Magic Spawn Origins

Magic Spawn: Chapter 75

by Meredith Skye

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Finally, Anya made it back to the platform where Haley dodged the battle wight in the dim candlelight. The creature was huge! If it had been human to start, it had grown taller and more muscled. Now its skin had a purple tinge, with an exaggerated spine. Anya herself had always been short, and this purple cockroach-human had to be twice her size!

She saw that Haley already had one wound on her stomach, a stain of dark red blood marred her new gray sweater.

For a moment, Anya froze in horror just watching its quick movements, its sharp claws and its fanged teeth. What a monster!

How could they beat this thing?

Anya blanked out her mind, drew her dagger and ran forward. She'd seen Haley attack the skeletons from the rear like this, while they weren't looking. She ran up to the thing and stabbed it in the back. Her plan backfired. It didn't ignore her, like the skeleton had. It turned on her and lashed out, hitting her in the face with its clawed hand.

She tumbled over backwards, her face burning with pain where the claws raked across her bare cheek. For a moment her vision blurred and she feared it had got her in the eye! Anya landed on the ground and sat there, stunned. A panic rose up in her like a scream.

Blinded!

She heard the creature take a few menacing steps towards her.

"Anya!" she heard Haley yell. "Get back!" Was Haley running at the battle wight—deliberately provoking it? Anya heard the sound of a weapon hitting flesh.

The corrupted human growled and leapt backward. Anya's hand went up to her face. She felt the slick drops of blood running down her cheek. She felt her eye, closing it and touching the lid. It didn't feel hurt. A relief washed over her. She wiped the blood off her face with her sleep, then opened her eyes and blinked furiously until the world came back into focus.

"Get out of here, Anya!" yelled Haley, retreating from the battle wight.

Anya struggled to her feet, feeling a little dizzy. "No! I'm not leaving you!"

"You have to!" yelled Haley. "He'll kill you!"

Just then, the creature swiped at Anya's head. She tried to jump back, but she wasn't fast enough. It's clawed hand connected and the force knocked her back. The claws left three long, red scratch marks on her cheek and neck. She whimpered as she collapsed to the ground.

Now, Anya's temper grew red hot with anger. The battle wight stood perilously close to the edge of the platform with its back to her. If only she could unbalance it! Perhaps she could send it plunging over the edge down a few hundred feet to its depth in the energy field below.

Determined, Anya dashed forward while its back was to her, dagger in hand. She wanted to sink it into the thing's heart but the creature was so tall, she probably couldn't reach it. And anyway, the ribcage would stop it. No, she had to hit below the ribs, where the body was vulnerable. So that's where she aimed, striking with all her might. The dagger sunk in neatly several inches.

Success!

The battle wight roared in pain. Anya yanked the dagger out and struck again, and one more time before the creature recovered and turned just enough to backhand her, knocking her to the ground. Again.

More blood came from the wound on Anya's cheek.

Towering over Anya, it turned to face her, claws flexing for an attack. How much damage could Anya and Haley both withstand before it killed them? Neither of them had any armor on.

As the battle wight roared, its nostrils flared. It's grotesque purple skin gleaned with sweat. Now it crouch down, as if readying to pounce.

What if it overcame her? Would Anya turn into a battle wight? Would she kill her friends, starting with Haley?

Anya wanted to get up or maybe even roll out of the way, but none of her muscles responded! That last attack had left her dazed and powerless. Vulnerable, in the face of such a twisted, inhuman creature.

"No!" screamed Haley, from some where to her right. Haley ran full on at the creature. She'd dropped her weapon and was attacking with just her hands. In a moment, Anya saw what her friend meant to do. The creature's left foot stood just on the edge of the platform in such a way that perhaps he could be unbalanced. A quick calculation of the speed and angle with which Haley ran at the thing added up to a horrifying conclusion.

Haley meant to grapple it and plunge off the edge!

They would both certainly fall to their deaths.

"Haley! Stop!" screamed Anya. But nothing could stop her. Even if Haley wanted to, there was no time to slow down or turn aside, not as fast as she was moving. She'd have enough momentum to take both her and the battle wight over the edge.

Stopping wasn't an option.

The grim look of determination on Haley's face showed that she knew what this would cost her. Why would she do this?

Surely, Haley knew they were both doomed. They couldn't stand up for long against such a creature. So, she'd done the one thing that would save Anya.

"Goodbye, little sister," shouted Haley, as she connected with the battle wight. It had realized too late what Haley meant to do. It attempted to twist away from the edge—but too late!

Haley grabbed ahold of the creature and her momentum pulled them both off the platform, hurling them over the edge!

Finding strength, Anya got to her feet and ran to the edge just in time to see Haley and the creature vanish into the swirling mass of orange and yellow energy below.

An emptiness filled Anya.

"Goodbye, big sister," she said. A tear streamed down her cheek, followed by another.

Haley was gone!

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Thanks for reading!

Come listen to my radio interview from October 2015!

THE SPECULATIVE FICTION CANTINA:

LINK: 

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/writestream/2015/10/30/the-speculative-fiction-cantina-with-meredith-skye-and-t-eric-bakutis