Taking of the Lylek

[Asher Mossa]

Ryloth was a hostile world to anyone that tried to live on it. One half of the planet seemed to be in a constant night, and the other half near uninhabitable because of the scorching heat. Many of the creatures of the night were violent cruel beasts, predators all of them. Asher had learned that his new home was not one friendly to living. If death was to come perhaps it would not be a result of his curse, but simply the many beasts that lived to kill.

Asher found himself in a deep meditation, alone. His pants were the only thing clothing him, along with the boots he wore. The long man’s of hair he boasted was usually worn in a messy bun, but tonight it fell free. His torso was littered in wounds and scars from various battles, but the most notable markings were the scales which had been cut into his upper arm and shoulder by the Spirit Lylek. They covered him like a sleeve to just above his elbow, more scaring than the others had received. Lylek has chosen him and marked him well.

He sighed as Lylek’s voice prodded again. Rather than argue Asher simply nodded. He was to seak out a young disciple and test them. This was also a test for Asher.

Standing, Asher walked to his dwelling and grabbed his belt which held his lightsaber and a fur vest to keep his chest warm. His arms would take care of themselves.

It was not long that Asher ventured into the camp where many of the new witches had settled. Much of the culture was exactly like that of Dathomir. Asher knew it was dangerous for him to wander about in the company of so many women, lest one of them decide he should keep their bed warm. The ring of his late wife still hung from his neck, a deterent most days.

One dwelling called to him. It was near the others yet out of the way. Asher smirked as he approached the entrance and stopped just outside of it. The dust of the ground kicked up around him slightly but settled in no time.

He cleared his throat. ”Umai!? Lylek has a task for you,” Asher stated simply and waited for the woman to respond.

[member="Umai"]

 

[Valgærd]

The camp had been a surprise for me.

Sitting in my tiny hut, I couldn't help but wonder if other had once stayed at a camp like this one. Even though I was on Ryloth and not Dathomir, something struck me about this place. I was among other witches here, women who understood. I glanced around the small hut. I was sitting on a small stool by a humble cooking fire. To one side was a bedroll and against the opposite wall a small table and chair with a lantern resting upon it. The crackling, dancing flames from the fire warmed the small space, causing shadows to flicker over the woven rug on the floor. It was a far cry from the opulent tower that William the Bloody resided in, however, I felt far more at home here than up there. I was grateful for the fire, wearing only casual clothes, it kept out the chill of the night.

I glanced down at my hands. Across my lap was a large panel of soft velvety fabric so unnaturally dark in colour it almost didn't look real. The cloak had come from my mother, another clue of hers, I suspect. It was nice to feel closer to her again. Between this, the ring, and the tome she'd left me, it was as if I could almost feel her in quiet moments like this one.

The sound of approaching footsteps pulled me from my thoughts.

Standing from the chair, cloak folded over my arms, I turned to see a man standing in the doorway. He was tall, much taller than me, and well-built with broad shoulders accentuated by the fur vest he wore. Beyond that he had nothing on but pants and boots. His long hair cascaded down his rounded shoulders, swept back off his handsome face. He reminded me of a wolf; wild, unkempt, dangerous and strong, yet he had this allure about him. Noticing the ring that hung from his neck, I blushed, sweeping aside my thoughts as he spoke.

My eyebrows flew up in surprise and I took another step towards him, studying his features keenly,

"For me?" I asked, "I... I've seen you around here once or twice, haven't I?"

I chewed on my bottom lip, studying him, trying to recall a name. I had only caught a glimpse or two of him, and never heard anyone address him by name. It wasn't completely unlikely that he would have my name, after the stunt William pulled, I knew now to just expect everyone to know more about what was going on than I did. unfolding my cloak, I swept it around my back, letting it settle over my shoulders as I clipped the clasp together over my collarbone.

"What do I need to do?"

[member="Asher Mossa"]

 

[Asher Mossa]

She was not like the others. Most would have never taken the directive Asher had given. He was not the shaman, though in truth he had never met the man who supposedly filled that role. They were led by the Spirit of Lylek, at least Asher was, rather learning to be. Each test, every step of obedience made discernment more and more clear. Asher was only in the doorway because he was told to be. This wasn’t going to be a normal night, day, whatever it was as it seemed to be a perpetual night.

Asher’s chest rose and fell in sync as he breathed a healthy rhythm. His eyes observed the woman’s reaction. They had seen each other, but never met. Umai was young, impressionable as evidenced by her blushing, and she was a beauty. Most of the women among the witches were, and Asher was still getting used to their ways. Unlike Umai, he had not been raised among them and was not as submissive as other nightbrothers seemed to be.

”I do not know yet,” Asher answered her inquiry. ”He speaks just what I need to do and when, nothing more and nothing less. Though I sense he wishes to test us both. And for the sake of equity, I am Asher. Though with as much as I remain to myself...”

His voice trailed off as he motioned for Umai to follow him. They were leaving the safety of the camp with little to defend themselves. Asher only had the lightsaber and his training in the use of the force, and Umai... Asher has no idea what she had. To those observing it may seem that Asher was leading Umai back to his tent, a daring thing considering he was male, but Lylek has led them away from the group.

They neared a cave and Lylek spoke.

”The cave is deep... explore it...”

Asher nodded.

”He wants us to go into the cave.”

Asher ventured in, leading the way. His stoic personality made for a quiet experience thus far. He wasn’t asking questions to get to know Umai. This was a task to complete and Asher rarely retreated from his shell. It was his one major character flaw, but it was who he was. Though he supposed be needed to try.

”You haven’t been among the Mandagora long... has a spirit claimed you yet?”

It wasn’t the best attempt, but it was an attempt.

[member="Umai"]

 

[Valgærd]

It occurred to me as I stood before this wolf of a man that I’d forgotten to ask for his name. He seemed to be studying me just as much as I studied him. As my thoughts began to wander, I suddenly felt my mind recall my encounter with William only a few days previously. My breath caught in my throat and I suppressed a shiver, forcing his image out of my mind and vehemently ignoring it.

He spoke, his voice filling the otherwise empty hut. He mentioned that perhaps it was a test for both of us that lay ahead. To my relief, he offered his name.

“Asher…” I repeated, nodding quietly as I let the word roll off my tongue, committing it to memory.

He trailed off, his somewhat cryptic words hanging in the air as he gestured for me to follow. So follow I did, my cloak billowing behind me as I followed him out. It was the first time I’d actually worn it, the fabric felt surprisingly warm for how light it was. I walked in silence behind Asher for a while, smothering the thought that crawled into my mind that we seemed to be heading towards his tent.

However, our path soon led us away from the camp, coming up to a humble-looking cave where Asher stopped, canting his head as he appeared to be listening to something. Why was it always caves? It had been a cave in which I’d found mother’s ring. What, I couldn’t help wondering, would be in this one?

Again, my mind brought up William’s arrogant smirk, and again, I forcefully shoved it aside. Shaking my head, I focused on Asher as he spoke, saying that ‘he’ wanted us to go into the cave. I assumed he must have meant this ‘Lylek’ I’d heard about.

“He speaks directly to you?” I asked.

As he led the way, I followed him in. Again, the silence descended upon us as we walked. Darkness enveloped us as we moved further and further in. Even though the cloak kept me warm, I couldn’t help but shudder. There was something almost uneasy about following the spirit into this cave. I didn’t know what lay ahead of us, but I was grateful when Asher broke the silence, asking me a question.

I paused. A spirit? No, another resident of Ryloth? That remained to be seen… I shuddered again and quickened my step to be a little closer to him,

“I haven’t no, and uh… not yet. How long does it usually take?”

Is there something wrong with me? Was the question I wasn’t quite asking. How long did it normally take? Was there something I was supposed to do? Had… had William done something that meant to spirits didn’t want to touch me?


[member="Asher Mossa"]

 

[Asher Mossa]

She was unclaimed.

Asher turned from the mouth of the cave as he looked her over again. His eyes may have been searching as though they were wandering eyes imagining her without all the trappings of her clothing, and in a way the assumption was correct. Asher was looking for any evidence of a brand, tattoo, or signs of the scale pattern of the Lylek. He saw nothing, no evidence. How was one among them still unclaimed.

”You haven’t touched the grimoire?” It was the only explaination.

Breathing in with a deep, long drag, Asher gathered his thoughts. No wonder she was surprised that the spirit of Lylek spoke to him, or even that the spirits were among them. His back turned to her as he spoke allowed clearly speaking to Lylek.

”She is untouched by the spirits. Show me why.”

In an instant a vision flashed in front of his eyes. A trance like state took hold of Asher as he collapsed to the ground. There was a face, one Asher had seen, but where... he didn’t recall. Umai was present and it seemed the two were....... playing some kind of game though the man seemed to win. Words rolled through his mind. Infiltrate. Find. Report. She was a spy or was she... she was captive.

Asher woke up and put his hand to his forehead. He sat up clearly groggy and clouded. His eyes found Umai’s and they bore deep into her as if he was searching deep into her soul. In that moment Lylek spoke to him.

”The two of you will tame a Lylek. You will turn this around and we will use her to learn more about this William the Bloody.”

A nod was the only answer Lylek was given. Another sigh escaped Asher as he stood himself up to his feet.

”It seems we are taming a Lylek tonight,” he said to Umai as he walked into the cave knowing she would follow. If she wanted to know what Lylek had shown him, she would follow. ”It’s a shame too, because that pretty face of yours is likely to get damaged.”

Just because Asher clung to the memory of his dead wife and son did not mean he did not notice or appreciate beauty when he saw it. There were many beautiful women among the Mandagora and the Confederacy. One had already received a scar on her face because of him, would Umai suffer the same?

[member="Umai"]

 

[Valgærd]

Asher turned from the cave, studying me with those dark, predatory eyes he had. What was it about a piercing, almost hungry gaze like his that gave me weak knees? I shook my head, biting my lip and blushing. He was probably thinking about something else, he still had a wedding band hanging around his neck after all. He asked if I’d touched ‘the grimoire’.

Immediately my hand went to my mother’s tome, tucked into my belt. But I knew he wasn’t referring to that. How could he be? He didn’t even know it existed. Besides, I’d pored over it endlessly, not that it would have made much of a difference in this situation. So I let my hand fall to my side, shaking my head.

“No… not yet.”

I didn’t quite want to let on that I actually didn’t know exactly which grimoire he was talking about. I’d mostly kept to myself when coming to this camp, I didn’t want any reason to be sent away.

His next words after a long sigh and a pause were directed not at me, but rather to someone else. He said that… that I was untouched by the spirits. He asked why, a question to which I also wanted an answer. However, rather than receiving one, Asher suddenly went tense, collapsing to the ground.

With a yelp of shock, I darted forwards, catching him and lowering him as gently as I could. His eyes appeared clouded over, as if he were in a trance of some sort. I place my hand on his forehead to make sure no fever had overcome him.

After a few moments he awoke, and I released him, moving away as he sat up on his own. He turned to look at me, but as he did, something had seemed to change in his eyes. He seemed to be staring into my very soul, into the very core of my being. I felt exposed in that gaze, vulnerable even. Again, it seemed that he was listening to another voice that I could not hear.

My heard was fluttering in my chest, my breath catching in my throat. What was it? What had he seen? My questions were left unanswered as he spoke, pulling himself to his feet. I did the same, brushing the dirt from my cloak as I glanced up,

“Taming… a lylek?” I repeated.

His next words sent chills shuddering down my spine. Suppressing them, I turned my own determined gaze back towards him,

“This spirit is welcome to try.”

I stepped closer to Asher, hopefully indicating to him that I had no intentions of shying away from this challenge. In truth, I didn’t know what to expect, what to do, or how to do it. But I was anxious to prove myself, to be chosen by a spirit.

“Ready when you are.”


[member="Asher Mossa"]

 

[Asher Mossa]

Asher nodded. It made sense she had not touched the grimoire, and even more sense why after the vision. He didn’t know what to make of it all, so he didn’t press for answers. Asher was a contemplative person, never quick to blurt out accusation or instruction without thought. Everything was processed internally, a behavior which had given him the reputation of being a closed man. Most didn’t know him either, and his seclusion only fueled the impression people had gotten of him.

He had woken up in Umai’s arms, but she had been quick to release him once he sat up. Lylek wanted him to decide if she could be trusted, and this exercise was certainly going to prove that. If she could not be trusted, both of them would die. It was a real possibility regardless, but the certainty of it was clearly more one sided.

”It won’t be the spirit that hurts you. A wild Lylek is likely to kill us both even if we work together. The task isn’t simple, and don’t treat it so lightly. If the spirit claims you, he will scar you,” Asher said the last as he indicated the pattern on his upper arm and shoulder. ”If the spirit of Lylek wants to harm you, he will, and you are powerless to stop him. We will do as he asks because perhaps he will be on our side.”

He looked at her sternly. Asher was serious. Tonight he was placing his life in the hands of a stranger at the behest of the one he served. This was not a light request, and Asher would not let Umai treat it as such.

”As such, I have to trust you. Who is William the Bloody to you, and why did he tell you join us?”

Asher had thought, and it was better to have this conversation now. There more questions, but this would answer what he needed to know. Most of them, in fact, would be answered with what he had asked.

His feet dug in as he turned to face Umai once more. They were near a cave wall, narrow so she could not pass around him. He pressed his right hand against the cold, damp, rocky surface. His eyes bore into hers as he watched for signs that she would lie to him. Forcing her against the rock wall, he would not continue without the answers. Asher was close to her, close enough to bear her breathing, how it changed, able to observe the rise and fall of her chest. He would know if any of it changed.

”Can I trust you, and can you trust me?”

[member="Umai"]

 

[Valgærd]

I sensed the seriousness from Asher. We weren’t simply hunting a creature that would be prey. It seemed that this Lylek could pose far more danger to us than I had perhaps expected. He spoke, revealing as much. He mentioned how likely we were to both die under this task. He mentioned scarring, gesturing to the pattern of marks on his upper arm. My own hand moved absently to my shoulder, touching it over the fabric of my cloak. I drew in a sharp gasp, as the realisation settled upon my shoulders.

This spirit was beginning to sound like someone else I knew.

As if reading the thought, Asher asked me who William was, and why he’d told me to join the camp. I lost my composure for jut a moment, staring wide-eyed at him. Where had he pulled that name from? My own question was answered as I recalled how he’d just collapsed. A vision, or a message of sorts, perhaps. From this Lylek, maybe? I let out a sigh, my breath hissing through my teeth.

“William” I began, “is the man who managed to slip a leash around my neck.”

I paused to swallow back the cascade of thoughts that threatened to explode into my mind. I still hadn’t made peace with my relationship to that leash. It had come as a surprise, and my reaction to it, even more so. Suppressing the thoughts, I continued,

“If I knew why he sent me here I would tell you. I suspect he didn’t divulge the reason to me because he knows I would. However, he probably means to spy on the camp. The man is a whore for knowledge.”

I let my words drip with bitterness, however they didn’t come out quite as sharp as I had hoped. I bit my lip, feeling my brow furrow as I vehemently denied the implications that circled my mind. Suddenly, I was dragged from my thoughts as Asher turned to face me, the swift, powerful motion backing me up against the rock wall. I could feel the cold stone against my back, trapping me in the proximity of the wolf. His breath washed over me, his face looming close to him.

He asked a question. No… he demanded an answer. The man, in truth, unnerved me. My heart was racing in my chest at being so close to him. There was that predatory allure to his gaze, that was no doubt at least partially to blame for my breath catching in my throat.

“I-I…” my words faltered. There was no way I was going to risk lying to this wolf of a man, “I don’t know.”

I swallowed,

“I trust you, Asher. But I don’t know if William’s done anything… you can trust me as much as I trust me.”

I bit my lip, my eyes dropping from his intense stare to his lips and the breath coming from them. I hoped, sincerely, that my answer would be enough. What would the Lylek think, what would it do if Asher decided it wasn’t?


[member="Asher Mossa"]

 

[Asher Mossa]

A leash.

This was why she went unclaimed then. If another controlled her, if she was subservient to the will of another, the spirits would never want her. They had almost rejected him because of his curse, or perceived curse. Unsure of what to do with the knowledge in the moment, Asher tucked it away. Lylek would speak to it, or he wouldn’t. For now Asher simply had to determine if she spoke the truth, and why hadn’t she? Asher did not think anyone would lie about it, though she was hiding something.

His eyes scanned her for what seemed like a long moment before his breathing changed. He relaxed but did not move. Asher was close enough to smell her, and it suddenly occurred to him he had not been this close to a woman in a long time. There was a sudden vulnerability to his voice as he stepped away.

”That is why you haven’t been claimed. You must be rid of your leash, though I suspect that is much easier spoken. I can see it on you, the change in your breathing. You hate him, and yet...”

Asher knew, but didn’t want to voice it. She was young and had been taken advantage of. There was no other thing it could be. Even there had been a willingness on her part, Asher knew the truth.

”You must be slave to no one but yourself. If he wishes to know what happens in this camp then you will feed him misinformation. Use just enough truth to keep it believable.”

Finally Asher moved away from the wall and gave Umai her freedom. He’d gotten too close physically in that moment. It was clouding his mind, and only served to remind of the closeness he’d denied himself since the death of his wife. His exile was a self inflicted one, but he still suffered nonetheless. Katrine and Lylek both had told him to relax, let people in, but it was hard to change and would not over night.

As they ventured deeper into the cave, Asher could smell the beast on the stale air. They would never tame this thing if they remained in the cave. They were only walking to their deaths. ”We must draw it out. We are only walking to our deaths otherwise.”

He paused his steps again.

”I trust you, whether it is wise to or not. You are afraid of me though? Why does your breathing hitch whenever I come close? You must control it, or the beast will find you easier. Our only hope if we have to kill it is the underbelly.”

Suddenly Asher drew quiet. There was hissing... clicking... this wasn’t a cave. It was a nest.

Asher invaded Umai’s mind with the force. He could not afford to be heard anymore.

”Retreat!” the thoughtbwas forced into her mind. ”We cannot face a herd, or angry Queen.”

[member="Umai"]

 

[Valgærd]

I stood pressed against the wall, the stone digging into my back. It seemed to forcefully push me towards the man standing so close to me, whose gaze bore into my very core. I felt my body flood with relief as he seemed to relax after a moment, as if deciding on something. However, in that moment, he did not immediately step back. We stood, each close enough to brush our lips upon the other if we so chose. Time seemed to hang in the air around us, like the cave itself was waiting to see what we’d do.

It was he who reacted first, stepping away from me and speaking with a softness to his tone. He spoke of my leash, my feelings towards William. I huffed a little in agreement, I did hate him. He was entitled, arrogant, selfish… I definitely hated him. I just… don’t know why I had to keep convincing myself of that. Thankfully, Asher’s next words distracted me from my thoughts, his command causing me to raise an eyebrow,

“If I’m to be a slave to one but myself,” I replied quietly, “why would I do what you say? Is that not just handing my leash from William’s hands to yours?”

He stepped fully away from the wall, allowing me to step away from it. I did so, being very careful to keep my sigh of relief suppressed so he wouldn’t notice it.

We walked a little further into the cave, but Asher seemed to grow restless. He soon revealed why, stating that we were walking to certain doom, that we needed to draw the creature out. I said nothing, but nodded in agreement.

A little way ahead he paused again. This time, he posed me a question.

“I…” find you alluring. I couldn’t very well say something that would just distract us both from the task at hand. Shaking my head, I tried again, “I’m wary,” I confessed, “but I don’t fear you, Asher. I trust you. I’ll control it better from now on.”

Asher fell quiet, listening for something.

In that instant, I heard it too. Although I didn’t recognise what it was… hissing? Clicking? Were we in… some sort of hive?

The man’s words in my mind came at the same moment the terror flooded my body as the realisation dropped onto me like a stone.

Obeying his command, I turned and ran.

With Asher next to me, I drew up the hood of my cloak, and activated it through my magic. Instantly, it felt as if the world beyond my fabric was dulled just a little, the colours slightly greyer, the light a little dimmer. For Asher, it would have seemed that I’d disappeared completely, even my force signature would be hidden, along with the sound of my feet hitting the ground.

Just keep going! I sent the telepathic message back to him, I’m right behind you!


[member="Asher Mossa"]

 

[Asher Mossa]

Asher could have kissed her. The sudden realization of how close they had been did not come to him until after he had stepped away. He did not know why his mind had even picked up on it. Everything about him was still committed to a woman who no longer lived. How was it that his mind found freedom to wander. Eirene had made him think this, now Umai. Was the hold his wife had on him slipping, or was he finally realizing he was grasping onto something he could no longer hold.

He sighed as Umai spoke. In truth he missed half of what she said though he had gathered the intent of it.

"No," he said curtly, "You have a choice. Lylek doesn't want mindless drones, servants that do his bidding without doubt or question. He wants followers who choose to do so, that want to follow."

Asher shook his head. She didn't understand what was happening here. Her curiosity had led her away, he was almost certain of it. At least she trusted him, even if she was being cautious. There was no blame held against her for that. Why should anyone feel obligated to follow a stranger into a cave who says a spirit wanted them to tame the deadliest beast on Ryloth? The fact she followed him might as well shown she was crazy as he was, had it not been for the trance and vision. Umai followed because she wanted to, and Asher already knew it.

They would be chased. There was no doubt about it, but as Asher turned over his shoulder to ensure that Umai was behind him, she as gone. Her voice prodded him onward, so he continued to run until they were free of the cave. Asher saw nothing, heard nothing, and for all intents and purposes Umai had vanished. He was perplexed at the least. They had to keep moving.

"The altar... head to the altar."

The man didn't know why they should head to the altar, but it was the most open place he could think for them. As they ran a Lylek followed them out of the mouth of the cave. Asher still could not see where Umai was, and now it was his primary concern. He would run until he got closer to the altar area. The clearing just before gave the Lylek nothing to use to gain any more of an advantage than what it already had. Swallowing hard Asher turned and faced the beast. His lightsaber came to his hand and the veridian blade snapped to life. He stared at the beast with the same intensity that Umai had seen up close. Poised, Asher was ready to kill the beast if it meant keeping Umai alive.

No one would die anymore because of him.

[member="Umai"]

 

[Valgærd]

Asher’s words gave me pause.

In truth, even though I’d questioned him, I wanted to do what he’d suggested, even if it was only to gain the upper hand over William, rather than for the good of Lylek. Was that enough? Were our motivations important?

The thoughts raced through my mind as I raced through the tunnels. Ahead of me, Asher turned his head, the flash of surprise streaking across his face as he likely expected to see me behind him. He turned back and kept running, another instruction coming into my mind through the force.

I stayed behind him as we exploded from the mouth of the cave. Still, on we ran. My chest burned, heaving as I dragged cold air into my lungs. My heart thudded against my ribs, my head spinning and my limbs aching as I spurred myself on. Still, I forced myself on. Soon the clearing appeared ahead of us. I didn’t remember walking past it on our way to the cave, had we gone a different way? Had we walked past it and I just hadn’t been paying attention? I didn’t even notice.

When we finally arrived, we slowed, and I finally had a chance to catch my breath. My body felt like it was on fire. Throwing back my hood, I deactivated the cloak, appearing a few feet behind Asher. He pulled out his lightsaber, turning to face… whatever had followed us out of the cave.

Still panting, I threw my cloak back off my shoulders, letting it hang down my back leaving my arms free to move. I had no idea what to expect, but my magic surged through my veins as I drew myself up next to the man, his face illuminated by the blade of his lightsaber.

“What... Is that thing?”


[member="Asher Mossa"]

 

[Asher Mossa]

"It is a Lylek," Asher said as the woman appeared near him. He quickly eyed the cloak. "Nice cloak," he admitted as his brain put together what had happened.

Asher wanted to admire her ingenuity, and the spirit of Lylek certainly did. His voice came to him.

"Dispatch of the beast. I want to claim her."

There was a nod to the instruction. Asher hoped that Umai would not have forgotten that the spirit spoke to him. He turned to her again as he set his feet. The beast seemed to be studying them for a moment deciding whether or not they would make a good meal.

"Forget taming the beast. Lylek wants you as his. Seems your cloak trick has gotten his attention. The underbelly is soft."

Asher removed a long blade from his belt. The hunting knife was longer than average and a heavier blade than most carried. Asher enjoyed a good hunt and knew the beasts on this world required stronger weapons than what most people carried. It was time to see how Umai dealt with adversity, threats to her life, and how well she could handle the weapon. She could always serve as a distraction, but Asher felt an urge to protect her. The loss of his wife had already come to his mind tonight, the near kiss he could have shared with Umai also rested at the forefront of his thoughts. Whether it had been part of Lylek's intent or not, Asher come to a place where moving on had finally become a thought.

"Stay close... On my life you will not die tonight."

His pledge was serious. She was here because of him, and Asher took responsibility for her. It was different dynamic entirely from the way William had treated her upon the first meeting. It was natural to Asher to be this way. His intent had not been to prove himself to be the contrast to the man who treated her like a plaything. The vision he had witnessed earlier was far from his mind at this point.

The beast roared, pulling Asher from his thought. It's poisonous tentacles launched toward them. It was not deadly, but the smallest amount would paralyze them. Asher swung his blade. It sang with a soft hum as it collided with the tentacle coming for him. He stepped into it, in front of Umai, and took out the other tentacle as well. The spear like legs would their only threat now provided they could avoid the sharp teeth. Asher pressed into Umai's mind as he forged a battle bond with her. They needed to move as one and anticipate each other as the angry beast now charged toward them.

It's front leg stabbed at Umai from above. If she did not move she was going to get hurt.

[member="Umai"]

 

[Valgærd]

A lylek.

Asher’s answer was quiet, but the word sent a shiver down my spine. It was a tremendous beast, impressive in its own right, even with those hideous tentacles. He commented on my cloak. I wanted to simply flick him a nod in answer, but a broad smile had laced itself over my lips as I did. It was a nice cloak.

The man’s gaze grew distant as he seemed to listen to the voice that had been guiding him thus far, guiding us. He nodded, accepting whatever the spirit had said to him. I glanced from him to the lylek, which seemed to have taken a moment to study us. Perhaps it was surprised that I had disappeared and reappeared, perhaps it felt threatened, and was assessing its options. Perhaps it was just watching.

My eyes snapped back to Asher as he spoke, giving me a new instruction.

Kill it.

“Go for the underbelly, got it.” I replied quietly with a nod.

I watched as he removed a long knife from his belt. It was a beautiful, translucent blade. I didn’t play with weapons very often, tending to rely on my magic during fights, or mostly, to avoid them. But I reached out and took the delicate-looking blade, hefting it as I felt the weight in my hands.

Asher told me to stay close, promising that I wouldn’t die. I obeyed, taking a step in close towards him.

The Lylek struck first.

It launched a tentacle out towards him. The man responded instantly, gracefully stepping in to intercept the assault. His elegant strikes removed both the creature’s tentacles. However, as it screeched in pain, rearing up and preparing to stab with its legs. In that moment I felt Asher pressing into my mind, placing himself in my head through our magic.

Through this bond, I knew he would know my movements right as I did. I was counting on this.

I dropped my right shoulder, lowering myself into a roll. Rearing up as it was, the creature exposed that vulnerable underbelly. If Asher truly was in my mind, he’d know the plan. Raise his weapon, keep it engaged. With a little luck it would be occupied enough with him that I could thrust my knife up from underneath and slice it open.

That is, of course, if everything went to plan.


[member="Asher Mossa"]

 

[Asher Mossa]

Asher grinned as Umai rolled. She had not pushed him away, but had let him into her mind. With one motion he engaged the giant buglike creature. How this thing represented stealth Asher would always wonder. The spirit and the predator stood for different things as far as Asher could tell. As the spear like leg lunged at Asher his lightsaber rose to meet it.

The beast stepped back with a screech. Asher had succeeded in making it angrier, and while Umai had wanted him to keep it distracted, he didn’t do a good job of that. The angrier the beast got the more wild it became. It saw Umai underneath it, ready to split it open. A leg kicked at her, trying to knock her out of the way. If the beast succeeded she would be sent flying toward the altar. The strength of the Lylek was not to be underestimated.

Asher uttered a curse as he charged the beast. He had to get it to expose its underbelly so they could kill the beast. The lightsaber was swung at the back leg of the beast. Asher had run under the beast hoping to make it lose its balance. Hoping the Lylek would have to compensate for the missing limb, Asher charged again. The entire point was to make it fall back and lie on its back. If they could get the bug on its back, they could kill it. Maybe.

Suddenly Asher’s mind was overtaken by a vision again. While bonded it was possible Umai would see it also, but it was of the moment she had dug up the cloak. Asher heard everything, he saw everything. How had she so willingly allowed the man William the Bloody make her his slave. She was a witch, and witches made men their slaves. Umai needed to find the strength to be free.

The next scene was of the dead bodies which were all due to the thing Asher called a curse. His wife, son, mentor, parents, villagers, everyone he had ever been close to all dead. This invaded his mind as he continued to battle the Lylek with Umai. She would see it through the bond again. He knew her secret about William, now she would know about his curse.

Asher charged the Lylek. It had become a symbol of strength and freedom for both of them. They had to kill it together. They had to be free ofthe things which enslaved them both. Lylek has chosen him despite his weaknesses, and he was choosing Umai as well, but first they had to escape with their lives.

”Umai this ends now. Get ready...” Asher said as he charged the beast again. Leaping high into the air he landed on the beast back. Stabbing his blade into the back of the beast neck, the Lylek roared as it tried to get on its back legs. Ashe leaped from the beast as it rolled on its back exposing the underbelly.

”NOW [member="Umai"], NOW!!!”

 

[Valgærd]

Asher had understood.

Whatever bond he’d made with me in our minds was working, he kept the lylek’s attention as I rolled to position myself beneath it. Its screech tore through the air, no doubt enraged that the little fleshy thing before it had robbed it of its tentacles. Asher’s lightsaber hummed as he kept its attention.

The beast’s leg jabbed towards me. It didn’t like how close I was to its vulnerable underbelly. I held up the knife in an attempt to block the leg.

Bad idea.

With a yelp, I was flung back, my back slamming into the nearby alter. Stunned, winded, and disoriented, I slumped to the ground as pain lanced through me. The creature was much stronger than I’d given it credit for. It took a few moments to regain myself and catch my breath as Asher charged at the creature, swinging at its legs, trying to get it onto its back.

Ignoring the pain, I pulled myself to my feet, preparing to jump back into the fray.

Suddenly, the lylek disappeared. Everything disappeared, the scene before me changing. It… this must be a vision, like the one Asher had had earlier. As I watched, I realised it was likely him having it again, the only reason I could see it because of our bond for the fight with the lylek.

I was standing once again in the grave, pulling my mother’s cloak up from a dead woman’s hands. Then I was giving it to William, making the decision that would likely colour the rest of my days. My cheeks burned with shame, I didn’t like that Asher could see that moment.

The scene suddenly changed. Bodies were strewn about, bodies of people I didn’t recognise, but my heart felt as if it had been ripped open as I saw them. They were people close to Asher. The lylek shrieked again, calling me back to the present. But that image was burned into my mind. It would likely always be.

The man once again lunged for the beast, calling for me to get ready. My hands gripped the blade, bringing it up to chest height. Asher leapt, landing on its back and stabbing into its neck. The creature roared, rearing back. The strike had the desired effect, as the creature lost its balance and toppled into its back. Asher’s desperate words echoed in my mind as my body responded.

Without thinking, I pounced, ignoring shriek and flailing limb. I had both hands wrapped around the blade, holding it out in front of me, I dove for the lylek’s exposed underbelly, driving the knife as deep into its flesh as I could.


[member="Asher Mossa"]

 

[Asher Mossa]

It would take Asher several moments before he realized [member="Umai"] had seen the vision of his past. He knew it was possible, but the moment of battle had him focused on his promise to keep the witch alive, and to do as Lylek had asked. The spirit wanted her, wanted to claim her, and was not going to be willing to share her with another. Asher knew things were about to come to a head. They would kill the Lylek certainly, but the real danger for Umai lay ahead of her. As the knife Asher had given her was plunged deep into the underbelly of the beast, Asher ran toward it to back her yup. It screeched in more pain than it had known before, and slashed at Asher before he could reach it.

A cut crossed itself on Asher's cheek. He could feel the blood dripping down the side of his jaw now.

Racing ahead with the new opening, Asher plunged his lightsaber into the beast and split it open. The smell was a rank defilement of the atmosphere, a thing no one should ever have to smell, but now they had. A sigh of relief escaped Asher's lips once the beast finally stopped twitching. The man reached for the woman.

"Follow me," he said as he reached for the blade and climbed off the beast. They needed it for what was about to happen next.

Asher led Umai to the altar where the flame burned eternally. There was spirit ichor there, and while the tome was not there in the moment, Lylek had told Asher there was another way. They climbed up the stone steps together to the center of the stone structure. This was not the first time Asher had been there, but the grimoire had been on display then. Tonight there was no crowd, it was simply Asher and Umai. Had Lylek wanted this all along, or was this simply because of how the girl had proven herself? The man reached out for the flame when they neared the sacred place. This had been were Asher was accepted and invited into something he never thought possible, a family of sorts.

He grabbed Umai's wrist and before she could protest he cut her. As he did a drop of blood from his wound mixed with hers. Asher squeezed the blood into the flame without realizing his had mixed in as well.

In an instant they were transported, as though it were an out of body experience, to the spirit realm where they stood face to face with the Spirit Lylek. Asher saw what Umai saw, and Umai saw what she did. It was though they were the same.

 

[Valgærd]

It all happened so fast, at first, I didn’t even know what had happened.

The stench hit me first. I stumbled back from the creature as Asher plunged his blade into its belly. The shriek came next, a horrible screeching as the beast roared its last. I raised a hand to cover my mouth, coughing into the crease of my elbow as the lylek shuddered and died. Panting, giddy, and with the blade still gripped in one hand, I glanced over to Asher. He had an open wound on his cheek, not a deep cut, but it looked painful. Dropping my hand from my mouth I extended my hand to his as he reached for me.

“Yes, Asher.” I replied quietly.

My eyes grew wide as they fell upon the alter ahead of us. A flame danced upon the stone, one that I sensed had been burning for ages, eternity perhaps even. But before I could take in much more, Asher demanded my attention. He grabbed my wrist, and before I could argue or even process what was going on, he slashed it. Only a shallow cut, a single drop of blood pooling on my pale skin. What surprised me most wasn’t that he’d done it, but the pang of excitement that raced through my veins as the sting bit into my wrist. I stared at it a moment, puzzled for a second.

However, before I could wonder what had happened or why a tingle of excitement had been my reaction, Asher squeezed the cut, causing a drop of blood to fall into the flame. I watched in shock as two drops fell into the hungry fire.

Before the moment even ended, the world around us changed. This was the spirit realm. A sharp gasp escaped my throat as I realised, before my gaze fell upon the spirit. Even though I hadn’t seen it before… I knew who it was.

Lylek.

I winced in shock, confronted by the spirit. All at once I felt the memories of William surging to the front of my mind. His control over me, my forced submission to him and then… the voluntary one. I shuddered, sensing that Asher was still near. My cheeks burned as I turned timidly to face Lylek. He didn’t speak straight away, the silence hanging over us for a few moments. So with a sigh, it was finally I who broke the silence,

“Are you… here for me?”

I asked, my voice trembling far more than I was comfortable with.


[member="Asher Mossa"]

 

[Asher Mossa]

"Indeed I am," came the voice of the spirit as he looked intently at the woman. He could see Asher, but did not address him. The man wasn't supposed to be there, but he had seen what happened. Perhaps he would use this to his advantage, or to help [member="Umai"], either way the spirit had not decided. First he had to deal with the matter of the woman's obsession with her past, and her willing submission to a cruel man that would treat her like she was nothing more than a slave.

The spirit reached a tendril that took the shape of a hand as it touched her forehead. In an instant every interaction with William became the scene around, as though it were a clock going back to her past to the one moment that made her want the cruel mastery the man had given her. Suddenly everything went dark, and the void of the spirit realm was all they could see once more.

"You let him treat you like a slave, and yet we do not stand for slavery. We have no place for it. Your entire life you have been fascinated with this need, a need that you should fulfill for yourself. Why are you not your own master? Why do you choose to put yourself under his thumb when you are a free woman, free to choose, free to make him to do as you please rather than force yourself to do as he commands?"

It was meant to be penetrating. Lylek wanted her to know herself in the same way he wanted Asher to understand his curse was not a thing to fear, or a thing that was permanent. Umain had a choice in the same way Asher did. Perhaps they were similar. The spirit manifested a calculating smile as he looked to Asher.

"Her fate is bound to yours, and yours to hers now. I want to see what the two of you make of this thing that has happened. Tell her Asher, who were the people she saw in that vision as you fought the Lylek. Tell her why you wear that ring around your neck. Be free... let go."

The man nodded. He was tired of wresting with the spirit. Looking to Umai he spoke softly.

"They are the faces of everyone I have ever called family. All of them dead, and I am the only survivor. I am always the only survivor. Even my wife and son were not spared. Death follows me wherever I go. Even though I promised I would not let you die, it is not something I can keep."

Asher sighed as he looked to the spirit. A single tear fell from his eye and ran down his cheek. The moment it hit the ground images of his wife and son, happy and alive, flooded the atmosphere in the same way Umai's past had. And in the same way her past had vanished, so did his.

"Embrace the spirit Umai. It is the only way forward."

 

[Valgærd]

Lylek’s words pierced the silence, its answer boring into me as its gaze did, studying me, scrutinizing me. I could feel Asher here with me, whether physically here or not I couldn’t tell, but I was thankful for the somewhat familiarity in this strange place. I swallowed, taking a moment to calm my racing heart, as suddenly the spirit reached for me.

I froze, wincing but holding my ground as a long tendril snaked towards me. I flinched as the hand touched my forehead. Suddenly, all around us, was my every interaction with William, my Master. Instantly, my stomach lurched, my cheeks burning with shame as dread shot through my core like a wave of ice. My eyes travelled from moment to moment, praying that the one in particular would not be—

There it was. Plastered up along with the rest, the moment William had taken the one thing I could give only once. I cringed, turning my face away from it, unable to look upon the memory, how readily I’d let it happen. I knew Asher could see it too, would he ever be able to look at me again, after seeing that?

Lylek’s words cut through my thoughts, temporarily dousing the burning shame as I turned back to face him. His words struck me… but perhaps… not in the way I had expected. Why? I know my strengths. My magic is strong, buy not infallible. William has answers, answers he won’t give up willingly or easily. He had… something else of mine, too. Putting that out of my mind, I considered the spirit’s questions. I wanted him to claim me, I wanted his power, just like I wanted what William had.

“I put myself where I can learn and watch, Lylek.” I answered quietly.

It turned from me to address Asher. He spoke, saying out fates were bound, instructing the man to tell me who the people were. I realised that the instruction wasn’t for my benefit, but his. We shared a battle-bond, I’d felt what he’d felt when he’d seen them. I knew. His words only confirmed what I’d felt; those people had been friends, family, everyone close to him.

The man’s next words seemed to penetrate my core. Embrace the spirit.

I closed my eyes, letting my breath leave me in a long sigh. My arms relaxed, my body no longer fighting against it. I shoved everything else out of my mind, forcing it to be empty. No William, No Asher, just me and Lylek.

“Your will, Lylek.”



[member="Asher Mossa"]