A Tip of Balance

by Bella Forrest

  “Like I said! Young and foolish! I wasn’t a king then!”

  “What happened at Bagan Temple?” Hansa asked, breaking the sharp exchange.

  Zeriel rolled his eyes while Jax stifled a smirk.

  “Zeriel fell in love with one of the Temple’s maids, a young Mara female,” Jax said while the Tritone looked away, closing his eyes. “He and I had business there. We were about to purchase an important artifact. I told him not to interact with the maids, but he told me his heart couldn’t listen.”

  He paused to look at Zeriel.

  “The idiot,” he continued “took her to his chamber. By the time the sun rose, she was gone along with all his gold and amulets. I should mention at this point that Zeriel oversaw the precious load we were going to give to the Templars in exchange for the artifact. So, imagine my surprise when morning came and we had nothing to pay with. It turned out that the Mara in question wasn’t even a maid there. She was a rogue thief that had infiltrated Bagan.”

  Hansa couldn’t help but chuckle. I pressed my lips together to stop a grin from splitting my face. Zeriel gave us an innocent look while Jax watched him, quietly shaking his head. There was a mixture of disappointment and affection in his jade eyes. It made me think these two had been through a lot together and that the Bagan Temple was probably just one of their escapades.

  Jax was the cool and pragmatic type, while Zeriel seemed somewhat aloof and childish. I secretly appreciated that side of him, especially when he followed it up with his firm regal commands. It was an interesting contrast that reminded me of myself.

  A couple of hours later the sky took on its velvety indigo hues, and the Tritones had already sent the vulnerable ones away. Most of the soldiers had already put on their armor, ready to jump into the water and take the tunnels to Stonewall.

  Zeriel was being fitted with his gold chest plate by one of his sergeants while Jax sharpened one of his knives against a hard, unpolished chunk of diamond. Hansa was up on top of a palm tree, checking the surrounding areas.

  “Is Stonewall a safe option?” the Tritone king asked no one in particular as he fiddled with the scabbard of his sword and his sergeant fastened the slim belts holding his chest plate together.

  “There’s a portion of it that is cloaked in swamp witch magic, courtesy of Draven’s father,” I replied. “It’s supposedly inhabited by Bajangs, and, from what I understand, they owe their survival to him. Draven’s there now, probably discussing alliance terms with them.”

  “The Bajangs have seen their numbers dwindle over the years since Azazel invaded Calliope. I guess they have every reason to pitch in,” Jax added, and Zeriel nodded.

  “I will instruct my Tritones to meet us at Stonewall,” Zeriel said. “I will be coming with you wherever you’re going. I need to be present for whatever mischief you get yourselves into. Seems like you need a responsible adult in your group.”

  “Bagan Temple, Zeriel. Bagan Temple,” Jax shot back.

  Before the Tritone could respond, Hansa’s voice shot from above.

  “Destroyers!”

  She slid down the palm tree and waved toward the north side, which offered an open escape route along the ocean shore.

  “We need to run! They’re carrying dragon tears!” she shouted.

  The sky echoed with hissing and the braying of flying horses as dozens of Destroyers flew in a circle above the lagoon.

  We jumped on our horses. I looked over my shoulder and waved at Zeriel to come with us.

  “Head for the tunnels!” Zeriel shouted at the approximately two hundred Tritones left to support their king.

  He then sprinted and jumped on my horse, grasping my shirt as I clicked my teeth and my stallion took off like a rocket, followed by Jax and Hansa on their horse. The Tritones swam frantically toward the narrow ocean exit as dragon tears fell from the sky.

  Explosions tore the lagoon apart, throwing a wide radius of water and shards of glass. We dodged many of the projectiles. The dragon tears continued to drop and turn chunks of sand into hot, skin piercing glass. Countless explosions echoed behind us as our horses dashed across the shore, galloping toward the northern White City.

  “We were early, but not early enough!” Jax shouted as he took the lead.

  Hissing above made me look up to see Destroyers gaining, baring their fangs and throwing more dragon tears at us. One by one, the exploding projectiles fell around us with ear-splitting bangs.

  My horse went into a frenzy and expertly avoided the impact areas while we kept our heads down.

  I felt Zeriel’s hand reaching for the crossbow on my back.

  “May I?” he asked.

  “By all means,” I shouted.

  He grabbed it and aimed at one of the Destroyers whose flying horse was strong and fast enough to stay hot on our trail. My heart raced as fast as my indigo stallion. I managed to glimpse over my shoulder for long enough to watch the Tritone shoot a poisoned arrow straight into the flying horse’s chest.

  The creature wailed and fell with a heavy thud, dragging its Destroyer with it. The impact shattered several bones in the former Druid, as it struggled to get up.

  “Shoot the horses!” I shouted at Hansa, realizing what Zeriel was doing as he reloaded the crossbow.

  Another round of dragon tears dropped as we dodged the explosions, heading toward a thick forest that stretched for several miles before White City.

  “We need to make it into the woods there,” Jax yelled. “My scouts are in there, ready to divert Destroyers!”

  Hansa aimed and took down a Destroyer above with her crossbow while Zeriel shot another.

  Our horses neighed as they avoided another blast, then increased their speed to a spectacular new high. It became difficult to breathe as the air slammed into me. It felt like riding a superbike motorcycle at two hundred miles per hour without a helmet, not that I had ever tried it.

  The Destroyers were relentless, throwing another batch of dragon tears just as we shot into the forest.

  We were instantly covered by thick dark green leaves, galloping between the massive trees further into darkness.

  Destroyers hissed from behind and above. Some had taken their horses down. I could hear their thundering hooves rattling the woods.

  I then scanned the surrounding areas both left and right and noticed shimmering yellow lights moving toward where we’d come from.

  “They’re here,” Jax shouted and kicked his horse while Hansa held on tight.

  The creature shuddered as it nearly split the air with its velocity.

  A minute later, the hissing behind us stopped.

  We kept going until we shot out of the woods onto the white sandy beach, the White City unraveling before us. It was a beautiful structure carved into the white marble.

  Jax was the first to reach the main entrance steps. He jumped off his horse and ran into the building, followed by Hansa, Zeriel, and me. I looked over my shoulders once more and saw two hooded figures rushing to give buckets of fresh water to our horses.

  We’d managed to lose the Destroyers and enter temporary safety.

  “We can’t stay here for too long,” Jax said as he guided us through a narrow corridor with flaming torches mounted along the walls. “My scouts can’t keep them all at bay. They’ll have to retreat soon. There are too many Destroyers, and they still have dragon tears.”

  I took a few deep breaths as Jax opened the doors to a grand salon, a pristine white hall with a high ceiling and gold-plated columns supporting its wide arches.

  Shadows emerged from behind the multitude of closed doors. Soon enough, we were surrounded by ten Maras dressed in black leather uniforms with steel plates mounted on their chests, arms, and legs.

  “We’ll need my wards,” Jax looked at me, then nodded toward the Maras. “Get ready. We’re going to Stonewall.”

  My pulse was throbbing in my throat with both fear and excitement as I watched the closest thing Eritopia would get to vampires shuffle around and s
ound the alarm throughout the carved city by blowing on long swirling horns.

  That’s it, I thought to myself. We’re going to war.

  Serena

  Stonewall rose on the eastern shore of Antara, Calliope’s biggest continent, like a majestic fortress, made entirely out of massive slabs of gray stone. Its towers were tall enough to have their tops lost in the white wisps of clouds. Swirling stairways that once led to the pier stretched on forever.

  Most parts of Stonewall leading to the water were previously destroyed. Only broken chunks of stone hinting at passageways remained. The pier itself was in ruin. Thick pillars of wood covered in brown algae pierced the water, and abandoned ships were half-sunken and home to a plethora of underwater creatures.

  We approached the citadel with carefully measured movements. Our indigo horse trotted over the pebbled road leading up to a giant archway that had once held two solid wood gates serving as the main entrance. The dusk sky was painted red and orange as the sun set beyond the horizon.

  The closer we got, the better the view of the derelict pier. Its bridges were mangled, and the rest of the shore was riddled with sharp rocks constantly punched by foamy waves.

  “Do you think the Bajangs are still here?” I asked, looking at the apparently abandoned city.

  There wasn’t any movement other than the breeze whistling through windows left open for decades.

  “Don’t let its appearance fool you,” Draven replied. “There is powerful magic at work inside. Let’s see.”

  He prompted the horse to move forward toward the main gate. I clutched the crossbow close to my chest with one arm and coiled the other around his waist.

  Once we passed the gates, I felt shivers running down my spine. The wind howled through the large courtyard ahead, its arches perfect for amplifying sound. Shadows moved through the darker spots and past the open doors.

  My stomach constricted itself. I turned on my True Sight in time to catch glimpses of large felines the size of tigers moving around. I stared into a pair of wide yellow eyes, and I felt Draven’s hand on my thigh, squeezing gently.

  “Keep calm and, whatever happens, do not move until I tell you,” he whispered.

  I braced myself and took a deep breath as our horse stopped into the middle of the courtyard, its muscles shuddering. The creature was restless and as nervous as I was, so I gently stroked its rump in a soothing motion. I felt a sense of relief as the horse gradually calmed down.

  One by one, the felines came out of hiding. They were massive in size and resembled a cross between tigers and jaguars with spotted furs in shades of orange, white and, black. They had large paws with claws the size of my forearm and big, amber yellow eyes. Some wore different patterns in honey and black stripes with pointed ears, while others were an intense black with greenish-gold eyes and rounded ears. Their heads and jaws were large enough to snap me in two with little effort. They were truly superb and fearsome.

  “So, they’re here, I presume?” I muttered as I felt my blood freeze in my veins.

  No wonder they were desirable as allies in a war against Azazel. They were huge, and they looked like they could certainly put up a good fight against a Destroyer. I felt that they were probably not strong enough to withstand Destroyer poisons or Azazel’s warfare magic, the likely reason for why they chose the security of Stonewall and Almus’ swamp witch cloaking spell.

  “Indeed,” Draven replied, then patted my thigh. “I need you to get off now, slowly. No sudden movements.”

  I trusted his judgment and followed his lead, sliding off the horse in one fluid motion as I slipped the crossbow into its leather holster strapped to my satchel. I looked around as the felines moved closer, watching us intensely. One of them licked its snout, its pink tongue flashing its length in the process.

  I could hear them purring as Draven got off the horse and bowed. They sounded like engines, rumbling by the hundreds as they filled the courtyard.

  “We come in peace,” Draven said, raising his hands in the air in a slow, deliberate gesture. “I am Draven, son of Almus. I believe you knew my father.”

  One of the black panther-type felines came forward, its eyes the color of rainforests. It was enormous when compared to its companions, easily tall enough to look our horse in the eyes. It stared at Draven as it rose on its hind legs and shifted into a young Bajang male.

  He was about Draven’s height, with broad shoulders, ripped muscles, long thighs, and narrow hips. The black fur that I’d seen on his panther form was concentrated in the region below his waist, fading to smooth skin before it reached his knees. His forearms were also covered in the thick black fur. His hair was long, reaching down to the back of his calves, with small metallic beads braided into several locks.

  A small tattoo on his right pectoral shaped like a disc with a few familiar symbols enclosed caught my attention.

  Runes. Rune tattoos like our Oracles.

  I couldn’t help but wonder whether they were connected in any way. I saved that question for later, provided they’d be willing to help us.

  “Draven, son of Almus,” the young Bajang male said. “It is an honor to meet you. Your father left us with the promise that one day, you would come here to collect the debt on his behalf.”

  Draven blinked several times, visibly confused.

  “Pardon me, what debt?” he asked.

  “We’ve been hidden and safe here thanks to your father. We owe him our lives. We offered our allegiance many years ago, but he was convinced that it was too soon to rise against Azazel. Should I assume he sent you now because it is time?”

  “Not exactly, but yes,” Draven said. “My father passed away many years ago, but left plenty of notes about the Bajangs here at Stonewall. Yes, it is time to rise against Azazel, if you wish to join us. We’ve formed an alliance with the rest of the free nations and would like to hold a meeting here with all rogue leaders to agree on and prepare the military campaign.”

  The Bajang frowned, then nodded.

  Another feline joined his side, a massive spotted leopard with orange, white, and black fur. It shifted into a gorgeous female, with a tangerine-colored mane reaching her ankles. She pulled her hair over her bare chest while fur covered her lower private parts in a pattern like the male Bajang, along with her forearms. Her face was rounded and beautiful, with a small, full mouth and almond-shaped amber eyes.

  “What my wise brother should first ask, before anything else, is why should we trust you?” she asked, her voice low and husky.

  “War is coming, and I don’t think you will be able to evade it,” Draven replied politely. “I’m sure my father told you that as well.”

  “He did, many years ago, when Druids had yet to succumb to Azazel’s darkness. You’re the first one we’ve seen since your father left us here. How is that possible?” the male Bajang asked.

  “I was raised in a mansion protected by the Daughters of Eritopia. I had limited contact with the outside world. After my father died, I chose to stay there and prepare to take Azazel down by forging alliances with the remaining free tribes of Calliope.”

  “How do we know you’re not one of Azazel’s spies?” the female raised an eyebrow.

  “You’d be burning alive right now if I were.”

  Silence fell between us as we eyed each other. I recognized the female’s eyes as the ones I’d stared into earlier, brimming with fierce intensity and harboring an unforgiving nature. The male seemed reserved, unlike the female. His mouth stretched into a half-smile as he looked at Draven.

  “Fair enough,” he said. “However, please be advised that at the first sign of suspicious behavior, we will tear you and your partner apart.”

  All the Bajang felines aggressively bared their sharp fangs to further cement his statement. My skin rippled in response, my palms sweating as I rubbed them against my trousers.

  “As I said, we mean you no harm. We only seek your support in what is to come next,” Draven replied, seemingly nonplussed
and unimpressed.

  “Well, then, Draven, son of Almus,” the male said, raising his chin with pride. “I am Thorn, leader of this pack. This is my twin sister, Rebel.”

  The female with amber eyes nodded in response, her gaze fixed on me.

  “We rule Stonewall together. Thanks to your father, we’ve kept our pack safe and thriving within its walls through a multitude of tricks,” Thorn added with a smirk.

  “One of them being swamp witch cloaking magic if I’m not mistaken,” Draven replied.

  “Precisely,” Rebel smiled. “It has kept us safe. Our pack has replenished its numbers here. Only last summer we birthed our fourth generation of cubs. Our cycles are long and slow, which is why we needed a home like Stonewall to help us raise more Bajangs.”

  “What do you mean by slow cycles?” I asked, unfamiliar with their species.

  “Our fertility windows are short and far apart, coming once every few decades and lasting for just a few months. From then on, it’s a matter of carrying the pregnancy to term, which may prove to be a daunting task if Destroyers permanently hound us,” Rebel explained briefly.

  The Bajang felines began to morph into their human forms, watching us carefully. I caught a glimpse of a few children between them, hiding behind the females’ thick manes. I couldn’t blame them for being cautious.

  I found it encouraging that a species like this could thrive in such adverse conditions. At the same time, I worried that their luck would run out soon, given that Azazel was expanding and viciously going after those who opposed him. I had a feeling that the Bajangs’ time would run out as the Destroyers scoured the continent and cracked down on the rogues.

  “Will you join our alliance, then?” Draven asked.

  “We could discuss this over dinner,” Thorn replied. “We owe a life debt to Almus, but we must be measured in our approach. We’ve come a long way since we last saw the Druid. Circumstances have changed, and we would like to review how we’ll repay our debt.”

  “I’m sorry, but there is little time for that,” I announced. The urgency of our situation and Vita’s unfortunate predicament was weighing heavily on me. We’d been through these motions before, persuading others to join the fight by discussing advantages and disadvantages. I’d lost the patience the moment Patrik had taken Vita away.