Teardrops from the sky trailed down Lyra's cheeks, for she had none left to give. They vanished into the ashes of her home, along with her desire to live. But that didn't mean she couldn't use her strength to save others from the pain she felt before she joined her husband and baby boy.
“Ryo, my love, can you wait a little longer before we meet again?”
The path from her home, or what little remained of the structure after she burned it down, started as game tracks that her people used while hunting. Lyra moved with little conscious effort, relying on instinct and muscle memory to guide her to the closest town several hours away. Her mind sank further into the mud, dragging along the dark thoughts she had to scrape off with her resolve to make a difference with the time she had left.
Two guards stood watch at the entrance of the forest village. Lyra stopped when the one on the left held up a hand and said, “Where are you coming from so late at night? You know, there has been an increase in magical beasts around these parts.”
Face blank, eyes burning with a desire for violence at the ignorant fool, Lyra glanced over at the other guard and raised her eyebrow. The step back combined with the shock on his face was answer enough. Ignoring them both, she continued to walk toward the entrance.
The fool reacted by reaching for his weapon. An ice dagger formed in her right hand, but she halted when the other yelled, “Stop Gantar, that's Lyra! She could kill both of us before that blade ever left your scabbard.”
Gantar stood hand trembling over his sword, eyes looking between his friend and Lyra. She let the ice melt and nodded as she passed between the pair. Without looking back, she imagined the ground under Gantar would turn into ice and push mana into the spell. She cracked a smile for when the fool fell on his ass and the truth of her life pulled it back under.
Enclosed with stakes from the forest, the village held a few shops, a tavern that doubled as an inn, and the resident’s homes. Anyone she encountered outside in the pouring rain steered clear of her. She pushed the door open to the tavern and stood there dripping wet. Conversations died after everyone saw her standing there. The blood had washed away, but she was still a wet mess.
“Don't just stand there dripping on my floor, Lyra. Dry up and get over here. I'll grab you a drink and something warm to eat.” The elf at the bar vanished in the back, leaving her the center of attention.
Whispers of her name or late husband floated around, all ignored. Lyra tapped into the warm air in the room and circulated it around her body, causing her hair to rise. No longer wet, she stepped up to the bar and placed her pack on the ground. No one attempted to start up a conversation, and she preferred it that way.
Lyra looked up when the tavern owner returned holding a drink and a bowl of stew and placed it in front of her, then leaned against the bar. It may not look it, but the woman used to be friends with Lyra's father before she was born.
“Hello, Renna. Thanks for the food.”
Renna's eyes narrowed at Lyra’s flat response. She gripped Lyra's hand, leaned in, and asked, “What happened Lyra? Why aren’t you at home with Ryo and Airdan?”
Lyra placed the spoon back in the bowl, stared at Renna, and said, “They’re dead.” Her grip loosened, Lyra picked the spoon back up and started eating. The hushed conversations turned back to her and what could have happened. All were irrelevant. Nothing could bring them back, not even her magic.
“Lyra, my dear, what do you mean they’re dead? What happened? Who did this?” The concern from Renna warmed her heart but could not break through the ice.
Between mouthfuls, Lyra said with no emotion, “Giant magical beast. Short-range teleportation. Skewered Ryo and smashed him against the house till his back broke before swallowing Airdan in a single bite. Didn’t even care about me, just ran back into the forest.”
The entire room fell quiet. Renna trembled, tears dripping on the counter. Panic spread, but none of it mattered to her. Lyra stood up and said, “Thanks for the meal, Renna. Can I have a room for the night?”
Renna nodded, hands wiping at her face, and said, “Upstairs, third door on the left.”
Lyra faced the crowd, face still impassive, and asked, “Does anyone require protection?” She focused on anyone who would meet her gaze before moving on to the next. A woman huddled in the corner whispered, “I do miss.”
“Understood,” said Lyra, moving through the crowd towards the stairs. “Meet me here in the morning.” Halfway up to the second floor, she heard, “Of course, miss.” She sighed when hurried footsteps caught up to her on the second floor.
“So, you're single-"
In mere moments, she turned around, rushed forward, and gripped him by the face. Lyra slammed his head into the wall and let go. Unconscious, he crumpled to the ground, head bouncing on impact. Uncaring about his fate, Lyra turned back and entered her room. She could hear murmuring nearby when they came to investigate but ignored them all. Curled up in a ball on the bed, Lyra wished for the nightmare to end, knowing full well if she fell asleep, it would only continue.
A voice that could only be her son, yet not, invaded her dreams and said, “Mother, why did you abandon me? You let father die. How could you forsake your vow to protect us? You couldn’t protect your father. What made you think you could do any better now? I wish you weren’t my mom. Dad deserved better than you.” Darkness gripped her and squeezed, forcing her to relive the moment that monster killed her husband and swallowed her baby boy. The Terror was amplified by the stillness of each passing visage.
Sweat-covered sheets clung to her skin when she woke the next day. The rain subsided during the night. Sitting with her head in her hands, Lyra thought about her options. I have nowhere to call home. I could go back to my village, but I don't think I could face my mother or Ryo's parents. Not after I failed to protect my family, as I promised, the day Ryo and I left. What other option do I have but to offer my services for a bed and a warm meal?
Satisfied with her rationale, she rose when someone knocked on her door. A soft feminine voice asked, “Lyra, may I come in? I brought you a bucket of warm water and a cloth to wipe yourself with.”
Unused to this level of service from Renna’s Tavern, Lyra sat back down and said, “Come in.”
A beautiful woman opened the door and walked in, setting the bucket down with the cloth, and surprised Lyra by bowing deeply. “I apologize for my brother's actions last night. Thank you for not killing him. One of his friends dared him to talk to you, and the fool agreed.”
More intrigued by the elf than the apology, Lyra stood up, and said, “If he tries again, I won't be so gentle next time.” Her response caused the woman to flinch. “Stand straight and tell me your name.”
“Of course, Lyra. My name is Alea.” Alea stood straight and smiled. Long, golden-brown locks obscured her eyes. Lyra moved closer and tucked Alea's hair behind her ears. The young woman blushed, unable to meet Lyra's gaze.
“Look me in the eye, Alea.” Alea complied, a smile edging her lips. “You have a beautiful heart, Alea. Don't let that kindness go to waste stuck around that fool of a brother. When you find someone, do everything you can to protect them. Don't end up like me.” She felt the tears rolling down her face when she finished her plea. Alea closed the distance and held Lyra as she wept for the first time since her husband died. After Alea helped clean her up, they both made their way downstairs.
Lyra met the gaze of the woman from the night before and nodded.
Renna shouted from the back, “Is that you, Lyra? Let me feed you before you run off and do something foolish.”
The room erupted in laughter. “The only fool was that idiot Saleh who stuck his hand in a bear's maw and got his head bashed for the effort.” That only increased the mirth bubbling in the room. Alea scowled at the speaker and said, “You’re the fool who dared my brother to do it. You might be next for a lesson if you’re not careful, Taegen.” Taegen only laughed harder at Alea, so Lyra let mana flow, conjuring a belt of solid air she wrapped around Taegen's throat and squeezed till the fool choked and let the spell fade.
Lyra stared down at Taegen and said, “If you value your ability to procreate, I suggest you learn to treat us with respect. If I ever find out you disrespected a woman, I will come back and-"
“Lyra! Stop threatening Taegen and eat while it’s still hot. He and his friends may be young and ignorant, but they don’t mean any harm.”
She waved at the young female elf to follow and shook her head in frustration at the idiocy. The patrons resumed their morning conversations, leaving Lyra alone with her meal next to the stranger twitching nervously next to her. Between bites, Lyra asked, “You got a name, or shall I make one up?”
Fumbling with her words at the sudden attention, the woman replied, “You can call me Ves.” Finger twirling around a lock of hair, Ves looked down, shoulders slumped. Lyra could tell something troubled the young elf but didn’t know how to direct the conversation without letting her troubles get in the way.
Renna arrived with more food and placed a hand on Ves’s shoulder. “You can trust Lyra, my dear. Believe it or not, she ranked top of her class under her father, Adjor.” The tavern owner smiled at both and left.
Resolve replaced the nervousness and Ves met Lyra’s gaze and said, “I need help to get back to my village to the northeast. My husband is caring for our baby boy. He got sick and the medicine I need requires a plant that only grows around here. I asked the only gifted healer in town if they could help. They were only confident in treating basic wounds and injuries. Thankfully, they were proficient in medicinal herbs and knew of a remedy.”
Taking a sip of her drink, Ves said, “With the growing number of magical beasts, my village couldn’t risk sending anyone to escort me. A group of travelers agreed to let me tag along, but I doubt they want to help me get back now. They can handle a bear or wolf, not a magical beast like the one you described.”
The mention of the child struck a nerve that Lyra quickly stamped down, but not quickly enough. Ves panicked.
“Don’t. You have every right to be worried about your child. Showing pity is the quickest way to get on my bad side. So, just don’t.”
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Needing to divert the conversation to anything else, Lyra said, “Did you get the ingredient for the medicine?”
Quick to grab the obvious lifeline, Ves said, “Yes! I had help yesterday shortly after arriving with the merchants."
The desire to leave and escape the eyes and judgment pushed Lyra up, pack in hand. She met Renna’s eyes and said, “Can you let his parents know for me?”
Deflated, the tavern owner sighed and said, “They deserve to hear it from you.”
Nothing could make the image of his dead body lying on the ground go away. Burned into her brain. A reminder of her failures forever tormenting, a burden no one could take away.
“You don’t understand, Renna. The only reason they agreed to let us move was because I promised I would be strong enough to protect them from anything.”
Lyra's outburst drew everyone’s attention, but she didn’t care. She continued and said, “I have no right to see them ever again. My body should be the one buried in the ashes of my home, not his. The only reason I still draw breath is thanks to my father. He taught me to use my gifts for others and that’s what I plan to do until it kills me.”
Door closing behind her, Lyra left the tavern and stood by the village exit until Ves left to join her.
Back to acting meek and nervous, Lyra couldn’t blame the young elf after hearing her protector wanted to die. It was understandable. Wanting to ease Ves's concerns, she said, “My word may not mean much, but I promise to do all I can so you can see your family again.
After a moment of hesitation, Ves said, “I trust Renna, and she believes in you. The stories told about your father are famous, so if he taught you, that’s good enough for me.”
“Our destination is northeast of here. That must be the Sobi settlement, correct?”
“You know about my home?”
A smile crept across Lyra's face as she said, “Of course. I spent my youth patrolling across the region as I trained under my father. He always said, ‘Listen up, Lyra. We aren’t responsible for just our village. A true protector will help anyone in need.’ He enjoyed taking the most promising defenders training under him out on longer excursions so they could learn where every village was and let them see beyond the scope of what they were familiar with.”
Lost in thought, reminiscing about her days before losing her father, Lyra missed Ves as she moved around to stare at her face. When she did, Lyra scowled, which caused Ves to chuckle.
“I apologize, Miss Lyra. You looked different, smiling. I couldn’t help but stare.”
Trying to brush off her embarrassment, she pushed past Ves and began walking down the path that would lead them toward the Sobi settlement. “let’s go. Your family needs you. Don’t call me miss. Lyra is fine.”
“As you wish, Lyra. I’m right behind you.”
Spreading out her senses to cover a wide area, Lyra began tracking all the surrounding wildlife. A trained hunter could detect the magical aura that every living creature possessed. The smaller they were, the harder it became to detect. On the flip side, an elf who became proficient at controlling their aura could mask it until they became a blind spot to any trying to find them. That’s why she heightened her hearing to catch movement, including a beating heart. Of course, some thought they were clever by manipulating the surrounding air to hide their presence but most failed if up against a halfway decent tracker. Why? Because the active spell itself can be detectable, and if not, the void itself would be a dead giveaway. At least to someone of Lyra's caliber.
She tagged all the deer, rabbits, and other small wild animals, then discarded their presence. The creatures that posed a threat would be the female bears with cubs or wolves hunting in groups. Lyra couldn’t imagine having to rely solely on skill with a sword or bow alone to defend herself. If the stories are to be believed, there used to be a time before magic only existed as blessings from a god.
A pack of wolves chasing after a deer entered her field of magical vision. Leading Ves off the trail to give them a wide berth, her companion said, “Is there a problem?”
Still focused on the potential threat, Lyra shook her head and said, “No.”
That is when they heard the pack howl after taking down their prey. This caused Ves's heart to race. She knew if Ves panicked, it would be harder to protect her, so Lyra turned around, placed a hand on Ves's shoulder, and said, “I am aware of their presence. They are only hunting deer, not us. Trust me to do my job.”
Hand over her chest, Ves took a few deep breaths, smiled, and said, “You’re right. Lead on.”
They continued to give the pack space. Lyra was about to dismiss the threat when three wolves who had picked up their scent started running in their direction. Forming three ice daggers close to her chest, she waited. When the three predators came into view, Lyra lifted her three projectiles into the air and sent them flying. Each wolf crashed into the ground, an ice dagger sticking out of their eye.
Stunned, the elf just looked back and forth between Lyra and the three dead wolves. Lyra grabbed Ves and pushed her forward as she said, “We should keep going before the rest of the pack investigates.”
It wasn’t long before they were back on the trail toward Sobi. The closer they got; the more Lyra became concerned about the lack of wildlife. Curious, she said, “Does your settlement have any problems finding animals to hunt for food?”
Ves took a moment to think before she said, “Yes. Something had been scaring them away, but no one had figured out what. It’s one reason no one could afford to escort me to the other town. Why do you ask?”
Not mincing her words, Lyra said, “Because I can barely detect anything. Let's hurry. We are getting close to Sobi.”
Thoughts of her father's many lessons fluttered through her mind until she settled on one. He enjoyed taking her out to train one on one on his days off.
Lifting his arms up, he used his mastery over the wind to lift several wooden practice blades and circle them around Lyra. As he prepared the exercise, he said, “If you ever find yourself outnumbered, remember to keep moving and maximize your attacks while minimizing the effort required.”
By this point, Lyra had formed two ice daggers, her preferred weapon, and began moving about, always finding the right angle to deflect a blow or maneuver around a strike.
“Remember, daughter, the environment can either help or hinder your movement. So take advantage and move yourself accordingly.”
There was a patch of trees nearby that Lyra moved into, which hindered her father's ability to make large arcing swings. Limiting his ability to fight gave her the advantage of her shorter reach and high mobility.
Covered in sweat, Lyra smiled up at her father, every practice blade lying on the ground in splinters. Patting her on the back despite her protests, he said, “Well done, but remember this: when you face an intelligent foe, they will try to use those same tactics against you.”
Looking up at him, she said, “If I am quicker and more cunning than them, it won’t matter.”
He laughed, hand messing up her already mangled mess of hair, and said, “I love your enthusiasm, but don’t confuse arrogance with confidence. Underestimating any foe can be a warrior's downfall.”
Hearing the seriousness in his voice, Lyra replied, “Yes, sir!”
Shaken from her memory, Lyra looked back at Ves and her frightened expression.
“What's wrong?”
Pointing toward Sobi, Ves said, “Can’t you hear it? Something is attacking my village. Please help them!”
Lyra took stock of the situation, her former training taking over, allowing her to move before she realized it. Drawing on the residual energy around her so she could fuel her power source, Lyra looked over her shoulder and said, “Stay hidden.”
Light on her feet with the wind at her back, Lyra emerged into the clearing where the settlement stood, skidding to a stop. Mayhem greeted Lyra as she viewed the ongoing battle between the defenders and a variety of forest animals. Deer, rabbits, squirrels, wolves, and even birds were throwing themselves at the residence with no consideration for their well-being. On closer inspection, something was off about the attackers. The energy radiating off them felt off. Wrong. Dark.
Someone used perverse magic to control these creatures, but why and for what purpose? A question to answer after she saved them. She could see children huddled down while their protectors were being pecked, clawed, and bitten. No single strike was strong enough to be fatal. The trained defenders were busy fending off the rabid deer and wolves with swords covered in flames. They couldn’t cast anything more than that without endangering their homes. Focusing on mastering just the fire element when you lived in wooden structures never made sense to Lyra.
Hands outstretched, Lyra created a ball of water on her left and a swirl of frigid air on her right. Thrusting her hands together, she sent a blast of tiny ice shards into the air, shredding the birds that were hovering over Sobi. Before the first bird ever hit the ground, Lyra was already dashing toward the nearest group of children, wrapped them and the adults curled up over them in a protective layer of ice and rotating air as she slammed a fireball down over them.
The retreating rodents revealed their true nature. Her flames exposed the bones and muscles, leaving no doubt in her mind. They were undead.
The children looked up at their assailants and cried out in terror. The adults were fearful but could see she was trying to help.
Stepping in next to the children, she sent another blast of ice shards out and said, “You all need to get inside now!”
“Thank you, miss.”
Forcing the undead back, Lyra said, “I’m going to freeze the door shut behind you,” as she ushered the small group to safety and closed the door behind them. She could tell the tide of battle shifting when more undead wolves entered the fray, and to her dismay, a shadow-covered mutation led them.
“Damn. Did this mage turn the entire pack into undead?”
There was no way the few defenders they had could handle the rest of the pack, let alone the beast that led them.
“Well, shit. I guess it’s up to me.”
Feet now covered in flames, along with a protective layer of wind, Lyra raced to intercept the wolves. Lyra punted away any undead rodent that tried to bite her ankles during her mad dash.
As the wolves approached the settlement boundary, Lyra coated the ground in front of them in ice, causing the beasts to slide into the fireball she cast immediately after. If she had a knack for earth magic, she would have used it to isolate them from the others or send spikes of hardened dirt into their bellies, but she couldn’t. Her strength came from air and water as her primary elements, with fire as a secondary skill.
Just because she criticized others for relying on fire didn’t mean it didn’t have its uses. Lyra knew how to control her spells. Worse case, she could put out any fire that got out of control.
Not wasting any time, Lyra formed her trusty ice daggers and dove into the pack, perfectly balanced sliding on the ice. She dug her blades into them with abandon. Lyra avoided the shadow mutation, instead focusing on the normal undead vicious wolves trying to bite and claw at her to death.
Preoccupying the enemy's reinforcements attention seemed to work until the defender broke away in a foolhardy attempt at being a hero and assisting her, and she made sure he knew it.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
Sword piercing into the mouth of a wolf who had lunged at him, the elf hit the ground after being tackled. Outraged, Lyra left herself wide open in her haste to reach them in time. The shadow beast leaped into the air, paw arcing down toward her head.
Forced to defend or lose her head, Lyra wrapped her arm in a cushion of air and deflected the strike enough to slip by and reach the elf despite the loud crack she felt vibrate down her arm causing her excruciating pain. Unable to fight with it in its current state, she froze her right arm to her chest and continued.
Lyra kicked the wolf off the elf placed her one good hand over the deep laceration on his arm and burned it closed with a fire spell to stop the bleeding. She jerked him up, shoved the defender back toward his team, and said, “Forget about me. Now go!”
Flames still lingering in her palm, Lyra charged the spell as she drew more ambient mana from the surrounding air. Swiveling around on her right foot, left palm outstretched, Lyra let loose the flames point blank in the beast's face while leaping backward, colliding with the elf she had shoved away.
Eyes bleary from the backlash of hitting her head against the defenders, Lyra glimpsed the true form of the beast behind the shadows when the dark magic swallowed the undead wolf's visage back up. Lyra Shoved herself back on her feet and charged forward, ice dagger back in her grip.
Channeling her next spell in her foot, she slammed it into the ground, leaving another layer of ice causing the wolves to flounder once more. Frustrated with herself, she hurled her dagger into the eye of the closest wolf and put all her mental focus into crafting a weapon she had been pondering for decades, but never thought she would ever need to try it out.
Changed to accommodate her limited mobility, a long haft solidified in ice with a curved blade forming out the side at the very end, giving her reach and the chance of finishing this fight once and for all. Hefting her new weapon, Lyra growled and started darting around the ice-covered ground, cutting the heads off the wolves in one fell swoop until she was alone with the shadow beast. Enhancing the ice blade with a layer of rotating air, she ran toward her foe, leaped to the side at the last second, letting her weapon hook under its chin, and yanked it as she twisted her body.
Frustrated, Lyra said, “Just die already!”
The undead wolf sat there with its neck barely attached to the rest of its body. Eyes glowing a new eerie red, an unknown voice spoke into her mind.
How dare you harm my wolf pack! You’re going to pay for that.
Lyra cut its head off with one last swing and leaned on her weapon for support.
“Not if I make you pay first.”
A roar from deep within the forest answered her challenge.
Lyra laughed at herself, and said, “Not trying to repeat myself, but I guess it’s up to me.”