A Diamond in the Darkness Pt. 03

A Diamond in the Darkness Chapter 3

All Eli could hear was the whooshing noise of the wind in his ears as he plummeted. He caught a glimpse of Saleasi and Charo running towards the edge of the platform before all he could see was the underside of spaceships, and the edge of the island the hangar was cut into. He hadn't realized that the maintenance bays were open around the back because of how awestruck he was about the ship itself. He could faintly see Saleasi screaming his name and felt his soul tug toward her. Both the bracelet and wedding band felt hot against his skin and he swore he felt something poking at the back of his mind.

"Eli!" A voice called out and he whipped his head around looking for where it had come from. That's when he saw an extremely large black scaled dragon flying toward him. At first, fear struck Eli, but the warmth from the bracelet washed over him and he realized that he was looking at Ilesha in her dragon form.

She was too far away to catch him. He couldn't tell how long he had been falling but there was an eerie cold starting to sink into him and it was getting harder for him to breathe. His vision began to blur and he could see it starting to darken at the edges. He was losing consciousness quickly.

~~~

Saleasi could only stand there at the edge, crying and screaming as she watched him tumble into the nothingness below them. Her soul tugged toward him spurring her to jump, but her body didn't move. She saw Ilesha in her full dragon form diving as fast as she could before Charo finally pulled her away from the edge. "He can't just be gone like that. I refuse to believe it." She muttered to herself.

Hours later sitting on the bed they had slept in mere hours before, she still felt the tugging in her chest. The spell that bound them to one another hadn't broken, but when the scout ships that were sent out came back they couldn't find a trace of him. Or Ilesha for that matter. Both of them just seemed to disappear. Like magic! She jumped up as the thought crossed her mind.

Of course they were alive, they teleported somewhere. "But how? There's not a teleportation spell that would have been able to take Eli to any of the nearest habitable planets with his lack of experience. Let alone also grab Ilesha in her dragon form." She was pacing throughout the small home now racking her brain trying to figure out where they could be.

Just then thought struck her and she started running, towards the tower in the center of the city. Her footsteps echoed throughout the empty cobble streets of the now darkened city. If the spell glyph could find him across the galaxy. It should be able to find him now. The thought to herself as she neared the spire where things had begun.

~~~

The gentle lapping of cold water against her head caused Ilesha to wake first. She sat up slowly, her head pounding and her vision blurry. "Where am I?" she muttered as she strained her eyes trying to get her vision to clear. "I was trying to get to Eli before he had gone too far out..." She paused, and then panic gripped her.

"Eli!" She called out and tried to get to her feet. She didn't get too far before falling, face first, into the sand at the edge of the water. She looked down to see her legs tangled in a long, dark green seagrass. She pulled at the grass expecting to shred right through it, but it held firm. It then rapidly tangled itself around her hands. She pulled as hard as she could, but the more she pulled the tighter the strands of grass seemed to get.

Her panic grew, more for herself now, as the sea grass began to wrap itself around her wrists. The ground beneath her started to shake and rumble as she felt herself being lifted into the air. A large creature with leathery sand colored skin rose up out of the ground. A pair of beady bright red eyes glowered up at her from below, as a low guttural growl echoed around her. She was sitting on this thing's nose. And it had caught her in a trap for prey.

She continued to pull at her bindings, while trying to muster the strength to transform herself and overpower it. However, she couldn't seem to gather the magic needed to shift her form, and struggling was only tiring her out. She shortly realized it was more than that. As the green grass-like appendages that were wrapped around her arms and leg, began to change color and become more crimson. It was slowly draining vitality from her the longer it held her. The beast growled again and thrashed its head, slinging Ilesha over the side and closer to its maw. Her vision began to blur once more as she felt weaker and weaker. Then everything just went black.

~~~

Eli awoke to his surroundings appearing to be upside down and a pounding headache from the blood rushing to his head. His leg was tangled heavily in a thick bundle of vines and he was hanging upside down. He felt something prodding at his right side and tried to crane his head around to get a glimpse of what it was. Try as he might, however the tiny creature would skitter out of the way of his gaze. There was a slight chittering noise in his ear, followed by the buzzing of tiny wings before it disappeared entirely. Eli slipped back into unconsciousness, and awoke what seemed to be hours later, the light of the sun had disappeared.

The noisy heat and foliage of the jungle were replaced by an almost cold unforgiving darkness. Eli awoke and realized he was laying on a nearby rock now. With only a slight blue-grey light from what moonlight was able to peek through the canopy above him. "Ugh, my head hurts." He muttered as he slowly sat up. Suddenly the jungle lit up, thousands of small orange buzzing lights floated around him.

"Ith lakut! Van, Ith lakut!" Came a tiny, commanding voice followed by the same kind of prodding as before. Instinctively Eli reached for his sword, but was unable to reach into the pocket dimension. "Wakul! Ith, lakut!" The voice rang out and the prodding became more firm. He swatted at the small creatures and realized why he couldn't get to his sword. The magitech bracelet that gave him the pocket dimension, and the ability to understand other languages had been taken.

Eli bolted up to his feet, swirling around to try and find it. The tiny buzzing creatures swarmed angrily around him. He caught the glinting of the metal bracelet and quickly snatched it back up, clasping it on his wrist. "Stop! I'm no danger to you!" He shouted, and the swarming stopped.

Only one of the tiny lights moved, coming roughly to eye level with Eli before the light dimmed. Revealing a small, lithe female humanoid, carrying a spear, and covered in armor made from a mixture of thin stone, and metal. Her skin was covered in a layer of deep purple fur, and her eyes were a piercing, fiery red. The hair on the top of her head was a mixture of black, and the same deep purple as that of her fur. She wore an expression on her face that was a mixture of both anger and confusion. "How do you know our language?" She demanded after a long pause her voice firm.

Eli spent several minutes trying to explain the bracelet and what happened to bring him here. The lights behind the one in front of him buzzed as they murmured to themselves before being hushed by their leader. "I see. You should be searching for your friend then, though you may only find her remains. This jungle is dangerous and the area surrounding it isn't any safer." She said, holding her hand to her chin. She signaled to the swarm behind her and they dispersed quickly into the jungle.

"A Karith was extremely aggravated earlier, but there were no reports of a creature like the one you described." She flittered upwards a bit in thought. "Unless the body hanging from its maw was the creature in a different form." Eli felt his heart sink at the mention of that and the small humanoid flailed her arms once she realized what she had said. "My people are looking for your friend. Karith don't eat things right away; they tend to bring them back to their nest and eat them slowly. If we find the nest in time they should be able to be saved."

Anger and panic had seeped into Eli at that point, he grabbed his sword and armor from the pocket dimension. Quickly he donned the armor and it began to change. The material shifted from its cloth into a more rigid onyx black metal. A mixture of crimson and gold ornate Dusk Elf filigree covered the edges of the small plates that composed the armor. Gauntlets and greaves materialized and formed themselves to fit his arms and legs. Two crystals appeared on the chest. One a pale blue-grey, and the other a deep amber, and the sword magnetized its sheath onto his hip.

"Let's go. There's no time to lose." The tiny creature buzzed around him and her light brightened once again. "Follow Avi. Stay close." She said and started off through the trees and underbrush. Eli broke into a sprint to follow her and realized just how light the armor was despite its bulk. He was easily able to keep up with Avi and maneuver through the dense foliage.

They traveled for several minutes, several of Avi's people would buzz by and give her information. Their direction would change seemingly at random, but the bracelet on Eli's wrist warmed, telling him he was getting closer. Eventually they broke into a large clearing, a large hole in the ground on one side and the ocean on the other. "That's the nest." Avi said, quietly as she flittered around Eli as he came to a screeching halt. "It appears the Karith is away hunting again. We don't have long before it returns and starts devouring its prey."

Eli carefully approached the hole, finding it to slant and lead deep underground. Avi stayed ahead of Eli enough for her light to show the path. The walls of the burrow were smooth, and tall. Any roots that had protruded into the Karith's path were broken and pushed into the dirt of the wall reinforcing it. They kept a brisk pace, until the tunnel widened into a large carved cavern stone protruded up from the dirt floor and along the far wall about sixty feet from the entrance was a webbing of seagrass. In that wall was the humanoid form of Ilesha, unconscious.

Eli practically teleported with how fast he ran across the cave, sword drawn. He slashed at the still wet sea grass, and grimaced as red liquid splattered across his armor and the ground around him. Ilesha's body came loose with a few more strikes and began to fall to the ground. Eli tossed his sword aside and grabbed her torso, pulling her close and free of the remaining sea grass. "Ilesha! Ilesha, can you hear me?" He shouted as he held her sitting on the ground.

They sat there, Eli trying to wake her only to be met with slow weak breaths and the color of the scales on her face dulling to a muddy grey. Avi kept watch towards the entrance both to give them space, and keep an eye out for the return of the Karith lizard. Several minutes passed and Eli was fighting back tears. He was silently trying to will life force into her. slowly the crystal on his breastplate began to glow and the bracelet on his wrist warmed again.

Ilesha's breathing became deeper, stronger, and the shine returned to her coal black scales. Slowly after a few more minutes her eyes fluttered open and she smiled weakly. "Hello, Sire." She muttered, as he squeezed her tight. "I'm so happy you're alive Ilesha." Eli said, stuttering over his words.

"Guys we have to go!" Avi cried out as she buzzed her way back over to them. "One of my people just informed me that the Karith is on its way." Her voice was frantic and she swirled around them several times. Eli gently picked up Ilesha and his sword and started to head quickly back down the tunnel he came in.

They were able to get about halfway to the entrance before the massive lizard shape of the Karith blocked them from going any further. "Shit." Eli swore sharply and gripped his sword. They were trapped, and couldn't run away. There was a loud growling noise, akin to that of a crocodile bellowing as the Karith lowered its body. It leveled its head for a strike. One of its beady red eyes locked on Eli and Ilesha.

Then there was buzzing and lights. Avi, and her people were swarming around the head of the creature. Their buzzing and the flashing of their lights was starting to disorient the large lizard forcing it to take steps back. They kept doing this until the way was cleared and Eli was able to put Ilesha a safe distance away from the creature.

He readied his sword, hoping his training had been enough for him to kill the Karith and protect Ilesha. He hadn't learned any magic yet, so those were out of the question. The beast thrashed its head violently for a while before it got its bearings and set its eyes on Eli once more. He was roughly thirty feet from its snout, and about a third of its size. The beady eyes watching him intently as it once again lowered its head getting ready to lunge out at him.

Time seemed to freeze as the beast left the ground, its maw gaping wide enough to swallow Eli whole. Thankfully, Eli was able to move out of the way in time to avoid them as they snapped shut. He thrust his sword into the soft tissue under Karith's jaw and tore a long deep gash along the length of it. It let out a gurgling squeal and thrashed with its tail, slamming into Eli and sending him flying about ten feet towards the treeline. He slammed hard onto the ground, air forcibly leaving his lungs as he tumbled to a halt. He stood blood pooling in his mouth, a searing pain in his side, but determination driving him.

Once again the creature poised itself for a lunge, thick green blood oozing from its lower jaw. "Shit." Eli swore knowing he wouldn't be able to dodge it this time. "Come on you ugly fucker!" He shouted, spitting out some of the blood in his mouth as it started to run down his chin.

The Karith jumped and closed its jaws around Eli. A chunk of the ground where he had been standing went with him. "Eli!" Ilesha cried out, barely able to move. This caught the Karith's attention, and it started to move towards her, some of the dirt falling out of the gaping wound in its jaw. Avi, and her people tried to confuse it again but to no effect, it focused purely on the weakend prey in front of it. The blood sputtered from the wound leaving a trail of thick viscous green behind it as it walked. Slowly it lowered its nose towards Ilesha, the seagrass-like tentacles writhing, still crimson with her life force.

She could smell the rot on its breath, the death it was experiencing, and the metallic tang of crushed metal. It began opening its mouth, blood mixed saliva creating long trails between its jaws. Ilesha closed her eyes expecting to be completely crushed this time. She waited, and waited, nothing. Slowly she opened her eyes, finding the Karith mouth gaping in front of her, dead. Eli's sword stabbed clear to the hilt up through the roof of the creature's mouth and into its brain.

Eli slowly began to pull himself up from the back of the Karith's throat, having managed to plant the blade before the creature could swallow him. He rolled out onto the ground, his armor cracked and crushed, blood seeping from a few of the cracks. His breathing ragged, and his adrenaline subsiding Eli gave a weak smile to Ilesha. She returned the smile choking back tears. "Now don't cry. We're alright." He muttered before everything went black.

~~~

The darkness of the streets seemed to envelop Saleasi as she ran. The sounds of her breathing and the click of her boots on the stones beneath her. Sweat dripped off her face and her long hair clinging to her in several places, the braid having loosened as she ran. Magitech torches flickered to life as she entered the base floor of the tower. Still running she only stopped when she had reached the sigil she had carved into the floor.

"Il'var esh, con vali." She half sang, half chanted as she began casting the same spell that had helped her find Eli in the beginning. The etchings slowly began to glow, a deep red at first before they lightened and changed to an almost silver blue color. She felt her soul tug, and opened her eyes. Before her, the same as before floated the spectral form of Eli. He glanced around, his eyes unfocused and searching.

"Saleasi?" He asked, as his eyes finally landed on her. "I'm here, my love." She said, her voice cracking. "I used the soul spell again to find you. Are you and Ilesha alright?" His form flickered slightly as if the connection was unstable for some reason.

"I don't know, I think I'm dangling unconscious upside down from a large tree." He said with a slight shrug. "I'll try to find Ilesha once I figure out a way down. You may have to come get us though. I don't think I can pull off another spell like the one before." His form flickered again and started to separate.

"I'm on my way Eli, don't do anything stupid." Saleasi said knowing the spell was about to end. He gave her a crooked smile that told her he'd try before he vanished. She turned away from the sigil with tears welling in her eyes as she was leaving. She had to prepare supplies for the journey, and try her best to talk her sister into piloting the ship.

~~~

Saleasi stood on the bridge of the ship Charo had repaired. Her sister Aerin was the pilot, and they were quietly speeding through the void of space headed to the wild planet of Agreva. "You're sure he's there? Even a headmage would have had a hard time casting a teleportation spell strong enough to transport two people that far." Aerin asked, brushing a large strand of her copper hair out of her face despite it being tied into a tight knot. Saleasi let out a deep breath, one she hadn't realized she had been holding, and turned towards the holographic map projecting their flight path.

"The spell that linked our souls pointed me there. Even now as we get closer I can feel my heart pulling me toward him. I know he's there, Aerin." Saleasi replied and chose to ignore the scoff that her sister let out. It had taken several hours to convince her to be the pilot for the ship despite her being the best option available.

"I'm still willing to bet he's dead and Ilesha's gone feral from grief or something." Aerin said not hiding the venom in her voice. She hadn't liked the thought of bringing in an outsider to help solve the issue they were having. When it turned out the person Saleasi had found was a man, it had made her blood boil. She had spent her whole life fighting, honing her skills, and proving herself to their father. Just to be replaced by an off world specimen of a race and gender she deemed inferior.

She hadn't been expecting the boot Saleasi had thrown in response to her comment. It had hit its mark and nearly knocked her out of her captains chair. "What the hell Leasi!?" She shouted, and steered the the ship out of the way of a pair of large asteroids. "You know exactly what the hell Aer. Not only have you treated him like trash from the second you met him, but you've started treating Ilesha like she didn't grow up with us." Saleasi shouted back getting ready to throw her other boot at her sister.

Revis sighed as he stepped between them. "The two of you are acting childish. We need to focus on why we're out here. You two can fight about it later." Saleasi and Aerin sighed in unison and nodded, going back to doing what was needed of them. Revis shook his head and walked out of the bridge.

They had been fighting practically since they left the dock. Aerin had been keeping her distance from her sisters and Eli since their father gave his consent. Revis understood that she had her reasons, but to him they were selfish and anger driven. They had needed the help, and fortunately Eli had been willing to provide that. He was a very capable young man, despite never having had to fight for his life. He had caught on to Revis's training faster than any of the knights, or even Saleasi and Aerin.