Ticking Time - Andrei

Part 4 Dueling

988 AD

“Kali, are you alright? Can you feel everything?” She nods at me in the semi darkness of the house. The children seem to be fine too. I sigh in relief.

“How is Rurik? Is he ok?” She asks me, voice quivering with worry. I’m kneeling over Rurik who lays on the floor. His temple is bleeding and his arm lays at an odd angle at his side.

“I don’t know, I’m not a doctor.” She will be unsure of what I mean when I say that. They don't use that term in the 10th century. “If I set his arm, it will likely heal, but it’s his head I’m worried about.”

She grabs a rag and hands it to me. I rip it in half and look for a stick or other straight object to set his arm. The sorcerer had turned out to be a truth. They caused trouble, begging for your food and goods and they could curse you.

“I’m sorry Andrei. If I hadn’t have refused him to come in, this wouldn’t have happened.” She hiccups, stifling tears as she apologizes.

“Nonsense, you were protecting the children. Any sane woman would have done the same. I’m sorry I didn’t arrive sooner.” The man hadn’t left the village in a week. I stalked him when I could, trying to catch a glimpse of his magic. Every night he’d gone out to the woods and every morning he came back. This night I’d followed him, but I’d been tricked. When I’d seen his cloaked figure sitting on a log I watched and waited for nearly an hour!

That’s when I realized he couldn’t be there. I’d walked up and tapped his shoulder and the cloak collapsed. I’d ran back to the village immediately.

By the time I’d arrived, Rurik was on the ground and the sorcerer had Kali pinned to the wall with his tail, the children wailing. When I’d come in, he hissed at me and had run into the shadows, disappearing without going through the door.

I took a second rag from Kali and dabbed Ruriks temple before tying it tightly around his head. “You’ll need to wash his temple with clean water every day until it heals, if he still lives. Put on a clean wrapping every time you clean it. Heat the rags in water on the fire for 20 minutes beforehand, OK?”

She nods. She’ll do her best. Rurik is her life, as she is his. “I’m going after the sorcerer.” I tell her, standing up.

“You mustn’t! It’s too dangerous. He will curse you too!” She grabs my sleeve, pulling me back down.

I look her in the eyes, ensuring she sees my confidence. “Listen. Rurik needs your care, and that sorcerer-thing can’t be left alone to do this again. Besides,” I shrug nonchalantly, “I’ve been in my fair share of battles, wars and fights. I can take care of myself.” I don’t think I’ve convinced her of my abilities. I look to young to be speaking like that, but she lets her hand slip and nods.

“I don’t know when I’ll be back, so take care!” I shout as I dash out the door and into the cool foggy night.

The sorcerer could be anywhere! Shadows hide under every building and the moon is at its fullest, lighting the night like a beacon despite the fog. I creep between buildings and through garden patches keeping eyes and ears open. Just incase, I get my hands ready. Can never be too prepared.

I stop near the villages edge and lean slowly out from the buildings towards the forest. Do I dare enter it now? Not knowing where he is? I take a moment to think about it, then decide it's for the best. I dash from the buildings and cross the empty space in seconds, entering the forest.

I hear a lone wolf cry and grimace. Not a good sign. I creep through the forest, in the direction of the sorcerers camp. I hear a snap and freeze. Was that me? I shake my head and continue. The trees thicken and I make to dash from tree to tree.

I stop against a thick tree when I hear another snap. That was NOT me! I jump from behind the tree and suddenly find myself on the ground, head pounding.

“Show yourself!” I yell, standing shakily and clutching my head, I feel something warm. Damn it, I’m bleeding.

I fling both my arms out and flex my fingers, sweeping my eyes across the forest. I may have to summon a few aids if this sorcerer is going to be tricky.

Suddenly his cloaked figure pops out of nowhere about 20 paces in front of me. I catch a glimpse of his tail slipped out behind him. The women were right, a serpentine tail flicks back and forth in the dark, how strange.

“You foul beast. How can you live with yourself knowing you’ve robbed that woman of her husband?!” I shout. I feel an energy prickle against my palms.

“Beast you say” it hisses at me. “No, I am no beast. I am just like you. I have gifts and I wish to use them.” His voice is smooth and hypnotizing.

“What do I call you then?” I ask, I must know what kind of magic this thing is.

“Hmm, let’s seeee, the Norlanders call me seiðmenn but others call me a charodey. These names, they are all the same really.”

I take note of his references. “Then what business do you have here in Kiev Rus?”

“I do not know this Keiv Rus, but I have been called to wreak havoc. That is what I do best. Shall I show you?” His hood flies back and I see his face full and lit in the moonlight peeking through the leaves. My hands spark with little currents as I leap forward.

We meet hand to hand in a combat of spells. I dodge a flash of fire from above, sweeping my legs out to trip him. His jumps back and recovers his stance. That tail helps remarkably with his balance.

I lunge forward and feint to the left, causing the sorcerer to defend as I attack him from the other side. My electrified hands make contact with his open side and he jumps back, grabbing his ribs.

“I see, you have a... unique power.” He grins like he knows what I’m about to do. I dodge his next spell, which blasts the tree behind me, setting it in flames. We weave between the trunks, tossing spells that don't make contact. He spins, whipping his tail at my legs, I summersault, evading his attack. Soon the forest is ablaze.

We are both panting with our effort. “Why does it bother you what I do?” He spits. I know he’s looking for a way to distract me.

“You take advantage of those who can’t defend themselves. It’s pretty low don’t you think?”

“It’s what my master wants.”

“Master? And who's that?”

“Ahh, it doesn’t matter to you. You won’t make it out of here alive.”

He hurls fire in my direction and I throw up my hands to block the spell, but it wasn’t just fire. A dagger passes through my barrier and slices through my right forearm. I pull away from the attack, wincing as the dagger comes away.

“God dammit. That was cheap!” I yell. He comes running at me.

“One can never be too prepared,” He grins, his figure closing in. I guess it's time.

I flex my hands, dispelling the electricity and feel it course through my body. Before I make the time jump I launch the dagger back at him, driving it into his chest.

“That’s right, you know nothing.” I seath as his red eyes widen in horror and pain.

“Aiie! Rasspu…..” His voice fades as he crumbles to dust before me. I feel the jump ready, it’s too late to stop it now.

“Sorry Kali, Sorry Rurik, take care.” I say to the burning forest around me as Kiev Rus vanishes.

I clutch my arm, blinking away the blood dripping into my eye as I appear back in the library, feeling dizzy and worn out. This could have ended so much cleaner if I had just used my artifact, but I always hesitate. Guess that’s why I’m on the back burner. I blink the blood out of my eye and freeze.

#Fantasy #Magic