The Five Realms

Chapter 11 - Beauty Pageant Rejects

When I woke up, I was being carried in what felt like furs mashed against boulders. Not bad for what was actually happening. I was wrapped in what was either Oren's or Thalion's cloak since my clothes had disintegrated in the blast. I was shivering violently. I opened my eyes and saw that I was slung over the shoulder of a troll demon type thing with nasty sand paper and rock skin and a snout nose, with a grim small mouth that drooled endlessly because of some very crooked teeth jutting out of his mouth in every direction; and his smell was almost enough to make me vomit. I opened my eyes to slits and saw the reason why the smell. His fleshed was charred and burned.

My head lolled against the trolls back and I glimpsed Oren and Thalion tied together walking along side of me. Their eyes met mine and I could detect complete panic and worry but I didn't have strength enough to reassure them with my thoughts. Harper instantly came up and started stroking my hair from my face. His hands were so warm compared to my freezing skin I flinched, and then sighed. Of course Harper couldn't be bound by anything because he was just a spirit, but the Demons must have figured out that he wasn't going to leave me.

"God your cold as ice . . ." Harper whispered, panic layering his words. He cupped my face in his hot hands and leaned his head against my frozen ear until his body heat started to match mine because he was just a spirit, and then he pulled away.

"Harper . . ." I tried to whisper. I had to tell him what I saw, I had to tell him what the Angel's had planned for us. The demon that carried me must have realized that I was awake because all of a sudden he dumped me on the ground. I hit hard and had the breath knocked out of me. I had landed on my stomach on the rock hard barren earth and I didn't even have the strength to cover where the cloak had slipped. Harper looked murderous and Oren and Thalion thrashed against the Demon's that were holding them. Under closer inspection I saw Rylien unconscious in Thalion's arms a few of his feathers singed. I really hoped I wasn't the cause of that.

Suddenly a sword was pointed at my head as the Demon that was carrying me drew his blade.

"Rise filth." I couldn't even lift my head off the ground. Luckily Harper was there trying to re-cover my body with the cloak but his hand just kept passing through the material. He groaned in frustration.

"She's exhausted and freezing, she can't even sit up let along walk!"

The Demon growled and pressed his broad sword towards Harper. With how mad Harper was right now that really wasn't a good idea. Harper did one of his blinding fast, incredibly cool karate moves and the sword was all of a sudden out of the Demon's surprised hand and in Harper's. Now Harper pressed the sword against the Demon's chest.

"Leave her alone!"

The Demon looked stunned with his own blade pressed against his chest and backed up a few steps. Apparently the Demon forgot that he was carrying my blade: Sabnock - A blade that could be wielded by and wound both the corporeal and incorporeal. Harper motioned his head towards the Demon that held Oren and Thalion.

"Release them!"

The Demon stepped away from Oren and Thalion growling. He took looked scorched. My eyes went to my companions, but luckily none of them looked too bad. Oren had a bloody lip and Thalion had a cut above his eyebrow that was seeping small amounts of blood. They were both dirty, but at least they were whole. Harper quickly cut their bonds and they rushed to me, covering me and laying another cloak on me. Oren lifted me gently and rested me in his lap on the ground while Thalion brushed my hair from my face and tried to rub warmth into my numb hands. Harper faced the burned Demons, pointing his sword at them intimidatingly. I had to admit, he looked super hot.

"You will regret this human." The troll that was carrying me growled. Harper took a step closer which made them take another step back.

"Not before I make you regret it first."