Binding

Thresh was not pleased. Achlys was not pleased. The wraith trapped in the room with them was not pleased. Acheron was indifferent.

"Again," Thresh ordered.

With a nod and a deep breath, Achlys conjured up her magic and tried her best to settle uneasy thoughts that rippled in her mind and soul. She lashed the ribbons of her magic, infused with her willpower, to the cowering spirit across from her. It submitted with hardly a struggle.

With the connection, the wraith's surface most emotions flashed through Achlys's mind; fear and distress. It was a sensation that had grown stronger each time she had bound it to her. Now on her tenth attempt, she winced at the strength of it.

As she had every other time, she tried at first to soothe it; calming her own emotions and thinking as pleasant a though as she was capable of at the moment. Mercifully, it worked and the spirit did grow still, but it had taken longer than the last time she had done it and much, much, much longer than the first.

"You have it."

Thresh's words were more a statement than a question.

"I do."

Achlys turned her attention to the wraith.

"Move to the left, please," she ordered.

It obeyed.

"Move to the right, please."

Again, perfect obedience.

"Now release it," Thresh said.

Achlys closed her eyes and made a silent wish.

Once again, Thresh had been attempting to teach her how to permanently bind a wraith to her, making it so she could command a spirit without the need of actively focusing her magic on it. It would be an invaluable skill to have and one she knew she would have to learn eventually, but with each year and each failure to be able to perform it, Thresh grew more impatient and she began to dread this lesson.

She had always learned magic best when she was able to visualize in her mind how to manipulate the flow of energy, often by comparing it to other things she had done before. Even now as she bound the wraith to her, she imagined her magic as ribbon and that bits of her were being braided through the essence of the spirit. It was neat, graceful, something she could do without thinking, and it could be undone easily. A permanent connection could not be. She would have to knot and snarl herself into it. Thresh had compared it to leaving a deep wound, something that would leave a scar. He had instructed her to imagine forcing that bit of her will into a wraith like a hook into a fish. Even if the line broke, the barbed metal would still be embedded in it and the snapped line could always be grabbed and pulled anew.

Achlys hated this description. She hated the thought that her magic was hurting the wraith she was using it on. She had tried to reason with herself that, much like fishing, this was something she would need to do to survive, but the thought didn't help. Worse still, she could not get the mental image of her burying a hook into someone out of her head. Why do that when she could just tie bows around them instead? This unsettling thought would make her conviction falter and with that momentary lapse of will, any hope she had of binding the wraith would wither in an instant.

And it had happened again. As she let the tendrils of her magic fall off of the wraith, releasing it as Thresh ordered her to, she sensed that her connection to it had completely severed. A faint hope passed weakly through her that perhaps the spirit had enough sense about to at least pretend to follow her commands. Fear was, as Thresh had often told her, a perfectly fine source of motivation. She didn't agree. She did not want things to obey her out of fear, but at this moment, she also did not want to watch another failure unfold before her eyes.

"Please," she addressed it, "spin in a circle three times, please. Please."

The wraith slumped in posture like a marionette cut from its strings. Then suddenly, it lurched upright again, looked between Thresh and Achlys, turned around, and attempted to fly from them with all the speed it had left. Thresh was faster.

His chains lashed out and the heavy links battered the wraith's side, sending it crashing to the ground. Achlys grimaced. There was something about the magic in the chains that granted a certain physicality to those they struck, making spirits that at first seemed as insubstantial as mist collapse to the ground as if they were flesh and blood. The result of this was that the wraith's shadowy form now laid in a crumbled, trembling heap making a low rasping noise.

"Again," Thresh said.

"Can we do something else, please?" Achlys asked.

"This lesson is what your father requested."

She went a knelt down next to the wraith. With the gentlest touch, she reached out and placed a hand on its back. At the connection, the rasping noise it was making echoed through her mind in a clearer tone. It sounded like sobbing. She withdrew her touch.

"I don't want to do this anymore today."

"Unfortunate."

There was not an ounce of pity in his voice.

"Bind it again."

"I couldn't do it before," Achlys protested, "what makes you think this time will be different? It won't be! Can we please do something, anything, different? What about more magic to fight with? Can we do that? I thought you liked teaching me those kinds of things."

"I did."

"Then why won't you?"

"Ask Karthus that question."

"I do and he just keeps telling me to work on my magic with wraiths."

She looked back at the trembling wraith.

"But I know that that magic isn't going to work with this wraith. It just isn't."

The smallest of smirks came from Thresh.

"Where has confident little Achlys run off to?" he said, "I believe that is the first time I have heard you doubt yourself. Where is the girl who would keep insisting that she could do anything if she just kept trying?"

"I still can!" she snapped before quickly adding in a calmer tone, "just not with this wraith. Maybe I could try with a different one, or you could give me more advice, or maybe we could please do something else?"

"There is something you could do to make this easier."

"Really?"

It was not the answer she wanted the most, but hope still sprung in Achlys's voice.

"Do you have that dagger that was given to you?"

The hope on her face withered.

"Not with me," she mumbled, "it's back at the cathedral. Father only wants me practicing with it with Gaspare."

"Ah, well that's unfortunate. I should have expected that he wouldn't let you wander about with it."

"Would it help? Maybe we can get the dagger?"

"It would."

"How?"

"I would tell you to channel your magic into the blade and stab it into the wraith you are trying to bind. If you cannot simply visualize wounding it, I would have you enact it."

"Oh."

If the hope on her face had been withering, it was now dead.

"I knew you would not approve of that method," Thresh commented, "it is why I had never mentioned it to you before."

Thresh was right. She would not have been willing to do that. Achlys never liked the thought of hurting wraiths, but she did understand that she was likely going to have to fight at some point in her life, which would mean hurting others. But it would be hurting others to protect herself, hurting others she could say deserved it but, unlike the soul of the soldier Thresh had shown her, she did not know if the wraith behind her had done anything to deserve this treatment. She did not want to go get the dagger.

"Is there anything else that would help?" she asked, almost dreading the answer.

"Attempt the binding on a wraith you are already close to."

"Close to me?"

She felt her heart sink.

"Yes, close to you," Thresh nodded, "a wraith that already trusts you and would be less inclined to fight against you. Oh, and this wraith cannot already belong to another, so no member of your father's collection, no matter how close you are to them. Do you perhaps have another candidate in mind?"

He looked down at Achlys, awaiting an answer.

"Umm. . . "

Her mind felt as though it had frozen in place. Did she know any souls that would qualify? How many people did she know that weren't part of the congregation? Elise was alive, so she wouldn't work. Gwen was also alive and she still hadn't been able to detect even the faintest trace of her in Mist. There was the Chronicler of Ruin, but she was a greater wraith and Achlys knew she would never win in a battle of wills against her, nor did she even want to bend her mentor to her will. There was Ledros. He seemed nice, but she didn't think she could consider herself close to him for this to work. Hecarim and Kalista weren't even considered. Most every other wraith she could think of a member of the congregation or was too distant. Only Katherine, it seemed would be a valid candidate.

"You look like you have someone in mind," Thresh said.

"Umm. . . "

She did, but she didn't want to say her name. An image of Katherine being the one shivering on the ground flashed through her mind. No, she couldn't say her friend's name. So she said something else that she immediately regretted.

"You."

"Me?"

Thresh barked out a laugh that left Achlys's cheeks flushed pink, but much to her surprise and horror, he answered her.

"Very well Achlys," he said, voice dripping with amusement, "you may try. Now stand up."

While her mind was still processing what was going on, Achlys felt her body rise to her feet. Then reality slammed into her and her heart dropped in her chest as though it were a stone thrown into the ocean. This was an impossible task she had just given herself, but if this was what it took to protect Katherine, a little pathetic humiliation was a small price to pay.

Thresh held out his hand, palm outward.

"Take it."

She gripped his hand using the same gentle grip that she would on any other wraith. He closed his fingers around her and, though his grip was not painful, she could feel the tips of his claws pressing into her. Looking down at her porcelain pale fingers in his cold gauntlets, it was obvious to her who was holding who.

"When you are ready, Achlys," he said, "and remember, if you want something, you are going to have to earn it."

A nod in response was all she could manage as she prepared herself to struggle as gracefully as possible. Strength of will was everything right now. She could afford to doubt her impulsive choice.

Green light flared around her hand. The magic sparked and crackled brilliantly as Achlys focused all her thoughts on Thresh and how disconcertingly calm and cold his soul was.

She felt as though she had run full force into a stone wall. Her brow furrowed, her teeth clenched, her eyes screwed shut. Nothing. She could not feel even the slightest budge in his will. A lone bead of sweat on her brow was quickly joined by several others as she mentally pleaded with herself that she be able to find some purchase against him.

"Don't forget to breathe, Achlys," Thresh's voice came through, "you won't succeed if you pass out."

She hadn't realized she had been holding her breath and she let it out with a gasp that was swiftly followed by a muttered utterance of one of the "naughty words" Karthus had told her not to use. Thresh let out a small chuckle at this.

For minutes, Achlys pushed on in vain, throwing all the willpower she had and all the energy she could draw upon to keep Katherine safe until she was panting from exertion. Then, the light of her balefire began to dim.

"Are you finished?"

Achlys shook her head in response as she tried to rekindle her magic.

"No," Thresh said, "you are."

Suddenly, the balefire around Achlys's hand extinguished. The young girl looked down in shock; a shock that immediately became alarm in the next second. Chilling streams of magic, glowing a harsh bright green, raced up her arm and coiled around her body faster than her reflexes could respond. The magic flickered and solidified into chains that held her fast. Instinctively, she tried to pull away but was almost completely immobile and could do little more than wiggle against them. It was an action that did little but cause her to loose balance and topple backwards. Before she hit the floor, Thresh caught her.

"So Achlys," he said in a calm, amused tone, "are you ready to tell the name of the wraith you were actually thinking of?"

"I," Achlys stammered.

Behind her, Acheron let out a shrill cry. His balefire aura flared with unpleasant intent and startled the cowering wraith out of its miserable stupor. With its tormentors occupied, it took its chance at escape. Thresh made no action to prevent it from doing so.

"Acheron, stop," Achlys commanded, "calm down. I'm okay. Go perch somewhere."

She was lying, but the Acheron obeyed just as well. She was speaking each syllable slowly and clearly, trying to but her racing mind some extra seconds so she could make things "okay."

"I," she began again.

"Yes?"

"I,"

Someone, someone, someone. She had to think of someone. Something? Yes, that was it. Something might work.

"I have an idea but I don't know if it will work," she said, "because it isn't the wraith of a person."

"Oh?"

"It's an animal."

"What kind of animal?"

"A drakehound. I had bound it to me before and there was also a time when it came looking for me. If it came looking for me, it must already have a close connection with me, right?"

Achlys was as still as stone as Thresh tilted his head and regarded her. Inside however, her heart was thundering against her chest. She wondered if he had believed her. It wasn't a lie she had told, but it wasn't the truth either. Much to her relief, he appeared satisfied with her response.

"An interesting thought," Thresh said with a nod.

He eased her back to her feet and finally let his magic fall from her, The chains vanished as suddenly as they appeared, leaving only wispy tendrils of pale green mist coiling around her.

"Do you know where this creature is?" he asked.

"No, but I can find out. I just need to find part of the Black Mist."

"Do so."

"I will. Acheron, come on, help me look."

She and Acheron sprinted from the room and set themselves to locating a section of Mist. Thresh followed a few steps behind. It was a task that did not take long, as the ruins of Helia were where it always seemed to gather the thickest and upon finding a suitable strand, she focused her thoughts on the drakehound and began to search for it. She had found the creature before and she knew she could find it again. All she had to do was remain focused and not be distracted by thoughts of what Thresh might do to it if she weren't able to make her magic work.

"It's this way," Achlys said when she sensed the familiar presence.

She pointed towards the ocean.

"Then that is where we shall go."

They found the drakehound prowling a lonely stretch of beach at the very edge of the city. It was crouched under the rubble of a desolate building, watching a flock of a few brave gulls padding over the wet sand in search of the crustaceans that could survive on the Isles. Then suddenly, it burst from its hiding spot and raced down the beach, its body a blur of shadows. Its claws flashed green as it leapt into the air towards the seagulls screaming in retreat. It was only with a final, desperate pump of its wings that the gull able to escape the lethal claws and escape out to sea. The drakehound landed gracefully and stared hungrily after the gulls. The spines on its tail threw up sand as it lashed the ground in frustration at missing its prey by less than a claw's width.

"Is that the one?" Thresh asked.

Achlys looked at the wraith and its faded limb, forever marred by the strange invaders' weapon.

"It is," she replied.

"Time to try the spell again."

Achlys stepped forward.

"Hello."

The drakehound whipped its head around at the sound.

"It's me," she continued, "How are you?"

It let out a low whine in response and slowly approached the girl.

"You remember me, right?"

Welcoming hands outstretched, she greeted it. The wraith sniffed at her hands before pushing its head into them. Achlys scratched its head and ran her hand along its coarse coat as it walked slowly around her. The feeling was like running her hand over dead grass.

"I'm going to need your help. I have to learn new magic and I need to try it on you. I don't want it to hurt you, but it might."

If the drakehound understood her words, it showed no signs of doing so and simply leaned further into her and kept its vigil of the beach. Achlys let the ribbons of her magic drape over the wraith as she continued to pet it.

"Hopefully it works on the first try this time."

There was no resistance to her magic from the wraith. Thresh was right about this, the wraith had been easier to quickly create a connection with. Now she just needed to figure out to make the connection permanent. She started by visualizing the fur on the wraith and imagined braiding her magic through it, strand by strand from snout to tail; completely saturate it with her magic. It was going smoothly and then suddenly, the connection strained. The drakehound had spotted more prey and bolted down the beach in the blink of an eye.

"Wait!" Achlys shouted, "Stop! Come back!"

She pulled back with her magic like a knight reigning in a horse. With a stumbling step, the drakehound came to a rough stop and turned slowly back towards Achlys. Hunger was still flashing dangerously in its eyes.

"Come back," she ordered.

It obeyed but she could sense its displeasure. With each step it took, she saw how its fur bristled.

"Calm down."

"The order was ineffective. The drakehound stood still before her, but it was far from calm.

"Please. I want this to work, for you and for me."

Achlys could feel Thresh's attention clawing at the back of her mind. Even still, she tried her best to ignore it, and hushed soothing sounds at the wraith as she stroked its back. Unlike her words, this at least seemed to calm it a little. She tried again to bind it.

Since Thresh had always compared this spell to leaving a wound on the soul, the idea came to Achlys to try and weave her magic through the drakehound's faded limb. Why give the wraith another wound if you could already work your magic though an existing one? This idea was a mistake. As soon as her magic pulled at this area, the drakehound let out a howl of pain.

"Shh, shh, it's alright," she pleaded.

But this sudden outburst caused her grip over it to falter and she risked losing control entirely. Calming thoughts failed her as she struggled to forge ahead with the spell. The drakehound opened its maws wide and bared its wicked fangs at the girl gripping its faded limb. Acheron did not take kindly to this and before Achlys could command him not to, the irate protector slammed himself against the side of the head of the offending wraith.

"No!"

Her connection to the drakehound was not severed in that instant. No, quite the opposite. Achlys felt her magic sink more deeply into it. There was a moment of relief, followed by a fresh wave of pained disappointment. Acheron, an extension of her magic, injuring the drakehound had forced its will to cave to hers. Thresh was right.

"Nothing worthwhile happens without a little pain."

Achlys shook his words from her mind. She didn't want this drakehound to end up like the other wraith Thresh had dragged forth for her to practice on.

"No," her mind spun, "I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt you. You came to me for comfort once. Comfort. And now I've hurt you. No, no, no."

"Please calm down," she said, her words as much for herself as for the beast.

Still she continued to press her magic deeper into it. And the deeper she pushed, the more deeply she felt its emotions. Confusion, anger, pain; all those feels bushed against her mind like a coarse brush.

She felt it; someone you trusted suddenly hurting you. She felt; blinding light and burning pain. She felt it; hunting with a pack, sinking teeth into the haunch of a beat, and feeling the wind knocked from your chest as it bucked against you. She felt it; a strange cloud descending over your home and chilling claws tearing at your skin.

"You're scared," she whispered, "and you're hurt and you don't want to be and I'm making it worse. I'm sorry."

Her own heartbeat began to increase as though she were the one being attacked.

"I don't want to fight you. I just needed to bind you, but I couldn't do it right. I don't know how to do it without hurting you, so I'm not going to do it again. I'm not going to attack you, I won't let Acheron attack you, and I will tell Thresh to get mad at me, not you."

Gently, she continued to pet the drakehound as she spoke and she felt the fear steadily dissipate, though she was never sure if it was hers or the wraith's. Then a scene came to mind, playing through clouded memories.

Voices talk. The sounds jumbled and unknown but for a few words. But the voices are jovial. That is good. So many fragrances all around. The pack, guests of the pack, meat foods, not meat foods, burning wood that is not a danger. That is good.

A small hand drops below the table with a piece of meat food. It is taken. Juicy, hot, food. This is good. The smell is on the little hand. A long tongue licks it. A happy sound from the little pack member is heard. This is good. A hand is felt on the top of the head. The thumb swirls around in a circle over the brow. This is good. All is right.

Without thinking, Achlys moved her hands to either side of the drakehound's head and rubbed her thumbs in a slow, circular motion on each of its brows. For a moment, Achlys was unsure of her own senses. She thought she felt warmth beneath her fingers. Her thoughts were not on her magic in that moment, only on making the drakehound feel better, and for the first time since that lesson started, she was able to empty her mind.

This peace was short lived.

"You look relaxed," Thresh's voice came, "is it perhaps because you are so confident that you have a hold over this creature?"

Achlys started back awake.

"I, uh,"

She looked down at the wraith under her hands. There was no telltale glow of her magic wrapped around it, only the faint green aura of balefire around her hands. She hadn't even noticed until this moment.

"I think you should see if you were successful."

"Oh, okay."

Achlys pulled away from the wraith and it turned its large head up to look at her. There was a docile look in its pupiless eyes.

"Pay attention, please," she ordered in a firm but not unkind tone.

The wraith continued to look at her passively.

"Go to the left, please," she said and pointed.

And it took three steps to the left.

"Now go to the right, please."

It obeyed.

Achlys took a nervous breath and then asked,

"Now spin in a circle and sit down."

In a graceful motion, the drakehound curled around and plopped down into the sand.

Achlys's heart felt as though it had wings of fluffy feathers. She dropped to her knees, went to the wraith's side, threw her arms around its neck, completely uncaring of it spines, and hugged it.

"Yes," she half cheered, half sighed, "yes, yes, good. Oh yes, good wraith."

Relief washed over her and soaked her though and through.

She had done it! The connection was there! Somehow, it was there. She knew it was there. She could feel it! Oh, it was wonderful! And next time, she promised herself, she would someday find a way to do this magic without having to hurt the wraith even a little.

"You have it," Thresh said.

"Mmm-hmm," she nodded, her face still buried in the drakehound's neck.

"Well done."

Achlys nodded, continued to pet the wraith's brow, and back in the feeling of accomplishment. And in his own way, Thresh too enjoyed a feeling of accomplishment. He had been right. For Achlys, fear had been a wonderful motivator.