Jae transformed back into his human form and Colby had himself wrapped around him before it was even complete. Jae returned the embrace, in a moment, however fleeting, of relief to have Colby alive, okay, and in his arms.
Billie and Maura fell out of the woods and joined the fight against Ardon and the Stripers. They were forced to back off from attacking Meghan and turn all their magical ammunition on the others who shoved out spell after spell like a gun that never ran out of bullets. They didn’t understand it at first—then it dawned on them it was most likely Colin refreshing their magic. Strengthening them even. Jae and Colby strode up and joined in their attack and had Ardon and her Stripers on the run. Sebastien flung himself into the air transforming on the fly, and landed next to Meghan, his human self again.
"Finish it," he told her with a proud, satisfied smile.
"Just couldn't stay away, could you?" she joked darkly.
"You knew I'd end up here eventually."
She smiled up at him. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
His cheeks blushed, and he took up defense alongside Nona. She was still and focused, waiting for her white eye to give her any glimpse of future attacks.
Meghan crouched and refocused. Her hands splaying out on the Stone like before. She connected with the pulse and breathed in like it was the most natural thing she could do. But again, her intakes were interrupted when the Stone began to vibrate under her hands and feet.
Her eyes flipped open and upward, to fix on her father. He was weakened, beaten, but not down. And he was trying to steal away the Stone.
"No…" she hadn't more than gotten the word out of her mouth when a shroud of electric magic zapped in over their heads. "Colin." She gasped out.
His arrival paused them all. Enemy and friend, alike.
His entire being made a claim no one dared refute—the Stone wasn't going anywhere unless he permitted it.
Fazendiin growled in displeasure and attempted to move the Stone again. He had even less control over it now, and the bloodied lines and creases in his aged skin were getting deeper with desperation.
"You do not control this Stone," Colin's voice boomed outward. It was as if there were ten Colin's speaking simultaneously, not one. "I control the Stone." His voice penetrated every part of the island bringing the entire battle to a sudden, out of breath, halt.
Fazendiin marched closer.
"The Stone is mine. It has always been mine. I made it."
"And then you made me."
That stopped the Grosvenor in his tracks and had his mind reeling.
Colin rose into the air overlooking the paused battle. Each person on both sides of the war gazing up over themselves, terrified of what Colin might do to them. But what he did, set off a long line of gasps and disbelieving cries of jubilation. Any of the Svoda, the Tunkapog, or Jasper's army, who had died in the battle (without sacrificing themselves) were suddenly breathing with new life. Just as he'd done before. All those injured were healed and on their feet, replenished and ready to fight.
Colin closed his eyes and gave in as that invisible line was crossed. The point of no return. His final act as Colin Jacoby. The magic was taking over, and it deadpanned Fazendiin.
"I may not be able to touch you, but I am your destruction. The chaos comes."
And it was in this moment that Fazendiin realized his fatal flaw. It wasn't Grace misleading him. Or the humanity he could not beat out of his son. Or the loyalty of his daughter to those she loved. Or even his mother, or Jasper…
It was magic… rising up against him. Because he'd kept it prisoner all these long years, and provided it with a vessel in which it could flourish. And whoever controlled magic, controlled the world…
And right now, in front of him and the rest of the magical world, magic was becoming aware. Birthing to life in all its chaos.
Jurekai Fazendiin had brought destruction upon the world.
CHAPTER 24
A terrible truth wound its way like a noose tightening around Meghan's neck. She was going to need to use Robert's backup plan. None of them were strong enough, even together, to overthrow her father or the Stripers, and Colin. Even if she managed enough time to destroy the Stone, which she hoped stripped her father of his own immortality, she had no idea what to expect after. None of them did. Her father always had another plan. And now Colin had allowed magic to take control.
"Colby," she reached out in her mind. He twisted to see her, and he and Jae ran over. "No time to explain, but I need the Bone Dagger. Where is it?"
"Hidden," Colby answered her.
"Get it. Fast."
Colby nodded, although with a touch of apprehension.
Jae stepped in front of Meghan, blocking Colby from her. "He's not taking those powers back."
Meghan's eyes opened wide, both at the ferocity of Jae's proclamation, and at the very idea she'd even do that. He'd changed so much. And this protective nature over her brother made her—smile. Amidst all the chaos, she found herself grinning. She reached out to Jae and clasped his shoulder. He backed down with an apologetic look. But it was Colby who sped them along.
"Let's go." He spit out a fire and Elisha had them to the doorway to Grimble in a flash. They raced through, tossed down another flame and Elisha had them at the hiding spot another flash later. Jae and Colby tore into the old mill and Jae swiped away a pile of rocks on a far back wall, revealing the hidden items.
"What about the books?" Colby asked.
"Leave them. We'll come back later. Just the dagger." He held out his palm and the dagger flew out of the rock pile and into his hand. "I wonder what Meghan's plan is," he muttered as they got out of the mill and spelled out a fire for Elisha.
"No idea." Colby grabbed Jae, spun him around, and before he knew what hit him, was enclosed in his arms. "You did it again." He pulled back, realizing they couldn't linger.
"I know Meghan wouldn't ever do that to you, I just…" Jae shrugged.
"You're right. She wouldn't. But thank you just the same."
"C'mon, you two. You can get all smoochy later, if we're all still alive." Elisha waited for them to grab hold and flew them back to Meghan as fast as the flames permitted. When they arrived, things were not nearly as calm as they'd been when they'd left. The army and the Stripers were battling it out again. Colin was hovering over the Stone but protecting it from Fazendiin. Unfortunately, he had also taken Meghan off the Stone. His goal now—or the magic's goal—to keep the Stone and its magic secure and in its control. The only thing working in their favor was trying to stay out of magic's way and its deep seeded loathing of Fazendiin.
Jae and Colby found Meghan fighting alongside Ivan, Sebastien, Billie, Maura, and others. Jae handed over the dagger and without explanation or a single thought about it, Meghan flung it outward to its unsuspecting target.
It slid into Colin's back knocking the breath right out of him.
CHAPTER 25
The sun peeked over the horizon.
Meghan yanked her palm back and the dagger pulled out of Colin's back and returned to her hand. And then it was as if the world came to a screeching stop as they waited with baited breath for what would happen next.
Was Robert correct?
Would this only ensure the world ended?
Had she doomed them all or given them the chance to finish and win?
Colin's body jolted. Almost like something misfired. It happened again. And again. As the Projector's magic surged inside of him, bursts of magic pulsed out of him, ricocheting outward like sonic energy that knocked over anyone in its path.
His body began to lower until his feet softly landed on the ground without so much as a sound. He breathed in. Then out. And just like that, the aura surrounding him dissolved. It was like the dagger injecting all that magic hit some sort of reset button.
No one breathed. Only cautiously climbed to their feet after his expulsion of magic. Even Fazendiin had been forced to the ground and looked winded. And most importantl
y, the Stone was no longer under Colin's protection.
Meghan ran to the side of it and placed her hands on the Stone, reaching inside for the vampyre gift and rushed to inhale what was left inside before she lost her chance. Sebastien, Ivan, Jae, Colby, and a host of others that now included Arnon, Kanda, and Sebastien's parents, formed a line to protect her.
Jasper stayed close to Colin. He wasn't sure what he could do, but he would see this through since it was Robert's crazy plan to begin with. Colin breathed in and out, the haze surrounding him vanishing. The blood rushing through his veins and racing his heart, slowed. His second soul was still intact and working hard to consume this new magic introduced into the mix.
Colin blinked a few times to clear his vision, and when it did, his gaze fixed on the Grosvenor who scowled in the reality of what he'd created. The Stripers moved to shield their fearless leader. They needed him alive so they could live. KarNavan guarded his leader, but his fury was also aimed at their enemy—the ones responsible for killing his daughter. And ruining his own plans to overthrow the Grosvenor.
"Fighting is futile." Fazendiin refused to relent. Although, it was said with a lot less vigor than normal. "You will lose," he aimed at Colin. Or magic. Or who the hell ever he was speaking to.
Colin returned his meager threat with a tight-lipped grin that didn't reach his eyes.
He inhaled, as the new magic surged into existence inside of him. He felt it in his core. The change. The update. The new power that negated the magic blocking him from finishing off Jurekai Fazendiin. Whatever had been done to him, had altered him. However, the magic was already fighting to surface and take over again. In this case, though, they both desired the same outcome.
Colin's body rose upward, subtle hints of the dark aura already reforming.
Meghan sucked in the power of the Stone. One long breath at a time. And then a few seconds later she wanted to jump up and down, or fall to the ground and throw a tantrum like a young child having a fit. Her focus was stolen by a series of shrieks, cries, curses, and sounds that made her want to vomit. And she could not help but watch as her father succumbed to some sort of magic he had no comprehension of. Or control over.
The Stripers were on their knees. Gasping. Choking. Dying slowly and painfully from the looks of it. No—wait—Meghan popped around the side of the Stone and recognized what was happening.
Colby came up to her side. "He's taking back their immortality."
Meghan breathed out shakily. "But he's not putting the power back into the Stone." She could feel it, Colby too. Colin was taking the power directly into himself. The magic was rising again, too fast, and too furiously toward chaos, the ominous aura reforming even larger and thicker, around him.
And then things began to unfold in such a flash of actions, like thoughts willing themselves into existence within a single blink of time.
The Svoda disappeared from the estate grounds. Followed by the Tunkapog and Jasper's army. Meghan and Colby jolted in shock when Sebastien, Ivan, Nona, Elisha and all who'd been guarding them, vanished in another flash. A magical barrier went up surrounding the estate. No one could get in or out unless Colin allowed it.
Meghan panicked. She didn't even have Jasper to help now, and it looked like things were not going to go as expected—big surprise there! NOT!
But it was just her, Colby and Colin, left behind, with her father and the newly un-immortalized and in shock, Stripers. Plus, hundreds and hundreds of helpless onlookers from the sidelines.
"What is this magic?" Fazendiin demanded to know.
"You no longer have power here. I do." Colin's eyes flickered between intense blue and pure pasty white. His gaze lowered to the sickly, defeated looking Stripers.
KarNavan spun to Fazendiin and before his mouth could even muster out the words, "Fix this," his body evaporated into a fine, fog-like mist that glimmered and twirled and twisted, seeking its way as if ordered, into Colin's aura.
"That's not good," Meghan noted evenly.
"He's taking their magic into himself, not just their immortality." Colby had never seen anything like it. Neither had his father.
The rest of the Stripers began to run for their lives but to no avail. Ardon, the second in command, was next to find herself caught up in Colin's magical grasp. She met the same miserable fate as her leader a few seconds later. Groups of Stripers succumbed to Colin's power as he took in all the magic for himself—a living embodiment of the Stone.
And leaving one bitter Grosvenor minus an immortal army, forced to defend himself.
Fazendiin scowled and cursed. How had he not seen this? With or without Grace, this is something he should have seen coming. And how Colin managed to overcome the Projector's bones, baffled him even more. However, it was something he'd have to research later. Right now, he needed to get his hands on his Stones and get out of here before he lost too much to recover. The Mage Mirrors were a big loss, but he could rebuild them, in time.
But when he tried to move, to magic away the Stones away, nothing happened. His command no longer obeyed. His body no longer under his own control. The furious confusion reeked around him and he looked up to see Colin and his pulsing aura sweeping closer.
"Do it now, Meghan." Colby told her. "I'll try to stop Colin before he goes too far."
Meghan began the process for what she hoped was the last time. She let the power of the Stone come into her and began to breathe it in. The rush was unexplainable. Like drinking three gallons of coffee and eating a dozen donuts all at once. But it just as quickly dissipated as she let the fire in her veins burn it up.
Colin rushed Fazendiin. Reveling in the fact that his prisoner was helpless.
His right arm extended outward, fingers securing around the Grosvenor's neck. And he felt the surge of power Colin took out of him with just that first touch. And then their eyes met—and Fazendiin saw all that he'd created in Colin Jacoby. Not only his own demise, but the world's demise. He could never win with Colin Jacoby still living. He was pure, raw power. Magic in its most untamed form. Magic that was pissed, and terrifyingly close to releasing its own will upon the world.
"Colin," shouted Colby desperately. "Stop. You have to stop." He tried to get closer but the rush of the power coming out of Colin made it difficult. It coursed like winter snow in a blizzard, pulsing in all directions all at once. And he was not listening. Colby needed something to get his attention. But what?
Meghan kept sucking in the power from the Stone. Her jaw beginning to open frighteningly wide, as if she could suddenly not get enough of the good stuff. The more she took in the more fire it took to burn it up. Her body ignited into flames—it was the strangest feeling—like sucking in something cold that met something hot and set off a thousand stings of her nerves. But she kept going.
Colin reached deep into Fazendiin's being. The ancient power surging out of him, willing its way to its new master. The Grosvenor gasped and flailed down to his knees, refusing to believe he'd been outdone. And that's when Colin found it all—the vast stores of magic hidden deep in the estate. Fazendiin believed only his own blood could activate it, but he was wrong. All magic obeyed a new master now. Blood had no more power here.
In a blink, the courtyard had become a blood grave. Fazendiin's stores of magic sitting on the ground. Thousands of jars. His secret stash. His backup plan.
One by one, the jars shattered, blood spattering everywhere. The magic inside seeking out its new home. It's new master. And with each intake, Colin's eyes grew whiter and his aura darkened and expanded.
"No," flailed Fazendiin. "Release me. Let me teach you real power."
His pathetic attempt went unanswered. And the more magic Colin took in, the faster they realized there was no reaching Colin.
Meghan was freaking out that even if she destroyed the Stone, and succeeded in removing the Projector side of him, whether it would make any difference at all. He was taking in so much magic. But she kept going until—Colin dropped Fazendiin, stil
l alive, but a whimpering shadow of his glorious self. Colin's stark white eyes landed on his sister sucking out the last drop of magic inside the Stone—his magic. But it was too late. It was done.
Meghan gasped as the last of the power inside of the Stone streaked out and into her, burning up in her veins. Colin hadn't felt the disturbance until the very end. He had so much magic inside of him, the Stone was practically a blip on his magical radar.
Colin lowered himself to the ground, his legs already stalking toward her and Colby. Meghan let the flames bursting out of her skin engulf the Stone. Purifying it. Killing that destructive mystery that allowed it to steal magic.
Colin waved his arm as if he meant to put out the fire, but stopped.
A voice was calling his name from some distance away. From outside the estate.
Jasper had restored Catrina's memories and she had climbed what was left of the estate wall and was shouting for dear life at Colin. He could not hear what she was saying and a breath later she was standing just a few feet in front of him. She breathlessly flew forward to embrace him, but stopped herself when the reality hit that this was not her Colin, in front of her.
He stared at her. Reached out and touched her silver locks. Cocked his head like some memory tried to surface, but refused.
"Colin," she spoke his name anyway. "Please stop this. This is not who you are. It's not too late."
"Colin is the vessel. I am its keeper. You cannot have him."
"I love him. I love you," she corrected. "You promised to protect me. To take me with you wherever this life took you. Don't give into the magic, Colin. Fight it. Please don't give in. There's so much for you to live for."
His eyes blinked but his features remained unchanged. A blink later, Catrina was magicked right back outside of the estate. Her words like water flowing away with the tide. Colin moved to confront Meghan and Colby when he jolted, and doubled over. This time though, he was not alone. Meghan and Colby both lurched and did the same.
The flames that had burned bright around the Stone died out.
Ascend (The Last Oracle, The First Seer's Gift, and a Prophecy Fulfilled) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Adventure Book 11) Page 16