Legends Born: Tahir Edition (History's Shadow)

by K. Dzr

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  A R T E M I S I O S

  Destiny, Demetrius and Kraven dismounted and let the horses flee to safety. The three wizards shielded their eyes from the violent wind and blowing debris as they walked into the clearing where the towering stone pillars stood. The torrential rain turned the ground to muck and drenched them to the bone.

  Tahir, still atop Oraden, unsheathed his sword. Fighting the brutal weather, they entered the ring of stones with Alexander on silent paws behind them. Ellic had long ago landed, unable to fly in such extreme conditions. She dug her claws into the ground and struggled to keep her wings tight to her body for fear of being blown away.

  Within the circle, lightening struck and wind whipped, creating a vortex that pulled them inward. They struggled to stand their ground and keep their distance from the lightning.

  Tahir squinted through the cyclone. As he waited for Artemisios to appear, his mind raced back to Demetrius’ instructions. First with sword, and then with every arrow; twelve arrows. It didn’t seem possible. But he must not fail.

  The wind’s increasing velocity soon had them all holding on to the giant stones to keep from being snatched away. Demetrius knelt beside Ellic and held onto her, anchoring her light frame and broad wings. If the wind took her, she’d likely suffer broken wings or worse, and surely Meelix would be lost. Demetrius feared the worst for his brave friends.

  Destiny positioned herself between Oraden and one of the giant rocks. Tahir wrapped one arm around her and clutched Oraden’s mane with the other. She was probably as safe as one could be given the circumstances.

  The earth trembled beneath them. Lightning pierced the ground in the center of the cyclone. Electricity crackled; the light was blinding. Tahir blinked against the black spots impeding his vision. There was movement dead center. It appeared to be a figure, stretching up from the ground. Eerie laughter rose over the receding echoes of the lightening strike. The cyclone dissipated; the rain and wind with it.

  Before them stood an incredibly handsome, tall man with dark hair and eyes. He stood naked, flexing his fingers and moving his body, smiling an arrogant smile. He noticed his observers but paid them no attention. With a flick of his wrist, and a flash of light, he was clothed in the most beautiful garments. Velvet and silks in rich colors accented with gold trim. The robes of the scholars of Atlantis had not been seen for thousands of years.

  From the corner of his eye, Tahir noticed Destiny ogling and shot her a look that caused her to blush.

  What? She sent to his mind with a guilty smile.

  Alexander raced toward Artemisios. The ancient sorcerer turned to face his attacker and released a laugh that sent chills down Tahir’s spine. Following Alexander’s lead, the others charged Artemisios, weapons drawn. Alexander leapt toward the sorcerer, instantly teleporting to come at him from behind. Without losing momentum, he crashed into the sorcerer’s back, sending Artemisios stumbling into the mud with Alexander’s claws scythed through flesh and muscle. Blood splattered on the wolf as he mauled Artemisios. When the sorcerer tore free and regained his footing, Alexander disappeared again to ready himself for another maneuver.

  Demetrius attacked with his sword. As soon as the tainted blade pierced Artemisios’ flesh, Demetrius teleported away to allow Alexander’s second attack. The wolf leapt through the smoke where Demetrius stood an instant ago. He gouged Artemisios’ eyes and ripped his chest and throat with his poisoned fangs. His job was done. Now he would just keep Artemisios’ attention so the others could complete their missions.

  The sorcerer, using nothing more than a thought and an occasional flick of the wrist, managed to counter each of his assailant’s attacks. He sent Alexander flying into one of the stone pillars. The wolf resumed his attack without hesitation.

  Kraven, meanwhile, watched from a distance, hypnotized by Artemisios’ power.

  Ellic and Meelix flew in quickly. The Dracara torched Artemisios with her precious, toxic flames. Meelix fired arrow after arrow; six found their mark in the sorcerer’s back.

  With the slightest movement, the ancient sorcerer extinguished the flames. Then, his mind turned to eliminating the pests. It was as though a giant, invisible hand grabbed the young Dracara’s tail, spun her violently and hurled her and her passenger from view. Meelix’s miniature arrows; protruding from either side of his spine, were now put to his own use.

  The arrows pulled free from Artemisios’ flesh and honed in on Destiny. He chuckled as he watched her flee the possessed arrows, darting between pillars and performing every acrobatic stunt she could muster to escape her pursuers. He had only a moment’s pleasure however, before Demetrius and Alexander cast lightning and fire in his direction. His enjoyment turned to annoyance as he calmly raised his hands; one stopped their attacks, the other sent lightning to rival Demetrius’ own.

  As Demetrius struggled against Artemisios’ lightning bolts, Tahir and Oraden galloped over the muddy ground, dodging Alexander’s ball lightning attacks. Artemisios smiled as the two approached; he redirected his as well as Demetrius’ lightning toward the galloping heroes. Alexander, always anticipating a counter attack, whisked his two allies away, positioning them on Artemisios’ opposite side. Although surprised by the teleportation, Tahir successfully completed his attack, slashing Artemisios’ shoulder with his sword.

  Artemisios grunted, his face distorting with pain and annoyance. With a wave of his hand, the gaping wound closed and the frayed golden fabric of his robe mended itself.

  “How long shall this pathetic display continue?” he rolled his eyes. “Diakonos igiera!” he called, raising his hands.

  The earth trembled and wailed. The mud swirled and convulsed as it came to life, or rather, as creatures came to life from it. Artemisios stood calmly, straightening his clothing and removing a few stray arrows, all but ignoring his vile mud creations and the confused observers. The grotesque mudmen stretched and moaned as they took various shapes.

  Deciding it best to attack before the mudmen gained full strength; Alexander summoned the power of the rain to blast the largest of them with a powerful stream of water. The mudman staggered, still as solidly ominous as it had been. Instead of turning the creature to splatter, the water pressure simply rinsed it off, revealing a gigantic, three-headed dog. Alexander cocked his head in surprise. The black dog loomed above him and barked madly with all three heads. His thick mane consisted of dozens of snakes that hissed and danced around his neck.

  “Cerberus,” Alexander sighed. Now it was his turn to be annoyed.

  “And Minotaur,” Demetrius pointed out as he rinsed the other creatures.

  The Minotaur snorted and stomped its bovine feet, then lowered its giant bull head to charge. Within moments, the team had their hands full, battling a cornucopia of monsters from ancient Greece: Chimera, Medusa, Harpies, Cerberus, Hydra and the Minotaur.

  Artemisios smiled with satisfaction at the chaos he created. Abruptly, he willed himself to the sky. Destiny abandoned her battle with Cerberus and took flight in pursuit of the sorcerer. Her eyes glowed as she blasted him with dark energy. He staggered in the air. Stunned, he shook his head, and then turned to face his attacker.

  “Impressive,” he commented.

  “I’m not interested in impressing you,” she snarled through gritted teeth.

  Artemisios smiled. Finally, an opponent worthy of his full attention. He thought, admiring her strange features.

  “Now, this is interesting. I don’t believe we have been properly introduced. I am Artemisios. Atlantean. Sorcerer. Son of Sphinx. And you are…”

  “Not interested in anything you have to say.” She hurtled another blast at him.

  “…the daughter of a god, no doubt,” he continued, deftly neutralizing the attack. “And as such, you belong on the arm of a god. Why do you waste your time with these imbeciles?”

  She attacked with everything she had; which unfortunately, was not much in comparison to his arsenal. He easily
deflected each of her strikes, but offered none in retaliation.

  “It is obvious you stand no chance of defeating me,” he told her calmly. “How old are you? Do you even understand what you are? What you are capable of? Shall we stop these silly theatrics so we can have a civilized conversation?”

  “I would just as soon spit upon you than speak with the likes of you!”

  “For thousands of years I’ve slept, and the moment my eyes open, you attack. I gather you’ve read a few stories about me? Perhaps the little Dracara has spun a few tales? That is enough for you to think you have the right to condemn me?” he shook his head. “How…human.”

  She pondered his words but continued her attack.

  “No one you know was alive when I was imprisoned. Have you ever considered the possibility that perhaps some truths have been…distorted? Forgotten? Misinterpreted? Or, that maybe you’ve just been lied to? Has this thought never occurred to you? Have you never wondered why, or even if, I did whatever it is you despise me for? You would be wise to give me an opportunity. There is much I have to offer.”

  “You have nothing I want.”

  “Nonsense. I’m sure there’s something.”

  A small twinkle caught his eye: the talisman hanging from a chain around her neck. He reached out and telekinetically snatched it. In his hand, the corrosion and dirt that hid its beauty instantly melted away. Beneath the dark sky, the ruby inlayed within the gold, sparkled so brightly it seemed to glow. “How much do you know about Eris, your mother? Don’t look so surprised, you look just like her. I imagine she gave you this?”

  The battle raged on below them. The Minotaur was amazingly fast despite its square bulk. Oraden struggled to outrun it as it charged him. Even at full gallop, it was gaining on him. Tahir realized that the Minotaur wasn’t agile and couldn’t easily change directions during a full-out charge.

  “Oraden, make him run into the big rocks!”

  “What? How?” he yelled over all the commotion.

  “Follow my lead,” he ordered. Using his mane as reins, Tahir steered Oraden toward the stone pillars. Although it wasn’t something they practiced, it didn’t take Oraden long to figure out what Tahir wanted him to do. They galloped around the stones with the Minotaur snorting on their heels. Cutting between the rocks put more space between them and the barreling monster.

  “Alright, stop!” Tahir demanded. Oraden obeyed but his muscles quivered with the urge to run. Tahir stroked his friend’s neck to calm them both. While the Minotaur thundered toward them Oraden inched into position.

  “Now!” Tahir screamed.

  Oraden’s sprint took them out of the Minotaur’s path, but not before one of its horns sliced through the unicorn’s flank. Oraden stumbled, nearly throwing Tahir from his back. As expected, the Minotaur couldn’t change directions quickly; it crashed head-on into the stone pillar, cracking it all the way through. The beast hesitated, stunned. Before it could recover, the pillar came crashing down; the Minotaur disappeared under the debris.

  “Good thinking, Tahir!” Oraden neighed in delight as they turned to face the next monster. Just then, a loud ruckus caused them to look back. They stared in disbelief as the Minotaur burst free of the wreckage. It snorted and stamped its feet, ready to charge again.

  “Oh, brilliant,” Oraden snorted, “that worked perfectly.”

  “Shut up!”

  Above their heads, Meelix and Ellic battled the fire-breathing Chimera. Her goat body, lion head, serpent tail, and feathered wings made her, by far, the strangest creature of them all. Odd as she was, Meelix found her to be beautiful, even if she was giving Ellic the fight of her life. Meelix silently thanked the dwarves for the harness as Chimera chased them through the sky, blowing fire at every opportunity. As if Chimera weren’t a big enough challenge, the harpies—giant birds with heads of women—flew about cackling hysterically and randomly assaulting them. Meelix wanted to attack with his bow, but feared he would fall if he let go of Ellic for even a moment.

  Oraden stood his ground, horn and eyes glowing bright blue, like nothing else in nature, as the axe-wielding Minotaur charged. Rising on his hind legs, Oraden kicked the air and neighed his own magic spell. He brought his feet down with thunderous force, causing the earth to tremble and crack. The charging beast tumbled into the opening. A curtain of light burst from the chasm into the sky, scorching one of the screaming harpies. The large bird-woman fell to the ground. Ellic just barely pulled away from the burning light.

  “Oraden!” Meelix and Ellic scolded in unison.

  Oraden ignored their complaint and charged the recovering Minotaur. Sheathing his sword, Tahir used his telekinesis to snatch the beast’s fallen axe as it struggled to pull itself free of the mud and away from the gaping hole in the ground. The weight of the axe was far more than Tahir anticipated and he was knocked from Oraden’s back. Oraden rolled his eyes as he kicked and stomped the scrambling Minotaur.

  Ellic, Meelix and Chimera climbed higher and higher. Ellic was determined that she would not flee from this inferior creature, nor would she be defeated. The two collided, clawing and gnawing each other as they spiraled out of control in the sky.

  Meelix no longer knew which way was up. Inspired by Ellic’s determination, he pulled his spear out of its holster and climbed up— or actually, down—Ellic’s neck. Slipping in the blood oozing from the Dracara’s neck, he almost lost his grip. Looking up to gain a better hold, he realized he was actually looking down and they were plummeting head-first toward the ground. Dodging the snarling teeth, he carefully transferred himself over to Chimera’s back. Preoccupied with the struggle, she didn’t appear to notice him.

  Being small has its advantages after all, he thought as he climbed down to her face. He hesitated for only a moment, and then plunged the spear into her neck. Meelix wrenched the spear back and forth, back and forth, severing a vital artery. She roared and lashed her long tail toward her face in an unsuccessful attempt to swipe Meelix off. She wrenched free from Ellic’s claws and belched fire in the young Dracara’s face.

  “Ellic! Help!” Meelix screamed as Chimera soared straight up into the sky. Ellic quickly regained her bearings and gave chase.

  “Look at them, they are pathetic!” Artemisios chuckled, flipping Destiny’s talisman over his knuckles like a coin. “Yes, I knew your mother, long ago. She is a beautiful woman, a characteristic you share. I could tell you all about her. Do you know how to find her?”

  Destiny’s brows furrowed. She halted her attack. “You know where she is?” she finally asked, her guard completely down now.

  “She isn’t hard to find if you know where to look. With the right magic, the entire world is at your fingertips. Who is teaching you? The wolf? That gnome?” he laughed. “They know nothing and they keep secrets from you. Leave these weaklings. I can give you true power. I can teach you what you can really do. I can offer you the world…”

  “It isn’t yours to give.”

  “Not yet, but it will be. On that day you can either stand beside me as a goddess, or kneel before me as a slave.”

  “I will stand over your lifeless body and watch your detestable soul flung into damnation!” she screamed, and then resumed her attack.

  While the others struggled, Alexander made quick work of Cerberus. He had no desire to waste time fighting peons when there was a sorcerer to be destroyed. At his command, lightning struck the drooling dog, ending its role in the battle.

  Demetrius had Hydra under control. The nine-headed serpent appeared to be trapped in a telekinetic bubble, suffocating on its own poisonous breath. Kraven had his hands full fighting Medusa with his eyes closed, but was holding his ground. Oraden and Tahir, on the other hand, were still struggling with the Minotaur. The two of them were trying to push the beast into the chasm Oraden created, but the Minotaur was intent on dragging at least one of them with him.

  Alexander leapt over the chasm, switching to human form in midair. He freed Tahir from the Minotaur’s
grasp and teleported him a distance away. The frenzied beast struggled to pull himself to safety, but Alexander was not going to allow that. Once Oraden and Tahir were out of danger, he fired a blast that sent the Minotaur into the depths of the abyss. With a wave of his hand, the ruptured ground began to heal itself.

  “Destiny and Kraven have yet to make their attacks,” Alexander explained as he watched the chasm close. “I will assist them now. Until then, it wouldn’t kill you to exercise some caution. On the contrary, it may kill you both not to.”

  Oraden and Tahir nodded their understanding, turned invisible and galloped away. Alexander watched them only for a moment before casting his sapphire eyes upward to where Artemisios toyed with Destiny. He took to the sky as a griffin.

  Kraven’s patience with Medusa was growing thin. She was loathsome, repulsive and unskilled, but she was quick. Without being able to look at her, he was finding it incredibly difficult to land an attack. How Demetrius was able to move around, let alone fight without the use of his eyes was beyond him. His thoughts were interrupted when something warm and moist landed on him, followed by the cackling laughter of the harpies. He wiped at his head and looked up into the sky with disgust as he realized the harpies were defecating on him.

  “You wretched, vile abominations!”

  Ignoring Medusa, he attempted to rise to meet his assailants, but the snake-headed woman had no intention of letting him go. She wrapped her serpentine tail around his waist, trying to force him to look at her.

  “Sykonomai!” he cried, casting his own spell.

  With his eyes averted, he elbowed the repulsive woman’s face and jerked free of her grasp. The mudman he summoned took shape and back-handed Medusa, sending her sprawling. When the giant scooped the snake woman up in his massive hands, he gazed into her hideous face. He was instantly cast to stone. And she, imprisoned in his rigid arms, was locked in a death grip; the life slowly squeezed from her. Kraven straightened his cloak and wiped his hands before returning his focus to the Harpies.

  I should have thought of that sooner. Kraven thought as he telekinetically grabbed one of the harpies, ripped off her wings and slammed her into the ground. One by one they died grotesque deaths, lying amongst severed body parts and in pools of their own blood. Then he casually directed the rain to shower the feces from his body. When he commanded it to still, it formed a thin sheet of water that served as a mirror. Looking at his reflection, he put his hair and clothing back in place.

  “I like your style,” Artemisios interrupted, momentarily taking his attention from Destiny and Alexander.

  “And, I yours,” Kraven replied, dismissing the mirror and unsheathing his sword. “But unfortunately this is where the pleasantries end.”

  “Ah, yes. You think you can kill me, correct?”

  “Well, I suppose you could decide to retire to a peaceful life in a cottage in the woods. Or perhaps become a teacher?”

  “Quite unlikely.”

  Alexander exhaled an impatient sigh as Artemisios and Kraven continued their egotistical banter. Destiny took advantage of the distraction to fire an arrow.

  “Come now, Destiny. You can do better than that.” The sorcerer pulled the arrow from his back and dropped it to the ground. The flesh instantly healed itself. “I expect as much from a gnome, but you should know better.”

  “Meelix!” Ellic screamed as she chased Chimera and fought against her rising panic. If she attacked her outright, Meelix would surely be injured; but if she didn’t act fast, she risked Chimera tossing the gnome to his death. So she stayed on her, hoping to get close enough for Meelix to climb back on to her. Chimera’s erratic flight pattern worked in Ellic’s favor and she began gaining on her.

  Chimera dove and flipped wildly in every direction, trying to use the turbulence to shake the little tyrant from her mane. Meelix put his whole body into every thrust of his miniature spear and stabbed her neck as rapidly as he had seen woodpeckers go at a dead tree. A stream of blood flowed in her wake.

  She was getting weaker and more desperate. Ellic had to act fast. In a gambit move, she chomped on her serpentine tail and jerked backwards, stopping her dead in the air and catapulting Meelix overhead. Ellic spat out her tail and dove after Meelix as Chimera dropped to the earth.

  “ELLIC!” Meelix screamed, as he tumbled in the sky; the ground rapidly spiraling toward him. As carefully as she could, Ellic plucked her small friend from the air with her teeth.

  Unable to pull up in time, Dracara and gnome plowed directly into an invisible Oraden and Tahir, toppling them both and sending all four rolling in the mud.

  “You’re a lot heavier than you look, Ellic,” Tahir said.

  “Are any of your plans going to work today, Tahir?” Oraden rose to his feet and shook the mud from his coat, splattering them all.

  “Good catch! Both of you. All three of you,” Meelix gasped, wiping mud from his face.

  They regained their footing on the slippery ground and surveyed the battlefield.

  “I think she’s dead,” Meelix spoke quietly, staring at Chimera’s motionless body. “I think I killed her.”

  “Well, if you hadn’t, she probably would have killed you,” Tahir explained. “Come on, our fight isn’t over.”

  Meelix mounted Ellic and the two returned to the sky to face Artemisios.

  Oraden and Tahir stood cloaked in protective invisibility watching the wizards, Dracara and gnome attack with everything they had. Alexander appeared to take the brunt of the attacks, moving in close, letting the others attack from afar. Even still, they were all getting their fair share of burns and bruises.

  What are you waiting for? Tahir heard Destiny’s voice in his mind.

  I didn’t see Kraven attack.

  Well, he did. How long do you think we can keep this up?

  Tahir quickly loaded his first arrow and took aim. Thankfully, the rain and wind calmed down considerably; he should have no problem hitting his mark. He smiled to himself as he released the first arrow and watched it sail directly into Artemisios’ torso. Demetrius and Alexander intensified their attacks when the arrow struck. Kraven and Destiny followed their lead.

  The sorcerer hardly responded to the sting of an arrow. But after a few more, Artemisios’ face contorted with pain and he struggled to stay upright. He ripped the arrows from his flesh to examine them. They were too large to be coming from the gnome. He looked everywhere but couldn’t discover their source.

  “Keep attacking!” Demetrius ordered.

  Tahir fired again and again in rapid succession. Each arrow hit its mark. The others pelted Artemisios with fire, lightning bolts, arrows and telekinetic blasts.

  Arrow by arrow, Artemisios’ power was diminishing. No longer just listing and drifting, he was descending and was being hit from all directions. Unfamiliar with defeat, he didn’t recognize it until it was too late to simply destroy them, or summon more creatures to come to his aid.

  He continued to fire as many blasts as he could muster while desperately searching for the origin of the life-draining arrows. They were all coming from below, he realized. Although he saw no one, someone had to be there. But they wouldn’t be for long, he vowed.

  Artemisios landed without injury and focused on finding his invisible attacker. The others continued their barrage from above. At ground level, he couldn’t help but notice the mud splashing about, seemingly on its own. He watched the dancing mud, and sure enough, an arrow materialized coming straight at him. Blinded by another bolt of lightning, he could neither evade nor destroy the arrow; instantly, he felt more power sucked from him. He fell to his knee, barely able to move, his head swimming; he had to stop those arrows.

  “Bythizo!”

  Two arrows left. Tahir steadied his bow, exhaled and released—

  Oraden reared up, neighing. The arrow flew awry: upwards over Artemisios’ head.

  “No!” Tahir screamed.

  Oraden kicked and bucked wildly, struggling against the ground which cam
e alive to swallow them.

  While Tahir and Oraden fought the sinking earth for freedom, Meelix and Ellic darted after the stray arrow. They had to catch it before it hit the ground and dispersed its magic into the earth. Ellic flew as fast as her wings would take her.

  The arrow was descending; Ellic stretched her neck as far as it would go. Battered by the wind, Meelix crawled up the Dracara’s sleek neck and over her head to get into position on the long snout. The arrow was gliding downward just over his head. They were so close.

  He inched toward the tip of Ellic’s nose, glancing down to see how much farther out he could go. Beneath him there was no more snout and no more sky. Ellic was flying too low. He dove just as she slid face first into the quicksand. Meelix reached toward the heavens, flying parallel to the ground. He felt the smooth wooden shaft glide through his fingers and quickly clenched his fist.

  “I caught the arrow! I caught the arrow!” His smiling face plowed into the quicksand. He held the arrow up as he skidded and tumbled to a stop. He jerked himself up, triumphantly waving the arrow over his head. Ellic’s smiling canines sparkled beneath her muddy face.

  “Great job, Meelix, but we have to get that arrow to Tahir before I sink!”

  “You won’t sink, Ellic, I’ve been in quicksand before,” Meelix explained. He swam over to Ellic and climbed onto her back. “Just swim, like you’re in water. And stay calm!”

  Ellic used her tail and webbed feet to propel herself in the quicksand. She slithered slowly at first. Soon she realized it was like swimming in water. Actually, it was easier to float. The way she slithered reminded Meelix of the crocodiles on the Nile—barely visible in the quicksand, only her nostrils, eyes, and a few rows of spikes on her back broke the surface. Ellic quickly returned to the action with Meelix on her back.

  Artemisios was so busy attacking and defending, he didn’t notice the little man and the muddy Dracara slithering behind him. But Tahir did, and he saw the wayward arrow in Meelix’s hand. He silently rejoiced and unsheathed his final arrow. Trapped in the quicksand, Oraden buried to his neck, Tahir to his waist, and completely visible, he knew he had to time this arrow perfectly.

  Alexander focused his attention on protecting Tahir and Oraden, who now became Artemisios’ primary targets. The others kept attacking. They also saw Meelix and Ellic approaching and fully intended to keep Artemisios from noticing.

  Meelix jumped from Ellic’s back and landed in the small circle of dry land where Artemisios stood. Holding the arrow like a spear, he jammed it as hard as he could into Artemisios’s leg. The sorcerer roared in pain and dropped once again to his knees. Tahir released the final arrow; it penetrated Artemisios’ heart. The final dose of venom pumped through his veins. Demetrius, Alexander, Kraven and Destiny circled the fallen sorcerer and began the magical chant that would destroy him forever. The sky grew dark again, the four wizards’ eyes glowed and the Earth moaned. Meelix slowly backed away from Artemisios, stumbling backwards into the quicksand.

  Artemisios convulsed and gurgled as their chants became louder. His body unraveled. Like confetti, the ribbons of flesh and clothing scattered into the air. They burst into little pieces, glowing and taking on a life of their own. Thousands of tiny shimmering balls of light danced from where the bones of Artemisios’ body lay.

  The lights spiraled into the sky, sparkling and singing songs that only Oraden could hear. His horn glowed a brilliant white, drawing a few of the fairies to him like moths to a flame. He closed his eyes and swayed as he listened to them sing about Artemisios’ defeat before they swirled back into the sky and faded from view.

  “It’s over,” Demetrius announced when the last of the fairies disappeared and the glow from his eyes and Oraden’s horn faded. “He is gone forever; his knowledge and power dispersed into the fairies where it belongs.”

  Destiny walked over to the spot where Artemisios once stood. She stooped and picked up the shining talisman. How would Tahir be in possession of something that once belonged to her mother? She wished she had more time to speak with Artemisios. There was still so much she wanted to know. She glanced at Demetrius. Yes, she and Tahir would have a talk with the wizard. But not today. Today, they would celebrate. She returned the talisman to its place around her neck.

  Demetrius surveyed the damage. Meelix, Ellic, Oraden and Tahir were stuck in quicksand, but smiling proudly, nonetheless. Kraven’s stone mudman, half sunken in the quicksand, still tightly clutched Medusa’s dead body. The other fallen beasts, were slowly sinking into the abyss. He outstretched his hands and his friends slowly levitated above the quicksand. Once they were freed, he commanded the quicksand to swallow the corpses. Once the creatures were entombed, the ground solidified and he gently lowered his friends. All signs of Artemisios was gone. The dark clouds that plagued the sky for months were already dissipating, finally allowing the sun to break through once more.

  Demetrius and Alexander watched proudly as Oraden, Tahir, Destiny, Meelix and Ellic celebrated: laughing, hugging, waving their weapons and dancing about.

  Thunderous roars carried across the distance.

  Alexander’s wolf-ears perked, deciphering the sound. “Xanderick is victorious,” he relayed.

  “Yes,” Demetrius agreed. “Darios, too.”

  Alexander raised his head to the sky and howled triumphantly.

  They made their way back to the castle, accompanied by trumpet blasts from the centaurs, roars of Dracara and other victory calls as one by one, The Twelve fell at the hands of the chosen.