Dark magic flew from Zinlar's fingertips, the leaders from the lightning snaking through the air till they formed a ring around the five traveling companions. Before they could react, it was too late. A web of dark energy sprayed around them. Screams erupted from the five as the dark lightning shocked them, seeping deep into their skin and bones causing their bodies to convulse.
Each of their bodies felt numb and heavy after the attack. They fumbled to keep hold of their reins. Their horses reared and each one of them fell off their mounts, falling to the ground. Mud now soiled their clothes leaving all of them an unsightly mess. Their steeds fled in different directions and soon were lost in the woods out of sight.
While the others were down, Nimer mustered the strength to try and fight back. He slowly stood, wavering back and forth. Raising onto his toes, he lunged forward, the line of runes on his blades glowing along with his eyes. He swung wildly at Zinlar, meeting his blade with a small dagger. Nimer attempted to upper cut the elf with his other blade, but the skilled cult leader dodged nimbly.
"You're weak, Nimer," Zinlar said smugly. "Even weaker than before. I'm surprised you didn't die by my hand that day in the hideout. Is the necrosis getting to you that badly these days? You would have been better off to perish to be relieved from your pain."
Nimer gritted his teeth, his frustrations growing stronger. He spat back angrily, "I still have a purpose to fulfill. I cannot die yet!" He swung again and missed. His muscles screamed. This would prove an unfair fight. The mud of the trail made for difficult terrain and his energy to move was scarce already.
"Pity," Zilar mocked him, nearly dancing around Nimer with ease. "I asked you for one simple thing and you refused. You might as well give up at this point. You aren't going to win."
Nimer was too caught up in his anger to realize the cult leader was distracting him. The rest of Zinlar's men were charging after the other four trying to catch them off guard.
One cultist threw his dagger toward Jex. Jex rolled out of the way just in time for the blade to hit the deep mud with a light splat. Jex rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up, getting to his feet. His legs and hands quaked, but he knew that he had to fight back. He drew his long sword and sloppily swung at the cultist. Blade to blade, they clashed weapons together sending sounds of blade fighting echoing through the woods.
Ray came to Jex's aid as soon as she was on her feet. She drew back on her long bow and released an arrow smothered in flame hitting the cultist in the back. The instant smell of burning clothes and flesh tinged the air and Ray and Jex both watched the man fall to the ground and flail. The flame devoured him and every part of his being burned.
"Remind me not to get on your bad side," Jex said looking at Ray and he scratched the back of his head with a laugh.
Ray smirked in response.
An instant cry that caused them to turn instantly. Rin was held in a chokehold behind them and couldn't move his head. He struggled trying to push him out of the way. Mustering up the strength, he elbowed the man hard in the gut with great force. The man finally let go and Rin gasped for air.
The man came back with vengeance. However, before he could attack Rin again, Canin had reared and used his front paws to push the goon forward onto the ground. The wolf snarled, baring his teeth in the cultist's face then went straight for his neck, sinking his sharp knife-like teeth into the flesh of his skin. With a deafening crack, the man's neck splintered, the screams he made gurgling from his throat for a quick second before falling silent.
Canin lifted his head, three sets of wide, frightened eyes locked on him. His long tongue lapped up the rest of the blood on his muzzle as he huffed a laugh in response. "It's like you don't know I'm a monster."
"Nonsense," Rin said, shuttering a bit. "It was just brutal." Ray and Jex nodded in agreement.
They could not gawk at the situation long before more of the cultists surrounded the four, and with outstretched hands, the dark magic flowed in a ring around them and soon brought them to their knees. The blow had weakened them significantly. While they were down, the men bound them in ropes, restraining them and took their weapons.
All the while, Nimer's strength slowly returned to him the longer the fight drew on with Zinlar. The two were at par with each other, and there were several close calls between the two as they fought with skill and precision. It came down to Nimer holding his swords blocking against Zinlar's blade. Both their eyes locked with one another. Nimer could feel Zinlar trying to probe his mind and soul, but he refused to let him slither into his mind again.
"Tell me more about your destiny as a god, Nimer," Zinlar mused, taunting the man.
"My destiny is my own business. I am a guide, nothing more," Nimer said, grimacing.
Zinlar laughed menacingly and spat back, "You call yourself a guide when you and I both know, you are much more than that. Wouldn't you rather die now and soothe your pain?"
"I refuse! My awakening will happen when I'm good and ready!" Nimer pushed him off with all his might, moving quickly enough to fling the knife out of Zinlar's hand. The blade went flying and stuck itself deep into the ridged bark of a nearby tree. Nimer held the tip of his blade up to the cult leader's throat and glared up at him. "Pain is a lesson, and I must learn that lesson before I am to be granted my greater power. When I learn that lesson is not for you to decide, Zinlar. I will not surrender to anyone on your behalf."
Zinlar looked less than threatened and only smiled down at the man. "What if I proposed different collateral for your cooperation, hm?" he said as his hand slid into his pocket and he withdrew the red collar with the small golden bell.
The small ring of shrill metal resounded through the air and the fresh, haunted memories that Nimer had experienced earlier that week flooded him like water. "Annabelle," he whispered.
"Yes," Zinlar cooed and wiggled the red collar, ringing the bell. "I have something you want. Myrkatha told me all I needed to know that you failed in capturing her soul, Nimer. It is held captive and not resting peacefully in the hands of Taurion." A stream of haunting laughter followed his breath shortly after. "You can try and put a body to rest, but their souls remain.You cannot control every soul and their destiny, Nimer."
Nimer yearned for the collar in hopes to put Annabelle to rest once and for all. He glanced over to where the other four were now bound at the wrists by the cultists, Canin himself tied down with several ropes to keep his wolf form from moving. He knew he had to do something, if anything at all.
Selfishly, Nimer made a decision. "I will not surrender the shards to you, but I will take you up on your first offer," Nimer said, rather regretfully. "You may take Rin. I want Annabelle's soul in return." He tried to keep his look of shame concealed from his enemy.
Zinlar's eyes had a cruel look of acknowledgement in them. "I am pleased with your offer. Perhaps you would have made a great addition to our group if you weren't trying to get in our way with your own awakening, Nimer. Pity your brother had to die because you refused the power of the god that chose you."
"The past is in the past. Don't bring it up," Nimer said bitterly. "I've made my decision and I live with the consequences of my actions."
Zinlar tossed the small collar to the man, Nimer catching it in mid air then holding it close to his chest. The cult leader sauntered over to the other four and glowered down at them with a cruel glint in his eyes. He waved toward Jex and Ray first. "Release those two. They are not needed," he said simply and the cultists began to sever the bonds holding Jex and Ray's hands.
Then Zinlar stepped a bit to the left and knelt down by Rin and placed a hand under his chin. "Nimer was ever so kind as to hand you over to me. Now you will serve as Ravathor's host."
Rin looked confused, but that confusion soon turned to anger. "What do you mean? I would never serve Ravathor or his cult!" he raged, now struggling to get out of his bindings.
The cult leader leaned down close by the man's ear. "Let this be your first lesson, Rin," Zinlar cooed. "Betrayal is real. They never wanted you around in the first place. I have read their minds and they speak true."
"Let him go and stop filling his head with lies!" Canin growled, only to let out a loud yelp as he was shocked again with magic.
"Silence dog," Zinlar spat as his men brought both of them to their feet. "Bring the wolf as well."
Rin was no longer glaring daggers at Zinlar but rather across the way toward Nimer. "You traded me for a bell?!" Rin yelled at him as he and Canin were ushered away. "You'll pay, Nimer!"
Nimer appeared guilty only catching a glimpse of Canin locking eyes with him before he looked back toward Jex and Ray.
"Stop them," Nimer urged him with his mind even though he knew Canin could not hear him.
The wolf nodded weakly, instinctively reading him and his posture as they were ushered into the trees and underbrush.