Keys to the Demon Prison

by Brandon Mull

Page 48

  As Bracken rushed forward to confront the oncoming minotaurs, Warren stepped on the gas, driving the SUV in the other direction. Trask shattered the windshield with a pair of quarrels from his crossbow, but the SUV kept gaining speed. The Gray Assassin maneuvered left and right, but Warren kept the vehicle on a line to run him down. At the last instant, the Gray Assassin flipped to one side, narrowly avoiding the SUV. The vehicle then plowed through a group of goblins, running some over and bashing others brutally to the ground. As the SUV neared the vans at the end of the aisle, Warren opened the door and dove out, rolling on the asphalt. The SUV crashed into the vans at a high speed, sending all the vehicles tumbling with a spray of shattered glass.

  Kendra drew back her arrow, aimed, and fired it at the Gray Assassin. She had practiced archery a little, and the arrow was on target, but the Gray Assassin slashed it from the air with an almost casual swing of one sword.

  In the other direction, Bracken dodged and spun to avoid minotaurs, cutting them down with efficient regularity. Robes ablaze, Mirav shuffled forward, a knife glinting in his hand. Bracken thrust his sword through a minotaur, ducked to avoid a mace swung with tremendous force, then yanked his sword free and sliced open his next assailant with a single spinning motion. Though strong and fierce, the minotaurs seemed slow and clumsy as Bracken danced among them, slaying one after another.

  Kendra nocked another arrow, and Civia stepped out in the aisle with her, an arrow set to the string of her bow as well. The Gray Assassin drew nearer with a small group of goblins. Behind them, farther down the aisle, Warren battled three goblins with his sword. Kendra and Civia fired at the Gray Assassin together, but even at short range, he intercepted both of their arrows, one with each sword.

  "Civia!" Janan shouted. Springing higher than any ordinary lapdog could, the tiny canine leapt into the path of a phoenix-feathered arrow coming from the other end of the aisle. The arrow that would have hit Civia in the back impaled the little dog. Crimson flames promptly consumed the shape-shifter, leaving no remains.

  Face contorted with grief, Civia retreated out of the aisle back into the storage locker. Kendra drew back as well, pulling the door to the storage locker shut, then fumbled to get another arrow ready. Behind her, Civia kick-started the smaller motorcycle.

  A pair of goblins heaved the door to the locker up. Kendra released her arrow and hit one of them in the chest, sending him staggering backwards. As the Gray Assassin moved forward, swords ready, a growling grizzly bear slammed into him from the side, sending him somersaulting across the asphalt. When the other goblin turned to confront the threat, the bear transformed into a tiger and pounced on him, teeth tearing at his throat. Niko had finally arrived.

  Another goblin attacked the tiger from behind, slashing him with a scimitar, but before Kendra could fire an arrow to help, the tiger had turned and dispatched the attacker. The wound the scimitar had opened knitted itself closed and disappeared.

  As the Gray Assassin rose from the pavement, Niko changed back into a bear and reared up on his hind legs. The Gray Assassin backed away, moving toward the end of the aisle where Torina awaited with her bow, so Kendra stepped forward into the aisle to help cover Niko.

  On the end of the aisle where the SUV had crumpled the vans, goblins littered the ground, several killed by Warren, a few nearer ones slain by Niko. No goblins remained standing in that direction, but Warren was currently wrestling with Trask.

  The Gray Assassin continued to retreat in the other direction. Behind him, dead and dying minotaurs lay sprawled along the aisle. Near the vans, Mirav held up both hands, creating a shimmer in the air. Bracken chopped at the invisible shield, each stroke sending up a flurry of brilliant sparks and causing the badly burned wizard to flinch. Currently, the bulk of the bear prevented Kendra from having a shot at the Gray Assassin.

  Wheeling the motorcycle forward, Civia peeked out into the aisle, checking left and right, then gunned the engine, heading toward Warren and the totaled vehicles. In the other direction, Kendra saw Torina climb atop one of the vans. She drew an arrow back to her cheek.

  "No!" Kendra shouted, aiming briefly and releasing her own arrow, which streaked harmlessly past the distant viviblix, missing by a good five feet.

  Torina let her arrow fly. Niko jumped, trying to intercept it, but could not quite reach it, and the Gray Assassin seized the opportunity to dart forward and start hacking the bear.

  Kendra turned and watched in horror as the arrow curved down toward the fleeing motorcycle. The considerable distance combined with the rapid acceleration of the motorcycle made the shot difficult--nevertheless, the arrow pierced Civia through the center of her back. Crimson flames spread across her shoulders as the motorcycle tipped and she bounced, tumbled, and skidded across the asphalt.

  Roaring, Niko became a tiger and raced toward Civia, blood gushing from his multiple wounds. Civia pushed herself up to her hands and knees, the hungry flames spreading, then fell flat.

  Mirav called for help, and the Gray Assassin answered, running toward Bracken from behind. Kendra screamed to alert Bracken, who turned and engaged the attacker, blades ringing sharply as they clashed.

  Atop the van, a triumphant Torina nocked another arrow, but Raxtus swooped down from the sky and sent her flying with a vicious swipe of his claws. She had drawn the arrow back, but the impact sent it wildly astray. Wings flapping, Raxtus rose to engage the final wyvern.

  Kendra watched in agonized suspense as the Gray Assassin battled Bracken. She could not risk helping with an arrow for fear of hitting the wrong person. Bracken seemed on the defensive, barely able to hold off the two swords with his single blade. Whenever he attempted a counterstroke, the attack was blocked and he had to duck or spring back to avoid a deadly blow.

  Kendra rushed to a cabinet in the storage locker, retrieved a sword, and ran to help. The thought of challenging a warrior like the Gray Assassin terrified her, but if she could provide a distraction, perhaps Bracken could finish him quickly.

  As she returned to the aisle, Bracken held up a hand and produced a blinding burst of light. Lowering his sword, Bracken narrowly dodged two hasty slashes without parrying, and then, blade flashing like lightning, cut down the Gray Assassin with a single stroke. Bracken turned and stalked toward Mirav, who was lying on his back, hands held up to maintain the shimmer of his magical shield.

  "I'll break you if I must," Bracken said.

  Eyes brimming with malice, Mirav spat at him.

  Bracken held up a fist, his whole arm trembling. The shimmer in the air seemed to fold, then shattered. Mirav screamed. Kendra looked away as Bracken used his sword to finish the wizard.

  After facing the other way, less worried about Bracken, Kendra ran to Civia and Niko. The flames had gone out. Niko lay beside her charred body. Beyond them, Warren continued to grapple with Trask.

  Kendra reached the tiger, who had a glassy look in his eyes. His head turned as she crouched beside him. "She's gone," Niko mourned, voice groggy. "I'm going. The final Eternal has fallen. I failed. "

  "You saved me," Kendra said, patting his thick fur.

  "My pleasure," Niko mumbled, the words slurred. "Perhaps it will be enough. When Roon fell, I worried all was lost. I always expected he would be the last. Close enough. I go to him. "

  The tiger went slack, and he and Civia dissolved into fine black dust.

  Bracken ran past Kendra toward Warren and Trask.

  "He's a friend," Warren grunted. "I think a narcoblix has him. "

  Setting down his sword, Bracken promptly helped Warren pin Trask on the ground. While Warren held Trask down, Bracken retrieved his sword. The weapon reverted to the shape of a horn, and Bracken held the tip against Trask, who continued to struggle. "Begone," Bracken commanded. Once again, Kendra knew he was not speaking English.

  There was a harsh flash of light, and Trask no longer resisted. "Warren?" Trask as
ked, sounding befuddled. "Oh, no. Where are we? What have I done?"

  As Warren explained the situation, Bracken hurried over to Kendra.

  "Are you all right?" he asked, extending a hand and helping her to her feet.

  "She's dead," Kendra said numbly.

  "I know," Bracken replied.

  Kendra gritted her teeth, fighting back tears. "We blew it. "

  "It's a terrible blow," Bracken admitted. "What are we going to--"

  Bracken thrust Kendra aside and held up his shield. An arrow thumped against it. Down the aisle, Torina knelt with her bow in hand. She had deep gouges in her side where the dragon had swiped her, and road rash on one arm and leg from her fall off the van. Raxtus landed on a van behind her, the vehicle wobbling beneath his weight. After a hasty glance over her shoulder, Torina tossed her bow aside and ran toward Bracken, hands in the air. "I surrender!"

  "On your knees," Bracken ordered, striding toward her.

  She complied immediately, wide eyes frightened and innocent. Even injured and with her hair disheveled, she looked strikingly attractive. Bracken kept walking toward her.

  "Careful, Bracken," Kendra warned. "She bites! She can drain your life. "

  Reaching her, he turned and looked back. "I've got it covered. She can't possibly--"

  Torina lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Bracken's torso and sinking her teeth into his neck. Bracken went limp in her arms.

  "No!" Kendra shrieked.

  Torina latched on a second time. Her skin shone with an inner glow. The brilliance intensified, making her veins and bones temporarily visible. And then she burst apart in a stunning surge of white flame.

  Tears falling, Kendra ran to Bracken, who rose to his feet and caught her in an embrace. She squeezed him as hard as she could, burying her face in his shoulder.

  "Are you all right?" she gushed, confused.

  He pulled back and smiled down at her. "Not many viviblixes get the chance to drain a unicorn. Those who do never get to warn the others. They can sense the immense supply of vitality, and they ardently crave it, but none have ever been able to handle it. "

  "Kind of like filling a water balloon with a fire hose?" Warren remarked, approaching with Trask.

  "That's the idea," Bracken agreed.

  "Did you cure him?" Warren asked, jerking a thumb at Trask.

  Bracken gave a nod. "With my horn back, I can undo most curses, heal most injuries. " Bracken placed a hand on Trask's shoulder. "The narcoblix no longer has any hold on you.

  "You have my gratitude," Trask said. "Sorry for any part I played in your troubles. "

  Warren looked up and down the aisle. "We're leaving a trail of destruction wherever we go. "

  "All in a day's work," Trask mumbled.

  "We came so close," Warren grumbled in frustration. "What do we do now? This was our last chance. " Warren had always been resilient. Kendra had never seen him so defeated. She felt the same way, but was striving to hold herself together.

  "Our last chance to prevent Zzyzx from opening," Bracken clarified. "Unpleasant as our prospects may be, this still isn't over. " He turned to Raxtus. "You get the firedrake?"

  "Got him," the dragon replied. "My scales are tougher than I ever knew. I'd never really tested them. The fire barely tickled. And even though the wizard jinxed my invisibility, I managed to handle the wyverns. "

  "You're a chip off the old block," Kendra said.

  "Hardly," Raxtus huffed. "At least I'm learning to stand my ground and fight. Small as I am, I must have inherited my dad's scales. His armor is almost impenetrable. "

  "What now?" Kendra asked.

  "Your role in this is over, Kendra," Bracken said. "Our paths part here. I'll be going to Zzyzx. I have to make a last stand. "

  "You're not leaving me behind," Kendra argued. "The end of the world is coming. I'd rather help prevent it than be another random victim. "

  Warren folded his arms. "Just because missiles are flying doesn't mean you have to run to ground zero. "

  "You should go to a stronghold like Wyrmroost," Trask said. "There are a few places that might stand even against the demon horde. "

  Bracken took Kendra's hand in his. "I'll be sending Raxtus to Wyrmroost. You can ride with him. We'll need him to recruit whatever help Agad might offer. "

  "No way," Kendra said. "You need me. You need warriors, and I can restore the astrids. I'm not hiding. I'm coming. "

  "Not long ago, the astrids left Wyrmroost," Raxtus said. "I'm not sure where they went. "

  "She has a point about the astrids," Warren said. "She's as likely to find them with us as anywhere. "

  "Perhaps more likely," Bracken murmured, pinching his lower lip.

  "And she's been incredibly helpful during past emergencies," Warren added.

  Trask nodded. "It's true that she's a full-fledged Knight of the Dawn. "

  "Very well," Bracken relented. "If we fail to stem the tide when Zzyzx opens, nobody will be safe anywhere. On top of that, Kendra will surely be an early target. She may as well stay with us. "

  "Good choice," Kendra said, quietly hoping that she would not regret her insistence.

  Bracken turned to Raxtus. "Could you keep an eye out for police? You should now be able to go invisible again. "

  Taking to the sky, Raxtus disappeared from view.

  "Wait," Kendra realized, "does anyone even know how we get to Zzyzx?"

  "I haven't gotten into details with your brother yet," Bracken said. "I hoped his labors might prove unnecessary, at least for a time. But from what I've glimpsed, I believe Seth knows a way to Zzyzx. The hour has arrived to coordinate our efforts. "