The Crimson Mystic Legacy Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Satisfy

Read chapter 16 of The Crimson Mystic Legacy by CRIMODAS on NovelPedia.

Uzi's cheek burned like fire ants chewing through skin; blood trickled warm down his jaw; he wiped it away with the back of his hand; holy magic already tingling to seal the cut. He locked eyes with the knight across the creek; the purple mist-face swirling in what looked like amusement; bow drawn taut for another shot. "Guntic; Garnet; get behind a tree," Uzi barked; voice low and urgent; pointing to the nearest half-burned trunk; its green side offering slim cover. Garnet didn't hesitate; she grabbed Guntic's arm; pulling him low as they scrambled; ash kicking up in soft puffs. "Water destroys them; Uzi," she called back; breath ragged; eyes wide above her scarf. "Dilutes the poison; turns them to nothing. Or go for the core; right in the center of the chest; that's their heart." Uzi nodded sharp; mind racing; the creek's ashy water too far to splash without getting skewered first. He bolted; not waiting for the next arrow; feet pounding the gray ground; dodging from tree to tree. The first stump took him; bark rough under his palms as he slid behind it; breath heaving. Then it hit him like a hammer to the knee. His leg; the one crushed under the first knight's boot weeks back; it wasn't fully healed. Pain shot up his thigh with every step; a dull throb turning sharp; muscles weak and protesting. He didn't have his full strength; this body still betrayed him; limits Rathra had baked in deep. Holy magic could patch; but not rebuild overnight. He didn't care. Uzi gritted his teeth; pushed off the stump; limp-running as fast as the bad leg allowed; weaving between blackened trunks; ash swirling in his wake. The archer fired; arrows whistling like angry bees; one slammed into a tree just ahead; violet poison spreading through the bark like little snakes; slithering veins of purple twisting up the trunk; wood hissing and crumbling where it touched. Another arrow clipped a branch overhead; poison dripping down; eating through leaves that weren't even there anymore; the air turning foul with chemical rot. Uzi knew it was probably game over if one hit him square. The poison would crawl inside; faster than his magic could burn it out; turning blood to sludge; limbs to dead weight. He couldn't let that happen; not with Guntic and Garnet counting on him; not after everything. He channeled his power; holy light building in his veins; gold glow wrapping his fists like gloves of fire. He could no longer think about the voice from yesterday; that echoing whisper in his head; or Rathra's scratches; the stone petal; the face in the water staring blank. The smoke still smothering his lungs even just a little; ash particles clinging inside; making every breath scrape. He shoved it all down; locked it away; focus narrowing to the knight; the bow; the next move. Uzi ducked low; knees scraping ash; aimed his body like a spear. The archer shifted; bow dipping too slow; not expecting the ground-level charge. Uzi exploded forward; bad leg screaming but holding; tackling the knight at the waist; both crashing into the creek bed; gray water splashing up in filthy arcs. He straddled the archer; fists raining down; each blow slamming into the armored face with cracks of gold light. Poison surged back with every punch; violet tendrils biting into his knuckles; burning like acid; but the holy magic healed it in the same instant; gold pushing back the purple; a war in his skin. Just sitting on the knight sent poison flooding his lower body; thighs; knees; feet tingling numb; spreading slow like ice water in his veins. Uzi didn't care; rage drowned the pain; he ripped the helmet off with a savage yank. The back of the knight began to fade away, the creek slowly but Sherly dissolving the parts that touch. Underneath; the poison gas face swirled; eyes forming from violet mist; mouth curling in a silent snarl. "I won't fucking lose this time," Uzi proclaimed; voice raw; holy light flaring brighter around him. He coughed out blood; metallic tang filling his mou