The Divine Unleashed (Book 3)

by Allen J Johnston

  Kade walked between the two and looked back and forth, amazed at his inability to recognize the true queen. Ven spoke, but it was with Rakna’s voice. It was eerie, and he had to be honest with himself; it was a bit unsettling.

  “This should work,” Ven hissed as she smoothly worked her way up the wall to hang from the ceiling.

  “I believe it just might,” Rakna hissed as she moved up the same side, avoiding the traps along the opposite wall.

  After learning how it was done, Ven let out her web, as did Rakna. Kade made a loop from both webs and stepped into it. Rakna lifted a leg and moved forward. Ven followed her lead and mimicked her actions. Soon, they had a system where the queen would take a step and then the shapeshifter would take a step. It was slow going but it appeared as though this was going to work. Kade looked up at the two snow-white spiders and marveled as the queens worked their way across.

  “Let me know when we are far enough,” Rakna called down to him.

  “That should be good enough,” Kade said.

  She gently lowered him to the ground and gave a grunt when the weight no longer threatened to pull her off the ceiling. The two spiders quickly skittered across the rock to Darcienna. She looked at each spider, trying to figure out which was the shapeshifter, but quickly gave up, realizing that there was no way to tell. With a sigh, she stepped into the loop from each spider and was soon lifted off the ground. Rakna and Ven were grateful for the weight difference between the man they had just carried and the woman who now hung down below them. This was clear as both spiders moved along at a quick pace without waiting for the other to get set.

  It was not long before Darcienna was standing next to Kade. Ven changed into some sort of insect and easily flitted over to land on Kade’s shoulder. Darcienna watched, waiting for Ven to change back into the beast, but the shapeshifter was content to stay in the form she was in. Kade glared hard at Darcienna, not believing he was going to have to deal with this. Darcienna saw the look on Kade’s face and quickly raised her hands in surrender.

  Rayden, you must stay there until I call. It is critical that you do not try to follow until I send for you, Kade thought as he locked eyes with the dragon. Kade could feel the dragon’s protest through the link. He explained as best he could, but in the end, he had to settle for promising to let Rayden join the fight when it was time.

  “They have found the cave. The clutch is divided. The king and a large group are trying to draw the army away but something keeps them focused on the cave. It will only be…,” the queen was saying when she paused, listening to the far off voice. “The king says the Master Chosen is unable to hold the Illusion Calling any longer.” As if to confirm what Rakna had just said, Morg let out a scream at his army.

  “Ignore them!” Morg raged. “They are protecting that cave for a reason. Kill them all and get in that cave! Kill them or I will make you suffer!”

  “Kade,” Rakna said in panic. She did not try to hide her fear. Kade could feel his heart start to pound hard.

  “I am going to cloak us,” Kade said as he planted his feet, feeling the queen’s panic becoming contagious. He spun through the moves for the Transparency Calling and everyone faded from view.

  “Kade!” Rakna said again more insistently. She was losing her composure as the realization of her clutch being destroyed threatened to overwhelm her.

  “I understand,” Kade said. “Have faith.” It was all he could think to say as he fought to keep from rushing to his death. The clutch was in dire trouble, but if he did not do this right, they were all finished.

  Something had to be done and it had to be done now. Kade looked at the next bend in the tunnel and saw light dancing on the walls as a flame from the chamber shown directly on it. Morg’s voice was clear, as if he was standing just a short stride away. The four of them crept down the tunnel to the next bend and stopped. Morg was pacing at the far side of the room by a pool of water that had a scene dancing on the surface. He screamed at the image and then raised the staff with both hands held high over his head and slammed it into the pool as if to crush something. Water splashed in all directions.

  The pool of water was in a rock formation that was six feet across and came up to Morg’s waist. It almost reminded Kade of the well back where he had grown up except the walls of this well were much thicker and there was no bucket. The outside of the well was made of large rocks the size of a man’s head. The pool was no more than two feet deep. The water flashed colors and lights as an image played out. Kade wanted desperately to see what the image displayed, but from where he stood, that was not going to happen. Morg leaned over and peered closely into the water as the ripples settled down into images once again. The evil Chosen stood as the muscles in his jaw flexed.

  “Where are you?” Morg raged as he held the staff in front of himself and closed his eyes. Kade clenched his teeth hard as he did his best to ignore the scalding hot medallion on his chest. “WHERE ARE YOU?” Morg screamed loudly as he shook. His face contorted into one of hate, rage and insanity. He let out a yell as he turned toward the tunnel where the infiltrators hid. After just five steps, he turned and raced back to the edge of the pool to peer at the scene once more.

  Morg paced wildly about, not straying far from the pool of water. Again, he walked toward the tunnel where the small group was hiding but never even considered looking in. It was clear that he was very used to the tunnel being empty. Morg had become complacent as his eyes passed over the area where the tunnel was as if it were not even there.

  Kade tried to calm his heart, but it was racing. The combination of fear, anger and the anticipation of confronting Morg made it hard for Kade to think. Just one look at the Chosen carrying that dreaded staff brought back the memory of the immense weight that had crushed the life out of him back in Doren’s secret study. Kade struggled to formulate a plan. Anything. He was hoping a solution would present itself by now, but he was still at a loss.

  The room was not small by any means as it reached approximately two hundred feet across, if not a little more. The ceiling rose nearly fifty feet into the air with a small opening at the top for light to come in or smoke to escape. The walls were of solid rock with torches every ten feet or so until they got to the back of the room where there were none. Even if Morg were to look around the room, he would not see someone standing in the tunnel unless he looked directly at them trying to see them. There was a large bed with pillows and blankets so rich looking that any king would have been envious. The bedposts were jeweled and sparkled as the light from the fire danced off them. Directly in the middle of the room was an opening in the floor that was ten feet wide and went all the way to the base of the mountain. There was a bookcase that was large enough to hold hundreds of books, if not a thousand. There were books strewn all across the floor as if someone had discarded them after not finding what was being searched for.

  The darkness was a blessing as Kade, ever so slowly, leaned around the corner. He moved like a cat, afraid that Morg may see or sense him, even with the callings active. He closed his eyes and checked the area for traps but found none. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves and pursed his lips as he let the air out. His eyes focused on the staff that was so close, and yet, so far away.

  Kade watched, hoping that Morg might lay the ancient artifact down for just a moment, but it became clear that he slept with it in an iron grip. That staff might as well have been an extension of his body with how tightly he held it. No, this was not going to be as easy as he hoped. But, he still had the element of surprise on his side.

  “Kade, Doren is trying a different tact but he is almost too exhausted to keep this up. He says you must do something soon or they will be lost. They are holding at the cave but it won’t be for long,” Rakna hissed quietly.

  “What is that?” Morg asked as he gripped the staff and closed his eyes. “The Divine being used? There is another? It is too weak. No! Not the one I seek. WHERE ARE YOU?” Morg Raged again.

  He
gripped the staff in both hands and held it out in front of himself as if he was about to drive a pole into the ground. Kade gasped as the medallion scalded his skin. He leaned forward to let it hang away from his body. The slight scent of burnt hair and skin wafted up to him. He clenched his teeth until the pain subsided.

  “Kade?” Darcienna asked, hearing the hiss of air being drawn in through clenched teeth.

  “I am…okay. He keeps searching for me, and when he does, it heats the medallion. I suspect that being so close has something to do with it,” Kade whispered.

  “Get in that cave and kill everything!” Morg screamed, almost hoarse. “What do you mean the spiders changed to earth creatures? They are still spiders you imbecile. A Chosen in the cave is casting an Illusion Calling,” he said as his grip on the staff tightened. His knuckles turned white as he listened to the distant communication. “Yes, I am sure. Either they die or you die!”

  The king says they are truly fighting amongst themselves now. That is not the Master Chosen’s doing, Rakna said in Kade’s head.

  “Then we have caught a break. It gives us just a little breathing room,” Kade said, grateful.

  “What are you planning?” Darcienna asked. Rakna edged just a little closer and Kade could feel Ven looking at him from his shoulder.

  What am I going to do? Kade asked himself.

  “I am going to walk right up and take the staff,” he said. No one responded. Kade felt his stomach drop. “He can’t see us or hear us. How can that go wrong?”

  “Kade, I am not sure about that,” Darcienna said, her voice full of doubt. “I just don’t think it is going to be that easy.”

  “If any of you have a better idea, please let me know. I am very willing to try anything,” Kade said, doing his best to sound confident.

  He was met with silence. Kade felt a light breeze blowing through the chamber and down the tunnel. He closed his eyes to calm his nerves as he prepared to draw on the Divine. The connection with the dragon clicked into place and Kade felt the eager scaled warrior yearning to join them. Rayden misunderstood what the link was for and readied to charge down the tunnel.

  NO! Kade thought in panic. Morg’s head snapped around to look in all directions at once. The evil Chosen held completely still, not breathing as he listened for what had gotten his attention. Kade felt the dragon stop. Hold still, Kade sent strongly. He was holding his breath while he watched Morg. The man was studying the dark tunnel when something in the water caught his attention. He did a double take and immediately forgot about anything other than the scene playing out before him. His lip curled and his face reddened.

  “How can you be so disorganized?” Morg yelled as he smashed the water with his staff, not just once, but three times in rapid succession. He clenched both fists as he screamed his rage at the small pond. “Pull back and organize your troops.” Kade was hoping he would drop of a heart attack.

  The Apprentice Chosen stood watching, trying to find any other solution to the problem, but nothing better than walking right up and snatching the staff from the man’s hands presented itself. Morg began to smile and then laughed as he watched the scene. It was unnerving to see him go from such intense rage to laughter so quickly. Kade recalled how he and Morg had had, what appeared to be, a very civil chat in Doren’s library.

  “Much better. Yes, much better,” Morg said with pleasure as he watched the scene closely.

  “Kade, they have figured out what was happening and are now organizing again. They have renewed their attack and broken through our ranks. They are closing in on the tunnel. The king says they need you now. Kade…,” Rakna almost pleaded.

  “We can’t do anything from…,” Kade was starting to say in despair when he paused. “Wait. We can help. We can get Morg to stop them,” Kade said excitedly. “Quickly, tell the king to tell Doren to make an image of Morg. He will know what to do from there,” Kade said hopefully. This had to buy them time.

  The queen was silent for several long moments as she relayed the message. Morg paced around the pool several times and then crossed the room to the hole in the ground. He leaned over and looked down, looking for something. Kade was shocked at what happened next.

  “We will find that which we seek, shortly,” Morg said. It was not only what he said that had Kade surprised, but that he said it in a completely subservient manner. If Morg was acting subservient, then who was he talking to?

  A deep voice that caused a vibration to run through the entire mountain reverberated in Kade’s bones. As the voice spoke, a hot wind traveled up the hole and brushed past the hidden group. Kade shivered. If he was not scared already, he was frightened to the point of paralysis now.

  “YOU SHALL NOT FAIL OR YOU WILL SUFFER OUR WRATH!” the voice warned. “YOUR ARMY IS FALLING THROUGH TO THIS SIDE IN DROVES!” the voice said harshly.

  “Soon, we will have the Chosen that you seek. And also, there is another. I sense someone else using the Divine,” Morg said, hopeful that the news would placate the voice.

  “DO NOT FAIL,” the voice responded.

  “Kade,” Rakna hissed so quietly that he could barely hear her. He wanted to remind her that they were under the Silence Calling, but he knew it would do no good. Even he did not want to speak louder than he had to. “Crayken says it is working. He says he has them fighting amongst themselves again.”

  Morg glanced at the water, and before he could turn his attention back to the pit, he raced over to the pool and stared in confusion. His face started to redden as he clenched his jaw tightly. He screamed into the scene.

  “What…are…you…doing? No, I did not tell you to attack the earth creatures again! No, I am not hovering over you. Attack the spiders and get in that cave NOW!” Morg bellowed.

  “We are out of time,” Kade said as he stood. “Ven, Rakna, Darcienna, stay here,” he said as he readied to make his move. Ven, still in the form of an insect, flew off his shoulder and landed on a wall nearby.

  “The bloody afterlife I will,” Darcienna said as she stood with him. “If ever there is a time you will need me, it is going to be now. Do what you must, but don’t even try to leave me behind again,” she said and she meant it. The image of him floating in the arch blazoned in her mind.

  Without arguing, Kade moved as smoothly as possible while he worked his way across the chamber. Morg showed no indication that he knew anyone was closing in on him. He was so focused on the scene unfolding in the water that Kade thought he might have been able to walk up on him uncloaked.

  With every step he took, his heart beat harder. He felt as if the pounding in his ears alone was going to give him away. He wiped his clammy hands on his pants, making sure they were as dry as possible for when he snatched the staff away. He was now only fifteen feet from the Master Chosen as he wrinkled his nose. It was obvious that Morg had not bathed for days. Kade tried to calm his breathing. Darcienna had her hand on his arm as he continued to close the distance.

  “You must stay here,” Kade barely whispered. “Do not argue. I need room to move once I have the staff,” he said firmly. Darcienna let go of his arm in acknowledgement.

  Kade, lifting his foot ever so slowly, and focusing to keep his balance, moved another step closer. And yet, another step, as Morg circled the pool of water. Kade could almost see the scene dancing on the surface. Morg circled the pond again, putting himself just barely out of Kade’s reach.

  “Get in there now!” Morg demanded.

  Kade clenched and unclenched his fist, readying himself to lunge for the staff. He got the eerie feeling that he was being watched and quickly searched the room. There was nothing. At least, there was nothing he could see.

  Just nerves, he though as he refocused his attention on the man with the staff. He turned his body sideways, ready to lunge. Before he could strike, Morg ran to the other side of the pool of water to stare at another part of the scene. The evil Chosen threw his head back and laughed a raucous laugh of victory. Kade took another step and saw the cav
e being overrun in the scene playing out in the well. There was no more delaying the inevitable. He had to take the staff now. There was no other choice. He dried his hands one last time and lunged for the ancient artifact. Just when he was about to close his hands on the wood, he felt as if he had rammed his hand into a rock wall. For a moment, Kade was sure he had broken a few of his fingers.

  “What?” Morg said in surprise as he brought the staff around to his chest. He held it in both hands as if to block with it and protect it at the same time. “Intruders? Where?” Morg asked of an unseen entity.

  “He has the shield,” Kade yelled. He ran back toward the tunnel and almost knocked Darcienna over as he reached for her to drag her along. As soon as they made it to the entrance, Kade threw Darcienna into the tunnel, and then in one smooth motion, spun to face Morg. He reached for the rage, but all he found was fear. He was soon to be a puppet, and worse, he was going to be at the mercy of whatever it was that even Morg feared. His mind raced as he desperately tried to come up with a plan. He knew that he could not breach the shield, but with no other plan to fall back on, he prepared to bring his most powerful calling to life. The panic he felt was overwhelming.

  “Kade,” Rakna hissed in alarm. “They have entered the cave!”

  Something sliced through the air right next to Kade’s head so close that he flinched and ducked. Somehow, they were being detected and something was coming after them. Kade forced his fear down and reached for the Divine. He had to try something so he readied the one Divine calling he knew well.

  Kade spun through the moves and then attacked, sending a brilliant flash of lightning, racing across the room. It slammed into the evil Chosen, causing the shield to shimmer. For a moment, Kade thought it might have bent slightly, but then it was back in place. Was there a limit to how much assault it could take? For an instant, Kade wondered if it had a weakness similar to Darcienna’s. Not dwelling on the thought, but not forgetting it either, he quickly performed the Divine Fire Calling. It hit the shield and enveloped the man. Kade held desperately onto hope that the fire was doing damage, but deep down, he knew that it was not going to be that easy. The blue flame slowly dwindled and then died out. Morg stood casually as if he found this amusing. Kade watched in disbelief. His arms felt like lead as he stood, waiting…for anything. He was out of ideas.