The Birthmark

This was another short story I did during last semester.

The full moon stares longingly at the town sleeping. Flowers shyly close themselves up waiting for the sun. A lone rider travels with her steed out beside the lakebed, dressed in a brilliant navy blue armor and plated guards for her arms and hips. The same hips are wrapped with a belt holding a pair of revolvers, and tie her hair up so it wouldn’t be in the way of running around. Behind her are a small band of soldiers with torchlights and firearms. Flying bullets streak through the air, fortunately zinging pass the pursued. The perpetual night full moon sky has a grey quilt over the sky, making their aim harder. She turns around and shoots at the pursuers with her revolvers. Their horses scramble and panic, stopping in their tracks, allowing her to enter the woods to lose them with distant neighing getting softer.

Her name is Lucinda de Arche, the only child to the king’s faithful advisor. Her father was murdered. Her mother vanished; all of those happy years became nothing but a distant memory. For years she ran around the country as a mercenary, sustaining herself with a diet on jerky, wild berries, dried harvests and alcohol. Joining is her faithful steed Filos, a runaway circus performer.

            After a while of galloping, she comes across a rock formation in the middle of the woods, composed of erratic structures of tall towers and horseshoe-shapes. She dismounts her steed and proceeds towards the formation, specifically the lone boulder in the middle of it. The Underground, a hidden establishment kept away from any kingdom. This is where mercenaries also report and acquire new jobs posted by the manager. She takes a good look at the moon, telling her the time of midnight.

            “Well, well, what has princess been up to?” A man in red armor calls out to her. It was none other than Raaf, another mercenary for hire. He wanders across the world, searching for success. He carries on his shoulder a massive cleaver as tall as him. The two have known each other for a year, and it was this spot the two first met each other. Given their mercenary life however, they are more as drinking buddies than actual comrades, not once did they ever go on a quest together.

            “Good even’ Raaf. Just here to relax and go for another job.” She said as she combs Filos’ mane. “How do the days fare you?”

“Same as you. Except afterwards, I’m going to see if there are any ladies who are interested in me this time.” He smiled, straightening his collar underneath his armor. “I got a charm that is said to bring good fortune

“He looks unfaithful, who would ever fall for him?” A sharp voice said.

“What did you say Filos? When did you learn to talk to others with curtness?”

 “Of course I did. You are lecherous as you are corrupt.” The voice calls out again.

“Lucinda, what are you pulling here? If it’s a demon possessing you, let me kill it.” Raaf lifts his cleaver and gestures a challenge.

Lucinda keeps her laughter within as a small violet winged-serpent pops out of her arm.

            “She thinks its funny.”

Raaf stares at the strange phenomenon talking to him with and begins pinching his arm. “I must be having one of those pre-booze dreams again.” After giving up he takes his cleaver and angles it carefully ready to cut it off.

“Wait, it’s okay, it’s a friend. It’s a bit of a tall tale really.” She says, scratching the back of her head with a winding smile.

“Just do it over drinks.” He knocks two times before answering with a password.

***

She ripped her salted jerky like a starving animal, crunching the dry meat while contently picturing the blank canvas she calls her future. Ever since the priest who adopted her was murdered, she could call anything an inn that doesn’t take her weapons per stay. Filos reached for the water and drank copious amounts, after galloping away from the authorities, long gave up looking for her. The moonlight reflected off the lake surface leaving a perfect image for the moon’s vanity, distorted by ripples of a curious fish snatching a prey. She sighed and took a swig from her bottle as she looked at the treasure chest she holds. Inside are merely generic valuables including gold, jewels, and crystals she had unintentionally stolen from the king’s castle. She lived there when she was young. She only wanted to take the mementos her parents left there before they were separated from her. She rummaged through the chest and took out a barrette, a gift from her father on her seventh birthday. She attached it to her hair and glanced over the surface of the watering hole. She felt the nostalgia returning to her, that happy image of her father and mother holding her youthful hands side-by-side. Next, she reached for her coin sack and begins transferring the extra gold into it. Then her eyes took note of a particular piece.

            “What’s this?” She reached for a ring. A standard circular ring used for those cheesy wedding ceremonies. Though, as a woman running around getting dirty, she wouldn’t have time to be stuck at home with chores, but something inside her wanted a little femininity even for a day and puts it on her finger with a little moonlight shine gleaming at her pupil.

            “I’ll head to the next pawnshop and sell the rest of this junk.” She thought as she stuffed the chest into her pack. Then she started stuffing the gold into her sack, imagining the good food she can eat for once. Nearby bushes rustled. An alert Lucinda looked around her in response. Nothing approached so she returned to the gold. As her mind continued to think of food, her birthmark began glowing with an intense violet. Lucinda stopped midway before landing the last piece of gold in her sack. She stared at it, then out of curiosity, poked it. Then from her arm, a river of blinding violet light channeled out, forcing her to cover her eyes, dropping her still-open coin sack. As the glow wanes, she uncovered her eyes and saw a violet-colored wyvern-like shape sprouting from her arm and unleashed a deafening screech. Filos tiredly neighed and went back to drinking. The thing on her arm sprouted like a parasite popping from the skin and bending over. On its rectangular head was a pair of eyes, pitch-black as the new moon sky, knobby arms with sharp fingers and serrated fangs and crooked wings on its back. It turned around and see her eye-to-eye.

            “Are you the master that has summoned me?” It spoke. Its mouth did not move. It must have talked through telepathy they call it.

Lucinda took out her revolver and aimed at its head. “Just what are you, demon?” She said with a furrowed brow. “Why are you attached to my arm?”

“If you are to kill me, then you will die.” The thing replied. Unconvinced she rolled the barrel with the next round to cut it clean off. “I am merely your humble servant. I am nothing but Wyvern. You are of the Drago Kin are you not?”

The name echoed in her consciousness, then she thought of something. She took a look at the dropped coins that rolled beyond the lake surface.

            “As your master, I command you to pick up the gold that fell in the water.” She pointed.

            “As you wish.” Wyvern bowed and lunged to the water, dragging Lucinda down the muddy banks and into the water surface. The instant it started dragging its master, Lucinda felt what she thought was her skin mercilessly peeling off her arm. The pain ran down her spine as she submerged underwater. Filos, who has seen too many weird things continued drinking, ignoring the bubbling of horrors from the cold depths. A moment later, Wyvern crawled out of the lake, and dragged her out. She gasped for air escaping death yet again.

            “Master, are you satisfied? I have collected all twenty-three coins dropped.”

            Lucinda’s face didn’t change. She just lies there still aiming her revolver at the birthmark that sprouted like a weed. Then she looks at the ring she placed on the same arm as the thing.

            “Please don’t remove the ring.” The talking birthmark warned.

She removed it anyway and the birthmark returned to being a birthmark. She replaced the ring onto her finger and the birthmark emerged from her arm through the blinding entrance as before.

            “That isn’t funny.” He said, crossing his arms.

She removed it again, sending the thing back to her skin then replaced it again and it sprouted again.

            “My role sucks sometimes.” Wyvern drops his arms in annoyance.

            “So explain yourself. What are you and why are you on my arm?”

            “Well you are of Drago Kin. That is why I exist when you were born.”

Lucinda recalled a little of the clan. Apparently, they had mystical powers from shape shifting, to flying, to fire spells, and other access to magic. Having a talking, breathing birthmark is no different from anyone else of the same clan. However, the kin were labeled as sub-human so, and too dangerous against all of the residing kingdoms. so…

            “Your father rescued you from the genocide. He married your mother, one of the Drago Kin.”

Lucinda nods, drying her revolvers with a cloth and sitting in front of a large fire. Her face keeps an unchangeable look, but mentally her mind is trying to update itself to take in the crazy fantastical story she’s processing.

            “Lady Lucinda, what are these odd weaponry you possess?”

            “They’re my revolvers.” She twirled one of them with her finger hop it across to another finger and twirled it from there. “I find it easier to use.”

Lucinda explained to Wyvern the weaponry changes, it was certainly better than talking to the only friend she has. There are still travelers with swords and axes, but since firearms were developed, alchemists and mages created special ammunition. She showed several rounds in red, blue and yellow each with a different magical effect. It took Lucinda a few years to perfect their use

            “I noticed your muscle mass is very light, is that why you chose these firearms?”

            “Speed over brute force.” She defended with a puffed face.

Already an hour passed, she silenced the fire and mounted Filos and began traveling down the dark pathways of the forest.

            “Lady Lucinda, where are you off to at this fine evening?” Wyvern asked.

            “The Underground. I need a good drink.” As Wyvern questions about the lake nearby, Lucinda replies: “I prefer the drinks over there, makes me want to loosen up.”

            “I should be glad you’re an endangered culture.” It said bluntly.

            “Why do people keep calling me that?” She believed.

Just then, a scream erupted from the distance, deep in the forest.

            “Someone’s in trouble.” She reacted. She mounted Filos he galloped to the direction of the scream.

            “I sense a terrible presence.” Wyvern said as it grasped on her arm. “Turn back!”

She didn’t respond, keeping her eyes on the dim pathway. After a while, she spies a bandit cornering a woman, the source of the screams. He twirls his dagger and scowls with bloody red eyes. He holds a torch on high. Filos stops near them and raises her revolver after dismounting. She made a warning shot at their feet.

            “Stop or I’ll make it a bloody one.” She warned, her revolver clicks with a round ready to fire. The thug stared at her with the reasonless eyes and drool of an ignorant.

            “Lady Lucinda, we must leave now!” Then Wyvern’s ‘eyes’ reacted. “Aim at the shadow. Something’s amiss here.”

            “Why?” She questioned. The attacker approaches, raising his dagger high while leaving the woman to flee. “How is attacking the shadow--”

            “Do as I say.” Wyvern grabs her revolver and pulls the trigger at it.

---

            “Whoa, sorry there. Didn’t mean to belch.” Raaf apologized with a deep breath.

            “You do this every time I have a story to share.” Lucinda said with a sour face.

The entire background booms with a partying mood. The booze helps them ignore the horrendous smell of belches and barfs polluting the air. Drunken mercenaries, travelers and performers gather in unison throwing excitement and spills around. The pianist mashes the keys in am upbeat manner, creating tunes no one would even recognize. The two sit down at a table, with wooden mugs, small for a giant

            “Best assumed he’s just an ignorant.” Wyvern commentates, sleeping on her arm.

            “Shut up you talking stain.” Raaf shouted. “I’m still processing the idea I’m talking to a stain.” He pounds the table.

            Lucinda massages her forehead before continuing. “Anyway, moving on…”

---

            The struck thug dropped to the floor and pulsed on the spot, letting the bystander to flee the place.

            “What happen to this master and servant relationship?” She snapped. “These ammunition are hard to get a hold of?”

            “As a servant for the Drago Kin, I know more than anyone of them would know. Anyways, prepare child, something comes.”

Lucinda looks into the direction. The thug passes out and its shadow rises from the body. Lucinda looked on in awe and a confused concern as the shadow lands a small distance away. On the spot it creates a humanoid figure and hellish red eyes, glaring.

“You.” She muttered. The humanoid makes a slither for it down the dark forest.

Lucinda mounts her horse and gallops into the direction of the shadow. Wyvern holds onto the master’s skin, as Filos gallops in great speeds.

            “You’re not getting away that easily. Not this time.” She thought to herself. Filos took the role of owner as Lucinda’s mind became taken hostage to her rage-induced memories. She pictured the day her father was murdered. Outside on a night that foreshadowed a storm, the family of three were bounded together rope. Young Lucinda did not know what was happening, not even her mother’s reassurance could help. The king killed her father right in front of them. Her mother’s gentle arms couldn’t shield her eyes this time.

            “--dy--na.” A small voice called to her. “La--cina”

Lucinda returned to the realm of reality. She found herself on a mountain trail, overseeing the nightly view of the forest and the near-distant kingdoms.

            “We must turn back, that thing is too dangerous. I sense a great power.”

“No!” She screamed. Before Wyvern questioned her, “I’m not letting that thing get away from me, not this time.”

Filos suddenly stops in its tracks, right before a thin bridge raining ancient dust down a deep abyss with the sound of deathly waves. She dismounted and sprinted across the bridge. The bridge rumbles and wooden platforms dropped with each step, leaving behind a point of no return.

            Unfortunately, as Lucinda crosses the halfway point, “Lady Lucinda, the--”

            “I can see that.”

The other jaded side starts to fall apart, all thanks to the shadow that sliced the ropes. Lucinda’s heart never gives in and sprints harder to the other side. Too late… Her boots ran on air as the other side collapsed. Her altitude drops, realizing her grappling hook is with Filos. She watches the moonlight sky leaving her as her screams fill the darkness.

            “Get ready.” Wyvern shouted.

Wyvern’s body stretched and clamped its crooked teeth onto the ledge, reminding the dangling Lucinda the excruciating pain ripping her skin from her arm. Her screams mixed with pain and concern echoed loudly at the valley below. Wyvern began to pull itself up the face of the wall.

---

            “Raaf, are you listening to me at all?” She bangs the table.

            “What, can’t a guy talk to lady strangers?” He replies, with nearly a fourth of the bar’s drinking females beside him. Both of his eyes follow the voices of everyone present.

            “Well you trusted him Lady Lucinda.” Wyvern voice out.

            “Just continue with your story princess. These girls can listen for you.” He says in fuddles. Then chortles with loud volumes, matching with the noise in the background.

            “Well anyways.”

---

Lucinda finally caught up with the foe that stopped at a circular, wide road, narrowing at the entrance and exit.

            “No escape this time!” Lucinda refilled the barrel, clicked it and aimed at the shadow. “You’ll pay for what you did to me.”
Black flames burst from the air, creating an audience that called out wispy cheers.

            “Lady Lucinda, we must escape. Why must you be chasing that thing?”

Lucinda didn’t respond.

The next thing she knew, she envisioned floating hellish eyes that struck her youthful eyes with a paralyzing fear, as her mother became engulfed underneath its dark drapes.

            “You know more than I do, right?” She asked, hiding her eyes. “That’s an order!”

            “I cannot know, let me analyze.” Wyvern’s eyed at the creature, locking on the features, listing through its magical database.

The enemy glided down, leaving a dark blur behind. With a single black appendage it pierced through the distance trying to land on her cheek. Lucinda pivoted away. A second appendage tried to pierce; yet Lucinda pivoted more. The enemy passed her and the two combatants stared at each other with determination burning in their pupils.

            “Now! Aim for its eye.” Wyvern instructed.

Lucinda aimed swiftly and fired at one of its eyes. The shot pushed it back. Lucinda made a smirk as the shadow’s particles compacted itself into a quaking blobby mass.

            “This Shade has tough exteriors, aim for the organic parts.”

Lucinda suddenly fell down. Having a pet birthmark sapped energy from her. The swarm returns to the stage, a long sword appears. Then a single eye returned on the black hilt of the large blade.

            “Too…tired…” She said, trying to gasp for air. “No energy.”

            “Get up child. Rally yourself.” Lucinda couldn’t respond as she took a knee and tried to catch up with her breathing before she collapsed.

            “You cannot stop now!”

Suddenly, four additional blades appeared beside it with a howling cling that rung in her ears. The five blades rose and hovered over her. The big blade appeared above her, while the other four reached to the side, two on each side.

            “Right. I need to do things myself.” Wyvern announced.

One blade started to cross. The wyvern pulled her away from it, effectively rolling her to a side, effectively dodging it. One more on the other side started to cross. Wyvern rolled her back. Another crossed her. Wyvern rolled away. Each blade that crossed produced a haunting sound of sliced air that made Lucinda’s heart jump. One more crossed. Wyvern rolled one more time, just in time for the final blade to slam down. Wyvern’s head met with the blade, stopping it in its tracks. Two conflicting forces held against each other, pushing back and forth. The wyvern succeeded and flung it back up. The five blades returned to each other and reached ground level. All together, the five blades lobbed black energy orbs at it. With a defeated look on Lucinda’s face, the wyvern opens wide and an inhaling vortex spirals from it. It eats all of them at once, inflated its mouth before it swallowed it. Lucinda flipped back up, her energy returned thanks to Wyvern.

            “There I did the work for you.”

            “Yeah thank you. It tasted disgusting though.”

The five blades together lobbed an orb.

            “Shoot at it.”

Lucinda instinctively shot a round at the orb with her other revolver. The round hits back the orb, but the five blades threw another orb back.

            “Keep shooting at it!”

She shot another and sent it back. The blades conjured another orb and sent it in her direction again, pushing the enlarged orb back. She shot another. The blades made another. She shot; they threw; she made a shots; they threw.

            “Move it.” The wyvern shoots out and slams its face back. With five powerful orbs combined it pierced through all five blades together. Each blade disappears before the last blade exploded leaving behind black mass on the ground. Lucinda sighed and twirled her guns victoriously and holstered them.

            “You have done well Lady Lucinda.” Wyvern clapped for her and felt security returned to its eyes.

            “Wyvern why are you worried about it?” She asked with worry.

            “A Shade Being would love to have my energy.”

As Lucinda walked away, she turned around at a sound. The last remains of goopy residue grabbed hold of Lucinda’s face. Her hands reached and attempted to rip it off, as each second passed, her body would fall over, with sounds of difficult breathing as well.

            “Lady Lucinda, keep it away from me.” Wyvern’s panic stopped and peered closer. “No, why is it not looking for me?”

Lucinda with the might of her feminine muscles ripped the residue off and hurled it.

            “What in lord’s name?” She gasped. Then she realized her tongue touched the residue, gagging the taste out with sweet, sweet booze as she recollected her posture.

            “Lady Lucinda, arm yourself.” Wyvern suddenly burped.

The remains bubbled and toiled madly. Lucinda takes a closer look, and watched it forming a humanoid shape, with boots, armor and hair to match. The dark reflection stood up and a wyvern-like mimic sprouted from her arm too. Then a large eye sporting a crimson eye manifested from its face.

            “You think a copy could stop me. I don’t think so.” She rallied.

            “Don’t get to confident. How many rounds do you have left?”

As she quickly opened, the shadow materialized in front of her, snagged a revolver from her and aimed from a distance. Lucinda looked into the last one and eyed the last round.

            “Goddamn it!” She whispered mentally.

            “Fine, let me think of something, just keep me under protection”

She rolled away as a blast comes for her. As she recovered, the copy shot one more round. She dodged. Yet, the wyvern took the blow in the eye and cried out. Pain surged through her arm and into her body. She hacked out blood while she regained her stance.

            “We’re sharing the same arm here. Would you mind?” Wyvern moaned with pain.

            “Oh be quiet. Do you have anything yet?”

She moved her wyvern behind her, just to protect it. The copy aimed and made a shot. She shifted to its left, spinning about. But in an instant the copy made one more shot and struck the wyvern again, subsequently making Lucinda coughed again. She fell knees first and continued coughing. Her heart began to wane as the copy kicked her away; she crossed her arms containing the pain and watched those eyes transform with smugness.

            “Not now. I refuse to go down defeated.” She said

            “All right. Just follow my lead.” The wyvern called. Looking at the Wyvern, she simply nodded with fiery strength. She coughed one more and slowly she stood up onto her two feet. The wyvern glowed brightly and performed one mighty roar.

Lucinda briefly witnessed the last memory of her mother who stood tall and mighty with a larger wyvern sprouted from her back, with a mighty, yet comforting roar for Lucinda’s little ears. Her mother gave her one final smile before she engaged the enemy head on, her memory of that day ending in an illuminating glow.

Wyvern entered her revolver. Lucinda raised her strengthened revolver and aimed at the copy. The foe raised the revolvers and a single blast emerged from the barrels at unmatched speeds. Lucinda pulled the trigger. A violent beam of energy bolted straight from the barrels and all at once Wyvern shafted through the blast exploding it halfway, through the wyvern copy’s head clean off, streaked passed her stolen revolver and penetrates the reflection’s heart, knocking it off its feet. Lucinda approached and aimed.

            “I win.” She quietly announced, using her final round.

***

            “I think I had too much to drink last night.” Raaf said, collapsing on the table.

            “Yeah, it was hard for me to believe the first time.” She replies. “Then again, Wyvern saved my hide for the entire fight. Who knew having a birthmark this useful for once?” She pets Wyvern who is busy munching on biscuits with satisfaction in its eye. She takes a big gulp of alcohol down her throat and wyvern subsequently burps.

            “Pardon me.” Wyvern politely apologizes. “This refreshment is not good for me in large quantities. Drink responsibly; it will give you and me a headache.”

            “Lighten up lizard face, where’s the fun?”

            “I have more fun in--” Lucinda holds up another biscuit, silencing him.

            “Its just after all my years of running around doing dirty work, this story from you this time is just too special.” He can feel the intoxication in his head banging his head poor brain trying to process the whole story.

            “Hey, at least I avenged my father and met my new partner.” She pets.

            “I must remind you I’m the one who did more work than you.”

            “And you’re the one feeding off my energy just for you to talk.”

             “Why does that Shade wanted to kill you? It was interested in Wyvern, but why did it go after you?” Raaf asks holding his head up. Her response. She’s not sure.

But her face says she understands the ups and downs of having a protective birthmark.

            “You mind you pay for me? I need the extra gold for new ammunition.”

            “Of course not princess, and don’t change the subject.” Raaf retorted.

Author's Note

How is the action?
Ignore grammar.