Hello!!

I'm happy today! Happy dance;)

Why, you ask? Because God didn't zap me from the face of the planet yesterday. Which I think is decent reason for happiness, joy, and general smilingness! But, I'm not here to talk religion.

Anywho and whatnot

Welcome to Part 21 to begin the 3rd decade my spontaneous story series for November. Here are the rules:

• Write as much as possible every day
• Post everything I write on this blog
• Somehow finish November with a 50k word story

Progress

For those counting, we're in the area of 30k words with 11 days left. Let's do this thing!
P.S. Drop me a comment and I'll love you forever.

Enjoy

----------------------------------Part 21: Death on the Verge...-------------------------------

Her breathing quickened in anticipation at the footsteps came nearer, nearer. She turned and grabbed the attack by the shoulder with one hand and shoved her knife at their stomach with the other. A hand snapped out like lightning and caught her wrist before the knife reached the man. Luci took the hand off of the person’s shoulder to clock them in the eardrum, but the attacker caught that hand instinctively before it hit. She was stuck. They had both of her hands tight. But looking at the attacker she was shocked.

“Salvador.” Her accented voice danced over the word. The attacker wasn’t actually an attacker, but was in fact the very person she had come to rescue. He smiled and released her wrists, bowing slightly, but the motion sent him reeling toward the wall, disoriented. Luci was too shocked to be stunned and responded immediately, grabbing his shoulder to keep Salvador from careening into the brick wall. She helped him to a seated position on the ground, against the wall.

The cold brick in the shadowy alley way was hard and jagged against Salvador’s bruised and stiff back. He had no rest and no comfort all night. Then after the incident in the control room for the doors to the city, he was taken and tortured. The guard may have been oafs and half-wits, but they could throw a punch and they knew much about pain. He winced as he felt the whip again and again. The scars on his arms and back, seen through his ripped and ragged shirt told the tale of it all.

But he smiled through the pain. Never once did he utter a word. Many scream of pain, many cries of unearthly aguish as pins pierced his eyes and rakes scraped his flesh; so much that his voice was shot. His vocal chords had been stripped and he could speak a word. His eyes were bleeding and streamed with constant tears. He’d been broken.

Luci could hardly bear to see the pitiful state of the man she loved, but he was alive. Batter and battle scared, but alive nonetheless. They would make it out of this. Salvador was so very tired, he could hardly stay awake. But knowing Luci was there to watch out for him was all his body needed to shut off. He feel madly and deeply into a comma.

Looking down at him now, Luci had so many questions, not the least of which was how on earth he had escaped. But Salvador was in no condition to answer them, he was unresponsive altogether. She had to get him out of the city. Unfortunately, that part of the plan required Raeas and Jonas. She looked up at the sun. It was almost noon. Where were they?

—————————————————————————

“Alright. It’s almost noon.” Jonas said pacing. He had been furtively pacing a ditch into the soft ground worrying while waiting for Raeas to wake up. Raeas wasn’t the kind of man you interrupted from his rest, unless you wished year head to be deflated. And Jonas wasn’t exactly a very frightening picture of a man. But, at some point he had to say something. At roughly half past 11, now was that time.

Raeas groaned and rolled over. Well-, as much as he could roll over while leaning against a tree. More for show than for practicality. He actually hadn’t been sleeping hardly at all. Secretly, he was as worried as Jonas, but reputation was everything. Besides, it calmed his nerves to watch Jonas freaking out.

“Okay, that is it!” Jonas could not wait any longer, the worry was driving him batty. “I’m going to find Luci and help rescue my friend. If you’re coming with me, try not to fall behind.” It was about as harsh as he could get. Mad as he was, he was also terrified of the much larger man. Jonas ripped open the sack on the ground and took out twin daggers which he jabbed into his belt, then grabbed out a simple, black tunic and pulled it over all.

Without another word Jonas began to walk toward the road to the city, in similar fashion to Luci earlier that morning. Raeas grunted and pushed himself off the ground.

“I’m up. Is that what you want? Well, you got it. I’m up.” Raeas bolstered, feigning anger. Jonas turned and walked back the short distance to Raeas. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he smiled at the large man.

“You’re not a bad potato at all, friend.” Jonas shook his head. “There I was thinking you were just muscle and meathead.” Raeas raised a brow, staring at the smaller fellow. “But, as it turns out, you’re all heart.” He beamed as Raeas brushed Jonas’ hand off shoulder and fetched himself a weapon and disguise from the sack.

“Don’t let it go to your head, mate. I’m just helpin’ you save the hide of my purse liner. Dor Man pays the taxes, alright.” Raeas said, covering his tracks with the standby of brutish indifference and a gruff, accentuated southern drawl.

Jonas was enjoying this. “You’re like a big cuddly toy. Like a fluffy pet, really.” Steam began to pour from Raeas ears. “Not a tough, hairy, ugly giant. But a kind-hearted, decent ol’ fella. Like Grandfather.” Joans tried not to laugh at his own jokes, but was having way too much fun at his friend’s expense.

Raeas flexed and spikes shot out form his shoulders and down his spine, ripping through the thin shirt he wore. His face turned completely red and morphed into something hideous and foul. Jonas wasn’t paying attention to Raeas as he was entirely absorbed in his little joke.

“Pity I hadn’t known this before. What, with you being such a sentimentalist sap, I could’ve had you carry my pack, or fill my water jug like the humble servant you are.” He turned to see the loom on Raeas’ face, imagining a priceless expression of embarrassment and hate. He smiled at the thought of it. But the smile melted from his face as he turned to see the towering hulk of a monster. Raeas had transformed into demon form. His skin turned in a thick red hide, muscles rippling, nostrils flaring fire spurts as steam billowed from his ears. The beast form was twice the size and monstrosity of Raeas and 10 times as ferocious. Spikes studded his arms from shoulder to wrist. His fingers were talons, sharp and deadly. Ready to gut him in a second and leave his innards for the forest creatures to devour.

The words in Jonas throat caught. Suddenly it was no laughing matter. Raeas was a Grae, the demon-possessed being which took on netherfroms and destroyed their pray by consuming them with fire. The Grae were feared by all, yet few had ever seen one. Some doubted their existence. But staring up into the furious face of one left little room for doubt. They both knew what happened next. The demon Grae bellowed a roar to the sky and plunged his talons though Jonas’ torso. Jonas cried in pain, as the Grae transferred its demon’s into Jonas, creating another Grae.

Jonas dropped his head to his chest; it hung limp. For a moment they both thought he had died. But then his face lifted with eyes red and terrible. They shone with a demonic light. Raeas Grae withdrew his talons and Jonas skin took on a red color and became enflamed. He was possessed.

The Grae cackled and wretched laugh to the sky. He had taken another. The Grae fed off hosts and the demonic powers, rage, anger, fury, fulled them. When the power was transferred, it would either kill or create a new host: another Grae.

“There is only death.” Raeas said in a voice that was not his own, it was as many voices speaking as one. Guttural and awful to the ears, it rang through the forest. Jonas, with empty eyes began chanting the phrase over and over with Raeas. The forest was filled with the foul noise of scores of demonic voices which echoed their evil phrase over every living beast. Snake coiled, hoppers headed for their holes, owls and foul flew to safety above the forest canopy, the larger beasts ran wild to escape the haunting sounds.

The moment passed and the two Grae looked at each other, bound by a single demonic master. Jonas looked down at his torso and saw great, round scars, but no open wounds. He had been stabbed, but not injured… Whatever evil was here in there woods it was now inside him. He was a slave to the Grae. Perhaps Salvador was not the only one who would die this day.

-------------------to be continued--------->

Goal

First off, thanks ever so much for reading. You're boss. Second, I just wanted to throw this out there: everything I make from these posts, however insignificant, is helping me go on a mission trip to Brazil next year. So, there's more reason to upvote. Seriously, leave me a comment and give me some feedback!

Stay classy.

Follow me: @EJAREDALLEN
Oh, and here's all the other episode links so far! It's not gonna get any shorter, so you better start reading them now!
Part 1- It Begins...
Part 2- It Continues...
Part 3- Through the streets...
Part 4- The secret of the marsh...
Part 5- The Eagle lands...
Part 6- He is coming...
Part 7- Creatures in the mist...
Part 8- The Elis and the hart...
Part 9- The monster within...
Part 10- Into the City...
Part 11- The King and the Fool...
Part 12- Escape...
Part 13- Trapped...
Part 14- The Truth...
Part 15- Found...
Part 16- Secrets Told in Silence...
Part 17- A Plot to Kill the King...
Part 18- Race to the Woods...
Part 19- Choices...
Part 20- A Desperate Attempt...