by Jaymin Eve
Each one was massive, the size of a small van. Many of them popped out between us and the rest of our friends and family. The sacred animals launched into action, working as a team to start taking the critters down. The others reacted also; Brace and Colton moved so quickly I almost couldn’t track them as they engaged in battle. Damn, those boys could fight.
Brace was doing his ninja thing, his speed and grace unparalleled. He mostly used a pair of double blades, only on occasion reaching for Walker energy. He was relentlessly slicing and dicing his way through the creatures. Colton at his back. Lucy remained sandwiched between them, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t still lethal. Glitter and pixie dust flew all around the place. Cerberus was close to the trio, which gave me some relief. The hellhound was a good one to have at your side. He was one giant ball of ferocious when he felt like it.
“Abby!”
A shriek drew my attention away from my impressive mate and back to the situation at hand. During my distraction I’d still been running with the girls toward the Seventine. Apparently, what I should have been doing was watching where I was going since I was about three feet from a giant tick pincer.
It was long and wide enough to completely disembowel me, so slamming into it didn’t seem like a good plan. Sure, we were still cloaked in shadows and the bugs would have trouble seeing us, but if I ran straight into it then shadows were not going to be much help.
I was too close to avoid the collision; there was only one option left for me.
In a heartbeat I traced a weapon to my hand, not caring what it was as long as it was sharp. Then just before the pincer would land on its intended mark, I dropped down onto my back. With a burst of energy, I sent my body forward to travel beneath it. Through the six spindly legs.
Raising the weapon, which looked to be a heavy sickle, I sliced it through the less protected underbelly with ease. Globs of blood and guts showered the ground, but I managed to avoid most of it with just an extra boost of energy. I could feel the burn of rough ground in the spot where my shirt had lifted during my slide, but my adrenalin was enough that I barely registered the pain.
Now that was impressive, Red.
Brace was keeping an eye on me also. Back on my feet, I noted that the other girls had taken out the few bugs which had stood between us and the Seventine. One looked like it had been struck by lightning; Delane was learning to harness storms with her wind power. Another was drowned. Two were burned. And the final had been sliced and diced by the Angelica and Earth half-Walkers. Those two were pure fighting perfection with weapons.
Behind us the others still battled. They had a lot more of the creatures to deal with. I was relieved to see that Brace and Lucy were still holding their own but – where was Colton? I was about to worry when I noticed a flash of white, and realized he was in his wolf form. Ripping the crap out of a bug. All good. He was in his wolfy element.
Melting chocolate eyes and hard features caught my gaze, and the lopsided grin he threw my way had me shaking my head. Brace loved to battle. Crazy-ass Walker.
“Don’t you find it so very convenient that the crags are keeping your friends busy? It allows us to have some lovely alone time with you girls.” The first was such a chatterbox.
His voice was thin, dry and high-pitched. Like his vocal cords had been strangely pieced together. Sort of like a musical instrument in desperate need of tuning.
Oh, and apparently the ugly bugs were called crags – I’d have named them fugs. For obvious reasons.
The Seventine had not moved from where they had initially positioned themselves in a straight line of freak. And while the first spoke, the rest just stood there wearing identical expressions and – our hair. Which I was totally going to rip from their heads.
No talking to them, Delane said through our bond. We fight.
Yes! Ria’s tone was strong. Talking will only clue them in on what we have planned. Not talking makes the enemy uneasy.
They both made great points, but I was pretty sure the Seventine were not our usual enemy force. Still, I wasn’t one for small talk with tiny killer dolls anyway.
The shadows were upon us still. Sapha’s eyes glowed red, and I knew that she was feeling her element right then. We moved as one unit, gliding over the darkened ground, cloaked from sight. Eva was close to my right, and I could see her zeroing in on the Seventine. She blinked more than a few times, before shaking her head.
They have no weaknesses, she said, her voice kind of choked. There’s a strange red link between them, like they’re chained or joined together, but I can’t see a weakness. It’s as if they have no spirit at all.
I couldn’t even be surprised about that. I’m not sure they do have a spirit or soul. They’re just energy, a single force which exists in seven vessels. That’s the chain you see. They’re basically all the same thing, just filtered down through the ugly doll suits.
So how do we fight them? Fury asked.
We don’t. A sigh escaped me. We just need to separate them so I can get to the first. I’ll be able to trace him into the cave and the rest of his brothers will follow. Jedi is setting up a cage inside to hold them while we do the ritual.
I felt a filtering of joy along the bond.
Jedi is very powerful and smart.
The words were from Sapha, and they were strangely soft for the solemn Drone.
He teaches me things, so many things. He makes me feel safe. Safe … it’s an odd feeling.
Her musings were kind of cute. She clearly had no idea that she liked Jedi. This relationship was going to be fun to watch. I could already imagine Jedi’s confusion about what to do with the very serious Sapha.
I heard a screech from behind us and turned to find Nandia, Sapha’s phoenix, lifting up one of the massive fugs. She dragged it across the field, before dropping it into a large pit of fire. The fire had come from Crete. Gods, he was like Fury, only fluffier.
Brace was no closer to me, still lethally cutting his way through the creatures. The damn fugs seemed to be multiplying, and it was only through the effort of the sacred animals and the rest of our group that they weren’t completely overrunning our people.
I should be by your side, Brace grumbled through our bond.
My eyes were drawn to him again; hot damn, people. Brace was lethal, graceful, and hotter than Hades. I sort of loved the fact that he preferred to fight hand-to-hand rather than relying on Walker energy. It especially came in handy when facing giant ugly bugs who were most likely immune to energy balls, since they were formed from the Seventines’ energy.
Plenty of time for that. Just keep everyone safe. Stress made me bossy.
Keep yourself safe, or no one will be. The dark warning reminded me of Brace’s power.
It filtered through me, touches of the cyclonic storm which could literally rip beings to pieces. I could sense that he was close to letting go of that energy and tearing through the Seventines’ fugs.
I forced myself to focus; we had slowed our movements but were closing in on the Seventine. They still hadn’t moved, which gave me an uneasy flip-flopping feeling low in my gut. Why were they so calm? Did they not fear us at all?
“Are you ready to join us, ancient one?”
The first was still talking to me, all pleasant-like. As if they weren’t facing down seven crazy, dirty, shadow-cloaked chicks barreling toward them.
You’re so popular, Supes. Fury sounded amused. Everyone wants a piece of you.
Shut it.
She did, but the amusement still lingered.
When we were ten yards from them, we split off. The seven of us would surround them from all sides, forming a ring of energy. Our aim was to blast at them, and hopefully scatter them away from each other. Then I could go for the first. I ground to a halt across from the one with the red curls, and those three slash-like eyes bored into me. Okay. I was pretty sure the shadows were not hiding us from them at all – seriously, this guy was like the king of creepers. He never removed his g
aze from me.
Now that we were in position, the swirls of energy started to streak between the seven of us. Elements flowed and merged. The shadows left us and connected in with the rest.
Eva’s spirit energy helped to control the flow. It was like a sheen of mist covering the rest. Her power was less active than the other girls’, but when we had used it in the Mother’s realm, it had sort of stunned our opponents. Like it was a soul tranquilizer. Adding her power to the mix slowed the enemy and gave us an extra moment to attack. Team that with her ability to see weaknesses – pretty awesome.
I was, as always, the center. Holding the seven of us together, helping the flow and boosting with energy from my well. I would use everything within my center if needed, but I would not touch the filing cabinet. That was for the ritual.
The Seventine were still not moving.
Should we be worried? Ria’s purple eyes were wide and shiny. These guys are like the king of cool. I’d think they were statues if their ugly faces weren’t moving occasionally. Her face was pinched with concern, long strands of mahogany hair whipping around her.
They’re confident. Confident can be a blessing or a curse, said Delane. Either they’re overconfident and we destroy them, or they know we don’t have the skill or power and are simply waiting for us to fail before they annihilate us.
And on that positive note, Fury said with a laugh, let’s go with the ‘kick some Seventine ass’ version.
Word! Talina chimed in.
Yes! said Eva.
I am okay with this plan, was Sapha’s reply.
Damn, I loved these half-Walkers. Never a dull moment.
The ring of elemental energy we were building was large now. Starting at our feet and rising up in circular layers until it rested above even the tallest of us. It was at least twice the height of the Seventine. And for the first time I noticed a flicker of something cross their identical faces. Was that curiosity or unease?
We didn’t hesitate any longer. We needed this done and we needed it done now. Lingering would only bring us closer to the convergence. It could happen any day now, and then it would be too late. Once that cord was cut, the worlds would end.
Just before we let it loose, Eva released a small cloud of spirit energy. This was separate from our elemental ring. I wasn’t sure the Seventine even noticed as it floated across the breeze to drift lazily down toward them.
Only it never landed.
Instead the mist rested about a foot above them before dissipating.
Well, that explains the confidence, I said. Asshats are shielded. Good thing we’ve never let a shield stand in our way.
A simmer of laughter rattled around, and in that moment I shot forward our energy. I gave it as much kick as I could, knowing that we had to shatter the barrier erected by the Seventine. Our elemental ring took less than a second to reach them and the moment our energies collided there was an unnatural blast of icy power. Energy exploded in a light show, and as the aftershocks flew outwards, all of us were catapulted backwards.
My chest heaved as I flew through the air. I felt as if I’d been punched with a solid blow to my body, the ache starting in my gut and continuing to spread outwards.
Sever the energy, Red. Brace was in full command mode. You’ve connected with the Seventines’ power, and the two forces are trying to destroy each other.
Fighting through the pain and nausea – right before I was about to hit the ash – I wrenched my cord free. Cutting the ties. I had just enough time to close my eyes before slamming into the ground.
I landed on my back and all air was knocked from my lungs. Floundering around, it took me many moments to be able to fully breathe again.
Abby. Abigail. Speak to me, babe. Brace sounded fierce.
I’m okay. Just winded. I struggled back to my feet, my body screaming as I forced it to get up and start running. I have to find him now.
A low growl filtering through my head was his unhappy reply. He hated that he was stuck behind the fugs still. Although, from the quick glance I threw behind me, the fugs’ numbers were dying down. The Seventine had stopped producing them, which gave me hope that they were now worried enough to conserve their energy.
I neared the area where we’d been blasted apart. A crater marked the spot. It wasn’t as large as the one in the center of the battlefield, and thankfully there were no bodies littering it – of course, I wouldn’t have cried had the Seventine been in there.
The half-Walkers were pulling themselves up from the various places they had been flung, and relief poured through me that each of them looked okay. Battered but okay.
Where were the ugly munchkins?
A scuff of noise from behind had me spinning around, but not fast enough. Small but strong arms crossed over my hips and yanked me down to the ground. As I hit the deck, I got a glimpse of the one which held me. It wasn’t the first. This one had white hair. I struggled, kicking out and blasting with energy, but the Seventine held me in a position which protected him from the worst of my blows.
I suddenly stopped, letting myself fall limp. He leaned in closer over me, and I felt his weird little hand reach down to grip beneath my throat. Despite their size, they were stronger than I was.
As he lifted my head up, using my neck as a convenient grip, I sprang into action. Swinging my right arm forward and palming him straight in the nose. Well, right in the place a nose should be. The white-haired freak’s head snapped back, and he shook himself a few times. I was up and on him before he could react again. I don’t think he expected me to be fast or trained. And I was both.
I punched him again, before reaching out to grasp his arm, flipping him around and placing my boot square in the center of his back and basically drop-kicking him across the dirt.
He looked strangely small, sprawled out like that.
Individually they weren’t very scary. Much of the Seventine strength was in their unity. Always together, always joined.
I wondered what their plan of attack was now that they knew we all couldn’t use our powers against each other. They were going to have to fight us the old-fashioned way.
White-hair was back on his feet. He glided across, his black robe disheveled. We faced off for a moment before he attacked again.
The little critter was fast, I’ll give him that, but then again, so was I.
Sparring started hard and fast, and I was the first to land another hit. Straight in one of the slash-like eyes. It shuttered closed, and he was down to two. Of course, my moment of cocky congratulations left me a step behind as he struck out. His two-foot kick to my side landed hard and, as a shard of pain shot up my body, I knew he’d broken at least three of my ribs. Ouch. Freaking ouch.
I could add breathing to the list of painful things that were happening to me right then.
Asshole.
The Seventine smiled, but it was weird, like the face did the movement, but there was no actual expression behind it. Like a sociopath practicing how to smile in the mirror. Especially with those dead eyes. They were black and slit-like. No color definition there at all.
I tried not to hobble as I advanced on him, but my ribs were not happy. He swung toward me, but I was expecting it this time. He favored the right side as an initial attack and, even though his fighting skills were exceptional, they were rusty. Which was to be expected. Fighting wasn’t like riding a bike. You might never forget the moves, but you did get slow. Your muscles did get weaker. Even for Walkers.
I used my elbow this time, and with my height difference managed to crack down across his face hard and fast. I split the skin he wore. A wide and deep gash. There was no real blood beneath, although I did see some red in the wound.
Knowing this was my best chance, I advanced again and a roundhouse kick took him down. He landed hard. I reached out and snatched one of his hands, before lifting him in the air and spinning around. I let him fly off like a shot-put. He was light, and I was strong from all the energy, so he sailed far into the
distance.
I heaved in and out, my side still screaming at me as I looked around. All of the girls were fighting the Seventine. Delane stuck close to Sapha and Talina, our two most vulnerable. They faced off against the emerald- and black-haired Seventine. Eva had one on her own, the mahogany Seventine, her sword slicing away. The rest were against Fury and Ria. The girls were doing okay. No one could use their powers, so it was all about fighting skills.
I realized there was no red-haired Seventine in my line of vision. Where the hell was the first?
“Looking for me?”
The voice was close, to my left, but when I turned he wasn’t there.
“You should have joined us when I offered. Now when I destroy the worlds and take our rightful energy, there will be no place for you.”
Where the hell was he? How was he hiding from me?
My body protested the movements as I started to circle around, my hands up high. Protecting my face. All of a sudden the black ground shifted beneath my feet. Ash flew all around, obscuring my vision. I started to dance backwards, trying to get out of the cloud of dust. But I couldn’t seem to escape it. Something was beneath me, disturbing the land.
The ground split again, and I jumped backwards just in time to avoid falling into a massive hole. What the eff? I was about to haul butt when up popped the first. Was he for real? Hiding under the ground like a weird freaking gopher.
I realized then that he must have control of the Earth element. Strange – he wasn’t a conduit like myself. The Walkers believed the conduit was the key to saving the worlds. I still wasn’t sure what they meant by that, but maybe my abilities were more unique than I guessed.
His scarecrow-like face screwed up, and he dived across the space to land right in front of me. A sort of stillness washed over me. He was so close, but not quite in my reach. The world slowed down. There was only me and him right then. One of us was coming out on top.
“I find that since freeing my brothers and regaining a physical form, I can no longer feel your essence. Which will make it easier to end your existence.”
