Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 67

The noisy festival of the fox had never been so quiet. The crowd watched, spellbound at the two people in the arena.

Cybelline shook the blood from her hands, the wounds had already begun to heal. Lady Celia's eyes narrowed, "Impossible. How?"

"I'm gifted." 

Celia looked down at Cybelline. "No matter, that was only a small taste of what is to come." She closed her eyes and began to mutter a spell, a long gash appeared on her forearm and blood fell onto the Shadow bow. It seemed to glow with darklight.

"Child, she has fed her own life force into the bow. It will be twice as powerful." The Augur warned, he was on his knees, his body shaking from shock and blood loss. 

Celia's raised the bow once more, and another arrow of the same grey material rose on the bow. Her face paled as she drew the gold string back to her ear.

When she loosened, the shadow arrow looked more solid than any of the other ones before.

Cybelline took a step forward and caught that one. She gritted her teeth, feeling the skin of her palms that had ripped open once more. The power from the arrow exploded in her body, it felt as if she had swallowed a bomb. This was even more powerful than the last one.

Cybelline fought to stand as a wave of pain pierced her bones.

Killian took a step towards the girl but Lord Jacen and Evan held on tight.

"Let go." His voice could have skinned them alive.

Lord Evan shook his head, "My lord, what good will you be right now?" He shoved a few more healing crystals into his general's hands, "You aren't any good to her if you die. That is not magic we are strong enough to deal with." Lord Jacen looked at the girl in front them, "You know nothing about her, why are you doing this?" 

Killian said nothing, he felt the rush of magic enter his blood and hoped that when it was done, he would not be too late.

It took much longer to shatter the third arrow. Cybeline felt the magic within her shudder and roll. The two magics that she had a handle on, fire and light roared up to protect her from the invading magic.

FWSSSHHHHH

Another arrow. Cybelline grabbed it, this time, the arrowhead had pierced her arm, hissing and searing as it ate the magic in her body. It felt as if someone had poured gasoline on her skin and lit her on fire. She gritted her teeth and pulled the arrowhead out. The skin on her hands blackened and crackled.

Celia laughed, her voice soaring into the sky as she watched the blood flow freely from Cybelline's arm. 

The more Cybelline touched this magic, the more the Source fought. Untamed magic rushed through her body, wreaking havoc. It was as if oil and met water, the two forces were ancient enemies that would devour each other. Pain shot through her in white hot streaks. Cybelline stumbled and nearly fell.

Celia was delighted, "I thought you had real power but it turns out you only know brute force!" She drew another arrow from air, the veins in her eyes had popped, she swayed.

"And I thought you had more tricks up your sleeve." Cybelline shrugged, in spite of the pain, "But you're a one trick pony." She looked the woman up and down, her white robes were now stained with black blood that dripped from the bow. "Sorry, I meant, one trick cow." 

Celia growled, "Swear fealty to me and my son, concubine. And I'll let you live." Celia opened her mouth and her teeth were stained by blood, "But if you die, there's still your sister who will serve my son well."