The Raven and the Wraith Book 2 (Completed!)

The Raven and the Wraith 2 Chapter 30

The Raven and the Wraith 2 Chapter 30

The Kahlraugh snarled at me, sensing my hesitation. It was a wretched sound, fraught with ragged edges and crushing pain. In the end, it was that pain that sent me into action. It was pain I felt, not just heard.

This Kahlraugh was the fractured collection of the spirits of my family, and it was intelligent enough to know it was incomplete. And I understood that core-deep sense of hollowness. I knew it every day for the last four years.

Ever since Possum Hollow. Ever since Kavik had died, here in the Cha'el realm.

I closed my eyes and lifted my arms up above my head, took a deep breath, and allowed the Shadowfall inside of me to rise as high as it would. And I felt that great, coiling entity of black Power flood into me. Completely throughout me, into every cell, every bone.

There was that hissing, scraping sound on the stones as the Kahlraugh lunged forward. Then silence. I opened my eyes and looked around, feeling like my heart was trying it's best to hammer its way right out of my chest.

"Rahvin...?"

I looked at Kiera, hearing the edge of panic in her voice. The Kahlraugh was gone.

"Where did it go?"

She swallowed and flapped a hand weakly at me. "In...inside you."

I looked down at myself, half expecting to see inky black scales protruding from my skin. I looked normal. So I looked inside, my mind reeling as I replayed how the Shadowfall I had been carrying for so long having somehow blended right into me.

I could feel it's power behind everything I did. Every move, every thought. And now, blended into that incomprehensible blackness, was a singular star of primal ferocity. It reminded me of the depthless animal wildness of the great Cat, yet it was not exactly the same.

It was different because it had seven elements, where the Cat was just one. I felt my jaw drop as I realized the Shadowfall and the Kahlraugh had truly blended together.

Inside of me. With me.

"Are you ok? What happened? How did you know that thing?"

I could hear the mixture of fear and curiosity in Lunas voice. She hadn't heard the conversation between me and the Kahlraugh, but she had still sensed we had known each other.

"I'm fine." I flexed my hands, feeling the rippling Power behind their movements, then looked up at everybody. Seeing everyone watching me and my hands with nervous expressions.

"Oh quit it! It's not like I'm randomly sitting here imagining strangling somebody!"

"Ok, so what are you doing, then?" Luna flicked a glance at my hands.

I noted both she and Chan were still holding their blades ready. I rolled my eyes at them.

"You guys planning on giving me a haircut? Trim my nails, maybe? I said I'm fine."

When neither of them moved Kiera stepped to my side, her small hand finding mine. She glared defiantly at Chan and Luna as she pointedly looked at her hand in mine.

"He's fine!"

Luna sighed, then sheathed her blades. "Ok, let's go find Talia. She needs to know of this."

We filed through the narrow corridors, making our way back to the bright, spacious hallways above. Chan stayed behind us the entire time, and I saw his hand never stray very far from his sword. I could feel his eyes on me the entire time, I could feel how unsure he was now that the Kahlraugh was inside of me.

As we entered the main hall I decided to mess with him, and spun in place with a fierce growl. I was impressed when Chan pulled his sword in mid-air during his evasive, lightning-fast backflip.

Then I looked around and saw that the hall was filled with noble Cha'el, all of whom were in various fighting stances, with various weapons ready. I was struck by the sight. In my realm, nobles were not fierce fighters with warrior instincts and reactions, ready for battle at a moment's notice.

The hall perched in perfect silence, all eyes on me.

I cleared my throat and gestured expansively. "I'm so glad you all could come. Tonight we'll see an impressive display of weaponry as Luna and Chan demonstrate their fighting skills in practice combat. And then, for the main event, I'll face the winner."

Chan spluttered. Luna tried to growl and snort at the same time. It was a rather unusual and vile sound, earning her a worried look from nearby onlookers.

She shot me an incredulous, and horrified, expression, then turned to face everybody.

"Please excuse my friend. He is a Traveler, and therefore knows nothing of our ways. The evening entertainment has already been organized by Talia. There will be no sparring sessions."

To my surprise, I heard a murmur of disappointment run through the crowd. Luna heard it too, and she didn't seem happy about it at all.

"You can't just...just do and say stuff like that!" She hissed.

I shrugged. "Well, I did. And it didn't seem like it went over too bad."

"Do you have any idea how disastrous the suggestion is that I fight with Chan?! Are you trying to start a war between our cities?"

"See, now, that sounds like an exaggeration. How could you and Chan providing the evening entertainment by a friendly sparring match start a war?!"

Luna reminded me of a furious cat, so much so that I half-expected to see a tail behind her angrily lashing about.

"You have much to learn. The best way to learn is to keep your mouth shut and watch and listen."

Two of the noble Cha'el nearby chuckled quietly, clearly having been listening to our byplay. Luna whirled on them, her eyes flashing.

"Do you two have anything you would like to add?"

They stared at her, a dark tension in the air growing by the second. I could feel the battle of wills between them, could see the dangerous readiness to their stances. Now they REALLY reminded me of angry cats.