Part Two: Narcissia - Magic In His Veins
At seventeen, Daius was a miraculous youth.
Kisla, at fifty-two, sat in her rocking chair, watching her son. He was tall, muscular, his long, silky, brilliant white hair, flowed a couple inches past his tanned shoulders. He was, all in all, his mother’s child, having no resemblance at all to the fifty-nine year old Myrak. Myrak rarely traveled anymore, now known as Myrak the Elder instead of Myrak the Magician. His back was not what it used to be, and even the stalwart Kisla admitted she was aging. Shusai was eighty-eight, and her health was rapidly fading, so Daius was carrying most of the burden of the household. Kisla helped a lot, tending to Myrak’s bones and Shusai’s sicknesses with her extraordinary herb lore, but there was only so much she could do…
Outside the hut, Daius stood with his friends, laughing at Equinox, his latest female interest, and her gymnastic antics. He had been chopping wood in the sideyard, but soon, his clique of cronies attacked, pulling his away from his chores. His long hair framing his debonair, clean-shaven face, and his sweaty, topless body shaking slightly with laughter, Kisla couldn’t help but admire the son she and her Myrak had raised, with Shusai’s help. She watched as Daius gave Equinox a kiss on her cheek, and headed home. Kisla quickly swiveled her chair away from the window, and went back to reading the literature in her hands.
Daius grabbed a towel after entering the hut, and walked into the common room, wiping off his face. Without even looking, Daius said flatly, “Don’t even try it, Kis. I know you were watching me.”
Kisla’s breath caught in her throat. “H-h-how so, Spider-chan?”
“For one, no one holds reading material upside-down if they’re really reading it. And two, you always watch me.”
Kisla laughed heartily and said, “I could never fool you, Spider-chan. You’re always one step ahead.” Kisla glanced outside at the remaining group. She changed the subject. “So how goes it with your troop of girls?”
Daius chuckled. “You mean Nox? She’s great, why?”
“Why? Daius, we always have this discussion. Shusai is almost gone--”
Daius’s grin shifted to a frown. “Don’t talk that way.”
Kisla ignored him. “And Myrak and I won’t be around forever. I want you to be well off when we go.”
Daius continued to frown. “Kisla, I’m seventeen. Spare me some slack, would ya?”
Kisla darkened. She flipped the literature around and began to read. It always ended this way. Then Myrak comes, the peacemaker…
The familiar clink of a metal cane on the ground came, as usual, preceding Myrak’s approach. “Do I hear my beloved, and my son arguing? Again?”
“We’re not arguing, dearest. Daius just doesn’t get that I’m not satified with his whoring--”
“Kisla!” Myrak cautioned.
Kisla blushed and fixed her mistake. “His non-committal lifestyle. And with the latest attacks from Wraith… I’m afraid we’ll outlive our son, Myrak.”
Daius’s frown turned to a scowl. “Mother, just because Wraith has been attacking Arden and Dragonglory lately doesn’t mean that I’m going to die. You trained me yourself. I trust your instructions, why won’t you?”
Myrak grinned. “Daius, you know that she’s just worried because you’re one of our militia’s leaders. Don’t listen to the words of the old, senile…”
“Senile? Let’s get this straight, Oldtimer--” Kisla began. Daius took the opportunity to leave. “…I am still as sharp as I was twenty years ago. Now Spider-chan…” It was then Kisla noticed that her son was gone. She sighed, and turned her rocking chair back to the window.
____
“Spider, I don’t get why we still have to meet in secret. All of Dragonglory knows about us,” the immaculate Equinox said to Daius. It was almost midnight, in the Xammas forest, and the two had met at their usual place - Narcissia’s temple.
“Everyone knows that we like each other, Nox, even though my mother doesn’t approve.”
Equinox batted her long, full eyelashes, blinking her large black eyes. Her lips parted ever so slightly, and she shifted her weight. Daius smiled, knowing this little pattern. Every time he wanted to complain about his life, every time he wanted to be miserable, Nox would bat her eyes, part her lips, inviting Daius to kiss her. When he was with Nox, it seemed to Daius, he could forget his troubles. She was like a drug to him, very seductive, very enticing, very addictive. Equinox sauntered into the temple, beckoning for Daius to follow. He did.
____
Meanwhile, inside Dragonglory, three Dark King Loyalists stole through the silent village. They reached their destination, a small cottage. Entering through the window, they found the bedroom of the man and wife.
The wife, always a light sleeper, as her dangerous occupation demanded, woke up instantly, shaking her husband. The peppery haired man was thoroughly shocked. “Why are you demons here? We want nothing of your King,” the wife demanded.
The first Loyalist’s hollow voice sounded. “It’s not you we want… It’s your son… He’s fighting us… The King doesn’t want him to fight…”
The second Loyalist added on. “He is vital for the King’s Dynasty to rise… to prosper… it is inevitable…”
The third Loyalist spoke. “You will help us… or he will die…”
“Leave our son alone!” the wife cried menacingly.
“I call upon the power of the heavens! Demons begone!” an elderly voice shouted. A slim piece of parchment with runes on it hit the second Loyalist in the back. The Loyalist’s body vanished before it hit the ground.
The third Loyalist approached the elderly woman. “You’ll live to regret this interference…”
“Wait!” the woman cried. “Don’t hurt her. What must I do to save my son?”
____
Daius kissed Equinox one last time, before heading home to his cottage. He whistled as he strolled home, thinking up excuses to why he was gone. Maybe I was in the forest at Narcissia’s temple, and lost track of the time. I fell asleep, and… It was a perfect scam. He was about to start walking sleepily to prove his point when he heard a cry and a thump. Running towards the noise, drawing his dagger, Daius kicked open the door. Still running, he went to where he had heard the cry.
Two of the Dark King’s henchmen stood near three adults. One was very elderly, but it was still too dark to see. A Loyalist smacked the eldest across the face. Angered at this afront to decency, Daius willed his battle haze to take over. Daius was almost like a berserker, but he controlled himself.
“Hey!” he shouted. The one attacking the elder turned, but the other, who had knocked out one of the hostages, was preparing either to rape, or murder, the last in the bed.
Daius flipped his dagger around in his hand, and let it fly at the free Loyalist. His expertly aimed projectile hit the Loyalist right in the throat. The demon disappeared, releasing the weapon. Daius sped over and caught the tarantula dagger, and threw it at the Loyalist, who was now obviously planning to rape the woman in bed. It struck him in the back, and he disappeared. Daius called to the woman to catch the dagger.
Then, the Loyalist reappeared, in back of Daius, and struck him down before the woman could warn him. “You… You will rue the day you messed with the Dark King!”
The woman threw the dagger, but the Loyalist saw it this time. He stared at it, and it dropped harmlessly to the ground. He continued to pummel the fallen Daius. “Spider-chan, no!” the woman cried.
“Momma?” Daius whispered weakly. He then noticed he was in his home. Two more Loyalists materialzed and held the woman at bay. The unconsious man is Dad… and the old woman, Shusai… THEY’LL PAY! Daius thought. But what can I do? I’m helpless, now. I’ll be dead soon. Hey, one good point, I'll be able to meet Narcissia…
This thought gave Daius an idea. “Narcissia…” he prayed, his voice cracking in pain. “Guide me…”
Daius felt his strength return, and a bright yellow glow surrounded him. Disciple, use my power! The magic in your veins beats strongly! Be my chosen!
“Narcissia?” he said, thinking the voice he had heard was imagined. The glow filled the cottage, and the Loyalists shielded their eyes from irs radiance. Daius thought about punching the Loyalist who had hurt him and had tried to rape his mother. The glow flared at his hand. “Ya-tah!” he shouted as he punched at the Dark King Loyalist. Even though he was far away, the light jumped off of his fist, into the Loyalist’s chest. He disappeared.
Daius smiled in both elation and astonishment. He did away with the soldiers quickly, and the glow faded into a torch, to light the room. The tarantula dagger was back in its sheath. “Mom, you okay?”
“Spider-chan…” Kisla fainted.
Daius ran to Shusai, who lived, but who was bleeding from a gash in her face. Then, Daius checked Myrak. The old man wasn’t breathing.
“Dad, wake up! They’re gone now!” Daius said, his eyes brimming with tears. “Dad! Come on, Myrak, wake up!”
“He’s gone, Disciple. Even I could not save him.”
Daius’s grief-stricken face whirled to see a woman, clad in gold body armor, a gold helmet held in her left hand. “W-who are you?”
“You know me, Disciple. I am Narcissia.”
Daius did a double take. “N-n-narcissia? Why…”
Narcissia smiled. “Daius, you restored my shattered temple. You honored my, and Cecil’s, memory. What more could I ask?”
Daius’s eyes finally focused on the glimmering woman. Her hair was as golden as her armor, and her helmet was styled as the Greek goddess Athena’s. Her eye’s sparkled like diamonds, and her muscular body was clad in form-fitting armor. A sword adorned with a tarantula similar to the one on his dagger was worn at her side. Daius adjusted his position to a kneel in worship.
“Narcissia… I can’t believe it’s you! I knew you were there, but never…”
Narcissia shook her head. “Daius, you need not worship me. Treat me as a friend. I am eternal. I will always be here for you. Always. Look to the dryads… they are my people.”
Daius perked up at this comment. “So the rumors are true.”
“Yes,” Narcissia said, extending a hand and helping Daius up. “I am daughter of Sirel, a human woman, and Ressen, a dryad male.” Narcissia took Daius’s hand and kissed his ring finger. “Goodbye, Daius, and be strong.” Narcissia’s form started to fade.
“No!” Daius said, ripping his hand from hers. “You said you’d always be with me! Then stay with me!”
Narcissia smiled one last time, and disappeared. Daius looked down on where she had kissed him. His hands sparkled gold, and a golden ring of spiders encircled his finger. He remembered her words to him - “The magic in your veins is strong.”
Over the next few months…
The entire village of Dragonglory mourned for Myrak the Magician. Kisla had fallen into a state of depression, where she would fall into trances that lasted for days at a time. Shusai, however had gotten better from most of her illnesses and was the hyperactive aged matron she always was. She replaced Kisla as keeper of the household, taking care of the delusional adventuress. Daius hardened his emotions against all of the outside world, except for Shusai and his mother, and he visited Narcissia’s temple often. Even Equinox couldn’t help, and she was rapidly boring of the once charming Spider-chan.
“Spider, we need to talk.”
“What is it, Nox?”
Nox shook her head, and smiled wistfully. “Spider, you’ve changed. Ever since that night, you’ve been emotionally recluse… you’ve been not you. I love you, Spider, but I love you for who you are, and not this shoddy facsimile. If you don’t get over Myrak’s death, you’re going to lose your friends, and you’re going to lose me. So make a choice.”
Daius drew Equinox close. “I’ll try, Nox. I’ll try.”
Equinox bit her lip in worry. She had expected the hot-tempered Daius to react differently. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go at all.