Chapter 35 Kaed
Kaed
The day stretched on relentlessly under the scorching sun.
The oppressive silence between him and Zhal made every moment drag like an eternity.
Minutes felt like hours, hours like days.
The only respite from this unending day was the sun sinking low on the horizon, turning the sky from a soft baby blue to deep onyx black.
They had to find the Yuul tonight, even though the odds of encountering one were slim. Kaed couldn’t help but wish they had Illyan with them; their Fae wings could have lured the undead beast out, making the task much simpler.
Unfortunately, they possessed nothing the Yuul desired. These creatures were elusive, lurking in the shadows, and hidden from the eyes of mankind. Their insatiable cravings were for blood and the wings of the Fae.
Breaking their heavy silence, Kaed finally asked, “Do you know why the Yuul hunt for Fae wings?” He rode atop Moondancer, flanked by Zhal and Noxus, all steadily advancing through the midnight hour. Starlight trailed behind them.
“Not with certainty,” she replied, her anger still evident in her tone, her words sharp as if they were shards of glass.
“The prevailing theory is that the wings grant them the strength to tear apart the realms. They cannot die; the Magic within those wings would be catastrophic. History hints at spite being their motivation, but...”
This theory was all Kaed had ever heard, explaining why the Yuul hunted and killed the Fae.
In their world, only a handful of Yuul remained.
It had become a side note for all rangers to be on the lookout for them, yet he had never encountered one.
The only known way to kill a Yuul was to dismember its body, keeping each part separated and hidden.
If the parts remained too close, they would reassemble themselves.
“But what?” Kaed pressed, eager for more information.
Zhal sighed, her voice filled with uncertainty.
“There are rumors that they seek the wings to break free from their immortal bodies. I’m not entirely convinced, but it makes more sense than seeking revenge.
The Yuul have roamed these lands for more millennia than the Fae.
They were the Mother’s first children and have witnessed the world’s transformation from their home to their prison.
Nothing rivals the power of Fae Magic, especially that of the Elder.
They might hold the key to breaking them free. ”
It sounded like a fairytale, and Kaed struggled to believe it.
The Yuul were ruthless, and if this were true, why attack mortals?
They had decimated villages and wreaked havoc for centuries, dwindling to near extinction.
Kaed’s teachings painted these creatures as nothing but monsters, and if they got their hands on a set of Fae wings, it would spell disaster for their world.
“Regardless,” he said, “they are no allies of ours. How do we convince a Yuul to share the information we need?”
Zhal’s response was chilling in its seriousness. “I plan to rip its head off and torture it until it speaks. The Fae may have overpowered me with their Magic and tricks, but a Yuul is more my speed.”
“I’ll cover you from—” She cut him off.
“You will stay out of the way. The last thing I need is to worry about you accidentally shooting me.”
Rolling his eyes, Kaed retorted, “You’re projecting your insecurities onto me. We both failed her.” It was a low blow, but he felt the need to assert himself; he was likely three times older than Zhal, after all.
“Do as you please.” She shot back, her death glare palpable. “But if you get in my way, I won’t hesitate to break your limbs.”
“No foreplay, then? Straight to limb-snapping,” he quipped as he pulled Moondancer away from her.
“That is my foreplay.”
As they halted and the sounds of rustling leaves reached their ears, Kaed whispered, “Wait.” Zhal stopped beside him.
The forest had been eerie before, but now it felt like a scene from his darkest nightmares.
Reality warped around them, and the trees seemed like skeletal sentinels, their branches reaching out to ensnare.
An ethereal mist enveloped the air, casting an unsettling pallor.
The fog slithered between tree trunks and horse legs, and an oppressive silence weighed down on them, broken only by a mournful dirge.
Kaed could sense the approaching presence, a foreboding dread that filled the air. He wondered if Zhal felt it too, this palpable menace. There was no doubt now; the Yuul was near, and its malevolence seemed to unnerve even nature itself.
Emerging from the fog, a towering creature came into view.
Its white body contrasted starkly against the inky black surroundings, almost blinding in its intensity.
Four muscular arms lined with three clawed fingers each extended from its massive frame.
The Yuul had no eyes, only a vast opening that ran from its face down to its chest, filled with endless teeth disappearing into darkness.
The creature’s head twitched as Zhal approached and shifted away from the impending danger. Kaed gently tapped Moondancer’s neck, soothing her anxiety. He wouldn’t allow her to get too close to the Yuul, but he understood its fear.
The Yuul emitted a chilling clicking sound, using sound to locate its prey since it had no eyes. Kaed and Zhal moved quietly, sensing that the Yuul was already aware of their presence, avoiding any sudden movements that might provoke it.
“A Vaeragi.” The Yuul’s ethereal voice pierced the eerie silence. “An Elf.” Its fingers twitched and extended.
Fear weighed heavily in Kaed’s chest, and his stomach churned.
This creature was poised to strike, and he prayed that Zhal was prepared.
The arms of the Yuul, once they got around someone, could tear apart a man within seconds.
While Zhal was no ordinary human, her body could be pulled apart like anyone.
“You do not run.” The Yuul’s husky voice enunciated each word deliberately. “Which means I am your prey.”
A heavy silence followed, as if confirming their presence, or rather, the futility of hiding. Zhal remained silent, undoubtedly assessing their next move.
“Mortal fools.”
In an instant, Zhal shifted in front of Moondancer, and the deadly dance began.
The Yuul charged at her with immense force, its arms outstretched, reaching for the Vaeragi.
Zhal met its attack head-on, grabbing two of its arms. The other two clamped onto her midsection, but she paid them no mind, maintaining her hold on its wrists.
A high-pitched shriek pierced the forest as Zhal swung the creature, slamming it forcefully against a tree trunk.
Leaves fell around them as Zhal continued her assault, relentless in her determination. The Yuul regained its footing, barely avoiding her stomp that left a deep depression in the ground. Kaed, perched atop Moondancer, drew an arrow, keeping the chaotic battle within his sights.
As Zhal hurled a punch at the creature, it lunged at her, taking the hit to its face but coiling around her arms and torso. She groaned and flung herself and the Yuul forward, her weight crashing down on the beast. Another ear-piercing shriek echoed through the trees.
Breaking free from its grasp, Zhal sidestepped and clamped her arms around the Yuul’s head. Her knees pressed into its shoulders, applying pressure as she began to pull.
“You will regret this!” the Yuul howled, and in an instant, all four of its hands clenched around Zhal’s head, nails piercing her skin as the metallic scent of blood filled the air.
“Zhal!” Kaed cried out, releasing an arrow aimed at one of the Yuul’s arms. It screamed in agony as the arrow struck its mark, loosening its grip on her head just enough for her to break free and leap backward.
She landed in a crouched position, her eyes locked on the monstrous creature as it writhed on the ground, its head twisting nearly a full circle.
“Why do you hunt—me—” the Yuul hissed, its body twitching, slowly rising to its full height. From its arms, the arrow slowly slipped out. There was no blood, only a black, oil-like substance oozing from its being.
Kaed spoke out, his bowstring taut and another arrow ready to fly. “We seek information.”
“The truth seeker, an Elf,” the Yuul responded, its voice strained as it turned toward Zhal, its head contorting unnaturally. “What makes you think—I would tell you anything—” Its head shifted to Kaed, its mouth pulling at its neck. “You attack me—”
Zhal stood tall. “I will spare tearing your head from your shoulders.”
“I will only put myself back together—but you two—will die here.” The standoff remained, both sides poised for the next move.
Kaed readied to release his arrow, and from the corner of his eye, he saw Zhal preparing to pounce.
“Ask—your—question—”
The tension in Kaed’s chest slightly eased. “Who killed the Elder Fae, Helio?”
There was a momentary pause, and the Yuul stood motionless. It seemed more like a statue rather than a living creature that could tear out their hearts.
“Helio was murdered by a human named Thall—Mozzeh,” it finally replied. The name did not sound familiar, but that was hardly surprising.
Kaed was about to instruct Zhal to return to Noxus and leave, considering the information they had gained, when the Yuul continued speaking. “He was aided by the Elder’s grandson—Jaakobai.”
It was the first time that Zhal had taken her eyes off the Yuul and turned them toward Kaed.
Renewed fear gripped them, not for the creature before them, but for the sinister implications surrounding Azahara and Illyan’s abduction.
“Oh—” Kaed began.
“—Shit.” Zhal finished.