“Kill them!” Bellig ordered firmly, his command carrying magically through the creature’s minds.
Eager for chaos, the creatures needed no further instruction. Understanding their master’s design, and with bloodlust in their hearts, they charged. The roar of inhuman beings eager to tear them limb from limb was deafening.
As they advanced, Cade, Jarrett, and the few gathered with them braced for battle. Hearts pounded, fists tightened on weapons, and magic tingled around them.
Each person here considered what they were facing with nervous energy, and for each person, the sight had different meaning.
Rederrick licked his lips. Nothing in all his life could have had him predicting this is where his life would end, but he knew this was as good a way as any. Sweat formed on his back. The sheer numbers of abhorrent beings were unfathomable. All this time they’d been fighting this war one or two demons at a time, and here before him was a never-ending plethora of the beasts. He couldn’t help wondering if any of the ones they killed before made a difference when considering the whole picture.
Cynda could only see the humans in the crowd. She thought of Jeffery and saw him in the eyes of the younger ones advancing against her. The mother in her wept for the souls lost to the wickedness of one man. There were too many innocents swayed to his cause through force and nefarious persuasion.
Tracy, Ashley, and James understood they were facing a monumental moment in their lives. They considered the size of the force against them, and what it really meant. It represented the reality of what would likely shape their future as the first generation descendants of The Brotherhood. This battle was merely the first in a line of more to come as Rederrick and Cynda’s children—at least if they lived, anyway.
Growls and grunts echoed back across the expanse of barren desert. Magic users prepared their first spells with soft utterings. Metal scraped and clanged as swords were drawn, and all offered silent prayers to survive the impossible odds before them.
“Still with me, Cody?” Nate asked, seeing the fear in the boy’s eyes.
Cody looked over to Nate, and seeing the excited grin, laughed despite his fear. He pulled a black grenade from his belt, a gift from Nate. “Well I’ve got the essentials, so why not?”
“Watch your six, and stay with your magic user, you’ll come through,” Nate encouraged.
“Be ready!” Cynda called indicating the time to blink was close. Her first spell was ready at the tip of her tongue.
James was talking into the com link to keep the group synced and setting up the east side ambush. Assigned sorcerers readied their magic to blink a small group, led by Cade and Jarrett, behind the initial onslaught to better their odds of reaching the demon lord.
Right as the enemy would have, and should have overwhelmed them, a blast of unnatural dry air and blinding light rippled between the combatants. The conjured wind stirred sand about them and pushed battle lines backward. The sorcerers lost their concentration on the building magic. Everyone shielded their eyes to protect them from the flying sand and the white light.
On the enemy side, those of demon decent in the front ranks cried out in agony from the burn, while others cringed and turned away from the glory of that light. Growling, screeching, and snarling sounds poured out and carried across the expanse of the gathered forces. Ashes fell to the ground as more than a hundred demons in the front line disintegrated, and the onslaught stalled.
As their vision cleared, stunned shock settled in. Standing in front of the small Brotherhood army was the most unlikely protective barrier. Two solid rows of celestial men and women armed for battle assumed the front lines before them.
Chapter 38
“Look up there,” Jonah said, grabbing Tracy’s hand, and pointing to the mountain on the other side of the basin. More figures in shining battlements littered the rocks, and he was overcome with relief.
The scene was awe-inspiring, and hope welled within everyone. Though still outnumbered, the odds suddenly no longer seemed impossible.
Each newcomer was adorned in striking gold, silver, and platinum-like armor with differing glowing symbols scrolling over the breastplates and gauntlets. Assorted weapons, bearing the same symbol as Cade and Jarrett’s swords were wielded in the strong capable hands of what could only be divine soldiers. Some held swords, but more than a few warriors had bows already pulled taut and aimed true. Flails, a few maces, and even small daggers could be seen within the ranks as well.
“Je ne crois pas mes yeux. If I live ten thousand years, I’ll never see a sight like this one again,” Delphene uttered quietly.
The old woman in white standing next to her turned and smiled. “No my dear, you likely won’t
“Ramee?” Cynda questioned.
“I told you bravery, and selflessness would bring Justice,” she explained sweetly. Grateful beyond reason, Cynda grabbed the older woman and hugged her tightly.
None of it, not the armor, not even the deadly weapons were as stunning or fear-striking to the enemy ranks as the auras around each soldier. The air around the guardian's variably pulsed with positive energy and light. Every demon knew them for what they were. No longer eager, the demon forces were held in check.
Cade, like many others, smiled as hope filled him, “Bellig!” called a sweet familiar voice at the front. That hope turned into shock.
The sound of that voice echoed through all of them. Though rather than echo through Cade’s ears, it reverberated through his heart. His smile faltered. His knees weakened. He looked to his brother only to discover Jarrett’s expression mirrored his own.
Cynda covered her mouth and a sob broke free. “It can’t be,” she whispered.
In the same breath, Rederrick clutched Cynda’s arm. “Is that…”
“What’s happening?” Jonah questioned, confused again.
Tracy could only shake her head in disbelief as thick emotion for her uncle rose in her throat. “It’s Cade’s wife. It’s Collett.”
Sword still in one hand, Jonah Hall let it rest at his side. “You’re a romantic, Williams,” he said with affection.
She turned and gazed into his eyes with admiration. “I guess I am.”
Grinning like a fool he said, “I was hoping that was the case,” and bringing her closer, he gave her a sweet peck on the lips. Tracy lit up and together they watched as the ever-confidant Cade moved forward in a daze.
As their stunned leader drew closer to the owner of that sweet voice, he could barely draw breath. Anticipation and trepidation crawled through Cade as he worried he might be dreaming again. He wondered if she would appear as a translucent wraith, like in his mind.
He absently shifted people in the newly formed ranks aside, though if he had been paying attention he would have noted that they parted for him easily, knowingly even. Following his brother forward to see the impossible, the guardian's behavior didn’t escape Jarrett’s notice.
Cade halted. As he looked upon his wife, his feet felt leaden, and his heart nearly burst through him. There she stood, so beautiful and strong, looking the same as she had the cold night he lost her those months ago.
“Are you real?” he whispered with desperate love and relief.
Meeting his eyes with those crystal blue orbs she greeted him with a small smile. Eyes turning back to the enemy, she spoke out again. “Bellig, you are a traitor and your misguided reign ends today.”
Cade pulled a hand over his eyes as hot, wet emotion stirred in them. He had begun to suspect, he had even hoped, but seeing her here now, real and alive, tore through him in the most indescribable way.
That heavy weight he’d carried for so long finally disappeared. He rushed to her in one sweep, and grabbing Collett up, he buried his head into her neck, taking a long draw of her scent into his system. Oblivious to the armies standing before them, Collett and Cade basked in a moment of pure bliss at the feeling of holding each other after so long.
“I missed you so much,” he choked out as he hel
d onto her for dear life.
“And I you, I knew you’d come,” she whispered back and opened her eyes to see Jarrett staring at them with similar surprise. “I knew I could believe in you,” she stated.
Their joyful reunion was cut short. From across the desert sand, Bellig roared in outrage, “Aghhhhhh!”
In reaction, Cade set her on her feet and both brothers stepped in front of her in an instinctively protective gesture that made her smile lovingly. If only they knew how many battles I’ve faced, she thought.
Another familiar face came forward to stand before them. Justice, grinning knowingly, bowed his head with respect as he passed them.
“This is beyond weird,” Jarrett mumbled with disbelief as the traveler, who left him the sword more than a century before, stepped in front of him.
“Really, Bellig. You act like a four-year-old having a tantrum,” Justice accused in a rich accent they did not recognize.
“Haki!” Bellig seethed.
Justice dipped into a low bow. “The one and only.”
“I’m a little surprised to see you here in flesh and bone. You must be afraid I’ll succeed.”
“Bellig, never have I feared you.”
With one great sweep of his black wings the demon lord shot up to the sky, hovering above them, “I am not Bellig! That is the pithy name you gave me. Bellig does not exist.”
“Perhaps you’re correct,” Haki acknowledged. “What you once were is no more.”
The demons in his army grew restless and their lust for blood returned. They growled, snarled, and snapped as they held their place waiting for Bellig’s instruction. Some of the oppressed humans wavered and shrank back behind the demon horde. The sight of angelic guardians before them was staggering.
“I told you already, you can’t stop me. Your presence changes nothing,” Bellig sneered.
Haki’s features grew stern. “If you ever understood anything you were taught those centuries before, you would understand the nature of choice and consequence. I, Justice, am a product of that consequence.”
Grabbing Cade’s hand, Collett stepped between the two men, “Walk away! Seek the better path and you shall not perish this day.”
Jarrett tilted his head in confusion, but Cade understood right away, “The offer is not for him,” he explained quietly.
“No,” she confirmed. “It is a warning to all those like Jeffery or Jarrett forced into compliance.”
Bellig laughed at her offer. “You know what I understand, Haki? I understand POWER! You were right, I was blind under your tutelage. I was blind to the infallibility of human nature. I recognize the weakness of the human race, and the joke of free will.” He spat the last words as if they left a bad taste in his mouth. “Pitiful humans create their own agony with their idiotic choices. Even I allowed my brother to betray me by trusting him in the first place. Humans create their own suffering, watch and see. Victor!” he shouted.
Victor came forward, hurrying to his master’s side. “Yes, My Lord?” he questioned trembling.
“Since your birth, you have ever been my faithful servant.
“Thank you, My Lord.”
Bellig’s expression shifted to pleasure. “But you failed me. I am done with you now,” Bellig said casually, and looking past Victor to the greater demon behind him, he nodded. Black clawed hands with furry gray-mottled skin wrapped around Victor’s neck. The precognitive images he’d seen over and over were playing out, but it wasn’t at the clawed hands of the lycans as he expected. Instead, he would die on the order of his own father.
Briefly, Victor struggled and kicked, but the demon had no trouble fending off the swats and slaps. Then there was a moment of clarity. Victor knew he would finally have peace from his constant effort to gain Bellig’s favor. Seeking that relief, his hands stilled, and his legs fell limp. Death came quickly as the eager demon snapped the poor man’s neck before any could stop him.
“That is where free will leads weak humans. It takes them like lambs to slaughter,” Bellig said, gesturing to the lifeless body tossed into the horde. The surrounding demons went into an excited craze. “I understand everything now. More than even you could comprehend. I follow the true power that reigns this earth. I will have what I came for! Not even you can stop me!” he promised forcefully.
Haki, the oldest guardian present, sighed having expected the reply but always hoping he would be wrong. “So be it then.” He raised his arms, and the sky roiled, lightning streaked across it, and thunder boomed. The stinging sand swirled around them, encircling the area as Haki shaped the battlefield. “Bellig, formally known as the warrior Niall, appointed guardian of Strength, once a friend to many, and leader of great armies—you have been judged as a murderer, a traitor to your friends, and betrayer to the divine creator. You will now face the consequence of those actions.”
Bellig laughed and leaned over to instruct his archdemon generals.
More than two dozen of the opposing humans ran the opposite direction looking for escape. At the front with Collett, Cade and Jarrett knew it was time to fight. The brothers turned toward the sorcerer that would blink them to the east side of the line so they would reach Bellig faster.
“Wait!” Collett called.
They both turned to her. “What is it?” Cade asked.
Bellig called out to his troops. “Bring me the wolves’ heads. Do what you want with the rest.”
Once again, the sea of soulless beasts began advancing toward them, although, this time more cautiously.
She bit her lip. All the years of protecting these two made her instinctively want to keep doing it when she knew they were the key to it all.
Hearing her shout, Haki looked at her knowingly as she wrestled against the protective instinct. You cannot influence their free will in this, he projected to her mind.
I still can’t see it, she projected back.
Nor can I any longer. You must have faith. Tell them the rules.
She closed her eyes and sighed. “You understand what must be done today? It is for you to do, both of you.”
Cade turned her face up to meet his eyes. “We know,” he assured. “We’ve figured it out. More than that, I can feel it. We can feel it.”
Jarrett put a hand on her shoulder. “Either way, it will end today.”
She placed a hand on each of their chests. “You are not cursed. You are not demons. You are the product of a clever, strong-willed man that refused to bargain for his precious soul, even on his darkest day. The devil is not the only one who helped the slave that day. Justice came when he called. The curse may have been of evil, but the design is divine. The wolf represents loyalty, connections, intelligence, and instinct. He is a fighter and a protector. You two are all of that and will need all of it to defeat him. A normal man, even a magical one, could not do this. No Guardian can defeat him today, but as creations born of dark and light, you can.”
As the enemy ranks neared, the Guardian soldiers banged their weapons against their shield three times, shouting, “Sul di lethan! Sul di Trith!”
Collett shouted over the rising noise, “The Opposer has never been swayed by consequence, and Bellig has forgotten it. Today they will both learn that by interfering with your fate, they created their own downfall.”
The guardian’s shouted and banged shield and sword again. The sounds of the demons grew closer. “Sul di lethan! Sul di Trith!”
“The swords you carry will hurt him as no other blade can. You must both draw his blood. The final blow must be fatal or he will heal. Don’t allow him to retreat. You must see his last breath!”
“Got it,” Cade assured her.
Jarrett offered a tight nod as her worried eyes darted back and forth between them.
The creatures picked up speed as they climbed the dunes. Mimicking a tidal wave pouring over the sand, the sight looked like a black crest atop the reddish desert floor.
The third and final cry went up among the allies. “Sul di lethan! Sul di Trith
!”
“For the light. For the truth,” Collett said to them in English so they could understand. Jarrett pulled on Cade's arm and they started away.
Haki ordered the advance. His magically enhanced voice echoed across the expansive ranks.
Cade looked back, his gaze moved to Collett. She smiled. “We’ll hold them, go!”
He took two strides back to her, and grabbing her up Cade kissed Collett with all the passion and love held in his heart. Walking into this battle, there would be no doubt of the depth of his feelings for her. He set her back reluctantly and turning quickly, urged his brother along to their place in the fight.
As the brothers started away, Haki thrust his blade straight out. White light radiated from the shining sword, and hot fingers of magic licked the front of many in the enemy horde. They burned, disintegrating to dust while those behind them tromped over the ashes of their comrades without a care.
“I love you,” Cade yelled above the joining ranks.
And I you. That will never change, she projected to his mind so he could hear her above the mounting chaos.
Hope, and strength from that hope bloomed within Cade. We can do it this time, he thought. Somehow he knew to the depths of his soul, Bellig would be defeated on this field on this day.
She smiled as if she could read his thoughts. “Go!”
Turning, Collett joined the fray as other Guardians across the lines lit the ground with their own blasts of light. The first screams of the dying made it back to the brothers as they grabbed onto the sorcerer, and a second later they disappeared.
Initially, the wave of evil broke quickly as it struck the wall created by the guardians standing on the front line. The battle-hardened warriors held strong with the help of the humans behind them.
Bursts of light flashed on and off through the night air. Swords scraped and rang out as steel met steel. Thick, black ichor and blood splattered over the sand, only to be sucked up like a sponge beneath them. Haki’s wind had gained full strength by then, and a tunnel of sand spun about the battle field in a strange sort of cyclone. The storm kept any possible human from seeing the macabre scene while preventing any demon from running at the same time.
The Truth of Victory: A Powers of Influence Novel Page 35