In the Blade's Hilt |A tale from Triterra|

Chapter 26 - Blood of Another

Blue raced up to the impaled skeleton.  It was so busy screaming that it didn't notice him.  Blue leaped off a large mound of rubble and grabbed onto the monsters kneecap.  It howled in anger as it tried to kick him off.  Blue clung on for his life as he tried to avoid giving himself and unwanted facial piercing with the giant's spiked knees.  When the shaking stopped, he began to climb up its leg.  When he got to the torso he began to use the ribs as rungs.  Out of curiosity he peered inside one of the eye sockets and saw something rather unexpected.  Rather than the inside of a skull like Blue expected, there was a tiny chamber.  And floating in the middle of it was the dark blob, now angrily pulsating and flashing purple.  Then Blue had an idea.

He squeezed himself through the eye socket.  It was a tight fit, and for one terrible moment he thought he was stuck.  He stooped down in the small room.  He noticed that the skeleton had stopped moving. 

"Did it die?" wondered Blue.  He turned his attention to the glowing blob of darkness.  He drew his sword.  Gripping the wooden handle tightly, he thrust his blade into the blob.  A ghastly scream rang in his ears as he withdrew and sheathed his sword.  Cracks began to appear on the ball and small beams of light began to shine through it.  Blue took this as a sign to leave.  

Blue quickly scuttled down the skeletons remaining leg and hopped off.  Just as he did, a large explosion obliterated the huge monster.  The three adventurers shielded themselves from the raining debris.

"Well" said Blue, "that takes care of that"

"What made you think that was a good idea?" asked Ty angrily.

"I don't know.  Adrenaline, I suppose.  Where's Jenna?"

He spotted her by the mound of stone rubble.  She was examining a black bottle and a letter.  Blue ran up to her.

"What is that?" he asked.

"I'm not sure" came the reply, "I just found it over here"

She let Blue read the letter.  It read:

Blue, I imagine that by the time you read this you would have defeated my little friend.  Congratulations.  I have also placed a bottle with this note.  As you know, you are a blue mage, a rare occurrence.  If the blood of another mage touches your blade, you learn their spells.  Inside said bottle is a mages blood.  Use it.  Why am I giving it to you?  Because I like to fight fairly.  Signed, Zandor.

He read over the words several times.  Without another word, he grabbed the bottle and uncorked it.  He unsheathed his sword and poured the thick, golden liquid all over the blade.  Nothing happened.