Darkvision - Bruce R. Cordell [64]
The words were merely the keystones of the magical structure already imbued in the fabric of the ink and parchment. As she spoke each word, the fiery yellow writing faded, and a brilliant charge grew on the edge of her consciousness.
With the last word uttered, light as bright and unforgiving as the sun blossomed overhead. She'd grown accustomed to the daystar over Faerun in the years since she'd left Deep Imaskar, but the transition from night to day sent a jolt through her eyes, dazing her for a moment. She saw one of Iahn's hands jerk up to shade his eyes, and simultaneously heard a terrible screech from behind the closest mast.
The spectacular burst blossomed across the wave-tossed water and illuminated half the deck in bright sunlight. A shadow eft tumbled out from behind the mast, scrabbling for a hold with clawed fingers. Its form grew ragged and pocked as daylight ate at the shadows that served as the eft's flesh.
Despite the creature's agony, the faux sunlight wasn't enough to kill it, or even stop it from charging straight for Ususi. The wizard unconsciously backpedaled, but the thing was on her in a moment. She raised an arm, ready to unleash another spell. Ususi saw a sweeping claw waver in the air, becoming paper-thin, as if shedding the dimension of width, enhancing its sharpness to a supernatural degree. She shrieked and threw herself back, but the shadow claw caught her across her face, left arm, and side.
Searing pain shattered her thoughts, and the strength seemed to pour out of her legs. The wizard sprawled onto the deck, her head lolling.
Iahn, exquisitely illuminated in the fading sunburst, crossed into Ususi's dwindling field of vision. With a quick step, the vengeance taker pivoted his upper body and lunged, punching with a right cross. His hand, instead of being balled into a fist, was open, and the damos strapped to his palm gaped.
As if stopping himself from a fall, Iahn's hand lashed out and caught the shadow eft on its broad back, connecting the open mouth of the damos to the shadow eft's body with incredible force.
The shadow eft arched its back and spasmed. Already made partly of darkness, the eft's body darkened further, beginning at the point where Iahn's hand clamped down on the creature's back, then spreading across the entire figure. The eft tried to scream but remained mute unto its last breath, which Ususi witnessed-the creature was utterly consumed by its own shadow, the virulence of its form suddenly undone by the poison of the vengeance taker's damos.
Or was her vision dimming? A warm stream of blood tickled her neck as she lay, unmoving, on her left side. Her blood pooled on the deck beneath her, ominous for the speed at which the diameter expanded.
Yet Ususi was strangely incurious. It wasn't as if her strength were deserting her-her will to care about her situation was simply leaking into the floorboards. Even breathing was a chore. It'd be so much easier to simply quit worrying about it all.
Hands rolled her over onto her back. Iahn's face hovered above her. It wore an expression she'd never seen before. Worry?
"Ususi, hold on. I've run through my healing drafts," he said. "Where do you keep yours?" Iahn quickly searched the many pouches on her belt. She could feel the tug and pull as he opened each pocket and pulled out the contents. But she didn't really care. It seemed sort of funny. Too much effort to laugh, though.
Where were her healing elixirs? Her expeditioner's pack had a little rectangular case filled with ten or so curative drafts, she recalled. It was a struggle to focus enough to speak, but Iahn looked so touchingly concerned.
"My cabin… in my pack," Ususi finally breathed.
"Wait," the vengeance taker commanded, and raced away, leaving Ususi bleeding on the deck.
Alone. Just as she preferred. She looked straight up through the invisible glass of night and saw that the clouds had pulled back.