by K.L. Bauman
The strongest hate poisoned Ayden's blood. She had taken his family, his friends, and his hopes. How dare she make him any sort of offer? Baring his teeth like a rabid dog, but still hopelessly weak, Ayden snarled at her, "You can go straight back to the depths!"
Degus smiled viciously. "I don't have to. I'm bringing the depths to me!" She gripped the hilt of the magical sword and laughed hysterically as she raised it over Ayden's body, her eyes filled with evil pleasure.
Ayden lay on his back, no longer caring if he lived or died. Everyone and everything he knew was gone. Just let it end--let me be free of this place that's cursed now because of my failure!
He didn't close his eyes. Not that it would matter, but he wished for his face to haunt Degus forever. He wanted her to see his eyes in her darkest dreams. As the sorceress raised the sword higher, ready to sheath it into Ayden's heart and end his life, a single note sounded through the air like beautiful bird song.
Degus froze, her face draining of color and her eyes bulging. The sound was faint, but grew louder and stronger with every beat of Ayden's excited heart. It was the most pure, most beautiful, most powerful sound he'd ever heard. It brought hope to his heart, strength to his body and, in spite of everything, he found himself wanting to laugh with joy.
Degus reacted differently. The song of the sword rang powerfully through the air as her face twisted painfully and fearfully. She threw the sword to the ground and covered her ears, screaming as if tortured. Ayden expected the music to stop once the sword hit the stones. But as the sound continued, he suddenly realized that the weapon was not the source of the music.
Frantically, Ayden searched the area where Devlin and Nya had fallen. Goosebumps erupted over his body as he watched Nya force herself to stand. Her mouth was open, releasing the beautiful music that Ayden loved and Degus loathed. Nya stood like a pale ghost, a knife protruding from her shoulder and golden red blood shining bright against her soiled dress.
"Nya, no--the curse!" Ayden tried to shout. But his voice was drowned out as Nya sang louder, sending the power of her voice through the arena. The single note became a chorus of echoes bouncing off walls of rock.
Degus screamed louder and then opened her eyes furiously, fixing them on the siren who was sacrificing her life to save Ayden's. Every molecule in Ayden's body screamed for him to rush to Nya, to try to save her. I can't lose her! But the dark figure of Degus loomed over him, her expression black and focused on the siren.
This was it; if he didn't take this chance, he was certain he would never have another. Ayden stared into Nya's eyes for a small, hopeless moment. Filled with overwhelming grief and urgency, he tore his gaze away from Nya and lunged forward. As the siren's voice rang on and Degus began to chant a curse to end the music, Ayden grabbed the Sword of Songs from the earth, scraping his knuckles on stone.
Once again, the illusion of slow motion set in as he raised the hilt of the sword level to his chest and lunged forward. Degus turned suddenly to throw a curse his way, shooting black lightning from her hands; but the energy absorbed into the sword, sending prickles through Ayden's body. The connection kept the sorceress from vanishing, and the blade found her chest, piercing deeply into her heart.
Ayden tried to withdraw the sword, but it held fast as Degus' shocked face stared into his. She shook violently, and Ayden attempted to release the sword, but found it to be like holding a hot electrical wire--he couldn't let go!
Waves of powerful energy swept over him until he was certain he would explode from the intensity. Every scar, every cut, every bruise screamed with pain. And still, the sword was unwilling to release him.
Ayden was forced to look, repulsed, into Degus' terrified eyes as her face changed from young and beautiful to ancient and crumpled. It cracked as she convulsed wildly. When Ayden thought he could endure no more, a sudden explosion emanated from where the sword extending from Degus' chest. Ayden was finally released, and he shot like a ball from a cannon as a shock wave thrust him through the air. He landed on his back and his head snapped against the stony ground, sending him once again into a dark void as the earth beneath him shook violently as if to rid itself of the sorceress' evil.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Miracle