"One gentle touch and it is over for you," Caim said as his enemies struggled against his stars. He made sure to guide them away from the city to prevent any further damage.
Hertha swirled and dared not touch the stars after seeing how much damage they were capable of. There was a blast and a star exploded faster than she could escape. She was pushed away down into the clouds. Caim searched for Ember and found her below. He could see that she was growing tired running away from his stars. With his hand, Caim controlled the stars. As Ember flew, he managed to trap her inside a circle then, when she had no escape, he forced them to detonate. If he were human, the concussive force of the blast would have torn his body apart. With his eye of the hawk he saw that Ember was protected by a sphere shield, but her defense did not last long and shattered.
Caim waited a moment to see if Ember would survive but her maju was really low and he did not sense any movement below. He summoned a gust of wind to clear the cloud of the explosion and found Ember falling from the sky. He went after her and quickly reached for her staff. "Let's get rid of that staff first," he said. As soon as he wrapped his fingers around the staff he felt his powers being drained. Caim dashed backwards, looked at his hand and saw it tremble. "What in Necros is that thing made of? Not only does it contain cosmo, but it leeched from me."
"Fool," Ember rasped. She balanced herself in the air amongst the clouds. Her cloak was torn and her leather garments had holes on her arms and legs. The red shield protected her again and she spun her staff. "Did you think we would attack your domain unprepared? To kill a god you must use a power equal to his."
"I must say I am impressed," Caim admitted and balled his trembling hand into a fist. "What is it made of?"
"Figure it out," Ember replied and chuckled. "Perhaps you will never know. Kazenolumos and its precious libraries will be on the ocean floors once we get rid of you."
"Did Arkana tell you that," Caim said. "You are being led by a false demigod." From the clouds he drew lightning and it chirped at the tips of his fingers. "Do your worst," he rasped and shot a beam of lightning at Ember.
Ember struggled against his lightning and her red shield shattered, but she drew godly maju from the Crimson Cosmo Jewel and retaliated. However, her lightning was too weak and began to shrink fast. Caim knew that lightning could easily slip through the beam of the crimson jewel and the pressure would hurt her. I must separate her from that staff, he thought until...
It had been sixty years since he felt such pain. Sixty years as a demigod and he did not remember the last time someone managed to sneak up on him and inflict such a wound. He looked over his shoulder and saw a white mask with goat horns. "Jairo," he whispered as his lightning weakened and pain erupted throughout his back. It was a long slash from his right shoulder down to his left lower back. A wound caused by Jairo’s kaminyte sword.
Ember took the opportunity and pressed more maju into her lightning, pushing Caim upward towards the sky city. Drifting above the clouds, Caim stopped his flight with a roar. He screamed again and groaned from the pain. He slowly reached behind him and could feel the deep wound dripping blood between the tattered edges of his tunic. The wound gradually began to close but the pain was very real. "No one has ever wounded me this badly," he said. "I could not sense him. Not his maju or even the kaminyte sword. How...how did he manage to hide his presence?" He gazed down and scanned for the two Specters. Now he could not sense either of them. "I have become vulnerable."
"There is a first time for everything," he heard Jairo's voice coming from his left.
"I won't bother to ask how you did it," Caim said and dashed towards his foe.
A red beam came from below and Caim spun, dodging the attack. A green beam came from above and he flew backwards, evading the blast. "Two against one," he muttered.
"There is nowhere to run, demigod," Ember said, her voice echoing. "Hertha! It is time to use the cosmo wave!"
The two Specters released a dual wave of cosmo energy. Caim tried to fly away but he quickly became weak. He felt as though he was being destroyed from the inside. As if someone were removing his soul. "The staff, it is draining my cosmo," he said in a panic.
Ember and Hertha came closer, making the wave increasingly painful for him.
"Only cosmo can defeat cosmo," Ember said and laughed. "You will become our prisoner."
"I am a slave to no one," Caim rasped and with a blast of energy he flew up to the city, glided to the first level and dove inside. His body became weak, his joints trembling, almost unable to stand. "A cosmo wave. Where did they learn this?"
Caim felt as if he was becoming human again. Strands of hair fell off his head and he saw that his white hair was becoming black again. "No, no, no! What is happening to me?"
"Don't worry," Jairo's voice crept from behind him.
Caim looked over his shoulder and Jairo stabbed him with a rod of kaminyte that pierced through his back and into the tiled floor. Caim screamed like a dying dragon. Unable to move and weakened, he feared that he would die unable to protect the Effeelions like he had vowed. Jairo brought Caim's hands together and nailed another rod of kaminyte through his hands. Another scream echoed through the skies.
"I will make a martyr out of you, Caim," Jairo said and snickered. "Don't worry, you won't die. At least not yet. Arkana will decide your fate."
Auron
They didn't stand a chance. No fiend could touch him. The darkness fell to his spear and light of the sun. An Amaranth that was once weak against the fire element now embodied it. Clad in gold he flew around Kazenolumos, slaying monsters and blasting them with sunbeams. He destroyed them and sent them back to Necrovania, the underworld. Gargoyles, giant birds with two heads and sharp teeth in their beaks, harpies and giant bats. They all fell to his might and his light. Despite their kaminyte armor, they perished and turned to ashes. By his side were the Effeelions, shooting golden arrows and throwing spears at the fiends. His allies, no, his friends, cast wild winds and twisters that forced the black monsters to slay each other. Some flew into battle with musical instruments, using sound as a weapon.
A female Effeelion named Bardia fought by his side with a flute. She would play the right notes that would irritate the fiends and force them to either run away or slay each other. She also used screams that ripped through the body of a fiend or sweet vocal melodies that would force them into slumber and tumble from the skies.
"Never have I seen music being used as a weapon," Auron commented.
"We sound mages are extremely rare," Bardia told him. "We are all tuned into musical notes and I can hear exactly which notes these fiends are weak against."
"I must remind myself to pick up my old guitar once this is all over," Auron said and laughed as he slew a two headed giant bird.
"I am happy to have inspired you, Sir Auron," Bardia replied and played a sharp note that forced a gargoyle to attack his fellow fiend. "Sounds trigger emotions. Fiends love low musical notes just like their attribute, but high pitched notes irritate them."
"Fly around the city and make sure they keep out," Auron instructed. "I will check on the second level."
"Understood sir," Bardia responded and flew back to the city on her cloud.
Auron descended down to the second level. As he flew he sensed Caim fighting the Specters below the clouds. No need to worry about him, he thought. He glided onto the second level, lashing out with his golden spear and bashing the fiends with his large shield. When he surveyed the inner city there were fallen columns and many of the overlapping homes up to five stories high were destroyed. Effeelions fought bravely. Although they were small, their aeromancy was incredible. One Effeelion could summon angry sharp winds combined with rubble to tear fiends apart. However, it was painful to watch them die. Their small bodies torn in half and pools of blood on the tiled streets. The wires across the buildings used for delivery snapped and whipped their small bodies, leaving them wounded, limbless and some dead.
"Darn it," A
uron cursed.
The floor began to shake and a group of Effeelions ran past Auron. He saw the terror that approached. It was a behemoth. A fiend forty feet tall, bulky, no eyes and a glowing horn on its forehead. It was black as night and its shadow spread, devouring the city and swallowing the Effeelions. When it opened its mouth, it roared like a lion and its shining horn unleashed a ray that sliced through buildings.
"Disgusting," Auron said and spat. "Not only is it ugly, but it stinks too. Are the Specters trying to destroy this city or stink it to death?"
The behemoth stopped and, much like its slow stomp movement that shook the ground, it moved its head downward. Auron would like to think that it was looking at him except for not having any eyes.
"Hopefully once I destroy you, you will take your stink with you to the underworld," Auron said.
The behemoth roared and began to stomp towards Auron, its shadow stretched, reaching for him. Auron charged his spear, enchanting it with fire and light maju, then hurled it at the fiend. The behemoth opened its mouth and the spear flew in. Within seconds the behemoth's body began to swell, followed by an eruption of light that turned its body to ashes.
"Go back to Necrovania," Auron remarked.
From the ashes of the behemoth, a dozen more fiends rose. The fiends ascended with bat-like wings. Auron was ready to attack again but...he sensed someone's power diminishing. What is this power that I am sensing, he thought. What is this? This person is losing power but, who is it? The fiends attacked him but, before he struck, they were destroyed by aeromancy. Auron looked over his shoulder and saw a group of Effeelions. "Thank you," he said. "I will leave the rest to you." He flew out of the second level and stood on the edge of the city, looking over its parapet.
"What is this diminishing energy that I am sensing? It feels differently than maju," he said.
He was not sure where it was coming from since it felt so broad. Whenever a mage sensed maju, there was always a unique feeling with that person or thing. There was always a temperature combined with an emotion or mood. Detecting maju was like feeling the spirit of someone, like the scent that a dog followed or the sound that only certain types of animals could make. However, this energy was strange. It felt similar to when Auron would stargaze with his wife and daughter back home. So vast, infinite and difficult to measure.
"I can feel it, but where is it coming from? It feels low, yet large. Not sure how to describe it," he said to himself.
He kicked off the ground and flew around the city. He scanned the third level and saw Areira and Kazemee defending the dome of the council. He descended to the second level again, orbiting it, trying to track down the person who possessed this strange energy. Auron dove down to the first level of the city. While he orbited the first level, he saw a Specter stabbing Caim with a rod while the demigod was on the floor. "No!" Auron yelled and rushed down to save his friend.
Abruptly, he felt a red energy blast coming from his right so he banked left. The blast streamed past him as he floated away from it. "Ember, why couldn't I sense her presence just now?"
"Miss me, Auron?" she asked as she approached.
"Hiding your maju from me. That is a nice trick. I must learn that myself," Auron remarked.
"I can teach you many things, Auron," Ember replied. "Sorry, but you won't be able to help your friend today. We need him for our plans."
"You poor thing, the cosmo jewels just aren't enough," Auron said with a cocky tone.
Ember did not reply. She grunted then rushed forward. Their weapons collided, causing an explosion that pushed them both back. Auron's spear fell from his hands but he called upon it and, with a flash, it reappeared in his hands again.
"You are definitely deserving of that Valairmos, unlike that desert prince I killed a few days ago," she said.
"I still have to avenge him," Auron responded.
"Hoping to get lucky?" Ember asked mockingly.
"Every encounter is another opportunity to kill you," Auron replied. "But I will need some assistance." He dove down towards Caim on the first level of the city.
Ember followed behind him, launching red beams from her staff. As he flew, Auron turned over and, using his shield, he released a blinding solar flash. Ember screamed as she shielded her eyes. Auron was near Caim. "I am almost there!" he yelled, but another Specter blocked his way.
Hertha shot a green blast at him. Auron dodged the attacks but the blasts destroyed parts of the city behind him.
"Today is your day of reckoning," Hertha said.
"We don't make the same mistake twice," Ember said as she flew in, recovered from the solar flash.
A lump filled Auron's throat. He became nervous and victory was very blurry in his future. I can't die here, he thought. I have to hold them down until Akielas returns, but they are far too strong. And worst of all, Caim is unable to fight. If they managed to pin down a demigod, then what chances do I have?
"Any last words, Amaranth?" Ember asked as she prepared her staff for another blast.
Auron had no words, he only gritted his teeth and clutched his spear. Using his golden shield again, he cast another solar flash blinding both Specters. He flew away, diving down to save Caim. Just before he could reach the demigod, two more Specters pushed him into the inner city of the first level using shadomancy. Auron plowed the tiles as he fell, pieces of his armor breaking apart. He stood up and stared at them, unsure of what to do next. They blocked his way to reach Caim and snickered vilely.
"Your demigod friend is now useless," Jairo said.
"Your other friends are not here to help you and the Effeelions don't stand a chance," Naunet added. "So let's do a trade for your benefit. Give us the Golden Sun Valiarmos and we will let you live."
"Never!" Auron yelled. "I will die with this armor. I will not surrender it willingly. If you want it, you must kill me first."
Ember and Hertha appeared, flying like trails of smoke. They landed next to Jairo and Naunet. Ember kicked Caim in the ribs and the demigod groaned. He was helpless on the ground and Auron noticed that his hair was now black, and then he realized, This diminishing energy I was sensing is coming from Caim. I can sense cosmo...but how?
"You can’t keep running, Auron," Ember said.
"Journey well to Necrovania," Naunet added.
All four Specters prepared to attack using shadomancy. A ball of shadows grew in their hands. Auron wanted to use another solar flash, but his maju was too low. He knew that it would not be enough but then he whispered, "I don't care. If I die, I will go down giving it my all. I will never surrender."
Suddenly, a tornado swept up the two male Specters, leaving Ember and Hertha still hovering in front of him. Auron looked up and saw Nehushine with Tortori and Tweng. The three Effeelions rode on their clouds, controlling the tornado. Ember and Hertha launched two beams from their staffs and ceased the vortex. Nehushine and the others fell off their clouds and tumbled from the sky. Just when Auron thought they were finished, more Effeelions appeared. Hundreds of them flying on clouds. They cast powerful gusts of wind at the Specters and their illumancy canceled the Specters's shadomancy. He saw Bardia again playing her flute. Her high pitched notes forced Ember and Hertha to cover their ears while flying away.
Once the Specters were out of his way, Auron ran to aid Caim. The demigod was nailed to the floor with rods of kaminyte. One rod pierced through his hands and the other through his back. Auron tried to pull them out, but it was futile and only made Caim scream.
"By the gods, what have they done to you?" Auron cried out. "I believe Akielas will know how to remove these without causing much pain.
The Golden Sun glowed then contracted into the medallion hanging from Auron's neck. He pulled his teleport crystal from his kidney belt and, with both hands, he pressed a large amount of maju into it, hoping Akielas would receive his signal quickly. "You better hurry or we are all doomed. I don't know how much longer we can survive without your help."
Akielas
/> "So your grandfather forged omnithium once?" Akielas asked.
"Yes, I remember. I was just a boy back then, but ever since I saw the Specters with those staffs, I do recall seeing that type of steel before," Rey Ling answered as he looked at the scroll. "My grandfather had lost his life to this steel a few days after forging it. When I turned fifteen I asked my father where grandpa had found zeustoss and mythium, but he did not want to tell me. I do know that my father hid all the omnithium that my grandfather made. For some reason he never wanted me to find it. Perhaps he knew that one day I would go looking for it. Maybe he was afraid that I would die too."
"Maybe he feared the omnithium would absorb your soul," Akielas guessed.
Rey remained silent and began to pace around the aisles of books and scrolls on the first floor of the library. Akielas felt as though they were getting closer to discovering how the Specters planned to rid the world of magic. He always came to Ironside for knowledge. This library never failed.
"So back to our real problem," he said. "I have concluded that the Specters are using these steels to absorb maju from the moon. If they are waiting for the tri-eclipse, then surely they will use omnithium for some greater purpose on that day. They didn't collect all that rare steel for no reason. The scroll said that when the moons align they will enchant the world with a new form of maju."
"That is what I thought," Rey agreed. "Most likely they will use omnithium to control the four cosmo jewels then absorb maju from the moon, or even worse."
"Worse?" Akielas raised an eyebrow.
"I am thinking that it could reverse the effects of the moons," Rey explained. "Instead of enchanting the world with new maju, maybe using the cosmo jewels with omnithium could reverse the process and drain the world of maju instead. It would make sense since they are trying to rid the world of magic."
Akielas brought his fist and palm together and said, "Yes, that is it. That has to be it. What better explanation could there be? It is very similar to what I tried to do decades ago."
Spirit of Mages (Rift of Chaos Book 2) Page 30
