by Ben Hale
Light exploded from the Forge, erasing the Dark and the Twisted ascending to the platform. It passed out of the mountain and streaked outward, expanding with the speed of thought, erasing the Dark with its passage. Billions of Twisted disappeared as the Dark recoiled and sought to flee. There was nowhere to go, and the Forge's power spread across the continent in an enormous ripple.
Its brightness surpassed daylight, yet the magic did not burn. It flowed over the landscape in a tidal wave of pure light, devouring the Dark that had blotted out the sun. The wave reached to the atmosphere, and touched every inch of the Earth.
The light flowed into buildings and cars, eradicating the Dark and moving on. In its wake the moonlight touched the ground for the first time in weeks, and stars twinkled over the empty expanse.
It reached the ocean and kept going. Asia, Europe, and Africa were left free of the Dark, and still the wave of light advanced. In less than a minute it reached the shores of North America and closed on the final shred of the once mighty Dark . . .
Chapter 48: Daybreak
Wolf fired his last round. Then he used the stock to bash the Twisted climbing up to him. A primate reached up and yanked the gun from his fingers, forcing him to draw his knife. Linda fought beside him, grasping her stomach as she held the gravity shield together. The primates climbed up the Arc, tearing great scratches in it with their claws, drawing closer by the second.
Twisted had finally gotten past Knisenik. In a frenzy, the black reaver surged through the horde but was barely visible beneath them. Second by second he was slowing down, and when he came to a stop even he would be slain.
Wolf wanted to be angry, but there was no anger left in him. Instead it was regret that welled inside his chest, regret at losing his men, regret for his family, but most of all regret for Linda. His face etched in sadness, he cast his eyes up at the sliver of light coming from the sky and wished he had more time . . .
The wind picked up, howling and rising into a hurricane of sound—and the light burst across them, washing over them in a blinding flash. The Dark was consumed, erased in the span of a second.
Wolf 's vision returned to see the hills and valleys below. Stretching away from the broken mountain, the forest stood green and lush. Above it all, the midday sun shone, bright and inviting. Dead or alive, the Twisted had been taken with the light, leaving the shattered defenses devoid of foes.
Wolf's heart swelled with emotion, and his hand instinctively sought Linda's. In silence, they watched the wave continue west.
***
The Swordsman dug his blade into a Twisted and then whipped it free to kill another. With expert skill he killed any who tried to breach the gap in the Stacks. Then suddenly the Twisted were no longer attacking.
Nearly knocking him down in their haste, the creatures raced through the alleys. The Swordsman raised his crossbow, but the Twisted made no attempt to harm anyone. The entire Dark army charged forward, intent on escaping.
"Look!" Indigo shouted.
Following her arm, the Swordsman lifted his gaze to the wall of Dark in the northeast. Light rose above the top as if the sun was rising—but the sun was already in the sky. Then the light exploded through the wall of Dark.
Consumed by the blinding light, the Dark was swallowed and erased in seconds. He shielded his gaze as the light reached them. Warmth filled him as the light passed over, and when his sight returned every single Twisted was gone. Indigo lowered her hand and looked at him, her expression bright with hope.
"The oracle," she said simply.
He nodded, his throat too tight to speak. Good girl.
***
Iris felt it coming through the threads and turned to the east. In the midst of fleeing Twisted, she raised her arms to the side and basked in the cleansing passage of the wave of light. It washed over her, purifying Oakridge and continuing on through the mountains. At its touch the Dark was eradicated and the stain of the Twisted erased.
As the wave passed over the mountains, Iris was left with the survivors of Auroraq. Kate stood up beside her, and tears flowed from her eyes. Her gun fell to her feet, and she sank to her knees.
"She did it, Jack," Kate said, her voice thick with emotion.
Quad took Iris's hand and pulled her to him. "I'm not going to ask," he said with a grin, "because you already gave me permission." Then he kissed her soundly.
Heat rushed to her lips and tingled across her body, and she wrapped her arms around him. For one long blissful moment, she folded against him and released her magic. Then the threads began to call for her, and she irritably pulled away. Still holding Quad's hand, she scolded her army for interrupting her.
Her smile spreading on her face, she tipped her head back and closed her eyes, basking in the full light of day. Lazing to the auren satellite threads, she watched with intense satisfaction as the wave closed on the last shred of Dark off the coast of South America.
In a constricting band, the wave of light tightened on the Dark. Heaving in a monumental quake, the face of the Dark pressed toward the sky at the epicenter, attempting to break free of its impending death. Jaws opened in a hideous shriek, its features contorted in agony. Black turned to gray as the Dark attempted to flee into the upper atmosphere. Hands stretched forth, clawing at the clouds in vain.
Heedless of the Dark's attempt, the wave of light tightened its grip, snuffing out the Dark and crashing upon itself from all sides. The supreme power of the Forge came in contact with itself and exploded upward, fusing into a column of light. The shaft pierced the Dark face, eradicating it from existence before continuing into space. In its wake the rays of the sun cascaded onto a free Earth.
For the first time in Iris's life, the threads were stunned to silence. Every man, woman, and child stared at the sky. Then the truth of their victory settled on them. Women in the Stacks fell to their knees, holding their children to them as they cried. Soldiers at broken barricades dropped guns from exhausted fingers and sank to the earth. Mages allowed their magic to fade, their hands numb from the passage of energy. As one people, the races of the Earth stood victorious.
The Dark was gone.
***
Tess stood with Derek on the summit of Mt. Everest, her heart full of joy, regret, and relief. From their vantage point they watched the doors to the Forge of light close, and the crystal at its center go dark forever. Invisible behind miles of rock, the Forge of Light had died with the Dark.
Tess remained rooted in place as they were returned to the summit, the euphoria of their victory fading into loss. Her father's face flashed across her mind, followed closely by Hawk's, and then Siarra's. In quick succession she saw all those that had died in this war. She knew it represented a small fraction of the dead. Tears dripped to her cheeks as she recalled those that had perished.
She closed her eyes against the tumultuous emotions, but let them flow. After all the loss, all the death and destruction, the Dark War had been won. The people of Earth had defied Alice, and refused to live without freedom.
"It's over," Derek breathed.
She drew in a breath of the frigid air, relishing the chill. "I can hardly believe it."
The silence stretched between them until he issued a grunt. "You know, this is going to be tough to beat."
"Beat what?" She turned at his tone.
"We just destroyed a worldwide threat, from the summit of the highest peak on the planet, with forty-thousand-year-old magic." He flashed his lopsided grin. "How can I top that on our next date?"
She couldn't stop it, she laughed. The statement was so absurd—and yet in a very convoluted way, true. Carried aloft by the wind, the sound of her laughter eased the ache in her chest, and left her feeling better for the first time in months. Pulling him to her, she leaned up and kissed him, soundly. When they parted, she returned his smile.
"I'm sure you'll figure something out."
He released a snort of disbelief as she flew them to Alice. Tess slowed when they approached h
er, but realized it was shock on her face, not anger. Alice's jaw worked, but no words came out. Tess got the impression the sight of her greatest power being eradicated had snapped something within her.
"What now?" Derek asked as Tess lifted them off the ice encrusted rock.
"I guess we rebuild," Tess said with a shrug. "If we can."
"We will," Derek said, his voice confident. "The animal mages can repopulate the wilds, and the plant mages can regrow the forests. United with the aurens, I have no doubt we can rebuild."
"You think we can stay united?" Tess asked.
"Of course," he said.
"How can you be so sure?"
His gaze met hers. "Because we have you."
His answer reminded her that the war had ended, but her role as oracle had not. The world would need her now more than ever. It would take centuries to heal from the Dark War, and what she did now would be the foundation of what was to come.
Her thoughts turned to Hawk and how he had taught her. Even as young as she was, Hawk had allowed her to act for herself and trained her to stand tall. Now empowered with the magic of will, Tess knew that Hawk had understood even more than she had thought. For the first time in her life she did not doubt herself. She was just grateful she didn't have to do it alone. Her gaze settled on Derek, and she reached out to clasp his hand.
And Gated them home.
Epilogue: Remembering
One Year Later
Tess subconsciously rubbed her eyes, too intent on the book in front of her to realize the hour. Engrossed in the history of Lumineia, she did not hear Derek enter the room. His quiet cough finally drew her gaze.
"Please don't tell me we're late," she said.
"We're late."
She issued a grunt and shut the tome. Then she exited Siarra's private study and walked with him. They used the Gate to exit through the newly built fire school, and the Ironguard opened the door for them. She touched the door as she passed, and the face smiled.
"Good luck, Master Tess," it said in it's gravelly tone.
"Thank you," she replied. Much to her joy, the entity that had protected the students of fire had been one of the few things to survive the city's fall.
"Find anything new?" Derek asked as they exited into the afternoon light.
Tess released a sigh and shook her head. "Just obscure references. I still haven't found who built the Forge."
"Why do you need to know?" He asked. "You have many demands on your time. Why sacrifice so much time delving through old books?"
She released a sigh. "You're right. I should have been focusing on today."
"If you had, you would notice that your clothes are rumpled."
His disapproving tone did not match the smile on his face, causing her to grin in turn. She motioned to her white clothing and removed the dirt that had stained her dress.
"Better?"
He pulled her to him and kissed her. "Better."
She laughed and then lifted him into the air. After months of flying with her, he'd grown comfortable with the sensation, and his smile widened. As they ascended into the morning light, Tess felt a cascade of different emotions strike her.
"I know it's been a year," Tess said, "but I still feel like we lost."
"Six and a half billion people died in a few weeks," Derek said. "We did lose."
"Do you think it will ever get so bad again?"
"The Coalition is stronger than ever," Derek said, "and I don't think it's going anywhere. For the first time in history the people of Earth live under a single elected government."
"I know," Tess said, "but how long will it last? How long until one corrupt person with power ends the peace?"
"The power resides with the people, now," Derek replied. "The Jacob Law has made it possible for the people to vote for the laws they will adhere to. Unless the majority of the population turns against freedom, I think the Coalition will last until long after we're dead. You just have to look at the city to see that." He motioned beneath them.
Tess couldn't refute his words. Rebuilt by the surviving mages, Auroraq had been expanded for its new purpose, home of the Coalition. Aurens and mages would govern from it with an unprecedented lack of power. As administrators of the people's will, their service was a privilege, and a pledge.
Each of the four branches from Sentre had been repaired—including Northpoint. Tess's heart warmed as she saw the great petal-shaped expanse extending outward. Hawk had died there, and it reminded Tess of him.
A great circle wrapped around the circumference now, connecting the four points on the exterior and representing the world's unity with the mages. At the center of the city, the newly constructed Spirus was not alone. Six smaller towers surrounded it, making room for the many offices the Coalition needed.
Gardens wound their way between the seven towers of the Coalition, and water rose in great fountains. Turning into aquaglass near the top, they supported the arched bridges that connected the seven towers.
"We should go," Derek said. "You don't want to be late to your own party."
Tess reluctantly turned away from the view and met his smiling gaze. "I just wish my dad could have seen this."
"He always saw what men could be," Derek replied. "And what you could do."
She smiled at the truth of his words and flew them to the Spirus. Rising to the top, she alighted at the edge of the crowd that had formed around the monument. Her throat tightened at the sight.
Crafted of black crystal and anti-magic, the Dark War monument showed a glittering Earth at the center of a whirlwind. Jaws of night were on the verge of swallowing the planet, but a single figure stood against the endless night. Shaped to represent the whole of mankind, the figure raised a hand to the jaws, defiant even in the face of defeat.
"I believe it's time we begin," Gerik called as he caught sight of Tess.
She smiled and walked to join him. As she turned to face the crowd, she fought the wave of emotion. For every face she recognized there was one missing. As if they too sensed the absence of those lost, the people subconsciously left small gaps where the fallen would have stood.
Her mother, ever supportive and strong, stood beside Iris. Resplendent in a bright purple dress, Iris appeared both radiant and intimidating. Quad held her arm, undeterred that much of her attention was elsewhere. There were twin holes next to them, spaces Jack and Trina would have occupied.
Nearby, Shorn had his remaining arm around Rox's waist. They stood with Rivena as she struggled to keep her boys in place. There too, was a space. Slightly larger than the others, it would have allowed Breaker to stand with his wife and daughter.
Wolf leaned against the wall at the back, smiling at Linda's last comment. Beside him stood the only two surviving members of his team, and Urilian. All three bore shallow cuts that Tess recognized as the result of close proximity to a black reaver. Much to Wolf’s surprise, Knisenik had stayed with Wolf and Linda since the war and only left to search for a mate.
The queen of the dark elves stood beside the SEALs, and her gaze connected with Tess. She smiled, and it was one of true friendship. She had lost many of her people by coming to the surface, but Tess had kept her word. The queen now had a seat on the Coalition and the dark elves had joined the surface races. After they had saved so many, few had spoken against them.
Jacob, former president of the United States, spoke to the queen in an undertone. Also on the Coalition, he'd spearheaded much of the legislation to form the new government. His arm hung around his wife, but her features were tight with emotion. There was a gap next to her for their son, who had not survived the final hours of the war.
Nearby stood Janson, new Prime for the battlemage corps. His posture relaxed, he spoke with Leah, Ritsu, and Ivan. Lance, Uri, and other surviving battlemages had joined them, and together they remembered the ones they had lost.
On the opposite side of the tower, the Swordsman and Indigo leaned out over the drop. After much effort, Tess had convinc
ed them to help enforce law, and they had taken to the role with their customary skill—as long as they were allowed to serve together. Next to them, the space would have been filled by Robert.
The faces continued, each remembering those who had given their lives for the freedom they now enjoyed. Tess felt a chill cross her skin, wishing it could have been different. Then she glanced to the side, and saw two more gaps next to her. Hawk and Siarra had been from another time, yet they had been family to her. Her emotions welling within her, she turned when Gerik began to speak.
"I welcome you, those here and those watching through the memory threads across the world. Today we mark our victory of the Dark War, a conflict which will never be forgotten. Each of us retains the scars in our hearts and bodies, and it will take much more than one year for them to heal.
"But as much as we have left behind, we have also forged ahead. Our race has defied our own carnal and fearful natures. We united instead of kneeling. Forevermore we take the fate of our future into our own hands. As we spread across the globe, I urge us to guard the sanctity of what we paid for in blood . . . our freedom."
"I now present to you the individual elected to lead the Coalition, Tess Oliver."
Tess smiled and stepped forward. Taking his place, she turned to the group. "At one time our world was known as Lumineia, the land of light. Over time this light was leeched from mankind by the corrupt. We were victorious against the Dark, and so we will fight the darkness within us."
She offered a faint smile. "One year ago I stood in front of the Dark. It was not magic or strategy that saved me, it was my will. I see this same power reflected in each of you, and it is my fervent hope that we will never forget the power we posses. This city represents our will to stand as one."
She nodded to Iris, and Iris activated the new shield of Auroraq office. The city quivered—and then began to lift off the ground. Stray dirt and soil drifted off as the twenty-mile section of stone glided upward.