Smoldered Flames: Part I of the Edonia Series
Chapter 57

Eros

I relish in my burning limbs as I tear the eyes of my adversary. Hearing them squall when I defeat them is euphoric. My wings are blessed by Eteri’s swift winds. I dive in and out of the sky, carrying opponents and releasing them to the ground. I laugh hysterically as they blunder to their deaths. Quick and tragic. What a beautiful sight. Through my battle red rage, I notice something…off. With a birds eye view, I can see that newcomers join, empowering the wolf guards. They quickly regain momentum, pushing us to a rocky corner of the island.

The newcomers’ eyes are the first thing I see when I drift down to the ground, setting my teeth on edge. The black rings around them stretch out, covering their scleras. Each dark-ringed wolf begins various stages of shifting. Some faces contort in pain while their rib cages expand and their backs arch. Others grab their faces with clawed fingertips, ripping away skin and muscle as they too, partially shift. Rivulets of blood flow while the newcomers’ faces morph and stop in between the snout and human mouth. Their teeth are a combination of dull and flat to conical and razor-edged. It is an unnatural sight to watch. I don’t think I’m the only one to think this.

CLATTER.

The sound of someone dropping their sword snaps everyone out of their reverie. Just as we attempt a mad dash, one of the cursed beasts lunges at the nearest person -a wolf guard- and claws out the guy’s intestines. Another creature pulls down a hybrid to the ground. The poor man holds out a bloody hand while his body is being torn like paper. His cries are cut short when the beast takes a huge, meaty chunk out of his neck. More and more victims fall to the monster’s cruelty.

“Run!” someone howls. And as one, we turn our backs against the sanguinary onslaught.

Everyone tumbles end over end like toddlers. Pushing and shoving one another to clear a path away from the nightmare behind. I could’ve gotten away from it all. I could’ve waited out this whole ordeal before the cavalry arrived. But something within me wouldn’t allow it.

Save them. A small voice seems to utter. Please, save them.

I catch Jacques’ gaze and he nods once before shouting out directions for the others to follow. I spin around and face my foe head on. Spreading my wings for balance, I lurch forward , flexing my clawed fingers in preparation.

The first slobbering beast groans. I snarl back in response, kicking out at his stomach while simultaneously elbowing another in the face and they stumble back. I sweep a foot out to unbalance them, grabbing two abandoned swords from the ground. When I rise my arms unfold, slicing both of their heads. Giddiness runs through me as I continue thriving in chaos. Arc and sling after arc and sling, I bask in their blood.

They weren’t formidable in the slightest. But they came in droves. For every two bodies that try to go in the path of the escapees, ten more run past me. At this moment, I feel like a failure. Cutting down my last foe, I throw back my head and release a short, frustrated shout. I take to the skies and ride the winds close to the ground. Trees partially blind my view. I catch glimpses of the creatures biting and nipping at their bloody victims herding them like droves of cattle towards the center of the island. I spot Jacques in the middle of the group and dive down.

“We’re heading towards the center of the island.” I shout at his silent question.

“Could you see what awaits us there?” he responds. I shake my head no.

Eventually the trees break away to reveal a clearing. I nearly stumble at the scene before me. Women beaten to their knees holding sobbing children. Masked gunmen holding their weapons against their heads. It’s them. The same mysterious hooded figures with the emblem of a gorilla skull eating away at the sun.

One of them grabs a woman by her hair and holds her at gunpoint. “Lower your weapons, or I’ll blow this bitch’s head off!”

I assessed the situation, and the gods weren’t by our sides tonight. Hundreds of those hellbeasts circled around us. Snarling and biting at anyone getting too close to the woodlands. I look over at the Beta and once again, nod once. I withhold a growl while shifting back to my normal form. Behind me, swords, knives, and other weapons clatter to the ground.

“On your knees!” he gestures. We comply with his wishes. He lifts a finger in the air, drawing out a small circle. The rest of them make quick work in placing handcuffs around our wrists. The handcuffs are far different from the Vitality cuffs. Unlike the ones that were trained to use-rendering a person of their gifts- these seem to latch into the core of your being No one fought against it. No one objected when the handcuffs were roughly placed, biting into the skin. How could they when they seem to latch onto your soul, sucking you dry. Despite how unlikely this was, an unlikely camaraderie started to form between everyone. The trauma. The nightmares. It’ll all come tumbling down one day.

If we make it out of here that is.

The masked men fan us out in a wide circle surrounding a scaffold-esque table that hovers above a black sarcophagus. Dark murky letters spin like small eddies. The cuffs prevent my eyes from seeing every detail and every crevice of the sarcophagus. Brittle tang of rotten eggs assault my nostrils and eyes water a little. Through my weakening eyesight, I see traces of black sand in front of us, encircling the bizarre display. Stillness fills the air. Quiet footsteps approach from across the large circle.. Tall, bulk men come forward. Two of the four guards spread out, making way for a single person and the last two at her back.

She holds her head up high. Her face matches her steps- they never waver. Even when she catches my eyes, she never falters. Although, a hint of resolve flashed across her midnight blue orbs. Crown Princess Nerissa Silverthorne is to be sacrificed tonight.

***

Kamau

Sand fills my lungs, leaving me fighting for every breath. Every breath I take weakens me. Sweat drips down my back, and chills skate down my arms. Heaviness presses on my limbs, preventing fast movements. A presence wraps its way around my mind. It sorts through my mind like a robber searching for treasure. Every memory tossed to the side as if it were trash.

“You worthless cub!” the dark female produces a mirthless laugh.

Flashes of Styliani flit across my mind. Her smile. The way her eyes light up when I stumble over my words because of her presence. Her windchime-like laugh at my less than stellar jokes. I’d place my hands on my stomach when she’d make an equally cheesy joke. No matter how close we got, there was always this deep chasm building between us.

“You couldn’t save her,” she whispers. “You were a coward then, and you are a coward now. Tell me something… how does it feel knowing that your love took her own life while you sat by without a fight?”

I wince internally, chest squeezing painfully.

“To know that her efforts were in vain.” her sweet, vile voice gets closer. “I still won. I will always win. And you, sweet, insolent cub, will be my next conquest.”

No! A jolt of fear and anger sets a determined edge to my jaw. I became aware of the dark sludge eating away at a memory I cherish. My sister… Amara’s mother. I refuse to let this foul being steal anything else from me. I internally bat it away. It attacks again, reaching for more and more of my thoughts. I scream aloud searching for something. Anything that can provide my freedom. Delving into the depths of my mind, I spot a light. It’s a small glowing orb that brings a warm escape from the cold. Outwardly, my body convulses. An echo of laughter pisses me off. It pushes me to reach for that small spark. It feels…familiar.

I yank it close to me, never letting go. It’s a link to fate, to destiny. Within this bright orb, I a deep penetrating wrath. It’s rivaled by a compelling passion and devotion. There’s darkness carried out by pain and betrayal. I wanted to nurture it. See it grow into something salubrious. Instinct directs the orb into my subconscious chest. I gasp with pain and wonder when the small ball of flame soaks into my skin.

Alien screeches almost burst my eardrums. The chills evaporate from my body as the dark matter recedes from my body. I jump to my feet, in a fighting stance. The vacant room lights up like a beacon. In it, I find Alaric almost kneeling with his hands in the air.

“Where is it?!” I bellow out, roaring and thunderous.

Alaric flinches in my presence and I revel in it. “Whe-wher- where’s what?” he gulps.

Vociferous growls erupt from my chest. Kill him, the beast within tempted me. “Don’t play stupid, weakling. Give me the source,” I say, stalking slowly towards him.

I wrinkle my nose as the smell of urine hits it. Alaric shrivels up, reaching into a side pocket of his ridiculous suit. Out comes a tiny locket rusted away by time. I eye him up and down in disgust.

“Good luck getting out, savage.” he spits. Alaric makes a few hand gestures before disappearing. My mouth drops open in shock.

I nearly escaped imprisonment, just to end up in another one.

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