Ashkin

Powerful Shadows

The sound of its ragged breathing was ominous in the retreating daylight, warning of the danger it threatened. Alex and Ren pressed close. One of them was shaking but I couldn't tell who. I went into a defensive stance and watched it closely, waiting for it to make the first move.

It lashed out with a small amount of its Power and I dodged easily. It was toying with us, testing us for our strengths and weaknesses. I grinned and exchanged a glance with Alex. This was something we could work with.

Alex drew precipitation from the atmosphere to her, forming a maelstrom of Power. She commanded the element water. She released it, sending a flurry of ice daggers towards the Ashkin. At the same time, I called my element forth, drawing my Power from the depths of the earth, from the rock itself. I sent a spinning sandstorm; the creature screamed in anger; it could no longer see. It couldn't dodge Alex's attack, and it cut through it like a knife through butter.

As the sand cleared and it came into view, my heart dropped. We had not killed it. It stared at us, unspoken rage in its eyes, and gathered his Power in huge amounts. It shared its element with Alex, and threw jagged ice directly at me, identifying me as the leader. I tried to dodge, but it was moving too fast. I managed to avoid a death blow to the heart, but I winced as the ice ripped through my shoulder and arm. I looked up, my eyes glazed with pain, and saw triumph reflecting in the Ashkin's eyes.

Ren snarled next to me, his anger evident in the amount of Power he was gathering. His blazing white aura grew before my eyes. He was my familiar, and familiars' Power is not limited to the elements like vampires. I watched as his power builded, more massive than I could have imagined. He released it in a colossal supernova and I lost sight of it, it was advancing so quickly. The Ashkin's scream of terror and pain was the only confirmation I had that it had reached its target.

When the light faded, there was no sign of the monster. The ground where it had stood was stained with blood, but nothing further remained of the Ashkin. Ren had completely destroyed it. I turned to him and smiled in gratitude before sitting down on the ground, delerious from the pain clouding my vision.

Alex ran over to me and knelt before me, concerned. "Are you okay?"

I laughed and tried to staunch the flow of blood from my arm. "I think so. It's not like he ripped my heart out." I was sarcastic even in my weakest moment.

Ren padded over to where I sat, exhausted from the amount of Power he used to defeat the Ashkin. "We should hurry back to the Tribe. You need a healer."

I sighed and agreed, letting Alex help me up and onto Ren's back. I had to smile at the situation. Ren hadn't let me ride him since I was a young vampire, and I still remembered the feel of his fur under me.

We headed up out of the valley towards the dark forest, free of danger for the moment. But although I tried to show I was fine, I knew that I wasn't. I was a Noble, and to be a Noble and wounded by an Ashkin was not only offensive, but a threat to my position and my life as well. I was not a normal vampire. But if i didn't think of something quick, I wouldn't be that either.