Beyond the Void

Chapter 36, Power and blood

VAERA

One moon and two tens since the Mark of the Other One blossomed.

Vaera was staring into Jaylen's eyes, who was screaming at the top of his lungs. His eyes had rolled up into his sockets, but he did not stop screaming. 

She was alive! The darkness had not claimed her! The relief nearly made her go limp, the realisation hitting like a bag of bricks. But she was not out of danger yet.

Somehow, she had grabbed hold of Jaylen's hands and twisted them off her neck. She was free and her breath was returning. She pushed him away, but was immediately pummelled by a blunt force. She flew through the hall again and hit the wall.

She could feel the next waves of force coming. Something made her raise her left hand, and it grabbed hold of something. Looking up, there should have been nothing there, but she could feel it.

Clattering chains led from her left hand to the two Hands of Magnus facing her. She did not dare let go. The two men struggled with the jerking chains.

Sudden anger washed over Vaera. She clenched her fist tight and stood up, while a look of utter confusion appeared on the two battlemages' faces. The confusion turned into panic as it was obvious something went wrong for the pair.

Power crackled around the trio, locked in a battle of wills. Vaera kept approaching them and the closer she got, the more violent the stream of power around her. One of the Hands fell to his knees and screamed.

"Resist her!" His partner yelled. That one was still holding on.

"She has. It is not. How?" The other gasped. "Bloodseal! Master Jaylen, she has a bloodseal." The one on his knees yelled. The Hand fell on all fours, his left hand barely in the air.

"Do not break the link. She is trying to take it from you, she is trying to take your bloodseal! Resist it, Vallus! Don't give up!"

Meanwhile Vaera's attention was occupied by the form of Jaylen who was regaining himself. He was staring at her with a face full of utmost hate and bewilderment.

A sudden spout of water came from him and pushed Vaera back. The force it hit her with was impossible. Water should not be that solid. She stumbled backwards and fell on her behind.

Something pierced her leg, and she screamed out of pain. A giant shard of ice was stuck in her thigh. She struggled but did not let go of the chains. That was her only lifeline. She was back at the pedestal.

Suddenly the Hand on his knees screamed and put both hands on his leg.

"Vallus!" Jaylen and the other mage screamed when blood gushed out of every part of the man's body.

The flow now tainted with blood was violently tearing into the walls, the floor, ceiling, and eating away sizeable pieces of stone and metal. The fallen Hand was shrivelling up and turning into a black husk.

The shard stuck in Vaera's leg melted. The pain remained, but there was no wound. It took a moment to realise what Jaylen and his remaining partner were staring at next to her. Vaera glanced sideways. She had not felt it at first, but a small hand was on her shoulder.

"Clare!" A shriek came from the other side of the pedestal.

"Stay where you are! This is far from over." Vaera yelled.

"Clare, what are you doing?!" Clarissa still yelled. Somehow the little girl had stepped off of the pedestal and was looking Vaera straight in the eyes.