Antipathy
The beast in iron stood a few feet away, caked in blood. His fury was palpable. It raised its blade toward Rebecca and she bit her lip. The witch glanced down at her feet, seeing the severed hand that had smacked her back.
Alana wasn’t kidding about the boy.
“Are you here to beg for Alice?” She sneered.
The knight stomped his boot onto the corpse’s head, crushing it with a wet pop. “I’m going to kill the two of you.”
The statement was flat.
“What? Are you upset about Alana?”
The knight remained silent, running his blade through the dirt as he closed the distance.
Rebecca smiled and tore Alice from the table, halting the knight’s advance. Alice screamed and squirmed until Rebecca placed the blade beside her face. The witch could see the knight’s cold blue eyes through the slits of his helmet. Unease filled her. That other presence with him, that strange feeling, it was absent.
Why?
“Knight, do you know what this child is?”
“I don’t care.”
“She’s of an ancient blood line! From the root! The knowledge within her blood…”
“You killed your friend over that?”
Rebecca laughed. “My friend?! What a fool she was!”
The knight’s posture stiffened.
With a venomous smile Rebecca taunted him further. “Alana was an idiot! Someone who was incapable of pursuing more. She was a dog for her father, doing his desires.” She took a breath. “I killed my own parents, that was my start. Alana? She was born into it, everything handed to her.”
“Why do you do these things?”
Rebecca’s eye brow arch in confusion. “Huh? What do you mean? I want two things: power and knowledge. Alice can give me both.”
“It’s evil.”
“Says who?! Knight, what wins in the end?! Grandstanding on some dead ideal or taking what you want? The world does not reward weakness!”
“I guess we’re going to test that.”
With a laugh Rebecca ran the blade over Alice’s forehead. Her purple eyes swelled in shock as a stream of blood down her face. She shrieked in pain as the knight dashed forward.
The ground shook, causing the knight and witch to stumble.
“That’s enough, Rebecca."
…
The witch looked above her with a smile of admiration. The demon hung its head over the two, mouth agape, saliva dripping to the dirt.
Maxwell squeezed his weapon, unsure of when to move. The witch looked back to him, that same smile he hated on her lips. “Alice is still so inexperienced too. Because of Alana’s trepidation, you couldn’t help her or him.” She pointed the blade at Maxwell. Alice trembled, hands squeezing her skirt.
“Leave the child alive. I wish to kill the knight first. My food will taste much better that way.”
“As you wish.” She squealed.
Maxwell raised his blade and the demon galloped toward him.
But, it did not move towards Maxwell. Its hooves pushed off the air, bringing it into the sky. It gracefully jogged along the treetops, circling the knight.
“A lot of blood was spilled tonight. Very impressive! I am surprised you stand here, nearly unharmed.”
“You sure talk a lot. I think I’m more fond of your followers.” Maxwell taunted.
It laughed. “Only a few can talk with me.”
Then it launched, snapping the trees as it hurled towards the knight.
Maxwell wasted no time. Holding his hand over his sword, he poured some of the vile that rested in his grip. Its liquid dripped onto the steel.
Fire engulfed his weapon.
It dashed across blade and, to Maxwell’s shock, along the hilt and his arm.
Yet the flame did not hurt. In fact, it was cold.
The demon’s posture flinched, but it was too late. Its trajectory had already been set. Ducking under its head, Maxwell thrust his blade into its side. Bracing himself against the ground, the knight held the blade, letting the demon’s momentum do the carving. His arms screamed and he roared at the weight of its advance.
“Max!” Alice screamed.
Finally its passing was complete, freeing the blade into the night. With a light head the knight fell on his stomach. His ears rang, but he heard the muffled sound of wood cracking as the injured beast rolled into the forest. Despite his screaming body, Maxwell wasted no time and jumped to his feet. His eyes were glued to the torn trees, warped and broken, their corpses formed a circular hole leading into an infinite darkness. He raised his blade, waiting to see what would emerge.
…
Rebecca could not hide the worry in her. When the knight erupted into flame her confidence was rattled, and seeing the injury he inflicted on the spirit ruined her mask of composure.
Still holding Alice in place, she glanced down to the child. despite the blood on her face, Rebecca could see her cheeks gain color after seeing the knight’s successful attack. Anger stirred her gut and she hurled Alice to the ground. Before Alice could stand, Rebecca placed her foot on the child’s chest. If the spirit failed she would finish him off then kill her. He would be much too injured to fight if it actually came to that. Rebecca stared at Alice with wide, empty eyes.
But to the witch’s surprise the bright purple began to dull.
…
The beast stepped from the darkness. Its remaining fur and flesh was consumed in flame. Despite its injured appearance, its voice was calm. “You think you can kill me, knight?”
“Anything dies if you separate its head.”
It laughed. “You believe yourself tough because you killed one demon and his child? Boy, all you killed were foolish children!”
The leaves rustled.
Maxwell’s eyes widened as he saw humanoid shapes emerge from the darkness.
But…
The stench of death was unmistakable. The figures limped out of the forest and into the moon’s eye.
These were the men Maxwell had slain.
The corpses huddled around the demon, their torn, broken bodies lit by the flame that danced on the demon’s body.
“Now, knight. How will you fair?”
The corpses eagerly stumbled after the knight. Their weapons sloppily swung in the air with their motions. It was the same as before. But all the logic, all of the predictability, of their movements were gone. The corpses slashed and clawed one another as they desperately reached for him.
“How do the dead walk?”
Maxwell stepped backwards, narrowly avoiding a series of blows. He followed it with a downward slash, splitting his attacker’s head. The foe stumbled backwards, fire spitting on its body and mangled deer mask bouncing against its torso. But it quickly recovered and stomped after the knight.
“They gave themselves to me, boy.”
The voice was close. Maxwell glanced over his shoulder. There, the skeletal snout hung with a vicious smirk. He leapt away, surprised at how quickly the demon closed their distance.
It chuckled. “They had to give me something special, and I gave them immortality.”
Maxwell slashed a corpse. The flame swallowed it, melting its flesh. Yet, as the body decayed to ash, it still pursued. Another swung at him with a hammer. The knight side stepped and swung his blade, separating its head from its neck. Still, it moved.
“Do you want to know what that something was?”
Touching the flame, one of the bodies grabbed Maxwell.
“Besides Ancestor, do you want to know what they call me?”
More corpses piled on the knight, holding him in place. The flame engulfed all, but they withstood their decay. Maxwell desperately tugged and flung his limbs in attempts to free himself, but the dead help him firmly. The demon loomed over the crowd, hanging its jaws above Maxwell.
“I am also known as Korson, The Eater of Children.”
A sickening snap smacked the night air. The corpses stopped, remaining still as stone, pinning the knight in place. The only movement on their bodies was the flame consuming their flesh. Maxwell’s gaze was glued to the demon. Its jaw fell further open, stretching further until nearly touching its chest. From the depths of its throat a small light shone.
Then hands shot out. Countless arms and hands. They desperately reached for the air. Others grabbed the creature’s jaw. Their flails were accompanied by a cacophony of wails.
“They’re lonely, knight. Why don’t you join them?”
Slowly, Korson leaned its head forward, bringing the legion of arms to the knight. Maxwell struggled against the bodies, but his limbs were firmly tangled. His teeth dug into his lip as the hands grabbed the knight and tore him from the bodies.
Maxwell screamed as his legs and arms popped.
Holding him in the night sky, before Korson’s yellow, glowing eyes, the arms slowly pulled him closer into its jaws. Maxwell saw the light inch closer to him.
“The flame, Max. Cleanse them with the flame. Free them.”
Her words restored his drive. With a roar the knight plunged his burning arm into the beast’s throat. Still holding the vile, he crushed the glass in his hand. The liquid erupted, kissing the hands and the dashing down Korson’s throat.
With a rasped yelp it dropped the knight to the world below and desperately shook its body. Maxwell smirked as he watched its desperate thrashing weaken. Within seconds the beast fell to the ground, consumed by the flame.
…
Rebecca wasted no time. She dashed towards the knight.
He slowly stumbled to his feet, but the boy would have no time.
She did not need to waste her energy here. Running the blade in his throat would be enough. No need for tricks or spells.
She raised the blade over her head, visualizing how her strike would land.
Pain erupted in her back. She tried to breathe, but nothing came. Tripping over her feet, her face smacked into the earth below.
What was that?
Unable to move, she rolled her head to peak over her shoulder.
Purple.
A dull purple.
Alice.
The child sat on her back, holding a dirt blade. Mud and fresh blood covered its sharp surface. Rebecca’s eyes widened as realization hit her.
But it was short lived.
Her eyes were glued to the dull purple as the blade came down again, and again, and again. The pain in her back grew distant as she lost count of the stabbings. Rebecca’s eyes drifted towards the knight. He reached his hand out at Alice, yelling.
But the woman behind him caught her attention.
She was beautiful. Her blonde hair flowed with the night’s cool air. Blue eyes shining with warmth and intelligence.
“H-H-Holy… M-M-Mother…” Her dried lips rasped. “S-S-Show me… Your… Light… Don’t… Leave… Me.”
The woman’s face twisted to confusion and disgust.
Why…?
Isn’t she…?
The though remained unfinished, shutting off as the light left Rebecca’s eyes and darkness overtook her.
…
“Alice!”
“Alice!”
“Look at me, Alice!”
Maxwell’s body trembled in pain as he held the trashing girl in his arms. Her movements calmed and she met his eyes. The dullness left and the bright light of her iris returned.
Tears weld into her eyes as realization formed. “Max… I… I…”
He pulled her into an embrace, ignoring his screaming limbs. “It’s okay, Alice. It’s okay!”
She screamed, sobbing into his bloodied, damaged armor.
“Alana!” She screamed.
“I’m so sorry, Alice! I’m so sorry…”
His eyes drifted to the blade in Rebecca’s back. If Alice hadn’t grabbed that from one of the corpses and did what she had, he might have been killed. The thought swam in his mind as his body grew distant.
His head was light, and the world grew dark.
Maxwell wasn’t even aware he hit the ground.
…
“Max!”
“Max!”
His eyes cracked open, revealing Alice.
“A-Alice?”
“Can you move?! Are you okay?!” Her voice cracked.
Feeling better, Maxwell sat up slowly. “Did you…?”
She nodded. “Alana taught me, remember?” A weak smile formed on her lips, contrasting her reddened eyes
“Just like when we first met.”
Her face was still covered in blood. Maxwell gently touched her forehead. She flinched, but soon leaned on his hand.
“I’m sorry. I failed you both.” Maxwell said as he gently wiped the blood off with his glove.
She grabbed his hand and shook her head. “No… You saved me… I just…”
She trembled again and Maxwell pulled her into an embrace, letting Alice cry her heart out.
“That was hard, Max. Staying away like that.”
He looked over his shoulder to Her.
“I’m glad your hunch was right. In my absence he stayed and fought.” Her blue eyes fell on charred corpse of Korson.
“What now?”
…
The grave was not perfect, but it was the best they could do. Having found a rusty shovel from one of the cultists, Maxwell and the girls made their way back to Alana. Gritting through the pain, he carried her back up hill, to the tree she laid her sins bare to him. There, he dug her a hole while Alice gathered flowers and rocks.
The process was soon complete and under the tree’s shade was a pile of dirt with rocks and flowers resting on its surface.
Alice sat beside it, keeping her hands on the grave.
“I-I don’t know what to do.” She murmured as her body trembled.
“Max…”
“I know. You’re right.” He said to Her with a breath. He limped to Alice and knelt beside her. “We’ll go here soon. My friend and her brother will help you.”
Alice trembled. “I-I don’t want to leave her!”
Knowing the feeling all too well, he sat beside her on the dirt. “We’re in no hurry. Take your time.”
Alice nodded and returned her gaze to the grave, crying. He reached for her, but stopped himself.
He had no right. He failed her. His comforting before was a spur of the moment, but things had calmed now, giving them time to think. She surely hated him.
“Will you hold me?”
Alice’s question shocked him. She turned to him, wiping her eyes. He gently pulled her into his arms, letting her sit on his lap.
“It helps.” She said, burying her face into his chest.
Maxwell remained silent, unsure of what to do.
So he let Alice’s sobs calm.
Then he spoke. “My father…”
Alice looked up to him.
“When he passed I had to bury him. I stayed by his grave for days. The thought of leaving him hurt.” He bit his lip, trying to control his own emotions. “But, he’s not there anymore, like Alana isn’t here anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
He looked down to her. “They’re in a better place now. And one day, we’ll see them again.”
“You think so?”
He nodded, trying to hold his emotions back as the fear in Alana’s eyes entered his mind.
“My father taught me to pray during times like this.”
“How do I do that?”
Maxwell put his hands together. Alice straightened herself on his lap and mimicked him. “Now, in your head or out loud, talk to the Great One.”
“The Great One?”
Maxwell nodded. “He created the world, created us. My father and Alana are back with him now, so ask him how they’re doing. Tell him how much you love Alana and how great she was.”
“I won’t bother him?”
“Of course not.”
She followed his instructions. Keeping her hands together she leaned against his chest and closed her eyes deep in thought.
Maxwell rubbed her head. “Take your time, Alice. We’ll leave after we rest.”
