Delphi V

Delphi V

With a burst of sudden speed the priest sprinted towards the tree line long robes trailing out behind him. In seconds the figure was lost from sight amidst the ferns and bracken. But Delphi was already moving, abandoning his supplies amidst the branches and deftly dropping from one bough to the next. Still he strained his mind holding to the chaotic currents of fate despite the tension of the moment. In the fading evening light with the canopy of the forest blocking what little illumination Luna and the maidens offered he would have to rely upon his strange sixth sense more than ever.

With an audible crash he fell to the forest floor dropping to one knee to absorb the impact. Swiftly he scanned the surrounding trunks for some sign of his pursuer peering through the cloud of twigs and leaves that tumbled through the air about him. Even before the detritus had settled to the ground Delphi was up and running nearly blind in the all-encompassing gloom. He sprinted onwards his mind constantly probing the immediate future for danger. Trusting in his senses the warlock jinked and weaved between the looming oaks, nimbly evading impact with gnarled trunks and low hanging branches that he could not see, feeling the gentle whisper of wind against his skin from each near collision.

Long minutes pass as Delphi plunged on into the darkness of the forest, thorns and bracken tearing at his exposed flesh. Finally with no sign of pursuit the warlock stumbled to a halt within a small clearing. Breathing heavily he leaned back against one of the surrounding trees tilting back his head and squeezing his eyes shut. Suddenly burning light filled the night searing into the witches weary eyes, he hissed through clenched teeth as tears welled up.

“Well it took you long enough to get here.” Whispered an unseen voice far to close for comfort.

Delphi blinked furiously and slowly the blurred shapes before him resolved themselves. Less than three yards from him stood the immaculate priest lantern raised above his head, behind him at the edge of the clearing stood his mount, ghostly pale in the flickering half light, tethered and hobbled. The stallion wasn’t even breathing hard, just how long had his purser been awaiting him?

Delphi returned his steady gaze to the monk now clearly visible in the illumination of his lantern. A pale willowy figure swathed in robes of rich blue silk and crowned with an ornate headdress. The slim priest stood motionless, seemingly welcoming his preys inspection, his gaunt face staring back at the witch with strange violet eyes filled with silent glee and mockery.

His appearance was more than impressive especially to one born and raised in the hinterlands of the hundred kingdoms yet it was not this that held his attention. Rather all of Delphi’s attention was trained upon the presence behind the figure, the same tightly focused, disciplined presence his mind had brushed against in the ruins of his home. He watched as it probed the near future with consummate ease, watched as the monks slight shift in position rippled forth through the twisted web of fate that surrounded the moment forging a dozen new paths. What manner of creature did he face?

“Still I suppose you made good time considering how little time you’ve had to practise the arts.” He tilted his head to one side setting the tiny bells upon his head tickling in the silence that followed “Have you nothing to say to me then brother?”

Delphi’s brow creased in confusion, “Who are you who calls me brother? I have no kin within these lands.”

Again the light of humour shone in the priest’s eyes “I am Caras-Val, the whispered truth, and no we are not brothers of the blood but brothers of the spirit. We are alike you and I creatures of fate, crafters of destiny, children of the stars and chosen of the maidens.”

“We are anathema?”

His laughter rang out like that the pealing of a silver bell “Yes in a way we are.” Delphi backed away cautiously his mind probing the myriad fates about the moment “Yet you ride with the hunt.”

“We are the hunt, we founded it to seek out those of our kind and slay the anathema who threaten creation. Please don’t move back any further I don’t want to hurt you” Delphi froze, his senses dancing from one strand of destiny to the next, he could feel the focused intensity of his opponent, could feel him fixed upon the moment ready to defend himself. He had no desire to face down an immaculate monk their formidable combat skills were well known even here in the hinterlands of the hundred kingdoms while Delphi was little more than a boy.

“And if I don’t wish to go with you?”

“I’m afraid we cannot allow you to wander freely in these lands, your powers are still growing and left unchecked you could cause a great deal of chaos. To say nothing of attracting unwanted attention, you see we have spent a great deal of time concealing our existence from the likes of the dragon blooded we can’t risk you revealing our existence.”

He needed something, an advantage a trick but what? What could he do against someone who could anticipate his actions moments before he acted, who could feel everything minutes in advance.

Then it struck him; the priest was focused entirely upon the immediate future in anticipation of Delphi’s attack so perhaps he would not anticipate the more distant future. Swiftly his mind reached out seeking the opportunity that could save his life and there it was the chance he needed. A single sentry from the hunt riding through the trees some distance from here yet seeking the priest, clearly the dragon blooded had not found the villagers humble dwellings pleasing enough to justify spending the night. But the rider would not find them this night at least not without Delphi’s aid, yes that would work.

“Come along now brother we can’t dawdle here all night there is a chill in the air and the rains will be here soon.” With a start the witch pounded forward across the clearing aiming a clumsy blow at the priests face. With inhuman grace he flowed aside bending like a reed in the wind, yet as he did the warlocks elbow lashed out shattering the flickering lantern in the priests hand. Instantly the woods were plunged into darkness leaving the combatants blinded. Seconds later light flared again a silvery ghostly illumination bursting forth from the priest’s very body filling the clearing. Quietly Delphi smiled before launching another flurry of attacks again Caras-Val bobbed and weaved with eye watering speed, laughing all the while, before suddenly launching a counter attack a single open handed blow to the warlocks breastbone sending him hurtling through the air.

Yet now essence burned about the priest a shimmering scarlet radiance that bled out to colour the majestic aura that burned about him. His eyes shone with trapped starlight and a crimson caste mark stood out plainly upon his brow a beacon of divine light that reached into the night’s sky.

“Come now brother stop this foolishness, you cannot hope to defeat me in open combat.”

Delphi slumped and prone against the tree looked up at the apparition before him “No never in open combat but then I don’t need to you have defeated yourself.”

The monk’s brow furrowed in confusion as his senses spread out searching for the some explanation. With a curse he spun around his eyes piercing the gloom to pick out the horseman, the same one who had been wandering the night moments before, the same one who had been drawn by Caras-Val’s display of power that Delphi had provoked. Now concealed amidst the thick trees a look of horror etched into the young mans face as he wheeled his mount and rode off at speed towards the village.

“I think you aught to catch him “brother” before he reaches his masters, after all we wouldn’t want you to reveal our existence to the dragon blooded.”

The blood drained from the monks face and a look of horror stole over his features as Delphi’s roaring laughter rolled out into the night.

“This is far from over brother we cannot let you run loose.”

With that he turned and ran into the night a blur of speed and fading starlight. With a groan Delphi drew himself to his feet glancing over at the great white stallion still tethered near by and smirking to himself.

“How nice a gift from my family.”