Crossing Forbidden Lines (Guardian Series Book 2)

by J. W. Baccaro

  “I have tasted darkness before and I must say it is nothing to savor, bitter and stale. Never shall I turn back to it.”

  A quick look of disappointment swept Levieth’s face. “As you wish. But you know why I have come.”

  “I won’t give you the crystal.” Olchemy raised his staff and summoned waves of fire then shot them at Levieth.

  Levieth held out his hand, caught the flames and formed the heat into a ball of concentrated energy, increasing its destructive nature and cast it back at Olchemy.

  Instantly, a dome of green light surrounded Olchemy and when the ball hit…the energy disappeared. Keeping this dome active, the High Wizard felt its great power.

  “You’ve learned Earth Magic I see.” Levieth nodded. “Impressive, I can tell your skills have most definitely improved, but you and I both know that you are no match for me—wait—what?” Levieth realized Olchemy wasn’t even listening to him any longer.

  He already began chanting the Spell of Self-Sacrifice, speaking the words like the most spiritual of monks, chanting glories and praises to their God. The crystal sparkled with static energy and a noise like thunder roared from the depths of the volcano, it had become active.

  “You fool, stop!” Levieth shouted then shot his own fire spell at him, a much greater fire, but again having no effect in opposition to Olchemy’s strange dome. Then, he attacked with blue lightning, chaotic whirlwinds causing jagged rocks and clusters of boulders to levitate and smash against him. Violently, did he cast streams of energy drawn out from the earth, unleashing it through his gaze. But like before, all were ineffective. The rocks unable to pierce the energetic shield, burst into pieces, the wind scattered while the lightning and energies seemed to get absorbed into the dome. It shone brighter, grew larger and became stronger.

  The volcano trembled, growing hotter by the minute. Smoke rose, sulfur filled the air and sprays of lava shot far and wide. Then the Fire Crystal began to glow and elevate with beautiful mystic flames; the spell almost complete. Olchemy could feel his powers fading, soon he would be mortal, most likely killed by Levieth. His death would be worth it—not in vain.

  “Curse him!” Levieth raged. “I am a master of all four elements—all magics. He is not. How could his mere earth shield withstand my attacks? Every time I strike it appears to grow stronger—wait, could it be? Yes, that must be the answer!” Levieth raised his staff and spoke a dark and eerie phrase in the demonic tongue.

  Above, the sources of his elements manifested: fire, water, air and earth formed together into an enormous sphere of energy. The sphere shined magnificently of red, blue, sun-yellow and green, then a dark cloud overshadowed it shaping the powers into a black serpent with fiery eyes. The demon lunged at Olchemy’s shield sinking in its ghostly ‘fangs’ and disappeared.

  Inexplicably, the dome flashed the same colors of Levieth’s elements, then turned a sickly black and exploded. Olchemy was cast to the ground, the Fire Crystal again normal. Slowly, the volcano began to settle. “No, im—impossible!” Olchemy struggled to get up.

  “Nothing is impossible with the powers of the Dark,” Levieth answered with an all too serious look on his face. “You see, I know what that was, Olchemy. A Spirit Shield of Earth Magic, one of the purest and most challenging abilities to achieve. It deflects all spells of sorcery and yet absorbs all attacks of wizardry. Every attack a Wizard attempts causes the shield to become stronger and stronger making it an ‘impossible’ barrier to break. Even I have never achieved this technique. I commend you…it was wise thinking, though in vain.”

  “But how—how could you have destroyed it?” Live or die, Olchemy felt he must know the answer.

  “Being a master of all four magics and given the power of the Dark One, your Spirit Shield was easily vanquished. The snake you saw was the power of my master and God, Abaddon. When I fused his sorcery with my own magic, then injected it by shadow venom, your shield attempted to absorb my elements. But because it is a shield of purity it could not take in the darkness intertwined and therefore self-destructed, sending the energy back to the woodlands you stole it from. You have failed.”

  “Tell me how you knew I was here.”

  “Ah yes, the shadow-winged scouts of the Demon Lord soar far, ever watching.”

  ‘Shadow-winged scouts,’ Olchemy thought. Does he mean…Nightwings? He knew what these were, shadow demons from the vilest depths of Hell, unleashed in the early second age but vanquished by the Wizard Guardians. Had Abaddon found a way to bring them back?

  Reading his thoughts, Levieth commented, “Dear Olchemy, you have no idea how powerful the Dark has become since your departure. I told you, I serve the dominant force, not the weak, as you. All is over. All is done. Do you still refuse to unite with me, even now?”

  “Your are the one who is mistaken. There is a warrior upon earth, one we have been waiting for a long time and when he completes his training of body and spirit, both you and your false god Abaddon will not begin to even fathom his power!”

  “And tell me, who is this majestic warrior?”

  Grinning, he answered, “You will find out soon enough.”

  “You’re bluffing, any desperate attempt to save your life. Am I right? Yes, I know that I am. Now hand over the crystal and I might quicken your death.”

  With one final attempt to stop the High Wizard, Olchemy drew all his energy into a raging fire—so fierce even the volcano trembled and the Fire Crystal sparkled. He held the fiery wall in the air then cast it at Levieth. The flames covered him completely. Gasping for a breath Olchemy fell to his knees looking at the smoke where Levieth had been standing.

  When it cleared, Levieth still stood except having a shield of his own around him, glistening deep sea blue.

  Olchemy raised his head to the sky. “I have no power left,” he whispered. “Mirabel, Darshun, I have failed. I—am sorry.”

  “Farewell.” Levieth plunged his staff onto the walkway splitting the rock in half causing Olchemy, along with the altar to fall down toward the lava—at the same time, levitating the Fire Crystal and drawing it into his hands. “My master will be pleased.” He caressed the crystal like a prized possession.

  The Wyvern returned and Levieth abandoned Mt. Flame.

  CHAPTER SIX

  A Shattered Heart

  The battle at Zithel became horrific, the men already exhausted from fighting the Cullach and Barbarians—and now the Draconians were driving them back and casualties lay everywhere. It would not be long before every one of them would be wiped out.

  “King Loreus!” Mirabel shouted, trying to make his voice heard over the shrieking sounds of steel meeting steel. “Lead the men out of here. Retreat to Loreladia.”

  “I will not abandon Zithel!” Loreus snapped, viciously stabbing a Draconian through its gut and rapidly retrieving the sword.

  Making way through a few more enemies, Mirabel finally got to his side. “Listen and understand. By all logic we cannot win this battle. It is suicide to try. But if we retreat we will have another day to fight, another day for victory. Please?”

  The King glanced around at all the dying soldiers, those clustered deep within the battle, striving their hardest to stay alive, truly knowing that death awaited them from just around the corner. Loreus didn’t want to leave. He would rather die with his fellow men and Zithelians. But Mirabel was right. There would be another time. “…So be it. I shall leave. What about you?”

  “I have enough reserves in my Transformation to hold them off until you can get far enough away. Now go!” Mirabel ran toward the heart of the Draconian army.

  Loreus watched him for a moment, inflicting three more kills upon the enemy before diving into the heavy fighting. “Loreladians, Zithelians, retreat!” King Loreus shouted and all soldiers still able to make a run then fled toward the woods.

  Next, came a rider upon a dire-sized black stallion with a thick burgundy mane. The rider's presence sent chills down Loreus' back, especially when looking his w
ay with those squinting shadowed eyes. Dressed in blood-red chain mail covering his upper body he carried a pair of spiked metal gauntlets. His black leather breeches and deep purple greaves with a matching loincloth around the waist made him look supremely evil. His reddish-black hair swayed as he held a ridiculously long sword, shining with power.

  “Tanarokai,” Loreus whispered. He’d never seen him before, but knew all too well it must be he—the Dark King of Asgoth.

  Tanarokai obviously had no intentions of letting Loreus escape. Holding his sword in the air the Dark King summoned a strange red lightning that struck the blade, filling it with power. He swung in the direction of Loreus, shooting out fiery red energy.

  The energy struck the land just behind Loreus and exploded, casting the King of Loreladia to the ground. Bits and pieces of rock were stuck in his armor, the armor saving his life. Hurt now, he struggled to his feet. Then an object overshadowed him. Scarcely turning around, he lay eyes on the Dark King, sitting upon his stallion with a grin.

  Tanarokai held up the sword for a final blow when suddenly talons of an eagle tore open his left cheek, ripping off a great deal of flesh. Caught off guard, Tanarokai fell from the stallion, plunging onto the rocky ground, screaming in rage, for no beast ever caused him to bleed. Placing a hand over the wound he rose, desperately looking around for the menacing bird to send it to the grave, for obviously it fought on the side of the Light. Then he saw it, a silver eagle and it landed on someone’s shoulders.

  “Thank you Brother Asiel,” Seth stated. “Now go.” Asiel flew away while glancing at Tanarokai.

  “Blasted bird,” Tanarokai mumbled. He held out his weapon, calling down another dose of red lightning, the energy swarming the sword, and put the burning blade against his cheek, cauterizing the wound.

  “King Loreus leave now!” Seth commanded. “We cannot afford to lose you.”

  Again, frustrated with being told to retreat, he nevertheless listened and began to run.

  ~~***~~

  “No,” Tanarokai spoke, his tone cold as death. “He will die on this day just as you.”

  “I perhaps, but he will live.”

  “Foolish man and his bird. Yes, I am going to incinerate you.”

  Seth smirked. “This may not be as easy as you think.” Spreading out his arms, concentrating on his inner energy, Seth transformed. Normally, the sudden brightness of green would have blinded one standing so close…not so in this case.

  Tanarokai seemed to withstand all light. He never blinked. Some say with his shadowed eyes were immune to it, others tell about how he could not see at all. Nonetheless, there he stood, unafraid and ready for a duel. “One of the Nasharins I see. I was looking forward to meeting you on the battlefield. Now you will face the Soul Crusher.” He drew out his sword, Soul Crusher, the blade as long as Seth.

  It is doubtful I can win this, Seth thought. My energy is cut in half. But if Loreus can escape, then my sacrifice shall not be in vain.

  They both unleashed a frenzy of attacks matching blow for blow. The fighting grew fierce and fast—the clashes hard. Seth soon realized he wasn’t a match for the Dark King, perhaps not even at full strength. He read his power and it seemed to be magnifying.

  Another blow rushed for Seth's head. Too exhausted to raise his own weapon—the shooting pain flowing through his shoulders excruciating—he ducked and with a quick swoop of the leg tripped Tanarokai.

  Immediately, the Dark King leapt back onto his feet, rushing at Seth yet again, this time hurling a dozen jabs.

  Seth tried his best to block what he could side-stepping a few as well, then Tanarokai surprise kicked him in the chest. He flung back like a piece of wood while spitting out blood, but managed to stay on his feet—and then came Tanarokai once more, the Soul Crush raised over his head, a total height of twelve feet. The attack was unleashed, a powerful swing making its way down to split Seth in two beginning at the cranium and out through the groin. Overly tired, but unwilling to give in, Seth threw up his sword meeting Tanarokai's and the heavy clash shattered Seth’s blade to pieces, along with his right shoulder. Exhausted, he fell to his knees.

  “Is this all you can offer?” Tanarokai mocked, picking Seth up by the throat then tossing him to the ground. “I have merely been playing with you. Easily, could I have ended your pathetic existence ten times over by now.”

  “I knew from the start I could not win this battle.” Seth grinned. “However, your foolish delay has served my purpose.”

  Returning the grin Tanarokai answered, “Ah, you mean the time given for your friend to escape.”

  Fear began to fill Seth's heart.

  “Do you think I am so foolish? I knew what you were doing. There is nothing more pleasing to me than to rip one's hope from his heart. You believed he would escape, right? Well then, watch carefully now, I will show you why my sword is called the ‘Soul Crusher.’ ” Tanarokai raised his weapon into the air. It majestically shone with blazing red energy and streaks of lightning surrounded it. He sharply turned toward the fleeing men—a group he witnessed King Loreus retreating with earlier—still running through the woods, very few of them now could be seen. Tanarokai plunged the sword onto the ground causing a sound like thunder. The ground split open racing toward the men, the red energy traveling with it.

  “Noooo!” Seth screamed in despair, foreknowing what was about to take place.

  The men turned to the opening ground seeing the red light—dozens of trees sinking into the crack—and before they could flee the path of judgment an explosion erupted blowing their bodies and every piece of woodland in a three hundred foot radius to nothingness. All that remained was a large smoking crater.

  The Dark King slowly turned his head back to Seth. “They thought they were going to escape, and then”—his grin reaching as high as his cheeks would curve—“Boom.”

  “You heartless monster!” Seth roared, hands shaking excessively.

  “Aww, fear not Nasharin.” His deep voice rang out, “You’re about to join them.”

  Abruptly, there came an unexpected blow pounding Tanarokai on his back, cracking his armor in two and knocking him to the ground.

  It’d been a war hammer and the hand that wielded it—King Loreus! “I may be a clumsy buffoon but when it comes to sneaking up behind a colossal giant, I perform quite well huh?” He reached down to help Seth, grabbing a hand. “On your feet, my brother in arms.”

  Glaring, Seth growled, “You were supposed to leave.”

  “If I did I would have become like the others, disintegrated. Now come on, let's get out of here.”

  Struggling to run Seth lost balance, slipped from Loreus' hold and tumbled, his face smacking the dirt. “You go. I’m too weak.”

  “No, we are both leaving this battle alive, Seth Caelen. Do you hear me?”

  “It is too late. Leave while you can. The Dark King is getting up.”

  Loreus looked to find that he was telling the truth. Tanarokai arose to his feet and looked to be in an uncontrolled rage. “Darn, if only I had struck his head.”

  “Fools!” Tanarokai roared, his eyes spawning light for the first time, a fiery red. “I have had enough of these games. Both of you are going to burn in a storm of flames!” He twirled the Soul Crusher in the air and a great whirlwind of fire quickly formed, overshadowing much of the landscape.

  The spell attracted all members of the battle, even Mirabel who fought on the other side of the field.

  Tanarokai fixed his eyes on Loreus. “You are the last King of Light who shall die by my hand. The Dark has already prevailed.”

  Loreus looked unsure of what to do. There seemed little time to run and even if he tried the spell would probably reach him, like it did the others. He looked over at Seth. “All in all, I figure I will stand my ground and die with you my Nasharin friend.”

  “Loreus get out of here!” Seth shouted his expression full of disbelief.

  “There is no use anymore; should have listened earlier. I�
��m sorry.”

  “Blinded Fool!” Seth’s voice became furious, his eyes shining like a madman. “If you die, the Light will lose the war and all shall be lost. Mirabel and I both know you’re the one, this is your final warning.”

  “Eh?” He stared back at him while looking afraid and confused. “What do I have to do with winning the war? The one?” But suddenly, what he did seem to understand—Seth desperately tried to save his life, like a mother bear protecting her cubs.

  “Please, go.”

  “…Yes, Master Seth,” he said humbly then ran.

  “No one escapes today!” The Dark King then cast his inferno of death. It rushed through the air like a burning tornado, heading right for Loreus. At that moment, Seth called forth a sacred power from deep within his spirit—his life force. His green aura shone brighter than it ever had. And without a moment's hesitation, he intercepted the spell with not only his body, but also his surrounding aura. Drawing it to him and withholding the storm, screaming in horrendous pain. It felt as if every inch of his body was being slowly stretched or pulled apart as the wind ripped round and round—burning his flesh at the same time. After about thirty seconds, the storm ceased. Seth still stood, yet appeared more like a figure of charcoal.

  ~~***~~

  “That attack—should have annihilated him.” Tanarokai looked astonished.

  “Your kind will never prevail, no,” Seth said, smoke rising off his blackened skin. “The Light shall bring you down once and for all.” He fell to his knees, then onto his back.

  “It is a shame you will not live to see your false prophecy. Ponder that as you lay there to die.” Smiling, Tanarokai was well pleased with the torment he’d inflicted on the Nasharin. Like a piece of wood cast into a raging inferno, he’d turned Seth into charcoal, the riving agony he must have been feeling nearly sent the Dark King into a state of pure ecstasy, which only increased when he decided to go after Loreus and the fleeing men, being sure to let none of them escape. Calling forth his horse, and instructing a dozen Draconians to accompany, he stormed off into the forest, restlessly gripping the Soul Crusher, eager to satisfy the blade's thirst on the blood of Humans.