Chapter 61 The Dhampir, Battle!

End of all hope, Wishmaster (Nightwish) Evanescence- Weight of the world


Laira

HB was urging me to help the others. But I could not leave him. He was hurt. I whirled the makeshift staff in my hand and commanded Luthien to tell me what could kill them.

His response was to infuse it with a whipcord of golden light. But this magic would not last forever. Junos sprayed acid at a bunch of black guys. They screamed, vanishing for a while. The cat looked really ecstatic at his minor victory. But the humans weren't having much luck.

Someone was blasting them with silver light. She was levitating high above the chaos and chanting something. Wow! My brother looked capable of defending himself. He blinked in and out of appearance, his knives furiously finding release with each hack slash. Had Nuada taught him that? Enemy couldn't see him and were slower to strike. Joe stabbed two in the head. HB's breathing had slowed, my heightened senses informed me. I had to take action. Oh no he has passed out, his pulse is slow. Luthien said. I noticed a woman trying to resuscitate someone wounded and asked her for a first- aid kit. She pointed behind a tree. Yes! As I scooted for it and back, invisible forces tore and slapped me, but I felt no pain. Junos Sent- yes I can sit on them! Haha!

"Hey can you fight? Is HB okay?" Joe panted.

I nodded. Red was so still. "I'm binding your arm. Red wake up! Wake up, we need you. Don't die. Don't forget Liz!" I called, tightening the bandage. I slapped his cheeks. Huh, there was some white chain glowing. It looked like a magic relic. I touched it curiously.

Nuala's face flashed and she said something to him.

Red awoke, groaning. "Crap. What's going on?" his eyes were focused.

I smiled. "A lot of fighting." The lady made a hitting motion slapping the ground. Black figures were sent flying. A few agents were rushing and firing random shots. I raised my staff and slammed it hard into snarling jaws. Those ought to be handicapping blows. One of the dark guys' heads was gone, but it didn't lie down. Luthien set them ablaze, his head nodding rapidly. He had become the giant cobra before….

"I think we need silver bullets or something, guys," HB shouted, firing with his good hand. "They don't stay down. Hey whose cat is it?"

"Mine. He's Junos and he'll help us." I asked the cat if he was all right. He told me it was no problem and this Plain was his own. His roar sent some monsters fleeing. Red cursed how and when Nuada would get here. It was getting hard to see, all moonlight had gone out.

"But we're in a different place! This wasn't where we stopped! Lost!" Joe said, gazing around. Yes he was right. We were far from the main path where there used to be an oak with a broken fence. Perhaps we had been pulled into another dimension. Where on earth were we? The magic woman ran to us and raised a shield. "Hi lousy time for introductions but I'm Trina. Red how's it going?" No more supernatural glow now. She was about 1.6 m tall, had dark short hair and pierced ears. I think the ends were pointed too, an elf? Her eyes were crystalline. The color was not fixed. Trina grinned at me, showing fangs. Un elflike.

I introduced us. Trina asked the wounded demon to rest. "Um how long will the shield hold? Does it scare them?" I asked. The shield was orange and set those invaders on fire. The injured agents were in with us, it was quite spread out. Not all of them could be here. I closed my eyes when someone screamed. Silence.

"No it's abolgán solais. A Light Shield. I have asked Elena the telepath back at base to lend me some juice. We need to stall until reinforcements come," Trina replied, making complex signs. A few tangled vines was etched and temporarily lent us some sight back. People around us were smeared with fluids, tears, sweat. My skin was white.

"That'd be the elves eh, Tri?" HB sniggered. He got hold of a rifle. To us, he asked if we knew how to use guns. We didn't. He handed my bro a pistol and showed him how to reload it. "You can do this. Laira, get the kitty to come in."

Junos come! Into the shield.

With the light, the huge feline had violet streaks of fur and bright emerald eyes. He bounded over as if the distance was not too great. Trina smiled, showing some fangs. Junos stepped through it smoothly. Two monsters changed into rats and charged, but got jolted back. "Welcome to the party."

Joe bluntly asked her what species she was. I cringed and apologized. Trina laughed. "I am a dhampir. But the Bureau asked me to start on these dunces of Darkness. No prob, I'm used to it."

I liked her. Still, I was worried. "Thank you. Have you contacted the elves?"

Trina tapped her communicator. "Yep I did. On the way."

HB grumbled that it'd be a long night. We smiled, it was comforting to hear his voice sound so factual, as if our allies were late for a it was a picnic of sorts. Haha.

Junos told us he was hungry and lay down yawning. No catfood for him. He purred rubbing on Red. He is nice! Smells of furry friends like me. He licked my hand when I stroked him. Light, I eat it.

I didn't know how to produce that magic, though I concentrated. Would the sunlight return? If it did, I would stop complaining about the heat. Fell asleep. It did not seem like a few minutes when a familiar voice urged, "Wake up. It's me." I covered my face but the hands kept shaking me. Talking. A fierce hug with warmth, almost hot. I stirred and opened my eyes. The shiny blond hair, pale skin illuminated in this darkness. Nuada! I smiled.

Trina was snoring on her side. Some elves had stationed themselves around us. "You're all right, friend," he repeated with feeling "Where is the guardian?" For a moment, Nuada peered at me closely.

He frowned at the big kitty for suddenly materializing. The two glared at each other. Some kind of old feud? "Nuada this is Junos. He's strong and brave. This is my prince, cat." I stepped back.

Junos looked bored, curling his tail. He purred. Muttering something in a foreign tongue, my elf made some light appear and cat sucked it up. Delicious! Thanks. Can I have more please?

Nuada made an empty motion. "Sorry, it's the best I can do at the moment."

He had brought wolves and more reinforcements of Elves and some fey. I told him HB's arm was injured. Perspiration coated Red's brow. He could not bite back a moan and sank down. Nuada lightly crossed to him and took out a container. Scooping some of its contents with his fingers, he smeared it over the long wound. Red's breathing eased in moments. Nuada woke him so he could lie more comfortably. "Hello waif. Took ya time." Red grumbled.

"We had a difficult time tracing you. The damaged vehicle was the only sign. After your call was disconnected, I immediately summoned more wolves to come with us….." the prince filled us in. He conveniently omitted his worry and anguish. Most elves agreed to help us but others were not so willing. Nuada did not elaborate on the 'method' he used for persuasion.

Then surprisingly, he said we should get some sleep. "Shouldn't we fight them?" I looked at him, pressing his pack and then lying down. Nuada smiled. "My allies don't need sleep. However, I have forgone sleep for days." A troll came nearer. Nuada pressed his right hand to the chestplate and spoke to him. It nodded.

His dark patterns were deep, almost bluish. Also, he seemed gaunt. Then Nuada was deeply in slumber. For warmth we huddled close. Joe had sat back against HB and fallen whispered that she was ok to hold the shield up.

I caressed Nuada's face. He shouldn't have worried so much. But it was natural. The topaz stone I gave him slipped out from his black armor and clothing, glittering. The color swirled in my mind until I was too groggy to focus.

After few hours, we awoke refreshed. Nuada checked on demon, whose wound had sealed more or less. A healer applied more salve to it. Joe ascertained that he could fight with swords. "And I can use the gun. Say any silver bullets?"

Another elf came with ammo. These were special ammo, darts that could slay demons. Everybody needed to fight. Trina gave orders to the remaining humans to fight and showed them how to reload. I think the special compartments could be opened.

Meanwhile Nuada spoke to his allies quickly in elven. His kin rode upon wolves or other creatures. Some climbed up trees.

He turned to me. "Laira you remember how to use the staff. This is not practice, don't show any mercy. Use this one." He opened his pack and took out a small rod. It could extend when I wanted it to. "I just need you to support us. Do not rush in front."

"Yes Sir," we said. He looked serious and Sent, I mean every word.

In the sky the light was coming but very faint. Trina remarked it was cool. She said yo princie to him, and Nuada flashed a travesty of a smile.

"Nuada you're friends?" I closed my staff to become a transportable rod again. I had no strap, so I held it like an Amazonian. Luthien licked it with its tongue.

He sighed. "Just colleagues. I do not understand her much. A dhampir is not common among us." Flash of how Trina sauntered into base on short notice and baring her teeth. She had already disabled some enemies crying for mercy on her Romanian mission. Most people feared rather than liked her.

"I like her," I said, grinning. Elf chuckled.

Trina was now asking his allies when daylight would return and she needed a tanning. Her voice was chirpy. Yet, she was no innocent, used to killing as a mercenary. Krauss was the one to vouch for her. That is rare for the ghostguy. Nuada was too tense to tell me so I gleaned whatever I could from HB's mind. Dhampirs also need blood but they are disciplined huntresses. Before, I had learnt of them from old tomes in the ancient archives. Judging from Nuada's comment, elves are wary of their kind. The life vs the undead. Dhampirs were considered an abhorrence since they were neither human nor fae. Well, we need her powers now. How will she take blood?

I mentioned Magiere. Nuada shrugged. "I don't know them. Is she good?"

We touched hands. He smiled when he realized I had conned him, they were fictional people. But could be real, you never know. Trina's more positive than she is.

Later Trina chatted with a green woman, she was completely green! They sharpened their small knives together. Nuada said that was a fey woman. "Familiar with the Gorgon myths? She has shown the old kings loyalty. Though we faced some obstacle from her rí, he finally agreed."

The shadows had not come out for now as we walked. Still we were vigilant. Trina and the gorgon were way in front. Junos was also out of sight, but he constantly showed me what he saw. I forgot to mention, the elves gave Hellboy a magic sword. It looked magnificent and gleamed blindingly. He commented, "It's some elf toy eh?"

Nuada looked vexed but didn't remark. He just clasped him by the rock hand and whispered. Hellboy smiled and saluted.

I did not fear pain nor death, truly. As long as we had friends the darkness was something we would conquer. I think our party made it halfway when inhuman cries and unearthly moaning tremulated. Nuada grasped my hand and tugged me away. The ground under us had yawned open. I had almost fallen in. He shouted, "Luite siar*!"

The fey withdrew from the hole. It stopped expanding. Some strung their bows. Their arrows glowed blue.

Trina snarled, slashing her double stilettos. "They're not under!" Red asked her where.

"Everywhere! Shit!" A few people were pinned by a fallen tree. They didn't move.

The intangible shadow fell over us. Nuada's sword was unsheathed with a smooth motion. Trina made a reflection. It was hard to fathom, our enemy was not solid and would not stay there. All our weapons glowed hot, even my staff. The good trolls' clubs had the same material. The unearthly cry weakened. A yowl alerted me to the left. Junos was attacking a demon that had become solid, and wolves smashed into the fray with teeth and claws. Arrows streamed around.

"Stay behind me!" Nuada ordered, cutting into a demon that dove near us. I hit its tail as it lashed out and almost swept the human near me. Its blood was transparent and steamed. Nuada cleaved it in half. Hellboy was shooting slowly. Another elf said, "No need to reload." They fired together.

An unexpected guest erupted into flame. Was it Liz? No, this one was Hydra, a many headed beast that spat flame. It shaped into a lion before charging at a huge demon, incinerating it. The howl was deafening. "Laira! Down!" my soulmate shouted, stabbing above me. Wolves tore into it, the wet sound. While the hydra lent us support, the prince said, Iria said you will find a way out of this darkness. Can you see a path?

I ----- I tried but my mind was blocked. No. I spoke to blank air, for Elf was helping Joe to drive back a mottled hand that tried to reach through hydra. It took multiple stabbing to deter that one. His blade was coated with questionable fluids.

He panted. "Are you afraid? Soon the answer will come."

I really hoped that it would. Hellboy hollered, "Guys, Kirin, Alexander, we need to move now!" The hydra nodded. Where? Someone guided us in the right direction.

The running took us far from the danger. Trina made another shield thing, blue this time with the gorgon. The hydra had shrunk to a normal size and trotted alongside the wolves. Joe was stumbling and he fell. Nuada helped him up. "Where's the pain?" His shoulder had burnt right through, a sickly black mark.

I panicked. My brother looked up with glazed eyes. Nuada and HB got him to lean against a stump. I felt distant from it all. Luthien said nothing. Red said, "Joe, you're very brave. Grip my coat hard."

Nuada and the healer knelt down. Joe was ashen, his cry was short. He passed out. I stood beside my elf and watched them settle him more comfortably. Nuada closed his eyes speaking softly in elven. Green light poured forth from their hands. He followed the chanting of his healer friend.

"Is.. he okay?" my voice shook a little. Nuada's golden eyes were gentle.

"Yes. He needs to rest for a while. We cleansed the poison."

I thanked them. Nuada got up and almost fell. HB supported him. He must be weakened by the spell. They went to the wolves.

Junos how can I lead us out? Where are we? The other one was why this had to happen. If only I had treasured our time more last week. I had waved goodbye to Nuada and Nuala, as if tomorrow would be fine. The cat licked my face. I hugged his strong body and smelled his fur. He said he would keep watch.

Nuada walked more steadily when he returned but he also dropped off very quickly. His normally neat golden hair was messy. Brother's paleness had eased. I gently took his good hand and squeezed. Joe I love you. Don't give up. We'll get out of here. I swear it!

Settling beside the prince, I accidentally brushed against him. He jerked awake, stifling a yawn. "What?" I shook my head and waved him down.

Actually I didn't feel that tired. Trina was also alert. I watched her in silence. A wolf wagged its tail coming to me. "Hi thanks for your help," I said.

Welcome guider of lost paths.

Why do you call me that, wolf? I touched his snout.

It is true. The prince will lead us, as you Halflings show the way. Our weapons deter evil.

The wolf was like Rinaldine. He laid his paw on my shoulder and I felt more confident. They were the Fenris Enchanted, not weres. An Uber race of their kin. Eternal courageous unfailing honour. These qualities resonated.

I squinted. A faint ray of light! My hand stretched out. Was this the Path?

Translations

luite siar- get back!

Ri- ruler