Rise of the DarkWalker: The Chronicles of Carter Blake, Book II

Dearbhaile stared at her sister. “What do ye mean?”

“Blood magic has devastating repercussions.”

“Ye use it.”

“Yes, and I was banished from our village.”

“What do ye mean, ‘banished?’”

“Mam and da said ye’d run away because ye did nae want tae be Keeper.”

Líadan sighed. “Of course they did.” She sat with folded legs next to the fire, and patted the floor next to her as she smirked. “I wonder how they would react to learning you know Blood Magic.”

“Tha same, I’d wager.” Dearbhaile sat next to her sister. “A good question for them be how they’d react knowin’ it does nae have to be a pledge tae evil bein’s.”

Líadan finished her own drink. “They already know about that part. It’s the act of using our blood to power magic they have issue with.”

“I always be told blood magic required pledgin’ oneself tae an evil outsider.”

The elder sister raised her eyebrows. “You pledged yourself to evil?”

“Nae!” Dearbhaile stood in a rush. “I learned I be able to do blood magic by pledging mahsel’ tae tha Walker O’ Worlds.”

“Who is the Walker of Worlds?”

“He be…” Dearbhaile trailed off as she thought. “He’d actually be a man now.”

“Now?”

“Aye. I met him as a lad o’ fourteen.”

“He’s now grown?”

“If he follows the patterns of humans from our world.”

Líadan raised her hand. “Wait. What does that mean?”

“He be from another world. One where all this be a game.”

The elder Renline scowled. “Our lives are a game to him?”

“Nay, sister. Our world touches his through the medium of a game.” Dearbhaile smiled. “To be fair, I had tha’ same reaction ye did when he firs’ told me of it.” She stood. “May we catch up as we search out me Rishka? It be tae long since I’ve seen him.”

Líadan rose with a nod and lead them outside. “So, you actually fell in love with Corath? Surprising.”

“Nay, it be another.” Dearbhaile paused from walking down the path. “How do ye know about Corath?”

The dark-haired elf ruffled her sister’s hair. “As if I wouldn’t keep an eye on my sister? Just because I was an outcast, didn’t mean I stopped loving you.”

“Ye say ‘Banished,’ an’ ‘Outcast,’ but ye’ve nae explained it. Why were ye exiled?”

“For practicing Blood Magic.”

Dearbhaile took her sister’s hand as she resumed walking. “What happened?”

“Do you remember how I was always playing with my magic?”

“Aye. Ye were fascinated with it.”

“Of course I was. Unlike Father, and the rest of our clan, I didn’t see it as something from Kellün to simply use. I felt it was a gift to be mastered. Every time I conjured a flame in my hand at the dinner table – which you would giggle over – I wanted it to do something different.” A single crackling flame appeared in the middle of her upturned palm. “I would try to make it split in two.” The flame parted down the middle with a small whoosh, and she held two columns of fire. “Or dance on my fingers.” The flare divided again and rolled out to each of her fingertips where they moved to unheard music. She beamed at Dearbhaile’s clapping.

“One day, in the Wilds, I tried to get the fire to wrap around me like a suit of armor.” An instant later, and Líadan was so wreathed. “I was attacked by a L’Arc servant of Lucien. My flames did nothing to him. He easily overpowered me and decided to torture me for fun. Covered in blood, I suffered the worst pain in my entire life when he sliced off my right breast.”

Dearbhaile peered at her sisters top which clearly showed the cleavage of two healthy breasts. “Ye have two, though.”

Another smile. “Yes. It was something I learned how to fix many years later.” Her smile faded. “I scream in agony as the demon’s claw rips through the skin at the base of my breast. Blood gushes, hot and slick from the wound and drips from the severed flesh. He grins at his prize. Rage overpowers the pain as cold blooms inside me. I reach up and tear away my restraints. The L’Arc’s smile vanishes as he draws his serrated blade and cuts at me. I grip the jagged metal, snapping it. More blood flows from my hurt hand, but I ignore it. My fury is reserved for the demon. I slap both hands to the sides of his head and power explodes from my palms. The demon’s head vanishes in a black ichor mist.” Dearbhaile gasped and gripped her sister’s hand tighter. Líadan shook her head and seemed to come out of the trance. “Sorry about that, irmãzinha.”

“Ye remember, too.” Dearbhaile hugged her sister. “I be sorry ye suffered through that.”

“Yeah, me too.” She chuckled. “Mother and Father knew what happened as soon as they found me and saw the demon’s remains. My newly discovered power had sealed my wounds, but left me unconscious. Later, I was lectured on the evils of Blood magic and forbade to use it ever again.”

“Somethin’ tell me ye did nae listen.”

“Of course not. You saw how I made regular magic bend to my will. Naturally, I had to discover if I could make this new power obey as well.” She raised her top, revealing her firm and whole breasts to her sister. “As you see, I did.”

“What lead to yer banishment?”

The smile left Líadan’s face. “I’d rather not think about it, Dearbhaile.”

“Alright.”

They walked in silence for a bit. Their feet caused twigs to crunch and leaves to dance in from of them. Birds sang as a breeze brought the scent of pine to them.

“Oh, gods, what is that stench?”

“We be near a farm. That be cow shite ye smell.”

“I’ve not smelled anything so foul before.”

“Ye be crazy. It be delightful.” She pointed. “Look! Ye can see the mill wheel in the river.”

Líadan cast her gaze in the direction her sister indicated, but didn’t know what she was supposed to find. Half of a bridge went into the water, next to it had to have been a boat, but it seemed too tiny. Boulders were scattered as if a wandering giant had dropped them from her pockets. An endless field of towering green danced on the breeze behind a slat-railed fence. On the other side was a bunch of cows with long horns. Someone wandered along them.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, irmãzinha.”

Dearbhaile tapped her shoulder and pointed again. “Next to the tower, irmá máis vella.”

She spotted the immense wooden wheel being turned by the rushing current of the river. “What’s that for?”

“It turns a huge grindstone which crushes the wheat, and sometimes corn, to make flour for your bread.”

“Wow.” She gave her sister an admiring look. “How do you know this stuff?”

“From me time with tha Vaush-Tauric. I learned a great deal while with her.” Dearbhaile raised her eyebrows. “How do ye not know it? Do ye not live in that cottage I found ye in?”

“That’s recent. Before, I’d spent most of my time in cities, studying at one college or another.”

“How far have ye pushed yer magic?”

“You know how you’re able to use Blood Magic differently than your regular magic?”

“Aye. With nay words or reversin’ them.”

“I’m able to do that with all my magic.”

“How?” She grabbed Líadan’s shoulders. “Will ye show me?”

Her sister chuckled. “Of course I will, irmãzinha.”

###

A titanic, muscular, golden skinned bald man appeared in the middle of the frozen battlefield. Easily thirty feet tall, he glanced around until he spotted Carter and strode over. He shrank with every step until he faced the Walker and was only a foot taller.

“Kronos. What brings the Titan of Time to the Realm?”

“You do. You’re not supposed to cast localized Time Freeze spells.”

Carter looked around at the frozen battle. “Is that what this is?”

The titan slapped himself on the forehead. “Damn it. Too soon.” He sighed as he dropped his hand. “You’re older, but not yet old enough.”

“What?” Carter shook his head, exasperated. “You’re still as confusing as you were when I saw you six years ago.”

Kronos snorted. “And you’re still as untrained as you were then.”

Carter looked at him, eyes narrowed, corners of his mouth turned down and his arms folded. After a few seconds, he said, “And who would train me? No one wants to even tell me what I am.”

Kronos laced his fingers together with the index fingers raised and brought them up to his face so his fingers crossed his lips. He stared off into the distance and then took a deep breath. “Seek out your grandfather. He’s somewhere here in the Realm.” Thunder rolled across the clear sky. He turned his gaze upward. “I know. Shut up.”

Carter raised his right eyebrow. “Will you tell me where?”

“I’m not allowed.”

“What was that comment you directed to the sky?”

“Not important.” He reached out and placed his hand on Carter’s shoulder. “I have faith in you.”

“Thank you, I guess.”

Kronos smiled. “So much I’m going to allow you to figure out how to restart time here.”

“What?” Carter straightened. “I can’t do that.”

A shrug was the only response he got before the Titan of Time vanished.

“Sonuvabitch.”