Of Fire and Fury (Book 1: Light-Born Series)

Chapter 39 - Katshi

The forest was cool, despite it being the hottest season of the year. The trees swayed slightly in the midnight breeze, scratching against each other. It would have been a quiet night, except for the muffled sobs that echoed through the tree trunks, and the crackling of a fire that lit a small clearing. The moon was full, and at its peak in the sky. Katshi stared at it intently, as if it was the silent judge of his heart that would condemn him for eternity for the ritual he was about to perform. 

Moru pressed a knife into Katshi’s palm, drawing his attention back to the task at hand. Katshi glanced around, taking in the scene lit by the firelight. A small boy was tied beside the fire, his hands and feet bound behind him as he lay on the ground. His head was covered by a sackcloth, so Katshi couldn’t see his face. He didn’t even know who it was, only that it was someone that he must love, as that was a requirement for the spell to work.

Katshi looked at the knife in his palm, a smooth blade carved from a single hard stone, with an intricate maze of carving on the hilt. A tear dropped onto the blade, and Katshi realized that it had come from his own eye.

“You can do this.” Moru whispered in his ear. “Remember why you do this, brother. Remember, it is only one. One life for the many.”

The words seemed to ricochet off him, without even sinking in. All Katshi felt was a deep emptiness—a denial. He refused to react, to feel, holding at bay the fear and shame that threatened to consume him. Moru was right. He had to be right. This was the only way, wasn’t it? Katshi nodded slowly, his eyes glued to the frail, shaking body before him.

“The spell.” Moru pushed. “Read it.”

Katshi fumbled with the scroll between his hands, still clinging to the knife with one hand. He squinted at the scrawling lettering, and though he didn’t understand fully the Old Tongue words, he began to read aloud.

He performed the ritual with an unphased perfection. The words, the crushing of the animals skulls, the grinding of the herbs and throwing them on the fire. All that was left was the blood of one whom he loved. Here is where he froze.

“Finish it!” Moru said, his excitement hardly contained. But Katshi stood for a long time, the weight of the blade in his hand.

“I… I can’t.” Katshi finally found his trembling voice.

“You have to!” Moru’s voice raised from his quiet encouragement to sharp anger. “You must!”

Moru stepped in front of Katshi, blocking out the small boy’s frame and looking intently into his eyes. His voice had returned to the calm, friendly demeanor.

“You can do this, Katshi, you’re so close!” he said, nodding to himself. “You almost have the power we have been waiting for!”

“I cannot kill an innocent, not for anything.” Katshi said, his hands beginning to shake uncontrollably.

“Yes, you can!” Moru yelled, anger lighting up his eyes with orange flames. He grabbed Katshi’s knife hand and pulled with a ferocious power, lunging toward the young boy’s frame. Katshi reacted nearly too late, pulling back with all his might against Moru to avoid plunging his knife into the boy’s heart.

“No! Moru, I cannot!” Katshi yelled, tugging against Moru’s strength. Moru held on, wrapping his hands around Katshi’s so he could not drop the blade.

“Yes, you can. Don’t worry, we’ll do it together.” he said, his voice sickeningly sweet as he pulled Katshi toward the boy again.

“Okay! Okay.” Katshi nodded, he stopped pulling back and moved with Moru. His mind was racing as his knife hand closed in on their victim. He could not condemn a young boy, one whom he loved, to this fate. This was not worth all the power in the world. He knew he must convince Moru of the same. Katshi tore his eyes from the boy before him to Moru. His dark eyes were bright, alive and glowing, a smile plastered onto his face that made him look like a madman. Katshi’s stomach dropped as he realized Moru would never stop—he was so close to the power, he would never let it go.

A sudden power took over Katshi’s body, fueled by his fear and anger. Before he knew what he was doing, all his strength sent his knife hand backward and straight into Moru’s heart. Moru’s face froze in shock, as he coughed. Blood spilled from his chest, pouring all over Katshi and onto the fire. Katshi, repulsed, shoved Moru back. His body flopped into the flames, sending sparks and flames sputtering in every direction. Moru coughed and moaned, as the smell of burning flesh filled the air. Katshi squeezed his eyes shut, his hands over his ears trying to block out the sound. After a few more moments, Moru’s noises died out.

Katshi opened his eyes, his hands were covered in Moro’s blood. He couldn’t look at the mangled and burning body. Instead, he grabbed the small boy with shaking limbs, who was still weeping under the cloth over his head. Katshi sliced his hands and feet free, and removed the bag.

“Katshi?!” the boy wailed, scrambling away from him. He looked around, seeing Moru’s body, and the remnants of the ritual. His eyes fell to Katshi’s blood stained hands. “What have you done?”

“Rainier?” Katshi breathed, tears flooding his eyes as he saw the hatred in his own nephews eyes. “I’m so sorry, Rainier, I’m so sorry. But you’re safe now.”

Katshi reached out a hand to comfort the boy, who instinctively pulled away. 

“Rainier, please.” Katshi stared, but froze as he saw the beginning of a cloud of blackness growing over the boy’s shoulder. A thick smoke had risen from the fire, a slow, intentional movement like a swarm of insects moved together and formed the shape of a man. Rainier froze, sensing something behind him. His back was against the ground and eyes were wide, fear paralyzing him.

The shadowy cloud seemed to melt away to reveal a man with combed black hair and perfectly golden tanned skin. His features were flawless, as though he had been carved by a god’s hand. He was tall and muscular, and clothed in a bright red cloth the likes of which Katshi had never seen. He looked like one of the royals from one of the far kingdoms. The man grinned, his perfect smile and oiled back hair shining against the firelight. His black eyes squinted slightly, looking Katshi up and down.

“Who… who are you?” Katshi managed to stammer.

“Congratulations! I am your new closest companion.” the man said, tilting his head slightly as he looked Katshi up and down again. He stepped forward with a proud swagger. “This is what Ekelybru gave me to work with?” he scoffed.

“What do you… Eke…” Katshi started then froze in understanding. “He tricked us.” 

The man’s body rippled like water as a breeze blew through the clearing. The smirk only grew wider at Katshi’s words.

“Well, technically he only omitted a tiny detail. He is the Lord of the Shadows, afterall!” the man laughed, “What did you expect?”

“So, what is to happen, then?” Katshi said, setting his jaw to appear stronger than he felt. “I don’t get the power after all?”

“Oh no, we want you to have all the power you desire. But, I come with it.” the man said, stepping forward. He reached out a hand, the flesh of his arm turning back into the dark smoke and stretching long before him, floating toward Katshi.

“I don’t want any power.” Katshi said, shying away from the smoke.

“Oh it’s too late for that, Katshi. You performed the ritual.” he said as the smoke began to wrap itself around Katshi’s arm. The smoke curled upward like a snake wrapping itself around its dinner.

“You’re free now, you don’t need me. Just let me go!” Katshi said, fear making him frantic.

“Unfortunately that isn’t how it works. We need human agreement to function. An annoying little technicality we’ve yet learned to work around.” the demon said, his whole body dispersing into fog that wrapped itself around Katshi’s entire body, blocking out the forest, the moon, and the firelight. Katshi was in a cloud, the thick fog condensing against his skin. It bubbled along his flesh like droplets of black sweat, soaking into his pores until the air was clear around him. He blinked, and the smoke was gone, but he felt it moving under his skin like fish teeming under the surface of the lake. 

“Well, well, well, I like it in here. It’s nice and warm.” the voice said from somewhere deep inside him. He could feel the voice scratching at the back of his skull, wriggling around like a dog finding the perfect spot to lay down.

Katshi looked down at Rainier, who was still frozen on the forest floor. 

“Uncle?” Rainier said softly, the whites of his eyes shining despite the dim light.

“Kill him.” the voice said. Katshi felt a power emanating from inside of him, it felt like a knife blade opened in his spine. He felt his bones cracking, his skin stretching beyond what it had before. He gasped and looked at his hands, seeing dark fur sprouting from under his skin. It took all his strength he had to find his voice. 

“Rainier, run!” Katshi yelled, the power surging to the surface of his skin, the last of his shouts turning into a roar that shook the trees.