The Third Red 1: The Enemy Within

Eric slammed the door to his room shut. He growled, and in a fury removed the Heirs Heirlooms he now knew were useless. He tossed them to the floor before falling into bed. Eric fumed, anger festering within him. So much had happened. Many bad things. His mother’s death, Clauwing attacking Myra, him failing to become a War Caster, and now Karia was forced to serve under the Volks, all thanks to Chosan. There had been some good things. Eric had friends like he’d always wanted. Karia, Dargin, Myra, even Morum. But the bad seemed to far outweigh the good right now.

Eric sat there for a while, the anger slowly fading. He looked over to the desk where his paints lay. He hadn’t made a new painting since the ink drawing of Corgo. It still hung above the desk, pierced by his mother’s daggers. He walked over, sat down, and picked up the paintbrush, hoping to use this small free time to make something. He wouldn’t have much chance to do this anymore with Taro training him.

Then the Volk Lord’s words echoed through his mind just as Clauwing’s did.

“Anything that doesn’t serve to make one a better warrior is useless.”

Eric’s anger returned, he snarled and snapped his paint brush in two then threw it away. He’d always enjoyed painting. But now it seemed like a waste of time. He’d failed to save his mother because he’d spent more time painting than working to become a Master Sorcerer or swordsman. Now the anger turned to guilt and sadness, tears formed from his eyes. If he’d focused more on combat and hadn’t been so overconfident in Rubara being able to protect him all the time, his mother might still be alive and Karia wouldn’t be forced to serve the Volks. Eric just felt like he couldn’t do anything right.

Suddenly the door to his room burst open and Myra appeared.

“Eric, will you train me again?” she asked with a hopeful smile.

“Not now Myra,” Eric grumbled.

She saw the tears on face. “Are you alright?”

“No,” Eric told her truthfully.

“Maybe another time then?”

“I don’t know,” Eric shook his head. “If every day must be like this one probably not.”

“But...”

“I’m sorry, Myra. I just don’t know what’s going to happen right now.”

The girl looked at him sadly, her eyes tearing up now. “Please, you’re the only one that’s ever been willing to train me! Everyone else, they just laugh at me and say I should forget about it. They say I’m just going to be worthless in battle!”

Eric looked at her, wiping his tears and a look of determination replacing his sad expression. He slowly got up from his desk and walked over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

“Myra you’re not worthless! Don’t ever let them tell you that! Doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or a girl! Anyone can become strong if given the proper training.”

Myra looked at him, managing a small smile. “I just… I just want to show them that I’m not a useless girl! My brothers are always picking on me and pushing me around. My father says I need them to protect me, and my mother says the only thing I’ll be good for is healing, shielding or bearing children. I just want to prove them all wrong someday and become a Soron Knight or Maiden of Mayhem.”

Eric nodded. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to train you again. I-I need time to myself. Today was really hard.”

Myra nodded slowly and sadly. “Alright.”

She left and Eric climbed into bed. He looked up at the ceiling for a while, sleep slowly coming to him. When it did, he dreamed about that awful Corgo once again. He felt a chill as he saw his terrifying foe.

The bat was back in the room with the menacing red and black eyes.

Corgo smiled wickedly. “How is everything going my King?”

“Everything is going well, soon the boy will be ours,” Zaro said. “Then I will be free at last, and the world of Sorceria shall bow to me. No one will be safe. Sorcerer, knight, serf, or even dragon.”

Eric took slow scared breathes at these words. Even the dragons wouldn’t be safe?

“No! Leave them alone!” Eric shouted.

Corgo looked at Eric, a look of surprise on his face.

“Corgo?” Zaro asked.

“I thought I heard something,” Corgo said.

“Oh, I think I know what it is.”

The eyes shined brightly, looking directly at Eric who shouted and shielded his gaze.

Eric woke with a start, sitting up and gasping for breath. Was he having all these dreams about Corgo and Zaro?

He took a few more breaths until he felt slightly calmer then tried to think. The dream and exchange had been short. Zaro had said he was close to getting “the boy”, and would soon be free from the prison dimension. What did it mean?

The answer came when he remembered what his mother had told him that Corgo wanted. That Corgo needed Eric’s sorcery to free Zaro, who could open a portal that could let in countless demons to this world.

Eric now realized what it had to mean. Corgo was coming for him. He would attack Sortar like he did years ago, when he’d killed Derair. Eric’s fear remained for a moment, but then turned to anger yet again as he clenched a fist and gathered his courage. His parent’s images both appeared in his head.

“I will avenge you mother… father,” he said. “I will stop Corgo this time. No more shaking in fear.”

He had to tell someone about this. The first person he thought of was Chosan, but he brushed that aside immediately. His uncle was not reliable, much of the troubles Eric had endured were because of Chosan. The next person to came to mind was not much more appealing, but Eric had to say he was effective. He would tell Taro Volk when he saw him.

His body had recovered from the harsh training of yesterday. Eric rested until the sun rose then changed into his leather and wrapped his weapon belt around his waist. His hand instinctively went for the chest containing the heirlooms, but then he remembered he had no need for them. Leaving them, Eric made his way to the door of his room and to his surprise heard foot falls outside. Someone was coming up the stairs to his tower!

Eric shivered as he recalled his dream. Had a Demorian somehow infiltrated Soyagone to try and take him? He put a hand on his sword.

A knock sounded on the door.

“Eric! It Dargin! You ready?”

It was the goblin knight’s voice alright. Eric let out a breath of relief as he took his hand off the sword and went to open the door. Dargin stood there in his armor.

“Aye, I’m ready.” Eric told him.

They headed down the stairs, not having breakfast this time to avoid a stomachache.

“Your uncle left early,” Dargin told him. “Said he speak with Queen.”

“Hmph! I don’t think it will help Karia!”

Eric was still angry at Chosan for lying to him about his powers, but the fact that his uncle was going to see the Queen meant he was trying to help. of course, none of Chosan’s “help” so far had proven good.

“Who know?”

They went to the front where the Volk dragon Scalestone was already waiting. Rubara wasn’t there, but Eric was fine with that right now. He climbed into Scalestone’s saddle, the dragon took off and landed on Volkaron soon enough. Like yesterday Taro stood there waiting for them.

“Lord Volk, I must speak with you!” Eric said as he approached.

“I’m not freeing the girl!” Taro snapped.

“No! It’s about the Demorians!” Eric said.

“What about them?”

“I had a vision!” Eric exclaimed.

Taro’s eyes widened, he then looked around at Dargin and the other soldiers nearby. “Leave us!”

They did as they were bid, going off to the side of the castle to begin their training.

“What did you see?” Taro asked once they were alone.

“Corgo, he was speaking to Zaro.”

“You are certain?”

Eric nodded. “I saw it as though I were there myself.”

“How? Sight sorcerers cannot look into Demoria!”

“I don’t know,” Eric told him truthfully.

There was a moment of silence. Eric wondered if Taro would dismiss him.

“What did they say?” the Volk Lord asked.

“That soon ‘the boy’ would be theirs. I think they meant me, and they said Zaro would be free.”

Taro stroked his chin. “Hmm… if this is true, then Corgo is most likely coming to Sortar to try and capture you again.”

Eric nodded, soon he would have to face Corgo. That was most likely what was to come soon.

“This is good!” Taro grinned.

“What? Good?” Eric repeated in surprise.

“Yes! Since you had this vision, we know he’s coming! That takes away his element of surprise like last time!” Taro laughed. “He’ll come with all the Demorians he has, but in his absence their numbers have been cut in half! I shall send ravens to the rest of the Kingdom to send every soldier there. With that, we can crush the Demorians forever.”

Eric looked at him uncertainly then asked, “What about Corgo? How are we going to deal with him?”

“You will of course, that is your destiny.”

“But-but I’m still just a novice sorcerer!” Eric reminded him. “I can’t master all the inherited powers before he gets here, how long will that take?”

Taro hummed. “Hmm. Depends on when he leaves and what troops he’s bringing. Last time he slowly pu his army on the land and had them make their way here. But we don’t need you to master all magic forms. Just a few that might make all the difference.”

“Well, I have a silver nature badge.” Eric pointed to it.

“No, that won’t help. Corgo is immune to nature and all others. The only thing that will work is your red sorcery. So, we’ll have to focus on Core Sorcery. Also, there is the fact that he can fly.”

Taro thought for a moment. “I think I can teach you at least one powerful spell and how to shapeshift wings before he arrives. I’m sure you recall he can freeze people with his mere presence as well?”

Eric nodded, he remembered feeling like a statue when Corgo emerged. Unable to move as he’d watched Rubara fighting alone. Then the fear held him back even once his mother could move.

“You’ll need to be able to prevent that,” Taro said.

“How?” Eric asked.

“Well, there is fire. Having a flame nearby can prevent Corgo from freezing you. But since you have a griffin… or opinicus… as your birth animal that could give you resistance.”

“That didn’t work last time,” Eric said.

It will now, Clauwing said in Eric’s head. “I’d be happy to give you resistance now.”

Eric conveyed that message onto Taro who was ecstatic.

“Excellent!” the warlord smiled before continuing. “Now, you will need to learn the Soron Morsu between shapeshifting and beast sorcery.”

They walked inside Volkaron to their library. Taro took a book Eric knew all too well. The Complete Guide to the Sorcerer Powers. He then led Eric back outside and turned to the section on Soron Morsu between shapeshifting and beast sorcery. Several illustrations were shown of people turning into animals of various kinds.

“You need to call upon your inner beast and channel sorcery through your body. First, locate your inner beast.”

Eric closed his eyes, focusing inward. He could see the red and blue flashes of sorcery within.

Clauwing! He thought.

Yes? The beast’s voice sounded through his head and Eric saw in his mind’s eye an image of the opinicus.

I need you now! Eric mentally told him. We’re going to shapeshift and grow wings!

Yes! I’ve been waiting for this! I’ve been waiting for this! Clauwing responded eagerly.

“Do you have the beast?” Taro asked.

“Yes,” Eric said opening his eyes.

“Good, now… take it in your sorcery and then channel it throughout your body.”

Eric mentally controlled the sorcery within his mind. He could see it wrapping itself around Clauwing. His body lit up in red sorcery.

“Now say the words Grano kodu carniv arel!”

“Grano kodu carniv arel!” Grant me beast wings!

In response to the words, Eric felt shapeshifting sorcery flowing through him. In his sorcery mind he could see Clauwings’ own wings separate from the opincus’s body.

“And direct it to the back, beneath the shoulders!”

Eric did so. Concentrating on his back, beneath the shoulders where the wings of an opinicus would be. Most beast sorcerers had to replace their arms with wings, but Eric gained new ones since his inner beast already had four legs. If he were to mess up and put them in the wrong place, the wings would return to Clauwing, and Eric would have wasted sorcery.

He let out a grunt as he felt his skin breaking open and new bones pop out, tearing through his leather armor. For a moment he remained motionless, then opened his eyes and looked at his wings. They were mostly red, with some blue feathers as well, just like what he’d seen on Clauwing. He gave them a flap.

“Excellent!” Taro said. “You’ll need to practice with those, but that will have to come later. Right now, we must focus on the empowerment blast!”

Eric had never been taught that spell before but he’d heard of it. A nearly unstoppable attack made by emptying and unleashing an entire sorcery core.

Taro walked to the edge of the castle and looked south across the land. Eric followed his detestable new mentor. He hoped that this wouldn’t go on much longer. If he managed to get rid of Corgo, maybe Taro would let him go.

“Put both hands together,” Taro instructed. “Put your entire sorcery core into a single attack.”

Eric did so, charging his sorcery between both hands. A glowing red orb formed between them. It grew from a handheld ball. to the size of Eric’s head, then larger. Eric had to raise his hands above his head as it grew to an enormous size. Pain shot through him as he felt his first sorcery core get used up.

“Fire!”

At Taro’s shout, Eric threw the ball into the sky. It propelled upward for miles, then vanished into Spirakus.

“Faster! You need to unleash it faster or Corgo will get you!”

Eric sent out three more full cores. Blue, green, purple balls all ascended.

“One more!’ Taro ordered.

“Are you mad?” a concerned voice called from behind.

Looking over his shoulder, Eric saw Karia.

“What are you doing here?” Taro asked. “Shouldn’t you cleaning?”

“Lady Volk told me to take a break,” Karia said.

She must be nicer than Taro, Eric thought.

“That so?” Taro scoffed. “My wife is soft, as all woman are.”

Karia sent him a look that silently said, she’s a kind woman that is wasted on you.

“One more core, Eric Yagaro,” Taro repeated his order.

“No!” Karia objected. “That’s his last core! If he uses it, he’ll die!”

“Don’t use all of it,” Taro said. “Just what you can, I’ll tell you when to stop. Viset soron!” See Sorcery.

His eyes lit up as he spoke the incantation for his sight sorcery. Like Tarair’s they were a bright yellow, with a blue ring.

Eric sighed and began to channel his last core, orange. He felt the energy leaving him, it hurt to stand as though his legs were losing their bones and might turn to jelly.

“That’s enough!”

Eric grunted and with extreme effort threw the ball. As he watched it ascend, Eric felt his strength fading.

Taro grinned. “You’ve learned what you need… soon you’ll be ready to fulfill your role.”

Then Taro laughed at the top of his lungs. The Warlord seemed so much happier today, usually he was just angry or emotionless.

“Taro! This ends here!”

Even in his severely weakened state, Eric was shocked to hear his uncle’s voice. He managed to turn his head in the other direction and saw Chosan, Lilar at his side as usual, and Queen Rzana, with several members of her Scarlet Guard.

Taro bowed to his queen. “Your highness, I was not expecting you. I have good news, the boy has learned the empowerment blast.”

Chosan gazed at Eric in concern. “What? You made him do that spell!? But that’s dangerous he- how many times did he use it?” Chosan’s face turned to outrage.

“Five.”

“Five? You could have killed him!” Chosan yelled. “Those are only supposed to be used with sorcery stored in gems!”

“Oh, whoops! I forgot!” Taro said showing a small amount of guilt. “Well at least I made sure he didn’t use up all his last sorcery core!”

“Oh dear. Quickly, we must get sorcery back into his cores!” Queen Razana ordered.

“I’ll do that!” Chosan said as he walked to Eric who grew weaker.

Razana meanwhile turned to Taro. “Lord Taro, Chosan tells me you drafted Eric with Truth by Battle when he defended a girl your son was harassing.”

“My son would not mistreat a woman!”

Eric felt a sharp pain in his head and cried out.

“Eric what’s wrong?” Karia asked, more worried than before.

His vision went dark. Then suddenly Eric felt himself fall to theground.

“Eric!” he heard both Karia and Chosan scream.

The area around Eric changed. He seemed to be flying through a jungle, which turned to a burned wasteland with an enormous black tree. Eric quickly realized he was inside his mind, but no one had placed him under an illusion like before. Why was he here?

Because I’m taking over now! A voice said, seeming to come from all around him.

“Who’s there?” Eric asked looking. “Clauwing is that you?”

Not even close.

Eric looked back in the direction of the dark tree which he was coming toward. To his surprise, he bright red eyes shining on the trunk.

“Eric! Eric!” Karia screamed from above. Eric looked up and saw her face in the sky.

“Karia!” Eric yelled, though she couldn’t hear him while he was in here.

“What’s wrong with him?” Karia asked.

“Eric!” Chosan came into Eric’s sight. “He needs to have his sorcery replenished quickly or he will be bedridden for a week!”

Through the hole in the sky, Eric could see Chosan reach for the gemstones on his amulet. He drew energy from four of them and then Eric felt a hand on his chest that had to be Chosan’s. The ground of Eric’s mind seemed to glow as his uncle sent extra sorcery into him.

“Wait, it looks as though he’s in a trance!”

Eric turned back to the evil looking tree.

“Who are you?” he asked. “How are you in my mind?”

The tree laughed evilly. Suddenly its roots sprang to life and wrapped themselves around Eric.

“I am… hmm? What to call myself? I’ve never actually been given a name. I suppose I shall have to come up with one once I’m in control. As for how I’m in your mind, it’s because my father was inside you.”

“Your father?” Eric asked as he struggled against the roots holding him in place.

Above him, Chosan reached out again. Eric felt a pressure on his head this time.

“I can get him out!”

Purple sorcery entered Eric’s head in the shape of a giant hand that reached for him. The roots holding him in place pulled him in closer so that he was tied against the dark tree with a grunt.

“This will delay my ascension for a time,” the tree said. “No matter. Once I have taken control of you, my father… Corgo will meet his demise!”

Eric’s mouth fell open at these words. Corgo, his parent’s murderer had a son that lived in Eric’s own head?

“How- how are you here?” Eric asked in panic.

Before the tree could answer, Chosan’s sorcery pulled both of them out as easily as a weed. They headed up toward the top for the exit.

The tree had only enough time to give a partial answer. “I suppose you wouldn’t remember, seeing as you were unconscious when my father possessed you.”

Before Eric could ponder that, they were through the gate to the physical world. Eric could see Chosan bending over him, with Karia standing a few feet away, the Queen, Taro, and the Scarlet Guard gathered around them in a circle. Dread filled Eric as he felt sick to his stomach.

“Eric?” Karia asked as he sat up. “Are you alright? What happened?”

“Karia! Get out of here! I was just-” Eric stopped midsentence and gagged. Something traveled up his throat. He vomited. What came from him mouth wasn’t food or liquid, but vapor and smoke-like, it looked just like Corgo’s essence when the bat came out of Margery!

“What on Sorceria?” Taro exclaimed.

“Litar!”

A bolt of lightning burst from the smoke and hit Taro in the chest. The Warlord screamed.

“Lord Volk!” One of the guards yelled.

The cloud began to change its shape just like Corgo did as well. Bones formed, then were covered in skin. Also, like Corgo, this being had dark skin. Instead of a bat, though he was more man, with Eric’s face and physique, and bright red orbs for eyes. Far more intimidating then Corgo’s slime green. A pair of small demon horns protruded from this person’s head, and black and red eagle wings on his back similar to Eric’s.

“It’s a demon!” the captain of Scarlet guard said. “Draw your sorsteel! Protect the Queen!”

All the royal swords were unsheathed with an accumulation of metal hisses. The demon looked itself over, making no attempt to attack for the moment.

“Well, I have some blood like feathers on my wings. I suppose I could be called… Bloodfeather.”

“Eric!” Karia said. “Are you alright?”

Eric nodded slowly, then turned to the demon who’d just named himself.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“I want… to bring you to my father, then we’ll both kill him!” Bloodfeather said.

The words caused Eric to freeze in place.

“You want that don’t you? My father’s life?” Bloodfeather asked. “You feel such anger and hatred toward him, as well as this one.”

He pointed to Taro who still lay on the ground, groaning.

“That’s how I was born. When my father entered your body and possessed you, part of his demonic sorcery remained inside you. It fed on your growing hatred until I was finally able to emerge. Had your uncle not interfered and dragged us out of your mind I could have crushed your light then and there. But no matter, I shall have you.”

“Attack!” the captain of the Scarlet guard ordered.

Two of the Soron Knights present sprinted at their foe, having heard all they needed. Before they could reach him with their sorsteel blades, Bloodfeather surrounded himself with a wall of flames. This sight caused the pair to stop short, and Bloodfeather sent out beams of sorcery. His magic was red like Eric’s, but with a black outline, the reverse of what Corgo’s had been. The attacks broke through the defense of the Scarlet Guards and they fell to the ground. More of the them fired sorcery at Bloodfeather who simply stood still, the beams of light shot into him, but he remained standing, not flinching or taking damage from the attacks. Bloodfeather laughed like his father Corgo nearly a fortnight ago.

“Hahaha! Your sorcery is useless against me!”

Eric heard Karia whimper and she held him tighter in fright. He too was scared, this demon from inside him was far worse than Clauwing. While the inner beast had attempted to kill for food, this demon did it for pleasure, and nothing affected him. He was just like Corgo.

More people came from around the side of the castle, Dargin, Morum, and Tarair among them. Scalestone came as well, growling at the tiny demon as he saw him.

“Father!” Tarair exclaimed, seeing Taro on the ground.

Eric looked from Taro, to the wounded Scarlet guards, then to Dargin, Morum, and Bloodfeather,. His flashed back to Myra when he’d hit her, Margery looking at him for the last time. Something seeming to awaken in Eric as he pushed himself to his feet.

Then several people came from around the side of the castle, Dargin, Morum, and Tarair

among them. The Volk dragon came as well, growling at the tiny demon.

Eric pushed himself to his feet.

“No! I don’t care whether you’re a beast or a demon, or whether you’re inside me or out.

I’ve had enough of hurting innocent people!”

He drew his own sword and took his shield off his back before charging at the inner

demon. As Eric drew near, the fire around Bloodfeather flew at him. Had his shield not been

enchanted, he would have been badly burned. But it put up a barrier that blocked the fire. Eric

continued forward and swung his sword. The silver edged blade made contact. But it didn’t cut,

instead passing through Bloodfeather from shoulder to hip. Eric heard something hit the ground,

and saw a sword blade. He looked at his sword and saw that its blade had separated from the hil

Then several people came from around the side of the castle, Dargin, Morum, and Tarair

among them. The Volk dragon came as well, growling at the tiny demon.

Eric pushed himself to his feet.

“No! I don’t care whether you’re a beast or a demon, or whether you’re inside me or out.

I’ve had enough of hurting innocent people!”

He drew his own sword and took his shield off his back before charging at the inner

demon. As Eric drew near, the fire around Bloodfeather flew at him. Had his shield not been

enchanted, he would have been badly burned. But it put up a barrier that blocked the fire. Eric

continued forward and swung his sword. The silver edged blade made contact. But it didn’t cut,

instead passing through Bloodfeather from shoulder to hip. Eric heard something hit the ground,

and saw a sword blade. He looked at his sword and saw that its blade had separated from the hil

“I don’t care if you’re a beast or a demon, I’m not letting you hurt innocent people!”

He drew his own sword and took his shield off his back before charging at the new demon. As Eric drew near, the fire around Bloodfeather flew at him. Had his shield not been enchanted, he would have been struck for certain. But the shield put up a barrier that blocked the flames. Eric continued forward and swung his sword. The sorsteel blade made contact. But it didn’t cut, instead passing through Bloodfeather. The blade made specifically for killing demons dissolved. Eric stood wide eyed as he saw all that remained was the hilt.

“You’re mine!” Bloodfeather said as he grabbed Eric by the throat.

The Yagaro heir choked as he tried to wrestle the clawed fingers from his neck. Their bodies where the same shape and size, but the demon was stronger than him. With his sorcery used up since Chosan hadn’t filled it all the way, Eric couldn’t call upon his Greater Body to level the playing field, or even utter the incantation to do. He saw Bloodfeather emit a dark aura and feared it was over. Then someone shot a purple beam into the demon’s side.

Bloodfeather yelled in pain and dropped Eric who saw the source of the attack was none other than Queen Razana herself. Her sorcery had somehow hurt Bloodfeather!

Another purple beam shot from Razana’s hand. Bloodfeather flapped his wings and avoided the attack. Scalestone leapt up with a roar, the Volk Dragon took hold of Bloodfeather in his teeth. Bloodfeather screamed as he was shaken like a rag doll then thrown aside, landing right next to Karia.

“Karia!” Eric called to her. The aspiring sorceress didn’t have her sorcery or a weapon of any kind right now.

Bloodfeather, again like Corgo, got up as though being chewed up and spit out by a dragon was nothing. Before Karia could react, he touched her head, not speaking an incantation, Eric vaguely remembered Corgo did the same thing to him. Karia collapsed with a small sigh before Bloodfeather took her by the hair, putting her in front of himself like a human shield. Just in time, for the Queen had another handful of light ready. She hesitated as she saw Karia.

“She certainly slowed down my progress,” the demon said looking from the sleeping Karia to Eric. “She kept the light in your heart. If not for that I would have taken you long ago.”

“Let her go!” Eric bellowed.

“Meet me at sunset. I may not be able to live long beyond that time but if you don’t show. I’ll kill the girl!” Bloodfeather said. “Then we’ll see how much light you have left in your heart!”

He picked Karia up and flapped his dark wings. He took to the air, flying off with Karia in his evil arms.