144 Bidding War (1/2)

Have you ever had that feeling where it kind of felt like you suddenly didn't know who your friends were? Like they'd showed you a side to them that you never knew existed and it freaked the hell out of you? If you have, then you probably know exactly how I felt at that moment Ty showed off his powers.

\”Holy shit,\” I whispered.

And I believe that sentiment was shared by the entire audience. Ty had just whipped out a big one and everyone was staring.

\”Spirits,\” Aura breathed beside me.

Even Kallista's eyes were glittering, and not in an 'I'm impressed' kind of way. No, what I saw reflected in her eyes was more akin to worry or fear.

\”Who or what is that?\” Luca asked, pointing a finger at the black thing floating just a few inches in front of Ty.

\”That's no ordinary elemental spirit,\” Shanks whistled.

\”It's not,\” Aura answered in a voice that was almost a whisper.

\”It's a dark elemental,\” Kallista added. \”Something far stronger than anything I'd ever seen before.\”

\”You guys don't understand… you don't see it,\” Aura's voice was changing into one of alarm.

And as I heard the murmurings around us, I deduced that she wasn't the only one beginning to panic.

\”Aura, what's wrong?\” I asked in concern.

\”Ty,\” Aura said. \”He summoned him of all spirits…\”

\”Who did he summon?\” I asked.

Aura's eyes were bright with fear, and I could feel that fear seep into me from the bracelet she'd given me.

\”Aura,\” I whispered her name. \”Who is it?\”

\”Ty has summoned the Lord of Darkness,\” Aura's voice was now so low we could barely hear her. \”He's called on Samhain himself…\”

Now, I often left the weird magic stuff to Aura's management as I barely had a thorough understanding of it on account of not actually being able to use magic myself. But this time, I worried that my partner had somehow gotten her wires crossed. And I said as much to her.

\”Didn't you  say Samhain was a fairy king?\” I asked confused. \”Are you telling me Ty can summon the dead?\”

Aura shook her head. \”There are two tales. One where Samhain is a fairy king and the other… the other speaks of him as the literal elemental representation of darkness…\”

I turned my gaze over to the stage.

Ty was alone on that stage as the fear emanating out of the creature floating above him had driven away all the showgirls as well as the showboating host who'd forced him to conjure up the spirit in the first place.

It wasn't like Aura's efreet which was already frightening to look at in itself. This dark spirit Ty had summoned, well, it was far more terrible.

But the worse thing about this thing floating in the air wasn't what it looked like but what was flowing out of it, a pitch-black aura that was making the hairs on the back of my neck and arms stand on end. It was obviously radiating fear in waves that not a single one of the audience could shake off.

\”There was an old story of the lost monarch summoning the Lord of Darkness one Samhain night so that they could discuss matters of the Fayne,\” Kallista shared. \”I'd thought that was just another legend surrounding our fabled sovereign but it seems there was some truth to it.\”

A third figure appeared on stage. It was the dwarf, Carta. Draped over his shoulders was a sword three times his size. It was made of stone and was intricately carved in fairy runes.

\”Is that?\” Aura looked on.

\”Yes, it must be Claiomh Solais, the sword of light which conquers darkness, the weapon of the lost monarch,\” Kallista explained. \”So, the Under Ring had it all along.\”

\”It would explain why Samhain's power has no effect on him,\” Aura agreed.

Although the legendary sword wasn't actually related to Ty's situation, the fact that it had been revealed to still exist on the same night as Ty's unveiling hammered home just how much of a big deal my friend was to fairies.

I suddenly realized that even if we managed to rescue him, Ty's life would never be the same. Even if he came home, he would never get to be just Ty ever again.

That realization sent a biting pain to my chest, and I wondered just what I was going to tell Arah if Ty couldn't come home as Luca couldn't.

Carta, unencumbered by the fear radiating out of Samhain probably thanks to the stone sword he carried, strolled over to where Ty sat shaking in the middle of the stage. He picked up Ty's chain and pulled at it. Then he whispered arcane words that caused the chain and collar around Ty's neck to glow bright gold similar to the golden light of the magical chains that bound Luca.