I glared at Banin menacingly. “Haven't you done enough?!” I shouted. “You've killed him, now go away!”
Banin narrowed his eyes then slowly drew near. “He will not be dead if you become his new vessel.”
His words were like riddles to my ears and I was not in the ideal mindset to try and comprehend it. With anxious eyes, I stared at the Hemlock Hunters, who, at Banin's behest, approached me and Master Dagg with weapons drawn. I was prepared to die with my master — or perhaps, I was already dead.
Nothing else mattered anymore….
Chapter 10
I dared Banin and his men to attack me. My glaring eyes remained locked with Banin's, as I slowly pulled away from Master Dagg and stood up.
The other men approached with caution, unsure of whether or not Master Dagg's dark magic had already taken a hold of my body.
I heard nothing but the calm rains dancing across the water's surface. I saw nothing but the array of dark shadows standing around me, watching and anticipating my next move. I followed the shadows' movements as I approached Banin's larger, more dominating figure. Blades of steel glimmered across my face, briefly reflecting its pale, skeletal features. Whatever beauty I once possessed but never knew had been forever lost. All that remained was an empty shell of a young girl, free from life and forever enslaved to death. My feet edged towards the man whom I'd learned to despise as much as Master Dagg did. Slowly, I extended my hand towards the blurred, shadowed image of the Hunter's face. My mind did not perceive the world as it seemed — perhaps, I had finally stepped over the threshold of death and viewed the world as it truly was.
I felt Banin grab my hand, followed by an opposite force that pushed against me. He used the momentum of my weight to fling me to the murky ground in submission and I found myself staring up towards the cloudy skies.
My body resisted the urge to smack his hand away when it came close to my face and lifted one of my eyelids up to examine me closely. While my eyes burned terribly from the stinging raindrops that fell into them, the remainder of my body kept still.
Banin exhaled and released me once he was satisfied with what he saw.
“It's starting,” I heard him tell his men.
My eyes grew heavy again and the air suddenly became cooler. Chills began forming along my spine and I started shaking uncontrollably. I felt as though a part of me had been lost — as though I was being controlled against my will.
Loss of blood? Loss of my soul? Loss of my sanity? I was frightened as my mind swirled with a deep desire to kill this man. I yearned to see his blood spill and hear his deathly cries. I wanted to scream at him but all that came from my lips was a terrifying hiss. Even as my words were incoherent — my actions and gestures were enough to express my contempt.
Banin pointed the tip of his longsword at the back of my neck, the stinging pain of the ice-cold steel against the surface of my skin causing me to shiver.
“It is too late to save you, Milady …” Banin spoke sadly. “He has already tainted you, it seems. You must die before the disease spreads further.”
Disease?! Is that what he calls it now?! I glared at him. His mind was far more tainted by hatred and ignorance than I was from the many chemicals Master Dagg injected in me. I spat weakly at the man's plated feet and kept my eyes downcast.
“Then, slaughter me like the pig you think I am,” I growled. “I would rather die here than to live a life of suffering and lies with the likes of you.”
There was a small pause and I felt the blade puncture through the first layer of skin in the back of my neck.
“So be it — ”
Banin's words were cut short when a loud thump suddenly resounded behind him, followed by the screams of his men.
My breathing faltered as I looked up with weak, tired eyes, my gaze instinctively traveling towards Master Dagg.
… But he was gone.
The old Dragon's massive form had disappeared, leaving only a small imprint in the mud where he once lay.
All around me, I suddenly caught the reeking scent of acid burning through flesh. From the darkness, one by one, each of the armored men fell from the shadows onto their knees, holding their burning faces.
Banin was the last one standing in the mass of writhing bodies in the murky waters. Catching my own gaze, he gave me a swift kick in the ribs with his steel boots.
I gasped in pain, feeling my brittle bones crack upon impact and I was too weak to scream. My eyes fluttered and my vision continued wavering in a blur as I felt him kick me again, this time insisting on the rib break. Another sharp pain erupted and I was constantly gasping for air.
“Is that all you can do, you feeble old Dragon?!” I heard Banin yell to the shadows in panic. “Attack from the shadows?! You do not face me alone; instead, you allow this girl to suffer! You are nothing but a coward — a coward, a criminal and a murderer of thousands of innocent lives that you and your dark magic has blighted this country with! You will face me, Dragon! You will face me, or I will continue to make this pitiful girl suffer beyond all means!”
My body curled into a fetal position when he kicked me again, making more bones shatter and the entire left side of my body go numb. My mouth opened to scream, but no sound came. The bitter taste of my own blood felt uncomfortable upon my tongue.
A large, scaly form suddenly landed over me and spread its four legs wide above my fallen body.
My blurred vision could barely make out Master Dagg's scaly-grey underbelly, which was ripped with a well-defined musculature. While I couldn't see his face, I somehow knew he was watching me, despite his apparent attention towards Banin, who appeared unintimidated of the Dragon's presence.
“I told you to take her and leave this place,” I heard Master Dagg's voice rumble. I could vaguely make out the change in his hissing voice. It was heavier and full of malice, rather than the usual calm, calculating and intelligent guise.
“She cannot be saved,” Banin retorted. “You have sickened her with the very same dark taint you possess. It is time I destroy the source of the problem — permanently.”
Suddenly, Banin rushed towards the Dragon's heart, but Master Dagg was prepared for him this time.
The Dragon's muscles stiffened as he stood in a defensive stance. “That was all I needed to hear uttered from your wicked tongue, Banin,” he growled.
As Master Dagg lowered his body to the ground, I felt the scales of his underbelly brush against my face. He was low enough to protect me from incoming blows, but not enough to crush my small, feeble body. I felt the muscles near his front legs jerk as he swung his massive claws at the armored warrior.
I wanted to turn my head to watch the battle, but Master Dagg's body obstructed my view. My ears perked when I finally heard the first screams of pain from Banin; followed by the sounds of claws ripping through steel; and finally, the tearing of flesh.
As Master Dagg roared in anger, he lifted his body off of me and pinned Banin's broken body down with one of his claws.
Injured, weaponless and completely helpless at this point, Banin stared up at the Dragon with nearly terrified, but determined eyes.
“I could kill you,” Master Dagg began, looking rather amused at the sight. “In fact, I feel very inclined to do so, but I will not. I can think of a far better punishment for the likes of you.”
Banin said nothing and his eyes began to glaze over. From under his body, blood slowly oozed out, tinting the murky swamp waters a dark crimson.
When I attempted to stand again, the numbness in my left side returned. My body fell limp and I watched helplessly as Master Dagg picked up the near-unconscious Dragon-slayer in his claws and carried him back to the cave.
Having been left alone in the swamps amidst a heap of armored corpses with faces burned away to the bone, I suddenly felt a deep sleep come over me. My body fell backwards in the shallow water, the back of my head hitting against a small rock lodged in the ground. My head throbbed from the small concussion and my eyes felt heavy the longer I stared up at the cloudy, grey voids above until they eventually closed and my subconscious entered the realm of darkness, unsure of when it would ever awaken.