Anguish
There had been no time to don his boots, the booming echo that had sounded over Cochon was enough to send Lumi running. Mido nor Ennui had time to even address the source of the sound before he took off. His cold wet feet trample through the snow as Ennui races behind, shouting his name and curses. Khimi. It is the only thing in his mind as he rushes through the snow, as the snowdrifts burn against his skin. The cool against his feet burns, the redness of his skin showing within a moment of him touching the slick ice. A fire along the harbor can be seen from along the manor, and the pain Lumi feels in his heart is overwhelming.
Past the iron gates, Lumi rushes through the forest, his breath clouds before him as the frigid air burns like fire in his chest. Khimi… please. Minute after minute the path grows wider, drawing near the city. The surrounding conifers grow thin and figures appear along the treeline. Who are the– His thoughts screech to a halt as he sees Augustus swinging the lengthy blade, above the snow. Khimi lays in the snow, his shoulder pushed forward, his hand over his neck. He had never seen Khimi look weak or in pain. Khimi, his stalwart shield, his promised guardian. The cold no longer touches him. Everything other than Khimi is inconsequential.
“Khimi!” Lumi calls in anguish. The sound echoes through the forest.
“Lumi?!” Augustus shouts in a panic. “Lumi – I can’t!”
Lumi does not answer and slides through the snow, landing on his thigh beside Khimi. His fingertips race along Khimi’s features, trembling as he touches his cold lips. In the shades of gray Khimi looks as if he had been sleeping, his expression is soft, and his lips are nearly smiling. Lumi brushes his cheek against Khimi’s, feeling for his breath. His lips caress Khimi’s as they pass over them. The soft warmth of his own presses against Khimi’s stony, cold lips. The breath is faint but present, the warmth from Khimi’s body had largely faded.
Warmth floods through Lumi as he presses his hands against Khimi’s neck. Augustus’ calls and pleas are ignored beyond Lumi’s focus. The slick warm blood gushes against his bare hands while he pushes his palms against the wound. A necrosis had formed around the mark on his neck, the skin around the wound is dark and hard to the touch.
The heat flows from Lumi’s hand and into Khimi’s body, the blue healing tendrils press into the wound and illuminate the veins through Khimi’s neck coursing into his cheek. Lumi stares, mesmerized by the life-pulsing light running beneath Khimi’s skin. The tendrils run through Khimi’s chest, caressing his reluctant heart.
You promised…
Again, Augustus calls out, his shouts falling on Lumi’s ears without response. His eyes are transfixed to the light glowing around Khimi’s heart, that warm blue light filtering just below his skin. His breathing halts as his concentration narrows. Steel scrapes against steel, the clashing of swords in the darkness. Lumi closes his eyes, pouring himself into creating an open space for him to focus. As Rashid had told him, he creates a void, an area that is empty for his mind to escape the surrounding chaos.
You promised me…
Finally, he finds it, his calm. An area void of anything, he listens, pushing past the sounds of the fighting. He finds it, faint at first but growing louder by the moment, like the beating of his own heart in his ears. That steady drum, the heart he had grown to love from the very first time he had heard it. The tired muscle pulses slowly, and Lumi can feel it growing weaker. Heat flows into Khimi through Lumi’s hand, and the heartbeats grow more robust.
You promised me that we’d always be together.
A gasp bursts from Khimi’s lips, as if he has been born anew. The rush of warmth fills Khimi and envelops him with a life-giving embrace. The tension in Lumi’s shoulders slackens, but he continues to hold onto the sound of Khimi’s heartbeat.
A crackling laughter bursts through the clearing, and Lumi’s concentration shatters. His eyes flit open and find the source. A woman in tight black trousers stands just a few feet from them, her blouse is charred and burnt, revealing a soft pale bosom. Bits of her face are burnt and scorched, a meaty strip of red flesh on her cheek. Her steps through the snow feel purposeful, malevolent even.
Augustus trembles and pushes himself between them, “Lumi… is he alive?” He asks, the fear clear in his eyes as he turns back to look at them. “I did everything I could.”
“Augustus…” Lumi mutters and lowers the back of Khimi’s head into the snow. “He’s resting.”
“I can’t see anything,” Augustus says anxiously.
Lumi whispers an incantation and a small orb of pure light glows across the clearing. The figures surrounding them back away, skulking into the edge of the light.
The woman cackles again and clears her throat, drawing attention to her horrific features. She stands before them with a look of amusement on her face, the burnt edges of her lips flake as she begins to speak.
“It all makes sense now,” She chuckles softly as she looks around the edges of the light. “I didn’t expect such a spirited man to be fawning over something like this… what are you? A feline?”
Lumi steadily rises from the snow and steps in front of Khimi. “Who are you?”
“She’s dangerous, stay back,” Augustus whispers. “Keep away.”
“You can call me Eve… I’m just one of the many new residents of this provincial little town,” she teases, licking at the flaking skin.
The blood pumping through Lumi’s ears almost makes the woman’s words inaudible. “W-who are you?”
She rolls her eyes and snorts. “Are you hard of hearing or just dea—”
Eve’s words are halted by the sudden whistle of steel that passes past Lumi’s head. She pulls at the dagger lodged in the back of her throat, keeping her mouth ajar. Blood drips past her cracked lips as she looks between Lumi and Augustus with her hand extended. Lumi follows the line of her hand until he sees the pair of crimson eyes along the edge of the darkness. Ennui steps into the light, and it is as if all the creatures surrounding them make themselves scarce.
“Get him back,” Ennui announces, her eyes set with rage at Eve. “You’re no woman. Are you?”
Eve gurgles, the dagger still jammed deep. She fumbles back and forth in the snow, choking. Though the blade is reluctant to leave her mouth, she manages to raise her hand back at them and snap her fingers.
Along the edges of the pulsing ball of light, the creatures descend upon them en masse. Dozens with glazed-over eyes break into the circle of light and begin to rush in around them. Some with weapons and others with their bare hands. There is no time to stop and tend to Khimi, no matter how bad Lumi wants to take him and run. Without Augustus’ help, there is no way for him to carry him.
Lumi’s fist smashes into a man’s face as Augustus’ blade swings in a wide berth. Ennui moves quickly through them, unsheathing the rapier and cutting down foe after foe, leaving a trail of bodies behind her. She moves without regard for her own safety, her expression is unreadable. The figures that surround her are quickly waylaid with a short burst of slashes. She fixes her eyes on Eve and moves towards her with purpose.
The tips of the trees shake and from behind them, Mido shouts an incantation. A gust of wind presses through the area and knocks several of them over. He says an incantation similar to one Lumi had used dozens of times. A shotel, similar to the one he had carried at his side before, appears in his hand. The blade glows with a faint aura and Mido rushes in to join the fray. Lumi yearns for his spear, for a weapon to put distance between himself and these creatures.
Mido swings his blade and another powerful gust blows flurries of snow past them. Augustus rushes to Khimi’s side and begins to lift him, shouting at Lumi for help as he does. Without a word, Lumi flies to Khimi’s side and helps Augustus. Together they begin to drag him through the snow, Khimi’s weight is unbearably heavy and Lumi uses all of his strength to keep from falling beneath him.
“Hurry,” Mido says as they pass him, “get him back to the manor,” he adds, putting on a brave face in the light of the orb.
Without a second thought, Lumi pushes forward with Augustus. The sound of shouts and screams behind him encourages him to look back, but he presses onward in the silence, the orb of light fades behind them. Augustus’ face is more pale than normal, and his eyes are too sunken to gauge.
“What happened?!” Lumi questions, shifting his focus ahead.
Augustus pants and forces Khimi’s arm further behind his shoulder. “L-later. Save your breath until we’re safe.”
Lumi remains silent and closes his eyes as he endures the pain of the cold on his feet. The journey back is freezing, but Khimi’s body seems to grow warmer the closer they get to the manor. You’ll be alright, Khimi. I’ll take care of yo—
The footfalls behind them scare Lumi into lifting Khimi higher over his shoulder. There is no chance for him to turn around as Ennui’s shouting rings out behind them. Mido shouts an incantation and a small orb of light erupts from his hand and explodes into the snow behind them. The forest around them suddenly feels oppressive.
“Get him to the manor,” Ennui growls with a pained expression on her face. “That bitch won’t die… I stabbed her in the face. She fell over and popped right back up like a weed.”
With the gate in sight, Lumi hurries while Augustus begins to fumble. “What’re we going to do?”
“We’ll figure it out,” Mido grumbles as he catches up to them. “We have to figure it out.”
Passing the gates, Ennui and Mido each slam one of the gates shut and stand behind it. The figures begin to appear from the wood line and make their way towards the gate. Lumi and Augustus pant while they continue to the manor. The gate behind them begins to rattle, and Lumi closes his eyes as he hears the sound of Eve’s laughter echoing across the courtyard.
“I can’t, Lumi,” Augustus breathes as he begins to fall.
Together they fall forward, their bodies sinking into the freezing snow. Lumi adjusts Khimi’s face, turning his head to the side before checking Augustus. Augustus’ cheeks are red and hot to the touch, a thin veil of sweat drips over his brow as he pants with exhaustion. On his knees, Lumi turns back to his friends who stand in front of the gates. Along the length of the iron spikes, those under Eve’s command rattle and shake against the fence line, their fingers wrapped around the iron. Yet they do not push past or pursue them any further.
The crowds disperse as the scarred and nearly faceless Eve makes her way to the iron gate, staring Mido and Ennui down with a bloody smile. Ennui’s blade had left a hole where one of her eyes had been and her body is riddled with cuts and gaping wounds. She places a hand on the metal gate; her hand sizzles at the touch. She holds her hand against it and brings her face against the bars. Her lips curl as the metal burns at her flesh.
“Hallowed ground?” Eve chuckles hysterically. “Really?!” Her hands cling to the metal, shaking the fence angrily.
Ennui crosses her arms and smirks, “I had thought it might be.”
Mido scoffs and glares at Ennui in disbelief, “Did you!?”
Eve pushes herself back from the gates and rattles against them. “I could send an army of thralls in there to rip you limb from limb…”
“Why won’t you?” Ennui questions, her jaw clenched.
Mido once again looks at Ennui with an exasperated glance. “Ennui, stop taunting her.”
“Listen to your cur,” Eve shouts through the grates. “Besides… if or when the tall one wakes up… things won’t go well for any of you.”
Lumi moves faster than he has time to think, his feet carry him through the snow. Bounding against the gate he reaches his arms through like a caged animal. “What did you do?!” He shouts, his eyes flicker with a crimson flare. His voice breaks as he continues, “What d-did you do to him?!”
Eve laughs and steps back. “Just had a little taste, that’s all,” she says, wiping her lips tauntingly. “You’re really missing out, he’s delicious. Never had anything quite like hi—”
Lumi’s fingers curl into a fist as he utters the word the gods have provided him. Ignis. The flaming sphere forms over the woman and engulfs her, the blaze illuminates surrounding forest as the woman’s silhouette burns within the inferno. Unbridled anger courses through Lumi, a low growl rises in his throat as he reaches further through the fence. Burn…
Eve bursts from within the sphere, her clothes burning while she rolls through the snow. The dark lengths of hair are burnt and patchy, shortened from the fire. Her laughter has ceased and she looks up from the snow with eyes full of vehemence. The curious sphere stalks her, melting the snow as it swings around with Lumi’s hand movements. An incomprehensible shout leaves his lips as the orb once more consumes her. Those thralls Eve called stand around the light, waiting with wide eyes as their master is consumed by the flames.
The blood pumps through Lumi’s hand, the nails dig into skin and a trickle of warm blood drops into the pristine snow. Steam rises from where his blood touches, melting through the snow. Another guttural shout rises from his belly and the flames erupt into an incendiary pillar before fading into the sky. Lumi unclenches his hand, his efforts having drained much of his stamina. Eve’s crisp corpse lies in the snow.
With labored breaths, Lumi coughs and begins to smile. “Gotcha,” he whispers as he begins to laugh at the crisp corpse.
Ennui rushes to Lumi’s side and pulls him away from the fence. “Careful… I’ve already done this song and dance.”
Mido scurries to their side and places his arm beneath Lumi. “She’s right. That woman isn’t like anyone I’ve ever seen. She’s a monster… a real–”
Eve’s body sits up with an unusual rigidity, her charred features are difficult to make out. The tufts of hair that remain are little more than fragile strands. Her face is dark with soot and the skin is cracking, revealing the red meat beneath. The remaining clothing is torn and tattered, her bare chest exposed. Smoke trails from the holes in her trousers as she begins to rise from the dirt, her stark white teeth showing through her torched features.
“You… can’t kill m–”
The light burns in Lumi’s eyes, his panicked screams of anguish bound throughout the courtyard. He breaks away from Ennui and Mido, pressing his forehead against the fence and shaking against them, shouting curses at the woman.
“You can try to kill me… but I won’t die,” Eve says, turning away from the manor. “I can’t die.”
Lumi shouts through the iron bars and holds his hand out, “Coward!” He shouts, his fangs press into his lips as he snarls. “Fucking coward!”
“Lumi,” Mido whispers. “We can regroup… let them go.”
Eve does not reply to Lumi but raises her hand as those she had called thralls begin to follow behind her.
Lumi’s eyes shake with rage, his blood boils until he feels the pressure in his head. You can’t leave. The fire within Lumi’s eyes returns as flames chart through the snow, creating a wall around their opponents.
“Lumi!” Mido shouts. “I don’t thin–”
Ennui pulls Mido’s hair back, cutting him off. “Let him.”
“Those people… they’re no–”
“Let him!”
The wall of fire rages around Eve and her thralls as he tries to ignore Mido and Ennui’s conversation. “What is it?” Lumi questions, his focus still on the flames. “What were you saying, Mido?”
Mido knocks Ennui’s hand away and rushes to Lumi’s side. “They’re under her control… they aren’t willing. I saw some of them were reluctant to fight when you and Augustus ran to the manor.”
“I-I… can’t let her leave,” Lumi whispers. “What did she do to Khimi?”
Mido places a hand on Lumi’s shoulder, “We’ll find a way to help him. He’s still alive… everything is going to be alright, isn’t it?”
“It won’t be alright, Mido…”
“Wh-what?”
Lumi clenches his jaw and closes his eyes, his hand waivers along with the flames. “They have to see…”
“They have to see what he can do,” Ennui finishes as she approaches from behind. “They’re just as vile as the woman they serve, Lumi.”
Make it a show of force. Y’sol’s words had never been more clear in his head than now. Yet, as Lumi looks across the confused and lost faces, he allows his concentration to dwindle. The flames die down before Eve, and she turns back, her figure silhouetted by the dying flames. A cruel smile crosses the seemingly perfect rows of white teeth.
“See you soon,” Eve says, her words echoing with a lisp through her burnt lips.
“Lumi!” Ennui groans in disbelief. “You should have burnt the wench!”
“I-I don’t think I could have done anything to stop her…”
Mido stares through the fence and watches as they vanish. “We’ll be ready for them once we have Khimi and Augus–”
“You stupid little dog,” Ennui shouts, grabbing Mido by the collar of his woolen shirt. “Do you have any idea wh–”
“Stop,” Lumi mutters as Eve vanishes into the woodline. “I don’t have the energy for this…”
Ennui pushes Mido away and grabs Lumi by the shoulders, “Lumi, listen to me. That woman can’t be allowed to live… I heard what she said. Whatever she did to those people she likely did to Khimi. Whatever it is. It is far beyond the scope of your abilities,” she pauses and turns to Mido, “far beyond either of your abilities.”
Mido croaks, “You don’t know tha–”
“I do!” Ennui shouts and grabs Mido again. “A priest was here… a real cleric. A man of the Faith who subdued a devil. Sent him back to the hells. If a creature like her is here, then she is more powerful than him… or she defeated him. And you fuckin’ had her, Lumi!”
“I didn’t have her,” Lumi whispers as he brushes past them. “She was toying with us… showing us.”
“Showing us?” Mido asks, tilting his head at Lumi. His pointed ears stand up, “What do you mean?”
“Showing us how little we could do to her. Khimi burned her. You stabbed her through the throat, then through the eye… and I set her on fire! But she was… smiling. Sneering at us!”
Ennui’s tail whips at the snow. “She was there, Lumi. I have seen the light fade from enough creatures to know when they are there. You were on the cusp.”
Lumi ignores them both and crosses through the courtyard in silence. Khimi’s body rests over the snow, his body twisted from the fall. Augustus still had not moved either, his body, partially beneath Khimi’s is still. His chest rises and falls with shallow breaths, his cheeks, red against the snow. Lumi kneels beside Khimi and brushes his hair from his face. Even in his unconscious and disheveled state, he had never seen anyone as beautiful.
“Khimi,” Lumi whispers as he begins to stroke his fingers through his hair. “She’s gone… I scared her away. So you’ll be okay now,” his fingers draw along the line of Khimi’s jaw. “When you wake up, we are gonna leave this place and go see Gilbert, alright?”
“We need to get them inside,” Ennui says as she tramples through the snowy yard. “Before they freeze to death.”
“When we see Gilbert,” Lumi continues to whisper. “He’s gonna tell us what we wanted… we’ve always had. That everything is going to be alright. We didn’t even need to make this journey. Then when we go back to Rhaz… or Sidi. And year after year we’ll be laughing about this, alright?”
Ennui kneels on the other side and gives Lumi a somber look. After a moment, she begins to lift Khimi from Augustus’ body. Together they lift him from the snow and begin to drag him to the manor. His body is limp, but his core is still warm. The steadiness of his heartbeat brings a sense of relief. As they stagger up the stairs together, they stumble near the top. Lumi bashes against the wall, holding Khimi up from falling until Ennui is able to steady him. Lumi leans Khimi over the bed and Ennui lifts his feet, pushing him onto the crimson sheets.
Ennui clicks her tongue and turns back to the door. “Light the hearth and make sure he stays warm. Get him out of those wet clothes.”
“Enn–”
“I’ll give you privacy,” She whispers, turning on her heels and slamming the door shut behind her.
Without thought, the hearth roars to life. Lumi sits on the side of the bed as places his fingers just beneath Khimi’s nose. The soft warm breaths bring a gentle smile across his lips. The fire crackles in the hearth as he unties the knot of Khimi’s waist scarf and places the shamshir on the floor beside the bed. Standing over Khimi, there is a familiarity to the process of removing his clothes. He closes his eyes and turns his head at the thought. Rashid had been unclothed in a similar manner.
“You have to live, Khimi…”
Lumi’s fingers tremble over the buttons. One by one he works down the trail of golden buttons and pauses at the last one. There had been no other wounds that Lumi could see, but still, he fears for the worst as he continues. He rips back the jacket and stares at the blood smeared across the inner linen shirt. Though the blood is dried, there is so much that he feels squeamish. What did she do to you? He sits Khimi up and works his arms through the sleeve of the jacket as he crawls on the bed and straddles his waist. His hands slide beneath the hem of Khimi’s linen shirt and push the thinner fabric back over his head as he works his arms through the sleeves. His hand clasps over his mouth, his eyes swell with tears.
Khimi’s scarred and perfect body is covered from neck to navel in smeared blood. A dark blotch stains his neck, shrouded by the veil of blood. He sobs Khimi’s name as he pushes his face against his chest, his arms wrap around Khimi and tighten like a vice.
“Khimi,” he whispers as tears begin to roll down his cheeks. “W-What did she do to you?”
Lumi’s lips quiver against Khimi’s as the tears stream down his cheeks. His body curls in on itself, his tail swings between his own legs. He pushes his hands beneath Khimi’s ears and holds his face in place, pressing his lips to Khimi’s with desperate fervor.
I love you.
Lumi peels back, remembering the task at hand. He moves his body down Khimi’s and pulls the wet trousers along Khimi’s thighs. Instinctually his lips push against Khimi’s abdomen and kiss along his body as he does, pausing in the bed of coarse hair above his groin. Khimi’s scent is alluring and it draws him in. With his finger still at the waist of Khimi’s trousers, he presses his lips over the softened cock, his tongue gliding over the covered head. He pulls back and tilts his head to the ceiling. What is wrong with me… ? His nose pinches as the scent of rust rushes back to his nose and with haste he slides from the bed and pulls Khimi’s trousers down his legs. Fingers tremble over the wraps over Khimi’s boots.
Ennui peeks her head through the door, “How’s he doing?”
Lumi keeps his eyes focused on the boots and begins to remove the wraps. “He’s still breathing. His heart is strong. I-I dunno what else I can do, Ennui?”
“Can you communicate with your friend? With Nina?”
Lumi shakes his head as he slides the first boot off of Khimi’s foot. “I can try, but it almost never works for me.”
“If you need me you know where to find me. Augustus is fine, he’s just exhausted. He woke up momentarily before he fell back asleep.”
“Tell him thanks for me?”
“Tell him yourself,” Ennui whispers as she closes the door.
Lumi drops the first boot to the ground, then the second before tugging the trousers off of Khimi’s legs and over his feet. Every bit of Khimi looks perfect, from the soft soles of his feet to his sable black hair and Lumi indulges himself in a moment of admiration. The black hairs along Khimi’s leg curl back as Lumi’s hand moves along the copper skin. Reaching past Khimi, he takes the bloody linen shirt and begins to dab the wet shirt along Khimi’s chest, wiping away the blood along his chest and neck. Over each scar, he lingers, remembering the stories Khimi had told him of how he earned those wounds. You’re so proud of who you are…
Khimi groans in his sleep, tilting his head to the side. Lumi lets out a sigh as he dabs the shirt along Khimi’s neck and clears the wound of blood. The dark necrotizing wound still remains, almost pulsing with a dark energy. His fingertips trail around it in a circle, the marks, not unlike ones he had left on Khimi in moments of passion, had pierced something vital. He closes his eyes, allowing the warmth to flow through him once again, the bluish tendrils reach through the wound and move through Khimi’s body. Khimi’s chest rises as the light fills him and moves slowly throughout his body. Lumi sighs and allows the light to fade, the light receding back through Khimi’s body. Steadily, he climbs over him and pulls the heavy blanket over them both. He tucks himself in the crook of Khimi’s arm and nestles himself against him, his rounded ear pressed to Khimi’s chest.
“Do you remember that time in Rhaz?” Lumi begins gently. “Before we went to Betset? When you had to pretend like everything was okay? Like the whole duel with Omar never happened? Well, I remember how much I learned about you, I learned how much you enjoyed mint tea… how you snore when you sleep on your stomach. How when the light touches your eyes they look like the deep blue sea… and how you turn your nose up to the sky right before it rains. How every morning when you open your eyes, you would smile the moment you saw me. H-how… everyone looks up to you. Everyone in Rhaz talks about Khimi Zeybek!” He chuckles softly against Khimi’s arm, sniffling as he wipes his eyes. “I… learned to tell when you were annoyed with people. I learned how great you are at pretending to be happy around all of those people that made you miserable. I learned… just how much you loved me,” he whispers, “even if you couldn’t say it to me. I always knew it. I learned how when we were together… your eyes would close right before you came. How your leg would shake as you were… how your hands would squeeze me like you wanted to be buried in me.”
Lumi’s ear twitches against Khimi’s chest, “Tell me what I need to do, Khimi,” he whispers against Khimi’s chest. “Tell me that you’re gonna be okay.”
The pain in his own body still had not subsided, the numbness from the cold fades slowly and Lumi tucks his feet beneath Khimi’s leg. The bloody marks on his palm had nearly stopped bleeding, but his thoughts remain on Khimi.
“When we go back, we’ll get married like you wanted, we can have a big ceremony for Aleyna and invite everyone in Sidi.”
The silence is deafening and with a sudden crackle of the fire Lumi whispers against the pit of Khimi’s arm. “I need you, Khimi… Do you remember when we were in Dolmas and you promised that you would be my guardian? Well… Y’sol had once told me that the gods were powerless to alter our fate. She said that we were destined to be together, that our pull to one another was so great that no matter what happened, we would always find one another. Khimi, my soul yearns for you, every part of my being seeks you.” He sits up and looks down at Khimi’s peaceful expression. “When we’re together I-I feel like I can be myself. It’s the only time I have felt like myself and I know you feel the same.”
Lumi presses his lips against Khimi’s, feeling the warm breath sweep across his lips as he whispers. “My soul will die with yours, Khimi.”
After hours of silence and listening to Khimi’s steady heartbeat, Lumi rises from the bed to feed the fire that had burned down to embers. As he does, a glint in the window catches his eye, a reflection. He turns to face the apparition and finds himself staring into Isha’s burning eyes.
“I once loved a minos,” Isha whispers as she turns and faces Khimi. Her fingers push the hair from his brow as she looks at him with softening expressions. “They make the best lovers, you know? No one will ever love you as hard or as passionately as a minos. Despite their bullish nature, they are wont to please everyone else before themselves. Though they would tell you otherwise,” she whispers as she smiles gently. “It’s not too late for him; he can still be saved.”
Lumi stands across the bed with Khimi between them. “He looks like he’s fine. His breathing is normal and his heartbeat is fi–”
“It’s the curse,” Isha whispers. “When he passes from that bite. And it’s not an if, but a when. Because he will die from this wound. He will awaken as a servant of the creature who did this to him, a servant of the undead fiend who drained him of his vitality.”
Lumi’s head hangs as he takes Khimi’s hand. “What can I do? There has to be something! What a single bite and they own him? How the hells is that fair?”
“The world isn’t fair, Lumi. These creatures of the night are the natural-born enemies of the Gods of Light and Fire. It has and will always be our duty to purge them of this wor–”
“But what can we do? What can I do to help him, to stop him from turning into one of th-those things!”
“Kill the one who caused it in the first place, kill them before he fades. I suspect that you can keep his ailment at bay for a while until it grows beyond your capabilities. Then it will spread to his vital organs to things you won’t be able to heal with the little experience you have.”
“You can heal him, you’re a god. You can use my body as a vessel to heal him, it’s simple, right?” Lumi pleads, his fingers gripping tight around Khimi’s pinky. “You’re a god, right?”
“I am a god, but there are things even beyond our control. This curse is formed through dark magick, a bond so evil and strong that it cannot be broken with normal healing,” Isha whispers, her voice fading as she finishes.
“Then what?”
Isha turns her gaze to the window, and her brow wrinkles as she closes her eyes. “It is as I said you have to kill the person who did this. Before it is too late.”
Lumi’s grip tightens. “I am too weak,” he mutters through clenched teeth. “I can’t stop someone like her, she won’t die. I tried! Ennui tried! She even stabbed the woman right in the face!”
“Night creatures… vampires in particular are not so easy to kill. But you are their natural-born enemy. You only need to show them the light, Lumi,” Isha replies as she sits on the edge of the bed. “During my lifetime… I sought out these creatures. Hunted them down, cleaved them from the Dolman Jungles. I thought I had exterminated them, but they always return. This time they appear in the north and rally under a single lord.”
“Emil?”
“So you have heard the name,” Isha says as she places her hand atop Lumi’s. “He appeared shortly after my time and has had free rein in this territory for hundreds of years. He is far more powerful than any I have fought and has several powerful vampires under his control.”
“Isha…” Lumi whispers, his eyes shielded by his feathery hair. “I can’t kill all of those people they didn’t want to foll–”
“Those people are only shells of whom they once were, in time that will fade. That bit of hesitation they feel will fade and they will soon follow every word, every whisper their masters utter. If you do nothing, the same will happen to Khimi,” she pauses and places her hand over Khimi’s eyes. “When he awakens, it will be after his time has come and gone. The Khimi you loved will be no more, just a shell of the man you loved, just as those in her servitude.”
“I-if I kill her, will they all be freed of her?” Lumi asks, glancing up at Ennui with a sudden hope in his voice.
“No,” Isha whispers, “Those who have already succumbed to the curse are gone but Khimi still has time before it’s too late for him. Lumi time is of the essence. You cannot dawdle on this, you must act!”
“S-she’s immo–”
“They are not immortal, they sought a form of immortality but failed. What they found keeps them drawn to the darkness. They will fear you, Lumi. You mu–”
“And do what?! There are so many of them”
“Lumi, lay down your inhibitions. Those are not people, do not think of them as such. That creature uses them to hamper your strength. They know your heart is filled with kindness, and they prey upon that. Treat them as you would any other fiend, they are gone. Turned. They are not worthy of your kindness.”
“Bu–”
“Stop,” Isha says, her words cutting and short. “Lumi, I have already lived through what you are living now. I have tried to save those who have been turned by these creatures of evil. There is nothing. Nothing within my knowledge or of the other gods. You must destroy them… purge them of this world. You can become a beacon of hope for the north, for the people of this world. You can start here, in Cochon.”
“They don’t look evil,” Lumi says softly, “They look just like peo–”
Isha lifts her hand to Lumi’s cheek and stares deeply into her eyes. “If things become dire, you may call my name but I will offer you this warning. If you call upon me, I will not guarantee your safety. When you utter my name from the depths of your soul. When my being takes over your body… you may not survive it.”
“I don’t understand… what do you mean?”
“You are not strong enough to accommodate a godly being, not for long. There is a chance you may not survive the ordeal.”
“I’ll die?”
“Your soul may not return to your body.”
Lumi pushes Isha’s hand from Khimi’s eyes and glances down at him. A smile pulls at the corner of his lips. “Promise me that you will make sure that Khimi lives… and I will do anything.” Khimi’s head moves to the side against Lumi’s touch. “Anything.”
“My warning still stands, Lumi. I believe you are capable of slaying a vampire without my aid, but you must free yourself of their fiendish maneuvers. Only then can you handle a creature so vile.”
“H-how can I find her?”
“Call to it. Vampires are proud creatures, if you challenge them, they will appear,” Isha whispers as she begins to stand from the bed. She briefly straightens the crimson tunic and offers Lumi a nod. “While the other Gods squabble about our order, I have watched you silently, and hopefully. Do not allow my hope to fade with you, Lumi.”
Lumi gulps hard and nods in response. “I am thankful for your faith.”
“Should you succeed… you will have my faith. You somehow captured Y’sol’s heart. But your deeds will show the others your resolve. You show promise, more than many who have come before you.”
The fire crackles and within a blink, Isha vanishes before Lumi’s eyes.
Do not fail me, Lumi.
The words are spoken by Isha and echo deep within the depths of his mind. He leans forward, his hands ripping into the blanket. His body shakes as he growls from the depths of his throat.
“Don’t die on me, Khimi! I will be back soon… so stay alive! Okay?!” His words shake from his lips as he rubs the tears from his eyes. “I-I can’t do this without you…”
At the foot of the bed, Lumi nudges his feet through the leather boots and brings the wraps around the top, tightening them with all of his strength. Looking over the bed once again he takes a moment and places his hand on top of Khimi’s foot, pressing his fingers between each of his toes. Khimi’s head hangs to the side and a subtle groan passes through his lips. You’re gonna be okay. Tenderly, he pulls the blanket up past Khimi’s chest and presses his palm to his forehead. A damp heat meets Lumi’s touch. I’ll make sure.
Lumi rushes from the room after tossing a log in the hearth. The stairs creak while he rushes down, taking them several at a time. In his haste, he pushes through the door, slamming into Mido on the way. Lumi’s head clangs like a bell against Mido’s, and he stumbles back and forth as he regains his footing.
Lumi shakes his head and mutters hurriedly, “Sorry!”
Mido looks about, his short tail poking through the top of his trousers. “I-i-it’s okay. Wait — where are you going?”
Lumi looks around, his eyes linger on the damp pieces of wood around Mido. “W-wood,” he says, nodding eagerly, and edges past Mido. “We need wood… we ran out.”
Mido stares at Lumi, a look of doubt so clear on his face that Lumi can feel it. “Really?”
“Y-yeah,” Lumi stammers hurriedly. “Tell Ennui where I am, alright? I’m just grabbing wood close by.”
Mido reaches up and grabs the fabric of Lumi’s trousers. “Lumi… don’t,” he whispers. “I know what you’re thinking.”
Lumi’s face screws up, his tail slams against his thigh. “I’m just – I just, it’s cold.”
“Liar.”
“Mido, please,” Lumi begs, lowering his head. “Just tell them I went to get wood.”
“Where are you going? Where are you REALLY going?”
Lumi bites his lip, his ears twitch while he paces uncomfortably. “Do you really need me to answer that?” He asks with a glance up the stairs.
“Relax, Ennui is sleeping and Augustus only woke up briefly, so tell me where you’re going.”
“Back to the Cochon… I have to, Mido!” Lumi whispers. “D-don’t try to stop me,” he adds with a scowl.
Mido shrugs and raises a hand to Lumi. “Doubt I could anyway.”
Lumi yanks Mido from the floor. “Well, thanks… for not stopping me.”
“What do you want me to tell Ennui? She’s not stupid, you know,” Mido says while brushing the dirt from his trousers. “She’s going to know, and she’ll know the moment I tell her.”
Lumi eases around Mido and pushes his back against the door, slowly backing away from him. “Well, just tell her that… I’m dumb and I got lost or something. She’ll believe that,” he says with a final glance at the top of the stairs. “I won’t be long.”
Mido closes his eyes and sighs, “Lumi, be careful,” he says under his breath.
“I’ve got everything planned out,” Lumi replies before pushing his back against the door.
The cold air hits him, a gust of wind blows from the coast and sends snow drifts launching past him. He gives Mido a final confident smile before he takes off into the night.
The Hunt
Cochon is silent, uncomfortably so. There is no one around, not a soul in sight. Lumi’s boots click over the stone cobbles, echoing as the only sound across the frozen city. The building which had been designated to be a shrine to the Faith stands before him, an empty shell of what it should be. He cautiously approaches the building and places his hands on either of the wooden doors, pushing on them both with all of his might. The creaking door seems ear-splitting among the silence of the city. He forces himself forward while he pulls the collar of the woolen jacket up over his lips. The snowdrifts blow through the open door and dance across the gray, stone tiles.
The shrine is much different than the one he had grown accustomed to in Rhaz. The wheel of faith is engraved in the center of the floor similarly, but everything else is different. At the back of the shrine are five statues, each before a painted window. Despite their normal beautiful and otherworldly appearance, the images of the gods displayed before him are hideous, malformed.
Lumi utters an incantation and a small orb appears above his open palms. The orb throws its light throughout the shrine, clarifying the colors on the painted windows. The vibrant hues add warmth to the otherwise miserable building. Along the central aisle small wooden chandeliers hang from lengthy chains with hundreds of unlit candles. Lumi claps his hands together over the orb, creating a wave of light which spreads throughout the shrine. Hundreds of unlit candles around the entirety of the shrine flicker to life, their wicks a glow with dim light. He rubs his hands together and blows air through his lips, watching his breath form before him.
Illuminated by the candles, Lumi takes another look around the shrine. From the top of the shrine, above the chandeliers, hides a grim visage. A priest of the Faith, in their nearly skeletal frame, hangs from the wrists along the central joist. The robes they wear are familiar, but he cannot place where he had seen them. The symbol embellished across the stola marks the priest’s order. They had been a part of the Temple of Flames. Were you one of the good ones? He wonders, watching the spindly legs clack together in the wind. The snowdrifts blow against his back, the cold air rushes through him.
Am I just supposed to wait here?
Never one to be patient, Lumi paces back and forth across the front of the shrine. The light from the candles allows for a more apparent view of the statues. The faces of the gods had been chipped away, flecks of stone and marble sit broken around the statues. Staring up at the statues, he wonders if it had been done before or after the vampires had taken control of Cochon. The wind whistles through the open doors and sends handfuls of the snow through the shrine. As the clouds shift past the moons, the shadows move along the windows. A shiver runs along Lumi’s spine at the fear growing inside of him. He takes his tail in his hand and clenches his jaw, pushing the fear from his mind. Khimi…
Lumi rushes to the front doors of the shrine, shouting into the stony streets. “EVE! I’M HERE!”
Lumi recoils, embarrassed by the sound of his own voice. What will it take for you to show up? Make it a show of force… that’s what you said.
Above the cobbled commons, an orb of flame appears at Lumi’s behest. His mind focuses deeply on the shape and heat of the sphere. It grows with a gradual pulse, radiating outwards in diameter. Embers reach up to the cloudy night sky, the area illuminated in a crimson glow. He exhales, his warm breath fogging before him. Like fireflies, a swarm of smaller orbs burst from the larger mass, spreading around the area. They flit about in a dangerous dance.
Only once does Lumi question his judgment before he spreads his palm and sets the orbs free. Ear deafening explosions ring out, the heat from their blasts pushes against his face and sweeps his hair from his closed eyes. Fire roars around him, the buildings surrounding the commons already begin to billow smoke following the fiery display. He exhaled again, slow and with purpose. That should get her attention, he thinks, his eyes trained on the burning sphere ahead.
The first set of eyes appear much quicker than anticipated. A set of beautiful blues glaring back at him from across the sphere, followed in short by a pair of greens then amber. Their bodies appear shortly after along the outskirts of the lights. Thralls, dozens of them. They aren’t real. They aren’t who they were. He tells himself before closing his eyes again. The roar of the flames overtakes any sounds the thralls make in their approach. They’re just monsters. They aren’t people. His eyes open slowly, crimson just like the fire raging before him.
Force my will upon the world.
The word slips his tongue, his whisper roars into a scream. Ignis. Power built from the faith of the people courses through him. A forbidden power available only to those few chosen by the Gods. The tips of his fingers tingle, his tail stands up on end. A burning sensation wraps around his body, following the golden markings appearing across his body.
The orb before him surges outward, consuming everything in its path. It fills the commons and maintains its shape, a perfect devastating sphere, stopping just shy of his face. He lifts his hand to the fire, the flames lick at his fingertips. They’re not people, he tells himself. It understands. The sphere grows, bulging beyond the alleys and streets, engulfing stone and wood like a hungry beast. The whispering crackles rise to hungering bellows. No one… should have this much power. The expanding orb contracts to a tiny, compact ball, filled with all the vigor he had just witnessed. Fire and ash surrounds him. Where men had just stood is nothing more than dust.
Is this… what you want, Goddess?
“All my lif—” a voice begins, only to halt when Lumi turns to the source of the sound.
Eve.
There is no sign of the woman, only the shallow ringing of her words across the stony streets. The fires rage through the buildings around them, wooden beams cracking from the heat.
“I want to talk,” Lumi lies softly. “I need to talk.”
A silhouette appears in the alleyway. Eve steps forward into the light of the fire. “We’re a bit beyond talking, aren’t we?”
“Let Khimi go… whatever you did to him. You can help him.”
“You look different, feline.” Eve’s body is still charred from their last encounter, her lips burned away but healing, revealing the pearly teeth. “That curse can’t be undone so easily, but being a vampire isn’t so bad. He’ll get used to it,” she says with an expressive wave of her hand.
“Y-you’re a monster.”
Eve laughs, running her hand along her now bald head. “I’ve been called such for many years. It’s always the same. You’re a monster!” She mocks. “What’d you do to my family?!” She continues with a laugh.
“Y-you’re an abomination! The gods detest you!” Lumi shouts, determination in his eyes. The small fiery orb hovers around him, quivering with the fluctuations of his emotions.
Eve covers her mouth. “Oh no! Anything but the gods!” She laughs hysterically. Her body buckles forward, “the gods. Don’t get me started on your precious gods. Your gods don’t love you. They need you. Just as every dumb fuck who prays to them. Without their sheep, they are powerless. So I’ll do the world a favor and end another useless zealot’s life.”
“You killed that priest?” Lumi questions. The wind hurls embers past him, illuminating Eve’s face.
Eve shrugs and takes a step forward. “Would it matter if it was me? I’m not alone here, cat.”
“It matters…”
“To your frail little mind? You need someone to tell you that I’m evil so that you won’t feel bad trying to kill me?”
Lumi looks down at his feet. “I won’t feel bad killing you… I just wanted to know. So when I bury them, I can pray their soul rests knowing the monster that took their life is dead.”
Eve cackles, spittle flying from between her lips. “You’re nothi—”
“Enough!”
The wisp-like orb hurls past Lumi and explodes, a rapid expansion of flames erupts before him. Crackling fires roar like a storm, booming throughout the empty streets. He stands still, waiting for the blaze to dwindle. From the black smoke, Eve rushes through, her clothing burnt away, bits of skin and flesh hang like tattered rags. Her tongue wags from her jawless mouth.
Eve’s blows land near Lumi with each swing. Cautiously, he steps away from his assailant and back towards the shrine. The sharp nails brush past Lumi’s cheek, a thin trail of blood in its wake. He shouts an incantation, dozens of flaming javelins spring around him. Their blue flames shift to crimson to match the intensity of his eyes.
For the first time since he had seen Eve, a look of terror shines in her remaining bright eye. She steps backwards before turning her back to him. The javelins pursue fiercely, plummeting from the heavens. A ghastly gurgle sounds down the alley, and he rushes to find the source. The blazing javelins roar with otherworldly heat, searing through Eve’s bone, her body pinned against the cobbles.
Lumi’s boots clatter against the stone and echo through the alleyway. Eve struggles, her body transfixed to the stones by multiple burning spears. She turns to Lumi at his approach, pleading sounds arise from what had been her mouth. His tail shakes behind him while he stands over her.
Lumi reaches out and places a hand on a flaming spear jammed through Eve’s abdomen, his hand unmolested by the flames. “You’re a monster,” he mutters. “There is no place for you in this world…” He says, his voice trailing.
The energy within him anchors on the spear, the flames spread over Eve, the fire consuming every bit of her form until all that remains is her ashen silhouette. The spear vanishes into a handful of gleaming embers. What remains of Eve’s body withers away into dust beneath him.
“And, I’m a lion…”
The golden markings fade from his body. The exhaustion that comes with touching such sacred power all too quickly takes its toll. Falling to his knees, a smile slips across his lips, tears of joy trail down his cheeks. You’re gonna be okay. His fingers rake through the dust that had just been Eve. A faint laugh escapes his lips. I did it.
“She’s dead! I saved him!” Lumi sits back on his heels and watches the buildings burning around him. Great pride fills him. I did it…
“You must be a priest…” a soft yet harsh voice echoes before him.
Along the avenue before him, a man garbed in leathers, dark as onyx, steps forth. His features are difficult to make out through the smoky streets, but his reflective eyes glint back an amber glow. Not a moment later, more eyes join until Lumi loses count. They’re all monsters, he tells himself, his fingers clenching Eve’s ashes.
“Bold of a priest to come alone,” the man says, his words rolling off his tongue in a silvery inflection. “The last one. Well, they didn’t fare so well.”
Lumi grits his teeth and hangs his head. “Why are you doing this?”
The man steps forth through the smoke and embers. A hulking figure of a man stands before Lumi, his muscles pressing against the tight leathers, his yellow eyes seem to glow with an intensity even greater than Eve’s. His features are pale and sharp, uninviting to the eye. Below his russet hair, marked along his brow, is a burn, branded deep within the flesh. The symbol is one of the Faith, the scales of balance. The man at some point had betrayed the Sanctum of Balance and been marked as a traitor.
“Because, times are changing. Our kind will feast upon the others and your kind will become chattel,” he says. He taps across the cobbles, then halts along the intersection. “Emil’s power gr—”
“No one gives a fuck about your stupid lord!” Lumi growls. “The world isn’t covered in clouds and darkness!”
The vampires hiss at Lumi and bear their fangs. “You’d best mind your tone, else my kin will tear your flesh off before I get a chance to string you up myself, little feline.”
Eve’s ashes shake from Lumi’s unsteady hands. Standing from the stones, his knees begin to wobble. “Some wounds never heal…” he says, his words becoming a whisper. “You were marked as a traitor to your order. Branded.”
“I was of the Faith many years ago. I left. And because I didn’t see eye to eye with those fools, they did this to me,” he snarls, fingering over the raised mark. “A kind reminder of my time spent serving the gods.”
The cold wind whistles through the avenue, blowing embers and smoke past Lumi’s back. He sighs before he closes his eyes in thought.
“To see the type of person you have become is only proof that they were right to brand you,” Lumi replies without thought. “You create monsters, cause so much suffering.”
“Dear boy,” the man begins, his lips spread into a frightful grin. “Everyone is a monster, I just help them realize they are.”
The wind pushes the plumes of smoke away to reveal the group of creatures behind the man. They wait, their lips curled back in a snarl, their noses pinched.
Lumi places his hand over his chest. “Not everyone is a monster, there are good people in this world. And people can change!”
He clicks his tongue. “Tsk tsk, such hopeful nonsense isn’t suited for this world. The sooner you realize this, the better off you’ll be. Not everyone wants to be good, feline. Most people only care about themselves. Take yourself for example,” he says as he swings around, motioning to the burning structures. “How long did you even consider your actions? Think of all the good people that could have been inside.”
“There is no one worth saving in Cochon. You ruined them all!” Lumi shouts, his hand clenching into a ball.
The vampire scoffs and brushes his hair over his brand. “It wasn’t all me. You can blame the Lorians and their greed. They’re the ones who weakened the city.”
“What?” Lumi asks, his ears twitching. “You’re still the reason people died… just becau— wait, what happened?”
The vampire gives Lumi a dumbfounded glance. “Where are you even from? The Lorians took Cochon from the north, stole its independe—”
“Yeah, but then you still killed people. That isn’t the Lorian’s fault.”
“But the Lorians were the ones who conque—”
“Now you’re just making excuses for what you did.”
The vampire chuckles and hangs his head. “Feline, you’re either very dumb or very bold.”
“You told me I was bold because I came alone, so let’s go with that,” Lumi replies, attempting a smile. “Either way… I don’t care who owns this city. I know it was your kind that turned the people here into monsters… I know you killed the priest.”
“You sure know a lot for a dim witted cat,” the vampire scoffs. He draws nearer, one careful step at a time. “But,” he whispers, his toe tapping over the cobbles. “You’re all alone here, and there are many, many, many rafters to hang you from in that shrine.”
“I’m never alone. Not really,” Lumi whispers in response. His fingers clutch at the woolen fabric. “I didn’t turn my back on the gods…”
The vampire shakes his head at Lumi’s words. “Your zealousness won’t buy you clemency from me,” he snarls suddenly, then rushes at Lumi with a dagger clutched in his hand.
Lumi backs away and shouts an incantation. The spears he had relied on fail to make their appearance. A momentary fear takes hold of him before he turns and runs back to the city commons. The one thing Lumi had always been proud of was his speed. His parka swishes against his body, his legs carry him as fast as he can run to the shrine, his breath fogging before him while he runs past the burning buildings. The sounds which echo from the avenue behind him are frightening, hisses and cursing shouts.
“Isha…” Lumi begins, his feathery blond hair flops in his eyes. “If you want… you can use my body,” he pants mid-stride. “But I don’t wanna die… so, if you could not kill me! Please!”
Lumi turns abruptly on his heels and rushes into the shrine. The candles from earlier remain lit, their warmth like a welcome invitation. With the roaring blazes raging through the buildings surrounding the shrine, the stained-glass is illuminated, the yellow and red light shines through across the wooden seats of the shrine. The marble statues at the end of the shrine stand tall, their faces slightly obscured in the dim light.
The vampires crowd around the entrance of the shrine with hungry eyes. At the center of the small hoard is the man, he snickers and takes a step into the shrine without a hint of fear.
“The gods don’t scare me, child.” He mutters, his words echo throughout the shrine.
“They should!” Lumi barks, his tail brushing against the stone altar behind him.
He clicks his tongue again. “You’re like a cornered cat. What is there to be afraid of?”
Lumi sprints forward, his fist strikes the vampire’s jaw. He lands blow after blow without his opponent staggering the slightest. “W-what are you made of!?” he shouts, wriggling against the vampire’s hold.
The vampire grasps Lumi’s wrist and lifts him from the ground. Lumi’s legs kick at him, his boots smashing against his chest and face repeatedly. “Stronger stuff than your typical monster,” he taunts.
Lumi’s foot cracks against his face, pain courses through him and shoots up his leg. He howls in pain, then kicks with his other leg. “L-let me go!”
“Goodnight,” the vampire says, a cool smile crosses his lips. The dagger in his hand twirls while he readies himself. “It’s a shame that no one will hear your screams.”
“ISHA!” Lumi’s shout echoes through the shrine. The vampire clutching Lumi stares at him with a look of confusion on his face.
Darkness surrounds him. The scent of smoke and ash fades. The cold that had just touched his skin vanishes. His consciousness seals into the recesses of his own mind. There is no sight or movement or sound. It’s lonely. Dark. Khimi.