Excerpt: Tales of the Omen

“Yeah? Well, whatever, nothing I can do about it by complaining.” Virgil said dismissively with a wave of his arm, “It’s like that with everything in life. If you want to do something, you need to find your own way to do it. No exceptions.”

“I suppose that is true...” Celeste said in agreement. Though really she was having trouble digesting Virgil’s words. Thinking about it, she never really had to find her own way in life. It had all been set out before her as the daughter of the king of the Xel Roask kingdom. Everything was for the kingdom and its ruler which, when he became of age, Mons would train to become. Not Celeste. Life had other plans for her and there was nothing she could do about it. It was like the sewer walkways she was stepping upon: a narrow road that only led you so far.

“Hey.” Virgil suddenly whispered, catching her attention, “I think I see it over there.”

“See what?” Celeste asked, still in thought. A quick leer from Virgil brought her back to reality, “Oh, yes, the water elemental. Sorry...” Looking in the direction he indicated, Celeste agreed that what they were staring at looked like what something called a “water elemental” would look like.

It was floating on the waterways of the sewer and to best describe it, it looked like a blob of anthropomorphic bluish water with two glowing white eyes that slid freely. What Celeste guessed was its rune sphere floated around aimlessly inside its body.

“So how should we approach this...?” Virgil mumbled, keeping his distance from it.

“I’m not sure...” Celeste said, staring at it hesitantly. It was starting to move away from them, slithering on the water like a slug, “How about we lure it onto the walkways first?” Not waiting for Virgil to reply, Celeste took a step forward and swiped her sword through the water, creating rustling waves. Jostled, the water elemental slid its eyes to the back, training them on both Celeste and Virgil.

“Idiot!” Virgil fumed, coming up next to her. He brandished both of his daggers out, gripping them in his hands, “We should’ve thought this through first!”

“What could there possibly be to think about?” Celeste asked, holding her shield out in front of her, “You wish to defeat this water elemental so let’s defeat it!”

“I swear, you’re impossible!” Virgil groaned. The water elemental was coming toward them, sliding onto the walkway and elongating so it was similar to a tall, skinny tube.

“I’ll strike first!” Celeste announced, allowing the thrill of battle to get to her. Running forward, she struck out with her sword, effectively slicing through the midsection of the water elemental. It burst, wet droplets spraying everywhere. “There we go!” Celeste crooned triumphantly.

“It’s not dead yet!” Virgil yelled from behind, running to reach her. To her horror, she saw it was true. Before her eyes, the water elemental began to reform as its molecules began to bond back together. It was like Celeste had never attacked.

“Water elementals have the ability to regenerate!” Virgil yelled as the water elemental struck. From its body whipped out a long slender aqueous appendage, attempting to strike down over Celeste’s head. She brought her shield up in time though and was spared the attack, grunting as it forced her knees to buckle. “Watch out!” Virgil yelled at her.

“I’m fine!” Celeste yelled back, taking a defensive stance. Virgil took up the offensive this time, bouncing off the wall to jump toward the water elemental. His dagger outstretched, he stabbed the monster then sliced up, creating a vertical rift in its body.

“Did that do it?” Celeste asked him, getting closer to the monster.

Virgil shook his head, keeping focused. Just like before, the water elemental began to regenerate its body. However, this time the glow in its eyes seemed to be fading away, meaning that so was its life. Before either Virgil or Celeste could attack again, blue sparkles began to surround it as a symbolic circle appeared under it. The water elemental could only be doing one thing.

“It’s using Rune!” Celeste gasped as realization hit her.