Calathus

Chapter 8 - Memory's Tidings

Dedicated to doddledoctor. Thank you for all your support, encouragement, and insight. All greatly appreciated. <3

8.

Memory's Tidings

Even though Sianna felt Reth's tight grip over her waist and legs, she held on to his coat tails. The ground swept under them so fast all she could see was white, but that could have also been because of the Magus' ice. Her hands tightened her hold on Reth's uniform, this time out of anger.

They stopped and the ground greeted her feet as Reth placed her down. She inhaled a few times to get her footing and opened her eyes she didn't know she had closed. Sianna faced Reth and stuck a finger in his face.

"We're not going to do that again anytime soon," she told him.

He jammed his chin out. "Yes, ser."

"At least you threw me over your shoulder. I would've punched you had you cradled me like some maiden," she added.

A small smile crept over his lips.

"Where exactly did Ser Aldermeck say to find her, ser?" Deneck asked.

Sianna looked at him and her surroundings. The two Rhokins had brought her to higher ground with the path to The Silent Chapel before them. She could see Jabel cupped below in the frozen valley. It appeared dozen of miles away, enough for Sianna to see the town in its entirety encased with frost and snow. Orange glares rampaged between the blue and white giving the illusion of icy fire.

Then, the Magus started to disappear. One by one, each of the orange smudges left in a swirl of flakes and exploding icicles until only the biggest one of them all—the one Sianna, Reth, and Deneck ran away from—was left. The towering creature curled its lengthy neck as if searching for something. For a moment, Sianna felt it had locked eyes with her, but that was ridiculous. She was too far away to even make sense of the direction its stretched out head had faced.

A wet cough and the sound of something falling drew her eyes away. "Reth?"

The Rhokin was on one knee with a hand to his mouth, blood streaking across his gloves. It was then Sianna noticed how terrible Reth appeared. His cloak was gone and his uniform had small tears on it as if he had been attacked by tiny, flying razor blades.

"What happened to him?" Sianna asked Deneck.

Her eyes widened, noting Deneck's tired body as well. His right arm was sticky red, gluing bits of his tattered uniform to his skin. She had never seen so much blood on him before. At least not his. Sianna looked back towards Jabel. The massive Magus from before was no longer there.

I didn't know there were Magus that powerful. At least the attack from long ago on my village had survivors and it was rebuilt. Smaller, yes, but still there.

"The Magus hit us with exploding crystals full of ice," Deneck explained, his eyes on Reth. "We both took multiple hits from both magick and Magus. I believe Reth may have broken a rib."

Sianna pursed her lips together as she watched Reth slowly rise to his feet. "Can you help support him while we find Ser Aldermeck?" she asked Deneck.

He nodded and went over to the other Rhokin. Sianna took lead as they walked on the pebbled path. Rocks the size of speared melons flanked them and they increased in size as they paced. Sianna concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. It was the only way to prevent from screaming. From pulling her sword out and hacking at the rocks around her.