Chapter 21
CHAPTER 21
A s Emily soared through the skies astride Logan’s back, the world around them became a blur of motion and sensation. With each beat of Logan’s powerful wings, they traveled at supernatural speed, hurtling through the air with a sense of urgency that matched the gravity of their mission. The landscape below blurred into a dizzying mosaic of colors and shapes, the air rushing past them in a tumultuous whirlwind.
Yet amidst the disorienting chaos, Emily clung to Logan with unshakable trust, her faith in his abilities unwavering.
As Logan began to slow their pace, Emily felt a sense of relief wash over her like a cool breeze, the blur of motion gradually giving way to a more serene pace. They descended toward the breathtaking countryside of Scotland, its rolling hills and rugged terrain stretching out before them like a patchwork quilt woven from the fabric of the earth itself.
From their vantage point high above, there appeared to be nothing but endless stretches of grass and rock, yet Emily knew that the dragons possessed an innate sense of direction.
As they continued their descent, Emily allowed herself to be enveloped by the beauty of the Scottish landscape, its rugged beauty a testament to the timeless majesty of the natural world. They touched down, and she slid from his back to the ground and stepped away so he could shift.
Adara’s voice blared in her mind. The wards are failing.
The ground rumbled before she noticed a hole appear. Emily could see the stone stairs leading down into a dark cavern below.
“Is that the temple of Geram?” she asked as Logan moved to her side.
“It is inside the cave below. We must hurry.” He grabbed her hand as Legion and Siro landed.
They all descended into the darkness before Logan created an orb of light for Emily’s benefit.
They were only halfway down the stairs when Logan yelled.
“Stop Lothos. You do not have the power to control a being as powerful as Geram. His own people turned against him because he sought to destroy anything that did not bow down to him.”
Lothos stepped from the shadows as they reached the bottom of the stairs. “You are too late. I have already started the dissection process. The wards will fall, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. I do appreciate you delivering Emily to me, though.”
Legion growled. “You are a pathetic excuse for a dragon. You had a brother who loved you, and you turned, anyway. You don’t deserve a mate; you never did.”
Lothos sneered at Legion. “Logan chose you over me long before I turned.”
Logan shook his head. “Legion is our leader. The holder of our spark. He was chosen by Mother Nature herself. You turned your back on your clan, and now you will die here for your betrayal.”
Lothos laughed. “Geram will kill all of you.”
“He will kill you too as soon as he is free. You are simply a tool. ”
Lothos’ gaze moved to her. “Emily can only be bound to you. But we are identical in every way. She will be mine even if I have to crush her mind and make her believe I am you. She will lend me her power and be my mate when needed. Our bonding will prolong her life.”
“She is mine!” Logan roared.
Lothos moved closer to the small structure in the cavern. It didn’t seem like much, and Emily found it hard to believe that it contained the most powerful mage to ever live. “Not for long.”
Legion pointed at the temple. “Siro, strengthen the wards. Logan, put your brother to rest.”
Logan lunged at Lothos as Legion and Siro moved to the temple.
As Logan and Lothos clashed in the cavern, the air crackled with electric tension, their movements a blur of ferocity and primal instinct. Each slash and parry reverberated through the vast expanse, sending tremors echoing through the stone walls as they waged their merciless battle.
After a brutal exchange, their forms shifted seamlessly from man to dragon, the cavernous space struggling to contain their immense power and fury. Emily was forced to press herself against the side wall, her breath catching in her throat as the two dragons tore into each other with savage determination.
The cavern seemed to shrink beneath the weight of their colossal forms, the air thick with the scent of blood and the metallic tang of magic. Emily’s heart hammered in her chest as the deadly dance unfolded before her, the clash of scales and will.
A light glinted above her before she noticed the deadly scythes adorning the tips of their tails, wicked blades honed to a razor-sharp edge. With each swing, they sliced through the air with lethal precision, puncturing the thick hide of their opponent with devastating accuracy.
As the battle raged on, both dragons painted the cavern floor with their blood, their once-pristine scales marred by the scars of their conflict. Yet still, they fought on, their roars of defiance echoing through the darkness.
She inched closer to Legion and Siro as they attempted to strengthen the wards around the temple.
Once by the dragon leader’s side, she focused on him instead of Logan. “What can I do to help?”
Legion pointed at the ground, and her gaze moved to the dead woman and the dead man by the wall. “Lothos sacrificed a druid and a dragon.” He pointed to the blood on a smooth stone. “That is Allorin’s blood.”
“What does that mean?”
Legion glanced at the now-shaking temple. “It’s a magical trifecta. Allorin would never have sacrificed himself to free Geram. But he saved his blood in case he died.”
“What does his blood do?”
“It means we can’t stop the wards from dropping. I can’t combat that kind of dark magic even if I had the three sacrifices needed.”
Legion couldn’t allow himself to be sacrificed. There was nobody to take his place. He would have to choose an unmated male and a female druid, and he would never do that, even if it would work. There was only one way to save them, and it would likely drain her of her power or kill her.
Logan, I have to try something. The wards are failing, but it may take all my power.
Do what you must. If your magic drains completely, you will be mortal, but I would happily take one lifetime with you.
Emily allowed her magic to flare out. She connected with a single diamond shard in the rock before her power infused her, and she knew what she had to do.
With a focused intensity burning within her, Emily summoned forth the depths of her magical power, channeling it with precision and purpose as she wove intricate spells into the very fabric of the cavern surrounding her. Adara had passed on some simple spells in order for Emily to protect herself.
She commanded the rock surrounding the cavern to bend to her will, its once-immutable surface yielding to the transformative power of her magic. But this was no mere superficial alteration; she had to ensure that every facet, every angle of the diamond’s surface, was adjusted with exacting precision, so that any magic directed against it would be met with impenetrable resistance.
With each flicker of her fingertips, Emily wove a complex web of interlocking surfaces, all made of the hardest material known to man.
As she worked, Emily felt a sense of awe and reverence wash over her like a tidal wave, the magnitude of what she was creating dawning upon her with a profound clarity. This was no mere barrier; it was a magical Faraday cage.
Emily poured her heart and soul into the creation of the magical fortress, knowing that she was fulfilling her destiny. As her power faded away, the spark within her died. She accepted the sacrifice. This was for her new family. For the druids and dragons.
She stepped back to behold her handiwork as the cavern transformed into a bastion of inviolable protection. She gazed at the shimmering surface of the diamond-encrusted rock as Legion pulled her away from a scythe-laden black tail.
“Logan, we need to leave!” Legion yelled as he yanked her toward the staircase.
The temple that held the dark mage was crumbling, and as Logan shifted to his human form, Lothos turned toward the shaking structure.
As Emily and the dragons raced up the stairs, the sound of an inhuman scream reverberated through the cavernous depths behind them. With each step, they scrambled upward, the urgency of their flight lending wings to their feet as they sought to escape the monster below.
As they burst out into the open air, the scream seemed to follow them, echoing hauntingly in the crisp night air. Emily’s heart pounded in her chest as she skidded to a stop, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she surveyed their surroundings.
Before them stretched the vast expanse of the plains, the moonlight casting a ghostly pallor over the rugged terrain. Yet even in the darkness, Emily could sense the presence of danger lurking just beyond the edge of their vision.
Legion pointed to the hole in the ground. “Seal it, Emily.”
She stared at the dragon leader. “I used all my magic to create a transmutation of this size. The hole will close. It just needs a minute.
Legion glanced at Logan, and he slipped his arms around her waist. “We will have one lifetime, Legion. It is still a blessing.”
Legion nodded, but she could see the pain in his eyes.
The hole formed a thick layer of diamond before the soil covered it over, and the shaking below stopped.
Legion stared at the unmarred earth. “Geram will eventually burrow through this. A crustal cave won’t stop him for long.”
Emily shook her head. “The cave is surrounded by a diamond casing. One that shifts and replicates itself. When he blasts one layer of diamond, another forms. He will never escape.”
Legion met Emily’s gaze. “Only someone with the power of transmutation can enter or leave.”
Emily nodded. “Yes. Lothos and Geram are trapped for all time.”