Yah, my first official multi-chapter fic! I apologize in advance for strange/complex wording. I left identifying characteristics intentionally vague to avoid spoilers. This is an original story. Genres will include but not be limited to: Fantasy, magic, adventure, demons, elves, etcetcetc. Also note that this fic will be MATURE for extreme violence and sexual situations... and the two of those combined. I'm sorry. Gore will be included if I feel like it, or if I feel it is necessary.
Notice and respect the lack of a romance tag. Any romance I may or may not decide to add... will be purely comedic or tragic. There is no in between... probably. Anyway, with that out of the way, please read and enjoy the prologue/teaser.
Winds Of Change Volume 1: The Oncoming Storm
Prologue/Teaser
Another leap forward meant another narrowly dodged flaming spear. Death, avoided for just a moment longer. The fire-resistance on the black cloak had long since run out, and it was torn and singed. There was no way they could keep this pace up even with enhanced speed from using wind magic. The growing crimson stain on the leather vest showed that the stab wound just below the broken ribs was still bleeding heavily. It made its presence known with sharp stab of pain at another quick dodge between the trees. The fact that healing magic didn't work on it could only mean one thing; the blade had been a cursed item.
If I didn’t have to carry this idiot… Carry was a misleading term. The prone body was being levitated by magic and followed the mage’s every movement. But there was no other choice.
The opponents were strong, ridiculously so. There was no way, with only their abilities, that they could defeat such monsters. The fact that they had encountered something like this on such an easy mission could only be called a cruel twist of fate. But life isn’t fair; I’ve known that from the start. Now, their only hope was to escape or avoid the enemies until they lost interest. Survival was more important than winning. It always had been.
At that very moment, the trees behind them exploded into hellfire. Flaming branches became piercing shrapnel, barely deflected by a hastily raised wall of wind. The pieces were scattered across the clearing, creating an illusion that they were trapped in a circle of flames.
Only it didn’t stay an illusion. As the demon following them entered the clearing, the flames leapt and crackled with demonic energy. Trying to leap through them would do more than singe your hair. A spot of numbness was radiating out from the stab wound. So, the sword was cursed and poisoned. I would expect no less from a companion of the demon king.
“You didn’t think I’d actually let you escape, did you?” The mocking, amused voice easily crossed the short distance between them. The distance between them had vanished in an instant, showing clearly that the demon was only toying with them. The amused smirk crossing the demon’s face showed quite clearly just how much he was enjoying their predicament.
“Let us? No, I just didn’t think you’d be able to stop us.” An equally mocking answer belied the grimace on the boyish face.
“Still got some spirit in you, huh. That’ll only make this more fun!” The demon laughed, raising its hand. A reddish-orange glow expanded from the open palm. The glow changed form, becoming an all-consuming hellfire.
There was nowhere to run anymore. The swordsman who had sworn his protection had fallen, the hole in his chest would have left him dead already if not for his enhanced body and the hastily cast healing spell. The demonic flames kept them trapped in this clearing, and every teleportation spell had been blocked by the demon’s barrier. No, even if they did manage to run, the demon would hunt them down for sport. They would die here, or be pursued unto death.
Since it’s like this… Since I can’t escape even if I abandoned that idiot to the demons, then there’s no longer a point in trying to run.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“Not running anymore? They were certainly inconvenient, your little wind magics.” The demon, as though prolonging their fates for his own amusement, asked softly. His subordinate responsible for half of their wounds hadn’t chased them down. They were no longer enough of a threat to his master for him to risk his master’s ire by ruining the fun.
“Since there’s no longer a way to escape, I’ll fight until the very end.” Brave words, and also ridiculous ones. None of the previous spells had caused significant damage. It was like throwing an egg against a brick wall. If this is where it ends, if this is where I have to stop. I’ll make sure, my last moments at the very least, hold no regrets.
“Trying to be a hero? And here I thought, if only you’d been willing to abandon your companion, I would say you’d make a fine demon. Willing to do anything to survive, only fighting stronger opponents when cornered, that’s what we do.”
“I never wanted to be a hero. All I wanted was enough power to protect one person.” A bitter grimace followed the memories of the despair that led to this moment. The latter half of the demon’s statement wasn’t even worthy of a reply. There’s enough mana left for a few more spells. If there’s a slightest chance…
The demon laughed uproariously, somehow finding the youth’s answer to be extremely amusing. “Let me guess. You, after losing your woman to demonic beasts, began a journey to gain the power to defeat the demon lord. Such a cliché, I’ve heard it 1000 times already! If that’s the case, I’ll give you the greatest honor! I’ll allow you to die by my hands. When you go the afterlife, you can tell her how valiantly you fought against me.”
Finally, the demon released the flames, and hellfire surged towards them once again. But this time, a shield more substantial than the wind wall stood in its way. Flames surged to either side of the protective dome, licking at the sides and seeking any weakness within it.
The demon clenched its fist, and the hellfire responded, pressing in on the shield with greater force. It was too much pressure, even for a shield of such high caliber. The shield fell, and the mage casting it fell with it, barely managing a wind blast to scatter the weakened flames before landing on hands and knees beside the dying swordsman.
“Able to withstand that much, are you? Well, we’ll see if you can withstand this one.” The demon raised its hand again, a gesture that was quickly becoming a reason to despair. This time, it wasn’t red flames licking the gray palm, but blackish purple ones. The flames had been imbued with the element of darkness. They’d only barely endured the previous attack, and the power of that one couldn’t even be compared with this one.
Damn, I can’t get up. I’m almost out of mana, one more spell at best. Even if I make another shield, it won’t hold against that.
The swordsman tried to move. Reaching out with the last of his strength, no doubt he was trying to get his body to do SOMETHING. Anything. Even to say such simple words as ‘run away’.
“Don’t waste your strength, idiot.” They were both on the ground, one lying prone, the other kneeling.
The hellfire surged towards them once again, and this time, there was nothing to stop it.
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Hello, this is the author... again. To be perfectly honest, this chapter is the "hook" for my fic. The next 1-2 chapters may be very boring to some, since they will contain a lot of information and character description. This chapter will (obviously) not happen until much later in the book... or maybe it has already happened... things are kept vague for a reason.
On another note, questions?comments?concerns?love it? hate it? Also, feel free to tell me if you see any major spelling/grammar errors.
On to Chapter One