The Witch; Stronghold; Underworld

by Ky Tyrand

  Ki’ara didn’t understand in the slightest. She hadn’t seen any people defending Sirona’s cottage. Only the jungle. “You killed them?”

  “In a sense,” the Witch shrugged. “They were of no use to me as they were.”

  Despite trying to maintain her composure, Ki’ara’s jaw dropped. How could this woman be so callous about killing? “And of what use are people of the Old Blood to you?”

  The clicking of Sirona’s boots echoed with every step as she continued her saunter around the girls. She seemed completely at ease, despite the firearms directed at her. The woman came to a stop in front of Ki’ara. Her back was turned to CST-1, as if she didn’t regard them as any threat whatsoever.

  A single word finally escaped Sirona’s lips: “Amnesty.”

  35

  Ki’ara pulled her chin back. “Amnesty?”

  “From the New Gods.”

  “How…?”

  Sirona grinned. Looking down her nose at the girl, she said, “You don't know about the Amnesty?”

  Ki’ara shook her head.

  The Witch laughed. “I’m surprised you, of all people, don’t know.” She explained, “The New Gods have always offered favor to those willing to turn over anyone of the Old Blood. But now they have offered Amnesty to the Descendants themselves.”

  “To turn over their fellow Descendants?”

  “In exchange for two.”

  Ki’ara’s jaw nearly hit the floor.

  She could hear Boomer trying to whisper to Darius – “Uh, so I’m ready to blast the creepy lady.”

  Darius waved him off. Perhaps he was as curious as Ki’ara.

  “You would turn over your own people?” asked the Princess.

  If Descendants actually went through with it, the New Gods could sit back and watch the Old Bloodline slowly diminish.

  Sirona laughed again. “To be free of the New Gods? Of course I would.” She suddenly turned serious, “They’re coming, Little One. And when they do, they will wipe out any that are against them.”

  Too stunned to form a response, Ki’ara just stared at the woman.

  “Why do you think you are here right now, Princess?”

  “I already told you,” said the girl, the confidence in her voice diminishing. “I came here seeking your help.”

  “Are you so certain that you’re not here because someone was granted Amnesty at your expense, forcing you to flee your home?”

  Ki’ara felt the sting of Sirona’s words. “Tho’ran,” she whispered. Her shoulders sagged at the thought of her uncle’s betrayal. “You think he gave up my father and I in exchange for his own safety…”

  “I do.”

  “But Tho’ran hasn’t caught me…”

  “Which is why you are the most wanted person in Avalon,” said the Witch. “He has not fulfilled his end of the bargain. If he doesn’t have another to offer, who knows what they will do to him.”

  Ki’ara had no idea how to feel about Tho’ran. She had known and trusted him all her life. In her mother’s absence, he had helped raise her; been like a second father. He had even taught Ki’ara how to fight. She had always thought that he loved his family. It was still so difficult to accept the idea that he could possibly betray his own brother and niece this way.

  “But, who cares? …right, Princess?” said Sirona, almost jokingly. “After what he did to you?”

  The girl glared up at her. “Perhaps you should be Tho’ran’s second offering.”

  “Tut, tut.” Sirona wagged a finger. “I will have Amnesty long before he, or anyone else, ever gets to me.”

  “Are you so sure that the New Gods will honor their agreement with you over that of the one handing you over?”

  “I’m willing to risk it,” said the Witch. “My offer to heal your friend is still on the table, Princess. But you will need some help to bring him back. I hear he’s a big man. Will four more Descendants be enough to carry him?”

  This was getting more and more outrageous. “Why do you want so many? I thought two is all you need to buy your stupid Amnesty.”

  “They are for me,” was her only reply.

  Ki’ara shook her head at the audacity of this woman. “You would trust me to walk out of here, knowing that I could return with an army?”

  Sirona smiled. “Do you think an army could stop me here?” When the Princess didn’t answer, the woman went on, “Besides, I’ll have your little friends to keep me company. The New Gods won’t mind if I pluck a few parts before I hand them over. Perhaps a few fingers and toes. Maybe some teeth?”

  Surprised by the woman’s confidence, Ki’ara could no longer keep from pointing out the obvious. “You mean the soldiers with all the guns pointed at your back?”

  Sirona let out a deep, audible sigh, before shaking her head and murmuring, “You’re adorable, Little One.”

  Once again, the Witch’s hair began to float.

  Ki’ara’s blades lit up, blinding in the dim cavern. She saw movement from CST-1 – thought they were going to open fire. It was something else.

  Their guns were crumbling to dust in their hands.

  Ki’ara lunged at the Witch, her Niksuru pulsing with heat.

  Sirona’s hands came up, pushing the air between herself and Ki’ara.

  The girl felt a concussive force slam into her, shaking her to her bones as it tossed her through the air.

  36

  It happened almost too fast to register. Nothing was around her except open air, until Ki’ara felt a rock wall come out of nowhere, slamming into her from behind. Her head went numb, and the cavern began to spin. It took her a moment to register that she was thirty feet in the air, but not dropping.

  A hard impact, but thanks to the protection of her armor, the only pain Ki’ara felt was in her head. She wished she’d closed her helmet.

  When her vision cleared, Ki’ara could see Je’nna, still lying on the floor.

  Nearby, CST-1 was trying to engage Sirona. Their rifles had disintegrated, including Boomer’s grenade launcher. But they already had their pistols out, sending a volley of blasts that seemed to have no effect on the Witch.

  Kai’ji threw a bright orb of spiraling flame, but the blast exploded before reaching its intended target, spreading around some kind of protective bubble that encircled her. Ki’ara could feel the heat from all the way across the cavern. Whatever spell had destroyed CST-1’s rifles hadn’t harmed Kai’ji’s scepter, so he continued to hurl bursts of colorful light and fire that did little to slow the powerful woman.

  Smaller explosive devices tossed by Boomer were no more effective, bouncing off the magical shield before they blew. One nearly landed back at CST-1’s feet. Another sent Je’nna spinning across the floor.

  CST-1’s helmets were closed again, and Ki’ara did the same, wishing she’d done it sooner. She could hear their voices through the communicator – Darius, mostly, shouting orders to the others.

  The girl knew she had to help them, but could barely move. She tried to fight free, expecting to find vines coiled around her, binding her in place. But there were none. Whatever held her to the wall was invisible, but powerful; the pressure on her chest, crushing. Were it not for the armor, she’d be unable to breathe.

  There had to be a way to break free.

  From her vantage above the fray, Ki’ara could see vines throughout the cavern beginning to wiggle and take action.

  “Behind you!” she shouted into her helmet.

  As if they could sense exactly how to react, CST-1 dove and rolled, evading a dozen thrashing whips that snapped down on them all at once. Blades came out – short swords and daggers – as the unit began hacking and slashing at the snaky vines that struck from every angle.

  All the while, Sirona laughed. This pathetic attack was nothing but a joke to her.

  The Witch turned her attention to Je’nna, who lay motionless at her feet.

  Sirona tapped Je’nna’s helmet with a finger. The girl’s headpiece and armor both retract
ed into the harness, revealing her pink hair and Mu’turi bodysuit. Ki’ara could see that Je’nna was still out of it. Her head sagged to the side as if the helmet had been propping it up. She hadn’t willingly opened her armor, Sirona’s magic had.

  The Witch reached down and touched the girl’s chin.

  What is she doing?

  “Hey!” Ki’ara shouted, trying to fight the invisible force that held her. “Leave her alone!”

  Sirona looked up at Ki’ara and smiled as she reached her fingers and thumb around Je’nna’s jaw.

  Ki’ara fought for her breath. There was no room for air with her heart pounding into her lungs.

  A powerful ally will die.

  She had to throw her Niksuru, but couldn’t move her arm. If only she could get the device moving…

  With her hand firmly under Je’nna’s chin, Sirona pulled the girl up. She must have been using some kind of magic, as she lifted the girl like she weighed nothing at all. Je’nna’s arms draped down, and her legs sagged lifelessly under her. But Sirona had no trouble with the dead weight. Her hand kept lifting, as Je’nna’s legs straightened. And then her feet lifted off the floor – all by a one-handed grip around the girl’s jaw.

  “Put her down!” shouted Ki’ara.

  Sirona was taunting the Princess, watching her the entire time. She pulled Je’nna’s face to her own, as Ki’ara shouted for her to stop.

  It looked as if she was going to kiss Je’nna on the mouth. But Sirona stopped before their lips could touch. Instead of a kiss, the Witch inhaled.

  Ki’ara felt the pressure holding her weaken, if only for an instant. She didn’t hesitate, twisting one of her Niksuru to fan it open. A flick of her wrist was the only momentum she could muster, but it was enough to get her weapon spinning.

  Her connection to it could do the rest.

  Sirona winked at Ki’ara as she continued to draw air from the girl in her hand, not at all concerned about the glowing disk streaking toward her.

  Though pinned to the wall above, Ki’ara could steer the Niksuru using the link she had with it, directing it to the side so that she could hit the Witch and not her own friend.

  She could see glowing wisps of light leaving Je’nna’s mouth, and entering Sirona’s, as the woman appeared to be sucking the life right out of the girl.

  Ki’ara sped up the particles of Blue Energy, hoping to cut right through whatever force field protected the tall Witch.

  She concentrated everything she had on hitting her target.

  Nothing would stop her Niksuru…

  But, at the last instant, Sirona put up her hand.

  Ki’ara didn’t even find out if the weapon could penetrate the shield, for when Sirona waved her fingers – with about as much enthusiasm as brushing away a gnat – the Niksuru went off course.

  The girl lost control of the weapon, and it was heading straight for CST-1.

  While continuing to draw life from her young victim, Sirona grinned as she watched Ki’ara’s expression turn to panic.

  37

  Ki’ara nearly choked.

  She slowed the Blue Energy particles an instant before the Niksuru struck Darius in the chest, throwing him back against the hollow pillar of Tanglewood vines.

  “What the Hell!” Ashley’s voice shouted through the communicator.

  “You okay, Boss?” asked Boomer.

  “Yeah,” said Darius, with a cough.

  Ki’ara let out a breath. She’d nearly killed him. She wanted to apologize, but instead she whispered, “Je’nna needs help.”

  She could see Darius push off the column, slashing vines with two long knives as he tried to reach Je’nna.

  Sirona waved again, and Ki’ara felt her second Niksuru being torn away from her wrist – sent flying across the cavern.

  She felt helpless, unable to do anything but watch. Sirona was going to kill Je’nna, and there wasn’t a thing Ki’ara could do to stop it.

  The Princess looked down, searching for a way to break free. Je’nna’s gun – it was still strapped to her thigh. Her friend’s firearms were different than other blasters. Perhaps they could shoot through Sirona’s defenses?

  The problem was – she could barely move her hands. Ki’ara was sure that with her connection, she would be able to pull it to her hand. But from there, she would have no way to aim. She was as likely to hit Je’nna as Sirona. Or even a member of CST-1, with her luck. There would be only one chance at this. If Ki’ara blew it, she could get someone killed.

  Darius will know what to do.

  “I have one of Je’nna’s blasters,” she whispered. No sooner had she said it than Ki’ara felt something brush against her thigh. Her heart jumped, thinking a vine was coming at her. Or Sirona was going to knock the pistol away from her. It took her a moment to realize Darius was forming a link to Je’nna’s gun. And he was doing it while slashing his way through the attacking vines, edging ever closer to the Witch.

  “Nice work, Princess,” whispered Darius. “Boomer, give me some smoke. Right in front.”

  A small canister was already lobbed into the air before Boomer answered, “You got it, Boss.”

  Thick white smoke spewed out both ends of the device as it flew over Darius and landed at Sirona’s feet.

  It caught the Witch’s attention. The connection of wispy light broke as she turned from Je’nna, who still hung lifelessly by the chin. “Well, look at that determination!” said Sirona, as Darius forced his way forward.

  His blades were lightning fast and razor sharp, cutting vines whenever they came near. One step at a time, he fought his way through the snaky tentacles, ever closer to Je’nna and the Witch that held her.

  A thick cloud of smoke billowed up from Boomer’s canister, quickly rising to a height that obscured Sirona’s line of sight.

  Ki’ara felt a gentle pull on Je’nna’s blaster.

  The girl released her Mu’turi holster, and the weapon ripped from her thigh. She watched it speed toward Darius, and then disappear into the white haze.

  With a wave of Sirona’s hand, the cloud of smoke dissipated.

  Her smug grin went with it.

  Darius was no longer there.

  The Witch spun, spotting the boy crouched to the side. An instant too late.

  Darius fired twice.

  The shots hit Sirona in the chest, knocking her back, as both Je’nna and Ki’ara dropped. The pink-haired girl crumpled to the floor, while the Princess plummeted, activating her Grav-Regulator an instant before she would have hit the rocky floor. She landed softly and leapt forward, drawing her Niksuru back to her. They were back in her hands before she landed at Je’nna’s side.

  Sirona lay motionless on the floor.

  Ki’ara crouched beside Je’nna, fearing what she’d find. “She’s still breathing.”

  After forming a holster for Je’nna’s gun, Darius slid his arms under the lying girl, scooping her up like she weighed nothing at all. “We need to get out of here,” he said.

  Ki’ara looked back at Sirona – her one hope for helping Sir Grue’gan – before dropping her head and expelling her breath. Even if the Witch was still alive, there was no way that she would have helped her. “Okay,” she said, turning to face the tangle of whipping vines. They were still attacking mercilessly, and the other members of CST-1 were in the thick of it. “I’ll cut a path.”

  Behind her, Ki’ara heard Je’nna’s voice…

  “What the Hell? Why am I covered in pink snot?”

  Ki’ara glanced back, half expecting Je’nna to be on her feet, ready for action as she always was. But she was still in Darius’s arms, letting him carry her to safety.

  There was movement behind him.

  Ki’ara did a double-take; threw one of her Niksuru.

  Darius was startled when he saw the glowing disk coming at him, curling himself protectively over Je’nna as he dropped to the ground.

  Sirona’s floating hair appeared from behind him, her eyes white and dangerous
. She swatted the Niksuru aside like it was a play thing, and pounced viciously on the CST-1 leader.

  The helmet and armor that protected Darius suddenly retracted, just like Je’nna’s had.

  Of all the lessons Sir Grue’gan had taught her, not throwing her second weapon until the first was back in her hand was the one that stuck with Ki’ara the most. But she saw no other way. Despite the fact that they had so little effect on the Witch, Ki’ara didn’t have anything else.

  She flipped the weapon open, but before she could throw it, tentacles caught hold of her arm and torso, coiling around her and yanking her back.

  All the Princess could do was watch as Sirona sank her teeth into the boy’s neck.

  38

  So savage and animal-like, they were all caught completely off guard.

  Je’nna’s eyes went wide, and she screamed, fumbling for a pistol as she fought herself from under Darius. Having been unconscious, she had no idea how powerful this woman was. Or any idea what was going on, for that matter. All she registered was that a crazy lady with white eyes and floating hair had her teeth buried in her friend’s flesh, and was not letting go.

  Sirona stood, picking Darius up with her, while sending Je’nna rolling out from under him.

  The boy hung limply from the Witch’s maw. His eyes were wide. He twitched, but otherwise did not move.

  A pistol appeared in Je’nna’s hand, but it was swatted away before she could get a shot off. The girl took to her knee as her rifle rolled over her shoulder in a fluid motion that had it aimed at Sirona an instant too late, for it too was stripped from her grasp and sent spinning across the cavern.

  Je’nna sprang to her feet, lunging at Sirona with a pair of knives that flashed in her palms. She didn’t make it a single step before being lifted up off the stone floor. The blades were torn from her fingers, while hands and feet were pulled apart, leaving her hovering spread-eagled and weaponless. Je’nna was strong, and Ki’ara could tell she was fighting Sirona’s power with every muscle she had. But she couldn’t budge. There was nothing she could do but shout obscenities and watch as the Witch drained the life from her friend.