Seven Sorcerers(120)
Ianthe peered into his face. She was half woman and half Panther now. Gammir’s red wolf-eyes loomed next to hers, which were sharp as black diamonds.
“Now I will drink your essence,” Ianthe said, panting. “Not through your salt, but through your blood. The poison of Iardu will not harm me. I will take your place at the head of these New Seraphim. They will follow me again as they followed me in this rebellion. I will take these ships and burn this land to ash like the Serpents of old. Then I will rear a throne of white bones in Khyrei and rule a kingdom of the dead from its seat.” Her talons dug deeper into Sungui’s bleeding flesh. “And when I am done I will come for your Living Empire and tear it to shreds. The dreams of Zyung and Iardu will both die, and only my dream will endure. The dream of Blood and Fire and Suffering. The oldest dream of all.”
Ianthe’s mouth opened wide, and her fangs sank into Sungui’s neck. There was little pain, but a great sense of violation. Ianthe sucked greedily upon the open wound she had made, pulling the first glimmers of Sungui’s life out in a gush of scarlet fluid. It dribbled from her mouth along her chin and breasts, spotting the golden wood of the deck.
Gammir’s fangs sank into Sungui’s paralyzed wrist. Now two ragged holes poured out Sungui’s lifeblood and soul-essence together. Panther and Wolf suckled at the torn flesh.
Where are my cousins? Where is Eshad, Myrinhama, even Durangshara? Why do they not rush to save me from these leeches? Where are Captain Ajithi and his soldiers? How can these beasts slay me here in the plain sight of the surrounding armada?
Then the truth of it came to Sungui. Ianthe’s magic was hiding her red feast from all those around them, as she had hidden her treachery from Zyung. Nobody on the deck of the Daystar saw this feeding, this act of heinous blood magic, nor did anyone else among the legions or the New Seraphim. Ianthe’s spell had redirected their eyes and their minds.
How much blood do I have? How much longer until they have swallowed it all?
A sensation of horrid pleasure twisted Sungui’s body. He thrashed and moaned, but none would hear it. Now, when he finally saw the beauty of life unfolding into a bright future, Sungui wanted to live more than ever. He had hungered for chaos and glory and bloodletting. Yet now he hungered for life itself, and the chance to make it better. To fulfill the promise of Zyung’s imperfect dream by investing it with Iardu’s kindness.
Stars dimmed in the upper darkness.
Ianthe drank. Gammir drank.
Sungui withered.
Thunder rocked the decks. The dreadnought trembled in the air. A burst of white light and flames filled Sungui’s vision. Two shapes hurtled from the light, colliding with the blood drinkers and tearing them away.
Ianthe screeched while Gammir howled. Their bodies slammed into the forward mast, which rocked the ship again. Four figures, intertwined, fell to the middle deck while soldiers and crewmen rushed away from them. The Panther’s spell was broken. Sungui lurched to his feet, still bleeding from neck and wrist. On the scorched deck below the forecastle Vireon grasped Gammir the Wolf by his thick neck. His blonde Queen held the White Panther in a similar deathgrip, white flames dripping from her eyes.
Alua of the Old Breed.
Sungui knew her name because Iardu had known it. The Panther and the Queen wrestled inside a ball of white flame, black claws raking pale skin, bloody fangs gnashing at Alua’s face.
Sungui’s limbs were numb. He could do little else but watch the conflict.
“Unclean beast!” Alua screamed wrath and flame across the Panther’s roaring snout. “Malignant devil! Deceiver! Slayer of Children! Today you pay for your crimes!” Alua’s hands tore at the Panther’s snowy pelt, ripping red chunks of flesh from the bone. They burned to ash as she tossed them across the deck.
Vireon said nothing as he wrestled with the Black Wolf. His teeth were gritted, his mighty arms clasped tight about the brute’s neck. Gammir was caught fast in the trap of the Giant-King’s strength. The Wolf sprouted leathery wings like those of a Trill, flapping desperately. Yet Vireon’s weight kept him pinned to the deck. His lupine claws tore at Vireon’s chest and legs but could not break the bronze skin.
The New Seraphim began to float across the railings from other ships, gathering about Sungui to watch the spectacle of white flames and dueling enemies. Durangshara raised his hand as if to cast a bolt of deathlight upon all four of them, but Sungui stopped him with a glance. Durangshara lowered the hand, and the Seraphim observed in silence.
The flames burned Ianthe’s flesh and charred the deck, but they did not ignite the Ethus wood. Even if they had, the Seraphim could have stopped the burning with a few words. There was little danger to the ship itself, and Sungui understood the justice that had fallen upon Wolf and Panther. Vireon and Alua had suffered much at the hands of these two fiends. This was the moment where the wronged King and Queen would exact their well-deserved recompense.