Endelle smiled. Imagine Greaves developing a conscience.
Merl called out a new drill and each of the warriors, including Rachel, lined up, knees bent, eyes forward. He was improving their wing-mounting speed. A lot of Third Earth powers seemed to be connected to the wing-locks, including the grayle power.
He called a three-count and on three, each of them released their wings at Third Earth speed and it was magnificent. She almost applauded. Only Owen was late, a full three-seconds after the others.
She considered Owen for a moment. Damn, but he was good-looking with his hazel eyes and a lick-able cleft chin. His hair was brown but with blond streaks like Jean-Pierre. The latter was with him now, a hand on his shoulder, feeding Owen his bump-up power surge to help bring his lagging abilities forward.
Owen scowled, however, and wouldn’t look at Merl. The chemistry was really off between these two warriors in particular and nothing about the recent revelations had softened Owen’s attitude. Endelle had asked him what bug was still reaming his ass, and had gotten a clear response, ‘I can’t respect a man who gets his team imprisoned. How can I trust him now?’
Endelle knew she could offer no words to alter Owen’s opinion. Time would hopefully change things, but Merl had a lot of proving to do.
The next drill involved retracting their wings, but at the same time holding onto the wing-release power in order to jump-start the grayle abilities. Both Joshua and Alex had grayle smoke rising from their bodies and Merl gave a shout of triumph because of it. Joshua’s had a violet hue and Alex’s leaned toward silver.
Endelle shifted her gaze to Luken. He stood with eyes closed, concentrating fiercely. The next moment, a heavy stream of smoke emerged swirling from his wing-locks, three colors at once, all flowing together: gold, violet, and teal.
One-by-one, each of the warriors turned to stare.
A shiver traveled across Endelle’s shoulders and down her spine. What was she looking at? She felt confused and amazed at the same time.
“Merl, what does this mean?” she called out.
Merl shook his head. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen multi-colored smoke before.”
Luken. Again. Another sign something extraordinary was going on with him.
Luken asked what they were talking about, then looked up and his eyes widened. “Sweet Jesus, what the hell is that? I don’t get it. Why three colors?” He shifted his gaze to Merl.
Merl shrugged. “I don’t know. Power, I would guess, perhaps to match your physical dimensions.”
Alex added his two cents. “Tank-like smoke for a tank-like warrior.”
Laughter rolled through the team.
But Endelle couldn’t even smile. Instead, the familiar pressure inside her head increased suddenly as her gaze remained fixed on Luken. She rubbed her forehead. The damn headache hadn’t let up and she’d even contacted Jeannie at Central to see if a storm was moving in to account for the persistent pain.
No storm, however, just one nagging headache, something she rarely experienced given her self-healing abilities. She even contemplated hauling Horace over to Militia HQ just to get some relief. But she hated bringing him in when he spent every night patching up those warriors engaged in battling at the Second Earth Borderlands. They fought death vampires dusk to dawn. So, she waited. But if the pressure didn’t abate by daybreak, she’d call him to the palace once he was done for the night.
Duncan’s vision had changed everything for the team, no question. And according to his time-table, they had a couple of nights to gain the necessary Third Earth abilities to battle anyone they encountered when they finally passed through Yolanthe’s portal. But would these drills and so many emerging powers be enough? With the exception of Merl, the team simply wouldn’t be seasoned in battle for the higher dimension.
The sound of Luken’s voice, as he suggested repeating a drill, drew her attention back to the team leader. She’d never known a man like him in the course of her life, built like hell, stronger than everyone around him. When she’d first assigned him to take Thorne’s place as leader of the Warriors of the Blood, she’d thought him a temporary replacement until she’d seen him in action.
Luken was a natural leader and had lived in Thorne’s shadow. Now each man had a new job and if the Seers were right, Thorne would one day take her place as Supreme High Administrator of Second Earth.
But what about Luken? With so much talent and power, what was his destiny?
She repressed a sigh as her vision of a month ago once more rolled through her head of Luken sliced up during a battle on Third and falling from a point high in the sky all the way to earth.
The pressure in her head sharpened suddenly to the point of extreme pain. She rocked forward and held her head in her hands.
She realized she’d felt this before, as though something outside of her was trying to get inside her mind.
She sat upright and began to explore the crippling sensation. Then, instead of fighting the pain, she let it go.
And just like that, another vision rushed into her head. She levitated upward and felt as though she was falling backward at the same time.
She heard Luken shout her name.
The vision this time was of her, in a costume that rocked, lots of metal, horn and black leather, sort of a modern-day Viking, even better than the ones she’d sketched earlier.
Only where was she? The place was a deep woodland. She felt death vampires near her, maybe fifty yards out.
She turned, and there was Luken battling a large force of Third Earth Militia Warriors, sweating and struggling to keep up.
The next moment she had a sword in hand and she knew exactly what to do. She took up her place beside Luken and together they defeated the enemy.
The vision ended abruptly. She found herself staring up into the metal ceiling of the workout center and Luken was holding her in his arms. She turned into him, tears in her eyes as she put her hand on his face.
“Endelle?”
“I’m okay. You can put me down.” She had trouble swallowing, though. Her throat was so tight.
“What happened?” he asked. “You were in the air, on your back, then dropping fast.”
“You caught me?”
“Hell, yeah.”
Endelle started laughing and couldn’t seem to stop. “Well if this doesn’t fuck me up one side and down the other.”
The team had all stopped what they were doing and now surrounded them both.
Endelle looked from one face to the next. “I think my life just changed course and it looks like I have a new job.”
But it was to Luken she turned and said, “You’re not going to believe this, but I’m your goddam righteous Guardian of Ascension. You’re ascending, Luken, that’s what I know. You’re leaving this dimension, moving on, and apparently – at least until that asshole Chustaffus is ground into a billion particles of burned up carbon – I’ll be serving as your protector.”
“What?” Luken looked like she’d just dumped a bucket of snails on his head.
“My sentiments exactly. And Merl, you’re going to teach me how to access my grayle power so I can keep this man alive. For some reason, he has a big role to play in your dimension.”
Silence reigned for a long moment, then the questions flew. What was the vision about? What had she seen? Why Luken? She answered them all, speaking at length about the details of the vision as well as what she felt in her heart.
When everyone’s curiosity was satisfied and their concerns laid to rest, she contacted Thorne telepathically. She let him know he’d need to take over for her earlier than either had imagined.
The response he gave was to the point. Tell me when and I’ll take up residence in the palace.
She chuckled to herself, then sent, Let me guess. Marguerite has already given you a heads-up. Thorne’s breh was the most powerful Seer in all of Second Earth.
She did, early this morning. A slight pause, then, Endelle, this is it, isn’t it
? You’re moving on for good?
Endelle’s throat grew painfully tight. Not sure, but it’s feeling powerful to me. My only real concern right now is making sure Luken stays alive. Every long, curly hair on my head tells me neither of our dimensions will survive if he doesn’t live to do battle with Chustaffus.
Shit, I’ve got another group of Third Earth death vampires headed my way. I’ll send Santiago to intercept. Chustaffus is making our lives hell here.
I know. We’re on it from this end, but it’s going to take time.
Wars always do. And Endelle, please stay in touch. You’re important to me.
She felt his telepathy disconnect before she could respond, before she could assure him she would always make an effort where their relationship was concerned. Thorne was family to her.
Having settled things with him, Endelle turned herself over to Merl for training.
With just a few brief instructions, she had to admit she rocked the new Third Earth moves. Merl had been right; she’d taken about three minutes to excel at folding while in wing-mount, though the rest of the team still struggled. Her grayle power turned out to have an excellent scarlet stream of smoke and her abilities to wield a sword came roaring back.
It might have been a few centuries since she actually went into battle, but her muscle memory was as sharp as the tip of her blade.
As far as her powers went, the only area where she struggled was in levitating, something those ascenders from Third Earth and the Upper Dimensions could do easily.
While attempting to levitate and falling on her ass a few times, Merl finally took her aside and asked quietly, “What’s going on? I would have thought levitation a cinch for you.”
“Hell if I know. You’re the teacher. What do you think?”
He narrowed his light blue eyes. Merl was a stubborn, handsome man and the recent revelation of having been the leader of the Third What-Bees before his exile only added to his good looks.
“I’ll tell you what I’m sensing. You’re holding back and that’s not like you.”
Endelle, not given to introspection, scowled as she stared in return. “I don’t hold back.” She ran her hand over her vest made up of thirty small, brass blades.
Merl smiled and for a moment seemed like the man she’d first met. He’d become so much more since his flirtatious period, but she’d missed this side of him. “I’m only suggesting that since this power eludes you, something has tripped you up. You regretting your announcement about being Luken’s Guardian of Ascension?”
“No, not at all.”
He glanced Luken’s direction. “What is it about that man? I know he’s a natural leader, someone you want to follow. But there’s something more, something I can’t put my finger on.”
She turned toward Luken, whose blond hair had come loose from the cadroen and now flew about wildly as he worked on the latest folding-reappearing sword drill. He looked magnificent.
“He has a big-ass heart, like no one I’ve ever known. Maybe that’s it. Even I feel safe when he’s around.” She chuckled. “And I’m supposed to be guarding him, but maybe that’s why. I love him to death.” Almost as much as she loved Thorne.
“Okay, but are you sure you’re not regretting something?”
“Regret is the wrong word.” She turned her attention back to Merl, meeting his gaze. “Well, damn my fine hips but I think I might be sad.”
Merl’s brows drew together. “Why?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve served as the ruler of Second Earth almost as long as I can remember. The Council of Sixth has kept me here to keep the peace on this planet and I haven’t been allowed to ascend.”
“I didn’t know that. I guess I assumed you liked it here.”
“It’s never been about what I liked or didn’t like. I’ve done my duty and I’m happy to have done it. But I’ve missed a lot.” She gave herself a shake because she’d started sounding like a complainer. “I guess I never thought I’d actually leave Second Earth before the conflict was over.”
“The battle with Greaves didn’t end anything.”
She shook her head. “Made things worse. Seems he wasn’t the only ambitious asshole in his troops. And now there are three generals trying to take a bid for Second Earth, each getting Chustaffus’s support. Thank God Thorne has charge of the military operation.
“But extending my service to Third has left me with a strong sense I might be leaving Second for good.”
“You’re talking about more than just guarding Luken.”
“I guess I am. And no, I can’t explain it, but I feel strangely grief-stricken.” And that was exactly the right phrase. One part of her life was finally, after so many millennia, coming to an end and another was beginning. She’d just never imagined when she took this step it would be to serve as a Warrior of the Blood on Third as well as Luken’s Guardian of Ascension.
Having confronted the issue, Endelle felt surprisingly liberated. She glanced down at her rockin’ boots and let her grayle power flow, the force that fueled all the other Third Earth powers. She spread her arms wide and began to rise in the air, completely wing-less.
Her red smoke billowed now and she began to spin in place though at least four feet above the wood floor of the workout center. She stopped the spin and rose swiftly to the rafters, then dropped fifteen feet in a straight line. Afterward, she spun toward the entrance, holding her trajectory thirty feet above the floor.
Then she really let herself go.
She dove, tucked, and rolled.
She spun sideways, then stretched out horizontally and spun herself toward the rafters once more.
Freedom had come to her after thousands of years of service on Second and in a form that stunned her. She’d never known such exhilaration as doing a series of flips, twist and rolls through the air, all without her wings.
Below, the warriors had moved to the perimeter of the black workout mats and watched her. But she wasn’t performing for them, only for herself.
A very pure kind of joy had replaced her grief, at least for the moment, and she allowed herself full expression.
~
Duncan crossed his arms over his chest as he watched She-Who-Would-Live flying through the air, not a wing in sight.
Unbelievable.
He couldn’t help but smile. And whatever Merl had said to her had done the trick, removing Endelle’s learning block.
Her sudden and complete shift to Third Earth warrior made him turn his attention for a moment to Rachel. Her change had been no less dramatic or thorough. She stood near Luken, her eyes wide as she watched Endelle maneuver, glide, and occasionally streak through the air.
His woman was a warrior now, something he’d thought she would never become. But the times had demanded a great deal of them both, and neither had arrived at a final destination. Duncan knew he had so much to learn and each of his Third Earth emerging powers would require months if not years to refine. Though he had taken on the role as the one who would define the team’s missions from night-to-night, he knew in his heart his end-point on Third would be very different from his duties as a warrior.
Rachel was no different. She’d spoken earlier while at Jean-Pierre’s about questioning her current warrior life. They were in most respects stuck in a middle ground of learning without truly knowing what the future would hold for each of them.
When Rachel turned toward him, she mouthed, ‘Oh, my God,’ then reverted her attention to Endelle.
He felt the same way, marveling at the woman who’d been stuck on Second for thousands of years.
Endelle only stopped her aerial theatrics when she paused to levitate upright in the air and drew her phone from her leathers. With her cell to her ear, she began a slow descent. Once she touched down, she turned in his direction and waved him over.
He crossed without hesitation.
How different everything seemed now that he’d launched his grayle power, because as he focused on Endelle, he fel
t a vision hover within his mind, waiting for his attention.
When he drew close, she shoved her phone back into her pocket, then said, “That was Thorne. He’s got several of his men, including Warrior Santiago, pinned down by Third Earth death vampires. Looks like Chustaffus has started bumping up his game.” He saw the concern in her wooded eyes as she planted a hand on his shoulder. “What have you got for me because if you can provide a vision, I can get them out of there right now.”
Duncan let the vision roll and as it did, he knew Endelle could see it within her mind at the same time. He wasn’t sure if it was his grayle power or hers, but whatever the case, sharing a vision saved a lot of time.
The vision basically showed the exact location of the besieged troops and the next moment, Endelle, within the vision, showed up in the outfit she currently wore, a sword blazing in each hand.
A plume of red smoke created a vaporous cloud around her as she struck at least a dozen of the bastards down. The swift sequence of her strikes made it impossible for any of the death vampires to even see her.
When the vision drew to a close and a cheer rang out from Santiago and the Militia Warriors on the ground, the vision dissipated.
Endelle dropped her hand away from his shoulder. “Excellent. And what intrigues me is how clear the time-frame is. I’ve got five minutes. Well, done, Duncan.”
Instead of leaving immediately, however, she moved in Merl and Luken’s direction. She quickly detailed the nature of the vision and what she’d be doing.
She didn’t wait for either of the men to respond, she simply folded from the workout center.
Merl didn’t let but a handful of seconds lapse before he called out to the team, “Listen up. I need all of you on the wing-mount fold. We don’t stand a chance against either Third Militia Warriors or death vampires unless the team has mastered this skill.”
~
Rachel followed after the men, her thoughts still caught on having watched Endelle perform an amazing series of levitating and tumbling moves. That Duncan then shared a battle vision with Endelle had left her feeling wired, but not in a bad way.