Taming the Familiar

Chapter 44- Badass Status

Alexa struggled against Kaleth's dragon claws but what could she physically do against a dragon. Then she remembered she wasn't limited to physical attacks. When he had taught her the spells she hadn't thought she'd be using them against him. She thought hard on what kind of spell she wanted to use even though she didn't want to hurt him. Finally with a frown she decided she had no choice. She remembered a particularly effective spell and recited the words. Her chest ached with guilt as she felt the dragon tense. Then his grip on her loosened and he lowered slowly to the ground. She'd used a venom spell. She struggled free of his grip and his muscles began to seize. She stepped out of his range as he lay on the ground utterly incapacitated. She knew the Anti venom spell and would fix him as soon as she dealt with Alistair.

Her uncle was starring at her with delight, obviously not terribly concerned about the threat she could be. Patrick still lay on the ground crumpled behind him. She caught a glimpse of movement near Patrick. Of course it was Pitch in the shadows. He was checking on her brother. Alistar didn't even notice as the two vanished. She almost let out a sigh of relief, glad her brother was out of harms way. Kaleth's massive dragon form was still twitching behind her.

Alistar raised his hand and she heard familiar words pour from his mouth. Alexa stepped further away from Kaleth as he stopped twitching and slowly climbed to his feet behind her with a shake. She hadn't counted on Alistar knowing the antidote spell. Of course he knew the spell, he had eighty years or so more years to study magic than her. Kaleth watched her carefully a little more wary of her spells now. Did she have any spells Alistair couldn't just fix with the flick of his wrist. After wracking her brains she realized he likely knew every detail of every spell she knew. Kaleth reached to grab her again and she dodged aside. Was there a way to get Kaleth back, the only hope she could see was to get rid of Alistar. She glared towards her uncle as she dodged Kaleth again.

She spotted Pitch behind Alistar again. She couldn't fathom why until she saw a flash of steel. Was he actually going to try to kill Alistair by himself. She didn't realize she had drawn Kaleth's attention to Pitch too. Kaleth abandoned chasing her and Alistair glared angrily at him at first. Then he glanced over his shoulder to see Pitch fast approaching. Alexa wasn't aware the old man could move so fast as he turned and swung at Pitch while muttering an unknown curse. Alexa didn't see Pitch's blade move but it was at Alistar's throat before he could even cast the spell. Alexa flinched as Pitch was thrown backwards. Kaleth was only halfway to them yet, and still unable to help Alistair. Alexa stared into the darkness where Pitch had been thrown. What had Alistar cast on him. She started to hurry to help her cat.

She stopped as Alistair fell to his knees, his hand at his throat. Alexa's eyes widened as she watched blood bubbles over his hand. Kaleth's dragon form stopped in it's tracks. Alistar coughed and blood sprayed from his mouth. Alexa's eyes were wide as he spluttered again and she realized why he hadn't cast a healing spell. Pitch had sliced deep enough to cut his vocal cords. Alistar couldn't utter a word let alone a spell. Alexa couldn't dredge up any pity as she walked past him gasping for breath to try to find where Pitch had landed. She could feel Alistair's magic stirring, but with no words, it wouldn't be able to focus. Kaleth had shifted to his human form and was desperately trying to stop the blood from pouring out of his master.

Alexa walked slowly, looking for Pitch. She was well out of the light cast by her grandmother's burning house when she finally found him. He was further from Alistair than she had thought he would be. He was unconscious in his human form, crumpled on his stomach as if he'd rolled across the grass following Alistar's attack. She ran up to him and rolled him over. The breath vanished from her lungs. His shirt was peeled or torn away from his chest. Underneath was raw and red. She could see several slices that could only have been from Ramona's attacks. But that wasn't what was filling her with dread. There was a deep hole. It sliced past muscle and bone. She could see his insides. She gulped back a sob as her healing spell spilled out. She reached for his wrist praying for a pulse. She plopped onto the ground and tried again. Both for a pulse and with her healing spell. Still no pulse but the wound was slowly closing. She chanted the spell again and again until she was out of breath. She didn't realize she was crying until she saw tears falling onto Pitch. The slash was still bone deep but the organs seemed to be all back in place and covered.  She reached for his wrist again and finally she felt a pulse. She looked to the sky black with smoke and thanked god, or whoever was in charge up there. She nearly jumped out of her skin as she felt a hand on her arm. She looked down to find Pitch's eyes open and focused on her. 

"Thank you." he said sitting up a little with a flinch. He laid back down with a frown. He gestured towards Kaleth, Alistar and the inferno that was once her grandmother's house.

"I'll be okay. Go make sure it's all over." he said. Alexa looked him up and down, not wanting to leave him there alone. But things could end up far worse if she didn't make sure Alistar breathed his last breath. She looked at Pitch again and decided he looked as doctor's would put it 'stable'. She rose quietly to her feet and headed back over. 

Alistar was now laying on the ground but still somehow clinging to life. Kaleth seemed to be in a panic. There were strips of cloth wrapped around Alistar's throat, obviously an attempt to staunch the blood. It was still seeping through the layers of cloth. Kaleth was still trying without much luck to stop the flow, using his hands as well. Alistar was still trying to spit out a spell or a command. Alexa couldn't quite tell what at this point. As she approached Kaleth turned to snarl defensively at her. She didn't attempt to get any closer, just sat back and watched Alistar choke on his own blood. Smoke billowed from every window in her grandmother's house now, they must have all busted open without her noticing. Alistar made a loud coughing/choking noise, a desperate last attempt to cast a spell or give an order. Kaleth stepped back, seeming to realize there was no saving him, as they watched the old man die. Alexa could see fear in Kaleth's golden eyes. After a final feeble cough Alistair finally lay still. Alexa approached Kaleth slowly. Almost like one would approach a vicious lion or bear. Then again, smart people didn't risk their lives approaching beasts like that. She stopped an arms length away from him.

"Kaleth, Remember me." she ordered. His golden gaze to stare at her but there was no recognition in his eyes. After a beat the both jumped as a screeching wail rose from Alistair's body.

At first Alexa thought the old man was still somehow fighting for life. Then she saw it wasn't him making the noise. A ghostly shape emerged from his chest, regarded the two of them for a moment with obvious distaste, then shot into the night sky. Alexa stared wide eyed as a second and third did the same. By the fourth and fifth she finally realized what was going on. They were the spirits he had siphoned life from. The body seemed to shrivel and age as each soul made its bid for freedom. Alexa and Kaleth watched as one after another of Alistar's captured spirits tore it's way free. She didn't need to count. She knew there was one for every murder. Except Jacob and his friends. Haley and Liz had not been captured and Jacob had seen another form of bindings. Kaleth glanced at her, still no recognition in his gaze, and she worried what would happen when his bond to Alistar broke. By the time the last spirit gained it's freedom Alistair was barely recognizable. His eyes were sunken into the sockets and his skin had shriveled tight to his bones. He looked like one of the ice mummies or frozen hikers from mount Everest. His skin was all there but was changed to a sick caramel and tar color. His lips were pulled back from his teeth in a permanent sneer. Alexa couldn't help but stare at the gruesome sight. That was until black smoke started filling her vision. She looked up to see it wasn't from her grandmother's house but it was Kaleth. He was staring wide eyed almost like a deer caught in headlights as he slowly faded into smoke.