by A C Wilds
I walk up to the battle between the Light and Dark and swing my sword taking down those that stand in my way. That’s when I feel it. Noli is here. She’s using her magic to blast people away from her, to get to me. I pick up my pace. She doesn’t need to be here. My wings will be my conduit. I won’t let her help me.
“Hey, fuckers! You ready to die?” I yell causing them to pause their battle and turn to face me. Michael curls his lips and Lucifer stands there with a fireball in her hands. Her face is stone not giving away any of her intentions, but her eyes blaze with anger.
“Changer, what perfect timing. I think I’ll destroy you first. Then I can take out this asshole,” she says, walking toward me with a stalking grace, not even fearing and attack from Michael.
“No, you won’t, I’m going to take her out. I want her power. You cannot have it,” Michael says like a fucking two-year-old.
I laugh and walk toward them both. My reserve has strengthened and I only feel empowerment and determination. My fear is gone. I give them a sinister grin and my wings pop out.
They aren’t surprised, but then I let them alight and fear flashes in both of their eyes. Feel my power raise I reveal in their fear. My body catches fire, and wind wipes my hair. The earth begins to shake and the air thickens. My sword dangles from my hand and scraps along the dirt. I look like a phoenix, born in flames.
“What’s the matter?” I taunt. The growls that echo around the battle are threatening. They really don’t like my wings.
Lucifer reacts first, throwing her fire at me. Mine whips out to meet it and they collide in front of us. She’s ruthless with her attacks, fireball after fireball. I counter every one. Then she tries to do her pyrokinesis. My flames change color as I cringe just a bit, but the Death Stone’s magic absorbs it before it can hurt me. I shake it off like it was a pin prick.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Grey touch down near me. His glare is deadly as he comes to meet me at my side. He grabs my hand that is not holding the sword and ignites just as I am. He sucks in a breath as he steadies the flames. Then he steps forward and brings his sword up in an arc, moving toward Michael. His challenging look can only mean one thing. He’s going to attempt to take Michael out.
“It’s my turn, you motherfucking cocksucker. I’m going to give all that you gave and then some. For all the hurt you’ve caused me and my brother,” he says, taking a running leap and then coming down hard on Michael with his sword. They clash in a clap of thunder. Their movements hard and brash. Murder in each of their eyes.
Watching them distracts me for a moment, and Lucifer takes the opportunity to move in. She throws a dagger and it hits me in the back of my shoulder blades right between my wings. I cry out in pain and my fire flickers for a moment. Gritting my teeth, I turn toward her in a fit of rage.
“You’re going to pay for that,” I say, raising the Changer Sword. The Death Stone glimmers on the hilt and pulses with power. I’m in pain, but it’s nothing that I can’t fight through. I feel her then, Noli. She’s behind me. Her magic makes the air feel thick and vicious. It reaches out to mine and pulls us together. I try to resist it, but my magic is spread too thin.
“Get out of here!”I yell, trying to shake the magic merge.
“No! I’m here for you. Here for this. This is why I was born,” she replies, believing every word she’s saying. She reaches me in a couple of strides and grips the hilt of the dagger in my back. With a swift movement she pulls it out and I let out a scream. That hurt much worse than when it went in.
Suddenly Cass is there, protecting us from the onslaught of soldiers that have turned their attention toward Noli and me. His anger is clear through the bond. For a second I’m not sure why he’s mad, but when I hone in closer I know it’s not someone I’ll be happy to see. His lightning crackles in the sky and thunder follows soon after it. He tries to create a storm around us.
“I’m here to help, not harm,” a familiar voice says. I can’t place exactly who it is, but I know it.
“Leave her be, Nora. You have no business here,” Cass says, moving closer to us.
“What are you doing here, mother?” Nori asks, a bit of shock in her voice.
“I’ll be her conduit,” she yells, causing me to stop my approach to Lucifer. There is no way that I’m letting Nora anywhere near my magic. I have no idea of her intentions.
“Get the fuck out of here. I didn’t need you then and I don’t need you now,” she says, sounding hurt. Her mother left her when she was a baby. She could have stayed.
“Noli, I can do this for you. You can live,” she says, sounding desperate. My ears perk up at this. I want that more than anything right now.
“You’re not taking this from me. She’s not your familiar!” She screams releasing an insane amount of power. Nora gets thrown back and Noli’s attention turns to me. Her face is determined and much as I don’t want to, I know I can’t get rid of her.
“We’re fucking doing this, Azra. Now focus on that twat and let’s get this over with,” she says, giving me a hug. It’s like she’s making sure we do it one last time.
The Queen cackles and launches a giant fireball into the crowd. Some of the Light and Dark go up in flames, Gunner just misses getting hit. She’s doing this just because she can, and I’m going to make her pay for it.
I grit my teeth and prepare for my attack. I ready my blade and wait for her to come to me. She stalks me with elegant grace. Her usual dress is replaced with a jumpsuit of armor in tight black leather. She draws her sword which gleams in the light of the sun. It looks sharp, and as she readies her stance it is engulfed in flames.
Sucking in my breath, I mirror her movements as we walk in a circle watching each other and waiting for the other to make the first move. She lunges at me with viper like swiftness and I barely counter the blow with my blade. Her advance comes just as quick as I block her with the sword. I don’t hesitate this time and bring our swords up and around so that we break the connection. I slash to the left, nicking her arm before she can get out of the way.
Blood pours from the wound, and a hiss escapes her lips. Attacking me again, we fight the dance of death evenly matched and not gaining any traction. I need to use my powers to get her in a vulnerable position. I pull on the earth, making the ground shake. She stumbles a bit, but recovers before I can land a blow to her throat.
Wind starts to whip around us, and I collect my fire in the storm. Rain pelts down and lightning lights up the little tunnel we are in.
“You can’t win this! Surrender and maybe I won’t kill you,” she yells, over the storm.
“Never! I will never put the lives of the Fae in your hands again. You will die today, even if I have to come with you.”
Getting ready to attack again, I remember what happened in the scrying pool. The feeling of the sword in my hand and the pulling of energy. I have to use my guys. It will leave them vulnerable, but we need to defeat her. She needs to die.
My pool is full and my bonds are strong. The magic flows freely and absorbs into my sword. As the magic comes to me, my powers increase. The wind picks up speed, the rain pours faster, and my fire takes on the purple hue of Shax's and my bond. My sword heats up and I point it at the sky. Lightning strikes and pours more energy into the blade.
My body feels powerful like I could become a supernova and take out all of Faerie. The pool begins to overflow and my bonds start to shake. Loud movements jar me from right to left. Lucifer is barely holding on in the storm of power I created. It’s too much.
I try to get my wings to stable out the power. I filter the elements through them and out again. My laser beam of fire shoots out and catches Lucifer in the leg. She wails in pain dropping to her knees. I continue on, not letting up. Every beam creates deep holes in the tissue of her muscles. She is on the ground in agonizing pain, and I’m loving every minute of it. A switch has flipped and I have so much glee in her demise. The power is all consuming and I feel like I might ignite and turn
to dust.
Moving forward, eyes sparkling with cruelty, I make my move. There’s no need for anymore words. Lifting my sword above my head, I bring it down with the force of Faerie. Her head separates from her body. It’s over.
My power takes on a mind of its own. It slips out of my grasp and a blast of magic rings out. The storm dies down, and I see that an Azra bomb has gone off. I’ve killed all the Fae around me. Light, Dark, and rebel. They’re dead.
My men come running over and stop a few feet away from me. I’m confused by their hesitation.
“Azra, you need to shut the power off. You’re going to kill more Fae,” Shax says, wearily stepping toward me. His hands are outstretched like I’m a wounded animal. I don’t understand why he’s acting like that, until I look down and see myself. Energy, power, and magic swirl around me. It pulses with my heartbeat and I realize that we are interwoven. Connected on such a deep level that I don’t know how I’m going to survive.
“I… I don’t know how,” I say, the nervousness in my voice apparent. Fighting is still going on around us, and I see a flash of wings to my right. Michael and Grey are still battling. I need to get to him. The thought of shutting this power off before I take care of Michael doesn’t sound like the right thing to do.
“If you want to live, leave this place. Go home to your families. Or stay and be killed with your king!” I yell out to the crowd. Some stop fighting and take one look at me and flee. Others continue to battle.
“Azra! Stop! You need to stop.” Cass shouts, trying to get to me. My power is creating a protective barrier around me so no one can come close.
Once I reach the men, I scream out Grey’s name. They pause and look toward me, wide eyes and in awe.
“This isn’t possible,” Michael says, backing away from the fight. Grey stands stock still, not knowing what to do. His confusion runs through the bond.
My power whips out and catches Michael on the leg. It pulls him toward me, dragging him on the ground. His sword goes flying, and he tries to detangle himself from the whip like magic that has him trapped.
Pushing more power into the cord, his body convulses with energy and he cries out in pain. I push and push and push until his body stills. I pull back the power and take it back into myself. A rush goes through me and my sword begins to glow. It glows with the Changer power and it glows with Lucifer’s blood.
Pushing back on his hands, he crab walks back. Hair tossed all over, armor falling off his body. He’s a mess. So different from the man that I encountered in the beginning.
“How does it feel to be powerless? To be at someone else’s mercy?” I say, my voice deeper than it’s ever been. The stone’s power is going to consume me, but if I can make it till he dies, then I’ll be happy. It will be over and the Fae will have a chance to rebuild.
“You don’t have to do this. You can let me go. I’ll pledge my loyalty to you. I swear,”
“You think this is for power? You think I’m doing this to replace you? I’m doing this so we can be free! Free of the monarchy and rulers of this land. Free to live in Faerie without fear. The portals are closing to the Earth forever, and the Fae will rise up from the ashes and become new again.”
With the last of my words, I plunge the sword down into his heart. I put all my weight on it and feel it slice through muscle and bone. Blood pours out of his mouth and his eyes pop out in fear. I push my magic into the blade and it lights up his body. I push until it’s clear he is dead.
I feel a hand at my back and the magic reacts right away. Sealing us together as one. Noli stands at my side smiling. She looks amazing in the glow of colors that swirl around us. My body starts to vibrates and flickers as magic springs out all over and tries to latch on to anyone in the vicinity.
“It’s time to end this, Az. You need to let go of the power before it consumes you. Give it to me, and this will all be done,” she says, taking my hand and looking into my eyes. I can’t think or hear her right. I know I have to do something, but it’s hard to focus. All there is, is power and death.
“Noli, I can’t… what am I supposed to do?” I ask, shaking my head. She cups my face into her hands and looks me in the eyes. There is sorrow and hope there. My best friend helping me through it. She’s the only person that’s been there for me. The one that’s always made things right, made things safe.
“Just let go. Let the magic flow into me. I’ll absorb it and you’ll be you again,” she whispers, her hypnotic voice making me fall under her spell. It would feel nice to give someone else this energy.
I start the transfer slow at first, but as the magic filters through, it takes on a life of its own, growing bigger and bigger. Before I realize what’s happening we are both on the floor screaming in pain. There is nothing to do to stop it.
I reach for her hand and try to pull her closer to me, to save her, to do something, but it’s too late. I gave her what I should have kept. She’s going to die because of me.
“No! Noli, look at me. How do I make this stop?”
“You can’t, Az. You need to let me go.”
Her voice comes out in a whimper. The light in her eyes look dim. The transfer is almost complete, as I crawl closer to her. Getting to my knees I lean over and grab her face as she did to mine.
“Noli! Noli, you have to fight this. Give some of it back to me. I can’t lose you. Please! I need you here with me. Don’t go. I beg you. There is no life without you. No reason to go on.”
“Az, stop. I’m dying so that all of Faerie can live. So that you can live. I love you, Azra. I’ll meet you in the next life. We can be roommates again,” she says, trying to laugh. It comes out more like a choke. The magic has seeped into her and her skin is starting to take on a pale blue sheen. There is still fighting and yelling going on around us, but I ignore it. I lean down and hug my best friend as she dies in my arms.
“I love you too, Noli. I’ll always love you,” I say into her ear as the last breath leaves her body.
Chapter 26
Aftermath
Azra
It takes several days to get all the dead and wounded back to the manor. So many Fae are displaced. Most of them don’t have homes to go to. Some of them have nothing left. Thank the gods for Izzy, because I wouldn’t know what to do for these Fae.
Half of me feels like my part is done, and then I’ll get a random Fae running up to me and giving me a hug. Thanking me for joining Dark and Light, thanking me for getting rid of the fear. It just doesn’t feel like it ever was me.
The power that I released that day killed hundreds of Fae. Fae from all over, Dark and Light and rebel. My magic exploded and caused them to be eviscerated from the inside out. The guys tell me to not think of it as a loss but as their sacrifice for the cause. I can’t see it that way. I can only see the blood and ash that I left in my wake.
Noli was one of those that died because of me. I carry around the guilt of her death like a shroud. Those last moments weren’t enough. I only shared a small part of my life with her, but she was everything to me. She was everything that represented my life before I was Azrael the Changer and before there were mates and kings and queens.
She was taken from me, and if I could kill Michael and Lucifer again I would. The guys are all being supportive, but I can’t feel anything. My magic is out of whack and my body feels used. I want to get out of here and never return. I can’t look upon the earth where Noli died anymore. I can’t.
“Azra!” I hear coming from behind me. I’m in the stables grooming the horses. There is nothing left for me to do, so I’m keeping busy. I turn toward the sound, brush still in hand. Logan runs up to me with a smile across his face. He looks good, healthy. I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve seen him.
“Wolvie, what brings you down here? Shouldn’t you be in classes?” I ask. Anna has started a makeshift school for the Fae who are staying at the manor and the children who are of age. Anyone can learn, she’s opened her doors to all.
“I wanted to see you. We haven’t had a chance to hang since I got here. I miss you,” he says, shuffling his feet back and forth. I pull him into a hug and he melts into me.
“I’m glad you came. I’ve missed you too. And you can help me groom. I have about five horses to do.”
“Yeah, I’d like that. Just don’t tell Greyson or Anna I was here. I’m kinda cutting class right now.”
His eyes are alight with mischief and wonder. I chuckle and hand him the brush I have in my hand. Pointing him in the direction of the horse I was working on. Going to the next stall over, I open it up and place the halter on the mare staring at me with disinterest. I lead her into the alleyway and tie her up to cross ties. Getting a curry comb, I start to unwind the dirt from her coat.
“I have a question,” Logan says, not taking his eyes off his task. He’s bigger than I remember. He looks healthy and happy. I’m grateful he’s found peace here.
“Shoot,” I respond, pausing to look at him.
“Are you gonna marry all the guys? I mean, it’s a little weird, but I’ll be your friend no matter what. I just think it’s odd.”
“I haven’t thought of it. I will tell you that I love them all equally and that I want to spend the rest of my existence with them, but marriage isn’t something that I need.”
“That’s what I thought. I think it will make chores a lot easier. There are four people to do the dishes for you!”
“This is very true,” I say, laughing for the first time in days. I can’t imagine Gunn doing dishes or Shax folding laundry. But the more time I spend in that day dream, the more I find that I want it. I want it so much it feels like someone has punched me in the stomach.
“We should find a house. I don’t care where it is, but I want it to be with you and the guys. I want a family again. I want to have Christmas and birthdays. I want to feel safe and alive.”
Tears form in my eyes as I drop the brush and walk over to him. I grab him into a hug and hold him tight. My voice cracks when I speak, but this is important for him to hear.
