Delia stood before a window, slightly winded, as Nadia entered Mardela’s room. She saw tears running down Nadia’s face.

“I had to fend off Nostrum’s entire guard, I’m not sure what is happening.”

“I think they were being controlled by the healer, well, not really controlled, but something like it. This village stinks of him.”

Nadia wiped her face with her sleeve before kneeling over Mardela.

“I won’t let you die.”

Waves of dark aura emanated from Mardela and gathered beneath Nadia’s palms, where they formed into dark orbs. Heavy black smoke engulfed Nadia’s hands while rising. Delia backed up towards the window then crouched low as smoke filled the room. Smoke flumed out the window. Far more power entrapped Mardela’s soul than Nadia had imagined. Dark aura burned at Nadia’s fingers. Sweat soaked her shirt. A sooty stain engulfed her hands, then traveled up her arms.

Mardela’s frosty pale skin regained its vitality. Fog cleared from the woman’s eyes. She moved, her fingers flexed slowly and then a hand reached toward Nadia and felt her cheek. She turned her head toward Nadia. A few minutes later, the orb of dark power burst under Nadia’s palms. Smoking black soot stained her shirt. The room felt like it twirled as Nadia fainted into Delia’s arms. She became limp as a rag doll as she stared blankly. The soot-like coloring on her arms traveled past her elbows, then into her sleeves. Mardela slipped off her bed and sat on the floor because of her weak legs

“You’re awake,” Delia said.

“I am,” her voice was soft, almost musical as she grasped Nadia’s arm. “The curse is in her skin, but if it goes deeper, she’ll die.”

Delia knelt in front of Nadia, shaking her shoulders, “You have to fight this. Nadia, do you hear me? Fight this. I said fight it!”

There was no response.

“You can’t die,” Delia cried, “I’m supposed to protect you. You need to wake up and tell me what to do.”

Nadia sighed, but her breath was shallow.

“Tell me what to do,” Delia begged, “Just please tell me.”

Delia looked into Nadia’s empty eyes, clenched her teeth, and slapped Nadia across the face. Mardela shrunk back as Delia continued slapping her.

“I’m going to slap you until you start fighting. You’re a witch, aren’t you? Use your powers and dispel the poison!”

Her cheeks bloated; Nadia regained a fraction of consciousness.

“White kimono,” she whispered, “Sanguin made it, for me. It has-”

Delia slapped her again.

“That hurts.”

“This white kimono, where did you put it?!”

“I gave it to Nostrum,” Nadia coughed and fell unconscious again.

Delia thought for a moment, “It would be somewhere here then.”

She pushed open the sliding doors of Mardela’s closet. A white kimono patterned with light pink flowers shone with a luster that made the pretty garments hanging to the side look like dirty rags. Delia pulled it from the closet and set it on the edge of the bed.

“I’m going to try putting this one on her.”

Mardela nodded, “Hurry.”

Delia lifted Nadia onto the bed. Then she retrieved her spear. A single slice starting at Nadia’s neck and down her torso sliced open stained cloths without touching skin. The sooty rags went in a pile by the corner. Nadia barely breathed as the poison aura crept into her shoulders. Delia took her time getting the garment on the limp body. It turned a dingy gray, and then pitch black as an inky goo oozed from the garment and dripped down the bed.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

It melted into something like a formation of hardened coal before Nadia awoke. The sooty coloring of her skin receded, disappearing completely. Aside from a few burns on her hands and swollen cheeks she looked okay. The kimono lost its luster and pattern, yet remained clean and white. Nadia jumped from the lumpy formation, once a bed, and knelt into Delia as she failed to stand up.

“Sanguin made this to protect me. I didn’t realize that until now. Thanks, Delia, for saving my life.”

Delia looked away with a frown.

“Thank Dew, he won’t pay me if anything happens to you.”

“And thank you for saving mine,” Mardela said

Nadia stood with some effort as her legs trembled.

“Mardela!” Nadia knelt down to hug her, “Lord Nostrum is going to be so happy! I knew I was doing the right thing.”

“Nostrum? Can you take me to the harbor? I want to see him.”

Tears streamed down Nadia’s bruised cheeks.

“We’ll go right now!”

Delia carried Mardela as Nadia followed behind. However, Lobar and Groli were in sight as they went out the front door. The huge troll held Bradox upside down.

“Mercy! Mercy! I surrender. I can still be of service. Please I beg you!”

Lobar slammed him like a club. Bradox cried as Lobar lifted him.

“Oh my, that one is certainly going to leave a mark,” Groli laughed, “I’m sure your knee is the least of your worries now.”

Delia saw Nadia turn to watch, “Leave them be, we need to get back to the inn. Everyone is regrouping there.”

Nadia clenched her fists. Groli and Lobar hadn’t noticed them, but they were abusing her master! Nadia squinted as she tried to get control over herself. He was not her master! Her lip trembled but she couldn’t stop herself.

“Leave my- him alone. Can’t you see he’s in pain.”

Groli stared at Nadia wide-eyed. Delia retreated to hide Mardela within the house.

“Why are you helping me?” Bradox managed a twisted grin, “Oh yes, some of my work held after all. Witch, deal with these two and then heal my wounds!”

“You’re the pendant holder! I was having such fun I almost forgot,” Groli slowly broke into a grin himself, “Today is our lucky day Lobar.”

“Let him go!”

“Then consider this a favor,” Groli said.

Bradox melted slowly enough to release a dying scream. The pool of clay became tar as the wizard’s curses affected his altered flesh. Delia returned to Nadia’s side with her spear ready. Lobar snorted.

“This entire village is under our control. There’s nowhere to run. You’re going to pay for the humiliation you caused me.”

“Get Mardela to the Harbor,” Nadia said, “I’ll hold them off myself.”

“No way! You’re in no condition!”

“Lobar, attack!”

The half-troll slammed Delia into the wall with a punch. Nadia landed a punch on it from the side, though it felt like she hit a punching bag filled with cement. The flesh of the troll barely gave. She dodged its counter attacks, barely able to keep her breath. Delia recovered and forced Lobar to back off by feinting with spear.

“Hide,” Delia said, “The only thing you can do here is die.”

Nadia scurried indoors. Delia dodged beams from the imp-man. Sections of the wall melted instead. Lobar charged. Delia thrust her palm flat before Lobar’s face. A light poured forth that blinded the troll. Groli jumped from Lobar’s back. A renewed barrage of clay beams from his eyes forced Delia to dodge backward. Another stream of light from her palm hit Lobar in the face. The troll froze.

Groli retreated into the trees and jumped between them. A clay-maker from the left hit the ground beneath Delia’s feet. She jumped before a clay pit formed. A heavy beam came from the right, leaving a muddy crater. The next beam fired directly at her. She dodged to the left. From the edge of the large crater, another beam fired. She ran forward while dodging beams. Now they came from the front. Delia dodged backwards until pinned against the side of the house. Why couldn’t she spot him?

Nothing. She listened intently and heard something inside the house. The beams had stopped. Delia jumped past the clay pits, ran by Lobar, and through the door. Watery clay dripped from the ceiling as Groli confronted her in the sitting room. Delia threw her spear and charged. Glowing gold eyes shot a beam. The spear melted into a lump of hot clay splattering across the dining room table. Three punches to Groli’s bloated little gut knocked him down. Her went on is neck as she shot a beam of light into his eyes. He snorted in protest as the light stiffened his limbs and darkened his eyes as Delia panted.

“I’m sorry, but it’s too dangerous to let you two live.”

A wave of debris flew through the sitting room as the front wall collapsed. Lobar charged through. He grabbed Delia’s shoulder and flung her outside. A hard landing on her left shoulder made her wince as she rolled on her back. Groli struggled to his feet amidst the wreckage with his eyes clenched shut.

“Sniff for the witch. Hurry, we can’t leave without her artifact.”

Lobar took a deep breath through thick, hairy nostrils. A closet door under the steps caught his attention. The door ripped off its hinges and crashed into the dining room. Nadia crammed herself into a corner with Mardela. A thick hand grabbed hold of her hair to drag her out and lift her up. The little bit of squirming she managed only made Lobar roar in her face.