The Cunning Man || ONC 2021

10: Power

"That," the revenant snarled as soon as it had backed out of Harlan's mouth. "Was a stupid thing to do, boy."

"See if I care," I snapped at it in defiance.

"Oh, you will."

The pleasure that purred through its voice was a jarring juxtaposition to Harlan's death rattle at my feet, and the malevolent spite that oozed from the revenant's incorporeal form. It began to circle me like the apex predator that it was.

"Theo Kriner sealed your fate, boy, the day he took what he stole from my master and shoved it into your hands."

"What do you mean?" I circled with it, in an attempt to keep it from slipping behind my back.

"My master was furious," the revenant drew out the "s" in a sibilant hiss. "When he learned how we had failed. He destroyed my mate. But then I told him about you, about the boy on the cusp of manhood, who dared to command us, if only for a second."

"So?" My voice shook in spite of my attempt to control the fear pounding in my heart.

"You," the revenant swooped in so close that I felt the passing of its ghostly form against my cheek. "An impressionable young necromancer. A powerful necromancer. My master has wanted the likes of you to command his legions for ages."

"You can tell Arthur Kilwin to fuck off," I growled through my terror.

"You can tell him yourself, after I've forced your body and soul to cooperate long enough to go back East to Pittsburg."

My eyes widened. "I will put this gun under my chin and pull the trigger before I let you possess me, you bastard."

"You don't have the balls," the revenant taunted in a low growl.

It flashed me another ghastly grin. "I think I'll have a little fun with you before we go."

It twisted its head around, like some grotesque and hideous owl, and leered at Nora's prone and half-naked body. "And her."

"You leave her out of this."

I didn't care if it heard my desperation. This creature's evil had forced me to kill my best friend. I'd be damned if it forced me to hurt my wife.

"She is your Familiar," the revanant's chuckle was the sound of scraping claws on chalkboard and my whole body shuddered in response. "That can be seen on the spiritual plane as clear as fucking day."

It paused dramatically, smiled, then spat, "But you've known that since you touched her, haven't you, Changeling?"

I no longer had any words. I just stood rooted to the spot and trembled with both terror and rage.

"Now that would be a prize to take back to my master," it continued, pleased as punch with its foul self. "The Cunning bastard of a Fae Lord, and the Eldritch daughter of an Elemental, already bound together for life in a poisoned Pact. Oh, the things my Master could do with such rage, and shame, and pain."

"You'd make me rape her," I nearly choked on the words.

"It wouldn't be hard. You already want her. Already have thoughts about how to claim and control."

"That is nowhere near the nature of my thoughts," anger sparked deep inside and I took two protective steps back toward Nora.

"Only if she consents," it purred. "Otherwise," it shrugged, its disproportionately long and spindly arms flapping against its swirling, shifting side. "Your desires are just as dark as your power."

I'd had enough. "Go to hell."

I straightened my back as I gathered up my magic and focused it into my hands, as my parents both had taught me.

The revenant, alas, wasn't stupid. It knew the signs of rising magic and it charged toward me with an unholy shriek. I threw my hands up and flung my magic outward. It was formless, though, without intent except to hold the revenant as bay for as long as I could. The abrupt flash and flare of magic startled it, even stopped it short. But then it laughed.

"Weak," it hissed and threw itself at the waning light between us.

I dug my heels in and gritted my teeth as I threw all of my energy into my wavering attempt at a ward. The revenant crashed through it with a howl of pain and my concentration scattered as it roiled through the air, straight for my chest. I threw my left hand up, this time in a protective gesture, my arm across front of my face as I turned my head and waited for impact. Agony burst up my arm as cool fingers closed around the broken bones of my limp right hand.

Then magic burst out of my raised hand, dangerous in its fleeting force and focus. No sooner had the revenant slammed face first into a wall of white-bright light, than my legs buckled from the unexpected power Nora's touch had unleashed. I fell down to the ground beside her on my hands and knees, and an exhaustion that was so bone deep it ached came over me. If the revenant wanted to attack again, there was no longer anything I could do about it.

A ghostly stench, reminiscent of burning human flesh, filled the air and made me gag. I lifted a watery gaze up just long enough to see the revenant writhe an arm's length away from me, its smoking face hidden by its ill-formed hands as it wailed in agony. Then it flipped around in the air and fled.

I turned my head toward Nora and tried to smile at her reassuringly. Then I collapsed face-first into darkness.