Spellcaster series #5: The Sage

Kill or Be Killed

HEIDI

"Straight ahead," Captain Bells instructed when we paused at the junction before continuing to make our way.

I held out my wand in front of me as she slowly drew her gun. I glanced at it.

"Just a precaution," she shrugged. "This was where my detectives and I got lost the last time."

There was a feeling of dread that began to weigh on me. It got thicker as we went further up. Still, no sight of djinns or other dark entities.

"Tristan, do you feel it?" I asked, unable to shake it off. "I think the guardian djinn knows we're here."

I turned to see just an empty darkness beside Bells. I looked around us and noticed it was just the two of us.

"Tristan?" I called. No answer.

"He was right here," Bells frowned, confused. Then her eyes widened. "It's already messing with our minds."

"You said that you were brought back to the gates, right?" I asked, turning to her.

"Should we head back?"

"No," I pulled out my dagger. "We don't have time. We'll need to make our way to the grave right now. If anything, Tristan will be fine, he can take care of himself. Just stay close to me."

We continued to make our way down the path. The heavy feeling of dread thickened as a shadow loomed before us. The forest.

"We're here," I blurted, putting out the light from my wand.

Silence. I whirled to see that I was alone, somehow.

An aura nearby. A silhouette emerged from the corner and watched me with bright white eyes.

"Who are you?" It demanded, its voice low and gruff.

"Your worst nightmare," I sneered. Then I raised my dagger. "If you don't let my husband and the Captain go, that is."

"You're trespassing."

"I'm only here to check on a boy, then I'll leave in peace," I said, slowly readying my stance. The silhouette did not move.

"You are an offspring of the Fallen," it spoke as if it just realised, "it is no wonder that you are not affected by the spell."

I shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to the boy's grave."

I lit up my wand once again but the djinn lunged towards me and gripped my arms. I kneed it between its legs and booted it away. I channeled my energy and pointed my wand at it.

"Arsonion!" I cried and blue flames projected towards it.

The djinn dematerialised and appeared behind me. It held me in a chokehold but I swung my dagger at it in time. In my peripheral vision, I caught a glimpse of a gardening tool that leaned against the wall that was erected around the family plot.

I grabbed the rake and raised it to stab the sharp end of the tool into the djinn. Before I could, the djinn vanished and my muscles began to disobey me. I stumbled backwards till my spine was up against the wall. My arms turned the tool around and held its tines a few inches away from my eyes. I held it back as much as I could by channeling Tristan's energy inside. It was as if my arms had a life of their own.

"Hello, Heidi," a low, unfamiliar voice cooed from a corner. "It's nice to finally meet you."

Amidst the struggle, I shifted my gaze to a silhouette that stood taller than the djinn. It looked human, too. The silhouette eventually stepped into the light of a lamp post and my muscles tensed as I recognised the face. He stood as tall as Tristan, hands behind his back. His neat brown hair parted to the side, straight and untouched. He bore his gaze on me with a pair of ruby eyes, a grin curling his thin lips. He wore a pair of expensive shoes, their golden straps shining in the light.