air in pain. The creature began to spray poisonous acid from its fangs into the air. Everything the acid touched sizzled and burned away. Moira shot out from within the protection of the trees and began muttering again hurling golden bolts of lightening from her fingertips into the Serpith’s mouth.

Jason could hear the monstrous wails of the Serpith and followed it until he caught sight of Amon and TaeAnne struggling to carry Terrell in the opposite direction of the cries. Continuing his run in the direction of the creature he noticed smoke rising in the air. Finally he neared the area where his friends were battling the wailing creature and realized the smoke was coming from within the creature itself as if a fire were burning inside of it. However, the Serpith still stood trying with all its might to defeat the small band of warriors. Behind the creature Jason noticed a small cliff that reached the top of its back. He rushed in a full sprint towards the cliff.

Weakened and in pain, the Serpith used its tail to try and separate the elves who were continuing to pelt arrow after arrow at its chest as Moira’s invisible shield protected them from the spraying poison. Jason reached the cliff and frantically climbed to the top avoiding falling sprays of acid. When he reached the top he took a tremendous leap towards the creature’s back and plunged his sword deep into it. The Serpith stiffened its entire body before falling hard on the ground and throwing Jason off its back in the process. Orange blood spewed out of the wound and the sound of sizzling could be heard as the creature lie in a pool of its own venom.

“Are you ok?” Jason asked of his comrades.

“Yeah, you? You took a pretty big leap there to get on that thing’s back,” Ben said in awe.

“Yeah,” Jason replied breathlessly, “I’m fine. The children have left with Terrell. We need to hurry so we can catch up with them!”