A KISS OF RAGE AND FIRE

NINE

KILLIAN ARCHERON

The Barren Lands

Southeast of Lancaster 

Killian Archeron never finds it amusing to fight monsters. As much as possible, umiiwas siya rito. Not only because it's boring but also because it is a waste of his time and energy. But right now, as if fate has been playing games on him, he found himself in The Barren Lands. Mahina siyang napamura. Sa lahat ng pwede niyang mapadparan, dito pa?

The Barren Lands. From the name itself, it's a huge land barren of anything. It's lifeless. Nothing survives here. This land usurps the magical power inside a human's body, draining them completely should they step the wrong way. It's like there are landmines in here and the wrong step would lead people to their death.

Killian groaned. He can't afford to be doing this now. But he doesn't have a choice but to go through it. Kung kailan siya nagmamadali saka pa ito nangyayari. Talk about bad timing.

He tried winnowing to the place nearest Lancaster, the royal capital, but he ended up here. One moment, he was walking and didn't notice the portal that led him here. That's another dangerous thing about this land. It doesn't have an exact location. But people believe it is located in the Southeast part of Terrasen and that there are portals all over the continent that leads to this place. As far as he can remember, he was several kilometers from Lancaster before he found himself here.  

But he figured this would be better. There's only one way to get out of this place. And that is to defeat the Wind Wraiths residing in this area. Once he defeats them, he can choose where should he be going out. And he's thinking he wants to go somewhere nearest Lancaster as it saves his energy. He hasn't moved from where he was standing. Nakatayo lang siya doon, naghihintay kung kailan lalabas ang kakalabanin niya. And honestly, he's bored and he's hungry. He needs to finish this quickly.

Hindi niya alam kung anong nangyari sa ibang kasamahan niya. They left Lancaster a few months ago to scatter all around Terrasen because of the mission the King has ordered them to do. Labag sa loob nila ang umalis, lalo pa't sila ang mga personal na mga guwardiya ng hari. But the King insisted they all go and scatter all over Regoria to investigate. The King had frequent dreams--nightmares about creatures lurking in the night, feeding on babies, with eyes as red as blood, and with skin as dark as the night. Hindi niya maintindihan kung ano ito at kailanman, hindi pa niya narining ang ganoong klaseng nilalang. The King called them Soul Pincers. And he has no single idea about what it was.

But now, he thinks he's starting to get a clue. Kaya kailangan niyang makarating agad sa Palasyo to report what he found to the King.

And then he felt it. A strong presence. Wind wraiths are probably the strongest wraiths that ever existed. They feed on the fears of their victims. They get it out and throws it back to their victim ten times scarier. They kill using their victim's fears. And Killian can feel several of them now going in his direction.

His cloak swayed with the harsh wind. At tama ang hinala niya. There are several of the wind wraiths now surrounding him. Their eye sockets were empty but they were glowing red. It doesn't have a solid form but he could see swirls of darkness around its head that form the wraith's hair. Its talons were also from the dark swirls but he knows if he isn't careful, those talons could shred him to pieces. They all opened their mouths, preparing to get his fears out.

"Too bad I don't have one. Starve yourselves motherfuckers," he said as a huge blast of power coming from him whipped through the wraiths. It penetrated through them and blasted them to pieces ngunit dahil gawa sila sa hangin, agad rin itong nakabalik sa tunay nilang anyo.

"Thorin," he called and a shadow form emerged from the dry ground. Thorin is one of his demons. He got this shadow when he defeated a demon village in The Abandoned Lands. His other eye turned blue and his arms formed talons, identical to what the wraiths have.

"Yes, my lord," the shadow said in demon language. The shadow knelt in front of him, with his fist on his heart. Napasapo siya sa kanyang noo.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to do that?" 

Ngunit agad rin niyang pinagsisihan na pinagsabihan niya ito dahil nakayuko na ito ngayon, its forehead touching the ground. "My deepest apologies, my lord."

One thing about the demons that he has is that they're very loyal to him. The Shadow Demons, he calls them, have their own instinct noong nabubuhay pa ang mga ito. And that is to kill. Once Killian extracts the shadow of a monster he defeated, it becomes so loyal to him that its loyalty wins against its natural instinct. But when it comes to their enemies, lumalabas ang tunay na lakas nito. One has to be strong enough to control these demons. Killian has seven Shadow Demons under his command. And they are the strongest monsters he has ever fought and defeated.

"Get up,"  he ordered at tumayo naman ito. Thorin is one of the strongest Shadow demons he has. Darkness swirled around it when it stood in front of him. He holds a scythe and his hooded cloak swayed with the wind. Despite the hood, Killian could see its blue eyes glimmering.

"What is your command, my lord?"  tanong nito sa kanya. He eyed the wraiths around them, trying to extract his fear. Stupid creatures.

"Kill all of them,"  tanging sabi niya.

Bahagya itong yumuko. "Yes, my lord."

Thorin swung his scythe as it marched closely towards the wraiths. Killian has an advantage as much as the wraiths. Shadow magic is very effective in this place since the shadows and the wind doesn't have a solid form it can't trigger whatever it is in this land that absorbs magic. Kaya naman he just watched as Thorin swung his magnificent scythe against the wraiths, disposing of them one by one.

One wraith tried to attack him and with a swing of his claw, disposed of it too. His claw tore the wraith to pieces at hindi na ito nakabalik sa totoo nitong anyo.

Another one attempted to attack ngunit mabilis siyang nakailag--he jumped and mula sa itaas, he swung his claw to the wind wraith, tearing its airy body into pieces, at muli, hindi na ito nakabalik sa anyo nito.

It might be because they hold the same kind of power that he was able to defeat them. If it were Elementals against these wraith species then they have no power against these creatures.

Napatingin siya sa gawi ni Thorin na abala rin sa pakikipaglaban. He swung his scythe to one wraith and slashed his claw to the other. Killian whistled as he watched. Napatingin naman si Thorin sa kanya. It looked sinister, and he can sense Thorin's bloodlust ngunit nang tumingin ito sa kanya his fierce glowing blue eyes returned to normal and then blinked. As if waiting for him to give it a compliment.

"Good job. Now, continue." He waved a hand and Thorin huffed, bringing back his fierce glowing eyes, continuing to slice and claw its enemies. Ganoon din ang ginawa niya. With his shadow, ginamit niya ito para makalutang siya, avoiding stepping on the ground. He felt Thorin's back on his back as they looked at their remaining enemies closing in.

"If we finish here in five minutes, you get a sheep's blood when we get home."

He could have sworn he heard Thorin shrieked in excitement before it attacked the last remaining wind wraiths. He blinked. Thorin did it in less than ten seconds.

"If I had known you can do it fast like that I should have offered you the sheep blood earlier." Napabuntong hininga nalang siya habang nakatingin sa Shadow Demon niya na ngayo'y nasa harapan niya, with its scythe on its side and its face questioning.

A portal appeared in front of them. "You can go, now. I will call you later for the sheep's blood."

The Demon huffed excitedly and said, "Yes, my Lord."

Nakakaintindi naman ito ng lenggwahe niya but he prefers to communicate in with his demons in their language. Thorin shrunk back to the ground in his shadow and he looked at the Portal.

"To Lancaster," he announced. As much as he wanted to end up in the Palace, he can't because it's heavily warded. That's why he can only go to Lancaster, the Royal Capital. He entered the portal. He felt the pressure closing in, wrapping around him. The next thing he knew, he found himself falling to the ground. He landed on the cobblestone road, in an alleyway. He looked up and the portal was gone. He flicked dust from his black tunic and started walking, his hands on his pockets.

His black hair, now longer than the time he left the city, now swayed with the wind as he walked the busy streets of Lancaster. Some recognized him and greeted him. He just answered with a polite bow and a small smile. He passed a brothel and he could see whores sitting by the window, smoking, and calling his name. He just grinned and winked at them. He still has important matters to do. Kaya agad siyang nagpunta sa Palasyo.

He was about to enter the gates when two Royal Guards stopped him.

"You are not allowed inside," said one of the guards.

Under his hood, napataas ang kilay niya. He did not mind it and was about to enter when the two guards are now pointing their swords at him.

Pissed and hungry, a blast of his power went out, coating him in darkness, only one of his blue eyes could be seen, glowing amidst the swirl of darkness.

"I really am not in the mood for this. Get out of my way before I blast you to smithereens," he said and the guards instantly recognized it was him, Killian Archeron, the Captain of the Kingsguard. They scuttled away, dropping their swords.

"Our deepest apologies, sir! We didn't recognize you," they said habang nakayuko. As if they'd be blown to pieces if they look. Killian admits his power is stronger than any ordinary mage. He possesses Dark Magic kaya kinatatakutan siya ng mga ito.

His power cooled down as fast as it came and tapped both the guards in their shoulders. He gave them each a sweet smile. "Well, why not send a bottle of sheep's blood to my chambers later? My Demon is hungry."

"Yes...Yes, sir!" Ramdam niya ang panginginig ng mga ito. He's not sure if it was because of the power he showed earlier or when he told them about his demons, or maybe both. But he clapped their shoulders again and continued to walk. He removed his hood para makilala na siya ng ibang makakasalamuha niya.

"People on the streets recognized me and the Royal Guards didn't."He clicked his tongue and marched down the marble floor hallway.

The King sent all seven of them on a mission to confirm the King's dream. Apparently, the King has the Vision and he can see the future through his dreams. What he saw was a red-eyed creature ngunit hindi nila alam kung anong klaseng nilalakng iyon. The King had a bad feeling that's why they sent all of them to scatter all over Terrasen and find something about it. And he might have found a clue. He isn't so certain if they are connected but it's too serious to be ignored. He doesn't know about his other companions' whereabouts and if they found something.

He knocked on the King's door at agad pumasok.

The moment he entered, the King stood from his chair. "Killian," he called. Killian kneeled a knee to the floor and bowed his head slightly.

"Your Majesty," he said. The King nodded at agad siyang tumayo.

"Why are you here? Did you find anything?" he could see the anxiousness in his eyes and from what he saw back in that kung saan siya galing, he can understand where the King's anxiousness comes from.

"I did. But I don't know if they're connected."

The King nodded and rested his hands on the table, preparing to listen to what he has to say.

* * *