Age of Souls

by Garrett Stevens

  Chance after chance, the hulks rolled or spun away from death but there was someone there to connect a blade or spell against them. Cries of their deaths sprang up from the melody of battle until there was a final wounded beast left. Its cloak singed with blue fire and exposing the reptilian body beneath, the misty shadow that usually fell from the fabric had stopped and made the creature a lot less intimidating.

  The six stood in a half moon around the Furhdrae with weapons and spells at the ready. A final attempt at a killing blow sent the hulk back into the foot of the mountain in a heap next to the passed-out captain. Red and black whirls of magic engulfed throughout its body and turned the body into an ash pile.

  “Weak.” Sliver spoke with a disappointment that weight the air down. Without turning his body, he looked over his shoulder and called to the gigantic Furhdrae. “Go.”

  In an instant, the beast jumped into the air, over Slivers white robes and missing much of the Sigil dead. Landing with an earth-shaking thump, it sprinted towards the unexpected group. Kallis was the first to notice and was able to get a shot off before it connected with Dominic.

  A single arrow sank into its side without the notification of pain as the monster rolled across the ground with its claws around Dominic’s flesh. Screaming out in pain as the Furhdrae’s claws raked against his back and leg before spinning around into an offensive stance and facing the rest. Dominic lay motionless on the ground.

  “Dominic!” Chyla cried out in panic.

  Gemini raced towards the massive creature with both her blades at the ready. Her hope to distract the fiend paid off and Mara was able to get beside it with her scythe moving fast. Burying the blade deep, Mara let go of her weapon as the Furhdrae reeled around to barely miss grabbing her. In the instant the strike was, Gemini was able to drive her two swords into the creature.

  A disgusting and fearful shriek of pain that came from the humungous Furhdrae made everyone recoil slightly. In a daze, the hulking beast clawed at the air to keep everyone at bay as it staggered back towards a broken section of wall.

  In a rage, Chyla scream as she ran at the befuddled brute with her weapon in two. The spark of the magic that engulfed to blades arched from the steel to the reptilian monstrosity before they disappeared into its flesh. Another fearful shriek from the Furhdrae staggered everyone a second time as the chaos spell from her weapons pulsed exponentially around its body and sucked everything of the creature into a vortex of ash.

  Racing back over to Dominic’s body with a heavy breath, Chyla reached out with a weary hand. Kallis had beat her there and was looked up at her with a smile.

  “He is still alive Darling.” Her voice was soft and warming. “But he is weak.”

  “Can’t let you have all the fun.” A new voice resonated over the ruins with a whirl of light and wind appearing beside Sliver.

  “Ah, suppose I can’t.” Sliver’s smirk from under the hood could be seen as he lifted his head to the side to watch the torrent.

  The twisting flux of light faded with and Shard appeared.

  “Shard.” Sliver dangerously smiled. “Could have come a little earlier.”

  “I made it in time.” Shard scowled toward the group at the mountain. “Where is the last one?”

  “She is around, I can feel the energy.” Sliver shuffled like he was trying to stretch his back. “And the others?”

  “They will be along.” Shard grinned as his form flickered.

  “We should still keep an eye on the wyrm.” A young girls voice came from behind one of the close broken pillars.

  Thorn stepped out into the sun with her red eyes reflecting the light from the sun. “Are we ready to draw the blood? I have obligations”

  “Obligations are only necessary for those who can’t see the flexibility in the tapestry child. You need to keep your weave loose, so it bends with the moment.” A taller man stepped from behind Sliver like he was there the whole time.

  “No one cares about your paintings Surfa.” Thorn scolded the tall slender man.

  “Please child, time has aged enough for you to call me Needle. No need for fixing on the past.” Needle stood beside Sliver with all his fingertips touching each other in front of his greedy smile.

  “Now that we are gathered, we must complete, for his ambitions.” Slivers voice deepened again to the chilled death it started with.

  “If they are wanting me to get inside so badly, maybe I shouldn’t.” Gemini held the small relic boxes in her hand and looked at them.

  “We have to get them to the Elders to get the seals back, it is the only way to keep Low Realm and seal away their new gods.” Mya urged the mission.

  “They are saying they want the seals back though, there has to be something missing.” Chyla almost cut her off.

  “If we don’t, there is going to be more than just Dragons that we have to worry about. Gemini, you must get in there and finish this.” Mya stepped closer to her.

  Flipping her hand to the side, Mya extinguished the blue fire in her hand before grabbing Gemini by the shoulders and staring into her deep blue eyes, gave her a nod with a smile. Nodding her silent response Gemini put the small boxes into a small pouch and slung it over her head.

  A fiery blast of blue and white slammed into an invisible wall only a couple meters away from the group. Everyone dropped to the ground in a panic from the spell and looked at each other with a puzzling look. The shield that had protected them shimmered against the last remnants of the blast and faded from view.

  “What was that?” Mara asked curiously.

  “You need to be careful around those four.” A seductive voice drew their attention above them in the stone of the mountain.

  Latisha dropped down from her perch, her cloak flowing out against the ground as she landed. Standing up tall and flipping back her hood to expose her pale skin and black eyes to the group. A warming smirk with her green lips to show the five that she was not a threat.

  “You were the one from the pass.” Gemini stepped forward around Mara’s wings.

  Latisha nodded.

  “She attacked Dominic and I in Dampth, don’t trust her.” Chyla glared at her and flourished her swords to the ready.

  “One of you would be dead if it was not for my protection.” Latisha cocked her head to the side and looked at Gemini. “They won’t wait long. You need to move child.”

  “With Dominic down, we will need the help with them. Especially if the Ahkm’zikar comes back.” Mya glanced skyward in concern after she spoke.

  “Going to keep my eye on you.” Chyla gave Latisha another threatening glare.

  “We don’t know what they want with the seals, but we need to get the relics back to the Dragon Elders.” Kallis sternly said. “Gemini we will protect the exit best we can.”

  Giving Gemini a farewell hug, she pushed away and smiled at her.

  “Good luck Darling.”

  “We are running out of time children; it is time to complete your journey.” Slivers blood curdling voice shouted from across the bloody arena.

  “We have your back child, quickly now.” Latisha’s graceful voice held an urgency.

  A harrowing screech blasted its way against the ruins, shifting some of the bodies like they were coming back to life. The Ahkm’zikar slammed into the ground behind the four Neightur, sending a saliva filled roar towards them in anger.

  Needle and Shard both disappeared in a flash of light and appeared to either side of the beast’s face. Each had their arms wide with lighting and fire circling them, ready for the battle. With a massive swing of its bone talon paw, the two blinked away and flung their spells towards the creature, sending an explosion across the battlefield. Everyone at the base of the mountain held their guard and footing as a shockwave ripped past them.

  “Gemini, go!” Mya ordered her sister and spun back to the Neightur, rolling up new blue fire in her hands.

  “What am I to expect inside?” Gemini turned to the mountain door and then back to
the others, looking under her wing.

  “The crucible is different for everyone Darling; you just have to jump.” Kallis nodded at her and pulled back on her shimmering bow string.

  Looking back to the Neightur battling the Ahkm’zikar from across the pool of bodies and blood, Gemini watched as Kallis’ arrows flew towards them and the others started their advance. Mya stopped mid stride and turned to look at her sister.

  “Gemini!” Mya calling her name. “Come back to me. Come back safe.” With a lovingly smile, she turned and spun up the blue fireballs into a larger burn and rushed toward the fight.

  Looking down at all three relics in the pouch, Gemini sighed and fought the urge to join the fray as she stared at the burnt entry to the mountain. With a final glance over her shoulder at the battle raging behind, she slid her weapons into the hidden leg sheaths of her armour.

  Gemini reached out with her left hand and cautiously placed it on the cold stone door. Just as she touched the rock, she could hear the harrowing screech of the Ahkm’zikar rupture again across the battle scene one last time before she was engulfed in a calming light from the markings, disappearing from the side of the mountain.

  “Welcome child.” A beautiful and serene voice filled her ears.

  Gemini slowly opened her eyes to find herself standing in a crystalline room surrounded by a warming blue light, similar to that from a traveler’s tree heart. The room had many pillars that circled around, holding up nothing above or below, like she was standing in a room made of cloud and air. Three young children stood before her.

  One was dressed in a clean black formal suit with his black hair matted down across his face. An aura of black smoke dripped from his form as he stood. The taller one in the middle was a young girl dressed in a glamorously green and brown dress, far too elegant to be that of a child’s. Her extremely long brown hair was braided in a massive single braid that was wider than her body and filled with flowers from head to toe. The last was a shorter girl that appeared to not be wearing anything. A crimson fire burned around her like an outfit made from the inferno that engulfed her form and extended behind her in a flowing liquid fire for a wild head of hair.

  The taller child smiled at her when their eyes finally met. Her gaze was calming and gentle with an ancient grace. She blinked slowly and looked to her left and right at the smaller children before opening her mouth to speak.

  “Welcome child, it is nice to see you again.” Her serene voice made Gemini feel relaxed and comforted.

  Silence filled the majestic crystalline room with Gemini starring at the three in silence. Something was making her itch in the back of her mind. She needed to get the relics to the Elders, but she had to get back to the others quickly. Something itched in the back of her mind again.

  “Be wary young one.”