Eight
The Heartless Swamp
Ever since the encounter with the Crimson Hunter weeks' prior, Umbra and Micah's training sessions were carefully supervised by Lady Crow.
Their battleground today was a secluded rocky hollow in an overgrown ritual site.
Creepy effigies hung in the trees and numerous little stone piles littered the clearing. Under the rocky outcroppings perpetually-burning magical candles flickered.
Despite being in the Heartless Swamp, this grass was dry and dead- unholy ground often was this way.
Lady Crow had intensified her student's combat training. This secluded spot was where she had held Sabbats in the past, but the ashes of the campfires she lit had been washed away by the rain.
She insisted that areas desecrated by demonic sabbat rituals would bolster their dark powers and accelerate their training.
Micah had attuned to the dark energies and intersecting ley lines of the sabbat grove far faster than Umbra.
Nobody would acknowledge it but Umbra could smell the sulfuric residue of demonic mana emanating from the soil.
His hand still ached where the demon Belphegor had branded him close to three years ago.
His time was nearing its end and his contract would be up soon. His plan now was to become strong enough to beat back the reaper's hellhounds.
He had kept this scheme to himself, carefully shielding it in the recesses of his mind, away from any nosey mental intrusion from his teacher.
Despite how earnest Umbra's effort was, he was soon trailing behind Micah in terms of magic and strength.
Micah had figured out how to draw strength from the grove, but try as he might Umbra was struggling to hold on to the strength he had previously gained. Umbra could feel something limiting his powers, chaining him from ascension.
Furthermore, Micah was becoming increasingly hostile in his training, encouraged further by Lady Crow.
As their training progressed and Micah's strength flourished, Lady Crow grew disinterested in Umbra's development; he was becoming little more than a target dummy to her new prized student, Micah.
Micah's anger seemed to peak whenever he fought with Souldrinker in his grip. But in hand-to-hand combat Umbra was almost equal to him in skill.
But when Micah fought with his sword Umbra struggled just to parry his strikes.
Cassius sat crouched on the edge of an outcropping snickering at Umbra's growing ineptitude.
Lady Crow secretly knew that Souldrinker was weakening him with every strike and Umbra was getting increasingly frustrated.
It was clear that the sword was eating away at Micah's good-nature, when he went into a battle rage, he showed no restraint.
At night Umbra talked to him as they lay sleeplessly on Lady Crow's dusty lounge floor, Micah would always grow aggravated when they spoke about Souldrinker.
Umbra was losing his friend, and even worse- his nightmares were becoming scarier than ever before.
He dreamed of burning hellfire, scores of demonic torturers in a cavern of brimstone and blood. He was seeing glimpses of the underworld itself as his contract was nearing its end. The brand on his hand almost always ached now.
But despite this his determination never faltered, day in day out he fought with Micah, practiced offensive spell casting with his teacher but struggled to keep up with Micah.
Eventually Micah had progressed so far ahead of Umbra that their sparring matches would last only seconds before Umbra was overpowered. Umbra's fiery blue projectiles bounced harmlessly off Micah and his mental attacks proved useless. Again, he could feel like something was chaining him, limiting his power.
Lady Crow's minion Cassius had been absent for close to a week now, but the old witch didn't seem to care.
One day, during a training match the class went too far.
Disarmed and yielding, Umbra lay defeated, his defenses shattered. Micah held his blade to his opponent's neck; the sword's red aura flickered in his eyes.
End it...
Consume him...
Do it now!
Micah seemed entranced as he leaned the blade on Umbra's throat.
"Brother! I yield" Umbra pleaded, raising his hands in submission.
Lady Crow jeered from the edge of the battle, "Kill him now!" she urged the entranced Micah.
"What?!" Umbra exclaimed.
Even after close to three years under her tutelage, Lady Crow still saw him as expendable, worthless. "You bitch!" Umbra snapped.
"You're holding him back," Lady Crow fired back, crossing her arms.
Her next words stung Umbra: "I should have left you in that ravine outside of Brie."
Umbra was red-faced and furious. He looked up at Micah who now looked equally disgusted with their teacher. He relinquished his blade and helped Umbra to his feet.
"I'm not killing an unarmed opponent," Micah stated firmly.
Lady Crow scoffed. "You're done here, Umbra. You've wasted enough of my time."
Umbra looked desperately at Micah. "Can you believe this?" he exclaimed.
Micah hesitated, "What if he doesn't leave?"
There was a tense moment of silence as the wilds stirred.
"I will not train him anymore. Umbra's training is over," Lady Crow replied dismissively.
"You have potential... He doesn't," her ultimatum was cast. She had contemplated this for many days and had decided to turn him loose.
"Come on, Micah, let's go," Umbra beckoned him grabbing his cloak and staff.
"I'm staying," Micah stuttered with an approving nod from his rough-faced teacher. "I need this, please understand."
Umbra's jaw dropped. He felt so betrayed. "I won't forget this, Witch!" he snarled at Lady Crow.
Lady Crow pointed north "You know the way out."
Umbra clenched his fist imbuing it shadowy blue fire contemplating attacking his traitorous teacher, but he looked to his friend.
Micah shook his head, his eyes wide with sympathy.
"I'll see you in Hell, Witch!"
"Tick tock, tick tock," Lady Crow chimed, referring to Umbra's contract.
Micah looked confused. He hadn't been told about Umbra's demonic deal; it had happened months before Micah had arrived to train. Umbra was too ashamed to tell him and Lady Crow was content with secrecy.
Umbra stomped off into the wilderness filled with rage and bitter from betrayal.
"Let's continue," Lady Crow turned to her remaining student. "We have a lot left to cover."