Mythic (NaNoWriMo14)

Chapter 17 - Energy - Part 2

This isn't edited and was written on an iPad.

Long ass A/N at the end. Read it. 

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Chapter 17 - Energy - Part 2

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While Rena trained with the djinn, Cayden made his way to Nazine's room.

With the daily trips, he no longer needed a guide to show him the way. Though the djinn had requested he still have an escort, the Unbounds weren't keen to spend more time with Cayden than absolutely necessary. It'd been almost too easy for him to convince them that he didn't need watching.

Still, with the Unbounds in the training grounds, the halls were eerily silent. Cayden's footsteps echoed down the hall as he moved, all too aware that despite the appearance, he was being watched.

His hand reached for the place his sword would have been in any other situation. Internally, he swore, trying to cover the movement like he was fixing his belt and looked for anything in his environment he could use as a weapon.

The torch bracket might come off, he thought. Though it might be easier to just--

The wall three metres before him shimmered.

Cayden stopped.

Through the stone, whitish-green rags appeared. Cayden shifted his weight back as the thing continued to surface from the wall like it was a vertical lake, drawing closer as a pale, bony hand emerged and lunged for Cayden.

Cayden was ready. He moved to the side, avoiding the attack with ease. Even with that distance, a chill swept through his bones, feeling like it was freezing the joints together and slowing him down.

Now behind his attacker, Cayden got a clear view of the spectre that had taken the lives of the other ley guards.

The rotting figure turned slower than Cayden would have expected, locking its glowing eyes to Cayden's steady gaze as it prepared to strike again.

Cayden knew that chill was only going to get worse. Time was against him. The Unbounds might not forgive him, but if he didn't do something, he was going to die here and now. At least if he defended himself, it'd give Rena a chance to defend him later.

So the next time the spectre attacked, Cayden shoved a hand towards its neck. He caught the spectre by the exposed collarbone and pulled it off balance, giving him precious seconds to find the chain of its crystal key.

Only, it wasn't there.

His fingers numb, Cayden was forced to retreat, shoving the spectre away to give his shivering self room.

The spectre laughed, a hollow, wheezing sound.

"Didn't find what you were looking for?" it hissed. "I'm afraid you won't. My weakness has long since been removed from my being."

"You'd be feral if you didn't have a key," said Cayden. "The fact that you can speak at all tells me you're lying."

Once more, the spectre wheezed. "Unlike other, lesser Mythics, we spectres retain some of our humanity. But trust me, guilt isn't a part of it."

"The djinn--"

"Was the one to give me permission to end you," hissed the spectre. "He is aware of my flaws and we have an agreement. Now, die!"

The spectre lunged. Cayden tried to lunge once more, but his reactions were much, much slower than they had been a minute before and the spectre's hand carved a line into his calf.