Soulforge Legacy Series

Stone vibrated against my back, irritating in its irregularity. Unlike the vibrations of the trains just under the streets back on Earth, this vibration yanked me up and out of my nap.

Where was I? Who were these people? Why was I here?

Those were the first clear things to force their way to the forefront of my mind. They also didn’t last long as the memories of the past twenty-four hours played through my mind.

With my sleep addled brain, I took too long to see the people around me clearly. To take in their expressions of fear. To hear the cries of fright as dust started to pour down from the ceiling in time with the increasing vibrations.

Just as it seemed like the sound would never end, something gave way with a sharp crack and crunch. As soon as it did, the world went silent. People froze where they were and cries lodged themselves in throats. It was as if some part of every person here knew that to make noise was to invite death upon themselves.

Not knowing what to think, I looked over at Lance. Eyes wide, he slowly reached to his belt. Gingerly pulling his blades so as to keep the noise as light as possible.

The silver streaks across the dull black surface was different than I expected. In fact, both blades looked almost regal in their savagery. And something about the way they were curved reminded me of a pair of fangs. Which was stupid as they were way too thin and long to be the fangs from any creature I could think of. Mythical or otherwise.

He must have noticed where my attention was focused as he lifted one up to let me get a good look. His voice came out in a soft whisper of air. “They were from my mother. A gift of sorts. Her way of ensuring I stayed safe as I searched for my mate.” There was that word again. God, when was he going to get it through his head that this would never work?

Either because of the noise he made or otherwise, something exploded nearby. The clattering sound of stone as it rained down upon the ground above us told me that it had managed to get into the church. Given the lack of fighting, and the lack of the building being leveled, someone was either going door to door trying to flush our group out, or they wanted us alive.

My mana didn’t hesitate to flow through my body as I released my transformation. Almost like a muscle finally relaxing, a part of my mind seemed to release as my ears and tails forced their way forward.

My feet carried me toward the only entry to the room as the fluffy appendages on my head swiveled in a bid to catch any sound they could. From both the hall down here and the room above.

Soft leather met the palm of my hand as I pulled my Chisa Katana from storage. While I could have started to cast a spell or filled the space beyond with fire, something told me that would be a bad idea. That such a move might cause the people behind me to get hurt. Either by my actions or the retaliation that came from such a move.

That didn’t stop the mana from starting to build just beneath my skin. Preparing and hoping for whoever was here to make a mistake or challenge me.

A loud, booming voice shook some dust from the newly loosened stones as it echoed its way to us. “By the order of the mayor as well as Baron Lisander Mirose, everyone here is under arrest. Drop your weapons and come out with your hands up. Failure to comply will result in the use of force.”

Throughout the room, people cried out in fear as their worst fears became reality. As they realized the end was here. From what I could see in the faces of those near me, a quick death would be a mercy. That they expected to be taken, tortured, and sold.

“We will not submit to that tyrant and his troops no matter who it is that is backing him!” One of the women near the door shouted up. Her voice wavered, but the conviction in it allowed others to speak up.

“We would rather die here, now, than go back to being treated as slaves in the city that our ancestors helped create.” This was from a younger man who looked like a geek, albeit one with rather large front teeth and a flat tail.

“That we helped protect.” A well-worn and weathered bear of a man called from where he sat. His voice was low but deep enough to carry over the slowly growing noise. “Who are you to tell us that our blood is not good enough? That just because of our race we are not good enough?

I watched as more and more people chimed in. While the fear didn’t vanish, it was tempered with determination into something more. “So be it!” The man called back at us.

“All non-combatants to the back.” The old man yelled even as the group started to move on their own. All the while his wife started to weave a spell out of what looked like solid threads of mana. Each weave was complex and whispered of secrets. My mind fought as part of it begged me to go to the structure. To pull at the weave so that I might learn its secrets.

The sound of heavy, clunking steps on stone broke the stalemate and shifted my attention back to the single entry point. “Create a kill zone. Use the entrance as a kill zone.” The priest yelled as he moved to a point near the middle of the room. “If you get injured, do not wait for it to get worse or for me to come to you. Come to me as fast as you can so that you can get back to the fight.”

By this point I finally reached the door. While I stood to the right of the entrance, Lance cut across the opening to take up the other side. My mind settled as I started to prepare my first spell of the fight.

A tiny black flame, no larger than my pinky nail, materialized above my left hand. It wasn’t hot. It wasn’t cold. Still, I could feel the soft tongues as it reached for me. With a flick, the black fire sliced a line through the air to impact against a chest of steel just as it passed over the threshold.

With a soft splash, the flame seemed to cover a quarter’s worth of the metal. It was so thinly spread that it nearly vanished back into the nothingness it had come from.

Between one step and the next, a sizable chunk of my mana vanished. Black flames erupted across the armor as a soul wrenching cry filled the space.

The cry cut off nearly as fast as the armor fell to the ground, unmoving.

Everyone stood there, frozen as we took in what had just happened. With that one spell, I had taken down a guard without any visible effort. Sure, it took some mana, but none of them knew how much nor would I tell them.

A cry of rage erupted from someone in the hall above. Given the lumbering steps and the sheet of metal I could see racing down the steps toward us, it was likely a tank.

The shield shoved against the dead soldier in an attempt to clear the way. A dead soldier with black flames still merrily burning away.

Like a creature with a new place to explore, the fire leapt to the new target. He fell just as fast as his companion.

Unlike the first man, this one wasn’t alone. Five more solders had been practically on his tail as he charged. A fact they came to regret as the fire jumped between each of them. They fell to the ground, dead.

I had no doubt that more and more would have kept coming, dying, if not for someone ordering them to stop.

“Enough!” A voice yelled from somewhere just beyond the hall. Likely near the foot of the stairs. It was a voice that sent a shiver down my spine.

I didn’t bother to wait to see what they would do. I started to prepare with everything I had.

Tiny wisps of mana curled out of my body. Each floated around me as they darkened to a black as deep as a moonless night.

Still, I doubted they would do much to him. Especially given his defensive abilities. But they might be enough to deal with everyone else as I focused on him and his companions.

“Either you come up here and face me or I come down there.” The challenge in Michael’s voice was clear, albeit tinged in what sounded like a bit of excitement.

I should stay right here. It was the best position, strategically speaking. One entry point. A natural choke point. Honestly, what more could I ask for in a fight?

The only issue was the people behind me. A fight with him would likely result in some damage to everything around us. Given the low ceilings and tight quarters, people would die.

So I didn’t have a choice. I had to face him in the sanctuary. Even then, the fight would be dangerous. One bad strike and the floor might come down on my charges.

That just meant that I had to drive him into the street. That couldn’t be all that hard, right?

“What guarantee do I have that you will not attack me before I get upstairs?” I yelled back as I tried to think through every option. To form plans and alternates. None of which looked all that good. Especially if the demon was here.

“I swear that you will not be attacked until you are standing in front of us.” His words all but confirmed that he wasn’t alone. “I will even go so far as to say that you need only beat me to be allowed to go free.”

The wording he used caught my attention. While he promised to not attack me, he never said they would not attack anyone that came up with me. Worse yet, he refrained from saying how many people I would be facing. Something told me that I would be facing off against everyone that was up there, all at the same time.

Oh, and there was the little fact that he only said I would be allowed to go free. Not everyone. Just me.

Still, I didn’t have much of a choice. With a resigned sigh, I started forward only to stop when Lance took a step to follow me. “No,” I said as I pushed him back. “You need to stay here in case if I fail.”

“Failure means death.” His voice was somber. “And if you die, what reason would I have to live?” Drama queen much?

The hand that pushed against him rested flat against his chest as I looked him square in the eyes. “You need to finish what you started. To protect these people until they are safe. If not for yourself, than do it for me.”

Was it a bit manipulative to use the bond against him like this? Probably. But what else was I going to do? Let him follow me up there to die? No. If he was going to die, it would not be because of me.

With those words, I made my way through the small pile of armored bodies and into the corridor beyond. Save for a few random stones on the ground, the hall was completely clear.

The moment my head poked out of the ground, Michael yelled at me to stop. “Are you alone?”

“What do you think?” I shot back as my eyes scanned over the place. Every pew had been moved. Shoved to the sides with enough force to shatter most of them.

In their place stood a veritable army of guards. The place was fairly packed, save for a small clearing around the stairs.

Across the clearing from me was Michael’s entire crew. Well, save for the one behind me. I just hoped I didn’t come to regret that.

Eyes focused on the four of them, I saw how each was decked out in new gear.

Michael’s new armor looked black until a shaft of light hit it just right. Then it turned into a deep, rich crimson color.

Victor, on the other hand, carried a new bow and seemed to no longer need a quiver.

Then there was Patric. His new cloak looked to be formed from the shadows themselves. It was so dark that my eyes refused to lock onto him. Every time I tried, they slid to one side or another.

One such slide pulled my eyes away from Patric and to Jeremiah’s new ruby-red staff.

It wasn’t the only bright red object either. Small orbs orbited a form half hidden behind Michael. A form I would have missed if not for the glow they gave off. One that seemed to almost give the rest of the group a bloody halo.

Linda was the first to notice the sword in my hand. Her eyes lit up as a grin spread across her face. One that was wide enough to display her elongated fangs. “Well, well, well. And here I thought that Michael had been mistaken.”

The rest of the group had different reactions. Shock, excitement, confusion, and lust. The last came from Michael as his laughter filled the space. “I thought I recognized the scent of the demonic gift in your blood.” Since when was his nose so good? And did that mean others could tell I had a bit of demonic blood? “But to think you went and became a girl. Oh, I cannot wait to break you.”

“You will be doing no such thing,” Linda spoke with authority. As if she had stepped out of the shadows she had used to hide her power. “Or did you forget that my father, your Patriarch, has already claimed her for himself?”

How was I not surprised by that? Surprised that a demon was trying to lay claim to me. Too bad he would never get the chance to act upon it.

“Because, if you did,” Linda’s voice dropped into the dangerous territory every man knows. The one that said you had fucked up. “Then I think you might need a refresher of the house hierarchy.”

Ashen faced, Michael started to blubber. “No need for that. I didn’t forget. I was just trying to scare Kyren.” He didn’t hesitate to change the topics to something a tiny bit safer, for him that is. “This fight is to the death.” Oh, surprise, surprise. “If you survive, you will be free to go.” Like him or his could save me when they were dead. “Not that that is likely.”

He sounded so full of himself. Like he thought I was nothing. A wimp that he could walk all over. And if he had fought me yesterday, he would have. But as of sometime early this morning, the two debuffs holding me back had finally vanished.

Even if I knew the answer, I had to ask the question. “And if I die?”

“Then Kaelis will meet you when you respawn.” A muscle in Michael’s cheek twitched at Linda’s words.

“Rules?” The question was expected, even if the rules they presented would be something that would be thrown out the moment the fight started. Still, I had to stall for another short bit as I planned and prepared my opening moves.

The entire room scoffed at the question which surprised me as I expected them to try and force me to follow some rule that would put me into a precarious situation. One that they could take advantage of.

“There are no rules in combat.” A guard behind me yelled.

“Anything to survive.” Another cried out.

“Rules only matter in competition and training.” A third one chimed in.

Michael nodded at each before holding his hand up to stop any more from joining in. “Any more questions?” My head shook as I finished my preparations and stepped up the last few stairs. “Good. Then you can start us off.”

Well, wasn’t that generous of him.