Legerdemain

CHAPTER-9

The Tree of Immortals looked as regal as a tree could look under the bright moonlight that illuminated the drops of rain that still lay atop the leaves. Its size overshadowed the surrounding trees. Compared to it, we looked like ants. If the size was one thing to be terrified of, then its aura was another.

"Why does it smell so bad here?" I scrunched my nose at the smell of copper and blood.

"People come here to die. What were you expecting? Rainbows and sunshine."

There were many things that I loathed and his taunts were slowly climbing up the spots to claim the top position, should he continue with his way of words. He looked at me with a questioning look.

"What, now?"

He got a taste of his own medicine when I chose to not reply to his question. I plucked out my first card of fate from under Reyne's wings. I knew it was safe with her the very first night I came here. Cards of fate were as powerful as the books claimed them to be. They could either decide your future or destroy it. The outcome often depended on its wielder. It was always better to not lose them. A few steps towards the Tree and my fate will be sealed. The first task would be completed.

Underneath the tree and its falling canopy, the air around it reeked even more of blood and some poison I was sure I once saw my mother drink. My back burned under Rnyx's intense glare. With one deep breath, I placed the card of fate on the Tree's trunk. Its magic slowly worked, as a faint blue glow engulfed it, encasing it on the bark. My fate was sealed. The light's intensity increased, which made me throw my hands up to protect my eyes. The heat burned through me before I was thrown back harshly on the ground.

The impact never came.

Something kept me from hitting and breaking my bones as I looked at Rnyx as an instinct.

The magic didn't come off from him.

It was the Tree of Immortals.

The same blue flame of the card covered the whole of it. The branches held blue flames instead of the leaves that once stood in its place. My mind reeled as I looked at Rnyx.

The place burned and burned and burned, all around the tree. My skin felt as if someone had pushed me into a burning furnace. I tried to summon my magic to protect us, but whatever force had been forced to awake because of the card of fate and the Tree of Immortals was more powerful and deadly.

"What do we do now? It's burning us!" I shouted over to Rnyx.

"My magic is not working. I can't use it."

The fire was cutting down the breathable air around us. I dropped down and started to move towards Rnyx. Beside him, Reyne looked as if she would die any second.

Two blackouts in one day would sound terrible.

For the first time in my life, I felt helpless and hopeless. Two magic wielders, yet none capable of protecting themselves. I coughed, as I inhaled the fumes.

All of the area around us was covered by smoke, which made it impossible for us to see through. Rnyx scooped up Reyne in his arms as he put her under the cover of his shirt.

"We need water, Rnyx," I spoke as an idea struck me.

Rnyx tried to wield his magic again, yet he failed. There was no stream around us. No tears fell from the sky again.

My mind under the effect of smoke, started seeing shadows swirling around me. Amidst, those black shapes, a woman engulfed in the same blue flames, strutted towards us. A smile, so wicked on her pale face. Her hair flew. The flames swirled around her fingers. I looked back at Rnyx to ask him if only I was hallucinating or if he too was seeing things.

He was on the ground as he clutched his hair with such brute force, I thought he'd rip it apart from the roots. He was in pain. The woman laughed at his plight.

No, she was responsible for his pain.

Her body was too pale, too pale to even look at. The flames surrounded her, but they never touched her. Under some other circumstances, I would've thought of her as a goddess, even when we, wielders never prayed.

But right now, she was dangerous. She was lethal.

And we were dead.