The Call of Crows

Chapter 14: Nothing is Sacred

Najeem cracked his eyes open to a dark stone room and the patter of heavy rain. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, sitting himself up in a bedroll.

When his vision cleared up, he yelped at the figure in front of him.

It had a tall, spindly build with long limbs and a somewhat jutted out neck. Its flesh was all made from shadows, while its eyes glowed a dark golden color. Its gaze was transfixed away from him.

"W-what the hell?" Najeem hissed, reaching for his scimitar, but failing to find it there.

"You've awoken." The creature's voice sounded like a man rasping from thirst in the middle of the Al-Kubra.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Najeem scrambled backwards.

"I am you." The creature hissed, "I am a sliver of your soul. What I want is of no consequence to you."

"What kind of answer is 'I am you'?" Najeem asked, "Give me a name, damnit!"

"You called me...The Steel Hidden in Shadows. That is what I used to be among your people."

Najeem narrowed his eyes. The creature, underneath the veiling darkness, had a remarkable likeness to himself. At least...in bone structure. He thought.

It clicked in Najeem's head, "You're a Shedim."

The creature nodded slightly.

"You're...my Shedim? How?"

"You gave up an expectation to live or to even be remembered while your mistress was in her time of need. Your sacrifice, though you did not expect it, inspired her." The creature hissed, "With this act of humility, you opened yourself to my power."

"How can you talk?"

"All of my kind can communicate with their masters. But most do not until later in their journey. I find that being direct is better for me." The Steel Hidden in Shadows said, "Another comes."

The Shedim vanished into black mists as a pair of footsteps grew louder. A sharp chill ran through his bones. The Shedim's power retreating back into him.

Seang stepped into the room, "You talk to yourself a lot?"

Najeem staggered to his feet and assumed a fighting stance.

"Calm down." the nun said, "Your mistress convinced me to join you." She gestured to his right, where Shahla was asleep in a bedroll, bandages wrapping her head.

"What the hell did you do?" Najeem growled. He stepped forward, but stumbled over himself.

"She challenged me to single combat. I won, but she still got what she wanted." Seang shifted her gaze to him.

"Where are the others?" Najeem asked.

"Staying with me until you two are ready to travel again." Seang said, "After that, I'll be joining you on your journey to Koinelia."

Seang sauntered towards Shahla, which Najeem had the impulse to impede, but he let her be. She knelt down, her hands glowing softly and positioned over Shahla's body. Not like the violent radiating light from their battle.

"I didn't get much sunlight today, but with any luck she'll be awake tomorrow." Seang said.

"You're...healing her?"

"Yes."

"God, woman, how many powers do you have?" Najeem asked.

"I've had my Shedim for a long time. So long as you continue to advance your bond, you grow stronger and gain new abilities." she explained.