by J. A. Comley
“It's nearly time,” he told the Guardians. “Remember, let him gloat until the Blossom is revealed. Then we make our move.”
The edge to his thoughts grew sharper as his worry grew heavier.
We'll survive this, Starla thought, a wave of comfort washing over him, forcing a smile onto her face.
He managed to smile back at her.
As Ezira's blood fell to the ground, Kyron breathed in deeply, her power swelling his own. Revelling in the feeling of it, he ordered his army of magmi to stand down. He gazed down at the scrambling people as they tried to regroup. The civilians were surrounded by a ring of soldiers. the Makhi followed, protecting the soldiers with a shield. Right at the front were High Commander Medara and her wife, a tall blonde man and russet-skinned woman he didn't recognise, Queen Zerina and Prince Niden and Queen Valana.
New power surged through him, but he hissed in dissatisfaction. Though great, this power was still significantly less than if Ezira had joined him alive and every magical action would diminish it further.
He toyed with the idea of simply using the power to wipe out everything below him. With Ezira gone, there was no longer any need to break her spirit.
His cold eyes took in the Inagium, Brosney and Makhi, and he knew the truth. His war would never end, now. Without his hunt for Ezira, he needed the bloodlust of destruction and war. He needed to find a land whose people would treat him like the god he was, serving his every desire. He ground his teeth together in frustration. This new power, though great, would not regenerate once used. If he used much of it here, he would not be able to continue through the universe. He looked back at the people, his pointed teeth bared in a cruel smile. They would make fine additions to his army.
“I applaud your valiant efforts,” his amplified voice boomed down on them as he spotted King Eldos. “You have accomplished much more than I would have thought.” His amused voice turned to ice as he continued. “But I am sure you can see that it was all for nothing. Much of your army was lost because you wouldn't kill my drodemions. Now, I have saved you the trouble.” His pointed teeth shone.
The old King's voice echoed up from the ground, fearless and proud. “Fighting against those who would kill and enslave us is never for nothing. You have not won, Kyron.”
The Baron felt his heart twist. For so many years he had let the loss of his family, of Kara and their child, cloud his mind and harden his heart. Now that he saw the truth, he knew he was too late. Nothing he could say or do would make up for the horrors he had caused, for the murders he had committed. He feared seeing the hatred in Kara's beautiful golden eyes if she knew the monster he had become, knew what he had almost done to her sister. He shuddered.
His grey eyes fixed on the Demilain Destroyer and the small, black orb he carried. He would ensure that this monster never touched Kara again. He would make sure Starla received the Blossom. It was all he had left to offer in apology.
The Makhi staggered as their combined shield shattered under a casual flick of Kyron's staff.
“Haven't won?” Kyron sneered. “Would you condemn everyone to death out of pride, old King?”
A sudden magical disturbance stopped Kyron midway through a Curse that would have killed all the children under five. His eyes scanned the field for the source.
Starla felt the magical tremor, even as Larkel's eyes widened and the Guardians gasped.
“No,” Larkel moaned as Jensula flashed an image to him.
Gaby screamed and fell to her knees. Her violet eyes grew wide in wonder and she shook her head in disbelief. “I can feel her again. I can feel Beky.”
“No more time to wait,” Fey said. The wave of Beky's energy redoubled as she joined herself to her Sacred Stone once more.
Gaby was on her feet again in moments, her smile as beautiful as it was deadly.
“We cannot wait.”
Kyron swung about just as Gaby's Sacred Stone flew past him towards the ground. As he turned to catch it before she did, he was attacked from behind by a magic so weak he would not have noticed it but for the surprise of its direction.
Makhi Grolen held his staff at the ready, his brown eyes resolute and fearless as the other Stones flew out of his shield. His next spell just managed to alter the course of Kyron's magmus and instead of his spell reaching the Stones, it boomeranged back over Kyron's head, and sliced into the chest of one of the magmi, sending it screaming and falling to the ground, the ergothan leaping gracefully out of the way. Kyron snarled in wordless rage and the Makhi was ripped off his magmus and fed to Kyron's alpha.
“Now!” Gaby cried, revealing herself, her powers expanded with her Sacred Stone in place on her Guardian's crown. The others were all looking fiercely up at Kyron as his cold eyes turned back to them, his magmus chewing its treat. Then his cold eyes widened further as Larkel appeared at the centre of the Sacrileons.
Larkel's indigo eyes met the mauve ones and he gave a small smile before concentrating on erecting his elemental shield. It had to be a bit different, with all six Stones available again and in possession of the Guardians.
It took all of Starla's will to remain hidden as she had to. They needed the other half. She looked up at Kyron. He had no reason to gloat at the moment and with the others revealed he could have no doubt that she was there, too, somewhere.
Beky was suddenly on the wall of earth beside her. Her markings shone bright green, like dozens of diamond-shaped eyes. Her own eyes were a fierce violet once more. Her blue dress shimmered as if new, a braid of fabric sweeping down the back like a tail.
She smiled and then cast a spell over the ergothan that were all consumed in their feast once more. All the grobblers were cowering at the far end, looking anxiously up at their master every few seconds.
Starla watched amazed as they stopped at once and came over to the base of the wall, gentle as house cats. Beky looked behind her and nodded at Fey. A ramp of earth shot down the wall and the ergothan leapt up it lightly.
Once they were all over, the ramp vanished and they followed Beky down to the others.
Kyron's magmi dove. Starla looked back at her people, horrified as the beasts opened their mouths. Larkel's shield burst up and swelled over the entire allied forces, many magmi being forced back or injured as the shield rocked through them.
Starla stood alone outside it. Waiting for the rest of her amulet. Waiting, with fear gripping her heart as a new battle began.
With a great roar of defiance, the Makhi protected the people from the flames. The Inagium worked to bring down the few magmi still trapped under the shield and uninjured. On the ground, the forces surged forward, striking out at the fallen and injured magmi.
Her eyes fought tears as she spotted Father Joe, Raoul, Antonio and even Pierre rushing a fallen magmus. Father Joe rolled back as the red flames darted over his head. Antonio chose that moment to strike the magmus, hacking at its thick neck from one side, Raoul attacking from the other. Pierre leapt up and stuck his sword in the top of the magmus' head, uncaring of its sharp, yellow fangs.
Starla swallowed a scream just before the magmus collapsed in front of them, its neck nearly completely severed. As it rolled over, she saw dozens of spear and sword slashes over its body, and the Aurelian warriors responsible.
There was a sudden flash of green light and half the grobblers were on the battlefield, their weapons at the ready.
A thunderous clap echoed over the battlefield as Heny shifted and transformed into the great barrelling beast Starla had seen in the cavern. He charged forward, smashing the front line of the grobblers.
Litzie released a lightning bolt that cut a smaller magmus clean in two as it tried to escape the shield. Kyron roared with rage and Starla felt the wall behind her buckle. She dodged to the side, directly under the shadow of Kyron's magmus. The place where she had been standing crashed to the ground, sending up a cloud of dark-blue dust.
“No!” Larkel shouted, forgetting himself, but his cry was echoed by others as the
rest of the horde of grobblers raced through the resulting gap. He forced himself to remain in position, hoping Starla had got out of the way.
Starla watched in mute frustration as the people, all she loved and had come to love, widened their ranks to take in the new threat.
Biki and Alli worked together, Biki creating invisible barriers that herded the grobblers towards Alli's water globes.
Melor was nowhere to be seen but his achievements were evident as pits opened up beneath the grobbler horde, swallowing ten at a time.
“Fools!” Kyron hissed, waving his staff towards his magmi. The black scales seemed to shimmer for a moment and then they were diving straight for Larkel's shield.
The High Lord felt the first magmus pass through his shield. He looked up in horror as it dove straight for the civilians.
“Quickly!” he shouted, echoing the call mentally. “Makhi, Inagium, the magmi have been altered to their elemental form and can pass this elemental shield. Bring them down!”
Starla had moved and was now crouching on some rubble near the wall, her nails digging into her arms as she choked back screams of warning, worry and frustration.
Litzie's lightning seemed to be everywhere within the shield, ripping through magmus wings and sending them hurtling downwards.
Lua was a flash of pink here and there as she tried catch as many falling magmi as she could, stop them from crushing the people below.
Gaby's vines were tangling themselves fiercely around anything that was Kyron's, their long, hooked thorns biting mercilessly into magmus and grobbler alike, taking root and growing inside their prey.
Fey shadowed her, causing the earth to swallow the fallen, and sending sharpened metal discs zigzagging through their enemies.
Rya used her element to divert the magmus flames and to reach into their bodies. Slowly, she made their fires burn hotter and hotter.
Starla jumped as a magmus exploded over head.
Beky was keeping the ergothan on track. Together they were taking down grobblers and fallen magmi as fast as their claws could tear and their teeth could rip. She had tried to reach the magmi's minds, but they were all linked to their alpha and Kyron's hold on him was too strong.
Flek had multiplied himself and was an orange blur, darting everywhere, drawing the magmus fire away.
Another ringing gong echoed across the field. This time, Starla found its source. Kal was perched on a boulder, swinging his tail through the air, the yellow bobble on the end of his tail emanating the sound. To her ears it was only a loud noise but the magmi snarled and hissed as they collided with one another, the percussive sound disorienting them. Grobblers collapsed, unconscious, as the sound wave reached them. The ergothan, protected by Beky, continued to fall on their prey.
Starla watched this all, the screams, the clashing sounds as metal swords encountered magmus scales, the fierce snarls and roars, all making it harder and harder to remain still, to remain hidden. She should be helping them.
“I grow weary of this.” Kyron's magnified voice filled the air. His rage was felt as the ground heaved again, throwing everyone to the ground. His magmus swooped down, stopping only thirty feet from the ground, hovering directly above the battle.
Starla felt the terror rise up to choke her as she caught the murderous look in Kyron's eyes. He flashed his empty hand and his staff out before him.
Starla couldn't find her voice as she waited for Kyron's spell to slaughter the remaining survivors. To slaughter her loved ones. As nothing turned into more nothing, her fear began to turn into confused relief.
“No!”
Larkel's shout of horror brought the ice back into Starla's chest. His cry was taken up by the other Makhi and Inagium as they, too, recognised the peril. Desperately, they tried to shield the Guardians as Aclarion Dust fell, bound with a terrible Curse.
Kyron's newly-heightened power rolled off of him in waves, shattering their shields and enchantments easily. The rain of fine dust fell over the Sacrileons, coating their obsidian skin. Then they were screaming, writhing in pain as their eyes turned opaque, their skin turned brittle and grey, red flames dancing all around them. As they transformed, they were dragged forward and the allied army pushed back.
Behind them the remaining grobblers and magmi assembled. The flames died and the ergothan joined Kyron's ranks once more.
Starla felt her horror be overtaken by rage as the six once beautiful Guardians rose as corrupted forms, their stones black, and turned their opaque gaze on the surviving army, which formed a rough triangle with Larkel at its point.
Starla swallowed hard. She felt fearful for him, exposed as he was. Unable to stand it a moment longer, she left her perch and raced to join Larkel at the front.
The Guardians' animal companions froze, caught in the no man's land between the armies as the Sacrileons raised their hands, ready to kill.
“Not yet.” Kyron's voice sounded deeply amused as the Sacrileons obeyed, their hands falling limply to their sides. “Time to surrender, old King.”
“Never,” King Eldos said, evenly. He glanced at Larkel, hoping Kyron would still choose to gloat. If not, it was all over.
Kyron's eyes narrowed, then he smiled. “Perhaps you need some more persuasion?”
Larkel's brief hope vanished as the Sacrileons raised their hands once more. A blue bolt of light hit Kyron's shield, followed by more multicoloured rays.
Kyron barely glanced to the sky as he flicked his staff casually, his mauve eyes fixed on the old King. Screams filled the air as all the Inagium were forced out of their spirit forms back into their bodies and began to fall.
Catch them! Larkel commanded.
It was too late.
Many were snatched up by Kyron, the Makhi's spells bouncing off his.
“Patience, my creatures,” Kyron said to the Sacrileons as he held the Inagium hovering before him.
Starla tore her eyes from her grandmother, grey hair billowing as the Makhi brought her safely to the ground. Kyron was getting off his magmus, a glowing red disc forming beneath his feet. She tensed as she saw the orb floating beside him. The other half of her amulet was in there. She could feel it.
She gripped Larkel's hand, feeling his shock turn to relief as he recognised her mental presence. She longed to throw off her shield, too, so that he could see her face. See that she was ready.
This might be our chance, Larkel sent after congratulating her for not getting stuck behind enemy lines. Ready?
Yes. Starla shivered at the viciousness that had accompanied her ascent. It took her a while to name the emotion, then she knew. Murderous. She wanted to kill Kyron, as painfully as possible.
Larkel ignored her dark thoughts, and fixed his indigo eyes on the Baron, who was just sliding off onto the red disc behind Kyron.
“You see?” Kyron said, pointing at the Baron. “I don't have to kill or transform. You can join me willingly, just as your Baron did.”
The Baron's face grew pale as a sheet but his grey eyes were bright with determination. Starla heard Kara moan behind her. Starla gripped her Star, their only hope, tightly. So tightly that the points broke through her skin, drawing blood.
“We will never surrender,” King Eldos repeated.
A spell smashed into the old King, forcing him to his knees.
“Wait, love. Just a little longer,” Larkel murmured in Starla's ear as he was forced to restrain her.
“No respect. Just like your granddaughter,” Kyron hissed. “I am your Master! You will learn to bow and scrape, to do anything I desire!”
Starla tensed as Kyron tapped his staff against the orb. A small crack split it in half.
“But you see, old King, your time is over. Your little Starla and your powerful High Lord have failed.” Kyron's cold smile revealed his teeth. “I have one half of the amulet. I want the other. Now.”
Larkel readied his spell as the orb began to slide open. Behind Kyron, the Baron grabbed the hilt of his gludron blade.
&nbs
p; Kyron spun around, levelling his spell at the Baron's chest, leaving the meteor orb half open. “And if any of you were waiting for this sad idiot to help you—”
Everyone seemed to take action simultaneously.
Zerina ordered her Brosney to create a shelter for the elderly or too young. Commander Medara and Queen Valana ordered the remaining men and women into ranks in front of the shelter.
Kara, golden eyes burning fiercely, used up most of her regained strength to free the trapped Inagium, Naleiya and another Makhi helping her.
Larkel drew himself up and rallied the Makhi to him as he reached out and took the Sacred Stones from their lifeless keepers, throwing up his shield again, feeling it ripple as the Makhi linked with him, giving him their combined power.
Kara turned from the saved Inagium and let out a spear of bronze light. It collided nicely with Kyron's disc.
Kyron's Curse went wide, missing the Baron by inches as the red disc was rocked by a spell from beneath.
Kyron swore as the meteor slipped open. He snatched at the amulet, feeling Larkel's summoning spell collide with his personal shield a moment later.
She had saved him. Braxton allowed himself only a second to look at Kara, to look into her golden eyes and remember what it was to love.
Taking a steadying breath, the Baron unsheathed his sword and lunged at Kyron as his former master snarled at Larkel, driving the blade deep into the Demilain's side. Then he jumped from the disc.
Chapter 27
The Final Say
Tears stung Larkel's eyes. He had tried to catch the Baron, had felt others try too. Kyron had stopped them all. Larkel pushed his personal thoughts away, focusing on his shield. The Inagium and Brosney were also giving him their strength, now and Kyron's horde battered uselessly against the shield. It wouldn't last long. Kyron could crush them easily. Yet he was unable to stop the tiny flicker of relief that Starla would no longer have to sacrifice anything.
