Chapter 14: Chapter 13: The Damned

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Audra

           “Cut the rope. That’s all I have to do.” Audra thought to herself. She stood alone at the lake, a taught length of rope went from one pole to another. Cabana had tasked her with cutting the rope with a blade of water, which was much harder said than done. The Cat Variant sat on the bench watching her student try with all her might but when magic hit the rope it simply made it wet.

           Cabana may have been a good teacher, when it came to close combat, but when it came to magic she was at a loss for words. She didn’t know how to explain how to use magic to the young dragon. Another splash hit the rope, simply drenching it more.
           “Keep it up, soon you’ll have the rope unbound enough that another splash will make it fall apart.” Audra didn’t find Cabana’s words of encouragement very helpful, if anything it just pissed her off.

           Audra panted as she began to pull water out of the lake, she was getting tired, very tired. This time the water didn’t even make it to the rope before it fell apart. Audra’s legs became wobbly, the world spun around her as she fell to her knees. Breathing slowly she decided to lay on her back in the wet grass.
           “I’m...going to take...a break.” She said through heavy breaths.

           When Audra opened her eyes she found herself laying in a body of water. Sitting up she looked around her, no longer feeling the effects of magic exhaustion. She was in a lake, a deep and heavy mist surrounded the borders. The only thing that was noticeable was a tree, barren of its fruit, standing proudly on a small mound of dirt. She stood up and noticed the water was strange, not only did it seem to be deeper than sunlight could shine, yet was only an inch or two deep, it gave a perfect reflection of herself, like a liquid mirror. But her reflection didn’t match her pose, instead it gave a cold stare before vanishing from small ripples in the water.
           “It’s nice to finally meet you.” Audra looked up at the tree to see her reflection sitting on the mound of dirt, her feet in the water. Audra’s reflection may be gone from the lake, but the girl that sat on the mound of dirt had one of her own, her reflection had long bright orange hair, and her eyes were that of the sunset reflecting off of the clouds before it fell beyond the horizon.
           “Who...what are you?” Audra asked.
“Your magic is way too weak as it is, you need much more practice. Put it through a tube, tighten it as it travels the tube, manipulate it and when you’re done with it, cut the contact.” Audra’s eyes met her own. The girl that copied Audra’s appearance lifted two of her fingers, water from the lake following her orders. She then threw an invisible object towards Audra, the water flew right by her cheek, leaving a small burning sensation on her right cheek. She watched as her reflection’s eye twitched as a small cut formed on her cheek.

           Audra opened her eyes, her heart raced in her chest, feeling as if it might burst. Her right cheek felt irritated. She looked around her, Cabana had perked up with a bit of interest, her interest then changed to concern as she quickly made her way towards her.
           “You okay over there?” Cabana asked.
           “Like a tube...tighten it at the end.” Audra said to herself. She shook herself from her thoughts, “Y-yeah I’m fine.” Audra claimed, picking up a small amount of water. She walked closer to the rope, and began to picture the water itself in a tube, tightening it as it got closer and closer to the end of the tube farther away from her. She glanced at the water and noticed a large difference. It slowly, but surely began to change shape, the shapeless mass began to sculpt itself, contouring into the shape of an edge. It was a lot of effort to maintain, but she held her ground against the drain of her magic. Knowing she didn’t have long before the strings she pulled would snap she threw the water at the rope. The rope was finally cut, crudely with a lot of loose strands hanging from both sides, but it had been cut nonetheless.

           Audra panted and wiped the sweat from her face, pulling her hand back she found blood smeared on her palm. Confused, she put her hand up to her cheek and pulled it back to find more blood. Cabana had long noticed the cut and had already made her way over to her.
           “You know what happened to you right?” She asked.
           “When I passed out I got cut by my reflection. I’m assuming it was the Ascender you told me about.” Audra claimed.
“Well at least yours is kind. I’ve seen people wake up with their arm cut off on first contact. Come on, we need to get that cleaned to avoid infection.” Cabana said, dragging her by her arm to Cabana’s home.
“We’re not going to tell Vasuki about this right? He’ll freak out.” Audra stated.
“If things keep going the way they are we won’t have a choice.” Cabana replied, still practically dragging the dragon girl.

           Audra winced as Cabana applied a mixture of herbs onto the wound, it burned but it was better than an untimely death.
           “It burns because it’s working.” Cabana claimed as she dabbed at the cut a little more. “It won’t require stitching. Wanna tell me any details?” She asked. Audra nodded.
           “There was this lake, it was covered in mist. There was a tree-”
“No, not that part, I mean your Ascender, your Dreamer. Tell me what they were like. I might be able to tell you who it is, and we might be able to pinpoint how to meet them on equal grounds in a fight.” Cabana pointed out.
“Okay. Let me think, the details of her are really foggy.” Audra said, thinking for a moment, “She took on my reflection but her reflection was that of a young woman, she had orange hair and beautiful bright orange eyes. I don’t know anything else by memory...any ideas who it is?” Cabana looked confused.
“I’ll be honest, I have no idea who it is. But they clearly know what they’re doing, this cut is thin and shallow. If they wanted to they could have hurt you way more than this.”
“I barely realized they did it in the first place.” Audra stated.

           As Cabana was placing the bandage on her cheek, Audra picked up a smell. A very familiar smell, but it had been a while since she had experienced it. She sniffed the air more. She couldn’t name the smell but she knew it was otherworldly, that much she was sure of. Just as quickly as it came, it was suddenly gone as if it had just vanished to thin air.

           “Did you smell that?” She asked the cat. Cabana tilted her head.
           “What did you smell?”
“I have no idea, it was so bizarre.” There was a knock on the door. Cabana’s hair stood up.
“I didn’t hear them coming.” Cabana’s pupils grew large and she looked as though she was ready to pounce. Another knock. “Only one person has ever gotten past me without making a sound I didn’t catch.” She slowly began to approach the door, as quiet as, well, a cat. Faster than Audra could see she swung the door open and pounced on the person knocking.

           Audra ran to the door to see her on top of a man with a familiar green scarf. A twisted and rancid smelling dagger in her hand.

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           “What the fuck are you doing here, Felix!” Audra had never heard Cabana shout with such anger, such rage, such hatred. Chills went up and down Audra’s body. Felix kicked Cabana in the chest, rolled backwards and stood up. He reached behind him and suddenly his arms were covered in a pair of dark metallic gauntlets.
           “The Storm is coming, Cabana, we need every man and woman that can fight it back. You know this just as well as I do.”
“You and I both know the prophecy of it. Bringing more attention to it will only make it harder to fight back in the first place! Now tell me, what the fuck do you want!?”
“I want Audra, she’s young, and will be able to ascend.”
“What, you gonna force her Ascension out too? Make more monsters to fight your own problems so you can hide away in your luxurious castle?!” Felix readied his fists. “Audra go in my room, get the black camping bag, bring it to Vasuki he’ll know what to do!” Cabana ordered.
“You can’t stop destiny, Cabana.” Felix said.
“No but I can make her wish she didn’t pick a fight with me.”

           Audra quickly ran into Cabana’s room and began to look for the bag, it was nowhere in sight. There was a dresser, a bed and clean walls. She turned to look at the wall next to the door, and mentally slapped herself as it hung right next to the open door. She grabbed it and heaved it off of the hook it hung on, how it hadn’t broken a long time ago was unknown to her. The bag was at least 30 pounds. She slung it on her back, grunting as it came to rest over her shoulders.

           Quickly making her way out of the cabin Audra began running towards town when she felt something grab the hand hold on top of the bag forcing her to stop mid stride.
           “You’re not going anywhere.” Felix claimed, a long bloody gash decorated his jaw line.
           “I thought you were one of the good guys.” Audra stated.
“Who said I wasn’t?” Felix asked. He began to pull her to him but stopped when Cabana’s knife entered his wrist and the bottom of her boot rammed his chest.
           “Go!” Cabana ordered
“But-”
“I’ll be fine!” Audra’s heart grew heavy, she had seen Felix in combat first hand, she wasn’t sure if Cabana could match him, but she had to have some hope. She turned and ran as fast as her legs would allow, towards the Dragon’s Dinn. She couldn’t help but notice the strange smell that exuded from the bag.

           Audra pushed the door open and quickly ran inside, Vasuki gave her a concerned look.
           “Are you okay?” Vasuki asked, as Audra made her way to him, panting she shrugged the bag off of her back and handed it to him. He looked at it with sorrow, then he looked back at the kitchen at his father. Igon stopped what he was doing, dried his hands and walked from the kitchen to behind the bar.
“I didn’t think it would happen so soon.” Vasuki claimed.
           “Go pack what you need from your room, be quick, and I’ll make sure that the scales get a proper burial. They understand that you haven’t had much time to get the service set up.” Igon replied.

           Audra quickly made her way to her room, gathered her things inside of her bag. She strapped the sword Cabana had given her around her waist and slid the shield onto her left arm. She made sure to grab the letter she had written to her mother and reminded herself to give it to Igon. She made her way to the stairs and saw Vasuki leaving his own room, sword on waist and shield in hand, the bag on his back.

           Vasuki and Audra made their way down the stairs and saw Igon waiting for him.

           “You be safe out there.” Igon choked. “And make sure to come back when things quiet down. Don’t let your Ascension get the best of you.” He said, pulling his son into a tight hug.
           “I’ll make sure of it, Dad. Take care of the place, alright.”
“Just know you’re always welcome to the Dragon’s Dinn, no matter where you are, or where it is. And don’t forget what I told you about Innkeepers.” Vasuki and Igon separated and shook hands, tears were in both of their eyes.
“They accept those that know how to ask.”
“Be safe, both of you.” Igon ordered. Audra stepped up.
           “I have a favor to ask of you.” She said holding the letter out. “Can you deliver this to my mother, if I don’t go back to Kiaveen I’d like her to know I’m okay.”
“I was wondering when you were going to ask about that, I’ll make sure she gets it.” A thunderous boom caught their attention. “You two get going.” Igon ordered patting them on the back. Vasuki gave a quick wave to the men and women in the tavern. Then a final look goodbye to his father as the tavern door of the Dragon’s Dinn closed behind them one last time.

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