Kirheen had never been close enough to either group to pick up on their particular skillsets. At first, nothing happened between them. The connection remained at a standstill with neither party vying for dominance. There was a slight glimmer and then her vision was filled with a beautiful moonlit field, tall grass swaying in a gentle breeze. The moon was enormous, a beautiful luminous orb dominating the night sky. It was a wonderous sight to behold and she was almost saddened to have to look away as Bell and Tyrin materialized on the edge of the field.
Floating on the opposite end of the field was something thin and rectangular. A card.
“That’s got to be bait,” Garild commented in her mind. She almost jumped, not expecting his voice with how focused she was on the battle.
“A little warning next time, please,” she chided. “It sure seems like bait though. Bold move.”
“This is Vienna and Daris we’re talking about.”
Bell pointed towards the card and whispered something to Tyrin. They entered the field cautiously, their steps light, eyes alert for traps. Each step through the tall grass set Kirheen on edge. Anything could lurk in the shadows, could be stalking them and watching with hungry eyes. As they passed through the field unharmed, they became less cautious, their steps a little bolder. It was what their opponents had been waiting for. At that moment, a large hawk dove from the sky above, claws extended towards its target. It latched on to the back of Bell’s head, claws digging into her hair. She screamed, flailing about wildly as she tried to get the bird away from her. Each attempt angered the creature, and soon pale blonde hair was streaked with blood.
Tyrin gathered his strength and pushed strongly against the illusion. It shattered, breaking apart into dust that blew away with the wind. Bell lay on the ground sobbing, holding her bloodied hands in front of her face.
“Bell, it’s not real. Come on. Get up,” Tyrin urged, trying to coax her back to her feet. It took several precious moments before Bell regained her composure, fighting through the phantom pain left behind by the illusion.
They strategized for a moment before moving on, creeping through the grass with far more caution now that they’d been attacked. The grass took on an unnatural sway from behind them and Kirheen gasped when she spotted Daris, stalking them with delicate steps. His movements were slow and deliberate as he hunted his prey, steps mimicking theirs as he pushed through the field.
A hawk screeched from above, but Tyrin was prepared. He shattered the illusion, but in his moment of distraction, Daris struck. Before the energy Tyrin had used to shatter the illusion dissipated, Daris blocked it, turning it back on its creator with ease. The force of the blow struck Tyrin hard enough to break his concentration and link was broken, taking him out of the match. Bell was left alone, shivering in fear. Daris had circled around and stood before her, expression smug, black eyes glittering in the moonlight.
“You should yield, girl,” Daris warned, creeping closer to her. She shook her head.
“I won’t,” she said, but her lips quivered as she spoke.
“You’ve no one left to protect you. What do you think you’ll accomplish? You’re nothing without your bond mate.”
It was sickening watching him toy with her mind. Kirheen bristled with anger, wanting nothing more than to punch Daris in the nose.
“Is she actually going to yield?”
“I don’t know,” Kirheen replied. “I don’t think she has a choice. She’s too scared.”
Daris smirked, shoving his shoulder against Bell. She took the blow, falling back a few steps. “You want the card, you’ll have to go get it. It’s so far away though and you’re all alone out here. You think you can make it before I tear you apart?”
He struck out with his powers, a teasing blow that forced her further back. He struck out again, but Bell reacted, redirecting the blow and feeding her own power into it. The energy caught him off guard and as it connected, he was thrown back to the ground with a satisfying thud. She leapt over him, running as fast as her legs would take her. Her only hope was to reach the card before Vienna caught her.
Her breath came in great gasps as she frantically wove through the field, strands of grass lashing against her face as she ran. A root came ripping out of the ground, but she managed to jump in time, just barely clearing the obstacle.
She was almost to the card, could see the back of it bobbing on the horizon. She moved forward, over obstacles and traps, each one deftly deflected or dodged. Kirheen could scarcely believe her eyes as Bell burst into the clearing where the card was, her face sweaty but triumphant. She reached up, hands grasping the edge of the card. A growl echoed across the field and two wolves leapt into the clearing, eyes glowing, teeth bared in a ferocious snarl.
“Did you really think it would be so easy?” Vienna said, her voice coming from the smaller of the two wolves. It was massive, its earthy brown fur sleek and glistening. The other wolf was even bigger and black as the night sky. It was a deadly shadow, eyes red, fangs dripping with anticipation.
“I told you to yield,” Daris growled, padding forward.
Bell took a shaky breath and turned back to the card. She tore at the edge, flipping it around so she could see the symbol on the other side. It was blank, a plain white surface reflecting the moonlight. The growls grew louder, the snapping of teeth filling her with fear. There was no time to yield. The wolves descended on her, teeth tearing into flesh. Her concentration broke and she came back to reality with a scream, startling everyone in the room.
Tyrin reached over, wrapping his arms around his bond mate and pulling her close. He held her until she calmed down, all the while casting a venomous glare at Vienna and Daris.
“The winner of this round is Vienna and Daris,” Nyson called, his face emotionless. There were a few scattered cheers, but most of the Bonded seemed too unsettled to celebrate the victory. Any of them could be next and after what they’d just witnessed, Kirheen was no longer sure she wanted to be. They’d seen one of their fellow Bonded toyed with and torn apart, a fate they could all be facing.
“That was brutal,” Garild whispered, watching Bell and Tyrin as they sulked from the room. Their instructor, Verin, fell into step behind them, anger clouding his face. “They didn’t even stand a chance.”
“Brutal may be an understatement, Garild. This isn’t good.”
“That was a wonderful first battle,” Nyson called. “I hope you were paying close attention. Your battle could be next. Use this time to take notes and learn what you can from the strategies you just witnessed. In these battles, knowledge is power.” While his words broke the tension in the room, it didn’t ease the feeling of dread creeping up her spine, filling her with doubt and making her consider fleeing the room. Her legs tingled, urging her to run.
“Stay calm, girl. You’re further along than Bell and Tyrin. You’re better equipped for this. Stay focused,” Fenir said, an edge of warning in his voice. “And don’t you dare think about running. I will drag you back.”
“All right, fine,” she groaned, knowing that with Fenir, the warning was quite literal. He really would chase after her and drag her back kicking and screaming if it came down to it. Garild nudged her in the ribs and she turned her attention back to the front of the room where Nyson was set to announce the next battle. Her heart plummeted, and she reached out, grabbing Garild’s hand. He squeezed it tightly.
“Isa and Ian, please step forward.”
Isa let out a little gasp, hands flying to her mouth. Ian smiled at her reaction and the pair stepped to the center of the room. While Isa positively bounced with excitement, Ian remained calm, arms crossed as he waited for the next set of names.
“Irena and Tegan, please step forward.”
Kirheen let out a relieved sigh and dropped Garild’s hand, feeling a wave of embarrassment that she’d felt the need to hold it at all. Irena marched to the center of the room, Tegan slogging along behind her. From the look of it, the two had already been squabbling. Ir
ena wouldn’t even acknowledge her bond mate, her arms crossed over her chest, crystalline eyes glowing with annoyance. Tegan looked frail and timid, casting uncomfortable glances at those staring at them.
The teams received their cards, and both opted to sit for the battle. Irena eyed her opponents with obvious distaste, and Ian returned her expression, wrinkling his nose as if he smelled something bad. Irena’s jaw dropped and her glare intensified.
Nyson called for the battle to start and Kirheen let her mind drift, feeling the rippling tension between the two teams. She latched on to that palpable energy, focusing until the battlefield came into view. It was difficult to tell if there was a manipulator present. The view was reminiscent of earlier days when all she saw was a wall. As their powers had advanced, so too had their conjurations. It was strange to see it stripped down to something so basic.
A wall appeared, formidable and gray, stone worn smooth. Green patches of moss grew along its surface, creating a burst of color that contrasted starkly with the bland surroundings. Tegan and Irena appeared in front of the wall. Tegan looked frightened, shoulders hunched as he swayed his head from side to side, watching for anything that might jump out at them. After the last battle they’d witnessed, Kirheen couldn’t blame him.
Irena didn’t appear phased in the slightest. She approached the wall confidently, hand rising to press flat against the stones. She closed her eyes and lowered her head, power rippling around her fingertips. After a moment, she stepped back and pointed to the left. “We need to head that way,” she said. She stepped past Tegan, bumping him with her shoulder as she moved past. It seemed she planned on winning the battle with, or without, his help. He trailed after her, head bowed in defeat.
As they moved down the wall, Irena continually checked for traps. The view changed very little, the wall the same the whole way across. When Irena came to a halt, Kirheen had to squint to see what she was seeing. They’d come across a change in the wall, a section that was thinner than the rest, so subtle it was almost unnoticeable.
“Tegan, if you think you can handle it, break through right here.”
Tegan nodded and stepped up to the wall. He shook his thin arms, wriggling out his nerves so he could focus on the task at hand. He placed both palms against the wall and closed his eyes, applying as much force as he could muster. Irena was intently focused on the same spot, hands held aloft. As the wall crumbled, the air where it had been shimmered and an illusion of it reappeared, courtesy of Irena. Made to mimic their defenses, it would allow them to enter without being noticed, as if the damaged section of their mind had never collapsed.
They stepped through and found themselves in a land of rolling hills and trees. In the distance, a card floated far above them, guarded by Ian. Isa was nowhere to be seen. Irena glanced around, her expression neutral. Tegan peered around Irena, staring up the hill at their opponent.
Ian smirked and waved at them from the top of the hill. “Are you going to come take this card or do I need to bring it to you?”
Irena grimaced in disgust. With a flourish of her arms, she gathered her power and slammed it into the ground. Vines burst from the grass around Ian’s feet, wrapping tightly around his legs and snared him in place. A surprised laugh burst out of Ian as he stared down at his feet.
“Tegan, now!”
Tegan ran around Irena and up the hill, building energy as he made the climb. When he was close enough, he flung his power forward with all the strength he could manage, intent on knocking Ian out of the match. He smiled as the air rippled, energy barreling towards his opponent, but his smile quickly faded as he watched it bounce away from Ian as if it had struck an invisible wall. It raced back towards Tegan, knocking him off his feet as it slammed into him. It continued down the hill, losing strength as it went, but it was still enough to knock Irena back a few steps.
“Tegan! What was that, you fool?” Irena hissed, straightening her robes.
“It wasn’t my fault,” Tegan groaned, pushing himself back to his feet. “You didn’t see that coming either.”
Though still tangled in the vines, Ian laughed. “You really should have been expecting that,” he chided.
Irena looked furious. “Need I do everything myself?” She trudged up the hill towards Ian, hands clenched at her sides. Just as she passed Tegan, she collided with an invisible wall. It caught her so off guard that she stumbled backwards, losing her footing and rolling back down the hill. Ian’s laughter followed her, and when she regained her footing, her eyes were glittering with malice.
“I’ll make you pay for that,” she shouted up at Ian.
“I’m right here,” he called down to her.
Growling in frustration, she released a blast of power at the invisible wall. As it collided, a loud scraping sound echoed across the landscape, like rocks sliding down a hillside. She looked over her shoulder, anger morphing into fear as she watched a shimmering wall sliding up the hill towards them. Ian raised his hands and pushed the other wall, driving Tegan back towards Irena.
Trapped between the two walls, they frantically searched for a way out. The illusion she’d created to get inside their defenses had already been repaired. Even if they managed to break through the first barrier and make it back to the wall, Kirheen doubted she had the strength to destroy it again. And if they went the other way, it meant facing Ian. Their options were limited.
“Break the wall behind us, Tegan,” Irena demanded, pointing angrily at the approaching barrier.
Tegan looked at his feet. “It’s over, Irena. We’ve lost this one. It’s too late.”
“Quit being a sniveling brat and break the damned wall. Do it, now!”
Tegan raised his head, his eyes narrowed. “And do what after that? Ian isn’t helpless and Isa hasn’t even shown herself, and we can’t force her out. We’re done.”
Irena leapt towards him, hand digging into the fabric of his robes. She yanked him close, her face inches from his, eyes an inferno. “This is not over. Break…the…wall.”
Tegan shook his head, face drooping. He looked at the approaching walls with a forlorn expression. “We forfeit,” he yelled. Irena pulled back her fist, intent on hitting him, but he broke focus before the blow could land, leaving her behind as the walls pressed closer. She hissed, glaring at Isa as she came into view, hands raised as she pushed the wall ever closer.
“This isn’t over,” she warned, and broke focus before the walls could crush her. The room was quiet enough to hear a pin drop as the match ended. Irena was looking straight ahead, lips quivering, nails digging into her palms. Tegan was shrinking into himself, shoulders rolling forward as he sought to hide from her fury. She rose without a word and strode towards the exit, shaking with anger.
Tegan chased after her, an apology on his lips. He grabbed at the fabric of her robes, trying to slow her, but she spun around, her palm connecting with his face with a sharp snap that made Kirheen wince. Tegan staggered back, holding a hand to his cheek, looking at his bond mate in shock.
“You’re a fool,” she spat. She turned back to the exit and fled the room, her instructor, Harkin, already following her out the door, grumbling to himself as he chased after his student. Tegan still had a hand pressed to his cheek, his dark eyes welling with tears. “I’m sorry,” he said to the space where Irena had stood.
Isa moved across the room and wrapped her arm around Tegan. She whispered to him reassuringly and pulled him to the sidelines. She stayed by his side while Ian accepted their victory, her body shielding Tegan from prying eyes.
The Union Master was bent over, whispering something to Herzin. She gave a curt nod and marched across the hall, presumably to deal with Irena. Such a display was apt to get her punished. Kirheen felt terrible for Tegan. He really wasn’t cut out for the pressure of the battles. He was too timid, too soft to use his powers against someone else with the force that was necessary. She’d never understand why they’d chosen to bond him with Irena. Doing so had created a breeding groun
d for conflict, and it affected all aspects of their lives. It was terrible to watch that rift between them, the coldness that Irena wielded like a blade.
“The winner of this battle is Isa and Ian. Congratulations to you both,” Nyson said, his voice devoid of cheer. “Please take a moment to prepare for the next battle. I hope I don’t have to remind any of you the importance of your bond. The strength of your connection, the trust you have in each other, is paramount to winning these battles. If you turn against each other, you are bound to fail. You cannot get through this alone. Let that be a lesson to you.”
Nyson excused himself and strode towards the front door, patting Ian on the shoulder as he passed. The conversation in the room bubbled to life at his departure, everyone discussing the battles they’d seen so far, though most stayed quiet about what had happened to Tegan. He was upset enough.
Tomias and Fenir weaved their way through the crowd towards Kirheen and Garild, looking less than enthusiastic. “Well, this is off to a rough start,” Tomias sighed, rubbing at the stubble on his chin. He glanced to Kirheen. “I suppose this isn’t helping your nerves at all.”
“Not exactly,” she admitted, frowning as she caught sight of Burk and Abby. They stood on the far side of the room, lounging against the wall. Burk met her gaze and gave her a brief wave. With so few groups left, they were almost guaranteed to be up next. “If I thought I was nervous before…”
“Don’t worry, Kir. I’ve been watching these battles closely. You have far better teamwork than what we’ve seen so far. I don’t think Abby and Burk will give you much trouble,” he said reassuringly.
“You sound so sure of our skills,” Kirheen muttered.
Tomias grinned. “Oh, I’m not. I can at least pretend though.”
The Allseer Trilogy Page 14