Queens of Wings & Storms

by Angela Sanders et al.

  “For you, Light?” She smiled. “I can fly.”

  An undercurrent of air drew from him, as if something was gathering strength. The bed shook as light blue feathers began to expand from beneath the woman’s back. Rising into the air, his head moving up as she did, the blue feathers multiplied into a great expanse.

  Wings—

  The Water Witch had wings. Who knew?

  “Beautiful,” both Alazne and Ariad said at the same time, breathless.

  Zenon looked down both sides of the hallway before exiting the room, Joan floating out as the others followed.

  This isn’t going to draw attention. Zenon resisted the urge to voice his sarcastic thoughts.

  Not that there was anyone to draw attention from. No one was walking the dull metal hallways. Where were the miners? The Hunters?

  Zenon’s spine prickled as unease set in. Rescuing the Water Witch was easy, too easy.

  He looked at his wrist chronometer. No matter. He’d have answers soon enough. Whatever was going on, at least Joan was no longer tied to that bed. And soon Jessa and Xia would be free too.

  “I’ll get Xia,” he said to Alazne, already having memorized the Fire Witch’s location. “You take the map and get Jessa.”

  “This is it,” Alazne said, holding the map, stopping by a door at the end of the hallway.

  Whooshing accompanied with a soft breeze flapped beside her. Glancing sideways at the source, she had the sinking feeling Joan was flying because the Water Witch couldn’t walk. The overwhelming desire to beat a Hunter pumped adrenaline through her veins.

  Looking back at the keypad, she just stared at it. Her best friend was on the other side of that door. What kind of horrors had the Healer faced because of her?

  The angelic woman put her hand on one shoulder as her familiar patted the other, as if both knew why she was hesitant to put the code in.

  “Wait,” Zenon came to a skidding halt. “Xia wasn’t in her room.”

  “They know,” Joan whispered.

  “Could be a trap,” Ariad said.

  The facility was strangely quiet and devoid of life. Either Keia was doing a spectacular job distracting everyone, or something else was afoot—

  Exchanging a glance with Zenon, she entered the code, the door sliding to the side slow enough to make her think time stood still.

  “Alazne?” The room was dark, the voice inside confused.

  Every bit of tension wound up inside escaped in a flood of relief. She knew that voice—

  “Jessa!”

  Rushing in under Zenon’s protest, she flailed around in the dark until the lights came on.

  The familiar form of her friend sat on the edge of a bed, unrestrained. A system of monitors and equipment the same as what was in Joan’s room sat beside the bed in silence.

  Alazne sat on the bed, cupping the Healer’s face in her hands.

  “Alazne,” Jessa looked on her with brown watery eyes. “It is you.”

  Embracing, tears stung as a weight was lifted.

  Jessa broke the embrace. “Wait, they said they would untie me if I told them where you were. But I didn’t tell them.” Her eyebrows furrowed. “They came and untied me this morning.” Then her eyes widened, fearful. “Oh no, I must have told them. I failed!”

  The Healer gazed around the room, looking at each of them in turn. When her eyes fell on the Water Witch, she said, “Joan? I didn’t know you had wings.”

  “They came from the Light,” Joan said with a smile.

  What? She didn’t have wings before? And she’d called Zenon ‘Light.’

  Said wizard’s head snapped back as he blinked, likely wondering the same thing.

  “This is a trap,” Jessa said. “The Hunters must know you’re here.”

  Looking up at Zenon, Alazne said, “Plan?”

  “We keep moving,” he said.

  Good a plan as any—

  Marked ‘Unknown’ on the map, the unnamed witch was next, but she wasn’t in her room either.

  “Dammit,” Zenon hit the wall in the empty room. He looked at his wrist chronometer. “We’re out of time. Head for the hangar.”

  Out of time? For what?

  Following the map, Alazne’s mouth dropped open when they reached the point marked ‘Solarium.’

  From the comfort of the mining platform, safely encased in a dome that rose high above them, Hellumon presented an exotic beauty. Lava roiled. Volcanoes erupted. The sky was dark. But that just made the glow more vivid. The brightest glowing reds, oranges, and yellows burst in wide arcs, spewing designs into the black sky.

  “Wow,” Ariad said from her shoulder. Wow, indeed.

  A transparent platform stretched between the arm of the facility they just exited, connecting the next arm which housed the hangar. Walking over the bubbling liquid rock below was both awe-inspiring and humbling. Images of Zenon falling through the deadly substance made her wary. The platform was solid, but disconcerting.

  The sound of someone sharply sucking in breath made her head snap up.

  Hunters— There were the demons of Hell she expected on this world.

  What she didn’t expect was to see Keia and two other witches in line with them. The missing witches, she was sure of it.

  So Keia did trap them after all. She lured them there and now the Hunters would get what they wanted. Lip curling, abject hatred burned her throat.

  “You told me she wasn’t being controlled,” she said to Zenon.

  “I said I didn’t think she was. Big difference. I’m not an expert on mind control. M’just some guy from Karr.”

  Alazne remembered him saying she wasn’t being controlled “without a doubt,” but now was not the time to argue.

  “I don’t want to!” Keia cried, her hands gripping the sides of her head as she screamed in agony.

  Zenon threw off the miner’s jacket, unholstering his blaster and pulling his wand from the pocket on the front of his shirt, crouching into a wide defensive stance. “Let the witches go.”

  “Do not shoot them,” one of the Hunters said. “We want them alive.”

  “I will not extend the same courtesy,” Zenon said, eyes narrowed.

  “No matter, wizard.” The smug look on the Hunter’s face made Alazne’s skin crawl.

  “There’s water.” Joan flew above them, arms wide, wings traced in blue light.

  What water? Could she sense it somewhere?

  The Hunters ducked as a jar suddenly zipped between them, flying straight for Zenon. Standing upright, he released his wand, catching the glass orb soundly with one hand, the look on his face as confused as Alazne felt. His wand hovered next to him.

  Then, something gigantic outside the dome— What? What was that sound? The hair on her arms stood on end, neck tingling—

  BOOM!

  The transparent platform shook, feet flying from beneath her as she fell to her back, air stolen from her lungs. In the next second she saw that Zenon and Jessa were on their backs too, writhing as they tried getting to their respective feet. The Hunter entourage on the other side of the platform wasn’t faring any better. She could not find Ariad.

  Joan floated above them, unhindered by the shaking ground, gaze directed upwards, face contorted in pure horror.

  Eyes tracing the Water Witch’s line of sight, lightning struck her heart as the dome above them shattered into a million pieces, glass blowing inwards and sucked outwards all at once. Alazne’s lungs were replaced with fire.

  Chapter 14

  Zenon heard the battle cruiser a split second before he saw a flash released from it.

  Coughing and wheezing, it was regrettable he didn’t get everyone to the hanger before the other side was engulfed in explosive fire. Surviving this mission no longer an option, there was a plan in place, another assigned to find a healer for his mother, his only comfort as searing heat licked his skin.

  Tiny feet pricked as they tapped his face.

  “The jar,” the little robot squirrel
said.

  He looked in his right hand, smooth round glass snug against his fingers. I’ll be damned, it didn’t break.

  Booted footsteps got louder and louder and his eyes snapped towards the sound, Hunters charging them, oxygen masks now covering their faces.

  “Open it!” Ariad shrieked.

  Gripping the top with his left hand, he twisted until it popped off. There was nothing in the jar. He turned it over to show the robot the hopelessness of the situation.

  Two drops of water fell free of the lip—

  Glass and ash skittered outwards, forming a mounded circle. From the center rose a winged beauty, blue aura surrounding her entire body. Joan—

  Rising ever higher, the diminutive witch’s fingers oscillated in and out as her hands waved in a circular pattern.

  Before the drops of water even hit the ground, they grew into a swirling orb. The orb expanded, large enough that Zenon could swim through it.

  Fire shot above his head, zipping towards the Water Witch in a trailing ball.

  Xia, had to be.

  Eyes tracing the blazing trail, Zenon saw her, hands outstretched towards Joan, fingers splayed as fire was projected from her palms.

  “I don’t want to hurt you, Xia,” Joan called from above.

  Don’t want to hurt you? Zenon’s eyes swept over the platform, Hunters that apparently didn’t have oxygen masks writhing on the deck, the ones with oxygen masks waiting in the ready. Who was controlling her?

  Then he saw her, the unnamed witch, fingers to her temples, eyes ablaze with both glow and focus, fixed on Xia, a projection of distorted air emanating from her forehead. Was she controlling the Fire Witch?

  Fire met with water, steam so thick the connection point couldn’t be seen, hot droplets raining down. Icicles began hitting the platform in tinkering shatters and he did a double-take.

  With one hand, Joan motioned the water into a rolling wave, the other hand performing zigzags, parts of the water producing icebergs heavy with pointy icicles. Fire hitting the bottoms of the frozen masses caused the icicles to drop.

  “Knock her out!” Keia’s voice rang over the noise.

  The Mind Witch turned towards the sound, blowing Keia back with a wave of air, Xia’s fire slowing as she did. So, she was controlling her—

  The winged witch fell, wings opening out before hitting the platform, pushing her hands away from her body so powerfully a percussion wave was formed in the water. Xia toppled to the ground, fire extinguishing.

  The fire wielder sat up, dancing flame leaping from her fingertips. How did she recover so fast from that?

  Footsteps had Zenon swinging around, the controlling witch single-minded in her focus, warping air moving in waves from her forehead to Xia’s.

  Wand zipping towards him from out of nowhere, Zenon was on his feet in the next instant, Stick slapping the palm of his hand until he had a good grip.

  He didn’t know the first thing about chanting incantations or appealing to deities, but he wanted to take this witch down with all his being. Using that desire, feeling it deep down, he whipped his stick towards her.

  A ball of light shot from the end of it, hitting her square in the chest, knocking her to her back. He looked at the wand, blinking.

  Wasting no time, Joan threw the rolling wave over the Fire Witch, thoroughly soaking her from head to toe. Xia sat there, looking at her fingers, but there was no more fire. Perhaps being completely inundated in water was enough to keep the sparks away.

  A shout was his only warning before blaster fire rang out, hitting the platform at his feet. The Hunters were moving again—

  Grabbing at his holster, it was empty, Zenon remembering he drew his gun before the explosion. Clearly having been knocked from his hand when he fell, he searched the area around him. All he could find was shiny rubble.

  Another wave rose from the puddles around Xia, another and another. Until a vast sea floated above his head, distorting the black sky in fluidly currents.

  Zenon looked in his hand. No gun, but he had Stick. Raising the wand above his head, he poured everything he had into the branch, a desire for something beautiful and sinister—

  A shadow emerged from the depths of the great floating sea, followed by another. Two grey and white beasts with prominent dorsal fins and even larger teeth appeared.

  Joan pushed the liquid mass towards the approaching Hunters, the predators swimming with it, eager to engulf their prey. A tsunami rose in the sea, the great whites surfing with it, mouths wide, teeth extended.

  Turning to run, the Hunters screamed as the great wave overtook them, the predators chomping with bone crushing force. The giant wave along with the rest of the sea and the beasts went over the side of the platform, hitting the lava below with steamy force.

  Gasping sounded from several forms sprawled across the pathway as Zenon’s own lungs loudly drew in life-giving air. We can breathe.

  Approaching the prone form of the mind controlling witch, he crouched, checking for a pulse at her neck. There was slight movement against his fingers and he let his head fall, blowing out his breath. Thank the stars, he hadn’t killed her.

  Light footsteps sounded to his right, then Keia’s voice. “They knew as soon as I landed the device wasn’t working. Maybe even before.”

  “Well, we know her power now,” he said, looking up at the young woman.

  “Must have been their backup plan.”

  A weight on his shoulder directed his attention to a hand laying there. Following the arm it was attached to, he let out a breathy sigh at the sight of Alazne’s face.

  Jumping to his feet, he pulled her into his arms.

  “You were incredible,” she said, embracing him in return. “I gotta ask, why those creatures?”

  Eyebrows drawing downwards, they straightened again. Oh, yes, the ocean predators.

  “I remembered a story from my childhood, a tale of predatory fish of Earth. There’s been so much talk of that planet lately. Just sprung to mind.” He grinned.

  “But you didn’t know how Earthers greet each other?” she said, lips in a thin line as she rubbed a bruise rising on her forearm.

  Zenon shrugged with a chuckle. “No.”

  Eyes tracking over the platform, his mouth drew into a frown as he released Alazne. “Where’s Jessa?”

  This would all be for nothing if the healer hadn’t survived—

  Throwing aside piles of rubble, Stick started vibrating and buzzing over a particular spot. The hair on the back of his neck rose to alertness. That sound usually meant trouble.

  Moving with caution, ready to grab the wand, Zenon kicked aside blocks of thick glass, bending to lift a sheet of dull metal. A leg—

  Alazne and Keia began lifting glass in earnest until the three of them uncovered the body all the way up to the face. It was Jessa. Was she breathing?

  “Jessa,” Alazne yelled, feeling her neck. “She has a pulse.”

  Stars, he was going to be blowing a lot of breathy sighs today.

  Gently slapping the sides of the healer’s face, Keia said. “Come on, wake up.”

  Jessa coughed, lifting her arm to her forehead with a groan.

  Flooding relief coursed through his body, exiting with a shaky sigh. Thank the stars.

  Observing Joan on her stomach, peering over the edge of the platform with wide eyes, Zenon walked over, breath catching at what he saw.

  Crouching, he couldn’t believe his eyes at what was down there: A vast blue lake lapping at the anchor pylons, green covering the floating land, oxygen-rich air visible as rising foggy trails. Even the sky wasn’t as black.

  Alazne crouched next to him, mouth agape as her eyes traveled over the spectacle below. The robot scurried from under a thick block of glass, skidding to a halt next to the Portal Wielder, who picked up the familiar, hugging the little creature before setting it on her shoulder.

  “You give life, Light Wizard,” Joan said.

  Zenon stood, pausing as Alazne’s h
ead swiveled towards him, gaze measuring.

  “You aren’t going to object?” she said.

  “Object to what?”

  “She called you a wizard.”

  He held up his stick. “Stick seems to think so, too.”

  “It’s you, not the wand,” the familiar said, eyes drooping. “I’m tired. I’ll just take a nap in here.”

  The little robot disappeared into the Mining Corps jacket Alazne was still wearing.

  “Your Highness!” Both he and Alazne jumped, three blue-clad uniformed men rushing towards them, stopping in front of him, kneeling in a bow.

  “Your Highness?” Jessa and Keia screeched at the same time.

  Alazne’s eyes widened a split second before narrowing into a wary gaze. “Just a guy from Karr, huh?”

  Chapter 15

  “We thought you were dead, Royal Highness,” one of the men said, forlorn, bowing lower.

  Royal Highness. Alazne’s stomach knotted, breathing becoming heavy. Zenon was of the Royal Family of Karr. Observing the blue clothing of the soldiers, a proverbial light bulb came on. That man at the bar; he recognized Zenon.

  “We thought we’d killed you.” Another soldier leaned down even lower, practically kissing Zenon’s feet.

  Pinpricks of light danced behind her eyes as dizziness overcame her. Zenon was royalty, possibly even the Crown Prince. That would mean his mother was—

  She couldn’t breathe.

  The third Karrian choked a sob, reining it in with a quick cough, bowed head against his chest as he sat on his knees, looking like he’d been defeated.

  “Please stand,” Zenon said. “You did just as I ordered. The missile hit exactly where I wanted at the exact time.”

  Alazne’s head snapped towards him as she fought the dizziness down, blinking away the flashing in her eyes. He knew? Zenon ordered the strike against the Last Hope?

  “It was my fault we didn’t get to the hanger before,” Zenon was saying as her head spun in a whirlwind of thoughts. How long had he been planning this?

  “Great work, Karrians.” Zenon held up his forearm as they got to their feet, bumping each of the other’s in turn; the Karrian greeting.