by T J Kelly
"What happened to the Council chambers?" I asked. We had busted them out of there to avoid whatever all that red meant on the map.
"Nothing. Right after we left, the Taines and supporting clans showed up. Once they realized we weren't there, they ditched their plans. Now they know our intelligence is good enough to predict their actions, and that we have the mayor in custody as a presumed source, it will force their hand."
"Good." I knew what that meant. All our preparation, all the waiting, everything was finally over. Before I could say another word, the crystal on my bracelet went crazy.
Sera's warning device.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Global Leap
"How did you know?" Peter asked as we dove for cover behind a jungle gym. The ancient Roman buildings were under attack. Flares of light lit the sky, this side of the world already night.
"Sera's crystal necklace is an early warning device." We crawled in the sand until we reached the fencing at the outer perimeter where it was made of rocks instead of chain link. "I told her teacher about it. The only reason I'm not panicking right now is the message that came through was from Gracia, not Sera." We had already evacuated the children. The concentration of activity had lit up the school and hospital in Madagascar with almost as much red as the other battlegrounds on our charts. Once Sera was out of danger, I left her necklace with Gracia, just in case. It was faster than a messenger.
Sharp pieces of stone rained down as we hurtled ourselves against the wall. My cheek was wet and stinging, bleeding from a fresh cut. Whichever clan was attacking a hospital and school for children had just spotted us. I slipped the night vision earrings out of my vest and put them on so I could see in the dark.
"How many?" Peter murmured as he drew lines in the sand, creating a shield around us.
"Too many to count." I groaned, shaking my head, trying to clear it. This was only the start of a long day for us. I needed to do better. "Okay, large group by the main building. They are faced in, attacking whoever is inside. Maybe a dozen backing them and they are the ones throwing the spells. Secondary group near the hospital but there's no movement. They'll probably join the main battle." Who attacked the sick and injured? How disgusting. So glad we evacuated them days ago.
"Engage the secondary unit," Peter suggested. He finished his marks for protection and was sketching a quick plan beside it. "They're smaller. Then we can help with the main building." He swiped his hand across the sand, erasing the battle plan. He would never leave it behind to be discovered. Not that anyone with tactical training wouldn't do the same. It was really the only thing to do. Good habits kept agents alive.
"Let's go," I said. I tossed a Flash-bang above our heads, then used the Air element to hurtle it right into the center of the men and women trying to break into the hospital. A blinding burst shattered the night, knocking most of them to the ground. Using Earth, I pulled up the stone steps and caged as many of them as I could.
We ran to the hospital, Peter throwing mechanicals as we moved closer to keep the enemy occupied until we found cover. "Only a few dozen left," he called.
I grabbed his hand and with a push, combining our power to keep from draining ourselves, we transported them into the dungeons at Castle Laurus. A work crew had cleared out the billiards room and movie theater and reverted them back into their original state, linking the space to the functional dungeons already there.
Armageddon's household guards were on duty and would separate them, locking them away with the help of David Novato, who neutralized their magic until they were sorted. He hated being stationed in the basement instead of out in the field, but we all had our part to play. The arrival of enemies would be too much without his help. He agreed when we promised that he would be allowed to join us when the fighting was most intense.
We turned as one towards the main building. The men facing out had already made their way closer to our position. It was impossible to miss the activity in our area. What got to me was that for all they knew, children were still on site.
Who did that?
Furious, I grabbed a chunk of lead I had stuffed into my vest and used it to amplify my magic, hurtling a blast of pure power, knocking them out. "I hate bullies."
"No kidding," Peter laughed, throwing himself on the ground to avoid the backlash. Then we threw mechanicals into the groups of magicians, trying to render them unconscious and thin the crowd enough to give the magicians inside an advantage.
Explosions of light, spells and curses, mechanical magic. Furious fighting, enemies trying to take out the only people who could help us when the war was over, who could heal the damage. It was sick. Even dark magicians allowed healers to treat the defeated. Or used to. Now they were in it to smash down light magicians for good.
A shout from inside, then men and women poured out of the building. The alchemists had been storing their magic for a long time. The timing came to pass and they let loose. I turned my face away - the golden light of their magic would burn our eyesight if we stared. Same as looking into the sun.
The dark magicians that made it through the attack transported away, leaving the unconscious bodies of their allies behind.
"Ugh, they didn't even try to save their friends," I said, my lip curled. Not that I minded too much. I mean, the more bodies we transferred into the dungeons, the less we had to face in the end. But still.
Poltens Sanator spotted us and trotted down the steps. "Thank you two for the reinforcement. It distracted them long enough to allow us the best position for our counterattack."
"No problem," I said. "It wasn't that hard considering you guys did a bulk of the work. Do you need anything?"
"We have provisions in place to repair the damage. This location is compromised, but we'll return when the fighting is done." He explained where the field hospitals would be so we could transfer out the injured. "We will staff it with our best," he assured us.
"I'm sure it will. Thank you." I studied his face, not so different from when I had been injured in the trials, but so much more familiar now. "For everything."
Maybe it was the knowledge the final battle was upon us that did it, but I wanted to tell him what all his helped meant to me. His healing, reaching out when Sera came to live with us, hosting her in his own home, the impact he had in our lives. But the words caught in my throat.
Poltens gave me a nod, patting my shoulder. He recognized the look on my face. He had many conversations with magicians leaving for combat. Then he turned away to help a group of junior healers who were treating the magicians with broken bones.
"Come on," Peter said. He linked his arm in mine, pouring on the Light. "We have places to go and people to see."
"Yeah," I murmured. It was probably for the best that I didn't say my final goodbyes. Sometimes it was good to share how we felt.
Other times, it was better not to speak the end into being.
◆◆◆
We followed the plan, skip tracing and getting into small skirmishes here and there, making our way around the world from night back into day. We took a short break and meditated in a park in the middle of nowhere, recharging before making the leap into the thickest concentration of colors on our map.
It was a cotillion. Peter and I had followed the patterns of the revolution but definitely did not expect that. I was way under dressed.
"Back here," Kazumi said. I shouldn't have been surprised - his family staffed all the best events, but considering they worked for the Irregulars, it was a given he would be where there was the highest concentration of subversive activity.
We followed him into the catering area. "Need any help?"
"We're good on our end. But your friends may be another case." I peeked around the corner of the hall and followed his pointing finger until my gaze fell upon the Andersson brothers. Handsome in their suits, almost identical in their looks except for the telltale clan traits causing Harris to be so fair, and Seth dark. They were surrounded by socialites. One yo
ung woman seemed familiar. I narrowed my eyes, studying her until the name popped into mind. Francine Taine, Clarissa's sister. Gross.
"I'm sure they can handle it," Peter snorted. There was a high concentration of dark magicians in the crowd, but they were all playing nice, pretending things were normal. Oh. The heads of the Council were there. Something clicked, and I realized the event was all about distracting them from the battle about to take place. Let them eat cake while the rest of the world burned.
We turned back to Kazumi and walked further down the hall, out of the way of the wait staff. They still had their jobs to do. "I talked to my dad. He's called up the clan. We'll be there as soon as you need us. I'll come, too, but my second will stay to lead the efforts here." The caterers would protect the light members of the Council. They were a better choice than agents since my uncle was under a warrant for walking out on the Council.
"Sounds like you've got everything in hand," Peter replied. He glanced over my shoulder, a look of recognition and welcome in his eyes. I turned.
"Your friends sent me to find you," Jonathon Robus said. His clan, as always, was backing mine in this battle. "Your aunt sent a message. It's time. They'll slip out soon and meet at the arranged location." A formal event with the Council would look strange if none of the major light clans showed up. Jonathon was there under obligation the same as Harris and Seth, who attended as representatives of their clan.
Nobody expected me to be there. Not with my uncle and the Irregulars being on the outs with everyone in government. And they ignored Peter as always. Considering my aunt's brilliance at working the media, it finally dawned on me that his standing in society was intentional. Another layer of protection for the son of a dark magic clan.
"Thanks, Jonathon. I can't tell you how much your support means to me."
"Anytime. I've got to get back, but I'll leave soon myself. The event is winding down, anyway. The Council will find with some shock that they won't be able to depart. I'd love to see the looks on their faces, but alas, duty calls."
"See you soon," I called as he disappeared down the hall.
"I'm glad it's time," Peter said. "All this transporting is making me sick to my stomach, too."
"Don't even get me started," I replied with a small laugh. We walked to the edges of the crowd. We didn't want to be seen by the wrong people and get inconveniently detained. Finally, a small group of Taines recognized us. And none too soon. It was almost four in the afternoon by then and we wanted time to fight before sunset.
Peter skipped us out of there, knowing they would follow. When we landed, I noticed there was one less Taine than before. Good. That meant they were reporting back to get reinforcements. An action that moved events along. I wanted more than anything to start the battle. Finally.
We waited just long enough for them to put a trace on us, then transported to another location, this time nearer the edge of the City rather than the center.
"One last transfer," Peter breathed with a sigh of relief. With a burst of effort, we were at Rector House. We wanted them to follow us there, but to my surprise, Oberon was already waiting. He was standing in the yard with his brothers, older sons, and half his clan. Peter and I landed near the astrolabe. Adrian and Joseph were there, facing the growing crowd.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, giving him the opening he wanted.
"Foolish girl," Oberon ground out. Every fiber of his being oozed with a thick, cloying dark magic aura that throbbed with hatred when he stood near me. Well, I hated him, too, so whatever. "You really thought he was on your side?" he turned and pointed at Adrian.
"We're ready," Adrian said, looking straight at Oberon. "I've done everything you asked."
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
One
"Thanks, Adrian," I said, also staring straight at my worst enemy.
Ah, there it was. The frozen smile, the eye glance to my left where my faux relative stood. Oberon's smug, triumphant grin disappearing as his magic reached out to check over the man he had damaged irrevocably. I allowed him the time to work it out. He needed to know. Oberon Taine, head of the vilest clan on earth, messed up. I could sense the Dark. Had an affinity for it. When Armageddon and I recreated a stable network of memories in Adrian's brain, I had found and burned out every trace of what Oberon had done.
Including the compulsion to do his bidding.
"No problem." Adrian shifted backward, heading towards the manor, ready and willing to implement the rest of our plans.
"What's the matter, Oberon?" I asked. "Total world domination not going as planned?" I laughed, mocking him further in front of his allies. Weakening his position as their leader. As we spoke, I continued to strengthen the shield I cast the second we saw them. I wanted to confront him, but I wasn't in the best position to do so. Yet.
He didn't say a word. They just attacked. A dozen or more men rushed us, slamming up against the invisible barrier. They threw spells against it as we retreated, falling back closer to the manor. I knelt, pressing my hand onto the asphalt of the drive, connecting to Earth and creating a wall. All around me, flashes of light lit the afternoon, brighter than the sun. Allies transferring in.
The Irregulars had arrived.
Armageddon smashed his hand into the ground, creating more walls and barriers. Physical stockades to obscure their view as well as their magic.
"You two all right?" he asked as he straightened.
"We're great," I answered. He gave a look of approval before I ran off to the side of the manor, erecting more barriers. Reg helped, one of the strongest Earth users we had. As we made a stronghold for ourselves, more enemies transported in. But so did our allies. My heart tightened in my chest. They were here. A united front to stave off the destruction of the magical world as we knew it.
Poltens arrived with a group of healers and alchemists. He and Metallum Bellator, the metal warrior, lined their troops along the southern wall of the manor where they unloaded thin sheets of metal, like the ones I helped them save and stored in Rector warehouses. With quick, efficient movements, they wrapped fighting staffs, readying them for combat. The magic in the spells would even the odds against them when facing magicians.
Then Kazumi arrived, many of the faces of those who followed him familiar, seen as servers at the most elite parties. But they had been trained to fight as any magician had, his father Isao ensuring they were at the pinnacle of their skills. Meanwhile, Oberon's allies continued to transport in. We couldn't hold them off with a null spell - we needed a way to bring in our allies, too.
"Trash," Oberon bellowed to the dark clans continuing to amass behind him. "You bring the dregs of society to stand against such as I?"
"Oh, man, he's such a piece of crap," I groaned, absolutely disgusted. "Now he's too good for us? I can't wait to beat him alongside the dregs."
Peter snorted. His face reflected his disgust. Before he could respond, Chas and Clarissa transported in next to me, across from Oberon.
"And now, more garbage to stand against me," he said, sneering at Chas. "I should have tied you to me the way I do the servants. Any act against me, leaving my household, would have finished you off."
"Like you did to Clarissa?" Chas shouted. "You failed with her, old man. Just like you will fail with me. I may be bound, but I don't have to do what you want anymore. Even if I can't attack you, I'll gladly stand against you. Always." Chas had lost his home and family stopping Oberon's attack against the helpless when he was only fourteen. The blood oath spell prohibited him from direct action against the Taine clan, but he could protect himself and those around him as they fought. That was better than nothing.
The sun glinted off the golden rings of the astrolabe, shining light onto Oberon's face. He growled, stepping to the side so he could see. "My only mistake was in allowing either of you to live."
Wow. Who said stuff like that to their own family? Disgusted, I continued to bolster our defenses as they confronted each other.
"Go ahe
ad. Try to stop us," Clarissa said. I had never heard her raise her voice like that. She had always been so cool, so controlled. "You're nothing but a rooster, puffing up your feathers and trying to scare everyone around you. You crow and crow and crow as if anyone cares but we don't. You're nothing - except annoying. You've already lost."
"That was awesome," I whispered to Peter. Despite how serious and dangerous our situation was, how tense and exciting and dreadful the pending battle would be - I still had time to feel admiration and respect. "I'm so glad she's on our side."
As we faced off with Oberon, more reinforcements arrived, running around the back of the manor, surrounding it. We would take shelter inside if needed, but we also knew we had to protect it. My father's plans, the sacrifice my parents made to create the astrolabe, to protect me, made it imperative to keep my home intact.
Harris and Seth, along with Kamini and Tian, transported in mundane humans to bolster the junior agents stationed back there. David Novato had an affinity with them, and his mundane allies insisted on backing him even though he had to remain at the castle. They were brave, standing against magicians who had so much of an advantage over them.
The Anderssons then moved around to the northern side of the manor where Jonathon and the Robus clan joined them, several of them peeling off to reinforce the mundanes in back. Peony shifted her position in the front of the house so she was standing near them. Joseph was on the southernmost side, near the alchemists. Each of the main agents would be responsible for a certain group of fighters, like generals. But we were all positioned in the east, at the front of the house to face off against the worst and strongest magicians backing Oberon.