NORTHERN FURY

Jason Grekor

A WAVE OF dizziness washed over me, the world tilting precariously. The remnants of the fall and the mana exhaustion left me disoriented. I blinked, trying to clear my vision, but the darkness was absolute, a suffocating blanket. My heart pounded in my chest, a drumbeat against the oppressive silence. I tried to channel my essence, to replenish my depleted reserves, but the air was stagnant, devoid of life-giving particles. I seemed to be trapped inside some kind of glass enclosure.

The clapping and laughter had ceased, leaving an echoing silence that pressed in on me, more unsettling than any noise. Before me stood a figure, his eyes, like chips of obsidian, blazing with crimson flames.

He stepped forward, revealing a face etched with cruel amusement. Kirien Blaze was a spectacle of unhinged extravagance. His doublet, a patchwork of mismatched fabrics in clashing colors- crimson velvet, iridescent snakeskin, and a swathe of fabric that shimmered with an unnatural, oily sheen-hung loosely on his gaunt frame. A multitude of pouches and vials, some stained with what looked suspiciously like blood, bulged from his belt, clinking ominously with every movement. One of his skeletal fingers was adorned with a ring crafted from a creature's skull, its empty sockets staring accusingly.

A cruel smile twisted his lips, revealing a flash of teeth that seemed too sharp, too eager.

"Well, well, well," he purred, his voice a silken rasp that sent shivers down my spine. "It seems my little trap has caught something quite unexpected."

I struggled to my feet, my body protesting with aches and stiffness. "Kirien Blaze," I said, my voice firm despite the throbbing in my head.

"Ah, so the esteemed knight knows my name," he chuckled, taking a step closer. His pale face was gaunt, but his hand was even more disturbing. It was withered and scarred, as if his arm had been burned from the inside. "An honor, I'm sure."

"I'm not here to exchange pleasantries," I growled, my hand clutching my sword tightly. "Where am I? What is this place? "

"Such impatience," Kirien chided, his voice dripping with mock sympathy. "But understandable, given your... predicament." He gestured around the cavern with a flourish.

"Welcome to my humble abode, Ser Grekor. Or perhaps I should say, my Prison Lab."

My eyes darted around, taking in the rough-hewn walls and the oppressive darkness. A sense of foreboding settled over me, heavy and suffocating.

"Coward! You think trapping me here will save you?" I warned, my voice echoing off the glass walls. "What do you want?"

"How rude," Kirien sighed, his voice a theatrical lament. "So unlike the charming young merchant who graced my beast shop." His smile widened, a predator savoring its prey. "But to answer your question, esteemed knight, I believe you have something that belongs to me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I lied, trying to buy myself some time.

"Don't play coy with me, knight," Kirien snarled, his voice losing its playful edge. "I know you have the Celeste. The hybrid. Otherwise you won't play fool with the beastkeeper and followed him here."

"I don't know anything, whatever you are talking about," I insisted, maintaining my facade of ignorance.

Kirien's eyes narrowed, and the flame in his hand flickered, casting an infernal glow across his face. "Very well," he said, his voice dangerously low. "We'll do this the hard way."

He raised his burnt hand and pulled a lever beside him, a devilish smirk twisting his lips.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a grinding groan, the ceiling above me opened, and a creature dropped into the enclosure. It was the same demon-like creature I had seen in the first room-black scales, leathery wings, and wickedly curved horns.

"Nature is flawed," Kirien's voice echoed from beyond the glass. "I am merely... correcting its mistakes."

The creature hit the ground with a thud and sprang towards me, a horrifying amalgamation of demon and beast. Its eyes burned with a malevolent red light. Its claws, tipped with obsidian, raked the air. Its body glowed with black fire.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" Kirien's voice dripped with pride. "A devil in the flesh, infused with the very essence of the Daeva, the blood demon." He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

The creature snarled, its breath a wave of fetid heat, like rotting meat left in the sun. It lunged. I ducked and weaved, fear jolting through me. Think, Jason, think! It was unlike anything I had ever faced. It was fast, agile, and utterly relentless, its movements a blur of scales and claws. It attacked again, and I reflexively slashed my sword towards it. But I was too slow. The creature dodged with unnatural speed, its claws a blur of obsidian, sinking its teeth into my wrist. A searing pain shot up my arm, and I cried out, instinctively punching it with my other hand. It released my wrist, and blood spurted from the wound, warm and sticky on my skin. My sword hand! If I can't- I fumbled for a cloth, desperately trying to stem the bleeding.

Kirien chuckled, a low, cruel sound that echoed in the enclosed space. "It seems my creation has you at a disadvantage, knight," he observed, taking a step closer to the enclosure.

"But it is still far from perfect. It is weak," Kirien continued, his voice laced with a hint of disdain. The creature lunged again, its claws tearing at my clothes, leaving bloody trails across my skin. I backed away, my boots scraping against the smooth glass floor, desperately trying to create some distance, but the confines of the glass enclosure offered no escape.

"However, Celeste," Kirien murmured, his eyes gleaming with a disturbing light, "she was perfect." A low growl escaped the creature's throat, and it lunged again, its claws tearing at my clothes, leaving bloody trails across my skin. I backed away, desperately trying to create some distance, but the confines of the glass enclosure offered no escape. "The first beast I created that could wield the Plasma element. A masterpiece!" Kirien continued, oblivious to my struggle. "So much more powerful, so much more perfect than anything nature could ever conceive. I, alone, have the vision to transcend those limitations. I will get her, she's my possession."

I gritted my teeth, channeling the last dregs of my essence into a desperate attack. A sharp pain throbbed in my crown, and each breath felt like a struggle. My vision swam, and black spots danced before my eyes. My fist connected with the creature's jaw, sending it reeling backward. It shook its head, a guttural roar ripping from its throat, and charged again.

"Give up, Jason! Break the seal!" the voice urged, a dark whisper in my mind. "You can't win without it!" My vision blurred, blood pounded in my ears. The power was there, waiting to be unleashed, but I couldn't. I wouldn't become something monstrous, something everyone would despise.

I staggered back, barely evading the creature's strike. Its claws tore through my sleeve, leaving a trail of fire across my skin. The pain was blinding, sending shockwaves through my body. I stumbled, desperately trying to regain my footing, but it was too late. The creature was upon me again, its claws aimed at my throat.

"Disappointing," Kirien sneered, his eyes alight with cruel amusement. "I expected more of a fight." He gestured towards the creature, a silent order to end my life. "It seems even the bravest knight can be broken."

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for oblivion. Would I see my mother again in the afterlife? The thought brought a flicker of comfort, but it was quickly overshadowed by despair. Had I made the wrong choice? Should I have unleashed the power within me, even if it meant becoming a monster? It was too late now. I didn't have an ounce of energy to do anything.

Suddenly, a blinding flash of light filled the arena, followed by the shattering of glass and a wave of intense heat that washed over me. I opened my eyes to see a man, clad in gleaming silver armor, striding into the enclosure. His sword arced through the air, leaving a trail of shimmering essence in its wake, and struck the creature with a resounding clang that echoed off the cavern walls. The creature reared back, letting out a guttural screech that echoed through the cavern, a gaping wound smoking on its chest. It lunged at the Inquisitor with a desperate swipe of its claws, but the man effortlessly parried the attack, his sword moving with a speed that defied the eye. With a final, decisive blow, he sent the creature crashing to the ground, its black fire extinguished.

Through the haze of pain and exhaustion, I saw the man turn to me. His expression, though serious, held a hint of compassion. "Are you alright, Ser Grekor?" he asked, his voice strong and steady. My eyes fell to his chest, where a pin with a white gem shimmered in the dim light. An Inquisitor! Relief washed over me.

"I'll live," I rasped, fighting back the wave of dizziness that threatened to overwhelm me.

"Good," the Inquisitor said, his voice brooking no argument. "We have much to discuss."

I looked around to see another Inquisitor apprehended Kirien, who snarled and spat, his face contorted with rage. "No! No!" Kirien screamed, struggling in vain against the Inquisitor's grip. "Inquisitors, how dare you invade my lab!" His voice cracked with a mixture of rage and disbelief. He looked at me, his eyes widening in sudden realization. "You… you treacherous cur!" he spat, venom lacing his words. "You brought them here!"

Kirien's outburst was swiftly silenced by the Inquisitor, who tightened his grip and fixed him with a chilling glare. "Silence!" he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument. Then, turning to me, he offered a curt nod. "Ser Grekor," he acknowledged, "your information proved accurate. This is indeed Kirien Blaze, and his… creation," he glanced at the defeated creature, "speaks volumes about his crimes."

I nodded weakly, still struggling to catch my breath. "Thank you," I managed to rasp, my voice hoarse from the fight. "I… I wasn't sure if you would arrive in time."

"Our Slacian branch was already investigating Kirien Blaze," the Inquisitor explained, his gaze sweeping over the shattered remains of the glass enclosure. "Your official letter merely confirmed our suspicions and allowed us to pinpoint his location." He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, a hint of suspicion creeping into his voice. "However," he continued, his tone sharper now, "it remains unclear how you managed to locate this hidden laboratory so quickly."

Dozens of Inquisitors filled the cavern now, their presence a stark contrast to the darkness that had reigned just moments before. A healer worked beside me, mending my wounds with practiced ease. My strength was slowly returning. "Just a bit of luck, really," I said with a shrug, trying to downplay my part.

"Perhaps," the Inquisitor replied, his tone noncommittal. He turned his attention to the other Inquisitors, his voice sharp and authoritative as he barked orders for securing the lab and gathering evidence. Then, he looked back at me, his expression unreadable, a mask of duty and suspicion. Clearly, he wasn't entirely convinced by my vague explanation.

Just then, a familiar figure rushed towards me, his face etched with concern. "Grekor!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with relief. "By the gods, you're alive! I feared the worst when we heard—" He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening in recognition. "Soriah?" I said, surprise and warmth flooding through me. It was my old friend from Slacia, the one who had joined the Inquisitors. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same," Soriah retorted, a grin spreading across his face. "Though I must say, your recklessness nearly got you killed."

"Curse the demon," I chuckled, "but I managed to survive." Soriah and I had been close for years, back when he was still an Inquisitor in the Slacian branch. I had no idea he'd been transferred to Redkon.

"I was shocked to find your letter here," Soriah admitted, shaking his head. "To be honest, it was a bit embarrassing that you found that madman before we did." He chuckled, then his expression turned serious. "Anyway, we'll take it from here. You need to rest."

*****

The morning dawned quiet and peaceful in the village of Cronzar. A soft mist clung to the rolling hills, and the air was crisp with the promise of a new day. As I prepared my horse for the journey ahead, the events of the previous night seemed like a distant nightmare. I had stared death in the face, but now, thanks to the skilled Inquisitor healers, my wounds were mended, and my strength had returned.

The news from Soriah was grim. The Inquisitors had delved deeper into the lab, uncovering the full extent of Kirien Blaze's depravity. Children, mere babes, had been held captive, subjected to tortures I could scarcely imagine. The thought of it sent a wave of nausea through me, a cold dread gripping my heart.

The beastkeeper and most of Kirien's accomplices were now in custody, but the investigation was far from over. According to Soriah, this operation was too vast, too well-funded for one man to orchestrate alone. There was someone else involved, a shadowy figure with deep pockets and a cruel heart.

Baron Ashron, thankfully, recognized the gravity of the situation and had granted the Inquisitors full authority to pursue this new lead.

I made the difficult decision not to return to Redkon. The thought of going back felt like regression, and I couldn't bear to see Diana knowing I would be leaving her again, possibly forever. Instead, I penned a letter filled with hope and encouragement. I shared the possibility of the cub being a Celeste, a legendary creature, hoping this news would bring her some solace and a sense of security. I left them in the capable hands of Soriah and the God's Justice, trusting in their ability to keep them safe.

With a final glance back at the village, I urged my horse forward, heading north towards the Northern Garrison.