Axel took a deep breath, and I could see the build-up of steam begin to flow from his nostrils before he opened his mouth. I saw the first embers of flames before a stream of fire shot from between his lips, taking half of the Forsaken in one go.
I gawked at the scene, realizing the beautiful forest would be destroyed in seconds due to the harsh flames; the heat hit us with a whoosh.
"The forest," I whispered, and Rainer flew towards us. He noticed my devastation, and I was confused by his smile.
"Watch," he mouthed, and I looked back down at the flames that were burning many of the smaller Forsaken.
I realized after a good patch of small Forsaken turned into ash, that specs of the flowers and grass peeked out from the flames.
"They're immune to the flames?!" I exclaimed in shock, darting my gaze back toward Rainer. He nodded as he reached us.
"That was the reason I was sprinkling fairy dust," he confessed. He suddenly frowned, appearing deep in thought for five seconds before glancing over at Magnor and the others.
"We can handle it! Go to Celestia and the others! They need help!" Rainer shouted instructions to the group.
I frowned at his words, but I watched Magnor nod in our direction before the rest of them raced towards the waterfall, going through the stream and past the falls.
"What are Asher and Griffin doing?" I asked, wanting things to wrap up so we could also assist. I didn't know whether it was safe for me to reach out to Celestia. I could still feel our connection, but it was almost too frail, which only contributed to my spike in anxiety.
"Asher has the Forsaken frozen in place while Griffin is making sure the flames don't spiral out of control by using his wind to keep it steady." Rainer floated to Noah's side and I was passed over to him, which left me a bit confused as I glanced at Noah and Gabriel whose focus was on each other.
"What's going on?" I whispered to Rainer, looking up at him as he made sure I was secure in his hold, his arms underneath mine as he kept us both afloat.
"They're going to cleanse all the Forsaken at once."
"Eh?! How, Bru! Doesn't that take a lot more energy?" I questioned.
Rainer looked down to meet my shocked amber eyes and he nodded. "Now that we're officially bonded to our Masters we have a lot more energy spending room. Noah and Gabriel are pretty powerful on their own, but together they're extremely dangerous. You noticed the switch in Noah?"
"Ya," I replied, peering over at Noah as he continued to stare at his brother like they were mentally communicating. "They're in their raven and dove half forms."
"Light and dark. Perfect combination when you want to wipe out an entire field of Forsaken," Rainer replied. "They're about to finish."
My gaze was caught by Axel as he flew past us and up into the sky.
Gabriel and Noah moved then as well, flying until they were above the five biggest Forsaken in the group, the majority of the small ones screaming in agony as they slowly turned to ash.
I couldn't hear the words they were pronouncing, but my eyes grew wide as the black feathers that had escaped from Noah's wings and had been blown around by Griffin's gusts of winds began to float upward from the ground.
They had a black glow to them, and seconds after Noah finished whatever he'd commanded, the feathers shot out into sharp needles that multiplied and pierced through the Forsaken.
I furrowed my brows, wondering how his dark magic would possibly vanquish Darkness when they were the same element, but I noticed the Forsaken remained still.
They must think Noah's going to help them or something? Confusing them with the same element so they won't fight back.
Just then, Gabriel raised his hand and his eyes turned pure white as his hair shifted to silver and floated with power.
"REVOKE THY DARKNESS AND PURIFY THE LAND OF OUR SACRED GROUNDS!"
Gabriel's voice boomed throughout the forest, and the white feathers that had escaped his wings floated above the ground. They glowed a bright white, and as seconds ticked by, the strength of the light grew until the feathers all burst like bombs.
The last set of screams echoed around us as the remaining Forsaken were blown to bits; their black ashes floated to the ground below.
Gabriel and Noah were visibly out of breath, their previous serious demeanors now gone as their wings returned to their flaming glory.
"Let's go! They won't respawn!" Gabriel ordered, and we nodded.
Axel and the others had returned. Asher and Griffin now flew on their own while Axel was in his smaller dragon form. Gabriel and Noah took the lead through the waterfall, and Rainer followed at a swift pace while carrying me.
CELESTIA! WE'RE HERE!! There were Forsaken trying to break the barrier of Alpha Pure! We couldn't get here till now. Where are you?! I'm almost there, BRU!
Instead of feeling a wave of relief from my Mistress, I sensed an immense amount of fear and sadness.
"Arielle… please. Don't come here...”
My heart sank when I heard her fragile voice in my head. I could feel her weakness and agony.
"Something's wrong! Celestia doesn't sound good!" I announced.
The guys were moving as fast as they could through the tunnel, and by the piles of black ash, we realized there must have been Forsaken in here as well. By the time we reached the exit and entered the fields, dread hit me like a truck as my gaze locked on the barrier that was beginning to shatter.
Rainer dropped as my flames burst out of my back. They didn't care at this point if it drained energy from Celestia because, right now, my Mistress was in some type of barrier with a person in a dark cape while a man with immense dark power attacked the barrier with the biggest scythe I'd ever seen.
I could tell just from the gathered magic that pulsed from the metal scythe that the next blow would shatter the barrier and injure Celestia and whoever she was with. No. It won’t injure her. It will kill her!
"CELESTIA!" I screamed, but I didn't get there fast enough, as the man lowered his scythe and launched a powerful blast of dark energy that shattered the barrier with ease.
My wings suddenly vanished, causing me to shriek as I started to fall, but someone caught me before I could hit the ground.
I looked up to see Noah. His raven wings were back, but his pure black eyes were not paying attention to me. They were locked onto the man who lowered his scythe to the side and cursed.
"DAMMIT!" he screamed.
"LUCIAN!"
We all turned toward Charlotte who was practically trembling with rage, her magic causing the sky to darken in seconds as the wind began to pick up.
I looked back at the man she'd called Lucian who grinned and raised his scythe once more.
"You are not who I need, Charlotte, but it doesn't matter. Either way, I win." He smirked with joy and began to laugh as his body was cloaked with Darkness.
"NO!" Magnor shouted as he and Orlando both shot out bolts of magic from their hands.
By the time the dual attack reached the dark figure, he was gone, just like that.
We all stared in shock and Noah cursed under his breath as he slowly lowered us to the ground.
I shrugged out of his hold and raced to the spot where Celestia had been. No.
Celestia.
Silence.
Celestia! Can you hear me, Bru?!
I began to breath faster as tears formed in my eyes. "CELESTIA!" I screamed, clenching my fists as I tried to sense her.
No. No, no, no! I just need to be calm and concentrate. No matter the distance, I should be able to find her. I should be able to talk to her. There isn't a barrier or anything.
I closed my eyes and focused with all my might.
Celestia! Please, Bru! Can you hear me! Where did you go? Come back! Come back, Celestia! I'm here! Your familiar is here!!! CELESTIA!"
I opened my eyes as the first set of tears fell, and I slowly looked back at the others as my heart realized I couldn't feel a connection. No bond. No string of feelings.
Nothing.
<
br /> "I can't… feel… her." I choked out a sob.
Magnor approached me, the others appearing just as devastated. I didn't dare look at Celestia's men, knowing just a glimpse of their shocked expressions would answer the growing reality that was beginning to sink in.
Magnor reached me, and I bit my trembling lip before I spoke.
"I can't feel… Celestia. She… she… there’s no...." I tried to finish as more tears formed in my eyes and I began to whimper. "I tried. I wanted to help. But Celestia was so weak. I didn't want to hurt her more. Did I do wrong? Did… I fail her… my Mistress… she's… gone?"
Magnor said nothing, but his silver eyes gave him away as tears rolled down his cheeks. He pulled me into his arms, and that was enough to make me realize that the hollowness I'd felt only weeks ago had returned with force.
I was unsure if I'd be able to survive the second time around without the connection between my Mistress and me.
I don't think I can live without Celestia. No. I won't be able to live without her.
"Mistress… I'm sorry."
* * *
TO BE CONTINUED.
COMING SOON - SPRING 2019:
WOLF TAMER - SNEAK PEEK
BLURB
An Orphan Girl. A Group of Wolves. A Destined Fate for War.
Don't you ever wish to find where you belong? A place where you can rest your head without worrying about being jumped or your possessions being taken from you? Not like I had much, to say the least.
A pendant, an ancient blade, and a picture of my murdered family were all I had left when I was five years old. Foster homes to homeless shelters, I never found a place of refuge. I simply didn't belong, and everyone made it their duty to remind me of my predicament. Until I finally came across a place that felt like home.
Sacred Moon Shelter for Endangered Wolves. I'd stumbled upon the sanctuary when I was near death, but I was miraculously saved.
Since then, I've become a Wolf Tamer; the only one who can get close to touching the six rare breeds. When I'm with them, I feel safe and sometimes wish I could be like one of them and escape this cruel world.
But such inhumanity strikes home, a group of hunters shows up, ready to take my wolves to an unknown place or murder them in cold blood. I won't allow them to kill the only true family I'd ever known.
My name is Harper Blake, and I vow to claim and protect my own.
Faster. Faster. FASTER!
My legs felt like they were on fire as I ran as hard as I could. My heart hammered against my chest while my lungs struggled to keep up with my desperate need for oxygen. I couldn't stop; I wouldn't stop.
Stopping meant I'd be dead.
The last of my family's name would be removed from the earth thanks to the two men who were chasing after me. The men who murdered my family in cold blood.
I didn't know what they wanted, my five-year-old self was still trying to process watching the men kill my family one by one. I was stupid. Should have stayed quiet, but the little whimper that escaped me when they killed my mother gave me away.
Now I was running, clinging to the ancient blade my parents told me to protect, with the pendant Mommy told me to always wear, and the only picture I could grab before I jumped out the window and ran into the forest.
Running had always been my favorite activity, but in this case, if I didn't run any faster, I wouldn't get to enjoy it anymore.
A loud sound burst through the air, making me shriek and run harder than I thought possible.
I can't die. Mom said I have to protect our legacy. What is the legacy?! Why are these men here? Where are you, Mommy? I need help. I can't run for much longer. I can't-
A second loud sound rang through the air, but this time I screamed, feeling something run right through me. I could feel the air I tried to keep inside me begin to leak out as something warm drenched my white dress.
If I thought running was hard, whatever just happened to me made the world spin, and my pace lessen.
No. Must keep going!
I pushed myself to my limit, running until I realized I was too close to a cliff. I skidded to a stop, but another loud sound rang out and my body jerked forward as I gasped, another item running through me and leaving a hole in its wake.
My body fell over the edge, and I couldn't protect myself from the fall, crashing into the ground and hearing things crack that I knew shouldn't have.
Pain. Lots and lots of it. This wasn't like when I fell down and scraped my knee, or when I'd gotten sick and even sneezing hurt. The pain was crippling and the warm liquid that pooled beneath left me feeling weaker and colder.
Why is the warm liquid leaving my body? What is it? I'm cold. Why is it leaving when I need to stay warm? Mommy, everything hurts. Help me.
I heard footsteps from above, and I shut my eyes tightly, staying as motionless as possible. If I remained still, they wouldn't see me. I'd be invisible just like Daddy said. I wouldn't make a sound again. I'd stay and wait until I was alone.
"She fell over the cliff," a man with a rough voice declared. There was another set of footsteps and a loud sigh.
"You weren't supposed to shoot her, idiot!" the authoritative voice shouted.
"She was going to get away!"
"She's dead now! Defeats the fucking purpose."
"Let's get out of here. These parts are dangerous at night with those damn wolves."
"Shouldn't we finish the job?"
"She'll die. There's no one here for miles. She'll get mauled by the wolves, and if they find her body they'll assume she was attacked by an animal. We'll tell boss she killed herself or something. No one will know," the authoritative voice suggested.
"Fine. Done chasing her anyways. We could have just shifted and got this over with quick. Too bad. She's a fast runner."
"Hmph. She's dangerous. Look how hard it was to kill the boy. If she lived, we'd be screwed. Let's go. We don't want to leave any evidence behind."
Their footsteps faded, but I didn't move. To be honest, I didn't think I could move. Minutes passed, and I remained in place, terrified to open my eyes and see the men who wanted to kill me.
Mommy. Daddy. Brother. Why aren't you here? I'm in pain. It hurts.
With a bit of courage, I opened my eyes and looked around. The men were gone. I decided to turn onto my stomach, but a slight movement made the pain worse.
I need help. I have to find someone to help me and my family. Someone...
With gritted teeth and muffled screams, I turned over and rested on my stomach. It was then my eyes landed on the pool of dark liquid; the metallic scent tickled my nose and made me scrunch my face in fear and disgust.
Blood...my blood...
The realization sent panic through me, and I figured if I didn't get help soon, I wouldn't be able to get help for my family. I used all my upper body strength to drag my lower half that felt numb.
Faster, faster. Pull and drag. Pull and drag.
Thinking the motion out helped me drag further and further, my body growing numb with each movement to the point I couldn't feel the twigs and moist ground of the forest.
My vision blurred, thanks to my tears and exhaustion, but my burning desire to live was stronger and I kept going.
Forward. Forward. That's all I need to do. Just keep going. I'll find someone. I have to.
I didn't know how long or far I dragged my body through the thick forest, but it was becoming hard to breathe, the air leaving my body from the two holes.
My body felt heavy, making it difficult for me to drag myself anymore. I tried and tried, but it was like I'd stopped working. My limbs had no feeling at all, but my mind buzzed as I began to choke.
I coughed hard, the action prompting blood to escape my mouth and onto the ground. I stared at it, and a prickling wave of fear ran through me as I realized...
I'm dying.
I blinked a few times, thinking I must have been dreaming or stuck in a nightmare, but as I laid there in the cool night s
urrounded by trees and wilderness, I knew I wasn't.
This is real. I'm dying. I can't save my family. I can't help them...
I clamped my teeth together to roll onto my back, realizing it might have been a bad move as blood began to fill my mouth. I turned my head to the side, letting it drain out as tears streamed down my cheeks.
Why did they kill them? What did we do? We were good people. Mommy saved animals. Daddy was a leader. Brother wanted to do what Mommy did. He wanted to lead and save animals who were being hunted. Was being good bad? Did we do something bad?
I lifted my head to stare at the stars, my gaze landing on the large full moon that looked so pure and beautiful. Even with my blurry vision, I could still see it.
I heard a loud, long sound, and I would have probably flinched if I could have. It sounded like an animal, a dog or even a wolf?
The thought alone made more tears run down my cheeks, understanding my current predicament would either be me dying from all the blood I'd lost, or a wolf eating me for dinner.
Dinner.
We had our last meal together. My family and I all laughing and smiling. I told them about my dream to help animals. I wanted to heal them like Mommy and be a leader to protect them like Daddy. Brother said he'd teach me too. We were going to do it together. How did it come down to this?
I waited for my death, turning my head to spit out more blood. I got so tired of the frequent head turns, that after my fifth time I decided it would be my last.
Arielle Rainbow (Familiar Blessed Chronicles Book 2) Page 10