Caroline Spector - Worlds Without End

I pushed myself off the ground. There were scrapes on my hands. The blood welled out of them and stung. In the distance I could hear something. I thought it sounded like a baby's cry. Then I realized it was the driver.

"Most annoying, that noise," said Ysrthgrathe. In a flash, he slid across the small distance between him and the driver's door. Ripping the door off its hinges, he then pulled the driver out by his neck. Slowly, he began to squeeze.

The driver's face turned red, then purple. His eyes began to bulge, and he grabbed frantically at his neck. His feet began to spasm and became entangled in Ysrthgrathe's robe.

"This is certainly sweet," said Ysrthgrathe. "But it really isn't up to my usual. Of course, I have only the faintest memories of that, now. You have deprived me for so long. And you're not nearly as fond of this one as you might be. Perhaps the other…"

He closed his hand then, and I heard the bones in the driver's neck snap and pop like firecrackers. Then Ysrtbgrathe tossed him away like a used-up toy.

Caimbeui emerged from the back of the passenger side of the cab then. He had a black eye and a nasty cut on his lip. It was beginning to swell, making his mouth look lopsided. It looked like he hadn't fully recovered his senses.

"Go," I said. "He wants me."

Caimbeui shook his head. "He can't possibly deal with both of us. Not now."

"You should listen to her," said Ysrthgrathe. "But then, I wouldn't have as much fun if you leave. I can taste how she cares for you. Her fear for your safety is so sweet, but really, I must have more."

With that, he pushed his arms forward. A solid beam of black energy shot out from them. It hit Caimbeui full in the chest, sending him flying back- wards. I heard him cry out in pain and could smell the odor of burning clothes and skin.

"No!" I shouted.

His eyes glowed and he smiled. Another lash of energy cracked like whip and I heard the bones of

Caimbeul's legs snap. "No!" I screamed again. Was he going to break

Caimbeui bone by bone?

Then there was a roaring in my ears, like the sound of jet engines. The blood was warm in my hands. It tickled me. Calling to me. Asking me to come and play again. To use it as I once had.

I dug my nails into my palms, wincing slightly, and then I spoke the words. A language long dead to this modern world. My mother tongue, that had never left me and that would always be my secret heart.

Ribbons of blood danced from my fingertips and wove themselves around Ysrthgrathe. He roared in anger at this, but I laughed. Oh, I had been careful for so long. It felt wonderful to let the power out. To revel in it again. I let it take hold of me. Slide through me. Pill me. Fill the void inside.

Soon, Ysrthgrathe was encased in a blood-cocoon. Using one hand to control the cocoon, with the other I began to cast another spell. But Ysrthgrathe wasn't so easily controlled. He shot into the air, dragging me along. We flew above the trees, and the upper branches scratched and scraped at my legs.

I grabbed at the blood ribbons with both hands to steady myself. What is he up to? I wondered. I looked about and saw that he was flying us straight toward Crater Lake.

If we went much further, we'd be shot down by the Tir military for certain. Cursing, I let go of the blood ribbons. Ysrthgrathe shot ahead, and I fell. I was battered and bruised by tree limbs. It took me a moment before I could cast a flying spell.

I flew up to the top of the trees and peered around.

"Looking for me?" came Ysrthgrathe's voice above me.

I looked up. His head was free from the cocoon, but the rest of his body was still encased. He spat out some words, and the cocoon shattered. It sent drops of blood flying everywhere. My face and clothes were spattered with it.

"What's that old saying?" Ysrthgrathe asked. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me?"

I didn't reply, just furiously tore at my wrist with my teeth. How I yearned for a knife at that mo- ment. Oh, for the power I'd lost. For the power to come.

"This is most annoying," Ysrthgrathe said. "You've changed. You're not at all like you were be- fore.

"Where is your fear? It was so sweet and deli- cious. Your pain? Your agony? Have you forgotten the dark years of your torment already? I remember them as if they were yesterday.

"Your pain, my pleasure. Think of what I can offer you. Don't you recall? The power. Imagine what you could be here with that power now. They would be forced to listen to you. You could make them bend to your will. They would have to do your bidding."

And I was tempted.

It had been so many years since I'd felt anything close to the sensation of the power. Such a unity of self and soul. Body and mind. Maybe only the absinthe had come close. But even that joy was fleeting.

My blood sang to be used. To be taken again.

From Crater Lake I could feel the pull of even greater power. It sang to me.

Take me.

Use me.

"Yes," he said. "Think of it. This world can't even imagine what the power is. They play at magic like a game. They don't understand. But you do, Aina. You've always understood the true nature of the gift. It's in your blood. Take my gift."

Foolish mistake.

I hadn't thought him so clumsy. So obvious. To go over old ground again.

"Oh, dear," I said. "What was it you said? Fool

me once…"

The blood had been running into my palms. It writhed, then began to whirl. It bubbled over my fingertips and began to slide toward the ground. It wanted me to use it.

It craved that.

I craved that.

So I let us have what we wanted.

From over the horizon, the blue glow from Crater Lake became brighter. The power surged into me. And this time, this time, I didn't refuse it.

The spell burst out of me. It sang and jumped from my lips. Insects flew into the sky in a great cloud. The bones of long-dead animals rose up and began to circle about Ysrthgrathe. The insects joined them, and soon the blood danced out of my hands and mingled with the bones and insects.

Surrounding Ysrthgrathe. Encasing him.

"Aina," he said. His voice was a soft whisper, but somehow I could hear it above the buzzing of the wasps. It was inside me. In my mind, like someone lurking at a window. "Aina, don't turn me away. I shan't forgive you this time. This time I will take everything away."

"Go ahead and try," I said. I released the spell then. Let it surge out of me. Out of my soul. Out of the centuries of solitude and loneliness. From the pain of my loss and sadness.

And, oh, it made such a lovely sight.

Ysrthgrathe became darker and darker, until I felt as if the very light was being drawn into him. Then, in the matter of a nanosecond, there was an immense radiance that blinded me.

When I could see again, there was nothing left of the insects, or the bones, or the blood, or of

Ysrthgrathe. In the sky there was the faint azure glow from Crater Lake, dimmer this time.

Then, there was only the faint twinkling of the stars.

"Where will you go now?" asked Caimbeul.

We were standing in the Orly airport. It was some three weeks after I'd faced Ysrthgrathe for the last time.

I had found Caimbeul unconscious from the blow Ysrthgrathe had given him. I'd healed him, and then we'd gone looking for the authorities to notify them about the cab driver's death. The tale Caimbeul had spun was impressive, even by his usual standards.

We finally got out of Tir Taimgire the next day.

I contacted Dunkelzahn and told him about what had happened. In dragon-like fashion, he merely nodded and accepted what I said. If he had any other opinions, he kept them to himself. Though he did in- vite me to stay and visit.

Caimbeul and I decided to go to the Riviera. Per- haps it was the foolishness of age, but we both thought there might still be something between us.