How’d it get in here???
Then she was up the steps and in her room.
“Where are the others?!” Toc demanded.
“Not here!” Fay countered.
Yinn demanded as Sybel cut the Azhi down. “Where can we be safe?”
“There’s a safety room; this way!” Fay pressed the button on the bookcase; her desk moved aside to reveal a stairway.
“Priestess, please! We mean no harm; we’re the Last Warriors, Son of the Twin Dragons and Daughter of Xien. We’ve come, my priestess, and we’re looking for the Lost Ones.”
“They’ve found one another.” Fay insisted. “They’ve left to retrieve a boy who was kidnapped.”
“Shit.” He swore angrily as Sybel rushed in with them and Ryeger stayed at the entrance.
“Get as many towns’ people in here as we can fit!” Fay called up to him.
“I can’t leave this post!”
“Please, Ryeger!” She begged.
“No! I must defend you at all costs! Xia would never forgive me if I left you like this!”
Yinn removed her scythe. “It’s okay; we’re here to protect her now. Go get the townspeople. They’re under attack, and the militia isn’t ready.”
“It’s finally begun.” Toc breathed shakily as Ryeger hesitated before nodding and running off.
“Everybody, this way!” Ryeger called to civilians; those who’d come for the first sermon hurried into the shelter. Thankfully Chrono had designed it for everybody.
“There’s more.” Fay decided it was time to tell the truth. “If we lose this time, we won’t have Shen’s daughter to lead us.”
“You said Alatek’s daughter found her!” Yinn exclaimed.
“Alatek’s daughter was made into an Azhi. Shen’s daughter gave up her soul to be with her.”
The two stared at her as if the ground had fallen away. Then the door flew open, and in charged two shadowed figures, followed by Callie and Ryeger. Sybel and Yinn drew their weapons and lunged as Toc drew together a stream of fire.
~*~
I whipped out my double blades, giving Redemption an order to charge straight to the temple gates. The fleeing civilians were a sea of color. Added to their screaming, the chaos of fleeing animals and the commotion of the streets flooding with city guard, everything was going by in a blur.
Waves and waves of Azhi, dragons and rocs were blending in with the air and cloud. There were also twisted creatures that seemed a mix of violent emotions and energy.
Panic nearly overwhelmed me; Anshumali’s mind poured into mine until we were so powerfully linked I could feel everything about her.
//You’re a powerful, capable warrior. Stay calm and we’ll find them. Sybel and Ryeger are with Fay; let’s find Callie first. //
She launched herself at a black creature the shape of a long, strange cat. The Shadow Leo hissed and let her flip it onto its back before biting at her neck. It began to assault her stomach with its dreadful claws. I plunged aggressively into its mind. Focusing on that, narrowing away from San’s, I sent a wave of hot, angry energy. The beast bellowed in agony; Anshumali snapped its neck and pelted onward.
Callie’s house was in sight when a drake swooped right for me. Redemption sidestepped the beast a moment before an arrow went through its head.
“DIE YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!” Callie’s voice howled, making me whip Redemption around. She raced to me; Chrono and a group of warriors fought while we spoke. In the back of my mind I knew it’d be the palace guard he brought and Whitestone militia. “Where’s Vortix?”
“He’s hidden outside the city. Where’s Fay?”
“The temple; nothing come out, but I let two strangers in there right before this happened. I’m sorry, Xia; I thought they were good people. It was a father and his daughter, seeking the temple.”
“Damn it! They could be the cause! Callie, come on!”
She threw herself onto the stallion, and he charged for the temple. Sanquility took wing to give her room and defend us from above. As I sank into its mind, an image of a spike of ice aimed at my heart penetrated my mind.
“Redemption, hold and twirl. Then break for it.”
The Unicorn didn’t hesitate. He froze, spun in a tight circle and shot forward. There was a loud crash, like shattering glass, right behind us.
This time, I shot into the wraith’s mind with purpose. I gave him the image of an arrow from behind. The creature sank lower, spinning around to seek the projectile. Redemption leapt just high enough for me to slice the head clean off.
//Holy shit! It’s like you can see them! //
“You can’t love?”
//Not until they’re going to strike. //
“They’re everywhere! There are more wraiths than dragons!”
Out of the sea of madness we slowly fought our way through to the temple gates. I flung myself down and sprang inside.
Blood.
From the overwhelming smell, there were bodies everywhere. Al’re whimpered. When he fell into me with a whimper, I hugged him closer and let him cry. Anshumali halted, taking in a faltering breath.
Chrono burst in behind us to stop dead. “Fuck,” He breathed.
“Fay?”
//She’s not here; neither are the others. //
I found myself honestly thanking Alatek as my heart pounded.
From nowhere, Ryeger leapt out with a scream of fury; he stopped dead to stare at me with relief. “Where’s your son?”
“Safe. Where are the others?”
“In the safe room. They’ve taken a lot of people down there with them, before I couldn’t leave the temple alone to get more. They’re talking to a man and a little girl who were asking after you.”
“If they’re in that room, they must trust them.” Chrono sounded beyond relieved. “Common; let’s go get them.”
The sound of a strange weapon with a long pole and curved blade coming for my throat made me duck. I began dancing with its owner; a very short person with an aurora of white with splotches of red; it looked like a canvas of snow splattered with blood.
I felt Anshumali fighting a mage until he was pinned.
I spun around, ducked and knocked the weapon from the warrior to pin it against the wall.
Then I gasped and jerked back. “You’re a child.”
She reached for her weapon again.
Oh god. I can’t fight a little girl!
“STOP!” Fay shouted at the top of her lungs. “IT’S XIA! It’s the Crimson Blade!”
She gasped and froze; Anshumali got off the man as he stopped trying to snap her neck. Fay came running up to me. Not dropping the weapon or taking my eyes off this stranger, I held her close.
I kissed her forehead, letting the tears flow now. “I thought – I thought you were, oh gods, Fay. Are you hurt?”
“No. Thanks to the people you’ve pinned, anyway.”
Callie and Chrono stood back.
The little girl said “They’re all okay, thanks to us.” I felt her challenging stare. “I didn’t want to believe you were as ruthless as they say.”
“Xia isn’t ruthless.” Callie defended me furiously. “She’s simply protective of what’s hers, and you attacked her!”
“Most people wouldn’t attack a little girl.”
“Most little girls wouldn’t charge a seasoned, scarred warrior.” I retorted in as emotionless a voice as I could.
“It’s kind of a battle zone out there.”
“Hence why you struck, I struck back.” I countered gruffly.
“Yinn, stop antagonizing her.” The man sounded slightly irritated and slightly amused. “You know her temper.”
“How the fuck would she know my temper, mage?” I snarled, whipping around on him.
He shoved his hands up. “We’ve known you and Alatek’s child since our creation.”
Callie snorted. “More crazies.”
Flashes of countless of battles with six other warriors played through my mind so fast
it made me giddy.
My god. They can’t be…
“Callie, baby, would you guard outside with Chrono? I don’t feel safe in this hole unprotected.”
“No problem.” She gave me a huge hug and a peck on the lips. “Should I send a detachment for Vortix?”
“Not until the town’s safe. Call if you need us.” I watched her leave.
“Wait, what? I thought you and the Azhi were a thing.”
“We are, but I’ve loved Callie since I was an apprentice. That love doesn’t stop because I’m forced to love Sanquility.”
San was looking between them. She shifted into human form. “I’m Sanquility. This is Xia. And…do…do I know you? Or, does Xia know you?”
“Yes.” With a huge smile, I pulled them close in a clasp. “We both do. Welcome home.”
Everybody but them was staring at me as if I were nuts. Finally, my guardian cleared her throat and said quietly “Xia, love, I don’t know them.”
I released the men. “Of course you do. This is Xien’s child, and this is the Twin Dragon’s child.” I pointed at Yinn, then at the man. “Though, I didn’t get your name.”
“Toc.” He said with relief.
The two looked me over. “Who released the seal?” Tic asked tensely.
“Sanquility did.” I waved her over. “As you can see, I’ve kind of had my sight ripped away. It was breaking the seal or letting me remain completely blind.”
San took a step forward and grabbed my hand almost possessively. “You know a lot about us, and we only know who created you.”
“Stop being so pissy. We’ve not seen them for two hundred years.”
//…So it’s true, and you believe it now…my god. Then you know what this means? //
“Well right now it means we need to save the city. Quinn’s got to be behind this.”
//I agree. //
“Hmmm…you’re, what, a hundred?” Yinn suddenly got a little close to Sanquility, looking her up and down. “Well, if you wanted them young, Xia, you could have looked up a human.”
“Young?” I echoed with a little chuckle.
//She’s totally flirting with you. //
“N-no, she can’t be. She’s a kid.”
//Tell her that. //
“Well, for an Azhi that’s only around sixteen years in their maturity. She’s only technically two years older than me.”
I gave San a da fuck look while Toc tried vainly to withhold a snicker. Fay, however, did give a chuckle. “Seriously?”
She sniffed. “You’re a real wise ass, buddy. Xia, I’m about the development for an Azhi as a human about sixteen. But we don’t go through the same stages. I’ve still lived longer, so I know more anyway. So there.”
My eyebrows rose, and my lips twitched in an attempt not to smile.
//What’s so funny? //
“No matter how you look at it, San, you just got competitive with a teenage human. Doesn’t that say something about your maturity?”
//Oh shut up. Let’s see her bind a soul to hers! //
“Whatever, darling. We need to discuss how to get rid of this cloud.”
Fay raised her hand. “Wait, that puts us to eight.”
I shook my head. “Eight?”
“Chrono.” Fay insisted.
“I don’t think-”
“He remembers, Xia. He’s one of us.” She insisted.
“Okay, Fay. Let’s go up and talk about getting rid of Quinn.”
“You know who’s done this?” Toc asked with fever.
“The mage kidnapped my son for some stupid reason, and now he’s sieging the town. Fay can close it after we kill Quinn. I don’t know how a wanted man gets passed every damn guard in the city, but he did.”
“I don’t think he ever left.” Chrono replied gruffly with a short shake of his head and a small wave of his hand toward the city outside. “He would have been stopped at the gates in or out, but there are plenty of good people who would let a mage down on his luck stay at their place to study in peace. Especially when there are so many commoners who know he’s associated with the temple and palace.”
“Where did the cloud pop up?” Sybel inquired.
Toc cut in before anybody could answer. “It doesn’t matter. In fact, this mage doesn’t even have to be in the city. He just has to know where the city is. The gates of the Abyss can be opened anywhere from anywhere.”
“Then how in the Fallen’s name do we find him?” Sanquility demanded with angry gestures.
Everybody lingered on that thought. Then Fay jumped up and down. “Anna and Bell!”
We all looked at her like she was nuts as her two dogs ran up to her.
“How did they survive?” Yinn asked in shock.
“How are those dogs going to help us?” Chrono chimed in.
“The gods love them.” Fay answered before I could deck him one. “I had them trained by the dog trainer here to track Azhi and people. We need something that smells like Quinn though.”
I snorted. “No, we don’t. I remember his scent well enough; I’ll give it to them.”
Fay smiled at me. “Great!”
I slipped into their minds, giving them the man’s scent and the desire to find him. The two started to bark and tug at their leashes. “We have to fight to find him. Hopefully he isn’t far.”
“I take it you have a plan?” Sybel asked hopefully, passing me the lead again.
“You and I should lead. I’ll fly above you guys and guard from above.”
//Fay needs to stay here with the children, guarded by the guard and militia we brought to the temple. Sybel and Ryeger can ride flanks and Chrono can take the rear. Toc’s a mage…//
“Perfect. He can ride rear with Chrono.”
//What about Yinn? //
“Yinn? What? I told you; Fay’s keeping the kids.”
//…Love, Yinn just held her own against you. //
“I disarmed her.”
//Okay, but you weren’t wielding a weapon that big in a small space. I’m serious; the girl’s got some mad skill. You thought she was an adult until you had her pinned. //
“…No. She stays.”
//Love, we need the kid. //
“Why?”
//The fuck do you mean why? She’s the child of Xien! If we don’t have her, we’ll lose some serious mojo! //
“Fine! Whatever. Yinn rides with me, then, so she’s safe. In fact, Toc should probably be boxed in. It’s better coverage anyway; he can shoot from anywhere without worrying about getting sliced in half.”
//I don’t know. If they’re already mounted, wouldn’t they be better on their own? //
“Maybe.”
“What are you boys mounted on?” I ask hastily.
“Wingless horses.” Toc sounded a little embarrassed. “It’s all we could steal – I mean, afford.”
“He should ride with Sybel and Ryeger in the air, then, but Yinn stays with me.”
//Why?? //
“One, she’s fourteen. That counts, Sanquility, like it or not. Two, her scythe will counter my shorter weapons. She’ll be able to reach enemies I can’t.”
//…Fine. //
“We’ve got the plan if nobody disagrees.” I replied at last. “I’ll lead with Yinn. Sybel and Ryeger flank Toc, and Chrono takes rear. Sanquility will take aerial.”
“Wait, what about me?” Fay complained uneasily. “I have the dogs.”
“I can take the dogs. You should stay here to guide the people. Don’t worry; Callie is right out the door protecting you.”
She nodded slowly. “Okay, but bring them back safe.”
“Of course. Al’re can show ‘um how it’s done.”
I said my good-byes to my sister. On the way up I kissed Callie with a whisper of love, put the dogs on heel and followed the others back to the mounts. We quickly got into formation, beginning an entirely new battle.
I stopped dead in my tracks to see the tavern was ransacked.
“What’s wrong
?” Yinn demanded.
“People were in there!” I told her.
“We should find the mage first.”
“And let the people under the rubble die?! I know over half this village, Yinn!” Releasing Al’re and his sisters, I watched them fly for the tavern.
Wait, why would Anna and Bell go for the tavern?
Those who were on the ground dismounted their mounts as the aerial defended us from above.
“Toc, Yinn, guard us while we help the dogs dig.”
The rest of us searched through the rubble. Well, I wasn’t too great at it, but it gave the dogs something to do. The three of them dug through the rubble like it was some game. Actually, I realized they didn’t know what they were looking for, so to them it was.
I was shocked when Al’re and Anna barked to signal they found something. Chrono and I dug through the rubble to see it was a person!
“She’s alive!” Chrono shouted. Sybel and Ryeger hurried over. Bell gave a bark.
A half hour later we’d rescued six people, including two small children. Though their parents were gone, they were found with little more than scrapes and bruising. I gave them instructions on how to get to the temple. One of the men was in the militia, and a woman was a guard from the palace. So they armed themselves and promised to take the others to the temple. They’d no sooner set out when Sanquility pulled up a tattered robe.
“It smells a little like him. I think he’d stayed here without anybody knowing it.”
“No wonder the girls were searching this. They thought he was here.” I sighed with relief. Get the scent back in their noses and we’ll be off.”
As Sanquility set in it front of the sandy colored, long legged hounds.
“Search.” I commanded when the dogs sniffed all over it and gave happy barks, wagging their little tail.
“Should I call Al’re back?”
//No. I think he’s the best one at it. //
“I really did get the best dog!”
The dogs took off. We hastily remounted our horses and kicked them after them, somehow ending up in formation while we were at it. They ran at full tilt for a time. Once or twice they’d lose the scent among the smoke, ash and blood they weren’t trained to search in. While we fended off the fiends, they’d work together to pick it back up.
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