Page 48 of Soul Forge

“That’s enough,” Sypher told her when he saw the red. “We’ll work on your centre of balance tomorrow.”

“I can help with that,” Reiner interjected. “Valkyries can’t fight in the skies without balance. She can learn while we travel.”

“And if she falls?”

Her eyes tightened at the corners. “Then you’d better be there to catch her.” Elda swallowed, the idea of falling out of the sky again only adding to her unsettled stomach.

Sypher opened his mouth to retort when a rune tattooed below his ear lit up in sizzling red, the power reflecting in his eyes until the black sclera was engulfed completely. Unlike most of his other markings, this rune was one Elda could recognise. Some of the soldiers guarding the castle had it tattooed in the same place. From what she could tell through her father’s books, it was a tracking rune.

“Are you okay?” she asked carefully, pulse stuttering at the thought of someone tracking their whereabouts.

He didn’t answer, getting to his feet in a single smooth extension. Reiner stood, too, hefting her mace and scanning the area for danger. While her eyes darted back and forth, her body moved towards Elda, taking her arm and towing her back towards the shelter.

The Soul Forge was looking up at the darkening sky, fixated on something Elda couldn’t see at first. The evening light was almost gone, plunging the clearing into darkness everywhere the fire couldn’t reach.

Elda’s ears picked up the faint beating of a pair of wings, growing steadily louder with each passing second. Reiner tensed when a shadow appeared, darker than the inky backdrop and growing more distinct until, eventually, it hit the firelight. A pair of leathery black wings were illuminated from underneath, and then four hoofs touched the dirt.

The captain pushed her backwards again, nudging her into the entrance and taking up a defensive position in front of her. Sypher was already approaching the beast, hands outstretched to calm it down before Elda truly understood what she was looking at.

At first, it looked like another Pegasus until she saw the blank, white eyes and razor-sharp teeth. It was huge and dark and imposing, a full foot taller than Atlas, with large wings tucked in close. Its skin was smooth and hairless, though it did sport a silken black mane and tail.

There was a figure slumped over its back, barely holding on to the saddle it wore. Sypher ran a gloved hand along its snout in greeting, then pulled the rider down and ducked under their arm to take the weight.

“What isthat?” Elda gasped, eyeing the horse warily. It pawed at the ground and tossed its mane, letting out a loud snort. There was no doubt in her mind that this creature was demonic. Her nerves jangled the same way they had at the sight of Sypher’s other half, goosebumps rippling across her flesh.

“A tulpar demon,” the Soul Forge answered, laying its rider on the ground. “Why haven’t you fed, moron?” he muttered.

“Meals are hard to find,” the man groaned. Elda gasped when he lunged for Sypher’s throat, instinctively jerking forwards, only to be held back by Reiner’s restraining arm. The Soul Forge grunted, catching the rider by the shoulders just in time to save his jugular being torn out.

“Julian.” The man struggled weakly against his grip. “Jules, look at me.” He stopped trying to break free. “Are you hurt?”

“Just hungry.” The rider sounded like he was in agony.

“Alright. Just…” Sypher sighed and ran a hand through his white hair. “Shit. Just give me a minute to explain, okay? You’ll frighten off my latest wielder, and I don’t want her guardian to kill us.” Julian clenched his fists and nodded, grinding his teeth the moment he was released. The grimace on his face made it seem like he was in pain.

“I don’t understand what’s happening,” Elda stammered, staring at the newcomer. He watched Sypher’s every move with ravenous, pale white eyes. Dark hollows surrounded them in evidence of his malnourishment, and his skin was sallow.

“Seconded,” Reiner agreed, violet power crackling through her veins and down into her weapon. “Explain,now.”

“This is what a real vampire looks like,” the Soul Forge said, gesturing at the newcomer.

“A ravenous animal?” she snapped, raising the mace.

“A starving man,” Sypher corrected.

Elda’s eyes were wide enough that the night air made them sting. “Vampires are extinct,” she murmured from behind the captain’s weapon. She watched that sizzling power carefully, her gaze darting back to it to make sure she wasn’t about to be accidentally shocked again.

“Not all of them,” the Soul Forge explained. “There aren’t many left that I know of, but there are some. This one has been my friend for a long time.”

“He tried to kill you!” Reiner growled, widening her stance to ready herself for a fight. Elda’s pulse thrummed in her throat.

“If you knew what the bloodthirst was like, you’d understand why.” He spoke quickly, keeping one eye on the vampire. Reiner shuffled another step backwards, almost blocking Elda’s view as she forced her further into the shelter. “I have to feed him.”

“What if he kills you?” the captain asked.

“Immortal, remember? I just need you both to keep your distance until he’s full. If you get too close to him in this state, he could hurt you.” Elda chewed her lip anxiously, but she nodded and closed her fingers around the hilt of her dagger, trying to remember all the things she’d learnt that night. Reiner’s magic was still active, circling her body through her veins, looking for an outlet.

“Be careful,” Elda pleaded over her shoulder.

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