Smoke and Mirrors – 25

As suddenly as the blades had manifested they vanished, accompanied by a low chuckle of amusement.

“This is not right,” the nahual shouted, moving with preternatural speed back to Mor’s side. He reached for her and pulled his hands back with a howl a pain, the palms now a fiery red. “No! Who?” With a few muttered words his palms healed and he reached into one of the deep pockets of his long coat.

“Looking for this?” a quiet voice asked.

The nahual spun around to see a small wooden cross seemingly floating in midair.

“While I’m quite certain the jaguar would love to test his fighting skills against what ever beast form you were planning to take, that would be so bloody. I doubt the sorceress would appreciate the mess on her rugs and walls.”

The nahual didn’t reply as his eyes searched the area while he began muttering a spell.

“I wonder, can you cast non-verbal spells,” the voice asked.

As the spell died on his lips the nahual’s eyes widened in shock before he grinned in apparent amusement. The room suddenly filled with a freezing mist that limed Jared’s body and the shields surrounding Mor and Daniel in a haze of ice.

With an evil smirk, the nahual threw arcs of fire in Jared’s direction. But again the day-walker vanished before they could hit him.

Suddenly the nahual’s face contorted in rage as he began to fight against unseen bindings. Slowly his arms were pressed down to his sides until all motion stopped.

Only then did his opponent appear, amber eyes gleaming in amusement. “Never, ever, mess with an elven battle-mage,” the man said. “Well that is unless you like dying. Hmm, I do believe either flame, hanging or holy water will do the trick. And since we have a vampire in the room I’ll pass on the first and last. So hanging it is.” As the elf spoke a thin cord slithered down from above them, slowly encircling the nahual’s throat. With a flick of his hand the elf tightened it and then it began to rise slowly. The nahual struggled, his face contorting as his breath was cut off. Soon his limp body hung suspended between the floor and the ceiling.

“Does anyone mind if I take out the trash now,” the elf said as he brought down the shields that had protected Mor and Daniel.

“Hell, I’ll help you,” Daniel growled once he resumed his human form.

Mor shook her head, her long white hair giving her an almost angelic look before it settled again to cover her back and shoulders. “Allow me the honors,” she told them, casting a long distrustful look at the elf.

His look was equally distrusting as he gazed back at her before asking Jared, “How did you manage to get involved with one of them?”