by Eden Redd
Aznara smiled, “You have been more of a friend then she was ever a sister.”
Sunara looked past them to the chained Nia. A word whispered and the chains opened. Nia slowly put her arms down and stood up. Trystan and Aznara turned their gaze to the red head. Nia had a faraway look in her eyes as she shambled forward toward them.
“Come to me my pet,” Sunara beckoned.
“Nia,” Trystan said and tried to stand up.
Aznara took hold of her friend and helped him to his feet. Freya moved close, bringing her hammer up and hard across. Aznara went flying down to the stone floor. Freya heaved again and slammed the hammer against Trystan’s arm. Bone snapped and the mage hit the floor with a yelp.
“I never said you could stand,” Freya growled.
Nia walked pass the fallen Trystan. The young mage gripped his arm and tried to sit up, eyes wide and pleading to the indifferent fire mage.
“Nia, don’t go,” Trystan begged.
The red head was silent as she walked to Sunara’s side. She turned around and bowed her head, eyes staring at nothing.
Sunara brushed Nia’s hair over her shoulder, “You lost her that very night all three of us shared our bodies. I always wanted a human pet and now I have a pretty one.”
Aznara sat up, clutching her chest, “Trystan, Nia is addicted to her. She let her taste her true self.”
“I’m sure it helped. The poor dear lost her eye and I was the only one to comfort her. You should have tried harder, Trystan. If you had then she may have been able to resist my temptation. Now she cannot bear to be away from me,” Sunara ran the back of her fingers across Nia’s cheek.
Trystan felt his spirit grow heavy, a tear streaking down his cheek. Aznara looked to Sunara and Nia, tears in her eyes. Kira’s eyes stared at the stone floor as fire danced on the pyramid.
Freya stepped over her ex-lover and bent over to look him in the eye, “You should have stayed with me. None of this would have happened. Now wallow in your pain until I come to claim you. Sunara has her pet and soon I will have mine.”
Damon Wick clapped his hands. Theena had a closed hand to her ample chest, eyes wide and in the moment.
“A battle and a play of drama, did you enjoy it?” Damon smiled.
Theena looked to the renegade mage and smiled, “I can taste the pain in the very air. You have impressed me Damon. If you are true to your word then the Dead Sea God will be pleased with your offering.”
Damon turned his attention to the high priestess and reached across the table, taking her hands into his, “We are not done. I still have my wish.”
Theena nodded, “Ask it and it shall be yours.”
Damon looked down at Theena’s pale hands and then back to her purple eyes, “I wish to court you, Theena High Priestess of Draygon.”
The kraken’s eyes widened and her lips parted in shock, “No being has asked to court a High Priestess of Draygon. I belong to my lord and no one else.”
“I’m not asking you to give up your lord. I’m asking for a chance to court you so we may seal our agreements and live our lives, entwined together. You are beautiful and I have dreamed of being your consort. Grant my wish and we will bring the glory of Draygon to this world and beyond.”
Theena stared at the mage and smiled, “You are a dangerous human but you have shown me pain, beauty and power. I will consult with my lord but for now, your wish is granted.”
Damon stood up and walked around the table to Theena’s side. The kraken sat but her head was level with the mage’s as he stood. Damon leaned in and they kissed. Shadow mages bowed their heads, witnessing the union and creepy dread filling the air like arid fog.
Trystan was partially sitting up, mouth moving but no sound coming out. Freya gazed at Damon and Theena as their kiss turned passionate. When they parted, Freya let out a sigh.
“One night we will have that again,” Freya said with tears in her eyes.
Trystan stopped moving his mouth and looked up to Freya with contempt, “No, we won’t,” The mage hissed.
The young mage whispered a word of power. A shockwave exploded from Trystan’s heart in all directions. The wave struck Kira and she looked up, eyes and mouth wide. She screamed as mana erupted and shot into the sky. Freya looked over to see the dragon familiar staring up, power lighting up the night’s sky.
The shadow mage turned to Trystan with wide eyes, “What did you do?”
Trystan smirked, “Playing my ace card.”
White energy pooled in the night air, swirling and churning like a contained maelstrom.
“When your shadow mages attacked me in Lantern Beach, they gave me a great idea. If you can do it then I knew I could do it,” Trystan coughed and snickered.
Power streaked out in all directions, forming a dome of white lightning as power poured into the ocean. Trystan turned from Freya and stared out as his spell took effect. The ocean around the island bubbled and waves grew. Streams of water rose up and twisted into hulking shapes. Shadow mages rushed to the edge of the pyramid and stared down as an army of hulking water bodies stepped from the surf toward them. Power continued to light up the sky until it drained the familiar. The dragon woman let out a weak moan before falling to the stone floor and passing out. Turning to mist, she returned to Trystan’s skin over her master’s heart.
Freya stepped to the edge and glared over as hundreds of water elementals broke free from the ocean and rushed the stairs. Some elongated and climbed the temple pyramid, blank expressions as they closed the distance.
A purple glow emanated from Trystan’s arms, legs and head. Runes took shape and quickly faded. The mage smiled to himself as something whispered in his ear that help was on the way. Freya turned back to the mage and stalked over, hammer over her shoulder and ready to strike.
“I knock you out and your spell will fizzle!” Freya growled.
Trystan looked up with serenity in his eyes, “I know. But I saved just enough mana for one more spell.”
Freya looked down at the reflection of the moon in puddles under her feet. Before she could move, the puddle clamped onto her feet. Sliding away, Freya was pulled to the pyramid edge and launched into the air. Trystan watched with a sense of satisfaction as Freya went over the side screaming. The shadow mage tumbled down the side, arms, legs and face hitting hard stone, body rolling. A quick hand signal and a shadow caught her half way down. Throbbing pain pulsed through her small frame. She turned and controlled the shadow to bring her back up the side of the pyramid when she noticed an army of water soldiers within a few feet of her. Fear bled into her eyes as she forced more mana into the shadow to increase speed, water elementals slicing at the air feet from her.
Aznara was on her feet and to Trystan’s side, “Why didn’t you start with that?”
Trystan grunted as the succubus helped him to his feet, “The spell was long and intricate. I needed time to cast it.”
“Will your army stop them?” Aznara held him close.
“I don’t know but before anything, we have to rescue Nia and Sunara. Do you have mana?” Trystan said through tendrils of pain.
“I’m full.” Aznara smiled.
“I’m out so follow my hand signals exactly. We might be able to get everyone out.”
Water elementals charged the line of shadow mages and scylla soldiers. Upon seeing the hulking water creations, shadow mages unleashed a full torrent of black lightning. Energy slammed into bodies made of water and exploded instantly. The barrage continued but for every water elemental that fell, four more took their place. Scylla joined the fray, spears stabbing and slashing with expert skill. The stone steps were drenched in fallen elementals but more surged, pushing the line back.
Damon watched as mages attempted to keep the flood of attackers at bay, his face a blank mask. Theena’s brow turned into a sharp V and looked to Damon.
“I thought you had everything under control?” Theena said, calm as still waters.
Damon turned to her and s
miled, “I do. Can you not see it? The elementals are weak, a display of power but no substance. A distraction to….” Damon turned his head to Trystan and Aznara, “…save their friends.”
Trystan grunted in pain as he stood with his good arm out. Aznara held him up with one arm and held out her other arm. The blue mage began making hand signals and the succubus copied them.
Sunara grabbed Nia’s arm and pulled her away from the battle, “We’re getting out of here.”
Nia hesitated, looking to Trystan and Aznara as they worked a spell together. Raw emotion burst from her heart and she pulled her arm from Sunara’s grip. The red head broke into a run, eyes wide with each footfall.
“Trystan!” Nia shouted with arms outstretched.
The young mage finished his hand signal and Aznara did the same. Water pooling all around the pyramid edge rose up, knocking shadow mages to the ground. Scylla cut through the wave of water with precision. Damon flicked his wrist and the wave near him and Theena melted away without so much as a drop touching them. Aznara laughed with triumph as the wave took hold of Sunara and Nia. Bodies slid against the stone floor and stopped at the blue mage and succubus’s feet.
Damon smiled to Trystan and nodded his approval when the entire temple shook. The renegade mage looked out to the water as another explosion rattled the very foundation. Enhancing his senses, he could see the Sea Strider moving in close. Kutter was on deck, a glowing white cylinder on his shoulder and a smile on his lips. The tube exploded with bright light and a white fireball was hurtling toward the temple.
“Is this part of your control?” Theena said amused.
Damon made several hand signals, “I see a display of true power is appropriate for the moment. Let me show you what I can do.”
Theena picked up her wine glass again, “Please do and I shall reward you my consort.”
Damon stepped forward and raised his hands. Spells activated, he made the final signals to complete them. The island rumbled as mana erupted from the renegade mage. Kutter took aim again when his ship stopped moving. The ex-magistrate stopped his attack for a moment when the ocean to the right of the ship began to churn. Swiveling his shoulders to the right, he kept his stony gaze as the ocean began to raise and take shape. Kutter unleashed another super charged bolt of mana at the water body forming. It exploded on impact but did not stop its transformation. Kutter stepped to the rail, pointing his mana cannon as an elemental dragon stared back, its maw open wide. Kutter fired again and again. The dragon spit a high-powered stream of water. The ex-magistrate stepped to the side as the stream cut the top deck like a laser. Reeko used the metal spear points captured from the fallen lizard men to twist and turn, clamping the sides of the deck, reinforcing and holding it together.
“Keep the ship together while I take down a dragon!” Kutter bellowed as he bent his knees and launched himself at the water dragon.
The jump was an impossible one but the ex-magistrate soared through the air with smooth grace. The water dragon opened its mouth, ready to smash the ex-magistrate. Kutter let the mana cannon twist and reshape into a long double pointed spear. Holding it up and down, the dragon clamped its mouth shut, spearing the top and bottom. Kutter sent a surge of power into the elemental and the construct roared in pain.
On the top of the pyramid, Trystan knelt down and touched Nia’s cheek. The fire mage looked up and smiled weakly. A clawed fist struck the mage and sent him spiraling to the floor. Sunara stood over Nia with rage in her eyes. Aznara rushed her rookery sister only to be met with an air bolt to the chest. The succubus flipped backwards and struck her head hard against the floor. Aznara groaned as she turned her head to her sister.
“You will not take her! She belongs to me!” Sunara screeched.
Mist flowed from Sunara’s back and formed into a ghostly figure. Trystan immediately recognized it as the ghost who possessed him the library to take pictures of the Libro Nocte. Instinct took over as the mage prepared a spell but it instantly fizzled since he had no mana left.
“Santiago, take her.” Sunara commanded.
The ghostly familiar slipped down toward Nia who was still on her stomach.
Nia stared into Trystan’s wide eyes, “I love you…..” The fire mage managed before the ghost possessed her.
Trystan stared helplessly as Nia stood up and stepped to Sunara’s side. The blue-haired succubus gave a sardonic smile before they both sank into a shadow. Nia stared blankly as her body dipped further into the black shadow and disappeared. Sunara kept smiling until she too faded from sight.
The young mage reached over and touched hard stone, his friends gone. Aznara crawled over to her friend, blood dripping from her hair. Pain and disbelief colored their eyes as their hearts cried out in sorrow.
Damon controlled the water dragon as Kutter continued to blast at the construct. Senses turned to eleven, the renegade turned his gaze skyward as a white and yellow comet came spiraling toward him. Damon smiled as comets landed thirty feet from him with a thunderclap. Water mist began to clear. Jenny stood with her eyes closed and her arms crossed. Lana, Professor Hart’s kitsune, stood with her white robes bellowing and golden runes glowing along the edges.
Trystan looked up, “Jenny! Lana!” He cried out.
Jenny kept her eyes closed as she spoke, “Stay down. We will handle the renegade.”
Lana nodded and glanced back to Trystan, giving him a wink.
Damon stepped forward, “Trystan, I’m impressed. You have such powerful friends. I didn’t notice before but the kitsune imprinted a spell on you to watch your every move, a wise decision but not enough to stop my plans.”
Jenny opened her eyes, “Your plans end when we capture you. Now you can come quietly or do we have to do this the hard way?”
“Jenny, I will not waste my mana on the two of you. I rather sit back and watch.” Damon smiled, “Xolly.”
Mist streamed up from Damon’s robe collar. It streaked forward and landed a few feet in front of him. The white mist darkened and shifted until a feminine form appeared with large feathered wings. The figure was kneeling with their head hanging forward. Black hair hung, covering her face. Skin was the color of blackened ash. Her naked body was toned and athletic. Black feathered wings flexed but no muscles moved.
“Xolly, I want you to disable them. Do that for master,” Damon said as he strolled back to the shadow table and sat across from Theena.
The black angel raised her head. Trystan could see her eyes covered with a blindfold, a red triangle with an eye drawn in the middle of it. Xolly stood up and stretched out her wings. The air began to vibrate with power.
Jenny whispered three arcane words. Clouds appeared out of nowhere, swirling and forming over their heads, high in the night sky. One of the metal braziers broke from the stone base and flew toward Jenny. The librarian held out her hand as the metal twisted and smoothed, forming into a metal sword. When it reached her hand, it blazed with hot fire. Jenny held out her other hand. A lightning bolt streaked down, striking the ground and leaping up into her open hand, forming into blade of pure lightning.
Lana flexed delicate fingers. Air whirled around, forming into two short white swords. The air continued to whip about, forming many more white swords and daggers, hovering in mid-air.
Xolly the black angel remained still for a long breath. All three opponents eyed each other, waiting for one to make a move. Trystan and Aznara watched with wide eyes while Damon and Theena looked on with amusement. The air was thick with power but the angel moved first.
Xolly shot forward, a clear bubble encasing her body. Lana darted away while Jenny met her head on. Lightning and metal swords sparked against the barrier as the librarian whipped away. Xolly stopped mid movement and slashed out with a black wing. Jenny leapt into the air, spinning and throwing her metal sword. The blade bounced off the barrier and back into the air. Jenny landed with hand out, blade handle landing in her open palm.
Lana flicked her tail and white daggers sho
t out, striking the angel’s barrier and bouncing off. The kitsune flicked her tail again. The white swords lined up and launched each in turn. Each sword struck one spot on the shield over and over. Xolly stepped back and spun away but the swords continued to adjust and turn to strike one location. Lana smirked when the barrier cracked after the last sword strike.
The black angel crossed her arms and the crack began to seal. Jenny took the moment to press her attack. Charging, the metal sword penetrated the crack halfway, the sharp point ten inches from Xolly’s chest. The black angel smiled until Jenny pressed her lightning sword to the metal sword half buried in the shield. The lightning sword zapped through the metal and erupted from the end of the blade, slamming into the angel’s chest. Xolly grunted as she stumbled back, smoke rising from just above her breasts.
“Stop playing with them,” Damon said with a hint of annoyance.
Xolly let her hands fall to her sides and red energy began to swirl around her naked form. Lana and Jenny braced themselves as a red aura grew bigger and brighter. Jenny whispered an arcane word, lighting blasted down from the heavens, booming against the angel’s shield. Lana created a white sword and sent it spinning. The white sword drilled against the shield, mana sparks flying in all directions.
The black angel smirked as the aura nearly engulfed her in red light. The very ground trembled as her smile faded and her form exploded. Jenny gazed as time slowed down. Whispering words, she tried to break the effect but it was too late. The angel moved like a comet toward her. The librarian mentally called on lightning since her thoughts were not affected by the slow time effect, only her body. Lightning bolts rained down on the black and red angel as she came at her. The thunderclaps moved in slow motion as they struck the shield repeatedly. Xolly shrugged them off as she closed her fist and drove it into Jenny’s cheek. The blonde librarian went flying, eyes shut and pain moving across her face.
Lana finished her counter spell as Jenny went sailing through the air. Time returned to normal and Jenny hit the floor rolling. Xolly was already moving toward the kitsune, fists blazing with red energy. Lana made a signal and a sonic boom blasted toward the angel. Xolly punched through the shockwave with one fist. She didn’t slow down as she punched Lana with the other. The familiar went sailing into the air but she recovered, her cheek bruised. The angel was still moving, hand out. The angel’s black hand took hold of Lana’s robe and bunched the fabric in her hand. Lana unleashed a dozen palm attacks, slamming them into Xolly’s blindfolded face. When she finished, the black angel turned her smooth face to the kitsune and grinned.
