by H. T. Night
Even though our numbers had improved, I didn’t want either of them anywhere near here. I worried for their safety and was afraid I would be distracted by them during our fierce fighting. Suddenly, I heard one of my men yell, “Josiah, watch out!” I looked to my right and one of Krull’s men had taken control of one of our crossbows and it was faced it in my direction. He had already launched at me.
Then time completely stopped. The crossbow released and I could see Helen to the left of me, and in an instant, she flew in front of my body.
She stared me with her eyes so peaceful, just as I watched the metal arrow go right through her neck.
With my hand, I pushed the arrow out so the arrow didn’t completely go through her neck. Helen fell into my arms gasping for air. I immediately placed my hands on her neck to try to heal her, but it was no good. It was a shock, but Helen was also immune to my healings.
Chapter Thirty-five
She collapsed to the ground and as I looked at this beautiful woman, it all became clear to me that Helen was our martyr. She had always known what her fate would be on this epic day. I stared into her eyes, and I said the only thing I could, “Thank you. Thank you for all that you are.”
Helen gasped one last breath and said, “Take care of our people.”
And with that, Helen vanished.
Tears dripped from my eyes as I looked up. I wanted to mourn this moment, but I had no time. The battle had turned. We were clearly winning. It was time to square off with Krull.
I flew up into the air and went to the area where Atticai and Krull were still fighting. From the looks of it, Atticai was clearly losing. Krull seemed to have grown stronger as their fight went on, while Atticai seemed to be weaker.
The last of the individual battles seemed to stop around us. Everyone on both sides was now watching Atticai fight Krull. It was almost as if Krull’s army needed to know if they should continue. In a matter of a couple of minutes, they had lost another three-fourths of an already-depleted army.
Lena and Sion made their way over to us. I gave her a look as if to say, “What the hell are you doing?” When it came down to it, she was as stubborn as I am.
It was now up to Atticai to finish off Krull. I didn’t see the likelihood of that happening. Atticai was just getting his ass kicked.
The two men continued to trade punches and kicks. Just when I thought Atticai was finished, he would reverse it and take control. There were many times when I nearly jumped in.
This was a fight for the ages. But, Atticai lost his focus. For a second, he let his guard down to take a breath. That was what Krull needed.
Krull took his sword and raised it in the air and was about to take out Atticai and once again, time went still for me. I considered what Atticai told me, that no matter what, don’t interfere. This was his fight... live or die.
There was one person I couldn’t allow that to happen to, and it wasn’t for Atticai’s sake. It was for Donya’s. She had paid a horrible price the last forty or so years, and the one strength she had that kept her alive, was that someday she would be reunited with Atticai. And now she was. So now, Atticai needed to live, not just for him, but for her.
This is where I stepped in. I leaped forward and with a mighty force, I used my telekinesis and removed the sword from Krull’s hands. Krull was a skilled enough warrior that he would have a variety of ways of finishing off Atticai. That wasn’t going to happen. Not tonight. I launched my body into Krull with a force of a thousand men, and sent Krull flying off of Atticai.
Krull looked at me and smiled. This motherfucker had no reason to smile.
“What are you smiling at?” I asked, mocking him, as he had mocked me when I was helpless against him. “The fact that in less than 24 hours, my army killed over 90 percent of yours?”
Krull looked at me and shrugged. “I’m smiling at this great moment,” he said. “Because, you may have the upper hand and you might have won the battle, but taking your life now will be my victory!”
“Come get it!” I said plainly. “I’m done with your mind games. The only game in town is scoreboard. As I see it, my team is kicking your ass.”
“Then, let’s make this interesting,” Krull said, reaching for an angle.
“You are in no position to barter with me. You will defend yourself and that is it.” That felt good to say out loud. I leaped into Krull and we traded punches and kicks. Krull kept landing his kicks and punches on me. He was incredibly strong and had amazing quickness.
At one point in the fight, something became extremely clear to me. It was something that all fighters know. In the thirty seconds of a fight, every fighter is aware of one of three things: you’re going to win, lose or have the fight of your life. Whenever I have stepped into a ring, or squared off with an opponent in real life, I was quickly aware of one of three facts, and I was always right. After the thirty seconds, I knew the outcome. I clearly was not going to quickly win this fight. Also, I was certain... this was not going to be the fight of my life. I was certain of one thing and one thing alone: I was going to lose.
Krull was far too skilled a fighter and the fact that Atticai lasted as long as he did was a testament to his skill set.
In my own arrogance, ego, and pride, I held the erroneous belief that I had become the most powerful Mani of all time. I was wrong. I was fighting a man that had a thousand years of fighting experience. He knew every blow I was going to throw. He understood every kick I made and how to counter it.
He and I both knew I was the weaker of the two. I might have been the weaker, but I was also the smarter.
All rules of fair fights were out the window, the second that Krull had put me in his metal crucifixion machine.
I decided to break free, and I yelled out, “Atticai! Tommy! Join me!”
I needed the same three men who squared off for Lena’s love to now team together to defeat the baddest Mani to ever walk the earth. Krull looked at me, confused.
Both Atticai and Tommy made their way over to me. “You guys ready?” I said.
“Do you need to ask?” Tommy said.
“Just remember what I asked,” Atticai said. He had caught his wind and was ready for round two. I turned to see if any of Krull’s men joined him but none had.
I turned to a stupefied Krull and said, “I may not be able to defeat you one on one, Krull. I’m okay with that. But as you can see, the brotherhood that was put together by you has stopped fighting for your cause. My brotherhood, which consists of a werewolf and a man who had been my enemy, has now teamed up against you.”
Tommy and Atticai both made their way to us.
Atticai looked me in the eye and nodded. Tommy had a classic smirk on his face. What did I have? I had the look of a man who was about to bring home the championship trophy.
The three of us surrounded Krull. In typical Tommy fashion, he attacked him first. He wanted to see how tough this man was. I let him get in there for a few licks. Then just like a tag-team MMA match, we took turns fighting Krull and wore him down. At the perfect moment, the three of us moved in instinctively for the kill. It took a matter of minutes, but not even Krull could take three: Atticai, Tommy, and me.
Tommy dove in and in his werewolf form, grabbed a hold of one of Krull’s legs. I flew up and kicked Krull with my black Dr. Martens boot and knocked him off his feet. Then with a mighty slick blow, Atticai leaped on top of Krull and said, “This is for my Tandra family.” He stuck his sword right through Krull’s neck. Krull gasped and looked me in the eye. And as I watch him prepare to vanish from this earth and go to his Mani Hell, I simply said, “At any point, you could have killed me anytime. I’m mortal.”
And in a matter of seconds, the great and mighty Krull vanished from this earth, forever.
Chapter Thirty-six
I would like to say everything was perfect after that day, but nothing in this life is that simple. We freed Krull’s men and made sure they were scattered over the Earth, in order to disorganize an
y further uprisings by disbursing them in random fashion. We also gave them a choice to join us, which some of them did.
We then settled onto the two islands that were purchased in my name by Helen. The main island I renamed Helena, in her honor. The other island I gave to Donya and Atticai. They hadn’t named it yet.
We spread the word that any Mani who wished to live apart from the world could come join us on our islands. We planned on, here on out, to live united in love and harmony with one another.
Luckily, for my Mani men, most of the remaining Mani women that were in the 1,800 that didn’t fight took us up on our offer. The war had been completely devoid of female companionship for them, and now they could seek their personal happiness, in a peaceful paradise.
We had over a thousand Mani come to live on the two islands.
My two sons were returned to Lena and I. We had our very own sixteenth-century castle to live in.
But, there was one last bit of business that needed to get done. Atticai and I both owed each other many favors by this point. We agreed we’d do one last one for each other.
Tommy and were outside the cathedral on our island. We were waiting for my cue. It was midnight, and we were about to have a double wedding.
“Hey, Josiah, you’re not having second thoughts, are you?” Tommy laughed.
“I’m not having second thoughts, but I think I’m not sure if I’m going to allow Donya to marry Atticai.”
“I know you’re a control freak, but not even you can stop that.”
“Trust me, I don’t want to. I’ve never seen the beanpole so happy.”
It was time for us to get the first wedding out of the way. I had to admit, I was partial to the second wedding.
I conducted Atticai and Donya’s ceremony. As Donya was still a human, it didn’t fall within the guidelines of a Mani wedding. I actually had to go online and get a Tandra license to marry someone from the International Unitarian church.
Atticai and Donya had a beautiful wedding. Atticai wanted it done rather quickly, and I obliged him.
Once Atticai kissed the bride, I pronounced them Mani and wife. I couldn’t resist the pun. At least Donya smiled at my joke.
Then Atticai and I traded places. This was my moment. Everything that I had been through was now making perfect sense to me. I was finally going to marry the love of my life.
This was now my time to take in my surroundings on this June night. The cathedral was beautiful. The stained glass made this as gothic a wedding as a man in my position could have asked for.
I looked out into the crowd at the Mani and Carni that came to celebrate with me on this blessed day. I saw old friends and new ones. Besides Helen, one person who I wished was here that wasn’t, was The Deity. She was once again hidden away in some mystery location, saving those who needed it most.
This moment was not lost on me. I looked at Linda, the nanny. She had both my little guys, who were now almost six months old, on her lap. I smiled at my healthy sons and gave them that dorky dad wave that we do to let our kids know that we love them.
I also looked out at Hector. Without his finances and his giving nature, none of this would have happened to save us as a people. I caught his eye and waved thank you to him and he smiled back.
I looked at Wyatt, who, as usual, was sitting right next to Hector. Wyatt was my first bite, and the man I trusted most with my family. I caught his eye and nodded to him.
Next to him was Sion, my resident boy genius who would always be dear to me. I surely believed he was a gift that was delivered to me on a silver platter.
On the other side of the crowd was Yari, the most amazing woman I had ever known, in regard to what she’s been through and the inner strength that had carried her so far. She was my first glimpse into this world. She had accepted me before I accepted myself. I whispered to her, “I love you.” And she mouthed the same words back to me.
Up on the altar were two men who I held in the highest respect. Atticai, who came in my life like a whirlwind and returned as Goshi. This complex, newly-married individual would always have my respect and now, my loyalty.
Last, but never least, was the man standing right next to me. My best man, in more ways than this one, was Tommy. I leaned in and whispered to Tommy, “When is it your turn?” I looked at Yomaida, who was seated next to Linda and I whispered, “Thank you.” She smiled at me and gave the thumbs up sign.
“My turn?” Tommy whispered. “You can’t keep this dog down.”
“Don’t I know it, Tommy,” I said. “You’re my brother.”
Tommy winked at me in a typical Tommy fashion and just simply said, “Always.”
Then an acoustic guitar began to play a beautiful melody as my one true love made her way out to me from the back of the church.
Nobody would be giving her away today, except for the Triat themselves. As the music played, I watched Lena slowly make her way up to me. I knew this was the moment I had waited for, all my life. From the very first time, seeing Tommy in the street, to being there that night for Lena at the infamous frat party, this was the moment that I knew in my heart would someday happen.
As she took each step toward me, my eyes began to water and the floodgates opened. Lena stopped right in front of me wearing her beautiful white dress that had a long train that would have made Princess Diana jealous. I looked deeply into Lena’s eyes.
Atticai looked to the people and said, “Lena and Josiah simply want to just tell one another what they feel.”
I could feel the entire room leaned forward so they could hear what he had to say to one another. I went first. “None of this has been perfect,” Lena smiled and nodded. “But one thing has been perfect through all of this. Our love. Our love always has been the glue that made sense. I never quite understood why we kept coming back to one another, but now I know. You are my one true love. No one has touched me as deeply as you do. No one can minister to my soul as you have.” I tried not to get choked up, but it was hard. “Lena, you’re the world I always wanted to take refuge in. You are, simply, the love of my life.”
Lena looked me in the eyes. “Josiah, in you, I am whole. In you, I am complete. You give me reason to breathe. You give me a reason to love. Our children will always be our gifts to one another, but your love has penetrated through all obstacles. Your love saw me for who I am, and what I am capable of being. I love more today than ever before. You are my life.”
We both looked at Atticai and he said, “Sounds good to me. I now pronounce you man and wife! You may kiss the bride.”
I turned to Lena and planted a big kiss on her lips. Then I looked at Atticai and said, “Why don’t you find yours and get seconds.”
“Not a bad idea.” Atticai went to Donya and grabbed her hand and kissed her lips. From here on out, Atticai and I did our best to coexist. We governed our respected islands and planned on giving all Mani a place to come and live in harmony, in peace, and in acceptance of what we are.
Lena and I planned to raise our boys with as much love and peace as we could. But, I’m Josiah Reign. We all know that would never be the case...
The End
To be continued in:
Hero Rising
Immortal Warriors #12
by H.T. Night
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Deadly Dreams Trilogy #1
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Romeo & Juliet
A Vampire and Werewolf Love Story
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H.T. Night is the #1 bestselling author of the Immortal Warriors and Diary of a Boy Genius series of books. He lives in southern California, where he’s hard at work on his next novel.
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