Touch of Destiny
Table of Contents
Prologue The Boy What Makes a Friend? Into the Calm The Tribunal Favor Worthy and Willing The Perfect Shape A Day at the River Finding Humor One Year Later Heart of Gumber Gentle Warning Answers Secret Errand Sacrificial Promise Winter Feast Blood and Snow Metal and Magic Solstice Moon Invitation Pieces of the Past The Raven's Perch Growing Spark Rude Awakening House Arrest Confrontation High Tide Caged Justified The Elder Tree The Raven's Den King's Call No Barrier Can Hold EpilogueNo Barrier Can Hold
12 May
Damien got up and put on his clothes for the day. The mirror still showed the same mess of a person that he was. Swollen dark lines still marred his skin. Though his efforts to cover it all up left much to be desired, he accepted that he would probably look like this for several weeks before it faded.
He sighed while rolling down his sleeves and popping up his collar to cover more of his open skin. He kept reminding himself this was for Ash, the last favor he could grant her. Ready, he moved to go downstairs but upon opening his door, he found the doorway filled by a spinning white ring that glowed with runes. It was odd, the way it just floated there. He tried walking through it but realized a little too late that it was a barrier. A Lorish barrier.
Damien knocked his fist against the slab, hoping it would break. No good. He tried going through his bedroom window, and also found it blocked by runes. “Damn it!” he cursed. How was he supposed to see Ash off while trapped in here?
There must be something. His fingers twitched while he scanned across his bedroom. Books along with simple odds and ends made up the majority of his possessions, but amongst them one piece stood out.
A small two-edged blade, black handled and engraved with a Lorish destruction rune near the cross-guard.
Damien was no elf, but if these last several weeks had reinforced anything, it was that he had power. Dark power. Abilities no person should be able to wield and live to speak of.
Yes, it was costly. The reason he needed to keep others at bay. But, in this particular situation, it was perhaps his only recourse.
For Ash, he told himself. To be with her one last time.
That she could let him go, body, mind and soul.
He gripped the sword, and with its sharp edge slashed his own palm open. Clenching, he squeezed a few drops onto the blade, over the engraved rune. Like ink, the liquid sank within the grooves and settled there, awakening the rune. A subtle effect at first, growing strong and potent. His arms shook as he pointed the tip toward the spinning barrier. Dark flickers caught his eye, licking the blade in violet flames. Power built within the steel, making it glow, and with a grunt, Damien released it, willed it toward his target.
Was it truly that simple, he wondered? He expected activating a rune and casting it would be difficult like he had seen in past demonstrations. Yet for him it was like breathing out words of intent.
The violet ribbons swept forward, smacking against the barrier and tearing it open at the center. Like fire shrinking a piece of paper, the barrier absorbed too much damage and collapsed. But the rune kept casting, and Damien did not know how to make it cease.
He dropped his blade to the floor, and when he lost contact with the rune, it slowed to an end. But not before his door frame and the flawless walls beyond it were cracked and crumbling.
Damien predicted what happened then. Naelen emerged from his room in a panic, and when he saw the blood soaked sword at Damien’s feet, he cursed.
“What the Fates are you doing?” Naelen gripped his head, turning to see all the damage in the hall. “Father is going to kill us when he sees this!”
Damien panted, realizing he was faint. But he pushed himself to keep moving.
“Naelen.” He sagged in front of his brother. “I need to use your window.”
“Shards.” The elf clenched his teeth. “What forsaken trouble are you up to now? I can’t keep enabling you.”
“This is the last time,” Damien swore. “Please?”
Naelen groaned as Damien moved into his brother’s bedroom, lifted the tree-facing window.
“You’re going after the girl?” Naelen puzzled. “Then why the hell did you come back here in the first place?”
“I’m just going to say goodbye,” Damien said, lifting his leg over the sill.
“Are you possessed?” Naelen picked the bloody sword up from the floor and gestured to it. “That girl has been bed-ridden for days because of you. Because of this. Is it worth it?”
For a moment Damien doubted, but his chest knew what his conscience had kept telling him to ignore. The girl was totally worth it. Despite their differences, despite everything. And he needed to see that she was strong and well.
“Yes,” he said, sliding onto the nearest tree limb. Peering back at Naelen. “If and when you meet a girl, you might understand.”
***
Upon reaching Ashlyn’s house, Damien found a large, opulent carriage gaining a decent speed toward the north. It was pulled by brown horses and had a few windows through which he could see two feminine silhouettes.
He was too late.
“Wait!” He called out while pressing into a sprint and chasing the carriage down. “Ash! Don’t leave yet!” When he caught up to the carriage, he leaped onto the small step that hung off the side and beat on the window. The driver drew rein and pulled to a stop that almost made Damien lose balance.
“Whoa.” He breathed in relief and gave the door room to open.
“Damien?” Ashlyn peeked her head out. After scrutinizing his appearance, her gaze settled on his left hand. “What happened to it?” She pointed, and when Damien held it outward, he saw what had her so concerned. The rest of his body, though marked with faint lines, was tame compared to the hand he’d used to break the barrier on his door. His fingers were freshly swollen and grotesque. The cost of channeling that power.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, forming a fist. “I came to see you off.”
And with that, her concern wore down and was replaced with a light smile. “I knew you’d come.”
He was careful as he gripped her pure, delicate hand, wove his fingers through them. “I wouldn’t let you go without a goodbye,” he said. “I just…had some problems.”
“Of course.” She rolled her eyes. “Because there are always problems when it comes to you.”
“Uh, hello?” Miriam scanned Damien up and down from her side of the carriage. “And who are you?”
“This is Damien,” Ashlyn flushed, releasing her grip.
“Pardon me.” Damien smiled at the red-haired woman. “I’ll just take a moment.” Miriam stared as he leaned in and planted a kiss on Ashlyn’s cheek. “I got your invitation,” he said, thumbing the soft skin of her jaw. His hand moved to the blue pendant around her neck. “You should save your stationary by not writing to me anymore.”
The young woman sobered at his words, dipped her chin. “I was hoping you would change your mind again, that you would come with me.”
“Ash…it’s much safer if we part. You understand that?” Her eyes grew wet as she squeezed the bone of his wrist. Normally, Damien would have flinched at such a sudden action, but he let her hold him there. Let her weep over him.
“You still want me to come visit you?”
“No. I want you to be safe and happy in Tauros. Away from a monster like me.”
“What happened changes nothing, Damien. I’m not afraid of you.”
His gaze lingered on the discolored veins that marked her neck and collarbone. He liked that she was fearless, but a fearless bond did not guarantee a painless one. Taking her wrist, he turned it around to see the bracelet he had crafted for her, brushed the amethyst gem.
“You’re taking part of me with you,” he said, then brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them. “Be sure to hold onto it this time.”
Then he felt her cupping the back of his neck and pulling him in. He resisted her kiss, kept his forehead attached to hers instead. When Ashlyn realized he was not going to return her affection she pulled away, wiped her tears.
“Goodbye,” she whispered. “I will not beg you to come with me, but I will write to you. You cannot stop me from that.”
"Heh. All right, Ash. I’d like to hear your stories.”
She didn’t let go of him until the carriage started moving again, and Damien heard her continued sobs as the door latched shut and the horses were brought into motion. He lingered there as the carriage shrank into the forest, whisking the girl off to a different world.
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