They are coming, I said to Ilyan.
The muscles in his back rippled as his magic did, his excitement flaring aggressively just as a small Trpaslík darted between the tents before us. I jumped at his appearance, but Ilyan wasted no time. He spun on the spot, grabbing the man’s head between his hands as he jerked it to the side, his magic severing the man’s tendons as his hands broke his bones.
The Trpaslík crumbled to the ground like a rag doll, my eyes widening at the now lifeless man that Ilyan had dropped at my feet.
“Come on,” Ilyan growled, his hand wrapping around mine as he pulled me after him, our feet taking us closer to our destination. Toward the center of the camp and the large fire that most of the Trpaslíks had gathered around. I could feel it just ahead of us.
I dropped Ilyan’s hand as I ran behind him through the maze of dirty canvas, the dead leaves crunching beneath my feet in loud slaps. I could smell the rot of the food, the smoke of a fire, but I heard nothing except thunder. My heart growled with a quick, painful pulse as we darted through the horrifying blindness the tents had created, sure our enemy was behind the next turn. And the next.
Another Trpaslík jumped in front of us as we ran, his face wide with a grin as he found his bounty, obviously expecting to do us in and win a great honor.
He didn’t even get a chance to try. Ilyan stuttered the moment he saw him, his body vanishing from between me and the Trpaslík. My jaw grit in determined fear as Ilyan left me exposed, my fists clenching as I tried to convince myself I was ready to fight. The Trpaslík grinned at the change, his yellow teeth flashing before I felt Ilyan’s magic surge, his tall body reappearing unseen behind the Trpaslík who faced me.
A giant line of glittering black extended from Ilyan’s hand as it cut through the air, moving through the solid flesh of the Trpaslík as he cut him in half. I could see the look of pain in the Trpaslík’s eyes, his mouth opening in a scream only to have blood seep from his mouth as he tumbled to the ground, his fingers twitching in death.
My heart thundered painfully as I watched the Trpaslík collapse into a heap, just as another one darted through the tents, a battle cry on his lips. He attempted to ram Ilyan but Ilyan’s hands stopped the tiny man’s progress before he made it even half way. I was frozen in place as our enemy’s screams were silenced with a simple movement of Ilyan’s hand.
It was too late, though. With that one scream, he had given away our position, and I could already feel them closing in on us.
The aggressive warning of my magic rocked through me and I turned just as two husky Trpaslíks burst through the tent behind me, the canvas tearing to shreds as they ripped it apart in their fury.
White hot dread tightened through me as I saw them, the feeling of terror gripping me in an iron fist as my two attackers smiled, their wide grins snapping through me.
I stood frozen in fear, staring into the smile of death, my death. I could stand and die, or fight. Ilyan had trained me for only one thing.
And I was ready.
My fear vanished at the blood thirsty look in their eyes. The filthy touch of their magic ignited something else, something that I hadn’t felt before. A mad power rippled and warmed through me in a dangerous energy—energy that promised I could do anything.
I smiled as they approached me, my magic erupting as I sent a wave of electricity toward them, knocking them off their feet. They shook with the mild pulse before I clapped my hands together. A straight path of lightning shot from my fingers, the crackling white light digging into their chests and frying their nervous systems. They couldn’t even have moved if they tried.
My heart clenched with the knowledge of what I had done, the fear and regret growing before another Trpaslík darted behind me, his quick attack catching me off guard and burning through my shield. I screamed as fire spread through my bones, folding my body together painfully before my magic fought it, the burn leaving as my powerful magic counteracted what I was sure was supposed to have been a death blow.
I rose to face him, but Ilyan had already dropped my attacker to the ground in his panic to protect me. His eyes were wide in fear as he looked to me.
My breaths came in deep pants as I attempted to rebalance. My magic and my body felt jittery as adrenaline and fear ran rampant through my blood stream.
Ilyan said nothing as he stepped over the bodies between us. He didn’t need to; I could feel it all, the heart-stopping fear as he had heard my scream repeating through his mind, the loss and devastation that still shook him. His warm hand wound around mine as he led me away, closer to the center of camp and the tent that was our target.