by ML Guida
The birds squawked and beat their wings. To his surprise, they started to spiral toward the fiery volcanoes below as if they did not have the strength to fly. He blew one last time, and the vultures’ wings collapsed. They dropped toward the ground like plunging rocks.
“Go now. Before they gather their strength. Make your way to the altar on the peak of the mountain.”
William took a deep breath and flapped his wings. Wind whistled around the rocky mountain, slowing his pace.
“You can do this, William. You can do this.” Mariah’s strong voice made him swell with determination.
He gritted his teeth, pulled on all the strength he had left, and flew toward the pinnacle of the mountain. Black clouds gathered overhead, and a loud crash of thunder shook him. Rain pelted them like stinging bees.
Mariah clutched his neck. “William, I fear Coaybay can sense our magic. We must hurry.”
He drew on his dragon power, trying to bring forth enough energy to fly through the wind and rain. His muscles ached, and they inched upward as if something was pushing down upon them besides the elements. Soon, he’d fall and spiral toward burping volcanoes like the bloody vultures.
“Maybe I can help.” She tapped the top of his head. “Mother Isis, we have need of you.”
Warmth spread through William, and strength surged through him. The clouds rumbled and swirled overhead. Lightning flashed and hit the mountain wall, blackening the side. A slab of rock cracked and slid down the cliff, crashing and shattering into bits. Another bolt of lightning slammed into a small ledge right as William flew past. The ledge shattered, and rock blasted into the air, pelting him and Mariah with pebbles.
“Maybe I should not have done that,” she said. “I fear my white magic has alerted Maketabori to our presence. William, those things. They are coming back.”
Below them, the vultures screeched and sped toward them.
“Blend into the mountain. Look at the mountain. Think of those colors, shapes and textures.”
William wasn’t sure he could do it. The air grew hot and thin, and weariness beat upon him. Freezing rain reduced his dragon speed to that of a fluttering moth, and the crest of the mountain grew farther and farther away.
“Do it now. Be one with the mountain.”
William glanced at the rocky wall of browns, grays, and whites. He had no idea how to become one with a mountain without crashing into it. His muscles ached, and cold bit through him. But he had to try.
Power surged through him. He peered over his shoulder and blinked. If he hadn’t felt Mariah’s thighs pressing into his flanks and her arms wrapped around his neck, he would have thought she had fallen off, and he carried the mountain instead.
“It worked!”
Drakon snorted. “Did you think I would lie?”
Wind whipped around them, and the higher he flew, the hotter the air became. The rocky cliff became smooth, and even if he’d wanted to, there was no place to land. He had no choice but to fly to the summit or retreat and admit failure.
William forced his wings to fly faster, and he soared higher and higher until they reached the crescendo of the rocky mountain, where he crumpled onto the ground, gasping, too tired to move.
Mariah slid off his back. “William.” Fear emitted from her tiny voice.
He lifted his head and cursed their rotten luck.
They were not alone. A vulture perched on the back of a white marble chair between two white obelisks. The vulture was even larger up close. Its talons were longer and sharper than William’s. The bird cocked its head, feathers ruffling over its body, and flapped its wings. Foul air rushed over him, and nausea bubbled in his gut. How the hell had he blown the thing away from them before? He was too exhausted to remember.
Drakon paced back and forth in William’s mind. “It does not possess magic.”
Alabaster steps led down from the throne to a white marble altar. Nothing adorned it. There were no drawers or panels, and William had no idea where the damn soul chaser stone was. Was it inside the altar? How the hell could they get to it with the vulture standing guard?
Lightning hit the chair, and the bird flew off, cawing.
A man flashed onto the chair. He was a giant, and like Zuto, he only wore a loin cloth. He didn’t look like the devil. There were no horns protruding out of his head. He didn’t have a tail nor did he carry a pitch fork. His skin was tan as if he’d been out basking in the sun. Two gold armlets wrapped around his muscular arms. He looked like a man. But William could feel the power emitting from this demon.
The man turned his head, and his long black hair fell across his shoulders and shimmered. “I don’t see you. But I know you’re here. Show yourself.”
There was no mistake ’twas the god himself, Maketabori.
William tried to get off the hard ground. Mariah slid next to him, her body trembling. He had to protect her, but did he possess the power to defeat a god?
Drakon rolled his eyes. “No, you don’t.”
Maketabori stood and walked around the altar. He stopped and sniffed the air. Behind him, the bird landed back on the chair, and its massive wings moved the air around. William nudged Mariah. He prayed his power continued to blend them into their surroundings of a flat brown ground, white marble altar, and red sky.
The bird cawed and twisted its head back and forth. “You smell them, don’t you?” Maketabori leaned on the altar. “’Tis strong. I’ll find you. You can’t escape.” He waved his hand. An imp appeared. Not muscular like Zuto, built more like a young fat child with his round belly and thick squat legs. “My lord?”
“We have intruders.” Maketabori returned to his seat and drummed his fingers on the chair’s marble arm.
“Here? Who would dare invade us?”
“I don’t know. White magic has stained the Underworld. Send out the guard. I want every inch of the Underworld searched. Someone had to have opened a portal.”
“We have a traitor?”
“Aye, we do. Zuto or Natasa. I want to know which one.” He flicked his hand. “Go. Find them.”
“Yes, my Lord.” The imp bowed and disappeared.
Mariah scooted close to William, and her trembling hand lay on his back. He hated being so tired, terrified his powers would fail. How the hell were they going to accomplish anything? Damn Zuto. He had lied. Said Maketabori would not be able to detect their magic if they were blended.
“Do something before he finds you.”
Drakon was actually trembling. William could feel his fear. If Drakon was afraid, then William should be frightened out of his skin and taking Mariah and hiding her some place in this cursed land. If there was a safe place. “You just said I wasn’t stronger than him.”
“You’re impossible,” Drakon hissed. “True you can’t defeat him, but you’re not going to battle him. Only steal from him.” He scanned the altar and lowered his voice as if he were afraid Maketabori could hear. “Use the fog, you idiot. It will give you the time to call forth the soul catcher and leave the pearl.”
William wanted to wring Drakon’s neck. “He’s the God of the Underworld. Why the hell would my powers work on him?”
“Because he’s looking for white magic. Not dragon magic. Ours is neither good nor evil.” He pointed his wing. “Get to the altar. Now.”
William forced his wobbly legs to move. He and Mariah climbed the stairs to the altar. This was foolish. The bird screeched, and William stopped. Mariah dug her nails into his back.
Maketabori stilled and scanned the altar. William held his breath, waiting to be caught. He didn’t know if he possessed the strength to snatch Mariah up and fly out of here if they were.
Mariah removed her hand and rustled next to him. The sound was like a cannon firing against the silence. Soft mumbling froze his heart. She was casting a spell. Maketabori stood and headed their way, his face intense, eyes narrowed. Had he heard her speaking or was it the magic?
“I can hear you.” Maketabori’s cold voice pro
mised death.
William froze.
The god was nearly upon them.
“Use the fog, now.”
Before William exhaled, a cry called behind him. A white eagle soared through the sky with a woman riding on its back. Maketabori and the bird rushed past him and dove off the cliff.
“Hurry,” Mariah whispered. “We must get to the altar, oui? My spell will not last long. The God will soon discover that it is an illusion and nothing more.”
William rushed toward the white marble altar with Mariah close to his side. Where the hell was this soul catcher?
“Ciba,” Mariah said.
The top of the altar slid open, and a smooth, black stone appeared. It flew out of the compartment as if by itself. Mariah must have seized it. “I’ve got it,” she said. A white pearl appeared in its place. “Where is the portal? Zuto said it would open once we took the soul catcher.”
A loud rumble shook the mountain, and they stumbled.
Maketabori and the bird soared toward them. “Kill them!” Maketabori roared, his hair flying in his face, eyes blazing red, arms stretched out. Anger reverberated from the god. His fingers elongated into talons, able to shred them into tiny pieces with one swipe.
Mariah climbed onto William’s back, and he soared into the red sky. Damn Zuto! Why the hell had he trusted the bastard?
Maketabori snapped his fingers. “Reveal.”
Sharp tingles swept over William, stabbing his skin. Mariah kicked her heals into his side and cried out.
Shite! Maketabori was hurting her by forcing her to materialize.
Drakon hissed.
Maketabori narrowed his eyes. “I see you, dragon. You’ll never leave Coaybay alive.”
“The fog. Now.”
Without hesitation, William exhaled. The black fog clouded and swirled around Maketabori and the cawing pet. Whichever way they flew, the cloud continued to envelope them. The dragon fog would not hold them long. Where was the bloody portal?
“Damn you, dragon! I’ll find you I swear,” Maketabori called from inside the cloud.
Hot air whipped around them stronger and faster. Mariah hung on tight. “William, the portal!”
He aimed for the twirling black hole and prayed it would take them back to Zuto’s blasted island. Lightning crashed and thundered roared all around them.
“Seize them.” Maketabori’s strong voice rang louder than the thunder.
“Mon Dieu,” Mariah cried.
Something sticky and wet lashed William’s tail, and he hissed at the pain. He flew into the portal with Mariah screaming in horror.
He spun out of control, and the fiery sky of Coaybay disappeared. Zuto’s island circled around and around in front of him. He crashed onto the beach. Mariah released his neck and cried out. Sand and shells stabbed his body upon impact, and his tail stung.
“Mariah.” He got on his hands and knees panting.
“Spiders,” Mariah gasped. She crawled toward him, clutching the bag. “Maketabori sent giant black spiders after us. They were spraying their webs at us.”
A wave of pain surged from his tail through his body, and William clamped his jaw. He hoped it wasn’t poisonous.
“William, your tail.”
Blood pooled onto the sand from an ugly gash. Mariah ripped the hem of her dress and tied it around the gaping wound, stopping the flow of crimson but not the agony.
The sun had dipped below the horizon. Lightning crashed, and black clouds whirled in the sky. Thunder boomed. The sky opened, pelting them with rain. Waves smashed against the beach. Mariah frowned. “Lark. He’s commanding the elements.”
Battle cries, clanging of swords, and gunfire erupted from the forest. She lowered her chin to her chest. “The battle has begun. We must find him before he destroys your brother and the crew. Where is Zuto?”
She pulled out the soul catcher, and in her other hand, she held both hers and Lark’s wand. “Can you fly? We must get to the battle.”
Despite his throbbing tail, he climbed onto all fours and flicked his head, signaling to Mariah to climb onto his back. She swung onto his hide, and he sailed toward the raging battle. Lightning bolts danced around a small clearing. He hadn’t noticed it before. Had it been hidden by dark magic?
Crewmen from both the Phoenix and the Damsel were embroiled in battle. Kane clashed swords with Palmer. Both men were wounded, but Palmer fared better and kept Kane on the defensive. Palmer’s long strikes forced Kane to inch closer toward Zuto, who casually leaned against a palm tree with a sword in his hand.
“The knave.”
Ronan emerged from the jungle with his sword high over his head and lunged at Palmer. Palmer’s smile faded as he fought the two men.
Impatience flickered in Zuto’s eyes, and he stopped leaning on the tree. He stabbed the sword into the ground and pushed off the tree. The scoundrel was planning something.
Mariah pressed her legs against his side. “There is Lark on the boulder. Take me to him.”
Palmer took a nasty fall onto his side and rolled into the jungle with Ronan pursuing him.
Kane leaned his hand against the tree. Zuto motioned as if wanting someone to come to him. Through the trees, Hannah trudged toward Zuto, her eyes still vacant. She knelt beside the demon.
Kane’s brow furrowed. “Hannah, my God, Hannah.”
He rushed toward Zuto, but pirates confronted him, engaging him in battle. If he didn’t get a hold of himself, he’d get his fool head sliced off.
“Lark, now,” Mariah urged.
William aimed for Lark, who stood on a boulder with his arms stretched out toward the raining heavens. As they neared, Lark thrust his hand at them. Lightning sizzled and sparked, narrowly missing William’s wounded tail. He roared, and fire burst out of his mouth. Lark dove off the boulder and landed on Natasa, sending them tumbling into soggy ground. The boulder blackened and cracked in half.
“Get off me, you fool.” Natasa slithered out from underneath him and shot to her feet.
“William, you must land.” Mariah patted William’s neck. “I know what to do. We have to do this together.”
Reluctantly, he obeyed.
Natasa flashed a sinister smile, and with her red eyes and pale skin, her face took on the shape of a skull. Dirt smudged her black gown, and she looked like a corpse raised from the grave. “Finally, here. I thought you two had crawled away in fear.”
Lark dragged himself off the ground and brushed the dirt and mud off his clothes. “You will pay for that, dragon.”
Mariah reached into her bag and pulled out the soul catcher.
Lark’s smile faded from his lips, and he stumbled.
“How did you get that?” Natasa pushed in front of Lark and reached for Mariah, fear now etched on her face. William swiped his tail, ignoring the pain, and smashed both Lark and Natasa into a pool of mud.
“No!” Natasa shoved Lark out of the way, causing him to fall.
Mariah raised her arm over her head, the soul catcher in her hand. “Mother Isis,” she called. “Release his soul.”
The demon scrambled over Lark and out of the mud.
Mariah smashed the soul catcher onto one of the broken boulders. It cracked, and as a white fog released, the black color faded. The fog floated over Lark, who was on all fours panting. It streamed into his mouth and nose. He arched his back and cried out.
Natasa backhanded Mariah and knocked her to the ground. William blew a gust of wind, flinging Natasa into a palm tree. She screeched and rushed toward Mariah again, her hands stretched out and nails lengthened. “Die witch.”
Mariah, covered in dirty water and mud, stumbled to her feet and swayed. Dabbing her bloody lip, she clutched her wand.
“If Natasa gets to Mariah, she’ll have the power to send her back to Coaybay. Do you think she’ll survive with Maketabori on a rampage? Burn Natasa.”
William growled in frustration. If he shot flames at Natasa, he might hit Mariah. He swung his tail again, but the de
mon leapt over it and closed the distance between her and Mariah. Mariah pulled her athame out of her satchel and aimed it at Natasa. What good would that do? It wasn’t a weapon.
He should have made sure she’d brought her bloody pistol.
“Hannah, Hannah.”
Kane’s desperate cries seized William’s attention.
Kane carved a path to his beloved. “Fight him! Fight him, Hannah.”
Zuto held onto Hannah and her father’s arm, hoisting them both off the ground, their feet dangling. Father and daughter dolls.
William wanted to yell for Doc, Sean, or Amadi to stop Kane’s foolhardiness, but William would only shriek, and they wouldn’t understand him. Each of them were fighting their own battles. Palmer’s men had each of them engaged in hand-to-hand combat, skirmishing for their lives. It had to be black magic that gave Palmer’s men the advantage.
Kane whooped and hollered like a madman, swiping his sword. William swooshed into the air to swoop Kane up and fling him somewhere where he wouldn’t get himself killed. He’d then retrieve Hannah.
“Maketabori,” Zuto called, his voice booming louder than a firing cannon. “Hear me. Natasa betrayed you and stole the soul catcher. She wants the warlock for herself.” Lightning flashed and fizzled. “I alone am loyal to you. See, I have your prizes.” He jostled Hannah and her father over his head. “Take them!”
Hate swelled in William. Zuto, the swine.
“Noooo!” Natasa howled like a wounded wolf.
William cringed at the sharp cry, but flew toward Zuto to keep his dimwitted brother from scrambling head-on into his death. But if he saved Kane, Hannah would die. William stuck out his talons to seize Hannah and lead Kane away from Zuto.
“’Tis not true.” Natasa’s voice reverberated louder than the fray and thunder. “This is your fault, witch. You’ll pay for this.”
William’s choices were few—save Kane or save Mariah.
Drakon flashed in his mind. The dragon sat on his haunches, but for some reason, he seemed calm. “Save your brother. Mariah is strong enough to fight Natasa. But your brother does not have the power to fight Zuto.”
May God forgive him. William had to trust Mariah’s magic and headed toward Zuto. Wind beat against him, and he flew erratically. Shite. More black magic.
