Jarek drew back. For a fraction of a blink, the weapon flashed in the light and carved a bright arc through the air.
Come on!, Lucian prayed fervently.
A dull sound rang out, then Iska's head separated from his body. Blood fanned upward. For a moment, the body remained upright before it collapsed and kicked up a small cloud of dust.
Lucian's steps slowed until he finally came to a halt a few feet in front of Jarek, his exhaustion catching up with him. It was over. It was finally over.
Taking Iska's head had been a far greater risk for Jarek than simply driving the blade through his heart, but at least this way there would be no unpleasant surprises. Lucian knew exactly where that caution of Jarek's came from. He had explained it to him once, years ago.
"As I hear it, you recently behaved like an idiot in a fight against a few Drakanians and nearly got yourself killed," Jarek remarked.
Lucian was just in the process of leading his horse back to the stable when he found Jarek waiting, leaning against a wooden pillar riddled with woodworm.
Completely overtired from the long journey, Lucian wanted nothing more than to collapse into his warm bed and sleep for at least three days straight.
In an even tone, he replied:
"What do you want from me? I killed my opponent before anything worse could happen."
He rubbed his reddened eyes, which he could barely keep open. And now Jarek was getting on his nerves as well… Could he not wait until Lucian was rested enough to lecture him?
"Killed?" Jarek asked, raising his eyebrows, a reproachful note in his voice, "You endangered lives unnecessarily with that stunt. What exactly is Shay teaching you?"
Lucian's mouth corners immediately twitched downward as his exhaustion was pushed aside by anger and bitterness. His fingers tightened around the reins in his hand.
"He hasn't taught me anything so far. He keeps rambling about how he wouldn't break the Codex of the Leonis. Especially not for someone like me…" he muttered.
Whenever he had to deal with the subject, he felt the urge to hit someone. Preferably Shay in his stupid face, even if the family resemblance to Jarek was unsettling.
Jarek sighed and crossed his arms:
"You ask your brother for a favor once, and then you realize that the two of you will do just about anything except what you are supposed to do."
Everything in Lucian tensed. His pulse practically shot through the roof as he grabbed Jarek by the scarf, yanked him closer, and snarled:
"Don't talk about things you have no idea about!"
Jarek raised his hands.
"Easy. That was a joke. You don't seem particularly fond of my brother," he said.
Lucian let go of him and took a step back. His brief outburst of anger immediately filled him with regret. He looked aside and clenched his fists.
Jarek stepped toward him, placed a hand on his shoulder, and asked:
"Lucian, what happened? What did he do?"
How badly Lucian wished he could talk to someone about it. No, not just anyone. Jarek. But he could not do that to him. Not when it involved someone who belonged to Jarek's family. He could not put that at risk.
"Nothing," Lucian muttered.
Just thinking about Shay sent a shiver down his spine.
For a moment, Jarek studied him. Then he let out a breath and replied:
"All right."
He turned and walked toward the open barn door. Before stepping into the courtyard, Jarek paused without turning back to Lucian.
"Codex of the Leonis or not. I cannot allow you to run willingly into your death like an idiot," he said.
Lucian immediately straightened. He was not actually planning to…?
"Jarek, you shouldn't—" he began.
Suddenly, Jarek cut him off and spoke with his usual seriousness:
"The head, Lucian. You have to sever their head from their shoulders."
"What?" Lucian asked, blinking several times.
"Remember that the next time you face an enemy who is not human. You cannot compare them to us. Most of them do not die quickly. Some do not even die when you pierce their heart."
"Jarek…" Lucian murmured.
Why was Jarek crossing this line for him? Why was he risking the wrath of the Leonis?
"Take their head and do not take unnecessary risks. Your survival is more important," Jarek added quietly.
With those words, he left Lucian alone in the stable.
Jarek dropped to his knees, coughing heavily. His chest rose and fell in a wildly irregular rhythm.
Shit!, Lucian cursed and immediately tried to rush to him, but the world before his eyes began to flicker. When he attempted to take even one more step, his legs gave out and the ground rushed up to meet him. He could not even lift his arms to break the fall.
Before he quite knew it, he was lying in the dirt, feeling the cold of the paving stone pressed against his cheek. Somehow he had managed to tilt his head slightly so it would not smash against the hard stone, and yet he tasted blood in his mouth.
"What about … the Verdani?" Jarek asked hoarsely.
"Don't speak, you need every breath," Lucian reminded him, earning himself a dark look from Jarek in return.
Lucian tried to get up, but his body no longer responded the way it should have.
Damn it.
Someone from Fenn's unit hurried over, while two others checked on Jarek. Slowly, the courtyard filled with the murmur of voices.
A soldier slipped Lucian's arm over his shoulders and hauled him upright.
He asked:
"Are you injured, Commander?"
"I am uninjured, but Commander Liard needs immediate rest. If necessary, force him to comply. His survival depends on it," Lucian said, sweat burning in his eyes, "and as soon as a Leonis arrives, he is to take care of the—"
A scream rang out behind them. Lucian instantly held his breath, and the soldier supporting him stiffened as well. Out of the corner of his eye, Lucian saw him glance over his shoulder. Then came a crashing sound.
Jarek braced one hand against the ground, waved off any help from the two soldiers beside him, and struggled to his feet.
"What is going on?" Lucian demanded.
"You have to get away from there!" Jarek shouted, arm raised, his eyes fixed on Lucian and the soldier. He staggered toward them.
The earthy, floral scent of the Verdani irritated Lucian's nose once more.
Oh no…
Behind them, a sharp voice hissed, saturated with fury:
"That's enough!"
She spoke Granian, but her vowels were harder, the s-sounds drawn out, as if she were shaping every sound with her teeth.
The hair on the back of Lucian's neck stood on end. The air behind him turned cold, and a hissing sound crept into his ear. What had happened? Was the Drakanian woman all right?
His head twitched as he reflexively tried to turn around, but he was unable to look at what was happening. He did not need to look, however, to know that danger was approaching. Every single fiber of his body screamed that he had to get away. Immediately.
The hissing grew sharper. The ground beneath Lucian's feet vibrated.
His heart hammered wildly against his ribs. No matter what was behind Lucian and the soldier, there was nothing he could have done. He was at the mercy of his fate.
"Haddie!"
The hissing stopped at once, and the cold behind him dissolved as well.
Lucian's blood froze in his veins.
That voice!
It had been loud, but not frantic. Clear and unwavering instead. There was no doubt to whom it belonged.
Jarek broke off in mid-movement and stood rooted to the spot. He turned his head to the right. Toward where the voice had sounded. Toward a place where no one should have been anymore.
All color drained from his face. His eyes were fixed rigidly on a point outside Lucian's field of vision. Jarek's grip on his sword no longer looked resolute, but strained.
Lucian blinked several times. Had he imagined it? Jarek looked … pale. This was not the usual pallor that always accompanied his health. There was something else in his expression. Something Lucian had never seen in him before. Something that tightened his throat.
The soldier supporting Lucian turned toward the voice in shock.
"T-That can't be," he blurted out.
Between the craters where Iska's body had lain stood a tall figure. Upright and steady on its feet. Completely unharmed, as if nothing had happened. The head sat once more upon the shoulders. Not the slightest scratch, let alone a scar, remained. Only the collar of his shirt had taken on a dark red hue.
Iska reached for his neck, tilted his head, and let it crack.
Everyone who was in the courtyard at that moment froze and stared as though spellbound at the impossible scene unfolding before their eyes. Not only they, but the entire world seemed to stand still in a soundless suspension.
Lucian's own heartbeat made itself known in a loud pounding. This … this could not be. Were they under an illusion spell? But that was impossible as well. Jarek would have noticed it, after all, being a Leonis made him immune to such things. Besides, Jarek had been certain that Iska could not use magic.
So how in the hell was this possible? How could he be standing there now? Lucian had seen Iska's head severed. He had seen the lifeless body collapse to the ground. He had seen all that blood. And yet Iska was anything but dead.
Lucian looked to the right and swallowed hard. The Verdani, who should have been unconscious, was moving toward them. A single vine stood motionless beside Lucian and the soldier. Had that been the danger Lucian had sensed earlier?
And where had the Drakanian woman gone…? Lucian spotted her a short while later where he had left her. She lay on the ground, the wall behind her badly damaged. Deep cracks ran through the masonry like the scales of a snake. Parts of the wall had collapsed, leaving rubble scattered everywhere.
Iska let his slightly narrowed eyes wander over the battlefield before he spoke calmly:
"Your efforts were … remarkable. However, it is time to depart."
"Impossible… I … beheaded you. You should have … died…," Jarek brought out quietly and slowly turned toward Iska.
The Verdani moved up to Iska. For a blink of an eye, she studied his face, which looked as though he were surveying his surroundings. Then she began to look around as well and walked in a circle around him, pressing a finger to her lips.
Iska gave a small smile:
"I did die."
Sweat dripped from Lucian's chin.
This can't be happening…! Is he messing with us?!
"Then … you'll just … die … again and again … until … you stay … dead!" Jarek hissed, breathing heavily. He leveled his sword at Iska, even though it was visibly difficult for him to lift it at all.
"Stop it, Jarek! You can't keep fighting!" Lucian shouted.
Please. Someone had to stop Jarek. Anyone!
Jarek tried to surge forward, but when a terrible coughing fit seized him, he came to a halt.
Lucian was painfully aware that his words were useless. This man had his pride and took orders from no one. Least of all from him. Jarek would rather charge into his own death. And that was exactly what worried Lucian the most.
The Verdani suddenly stopped. She bent down and picked up an object that gleamed in the low light of the setting sun. Carefully, she wiped away the dust and returned to Iska.
She tugged at his robe, prompting him to turn toward her and smile warmly. He thanked her and accepted the glasses she had brought him.
He put them on, adjusted them, and advised Jarek:
"You should listen to your subordinate."
Jarek twisted his face and sprinted the last few arm lengths forward.
The Verdani stepped ahead, but Iska blocked her path with his arm and shook his head.
Jarek's blade came down straight toward Iska. He and the Verdani stepped aside so that Jarek's strike cut only air.
Then Jarek collapsed inward with a gasp and rammed his sword into the ground to catch himself at the last moment, coming to a halt in a hunched position. He coughed until blood gathered on his lips.
"Go, stop him!" Lucian ordered the soldier who had remained motionless beside him. He flinched when Lucian addressed him.
He turned his head toward Lucian and replied:
"That's not possible. He is … the commander."
The soldier almost breathed the word 'commander.'
If no one else was willing to stop Jarek, then Lucian would have to do it himself!
But when he tried to move, a stabbing pain shot through his body. He clenched his teeth and tried again, yet his body did not respond.
"Are you all right?" the soldier asked Lucian quietly.
Was there really nothing Lucian could do? Did he have to stand by helplessly while Jarek destroyed himself? Did he have to watch while Magura dragged Nova away?
"Your lung is on the verge of collapsing. Do you truly wish to die such a meaningless death?" Iska asked Jarek with a sigh. He and the Verdani walked calmly past him.
Lucian blinked in confusion. 'Collapsing'? Was that an Arcanian term?
Jarek's coughing forced him to his knees. He was visibly gasping for air, as if he could no longer breathe properly. Still, he stubbornly tried to get back up, but his body trembled too violently and he sank back to his knees once more.
Please, stop, Jarek, Lucian begged silently.
Iska and the Verdani approached Lucian. The soldier supporting him tensed noticeably.
At last, they stopped right beside them.
Without looking at Lucian, Iska said:
"Standing between worlds is surely not easy. Take care of yourself, Lucian. No one else will."
A quick hand gesture followed. The Verdani nodded and remained where she was, while Iska headed toward the main entrance.
The Verdani scrutinized Lucian and the soldier closely, as though she expected them to attack at any moment.
What the…?
A vine rose up in front of them.
Gradually, Iska's words sank in, and Lucian immediately overheated with fury.
With trembling nostrils, he snapped back:
"I can very well do without—"
Lucian heard only a hiss, and then the thought broke off. Everything that followed was a yawning emptiness.
*********************************************************************
Since Marcy's, Kiyan's, and my paths had parted, not much time could have passed. The sky had shifted from gold to a deep red.
As night fell, the sounds of the forest gradually faded. In the distance, only the deep cawing of a few crows could still be heard.
I decided to follow their call, since crows liked to gather in clearings or open fields. A perfect opportunity to get an overview of my surroundings.
At first, I made good progress. I felt better. At least physically. As for everything else … inside, I was more dead than alive. I told myself I was too tired to feel anything, but to be honest, that emotional numbness suited me just fine. This was not the time to crawl into a corner, curl up, and cry. No matter how much I would have liked to.
So I did what I had done my entire life: I kept going without looking back. Without thinking about the past.
Every step had to be placed deliberately, since my knees were soft as butter. I did not know whether I would be able to get back up if I fell.
As the light faded, so did my vision. Everything grew blurry, and soon after, the dizziness returned. I lost a great deal of time because of the many breaks I had to take as a result.
When it had almost grown dark, I passed a fallen tree. It was large and thick, with a significant portion of its roots jutting out of the ground.
I sat down beside the tree, pulled my legs up to my chest, and wrapped my arms around my knees.
Aside from the few days I had spent in captivity, this was the first time in over two weeks that I had truly been alone. I should have been used to solitude. In the past, it had given me a sense of safety. It had been predictable and peaceful. And now … there was no lively voice anymore to keep me moving. No one swore when I accidentally snapped a branch in an all too obvious place.
There was only me and that unbearable silence, which made me restless. At the faintest rustle, I flinched, and even an encounter with a bird was enough to leave me drenched in sweat.
It grew even more unbearable once night fell. It was so dark that I could no longer make out even the faintest outlines, and the fact that I was completely alone in a forest unfamiliar to me, unable to even light a fire, made my heart race wildly.
The grunting of a wild boar, in particular, sent my pulse soaring higher, even though I had heard it only muffled and from far away.
In the beginning, my breathing came in short bursts, and the trembling had grown so strong that the leaves beneath me rustled. Over time, however, it eased.
I did not know exactly why. Perhaps because the numbing exhaustion was stronger than my fear. It dulled everything. Even the gaping hole in my chest, which had made itself known after a few hours and sent deep, piercing pain through me every few blinks, bringing tears to my eyes, granted me a brief respite.
Not long after, my eyes closed.
At some point, the sound of a deep snort woke me. Whatever was beside me had come so close that its warm breath brushed against my arm.
At first, I thought it was a vivid dream, but when the breath touched my arm again, goosebumps rose on my skin. Well … the only good thing about it was that I was no longer alone, wasn't it?