Death's Stigma (NanoWriMo14)

Chapter 14

"So am I allowed to float around or do you want me back in there." Myst said floating next to Grim.

"What ever you feel like. What do you know about general number five?"

"All I know is that he's Fevarix and that he's Skyra's personal bodyguard."

"Fulcrim said that's who's guarding the boss." Katie said. She was walking on the other side of Grim. She had relaxed but was still weary of Myst.

"So we need to find out where he is hiding." Grim said. His steps faltered a little and Katie held him up.

"First we go back to the sanctuary and fix you up."

"I should have been fine by now." He felt his side and his hand came away bloody. He pulled up his shirt with a cringe. The spear wound hadn't closed and had started to turn black around the edges. "Poison." He said his voice a little ragged.

"Grim we need to get you back now."

"I agree with Pinky, Sedrin's toxins shouldn't be messed with."

"Can you help him?" Katie asked.

"Yeah, but I need some supplies."

"We have a problem Katie, I can't feel my leg." He tugged at his jeans and the black corruption was spreading down his thigh. "Myst you have to help her, she can't get me there alone." The mark on his hand flashed. Her outline filled in and she took a deep breath.

"Damn it feels good to be back." Without hesitation she grabbed the other side of him and they started dragging him towards the church. They got to the tunnel and Katie pressed her hand against it. It opened and they huried to the door. The wolf stepped out of the door. The noose on Katie's neck flashed and a binding circle flashed under Myst's hood. It let them through and they put Grim in a bed. Katie stripped the comforter off and pulled Grim's jacket off.

"The... The poisons and antidotes are in the weapons room." Grim's lips were turning blue and the black was spreading through his veins. Myst hurried into the weapons room and her chains unfolded from under her cloak. She looked at the vials lining one wall and started picking vials off the wall. She came back with half a dozen of them and a bowl.

"Smear this on the cut, it should kill the source. We need to purge the poison from his blood." She passed a paste to Katie and propped Grim's head up. "Hold him down."

She poured one of the vials into his mouth and he screamed. His body spasmed and black bile seeped from his eyes and mouth. Myst mixes the last of the vials together forced his mouth open.

"Just drink it." She forced him to choke down the mixture. He just screamed and continued to seize up. "There is nothing else we can do, the toxin must work it's way out."

Katie let go of Grim's hand and they left the room. Myst laid out on the couch and used a chain to snatch a bottle of wine. She drank while Katie paced back and forth.

"Relax, we can only wait."

"Easy for you to say, if Grim dies you're home free."

"And I lose my only chance, I want him to live just as much as you do."

"Right." She exaggerated. "You still think you can redeem that black stain you call a soul."

"Ah here it is, don't bother preaching to me. I know that I've done horrible things, but there is no hell greater than Skyra. Grim knows that, that's why he gave me a chance."

"You killed James and now when ever Grim thinks of Nadia, he sees the possessed girl that is hunting him. You don't deserve a chance." They were both silenced by Grim's agonizing screams.

"If I hadn't Skyra would have sent someone else."

"That doesn't make it any better."

"What do you want?' She said standing. "You want me to apologize for being turned into a demon, apologize for being used, apologize for being angry at the world that turned on me. At least you have something to look at everyday."

The pin holding her cloak together open and it dropped to the ground. She had the shape of a woman and that was it. Her skin was swirling purple shadows. There was a black space were her mouth was and short black hair.

"Skyra stripped me of everything and blackened what was left." Katie couldn't pull her eyes away. "Do you don't know anything about what it feels like to have that snake hissing in your ear."

A chain slunk out of her body and picked up the fallen cloak. She refastened it around her. She dissolved away and went back into the mark on Grim's hand. She screamed in frustration and hundreds of chains fired through the black space.

"Rather depressing in here." Grim said. He strolled the chains towards her. She opened her mouth in disbelief. "Yeah, turns out you don't need to be conscious to interact with souls."

"So you're still out there."

"Yeah and in excruciating pain. You ready?'

"For what?"

"I told you I was going to give you a chance at redemption and here it is. Sedrin's scale is in my pocket, get it out then carve the symbol on my hand onto it. Then put it in my hand.

"Okay, I can do that."

She took physical form again and searched Grim's pockets. He arched his back a silent scream on his lips. She pulled it out as he curled into the fetal position. One blade extended from her hand and she scratched the design onto the top. She put it in is hand and reentered the circle.

"Good job, now get ready. Sedrin won't turn so your job is to keep him in check. Tapping into his power will expose me to his influence and he needs to be controlled."

"I got it." She took a deep breath and Grim connected to the scale in his hand. Sedrin formed instantly and roared. The chains that had previously covered the room cocooned the dragon.

"You can't control my power human, it will burn you out."

"Correct. That's why I have her." Myst grinned under her hood and tightened the chains. "Myst consider yourself warden of this place. Your job is feed me energy from him and any other demons I imprison. Tapping into it directly would consume me but..."

"I'm so tainted it won't effect me. If I do this, I will be redeemed."

"Enough to regain some of your humanity."

"Not a problem." One chain carved the mark into Sedrin's head and he stopped moving. Myst felt the rush of power hit her. It was almost to much and the force brought her to her knees.

"Pass it on." Grim said calmly. He extended his hand and she took it. The circles on her head and his hand lit up and the pressure eased up. He helped her up and looked at Sedrin. "You aren't gone yet and I will save you." He faded out and she stood up tall.

"Then I won't let you down."

17,334 words, about one third of the way done. Please leave a comment and tell me what you think.