A knock at the door interrupted her, and a soldier stepped inside, looking frazzled as she spoke. “Sir, Milady, my apologies, more monsters have been sighted!”
“Show me where, and what types,” Hanrith snapped, looking up quickly, and Kitania heard Isalla’s breath hiss out.
“This is bad,” Alserah said, her voice grim. “Half the country could be destroyed if this keeps up.”
“Not if we’re fast enough. There’s no way that any mage could control this many powerful monsters over such a wide area, not even an archmage. They have to be using a tool to control them,” Vinara said, looking up at the goddess quickly, and as they watched, the figure of a soldier was placed by Eldsyr. The succubus considered for a moment, then pointed at the figure. “If you get me to it, I can pin down about where the controller is, and we can use the device to turn the monsters against one another and force the hellfire worms into water. That’ll kill them, if it’s deep enough.”
“I’d gladly help. Though I may not be much use against hellfire worms, I should be able to fight the phoenixes,” Kitania volunteered quietly, worried about what was happening, and hesitated before adding, “Also, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re expecting you to come for them. I wouldn’t go alone, Your Grace.”
“I hadn’t planned to. This is far too carefully laid out to be anything but a trap,” Alserah said, and nodded sharply, looking at Hanrith as she spoke firmly. “Commander, hold the palace and ensure that any attackers don’t gain a foothold. I suspect they won’t strike here again, but the spell towers should deal with any of the phoenixes if they appear. I’m going to Mist to deal with the attackers there, then to Eldsyr via teleportation. Lady Vinara, you’re accompanying me, as well as Kitania?”
“Of course,” Vinara said, nodding and smiling thinly. “I want to help dismantle the plots targeting the hells. And you, for that matter.”
“The palace will hold, Your Grace,” Hanrith vowed, saluting sharply.
“I’ll join you as well,” Rose said, smiling as she opened her mouth to continue, but Isalla interrupted.
“No, we’ll join you,” Isalla said, her voice hard as iron. “I have an axe to grind with Haral, if she’s behind this, and anyone who can command this is bound to know more than Eziel.”
“Very well, you’re welcome to join me,” Alserah said, nodding as she smiled slightly. “An odd group, I must say. However, speaking of Eziel…”
“I would be little help under the circumstances, but I will assist to the best of my abilities if that is what Lady Kitania desires,” Eziel replied softly. Kitania looked at her again, her feelings about the woman still mixed.
“No, I don’t think that’s necessary,” Kitania said, shaking her head slowly. If the woman was loyal, though… after a moment she continued. “Instead, I’d like you to protect Princess Sellis for the duration of this conflict. She can do what she likes but protect her like she was me.”
“As you wish, Milady,” Eziel said, bowing deeply.
“Excellent. Each of you, if you’re not prepared, you have two to three minutes. Meet near the throne room,” Alserah ordered, straightening quickly. She glanced at Hanrith again as she added, “Inform the garrisons of how to kill the worms as well, Commander. We’ll make this as fast as possible.”
“I’ll return momentarily, Your Grace,” Vinara replied as Hanrith acknowledged the order, then the succubus darted toward the door. Isalla hesitated for an instant, then followed her, while Eziel made for the exit at a slightly slower pace.
“I’m ready as it is,” Rose said simply, glancing at Kitania. “You?”
“Vinara helped me, so I’m ready to go,” Kitania replied, smiling a little in return, though she felt a little uncertain as she looked back at Rose, who was almost even more beautiful than she’d been before.
It was probably the armor, Kitania realized. The mess she’d gotten herself into with Niadra and Alserah was giving her a headache, and it also made her feel guilty about everything she’d done since she came to the palace. There were so many things she could have done that wouldn’t have led to Niadra being hurt or wondering what Rose and the others really thought of her.
“This way, then. There is a teleportation circle in the palace, but any incoming teleportations end up in the courtyard, which is why you appeared there, Kitania,” Alserah said, her gaze flicking between the two before she headed out of the room, leaving behind Hanrith and the soldier who’d come in. Her voice was brisk as she continued. “It will take two teleportations to reach Eldsyr, so we’d best deal with the monsters in Mist first. What can you tell me about storm phoenixes?”
“Ah, that explains some of it… though presumably they’d still have sent me somewhere I’d have been targeted by as powerful of attacks as possible,” Kitania murmured, quickly following the goddess out into the hallway and toward the throne room. The servants she could see looked rather distraught, but they quickly stepped out of the way, bowing or curtseying deeply at the sight of Alserah. Kitania quickly organized her thoughts, taking a deep breath before speaking.
“A storm phoenix is native to the hells, like we said before, and they’re poor-tempered at the best of times, unlike the relatively benevolent fire or ice phoenixes,” Kitania explained, glancing at Rose to see if the angel was going to interject, but Rose seemed curious as well, so Kitania continued nervously. “Their magic is that of lightning and thunderstorms, which they can also use to influence the sea as well. I’ve heard of them conjuring waterspouts and tornadoes in their presence and getting close to them is difficult as they’re protected by high winds and can emit lightning from their bodies. Even injuring them can be difficult since their feathers are like armor or blades, and they’re incredibly agile. They also tend to be reborn in lightning, so it’s difficult to permanently kill them.”
“Destroy their heart.” Rose spoke softly, and Kitania looked at her, blinking in confusion.
“What?” Kitania asked, a little surprised by the interruption. Alserah slowed as well, glancing back at them.
“It’s not well-known, but to destroy a phoenix, you need to destroy their heart.” Rose said, glancing around to ensure no one else was in earshot. “They tend to self-immolate or the like when they die, which hides the fact their heart survives it, and they’re reborn from their heart. Destroy it, though, and they’re as mortal as any other powerful being.”
“That’s good to know. I’d probably have gone for the head instead,” Alserah said, nodding ever so slightly as she considered, then added, “I suspect that the Order of the Phoenix does its best not to let that knowledge spread, so thank you.”
“That’s right, so please don’t spread it more than you must,” Rose said, smiling slightly, and hesitated for a moment before adding, “Most members of the order don’t know about that, in fact. I don’t think Isalla knows.”
“I see. Thank you, Rose,” Kitania said, hesitating for a moment more, then reaching out to squeeze the angel’s hand through her gauntlet. At Rose’s look of surprise, she resisted the urge to flush, instead clearing her voice before she continued. “I didn’t know that, and if it’s something normally kept secret by your order…”
“My former order, but thank you. Your concern is appreciated,” Rose said, smiling a little more warmly, then glanced at Alserah and added, “Though I do find myself disconcerted at what I think is a hint of jealousy from Her Grace.”
Kitania blinked, then looked back toward Alserah, and she barely caught a hint of a blush on the goddess’s face as she looked in front of her and sped up again, Alserah’s back straightening. A moment later, the goddess replied, her voice slightly more precise than it had been. “This isn’t the time to discuss such things. I have a kingdom to save, after all.”
“As you say, Your Grace,” Rose replied respectfully but looked at Kitania curiously.
For her part, Kitania shrugged helplessly, not willing to discuss her confusing situation in such a public space. Instead, she focused on
keeping up, and in short order they reached a door near the throne room. Alserah murmured a word and touched the door, which unlocked, then turned to wait.
“Now we just need the others to catch up,” Alserah said, crossing her arms as she waited, studiously ignoring Kitania and Rose.
“May I ask why you aren’t having any of your magi accompany us?” Rose asked, letting go of Kitania’s hand as she stepped out of the way. “I’d think that they’d be helpful for stopping the attacks.”
“They might, but the palace doesn’t have as many magi here as you might think. Between the spell towers, my presence, and the variety of wards over the walls, there isn’t as much of a need for them,” Alserah explained, seeming to relax slightly. “Instead, the majority of magi in service to the kingdom are spread out between the cities and fortresses, allowing them to assist the populations in the case of invasion. Those here are best suited to ensuring the palace remains intact.”
“Reasonable enough, I think,” Kitania murmured, glancing down the hall as she heard rapid footsteps. “Now, the question is, is that someone we’re expecting, or another disaster that just struck?”
Vinara turned the corner a moment later, a smile flashing across her face as she almost skidded to a stop in front of them. She was now wearing a deep green robe with black sigils stitched across its surface, one which looked like she’d thrown on over her other clothing, and she was carrying a black wooden staff that had been polished smooth and had dozens of golden runes embedded in it, and Kitania could see the air rippling almost imperceptibly around the staff.
“I see I beat Isalla here. I hope you weren’t waiting long?” Vinara said, barely breathing hard as she settled down.
“We just got here, as a matter of fact. I’m more surprised you got here this quickly,” Alserah replied, looking at Vinara curiously.
The succubus shrugged, half-spreading her wings as she explained. “I jumped into the garden and went over the building, since I left my balcony open. It was faster.”
“That… makes sense. I wouldn’t have thought of it,” Kitania said, pausing and blinking. “Though you might have risked getting shot by defenders.”
“That’s why I also went invisible,” Vinara said calmly, adjusting her robe to fit better.
“I suppose that would be a solution,” Rose murmured, looking at Vinara oddly, especially as the succubus pulled out a monocle and put it over her left eye.
“This helps me see the flow of mana and makes my detection spells work better,” Vinara explained after a moment, obviously taking pity on Rose. “I didn’t have much time earlier and didn’t think I’d need it. Now that I know it’ll be useful, I made certain to pack it and the other things I thought I might need.”
“Ah,” Rose said, nodding in understanding. Kitania resisted the urge to smile, instead looking down the hallway impatiently.
“I wonder what Isalla was going to get?” the demoness murmured, a little worried about the angel as well as the delay it was causing.
“Probably some healing potions or the like. I know she got a few things from Queen Estalia to help in emergencies,” Rose replied, glancing at Kitania in amusement. “She seemed to get along with your mother pretty well, on the whole.”
“Oh, great. That means she probably heard all about some of my escapades from when I was younger,” Kitania said, a sudden sense of dread rushing through her. There were plenty of things in her past that she’d far rather were never talked about again.
“Possibly. She was rather busy much of the time, though, especially since she was trying to learn magic from me,” Vinara said, then tilted her head, looking down the hall. “Ah, there she is.”
The clatter of armor echoed down the hall, and Isalla turned the corner quickly, breathing hard as she raced toward them, then paused, swallowing hard before she spoke, sounding mostly breathless. “Sorry… that took longer than I thought it would.”
“Then it’s time to go,” Alserah said firmly, pushing open the door to reveal a room with a teleportation circle etched into the floor. “The creatures attacking my people aren’t going to wait for us.”
“Of course,” Kitania murmured, as the others added their own agreement to the chorus.
They quickly followed Alserah into the circle, and the goddess raised her hand. Power flowed out of her like a scintillating rainbow and descended into the circle, which lit up in seconds. The sheer amount of power the goddess could unleash was breathtaking, and Kitania inhaled sharply at the prickling sensation across her skin.
Then the world flashed and Kitania’s stomach lurched ever so slightly, like when she was yanked to the side by a carriage abruptly turning. Her stomach quickly settled, but as it did, she heard the cries of alarm and roaring of wind outside. The echoing sound of shattering stone split the air, and Kitania flinched.
Obviously, Mist wasn’t doing well.
Chapter 43
Emerging from the fortress, Kitania ducked as a tree branch came flying at her from the side, just barely dodging the object. Wind was howling around her, and from somewhere ahead of them the night was lit by flames. The sky was thick with clouds, and multiple funnels of tornadoes descended from them to ravage Mist, making Kitania’s heart lurch.
A flash of lightning drew her gaze upward, and Kitania heard Rose swear as the storm phoenix burst out of the clouds in a spin that created yet another funnel behind it. The tornado slowly began descending as the titanic, eagle-like avian flickered with lightning, and Kitania’s eyes widened as she realized that the beast was nearly forty feet long, almost half again larger than she’d expected.
The soldiers she could see were staggering against the wind, looking almost helpless with their bows rendered useless. Kitania saw civilians trudging against the wind to take shelter in the temple next to the castle, but she knew that wouldn’t be enough, not against a hellfire worm, and the tornadoes would tear even the citadel’s walls apart, given enough time.
“I’m going after the worm,” Alserah called out, standing firm against the wind as she looked back at them, her bow manifesting in a flash of light and her gaze flitting over the group before asking, “Can you deal with the phoenix?”
“My flight should be able to deal with the wind; I don’t know about the others,” Kitania replied instantly, not feeling quite as confident as she sounded, but after an instant she began casting a spell to protect herself from the lightning around the phoenix.
“I’ll come with you. My spells will be more effective against the worm. Not that I expect you to need my help, Your Grace,” Vinara added. Kitania looked over to see Isalla and Rose exchange looks, then the two nodded.
“We can help with the phoenix, Your Grace,” Rose said, her voice confident as she unsheathed Ember. “Fortunately, this type of phoenix doesn’t resist fire.”
“Good. Try to kill the creature quickly, before it manages to destroy more of the city,” Alserah said shortly, then raced away at far too high of a speed for Kitania to keep up with, just as she finished her spell. Runes of violet light surrounded her like a shield, then slowly faded to be almost imperceptible.
Vinara cursed softly, then spoke. “Good luck; don’t get yourselves killed. Except Kitania, but she can take it.”
“Thanks,” Kitania replied dryly, watching the succubus go, then looked at the others as she continued. “Let me cast a spell to protect you two from lightning first. This isn’t going to be fun.”
Isalla waited a moment for Kitania to begin casting her spell to reply, smiling as she did so. “Oh? And here I thought that it’d be exciting to fight a giant lightning bird.”
Kitania gave her a dirty look, not interrupting her casting, despite the gusts of wind that were trying to knock her over. Fortunately, Rose interjected gently. “Isalla, now really isn’t the time for humor. Or sarcasm.”
“When else, except when on the eve of battle?” Isalla asked, raising her eyebrows and the faintest hint of a sharp edge to her voice. “If we’re going to
risk death, shouldn’t we be honest?”
Kitania reached out and touched the angel’s shoulder as she completed her spell, creating another shell of magic around Isalla as she took a breath, then looked the angel in the eyes as she spoke softly but sincerely. “I’m sorry, Isalla. When I ended up here, I found myself… out of my element. I was alone among those who viewed me with suspicion, and to my knowledge I’d lost everything. I didn’t know if the two of you still lived, and with how I’d pushed you away at the last… I thought you’d grow closer to one another and any interest in me would be gone. So when Niadra expressed interest to me I clung to it. I’m so sorry.”
Isalla’s gaze turned from slightly resentful to shocked as she blinked, her mouth slightly open, then she asked, “Kitty? You’re… what are you talking about? I—”
Rose yanked them both aside as a chunk of rock crashed down from above, and the other angel interrupted harshly. “Enough! We don’t have time for this, Isalla, people are being killed as we speak! Kitania, I don’t need the spell, I’ll just try to stay out of its range. Let’s go.”
“Right,” Kitania said, shaking herself harshly, then she grimaced and channeled mana into her armor. The pair of spectral wings appeared behind her, and she pulled out her cloudpiercer as she examined the storm phoenix grimly, murmuring, “I’ll try to immobilize it for you to finish off, Rose. Here we go.”
The storm phoenix took a moment to strafe a tower on the edge of the castle walls, where a mage had been throwing balls of ice at it to little avail. The people in the tower were blown out of the tower or electrocuted, and Kitania winced as she launched into the air, her flight still slightly unsteady, but she focused on the monster to the exclusion of almost all else.
Even so, she thought she heard something from the two behind her, though it was obscured by the roaring wind, which whipped about the stray hairs that weren’t protected by her helmet.
Mortal Gods (Mantles of Power Book 2) Page 37