Kaidoz fired two earth fists at them. Before they made contact with the animals, Falcon fired a gust of wind that diverted the earth attacks. Aya and Faith clapped their hands, each shooting out defensive walls. One was a serene blue barrier, the other a rainbow-colored bubble.
The general’s wild eyes travelled from Latiha to the dozens of enemies now converging on him.
“Terra Bastille!” he shouted. Instantly, a wave of brown sand surrounded him in a coffin. Falcon stood frozen for a split moment. To wield at such speed was near inhuman. Now he knew why Zoen had said Kaidoz was the strongest earth practitioner since the Golden Wielder.
Then, as if to further prove his strength, Kaidoz’ body dissolved into sand. The grains of dust swirled around the earth coffin. A moment later the chunk of earth, with the empress still inside, flew out of the window, and out of reach.
~~~
Faith couldn’t believe it. They had Kaidoz severely outnumbered, and the man had still managed to kidnap the empress right under their noses. She wasn’t about to let this man simply walk, or fly in this case, away.
“Read his energy,” she told Falcon, a little bit more forcefully than she intended to. Shal-Demetrius had instructed her to be firm with Falcon, but even after all this time, she still found it difficult to be too demanding.
Falcon’s face paled. “How? I just got this power. How am I now supposed to track his energy?”
“This is the perfect chance for practice.” As she finished speaking, she felt the power of Kaidoz growing dimmer. He moved fast, that was for sure. But the speed of earth was no match for that of light. Perhaps there was a way of pushing Falcon in his training, as Demetrius had instructed, without being forceful verbally. She was going to be forceful by action. “I’m going after him.”
“What?” Falcon exclaimed.
“Find me.” She closed her eyes and called on her power. Blaze of light!
~~~
Falcon reached out for her, but in a brilliant flash of light, Faith had disappeared, leaving behind a golden trail of mist that originated where she had last stood and moved out the window.
“You have to go help her!” said Aya, looking worried. “You’re the only one who can teleport to her and find her in time.”
“I…I…” He knew he had no more excuses. He needed to get to Faith as soon as possible. But how? First, he needed to use a power that he had next to no experience with. Then he needed to call on the power of teleportation to reach Faith. Space was too slow, and with no image of where to go on his mind, he couldn’t rely on it. No. He would have to call on the power he hated the most—chaos.
~~~
She moved in a blur of light, tracking the earth energy. It didn’t take long for Faith to catch up to it and intercept it.
“Well, well,” said Kaidoz, landing with a loud thump in the open field. “I hadn’t expected you of all people to get to me. It looks like there is much more to you than meets the eye.” As he spoke, he brought the terra coffin down beside him with care.
Faith racked her brain. Why was he being so careful with Latiha? Why not just kill her? Could it be that he was planning to take her to someone? That doesn’t matter, Faith. Concentrate on the here and now. She seemed to be back in the prairies of Missea. This place was a bit different, though. The short grass was yellow, with many patches of sand that were devoid of plant life. There were many small hills that rose and fell, making it impossible to see too far ahead in the distance.
“Am I interrupting something?” asked General Kaidoz. He looked absolutely amused at Faith’s concentrated expression.
“Return the empress and I won’t hurt you.” She tried to make her voice sound as threatening as possible, though she was sure she wasn’t having much success with that.
“You would like that, I’m certain, but I cannot oblige. Why would I do that? You may be a holy wielder, but you’re untrained. You have no experience and no proper teacher.” He smirked. “No. I think I’ll simply make quick work of you and be on my way.”
With a cry, Kaidoz moved in. His speed was staggering, and only a last second summoning of her staff saved her from the incoming attack.
She twirled her staff into her opponent’s hands and brought them down with trained force. She moved in, hoping to butt the end of the staff into Kaidoz’ forehead, but moved back when he brought his hand up in a jab. It happened in an instant, and Faith had only the barest of milliseconds to glimpse at the sharp daggers that were now poking out of the general’s chest. He can make his body into a weapon?
Faith reeled her head back, avoiding a right punch. A left jab came under her. She blocked the deadly blitz with her staff. This time she infused her weapon and ran it up the length of Kaidoz’ arm, using his own body as leverage.
The staff rocketed into the man’s face. His lips curled in agony, and he grunted under his breath. She twisted her staff and brought the other end over his head. This time the general dissolved in a mist of dust, only to reappear behind her.
Had it not been for the invisible holy field she had put around her, Kaidoz attack would have surely ended her. But instead, she turned to parry the attack. She drove forward, pressing her advantage and pushing her opponent back. In her haste, however, she misjudged her advantage. Kaidoz dropped under her and drove his sharpened knee into her gut, simultaneously extending it. Ignoring the pain, Faith jumped back to avoid the sharp dagger that almost impaled her through the stomach. Kaidoz had brought an earth wall up behind her, and she slammed her back hard against it. She fell to one knee.
Infused with her healing abilities, Faith was quickly back on her feet. She dropped into a defensive position, breathing hard.
“Looks like you’re tiring,” mocked Kaidoz. “This dance is all but done.” Again he disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving behind the earthy smell.
Faith looked around her, trying to pinpoint where he would come out from. She was alone. The gray skies, dead grass, and silence were her only companions.
He suddenly appeared again behind her. Faith drove in with her staff, only to have him disappear again in a fit of laughter.
“You can try all day, but you’ll never get me.”
He re-appeared at her side. She took a good, hard look at him, allowing her eyes to settle on his chest. Every time he teleported his chest would materialize first, followed by his head, arms, and legs. It happened so fast, though, that it seemed as if the materialization was instantaneous.
An attack came down on her. She bopped her head out of the way, but a kick managed to graze her cheek, cutting an even line across her face and drawing blood.
She didn’t bother healing. Her energy was better suited elsewhere. This time, when Kaidoz reappeared she would be ready.
I’m here with you. The voice of the previous holy wielder, Lunet, had first come to her when she was a child, and though she learned most of her wielding on her own, Lunet had been with her many times during her training. She had accompanied her during her battle with Cidralic, when she lost her mother, and the many times in life when she needed counseling. It wasn’t the real Lunet, of course. She had died thousands of years ago. But she shared a bond with her deceased holy sister, a bond that allowed her to see through her eyes and gather her experience. For many years she had not even known her sister’s name, but when she met Demetrius, she discovered the name and through it developed a richer connection with Lunet. Now it was time to put it to work.
Her voice changed, so that it sounded as though there were two women speaking instead of one. “Celestial lasso.”
Kaidoz had been reappearing every ten seconds, which probably meant that was how much it took for him to charge his ability.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Like clockwork, his chest was the first to appear. With the power of holy light, she materialized the chains at the side of the chest. When his hands and legs appeared, the chains locked around them and pulled back. The entire set-up was done and finished in the blink of an eye.
/>
“Looks like I underestimated you, holy wielder.” Kaidoz face registered shock and fear. “I suppose this is where you finish me off.”
“No. You will stand trial for your crimes. I’m no executioner. A jury will decide your fate.”
“Unacceptable. Kill me and let me die as a warrior!” He was ranting now, his calm demeanor giving way to his bottled emotions. “I must die on my feet. Not hung by the noose like some simple thief!”
“You are in no condition to make demands, general. I took the life of a man once when I thought I was healing his sickness.” Her stomach cringed at the thought of Cidralic’s final moments alive. She had been so eager to stop Cidralic, sure that it was the poison that ran through his blood that had contaminated his mind, that she had killed him in her attempt to save him. That moment plagued her mind many restless nights, and even now it caused a tear to escape her eye.
“What is this?” said Kaidoz, seeing an opportunity to escape. “I see that—”
He didn’t get to finish speaking, for a deep dark blur with shades of purple suddenly fell from the sky. The thick liquid oozed down, revealing a head, hands, and legs.
“Falcon?” asked Faith, recognizing her friend’s clothing. His face, however, was far different than the kind one she had come to know. His skin was a deep brown, his eyes were hollowed purple lights, and deep lines traced his face. She had seen the chaos take hold of him before but never to this extreme. Even his hair had grown long, coming to an end at his lower back. I pushed him too far! What have I done?
~~~
Falcon mustered all his strength to hook onto the faint reading of holy energy. His heart pounded. He concentrated on the glistening trail left by Faith, but even with the visible cue, he could not single out her holy energy. It had moved so fast that he could not trace it long before it became a tangled mess. The air, wind, voices, bird chirps, everything muddled his concentration.
Left with little choice, he thought about the raging anger he held within. It wasn’t hard to bring forth. It always rested on the brink of exploding, waiting to be released. His body convulsed as he tried to focus the untamed ferocity. With the extra power, he could make out the faint trail of energy left behind. But it wasn’t clear. It zoomed in and out of focus.
“Are you okay?” Falcon thought he heard someone ask from behind him. It might have been an illusion.
He closed his eyes and allowed himself to be carried away.
When he opened his eyes the fearful voices from the palace were no more. Neither were the fine walls and fine gold statues. Instead he was now in a hilly prairie that was in obvious need of rainfall.
His name echoed in his head. Is someone calling for me?
“Falcon?” This time there had been no mistake, someone was definitely calling him. He craned his neck and noticed Faith. Her eyes were glowing a radiant white, and her entire body was emitting a glow so bright that he had to cower back a few feet. She circled her hands, and the glow disappeared, returning her eyes to their usual emerald green.
“Faith? Is that you?” He blinked. His head shook. The girl before him had suddenly become a stranger. An anger deep within him beckoned him to attack her. To tear her limb from limb. He was the embodiment of chaos, and she was holy. Holy was the enemy of all beings that romanced in the shadows. “I must eradicate her!”
He pounced toward her. Suddenly something slammed inside his head, and he crumpled to his knees. “Calm down,” whispered a voice. “Listen to me. Do not let the chaos take hold of your mind.”
“Get out!” With tremendous force, he shoved the voice out of his head. He turned, seeking the culprit. Behind him stood three men. At the center was an elderly man, rubbing his head. He had a pained look, and a large hunch rose from his back. At his left stood a short man wearing a blue uniform and a deep frown. At his right stood another man. This one was much taller and wore a deep red uniform. He held a large sword between both hands.
“Are you well, grandmaster?” asked the crimson knight as he turned to the hunched man.
“Yes…” said the grandmaster. “I’m afraid, however, that the chaos may have claimed too much of him. I’ve never seen him go this far.”
“Fortunate that we were nearby,” said the short man. “We can stop him before he goes on a rampage.”
Falcon hissed. “No one interferes with my prey!”
The attack Falcon was so intent on providing, however, was foiled once again. He sensed a powerful energy converging on them, an energy far more insidious than his own. In his trance he did not notice as Faith came in behind him. She planted her hands in his shoulders and released an extreme level of holy energy.
No you don’t! He tried to reach behind him and make her pay for her insolence. She responded by increasing her power twofold. Rays of light shot out from between their bodies as Faith continued to pour her power into him.
Falcon heard a loud wail filled with rage from deep within him. It was the power of chaos, attempting to fight back. It clawed and bellowed in a futile attempt to stay in control. The light enveloped the dark pit within him, hushing the growl into a muted silence.
The stench of blood filled his nostrils, and he looked down at his hands to find them covered in blood. He staggered back, and the gray sky blurred as he fell, ramrod straight. A last-minute interference by Faith saved him from slamming into the hard ground. Still on the floor, she held him in her arms.
“Falcon! Talk to me, Falcon!” Her screams were filled with pain.
“F…Faith?”
She looked down at him, allowing his head to rest on her legs. “You scared me half to death.”
Out of thin air the black-robed menace that had haunted his dreams since he was a child appeared. The usual red cracks were spread across the robe and cloak that obscured his face.
“Very kind of you to make your presence so easily known to me, holy wielder.” Shal-Volcseck laughed sharply. “I was having difficulty locating you, but with the amount of energy you’ve used, I could have been clear across Va’siel and found you.”
Kaidoz, who had remained quiet until now, had used this opportunity to break out of his imprisonment. He brought his hands together. Besides the loud clap, nothing happened.
“You’re not going anywhere, general.” Slowly, Volcseck faced Kaidoz. “You and your empress have interfered with my affairs far too many times. Now you almost cost me my ultimate prize.” He stared down at Faith. “Such insolence cannot go unpunished.”
“What do you want with the holy wielder anyway?” asked Kaidoz. “What do you plan to accomplish by having an emblem of each element?”
“Just like a mountain does not answer to an ant, I do not answer to you.”
Three figures suddenly stood beside Kaidoz, and Falcon recognized that a silent alliance had been forged out of necessity. Wait. I know them! One of them was Grandmaster Zoen. To his sides stood Professor Dunn and Professor Rykas, who wore his familiar crimson armor.
He tried to stand, but his exhausted body dragged him back down. Strangely, besides his drained spirits, he felt no real pain. So where was the blood coming from? He looked down at his hands then back up Faith, whose eyes had begun to flicker open and closed.
His world froze as he realized that the blood wasn’t his—it was Faith’s.
Chapter 22
There was a gash on Faith’s left arm. A second cut traced her hand, where blood poured out freely. The injuries did not seem life threatening, but Falcon knew that if she continued to lose blood, he would lose her.
“Stay with me!” he ordered. His chest heaved as she closed her eyes. A second later she opened them, groggily looking down at him. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around Faith’s hand. He then switched spots, putting Faith on his lap. He put pressure on the cut she had on her arm. Beside him, he heard the telltale sounds of the battle that had ensued. Professor Dunn’s loud Kya screams, Ryka’s clanking armor, Kaidoz’ earth attacks, and Zoen’s almost silent mind attacks hun
g in the air. Falcon paid them no mind. Faith was his only concern.
“Lost too much blood,” mumbled Faith, mimicking his exact thought.
“Heal yourself.”
“Not enough energy.”
“Use mine.”
Faith’s eyes closed and opened again. She looked as if she was about to drift away into a coma.
“Use my energy, Faith. I have more than enough.”
Her head bobbed. “Y… yes. I w…will.”
He guided her hand to his face, shivering slightly as she rested it on his cheek. Immediately he felt his energy being sucked out of his body and traveling into hers. As he watched her twitching lips, the cuts, and the blood on her dress, he couldn’t help but feel guilt wash over him. How could he have done this to her? How many times had people around him provided helpful words and tips on how to control the chaos? And yet, besides some small progress, he was no closer now to having control than the first time the chaos power took over him back at the Rohad trials.
His breathing settled as the cuts began to close. The healing process was much slower than her usual, but at least she was getting better. That was all he could ask for.
Now that Faith seemed to be out of mortal danger, he looked up. The battle was not going as he had expected. He knew Volcseck was strong, but he would have thought that the power of the four warriors would have been enough to bring him down. The scene before him shook him back to reality.
Professor Rykas, the elegant swordsman, lay sprawled, face-down, on the ground. The yellow grass under him was sprayed in crimson red. His own sword had been run through his neck, coming out the top of his skull.
Zoen stood still. Around him were thousands of whooshing whips that remained in constant rotation. With his eyes closed, he pushed both hands forward. The purple whips wrapped around Volcseck, holding him tightly in place. Kaidoz, surprised to see his opponent locked down, bombarded Volcseck with a flurry of earth spears and cubes. Zoen’s and Kaidoz’s creations converged in a loud explosion of dust and rubble.
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