The sounds of battle shook them back into reality.
Ivan gave Jae one last pat on the arm. "Be safe out there." He took off through the beds underneath the tent. Those who were even remotely able were rousting themselves, prepared to fight in whatever manner they could. This included Maria's father, otherwise come to be known as Scarface. He and Ivan passed an understanding nod between them.
"You're a good man, Ivan Crane. My daughter couldn't have gotten herself a better one. Should anything happen to me…"
Ivan opened his mouth to speak and reassure her father but a series of explosions shook the very air they were breathing in. Sebastien, Jae, and Elisha scurried by and Ivan gave her father one final nod and followed in haste. They closed the tent flaps behind them, frozen by a moment of shock at the turmoil already in progress.
A line of fighters had taken up post to secure those inside the tent and unable to defend themselves. Some, like Irving Mochrie, were still healing and bed bound, and helpless. Others, like Maria's father, had recovered enough to take up their own posts near the entrances and exits.
Jae reached out and touched Sebastien and Ivan. They twisted to see him, and the three exchanged a final acknowledgement before Jae sped off, fighting his way through the battle with Elisha at his heels.
Another series of explosions.
Ivan and Sebastien headed directly into the action and began fighting alongside other Svoda. Tunkapog—some in shifter form, some human.
Jae was trying to make it to the river, but realized too quickly that idea was going to fail. Stripers had taken it over.
"Wait!" Elisha shouted to him.
He looked down and saw her trying to catch up with him. Of course, how could he have been so stupid. His bad beating, topped with freaking out about Colby, was making his thoughts muddled.
"Fire," ordered Elisha. "I can get us into the estate," she told him jubilantly.
"How?"
"They gave you the potion. The one with the right blood."
Jae had no idea what the heck the Catawitch was talking about but didn't feel like taking the time to discuss it further. He thrust out his palm and let the fire burst free. In a fluid motion, he and Elisha jumped into the air and they slid into the flame.
CHAPTER 16
The home of the Tunkapog was overrun with Stripers. They'd never seen so many and had no idea the population, and now immortal army, was so large. And they would bet their lives this was not all of them.
There had been numerous guards protecting the river—which expanded and flowed nearly the entire circumference of their lands. But only the one portal had remained open. All others had been closed, for safety. Unfortunately, the protections they'd used proved not enough and the Stripers had broken through the extra defenses. And now had control of the river that surrounded almost the entire village.
Instead of a means of transportation, it had instantly become the walls of a cage, keeping anyone from escaping. So the only choice was to fight. But it was not a fair one.
Svoda, banished or non-banished, had never had proper battle training—some training yes. But not for a war of this magnitude. The Tunkapog were a fierce opponent, equally so with their magical potions as they were in their animal shifts. But it wasn't enough. And their preparations had hurriedly dissolved into chaos. The Stripers splitting them up and attacking from all sides, using the river to surround them. And yet as the battleground began to shrink inward, they fought hard, side by side, in the full knowledge that if they failed, all would be lost. Not just their lives, but magic… the world as they knew it would no longer exist.
But the chaos slowly morphed into coordinated actions and defenses, with Nashua taking the charge. He ordered a pack of howling wolves and warbling coyotes aided by a group of non-shifters made up of a mix of Tunkapog and Svoda to defend the west side of the village.
Another group of non-shifters aided by a sleuth of mighty bears and vicious, snarling wolverines headed south. A herd of wide-antlered moose whose backsides carried Tunkapog armed with potions set off to the east, assisted overhead by a wake of buzzards squawking out a war cry as they rode the wind.
And north, slithered a knot of snakes taking up the charge alongside growling, snarling mountain lions and hyenas with Nashua and another band of fighters behind them. They attacked with a ferocity that warned the Stripers, we're not going down until you kill every last one of us.
Ivan and Sebastien stayed close to help guard the tent, shooting off spells to assist in any direction possible. Billie and Maura came scurrying by and upon seeing them, stopped.
"Have you seen Catrina?" Billie asked them.
"Catrina? No. Why?"
"Her parents can't find her." Maura nudged Billie's arm. They had to join the fight. "If you see her, try to keep her in the tent." They were shooting off spells as they raced to join Nashua.
Ivan nodded, but both he and Sebastien, and the others he imagined, already had a strong inkling where she was—Colin. And he was still hanging around somewhere. But what that meant for the outcome of this battle…
A clamoring of shouts and spells clashed all around them. Mixed in with howls, screeches, hisses and cries as the shifters body slammed, bit, tore, and maimed. Even with the formidable force they'd managed to roust and organize, the Stripers were too many. Fighting immortals was redundant and there was no way they would win, only stall the inevitable loss.
Arnon and Kanda flew out of the east side toward the medical tent.
"I need some supplies," she explained, rushing inside. Arnon followed and obeyed her commands as Ivan and Sebastien crept in behind them.
"What's going on?"
Arnon leaned in. "We already have injured who need attention."
"Why not bring them here?" asked Sebastien.
"And needlessly frighten the helpless," Arnon responded in kind.
"They're already frightened," Scarface offered up in grim reality off to the side.
"What can we do?" Ivan grabbed a basket and followed Kanda and she filled it. Sebastien and Arnon did the same. When done a minute later, Arnon and Kanda grabbed the baskets.
"We'll need some backup," Kanda told the young men.
"Yeah. Go. We're with you." They all departed the tent, ducking and darting through the field of battle until they reached a semi-shielded area that had been set up as a temporary medical base. Dr. Stamm with the help of his son, Oliver, were hard at work treating injuries. The young men were surprised to find Nona there as well, using her own healing gift.
More and more injured were stumbling in. There were too many, and not enough healers, and fewer and fewer people left fighting. The perimeter of the battlefield began to shrink. The Stripers were gaining ground.
There was a long period that in reality was about two seconds in length, but went on like an age, in which eyes met eyes, the determination faltering in them all. Their hopes pinned on one chance to win. And they were running out of time to wait out that one chance.
And then the unexpected happened.
The Stripers pulled back and halted their attack.
No one knew what to make of the sudden lull and Nashua ordered everyone to remain steadfast. Now was not the time to let their guard down. But it gave them a moment to catch their breath, renew their magical strength, and get the injured unable to help themselves, to the field triage.
A panicked voice hollered out. The source of it sending Ivan into an instant state of fear.
"Maria?" he called out, trying to find her. He couldn't see her until—she slammed right into his arms. "What's wrong?" She was supposed to be with the younger children in a safe house not far away.
"I need to move the children." Ivan didn't question, and Sebastien raced along with them. Nona followed. Her healing gift was only good for simple injuries, and those needing care were in far worse condition than she could fix.
When they arrived at the safehouse their footsteps faltered. The top of the house had been blown clean off.
"Everyone's okay," Maria said. "But it's just me and one other woman and we can't move all of the children alone."
"Let's get them to the medical tent," Ivan decided. They should have done that to begin with. But the tent was already overcrowded and this house had been chosen as the meeting point should an attack happen. But there were so many children. It would take longer than they might have.
Nona hissed out a reminder. "I can move many at once."
The older children had no problem at all tagging along for the quick, easy ride to the medical tent. The younger children were frightened to travel by fire.
"It doesn't hurt," explained Maria as gently as possible. "I promise. If it makes it easier, hold each other's hands, close your eyes, and just put your other hand on Nona, okay?" When the last group obeyed, and were successfully moved, taking Maria with them, Ivan and Sebastien struck out to meet her.
They only made it as far as the entrance to the tent and froze.
The eerie calm had everyone on edge and all eyes were glued to the river.
Something was moving on the surface of the water. Something, or things, bobbed up and down, ripping apart the river.
"No." Ivan shook his head in agreement with his disbelief. There was no way.
"Of all that's magic..." Sebastien lunged forward, eyes bugged out as wide as everyone else's as they stared in helplessness. "They did something to the river. They had to. It's fresh water and those are…"
"Salt Spiders…" finished Ivan. Bobbing up and down in a great horde of malevolence on eight, harpoon-armed legs.
"If they ruined the river, where the hell are we going to get enough fresh water?"
"We can do the spell," Ivan reminded. "Viridatas…" He hoped they all remembered. They'd seen it replayed out in the Retelling Festival each year when their ancestors had fought these spiders out on the open seas.
"And what about the Tunkapog?" Nona meowed out grimly. "Do they have a magic potion ready to go that creates fresh water?"
Nashua was calling for his shifters to regroup. They were catching on fast to this new enemy too. And that even in their animal forms, they had no weapon to kill and fight off these spiders other than sheer will to try.
And if this battle was going to come down as the Svoda responsible to win it…
This is what doom felt like.
The breath of it just a heartbeat away.
But then, just as their hopes were failing, and hearts pounding at the inevitable loss, a familiar voice shouted out an order. Aloyna had appeared out of nowhere with an army behind her that almost doubled their number of current fighters.
"Jasper's army," Ivan breathed out.
Help had arrived without a minute to spare.
CHAPTER 17
Jasper had over exerted himself by sending half the army to the Tunkapog. It had taken a huge expulsion of magic to do it, but there was no other way to get them there, safely, since the Stripers had claimed control of the river. Jasper cloaked himself for a minute to remain hidden while he allowed his second soul to catch up with him.
He hadn't needed to do that in a long time, and they didn't need a Colin-type meltdown if he used too much magic. But Jasper had far more control than Colin did. And knew his limitations. He was also keenly aware that he would be no good fighting against Fazendiin, himself, since he'd protected himself against Projector's powers. And as trained as Jasper's army was, they were not going to win this fight. Only delay, and give Meghan time to destroy the Stone.
Ready to rejoin the battle raging outside and inside the estate, Jasper dissolved the cloak and focused on protecting his army by blocking as many spells as possible. He couldn't keep them all cloaked, it would require more magic than he could safely, use.
At the backside of the estate, Colby and Meghan, together, blasted magic at their father while his Stripers fought their own battle against Jasper and his army. Fazendiin raised his fingers and blocked their magic with ease. He looked between them with a bored loathing that questioned when they were going to stop wasting time and just surrender already?
Meghan and Colby needed a new tactic. It was going to take a lot more than the two of them to get past their father to reach the Stone. Maybe they could sidetrack him, trick him… the battle spilled out around the back of the estate. Stripers against Jasper's army. Equal in training and talent, but still, that damn immortality had them at a severe disadvantage.
Colby simpered. "Elisha?" it was the first time she'd tried to reach him. "Where are—"
"Incoming," she shouted back into his mind. "Fire. Now. Over your father's head."
Colby thrust a tall rainbow of flame up over their heads and as instantly, out slid a Catawitch and a giant set of wings and claws and teeth that slammed directly into an unsuspecting Jurekai Fazendiin.
Colby took two awed seconds to take in the sight of Jae Mochrie in full transformation before racing to his aid.
"Get to the Stone," he shouted into Meghan's mind.
Her feet were moving at a dead run before the thought even fully developed in her mind, her eyes trained on the target.
Jae found himself face to face with the Grosvenor responsible for abusing the guy he'd fallen for and without hesitation had his wings around him in hopes to end this whole thing right here and now.
But inside the wings as Jae's beast growled and gnashed, Fazendiin didn't die. He didn't even wince. And growled right back at Jae raising an arm that came up and slipped around his neck. In the next blink, Jae was human again and a few feet off the ground with Jurekai Fazendiin holding him up by the neck.
Colby skidded to a horrified stop.
Meghan felt his dread unwind in her mind, and it rolled through her like she'd just hit a wall of pain. She almost doubled over and had to stop, spin and see.
Fazendiin glared venomously at Jae.
"Do you think I'd permit Juliska Blackwell to create a monster that could touch me?"
His vile gaze slid downward to his coward of a son and he squeezed Jae's throat even harder.
"Dad, please… don't." Colby knew begging was pointless.
"Why should I spare him? Give me one reason."
"I'll do whatever you want. I-I'll come back."
"No. You won't." Fazendiin shoved his arm with a brute force that tossed Jae through the air with such force that he'd never survive the landing. It happened so fast Meghan nor Elisha had time to respond.
Colby couldn’t watch. And something ruptured inside of him.
Jasper appeared out of nowhere.
"Got him!"
He made it just in time to keep Jae from certain death. But he wasn't out of the woods yet. He was unconscious and blue in the face. Jasper cast a spell and Jae vanished. Protected, hidden, until they could help him properly. Until then, he sent him into a deep sleep that would slow down any more damage.
Colby's eyes closed in a mixture of relief and outrage. His heartbeat thudded like a hammer inside his chest, but he realized not in the rhythm of a normal heart… this close to the Stone, it pulsed as if it was beating in sync with the magic inside. He'd never tried to tap into the power before. But now that he felt it in his very core, it sent a shock of power through him that had him back on his feet with a scream that released every ounce of resentment he had for his father.
In the midst of the power that raged out of him, his body twisted into a storm of movement that moved like a magnet of force that slammed to a sharp stop when his hands landed on the sides of his father's head.
Fazendiin may have his immortality thanks to the Stone, but he had no immunity to its power. Colby drew on the magic inside of the Stone, the magic that flowed like blood in his veins, and pushed that magic out of his palms into his father's skull. A power surge that would have fried any normal person's brain in seconds.
It was so much energy and power that Colby couldn't even hold the pose and was forced to release his grasp, staggering back from his father. Whose head was smoking like it might burs
t into flame. He gasped and choked and swayed, trying to regain his balance. He growled out his fury. His son would pay for his defiance.
"You're too late," Colby exhaled in total exhaustion. His eyes slid to his sister whose satisfied grin beamed down at her brother, almost as bright as the fiery veins lining her skin and the flame red hair waving around her neck. She sank to a crouch and let her palms lie flat on the rough surface, the power pulsing upward into her skin. Her eyes lifted to meet her father's scathing glare.
She'd reached the Immortality Stone.
CHAPTER 18
Catrina had awakened in the early dark of the morning to battle sounds and her family shouting for everyone to wake up. Her one and only worry—Colin. Her family was never going to allow her to go find him, so she'd done the only logical thing—tossed on some clothes and while the chaos had them all confused, she maneuvered through the crowds and got away. One benefit of being short… easier to escape and disappear. Although her silver hair was a dead giveaway at any height. And easier to see when it was dark, and the sun wasn't due up for a couple more hours yet.
War was breaking out all over the place and to avoid becoming a target she kept her small frame close to the houses, making her way to Colin's. She ducked and hid in the shadows whenever a familiar face flew by. And twice, was nearly hit by rogue spells breaking through from the distance.
She finally reached her destination and flew inside Colin's house—empty.
His room—empty.
The tropical room—empty.
She called out for him, repeatedly, or anyone that might be there. But no one answered.
Where would he go?
Had he left? Without her? Had he really left her behind?
Or worse, thrown himself into the middle of the battle…
Was he out there right now, using his magic to his own demise? If he was still stuck in the apathetic state he'd been in, she had no idea what any of them could expect. But then he'd probably not be out there fighting at all if that were the case.
Ascend (The Last Oracle, The First Seer's Gift, and a Prophecy Fulfilled) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Adventure Book 11) Page 12
