Letter 24: We’ve Been Waiting For You

Poppy,

I did it, Poppy.

I made it to sublevel 3 before I noticed anything out of the ordinary, but then I heard it. Bone dragging on stone. I looked at Magnar and his ears were glowing a pale yellow, so I proceeded with caution.

I saw it when I rounded the staircase at sublevel 4. Its back was to me, and I knew there would be more of them, so I created an ice spear and threw it from the staircase, taking it down silently. I controlled the ice to close around the wraiths throat, so it couldn't make a noise as it disintegrated.

I kept an eye on Magnar's ears as we moved down to sublevel 5. They were glowing red and that gave me a split second to prepare for the next wraiths trap. As it reached out to grab me I breathed deep into my power and willed the ever present flame to the surface, coating my skin with white hot fire. The wraith drew back, shrieking and I drove the magic draining dagger through its chest.

I knew I didn't have much time to move, and that the noise the wraith made would summon more. But I was taken by surprise. As I rounded the staircase onto sublevel 5 and examined the open vault door, a skeletal hand pulled me off my feet and into the vault. I didn't have time to react.

The door slammed shut behind me as a wraith pushed me into the centre of the vault. I stumbled on the stone floor and saw another wraith approaching me with an iron shackle. The walls were lined with tombs, sarcophagi, and crumbling coffins. Five wraiths were gathered there and the one holding the shackle began to speak:

“We’ve been waiting for you, shadow slayer. As you can see, we are much stronger now. We've drained the magelights and a book of power, and even the wards. But we will become more powerful again, once we devour your power. We have scented it on you. You're wild, untamed, elemental gifts will get us past those final wards.”

There was no hissing, stuttering or raggedness to the wraith's speech and my chest tightened. I couldn't hold off five wraiths for long, but I needed answers. I threw out my ice power, slowing the wraiths and holding them still, as I raised my voice,

“What does Marcus want? Why did he release you?”

The wraiths began to cackle. It was a horrific noise like bones breaking, twigs snapping and the clashing of steel. I cringed away from the sound and noticed Magnar, perched on a ledge high above me, his ears red and his eyes keen. Smart creature must have followed me when I was dragged through the door.

Unfortunately he was also my distraction, breaking my concentration and my hold on the ice. Within seconds, I felt the iron shackle clamp around my wrist, the cold burning into my skin. My stomach churned. I was powerless.

“Stupid mage. You think we answer to Marcus?”

At this the wraiths again began to laugh, if you could call it that.

“Yes Marcus is the fool who released us. But he had no idea that he wasn’t worthy. For too long we were kept entombed, rotting in that underground prison. We were starving, starving for just a taste of flesh and power. And Marcus stumbled upon the ancient text. He spoke our tongue. We answered him from beneath the burial ground.”

My vision swam. The map the Combat Guards found…Marcus’s book…he spoke to these creatures?

But the wraith continued, “He wanted our power. He wanted to rule. So we guided his hand. But when the earth opened, he fell. His power wasn't enough to save him but at last, we could feed. Our first meal. It didn't sustain us. We yearn for more.”

My hands balled into fists. Heat roared through me. Power? You're gone, Poppy, because Marcus wanted power?

The sound of the wraith's continued laughter echoed around me and my jaw clenched. But Magnar swooped onto a sarcophagus, and then hopped down behind me, which prompted me to ask one more question.

“So why are you here? What is so special about this vault and the dead?”

The laughter stopped as some of the wraiths began to hiss in irritation.

“You foolish mage. Your Librarian's didn't repair the wards that shattered with the fissure. They let us in, ignorant to our threat. And now you don't even realise who you're sharing a room with? In here is the First King, killed in the First War. And so is part of his staff.”

As the awful laughter began again, I tried to access my power but the cold iron gripping my right arm created a physical barrier between me and my magic. I was trapped. I needed more time.

“Which staff?” I asked.

“Yes. Your history books are rather lacking aren't they mage? How do you think the First King became so powerful? With a staff stolen from the Arcane Masters no less. When the First King fell, the staff was broken into three, and buried with the Queen in the Temple, the First Mage in the Guildhall, and the First King, here in this room.”

The wraith paused for a moment and my thoughts clicked into place. Of course, the three locations match the three burial sites. That was the connection that I’d been missing. Dread settled on my shoulders. This had been planned.

But the wraith continued, “We will devour enough power to claim the piece of the King's staff here. Tonight, our brothers at the Temple and the Guildhall will reclaim those two pieces too. When the pieces join, the power of the First King will rise. We will finish what our Master started. Yes, we are the Devouring Servants, and tonight, our work shall be completed. But first we will need to feast.”

My breath caught in my throat. A clanking and clanging sound filled the vault as the Devouring Servants began to march towards me in unison.

Magnar hopped closer, nuzzling against my arm. I struggled to breathe, my mind shifting through the information. If they weren't shadow or draining wraiths, or even wraiths at all, then maybe my plan wouldn't work. But I knew I had no choice but to try. There was no way I could let them put that staff back together.

Magnar’s movement became more pronounced, and as his beak nipped my skin I saw that he was trying to pick the lock.

My pulse fluttered. The Devouring Servants came closer. I tried to calm my breath.

When I reached down for my power again, the barrier was gone. The shackle was loose. Magnar had freed me. As all of the Devouring Servants approached, I raised my hands as if in self defence, while behind me, Magnar illuminated his ears a brilliant white, stunning them into stillness and forcing them to shield their eyes, cowering from the light.

It was the perfect chance.

I shook off the open shackle, took a deep breath, and ignited the flame within. A ball of fire soared through the body of the closest Devouring Servant with precision and accuracy. As it shrieked in pain and turned to ash, the other four began to move forward, still shielding their eyes from Magnar.

One lurched towards me from the left, its decrepit arms grasping for me. I backed into the wall, but Magnar flew right at it. The Devouring Servant leaned back, away from the light and I plunged the dagger straight into its chest.

I staggered on my feet and caught sight of two of the remaining Devouring Servants, protecting themselves from Magnar's swoops and dives. But I couldn't see the third. Magnar's brilliant light illuminated sections of the vault at a time, leaving shadows as black as night elsewhere.

That's when it grabbed my ankle, dragging me to the floor. I could feel its shiver of excitement and taste its breath as it hovered over me. My blood ran cold and I reached into the depth of stillness and frost. As the Devouring Servant brought its mouth to my neck I drove two spikes of ice up through its body and it collapsed into ash.

I struggled to stand, exhausted from using so much power at once. I felt for the cool stone wall behind me, supporting me, as another of the Devouring Servants lunged towards me. I dodged, steadied my breathing and focused my power on the being's robe. Embers began to light, as fire coursed across the tattered robe, setting the Devouring Servant alight.

The final one hissed with pleasure before starting towards me. But I was ready. I fired a jet of water towards it, driving it into the stone wall. The water froze on my command, turning to impenetrable ice, trapping the Devouring Servant. I raised both my hands and fire arced towards it, dissolving it to ash.

Exhausted, Magnar and I clambered back to my room. I've never used so much power at once, never felt myself run empty. I’m so drained that I thought I would be asleep instantly, but instead I'm full of adrenaline.

Forever your friend

Willow