So far, Abigail’s arcan worked effectively. They were invisible to the people around them. Paltro, Darden, and Grifith worked together to bring to attention anybody new that was coming around the corner of the streets they approached. Abigail worked hard to blanket their presence as best she could. Every now and then one person would slip through their defenses. The crazed attacker would charge the group waving their torch in hand. That was usually enough to get Abigail to break into their minds and make the group disappear. Then the once crazed run of their would-be attackers would turn into a confused jog and before long their attention would turn to something else.
“It’s getting harder to block us,” said Abigail. “I don’t want to waste my power.”
“If it’s working then it’s not wasting your power,” said Odessa. “We can make it. Just keep pushing.”
Odessa signaled for their next turn. She tried to keep the group on smaller streets. They were easier to defend against big crowds and there was always less traffic. She also had to keep in mind Abigail. Even though she was confident in Abigail’s power, the concerns were real. If they drained Abigail’s power getting out of the city then there would be nothing left to defend them with once they were out in the open country.
They emerged on a new street that looked to have already been trampled by the riots. It was one of the newly renovated parts of Myrus in the past year, but now it looked just as destroyed as it was a few years ago. Several builds were already on fire. Bodies were scattered across the streets, bloody and burned.
“Just keep moving forward,” said Odessa. “This is the busiest street we’ll have to pass. Don’t look too long. We can make this. Get to the end of the street then turn right.”
The group moved quickly and quietly through the remains of their fellow citizens. Grifith kept his eyes mostly shut as he ran through the wreckage. He held on to Darden’s hand who led him down the street. Darden merely shook his head and kept low.
Paltro stuck close to Abigail. She didn’t tell anybody, but she was also using her arcan to sooth Paltro’s pain. It was the only way he was able to keep up with the group. He would have collapsed several blocks ago without Abigail’s intervention.
Then a lone small figure emerged from the corner at the end of the street. The Blood Beauty walked elegantly into the middle of the road. Her pale skin stood out against the black soot that covered several of the buildings surrounding her.
Her blood red smile was visible from down the street. Odessa slowed her pace and she came to a stop. Abigail and the others stopped just as quickly and they stood and stared at Mareen standing in their way.
“Turn back,” Odessa told the others. “We can circle around.”
The group turned around, but they never had a chance to make their next run. Down the street on the other end where they had come from was a second Blood Beauty, Harel. She stood just as confidently as her sister. They had Abigail and the others pinned down in the middle of the street.
“I can’t block us from them,” said Abigail. “They’re different, somehow.”
“They possessed you,” said Odessa. “I’m not surprised.”
“If they do it again,” began Abigail. “Kill me.”
“Understood,” agreed Odessa.
Lena stepped out next to Nikali to bask in the flames of Myrus. “The others didn’t want to join you?” she asked.
“No,” said Nikali. “There is still business at the Capitol.”
“Farrah is still in the city,” said Lena. “My sisters have found her.”
“Wonderful,” said Nikali. “Then I shall begin. Myrus will become a monument to my reign. It will stand forever to remind everybody what I am capable of and that I am not a forgiving god.”
The Blood Beauties closed in on their prey. They walked slowly, letting the moment and the dread sink in on Abigail and the others. Time was on the Blood Beauties’ side. They didn’t have to kill Abigail. They just had to wait for Nikali to do it for them.
Abigail looked every which way for a sign of an escape. A door was ajar in a building just to their right. It was a chance.
“This way,” said Abigail as she made a run for the open door. The others were quick on her heels. They did not want to stay outside with the Blood Beauties any longer than they needed to.
The five of them made it inside without any trouble. The building was quiet. The fire had not reached them yet, and the people had already evacuated the area.
“Is there a back exit?” Odessa asked once they were inside.
Darden ran ahead to check out the rooms while the others looked for anything to block the Blood Beauties’ path from coming inside after them.
“Can they fight?” Odessa asked.
“They don’t need to,” said Paltro. “Their arcan is extremely dangerous.”
“So is Farrah’s,” said Odessa. “Maybe that’ll be our edge. We outnumber them. We can fight back.”
“The backdoor is blocked by debris,” said Darden on his return.
“I don’t know if I can fight them,” said Abigail. “That’s what they want. They want me to diverge from our fates. If I fight them now they will win.”
“If you don’t fight them now they will kill us all,” said Paltro.
“I’ve only seen two of them,” said Odessa. “Where is the third?”
“I don’t sense her,” said Abigail. “She is not near.”
“Can you take on two of them?” Odessa asked. As she spoke her shoulders started to droop down. She could feel her body tightening up.
“They’ve gotten inside my head,” said Abigail. She held her head low, and her body became still. “I am weak against them. Even if I wanted to fight them I couldn’t win. But that’s what they want. They want me to try.”
Grifith wanted to interject, but his breathing was growing short. He was having trouble taking deep breaths. The running had exhausted him. He needed a chance to relax, but even taking a breath was becoming a chore.
“Does anybody else feel that?” Darden asked. His words were slurred. It hurt to move his mouth, even to make a sound. He stepped forward but his foot moved as if in slow motion.
“What is that?” Grifith struggled to ask.
“It’s Nikali,” said Abigail. “He’s attacking the entire city.”
“With what?” Odessa asked.
“I don’t know,” said Abigail.
Nikali kept his focus on the entire area surrounding Myrus. He could feel every inch of the atmosphere. As he filled the air with his arcan the flames emanating from the city fluttered in and out of breath. He smiled with delight as he watched his powers at work. Nobody would be able to challenge him after tonight.
Abigail looked over at Paltro. She mouthed, “I’m sorry,” then released him from her arcan influence. Paltro screamed out in pain as the Tcher Touch rushed a wave of sensation over his body. He fell to the ground, writhing in agony.
“Paltro!” Odessa cried out. She collapsed to the floor to get closer to him. The pressure in the air was becoming too great. It was difficult to stand. Odessa struggled to crawl over to Paltro who was in a near seizure from the sudden attack.
Then the air cleared. Grifith inhaled a massive breath. Odessa pushed too hard against the floor and nearly crashed forward straight into Paltro.
The group could get back to their feet with ease. The brief silence was comforting against the howling wind outside the window.
“Is it over?” Darden asked.
“No,” said Abigail. “I just relieved the pressure in our room. Nikali is crushing the city.”
“Can you block it?” Odessa asked.
“I think so,” said Abigail. “But that’ll be it. You’ll need to protect me.”
“Do it,” said Odessa.
Then the slamming of a door inside the building thundered into their room. All eyes turned to the entrance to the room the group was in. Mareen stalked into the room followed by her sister. Their blood red smiles were brighter than
ever.
“Save Myrus, Farrah,” encouraged Mareen. “Defeat Nikali.”
Abigail was silent as she strained to fight against the pressure Nikali was putting on Myrus.
“Fight against Nikali,” ordered Odessa. “Stop holding back. If you can beat Nikali then do it!” She charged forward toward the Blood Beauties for a direct attack. She only made it a few steps before her knees slammed into the floor. Odessa screamed out in pain from the collision.
“Bring down Nikali,” said Harel. “And we will spare you.” Then she strolled over toward Paltro, still on the ground in immense pain.
“No more running. This is the moment. Defeat Nikali and break the chain of fate,” said Harel. “Or the betrayals begin.”
Abigail could not answer. Her concentration was on her arcan. Nikali was pouring more power into the city. She could feel the rigid energy crash around their building.
Outside, throughout Myrus, the fires that once lit up the night were extinguished. Nikali’s arcan snuffed the breath out of them. The rioters were down on their knees. Nikali’s power held them down and froze them in place. Their faces were stuck in a silent scream for reprieve. Nobody could move a muscle. Torches once used as deadly weapons were now stuck in the death grip of their owners. Even the beacon of Nikali’s followers would not protect them from his wrath.
“It’s up to you, Farrah,” said Mareen. “Fate or Myrus. You can protect the city from Nikali. Choose our destiny. How many lives are worth our deaths?”
The group around Abigail began to scream in pain. The Blood Beauties infiltrated their exhausted minds. With their backdoor through Grifith’s emotions they could slither into the entire group. Abigail’s biggest weakness was her empathy for her friends.
Abigail thought about Myrus. She thought about her friends. And she thought about herself. That was what this was all about. She could break the chain of destiny right there. But it would free the Blood Beauties from the fate they had seen in Abigail’s memories, and the first to fall in the free world would be Abigail. Of course, Myrus would live, but for how long? She knew the truth. Eluan would fall harder than ever if Nikali fell tonight. The Blood Beauties would take control. Their promises were hollow. Abigail and the others would be the first to die. Her dreams did not reveal what was on that side of the coin, but it promised to be even worse than what she had already seen.
For, she knew what was waiting up ahead. Nikali would destroy Myrus. There would be betrayal. There would be death. And the Blood Beauties would fall.
Mareen knelt down and traced her finger over Paltro’s neck. She picked at his rash until it began to bleed. Then she stared at Abigail waiting for her decision.
“Take down Nikali and we will spare you,” said Mareen.
“You will not touch my friends,” said Abigail.
Abigail released her focus over the city. Her immediate flock gasped in relief as Abigail’s arcan comforted them and protected them from the Blood Beauties.
Abigail stared down the Blood Beauties. She had made her choice. Her and her friends were untouchable for the moment. Nikali’s power roared back to life. The winds outside of the building drowned out any further sound. The pressure began to tighten against the buildings, the animals, and the people of Myrus.
The building began to crumble around the standoff. Debris fell to the floor. The foundation rumbled under their feet.
“So many will die,” whispered the Blood Beauties in Abigail’s ear as they stared down each other.
“Starting with him,” growled Mareen. Then she reached out and pierced Abigail’s defensive field of energy of arcan. Mareen grabbed hold of Paltro and pulled him away from Abigail’s protection.
“Nooo!” shouted Odessa, but she was too slow to reach Paltro before he was dragged out of Abigail’s field of arcan. Odessa raced to the edge of Abigail’s protection. Debris was swirling through the air. She couldn’t charge outside Abigail’s protection. She would be ripped to shreds and have the same fate as Paltro.
Abigail stood her ground. She shed a tear for Paltro. The first victim she knew to come.
Then the Blood Beauties retreated from the room. Even in the chaos of the quake rattling the building the Blood Beauties moved with grace. They were gone in a moment. The feint sound of a door closing was heard through the roar of the wind putting pressure on the entire city.
Paltro was across the room. His clothes were tattered from the debris. His hood and veil were ripped off. He stared back at Abigail with his Prial born orange eyes.
Then Nikali’s attack finally came to full fruition.
Myrus began to transform.
The pressure surrounding Myrus began to harden all the matter that was inside of it. Nothing was immune. The buildings, the carriages, and living flesh were all morphed into stone.
The group watched as Paltro hardened into grey rock. His beautiful orange eyes lost their luster to the cold hard rock that now looked back at Abigail and the surviving others.
Then the pressure was gone. The howling wind died down. Myrus was no more. What was left was Nikali’s monument to Eluan. A city of stone and his believers forever down on their knees begging for his forgiveness.
“It’s done,” said Nikali. “I win.”
Lena was quiet by Nikali’s side. Her usual cold face was even more scorned than normal.
“For now,” said Lena.
Nikali’s excitement dropped a bit by the Blood Beauty’s words. “There is nobody else to challenge me.”
“Challenge us,” corrected Lena. “And there always will be, Nikali. Celebrate while you can. I need to meet with my sisters.”
“Oh, good, they survived,” said Nikali. “When will I be getting more blood?”
“Soon,” said Lena. “We have a new source to look into. Get back to the Capitol. You have an army to catch up to.”
“Of course,” jeered Nikali. “A moment I have been looking forward to.”
Then the Blood Beauty stepped away and began her walk to join with her sisters. They could leave Nikali to his own devices for the moment. They had their own fates to deal with.
Chapter 83
Darden, Grifith, and Odessa sat in somber silence for as long as they needed. Abigail was passed out. She had used up the last of her arcan to protect them from Nikali. The Blood Beauties were gone, driven away by Nikali’s onslaught. Stone Paltro stared back at them forever reaching out for aid from his friends.
Outside, Myrus was still. Nothing had survived Nikali’s metamorphosis of the city. Stone people were scattered across Myrus, each one frozen in a state of horror and pain. Their faith would stand as a testament to any who would come and see the city with their own eyes. Nikali controlled your fate, faithful or not.
“Do you think she knew?” Odessa asked, finally breaking the sterile silence. She never took her eyes off of Paltro. He was hers to protect. He was one of her soldiers. She should have done more to bring him back into Abigail’s protection. But she was afraid.
“No,” said Darden, unconvincingly.
“What now?” Grifith asked.
Odessa got to her feet. She dusted herself off and paced over to the window. She looked out over Myrus. The city was drowned in a smooth gray stone. It looked as if a skilled sculptor had built his greatest masterpiece. Odessa rubbed her hand against the stone window. It used to have a wood frame. Not anymore.
“We have to leave,” said Odessa. “We need to get Farrah out of here. If Nikali finds out we are alive then all of this will be for nothing.”
“Where can we go?” Darden asked. “Nikali controls everything now.”
Odessa tore herself away from the window and walked over to Paltro. She reached down and touched her finger tips with his.
She took a moment to say her good-byes to Paltro silently. Grifith and Darden did not need to hear her words. She was thankful for her veil hiding her tears.
“Not everything. Not yet, at least,” said Odessa. “We’re going to New Prial.”
Up on the balcony of the Emperor’s chambers, Cassandra looked over the Eluan Capitol. She looked past the ravetroopers at the gates, the people crowding the surrounding streets, the buildings in the background, and toward the horizon. Their newest allies were arriving.
She could feel the army approaching. Fear swept over many of them. Their horses rustled in the distance, but determination and orders kept them moving forward. Cassandra felt around further through the oncoming army. She waded through the fear and found something different.
There was pride mixed with contempt. Cassandra smiled. Reluctant agreement was a sweet sense.
“Seres has arrived,” said Cassandra as Nikali approached her at the railing of the balcony.
“I know,” said Nikali. “I can sense her. She’s been drinking Tamor Blood.”
“Will you be ready for her?” Cassandra asked.
“They will follow me,” said Nikali. “There is nothing left to fight for.”
“They want the throne,” said Cassandra.
“They won’t get it,” said Nikali. “Heric is still alive, and I will make sure of that. I’m stronger than ever before. I’ll wake Heric up, and he’ll see what I’ve accomplished. Seres does not stand a chance with my mother.”
“What about the rebels?” Cassandra asked.
“They aren’t coming back,” said Nikali. “The palace belongs to me and my followers now.”
“Just watch Seres,” Cassandra warned. “He will make a play. I know it and if you are too weak to challenge him then we lose everything,” said Cassandra. “Do not waste your powers on Heric. He can wait.”
“All of this is to protect Heric,” said Nikali. “I will not forget that.”
“What about everything else?”
“I am too powerful now. They cannot take that away from me.”
Nikali took a sip of his goblet. He reached out to touch Ellen’s thoughts. He brought forward memories of his father.
Off in the distance, Ellen cracked a small smile. As she looked upon the Capitol she suddenly remembered her first journey with her husband, Nikali.
Eluan Falls: A Whisper of Fate Page 39