Release (The Protector Book 3)

by M. R. Merrick

  I prepared for the impact as Rai’s claws released me and I stuck out my uninjured leg. I hit the first demon’s chest with my foot and a burst of power surged between us, exploding outward and throwing everyone into the air.

  I tumbled end over end, pain coursing through my leg, but there was no chance to rest. The Kivrakai struggled to their feet, bodies writhing awkwardly against the ground.

  I ran forward and plunged my dagger into the closest demon’s neck, and red blood spilled down his orange skin. Streams of fire erupted from the third eye in his forehead, and I jumped back. Even out of its direct path, the heat threatened to burn my skin. Stepping behind him I raised the blade and swung again, the demon’s spine snapping beneath the force.

  Expecting his body to light up into ash, I turned away, but it didn’t. Instead, it exploded into fiery pieces, and the force sent me skidding across the terrain. My shirt caught on something and was torn from my body, leaving the small cuts on my back to sting against the rocky ground.

  When I came to a stop, Marcus and Eric stood on either side of me. Rayna was just ahead, her long whip in her hand and green earth magic spiraling around her arms. Willy was on the ground in wolf form; his colorless eyes met mine as he unleashed a howl.

  “Chase, get inside the temple and get the soul piece!” Marcus shouted, waving the two long blades in his hands.

  The ground shook as the Kivrakai got to their feet and barreled towards us.

  “We need to get out of here!”

  “No!” Marcus yelled. “We are here now. Get the soul piece.”

  I hesitated for a moment and Tiki appeared beside me. He grabbed me by the elbow and pulled me up.

  “Go, Chase Williams. We will fight until our last breath, but if you do not get the soul piece, this is all for nothing.”

  “No, it’s not. I saw Krulear, and she said—”

  Tiki’s beast exploded and he ran away from me, heading off the Kivrakai with long talons slicing through the first one he met.

  “Chase, go!” Rayna screamed.

  The statue was even more massive than I imagined. I ran towards it, my leg tender with each step. There was no time to explain what Krulear had said. If I could still manage to get the soul piece and destroy it, this could all be over.

  It took me longer than it should have to run around to the enormous monument, but I was hurt. I searched each side for a doorway or some kind of entrance, and when I turned the last corner, I found the black stone staircase that wound around the statue. I didn’t hesitate; I grabbed the railing, ignored the pain, and started climbing.

  The staircase turned again and again, funneling up to what I hoped was the doorway. But the longer I ran, the less progress I seemed to make. When I looked up, the staircase stretched, adding more steps as it grew.

  “No!” I screamed. The battle below almost gone from sight. I could hardly see the small dots that moved below like ants, but as far as the statue was concerned, I was only at its knees.

  Algar’s voice echoed inside my head. “This world makes little sense if you’re from the outside. Trying different directions is always an option.” Then I remembered Krulear leading me through the maze. She’d turned and walked back the way we had come.

  The statue rumbled as it stretched and the stairwell moved into the clouds. Up wasn’t working; I had made almost no progress and there was only one other direction. I headed in the other direction and cursed under my breath, hoping I’d found my answer.

  I gripped the railings and skipped down the stairs, four at a time. After going down a few dozen steps, the staircase folded from shingled stairs to a flat stone surface, and I slipped.

  My body slid down the slope, crashing into the stone bars of what had once been the stairwell’s railing. The world blurred around me, and as I came around one of the turns, the staircase vanished into a small black portal.

  The portal sucked me in and I flailed through the darkness for a few seconds before a bright light exploded and I hit something hard, my body rolling to a stop.

  I used my arm to shield my eyes as the light became brighter. Gusts of air rushed around me, but it was too bright for me to see.

  Zairo’s laughter came from all directions, and when it finally stopped, the light dimmed. I uncovered my eyes to find the world had morphed around me.

  Dark red clouds bubbled above, churning in the sky. They grumbled loudly and static electricity danced along my arms before a flash of light crashed into my body. I convulsed and the power threw me to my back.

  I screamed in pain as the world flashed around me. The lightning was sucked back into the clouds and my body went temporarily numb.

  I lay against the rocky terrain of Vortan and my muscles fought against me as I pushed myself up. The statue was gone, and so was the battle. Endless desert surrounded me with the exception of a massive platform that protruded from the ground. A staircase that looked like it was made for a giant led up to the top and I had to jump to reach the edge of the first step, causing my injured leg to burn.

  I hurled my body up and rolled over each step, ignoring the wheezing in my chest. As sweat ran down my face, I pulled myself over the final step, arriving at the top of a wide, white stone platform.

  The ground rumbled and claw-like pillars shot up from the ground. They curled inward until five sharp stones hovered above me, pointing to the center.

  Red smoke drifted down from the tip of each point and swirled together in a coiling stream. When it reached the center of the platform, magic tingled along my spine. The smoke swirled, and a glint of light sparkled in the center, revealing an object floating in the air. A platinum amulet decorated in black gems hovered above the ground.

  I stepped towards it and laughter bounced around me. Colorful smoke exploded in front of the amulet, and as it drifted into the sky, Zairo appeared, his mismatched hands stroking the amulet. He giggled and his four legs scurried to the left, then the right, his ankles snapping and rotating his feet with each change of direction.

  “Let me guess, I have to pass a challenge?”

  Zairo giggled and shook his head. “The maze was the challenge, but you were a cheat. Now you face Zairo for your defeat.”

  “All I have to do is get rid of you? Gladly,” I said, tearing both daggers from their sheaths.

  Zairo made a whimpering sound and stuck out his bottom lip. “Get rid of me you will not. Zairo keeps this safe for master. The Protector is weak, he will die much faster!”

  Zairo came at me in a stampede of legs. I lunged forward with both blades drawn, but Zairo’s ankles cracked, and he sidestepped, dodging me completely. I hit the ground hard and rolled onto my back, but Zairo was already above me, his dirty feet coming down to crush me.

  I threw my hands up to block the attack, but as the pressure of his foot started to hit me, he stopped. Zairo screamed an ungodly sound as both of my blades cut into his foot. Black blood oozed from the wound and I pulled both daggers back and rolled away before he could hit me.

  Hobbling on three legs, Zairo struggled to stand, seemingly incapable of balancing without the fourth. He hopped along, holding his bloody foot with both hands, staring at me with sadness in his eyes.

  “Hurting Zairo is not nice!” he shouted. “Zairo just doing his job.”

  “Zairo is in my way, and the more he tries to stop me, the more he will be hurt,” I said.

  I stepped forward and Zairo cried out, jumping away from me. He didn’t drop his damaged foot, but black tears welled up in his eyes.

  “Protector is a bully! Mean, so very mean!”

  The amulet floated in the puffs of smoke and I reached towards it. It was cool to the touch and I pulled it out of the red mist. The clouds screamed in anger and lightning lit up the sky, striking the clawed points that surrounded the platform.

  One after another they began to crumble, and I ran to the edge and jumped from the platform. My knees collapsed when I hit the ground, pain bursting through my legs, and I tumbled across t
he dirt.

  Stones crashed behind me, and colorful dust exploded in the air like a misty firework. Zairo still watched me from above, and I could see the black tears dripping down his cheeks.

  “Zairo need help!” he shouted, but I didn’t move. “Protector must save Zairo, it is his duty!” The last stone claw collapsed onto Zairo, and his cry of pain faded beneath the rubble.

  I stared up at the rainbow of destruction that had rained down on the platform. Clouds of red, yellow, green, and blue dust wafted up from the wreckage and floated towards me. A surge of power filled my hand as the colorful power was sucked into the soul piece. The faint echo of Zairo’s cries resonated in the amulet, which started to give off a luminescent red glow as it vibrated in my hand.

  A triangular black stone sat embedded in the center of the amulet, and flashes of colorful smoke drifted inside the stone. Zairo was the guardian of the soul piece, and now his soul was where it belonged—back inside the soul piece.

  Energy coursed over my skin, and all my pain faded as the wounds littering my body closed. I could feel my chest throbbing with relief and my muscles relaxed as healing vitality was thrust inside them. Magic tiptoed along my skin, and the wounds on my arms didn’t just heal—they vanished completely. In moments, I had more energy coursing through my body than I’d had in months.

  The clanging of swords sounded behind me and I jumped to my feet. The endless desert was gone, and I could see figures fighting in the distance. A black statue loomed above them.

  In a single stride, I went from standing straight to a full out run. I dropped the amulet around my neck, and as the medallion touched my bare chest, it clung to my skin and became weightless—just another piece of myself.

  My body went into overdrive and clouds of dust scattered around me as I tore across the plain. In seconds the battle had surrounded me. I leaped into the air, bringing both daggers down on an unsuspecting Kivrakai who was about to deliver the final blow to Eric.

  The half-man, half-lion screamed, his roar piercing my ears. He swung his sword behind him, but I clung to him. I straddled him and stuck both blades into his shoulders. I twisted the silver knives and the creature’s arm swung back. I twisted my knives again and the creature swung forward like a controlled robot.

  He ran wildly, trying to buck me off, but I squeezed my legs around his body and held on.

  I twisted the daggers together and a blast of light shot from his face. Two unsuspecting Kivrakai were caught in the blast and exploded to pieces.

  Finally the Underworlder bucked so violently he threw me forward. I didn’t let go of my blades and I felt his shoulder blades shatter as the daggers rotated through them. The demon cried out as the silver tore from his skin and I hit the ground.

  He fell on his side, red blood gushing down his back and pooling beneath him. His human features were contorted and red eyes stared up at me as his body trembled. I made the final blow and his head rolled away. I braced for his body to explode and blow me back, but as it burst into pieces, the amulet’s magic vibrated across my skin and deflected the blast.

  Trees swung their greasy limbs, sweeping Marcus, Tiki, and Rayna across the ground. Many of Eric’s hunters were dead, their bodies lying cold and lifeless on the hot earth. The ones who remained hovered around him as Eric’s shotgun repeatedly rang out. The head of an oncoming demon shattered and the rest of its body exploded into flaming pieces.

  There were only five Kivrakai left, and their fanged mouths dripped with saliva. They stood together in a line, growling in unison. The third eyes began to glow, and I readied to charge them, but Rayna grabbed me and held me back, stepping forward with authority.

  Her earth element shattered the ground around them and massive stones shot up from the earth, molding around the demons. One after another the Kivrakai screamed and smashed their fists into the rock.

  “Rayna, what are you—”

  “You need to leave.” She turned to me, her face as serious as I’d ever seen it. “I’m going to try something to slow them down, but you need to take the amulet and go. Destroy it before it’s too late.”

  Lighting tore through the clouds and thunder growled above us as they merged together. The navy sky twinkled with moonlight and a black portal opened beside the Kivrakai’s stone prison.

  Riley stormed through it, the Brothers only a step behind him. All three of their coats rippled in the air behind them, and Riley’s eyes were enraged.

  “Go!” Rayna screamed.

  The stone walls of her prison began to crack. Rayna closed her eyes, whispering to herself. Magic sparked along her arms and swirls of white spiraled around her. I felt the power ignite my elements, but the amulet tingled against my chest and I pushed them back down.

  Magic exploded and Rayna became illuminated with white light. Her energy pulsed through the air and sent rings of magic rippling around her.

  Three white spirits appeared in front of her and Rayna unleashed her commands. The spirits floated effortlessly through the air towards Riley and the Brothers. Black tendrils twisted from Riley’s back and attacked the spirits, but it was useless. The spirits retaliated with streams of white magic, blowing Riley and the Brothers to the ground.

  I searched for Marcus as the stone walls of the prison fell, and the flames of the Kivrakai blasted through the air. Marcus got hit with the first stream and was forced down. I ran towards him, but Grayson was already at his side, hovering at the back of the battle and trying to remain out of harm’s way.

  “Marcus!” I shouted, sliding to my knees as I approached.

  “Chase,” he said, coughing and patting down the embers burning his shirt. His skin was split and raw, turning black around deep wounds. “You need to take Willy and go. You must destroy the amulet.”

  “Willy?” I asked.

  “He is hurt and needs to be taken to safety. Grayson will open the portal. We will finish this fight and return home to meet you.”

  I looked at Grayson, whose large eyes blinked back at me. “We must go now, Protector. Rayna’s magic will only hold the Brothers back for a few moments. Enough time for the rest of us to finish the demons.”

  Tiki slashed through the first Kivrakai to rush the line of defense, demon’s neck bursting with blood. The next two tackled him, but Vincent and Rayna were right there, a swarm of vampires following behind them.

  “Let’s go,” I said, pulling Marcus to his feet.

  “I must stay and fight,” he said, tearing his arm away from me. “Go, Chase, end this all while we still can.”

  Willy groaned and found him huddled against the ground a few feet behind me. Grayson had moved next to him, his hands reached out into the air and the stone archway appeared.

  Willy was covered only in torn pants, and his stomach was full of cuts and bruises. His overly hairy chest had been singed and he looked defeated. He had both hands wrapped around his leg, but blood was rushing between his fingers and made me realize how serious of an injury it was.

  Glassy brown eyes looked up at me as I approached and Willy bit his lip. “Just a scra—scratch,” he said.

  I sighed and shook my head. “Let’s go, buddy.”

  I wrapped his arm around my neck and pulled him to his feet. Willy gasped and trembled, his feet stumbling forward, but I caught him and helped him to regain his balance. Most of his weight was on my shoulder as he used me as a crutch.

  The stone archway appeared and Grayson turned to face me. “Be safe, Protector,” he said. “We shall return to you soon.”

  “You better be damn sure you do,” I said. “All of you.”

  Chapter 39

  The mirror shimmered and cascaded over my skin. I walked through the darkness with Willy hanging from my neck until the beauty of home came into sight.

  Colorful leaves decorated the branches of the tree as they swayed in the breeze. Petals rained down on the luscious green grass, and cold air brushed my skin as we stepped through to the other side.

  The grass
beneath my feet was a rewarding sensation, even if it was dulled by my shoes. The air smelled sweet, and the fragrance reminded me of apples, berries, and peaches.

  Memories of Serephina’s beautiful face moved through my mind, but as I walked Willy through the clearing, neither she nor Elyas were to be seen. We stood alone and the portal snapped shut behind us.

  Willy and I cut through the brush. I’d never been so pleased to have their cedar limbs scrape against my flesh. Knowing they weren’t going to chase after me helped too. The journey took twice as long as it should have, and I kept looking over my shoulder. Partly in fear the demons would come storming up behind us, partly in hope that Rayna’s face would appear—it didn’t.

  We broke through the other side of the woods and moved to the Jeep. It was parked in the shadows and covered with thick branches and a dark green camouflage tarp, hiding it from the traffic of the secondary road next to us.

  Willy pulled his arm from around me and leaned against the Jeep while I gripped the tarp and tossed it to the ground. I reached into my pocket for the keys. My fingers danced into the fabric lining, but all I could feel was my leg.

  “Shit…” I whispered.

  “What is it?” Willy asked.

  “Marcus has the keys, and I didn’t bring a phone. If I had, there’s no way it would have escaped Vortan in one piece.”

  “Then we’ll have to walk,” Willy said, blood still running down his legs. A thick outline of a mouth was embedded in his skin with four puncture holes that were deeper than the rest. Most of the blood poured from those holes and Willy winced as he tried to put any kind of pressure on it.

  “I’ll have to heal you.”

  “No!” Willy held his blood-stained hand back over the wound and winced. “Not with the way your magic has been lately.”

  “You don’t get a say in this,” I said, crouching down to look at his leg. “Sit.”

  Willy tried to give me a look of defiance, but eventually gave in and slid down to the ground, stretching out his leg in front of me.