by Ben Hale
"You don't want to know," she replied.
"Are we really not going to make a bet?"
She shook her head. "I don't think so. Not this time."
"Is it weird that I want to punch your illusion?"
She blew out her breath. "No, I feel the same. That mouth of yours is really creepy."
"You can hit me if you want."
"Not going to happen, Mike."
He laughed. "I bet you a kiss we survive."
He couldn't see her, but could hear the grin in her voice. "I'll kiss you when we get out of this alive."
"Deal," he said.
By unspoken accord they surged up to do battle with the phoenix. As planned, Katsuo began to give them instructions and they followed them with exactness. If they didn't they'd be burned to a crisp. As it was they had to pretend that the blasts of fire from the diving phoenix came close to hitting them. Thirty seconds in, the real Voidlings arrived.
"Make it look good," Laura said.
Before he could respond, a river of fire struck her from the sky, and sent her tumbling toward the school grounds. An instant later another blast from the phoenix slammed him in the chest. He fell with a smile on his face as he watched the other Voidlings hesitate, wary of suffering the same fate. Then a collection of trees enveloped him and he slowed his fall so as not to die on impact.
Ten seconds later he drifted away, the Voidling persona gone. He joined the crowd of students huddling behind trees and rocks.
"I'm clear," he whispered into the nexus charm.
Laura echoed the statement. "Good luck guys."
Mike spotted her and slid to her side. Their parts played, he reached out and held her hand, his eyes on the conflict unfolding above. To his eyes the phoenix appeared and sounded real, and he felt a chill even though he knew the truth. It was only a matter of time until the Voidlings were victorious.
He just hoped it was long enough.
Chapter 49: Impact of the Fallen
At the helm of the phoenix, Katsuo banked them directly at the collection of Voidlings. Held aloft by the other flyers the bird responded to the embedded light charms that Marcus had made for him. He made a mental note to praise Marcus and his friends for their work even as he prepared to fire.
"Let's make our first shot count," he said.
His skin tingled with nervous excitement as the other fire flyers began to cast their spells on the great bird. Beside him, Kent's expression was white as he grasped the holds made for him. Katsuo threw him a glance.
"Do your call right after the initial blast," he said.
Kent nodded, but Katsuo's attention was on the gathering flames around him. Elation flooded him as the interior of the bird surged with heat and fire, eliciting a grunt from Kent.
"Let's light 'em up!" Katsuo yelled.
Fire exploded over the torso and wings of the great bird, and launched the rising inferno at the gathering Voidlings. Some attempted to withstand the heat, but most retreated after what had happened to the fake Voidlings. The fires raged around the flying smoky figures as they scattered, and the phoenix banked away. Its piercing cry elicited a ragged shout from the viewing students.
Then the Voidlings attacked with a vengeance.
Regrouping, they pursued the firebird and launched threads of Dark. Like streaks of midnight through the morning the Voidling's power filled the air with its lethal power. Several struck the flaming body, piercing and darkening some of the magic that held it together. On the outside it appeared like wounds against the burning flesh. On the inside the Dark had cut all the way to their hiding spot. Dimmed by the passage, Jerry cried out as he was struck, his eyes turning opaque as he fell.
Katsuo saw that he was still alive so he didn't stop his attack. Twisting and dodging he returned fire, blasting at the Voidlings with everything the Tempest players could muster. Liquid flames and Dark threads crisscrossed the sky, searing and deadly.
Katsuo had been the captain of the Brokins Tempest team for the last two years, and the title represented the pinnacle of what he'd wanted to accomplish in life—until his home had been destroyed. Now as he helmed a phoenix of light he found his heart rising with anger at what the Harbingers had done to his home. For the first time he found himself in a position to fight back.
His blood boiled with determination and righteous indignation, and he called for more. Spurred by the ring in his voice, they unleashed a torrent of fire at the Voidlings, battling for themselves, their homes, what they had lost, and Tess.
They folded their wings and dived, unleashed a supreme blast of fire. A trio of Voidlings were struck and tumbled away. Before they could absorb the magic Katsuo swerved and soared upward. On nimble wings he dodged the retaliating attacks, and then plunged back into the fray. Students across the school cheered as the battle intensified.
But it could not last.
A flock of Harbingers appeared and surged toward the battle. At their head Varson's features were alight with anticipation. Joining the Voidlings, they added their power to the assault. Dodging and weaving, the phoenix could not avoid them all. After two minutes of furious battle Katsuo sensed the shift. More Voidlings were arriving by the second, and their time was up.
"Derek," he said. "Any longer and they are going to take us down. We've drawn them all to us. Now we're coming to you."
***
Derek's grin could not be restrained as he watched through Iris's display. "You've performed flawlessly," he said. "We'll be ready when you get here." He nodded to Rox, who clenched her fists into the water that surrounded them.
"Get ready," she warned.
Then Rox's suppressed spells launched them out of the fountain that lay in the front of the school. Water cascaded away from them as their bubble popped, flooding the ground around the large pool.
Derek landed on the flagstones behind the Tryton's arch. The air was tinged with ash and soot, and echoed with the sounds of the epic battle being fought south of them. A glance showed the mighty phoenix soaring toward them, a mass of Voidlings in pursuit.
With time against them, Derek called on his friends that were hidden deep in the rock beneath him. As one they cast their rising charms—and the statue of Tess climbed out of the fountain. Water dripped from its features as the thirty-foot behemoth lifted into view. Derek strained from the effort to keep it balanced, his magic pouring into the ground around him.
"Ten seconds!" a voice yelled through the nexus.
Difficult to hear over the thundering of his blood, he recognized it to be Katsuo's voice. The statue came to a stop and lifted its massive palm to face the Spirus. Dizzy and weak, Derek allowed his spells to expire and yelled to Rox.
"Do it!"
The water swirled up from the fountain and coated the rock in a glistening sheen of liquid, granting a visceral intensity to the rigid posture that was almost organic. Then Rox cast the flow so it would remain wet.
"Get down!" Katsuo bellowed.
Derek grabbed Rox and yanked her down as the world exploded in fire and heat. The body of the phoenix condensed and wrapped around the giant statue, causing the entire image to brighten to the point of blinding. Built with the densest charms that Marcus had been able to manage, the wings retained their shape and attached to Tess's back.
The phoenix crew leapt free of the illusion and dropped to the ground, everfire charms streaking from their fists. Harmless yet vibrant, they added permanent flames to the wings. Cascading into wisps of curling fires, they wreathed the giant wings in brilliant white. Then they turned to the approaching Voidlings and cast a collective firewall. In a tremendous blast the inferno reached into the air, cutting of their pursuers view.
As soon as it was up Katsuo dodged to the hole that had opened nearby. One by one the others dived into it. Derek all but shoved Rox into the exit his earth mage friends had opened. Then he turned back to Iris.
With static energy crackling off her body, Iris and Quad added the final touches to the form. Energy sank into the statue's
giant shape, embedding traces of lighting and anti-magic charms throughout the rock. Last to light, Tess's eyes filled with blue fire. Burning with rage, the blue gaze seemed to convey a searing condemnation at the Spirus.
Derek's eyes were on the Voidlings only seconds away. Like smoky birds of prey they were descending in droves toward the three of them. In seconds the Harbingers would get over the firewall and be able to identify them.
"Let's go, Iris!" he yelled.
Abruptly her magic faded and she spun on her heels. Racing to him, she jumped into the hole ahead of him. Quad was only a step behind her. Last to leave, Derek jumped into the hole and yelled to his friends.
"Seal it!"
The rock closed as they raced away, cutting off the image of the Voidlings landing above. The tunnel trembled as the entire Order hustled down the escape route they'd prepared. Behind them a trio of earth mages closed it up, turning it back into the solid rock it had been.
"How long do you think it will take for them to take it down?" Rox asked, breathless.
Iris released a grim laugh and gestured to Quad. "With what we put on it? A while."
Quad laughed and nudged her as they ran. "There are no words to describe you, you know that?" Iris was too busy talking to her army to respond, but her eyes sparkled.
Derek was nodding. "Let's just hope it has the desired effect."
He swallowed, his doubt and fear abruptly blossoming through him. Even if Tess is gone. He didn't want to admit it, but days had passed since Tess had fallen and there had been no sign of her. Deep down, logic warred with his stubborn refusal to accept the truth, but did not win. Even if she had died, he had vowed never to believe it.
Never.
Over the next few days the atmosphere at Tryton's shifted dramatically. True to Iris's prediction, the effigy of Tess defied all attempts to remove it. Its condemning gaze and sheer presence sparked a chord throughout the students. Tess had died to protect them, and memories of her strength and light spread like wildfire. Passed in secret, they spread to every school and every student, until the fire of anger embedded deep. Then it seeped into Auroraq.
Parents, ousted Magtherian officials, and dismissed battlemages took courage from the image of Tess's statue. From there it could not be contained, and the memory of it spread. In spite of Alice's restrictions it disseminated to the rest of the mages in the world, and even the aurens. Whispered in classrooms, homes, and back alleys, the news about the statue spread with the current of hope. The message was clear.
It was time to fight back.
The Chronicles of Lumineia
By Ben Hale
—The White Mage Saga—
Assassin's Blade (Short story prequel)
The Last Oracle
The Sword of Elseerian
Descent Unto Dark
Impact of the Fallen
The Forge of Light
—The Second Draeken War—
Elseerian FREE
The Gathering
Seven Days
The List Unseen
Author Bio
Originally from Utah, Ben has grown up with a passion for learning almost everything. Driven particularly to reading caused him to be caught reading by flashlight under the covers at an early age. While still young, he practiced various sports, became an Eagle Scout, and taught himself to play the piano. This thirst for knowledge gained him excellent grades and helped him graduate college with honors, as well as become fluent in three languages after doing volunteer work in Brazil. After school, he started and ran several successful businesses that gave him time to work on his numerous writing projects. His greatest support and inspiration comes from his wonderful wife and three beautiful children. Currently he resides in Florida while working on his latest writing and business endeavors.
To contact the author, discover more about Lumineia, or find out about the upcoming sequels, check out his website at Lumineia.com. You can also follow the author on twitter @ BenHale8 or Facebook.