The Stone of Azuria: The Ardent Saga

by Nathan Howe

  Petrice cried. She rocked back and forth closing her eyes. Trying to pretend this wasn't happening. How could her family be evil, forced or otherwise? She wanted to mend them. Part of her thought about reaching out to their mind, with them being so close she'd be able to at least touch them. But she feared now they would radiate pain and knock her down, similar to the zombies or Spector's mind. The taint of the Netherworld on them. She saw it clear now, in their eyes that the Netherworld had a firm grasp on them. They'd never be the same.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Spector

  The pain on Mortal's face brought a smile to Spector. He lived for it. To cause as much pain as possible to any Ardent, that was in his way. He'd be the most powerful ever. Of that he was certain.

  "Enough," Chilling said. There was something about Chilling that frightened Spector. The way he had contact with the Netherworld differed from his own. You didn't see it seeping from him. No matter. "What is your plan with the Stone of Azuria?"

  "My plan? It's simple, complete and total rule of the city. Ensurift. The World."

  The heroes present eyed him with contempt. They heard this before, Spector was sure. But none had his power or the Stone of Azuria. Spector planned on backing up his statement and soon.

  "That's not possible. Not even the stone would offer you that much power." Chilling hovered connected to the Netherworld.

  "Doesn't matter. I'll hold sway over the city soon. I'll summon so many creatures you'll be overwhelmed and outmatched."

  Spector smiled showing teeth. The thought of the people in downtown running around for their life from zombies, ghouls and more. A glorious thought.

  Spector leaned in slightly to Super. "Take out Valiant Rush."

  Then to One Rush. "Your cousin, Broken I believe. Truly shatter him."

  Both nodded.

  Super lowered his shoulder, sprinted at his top speed and rammed it into Valiant Rush. Spector reached into the Netherworld and freed his zombies, in doing so, James was freed. And he avoided One Rush's strike. Damn. Spector launched his own burst against Mortal. She would be the first victim of his ascent to the top of the Cynosure food chain. The zombies preoccupied Chilling, Pixie, and Mortal as they protected their injured comrade.

  Spector used this to his advantage as the war progressed in front of him. Valiant Rush gave it his all against Super, but that was a losing battle. As was the one that Broken had with One Rush. A perfect plan made Spector more certain he would win. If he removed this bunch from the picture now, the rest wouldn't stand a chance.

  He reached into the Netherworld. He couldn't call any more creatures right now and survive. If he had the stone, he'd be able to, but he left it behind for safety. His next step was to learn how to use it to call the horde. But first, he ventured deeper in the Netherworld. Pulled the darkness into himself, it both burned and soothed him. He held it for a moment and sent a blast at Mortal.

  "Watch out!" Pixie warned. But she was too late. The bolt of Netherworld darkness seeped into Mortal. She screamed in agony and dropped to the ground.

  "You bastard," Pixie said. She fired a volley of arrows at Spector. He brought up a shield of darkness. They fell to the ground harmlessly.

  "I've won. Face it." Spector hovered in the air. Laughing.

  A thud sounded in front of him. There stood Invincible, with a half dozen other heroes.

  "Run!" Spector shouted. He flew off into the air as fast as he could. "Plan W," he shouted.

  One Rush and Super let off their most powerful punches and strikes, suppressing the heroes. Letting them achieve a brief head start. Spector used his connection to the Netherworld to create a fog to block the view. They escaped back to the hideout unseen.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  James

  The others quickly dispatched the last few zombies. Gravitation Woman and Mortal lay on the ground. "Are they alive?" James asked. They weren't moving.

  Chilling nodded. "But not for long. Get them to the hospital at downtown headquarters. I'll fly over to support the doctors. I can help slow the progression. They have the equipment to halt the process and to channel the light back into people."

  That wasn't close, and the traffic would kill them. James couldn't let his cousin die. She saved his life. He ached from the brawl with David. But he would tough it out. "I'll carry Mortal."

  "Are you sure?" Invincible asked. "I can have another do it."

  "I'm faster."

  Invincible nodded. "Okay. Be safe and quick Broken."

  "I will."

  "Aegis Embers," Invincible said. "Can you carry Gravitation Woman?"

  He nodded and walked over to pluck her up as James lifted Mortal. Her skin went from the normal tone to a dark purple with hints of black. James cringed. She didn't look well. Aegis Embers were James size but had wings on his back, and skin bright orange. Not human, a Phoenix who could fly. He leaped into the sky and flew away with Gravitation Woman while James sprinted out of the park.

  Petrice's body heavy in his arms. Her breathing shallow and she moaned a few times. James wouldn't let her die. He tried to make himself faster. Come on nanobots, go. The weight in his arms lifted slightly. His speed increased. He rushed past cars, dodging them. Horns followed behind him, but he didn't care..

  At the bridge to downtown, Petrice screamed out. "Noooo!" then slumped back lifeless in his arms. Darkness seeped out of her. The skin was even darker, soon she'd be yet another shade. Her eye's sunk deeper on her face.

  "Stay strong Petrice," James whispered. "Getting close."

  In the distance, the top of the headquarters rose above. Only a few more miles. It would be in the hands of the people that saved his own life once he arrived. James trusted the people at the Hero Coalition. Even if they did crazy experimental stuff, if it saved Petrice that is all that mattered.

  James turned on the final street, in front of the building a gaggle of people stood, dressed in scrubs. Good, they called ahead.

  He reached the doctor, and gently laid Petrice on a bed. "She's barely breathing," James panted.

  "We got her." He shooed James away. They strapped Petrice in and rushed into the building without glancing back.

  Several remained out front staring at the sky waiting for Aegis Embers to arrive with Gravitation Woman. James stood in front unsure what to do. Should he go in or wait? He didn't want to get in the way.

  A few minutes later Aegis Embers landed with Gravitation Woman. They rushed her up. She wasn't completely out like Petrice was. She suffered the damage from being hit by lightning, it could kill you, and James cringed experience the pain again. In a way, he was lucky they didn't have to rush him here.

  James circled the statue of Titus in front of the building. He wanted to do something, but unsure what. This Specter person was completely nuts. The Netherworld corrupted him beyond repair. That much James figured out for himself. He didn't understand the Netherworld but from what the others said you didn't mess around with it. If it was the home of zombies, that told James everything.

  After his tenth time around the statue, his eyes scanned the building wondering what they were doing to Petrice. He only wanted them to cure her or keep her from being evil. The thought of her too being like David and Scott petrified James.

  Later several others stepped out of a Hero Coalition truck, in the group Invincible, Valiant Rush and Pixie. "Have you had a medic check you out?" Invincible asked.

  "No. I'm fine." James ached from the battle, but he ignored it.

  "Go. You too Valiant Rush. You both took heavy shots today. I'll talk to Chilling soon to figure this out."

  "But–."

  "No." Invincible interrupted James before he protested. "You go to the medics. Let them check you out. We will find a way to fix this."

  James relented and walked into the building with Valiant Rush next to him. "You did well today Broken."

  "I wish I felt that way."

  "You stood toe to toe with people stronger than you, with
more training than you. And you're here to tell the tale. That's a win."

  James shrugged. "They got away. Mortal and Gravitation Woman are hurt badly."

  "Those things happen. They are alive. They'll recover. As a hero learning to cope with people getting hurt is a skill one must master. It's an unfortunate part of the job."

  A tough thing to accept. James didn't want to. He'd try his best to not let it happen again. He’ll be better than the evil scum that is attacking him next time. James vowed he'd protect those around him.

  At the downtown headquarters, they had a medical division where they saved James at and now worked on Petrice. But they had a smaller medical center for basic checkups that James and Valiant Rush required. They walked to the third floor of the building. The area bustled with people in scrubs, at the front desk sat a normal person, most of the people that worked in either hospital here weren't Ardents. Sure Ardents worked in them because their primary power was healing based. Many of them were field medics. That would be enough for them. Grunt candy, painkillers to dull the pain and let them go.

  A nurse took both through several tests. Checking them inside and out. Passing them through several machines that beeped and buzzed as they stood or laid still in them. James hated it.

  An hour later the nurse stood in front of them. "You both should take a few days off," he said. "But I know better than to make you. Just try to take it easy. You have bumps and bruises that will fade."

  Good. James left and went searching for information on Petrice.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Petrice

  A foreign room greeted Petrice. Where am I? The last thing she recalled was a skirmish with zombies. Spector, whoever that was, set up the ambushes and controlled the zombies. He twisted her family against her. Made them hate her.

  Petrice rolled onto her side. Her head throbbed worse than it did after her twenty-first birthday. All the training she has been through, and injuries, none of them compared to this. Opening her mouth then shutting it. She wanted to scream. To let out the anger, to make it go away.

  "Good, you're awake," a robust man said. Next to him stood Chilling and James. "I'm Doctor Gary. Let me check your vitals then you can talk to your friends."

  Petrice nodded. He used an ice cold stethoscope on her back. "Breathe in for me." She took the biggest breath she could. "Okay now out." She exhaled. "Okay. How do you feel?"

  "Like I've been run over by a semi-truck."

  Dr. Gary nodded, "Can you stand for me?"

  Petrice gingerly sat up in the bed. Her head spun. "Ohh."

  She fell back to the bed barely able to even sit up. The world went in and out of focus before it settled back to normal.

  "Okay. Dizziness. To be expected. Having that much Netherworld sent into you can wreak havoc on your body. But you should be fine in the next few days. Your cousin got you here just in time."

  Petrice glanced at James. "Thank you."

  "I owed you."

  She smiled. They saved each other now. Petrice sighed. Now more than ever was she thankful she rushed James here. It had already been worth it, but this made it doubly so. Not only did it save his life but hers. Petrice had trouble dealing with the fact that James had to go through the alterations he did. No matter how much he seemed happy. It couldn't be easy adjusting to it. The doctor left the room.

  She eyed Chilling. "What happened?"

  Chilling stepped forward next to her bed in the tiny room. James on the other side. "Spector revealed himself. Do you remember that?"

  "Vaguely. My memory's fuzzy."

  "Side effect. Don't worry in time you'll have them back." Chilling stared blankly past her. "Well, he used the Stone of Azuria on your brothers. They are beyond our aid now. Nothing we can do."

  Petrice cried. No! "Are you sure?"

  Chilling nodded. "I'm sorry. Once that much Netherworld is forced into you, there's no turning back. If we tried we'd only make the connection deeper, bestow them power from the Netherworld. As it is now, they can't wield Netherworld powers. So that's a plus."

  Small victory. "What did Spector do to me?"

  "Instead of transitioning you into a Netherworld minion, which he could have with the power he pulled, he attempted to kill you. Sent more darkness into you than I have ever seen. You should have died Mortal. You have a strong will."

  "That's one way of putting it," James said. Heavy bags hung under his eyes. Petrice imagined him keeping vigil over her while she slept.

  Her will might be strong, but not comparable to other Ardents. They can manipulate it to increase strength and endurance and to heal. Almost all Ardents had will. Colby and Valiant Rush had the ability to tap into theirs.

  "How long has it been?" Petrice asked.

  "Three days," James said.

  Damn. "Oh." Petrice realized just how lucky she was. To be out for three days. Most don't bounce back from injuries that do that.

  "Thankfully nothing has happened. We've been on high alert across the city. Especially in Djinn Park."

  "I'm sure the Withering are happy about that."

  James grunted with a smile. "Oh yeah. Djinn Park is on the up and up."

  "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Once this is over it will go back to the way it was," Chilling said.

  James frowned. "I hope not."

  Petrice adored that James was an idealist. Hoping for the best, trying to make things better around them. "I guess dozens of meetings happened."

  Chilling nodded. "Several a day. At each of the buildings. Most lead by Invincible himself. He's pissed."

  Having Invincible mad at you was enough for Petrice to stay good. He might not be as strong as her brother Scott, but he was close, and that stone mallet he carried. It scared the daylights out of even the hardest of Ardents.

  "Is there any Netherworld left in me?"

  "No. They are good here. I've assisted them over the years to learn ways to remove the taint if they are able to respond fast enough. And you are free."

  ***

  Days later Petrice walked around the room. Her strength back. The more she moved around, the more she recovered her strength and energy. James kept an around the clock vigil on her, leaving only when summoned to a meeting or forced to go on a patrol with one of the other heroes. The heroes increased patrols, even those in training. Petrice itched to be with them. Hopefully soon. The first day she was weaker than normal.

  Over the last few days, her family had visited, her mother worried about her. Tried to convince her to retire from the Hero Coalition. Take up a job in the normal world away from Ardents. That wouldn't happen. Petrice loved working for the Coalition. It was part of her. The room filled with flowers and gift baskets others dropped off for her.

  James walked in with Chilling and Invincible. "You appear better," Chilling said. He hadn't been back since the first day she woke.

  "Thank you. Can I leave yet?"

  "That's why we are here," Invincible said who stood at the door. "They've cleared you. Not for patrols, which is unfortunate, but to exit the hospital. You can go home, or you can stay here."

  "Home."

  James stepped over to Invincible. "Aren't you worried that Spector will try to kidnap her?"

  "No. Since he showed himself and revealed his plan I'm certain you and Mortal are safe. He'll be doing his best to understand the Stone of Azuria, to harness the full power of it."

  "Can it let him take over the city?" Petrice asked. She walked around the room picking up the few things people brought her to take home.

  Chilling nodded. "Easily. You can summon hordes of Netherworld creatures with the stone. It was kept hidden for a reason."

  Great. "Let me go out. Try to find Specor."

  "Mortal, we are searching for him. Chilling here with the Netherworld and people in the streets, Plus our psychics," Invincible stood tall filling the room, stern. "If I thought you'd be able to aid us I would let you. I want you to recover."

  Petrice nodded.
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br />   Chapter Twenty-four

  Spector

  After revealing himself, Spector poured over the book probing it for the keys to harnessing more of the Stone of Azuria. Chilling made his skin crawl. If anyone stopped his plan, it would be him.

  More and more revealed itself to Spector. Learning the Stone of Azuria wasn't easy. Much more than throwing Netherworld at it. Doing so risked killing oneself, something Spector wanted to avoid.

  A throat cleared behind him. Spector stood and spun. Super and One Rush stood in front of him. "What?" Spector asked annoyed. He'd lost track of his thoughts.

  Super nodded and walked closer. "Reports coming in that Mortal lived. That she is now well enough to depart the hospital in downtown."

  That couldn't be. Spector sent more Netherworld darkness into her than he'd done to anyone. It should have led to a slow painful death. "Your information must be wrong."

  Super shook his head. "No. Boss. It's correct."

  "Fine." Spector huffed. "It's no matter. I'll kill her soon enough. It's time to make the final preparations. Tonight the assault on Cynosure begins. Go ready the rest. Make sure these idiots understand their part. I will not tolerate any mistakes."

  "As you command," Super said. One Rush hung his head while Super frowned. Sure, they wanted to take over the city but for themselves. They had contempt for Spector now. Once Spector controlled the city he'd show his dominance over them. Make them thank him for what he's done for them. But that was for later.

  Spector went back to the book. He read the passage over again to make sure. The path clear to him now. Spector collected the book and walked to the center of the warehouse, his throne room.

  He set the book in the middle on a small podium. He pulled out several bottles of blood, a mix. Not just human. The book told him several types of blood mixed, specifically Phoenix, Elf, Fey, and Human. He used the blood to draw a unique design from the book on the floor. The most intricate drawing Spector had ever seen. An hour to draw, Spector finished.