Discovery at Nerwolix

by C. G. Coppola

  She’s a few yards over and shaking behind Able. They’re backed up to an Eckle and Able is doing his best to shield her from a pair of impending Vermix. I reach back and send the sharp end of my whip flying, slicing the leaping Dofinike across his body. The other tries and I do the same, clearing the space around us.

  “Christ!” Able swears, throwing me a look.

  Reid takes my free hand and racing over to Able and Mae, we swerve in and out of the Vermix, ducking past Yulus and trunks. Reid shoots a couple more Dofinikes down as we jump over their twitching forms, Brulily darts flying every which way.

  “It’s Perio!” Mae cries as we reach them. She’s still shaking, her large eyes panicked. “He’s got to have Ariana around here somewhere!”

  “I know,” I nod with a pant, glancing at the RC next to her. “Able, you need to stay with her.”

  “You’re staying here too,” Reid says.

  “No! We’re sticking together. You said so.”

  Debating, Reid glances around us. He looks to Able. “Where’re the others? Did you see where Pratt went?”

  “Tucker and Jace have her.”

  “Where’d they go?”

  “I don’t know. They—”

  A small blade flies between us, striking the trunk just to Reid’s left. Mae screams as a miyon races toward us, his sage body flying through the trees. Launching himself, the Musko aims a second blade at me but Reid knocks me back, slamming the miyon to the ground before he gets within feet of us. The Musko tries getting up, but a loud crack emits and his head rolls to the side. Reid rises to a stand.

  Two more come rushing through the fauna, blades already soaring.

  “Who are these assholes?” Able shoots, hitting one in the arm and missing the other. They both leap onto the trees, jetting back and forth as the RC tries again, missing his next few shots.

  “Keep one alive,” I say, retrieving my own Traxpire. “We need to find out where Ariana is!”

  Mae is at my side, trembling as she grips my arm. A third Musko flies through the foliage but a rain of Brulily darts strike into him and he falls, twitching on the ground at our feet. I’m about to jet forward but a hard smack rings across my cheek. I’m on my knees and my eye feels like it’s about to explode, my face instantly screaming at the unexpected pain. Before I have a chance to move, Reid is next to me, pinning a sage body to the ground as he pummels his fist into the Musko’s face over and over again.

  “Reid,” I hold my cheek.

  “Boss…” Able croaks, firing into the nearby brush. “We’ve got to go. Now!”

  Reid gets in another few swings, splattering the miyon’s blood onto the nearby Yulus before he reaches for my hand and pulls me to my feet. We’re racing through the Eckles, under a storm of raining Brulily darts with Able and Mae behind us.

  Without stopping, Reid drags me behind him so fast that I almost can’t keep up. I only have enough time to see where I’m stepping, ducking past the lime curtains as I follow his feet through the lush green. Able is right behind me and grasping Mae who lets out a startled scream every few seconds. I’m trying my hardest to keep up but Reid is moving fast—too fast—and at times I think he’s going to take my hand right off.

  Just keep moving. Keep going.

  We’re running parallel to the beach, through the thick trunks as Zingfinolds jet past us, meeting the Vermix at the edge of the forest. We keep moving, keep racing through the Yulus until I tug on Reid, indicating a stop. I need to catch my breath. He hustles over toward an Eckle and Mae and Able follow.

  “Why are they here?” I pant.

  “I don’t know…” he shakes his head, equally confused. “I don’t know.”

  “Who are they?” Able exhales. “Jace sleep with a girlfriend and piss one off?”

  “It’s the Muskos…” Mae frets. “They—they were the ones who abducted Pratt. They kidnapped Ariana. We have to find her,” she looks at me. “She has to be nearby.”

  Mae is right. Perio wouldn’t go anywhere without Ariana. He must’ve brought her along. But the entire beach is covered with battling Dofinikes, Muskos, Zingfinolds and a fresh wave of Nerwos.

  “It might be our only chance,” I turn to Reid. “We have to find out where they’re keeping her.”

  He looks like he wants to argue but keeps his mouth shut. A thought flashes behind his eyes as he looks around and then presses me against the tree. “Stay here.”

  “Reid—”

  “I’ll be right back,” he holds me in place. “I’m going to get a Musko to tell us. Stay right here, okay?” he jets through the Eckles without another word.

  “You guys okay?” Able looks at Mae and I, still gripping his Traxpire.

  Mae nods, cupping her elbows in her shaking hands as she falls to the ground with her back to the trunk. I throw Able a worried glance as I crouch down next to her.

  “Mae, look at me. Look at me.” When she does, I keep her focus. “Reid’s going to get a Musko for us, okay? We’re going to find Ariana.”

  Again she nods, but keeps silent. She’s probably on the verge of losing it. Who knows what she saw back in the city. She was with Pratt, well protected behind Sampson but here, right now, she’s out in the open, exposed to the harsh truth of what this war has become. Rising to a stand again, I frown at Able.

  “So what was that back there?” he half laughs, a nervous tone tainting his chuckle. “You turn into some Dofinike ninja or something?”

  He’s referring to my newfound talent with the whip. But I don’t know what it is or why I can handle it so well. Offering Able a shrug, I peer past the tree and into the yellow eyes of a Vermix. He hits me before I’m able to yank out my Traxpire or whip and I land hard on my back, the impact jolting my body. One set of talons grip my neck, suffocating my air while the other clutches his gun. He holds it to my face but a loud boom rips through him, splitting his head open and he falls off me. Mae screams, throwing her hands around her ears.

  “Th-thanks, bestie,” I gulp a full breath of air and push myself up. Cupping my neck, I take another deep inhale. “I owe you.”

  “No,” he laughs his nervous chuckle again, throwing his hand out and pulling me to his feet. “We’re even.”

  “Can we go back to the city?” Mae is quivering against the tree. “Please? Please can we go back?”

  “Maybe you should take her,” I look at Able. “Have Vix or Qippert bring her back.”

  “Sampson wants us all in one place.”

  “We’re kind of scattered right now.”

  Jace rushes through the Yulus the next second with Booker, Werzo, Walker and Pratt. The blonde commander heads over first. “Boss said you were back here.”

  “Where is he?” I ask.

  “Trying to cap us a Musko,” he catches his breath. “Also trying to keep Rogue Leader from going ape shit on all of them.”

  “Tucker was beating one to death,” Pratt’s eyes grow wide, terrified. “He kept yelling ‘where is she? Where is she?’” she shakes, wrapping her arms around herself. “Scary…”

  I bite my lip, glancing past the group. “I hope Reid can bring one back here before Tucker kills him.”

  “I don’t know,” Walker shakes his head. “Your Rogue Leader looked pretty pissed. Like he—whoa! What’s that?” he jerks back as the familiar set of wings flutters past his nose and toward mine.

  We can take you to what you seek…

  Come with us, Fallon, another sings, we will lead you to the princess.

  “Are those…” Able’s eyes widen, his hand involuntarily rising as if to touch one, “… the Lynzees?”

  “They safe?” Walker reaches for his Brulily.

  “Yes,” I grip his hand, holding it down by his waist. “They’re messengers of the Lost Princesses and they say they can take us to Ariana.”

  “Really?” Pratt jumps up.

  Reid flies through the lime foliage with Tucker on his heel, both baring sets of bloody knuckles. “We couldn’t…” he sl
ows, shaking his head as he glances at Tucker behind him. The Rogue Leader wears a mask of fury, like he’s reining it in, keeping it together with every ounce of will power he has.

  “It’s okay,” I say. “The Lynzees are here. They say they can take us to her.”

  “To Ariana?” Tucker rushes forward, putting his face in mine. “Where? Where is she?”

  “Whoa,” Reid slips between us, causing me to take a step back. He holds his hands up, nearly pressing them against Tucker’s chest. “Back off, man.”

  “But if she knows…”

  “I don’t…” I gesture to the three flying servants. “But they do.”

  Come with us, Fallon. We will lead you to the princess, one sings, but you must come with us now. She will not be there long.

  “Guys, we need to go now,” I follow the shimmering wings which continue to move parallel to the beach. Reid grips my hand, steadily keeping to my side but Tucker passes us quickly. He’s right behind the Lynzees that fly swiftly through the lime Yulus, in and out of the Brulily darts still raining overhead.

  “Pratt? Mae?” I call behind me.

  “We have them, Boss Lady,” Booker says, the entire group loyally on our feet.

  “Why are they even here?” I throw Reid a confused look, still trying to piece together the last half hour. “The Muskos despise outsiders. And now they’re working with the very people who invaded their home?”

  “I don’t know,” Reid shrugs, growing tense. “I don’t get it.”

  Tucker is moving faster than I thought possible, nearly passing the Lynzees as they lead us toward the clearing through the trees up ahead. Tucker rushes out into the open just as Reid releases my hand and calls for him to stop.

  But it’s too late.

  Tucker is on the beach and a second later, a loud, painful groan escapes. Reid curses, whipping out his Traxpire as he fires on the group of Muskos lining the shore. Walker, Jace, Booker, Werzo and Able are right behind him, already firing as tiny blades spiral back towards them. Able yelps, falling to his knees but keeps shooting. Werzo swears next, grabbing his arm as he dives back behind one of the trees, using his left hand to continue firing.

  “GET BACK!” Reid shouts, clutching Tucker and dragging him behind the tree line. But the Rogue Leader is still fighting, still attempting to race back onto the beach and toward the purple-haired Musko smiling in the middle.

  “I’M GOING TO KILL YOU, PERIO! WHERE IS SHE?” Tucker yells at the top of his lungs. “TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!”

  “BACK!” Reid calls, Walker and the Rogues seeking shelter behind the Eckles with Pratt, Mae and me. The tiny blades continue spiraling toward us, hitting the trunks with loud, sharp cracks. One of the blades narrowly misses Jace and another flies just past Booker’s knees.

  Perio smiles in the center of his small army, his wicked eyes narrowed on Tucker. Raising his hand, the Muskos stop throwing their blades as their leader takes a casual step forward.

  “Who is this ‘she’ you speak of? Surely it cannot be my bride—there is no reason for you to have such knowledge of her whereabouts.”

  “Tell me God damn it!” Tucker swears. “Perio—you fuck! You motherfucker—”

  “My bride is perfectly safe, you unintelligible ape. You are all nothing,” he casts a look over us, “nothing but a mistake. It is with pleasure that I end you. It will take Ariana time to understand this,” he paces, “as she is gentle-hearted, but with my comfort she will one day understand that this is the way it needs to be.”

  Fallon, it’s Clarence’s voice, where are you?

  We’re on the right side of the beach. Everyone’s with me—but the Muskos are here too… they have Ariana. We’re trying to get her back but we’re outnumbered.

  Right side of the beach, you say? Sit tight for a sec, kid. I’m sending in reinforcements.

  Reinforcements?

  It’s time we end this.

  I’m about to ask him what he means but Tucker’s guttural roar cuts off my concentration.

  “YOU PIECE OF—”

  “Enough!” Perio snaps, his orange eyes blazing. “There is no reason to delay this any longer. It is time for you humans to die.”

  With a wave of his hand, the Muskos race forward, blades slicing through the air toward us. Reid jerks Tucker behind a trunk just as one of the small spirals flies past, nearly clipping his nose. Carefully peering past the trees, the Rogues start firing at the approaching miyons as blades and orange explosions exchange at the edge of the forest.

  “Every one of them dead!” Perio calls from the shore. “I want the females killed first!”

  With her back to a trunk, Mae slinks down, eyes wide and terrified. Wrapping her arms around herself, she starts shaking as Pratt looks to Jace, Booker, Werzo and Able. Even with all four Rogues creating a barrier around them, Mae tucks her head into her knees, covering it with both hands. She’s rocking back and forth while Pratt stands beside her, gripping her Traxpire with unease.

  “Pratt—you don’t use that unless you have to!” Reid barks, whipping towards me. “Fallon,” he yanks me close to him, pinning me against a trunk. He’s on one side with Tucker on the other and Walker is going back and forth between our tree and the Rogues.

  “I just heard from Clarence. He said—”

  “FALLON!” Walker yells, jabbing a small blade in the neck of a miyon trying to round the Eckle. The Musko falls and Walker pulls his knife free, turning to fight off another one.

  Mae screams somewhere in the distance and Pratt quickly follows. We’re getting overrun. Fast. Sage bodies swarm us, invading the lush trees and there aren’t any Zingfinolds over here to help us. Where are these reinforcements?

  Tucker is suddenly thrown back and Walker sends his blade flying right into the miyon’s chest. It stops him moments before he’s able to strike into me. I don’t even have a moment to catch my breath. More and more Muskos rush forward and Reid is spinning, unloading his Traxpire on all that approach. The Rogues are doing the same, fighting to keep their small circle safe while Mae and Pratt quiver in the center, screaming as each blade spirals past.

  “Oh fuck this,” I say, reaching for my whip again.

  And just like the other times, everything seems to slow. The miyons were racing mere seconds ago and now they’re moving in inches, giving me plenty of time to throw my whip back and let it crack toward each and every one. It almost seems too easy, like I have an unfair advantage of time manipulation. Maybe I do. Maybe that’s a side effect of being part Dofinike. Except, wouldn’t all Dofinikes be able to do that? Even the Vermix? So how come they weren’t able to slow time and dodge me?

  It doesn’t matter.

  If I can help out, if I can save everyone here—I’m going to do it. Right now. With everything moving so slow, I’m able to crack the whip at the five miyons about to overpower the Rogues before snapping the neck of the Musko trying to slice into Tucker. Each sage body comes forth and he’s put down as quickly as I spot him. I only stop because Reid takes my wrist, gently turning me to him.

  “Fallon?” he breathes, his eyes flickering between mine. “They’re gone. You okay?”

  “Yeah,” I turn and search for more miyons but there are no more. Instead, I meet everyone’s intense stare, the same bewilderment marring their faces like they can’t believe what they’ve just witnessed.

  “Where…” I start.

  “Something’s going on down at the beach,” he says, holding my face in his hands. “They’re retreating right now.”

  “Retreating?” I gulp, replaying the word and applying the meaning. Oh that’s right. I meant to tell him that would happen. With the adrenaline pumping through me, aimed at keeping all the Muskos away from my friends, I need to slow down again, to the normal time everyone else is on. “Clarence sends he’d be sending reinforcements.”

  “He did?” Reid raises a brow.

  “He said it was time to end this. Who…” I jet past Reid and Walker even though they try holding me
back. Passing the trunk, I stop at the dizzying scene ahead.

  Whoa.

  The shore is covered in Mybyncians—more than just the Muskos. There are at least ten times more then there were before and they’re not storming us, but rather, each other. The beach is filled with sage-skinned bodies fighting sage-skinned bodies as blades fly and cries of pain soil the early morning air. I almost can’t believe it. There must be around fifty Muskos but they’re quickly getting overrun, miyons and mayans coursing over them like a tidal wave.

  “What…” Tucker whispers next to me.

  “Is that…” Jace starts.

  “Yup,” Clarence appears next to us, startling the group which has slowly emerged past the safety of the trees. “I wasn’t here yesterday because I was working with Queen Ravan and Chancellor Keller on putting together a sizable force to bring back with me. They’re still regrouping from their own assault and the queen wanted to make sure her kingdom would be well protected in our absence,” he sighs. “It took some time, but we figured it out.”

  “How many?” I ask before the others can.

  “Enough,” Clarence nods. “More than enough.”

  “And they’re…” I motion down the shore.

  “Yes. Keller has an estimated four thousand Mybyncians on this beach currently. Match that with the three thousand or so Nerwos, all the Zingfinolds and us,” he shrugs, “…I don’t see Reuzkimpart staying much longer.”

  “Shit, hell yeah!” Jace nods, a big goofy grin on his face.

  “Everyone okay?” Clarence looks around, investigating our worn faces. “All limbs attached… no need for immediate medical attention?”

  “Not immediate,” Reid shakes his head, glancing to the group, “but we do have a few minimal injuries. Definite need for Vilbrees when this is done.”

  “I’d be surprised if there wasn’t.”

  “What about Ariana?” Tucker steps forward. “We still don’t know where she is.”

  “Then let’s go find her, shall we?” Clarence starts off for the raging battle ahead, the group quickly on his tail. Pratt and a shaking Mae are shuffled between the Rogue foursome while Reid clutches my hand in his, Tucker and Walker on either side of us.