Excerpt: Out of the Shadow

Sion marched with a determined gaze. He could already feel stronger just having the blade strapped to his back. The gauntlet no longer felt awkward hanging on his hand, though he could occasionally feel the hooks that dug into his flesh and muscles. The pain, when he felt it, was a reminder, more than anything, of what he wanted to accomplish. Night had fallen overtop of the man as he marched back the way he came. The dirt path he and Juushika, the annoying little vargir, had taken only a few hours ago. A small feeling of regret for not killing her lie in his mind. Though he forced it away, it wasn't worth killing such a useless person. That would prove nothing.
“Help!” A voice called out in the wilderness that surrounded the path, “Someone!”
The voice was followed by snarling and gnashing that accompanied the rustling of foliage. Sion stopped in his tracks and looked toward the source of the noise. Through the trees he felt, though couldn't see, a fey fleeing from canine vargir. The fey's wings flapped rapidly as she lept about in a constant fear for her life. At the very least, three vargir followed her, slowly gaining ground on their victim. Sion couldn't help but be reminded of Juushika and her fear, it was so similar to that which the fey was experiencing.
Sion glanced down at the gauntlet. Such a simple trinket could grant him such power. He could see beyond his own sight. He knew the victim would reach the trail before the beastmen caught her. As if on que, a silver skinned fey burst from behind the bushes that borderd the trail. She stumbled a little and rolled on her shoulder into the middle of the road.
“Magi!” she shouted, seeing Sion's outfit, “Help me!”
Sion looked at her expressionlessly. He failed to see why he should assist such a pathetic creature, one so full of fear that she could not stand up for herself.
The vargir lept from the treetops and landed near Sion. They were all canine, and all male. The leader of the pack had a large scar tracing from its bottom lip to the opposite cheek. The other two looked identical, both brown, and both with glowing yellow eyes.
“So, she's found a savior.” The scarred one snarled.
Sion shot the vargir a glance, “This is none of my business.”
His comment clearly frightened the fey, as she attempted to scuttle backwards to the other side of the forest. She hissed at the pain that erupted from her leg.
“Don't take us for stupid,” One of the twins argued, “You magi always meddle in our affairs.”
“The fey stole from us, magi.” The alpha tried to explain, “Simply step aside and let us through.”
Sion closed his eyes for a moment.
Kill them.
“Move before we tear you limb from limb.” One of the two brown vargir threatened.
Sion couldn't help but laugh. He laughed loudly, it echoed within the confines of the treetops. He wasn't certain exactly why, but he had to laugh, the very idea of them causing him harm seemed so ridiculous. The laughter was clearly unsettling for the vargir and the fey; they all backed away from him very slowly. Sion formed a fist with his gauntlet hand, he felt the powers surge within him.
“You?” Sion asked, opening his red eyes, “Harm me?” His fist began to crackle and flash with the intensity of a lightning storm. Bolts of pure, raw, energy seeped between his fingertips as he pulled his hand up near his shoulder. The light flashed in his eyes, but didn't cause the man to flinch in the least.
“He's mad.” One of the vargir said with a hint of fear in his voice.
“No,” snarled the alpha with the scar, “the bastard thinks he's top dog because he's gone wild...” The three wolves all lowered themselves into a fighting stance, ready to pounce at any moment. “Let's tame the beast.”
The scarred vargir was the first to leap, making a direct line for Sion. Before he could even get within arms reach Sion pushed his hand out and released the charged bolt from his hand. It exploded on impact with a blinding light that caused everyone to shield their eyes. When the flash was gone so was the attacker. Not a single trace of his existance could be seen. Before the beasts had a moment to decypher what had occured Sion had unsheathed the blade from his back and had sliced through one of the twins with a single quick slash. The blade seared through fur and flesh with ease, cleaving the beast in two pieces.
Sion paused to stand up straight. Slowly he peered over at the last of the wolfmen, “You should be running.” He tightened the grip on his sword, leaving the last opponent with more than enough time to turn tail and flee. However, Sion's intentions weren't to let the beast go. Once the monster began running Sion extended his bare hand toward his victim. With the simple blink of his eye a flame erupted from below the beast, searing the wolfman as it howled in pain. The fire didn't spread to the grass, however. Sion made certain it all stayed concentrated on his enemy. The moment that death's embrace stole the beast, Sion called the flames to diminish, leaving a simple charred corpse in the middle of the road.
Sion closed his eyes. He let out a breath as he felt himself become charged with power. Each death he had dealt filled him with a greater sense of strength. It was as though he had absorbed the very lives the creatures had, and converted those souls into his own powers. It felt amazing. Sion tilted his head back and basked in the feeling. He felt almost tingly. He laughed again, a very unsettling laugh that caused the fey to try and back up again.
With every death, your power grows...
Sion turned to the cowering fey. Her eyes were wide and filled in terror. Sion suddenly felt very sorry that he had let Juushika live.