Chapter 16
The door to her office opened and Ethan stepped through. Kanade sat down an ancient stone tablet she was working on and Floa ceased talking. “Is what Dress said true?”
“That Morgane says I’m healthier than a horse and might be able to cast spells? Maybe you should give me a second opinion.” He scratched his head under her intense gaze while she stayed seated and had a pile of finished objects on a nearby table she had enchanted.
“I was just about to do that.” Her golden gaze softened. “Come and sit beside Floa.”
“Alright.” He crossed the short distance and watched the Pixie scoot over on the sofa and spread her fixed wings flat against the back. He sat, but didn’t lean into them, knowing that the scales of her wings were difficult to brush out of clothing. Kanade sat in a gigantic office chair with a desk between them and leaned forward, extending a dainty hand and pressed her soft finger to his forehead and lightly traced runes. The tingling feeling she gave off was tenfold more intense and vibrated his body instantly before a clear blue orb no larger than a marble popped from his head and it took his breath away. “Holy shit… Wow, Kanade, Morgane did the same but it took time.”
“Difference of power, Love.” She boasted proudly and took a close look at what she held between her fingers. “Amazin’, Morgane is correct about you bein’ clean.”
“Then why didn’t you do it before and have her…?” Ethan didn’t know how to finish those thoughts.
With a heated twinkle in her eye Kanade said “Other things were on my mind.” and winked while closely examining the orb with her finely attuned senses. “My Angel, too much magic is harmful to the human body and if I did all the spells I wanted to, well let’s just say me bein’ your mate would be harmful and would endanger you. I’ve had to restrain myself because my power to cast spells is too great and effortless. Witches can hold less risk and casters need to purge themselves of more than just toxins. They cleanse themselves of too much magic inside their body. If I did three spells on you, Ethan, you would be extremely sick.”
“Casting runes has risks.” Floa added. “Not for Kanade of course, but magic done to the body can be potentially life threatening, especially to those who cannot fight against it or use it themselves… Girlfriend, you surprise me. If I had the ability I would constantly cast runes on Odin to see what makes him tick. Or at least to make his pecker not stay perpetually hard for hours on end.”
The orb vanished. “Then it is good for Pixies as a whole seem to have issues with being a bit spontaneous.” Floa stuck out her pink tongue and laughed. “Now let’s see if you are capable of castin’.” She returned to her mate and closed her eyes and gently expanded her awareness and encompassed her mate. Her head tilted, making her blue hair swish slightly. “A very faint spark… How could I ever have missed that before? Morgane is right, you do have the potential to minor in magic. You won’t be able to match a wizard, but you do have it.”
“Missed it?” Floa raised an eyebrow skeptically. “I find that hard to believe. Even those who have a minor talent to use magic are easily found and are always in great need.”
“That is what makes this so confusin’!” Kanade sighed and opened her eyes. “Ethan, remember when Fate had you hold that glass orb?” He nodded, unable to ever forget that encounter. “It showed fire only. There was only the power of an elemental…”
“That is concerning.” Came a particular voice and heads turned to find a blonde haired, blue eyed All American teenager in a black business suit leaning against the door that led to the balcony. His clear skin almost glowed it was so unblemished and so intense was his gaze that it was ancient, belying the youthful appearance.
“Lord Fate!” Kanade yelped in surprise and stood, bowing quickly. Floa and Ethan following immediately after.
“Couldn’t help overhearing this latest development.” Fate said without moving from the door while the three held position. “Raise your heads.” They did. “Ethan, come here.”
The Elemental swallowed, suddenly fearful at the tone the powerful being used, but didn’t deny him. Ethan passed Floa and saw Kanade’s wings shaking and showed she was also afraid. The movement helped find an inner calm thanks to all of Blake’s meditative lessons and he approached the deceptive being before him.
Fate then lifted a hand and there suddenly appeared the glass orb and he tossed it over. Ethan caught it out of reflex and its interior became a cheery fire and seemed marginally larger than it had been, but now there was tiny white flickers of light circling around the flame. Fate then snapped his fingers and it vanished. “Still you surprise me, Boy.” Sounding odd coming from the boyish appearance. “Somehow you’ve got a talent I didn’t give and never before has there ever been an Elemental capable of using magic.”
“Then how…”
The great being shrugged. “That is what I want to know. Hold still.”
Ethan suddenly went rigid.
Kanade shrieked “Ethan!” and ran to his side. His skin tinted mottled red and his muscles bulged all over, but he didn’t move. “Lord Fate, you’re killin’ him!” Tears flowed instantly as she could feel the power swirling invisible around the room and she was suffocating in it.
“Be silent, Kanade Cerulean, he will survive, I just need to make sure of something. He is not conscious or feeling any pain.” Fate said with calmness without moving from his relaxed position on the metal door.
The Enchantress sent her own power out of reflex and found Ethan’s emotions dim, as if he slept, but his heart continued to beat despite Fate’s power suffusing and filling every part of him. Then it receded and Ethan’s strained muscles relaxed and he stumbled, but Kanade reacted quickly and held him before collapsing.
“What just happened? Feel like I just ran a marathon.”
Fate pushed off the door and tilted his head. “You are quite the conundrum, Mr. Volorum. Despite being an Elemental you suddenly have the ability to cast spells that Wizards can and I cannot find where such a gift sprung from. You were not bestowed such power beyond that of an Fire Elemental due to your personality, but you do have it nonetheless. You have no parentage of Wizard or Witch in your blood and that makes this more unbelievable.” Fate sat on his heels as Ethan knelt, unable to stand after what just happened. Fate intense blue eyes bore into Ethan’s grey like some new test subject rather than of anger. “But how you’ve been granted it is a mystery beyond me and your lifetime of thoughts prove you do not know either.” He read Ethan’s thoughts. “No, the Crescent Mirror didn’t do it and yes I’m quite upset, but not half as much as my father will be when he realizes she is gone. And no, I don’t care if you like me so long as you respect me, which I know you do… No again. This isn’t because I’ve taken my hand from your choices though to have grown several inches beyond what you were is also irritating for you were written to be six foot, not six three. There are many I’ve allowed free reign, but never has someone suddenly spontaneously found they have the minor skill to cast magics without mine, my father’s or demonic influence and you have not a trace from any which makes this unbelievable… No, mating your soul mate hasn’t done this. I just had to see for myself if you’ve become a threat, but you haven’t. You remain human, untainted by demons.”
“Could demons give someone magic? And what would of happened if I was?”
Fate admired the determination and twinge of anger rolling off Ethan. “Yes, but humans who were given these unnatural powers soon become addicted to doing spells, slowly poisoning their souls and soon become a demonic puppet beyond redemption. A demon called a Zalab can do this, gift false magic. And if you were tainted I would have had you killed and your soul taken before it was too corrupted. As it stands, I can find nothing wrong. Nor do I know from where it came and it is… frustrating.”
Taking a chance, Ethan asked while grunting to stand “If I was, where will my soul have been sent? Nothingness?”
“Possibly.” Fate spoke honestly as he stood in a fluid movement. “Your dee
ds and actions have been progressing smoothly and hasn’t assured Nothingness as it once was four months prior. You still have much to do before I can assure you without doubt on where your final resting place will be.”
With those words Fate simply disappeared.
Floa sighed loudly, not realizing she was holding her breath the entire time. She watched as Kanade cried silently while wrapping Ethan in an embrace along with her supple wings and laid her head atop his. “Girlfriend, I need to go. We’ll work on the wedding later, I need to leave. All the power in the room is too much and it tastes too sweet even for me.” She clapped her hands and departed with Blossom before a response even had time to formulate.
A minute later Ethan pulled away and she reluctantly allowed him. “Kanade, I need some time to process this alone. I’ll see you later tonight.”
“Good.” She wiped her tears away on the sleeve of her arm. “A little work will do us both some good. Lord Fate frightened me the way he took over you. If it were anyone else, that much power would have killed you.”
“Tonight then.” She bent down and met his lips. He smiled through a massive migraine and felt worse than nursing a hangover that frayed the senses. “See you soon.” He waved and walked away. As he shut the door he watched Kanade slump in her chair heavily.
Down on the main floor he saw quite a few were readying for supper, but his appetite was long gone so he made a beeline for the Ogre hall and followed the darkening corridor, waving to those who called out greetings. They could see things weighed heavily on his mind and wished to be left alone so they kindly kept a fair distance.
Outside, darkness had fallen almost completely and it helped clear his head along with dulling the headache. Fresh air and a long walk did wonders. When the castle made its odd chime Ethan returned greetings to those who were hurrying for dinner and preparing for the night watch.
It felt only moments before he heard the familiar sounds of metal striking metal and saw his home. He decided the walk was wasn’t enough to get Fate’s unexpected arrival and revelations out of his mind and quickened his pace.
At the bedroom door he was greeted by Panther as the cat came out through the doggie door. Panther greeted Ethan with a ‘Meow’ and a purr and was rewarded with a quick scratch. “Yes, I’m back.” He then opened the door and went straight to his desk to grab his protective safety glasses and earplugs. Panther though followed and climbed his new framework by the door, to the top shelf, and settled down and stared with elliptical eyes and alert ears before yawning. “Later, Panther!” Ethan said as he walked through the door and inserting his left earplug.
He effortlessly navigated the short stone hall and descended the steps, hearing the reverberating and comforting ring and rhythm of metal on metal.
The downstairs door opened to reveal it fully lit with Celestia burning over by the huge anvil, shaping a buckler, a small forearm shield. It was perfectly round, a foot wide and would later be fitted with a six inch spike in the center. The Phoenix jerked her head around and fixed Ethan with profound green eyes and bluntly said “Get your feathers ruffled, Boy?”
“That obvious?” He chuckled and grabbed the metal tablet and ignited his hand to change the Phoenix script to English and found his next assignment. He sat it down and moved to the rack and pulled down a pair of four digit gauntlets only a female Nagai could wear. He came over to the furnace and set them inside to warm up while he stretched inside among the flames to lift a long handled dagger and found it glowing an angry red. He personally felt mild warmth, as if it had been out in the sun. If not for his powers as an Elemental it would have melted his skin and bones, but it didn’t even sting or sizzle in his grasp.
He grabbed a heavy hammer and moved to his side of the anvil and looked up at the giant fire bird and watched her watching him patiently. “What is it you wish to know?”
“You are my apprentice, I wish to know everything, especially about the past two days of your missing and why you have a new pet? I almost ate it when I woke up and if not for that collar, it wouldn’t have escaped me. Your female spelled it to flee from fire no?” Celestia asked as she folded her wings while holding a similar large hammer between three strong fingers.
“She did, as far as I know.” He admitted and sighed. He raised he hammer and began flattening the blade and folding it all the while explaining all that transpired over the past few days. Celestia was curious to see his new tattoo Blake placed on the nape of his neck and she said it wasn’t tacky and looked well on him. Ethan used his powers to heat the weapon being forged or sustained it in its final shaping during his speech in searching for the sword and mirror. Celestia continued working on the buckler and set it on the nearest rack to cool slowly before pulling a rapier from the heated forge.
By the time he ended his story he etched in a customer design into either side of the slightly golden blade. It looked like crashing waves on a beach and manipulated the heat inside by drawing it into himself and held the weapon up. “Celestia, how does this look?”
The Forgemaster carefully peered at the work and nodded “Superb craftsmanship, Ethan. You’ve a knack for artistry. Your High School days in art and love of graphic novels show. The guard here is very sturdy and curved like the break of an ocean’s wave.”
“I’m just glad I finally found a use to apply it finally. You already know I minored in art while majoring in computer business. My ability to make my own comics never really went anywhere.”
Celestia handed back the long handled dagger, that has yet to be bound in leather and wood for a hilt. “Add your maker’s mark beside mine to show I approve. Tomorrow it will be sharpened properly and its sheathe will arrive. Have you already…”
“Yes.” He answered her next question. “Made sure I used the lathe to fashion a wooden hilt and precut leather from storage.” Celestia nodded and watched as he picked up hers and his maker pins. Both were made of metal, cylindrical, five inches in length and only the thicker end had a slightly round edge. The more narrowed front had a Phoenix in light at no larger than a half inch for Celestia’s mark and Ethan’s was a simple flame and tiny letters EV inside it standing for Ethan Volorum. He hammered their marks side by side, put them away and reheated the dagger one last time, but only till it faintly glowed and put it all away.
He retrieved the now glowing gauntlets and took up a different hammer, one with a more rounded head. He was about to begin hammering when Celestia said “Ethan, tomorrow I would…”
Whatever she was about to say was cut short by a piercing wail-like siren he had never heard before now. It was loud and startling enough he dropped his hammer and jumped away from the anvil. Its initial sound dimmed only slightly, enough for him to yell as Celestia has stuck a finger in her ear holes. “What is that sound!?”
She yelled back and he barely heard her through the sound and his earplugs. “A War Summons! There is an emergency in need of all First House warriors! Go!” She pointed to the door that leads upstairs. “Hurry! All active warriors are summoned to war!”
Ethan didn’t question as he shot for the door and ran upstairs to find Dress spitting out his leather pants and jacket. He pulled out the earplugs and removed his glasses to find the sound had diminished and realized the sound came from the walls themselves. He yelled less loudly as he slid into his jacket “Dress, what is happening?”
The closet doors shut fully and Dress said in complete seriousness “The thirty eighth house in Argentina is under siege. It’s stone walls were just breached and all warriors are summoned to defend it before the shields fail. Be quick, Floa will arrive in several seconds to retrieve you.” Ethan hurriedly untied his boots, took off his jeans and jumped into his spelled leathers. “Reports are coming in, but it seems like the former wizard Michael Zing and now necromancer is committing to a full war with that nearest house closest to his lair. All fifty houses are alerted and coming to the thirty eighth…”
“Really?”
“Really.” Dress said
flatly. “I’m currently seeing millions of demons attacking and the defenders are falling fast. The necromancer hasn’t been idle and has allied other demon masters to his side. I count over three hundred dragons, half being greater demons of awesome power. Elves, Goblins, Arachne, Siren, Incu and Succubai, Harpy, Ghoul, Weres, Kelpies… practically every race of demons there are are tearing their way past defenses and if aid isn’t there in time we’ll lose that house in the next ten minutes. If the magic protection fails, which it will from the barrage of dragon fire, many will die for none can leave through Translocation anymore and flyers will be picked off before they get a mile out. Your power will be needed Ethan.”
There came a hurried knock before Floa and Kanade surged in. He zipped his jacket as Kanade said “Be safe and come home soon.”
“We don’t have time!” Floa yelled and clapped her hands.
Ethan found himself beside Floa in the main hall where Blake, Storm-shadow, Kira, Magnus, Nell and Ellen stood. Every warrior in the house stood with weapons drawn, most didn’t even have time to put on their heavy armor, Magnus and Storm-shadow included, but leathers were on. Gra’s voice blasted through the TV’s and showed she rode an unarmored Star-bolt “One minute before the barrier fails! Go!”
Floa looked to her teammates as Ethan jumped into Storm-shadow’s saddle and strapped in. “Good luck, all of you!” And then clapped.
Translocated to Argentina, Ethan found himself outside where the sun was out and his jaw dropped.
All around him hundreds of thousands of warriors who stood with ready weapons. Wizards and Witches were writing in the air furiously, readying themselves for battle. Weapons enchanted were glowing with power. At the front stood Thor in his full maximum height of close to a hundred and thirty feet, Jormungandr coiled up at his side with fangs dripping with venom. Odin flew on Pegasus’ back shooting blue-white lances of energy from Gungnir barbed tip. The battle raged so much the ground shook violently and only daily training kept all the warriors from stumbling. Despite the fighting and immense power, Odin, Thor and a hundred other great warriors unleashed, no demons fell for they too were protected by some barrier of invisible magic outside the house’s.
At the edge of the green field Ethan and his team found themselves in they saw one huge brown dragon spewing a torrent of fire while others beat against the barrier, some spewing liquids so vile looking Ethan knew just a single touch would be a disaster. In the sky flew flocks of Harpy and other flying demons, some holding smaller demons in their talons to attack and further weaken the barrier.
Not for the first time had Ethan felt fear, but what he saw now gave it a whole new definition. Even before he could react, not that he wasn’t frozen in fear already, Storm-shadow said “Hold on!” and charged ahead while flapping his wings. Other Pegesai were already air born and other arrivals quickly took to the sky. Gargoyles were also present and a bulk waited nearby more with the dragons since they were obviously the greater threat and Gargoyle hide was made to be tough enough.
Attacks shot from either side, trying to wear down the other’s defenses, but sheer numbers alone made the difference and all could see that at any moment the barrier of Order would be the first to buckle.
“Just like in practice, Ethan.” Storm-shadow coached. “It is you and me. My herd knows to stay away. We take out the fliers and leave our ground forces to handle the foot soldiers. One hand on the horn at all times. Leave flying to me and you take out everyone else.”
Before he could respond there was a loud crash like shattering glass as the barrier buckled and flashed blue. A great roar of battle cries grew and demons charged from all directions.
A roar ripped from Ethan’s chest as his adrenaline and anger surfaced. Storm-shadow snorted and charged as he was surrounded in Ethan’s protective flames.
Down on the ground Kira aimed her hands at an incoming wave of swift and hairy Goblins and fanged Kelpie. Her magical needles fired like bullets beside thousands of arrows from every archer.
Blake, like all blade wielding Nagai sped to the front lines and caused total devastation, unafraid of friendly fire as all archers never loosed an arrow without complete certainty their target would fall. Fighting with the Nagai were Centaur, Ellen at Blake’s side with her two claymores as she stomped flat a Goblin’s head with her front hooves while splitting another two in range apart at the middle.
Amazons tore into the heavier opponents, one picked up a Keplie over her head, dug her fingers in its flesh to break its spine and threw it fifty feet into a packed group of Succubai, gold skin beauties in scandalous attire like a dominatrix who carried wicked whips or belts.
Ogres protected the archers and casters with their life, helping to thwart incoming Elvin and Arachne arrows and demonic missiles.
Right off the bat a Harpy shot straight at Ethan as she shrieked “Die, Order Scum!” Her red eyes were solid, no distinguishable iris, pupil or whites. it seemed blood saturated the large orbs. Silvery wings flapped while chicken-like talons were outstretched, ready to snatch him off. A too tight tube top and short shorts did little to the imagination on what lay beneath while pale yellow hair dyed black whipped behind the incoming enraged demon. The closeness of the Harpy proved she wasn't entirely hideous, seemed to have bathed in cottoncandy and cigarettes though her voice... her voice? That smell? Can’t be!
Such a voice instantly came to recall a memory, a screeching voice that was shrill and filled with snide contempt. Storm-shadow flipped backwards at Ethan's command as he yelled out “SHERRY!”
Caught completely off guard the Harpy faltered in her assault. Her cruel, smoker’s voice hesitated “How do you know my name?” and he saw her talons dripping in great quantities with fresh blood from a serious kill.
“Now it makes sense! Only a demon could be so entirely cruel to her workers.” For some reason he remembered how her eyes flashed red from what seemed an eternity ago when she fired and humiliated him. “Lardo?” she asked in confusion as so few humans she’d tormented made any impression. He made a minor one if she remembered such a voice and couldn’t believe the transformation and it made her blood eyes widen beyond the normal. She was now afraid, rightly so. Before she could recover he held out a hand saying “Never again!” and blasted her full in the face from over fifty feet away. She didn’t even manage a scream before falling to the ground in a smoking heap of flesh and charred feathers.
As he watched, he felt content that it was his one unresolved issue and with her gone, he was free for but a moment till he returned to remember the war waging all around. And the sky was alive with combat while the ground forced swarmed.
Ethan soon became a huge beacon for demons, especially the brown Dragon from earlier after it tore apart a dozen Gargoyles while suffering minimal injuries. His fire alone was too flashy to go unnoticed. Storm-shadow flew them to the thickest group of fliers and kept as far away from the Dragon that pursued as possible. Twice already Ethan learned a Drone didn’t hurt the dragon who was also a fire manipulator. The Dragon also fired a dozen baseball size Drones from its maw as well and Ethan proved he could absorb the energy too. He was afraid when he missed one and it entered through his back, but it merely warmed his inside before diminishing.
Storm-shadow suddenly did a barrel roll as a reddish ball of energy shot from the ground and instead hit a Gargoyle who was barely fast enough to disembowel a demon that looked like a bat with a wolf’s head before dying.
The Dragon’s immense size belied its speed and Ethan yelled “Drop!”
Storm-shadow didn’t hesitate and dropped just as thick ivory claws tried grasping Ethan and it was his enchanted jacket which sparked off the deadliest part of the assault and dimmed much of the pain, but they didn’t get away unscathed. Ethan cried out as the deceptively nimble dragon flipped and grabbed for Ethan, who barely lost his head, but one claw hooked under the jacket collar and ripped through the material as if it were paper. Then it whipped its long neck around and its maw snapped, c
atching Storm-shadow’s left hoof.
“Bettil!” Storm-shadow cried out in pain as his hoof was violently ripped away from his knee.
There was muffled a ‘Boom’ as the hoof exploded in the dragons mouth from the self destruct command word imbued in the shoe Celestia had made and was enchanted. The dragon roared in pain as the power was unleashed and half its jaw was blown away.
“Storm!” Ethan shouted, his own pain nothing compared to his partner’s.
“Safety, we must land!” Came his companion’s pained response. A river of blood gushed from his missing appendage. “Ethan, hold my mane. I’ll not make it without having it cauterized!”
Ethan barely managed to grab the dark mane as Storm-shadow bit down in the large ruby at his chest, jerked with everything he had and tore the chain and dropped it. The saddle vanished immediately and with it went the ward to resist fire. With a thought Ethan used a hotter flame to seal the gaping wound and did so in a way that burned the nerves that screamed pain. In moments Storm-shadow’s flight leveled, but remained rocky with the loss of limb. The Pegasai made straight for the central castle, built all of living wood and was little more than half the size of the First House’s.
Turning his head, Ethan suddenly yelled “HURRY!” for the dragon was in a berserker’s rage, its now red eyes promising death and not registering that half its jaw was gone.
Redoubling efforts and knowing they weren’t a match, Storm-shadow took a look and hurried to the nearest safe area. The dragon roared so loud the air shuddered. The Pegasai chose to angle over a lake to the shortest area where Jormungandr saw their distress and slithered towards them, leaving behind a twitching gray dragon he had just killed himself.
Demons and warriors of Order alike parted ways from the immense serpent or risk being crushed since all knew his scales rivaled dragons, his favorite prey.
Out over the water Ethan gasped and yelled as an arrow painfully pierced his shoulder. The spells Kanade had placed as protection were destroyed completely from the brown dragon’s claw. It was clearly an Elf’s arrow and it bit deeper than the bone, lodging deep in marrow.
The impact knocked Ethan’s balance and now that the saddle was gone, so did his protective straps as he fell off his mount’s back.
The feeling of falling and pain didn’t cause half as much fear as when he saw down below was nothing but water. His eyes widened a moment before entering it with a painful splash.
NO!!! he mentally shrieked as he was surrounded by water, trapped by it. Immediately his childhood fear resurfaced.
Ethan was nine years old and enjoying the beautiful day at the beach with his grandparents down for the summer since his mother couldn’t risk getting stuck in beach sand in her wheelchair. Billy was over teasing other little girls with seaweed he had found and they were screaming and giggling. His grandfather suddenly said “Let’s go enjoy the waves.” while holding a boogey board and smiling widely.
Together they went out, him and his grandfather and after ten minutes of play his grandfather was called to shore by his grandmother, but he wanted to stay.
A rip current came out of nowhere and by the time he tried calling for help he was too far. He struggled swimming till a large wave slammed him under. Before he could swim up for another breath another crashed and disoriented him. It was unknown to be up or down as his lungs began burning. He pleaded to be saved, but the ocean kept him under. When the pain was too much his mouth opened and seawater surged in his lungs as darkness took him.
A lifeguard supposedly found him seconds after, but he was unresponsive for five entire minutes before he took his own first gasp of air on the beach surrounded by paramedics.
The trauma of helplessness, fear and pain of deep water scarred him ever since.
The sensation of drowning returned fully to his mind. The burning in his lungs were precursors to the eventual inevitability as he struggled since he had forgotten how to swim properly especially with an arrow lodged in his shoulder.
Suddenly there was a splash and teeth bit down on his good arm. Storm-shadow resurfaced with Ethan as he knew his partner’s true fear of deep water and wasn’t going to allow him to drown. Ethan’s head surfaced in a gasp as the water boiled around him from his power. Storm-shadow felt the water scalding him alive, but fear of his friend’s own terror had him trying to do what he could. Ethan’s wide eyes and gasps were wild, almost delusional till a roar above drew his undivided attention.
The dragon was dropping down upon them.
Jormungandr, unlike snakes without a sentient mind, curled himself at the water’s edge and with immense muscles, he completely leapt off the ground like a compressed spring. The dragon’s enraged focus was the World Snake’s advantage. Fifteen foot long fangs extended as the cottonmouth opened wide and sunk them deep into the dragon’s neck and coiled around it. Jormungandr’s momentum knocked the brown greater demon’s trajectory and they landed in the heart of the lake with a tremendous splash that caused a tidal wave.
The wave mixed the boiling water with cooler, but Storm-shadow held on and resurfaced. Ethan’s struggling relaxed as he realized someone was helping and stopped flash boiling the lake water. “Storm?”
“Good!” Storm-shadow said as he transferred Ethan to his back. “Hold on, we must get out of the water!” Ethan had a death grip on his friend’s soaked mane, barely keeping the terror at bay. “Hold on to me no matter what. I won’t let you drown ever again.”
Storm-shadow struggled to swim, his soaked wings helping some. His strength and power was diminished without all four limbs intact, but he kept them just above water and every moment came a paddle closer to shore.
A dark blot sped to them beneath the surface and suddenly Storm-shadow whinnied in pain as a Kelpie sunk its saber-like fangs into its natural enemy from below. The red eyed black horse surfaced with a hunk of meat in its mouth of predatory teeth. The demon horse was at home in the water and Storm-shadow and his companion were too far from aid.
Centuries of battle against his natural enemy had Storm-shadow yell a command which his hooves obeyed and a blue spike a foot long extended from his front hooves and when the Kelpie got too close and hungered for more blood, it was too unaware in its next assault. With a mighty effort Storm-shadow brought his hooves up out of the water and one lanced through the other horse’s skull while a second tore through the spine and severed its spinal cord.
A few seconds later something pressed them upwards from below, something far too immense to be a Kelpie. Ethan feared the dragon till they were lifted out completely.
Black and dark orange bands were beneath and a wedged head curved around. “Jormund!” Ethan yelled in genuine relief. Over in the center of the lake floated the lifeless form of the merciless dragon.
“Are you…” The snake hissed and both watched Storm-shadow collapse.
“Storm!” Ethan yelled in more terror so much that his throat was raw.
The winged stallion simply smiled at his friend and companion. “Sorry we didn’t have more time together, Ethan. You were and will always be my dearest friend.” Storm-shadow’s head dropped and revealed half his throat had been ripped out and the once tremendous gush of blood came to a stop as the heart did.
Ethan was frozen as a large blue soul rose from the proud stallion. It burned brightly in just how great he was in life.
A genuine king and dear friend died.