by R. M. Walker
“Are you ready?” I ask the guys. They look at me like I have lost my mind.
“We are warriors. We are always ready for battle,” Tenoch says. His weapons of choice are two battle axes. He has them strapped to his back in a specially made harness for drawing them quickly.
“This is not the first time we have had to face unknown adversaries, Izel. We will be fine,” Acalon says, giving me a quick kiss on the forehead. The sweet gesture making me blush a bit.
“Let’s set out then,” I say, walking over to Charlie team, and verifying we are good to go.
The walk to the marker doesn’t take us long, as our property isn’t very big and the clearing is just how we left it, empty to the eye. Mazatl approaches me, and we start the spell to uncover the dome. The moment it connects with it, we can see the clearing is filled with guards, waiting around for something. They haven’t noticed us yet, but with the numbers they have, it’s going to make getting to the building difficult.
I tap my com’s piece in my ear, and signal each of the team leaders. “Plan stays the same, except now we have resistance. Take out as many as you can when the shield drops. Send in the second wave only if you feel you need it. I want to keep our guys hidden for as long as possible. We may need help getting out,” I say. I deactivate the device and look to the guys. “Gentlemen, shall we save some witches?”
“Hell yeah!” Zolin cries, readying his two short swords. I am surprised that none of my men chose to keep their guns. Apparently in the Underworld, hand-to-hand combat is the preferred fighting method in war. Growing up in Faerie, I know now to take things for granted, and I have two guns on each hip, my bow, and my long sword.
Stepping up closer to the barrier, Mazatl and I hold out our hands. I push my magic at the barrier, and it spreads a pink film over the whole dome. Mazatl does the same, and our green and pink magic mix to form a copper color.
“Put your intention into your magic and let’s hope we have enough Fae properties to do it,” he says, appraising me. He’s not sure I have enough power. I’m just going to have to show him. I find my Fae magic locked in its chamber. I release it slowly, pumping it through my hands. My pink energy gets bright as it begins to fill with my intention — break the barrier. I keep pulling the magic out of me until there is only a little left. I am sweating and starting to tire, but I keep it steady. Glancing over at Mazatl, I see he is struggling just as much as I.
When the barrier finally breaks, a huge pop sounds out, alerting the lounging guards of our presence. My guards waste no time in attacking. The element of surprise brings us the upper hand. The wolves have no place to go, and most haven’t even shifted. My warriors break free from behind me as I catch my breath. I have depleted my magic to almost nonexistent. I need to hold back and let the men do the work.
I summon just enough energy to put my lightning into my arrows. The spell is a very simple one, so it doesn’t take a lot to activate it. I noch one and aim at the nearest wolf. He goes down instantly, dying from the contact. I shoot arrow after arrow, killing all of the wolves in my line of sight. Mazatl has disappeared into the fray, I’m beginning to get antsy waiting for my magic to replenish. I pull the bastard sword from its scabbard on my back and brace for a fight. There are wolves everywhere, some still shifted and others in their Fae forms.
Both Tenoch and Zolin are fighting hand to hand with shifters in their human forms. They are in deep with swords and axes. Their movements dominating, landing blow after blow on their opponents without breaking a sweat. You can see the skill and talent they have honed over the years. Their dance is beautiful and makes my chest pang in a way that is so foreign for me.
I can't find Acalon right away, but then I hear it. The roar of a cat. I look to my right, and notice a huge jaguar jumping from the top of a dead wolf. Acalon in his jaguar form is so much more impressive than his partners. He is larger and so dark that he looks like the night personified. His yellow eyes glow with malice, and I can feel the excitement of the hunt through the bond. He is enjoying himself a little too much. I wonder if he has issues with controlling his rage?
A wolf jumps up to my left, and before I have a chance to shoot it with my bow, he is on me. I take the impact of the jump with my shoulder and roll to the ground with him. My sword pops from my hand and lands a distance away. I pull a little blade I have strapped on my thigh and slice the wolf in the shoulder as he lands on top. The slice causes him to flee a moment as blood pools over my hand making the knife sticky and hot. I switch it to my left as I grab my sword up from the ground. Coming up into a crouch, I look around to find my victim. A shimmer of magic appears as he is shifts back into his human form. He is a huge man, maybe 6’2” and all muscle. His sneer is so evil that I know there’s no talking to him. He needs to be put down.
As I move, he changes his stance to mirror my own. We are both ready for this fight, except, I am thinking with my head and not my strength. He charges with all his might, and I wait for his approach. Sword in hand, I don’t move from my position. Wolves are strong, but not fast, and just as he gets to me, I sidestep, letting him miss from tackling me. Spinning to counter the movement, I bring my blade up and swipe it across the back of his neck. He never sees the death blow coming. Swiping blood from my face, I look around to find where the guys are. An urgent need to find my witches is overpowering me, and I know we may be running out of time.
“Izzy! We need you over here!" Zolin shouts, from over on the other side of the clearing. I make a run for it, block and pushing wolves and men as I go. My powers have replenished, so I am able to use my defensive magic. I kill a few with some spells I have mastered over the years, but let the others live for someone else. Reaching the guys, I can see what the concern is — the portal is opening.
Mazatl is standing by the entrance with his sword drawn, waiting for someone or something to come out of the portal. He looks fierce and determined... like he knew all along this was going to happen. Now that I know his motives are solely for the Queen, I waste no more time on him. I need to find my missing witches.
"Let's try to get inside," I say to the guys. They are all right with me, as we approach the door. Screams and shouts can be heard from behind it, and I have a funny feeling we aren't going to like what we see. I send a blast of pink magic at the door, causing it to fly off the hinges. Behind it is one huge room built with cages. There are various animals, humans, and shifters in them. I scan the room that smells of death and feces and my stomach rolls. I have to try so hard to keep from throwing up. Anger flares within me and my protective instincts go into hyperdrive. The Fae who started this all had better never show himself to me.
There are three separate cages in the back filled with women. There are my witches crowded around each other and scared out of their minds. My stomach clenches in agony for them. The smell alone in here is enough to drive a person mad.
Running in that direction, not waiting or hearing calls from the guys, I go to the missing women of my coven. They are dirty and hurt. I can see cuts and bruises from their fighting, and one is unconscious or dead; I’m too far away to tell. To the left of this cage, is one that holds a singular witch, although she isn’t just a witch anymore. The yellow glow in her eyes shows that they were successful at least once, or partially because she is half-shifted. The feral look on her face tells me this will not be a happy ending for her.
"Are you all ok?" I ask as I approach the cages. Violet, the last witch to be taken, stares at me like I'm nuts.
"Are we ok? Izzy get us the fuck out of here!” she yells. I don't blame her for being angry and for wanting to leave. I examine the locks on the cages and see that they are not only spelled, but they carry an impressive looking latch that needs to be opened with a special key.
I quickly unravel the spell, but no matter what I do I can't get it to unlock. I try everything from using my sword, and dagger, to trying a blasting spell. They won’t budge. The fighting outside is getting louder, and through the shouts, I
hear the guys. There is something coming. The urgent gut feeling I had before is increasing. Searching through the bond, I make sure they are ok, but I need someone to help me with these damn locks.
"I will be back. I promise," I tell them. Screaming and crying erupt as they all go nuts and start yelling for me to return, but I know I will only be wasting my time there. I must get to Mazatl, he knows more than he is letting on, and I can bet anything that he will know how to open these locks.
Outside is a shit storm. The fighting has increased threefold. Wolves and witches are battling it out with such force that there are more bodies littering the floor than anywhere else. The Guard has been called in from the trees, but it still looks like the wolves outnumber us. I’m worried for my people, but I feel that if I stop now and join them, a bigger force will prevail, and I can’t let that happen.
The guys are holding off wolves trying the enter the portal. They are a sight to be seen, all powerful warriors with such skill, all fighting for one common goal. They have been a team for decades, and it shows. I find Mazatl fighting by the portal with a man who looks oddly familiar. I approach from the other side, making sure that they both can’t see me. I want to know what they are saying to one another. The feeling in my gut is starting to become painful.
"She told you never to come back, and you don't fucking listen. Why is it that you never listen?" Mazatl says through gritted teeth. He is struggling against his opponent. Their swords are clashing, in an intricate dance, one that could lead to death.
"She does not control me. I am the King of the Seelie Court. I can do what I want, when I want, and don’t have to listen to her. She lost the battle. It is not my fault she is still harboring a fucking grudge because of it. You shouldn't even be this far south. Go to her, like the pet you always were,” the strange man says. He is angry, and his power is showing. If he is the King, his power is so immense, in order to keep the throne, his power must be able to fuel the portals and keep the magic alive, especially on Earth. It rivals Mazatl and my own.
“Fuck you, Michael. I was never her pet. We were her lovers before you fucked everything up. Faerie was a peaceful place before you decided you needed power. You greedy fucker,” Mazatl spits. This is personal then; an eerie feeling befalls me. Having them here is not going to go well for the rest of us.
"Ha, I'm the greedy one. Why don’t you ask her the real reason why Faerie is split. It has a lot more to do with her than me. It's not my fault she couldn't deal with it,” the King says. He is gaining on Mazatl. I have to stop this soon, or I will never get the witches free.
They continue to struggle, each trying to gain dominance, but it isn't working. They are both equally matched. Mazatl notices me from the corner of his eye. I can see the change in his posture just the slightest. I feel his magic skim along my body, and the spell hit me in the forehead. I need you to distract him. He says in my mind.
My arrows are my best weapon, so I choose to go with that. If I shoot an arrow with my lightning and a rope spell, I can place him in a cage of my making. I cast the spell on the arrow and nock it in the bow. Aiming so that I don't hit Mazatl, I let the arrow go. It sails through the air and hits the King in the back between the shoulders. He goes down in an instant. His hands hit the earth in front of him, and my cage of lightning creates a barrier just in time before Mazatl sword comes down.
“Let him out of there! I need to kill this bastard. I only said distract him!” he yells, in frustration. I can see the anger in his eyes, but the King is mine to interrogate.
“I want to know why he is doing this to my witches. I want to know why he thinks it is ok to come onto my land and mess with what is mine to protect,” I say, walking up to the two of them. I feel the guys in the bond, and know that they are close, but are working to keep others away. I send out a quick thank you for that as I intend to get to the bottom of this.
“Tell me why you are here,” I say, to the stranger in front of me. He is tall and has pale blond hair. His grey eyes mirror my own with lightning crackling behind them. I haven't seen any others with the same eyes.
“Hello, Izel. It is nice to finally meet you,” he says, smiling up at me even though he is in pain from my lightning.
“How do you know who I am?” I ask. I am starting to sense that I am the last to know the whole story.
“He is your father,” Mazatl says.
“My what? I don't think I heard you right,” I say, spinning on him. A look of confusion on my face.
“He is your father. You are the bastard daughter of the Seelie King. He knocked up your mother when she was at court. Left her shortly after because he was already mated. Something he tends to do a lot. Leaving when shit goes down,” Mazatl explains. His anger is pulsing off of him. He looks wild in this moment like he could snap and rip someone’s head off.
“You knew about this? How?” I question. I try to find an ounce of decency in his face, something that is going to tell me why he would keep this from me, but I see nothing.
“Yes, I did. It was the only way for me to get you to trust me. I needed him to see you so that we can take his powers. You see, there isn't a lot that can kill a king, although his heirs are one of them. And his two useless sons are of no help,” Mazatl explains.
“You are my father?” I ask, the stranger looking into his face. He sort of resembles me, but I would have never one hundred percent said yes. His energy is pure evil, something I would never associate with.
“Apparently, I am, although if you are looking to claim anything in my court, I will tell you now that I have two legitimate sons. Your mother just happened to be the nearest plaything," he says, as if he is disgusted by the fact that he even met her.
This mother fucker. I take a step forward and pull my magic closer. The lightning cage makes a pink glow, and sparks fly out. He cries out in pain, and I revel in the punishment. He is going to die today.
Mazatl looks over at me and tries to get my attention. I am too wrapped up in my anger to deal with him right now. He is screaming at me as the power in my cage intensifies. I can feel the wind pick up and know that my Fae magic has been released and that it isn't going to take long for me to lose control. I feel two hands on my shoulders, being approached from behind. And through the bond, I can feel they belong to Acalon. He has come for me. He can sense the desperation in my eyes, feel it in the bond; he knows I’m losing control. And he uses the bond to tell me that he wants me back, no, he needs me to stay with him.
I pull back on the magic and try to control my temper; to look at it rationally but this King has taken my witches and I know he is planning something despicable. I demand to know why.
“Why the witches? Tell me that. Tell me why you needed the witches so badly. Is it because you wanted them to have pups? Was that part true?” I yell. My temper is still simmering at the surface. It will take one quick flick of the wrist, and he will be electrocuted again.
“Yes, it is. We need an army. A prophecy has been written. The Changer is alive, and she will bring about the death of the Seelie King. I need to be prepared for whatever will happen next,” he says, looking at me like this should be easy for me to hear. That exploiting these witches is just something that needs to happen.
“What does the coming of The Changer have to do with witches being turned into wolves?” I ask, this time to Mazatl. He looks at me intensely, and I realize we were never friends. He was just here to use me for his own personal gain. The rest of the battle has died down, and I turn to see both Zolin and Tenoch come up behind me. They are dripping blood, but most of it isn’t theirs. They stand behind me in support, as I bring my attention back to Mazatl.
“She is the only one who can shift the balance back to the Dark. Michael has had his reign for too long, and the Changer will bring about the reign of the Dark Court. It is due. Your witches are just a means to an end. He needed an army, and wolves are the perfect soldiers,” he says. He truly believes this with all his heart. All creatures of Faer
ie have heard the story of the Changer. A female who can divide or unite Faerie and Earth. The person who can switch Light to Dark and give that monarch control of the portals and Earth. I just didn’t think she would be here in my life time.
“All this is to ensure you don’t lose? You took my witches to create an army to fight a girl you don’t even know? She may side with you, ever think of that? The prophecy could be wrong!” I yell. My patience is running really thin.
I feel it then, the pull on my magic. An explosion sounds and my cage is torn open. The power is so great, it knocks out everyone around us, except for me—the creator of the magic—and Michael. He dashes toward the portal, and just as he is about to leap through, he turns to me.
“We will meet again, Izel. I’m hoping you’ll come to your senses and join your brothers and me. We could use someone of your power,” he says, and then jumps through. Before I can reach him, the portal is closed, and everything is silent. I am alone among carnage and death. Walking over to my guys, I check for pulses. Alive, just unconscious.
Mazatl starts to stir, and I immediately round on him. “How dare you keep this from me? You knew who I was all along, and you didn’t say anything. This was all for revenge. You and your Queen wronged by a past lover. You never cared about these witches, or about helping my town. I suggest you leave before I really get angry, and we can see what my Fae magic can do,” I spit out. I am so mad my powers are aching to get free. I want nothing more than to hurt this man.
“I won’t apologize for what I did. There’s so much you don’t understand but know this — when you are ready to take on Michael, come find me. The Queen and I will assist in any way. And should you find the Changer before we do, I’d suggest you become an ally,” he says, getting up. He gives me one last nod and walks away. I hope I never see that damn crocodile again.
