Merryn paced from end to end of the room, even with the god taking its fair share of energy — not that it should have any in the first place — the injuries were healing at a passable rate.

A small wire poked her ankle. Not again that’s the second time now, the pocket must have broke. She bent down and pulled the picks from her boots and slid them in her hair by an ear. Better.

Sharp prickles of a kink in her neck refused to leave as she turned her neck to work it out. Keep waking up wrong on the style of bedding here. Can’t be good to have your neck hanging off the side into the floor. Not that anyone ever needed to know this.

Everyone had been gone so long, that the injuries were nearly fully healed. He wasn’t taking as much energy today, he had an overall sensation of dare say, worry about him. “Foul god, wake up!”

He remained quiet.

Hum. “Foul damnable god, wake up!” Nope.

“Weak, old fart, sissy, and bane on my existence wake the hells up!” She shouted.

He sent a bolt of pain to her head.

“Yee.”

You’ll do well, to watch your mouth with me mortal.

Finally.

What could be so very pressing that you’d risk an eternity of suffering at my hands?

She rubbed her head. Energy of a heavy sort emanated outside, it wasn’t the kind most people had, theirs tended to have a warmth to it.

Something is wrong, can sense it. Give my full power back.

A flare of his anger filled her, her body as hot as an being shoved into a volcano.

Then the burning left as quick as it came. She breathed in several breaths and gasped.

You dare insult me and then make demands?

A request.

Should boil you alive in your own skin.

But you won’t.

His growl escaped from her mouth.

Next time foolish elvin touch the pendant.

Should have thought of that.

Yes, do try thinking more, it would help. Fine granted. You have a half hour, make it count.

She hesitated.

Thank you. Having to thank him for what never should’ve been taken gave a bitter taste of nug-worms in her mouth. Don’t even think about it — that one time it… awful.

One more minute and am busting out of here. Am over a hundred years old and they treat me like some fragile — no don’t go there they were being caring.

This night was odd, all the people that were busy outside seemed to be gone, she fumbled over to the window, yup the city had become eerily quiet. Everyone was gone. Not right. It’s awfully dark even for this time of night. And windy. Perhaps, people retreated indoors.

And of course, it would be raining, she stepped a step away from the window and shook her arm, the droplets flung off onto the floor.

“What was that?”

Her ears arched forward.

A buzzing.

And, a scuffle.

A pot by the far doorway across the street fell over. Now, a movement followed by a scrape from behind a crumbling abandoned house a few feet away.

She peered around the edge of the window frame her dagger ready, held flat against her thigh. At length, she eased back inside to relieve the pressure. Here it starts again. She edged close to the doorway.

There.

Faint footsteps.

Pressed against the wall by the sliding door she waited. And watched.

Silhouettes appeared on the screens.

An odd shiver raked her scalp coursing down the back of her neck. She fought against shaking the feeling away. Whoever it was or they — wouldn’t find easy prey here. Surprise was a hard god to get on your side, but when he did it could change any outcome. A thrum-throm pounded, filling her head. Have to get this to quiet down. Rapidly, she took in several quiet shaky breaths. Then several more, soon, her heartbeat slowed again.

“Did they leave?” She asked below human hearing to a mouse that ran past.

You’re acting like a mouse.

No comment.

Outside, whoever it was wasn’t going to pull this. Not today. She slid the door open and jumped out. “Show yourself!”

No answer.

It wasn’t nothing.

Someone was there.

“Don’t jump out like that!” An old man and woman clutched their chests and glared.

She awkwardly bowed. “My apologies.”

The old man snorted. “Outsider.” And, shook his head, then spat, lips pinched to a mound. The woman continued walking away and the man soon followed.

Hum. Eh ignore it. She went closer to the building. Guess not everyone is friendly here. Well, can’t be helped it is what it is, I did startle them.

Her wide line of vision caught a movement.

Over there, a creature.

Cloaked in shadow it edged along a home. Then into a tree, it hopped on a cart and flew to a close by rooftop where it stopped. Its head turned sideways. It watched blinking slowly, its body taunt. Strange vines of some sort, maybe arms; blew around its head.

A familiar thought bounced around in her thoughts, but wouldn’t quite form. Don’t be it. “Sigh.” Is that what I think it is? I should just kill it and be done. Merryn patted her heart, then closed her eyes and touched both. “Light of Elaema, open my eyes!” Both hands held out, she waited. The goddess would help. For she loved.

A pure white four-winged crow flew past her face, it dropped a Sacred feather into her hand. She sniffed. So kind.

“Thank you.” The goddess didn’t muck around, that couldn’t have taken thirty seconds. One of her hands held the quill and she lightly brushed her closed eyes with it. And, tucked it into the top of her armor. Its effect was instant.

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The monster flew or hovered but a few feet away at head height.

“Ugg.” Those tentacles. She leaned away, and an acidic sour taste jumped in her mouth. She glared at the Neckhawk. Then punched it hard it spiraled end over end before it smashed into a lovely decorative rock. Hope that hurts.

It fell into a large puddle its feathers soaked, and it shivered.

She shook her sore burning fist. Its beek, just had to hit that! She hopped forward and shook her fist. “That’s for your screaming last time, you sacrilegious beetle spit!” She sucked on her knuckles. “Yee.”

The rain couldn’t be ignored any longer it now came down hard a thick wet sheet.

She walked over to the rock, near the Nekhawk ready to kick it her foot raised. She stopped. It was acting different this time, less hostile. This was concerning. The ugly thing was too pathetic, it kept trying to use its tentacles to get away but couldn’t latch onto anything. She glared harder at it. “I should stomp on your head.” She licked her dry lips and rubbed an ear. Although, It didn’t really have its usual evil spirit energy emulating off of it.

It squealed and tried harder to get away, its tentacles and wings frantically splashed in the puddle.

She sighed and ground her teeth. Over beside the rock was a thick branch. She slid over, snatched it, and then stuck it under the Nekhawk. It blinked at her and squeaked again while tentatively wrapping Itself around the stick. “Will you leave me alone? Eh?”

It blinked again, its impossibly large eyes even larger. it took a bit, but she hefted the stick and brought the drenched thing to a thick tree. The disgusting thing squealed twice before reaching over to a branch and squeezed its way into a large hole in the trunk peering at her before settling down and going to to sleep. What happened to it to put it in such a pathetic state?

“That doesn’t mean I forgive you now. No sense fighting if you can’t fight back.”

It squirked and squeaked, then turned away, and made odd bubbling noises.

It’s snoring? Must be a special kind of stupidness letting that thing live.

She shrugged. She wasn’t too keen on her creatures being killed. Did the Nekhawk count as one?

Buzzz! In the lull between two thunderclaps another buzz. “What in the worlds?”

A burst of lightning set a fire to the sky and flipped the night to day. Seconds later a thunder blast blocked every Galimaly sound. The forceful gust drove the rain aslant mixed with cold mud-soaked leaves that stuck to her face.

She peeled them off, shaking as a chill settled into her bones. With both hands — one still held a dagger — pulled the tattered cloak tight and flipped the hood up.

When another flash of lightning lit the area up, she stopped, even slowed her breaths, one foot turned toward the building entrance.

Thump!

She started. The screen behind vibrated and groaned in its track. Sodden hair fell before her face, she pushed it back. Shadows everywhere, they not normal not this again!

These ones moved as before. They coiled up the trees they grew and split. One, then two plopped onto the ground. They grew twisted limbs and warped faces of sorts — more like a twisted joke. Their freeky pupiless eyes cloaked behind, an obscure pale haze deep-set in the narrow heads. Where the light touched them creating shadow, the nebulous shaded parts turned murky.

Hells no. Her gaze followed a third that separated from the second. Her feet refused to move.

A thick scent of earth, mold, and sour meat surrounded them.

Bile filled up her mouth, before going back down as a trail of burning acid.

“Gack!”

Her feet finally responded, and she raced off to the doorway. She stopped. “Idiot.” And, turned back. Rubbing both palms together fingers spread wide then clapped. “That’s right I’ve got a surprise for you cursed spirits.” The power that welled in her body had built up over the minutes, muted for so long now it gave a head rush. “Come at me you fools, and enjoy being sealed for eternity!”

Might have overdone that. The spirits screeched and wailed their stubby hands and grew long thick claws, with concerning long thin glowing marks. This is new, a spirit spell or perhaps they changed? Is there a soul stone deposit nearbuy? They tended to eat them. Doesn’t matter right now, what does is I’m in deep trouble.

The spirits zeroed in on her, surrounded on all sides.

They yanked at her cape and threw her to the ground. She rolled over as sets of claws aimed at her head and jumped up, toppled back as the spirits collided against her all at once then shoved them off and half ran half stumbled across the street by the collection of pots.

These weren’t ordinary spirits while solid when touched they hadn’t said a word nor were they extremely rageful. Calculating, almost sly.

They circled around her, each one lashed out in turn. One was slower than the others. She touched its arm and quickly started to fold it.

It resisted coming undone, pushed back, and swiped at her arm, leaving thin bloody cuts.

She yelled gibberish, pressed on it harder, and trapped its arms inside a fold. She yanked it over to a pot and tried to stick it inside and seal it.

The rest of the spirits attacked all at once, they slashed and cut her body.

“Yiiee!”

She dropped the spirit and backed away several feet, a crack in the road caught the boot heel, she tripped and falling to her side. A bright glow pulsed off her cape, the light even blinding the creatures some. Stiff and straight she righted standing again. How odd. It did something. No time to think about it now.

They followed silently.

They didn’t feel cold, more boney and papery.

On inspection, their ribs stuck out. It was a wild guess but had to see. She went back up to one and condensed a little spirit energy, letting it wash over it.

The spirit startled and tried to stab her arm, but caught on the side of her leather armor instead as she twisted away. That must be it!

She danced away and put several feet between them then shouted to the wind spirit Aetae a prayer. “I need your help, send me your power oh, ancient one! I pray for your happiness and strength long gone Wind Adept!”

A large leaf fell from the sky he sat upon it as it floated down — no that was wrong he dropped like a stone and hovered nearby. He came closer his touch a windy cool cloak like before.

“Use this wisely. Haste of my winds, protect this child!” He said. He held up two lucent fingers. “Blessed be us living.” The spell took hold and every moment became a blur.

She shifted her weight and drew the remaining dagger.

The rain became a downpour, now even hard to see a hand stretch away.

As they advanced she backed away. They jumped and hovered their spindly legs merged together long and wispy. Goosebumps ran up and down her arms, and her mouth turned very dry. She took off in a sprint the blade held at an angle as she ran around them. Several slashes hit their mark and the spirits howled. “Just what kind of spirits are you? I shouldn’t be able to cut you at all!”

The Calcines.

Them?

Yes.

They changed, couldn’t hit them before.

Use caution.

She lept, landed on a wall, jetted off, and ran back through the city. The Calcines howled louder now, not of anger, no of an old hunger that didn’t register before. A hunger for spirit energy so great it’d tear people’s souls in two. They’d torment everyone alike, just like in the Elder Adept chronicles. People like Parcival, Han, Mother, Father, and the city folk.

“Sweet Goddess of Light! No!” She went down an ally and twisted and turned, flipped over huge urns, tossed brooms, unknown metal objects, and even rocks at the Calcines. This didn’t do much, they kept coming.

She ran faster than ever before, she pushed harder on her body, and even when every muscle screamed and burned she pushed on. It was the only way to get back in time. It wasn’t just the pendent but everyone who had high spirit energy and power was a magnet to the Calcines. Not again! Never again! With a tight grip within she pushed down hard her thought tightened, the sensation spread to her chest like a grip of in steel. Fathers words bubbled up: ‘That’s the way, tighten your grip. You feel it right? The power always wants to break free when under pressure, don’t let it.’

The city now a streak of light and color.

“Where are you? Parcival!” The wind broke up her voice and carried it away.

She pushed on ever harder each breath in quick gulps.

“Han! Hear me!” My friends! The people here! Not like back home, not this again! A flash of memories threatened to flood her mind, snoplets of the city. No! Get to them now. Not a child any longer. Do it.

To the left, to the right, more and more of them swirled about in the shadows of the buildings and slipped through between the buildings, shops, and streets a non-stop shroud of carnage if something wasn’t done soon! A section from the book flashed in her mind; one stood out in particular about how at first they came in small numbers…

As she ran, one stood on a stand and swiped at her. She shrank away further to the side of the street and soon passed it by. A dull pain in the side of her chest. Come on, push faster. Off to the side, a multitude of eyes blinked in the cloaked alleyway, behind the carts and trees. She jumped back and took a different path. More of them. So many more!

The sand in a small garden burst aflame, turning it into glass as she streaked through. Her leather boots smoldered — they peeled back as they burned away, her feet bare.

She glanced back.

The other Calcines still followed. One reached an impossibly long arm out it pulled a young woman next to its face.

The woman started to scream but got cut off mid-scream as it drew out her energy and tossed her wrinkled corpse away.

The mental binds on her chest faded away, she sobbed, while turning back to the path, and kept going. I’m a horrible. Forgive me. Even their touch can kill you, even worse if they use the stone spell. A flash of a memory a clearing filled with statues of the fallen. Stop it. Find them! Have to find them!

As she neared the center of the city she whipped through the streets, around the houses.

Many others screamed.