Dust and Cinder (Rise of the Dragons Trilogy Book 3)
Page 11
Reid took to the air. “I’ll find them.”
Coen’s eyes searched as well, a look of panic on his face. “I saw them earlier, but then I lost sight of them.” He cursed slightly under his breath.
All around us the fighting was coming to an end. The Tangules, Lehins, Erdens, and Loden, had proven themselves to be formidable allies in driving the Yango, Tact, and Azzen back.
It didn’t take long for the latter two to figure out the odds weren’t in their favor. With speed and precision, the Tact and Azzen packed up, and left the Yango to the mercy of all those they’d hurt.
Reid came back just as Chibo, and the others spotted us and walked over.
“Where are they? Did you find them?” Lantana asked, her eyes large with fear.
“They’re okay,” Reid said. “They were looking for you and Coen.” Relief flooded her face and Coen let out a breath, as she fell back into his arms looking exhausted.
Coen had a large gash across his face and like the rest of us, he was covered in marks. He also had a small cut mark on his throat as if someone had tried to open him up there.
He looked weary, but I guessed that could be said for all of us.
Chibo and the others reached us, and I whirled around on Fletcher. “Why did you bring them here?” I pointed to the twins.
He threw his hands up. “I went to say a few things to your sister before the fight. They asked me if they could come. I knew from my time on your world that they could defend themselves, so I didn’t see the harm.”
“It wasn’t your decision to make.”
“You’re right. It was theirs. They spoke, I listened.” He didn’t say anything more after that.
I started to argue more, but the sight of Trout and Iago walking up unharmed knocked the breath out of me. They were okay. My whole crew was okay. A feeling of relief washed over me so profound that I sagged back into Reid’s arms.
They were both covered in marks, but they were okay. Trout had a gash over his right eye. He also had dried blood on his neck, and by his right ear. He looked like he’d been in a street fight and I guessed he had.
Iago’s shirt was off, and he had a large rock shaped bruise on his chest, like someone had picked one up and smashed him with it. His left arm seemed to dangle a little, and the small grimace on his face told me that he was in pain.
“Hey.” Reid tapped Lantana on the shoulder, and she and Coen whipped around to see Iago and Trout making their way toward us.
Not waiting for them to reach us, Coen and Lantana ran toward them, as fast as they could in their condition, and all four hugged each other. We were okay, and right now that’s all that mattered.
The two couples we’d first saw on Erden walked by, looking as haggard and bruised as the rest of us. They walked with a group that looked to be from their world, and some carried the fallen, while others helped with the sick and injured. “We have to get them back,” the guy who’d had on the blue suit when we’d first met said. “Make sure they get a proper burial.”
Chapter 24
The worlds that had fought with us began opening portals and taking their dead through. I noticed even the few Yango that were still standing doing the same.
Little by little the field began to clear, and there was no doubt who the victors were. Thousands of Yango lay dead at our feet and the ones left standing only seemed interested in picking up their dead and getting out of there.
“Do you think it’s over?” I asked the others. “Yango rule, do you think it’s finally over?”
Iago looked at the many Yango laying glassy-eyed and unmoving. “I don’t see how they can come back from this. We’ve weakened them and showed what happens when we band together and fight.”
“That’s it,” one of the Lehin mountain men said, walking up. He was covered in cuts and marks, but from the jolly look on his face, he didn’t seem to mind. “We need to form an alliance. Maybe an international fighting unit. So that the next time the Yango or anybody else wants to rise up, we’ll be there to keep them in their place.”
“Sounds good.” Fletcher nodded.
“I agree,” Iago said, “Give us a couple of days, and we’ll be in touch.”
My throat started to tingle, and I ran a hand over it, hoping to soothe. It was a good idea what the Lehin man had suggested. It would ensure that the Yango knew their place and keep others from trying to take up where they’d left off.
Once I was sure everything was okay, I turned to Chibo and Ridge. “I’m sorry for trying to tell you what to do. You’re adults and I just didn’t want you to get hurt, but Fletcher is right.” I cut my eye at him and saw that he was digging something out of a small bag he had wrapped around his waist. “I don’t get to decide what’s best for you and I’m sorry.”
They both smiled at me, and Ridge nodded, while Chibo threw herself into my arms. Surprised, I hugged her back fiercely, just glad that she was okay. “It’s all right,” she said, stepping back. “It’s nice to have somebody worry about us for a change.”
“I’m going to help gather our dead,” Yemsa said, as she turned to go.
“Not until you eat this,” Fletcher said, whipping a little cookie out of the package he had in his hand. He turned to me. “Vonda gave them to me while I was there. They’re full of the healing herbs. She was cooking them for when you all returned home, but then figured you might need them sooner.”
Yemsa slowly took the cookie from him, as she eyed him strangely.
“Here,” he said, passing them around.
I took one, figuring I could use a little healing. I only bit off a little, though, not wanting to irritate my throat anymore then I had to. It was gooey and tasted like sweet chocolate chip. I licked my lips. Delicious.
Coen scoffed as he bit into his. “Are you seriously standing here passing out cookies in the middle of a battlefield. Dude?” He shook his head, and we all laughed, allowing ourselves to forget the destruction around us, if just for a moment.
I took a quick look around the field again and was surprised to see it was almost cleared as more and more gathered their dead and left.
“I better go help,” Yemsa said.
“Wait,” I said before she could get too far away. “I’m sorry.” She let out a breath, gave me a sad smile and then walked away.
I watched her go, kicking myself for not being able to see past my own desire to help Brad and Melinda to the fact that others around them were hurting as well.
“What about her?” Lantana asked, and I looked to where she pointed.
My eyes went wide as I saw Kyla on the ground, covered in dried blood, mouth gaping. I leaned down closer, and she whispered the words “Home,” in my ear. “I want to go home. Family.”
I nodded and stood. If she died she wanted to be surrounded by those who loved her. I couldn’t blame her for that. I wouldn’t want to end my life on some distant world either.
Lantana shook her head. “None of the other Yango would take her back. I think her whole crew turned on her. There were no Yango fighting side by side with us today.”
I looked around and saw at least three portals closing. The field was clear now, and not one Yango was left to take her home. “I’ll do it,” I said.
I turned to Reid. “We can breathe on Yango land. I know you can, but I believe I can as well.”
He shook his head. “You’re ice, Alisa, not poison. I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“You’re not ice Reid, but watch this. May I?” He nodded, and I shot a line of ice around his legs. Instead of freezing him like it would have anyone else, it broke apart and fell to the ground. “We can do this,” I said, triumphantly.
I thought back to when Kyla had first fought Brad. She probably could have done more, if I hadn’t been there and she hadn’t had to ensure my safety. She’d looked out for me then, making sure I wasn’t hurt, so I’d look out for her now. “I’m taking her,” I announced in that voice that said it was useless to argue with me.
“Agreed,” I said.
I turned to Iago and the others. “Can you tell my family that I’m okay, and I’ll be back as soon as I can?” Iago nodded, but I could tell he didn’t like it very much.
“I’ll be fine,” I assured him. “Most of the rogue Yango are dead, and the ones who are not have been defeated.”
He looked at me as if he seriously questioned my intelligence.
“It’s going to take half a minute tops,” Reid said. “We portal in, drop her off, and then portal right back out. No conversation with anybody.”
“Can’t you just open a portal and throw her through?” Coen asked, and I glared at him.
“Okay,” he said, raising his hands in the air. “It was just a suggestion.”
“No,” I said. “Reid and I will take her back. After I’m sure that you all are okay.”
None of them looked happy about it, but slowly they began to gather themselves. “We’ll see you when you get back,” Lantana said, and it was clear she didn’t think that would be anytime soon.
Yemsa rejoined us, and she and Fletcher stepped through their portal together. While Trout opened a portal to Todd’s living room for everybody else.
I waved as they stepped through, and didn’t stop until the last one disappeared from sight.
Reid gathered Kyla in his arms. “I hope you know what you’re doing,” he said, as I opened a portal to Yango and we stepped inside.
The second we touched foot on Yango, we were immediately surrounded by hundreds of Yango men and women. All were dressed in battle gear and armor, as if preparing to fight.
A tall, muscular man, with short black and gold hair, looked at me and hissed. “Dragon born. How nice of you to join us.”
Chapter 25
My heart pounded from my chest to my feet, making my whole body shake with the rhythm of it. “And you are?” I asked, as Reid placed Kyla gently on the ground.
The man looked at Kyla’s lifeless form, then down at the hundreds of Yango lying dead at his feet. Apparently, this was where all those Yango portals were opening to when they’d been bringing their dead home.
He sneered at me. “I am Range, and you will pay for the Yango lives you’ve taken. It is not up to you to mete out punishment to my people.” His voice was thunderous when he spoke, causing me to jump involuntarily.
Reid’s jaw tightened, and he took a couple of steps forward, which made the Yango around us close in even tighter. “Your people have killed hundreds of thousands while you did nothing to stop them. Now you want to stand in judgment because we did what you couldn’t?”
Range growled low in his throat. “To stop them is not to kill them. It’s to bring them home where they will face the sting of our justice, not yours.”
A few jeers sounded throughout the crowd, and my heart started doing cartwheels, as I looked for ways we could make it out of this alive. Then I thought about what he’d said when I’d first stepped through the portal.
He hadn’t been surprised to see me. In fact, it looked as if he’d been waiting for me to arrive. I turned to him, curious. “I didn’t know I was coming here. How did you?”
He threw his head back and roared, and my blood ran cold at the horrific sound. “Most die the second they touch foot on our land, yet here you stand.”
I held my hands out in front of me, trying not to show fear. “Answer the question.”
His lips curled. “Many have tried and failed to stop the rogue Yango, my kinsmen. They all come here, not believing that the air is poison. They all die the moment they exit their portal.” He cocked his head to the side, brows drawn tightly together. “But not you.”
He looked a little disappointed that I was still breathing, and his eyes held confusion as if he really didn’t understand it.
Needing to know how to make a quick exit if the situation arose, I took a look at my surroundings. There was nothing here except black and brown dirt. No grass, no trees, nothing.
The whole place was a barren wasteland, and I couldn’t imagine waking up every day knowing that this was my reality. I shivered just thinking about it.
Reid held his arms at his side, his face hard and fierce as if he expected an attack at any moment. “Do we have your assurance that she won’t be hurt?” He pointed to Kyla.
Range looked at her, his features showing nothing but disdain. “She will be treated fairly. It is not—”
Blood splattered across my face as a sword went from the back to the front of Range’s throat. His eyes went wide as he gagged for a bit, then dropped to the ground, unmoving.
My breath hitched, and I stepped back horrified, while Reid let out a curse. A tall, muscular Yango stood behind Range with black and gold hair that reached to his shoulders. His face was covered in blood from where he’d pulled the sword from Range’s neck. He pointed it at me. “We will show no mercy to the dragon born, just as the dragon born have shown no mercy to our people.”
Reid’s hand found mine, his body tense and ready for action.
The man went on. “Hopping from world to world killing, mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters.” He shook with rage at my perceived slights. “For that you will die.” He touched the blade and his lejet shot onto it, making it glow and crackle.
Not waiting for him to swing it at us, I shot fire out of my mouth and Reid and I rose in the air, hoping to gain the advantage.
He ducked, and the fire missed him by an inch. He and a few more Yango rose in the air and surrounded Reid and myself. I opened my mouth again, but before I could launch an attack, four Yango grabbed me and dragged me to the ground.
They did the same to Reid. I struggled to get free, my heart in my throat, but they held me so tight, I couldn’t even summon my fire or ice. I tried to call forward my shield, but that didn’t work either.
One of them kicked me in the face and blood filled my mouth as pain made my eyes cross. Another kick to the face and I felt my head spin. Then I felt it all over, as they kicked my chest, stomach, and legs.
It felt like five hundred-pound weights dropping on me over and over again. Aiming to protect myself as best I could, I tried to curl up into a small ball, hoping to stave off the worse of it.
They were trying to stomp me to death, and I cried out as another kick landed to my face. I love you. Reid. I cried out even more as the realities of the situation pressed down on me. We weren’t making it out of this alive. No way were we walking away from this one.
I love you too. Then I closed my eyes and saw Erain, Linton, Stax, Arden, and hundreds, maybe even thousands of my clan. They were all gathered together, faces drawn and tight. “Alisa,” Stax said, then his eyes went wide as he saw that I’d mentally connected with them. “We have contact!”
By now my body felt like jelly, and I could barely focus on what they were saying. “Alisa, take our power.” This was Erain. She held out her hand, as did the others. “Take our power and destroy them.”
I blinked, still not comprehending. “Do it now!” Linton shouted.
I took a deep breath and concentrated on them, on their words, and on what they were trying to tell me. I pulled from them, took from the clan bonds, and a roar of energy shot through me.
Some of it was healing, while some of it was just raw power, so great that I worried if my body could handle it all. It flowed through me, healing me, and giving me a determination like I’d never felt before.
Knowing that I had the power of thousands behind me, I opened my mouth and shot out both fire and ice, throwing my attackers back.
Then I sprung into the air and saw Reid do the same. Apparently, his clan had been talking to him as well.
On the ground, the Yango looked shocked and confused. Then they shook it off and began to float toward us. I activated my shield and Reid did as well. They shrunk back, eyes wide as they tried to figure out what was going on.<
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Then they started to float our way again, and I opened my mouth and sprayed them with fire and ice, while Reid let loose fire and poison.
That took the first row out, but the second row converged on us. A woman with short black and gold hair hit me with a full on Lejet attack, and it bounced off me and went right back to her.
I held out my hands, pushing the power of my clan into it and she exploded on the spot. A Yango man came from my left, and I disposed of him the same way.
Then we were surrounded again, as more and more Yango came, hovering around us ready to do battle. Reid and I floated back-to-back, using fire, ice, and poison to take out any Yango that got too close.
My eyes closed again, as I felt something tugging at my brain. This couldn’t last. No way could this go on. There were too many of them, and they just kept coming. Eventually they’d wear us down and then, even with our clans’ help, we’d be defeated.
The man who’d killed Range floated into view as soon as I opened my eyes. He had a thick red rope in one hand and a sword in the other, both crackled with lejet.
I closed my eyes again, as the pulling on my brain intensified. My clan was still with me, I could feel them there, but the picture in my mind now was of the two lifelike statues in the Dragon Lord’s castle.
The woman blinked, and the man moved his hand. Retribution flowed through me as a scene from thousands of years ago began to take shape in my mind. Time stopped, and this became my reality.
Bosim stood talking to the two that had been statues. He called the male Tagin and the woman Aleen. They were standing in a blue-lighted room thousands of years ago.
The woman Aleen shook her head. “We have to stop them now. The longer we wait, the more powerful the Yango become, and the more people die.”
Bosim stood tense, his face hard and unyielding. He took her hand. “We have to wait, Aleen. To strike in anger and without planning would be a death sentence. We have to time this right.”