Fall

The Dark

I could see it in his face, the snake eyes, that thin mouth, and that facial structure. It was so similar to my unofficial arch enemy. He was made of black smoke that continually shifted and churned which made me sick just from looking at it. His hair was like black fire, the same for his eyes.

Terry was gagging and waving his arms, pulling and punching at his attacker. I raised my arm and yelled, weakly "Malum vero adolebit!".

The man shrieked and dropped Terry, who scampered to my side. Where I had aimed the spell the smoke became ember. I heard him murmur "aruC". It was "Cure", except backwards. Dark Magyk, I realized.

He shook himself and turned to face me. He smirked and strode to face me. I grasped my staff and pointed it towards him. I summoned a shield, but I knew that it wouldn't hold him back. With a flick of his hand, the staff went flying. He pointed a hand at Terry, who was thrown back and suspended in the air, head drooping. I tried not to think about it, but it sorta looked as it he was...hanged.

"Why, hello," he said, smiling. "You must be Juliana."

"How do you know my name?" I asked, thoroughly scared.

"It is my business to know everything in this fine land of yours," he replied, as if being a creepy stalker was completely fine.

"W-why? W-who are you?" I asked rather stupidly. I had to rescue Terry and get out of there, but I had a sinking feeling that the only way to do so was distracting or incapitating him. And anyway, he looked strong enough to stop anything I had.

I prayed to every god I knew that my magic would be enough. For magic to be at its most powerful, every fibre of your being must will the spell to happen, to literally pour every part of you into the spell.

"I am nothing, and everything," he said enigmatically. "Darkness is nowhere, and everywhere! I am the Dark!"

I had to keep the Dark distracted to have any hope of casting a spell, so I questioned him further. "You seem very powerful! How did you come to be like this?"

"Why yes....." he began. I guess even evil smoke monsters loved to talk about themselves.

I concentrated and began the spell. I planned to invoke Cresterea, the goddess of air and wind. Invocations were tricky, but if done well, would give you a small portion of the gods power for you to use. If done deftly, it would summon the goddess herself.

First I drew a circle in the sand behind my back. Then, I drew a triangle at each of the cardinal directions. I touched each triangle and whispered "Similis liquidum fluunt!", all the while staring at the Dark so as to not betray any signs of my deception.

I carefully pricked my finger and put a drop of blood in each triangle. The imprint I made in the sand and the triangles levitated off the ground and began to spin. It made a nearly undetectable humming sound and I knew it was time for the Invocation.

My voice began as a low whisper, like the slithering of a snake. It grew slightly so that it was as loud as the slapping of leather sandals on the pavement. I could not raise it by much, or he would hear me, but I had to chant louder for the spell to take effect. I decided on an appropriate volume and continued to chant.

Terry shifted his weight beside me, and he almost gave me away, but I squeezed his hand hard, and kicked him.

"Spiritus invoco, ut contereret fortes montes! Fero, Cresterea limine caeli, quod extructum est ante perdere personam tenebris mihi! Ego convocabo procellae, ego convocabo procella! Vocavi te! Solvite eum!" I called. I raised my voice to a yell, and I felt every sliver of my essence willing the spell to work, pouring its self into my words to make the impossible, possible.