26. Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Viola
I can't believe we're dealing with a fucking beast again.
The man's words sober me up quickly, and I rip away from Mace, frantically looking around for Plume and Tulip. They're huddled together in the middle of the fire poles, beast magic already floating in the air around Plume. Tulip is acting as sort of a bodyguard, fending off anyone who attempts to drag Plume out of the fray, shouting, "She's fae, you moron! She's got Beast magic!"
When I reach their sides, Plume turns to me, worry on her face. "My magic is still pretty drained from healing Tulip, but I don't think he'd respond anyway. This one is quite strong." Her face falls, taking her failure personally. "I'm not sure what to do next, Viola."
"How did he even get in the city?" I ask, looking around at the men from Pran who have lined themself up between two homes to keep the creature from moving deeper into town.
"The shields are failing," Morrow grunts as he comes up, dropping a stack of our weapons in front of us. "I figured we'd need these, I ran as fast as I could."
Nodding at him in thanks, I grab the mace and look around for the man named after the weapon. He's in hurried conversation with Harn, so I drop it to the ground for him to find later.
"Morrow, I need you to get the shield back up. Can you do that on your own?"
Morrow shakes his head but still begins to will magic through his intentions. Orange flecks of Shield magic float dreamily through the air. "I'll try my best. No promises, Shadowweaver."
With the mention of my namesake, I pull forward all the Shadow magic within me that I can, hardly even needing to set intentions. My snake comes slithering in from the distance. I hope someday soon that utilizing my magic will become second nature, but my training for hand-to-hand combat still roars louder. I must be in some sort of denial that I don't need a weapon.
I am one. And everyone will be safer if I remember that.
"Where were you?" I ask Shadow as he climbs my body and wraps around my neck. His only reply is a tight squeeze of my flesh, and maybe it's my imagination, but my shadows seem to solidify around me once he's joined me.
Just as I am about to yell at Mace to help us, the minotaur takes a step into the light, and I choke on my words. Plume is grunting from the effort to slow his movements down, and his eyes swing between us, assessing who is the biggest threat.
The beast is a horrific blend of man and steer, with massive horns jutting out of its head and curling toward the sky. Its hulking body has to be almost as tall as a single-story house, its shoulders broader than a doorway. Its face is covered in shaggy brown fur stained with blood. When I squint, I can see a trail of bloodied bodies behind it. Large hooves instead of feet stomp towards us, but its chest is hairless and that of a muscled man.
Mace comes running up to me as I'm staring at the creature and shouts, "Harn is pulling all the people from the edges of the city to the city center and setting up his people around it for defense. It's our job to keep this beast from getting that far."
"That sounds like a lot of confidence in strangers," I shout over the chaos unfolding around us.
His hand briefly rests on my shoulder before he leans to pick up his weapon. "That sounds like a lot of confidence in their God."
I don't have time to process or refute that statement before Morrow shouts, "Tulip, go to the city, let us handle this."
"You're fucking joking, I absolutely will not," she yells back.
"Quit fighting you fuckers, let's just take this thing down!" I shout. At this point, our second beast battle in just a few days, one would think we'd have a rhythm going, but we are still uncoordinated and struggling to be a cohesive team. None of the fae have ever fought anything the way I have. At least Tulip helped with the Wendigo, but she still lacks training. I worry our inability to predict the other's movements will get someone hurt.
Thick, swirling shadows undulate by my feet. I push them forward to the beast and watch as they wrap around its arms. It thrashes and bellows against the restraints. "Morrow, no fire, these buildings will go up like kindling. Weapons and shields only!"
He nods and blessedly listens to me immediately, picking up his axe and running forward to hack at the shoulder of the beast. As it bellows in pain, dark red blood pours from the wound. My eyes dilate at the smell.
I fight through the feeling, breathing through my mouth to avoid the overpowering blood lust. It gets easier every time with the beasts, but I haven't tested it on people yet.
Plume is still whispering her magic to control the beast, but it's not working. "We can't control him! Try restraining him with some vines," I shout. Whipping my head towards him, I direct Mace to start decaying the beast.
Tulip snags up her javelin from the weapons pile, and before I can mention anything, she tosses it through the air, where it lands in the side of the minotaur. It screeches, the sound shaking the roofs of the surrounding buildings. It may have hurt, but it didn't incapacitate, and now he's even angrier, his speed increasing as he rushes us.
I fight against his movements with my shadows but quickly find that I cannot hold him on shadow alone. I step in front of my friends and, without thinking, throw my arms towards him. A barrage of ice shards shoots out, one impaling his thigh and another getting him in the shoulder.
He falls, hot blood cascading from the wounds and melting the shards from his body. Plume manages to get some vines around him at this point that restrain his arms and legs, and I watch as they wither and die before my eyes, and rot creeps through the minotaur's mottled brown skin.
He wails, sounding more human than animal for a brief moment. He thrashes against the vines, and for an instant, I worry he may snap through them. Eventually, his fight starts to give with the blood loss, and his movements still, save for the rapid rise and fall of his chest.
I approach the beast, circling his body slowly, noting that it seems securely restrained between his injuries and the vines. Tossing more shadows into the mix for good measure, I approach his face and glide my blade down his cheek.
The dark red blood glistens in the firelight of the poles, and it draws me in. There's magic there, singing to my own. My bloodlust makes my head spin, and I am helpless to resist it. The compounding scents from the battle overwhelm me and win out. Before I can tell myself not to, I run my tongue up the blade, savoring it. The metallic, earthy taste permeates every corner of my body before the vision takes over me.
I'm the minotaur, standing in the middle of a forest with a group of others that look like me. We're so very hungry, and though the human city is dangerous and the likelihood of survival is slim, I must go to feed my people. The forest is dying, and we're next.
"Viola, come out of it now. Wake up, my numen," Mace says, shaking me softly. I'm in his arms, sprawled at odd angles on the dirt. The minotaur lies dead in front of me, throat having been slit while I was in my vision.
"He was trying to feed his family," I murmur, curling up in Mace's chest from the exhaustion.
Will this ever get easier? My body feels like it has been trampled, and my mind reels with memories that are not my own. Not for the first time, I wish Himureal wasn't everything that he is so he could guide me through this. I want to know how this blood magic works; I want to control it. Instead, I am a slave to it, being pulled apart at the seams by its whims.
Mace lifts me to my feet and brushes the red dirt from my clothes. His bare chest has splatters of blood on it, and curiously so does my shirt. It cakes my arms, the tops of my feet, and even Shadow, who took up residence on the ground at some point during my bloodlust-induced haze. I would have surely collapsed at the beast's feet, but Mace also must've been close when the throat was slit. In the dirt, I see the glistening of a green gem in the hilt of a blade that is covered in dirt and blood. Mace took the killing blow.
He strokes his hand down my cheek. "Tell me what you saw, numen."
I gulp air, attempting to clear my head and focus on the reality in front of me, not the vision. I lock my eyes with Mace's, allowing that comforting green to ground me. "The minotaur was with his herd, and they're running out of food because the forests are dying. He knew it was going to mean death to come here, but he had to try to save his family."
Mace swears under his breath and Morrow, Tulip, and Plume close in tighter around me. "What does this mean?" Tulip asks.
"It means not only is our magic not strong enough to control the beasts anymore, it's not strong enough to maintain the lands. The magic that sustains the ecosystem is dying, too," Mace spits, anger coloring his neck red.
I pluck the tie from the front of my shirt and wrap it around my hair to get it out of my face before looking at my companions with a sigh. "Mace, you said all the people are in the city center?" He tilts his head towards the town, where, if I focus, I can hear people milling about and chattering lowly. "Then we go there. We tell them everything. If anyone knows anything about this artifact, we need it, and we need it fast."
Tulip leads us to the city center, all of our bodies weary, exhausted, and sprayed with blood, where all the citizens of Pran wait with bated breath. Upon sight of us, looking like warriors returned from battle but feeling worn out and unworthy, they burst into applause. Tulip carries her javelin, dripping with blood, and the young man she danced with earlier looks at her like she hung the moon.
I approach Harn and say, under my breath, "I need to speak to the whole city." He nods curtly and motions towards a small wooden block that sits in the middle of the crowd.
This is not a conversation I want to have. But what choice do I have? These people were enjoying their lives, celebrating something that is of importance to them, and suddenly, a beast broke through their barriers, threatening to destroy any sense of normalcy they had.
Regardless of if I chose it, I have been given an astronomical amount of power. On its own, it wouldn't have been enough, but with my travel party, we have now conquered two formidable beasts. The fact that I would gladly give this power I possess to anyone else holds no weight in the situation. My desire for a normal life, calm and in Ytopie, was shattered the moment my parents had their throats slit.
I didn't know it then, but that draw of a blade sent me on a course that now seems bound and determined to see me battle a fucking God and then take his place.
I climb onto the wooden block, pulling Mace by his hand to join me. The contact of our bodies lights me on fire. There is a distinct difference in how my hand feels in his than that of the other dance partners I had this evening. When I touch him, the magic within me longs to pull him closer, to consume him. It's a conflicting feeling that has me avoiding initiating physical contact a lot of the time. Mace, however, seems to have no such reservation and relishes in every casual touch between us.
Looking out at the crowd that has gathered before us, with their wild hair, dirty faces, and torn-up clothing, my stomach lurches. I want to reassure them that life is going to get better, but can I? All signs point to the fact that this type of situation is only going to continue.
My head spins, and I turn to Mace for support. It pains me to admit that I am lost when it comes to this. But I know he is practiced and cool under the pressure of speaking to large groups. He notices the swimming in my eyes and steps forward, that soothing calm of his magic, coaxing out an amenable mood, moving outwards towards the crowd as he begins to speak.
"My name is Mace Nightroot," he announces to several gasps from those who didn't see him during the Linna festivities. "First, I want to thank you all for the hospitality tonight. Linna was a beautiful celebration and so joyous. I have never seen so much dancing and merriment, and I'm very grateful I was able to be here for it." That compliment warms the crowd up, and the clinging of mugs rises out from around us. "I come with good news and a request for you. Viola Mistflow here is going to ask for a favor, and I hope you all will be willing to assist. But first, I want to tell you something I believe you may like." He pauses with a deep inhale, steepling his fingers together over his waist. "The Race is over. Never again shall a citizen of Krillium be forced to Race."
The crowd is silent for a beat before they jump to their feet, screaming, shouting, and crying with joy. So much happiness fills the air that it almost knocks me over. This is so starkly different from the initial disbelief of the sailors. I clutch onto Mace's arm, and the grin on his face is unlike anything I've noticed from him before. He's wholly in his element here, and I see the way the crowd's excitement rubs off on him. His shoulders loosen, and that ridge that sometimes forms between his eyebrows smooths.
When the crowd dies down, he holds out a hand. "I know you may have questions. Namely, why it's over and how the Gods will maintain their power. Well, that is the bad news. The Gods are in trouble. They are under threat by one of their own. And Viola Mistflow is the only one who can save them. With your help, of course. "
The only one? Can he make the situation weigh any heavier on my shoulders?
He steps down and leaves me on my own in front of everyone, mouthing you've got this before he steps away. I turn to look at the people gathered and take in a deep breath, fighting the final effects of the alcohol that still floats at the top of my consciousness. "Mace is right, but the Gods aren't the only ones in trouble. The minotaur came here today looking for food for its family because the magic of the world is no longer controlling the beasts and not supporting the ecosystem we all rely on. Additionally, unbeknownst to us humans, Ytopie has maintained shields around the cities to protect us from the beasts, and they, too, are failing. As magic continues to wane, we will see more attacks like this one. That's what I'm here to stop."
"And who are you to stop it?" a woman's voice rings out.
I wince, and as I duck my head, my eyes land on Morrow. Standing with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face, he looks intimidating and brutal. Blood streaks across his dark skin like warpaint. He nods, a silent command to tell them who I have become. "I am Viola Mistflow. I won the Race this year, along with Tulip. Upon arriving in Ytopie, I found out that not only am I a descendent of The Frostweaver's final high priest, but I possess a portion of Himureal's magic as well. When he met me, he deemed me Shadowweaver and declared I was to rule alongside him as a God of Winter." I inhale, scratching the back of my head, unsure where to take this conversation next.
"Winter magic is extinct," a male voice rings out from the crowd.
"It was," is all I can manage to say. The crowd is quiet, and I scan my eyes across it. All around me, I see people who, like myself, have fought tooth and nail to survive. Some of them fight physically in the Race, while others fight against the land to keep their families afloat. Every part of me wants to leave, to take Tulip and the other three with me, and to hide out and let this be someone else's problem.
But every time I think that Max's face swims in my vision.
"I do not want to spend my life in a fight. I want to settle down and just exist."
With the way the world is going, just existing is impossible. If I do not bring the other Gods back to balance Himureal, all of us will suffer. Normalcy will be gone for everyone.
I clear my throat. "You're right. Winter magic was gone. Within me, it is back."
"Prove it," the man calls out again.
There was no doubt in my mind this was coming. I look at Morrow, "I may need your help. I haven't practiced getting out of this one." His face splits with a grin. I picture the green where I practiced with Tulip, where my shadows overtook me, threatening to make me one with them, and watch as the shadows of the courtyard rush towards me. They wrap my legs, slowly fading the lower half of my body from view. The gathered crowd is completely silent save for a few quiet gasps. With focus, I manage to stop anything but my legs fading away.
For good measure, I call forth a flurry of snowflakes which melt upon impact with the warm dirt.
Morrow is primed to hit me with some Light magic, but this time, it's not needed, and I am able to wave the shadows away from my legs.
The silent crowd barely moves, barely breathes. I look at Mace to see if I've gone too far, but he is grinning from ear to ear, the expression giving him a surprisingly boyish charm. Pulling my attention back to the crowd, I cross my arms. "As I said. I have Himureal's magic within me."
"So you're a God, then." It wasn't a question from someone hidden in the crowd but a statement.
"She is," Morrow answers, stepping forward. "My name is Morrow, I'm a Summer fae from Ytopie. I did not know Viola until a few days ago when I watched her face Himureal. She is every bit a God as he is, and I'm here to follow and support her in fixing the problems that are now plaguing us."
His statement comes as a complete shock to me. Morrow is a man of few words, and though we've been traveling together, I was not sure where he stood on me. We have been friendly and accommodating to one another, but our conversations have never ventured into the actual gritty details of our current situation. I knew he supported the mission, but that didn't mean he supported me in particular.
Further emboldened by his words, I continue. "Himureal wants to banish the other Gods from returning from the place they have been locked away and only allow Winter to thrive here. The world needs all seasons of magic to sustain itself, not just Winter. It 's why we left Ytopie. I cannot in good conscience stand beside him and watch the world crumble. I will need to take his place and assist the other Gods in taking him down." The crowd makes noises that do not inspire confidence that they trust me or my words.
Before the crowd grows rowdy in their disbelief of my words, Tulip slides up beside Morrow and wraps her arm around his elbow, shocking him with her affection. "As most of you know, I'm Tulip Goldtide. I grew up here. If you didn't know me, you must've known Twig, my twin. Twig died this year from an out-of-control beast during the Race. In the lowest moment of my life, and against all of her training, Viola took me in and allowed me to join her travel party. She saved my life in the Race, and it is not an exaggeration to say I would not be here without her. She has protected me since I met her and continues to do so every day. If anyone can save the Gods and stop Himureal, it's her."
She turns her head over her shoulder to look at me, blue eyes shining with pride. "If anyone deserves your devotion as the new God of Winter, it's her."
I fight to keep tears from swimming in my eyes at her words by tapping five times on the hilt of the blade holstered to my thigh. She turns her attention back to her people and gestures up at me. "This is not a responsibility she will take lightly. She did not ask for it, shoot, she probably doesn't even want it," I roll my lips inwards to keep from laughing, "but yet here she is to beg your help in saving Krillium. She will bear this burden because she is the only one who can. You can trust me when I say our world will not make it without her."
Plume and Mace stay back, their smiles wide enough to show how they feel about the situation without the need for words. It's not like this crowd would want to hear more from another fae, anyway. I look back out at the town and sigh, spreading my arms. "I can't say for sure if I am a God or not, only that a God gave me a portion of his power in the form of what he calls a seed. That's the help I need from you. I am looking for an artifact that would've been passed down in a family descended from Solarius' high priest. They will have been given the artifact for the protection of the seed within it. It will seem innocuous but will contain the portion of Solarius I will need to perform the proper ritual and bring him back. I am also searching for his high priest's journals. I believe they can point us to the artifact and give us more answers on what truly happened between the four Gods before they fell."
"What will you do with this artifact?" Harn asks, his arms crossed as he stares at me.
"I will use it to bring Solarius back from where he's been trapped. When I found Himureal's artifact, I was able to activate it and then pull him to this realm. We thought upon bringing him back, he would help us restore the other Gods, but instead, he wishes to destroy them. We are searching all of Krillium for these artifacts to rescue the other three Gods. With all the Gods returned and me taking the place of Himureal, we believe the collective power will be enough to banish Himureal for good and restore magical balance to the land."
"And no one will have to Race again?"
I shake my head firmly. "No. Regardless of if you find us the artifact or journals you have Mace's word that the Race will never continue. We're hoping the journals can give us an idea of ways to gain favor and devotion outside of the Race, but Mace and I are committed to ensuring no one has to endure that again."
Stepping forward, Harn clasps his hand with my forearm, and I return the grip. "That's all I needed to hear. We're here to support you, Shadowweaver." He drops my arm and turns to the crowd. "Go, search your homes for the items she seeks. Speak to your elders, and pull apart your floorboards. Let's help the God of Winter."
His words make my head reel. This may be the first time anyone outside of our group has explicitly referred to me as the God of Winter. Up until this moment, it felt theoretical, a potential to happen that hadn't been realized yet. Now, it is very much a real thing I need to come to terms with. The leader of Pran has declared me the God of Winter.
I step down from the raised box, falling into Plume's arms. "People are more than willing to see you as a God, Viola. Do you ever wonder why that is?"
"Because I get up there and basically tell them I am?"
She shakes her head and pulls me into a hug, stroking her hand on the back of my hair. "Because you're worth believing in."