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Authors: Andrew Lashway
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moved.
He broke free of the slackened grip of the Others and tackled Miranda to the ground. She wrestled with him, but he was bigger and simply used that advantage to ward her off for a few moments. True, she could probably punch his skull in, but that was a problem for later.
The problem for now was wrenching the staff loose from her grip and standing to his full height, feeling the dark object pulsate between his fingers. He didn’t look at it, afraid that to do so would forever doom him to keep looking.
“Now, now,” the pretend Priest chuckled, “let’s be reasonable. I’ll make you a deal.”
“I’m afraid it doesn’t matter what you offer,” Thomas replied, “you don’t get this.”
“But what I have to offer is so very tempting. Are you sure you don’t at least want to hear the offer?”
Thomas didn’t even think about. “Sorry. Not interested.”
Before the other could speak or the Others could move, Thomas swung the staff in a high arc and brought it crashing down to the stone floor. With the sound of glass shattering and wood splintering, the staff smashed apart on the ground.
What erupted from the spot was something no one was ready for.
It was the closest thing to nothing Thomas could have imagined. It wasn’t a lack of space, but what was filling the air between Thomas and the door was a cloud of darkness so complete it looked like a gateway to absolutely nothing. But it was something, it was definitely something. Thomas just didn’t have the first clue what it could possibly be. It had shape, but it was formless. It had depth, but it had no size.
What was this thing?
“That wasn’t your most clever move,” the pretend Priest said. “Noble, but unwise. You see, the staff wasn’t containing the dark power of the Priest. It wasn’t containing me evil or my magic.”
“Then…” Thomas didn’t want to ask, but he couldn’t resist, “what was it containing?”
The only response he received was a laugh that froze the veins still valiantly trying to live.
Then a claw made of pure night reached out from the billowing horror and slammed into Thomas so hard he flew all the way back to the throne, crashing into it and toppling the chair. He stayed conscious, but only just. The Others backed away from him, releasing the twins. Miranda, once again in control of herself, sprinted the length of the court and crouched beside him.
The four of them, together, felt the wrath of the incarnate darkness as it descended on them.
Thomas awoke to the smell of fire. It was everywhere, in his clothes, in his hair. It was like he had slept in the fireplace. He tried to move away from the smell, but he realized he couldn’t move. He also couldn’t see, which was rather odd. It wasn’t until he opened them that he realized why his eyes had been shut.
Everything was burning.
The forest was nothing but torched twigs, and the villages were reduced to smoldering ash. Rotting corpses burned to nothing before his eyes, and everywhere he looked there was nothing but black skies and scorched earth.
Then, Gods help him, he heard that familiar scream.
He stood as fast as he was able, hunting for the source. She couldn’t still be here, she was supposed to be safe, they were all supposed to be safe…
But Ms. Anna was standing in a field, surrounded by descending Others.
Thomas didn’t waste time thinking, he just ran. He would set them on fire, cut them up, beat them with his bare hands… he didn’t know. But there was no way they were going to hurt that little girl.
He reached the top of the hill and lunged, his lips drawn back and spit flying from his mouth. His hands were wide open, ready to tear at them.
The nearest Other simply turned around and smacked him in the face with enough force to loosen two teeth and send him spinning to the ground. He smashed into the soot face first, choking on the rancid ash that used to be grass.
The other put one foot on his chest, pinning him to
He broke free of the slackened grip of the Others and tackled Miranda to the ground. She wrestled with him, but he was bigger and simply used that advantage to ward her off for a few moments. True, she could probably punch his skull in, but that was a problem for later.
The problem for now was wrenching the staff loose from her grip and standing to his full height, feeling the dark object pulsate between his fingers. He didn’t look at it, afraid that to do so would forever doom him to keep looking.
“Now, now,” the pretend Priest chuckled, “let’s be reasonable. I’ll make you a deal.”
“I’m afraid it doesn’t matter what you offer,” Thomas replied, “you don’t get this.”
“But what I have to offer is so very tempting. Are you sure you don’t at least want to hear the offer?”
Thomas didn’t even think about. “Sorry. Not interested.”
Before the other could speak or the Others could move, Thomas swung the staff in a high arc and brought it crashing down to the stone floor. With the sound of glass shattering and wood splintering, the staff smashed apart on the ground.
What erupted from the spot was something no one was ready for.
It was the closest thing to nothing Thomas could have imagined. It wasn’t a lack of space, but what was filling the air between Thomas and the door was a cloud of darkness so complete it looked like a gateway to absolutely nothing. But it was something, it was definitely something. Thomas just didn’t have the first clue what it could possibly be. It had shape, but it was formless. It had depth, but it had no size.
What was this thing?
“That wasn’t your most clever move,” the pretend Priest said. “Noble, but unwise. You see, the staff wasn’t containing the dark power of the Priest. It wasn’t containing me evil or my magic.”
“Then…” Thomas didn’t want to ask, but he couldn’t resist, “what was it containing?”
The only response he received was a laugh that froze the veins still valiantly trying to live.
Then a claw made of pure night reached out from the billowing horror and slammed into Thomas so hard he flew all the way back to the throne, crashing into it and toppling the chair. He stayed conscious, but only just. The Others backed away from him, releasing the twins. Miranda, once again in control of herself, sprinted the length of the court and crouched beside him.
The four of them, together, felt the wrath of the incarnate darkness as it descended on them.
Thomas awoke to the smell of fire. It was everywhere, in his clothes, in his hair. It was like he had slept in the fireplace. He tried to move away from the smell, but he realized he couldn’t move. He also couldn’t see, which was rather odd. It wasn’t until he opened them that he realized why his eyes had been shut.
Everything was burning.
The forest was nothing but torched twigs, and the villages were reduced to smoldering ash. Rotting corpses burned to nothing before his eyes, and everywhere he looked there was nothing but black skies and scorched earth.
Then, Gods help him, he heard that familiar scream.
He stood as fast as he was able, hunting for the source. She couldn’t still be here, she was supposed to be safe, they were all supposed to be safe…
But Ms. Anna was standing in a field, surrounded by descending Others.
Thomas didn’t waste time thinking, he just ran. He would set them on fire, cut them up, beat them with his bare hands… he didn’t know. But there was no way they were going to hurt that little girl.
He reached the top of the hill and lunged, his lips drawn back and spit flying from his mouth. His hands were wide open, ready to tear at them.
The nearest Other simply turned around and smacked him in the face with enough force to loosen two teeth and send him spinning to the ground. He smashed into the soot face first, choking on the rancid ash that used to be grass.
The other put one foot on his chest, pinning him to
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