07-24-2018, 06:09 PM
Valeriya hunted growls in the dark. Hers were the eyes that glowed in the dark and frightened normally ferocious beasts.
When the Ijiraq appeared, chills tickled her skin. When it spoke, the breath caught in her throat. When it morphed into the black skin of a demon, red glowing from the depths, she was frozen with fear.
Armande’s will stretched, though, and the dark demon threatened. Valeriya gripped her knife as the snarl of mounting defenses twisted her lip. She was ready for its attack, but one never came.
It circled, poked and prodded, speaking in a strange tongue with Armande. He commanded it to obedience.
The red of the bloodstone clawed its way through her mind. The images she saw within flooded her bones with resolve. She grit her teeth and pushed in front of Armande.
That hellish gaze focused on her. She locked her eyes on its, until the red of its hollow sockets came to stillness. Like stones; blood-red-stones.
It flared and pulsed. Radiance of its heat flashed her face. For a second, she doubted this would work, but like those beasts Below, if it sensed a moment of weakness, it would strike. Her lips curled into a snarl. Her fists clenched.
It hissed at her, but Valeriya stepped closer to the hot creature. The blackness of its leathery skin swirled like soot on lava. They were near to height. Eyes level. The hook of its nose was hollow, like the empty socket of human skulls. Its teeth pearled white. She could picture them sinking into her flesh, but she had teeth too. She bared them just as she flung out her arm.
She slapped her palm upon its forehead. The heat of its body sizzled into hers, but she pushed away the pain and closed her eyes.
The Eye commands, she spoke to it.
Its screams were inside her head.
The pressure against her hand released. The blackness softened, faded to pallor, then misted away on the air.
Valeriya’s heart was pounding when she looked upon the blush of her palm. It would heal, though. She endured worse scars.
When the Ijiraq appeared, chills tickled her skin. When it spoke, the breath caught in her throat. When it morphed into the black skin of a demon, red glowing from the depths, she was frozen with fear.
Armande’s will stretched, though, and the dark demon threatened. Valeriya gripped her knife as the snarl of mounting defenses twisted her lip. She was ready for its attack, but one never came.
It circled, poked and prodded, speaking in a strange tongue with Armande. He commanded it to obedience.
The red of the bloodstone clawed its way through her mind. The images she saw within flooded her bones with resolve. She grit her teeth and pushed in front of Armande.
That hellish gaze focused on her. She locked her eyes on its, until the red of its hollow sockets came to stillness. Like stones; blood-red-stones.
It flared and pulsed. Radiance of its heat flashed her face. For a second, she doubted this would work, but like those beasts Below, if it sensed a moment of weakness, it would strike. Her lips curled into a snarl. Her fists clenched.
It hissed at her, but Valeriya stepped closer to the hot creature. The blackness of its leathery skin swirled like soot on lava. They were near to height. Eyes level. The hook of its nose was hollow, like the empty socket of human skulls. Its teeth pearled white. She could picture them sinking into her flesh, but she had teeth too. She bared them just as she flung out her arm.
She slapped her palm upon its forehead. The heat of its body sizzled into hers, but she pushed away the pain and closed her eyes.
The Eye commands, she spoke to it.
Its screams were inside her head.
The pressure against her hand released. The blackness softened, faded to pallor, then misted away on the air.
Valeriya’s heart was pounding when she looked upon the blush of her palm. It would heal, though. She endured worse scars.
The Eye of the Khylsty