Lianne galloped forward as fast as she could, her clothes billowing in the wind. Luna's nostrils flared and its hooves clopped on the ground with a low rumble that reverberated in Lianne's mind. Her heightened senses were on alert, her every muscle tense. The only thing she could focus on was blood as she ravenously chased after the men and the wagon. Her whole body craved for it, every nerve tingling with the anticipation.
The wagon moved fast, leaving only a trail of dust behind. The moon shone brightly from a clear sky, making the dust look like a thick cloud rising from the ground. It rose into the air and slowly fell down with the wind.
When Lianne was close enough, she felt her fingertips starting to prickle and her whole body growing hot. The men were so close and she wanted to kill them all. All that mattered to her at that point was the destruction.
One of the men glanced back, his eyes narrowing. He yelled something at the others, but Lianne didn't hear what he was saying. All she could hear was the blood pounding in her ears and the darkness pulsing inside her.
Lianne let go of the reins, her legs tightly pressed against Luna's body. She trusted it to go where she wanted as she lifted both of her hands in the air, gathering her revitalized energy. Her fingertips trembled and ached, waiting for her to use the magic she possessed.
She pointed her hands at one of the men. Lianne opened her mouth and words rolled out of her like the waves of a waterfall. She didn't know what that incantation meant, but she couldn't stop it. One after another, she spat the poisonous words out.
Suddenly the man's body snapped backward, bending from the middle with an odd crackle. He let out a painful yelp as his whole body moved without his control. The horse underneath him started neighing, its galloping slowing down as it sensed that the rider wasn't in control anymore.
Lianne lifted her hands and the man's body moved upward, out of the saddle. He opened his mouth, a suffocating gurgle leaving his throat as blood spurted out in a rapid gush. Lianne was controlling him. All she had to do was to move her fingers and the man would do what she wanted.
The horse stopped, but the man stayed in motion, moving along with Lianne. The man's body convulsed in erratic pulses, blood gushing from his mouth with every twitch. He hovered above the ground, Lianne's magic keeping him in a tight hold.
"You bitch!" the man riding before her yelled, his voice a low growl. He took a throwing knife from his belt and with a precise aim, threw it at Lianne. She barely evaded the throw, the knife grazing her torso with a sickening rip. Lianne felt a twinge as it cut through her clothes and her skin, leaving a trail of blood as it flew past her.
Lianne flinched and the bond between her and the other man broke. As she let go, he fell to the ground with a hollow thud. Blood gushed out from the man's mouth and splattered on his now lifeless body.
Lianne immediately turned her attention to the other men. Her eyes gleamed with hunger and greed, almost as if every bit of humanity had left her. She enjoyed what she did, and every time she used her power, she felt a wave of pleasure traveling through her body.
Lianne took the reins of Luna again and snapped on them promptly, urging to close the distance between her and the wagon. Everyone's horses were galloping like there was no tomorrow. The wagon swayed from side to side at a rapid pace as the man relentlessly whipped the horses to move faster.
"Stop!" Lianne yelled at the men, her voice empty.
"You're dead!" the man yelled back at her, his words spat out like they were venom.
Lianne grinned. "I don't think so," she said under her breath, her voice not reaching the men. She lifted her other hand and focused all her energy on the man driving the wagon. A wave of hunger went through her in trembles as she called out to the man's blood.
The man instantly jerked and started coughing blood, splattering it on his lap. A hollow growl left his throat as if something was trying to escape his insides. "Stop her..." he was able to say, his voice drowning behind the gurgling sound before he coughed up more blood. His body swayed and he pulled on the reins, stopping the horses and the wagon.
The man on the other horse quickly jumped down and dashed to Lianne, even if she was still moving. He took a hold of her leg and with all his might, yanked Lianne out of Luna's back.
As Lianne fell down on her back, the wind knocked out of her. The hold she had on the driver was lost as she felt a twinge of pain in her body, momentarily making her unable to move. She gasped for air, trying to fill her lungs as the man rushed to her and kicked her side.
Lianne coughed violently, another wave of pain washing over her. She tried to get up, but the man took a hold of her arm and pulled her back on the ground. He sat on Lianne's chest, pressing her further into the ground, making it impossible for her to breathe.
The man grinned with a crooked smile, revealing his dark teeth. The dark circles under his eyes highlighted his gleaming eyes as he unsheathed another knife from his belt. "I'm going to enjoy this," he said and plunged the knife straight at Lianne.
She felt the tip of the knife sinking into her side and her body winced, a harsh sting burning her flesh. She gasped but acted fast. Lianne pushed her hands against the man's chest, feeling his pulse underneath her palms. She instantly knew how his blood would sway to her will. She opened her mouth, the foul words rolling out again.
The man stopped before he was able to thrust the knife further into her side. His eyes flared with anger as he fought Lianne's control. He tried to resist, his every muscle tense as his hands trembled, reaching for the knife.
"I'm sure you'll enjoy this," Lianne said as she twisted her hands on the man's chest, making him move. His body jerked and swayed as his hands flew away from the knife.
"Stupid bitch," the man was able to say, grinding his teeth together, his face sweating.
Lianne sank her fingers on the man's chest and his body contorted from the middle. He flopped on the ground, blood bursting from his ears and nose. He juddered as if he was a fish out of the water, trying to swim in the pool of blood that formed beneath him.
When the man was off Lianne, she stood up, taking deep breaths. She looked at the knife sticking from her side and pulled it out with one swift movement, a trickle of blood flowing from the wound.
Lianne threw the knife aside and turned her focus back to the man on the ground. "You shouldn't have done that," she said while clenching her fists, the man's body twisting into a fetal position at the same time. The blood started flowing out of him freely, seeping through his clothes and painting him red.
Lianne was about to finish the man when the door of the wagon slammed open. Her body was instantly hit with an immense wave of energy, sending her flying back, severing the hold she had on the man.
Lianne landed a small distance away, skidding through the ground, raising a cloud of dust along the way. A harsh twinge of pain shot through her, and she groaned and coughed. Her muscles ached and her legs felt weak as she lay on the ground, trying to catch her breath. For a moment she couldn't see anything else except the rising dust that surrounded her like a fog.
Lianne sat up slowly, pushing her off the ground with trembling hands. When the dust finally settled, she saw a hooded man standing in front of the wagon. He was holding Amra in a magical bind, dangling her up in the air, her mouth gagged and hands bound.
"I told you not to follow us!" the hooded man yelled, his voice ringing loudly in Lianne's ears as if he spoke straight to her soul. Lianne was sure she recognized that voice, but at that moment, she didn't care. The only thing she craved was destruction.
Lianne stood up, feeling exhausted. "You can't tell me what to do!" she yelled, starting to walk toward the man with a small limp.
"You should have stayed at home, Lianne!" the hooded man yelled and let Amra go. She landed on the ground with a heavy thud, instantly scrambling to the side, not wanting to get involved in this fight.
Lianne opened her palms and started gathering energy. She could feel prickling inside her hands as the darkness traveled to her fingertips. Whispering the foul words, she felt her whole body growing hot.
The man conjured magic, a dark ooze flowing from his hands, covering his figure with the black fog. The magic slithered like a snake. It contorted the air around him and then quickly swooshed toward Lianne.
Lianne lifted her hands, trying to counter his magic with her own, but the fog surrounded her before she could release her energy. It filled the air and everything started moving in slow motion as if the man distorted time itself. Lianne saw the movement of her hands slowing down and her steps come to a halt.
Her muscles felt like lead as she stopped, her whole body paralyzed. Everything was still and even the dust seemed to hang in mid-air. Amra was frozen on the ground and the two men were both still with pained expressions on their faces.
The hooded man started walking toward her. He seemed to advance through the thick air with light steps, the time moving only to him. He stopped close enough for Lianne to get a better look, a familiar smell surrounding her. The man's eyes were covered by the hood, strands of ashen hair peering from under it. He looked younger than Lianne would have expected.
The man seemed to inspect Lianne's face before he grimaced. "What have you become..." he said in a disgusted voice, his lips pursed in a tense expression. A fleeting shiver went through Lianne's body, her every nerve on edge, sensing his blood. She wanted to know who he was, and she knew what to do.
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"It was never supposed to be like this," the hooded man whispered, and in her mind, Lianne laughed. She wasn't concentrating on him anymore, but rather on her own body.
Despite the time standing still, not all was frozen. Lianne could feel the burning blood flowing freely inside her and focused only on moving her body by taking a hold of her own blood. She didn't think about the consequences, she wanted to break free from his magic.
Lianne felt how the darkness inside her grew. Her fingertips tingled again as energy started to rapidly rush through her. She felt the power that controlled the blood and she knew it would obey her every order. She focused on her hand, every blood cell in her command.
"I don't know what to do with you..." the hooded man hesitantly said just as Lianne's index finger moved. A small but visible twitch looked large in the stillness around them. The man stopped and looked at her hand baffled. "How?"
Lianne grinned in her mind as she felt the blood starting to move her body. Not even time could keep her still. She could do anything, but at that moment all she wanted was to get to that man.
As Lianne's hand moved slowly through the air, closer to the hooded man, he stepped back. He seemed to flinch as if afraid that Lianne would touch him. At that same moment, everything seemed to come back to life. The distortion around her dissipated and the dust fell down as everyone could move again.
"How could you break my magic?" the hooded man asked, but Lianne didn't answer. She instantly tried to grab his hood, but the man was faster and flung a bolt of energy at her. Lianne staggered back but steadied herself soon. She opened her palms, wanting to take control of the man's blood.
Before Lianne was able to open her mouth and recite the same poisonous words, the rider of the wagon lunged at her with unsteady steps. The man tried to ram her over, but instead got pushed over by Amra, who ran between them just in time. She knocked them further apart, interrupting Lianne's concentration.
"Do not interfere!" Lianne yelled at Amra and instantly turned her fervorous gaze on her. She pointed her hands toward Amra, her fingers flexed. Her eyes flared with anger from the interruption as she focused all the energy and wrath on her.
Amra shook her head and backed away, but Lianne continued. The words already rolled out of her and Amra stopped, her blood instantly in Lianne's control.
Amra tried to say something but her mouth was gagged, only a muffled sound escaping her. Lianne saw her pleading eyes, but she didn't care at the moment. She moved her fingers and Amra's body swayed as a trickle of blood started dripping out of Amra's nose.
Lianne didn't even remember the hooded man anymore. She focused on Amra, whose body convulsed in erratic pulses as the blood started leaving her. To Lianne, she looked like an insect who writhed in pain. A feeble scream left Amra's throat, dying out before leaving her mouth. She was clearly in pain, the dark blood pouring out of her glistening in the moonlight.
Lianne's attention got suddenly seized by a glimmer in the darkness, a flash of light that soared through the air. A high-pitched whistle moved toward her, echoing loudly in Lianne's ears. She perceived the arrow flying at her and was able to evade it just in time, her body stumbling to the side.
"Lianne, stop!" Faolin yelled as he galloped toward her, a bow in his hand. He swung his other leg over the horse and jumped on Lianne when he was close. He pushed her to the ground, severing the connection between her and Amra. As Lianne fell down and winced from the impact, Amra fell to the ground too, the blood bursting over her.
It took a moment for Lianne to realize what had happened. She saw Faolin sitting on top of her, and her eyes widened. Not in shock but with delight. She hungered for more and instantly moved her hands. She tried to press them against Faolin's chest, to feel his blood, but he was faster. He grabbed a hold of her hands, took a piece of rope from his belt, and tied them up quickly.
Faolin forcefully pushed Lianne's hands on the ground, over her head. He took an arrow from his quiver and struck it on the rope and the ground, to keep her from moving.
Lianne laughed. "That doesn't stop me," she said, her eyes gleaming, sensing his blood flowing steadily and strong.
"I know," Faolin said surprisingly calm as he took another arrow from the quiver. He held it in front of his mouth and started an incantation in a language Lianne didn't understand.
Even if Lianne's hands were tied, she focused all her energy on Faolin's pulse she heard in her ears. She could feel every blood cell flowing inside him as a wave of pleasure traveled through her, the anticipation making her excited. Faolin winced and frowned as Lianne started manipulating his blood. A flash of pain showed on his face, but he still continued the incantation. Blood dripped from the corner of Faolin's mouth as he whispered to the arrow.
Before Lianne could hurt him more, the arrow in Faolin's hand flashed with a blinding light. Faolin took a tight hold with both hands and plunged it straight at Lianne's chest with all his might.
Lianne's body jerked as she felt the arrow piercing through her skin and disappearing inside her heart. A sharp pain went through her veins, her own blood pulsing fast and erratic, trying to fight the magic. All her senses blurred and for a moment she felt as if she was the only one left in the world. She didn't hear or feel anything.
Lianne was still, holding her breath as Faolin's magic sealed the darkness away. Her clouded eyes stared at the moon above. The dark sky and the light of the moon merged in her mind. She thought she saw stars but they could have been merely specks of dust dancing in her sight.
As Faolin's magic spread, the warmth filled her body again, every nerve prickling with energy. Her senses seemed to come back to normal while desperation moved aside. She got her body finally back.
Lianne blinked her eyes a couple of times, seeing Faolin sitting on top of her, his chest heaving heavily. He had a small trace of blood on his chin that he quickly wiped off, leaving only a smudge behind. It wasn't much but Lianne knew it was because of her.
Lianne's whole body went limp. All her muscles lost any strength they had left as the images flooded into her mind. She remembered it all.
Lianne felt hollow as her blank eyes stared up. Her heart ached worse than it ever had, beating with a shallow rhythm. Her body was adjusting to the darkness. It was taking over her whole life. She was a monster.
Suddenly several galloping hooves snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned her head toward the sound and saw the wagon moving on ahead. The bloodied men were gone and the hooded man sat in the front, snapping on the reins to get the horses moving faster.
"Wait..." Lianne tried to say, watching the wagon go. She wanted to know why the hooded man felt familiar. She had initially gone to search the room because she wanted to know.
Before the wagon disappeared too far, the hooded man looked back at her. For a small moment, time seemed to slow down as the wind swayed his hood, revealing his face in the moonlight. Lianne's body froze as she saw the young man riding the wagon, looking back with similar eyes that she had. "Edwin?" she gasped her voice a mere whisper.
Lianne stared at the wagon until it was a small speck in the distance. "Edwin?" she repeated her brother's name unbelieving. It couldn't have been him. He was dead. It must have been an illusion or she was going mad. The darkness was making her worse all the time.
Lianne's eyes scoured the ground, seeing all the blood mixed with the dust. Her gaze turned to Faolin, who briskly rushed to a figure lying further away. Lianne looked at them with clouded eyes until she realized that the figure was Amra and she was instantly pulled back to the present, forgetting everything else.
Lianne tediously scrambled to her legs, feeling faint but steadying herself. Her every muscle ached, but she forgot the pains as she only saw Amra lying on the ground in a puddle of blood.
Lianne staggered to Amra, falling on her knees next to her. She pulled her limp body in her arms and burst into tears. "Amra?" Lianne asked with a shivering voice as she shook Amra, the bloodied body almost slipping out of her grasp.
"She will be alright," Faolin said next to Lianne, but she wasn't listening.
"Amra! Please!" Lianne pleaded as she tried wiping the blood off Amra's face, even if it was futile. "Amra..." she repeated her name desperately.
Amra grunted and her body slightly jerked. Lianne immediately started wailing loudly, her whole body aching with every heartbeat as she pulled Amra into a hug. A strangling feeling grew inside her throat, making breathing harder. This was all her fault.
Faolin put his hand on Lianne's shoulder, which made her flinch. "She will be alright," he said calmly.
Lianne shook her head while cradling Amra in her arms, wiping her own tears at the same time. "No...it's not alright...I did this," she said with a hoarse voice before she turned to Faolin. "Heal her...please," she asked, looking at him with pleading eyes.
Faolin frowned and knelt next to her. "There is no wound or anything broken inside her. She merely needs to recover her blood back," he said, trying to calm her down.
"Really?" Lianne asked, her voice shivering. She grabbed a tighter hold on Amra's limp body and stroked her short hair, glancing at her friend. "I'm so sorry...Amra...I'm sorry," Lianne sobbed uncontrollably, her voice breaking with every word she spoke.
Amra groaned and slowly opened her eyes, looking up at Lianne with an unfocused gaze. Her face was pale under all that blood and her hands trembled, but she was still alive. She tried opening her mouth, but before she could say anything, Lianne spoke.
"Amra, forgive me. I'm so sorry...I didn't mean..." she said before again breaking down crying, her body aching under the crushing sorrow she felt.
Amra tediously moved her fragile body in Lianne's arms. "I know..." she said with ragged breaths.
"No, you don't know," Lianne said, averting her gaze. She couldn't look at Amra now. Immense guilt had taken root in her soul.
"It wasn't...you..." Amra said before coughing, her frail body twitching in Lianne's arms.
"No, don't. You can't say that. You can't forgive me," Lianne said as she gently laid Amra down on the ground. She immediately stood up with unsteady legs and started walking away. She couldn't be with her now. She felt like a monster.
Lianne walked further from Amra and Faolin, slightly limping. Her whole body felt exhausted, every bit of energy taken from her. A tremble went through her muscles and her legs finally gave in. She stumbled on her knees, breaking down and crying again.
Lianne leaned on her hands as her body shook, the red stains on her face washing away with the tears, making it look as if she was crying blood. Lianne thought she heard Amra calling out to her from behind, but she couldn't look back at either of them. She had hurt them both.
Lianne squeezed her fists, wanting to slam them through the ground and bury herself deep within the earth. She wanted to disappear, to never be able to hurt anyone ever again.
"Lianne..." Amra's voice carried over as slow steps approached her. Faolin steadied Amra as she dragged her feet, walking next to Lianne. "Thank you," she whispered to Faolin, who helped her sit down.
Lianne saw from the corner of her eye how Amra's bloodied face looked at her. "I'm so sorry, Amra," she said, repeating the words even if she didn't deserve her forgiveness.
"Lianne, look," Amra said with a frail voice, but Lianne quickly stopped her.
"Don't say you understand. I can't take it," she said while wiping her face with her bloodied hands.
"Lianne..." Amra whispered, but Lianne kept on staring at the ground. "Look," she said and Lianne felt a shivering hand on her chin, trying to turn her face.
"I'm so sorry," Lianne sobbed, but finally turned to look at her. The dark circles under Amra's eyes indicated that she had lost a lot of blood, but at least she was alive.
"Look," Amra said again and gestured to her right with a small nod.
Lianne hesitated but turned to look at where Amra was pointing at. For a moment she looked at the horizon, not really understanding what she was looking at. She squinted her eyes and finally realized that she saw mountaintops in the distance.