Elder

by Raine Thomas

  Eirik watched the launch of his newest, most innovative weapons with interest. Their first test release had resulted in considerable damage. What devastation would the release of five more cause?

  The cacophony of sound when the weapons struck their targets was reassuring. The Waresti scrambled to identify the sources of the blasts and tried to locate where their offensive weaknesses lay. It was enough to make Eirik think they could win without any effort at all.

  Then he realized that not all of the weapons had detonated.

  Frowning, he looked at the Mercesti who deployed the failed missiles. “What did you do wrong?”

  “N-nothing, my lord,” one of the two males replied as his counterpart nodded jerkily beside him. “I did everything just as you instructed.”

  “Then why did your weapons not react the same as the others?”

  “I am not certain, my lord. Perhaps it was not designed the same way?”

  Eirik’s jaw clenched. He kept his focus on the field of battle as he replied, “All of the weapons were created by the same being. They should all react the same way.”

  “I cannot argue, my lord,” the male replied, exchanging a look with his counterpart. “Yet ours did not.”

  “You are suggesting—”

  Cutting himself off, Eirik turned to confront Metis. She was gone.

  Clara Kate didn’t react to Quincy’s news at first. She clutched Ini-herit’s arm and let the shock and grief roll through her.

  She pictured Alexius training her when she was younger, helping her become proficient with her blessed butterfly swords. She pictured him enjoying a holiday feast beside her in her family’s home. She pictured him laughing at one of her terrible jokes. She pictured him standing over Tate’s grave and then helping them search for her. She pictured him offering her whatever support she needed after she learned of her pregnancy.

  She pictured his expression when he told her he loved her.

  A wave of nausea made her gag. She pushed away from Ini-herit, stumbling to her knees.

  “C.K.,” Sophia said, hurrying to her side. “Come on, archigos. Keep it together. We have to get this scroll piece and get out of here. Our friends and family need us.”

  Ini-herit touched her shoulder and sent her some of his healing energy. It helped reduce the bile that threatened her, but it didn’t make her feel any less wretched. This wasn’t a physical ailment. This was crippling emotional pain.

  “Another strike could come at any time,” Quincy said. “We’re leaving them vulnerable out there the longer we’re in here.”

  Nodding, Clara Kate took a deep breath and allowed Sophia to pull her to her feet. There would be time for her to succumb to her emotions. Now wasn’t that time.

  “Hand me your weapons,” she said.

  She drew her butterfly swords. Pulling forth her second power, she imbued the weapons with extra holy light. The etchings along the blades glowed bright white, lighting the chamber. When she was done with her weapons, she imbued the swords carried by the others.

  “Let’s hope that lasts long enough to get us through this place,” she said.

  “Let’s hope we don’t need them,” Sophia added. She rarely used weapons and looked a little odd with one strapped in a scabbard around her slim waist.

  Clara Kate silently agreed with her. When Ini-herit touched her arm, she caught his gaze. The emotion she saw there almost had her losing her composure.

  I’ll be okay, Harry, she thought. You’ll give me strength.

  He nodded. “Okay.” Looking at all of them and lifting the medallion, he said, “Follow me.”

  It didn’t take Metis long to sneak away from Eirik and his followers. Getting safely to one of the guarded structures in the distance was another matter, however.

  Eirik left a stretch of land between them and the rest of the Estilorians. Although Metis knew his shield prevented weapons from harming him, he was still vulnerable to physical contact from other beings. To cross the battlefield, she had to hide among combatting groups of Waresti and Mercesti, using their larger forms for cover. She wore a long cloak and the concealing cloth over her face, so she wasn’t easily identifiable. A few Waresti caught sight of her, but since she bore no weapon and was running in an apparent bid to escape the turmoil, they let her go.

  She took care to avoid the kragen as the creature swooped nearby and struck several Mercesti with its tail. Apparently, Eirik’s dampeners couldn’t prohibit an animal from flying.

  Finally, she reached the side of a statue standing fifteen feet tall. It was one of several in front of an ancient temple. Pressing herself against the stone, she made sure she wasn’t being observed. Then she moved carefully among the shadows so that she could watch the battle.

  Patience had never been one of her strengths, but she waited. Her timing and the circumstances had to be just right for this to succeed.

  When a large group of battling Mercesti and Waresti neared her position, she straightened with interest. She watched events unfold with a careful eye, seeking the precise moment to make her move. Some of the combatants moved into the empty temple, their weapons clashing. She moved into the darkened interior of the once-sacred structure, keeping hidden.

  Then she saw it. A Waresti male took a strike to the arm. His weapon flew from his grasp, landing near her. His Mercesti attacker went in for the kill, but the Waresti dodged the blow, stealing his opponent’s weapon and killing him with it. Then he turned to rejoin the fight outside the temple.

  And Metis ended his life.

  “They are too skilled, my lord.”

  Eirik’s gaze moved sharply to the male who had issued the statement. He wanted to pound him to dust him, but instead replied, “You are wrong, Ivan.”

  “Our numbers are diminishing,” Ivan argued, his eyes darting across the battlefield. Sweat dripped from his hairline. “It is all we can do to prevent the elders from breeching our mental defenses, never mind us having any hope of breaking through their block. That kragen is shielded and targeting our forces. I have watched numerous Mercesti fall. The Waresti are nearing our position, and we have no idea where the artifact is.”

  “On the contrary,” came Friedrich’s voice. “I know exactly where the artifact is.”

  With a surge of satisfaction, Eirik turned to watch the other male approach. “You completed your mission?”

  “Yes, my lord. It didn’t take much searching to find the group you seek.”

  “Which group is that?” Ivan asked, looking between them.

  “The other group searching for the artifact,” Friedrich answered. His gaze settled on Eirik. “I saw two Kynzesti, one Lekwuesti and Zachariah.”

  “Wait—Zachariah?” Ivan repeated. “The Gloresti second commander? But I thought he died.”

  Eirik’s lip curled. “That just tells us how uninformed you are,” he said. “Now stop issuing complaints and get back to your tasks. Trust that your leaders know what they are doing.”

  Ivan bobbed his head and hurried away. Eirik debated whether to shove him into the nearing fray with the Waresti, but couldn’t make up his mind before the male scurried out of sight. Shaking his head, he unsheathed his krises.

  “Where are they?” he asked.

  “In front of the largest statue. The one with the body of a lion.”

  “Excellent.”

  Without another word, Eirik started walking down the sand dune. Friedrich reached out and took his arm.

  “My lord,” he said, “Ivan was not completely incorrect in his interpretation of our situation. It does appear we are sorely outmatched on multiple levels.”

  “Fear not, Friedrich,” Eirik said, removing his arm from the other male’s grasp. “Reinforcements will be here any moment.” As he turned to head to his goal, he added, “In the meantime, make use of the last of our special weapons. They should afford us as much time as we need.”

  Chapter 37

  Ini-herit wasn’t sure how the medallion was meant to help them.
It was unresponsive as they moved through the interior of the statue. They even joined hands to make sure they did the most they could to invoke the medallion’s power. Still, nothing.

  They didn’t talk as they walked down a series of ramps leading far belowground. Speech wasn’t necessary when they could share thoughts. He knew that, like him, they were all terrified for those outside the statue. How many of those deadly weapons did Eirik have? How long could their forces withstand the blasts? How many of them had already fallen?

  They were equally worried about the unknown traps leading to the final scroll piece. He had created the medallion to serve as a guide and form of protection. Protection from what?

  Finally, they reached the bottom of a ramp that led to a long, narrow corridor. He couldn’t see the end of it from where they stood. Something about the darkness beyond made him hesitate.

  “Creepy, isn’t it?” Clara Kate said, squeezing his hand.

  “Times a hundred,” he replied.

  Once again, he held up the medallion and twirled it, willing it to help them. He took a couple of steps closer to the corridor. This time, the metal glowed.

  “That can’t be good,” Sophia said.

  They all stopped walking. Ini-herit looked more closely at the medallion as it dangled in front of him. He realized that only a couple of the markings were illuminated. One was a triangle with a flat top that resembled the entrance to the tunnel in front of them. The other was a wavy line.

  “What does that mean?” Clara Kate asked.

  “I have no idea.”

  They all stared at the entrance to the tunnel. Something told him that they should exercise caution even though everything looked normal.

  Let me try something, Quincy thought, reaching into his satchel of healing supplies. He rummaged around until he came up with a slat of wood used for setting broken bones. Then he tossed it into the tunnel.

  Spikes shot out of the floor, walls and ceiling at a variety of depths and angles. After remaining there for a few seconds, they withdrew, leaving the tunnel looking completely innocuous once again.

  Ini-herit exchanged glances with his family. Clara Kate’s eyes were huge. Quincy frowned. Sophia stepped closer to the tunnel.

  “Fascinating,” she said, looking at the walls. “It’s got to be enchanted. You can’t see where the spikes will come out. I wonder if they erupt from the same locations each time.” Glancing at Quincy, she asked, “Got any more of that wood?”

  Shrugging, he reached into his bag and produced a couple more pieces. When Sophia turned her gaze back to the tunnel, she nodded at him. He threw one of the pieces, producing the spikes. Although the tunnel looked like a jumbled, unpredictable mess of deadly violence to Ini-herit, he saw Sophia’s eyes glow as she studied the layout. He imagined she was enhancing her abilities by channeling an animal’s senses. After the spikes retreated, she nodded again. Quincy threw another piece of wood and the spikes shot back out.

  “Got it,” Sophia said after a moment. “The spikes emerge the instant anything physically crosses the threshold. They don’t change pattern. I can get to the other side.”

  “How?” Clara Kate asked. “You have to shift into an animal about your same size, which would be too big to avoid getting hit. You can’t fly because the corridor is too narrow and the spikes practically touch in the middle.”

  Sophia smiled and patted her cousin on the shoulder. “Have faith, archigos.” Then she looked at Ini-herit. “Do you think there’s a way to disarm this thing on the other side?”

  Ini-herit looked at the medallion. “Probably. I’m guessing you’d have to use this.”

  “Okay. When I shift, put the chain in my mouth.”

  They didn’t have time to argue. One second they were looking at Sophia, and the next she disappeared. Ini-herit glanced down in confusion. He realized a long, blonde-colored snake was emerging from Sophia’s armor.

  “Holy light, Soph!” Clara Kate exclaimed, leaping behind Ini-herit and making a squealing noise. “Totally gross.”

  Despite the intensity of the moment, Ini-herit smiled. “Some badass you are,” he said with a shake of his head. Then he squatted and told Sophia, “Open wide.”

  She did, revealing long fangs that had Clara Kate shuddering. Ini-herit settled the medallion’s chain in the snake’s mouth and thought, Be careful.

  She turned without a sound and approached the tunnel’s entrance. Clara Kate took his hand. He felt the dampness of her palm as he twined his fingers with hers. They stayed back, but Quincy crept closer to Sophia, his face reflecting his fear for her. Ini-herit tensed as Sophia stopped less than an inch from the threshold.

  Rather than put her entire head across it, she extended her flickering tongue despite the medallion in her mouth. The spikes erupted. As soon as they did, she slithered into the tunnel, her body winding fluidly around the deadly protrusions. Her movement kept the spikes from retracting. They were enchanted to remain out until all motion ceased. It didn’t take long until she had gotten all the way to the darkened end of the tunnel.

  Casting another ball of light, Ini-herit threw it as far into the tunnel as he could. Fortunately, it was enough that they could see the far side. He saw the last of Sophia’s tail disappear through the doorway.

  Clara Kate released a breath. “She made it.”

  “Of course she did,” Quincy said, turning to collect Sophia’s clothes and weapon.

  “The coast is clear,” Sophia called out.

  They moved into the tunnel and hurried to the other side. Quincy jogged ahead so he could assist Sophia in getting back into her armor. Although it was a special lightweight design that resembled a black bodysuit, it wasn’t simple to don. Giving them privacy, Ini-herit retrieved the medallion from the niche beside the door. Clara Kate looked at it over his shoulder.

  “A wavy line,” he murmured, thinking of Sophia’s snake form. “I’ll be damned.”

  “How did you know there would be a being capable of transforming into a snake when you created the medallion?” Clara Kate wondered.

  “I’m not sure I did,” he admitted. “I may have only known what kind of maneuvering would be needed to safely pass through the tunnel. The actual how of it might have been up in the air.”

  She considered this in silence. A moment later, Sophia and Quincy joined them. Clara Kate pulled her cousin into a hug.

  “Great work, Soph.”

  “Thanks.” Sophia looked at Ini-herit. “Any idea what’s next?”

  He shook his head. “We won’t know until the medallion tells us.”

  Muted thunder reached their ears. A light rain of dirt fell from the ceiling. Ini-herit knew Eirik’s forces had deployed another weapon. He looked at the others.

  “So let’s hurry up and figure out what challenge we have to overcome to end this.”

  Ariana hadn’t ever been able to generate shields like those she produced for her and her family. It was a skill developed by the most experienced Lekwuesti, and even then, it was rare.

  She thought she knew why she could do it now, though. Before, she didn’t really have a need for the ability. Now she did. The beings standing with her meant more to her than her own life. If her family’s safety depended on her, she would continue generating the shields.

  The Mercesti were nearing. Ariana watched the Waresti gather to meet them. The numbers of Mercesti flooding around the statue seemed impossible. She wished she had any kind of skill with a distance weapon, like a bow.

  “Or a throwing weapon,” Tiege said out loud.

  “What?” Zachariah asked.

  “Ariana was thinking that a bow would be handy to shoot some of the Mercesti before they get here. I added the idea of throwing weapons.”

  Zachariah hefted his tomahawk, giving it a considering glance. They all knew the weapon would only work for one throw before he had to retrieve it. Lowering the axe, he looked from Tate to Tiege.

  “How about icicles?” he said.

  The
twins exchanged glances. Ariana’s eyes widened. Icicles could be thrown. If they were thick and pointed enough and thrown accurately, they could kill or incapacitate a being.

  Tate and Tiege moved close together. They used their elemental abilities, Tate producing water as Tiege froze it. But they couldn’t get the icicles to form consistently.

  “Here,” Ariana said after a moment. Using her power, she produced a rectangular metal object. “You need a mold.”

  Soon, they had a small pile of the icicles. Then they put them to use, taking down as many of their opponents as they could. Ariana stood back and focused on maintaining the shields. It was hard not to flinch when arrows rained down on them, but she managed it. She knew she had to protect all of them.

  She saw Nyx flying from one point to another, taking down Mercesti with wide sweeps of her tail. Despite their efforts, though, they weren’t making headway. More and more Mercesti entered the battle, outnumbering them at least three to one.

  “Eirik brought in reinforcements,” Zachariah said.

  Reinforcements? Ariana fought panic. She struggled to control her fear as the Mercesti fighters grew closer and closer.

  “Maybe you should use your invisibility illusion on us,” Zachariah said to Tiege.

  “Can’t,” Tiege replied as he threw another icicle. “I can’t use my power on Tate.”

  Ariana knew Tate naturally shattered any illusion with which she came into contact, so Tiege couldn’t make her appear invisible.

  “Heads up,” Tate said, reaching out and putting her arms around Zachariah. She caught Ariana’s gaze, her face pale. “Bomb’s away.”

  Glancing up, Ariana saw one of the weapons that had killed Alexius falling in their direction. She knew that even if the explosion didn’t affect any of them because of their shields, many of the Waresti battling nearby would either die or get seriously injured.

  She flung out her power, hurling it like a physical object. The shield she generated collided with the weapon. Instead of striking near them, the explosive ricocheted into a large sand dune piled against a temple.