33. Blood on the Rocks #2
“No!” Larissa spun around, directing her galdr toward the second draugr and flinging it into the Undarbrunnk Lake.
The monster shrieked in torment as the water coated its skin, reminding Darien of what Anara had taught them.
Draugrs hated water. Whether it was because the water was pure and it was not, or because it caused them pain, the draugr flapped its wings trying to escape the water, but its movements were sluggish and awkward.
“Get in the water!” he shouted.
Larissa ran, hoisting Anara up as she shifted back into her human form, rushing the both into the water.
Halla and Kai followed, their feet splashing against the tides, but Darien’s path was blocked by the first draugr having been released from Larissa’s galdr .
Masai hobbled to his side, leaning on his good leg and gripping his staffs. The two nodded at each other.
Darien swung at the creature’s ankle, where the gray patch of skin revealed an armorless joint.
Masai smacked at the draugr ’s wing joint with one staff while shielding himself from its claw with the other.
Darien’s sword sliced through muscle and bone, the force jarring his hands.
The draugr screeched but did not fall, instead pumping its wings to take it to the sky.
Hot purple blood poured from the footless leg, splattering Darien and Masai who cried out in pain as it touched their skin.
Larissa shouted, water sloshing around her legs as she ran toward him.
Kai held Halla back though she strained after her sister.
The draugr dropped from the sky, his remaining clawed foot snatching at Masai’s neck.
Its talon scratched the surface skin, opening a bloody smile, but then the draugr screamed in frustration, pulling away as it batted at the raven that pecked at its eyes.
Falling to his knees, Masai flung his hands to his neck. A deep glow emanated from his fingers. When he pulled away, his fingers were bloody; the wound was no longer deadly, but superficial.
Darien stared in awe at the thin scar on his neck. “Well that’s useful.”
“Just a bit.” He coughed, rubbing his neck as if realizing how close he’d come to a mortal wound without Anara’s intervention.
He took the hand that Darien offered him, rising to his feet.
At the sound of Anara’s shrill call, Masai let out a bellow unlike Darien had ever heard.
He raced toward the draugr , raising his staffs to bring them down upon its head.
The crunch of the boot on the volcanic shore behind him alerted Darien not a moment too soon.
He spun, hardly blocking the sword that arched in his direction and clanged against his own.
Calder pushed his sword down the length of Darien’s blade, drawing them close enough together that Darien could feel his brother’s breath on his face.
No, not his brother. Calder.
But standing this close, how could Darien not see Aeron?
“You don’t have to do this.” Darien pushed the words out with effort, his arms straining against his brother.
“I don’t have to.” Calder shoved with enough strength to send Darien to the ground. “I want to.”
Calder raised his blade again, then stopped, his arm frozen in the air as Larissa held him fast with her galdr .
Masai and Anara still battled the maimed draugr that bled with every step.
The second draugr now scrambled along the rocky shore, swiping at Halla and Kai as they tried to swim beyond its reach.
Sweat beaded down Larissa’s face as she struggled to hold Calder, who seethed in her direction, his arm shaking against her galdr .
We’re losing , Darien realized. Masai and Anara could only hold off the draugr for so long.
Though Anara would attack from one side with her claws, then Masai would stab from the other, their limbs moved with heavy exhaustion.
Halla and Kai couldn’t remain in the lake forever.
Even now, Larissa’s arms shook and lowered under the force of Calder’s strength.
Darien rose to his feet, gripping his sword tight. There was no other way. Calder would have to die. Perhaps the draugrs would flee at his death. Though Calder saw Darien coming, there was no fear in his eyes, only righteous indignation, as if he could see the doubt that soiled Darien’s resolve.
Darien lifted his sword.
Through the darkness, a light so brilliant washed over them that they all cried out in harmony.
Draugr and mortal fell to their knees, shielding their heads with their arms from the radiance that rivaled the sun.
An immense pressure held Darien down; he could hardly raise his head.
Forcing his eyes open and peering through his arms, Darien watched three figures rise from the waters of the lake.
The one in the middle stood tall with fiery hair that flowed behind her.
To her right, another was hunched over and concealed in a hooded cloak.
To her left, a small figure danced across the water, her feet never touching the surface.
The three moved in unison. At their advance, the draugrs screamed in terror and hurled themselves into the night air, plunging toward the darkness of the trees.
The figures moved toward Darien, and his eyes watered at their appearance. Closer now, he could see their red hair floating around them as their green cloaks caught in the breeze. The smallest of them looked no older than Halla.
“Vereandi,” Larissa whispered beside him.
Vereandi twirled over their bodies to land beside Calder, who had been unable to raise his head. At the touch of her hand on his back, Calder’s body went limp, and his sword fell from his hand. She turned toward Darien, her hand outstretched.
“Wait, no—”
There was the slightest connection; then, nothing.