Wayward Tail: The Mortal Realms Trilogy, Book 1

Stop the Bleeding

The sound of battle filled Artifax's ears. The eladrins had attacked the bulk of the Formorians. The Firbolg giants were attacking the transformed ettin beasts. And the Northlanders, who had also transformed, took the fight to the sea and the invading Balder's Gate ships.

Artifax tried to get to his feet, but the Queen slashed at him and he fell back into the red sand. Blood continued to flow out of his side where the dagger wound was. Artifax looked up at Layla. Her eyes were closed, and both wrists were sliced. Blood stained her skin and garments from wrist to toe.

"I must stop her bleeding," Artifax thought to himself, but the Queen kept him on the ground. That is when Artifax noticed the Queen's staff laying not more than ten feet from their location. She had dropped it when Artifax first covered the beach in fire.

He sprang toward the staff and rolled to pick it up. The Queen gave a shriek when she realized what he was holding. As Artifax struggled to stand fully erect, he looked past the top of the staff and the iridescent orb that crowned it. Pain erupted in his body and the orb glowed brightly.

"This is the Orb of Truth that Lord Kelpar had asked him to retrieve," Artifax thought as he fought through the pain. He could see in the eyes of the Queen that the changes he was undergoing were as evident on the outside as they felt on the inside. The Queen seemed less like a giant woman to him, and only moderately larger than himself.

Pained doubled him over and his eyes fell to his own flesh. A mighty tail had begun to form from his back side, and the shadow he cast in the sand showed that his cheekbones and ears had pushed away from the side of his head to form an armor plate just above his eyes.

The Queen moved in for a killing blow on Artifax while he was writhing in pain, but Artifax sensed the presence of two familiar allies. The Queen stopped mid swing as she was tossed farther up the beach.

"We will take care of her," Malena said for Gargos. Greta was there too. She rested a hand on his scaly shoulder. Before she and her long lost mate engaged the Queen again. Artifax fought through the pain and went to Layla's side.

She had lost too much blood, but it still pulsed out of her wrists on each heartbeat. There was only one thing that Artifax could do to ensure his love survived the morning. He left her tied to the cross, but kicked over the vessel so that he could get close to her. Artifax then placed his hands on Layla's wrists.

"I love you," he said and flames shot out between his palms and Layla's lacerated flesh. Her eyes opened suddenly as she screamed in pain. Artifax removed his hands and could see that her flesh had been fused close. The blood ceased to exit her body.

No longer could Artifax ignore the pain in his body. He collapsed in the sand.