Yla

Chapter 13: Unfinished Business

Agima was rooted where he stood as soon as he heard those words, he stared at Ogami for a moment, then he turned away and walked out of the library. Soon as the mahogany doors shut behind him, Agima felt his knees grow weak and in his head pained screams of a child echoed, she recalled her face as she ran towards him. It was an image that haunted his nightmares even to this day, especially during nights when he remembers how he held in his arms the dying Adda, and Nivek was not far away, their gaze was that of  pity... and that child... the child...

Agima calmed his nerves, the news evoked memories that he had buried away, but with the revival of the Light of Fadia couldn’t help but smile, with it his plans could come to reality earlier than he had expected. He thought deeply, Adda’s child must have held the Light of Fadia, finally luck was in his favor. He gained his composure and went on his way to prepare to travel to Fadia.

Ogami cursed, as soon as his brother had left, he was an i***t, he was in so much shock that he let his tongue slip, he had placed Yla in danger. 

“Collin!” he called to his aide, “quickly we need to get to my room!”

Collin was a child with curly hair the color of corn, his round face and his blue eyes was filled with worry for his master, immediately he walked to his master to help him stand up. But with his stature being too small to support Ogami he changed his appearance to that of a grown man to be able to prop him up and help him get to his room. Collin is a creature called a Canary. 

Canaries were creatures who can change forms between a human and a bird. They have yellow feathers that are the same color of their hair when they are in their human form. They usually take the form of human children if they are not birds, as they believe that humans will never harm children of their own kind, but many Canaries are forced to be slaves by humans and since then they have avoided them, unless they choose one to be their master. Ogami was chosen by Collin purely by accident, as he was saved by Ogami from a slave trader. 

“Collin, we need to hurry”, he said to him as he helped Ogami walked to his room

“Master, are we in that much of a rush?” he asked

“Yes.”

“Okay”

Soon as he said that Collin snapped and he and Ogami fell into a portal directly into his room. He helped Ogami to his desk as he instructed, then the most unreasonable request came out of his master’s mouth.

“Collin, please distort the space around my room, do not let anyone near, no one, not even my brother. Do you understand?” he said as he began rummaging around his table.

Other than shape shifting Canaries was able to control space, to distort the space around Ogami’s room was not as small as he think he is and Collin knew it, because despite what his master calls his room it was not simply a room, it was a residence, in Fiber Manor and has considerable area.

“Master, you mean the whole space around your room? Including your courtyard?” Collin was surprised.

“Yes Collin, please.”

He looked at his master as if he had grown insane, but he obliged him. Ogami saw how Collin pressed his palms together, his eyes glowed with the magic and when released his palms a bubble formed between them. It grew and grew until it encompassed the whole area, after that Collin was panting, and he turned into a small yellow bird and rested on Ogami’s shoulder.

“It’s done master”, he said, “but can I ask why?”

“I messed up, and I need to fix it.” said Ogami as he flipped through the pages of a heavy book, “I found it” he exclaimed and soon he was already doing his own incantation.

                                                              *******************************

The celebration in Fadia ended late into the night, she ate, drank and danced, Yla was full. She went to bed that night believing that better days were coming her way. That night for the first time she dreamt about the future, about the good things, and about Ogami.

The following day, Yla was awake at dawn despite sleeping late, she left a note on her door informing anyone who would search for her that she went out hunting and would be back as soon as she could. She tied her quiver around her hips and her thigh securely making it easier for her to move. She carried her bow and slung a bag at her back, she did one final check if she had everything and when satisfied, she headed out into the cool spring morning.

Agima arrived at the outskirts of Fadia at dawn, the air was cold, nothing much had changed in this place, he thought to himself, it was as he remembered it, and without mistake he found their house immediately. He prepared himself and all his magical arts to finish what he started and claim the Light of Fadia. He watched as she emerged from the front door and made her way to the forest. From afar it was difficult to discern her face, but she walked closer to him, he wanted to confront her then and there but he froze on his tracks - it was Adda! His brain exploded, Agima quickly hid behind a tree before she could even see him, and she watched her pass him by. His jaw was agape as he watched her.

It was impossible, he thought

Adda was gone, he saw her dying that day, but he couldn't help himself, he had to make sure; he masked his presence and followed her. His heart was drumming inside his chest so loud that everything was silent, the way she walked and moved was so graceful that he wanted to hold her hand and walk with her. He wanted her to call his name as she did in the past, it was truly her, the woman that he is willing to turn the world over just to be with even just for a day. But something was not right, the quiver and the bow caught his sight, Adda wasn't one to hold a weapon, ever. His heart sank. This was not Adda, he was right Adda was gone, and this... he said to himself, this is her child. Hers and Nivek’s daughter. Nivek who stole everything, Nivek who broke his promise, she is the result of that union, she is a mistake. 

Anger swelled in him, he followed her close enough that he could easily take hold of her and break her neck, silently he stretched his arms towards her....

Yla looked behind her, she felt malice so close, she eyed her surroundings, no one was there, and as soon as it came the malevolent magic dispersed, but an eerie feeling hung in the air. She notched an arrow, surveying the surroundings, there was something not right. 

Swish!

She shot her arrow at a tree on her left, a rodent scurried away, but there wasn't anything else, wary of her surroundings Yla walked on.

Agima looked at the arrow that was inches away from his left ear, the girl was a good shot, her senses were keen and Agima knew that she missed only because he was masking, but if she had seen him and he was caught unaware he would have been dead. He needed to be careful, so he allowed to move a little farther away from him to make sure that she would not sense him. Slowly she moved up the mountains and Agima followed her, until it was night fell. She had built a camp in a small clearing, it was a peaceful night and he noticed that she was finally at ease, this is his chance. He walked up to her and made a grab for her neck but suddenly a barrier formed between them and he was pushed back

Yla was surprised when the bracelet Ogami had given to her suddenly created a barrier. She saw a man thrown back, he wore a dark hood that fell off exposing his ash blonde hair, Ogami, she first thought as she saw his face but his hair and demeanours gave him away, Yla recognized him through his malice towards her, it was the man who murdered his parents. Yla cursed herself to think about Ogami at a time like this but he looked so much like Ogami, slowly she realized that somehow they must be connected. But she pushed back those thoughts as  the man attacked her again this time with magic. He didn't care for silence; he was in full rage, but the barrier had protected her from every angle. She made a grab for her bow and she began shooting at him. Yla learned that the barrier would allow her arrows to pass through but not any other attacks. She unleashed her arrows at him which he blocked at every turn.

Agima was perplexed, he didn't expect that the girl would have a protective artefact in her possession, and it was in fact quite strong, it was imbued by blood magic, so whoever had created it was receiving the brunt force of his attacks. 

Serves that bastard right, he thought.

But he saw through the magic, it will allow her to attack by opening a portion of the barrier. It was fast but not impossible to penetrate. He needed to see where the artefact was, and found it on her wrist. Swiftly as Yla released her arrow and as it passed through the barrier Agima had shot his wind magic, penetrated the barrier through the arrow and hit the artefact around her wrist.

The barrier collapsed as soon as the bracelet was off of her wrist and Agima bolted to her before she could react and grabbed her by the neck; he can feel her air passages give way to the pressure of his fingers. Yla dropped her bow, but fought to get away from his clutches, she clawed his arms and any other part that she could reach. She kicked and struggled, but Agima didn't loosen his grip. Yla pulled a knife from her belt and stabbed him on the arm. He howled in pain, Yla broke free from his grip trying to catch her breath. She faced her assailant, he was etched in her memory, this was her chance for revenge.

Blinded by rage Yla pulled another knife from her boot and charged at him, but he deflected and evaded her attacks. She tried to get close to him aiming for his throat but he had his magic to shield him from her.

BOOM!

A burst of his attack had thrown Yla five meters into the air and landed on the hard ground with, with her arm breaking her fall, Yla heard something c***k at impact. She turned over trying to stand but Agima had conjured metal stakes that impaling her shoulders and legs on the ground. She let out a blood chilling scream, she saw how her shoulder bled.

Agima watched her scream in pain as he nursed his wounded arm, his eyes gleamed with fury and yet he felt twisted delight as she howled and cried in pain, he smiled. It was a victory!

He walked towards her and with such force he stepped on her bleeding wound, he laughed as he watched her scream. He was ecstatic as she suffered under his might; Agima felt powerful, he turned around and saw the knife she used to stab him, he picked it up and looked at her smiling maniacally, this was the happiest moment of his life!

Yla felt her body shudder as she saw through her blurred vision as he bared his whites like an animal, he brandished her knife as he moved back over to her. Yla felt both fear and pain, two things that were alien to her, she felt her blood ooze out of her wounds and her inability to escape, she couldn't call onto her magic as she was paralyzed by fear. She began to cry without her knowing she was going to die, she thought, she wasn't strong enough to avenge them

Agima felt a small inkling of guilt sprout in his chest as he watched her bleed to death, the image of Adda flashed in his mind. But Adda’s face or memories were not enough to quell his anger, the years he had gone through without Adda was caused by this child and her father she is a child born of betrayal, and he will never forgive that. 

The blade was cold in his hand and beneath his foot was nothing but a weak child whom he scorned, he smiled, oh the pleasure of finally getting what he wanted! He raised his hand and in a swift motion the blade went through her heart. Another scream he tried to pull the Light of Fadia of off her neck but it didn't allow him to touch the crystal, so he cut i off by magic and placed it in his pocket,  Agima laughed as Yla convuled and then lay motionless, he laughed in delight to finally vanquished the reminder of his defeat, but then he stopped, and his whole being shook. A massive amount of magic was felt that the air itself began vibrating, Agima’s body grew cold, there was something wrong.

Blackness came over Yla, the pain, the anger and fear mixed together into an uncontrollable power and exploded from within her.

BAM!

A force like a firing cannon exploded from Yla sending Agima flying into the air, his body hit a tree and he fell on the ground coughing blood. A shower of arrows came flying towards him even before he could stand up, his quick barrier spell had saved him, but he was unable to move as some of his ribs were cracked or broken. The arrows didn't stop and the spell will not last any longer. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the metal stakes that impaled the child flew out, with it's force so strong that it bore a hole on a tree. The child whom he had killed rose and pulled the knife out of her chest and held it as if she was going to attack.

Agima cringed, Yla stood with her blood dripping down her body, her eyes glowed disturbingly white but they were expressionless. 

Zoom.

With immense speed Yla was in front of his shield and with a single strike the barrier crumbled, but she didn't stop her motion, Agima covered his face with his arm and Yla had driven her knife through his bone. He kicked her with all his might and she was pushed back even a few meters that he used to run away, but soon Yla was already approaching him at speeds  he couldn’t even imagine. She shot at  him with magic that he didn't have the ability or speed to dodge her. Agima was struck by the attack and once again grounded. 

Yla thrusted the knife toward him and Agima barely sandwiched it between his palms just a few inches above his chest. Yla continued to drive the knife with immense force, his arms were about to give way, and he was about to resign himself to his fate when he saw the metal stake close but not enough for him to take hold of it. He muttered his last ditch spell and the stake struck Yla cleanly through her stomach, and almost instantly the force around her vanished and she fell.

Yla felt so much pain, and tasted blood in her mouth, the world spun around her and as she fell to the ground the last she saw was the star-crusted sky.

End of Volume 1.