The Fated Swords (Mystics of V'nairia #1) by J.C.Ritchie Page B

eyes. She was experiencing the ultimate torture.
    “I ’ve never had so much fun, I’m going to bleed you dry boy.” Raphael said as he continued to impale Zander.
    He cried out in pain, Raphael had also spelled his body as well so he could not faint from the excruciating agony. He was clever enough not to hit any vital spots to keep from killing him too quickly. This was Raphael’s favorite game to play with his prey, he reveled in it. He was bleeding profusely, His friends couldn’t bear it anymore, Heiro managed to use part of his magick energy to break himself out of the spell.
    “Flame Art: Fire S tream!” he shouted.
    The flames had reached Raphael but he had dodged them just in time. This had broken his concentration and his spell along with it. Kerra was released and so was Zander but he was still unable to move.
    “Lightning A rt: Thunder Crash!” Kerra said as her lightning spell headed for its target.
    Raphael blocked her attack with his sword. He was quicker than any enemy they had faced thus far. “Kerra don’t let his blade touch you.” Heiro said.
    She remembered when he fought the bounty hunters before and used the technique to steal their soul. They couldn’t take any chances; he was certainly a formidable foe.
    “Resistance is futile, your lives are mine.” Raphael said laughing.
    Kerra engaged him in close combat, being very careful not to get struck by his blade. She delivered a punch to his face and a kick to his abdomen. Heiro followed up with a fire spell, burning him. Raphael got to his feet, he was damaged but not by much.
    “Something isn ’t right; our attacks should be affecting him.” Heiro said.
    “ I’ll hold him off, you cut Zander out of the rock.” Kerra said charging at Raphael with her fist drawn.
    He grabbed her arm holding her fist down and delivered a blow with his elbow. Kerra flew across the water and wasn’t moving. The force of his strike was so powerful it knocked her unconscious. Heiro used his blade to cut Zander out of the rock covering his body; he was weak and had lost a lot of blood.
    “We will handle this, lay here and rest buddy.” Heiro whispered to him. He looked over and saw Kerra lying on the ground.
    “Well, then there was one.” Raphael said.
    “I guess I have no choice, Demonic Art: Blood Sword.” Heiro said as his blade transformed. The sphere of blood had begun to float overhead.
    “What the hell is that?” Raphael asked. The tendrils from the sphere began to come after him, but Raphael was nimble enough to dodge them. “That’s quite an impressive skill you have, and it’s a demonic skill no less.” Raphael said.
    The strikes from the tendrils came even quicker this time around, but with each move Raphael became quicker as well. “I have quite a few tricks up my sleeve; don’t count me out just yet.” Heiro said. Heiro began using his fire spell as his blood sword technique raged on.
    “He ’s clever trying to distract me with the flames while his other attack tries to connect.” Raphael thought.
    He could also see the fact that his special technique took quite a toll on Heiro as long as it was being used; he was trying to use this to his advantage. Raphael allowed the flames to hit him as he held off the blood sword’s tendrils.
    “I ’m wearing down, I’m going to have to finish this now.” Heiro thought. “Earth Art: Stone Binding.” He said as Raphael became immobilized.
    The blood swords tendrils struck through his flesh, he had tried to struggle but couldn’t move. Heiro leapt in to the air grabbing the sphere as it transformed into a giant axe. He had struck Raphael from overhead with the axe, he had thought the attacked had worked; but he was wrong. Raphael had used most of his energy to offset the attack merely three inches from his body. Heiro was exhausted; his technique had disappeared as he fell to his knees.
    Raphael was also out of breath, “You three are lucky, but you will meet your end soon.” He