The Crystal Trials

44 Nik

Father stood in front of us, and the familiar panic began to rise to my throat in the form of bile. He looked worse for the wear, barely standing on his feet. He never took care of himself to begin with, but he clearly had been drinking and his hair and beard were thick with grease. I took a step forward towards the man that hurt me for the past seven years.

Dath grabbed my arm and stepped in front of me. Though I appreciated him finally stepping up to my defense, I could handle myself now. I shrugged him off with more anger than I had meant to, but he didn't react in any way other than letting go. I glared at my family and Garren, daring them to stop me. They all stood there, ready to support me if I wanted it. I faced my father again.

"You stupid bitch," father spat at me, spittle splashing my face, "do you see what you have done to this family?"

I laughed threw my head back and laughed. "No, Nerin. That was all you."

"Now you listen here you selfish brat. You ran off with my wife and son all for what? Some magic tricks?"

I stood in front of him. Unflinching. Letting his anger build. I hadn't even moved to wipe my face. He continued his verbal onslaught.

"Let's go home so you can learn a proper lesson. Your mother hasn't been around and the whores won't let me in."

He lunged for me and grabbed me around the waist then yanked my hair back. I didn't react. He rose a hand to slap me, never mind the audience behind me. But he never made contact. I had frozen his hand in midair. He dropped my hair and tried to break free of my hold.

I moved my magic to his throat letting him breathe. A little. I put my mouth to his ear and said, "It's my turn to teach a lesson."

I stalked around him like a cat playing with her prey.

"Here as the rules," I began sweetly, "you tell me sorry for everything you have done. Every time you refuse, I punish you. Can your little brain handle that?"

"Apologize! You deserve nothing you little-" his scream cut him off.

I held fire to his hands, burned the flesh until blisters formed.

"Try again. Apologize, for raping my mom every night."

"No. She begged me for it. Welcomed it ev-" screams echoed between the houses.

I shot the ground up through his feet, piercing them through the muscle and nailing him to the ground.

My voice rose with my fury. "Apologize! For starving us and spending every dime I made on yourself."

"That money was mine by right! No, no, no-" he gurgled.

I threw water down his throat, tired of his words. I forced air into his lungs just before he was about to drown.

"Apologize, for whipping me. For punching me. For your abuse and your hatred. For being a terrible person."

"No!" Father screamed at me. Water drooled form the corner of his mouth.

I let him go. I wasn't going to murder an unarmed man. My uncle, being the one who trained me, walked up silently, and handed him a sword, which he took in angry satisfaction. He offered me one and I shook my head.

I stood still. Watched him fumble with the sword in his drunken stupor. I glared at him as he moved towards me. He lunged and I took one step to the side. When he lunged again, and I raised my hands. Nerin's body rose at my will. I had no idea what magic vein I had touched to perform the way I had. Instinct had taken over. He was speaking, screaming at me. The rumbling in my ears was the only thing I heard. I felt for his mind the vile black rotting thing. When I found it, I squeezed. Blood started weeping from his eyes. Then his ears. Vaguely I heard Dath screaming at me. He entered my vision when he stood in front of me. But I saw beyond my friend's face and into my father's mind. I squeezed more wanting to pop it like a grape. The rage I felt consumed me.

Then suddenly, there, in the corner of my mind's eye a flash of gold and rainbows. The strange vein pulsed in calming beats. My head turned to the side. I touched the vein and began to relax a little at the feeling that came from it. A burn at my arm brought me back to reality. Dath was grabbing my arm and his eyes had flecks of black. I dropped my father to the ground angry at the interruption. I pushed past Dath and crouched on the ground to look at what was left of father.

His breathing was shallow and fast. Blood poured from his mouth as he choked. His mouth moved as he tried to speak. Annoyed, I used water magic to remove the blood.

"I hated you. When Zayden was born, I knew. I'm," he choked again, "not your father." Nerin closed his eyes for the last time and died.