Chapter 24
~Cassius~
Sylas was nervous.
For a myriad of reasons, considering everything happening and what was at stake. But specific to this moment in time said nervousness was rooted in the fact that he would not be in control of the spell that was about to be performed.
Kai would have command of it.
And as much as Sylas had faith and trust in Kai, he didn’t do well when control was not in his hands. Especially when it came to matters of magic.
That was further intensified because of what this spell was—the key to permanently restoring him after all these years he’d suffered through sickness and weakening.
I stood at the ready beside him, my palms upturned and live with my power, prepared to react defensively to shield everyone should the sparking he was experiencing escalate.
Velra and Lazriel were a hundred feet away on the cobblestone path beside the entrance into the Rifted Cradle where Ketheron and I had fashioned our castle of a home.
It had been my suggestion to perform the restoration spell within this protective environment.
Protective in this case being in the sense that if Sylas lost control or ruptured, the damage could not impact the outside world beyond this Rifted Cradle construct.
Any magic usage or outbursts would be contained within this special dimensional space.
As for within the space, though, and up close where Kai needed to be in order to perform the spell… that was more complicated.
I was going to imbue Kai with a protective Celestial shield. While his power was immense, he required his to be focused on the spell only, not split between that and protection.
The true danger would be if Sylas accidentally unleashed Risen Reckoning.
The could not be stopped by anyone, any magic, other than that necromantic in nature. Although it was unlikely, the possibility still did exist. So we’d called in somebody who could temporarily withstand its effects.
Sure enough, as we stood awaiting Kai’s arrival from just outside in Solumira where he was finishing up in his lab, the being in question swept on through the Rifted Cradle entrance.
Remnant.
Having to pass through Ariana, Kai, Vorzyr, and Nyx’s home and territory of Solumira was a risk with him being the Commander of The Shadowed.
Although Ryker had covertly authorized the creation of Requital—a bridge between The Shadowed and the Guardian Movement’s efforts in the supernatural world, Remnant was still technically an outlaw, as most definitely was his organization.
Ryker couldn’t have a direct working relationship with him, or be seen as an active collaborator in any way.
Thus, Remnant was still at risk of repercussion and even apprehension.
Complex didn’t quite cover it.
Supernatural politics at its finest indeed.
His eyes shone at his son through his mask and he walked to Lazriel and they embraced.
“Thanks for checking in while you were out there during this insanity with The Shadowed trying to track those fuckers down.”
“I made you a promise. I’ll always ensure you know I am well.”
“And Mom? I texted her on my way back here from that subterranean crypt, but I didn’t get a response yet, and being inside here… we don’t have cell reception within this Rifted Cradle yet. It’s the next thing to put in place.”
“She is well. With Jaxon needed elsewhere, she is taking temporary command of the Shifter Stabilization Unit.”
I smiled to myself at Lazriel’s awe and relief.
His mother was certainly more than qualified.
With her slated to head Vyrn Hollow Shifter Habitat, she would finally be back in her element after so long on the sidelines and living as a recluse.
They embraced a little longer, then Remnant went to pull away to come to us.
But Lazriel resisted letting him go, grasping his arm.
“I will be well,” Remnant assured him. “You have witnessed me enduring a highly-concentrated blast of Risen Reckoning itself from Morien Morgrave and I walked away intact.” He turned to Velra. “Your healing was much help also.”
Velra smiled out at him. “Well, I’m here now as well. If you need—”
“Nope. Not happening,” Kai’s voice sounded, as he pushed through into the Rifted Cradle, carrying a black box the size of a jewelry box like the one Velra had in her dorm room for all her completed pieces she’d created with her jewelry-making hobby—something I hoped she would return to doing once all of this was said and done, something that gave her a sense of serenity and creative accomplishment.
Before Velra or Lazriel could get a word out, Kai went on, “If Risen Reckoning is unleashed, you both take off instantly. Lazriel will vamp-speed you the hell out of here the moment we see any sign of that happening.”
When Velra moved to protest, Kai cut in, “You’re both here as support for Sylas, not as active participants. With what’s coming, take the rest. There’ll be plenty of active participation coming down the line.”
“While your bedside manner could most definitely use some work, your point stands,” Remnant spoke.
Kai lifted a shoulder, then strode over to Sylas and me. I saw him note Sylas’ state of sparking magic and restless pacing with concern.
“We are nearing the end of this madness,” Remnant told Velra and Lazriel.
His gaze dipped to Velra’s belly. “Protect what matters—the future we all fight for, not just in ourselves, but in the next generation.” He laid his hand on her shoulder.
“Rest assured, though, you will have your day in the coming battle. Protection will be in place for your unborn child through your own power. What we are doing now is different—there is no protection against the worst should Sylas unleash.”
“I wouldn’t say no protection,” a voice sounded, and then black tendrils wove through the portal, an eruption of ebony power, and Ambrose Wisteryn manifested.
Remnant turned. “Protection that is not fully viable then.”
“Better,” Ambrose returned with a lift of his lips.
“We thought you left,” Velra said.
“The way is clear now outside. The Incubus allowed me in. And being the gracious being that I am, I actually waited for access to be granted, rather than flooding the area with black magic to force it, knowing this is where I am currently needed.”
The way was clear, yes.
Nyx was out there alone inside the house.
He had been immersed in dreamwalking with the Celestial children of Haven Initiative, holding them within it to prepare them emotionally and mentally to absorb the Celestial magic being used by Morien, Gregor, and their allies.
An incredible feat, especially considering he had only been able to hold one Celestial being at a time within his dreamwalking before.
Ketheron was infusing him with his power to lessen the strain, yes, but a great deal of the capacity being employed was due to Nyx’s growth also.
With Ariana and Ketheron having determined the precise mechanics of the siphoning, they’d asked him to do this before anything got underway.
It was an excellent call. Although working with them for months now, day after day, I had seen great progress from them, they had still endured great trauma in the days of their entrapment on the Celestial. This needed to be done in a way that did not cause them any more harm.
I also knew that Lucian had headed to Ryker who was with Gabriel patching the Valley of the Dead.
While being inside Solumira with the hefty wards in place, we hadn’t encountered any revenants who’d slipped from the crumbling death dwelling, the Guardian Movement and the Unity Council had received hundreds of reports from the supernatural populace of such a thing occurring.
Just like had befallen Sylas before he’d been taken.
Vorzyr was with Cornelius preparing a contingency that would employ the former’s Primal Celestial Resonance ability if need be.
Ryker would be headed to them shortly too, I was sure, because Lucian was going to convey Cornelius’ risky strategy of using the two thousand hybrids that wished to fight as bait to draw out Morien and Gregor, and the remaining Puritas army.
Risky yet an inspired idea.
And important for those hybrid beings also. To reject remaining in the sanctuaries they’d been hidden away in and stand and fight against those who wished to wipe them from the face of the earth.
“If you’d flooded our home with black magic, you’d be the one spending hours cleansing it,” Kai called over his shoulder at Ambrose without breaking his stride to us.
“You certainly are a fierce, demanding one, youngling.”
“Oof,” Lazriel said with a chuckle. “He won’t like that. Watch it.”
Remnant nuzzled against Lazriel, then swept over, Ambrose falling into step beside him.
“Kai takes it as a compliment,” Kai said with a smirk as he reached us.
“Your age being referenced in awe by other powerful beings just serves to highlight how far ahead of things that you are?” I asked.
“You’ve got it.”
I chuckled.
It would normally be something that Sylas would be all over.
Yet, he continued only to pace and grunt at his sparking hands that he could not control at present.
As Remnant and Ambrose reached us, his attention went to the black magic virtuoso. “You didn’t stick around long enough for me to thank you—or ask how the hell you found me.”
“I attempted to do what I believe you’d determined the most sound strategy of tracking Morien was—lock onto the black magic of mine that fuels him.”
“It didn’t work?”
“It has become too chaotic. He’s filled himself with power from other black magic users also, which has made it near impossible for me to latch onto just mine and use it as a tether to locate him.
However, we are fortunate that I was tracking black magic users at the time—and many of them were inside that subterranean crypt of Corvin’s. ”
“That’s why you didn’t answer my calls?”