A crawling, itching, vile feeling was rolling down stone and through trees. Bark shivered and the biome gagged on insidiousness, thick and palpable.
The animals had fled at its arrival. Scattering in all directions, running off developed paths and into danger. Eyes wide and tails tucked, smashing through brush and hitting trees, stumbling over debris and diving from cliffs. Frantic and terrified. The first human who was swallowed by its sticky command was Talis.
She had been collecting wild whitestar, a five petal flower with a honey taste. It was only found in remote regions of the northern continent and here in Ipahn, high up, slotted in cracks of grey stone. It was also rumored to have incredible benefits for the skin, which was why Talis had been that high up, searching for the rare ingredient. She'd even greeted Elder Ulias on his descent, who had notified her that Korin was a ways up, having just completed her moonly ritual. He then reminded her not to go beyond the overlook, as one could only be accompanied by an elder or council member any higher, and promptly continued on, late for a meeting.
When the flood of energy came over her, bent and plucking tiny white flowers, she knew it's familiar fall. The feeling of something ill fated come to fruition. It slammed into her back first and she was catching herself, dropping her flowers as fingers dug into soil and knees crushed delicate plants. The recognition was immediate and uncanny. It was Korin. The same feeling she had as a child when she first met the strange girl. Now it was more intense, aged and direct.
Another wave came, even stronger, and her lungs and stomach squeezed. She heaved uncomfortably. The terrible feeling was leaking into her brain, which felt as if it were swelling in her head. Pain radiated from behind her eyes, pushing at her cheekbones and making her teeth ache.
A heavier wave and the terror was growing into insanity.
Talis' breaths came labored. Airy puffs spewing spit from between clenched teeth. Through the sensations came thoughts of Korin. It was unmistakably her energy. Or at least it was to any one with an ounce of magic. The horrible feeling that clung to her, was now amplified, not just falling but filled with insanity, panic, rage, and absolute terror. The insidious was leaking into her and her muscles were cramping.
Korin was something different, otherwordly, indeed changed from the forest.
With an angry slam of her fist she was picking herself up, fighting against an invisible current, easier because she knew the cause.
Talis had a choice to make. She could go to the village for help, or go see what was wrong with Korin herself. She was tempted to run, like the animals had done. While the feeling of guilt held her in place. Talis had once asked Idoni what would happen to Korin if the villagers were right? If she was this evil thing they thought she might be?
"They would probably transport her to the capital for a private trial and execution." Was Idoni's reply, hazel eyes steady beneath the scrutiny of heavy lids. It was her sister's typical look of judgment. Talis was always quick to ask whatever was on her mind no matter how absurd, inappropriate, serious, taboo, or otherwise her verbal expressions were. It left Idoni explaining in embarrassing situations more times than she could count on her fingers and toes.
Talis did not understand. "But I thought we didn't execute people here?" Ipahn didn't have a death penalty. It also didn't recognize any religions or spiritual practices so it seemed odd to hold a trial for something so superstitious, assuming Korin hadn't committed a crime.
"Ipahn has plenty of myths and legends. Ask the spirits you see and they will tell you the stories of the old gods of these lands." Her sister leaned closer, tone falling to a whisper, face stern, eyes sad. "The gods did not leave on their own. The Ipahnish Supreme Council killed them off a long time ago on the principle that religion divides the people. But the echoes of their reigns and stories remain in the lands and the hearts of the people here. Belief is an easier thing to reignite than you think. If Korin threatens the control of the Council or the peace of the land, then they will quietly take care of her." Idoni leaned back, voice going quiet, a subtle melancholy about her. "We do not openly talk about these things though."
Perhaps it was Aysai principles Idoni had taught to her, passed down by their deceased parents. Beliefs that divine life lived in all beings, without exception to the perceivably frightening. For the fear of a snake was cultural, and the snake was only ever a snake woven into a nightmare. If one could understand the foundations of their fears, they could easily overcome them. Or, just maybe, Talis had spent an entire childhood stealing secret glances at the other woman.
That when no one was looking, Talis was. She'd watch Korin pass Sira's, where occasionally she'd help serve if the tavern was too packed. And it was uncanny how- even as Korin passed through the shadows, walking through trees unfazed by the dark- just always, at the right time, Talis would catch sight of her slipping by. It was the same image every time. Korin alone, not even accompanied by spirits.
An empathetic ebb of draining desolation would bloom in her chest each time she saw her like that; glimpses at the Tavern, passing one another on their way to or from their homes, the occasional time they'd find each other in the forest. It was an infectious feeling that brought about the similar feelings in herself. Always in the face of the other woman would she feel sadness at her own isolating experience as a child in an age of infertility.
Perhaps it was a sense of duty, maybe an act of redemption, or even a testament to an acquaintance of isolation, but Talis was turning. Fighting the terror that gripped at her stomach, trying to drag her down, turning and heading toward the source. She was treading through the heavy current to Korin because if anyone else came, it would surely spell death for the weird woman. It wasn't Talis' place to make that judgment nor did she wish to do that to Korin. To tattle and pass an execution by proxy. Talis wouldn't do that because deep down she didn't truly believe Korin deserved such a thing. She'd lived isolated, damn near imprisoned, and still had spent her entire life in service of the village. She'd helped make the bread that had fed everyone for years with only the thanks of a few and the spare coins the baker offered her. She'd co-existed peacefully in a world that didn't like her and not once had she ever heard her complain. In fact the woman seemed to lend herself to subjugation constantly. Quick to keel over and do her best to please whoever was in her presence. A trait she had no doubt developed because of the ever present fear of exile or annihilation. The familiar desolate sadness mixed with Talis' guilt, subsequently lit the rebellious fires of her spirit. She'd fight the fear, find Korin and save her from such a fate.
She found every excuse she could to push through the current of dread up the mountain. And when she crested the last ridge to the lookout, what she found was something that tested her comprehension and put her perseverance to the test. She dove for a hiding place as some retched monster, twisted limbs spindling out of a central tube was writhing about. Limbs flailing around smacking into branches and shrubs, kicking up dirt and dust.
Muted screeching could barely be heard through some invisible barrier Talis could hardly make out. It was as if the sound were trapped in a glass jar. She had to strain her eyes to see the force field, and she had hardly ever had to strain to see before.
On the outskirts of the thrashing creature, were three bald men, garbed in robes, similar canes in hand, watching with squinted eyes. They were the men from the market, the ones who had been talking with the Aysai shamans. They had called themselves the priests of Eeno if she recalled correctly. The middle one yelled something Talis did not hear through the barrier. The one to the left held a small box in his free hand. The one on the right, shuffled on his feet, anxiously worrying into his cane. Of the three he looked the most in distress. The other two seemed angry, brows furrowed and expressions screwed up with disgust.
Their eyes did not focus on the monster, but at the center of its chaos, where, through clouds of dust and debris, was a snarling Korin.
Talis let out an audible gasp. The sight of the woman was unlike anything she had seen from her before. Typically meek and withdrawn, she now exuded athletic confidence. Her stance was one of stabilization, widened and feet quick to find her ground as she appeared to aggressively dance within the violence of the monster.
Fingers with thickened sharp nails blocked hits and slashed at flesh. Blood spewed onto skin and dirt and cloth as the two tangled with one another. In a spin of an attack Talis caught sight of Korins face. Her hair fanned around like the hood of an angry lizard, two yellow irises set in black sclera pulled at the ends of her sockets, crazed yet focused, sinking into her skull. The muted semblance of a crackling screech brushed at her ears as it tunneled from Korins mouth, filled with razor teeth and snapping at ligaments that got too close.
Korin had transformed into something else. Something with sharp nails and teeth, covered in lean muscle and sinew, with a twisted face and the haunting eyes of a raptor. And off of this new form rolled a nasty aura that was so thick and potent it was the only thing that had managed to breach the ward. Talis could only assume that the feeling was more intense within the barrier. The distressed look on the third man's face and the expressions thick in concentration on the other two made sense.
Talis, crouched behind some shrubs, concealed by the trunk of a tree, and watched in fascinated horror as the monster tried to fight the woman. But with each of its movements, Korin was retaliating with a movement of her own. A slashing slap that left tore across the creature's gummy flesh. As the monster flung a different limb forward, a hair raising roar echoed from Korin. The monster faltered and she was grabbing hold of its limb. Pulling roughly one way and abruptly jerking the other, tearing flesh and bone apart. The loudest scream yet to flow through the ward exited the creature's mouth as Korin ripped off one of its limbs.
Talis found herself clenching her fist in a strange moment of victory she felt for the other woman. It was awe cut short as the man holding the strange box suddenly began to advance. He glided forward, graceful and obviously trained for combat. He threw his cane behind him. The middle priest caught it without his eyes leaving the fight.
The man got closer and closer, moving right and then left, joining the dance, unknown to Korin. And then he was behind her and pulling forth a syringe with a mysterious glowing liquid held in its glass vial.
Korin did not see him. The monster was doing its best to keep her distracted from the threat behind her.
Talis leapt from the bushes, Now in clear line of sight, and rushed forward. She smacked into the ward with a resounding 'wom', quickly caught herself, and then began to slam her fists on the invisible barrier. "Korin! Korin, behind you!"
Her words, like her fists, bounced off the ward back towards her. So she screamed louder. Voice cracking and fists bruising as she pounded into the ward "KORIN! KORIN, BEHIND YOU!!!!!!"
Her voice just barely managed to penetrate through the silencing ward but it was enough to catch Korins attention. Those feral yellow irises met Talis brown ones and she felt herself flinch. But it was enough and Korin was spinning around, catching sight of her new attacker.
The other two men were now looking at Talis. She could see one of them mouthing something to the other as they trained their gazes on her. Her stomach dropped.
She did not know what they said but Korin must have heard. "RUN, TALIS!" Her voice boomed through the ward, attacking Talis' ears, carried easily by her aura. The voice was hollow and deep, causing goose flesh to bloom across her skin.
Talis stared for a moment, stunned.
"LEAVE! NOOOWWW!" Her last word came out as a heavy growl between pointed teeth, authoritative and commanding. Talis could describe it no other way. It was sooth-said and she was turning on heel. The nasty aura was finally pushing her, sinking into her will at Korin's command. It drove her away from the fight, heart pumping, feet digging into soil, erratically windmilling down the mountain, just as the animals had.