Arcana Pt. 01: A Shapeshifter's Desire

"The magic began this morning at midnight. The city is on edge, people are panicking. We don't know why, but Alex says he's got a location pinned." Hail explained and gestured to him.

"The ritual fear is being cast from an island out in The Sound. I managed to trace it's origin and we have a good reason to believe it's our Shapeshifter Yu." Alex said, pointing to a red pin on the map behind him. An island a dozen miles out past the shipping lines into the Puget Sound.

"How do we know it's my mother?" Caroline asked, "As a Shapeshifter, I know we can't use magic. Not like you and Kate at least."

"Yes, but you can fuel a ritual spell. It's different and it bears the same mystical traces as both murder sites we know your mother was at. I'm fairly certain it's her power." Alex explained.

Caroline nodded and thought, 'Draconis? I don't think this sounds right, but I don't know shit about rituals.'

'I know only what you do. I guess if these rituals work differently than Kate's runic magic, then it's possible.' Draconis gave a mental shrug.

"We'll be flying out there. We'll scour the island from one side to the other, Alex will lead us to the ritual site and we'll take her down." Hail said sternly.

"What does she have to gain from this? If the Underground bursts and everything down there starts assaulting the surface, it'll be a bloodbath." Kate said with a tone of worry.

"We don't know. Maybe she is just trying to cause as much chaos as possible. I don't want to wait to find out." Hail said.

"A spell of this magnitude isn't done alone. You'd need help. She must have some wizards or cultists out there helping her." Alex said with a shudder.

A few more questions from the others, but Caroline didn't pay much attention. She was focused on puzzling out her mother's actions. Until now, it didn't seem to make any sense. First she shows up all sentimental and shares a night with her. Then she rips a warlock in two who tried to kill her. Then she murdered a ship full of innocents before trying to kill her when they fought.

Feed, my daughter, and grow.

The words still rang in her mind and she still had no idea why her mother had left her the message. She could feed from Kate and her power grew in little increments each time, but she already knew that was how it worked from before the ship. Why tell her again?

"We'll meet on the roof in ten minutes." Hail's voice drew her from her thoughts.

"This all has a weird vibe to it." Caroline shook her head and let Kate out the door.

Up on the roof, they found a police helicopter waiting. Sitting in the pilot seats were Jameson and another officer.

"Jameson is going to drop us on the shore and then disappear. I'll be able to call him back in if we need him, but I don't want any chance of someone commandeering it, should your mother have an army of sorts like Alex thinks is possible." Hail said, hefting a pack on her shoulders. A baseball bat if sorts stuck out the top of it, judging by the handle at least.

"Ideally, we'll land, I'll track the ritual site and we'll all hit it together. It'll be dangerous, but we'll be just fine. I don't think your mother will be able to stand against the four of us." Alex said to them.

Caroline looked at Kate as they boarded the helicopter. They shared a moment of concern and sat down together. The small police chopper took off and they turned towards the bay. The flight was quick and they took it in silence. The island wasn't a large one, but it was thick with trees. Jameson lowered them down on the closest beach and they all jumped out onto the sand.

The helicopter left in a swirl of wind and once it was gone, they were left in total silence.

"Well?" Hail turned to Alex.

"I... I don't know. Once we set down on the shore, it's like someone scrambled the signals. I can tell you it's definitely on this island, but beyond that..." He shook his head.

"Alright. Then we split up and search. I'll go along the north shore, Alex, you take Kate and follow it along the south here. Caroline, you cut straight through. Anyone finds anything..." She pulled her pack off her shoulders and drew two guns from it. It took Caroline a moment to realize they were flare guns, not firearms. Hail handed one to her, "The others will come running."

"Shouldn't they also have one?" Caroline asked as she turned it over in her hands.

"Darling, I think I can make a bright light in the air." Kate sniggered.

"Fair point. Let's go then." Caroline nodded, stuffing the flare gun in the back of her shorts. She kicked off her sandals and dull brown fur sprouted over her body. Her feet became paws and she crouched down low, heading silently into the underbrush and trees.

For being near the middle of the day, the island was surprisingly dark in places. The trees were thick and the dark clouds overhead did little to help with light. Caroline smiled, darkness was good. She could see in the dark but it would help her stay hidden as she padded forward in utter silence. Her brown fur blended well with the surroundings and Draconis's instincts helped her keep a sharp ear around.

'Do you think it was smart leaving our mate alone on the island?' Draconis asked with a hint of worry, 'Your mother is out there.'

'Don't I know it. But Kate can handle herself, and Alex is no pushover either.' Caroline replied in her head and then she raised her nose, sniffing at the air.

'Sweat.' Draconis observed.

They followed the scent up the hill and towards the heart of the island. Deep in the trees, she crouched through some think leaves and found a brightly lit clearing. A dozen figures in dark robes were stood around an enormous purple rune etched in the stone. It glowed brightly and the figures chanted loudly in time with its pulsing light.

'I should call the others.' Caroline reached for the flare gun.

'Wait. Where is your mother?' Draconis said.

Caroline's eyes snapped about. The cultists were all swaying in a circle and none of them looked like her. She wasn't anywhere to be found. Draconis was right. While the flare gun would call for help, it would give away her position and her mother could ambush her if she didn't have eyes on her.

'Behind us!' Draconis hissed.

Caroline sensed what she did, a heartbeat about five paces behind them and approaching slowly. Two heartbeats actually, as she focused on it. She gave it one more second and then turned sharply, leaping at them.

A blinding blast of magic took her off her feet and hurled her through the trees. She tumbled over backwards and another blast struck her. It hurled her another dozen feet and she landed in the center of the glowing rune. Blazing purple bands erupted up around her as she tried to stand. They snapped around her legs, arms and chest. The magic forced her to her knees and kept her trapped there. Anger filled her and she looked up as her attackers stepped through the trees.

Alex carried Kate over one shoulder and a bright silver rune glowed before his palm. He smiled and dumped Kate on the hard ground, "Perfect."

Her mother then walked a round from behind a nearby tree and stepped towards Alex.

"Alex! What?" Caroline called in surprise.

"Everything is ready." Alex said to Yu.

"You are just the sweetest." Yu wrapped an arm around his waist and kissed him.

"Alex, what have you done?" Caroline yelled, struggling hard against the bindings.

"Oh my daughter. He's only done what is right by his queen." Yu smiled, turning to her. The cultists chanting quieted down to a low murmur.

"Queen? What is wrong with you? What are you doing?" Caroline's head was swimming.

"You are the most naive and unintelligent daughter I have ever had." Yu said, shaking her head in disappointment, "I have given you everything you needed. You have all the clues."

Caroline glared at her and frowned, 'Draconis?'

'We know she kills to feed. She's much older than we are. It seems we're to be her next meal. She must be raising and consuming her own children.' Draconis said quietly.

"She's figuring it out. At least part of you is smart." Yu said, smiling wolfishly.

'She heard me?' Draconis said in surprise.

"Of course I can. You, my daughter, you and your spirit are so delicious. I've cultivated you for long enough, and you're finally ready." Yu smiled.

"And you, Alex? You're betraying the Lieutenant for this? What happens if she decides you're the next meal." Caroline asked him.

"Betraying her! Oh please! I've toiled for decades under Hail's so called leadership, all under the guise of helping her, while in reality, I've always been working for my queen." Alex gave a barking laugh, "I've never belonged to Hail."

"Then what of Capone? What happened there, why did you kill him, if not protecting your daughter?" Caroline looked back to Yu.

"I killed him for poaching. You are to be mine, and all my followers know that. But he dared attack you. So I put him in his place. Now, enough talk. The ritual needs to begin for real if I am to consume her in time to destroy Hail's little army running around Seattle." Yu said, stepping towards Caroline.

"For real? So what, you've just been having your boy band here chanting to keep the city scared to attract us out here?" Caroline tried to stall.

"No, actually I did that. Ingenious really, I've been crafting that spell into the Underground for years. Lined every tunnel I could access down there. You don't honestly believe demons and creatures of infinite evil live under Seattle, do you?" Alex laughed heartily, "Please, werewolves, Nymphs, Trogs, and some vampires at the worst. All that real evil just lives among you."

"That's quite enough for me." Hail's loud voice came from Caroline's right and the Jotun woman walked tall and proud through the bush. She had lost her coat and now only wore her heavy pants and a black tank top. Her bag was still slung over one shoulder.

"Ah. The good Lieutenant Hail. Now I don't have to hunt you down. Alexander. Deal with her." Yu said with a happy smile.

"With ecstatic pleasure." Alex raised his hands. Bright red runes appeared there and fire began to flick from them. Hail dropped her bag on the ground next to her and fixed Alex with a cold stare.

"I've been waiting for this, for you to lead me to your true master." Hail said in a simple, if cold, professional tone.

"If you're so smart, then why haven't you figured out yet that I led you here to kill you?" Alex roared and snapped his hands together at the wrist. A searing cannon of fire as tall as he was erupted from him and engulfed Hail in the span of a second. She didn't even give a cry as her entire body was wrapped in the blaze.

Then a moment later, the fire cleared and Caroline saw why.

"Is that it." Hail said, standing defiantly before him. Her clothing had been completely burnt away and she stood totally naked before him. Her short blonde hair was fluffed up by the heat, but unburnt. Norse runes glowed with cyan light over her chest. They spread down her arms and across her thighs. A single rune glared brightly on her forehead. She reached down and grabbed the handle of her weapon from her smoking bag. From it she withdrew an enormous Viking battle-axe that looked no worse for wear from the flames. It was laid with gold etchings over the blade and all down the steel shaft to the bronze braiding around the handle.

"Tch! Only the beginning!" Alex raised his hands again.

Caroline watched as Hail took the axe in both hands and roared at him. It's not that she screamed loudly or just howled wildly, but she gave a full bodied, blood-curdling battlecry. Nothing could really describe it as it washed over Caroline. It was a very visceral thing, the scream of a true, uncontrolled berserk roar. Something that had not been heard since the days of the Vikings themselves. It filled her with a lust for battle, a want for her enemy's blood and a sureness of victory.

In front of her, Yu stumbled back a step as if she had been struck a physical blow. Apparently it had the opposite effect on her foes. Caroline saw this and reached for Draconis, "Let's go!"

Fire surged up around her and golden-red feathers blossomed down her body. The magic was seared away in an instant and she turned in a wide circle. The Phoenix Fire spread in an enormous wave around her, washing the ritual from the ground and engulfing all the shaken and fearful cultists. Their robes went up instantly and they scattered. Some hit the ground, burning alive, and others fled into the woods as they blazed.

"Hey! I'm still here!" Caroline called, charging Yu. Her body shifted quickly into her dragon form. She met the unshifted Yu claws and horns first, piercing her chest in two places, slashing her side and gut open as well as breaking numerous bones.

Empowered by Hail's battlecry, Caroline didn't let up. She ran Yu hard into a tree and then began to claw enormous chunks of her flesh out of her, splattering the ground in gore and blood.

Her heart pounded in her ears and she reached up to rip out Yu's throat when she was suddenly hurled away from her. She landed on all fours, dragon tail snapping about and murder glaring in her eyes. A glance showed Kate still safe on the ground to her left and three steps back. She looked back up at Yu.

"Phoenix Fire... I didn't know you could do that. Impressive." Yu groaned in pain. Her flesh began to grow back in and her grievous wounds knitted closed. She gasped and her ribcage fixed itself. Caroline charged her before she could finish.

Yu raised an arm, transforming it into a bear's paw and she clubbed Caroline with all the force of a speeding truck. It sent her tumbling across the ground and she only just missed Alex.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hail bring that enormous axe down on a distracted Alex. He managed to stop it with a shimmering barrier, but Hail did not look amused. Her eyes were blood red and she was growling and bearing her teeth. She struck the barrier again with an overhead strike. Caroline saw Alex's feet sink an inch into the soil and he grunted with effort. If he even considered looking away from Hail, she would crush him in an instant.

He raised his hand and blasted her with another burst of magic. Hail planted her feet and met the blast of force head on. Her runes flared bright and she was barely pushed back. Caroline had to admit, Hail was fucking ripped. She had chiseled abs, muscular legs and shapely arms. Her usual police uniform did her body a great disservice.

Yu stepped over to her, body bristling as she finished fixing the damage, "You exist because I created you. You die because I wish it. Your purpose is nothing more than my will. Now die!"

She grabbed Caroline by the throat in an iron grip strong enough to make her scales crack. She drew her up off the ground and looked into her eyes.

It was like all of Caroline's muscles went stiff at the same time. She seized up and began to fall into those dark pools of Yu's eyes. Her vision blurred as she fought to draw a breath and she heard Draconis scream. Blackness engulfed her.

*******

CHAPTER 20 - TAKEN DOWN

Draconis got to her feet in the dreamscape. She felt out of place, like she was somewhere wrong. The last thing she remembered was her and Caroline getting choked by Yu.

"Hello child." A voice of something came out of the darkness around her. It grated on her senses, a voice like broken glass and acid ground into a wound. It had no discernible gender because it sounded like a thousand deep voices crying out the words spoken, pure agony in every sound.

"Who is that. What is going on?" Draconis called back, trying to see through the darkness. Her senses were acute, and she could see easily through all but the murkiest darkness. This wasn't dark though because she could see herself.

Suddenly the veil lifted and she found herself standing in a blood red wasteland. A sickly green sky spread overhead and a dry wind grated against Draconis. She looked around again and found the source of the voice.

A creature, an abomination, stood a few paces from her. It might've once been a human with some bear-like features, but it had long since been twisted beyond that. It's eyes bulged unnaturally large and it's fur was patchy. Blood dripped from its large mouth, running over crooked and enormous yellow fangs. It's body was hunched and one arm was larger than the other. The creature spoke again, "You are my dinner. You will feed me. In turn, I will serve my queen with your power."

"Your queen... are... you are Yu's spirit?" Draconis breathed, horror filling her body. She looked a bit closer to the creature. Enormous spiked shackles bound it's wrists and blood dripped from the wounds they caused. It took a step forward and the ground shook with its weight.

"I am Alphus. I am the Queen's in every way. I do her bidding. I consume for her and give her more power. More power." The creature growled and blood sputtered from its maw, "Give me power!"

"What has she done to you? How can..." Draconis took a step forward, raising her human arm, "How can she twist and torture you so badly. Does she not care for you at all?"

There was a pause and the beast just looked at her, as if he was surprised by her empathy. The chained collar around its neck jingled lightly, fresh blood dripping down its fur. Then rage filled his eyes and his body tensed up, ready to pounce.

"I am the Queen's! She cares for me! I am her power! Now give me yours!" Alphus roared and swung his enormous mallet-like paw at Draconis. She braced and raised her right dragon arm. The blow fell upon it with strength she couldn't fathom. It broke her arm and hurled her end over end away from the monster.

"Ahh! Oh god. Caroline! Caroline, help me!" Draconis whimpered, cradling her broken arm. She wasn't a physical form, she was pure spirit. As such, she wasn't nearly as mutable as Caroline's body, so she couldn't change herself or fix herself in any way. Damage was permanent and had to be healed by time alone.

"She cannot hear you. The Queen has her trapped and you are trapped with me. I hunger for you. I will consume you." Alphus stepped slowly towards her in a sort of stumbling hobble.

"No. No, no! This can't..." Draconis was terrified. She had never been without Caroline before. She had always been safe inside her friend, never at risk and always there to protect. Now she was vulnerable, exposed to an enemy she had no hope of defeating. She felt tears burn in her eyes, "Caroline! Please! Caroline!"

"I told you, weakling, she cannot..." Alphus cut off as the ground began to shake. There was a gentle wind from in front of Draconis and she saw the land change. The ground grew lovely with flowers and the sky shifted to a nice blue. Only a portion of the horizon and land changed, but Draconis knew it was enough. She began sprinting towards it as fast as her injured arm would allow. Behind her, Alphus loped along using his large arm as much as his feet. Draconis was faster still and she felt her feet reach the softer, fluffy grass.

"Caroline!" Draconis called.

"Can't... can't... breath... Draconis, help!" Caroline's voice was strained and in agony. Draconis could feel her friend again, could sense her body. She poured what strength she had into her and she felt the land shudder.

Outside, Caroline flushed with strength and she lurched against Yu's arm. She tore her eyes from her mother's stare and jerked lose of her arm. Her spirit broke free of her mother's and Draconis took to the safety of her body.

'Let's... let's not do that again.' Draconis said in a pained tone. Caroline could feel her pain, she could feel that Draconis had been injured, and she nodded in agreement.

'It was only about three seconds, but you were gone. What happened?' Caroline asked as she stood back from her mother, who was still staring shocked at her.