Chapter 10

Moziak woke much later that night, during the silence before the grey sunlight broke the darkness. She lay still, peaceful and in a state of ignorant bliss. For the moment she had forgotten the events hours before, and could appreciate the calm comfort of the bed, clean clothes, and unhurried quiet. The girlcrow rarely had time to enjoy rest without worry, and the warm folds of the sheet kept her from wanting to get up.

Nevertheless, something was nagging her, right at the back of her mind. Something important, and she felt reluctantly compelled to leave the bed. However, as soon as she tried to move her legs, the forgotten events came rushing back into her thoughts. Her legs were incredibly sore and tired, as if she had spent the entire previous day running, but that wasn’t the case and now she knew. Moziak hissed through her teeth, slowly lowering her legs back down to the bed.

What had happened before? Although it was gone, she could feel the presence lingering across her skin, staining her inside and out. It had been agony, as if there had been some other creature struggling to fully possess her, but why?

As she struggled to regain her breath, she felt something heavy weighing down on her chest. It was harder to draw in air with the cold metal object resting uncomfortably over her lungs. She remembered the passage charm Clem had given her, and realised Pasko had left it with her. However, the girlcrow could not see the use of it, as she was in no shape to go anywhere. Clem would have to wait.

Moziak’s brow furrowed in thought, the peace from moments before destroyed. She felt the need to do something, to talk to someone. The room was empty but for herself as she had just seen, but Pasko mattered little to her then. Her first instinct was to run to Risa and apologise for everything. She needed the old woman’s comfort, and felt lost without her one and only friend to turn to.

Bitterly, the girlcrow reminded herself of what she had done. There was no reason why Risa would want to see Moziak ever again. After the old halfbeast had willingly taken Moziak in and cared for her, she actually struck Risa with magick. When Risa had the young, unhealthy girlcrow’s best interests at heart, when Risa had tried to offer her advice, she attacked her. The girlcrow felt a great, gaping hole in her stomach. As independent as she was, Moziak still relied on the safety and companionship Risa provided. It didn’t feel right to suddenly be without her dear friend.

Moziak turned her thoughts to other, less painful matters and found the first thing on her mind was, unsurprisingly, the magick presence. However, without any answers it only raised more questions. Her memory of the torturous ordeal was blurred by her memory of the horrible pain, and the more she thought about it, the less she realised she knew. The only sensible conclusion she could make of the nightmare was that Pasko had washed off the blood while she was sleeping. Besides that, she could think of nothing that might help provide answers.

Frustrated and weary, the girlcrow closed her eyes and wished for sleep. While she slumbered she wasn’t burdened by questions or the necessities of her life, and at that time she was in need of unconsciousness. She had seen and felt too many strange new things that had left a profound effect on her existence in only a few days, and Moziak was tired. It had been better before, when life was simpler and didn’t ask so much of her.

After some time sleep continued to elude, so Moziak attempted to move again. She lifted a violently shaking hand, stiff with concentration before the ache became too great and she let her hand fall back onto the bed. She hated the feeling of helplessness, but there was nothing she could do but rest and heal.

Suddenly the light sound of quick footsteps outside was brought to her attention. Moziak tensed, preparing her body to jump up quickly if need be despite the pain. She was saved the trouble however, when the daemon spoke.

“Little girlcrow?” Shal damefox hissed, creeping into the room as her cloak rustled against the floor.

“I’m awake,” Moziak whispered hoarsely, not realising until then how much her throat burned.

Shal stepped next to the bed so the weak girlcrow could see her better. The damefox’s face was half hidden by a dirty brown hood, her tiny hand appearing from beneath the long robe to rest on Moziak. She looked worried, glancing back over her shoulder before speaking, “Little girlcrow, you have to get out of here now.”

Moziak’s brow furrowed in bewilderment as she croaked, “What?”

“Pasko went to the Lady,” Shal said quietly, “Guards are on their way as we speak.”

The already pale girlcrow lost all traces of colour.

“You have to get out of here,” the damefox repeated, “I don’t know what’s going on but I do know it’s not good. You have to leave.”

“She’ll kill me,” Moziak breathed, eyes wide with fear, not listening to the damefox.

“Moziak girlcrow, we have no time for this,” Shal said sharply, eyes burning, “You have to leave now.”

The damefox seized the younger halfbeast’s arm and pulled her up roughly. Moziak yelped at the movement and would’ve fallen to her knees had Shal not been supporting her. Making an effort to remain silent, the girlcrow grabbed onto Shal and pulled herself up. Tears leaked out of her eyes as her muscles screamed in protest, but she didn’t make a sound. Together the two halfbeasts stumbled out of Pasko’s small home and onto the muddy grey streets, the rain beating down on them relentlessly.

Moziak relied heavily on Shal to keep upright as the damefox made her way swiftly through the narrow alleys, keeping to the shadows on the wider lanes. She was close to breaking down from the burning sensation in her muscles, but refused to give up. The damefox was risking her own life to help her, something very few daemons would do for another. Moziak would not disrespect that.

Although Shal was shorter than the girlcrow, she was strong and fast. They continued through the winding streets, the damefox keeping a tight hold on Moziak as she stumbled over her feet. Mud splattered the hem of the cloak as they hurried along, and the younger halfbeast kept her eyes from wandering to the daemons watching from the shadows. She tried to concentrate on what lay ahead of her, to help ignore the searing pain, but it wasn’t much use. The only thing keeping her going was a deep-rooted fear of the Lady’s punishment.

Behind the two was the growing sound of a group’s footsteps. Shal quickened her pace, half dragging her friend by then as she cast a fleeting look back. Suddenly she cut across the street to a hidden alley and pulled Moziak behind her roughly. The weak girlcrow cried out, but a hand covering her mouth muffled the sound.

The red haired damefox crouched, pulling Moziak down with her. They were silent; legs tensed and hearts pounding frantically. Several minutes went by before a shadow passed them on the street.

Both halfbeasts froze, eyes wide as three more guards passed. They were of fine quality, from the jet-black hair to the hard leather armour. Hands rested on hilts, ready to draw at a moments notice. It was no surprise that the warriors of the Lady would be highly skilled and dangerous. Had the rain not washed away the halfbeasts footprints, Shal and Moziak would have already been seized.

Pasko came into view, following the guards uncertainly, unsure and anxious to find the seemingly possessed girlcrow. If she were not found, he would most likely be punished. On the other hand, her capture would mean an improved reputation.

Moziak’s seething contempt returned when she saw him, any shred of sympathy she had felt for him gone. She clenched her fists, obsidian eyes glaring from the darkness. Shal prepared herself to run when he looked over to their hiding place, curious as if he had felt something over there. He saw nothing, and continued after the guards. Shal relaxed and turned to Moziak.

“Do you have a way out of Domain?” she asked in hushed tones. Moziak nodded, and the damefox left it there. The less she knew, the safer they both were.

“You’re on your own now Moziak,” Shal said quietly, “If we stay together it’ll draw too much attention and they’ll find us quickly. I’ll distract them, and lead them another way.”

“Shal,” Moziak started to protest when the pretty damefox silenced her.

“Don’t argue with me, this is the only way,” she whispered firmly, pulling off the cloak, “Take this and keep to the shadows. You can’t come back here until you know what it is inside you, and you know what you can do about it.”

The full realisation of what was happening hit Moziak hard. She felt her eyes sting, tears threatening to fall. Although the girlcrow was independent and capable of surviving on her own, the idea of leaving Domain never occurred to her. It was her only home, for she knew of nowhere else she could live. All her life she had been part of the great daemon city, and the burden of leaving frightened her. She was, despite her many years of hardship, still a child.

“Moziak,” the damefox’s soft voice interrupted her moment of fear, “You’re strong. You can survive this. Not many halfbeasts your age could endure what you have in the past few days. I know you can endure this.”

The girlcrow swallowed hard and slipped the cloak on over her shoulders. She looked up at Shal, took a deep breath and said, “Thank you.”

Shal damefox nodded and stood up, shaking her hair out. She paused before walking out, leaving Moziak once and for all.

It took a moment before Pasko saw the proud beast keeper. Moziak listened intently as he barked, “Damefox, have you seen Moziak girlcrow today?”

Shal looked genuinely surprised, but took it good-naturedly. “Fangthing? Why are you concerned about a girlcrow’s whereabouts?”

“The Lady wants to speak to her,” Pasko said coldly.

“Why? Wouldn’t she just send a messenger?” the damefox cocked her head.

“The girlcrow is in danger, the Lady means to make sure she is safe,” Pasko lied through his teeth, “Have you seen her?”

“Why yes, she passed me just a moment ago,” Shal said, feigning confusion and worry, “What’s going on? How is she in danger?”

“Where did she go?” Pasko asked, his voice full of undeserved authority.

“Down that road,” Shal pointed to one opposite from Moziak, “How is she in danger?”

Pasko and the guards ignored her question as they hastily started down the muddy road Shal had indicated. The damefox followed them, meaning to make sure they went the wrong way.

Knowing it was her only chance, Moziak took a deep breath and hardened her heart. Leaning against the alley wall, she pushed herself off the ground and stood on wobbly feet for a moment. Although her legs still burned, the running had loosened up the stiff muscles, and she was able to walk. The girlcrow left the alley on the other side, recognised the area and set off on the quickest route to the outskirts.

Without Shal to support her, Moziak found herself struggling to stay upright. She tripped over her own feet several times, almost falling face first in the mud. It was harder to stay at a hurried pace too, and the weak girlcrow had to be consciously attentive of her speed. However, she remembered the Lady, her delicate white hands dripping with blood, and she found the strength to keep going.

By the time she saw the grey trees, Moziak found it difficult to draw breath. Her neck ached from the weight of the passage charm, her chest sore from it banging against her ribs as she walked. She quickened her pace nonetheless, aware that she wasn’t safe until she was out of Domain.

She reached the spindly trees with a sigh of relief, taking out the passage charm with shaking hands. Moziak sent a weak pulse of magick into it, and found it unresponsive. The part of Domain she was in had less connection to the Travel storm than others. As she would need a stronger pulse of magick there, the girlcrow ventured further into the forest. She tried again a little way away from the first spot, and the charm glimmered faintly with magick, but did not activate. Moziak was about to take a step when a shout sent her blood running cold.

The girlcrow turned quickly to see Pasko and the four guards on the street and running towards her. She froze in wide-eyed fear for a split second, and then bolted despite whatever pain she felt. She could feel her heart thundering in her chest and blood rushing in her ears. The men behind her were catching up fast, losing no speed as they sidestepped trees and fallen branches. Desperately Moziak sent a pulse into the charm, but it wasn’t enough. It was close though, giving the girlcrow an extra burst of adrenalin. She brushed her tangled hair off her face, not seeing a branch concealed partly by fallen leaves. Moziak tripped and went flying, crashing painfully on her back a little way ahead. The guards reached her in that moment, and she closed her eyes and threw everything she had into the charm.

Everything suddenly became silent, and Moziak opened her eyes to darkness. Then the loud and violent magick of the Travel storm erupted all around her, and the darkness gave way to grey blue clouds. Moziak quickly shut her eyes again, and readied herself for the onslaught of the lightning.

It seemed worse than any time before, each strike magnifying the ache already present throughout her body. She screamed in her throat, keeping her mouth firmly closed. The unnatural assault was cut mercifully short, and Moziak was pushed out of the storm. She landed on leaf littered ground and fell forward, weaker than before.

The Otherworld was silent and peaceful, thick mist allowing her to see only a few feet. She drew her legs to her chest and lay still to catch her breath, but the longer she remained there, the more she didn’t want to leave.

Her eyes stung as she realised the full weight of what had happened, and Moziak started to cry. For the first time in her life she was alone. Never she had been so vulnerable and small. Even if she hadn’t returned to Domain for days, or even weeks, she had always known she could go back. There were daemons there she knew, and Risa would always welcome her. Although her future had looked grim and monotonous, it was certain. Alone in an unknown forest, she had no idea where she would go, or what she would do. She couldn’t turn to anyone she knew for help, nor would her life be anything like it was before. Moziak wasn’t used to things changing, for Domain had remained the same even after thousands of seasons. Now everything had changed, and it scared her.

Moziak paid no attention to her surroundings as she sobbed quietly, curling up tighter. She didn’t want to face her uncertain future anymore; she wanted her old life back. The girlcrow shivered from the cold, and after some time her tears finally began to subside. She sniffed and gingerly sat up; her body still alarmingly sore, and suddenly felt watched. The defensive young girl glanced around and saw a black shadow launch itself from a tree branch.

She drew back when the crow changed into a man as it landed. Clem stood before her, his expression bored. His attire was similar to the day before, although it was cleaner and his attitude seemed less likely to vary drastically.

“So you’ve finally stopped crying,” the lordcrow stated with a sneer, his dark eyes looking down at her small form.

Moziak clenched her fists and stood up. Even if she was alone, she didn’t want to be anywhere near him. She hadn’t forgotten his arrogance from their first meeting. “Are we going to perform the blood ceremony or not?”

“Perhaps, but it requires a calm mind and you seem somewhat…emotional,” Clem said, his voice still impassive and superior, but not venomous.

“It is none of your concern,” she replied coolly, mustering as much maturity as her eleven-year-old body could show.

Clem said nothing as he continued to watch her, eyes full of a strange mix of disdain and curiosity. The taller halfbeast folded his arms eventually, and spoke again, “Why are you so much weaker than before?”

It took Moziak a moment to realise that he had sent a thread of magick to probe her, most likely to see if she was going to be a threat. What surprised her was that she hadn’t even felt it.

“It may be from something you know about, but I’d rather not discuss it until I know I can trust you,” Moziak said evenly, holding her head high.

The lordcrow cocked his head put a finger to the side of his neck. “You’re branded.”

Moziak self-consciously put a hand up to cover the little red scar, “Yes, all halfbeasts protected by an allbeing have them. You didn’t know that?”

He looked interested, but gave no follow up questions. The girlcrow’s brow furrowed in suspicion at his strange demeanour. It was as if he was avoiding the topic of the blood ceremony.

“You don’t know what to do in a blood ceremony, do you?” she said accusingly, aggravated for the waste of time.

Clem’s mouth curved into a wry smile, “Quite the opposite. Though I am taking a few…extra precautions.”

His eyes flicked to something behind Moziak, and suddenly two pairs of strong hands grabbed hold of both the girlcrow’s arms. She cried out, struggling franticly against her captors as their grip tightened. It was useless however, as she was drained from her inexplicable ordeal and escape of Domain.

“You lied to me!” she shouted to the lordcrow’s calm face.

“No, I just didn’t tell you everything,” he said mildly, “The blood ceremony will be carried out, but it isn’t the right time yet. Until then, you will be staying in our encampment as a prisoner. After all, you know far too much to be left wandering around.”

Moziak snarled in frustration, attempting to scratch at the two holding her, only to have her hands tied quickly and securely behind her back. She tried to summon the power to shift to her crow counterpart; there simply wasn’t enough magick in her veins left. If she used what little was still there, the effort would most likely kill her. She had been caught completely defenceless, but there was still the faintest ray of hope.

“Let us return,” Clem ordered and began to walk away.

It was fear that drove Moziak to consider the unthinkable opportunity. She knew she would regret it later, but at that moment she was terrified of what the freeDaemons would do to her because of her knowledge. Right then, it was her only chance.

Moziak took a deep breath and opened the connection created to join an allbeing to their daemons. The imposing aura of the Lady filled her being as she yelled, “I ask the great Lady to lend me strength in my time of need, great Lady heed my cry!”

With the link between the Lady and the daemons of Domain, it not only gave her control, but also offered a last resort in threatening situations. Should a daemon be near death, or in a losing battle, they could call upon the Lady to give them power to overcome the danger. Still, the Lady could choose whether or not she would help the daemon, but Moziak had no other options.

The Lady’s presence did nothing for a second, but then became hostile. Shocked, Moziak felt her close the link, and block the girlcrow from unlocking it again.

“No!” she cried, despair crushing her, “Lady!”

She felt a cool hand on her back, and was too stunned to fight off the magick that entered her mind and laid darkness over her eyes.

darkness-is-shiny: Well the next chapter might give you a better idea of what might be going on. I have left some clues earlier on as to what's happening, if you can be bothered to re-read everything. All will be revealed in time (I know, not very satisfying but it's the best I can do :P). Thanks for continuing to read and support this story, it really does mean a lot to me.