Divinity: Immolation: Book Three (The Divinity Saga)

by Susan Reid

  “No. No way! Whatever you have to do… you’d better do it and do it big! It’s you they all want, and I promised myself and Cam that I would keep them away from you even if it costs my own existence, so don’t you dare worry about me! You have a baby to protect, and besides, Morning Star injured both of my wings badly, I can’t fly or cloak for a while until they heal.” She shouted harsh and fervently while pointing at me.

  The normal Edanai was coming back. She appeared to be gaining more lucidity and she was quickly on her feet, broken wings splayed. I gasped in horror. They had been nearly torn to shreds, and blood ran in between each feather. I wished I could help her but I had no idea of what to do.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. They’re healing already, though slowly.” She mentioned seeing the expression on my face.

  I shook my head no, firmly pursing my lips to keep myself from bawling. We didn’t have time to stand here debating and I wasn’t budging.

  Large shadows and dark flying things continued to rise all around us. The air turned foul, beginning to steam, and the haunting cries of torture and anguish could be heard from way down below. It tore at both my heart and my ears painfully. I knew where this place was.

  In the far distance somewhere, I could distinctly hear Morning Star’s chiding, booming voice. Then, he was laughing mockingly and victoriously beneath the loud battle that could distinctly be heard.

  Whoever his opponent was, sounded both furious and vengeful; unleashing a stormy wrath of rage and power that you could literally feel and see in the air.

  Suddenly, we were surrounded by several more fallen. I wasn’t sure who or what they were amid the melee and chaos, but when I saw them begin to attack the rising dark things that had begun surrounding both Edanai and myself, I instantly knew who they were then.

  The earth began to rumble and shake. Edanai had fully regained her composure and was now standing, ready to both fight and attack, even though she couldn’t fly. She threw some sort of spell that created a black, web like netting that both wrapped around a group of huge, mutated vulture- looking creatures. They began to shriek and howl in frustration. She was right, they were all after me. With my blades out and ready to throw fire, I immediately ran over to her when she collapsed once again, down on one knee after having done that.

  Rahab swooped in low and swift, coming to her aid.

  “Rahab, get her out of here!” I told him.

  “Not without you too.” He growled.

  Something humongous, rank, and beastly began to rise from one of the pits below. It reminded me of some sort of a zombie, mega pterodactyl creature…a hairy one at that, with razor sharp teeth along its curved beak. At the end of each leathery black wing were capable hands. It’s shadow closed in over us and all I could initially do was stare at it with my mouth open.

  Rahab flew up at it with both his claws and his sword out, ready to strike. He was swift but not swift enough as the creature batted him away as if he were a tiny fly.

  I screamed.

  Edanai screamed out. “Rahab!”

  Then, determination and anger overpowered my frozen fear. There was too much going on, all of the others were occupied, and somewhere beyond all of this, Cam was fighting a potentially deadly battle with the ultimate evil of all time!

  I spun to gain momentum and flung a single blade directly at the creature.

  My blade was a streak of light and I assumed that on impact, the creature would be injured enough for the others to finish him off.

  Lord knows it needed a really big breath mint.

  My smirk of determination and confidence was shattered when the creature actually caught my blade in its hand with ease.

  What?

  It actually sounded as if it were…laughing.

  “Starling…go…” Edanai was crying. She was actually —crying.

  I’d never seen or known a fallen to cry.

  Go where?

  I had to fight back my own tears. With resolute determination, I turned my attention back to the creature and narrowed my eyes.

  Holding my hand out to catch my blade once I pulled them in, I smirked. The beast had no idea what it was truly holding. I had never tried this before, even in training, but now was a good a time as any. I forced fire into both of my blades.

  The mutant pterodactyl…began to screech at an unreal, eardrum-shattering decibel. My flames began to consume its flesh, rapidly working its way up this arms, his wings, and quickly over his entire body.

  Rahab was flying back towards the creature, charging with weapons held up and ready to strike.

  “Rahab, no!” Edanai screamed as she immediately forced herself to take flight, only to tumble back to the ground as the creature began to reach for her, attempting to take her with it in its dying descent back into the pits below.

  I paled.

  “No!” I screamed.

  Something rushed me, pushing me over the bridge just as I caught the blade I had thrown at the disgusting, now dying, flying demon.

  I was plummeting down, heat was almost like fire against my skin but it wasn’t my fire. It was a stinging, vile fire and sweat began to drench my clothes.

  I grunted, slamming into something else, hard. Another being. Another fallen caught me, and I prayed that it was one of Cam’s friends.

  I turned and craned my head up to look.

  “Please, do not accidentally kill me!”

  I wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. It was Ry!

  “Wait, Rahab…Edanai!” I couldn’t get my words out.

  “I’m getting you the hell out of here now!” He said, and then a portal began to open up in front of us.

  “No! Cam is still here!” I screamed at the top of my lungs defiantly.

  He wasn’t listening to me at all.

  What I heard next, as we neared the portal, echoed all across the skies and made my blood chill.

  “You’re so predictable Cam`ael, but alas—you have stricken the first injury… and you know what that means…”

  I’d never seen or felt this level of his power coming from him before. Though I wasn’t there to witness this current battle, I could tell that this was way different. It was epic and beyond dangerous.

  It was with Morning Star. The true dark prince of hate, destruction, and evil.

  My adrenaline began to surge like crazy. My body and mind automatically going into protective mode as I fought against Ry uselessly.

  “Hey! Chill! I don’t want to have to drop you, Starling, but I sure as hell will if you burst into flames on me.” He warned me.

  We had just entered the portal, when Morning Star’s voice came again, this time mimicking Michael Buffer’s voice exactly, “LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!”

  In the next moment...the ground began to tremble even more violently and it was really loud. Giant tears began to rip all across the red and purple sky of the spirit realm that hovered over the dark lands, parting to reveal a periwinkle blue sky with fluffy white clouds that belonged to the human realm beyond.

  There was no need to enter the portal anymore. It had actually began to disappear right before our eyes.

  “Ah shit!” Ry whispered.

  I didn’t have to ask him what was happening to understand what was taking place all of a sudden.

  This was it. This is what it took to bring it about, and now—there was no stopping it.

  Cam had apparently just broken a major universal law…

  END

  COMING IN THE FALL OF 2014

  THE FINAL INSTALLMENT AND

  CONCLUSION OF THE

  DIVINITY SAGA

  DIVINITY: REALM OF ANNIHILATION:

  BOOK FOUR

  ***Personal note from the author: If you’ve enjoyed the Divinity Saga so far, please be so kind as to leave a review for others. Your effort and time is greatly appreciated by me! Thank you!***

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  The Divinity Saga came about from a recurring dream. From the start, the
character of Starling came to fruition. At first, Divinity the Gathering was meant to be just one book but she couldn’t see how both Starling and Cam`ael’s story would be complete in just one. She doesn’t have any impressive accolades, collaborations, or a long list of awards to mention as far as her writing history goes, though she’s been writing for many, many years. She’s thrilled to know that people are reading the worlds she has created in her mind and even more so, really loving what they are reading. This is the first time that she has decided to finally try her hand at publishing something.

  Though she dabbles in many genres, she tends to gravitate more towards urban and dark fantasy and the paranormal. In her spare time, books replace television and she loves reading horror. She loves trying new things, and since she loves to cook and bake, much of that creative energy ends up on the dinner table whether it be a meal or dessert. Susan resides in the Lonestar state with her two children and two well-fed cats.

  In addition to writing, she does work a nine to five job in Law Enforcement in order to supplement both her writing and reading habits. She is very approachable and does respond to and engage with her fans from all over; from twitter, facebook, linkedin, and through Goodreads. Feel free to drop her a comment or just say hello anytime! She maintains a blog page, and a Facebook page dedicated to the saga as well. She loves to watch martial arts movies with her teenaged son, and volunteers often to be the guinea pig for her aspiring Esthetician adult daughter!

  Please visit your favorite ebook retailer to discover other books by Susan Reid:

  Divinity: The Gathering Book One

  Divinity: Transcendence Book Two

  Divinity: Immolation: Book Three

  Divinity: Realm of Annihilation: Book Four (To be released in the Fall of 2014)

  The Divinity Saga Prequel: Divinity: Anathema: Book Five (Release date TBA)

  Companion Novel: Fall to Flesh: Diary of Cam`ael (Title not yet confirmed. Release date TBA)

  H.U.M.A.N.S (The first book in a brand new series coming in Summer of 2014)

  Connect with Author Susan Reid!

  Follow on twitter @BabyNewt38

  Linkedin: Susan Reid

  Visit on Facebook at:

  http://www.facebook.com/DivinityTheGatheringBookOne

  http://divinitysagabooks.wordpress.com/

  Goodreads