The Wielder of Death Magic

Chapter 519: Taint

None noticed on the way out, or should reality be told, none cared. Igna walked out the front door into the grisly forest-pass. The battle of wanting to score a major interview screeched at what appeared to be in that instant, heaven’s gate.

“Where’s the bike,” voiced Igna loudly.

“Look behind you,” a maned sport’s mobile arrived in style, the hologram of a rider dazzled into white-noise. A helmet hung off the handle as the riding suit remained in the backpack now over his shoulder. Utensils used for the event were expensive in the sense they were forged by a ‘mothman’ in Totrya. The crimson stare against the hot furnace chiming away at boiling piece of molten ore couldn’t be mistaken as one. Leaped to a sit, the exhaust rattled at the human touch, “-have a plane be ready at the airport.”

“Already on it,” said éclair, “-the closest airfield is in Swanview. Head north-west. Thus, the return home came at startling news. Losing a friend here wasn’t an option. The mind and body flamed in wanting to help. If it was Rena or Jen, he’d not have reacted so strongly. Anna, the roommate, shared a close bond with him, nothing beyond what best-friends would share. She was a part of the day-to-day life at the academy.

“Open the gates,” said he at the guards.

“We can’t,” returned a shaken man, “-if we do, the masses are going to rush in.”

“What’s wrong in that, they’ve come to have a peek at those chosen. Don’t worry about it,” no words need be said, a distant pinch had the lock slice in half, “-sorry for the trouble,” he dashed through the small opening in the disoriented crowd. Cars here and there, the streets were jammed. ‘Well then,’ slid to the middle, he pressed on like a madman and blasted down the torturous curvy roads. Knowledge of this idyllic area was foreign, either focus on the road or admire the landscape. ‘Hold on, Anna, I’m coming.’

.....

The sun headed to sleep in the distance, Rotherham’s noisy shuffle escalated into utter cacophony. éclair’s order arrived at the command tower like a king’s edict.

“What now?” turned he who controlled intel.

“I don’t know,” screamed another frantically guiding the planes off the ground.

“Leave it to me,” said a younger man, “-I’ll have a plane readied for éclair’s order.”

“Which one?” turned the whole room.

“The untested jet,” said he smirking.

“Get this guy out of here,” voiced the first, “-supervisor, can we plea to Lady Elvira and have this dimwit thrown into the gutters?”

“The boy has a point,” said a lady sat onto an elevated platform, “-we’ll send over the unnamed craft. I’m sure éclair will handle it from there on.”

“Supervisor, we cannot spare any more pilots.”

“No need to worry.” Hence, a closed hangar opened on a deserted abandoned airstrip not far from the other cleaner hangars. “Uncle,” waved a little girl in a boyish outfit, “-the tower is ordering for us to take out the plane.”

“Huh?” underneath the said bird, “-a test-flight already?” he slid backward to a stand, “-let me see.” The greenish glow from the screen ached the sight a little, “-I see.”

“Comes from éclair,” said she, “-your baby is ready to go, come on.”

“I guess,” *snap,* the hangar lit to showcase a menacing jet with jaws of death painted on its nose. AFR wrote underneath the cockpit. “-She’s ready to fly, have éclair be notified.”

“No need for such actions,” rumbled the speakers, “-good job on finishing the experimental craft. I’ve gone over the sheets and specifications; it will do nicely. The first unmanned aircraft per my design.”

“A pretty easy job if you ask me,” complained the man, “-any modification will be handled by the main-branch of Midas. I appreciate you choosing me for the project.”

“Oh, don’t say it so unjustly, makes it seem as if thou art being rejected. A special someone will arrive in thy craft, I’m sure he’ll recognize your work.”

“Whatever you say,” he held a cigarette, “-I’ll be sure to meet this special someone when the plane lands.” A warm glow heated the inside of the metal hangar, the polished floor scorched in black-fumes, the unusually-shaped plane taxied onto the dirt land strip.

“There she goes,” said the girl fondly, “-the inverted wings are sure strange to the eyes.”

“I know,” he puffed, “-no idea why he wanted it that way,” the engine howled murderously into the cold-night. Red lights from the capital were spotted as faint stars in the distance. Only when the city went under a crisis of having planes take off and land simultaneously, and especially at night, did the starry night glow unhinged by manmade lights. Various parties moved in tandem across the world, change was upon the era. One of the unprecedented outcomes, few individuals of not too stable nature gave talks over television and described a time where the balance of power would shift into a concrete position. A nation would increment themselves as the feared and the others will follow as the pack. Many suspected Alphia to take said mantle – the Empire held the opportune spot until last decade. A new foe entered the field of battle, the Federation.

Wars until now were in small scale, squabbles if they’d so pleased to say. Then again, only the war of the Mages in Dorchester could be classed as a terrifying event in Hidronian history. There was never any battle waged against other continents. Not till they had their independence. Invasion of Kreston and the Holy Crusade of Duke Percyvell’s era could mildly compare to the dangers faced today. Phantom, without the orders of the Federation, moved its forces to remote bases across Elendor. The presence of the arm’s company alone sufficed. Those at the top held the keys to whatever future the world waited for.

Igna’s mind didn’t once turn to politics. He rid across the night on the warm asphalt to Swanview. Night made distinguishing the landscape beyond a little hard. Cars were few and whistled past.

‘A dormant magical element,’ thought he closing onto the marked location. ‘-I can’t do magic. To take away Anna’s curse I’ll need to treat her the same as I did that noble-girl. What’s the name,” scouring the memories, “-yes, the Remington’s. Astral Binding,” shaking in disagreement, “-as if I can use ancient magic. Can’t even conjure a simple spell, how am I suppose to accomplish that feat. Far as I know, I’ll need an SSS-ranked mage, I doubt they even exist nowadays. Perhaps a demon will do?” a single barn stood as a silhouette on a corn-field. “Is this it?” he took off the helmet to wander on a landing strip, “-I guess it’s here,” glancing left-right, “-fields of corns onto miles. Swanview’s so far away.”

“Heads-up,” said éclair, “-plane inbound,” a flash followed by delayed roars.

“Did you have to take so long?” wondered he resting the bike inside the barn.

“I went on ahead and checked a few things, don’t worry about it. I’d close the eyes if I were you.”

‘What does he mean?’ almost planned, it landed to rock the very ground sending dirt, leaves, and rocks across. A pebble ended inside the mouth in the dazed state. *Cough.*

“Don’t look so annoyed,” it circled,”-get in, we have to make it quick.” The unusual shape and built had nervousness escape, “-who’s piloting?”

“Me,” claimed it in pride, “-not much of an unmanned aircraft if not for that crucial feature.”

“What about me?”

“There’s a place for a pilot, and as so it happens, is the passenger seat too. Get in, this baby is faster than anything Midas’s made before. We’re bordering on the edge of Magiology’s limit.”

“Yes, yes, I don’t care,” he clambered onboard, “-don’t I need a suit to resist the gravity?”

“Who are you kidding,” the tone crackled into robotic laughter, “-a vampire’s body is more resilient than people give credit for. Come on, you knew about this already,” the hatch closed without a moment of rest. *Click,* he flinched, “-there’s a joystick.”

“Fine,” sighed the spirit in annoyance, “-the plane can be used by a living person too. However, it’s harder than most aircraft. Tis why it’s made for my personal use.”

“I got it, no need to be so harsh. When are we taking off?”

“Right now,” the blast had him glued onto the seat.

‘He’s doing this out of spite, I swear.’ The gap between ground and plane increased. Roads bearing lamppost stretched on as if the veins of a living organism. The settlements, small houses, and villages built at differing intervals did come as a pleasant surprise.

“When are we reaching Rotherham?”

“Two hours,” said it.

“Alright,” they climbed on till the star glowed as clear as a clean window. Their presence, the peace, and quiet setting aside the engine were nice. A small dot showed the progress.

The hospital’s activities went on as calmly as normal. A few patients were brought in per work-related injuries, things first aids and healing potions could fix. The special ward where more troublesome cases like Rena, Anna, and Jen, underwent a current emergency. An old-man next to Anna’s room went into cardiac arrest. He suffered from the same curse she fought against, the taint of the inhumane. Where medicine failed, magic took precedence. Mages were employed to a sad reality of lacking power. Their mana didn’t allow for more than a few treatments each day. It frustrated them since management had to decide what patients were priority. For the last two months, Rena, Anna, and Jen were priority to the point where a Bronze-ranked adventurer was hired to be their personal healer. A man arrived in mortal conditions a few hours ago, the only mage on call used her remainder on saving his life. The result, not that people could blame the hospice, a deathly ridden man. After trying to resuscitate the man, the doctors established a pulse – the curse had reached the arteries near the heart. Death had its scythe around the neck, a single pull and over, a life was gone. Families were called and they arrived at a trying sight. The son broke into tears as did the wife. The children were more preoccupied in the playroom down the corridor.

“Sad,” said Rena holding Lampard’s hand.

“I know,” he watched distantly, “-he’s suffering the same as Anna is.”

“Rena, Leonard.”

“Jen?”

“When did you wake up,” turned Leonard, “-Lampard, why did you hide it from us?”

“A little surprise,” said he moving from the wheelchair, “-I didn’t want to break the news so quickly. Doctors said Anna’s situation is degrading, felt disrespectful.”

“Don’t get mad at him,” said Jen, “-I told him to do so,” the left-arm shook to hold Rena’s hand, “-a bit hard to use my nondominant arm.”

“Keep it down,” mumbled Leonard, “-the family over there is possibly witnessing their loved one’s last moment.”

“Why aren’t they at his side?” wondered Jen.

“Monster curses are a tough battle to fight against. Doctors and mages alike don’t know how to handle it. It seems to have differing properties. Some are easy to exterminate whilst others are tougher.”

“Did you call upon the blessing of a god?” wondered she.

“We tried Holy water; the curse rejected it completely and caused more harm than good.”

“Igna, we’re here,” they approached and flew over Rotherham.

‘Beautiful,’ thought he, ‘-it’s become so big and modern. Elvira outdid herself.’ The landing came rough onto the unfinished landing-strip.

“Firm ground,” he leaped.

“Good evening,” approached two figures backed by the metal hangar.

“Good evening,” said he dusting off the pants, “-Igna Haggard, nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” said he, “-here’s the keys to a bike, I presume your friend waits at the hospital?”

“Thanks for that,” he snatched it, “-I’ll pay a visit once I’ve seen her. Thanks for waiting so long in the night, I appreciate it.”

“A very well-mannered young man,” commented the man gazing at the boy’s back.

“Yes, he’s nice,” said the girl.

A gust followed by a chilling jitter , ‘-I’m coming.’

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