The Villain Wants to Quit

Save the traitor (9)

"Yes!"

Theo pumped his fist up and down as a shadow twitched in response to his magic.

Finally, control of his magic was starting to return.

It was still uncomfortable to use, but not impossible.

The sensation was akin to the pins and needles you feel after a limb has fallen asleep.

But still.

"I can control my magic...kind of."

The shadow he had pulled to his palm lazily dissolved through his fingers.

He had been trying to form a small dagger with the shadow – something that had definitely not happened. Regardless, the fact that the shadow had responded at all was enough.

Some curses would fade as time passed. Others had to be lifted.

Most curses faded with time.

After all, maintaining a curse would require a constant source of mana, but you could never be sure.

Theo hummed happily as he rode along the forest path.

His mood was lifted. It was a lovely evening.

It was true that Theo hated his magic.

But if he was going to be stuck with his cursed blood, Theo would rather have a chance at stopping whatever monstrosities his blood summoned.

It had been more than a little disconcerting feeling like all hell might break loose if he scratched himself on one of the many branches lining the path.

Now if all hell broke loose, Theo might be able to kill it.

As Theo began to practice using his magic by controlling the nearby shadows, the pins and needle sensation gradually improved, but something else took its place.

The book on his back grew even hotter as Theo used his magic.

"You really don't take no for an answer, do you?"

Theo glanced over his shoulder.

His awareness of the book seemed to grow stronger by the minute.

It was like an itch that you know you shouldn't scratch.

"Are you trying to get me in trouble?"

Theo muttered at the book.

The hairs on Theo's arm stood up as he swore he felt the book grin.

"Think I'm going crazy."

Still, an increasingly creepy book was preferable to feeling like a ticking bomb.

Probably.

Theo was never a fan of horror stories.

Theo patted his horse's neck.

"Can't say I ever thought I would miss Carrot and Scourge's conversation this much."

***

Vin and Owen's comrades could hardly breathe as they watched Vin collapse.

"Did he make it far enough?" Giselle asked Carrot. She looked like she could barely contain the urge to grab her fallen comrades.

"Yes. Barely," Carrot answered.

Marc and Giselle ran to collect Vin and Owen at Carrot's words.

"Henley. Back us up." Marc shouted to the archer.

Without a moment's hesitation, Henley drew his bow.

His action was not wasted as Dullahan's men appeared a mere second later. The whistle of arrows filed the air as Henley released five at once. Each was imbued with magic and landed critical blows on Dullhan's men.

Others tripped on the fallen men, buying Henley enough time to ready another attack.

"Hurry!" Carrot urged Marc and Giselle to move faster.

As soon as they reached Carrot, they draped the fallen men over his back. Their heads and feet dangled off of Carrot's sides; the two would most likely be bruised when they regained consciousness.

Giselle poured potions into Owen's mouth while waving her wand in the air with her other hand. A golden script appeared after each swish of Giselle's wand. It was a foreign language that Carrot didn't understand. Her jade-like eyes light up with an unnatural glow.

Magic flowed from Giselle to the sprites that surrounded her. Then they flew toward the trees.

As the sprites touched the trees, roots began to worm out of the earth and grab the ankles of Dullahan's men.

The men hacked at the roots with their swords. Some escaped.

The others were drug into the earth with a chilling speed.

While Giselle supported Henley with magic, Marc used ropes to strap Vin and Owen to Carrot.

"Don't let them fall off." Marc barely had time to speak before he pushed Giselle out of the way of a magic attack.

Potion sloshed to the ground as Giselle regained her balance.

Carrot began to move as quickly as he could without risking Vin or Owen falling off his back.

Once again, Giselle scrawled the foreign script in the air, and wind sprites enveloped her with wind. Giselle ran by Carrot's side with magically enhanced speed and attempted to nurse Owen as they moved.

Similar winds enveloped her comrades' feet.

"Fall back!" Marc shouted to Henley.

The two moved to follow Giselle and Carrot while continuing to fight.

It was a shame that Giselle was unable to fight.

A forest like this was an ideal place for her to fight with the aid of the sprites, but they needed her to focus all her magic and energy on Owen.

A swarm of golden letters swirled around Giselle as she constantly waved her wand.

She summoned cool water to reduce Owen's fever while cleansing dried blood and grime so she could find his wounds.

Another sprite brought her herbs known for their healing properties.

Still, more sprites moved branches out of Gisselle and Carrot's way to reduce the likelihood of Owen or Vin falling.

Other sprites rearranged the vegetation and dirt to erase their tracks and confuse Dullahan's men.

Giselle gulped down a restorative potion as sweat dripped down her brow.

After the tree-root magic, she had been asking the sprites to do tasks that didn't require much magic, but mobilizing so many sprites at once was still tricky.

It was good that Giselle had thrown away most of this month's pay on potions.

She was going to need them.