The Will of Witches #2
“Fuck,” Tatum breathes. The state of the land beyond the portal is terrible. Fire engulfs the trees from what we can see, smoke and ash creating a thick smog, and in every direction, there’s destruction.
“Go,” I command. Allie is the first to step through, with the rest following without wasting a second. I flick my hand, whispering the spell, and close the portal.
Turning, I blanch as heat whips in our direction, searing my skin. Everything around us is ablaze, and I can feel the earth scream as the fire continues to spread fast and far.
Sienna’s chanting a spell, and I realise she’s casting protection spells around the others. Shahira is also working on doing the same.
I hear Charlotte grunt beside me, spreading her hands wide, and I turn in time to see dark clouds appear above us, before rain begins pouring down, hissing as it hits the flames, but it’s not enough. The fire is too vast, but it might slow it down a little.
Ahead, the world is tearing itself apart. I hear the sound of wolves clashing with monsters. I hear the screams of what sounds like manananggals and the roars of other monsters I can’t place right now.
But there are so many of them, and it’s not just them. High above, I can see the powerful auras colliding in blinding bursts above us. Power that is ripping through the burning woods. I see the cracks of lightning and the dazzling light of Jayce’s power high above us.
The pressure is suffocating, like the atmosphere itself is being crushed. I can feel it in my bones, the earth buckling, screaming under the weight of so much violence.
How long has this been going on? When were they attacked?
“Let’s go!” Jaddati says as she begins racing towards the burning trees, shifting to her wolf, her swords in her teeth.
Sienna’s already shifting, her wings appearing as she launches herself into the smoke, flying toward the epicentre of the battle.
Allie snarls, bones cracking as she shifts into her lycan form and bolts ahead, rage pouring off her in waves, her spear in hand.
Charlotte, Brock, Tatum and Shahira shift into their wolves.
Tatum pauses, jerking his head as he motions me to get on his back.
I obey, and then he follows the others, racing toward the chaos.
There are craters in the ground, where the barrier once stood, surrounding the pack. Entire sections of the woods are flattened, dark red stains cover the earth, and I can see several dead on the ground.
A bolt of lightning splits through the smoke ahead, slamming into the ground with a concussive boom that rings in my ears.
Jayce.
The snarls of the manananggals fill the air, and thunder follows, rolling so loud it feels like the sky is cracking open.
“There are two powerful witches here, girls. Stay alert. Jayce, Liam and Theo are fighting the leader!” Jaddati’s voice comes through my Schattensicht.
“Understood,” I say.
“Velasara and Calindra are here! I’ll take Velasara with Shahira. Charlotte, Heaven, Calindra is at 3 o’clock, currently fighting against Ares!” Sienna’s voice comes.
“Leave her to us,” I answer. It’s time to show these damn witches we are not the ones to mess with.
“Tatum, I’m going to jump off,” I tell him. He growls with a swing of his head, confirming he understands as he begins to slow down. Another low growl. He’s telling me to be careful. “I will be,” I promise softly.
And then I jump off, casting a spell for leverage as I jump into the nearest tree and begin jumping from tree to tree, heading towards the powerful aura of Hecate’s favoured. Down below, Charlotte’s wolf is racing in the same direction.
Endora, I need your power. Let’s show Hecate that the one she has favoured was the wrong decision, I say, opening my link to Endora. Let’s show her the power of House di Bianco Galdur.
I will enjoy this, she replies, and I feel her power slither through me.
Then, I pause when I reach my target. Tidal waves rise to the sky as Ares flings them at Calindra, who is blocking them with her own power.
For a moment, time stills, my eyes assessing the area.
I can see wolves fighting monsters. Some men are in human form as they shoot the monsters dead.
Some wolves aren’t dying, even when shot with those bullets.
They must be shadow wraiths. Unless we know the names of their hosts, they can’t be killed.
Several rush towards Ares, who snarls, his aura dazzling blindly, his trident in hand as he spins it, cutting down two of the manananggals before he blocks another.
Calindra stands amid the chaos, hovering in the air, watching him, her aura surrounding her in the form of a hydra, each head reared, focused on him.
And then from the trees bursts the very same monster Allie, Sienna and I defeated in Egypt.
A beast that we were able to put a name to, thanks to Jayce’s tomes.
A morghul. A beast that looks as if most of its body is encased in bone armour, yet muscles and flesh can be seen around the joints.
Burning coal eyes are fixed on Ares, saliva dripping from its fangs. It’s at least nine feet tall.
“I’ll take Calindra from here. Ares, Charlotte, you handle the morghul first,” I say as I step forward, allowing my power to surge, making my presence known.
She’s strong, extremely strong. I don’t know how much of a match I am for her, but I’m not about to give up.
Charlotte shifts into human form as she spreads her hands, her eyes glowing a pale green as she summons her power.
“Lend me some of your juices, Westwood,” she says, making Ares scoff as he summons a huge wall of water.
They’ll be just fine.
“Aldona, wasn’t it?” Calindra smirks. “The ancestor-less witch.”
If only you knew.
“Hecate’s favoured. Let’s see who will come out victorious.”
I raise my hands, calling upon my element.
Earth around me twists violently, jagged roots shooting through the ground as I focus them on Calindra, who waves her hand, cutting them down.
She counters, her magic cutting through roots without care, but I keep going faster and faster until they’re a blur.
I begin casting a spell, infusing them with metal-like matter. I hear a gasp from her, smirking as I manage to draw the first blood.
She tilts her head, intrigued. “Interesting,” she murmurs, but she isn’t fazed, still confident.
Being the favoured one, she is strong… I know that, but overconfidence will be her downfall.
Each strike I throw is met with precise, deadly countermeasures. Calindra doesn’t flinch; she’s calm, calculating. Her attacks slice through the battlefield, summoning creatures from the shadows, redirecting roots, trying to turn my magic against those below.
The morghul is roaring in rage as it attacks the duo, who are working pretty well together. Charlotte has two elements, Water and Earth.
Ares snarls, water striking like hammers against the morghul, which is getting angrier with every passing moment.
I spin around, sending a barrage of attacks at her.
“You think you can stop me?” she hisses, blocking yet another attack.
The earth trembles beneath her, the tree splintering before it explodes beneath her power, her green fire licking at the tips of her hands.
She laughs. “How weak,” she taunts, sending a wave of spears at me. I raise a shield, deflecting them.
“You’re wrong, because, you see, the thing is… I do have contact with my ancestors,” I whisper mockingly.
Calindra’s eyes widen ever so slightly, and I let it out, Endora’s power bleeding with mine, and I roar as fire and earth curl together, becoming a deadly force, and I throw it towards Calindra.
Her sheer power is growing. Calindra is at another level, and although I am able to block her attacks, I will run out of energy faster.
Blow after blow, we keep fighting, both of us rising above the trees, levitating, our hair defying gravity as we keep exchanging blows.
But my plan is working.
I have gotten her away from attacking the people. All I need to do is keep her attention until I can subdue her.
I gasp as I’m thrown back, pain searing through my arm, and fall. I spin violently as I hit a few branches, before I manage to grab one, flipping myself up before I regain control.
I send an explosion of flaming spears made of branches towards her.
Then I feel it, another presence just beyond my touch. Just beyond my reach.
Don’t think about it! Endora snarls. Her rage at us not being able to get closer or do any real damage is angering her.
Before I can even ask her why, Calindra rushes towards me, her eyes blazing, a long sword in hand, her power wrapping around the blade.
She’s fast, too fast. Her spells strike in arcs, deadly and with complete calculated precision. Every time I try to close the distance, she anticipates, countering with force so violent it destroys the trees beneath her.
Ares’ aura blasts through the sky, but Calindra moves out of the way, her eyes fixated on me as she lunges forward, continuing to strike.
She’s in a hurry…
Was she called somewhere? I can’t let her get away, and I don’t.
I start chanting, throwing spell after spell, fire, daggers, explosions, and traps. My hair whips around me as I twirl mid-air, spinning, slamming into her attacks, the ground exploding where our powers collide.
I’m thrown back, and I turn, trying to catch my fall. I see Sienna battling Velasara, her dark, smoky aura surrounding her as she meets her head-on. We’ve moved away from Ares and Charlotte, but as long as I can keep her occupied, we should be ok.
Then I see him, scythe raised. Theo… my heart skips a beat as he swings down, his aura rolling off him in waves.
Alongside Jayce and his dad, they are locked in battle with the masked villain, lightning and shadows striking with deadly precision.
All around, wolves fight manananggals, enemy wolves and morghuls.
How long had they planned this attack, and what do they want?
Focus on the task at hand! Endora hisses.
I am! I know what I’m doing! I shout as I regain my balance, and I summon the Tongue of Dawn. It dazzles brightly, the energy humming from it.
“What is that… doesn’t matter!” she snarls; her hydra-shaped aura moves, like an entity of its own.
I raise my hands, summoning a shield. She bears down on me. I twist, ready to break free when I see something that makes my heart skip a beat. A small, frantic figure darts between the trees, and right behind her are two morghuls.
Katara.
There’s blood gushing down her arm, and she’s holding the hands of two kids.
One of them stumbles.
No!
I glance back at Calindra as Endora screams in my head.
Don’t do it! You will die!
I won’t!
I reinforce my barrier, just long enough to give me a chance.
“KATARA, FASTER!” I scream. She glances up at me before grabbing the child up in her arms and pushing faster.
Calindra roars, turning her attention to Katara.
“Not on my watch!” I yell as I raise the Tongue of Dawn, swinging it at Calindra, forcing her to jump back as I raise a barrier between Katara and the morghuls, buying Katara a little time to get away.
But not enough time for me to reinforce my own barrier. It shatters like weak glass, pain slams through my back, and then I’m falling, agony erupting like knives through every inch of my body.
A blur of energy cuts through the smoke. Calindra is above me, victory written across her face as I try to scramble for control, the pain jarring my magic somehow – blocking it.
Then I feel it again, the presence within my mind. My vision narrows as I try to turn, bracing for impact, every fibre of my being tightening.
And then I’m in my mind, before the spirit doors. Where there was once just one, that led to Endora, another has appeared from the shadows, calling to me.
I call on you… Isolara. Awaken, I murmur, and I reach out, opening the door...