Refusing to push too hard, Sari lets her arm drop and stares at the light above. “A combination of the two. Some people I saw get killed before I ran, but even then I was too busy trying to survive. My mind filled in the gaps, which wasn’t too hard considering what attacked us. Still, being scared and hurt doesn’t mean you turn on us like you’re doing now. There’s no reason to make us hate you.”
“Because I’m the one who’s going to die!” Luke explodes, his words echoing throughout the tunnel. His legs start to buckle, forcing him to sit on the boulder where he shivers from rage and terror. “I don’t know if I can face the Baron again. The mere thought of him makes me remember all the wounds he inflicted on me. My muscles lock up and I can’t tell if I’m angry or about to throw up. There’s no way I can last long fighting a monster like the Baron, which means I’m going to die within a few minutes. This is what he wanted. Break a champion to the point where they’re an easy kill.”
Understanding dawns on Sari’s face and she takes a step towards Luke, but pulls back when he curls into a ball. She draws a stiletto from her skirts and balances it on her finger, the light glinting off the flawless metal. The half-elf’s eyes shift to the weapon and follow every tiny movement, the ring of black in his pupils getting darker. Placing the thin dagger in a sleeve sheath, the gypsy gently takes Luke by the hand and sits on the boulder. Her cool fingers move the beads of sweat off his skin and she flicks the droplets across the tunnel.
“I think I get it now,” Sari whispers with a smile. She looks up to see that a few tears are falling down the half-elf’s face, but stops herself from brushing them away. “Can’t say the same thought never crossed my mind when I lost my clan, but I didn’t have any loved ones left when I considered this. You don’t want us to feel the pain that you’re struggling to endure, so you think driving us away is helping. This also reduces your guilt about being weak when we need you the most. Well, the whole thing is stupid and you’re an idiot for making us upset. All you had to do was tell us you’re scared and we’d help you be brave again. By the way, Kira knows you didn’t mean what you said to her, so no luck driving her away either. Just talk to me, hero, and let it all out. I promise that you’ll feel better afterwards.”
“What am I supposed to do?” Luke asks as he looks Sari directly in the eyes. He bites his lower lip until it bleeds, his mind screaming for him to turn away. “You told me that my power comes from my courage. The Baron made sure I lost that. If there was a way for me to regain it, I would have done so by now. To be honest, I was awake a few hours longer than anybody realized and I was trying to fix myself. Nothing was left inside my mind except pain, so I let it take over and decided to protect everyone else. You’re right that I’m an idiot and I made a mess of everything, but what else was I supposed to do?”
“Are you sure nothing can bring your courage back?”
“I barely want to live anymore.”
“Perhaps seeing an act of courage can help.”
“What are you talking about?”
Sari moves Luke to sit down to straddle his lap and takes his face in her hands, their sweaty foreheads gently touching. “I have a few confessions to make. First, I accidentally had you under a love spell for a while. I released it after you saved me from the Island of Pallice, but I was scared to say anything and have you hate me forever. Kira knows, so you can be angry about that too. Also, I’m still in love with you even though I know we can’t be together. We’re a good match now, but you’re going to lose your wanderlust one day and then we’ll have trouble. That’s why I’m still a little distant. Guess I’m doing something similar to the mess you’re trying to make. What else do I have to confess to you? I don’t really have to kiss people to cast my charm spells. It’s just fun and I like catching Nyxie by surprise, but that’s not much of a secret. Well, there’s the really big one. You see . . . I made a deal with Kira and I’m about to go through with it.”
Before Luke can argue, Sari gives him a kiss on the lips and rubs the sensitive tips of his ears. His body shakes and he is about to push the gypsy away when her tears fall onto his face and mix with his own. Unsure of what to do, the half-elf loosely wraps his hands around his former lover’s waist. Feeling an embrace around his neck, Luke tightens his hold and lets himself cry through the rest of the kiss. Neither know how much time has passed before they separate and gently wipe at each other’s cheeks.
“That’s the last one, hero. Our lips will never touch like that again,” Sari announces, her voice choking up. With a long sigh, the gypsy slides off Luke’s lap and stretches her arms over her head. “Kira said I could have a final kiss with you. I was going to wait until right before your wedding just to cause some mischief, but this is more important. It tells you that I will not be driven away even when you’re broken. Be scared and hurt, but never forget that you have people who love and care about you. Besides, why are you the only one who gets to be terrified about this fight? The rest of us have been panicking on the inside for months. Don’t start thinking you’re anything special, hero.”
“I can’t believe you thought a final kiss would make me forget everything,” Luke says while touching his mouth. Seeing the impish smile on Sari’s face makes him chuckle, the reaction catching him by surprise. “Fine, I’ll try to be stronger. Won’t make any promises that I’ll be of any use. The Baron still terrifies me and-”
“Please shut up, hero,” the gypsy whispers, putting a finger to his lips. With a smirk, she flicks his nose and hops onto the boulder. “All I’m asking is that you stop being an abusive jerk to everyone. The rest will fall into place and a better Luke will rise from the ashes that are swirling in your head. Just tell our friends what you told me, but be straight to the point and less dramatic. I promise that they will understand. At least they will as long as we save them. Now, let’s go face a Weapon Dragon together like we did in our first battle together. Do you remember what that felt like?”
“Guess I have enough in me for another dance.”
“I’ll even let you lead.”
“Thanks for everything, Sari.”
“Yeah . . . We don’t have to tell Kira that I took my last kiss.”
“Do you really want to risk setting her off?”
“Like that threat ever stopped me from messing with my friends.”
Smiling for what feels like the first time in years, Luke moves away and stares at the hole high above them. Feathers sprout around his head and tawny fur rolls from his shoulders, the soft pelt covering his contorted body. With a roaring screech, two powerful wings erupt from his back and a leonine tail curls out of his muscular hindquarters. The change is complete when a beak protrudes from the champion’s transformed face and the griffin spirit takes over. Bowing to Sari, the noble creature waits for the gypsy to climb on and make herself comfortable. Ignoring a tremor of fear coursing through her body, the beast rockets towards the exit and happily whistles at the sensation of cool air beneath her wings.
*****
The griffin bursts into the open sky and immediately veers to the side to dodge the Snare Dragon. Flying erratically on purpose, the agile beast avoids the bandits’ arrows and dives lower to use the mountains to her advantage. Nearing a long cliff, Lucy slows enough for Sari to gather the snow and transform it into an icy shield. The protection moves around them to deflect any projectiles that come too close while the griffin continues evading the larger predator. A wide loop brings her above the Snare Dragon and she swoops down to claw at the creature’s head, the attack letting her test the thickness of the monster’s hide. Finding it difficult to pierce either the exposed flesh or boney patches of skin, she soars away and hurries to gain some distance. Using Luke’s sound sight, the griffin keeps track of the monster and finds that it is faster than she expected. Purring to Sari, she waits for the gypsy to hold on tighter and flips upside down to charge the Snare Dragon. Before she can reach the creature, a volley of spectral arrows force her to spin off course and duck behind
a flat-topped mountain.
A wave of fear threatens to change the griffin back into Luke, but she manages to fight against the crippling terror. Soaring higher into the sky, she stays far out of reach of the bandits, who are pushing through the narrow pass. Turning around, she can see the ocean in the distance and wonders if the army is heading for Xan’s portal. Not wanting to deal with any further interruptions, the griffin glides into the open and prepares to attack the bandits. She is immediately caught around the legs and neck by the Snare Dragon, which detaches from the other side of the mountain. The electricity that pulses through the cords has no effect on her, but she is not strong enough to pull herself free. It is only when Sari swings her ice shield and turns it into a large blade that they escape, the weapon shattering against a cliff. Without the barrier, the bandits renew their attacks and the remaining shamans take to the air on leathery wings that sprout from under their arms.
“We can’t fight two battles at once,” Sari says, leaning forward to put her mouth near the griffin’s ear hole. The gypsy clamps her eyes shut when they dive under a stone bridge, the underside only an inch from her head. “Get me over the ocean and I can take care of everyone on the ground. You worry about the sky. Pretty sure those shamans can’t keep up with you and that Snare Dragon won’t be much trouble on its own. If you’re feeling scared then know that I’m not doing any better.”
With a tight spin, the griffin knocks two of the shamans out of the sky and hurtles toward the coast. Once they are over the water, Sari dives off her friend’s back and has a geyser rise to cushion her fall. The sea level drops several feet as the gypsy creates a towering giant of foamy liquid around her body. Coral spikes burst from the construct’s shoulders and a crown of living fish adorns its head. Ten hammerhead sharks can be seen in the torso, the predators circling around Sari and occasionally nuzzling her splayed hands. A giant squid rests in one of the legs, the deep-sea animal kept calm thanks to Sari’s naiad powers and charm magic. Empty turtle shells are moved to the giant’s knuckles as it climbs into the mountains and marches towards the bandits. A whirlpool-like mouth opens to unleash a gurgling roar and reveal teeth made from jagged wood that had once been part of sunken ships. Only the Snare Dragon dares to get near the creature, but it is immediately driven away by a sluggish swing of the giant’s arm.
“You’re too big to attack us in the narrow pass,” a passing shaman taunts.
“And there are too many of you to escape what I do next,” the gypsy retorts with a crooked smirk.
Following Sari’s movements and moving faster than before, her creation swats the orc out of the air. The shaman is about to scream for his allies to retreat when one of the sharks lunges out of the giant and catches him by the head. Guided back into the body by a looping stream, the predator shares its catch with the others. Stirred by the blood and hungry for more, the sharks begin a frenzy that continues even after Sari transforms the construct into a flood that barrels towards the tightly packed bandits. Using her boots to float down to a dry cliff, the gypsy focuses on protecting the animals from harm while allowing them to eat. The ice-encrusted turtle shells shatter bones while the coral spikes barrel completely through flesh. Enchanted by the cunning champion, the fish that were part of the crown glint in the flood and calm anyone who stares at them for more than a second. Those who succumb the relaxing spell do nothing to avoid drowning and put up no resistance if they are eaten. Much of the terror and destruction is caused by the squid, which uses its arms to fight the current and takes its time with all the enemies that are left behind by the sharks.
Once the water has reached the end of the army, Sari transforms it into an arching stream that safely returns everything to the ocean. She waves at the animals that continue feasting on the bandits and notices that a pack of Arcosis whales are waiting below. The large animals leap out of the waves to grab mouthfuls of food, their silky fur glistening in the dwindling sunlight. Not wanting the other creatures to get eaten, Sari sends the sharks and giant squid far away from the new feeding frenzy. She is forced to drop them from higher than she planned when the surviving shamans attack. A dome of ice grows around her to stop the projectiles, which still manage to shatter the hastily made shield. The gypsy draws two of her daggers and creates a dozen doubles of herself that fly toward the orcs, but are swiftly dispelled.
The griffin swoops out of the chasm below and snatches Sari in her beak before the Snare Dragon bashes through the mountain. The creature roars and spews stomach acid from its mouth, which has all of its cords hanging limp over its lower lip. Having drifted too close, the remaining shamans are killed by the sailing boulders while the champions reach the clouds. Flipping the gypsy onto her back, the griffin prepares to continue the fight, which has left her feeling stressed and exhausted. Hundreds of cuts are on the Snare Dragon, but the beast shows no sign of being weakened. It flies among the cliffs in search of its prey, which it does not realize is hiding high above. Soaring away from the mountains, the griffin calls out to draw her enemy over the ocean and pretends to be tired. Nodding its head at a small island below, she rolls onto her back and acts as if she has accidentally dropped Sari. The gypsy floats towards the water, but the Snare Dragon dives to swallow her whole.
“I really hope you know what you’re doing,” the griffin says in her head. All she receives from Luke is a mental shrug, which is good enough for her. “It is nice to see you acting more like yourself. This will be done in five passes at most.”
Spreading her wings wide, the griffin gets as high as she can and lets the air currents guide her to the perfect spot. Streamlining her body, the elegant beast dives and spins to turn herself into a living drill. With a roaring screech, she punches completely through the Snare Dragon’s body and skims the ocean. Oil, blood, and stomach acid pour from the wound and mix with the water, which swirls to keep the toxic liquids contained. Seeing Sari and the other champions standing in the open wound, the griffin hurtles back to deliver another blow. The attack goes through the tail and sends the edged body part falling into the depths. Coming back around, she punctures one of her enemy’s wings and changes direction inside to go across the monster’s internals. Tearing apart the bloated organs and foul-smelling muscle, she comes out the topside of the other wing and goes as high as she can. Shaking the gore from her wings, the griffin takes careful aim while her friends leap out of the injured Snare Dragon. The instant they are clear and heading for the island, she spiral dives to pierce the construct’s coiled neck with enough force to sever its head. Unable to turn at such a high speed and low altitude, she crashes into the ocean and sinks beneath the surface alongside the collapsing monster.
6
“So, that’s why you’ve been a jerk?” Delvin asks while gathering firewood. He hands the damp driftwood to Sari, who absorbs the water from the pieces and tosses them into a bag. “I’d be lying if I said I forgave you this easily. Then again, we’ve put a lot of stupid mistakes behind us before. Not to deflect attention here, but I should point out that we’re still talking to Dariana after what she did a little over a month ago. Then, there is Timoran hiding his past, Nyx’s temper-”
“But none of that matters,” Luke interrupts from where he is sitting in the sand. Still drenched from being fished out of the ocean, he has refused to remove the kelp from his hair until his entire apology has been heard. “This should be about me. Timoran kept his secret for a reason and Dariana did what she did to protect us. I was selfish and destructive. I told Sari that my actions were an attempt to prevent you from going through what I am feeling right now, but it’s also about me being afraid that I’ll fail. You would despise me if I made a mistake that got someone killed. So, why not make you angry and upset to the point where you don’t depend on me?”
“Because we are not only friends. We are family,” Timoran replies while he hoists the half-elf to his feet. Picking the seaweed off the shorter warrior, he stops when he feels a wave of heat hit his back. “You did not offen
d me since I felt you did not truly mean what you were saying. It appears you have made amends with Sari. I cannot speak for Delvin, Fizzle, and Dariana, but I will say that there is one person you need to apologize to more than everyone else. Preferably before she sets this island on fire.”
Fizzle lands on Luke’s head and leans forward to stare at his old friend’s face. “Pain make you be mean. Not real Luke. It be like spell. Fizzle forgive. Now Fizzle want real Luke back. All need real Luke.”
Taking the drite off his head, the forest tracker goes to where Nyx is quietly staring at the horizon. The blue moon is still fighting to escape the ocean, which puts it in the perfect place to reveal a distant fleet of ships. None of the vessels look the same, making the champions suspect that they are pirates heading for Gaia. Winged forms dart across the light, but it is unclear if they are with the boats or a separate group entirely. Unsure if he should speak, Luke silently watches the distant parade of the Baron’s growing army. Remembering how the channeler stormed off earlier, he is fairly certain that he is going to get punched. The fact that it has not happened yet makes him nervous, so he rubs his palms against his saber hilts. As the patches of clouds are cleared by a high wind and awakened stars light up more of the island, Luke is surprised to see Nyx touching her amethyst necklace. Having spent the last ten minutes rubbing the gem, her thumb is raw and a slight trickle of blood runs down her hand.
Warlord of the Forgotten Age Page 11
