Behind My Shadow - Book Three

51. Like Slow-Motion

I give a cry of effort as I force feeling to spread throughout my body and I just manage to slap the Hexmitch off me before it can bite my face off.

I'm panting as I roll over to all fours. "You little...bastard!" I spit blood as I struggle up to my feet, my skull is absolutely pounding.

"No need for violence," the monster cackles as it melts back into the shadows.

"Seriously?! Are you out of your freakin' mind, you little troll?! You tried to eat me! Urgh!" I feel my temper peak. "Stay away from me!" I summon fire to my hands and hurl a blast into the darkness. The Hexmitch screeches as it drops between the bones to escape the blast. I can sense that for now the threat has passed.

I wearily slump back down to my knees in front of the heartstone.

I shakily take a deep breath and now close my eyes, summoning magic to my hands as I cautiously hold the heartstone between my hands. Transform, conform... I keep repeating to myself as I sink more and more magic into the crystal.

Much to my alarm, the heartstone itself releases a dark growl and starts to tremble between my hands as if it's trying to roll away from me.

Oh, no you don't! I hold tighter and summon more magic to pour into it.

I open my eyes now to watch as the jagged curves of the heartstone smooth out and it rapidly becomes smaller and smaller till now is only about the size of a bowling ball. And now it quickly begins to flatten itself.

I smile with disbelief as I gingerly lift the small shield it's been reduced to. Amazing!

I hold it to my chest protective as suddenly all of Raetri begins to shake victoriously. OMG, yes! Labor thirteen is complete! Hell yes! I laugh with relief but now gasp as the heartstone shield begins to fuse itself to my cuirass. I try to pull it away but it already melts into the grooves of the Vorpal armor. I widen my eyes as I watch the golden etchings change to a blood red color as my armor absorbs the heartstone's magic.

Whoa! I shake my head. Okay, I guess this was all part of the plan.

I suddenly sense danger and whirl around with my machete just as the Hexmitch springs up from the ground with a hiss of fury. It flies up into my face and slams into me hard enough to throw me to the floor.

It savagely begins slamming its fists into my face but I wildly roll over and throw it off, panting as I struggle up to my knees just as it lunges again with another cry.

I thrust my blade forward defensively and the Hexmitch abruptly lands on my blade, running itself completely through. I gasp with horror as I watch the fat little monster twitch a few times, blood steadily gushes from its wound, before it now goes limp and slides off my blade as I shakily lower it.

OMG! I shudder with disgust and fear. I am so ready to get the hell away from Mount Tenniel.

As fast as I know how, I run all the way back to the mountain with the portal I came from and eagerly throw myself through the dark vortex spiraling in the back of the cave.

I have no idea where this portal is going to take me, but hopefully to my next Labor.

♣ ♦ ♥ ♠

Oof! I bellyflop on something soft.

I push myself up to all fours, warm white sand covers my hands and sticks to my hair I toss it out of my face. "Where...?" The sound of a waterfall is practically deafening, but somehow it sounds more musical than it does natural; as if the falls themselves are singing.