Embrace (The Shifter, The Magic Map, and The Goblin King) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Adventure Book 3)

by Rachel Humphrey-D'aigle

  Juliska ordered all Balaton into attack position. They lined up next to her, palms ready for battle. Behind them was the second line of defense, all others capable of fighting. And behind them, those attempting retreat.

  Directly over their heads flew in three Scratchers. No, there were four.

  Where did the fourth one come from?

  Reality came surging back with cutting force. Meghan covered her ears to hide the piercing cry of the Scratchers hovering over them.

  The fighting duo of Colin Jacoby and Ivan Crane edged closer and gaining on them was the entirety of Eidolon’s Goblin army. They slithered across the valley, thrusting shards of rock and desert debris into the air as they advanced.

  Colin ducked protecting Catrina from the rainstorm of rock pummeling them. When the dust settled, Ivan pulled him up and they ran again.

  The Svoda gasped in unison as they witnessed the oncoming army. They were tremendously outnumbered.

  “We will fight and retreat at the same time,” advised Juliska. “Work your way toward the doorway, and most importantly, stay together! Meghan, stay close to me.”

  The Balaton were the first to strike, aiming their spells at the Scratchers. The hideous shrieks of the flying beasts rent the air and they did not relent in their attack. The second line aimed at the goblins, although they’d never fought a foe like this and the uncertainty in their ability to do so leaked out with questioning gazes to their neighbors, and shaking palms.

  Two of the Scratchers flew off toward the retreating Svoda, attempting to block the exit leading to Limbo. Everyone dropped to the ground in hopes that the wings could not enclose around them. Adults covered children with their bodies aiming their palms upward shooting off defensive spells to blast the two away.

  One of the Scratchers broke through the blasts and dove straight down, forcing a group to roll and scatter. The beast slammed into the hard dirt with a crunching thud. It got to its feet, shaking off the hard landing and snarled madly, beating its wings in warning. It sent everyone close running for their lives and away from the exit to Limbo.

  “Don’t let it get through,” a voice shouted in warning. It was Billie Sadorus and she realized the Scratcher was trying to reach the doorway into Limbo. If it got through everyone on the other side would be in danger. Her brother Garner tore to her side at once and they each raced to stop the beast. Before they got close enough, two blasts shot at the creature hurling it into the air.

  “Take that!” bellowed Kalila Jackal. Her sister Kalida nodded in earnest approval. They moved to assist those closest to them off the ground and back toward the exit to Limbo.

  The Scratcher beat its wings and righted itself with agile speed and precision, the two near the exit regrouping with the others. Billie and Garner returned to the second line preparing to battle the goblins. While Juliska and her first line shot off a spell that created a protective barrier the Scratchers could not penetrate. It would not hold long, but it would give more Svoda a chance to retreat.

  Juliska pushed at the barrier moving it so that the Scratchers were in the line of fire from the advancing goblins. It would bide them a few extra minutes. Maybe…

  Colin and Ivan arrived, winded from running, but still fighting nonetheless. Colin remained Catrina’s shield, keeping her safely hidden behind him. He did his best to keep his movements around her inconspicuous, but everyone was so busy fighting he didn’t think they’d notice him protecting some invisible thing they could not see.

  “Target the goblin’s eyes,” shouted Ivan. “It’s their one weakness.”

  The first violent push from Eidolon’s army came hard and fast. They crushed through the Scratchers, creating an entanglement of wings and flinging rocks and goblin bodies.

  The retreat continued nearly all those too young or unable to fight safely through to Limbo. She ordered the second line to begin their retreat.

  Boom.

  A shower of sparkly light.

  The barrier broke apart.

  Juliska and the Balaton raised their hands and aimed.

  Anywhere.

  Everywhere.

  Splinters of rock from the hard goblin bodies shot in all directions as they continued waging battle against the Scratchers. The Balaton sent off spells to pulverize the larger rocks, turning them into sand-like bursts that would not harm anyone.

  One of the Scratchers cried out in a hideous screech. Two goblins had it outstretched pulling at its wings from opposite sides, threatening to tear it apart. It kicked and flailed, miserably.

  Meghan hid behind Juliska and the Balaton, wondering if the goblins could do it; tear it apart and kill it.

  They didn’t have the chance. Another Scratcher flew downward clawing at the eyes of one of the goblins forcing it to let go. The captured Scratcher used its free winged arm to attack the other goblin, gouging out an eye. The goblin released its grip and fell back, wailing and covering its missing eye.

  The Scratchers used the distraction to fly higher in the air, out of the reach of the goblins enormous bodies. And refocus on their actual targets, the Svoda. The second line had made it to the doorway and a few had gotten through to Limbo. The goblins were proving almost impossible to fight, their eyes a difficult moving target. The first line was forced to move back, joining the second line. The goblins edged closer, one of them ordering the rest to form a circle around the Svoda. More slivers of rock spew out at the Svoda. Many palms went upward blasting at the larger ones, but a few were missed. Billie took one to the shoulder and fell back, but steadied herself and remained on her feet. She turned to see Noah Flummer arguing with his wife and mother to get through the doorway. They were trying to stay and help, shouting something about we cannot leave her here. Billie wasn’t sure what they meant, but shouted and pointed upward to warn them whatever they were doing, do it fast.

  The Scratchers were preparing to dive.

  The goblins nearly had them surrounded.

  Half the second line had made it through to Limbo, leaving the rest plus the remainders of the first line still fighting. The Svoda army was getting smaller. Juliska ordered everyone to stay close and work their way to the doorway. They shot off spells, which were getting weaker, the magical energy in the immediate area getting used up. And most too exhausted to have the strength or focus to pull from farther away.

  The only people not looking tired were Colin, Ivan, and Juliska. Even her Balaton were tiring.

  Two Scratchers broke through the weakening blasts. One flew downward and right into Billie sending her hurtling across the ground. She knocked over two other fighters and landed on her back, the wind knocked out of her.

  The second one dove into the group separating them. Only they had nowhere to run to other than the doorway to Limbo as the goblins had fully surrounded them.

  Someone shouted at Billie in warning. She sucked in a breath and picked up her head; the Scratcher that had knocked her off her feet stalked toward her. She lifted her arm with a wince and shot off a weak spell. It hit straight on but wasn’t strong enough to stop the beast. It lifted its webbed wing, its extended arm ready to strike. She kicked at it to no avail. She tried to slide her body out of the way but wasn’t fast enough. Billie let out a scream as a sharp talon sliced into her shoulder. Blood gushed freely pooling around her on the dry ground.

  The beast flew backwards. Garner had gotten to his feet and saw the attack a moment too late. He ran to his sister.

  “Billie, Billie!” he called out fiercely. “How bad is it?”

  “Brother, it is not so bad. I’ll be fine,” she insisted. Garner looked at his sister’s split arm and disagreed. He lifted her and carried her to the doorway. She fought him the entire way, insisting she could still fight. After Garner sent her through to safety, he returned to the battle.

  How could they fight such an enemy and expect to win? The retreat needed to happen faster. Between the Scratchers attacking overhead and the goblins’ circle getting smaller, they had little time and t
his was not a battle they could win.

  Juliska ordered the Balaton to focus on the goblins while she took over dueling the Scratchers, and told the remaining second line to get through the doorway.

  Meghan felt a soft caress against her legs and looked down to see Nona. The Catawitch jumped up into her arms. Meghan caught a glimpse of Irving Mochrie standing near the doorway shouting for someone. She hoped someone from the Mochrie family wasn’t missing.

  Meghan decided it was time to do her part. Her strength felt renewed. But before she could get a fire started, Juliska came to her side.

  “Meghan, I want you to go through the doorway. I realize you might be able to help, but your visions are still uncontrolled. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  Meghan’s heart raced at hearing Juliska’s motherly words. She agreed without argument, at the same time feeling stupid for not being able to help more. None pawed at her and Meghan heard the thought in her Catawitch’s mind.

  “We can go through and help the injured. I can heal small injuries.”

  “You’re right,” Meghan responded. “We can help there.” She sought out Colin, sensing in her mind for him. He dropped the mind-block for just a moment to let her know he was still in the battle but fine. He had just a few small injuries; cuts from rocks falling off the goblins. The block went back in place and she lost contact.

  “He’s changed so much. Almost overnight,” she whispered to no one. Never in a million years would she have guessed her brother would be fighting in a battle like this. He was good at magic, and he was finally accepting it as a strength. Maybe spending a few weeks apart had been good in the end. Made him finally see what he could do on his own, without her always stepping in.

  “Or it’s just the girl,” jested Nona.

  Meghan shook her head. “Or yeah, it’s just the girl.”

  She stepped through the doorway and the dusty valley of Eidolon disappeared, the sounds of battle silenced, replaced by a cool mist and patches of fog. They found the other Svoda easy enough though. Another body raced through behind them, out of breath. It was a man with a gash down his cheek. He stumbled, losing his balance. Meghan darted over and helped the man get up and join the others who were injured. Nona offered to heal whatever injuries she could.

  Limbo was a strange place. The only sound was coming out of the Svoda. But their voices did not carry as there was no echo; no walls or anything for noise to bounce off from. It was even stranger to know that just through the doorway a battle raged on.

  Those in Limbo waited breathlessly for the rest to come through.

  A body flew into Limbo, skidding to a stop.

  It was Garner Sadorus. There was a nasty gash along his back and he was out cold. A few people ran over and dragged him away from the door.

  “Dr. Stamm,” one of them shouted. “We’ve got a bad one!” The doctor came running over and winced at the sight.

  Meghan stared, in shock of seeing the typically fierce looking man crumpled up like a rag doll. They laid Garner next to Billie who had lost consciousness after losing too much blood. Her injury had been sealed but she had not regained consciousness yet.

  Meghan turned away, unable to watch the doctor work on Garner’s injury. She watched tensely for the rest to come through, feeling useless and unable to help.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  In Eidolon’s Valley, the number of remaining Svoda dwindled as more and more were able to sneak through the doorway. Those who remained were surrounded on all sides by goblins, and overhead by the Scratchers.

  The Scratchers attacked the goblins, who were in the way of reaching their prey. The goblins saw the Scratchers as a nuisance at this point and just pummeled them, hard, whenever they got within reach. The Svoda had never seen the Scratchers take such a beating; and yet, they still lived. Not one had been killed, even by these monstrous sized goblins.

  Juliska ceased fighting and used her remaining magical energy to set up a barrier around those who remained to fight. It would not last much longer, seeing as the goblins’ formidable bodies were almost breaking through.

  The remaining Svoda carefully continued the retreat. It was getting harder and harder to keep the goblins at bay. No one standing behind Juliska’s failing barrier was sure how they would all get through, safely.

  Ivan made his way to Juliska; it was the first time they’d had the chance to speak since the battle had started. She only wanted to know one thing, and she didn’t even have to ask him.

  “The man is dead, but we got it,” he told her, speaking of whatever treasure was in the velvet bag. Juliska nodded her approval. At least one thing had gone right. And she needed to know, because Eidolon was coming. His voice drowned out his minions and the Scratchers flying overhead.

  He’d trailed far behind his army, letting them fight on his behalf. But now they broke the circle and the Svoda watched the Goblin King charge across the valley floor like a freight train, littering his path with anything that got in his way, including other goblins.

  Juliska’s protective barrier fizzled with an electric snap.

  A few goblins fell forward nearly crushing the few Svoda that remained.

  “Everyone, together,” Juliska ordered. “Barrios,” she shouted, reforming the barrier. The rest, except for Colin, used their remaining strength to add to her shield. It wasn’t enough. They were too drained and unable to collect more magical energy. The only one not showing signs of tiring was Colin. He shot off spell after spell gouging out goblin eyes and blasting away Scratchers.

  Catrina gasped and applauded him vocally at all the right moments to build his confidence. Those remaining, watched Colin in awe as he never tired, and seemed to almost be (dare they say), having fun!

  The Svoda had to resort to their magical belt reserves.

  Colin, however, felt better than ever, invigorated even, with each new spell he threw.

  Eidolon was getting closer.

  The Svoda pushed back to the doorway, a couple more jumping through.

  A goblin body pushed against Colin and he tumbled over. In the process, Catrina lost her grip on him and fell in the opposite direction.

  There was a scream. One only Colin could hear.

  He jumped up and spun around to see giant wings snapping as they came in for a landing. One of the Scratchers had broken through the goblins and was aiming its deadly embrace at Colin; only the wings were about to enclose around Catrina without the Scratcher even knowing she was there.

  In a flash of sheer will, Colin’s body vanished and reappeared right in front of the Scratcher. No one saw the silver haired girl he popped in front of protectively. And all were in awe of the magic he’d just used to shimmer his body closer. He raised his arm, palm facing the Scratcher just ten feet in front of him. The beast reared its head and screeched at Colin. He didn’t move a muscle.

  In a rush of thought, all he could think of was everything these beasts had taken…

  His Uncle Arnon’s possible death, or torture, if he’d been captured.

  The death of Balloch Flummer, Catrina’s grandfather.

  Ivan Crane’s father.

  And nameless others Colin did not know, whose loved ones deserved vengeance.

  A darkness filled him. A need. Something he’d never felt before rising with such extreme intensity. He looked up into the eyes of the Scratcher and stared it down. Rage built up inside him. Every frightening thing he’d gone through in the last year coming out of him in a torrent of venomous hatred aimed at the beast.

  “You will never. Take anything. From me. Again.”

  Colin’s arm dropped.

  His gaze focused and deadly.

  A veil-like mass of energy shot out of his body, ensnaring the Scratcher, smothering it. No matter how hard it tried, it could not escape. It choked and squawked, unable to breathe.

  Goblins backed away, giving them space. They didn’t want to be next.

  The other Scratchers flew upward howling and screeching helplessl
y at their captured comrade.

  Eidolon arrived unceremoniously. His fury turned to curiosity.

  Juliska stared, her penetrative gaze impossible to read.

  The remaining Svoda gaped with jaws dropped, in awe of the sight.

  Colin did not relent his attack. The Scratcher deserved to suffer. And die.

  Catrina leaned into his ear. “Kill it,” she encouraged. “It cannot live.”

  These words sealed the creature’s fate.

  All Colin’s thought focused on the Scratcher’s need to die.

  The seething dark veils tightened its grip on the howling beast and with one final, fleeting cry, there was an electrifying charge and the Scratcher evaporated into nothing.

  Gone.

  Dead.

  The veils of darkness dissolved, leaving Colin out of breath and filled with a wild satisfaction he’d never experienced before.

  He’d done it. Snuffed out the life that had taken so much from so many.

  The remaining Scratchers wailed and flew off in retreat.

  Jelen and Jenner, Juliska’s personal Balaton looked to their leader, but she said nothing.

  “He killed the unkillable,” Jelen mumbled. It wasn’t possible, and yet it had just happened.

  Catrina patted Colin gently on his shoulder.

  “You did the right thing. It cannot hurt anyone else now.”

  Colin’s high plummeted, reality slicing back in. The pleasure of the moment taken over by shock and guilt.

  “You did the right thing,” Catrina repeated.

  He nodded, agreeing she was right. The creature needed to die. But doubts cut into him. What if the Scratchers who got away reported what he’d done? What if they did have his Uncle Arnon held prisoner? What if he had just signed his uncle’s death warrant?

  His body shook, and he fell to his knees. How had he done it? How had he killed a Scratcher when no one else had ever succeeded in doing so?