Fire Child Part 32

Alyza felt her skin crawl as she regarded the freshly arrived monstrosity.  Its body looked like that of a tarantula but was scaled like a fish.  Three scorpion-like tails protruded from the top of its abdomen and hung forward towards what Alyza assumed was its face; which was not spider-like at all, instead having more a reptilian appearance.

  “I am Arcachne, daughter of –” was all the creature could get out before she was hit by a wave of sanguine flames.

  The flames scorched the ground beneath her, but by all appearances the arachnid seemed entirely unharmed.  Three more waves sped from the dust and smoke but with the same result.

  Arcachne laughed.  “I’ve heard of your flames, but since they are of magical origin they are about as harmful to me as the dust and smoke you hide in.”

  The durandal horde tensed as a whole at the insult, but Persephone announced in a clear authoritative voice, “I will kill any who interfere, this is between my son and the daughter of my brother.”

  Arcachne smirked at the declaration before uttering the appropriate verses.  Her body gained a slight shimmer and without another word she made a series of short hops into the cloud of dust and smoke.

  The spectators all peered at the obscured moving figures in the haze as they heard a series of loud crackles of energy.  The battle dragged on for what seemed like minutes when there was suddenly a deafening screech. 

Arcachne sped from the cloud, landing less than gracefully a few feet from Alyza.  Bright yellow liquid oozed from where two of her legs and one of her scorpion-like tails once were.  She panted audibly and Persephone smiled as all recognised the expression on her face, fear.

  The glowing silver eyes advanced towards its injured opponent and Alyza gasped as Zendrius stepped out from the cloud of dust and smoke.  He was only sixteen feet tall, but somehow he seemed to tower over everyone present.  Ghost white skin was pulled tautly over statuesque muscles, making his physique all the more impressive.  Millions of glowing sapphire streaks decorated his entire body, exploding into the sanguine flames that hung to his shoulders like hair.  Two enormous wings adorned his back, the feathers seemed pitch-black but light constantly reflected off them as he moved, giving the appearance that they were made from stars.

  Arcachne readied herself for retreat when Zendrius launched forward.  She tried to defend herself with her two remaining stingers but Zendrius caught one in each hand.  Without a word he unleashed a powerful kick to the arachnid’s face, the force of the blow ripped the remaining tails from the top of her abdomen as she rolled and bounced backwards.  Arcachne barely recovered when he was on top of her again, delivering a crushing blow from above.  Zendrius placed his foot on her head, pinning her to the ground.

  “Please, spare me and I’ll serve you for eterni-” pleaded Arcachne.  But before she could finish he pressed down, crushing everything beneath his foot.

  Alyza started forward when Persephone grabbed her arm and yanked her back.  “I would advise against that, dear.  My son is very dangerous at the moment.”

  As if to prove her observation Zendrius started to rip the corpse of his cousin apart, as if searching for something.

  “What is he doing?” asked Alyza horrified.

  “There was a reason he needed the nectar of Eve at hand; it was to temper his thirst,” said Persephone as her son found what he was looking for.

  Everyone watched in mute astonishment as souls flowed from the corpse down Zendrius’ throat, as if he was literally drinking them.  It was an amazing sight, until the flow stopped and he turned to his onlookers with the same thirst.