Page 4 of Crowned

The hairs on the back of my neck rise and I turn as another three Shikari come for me.

Claws rake within a breath of my face, but I jerk back just in time. My hands come up automatically, my fingers wrapping around the cold sinew of its flesh.

The power within me surges, rushing from me and flowing into the creature. It screams, high-pitched and awful, a sound that has my insides running cold as its skin melts away under my touch.

I release my grip, and the thing staggers backwards, the power I pushed into it now racing up and consuming it from the inside out.

The other two come for me, but I raise my hands, palms out, and bolts of bright blue electricity strike them, leaving nothing but their charred remains behind.

That’s new.

Or is it?

No time to wonder – focus!

In the ruckus, I dropped my blade.

Glancing to make sure the coast is clear, I quickly drop to retrieve it, dragging in deep breaths as I ready myself to continue fighting.

By the time I stand, a mere split second later, another Shikari has taken their place.

It’s impossible to keep up. For every Shikari I strike down, another three seem to pop up. I’m exhausted. My magic is waning. The portal is closed but I’ve no idea if the gate is sealed or not, only that Reef appeared to get Malia through it in the nick of time.

I didn’t even get to say goodbye to Malia.

Pain stabs my heart, but when I look down, there’s no blood. It’s not from a Shikari strike, but from the agony of losing her.

And by the looks of it, it will all have been for nothing because the two of us can’t hold back this horde alone.

Just as the weight of defeat presses down on me, a surge of energy courses through my veins. The vaguely familiar tingling sensation of magic fills me, stronger than ever before. I raise my hands, channelling the power within me, and unleash a wave that sends the Shikari flying in all directions.

Cove and I lock eyes, a silent understanding passing between us. We may be outnumbered, but we will not go down without a fight.

With renewed determination, we stand back to back, Cove’s magic intertwines with mine, forming intricate patterns of light and shadow that dance around us like a protective barrier. Together, we move in perfect harmony, anticipating each other’s movements with uncanny precision. It’s as if our souls are connected, united in purpose and resolve.

The barrier holds them back at first, its energies causing them to scream with pain as they try its strength, and for a moment, I’m filled with hope that we can hold out.

Then they reform, coming at us in droves, swarming through the barrier and breaching it. It falls under their heavy numbers, and in the sea of black claws and razor sharp fangs, I get swept away from Cove.

I grit my teeth, resolving not to go down, not like this.

Several Shikari descend on me, and for a moment, even the sky disappears from view. I centre myself, calling up my dormant power from within, letting it build, even as their claws rake over my skin and my blood drips onto the sacred ground below.

With a determined breath, I push up from the blood-soaked ground, releasing another wave of power that sends my attackers crashing into the oncoming force. For a moment, the ground around me comes into focus, littered with the bodies of our enemies, and I know that we can do this.

With a roar, I run towards the advancing Shikari. No more cowering and defending, no more reacting and hoping for the best. We’ll only survive if we bring the attack to them.

Countless fall, struck down by my power.

As the battle rages on, I catch glimpses of Cove’s figure amidst the chaos. His movements are fluid and graceful, his sword a blur of motion as he cuts through the ranks of the enemy with unparalleled skill. It’s a sight to behold, a testament to his prowess as a warrior and his unwavering dedication to our cause.

But even as we fight with all our might, the Shikari seem endless in number, their dark forces swelling like a tide that threatens to engulf us. We are outnumbered, outmatched, and yet we refuse to yield.

A sudden, blinding pain erupts in my side, and I gasp for air at the searing agony. My vision blurs, and I collapse to the ground, my body shaking uncontrollably. It takes me longer than I’d like to admit to get back up again, but I do because my brother needs me. The wound on my side, from some sort of Shikari weapon, bleeds freely and my strength is waning with every precious drop lost.

With another surge of power – though weaker now – I unleash a torrent of flames that engulf a group of Shikari, sending them screaming into the night. Beside me once more, Cove conjures a whirlwind of energy that sweeps through the battlefield, scattering our foes like leaves in the wind.

But still they come, their relentless assault pushing us to the brink of exhaustion. My strength is waning, my magic flickering like a dying flame. Desperation gnaws at the edges of my mind, threatening to overwhelm me with its suffocating embrace.

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