Page 63 of Tethered Thrones

My eyes flew open, fixing on Bracken, who watched me with sharp eyes.

“Ahhhhhhh!” my scream of terror pitched louder, harder, and then burst into squeals of utter delight as I looked upon him.

“Master Bracken?”

“In the flesh. Next time I go through something like that, I’m staying dead. No more second chances, Clem, you hear me?” he said snarkily, his face radiant, and his wing!

Oh my. The black bile had crystalized, a wound on his shoulder scarring. His new wing was made of sheer black crystals, glittering, with the souls of tiny demons scratching and bursting inside, creating thin flaming lines of magma sealed within.

It was grotesquely glorious, utterly miraculous. My manic laughter filled the air as Bracken let me go to avoid a flaming boulder that had been shot from the battle. But he couldn’t dodge it all the way. It slammed into his side and did…

“Nothing,” I gasped as he snatched it, leaped into the air, spun, and hurled it back down to the earth, cackling all the while.

I studied him in confusion and saw it. Ripples, like time itself, had created a shield around us, and we were outside of it now. Tendrils of Taiyo’s magic filled every inch of the air. Ididn’t know if that meant we’d die after the time capsule lapsed or if we’d have many, many days of nursing injuries. Either way, Taiyo had done his best.

Everyone had. All of us five, all the humans fighting with us, and all the weakened Gods. And now the rest was left to us, nocs and humans, fighting side by side.

I ascended, stronger, climbing higher than any mothian ever had. I was sure of this. And I met Bracken in the sky as we embraced and kissed, the world bursting with color again, overflowing with shades I had never seen before that couldn’t possibly be real but were.

And all of Naran seemed to stretch below us, an endless symphony of creation I had helped to protect.

Chapter 22

Kiar

For a moment there, I had thought it was all over. It wasn't the first time that my life had come to a brief end only to be brought back by Clem's magic.

This though, the surge of strength and power that wasn't dimming or diminishing, was far preferable to waking up as a shadow in Sun's cell with my soul barely intact.

I laughed aloud, forgetting where I was, forgetting that I was still surrounded by enemies. It didn't matter in the least. A winged noc beast swiped past me, stabbing me with pincers and even without deflecting, it was like my skin had armor. I felt the attack, but it deflected off of me as though my skin was a shield.

Grin growing wider, I turned, meeting the surprised gaze of my attacker.

“Oh, is that all?” I asked gleefully and leaped at him, catching him by the wing and tearing it off like it was made of paper.

The creature screamed but I did not have sympathy for my enemies, especially not right now when we had nearly lost it all.

With sharp claws and limitless strength, I cut through his flesh until he stopped moving.

Only when the last twitch ran through his fallen body, did I finally look up again, searching the scene for any of my comrades.

Hadi was on a rampage, stronger than ever now, throwing bodies left and right. And in the air above us, Bracken flew, a truly magnificent creature with a new wing that may as well have been made from starlight.

Overwhelming love and satisfaction filled me as I watched him explore his new speed and agility with wonder, shooting through the air faster than an arrow while Clem–beautiful Clem–clapped excitedly.

I understood.

It was hard not to feel celebratory, but this wasn't over yet. We had to kill the emperor.

Where was Sun?

I found him almost at once as a great cheer rose from the crowd near the entrance. Spinning to see the commotion, my grin only grew at the sight of Sun.

He was covered in black blood, his eyes gleaming as he ripped Daaku apart with his bare hands. Our new strength was a delight to see especially on my human lover.

Laughing triumphantly, I slithered through the people to get close enough to watch the manic display as Sun continued, showing no signs of stopping.

He dug his hands between the plates of the giant's body and with bulging muscles pulled him apart, shouting and grunting as he did it again and again, leaving the creatureliterallyin pieces.

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