Page 137 of A World of Ruins

‘You should have never come into our lives,’ Col hisses as I struggle to recover. With a swift motion, she forces me to the ground, her staff poised dangerously close to my neck. Instinctively, I catch it with my hands, my arms straining from trying to push it away from me. Col doesn’t yield. Her face is manic. ‘Where’s Loverboy now, hm?’

My face burns as I let out a raging scream at her.

Don’t waste your powers, don’t waste your powers, don’t—

I can’t stop myself.

I inhale deeply, allowing my thoughts to intertwine with the presence of the earth beneath me, the vast expanse of the sky above . . . and the creatures that roam this world.

I need you.

All of you.

A tremor ripples through the land, shaking the ground. Col’s gaze quickly lifts, and at that very moment, I feel it – the cries of every bird, the deafening roars of dragons coming to my aid, and more.

When Col looks down at me, I smile, all toothy and bloody. ‘Run.’

She releases her staff, stumbling backwards while I roll onto my front and witness the flurry of animals rushing past me. Col lets out a piercing scream as she transforms into her phoenix form. But as she takes flight, Enox seizes one of her wings in his jaw. Fernah then grabs hold of the other, ripping the phoenix apart.

Ara sees this, her face contorting in horror as she drops everything and runs towards her sister.

I spit blood onto the floor as I stand and look around me breathlessly while drowning out the cries of Col and Ara. Whether they are dead or not, it doesn’t matter to me.

Lorcan has a new family, one that’s a hundred times better than them.

The view of the river now becomes clearer as I swipe the dagger off the ground and make my way towards it.

Aurum stands by the riverbank. As if he senses my approach, he turns to face me with a smirk that speaks of malice and ruin. ‘Nara,’ he greets me, as if we are friends.

I don’t falter as I meet his gaze with my own steely resolve. ‘Just fuck right off,’ I say breathlessly and lunge for him.

He swerves and laughs, the sound unsettling as it ripples across the river’s surface. ‘I can see why Darius loves that filthy mouth of yours.’

I don’t respond with words. Instead, I channel my energy, feeling the familiar warmth of my power coursing through my veins. With a furious cry, I unleash that power towards him, buthe counters it with a dark wave of his own magic. The impact of both our powers sends a shockwave through the ground, and the river’s waters churn in response like they are protesting against us.

We collide again and again, my power draining every second, yet I can feel Aurum’s surprise at my resilience.

When I manage to hit him, he laughs.

‘There it is!’ His yell is almost a cheer, his grin viperous. ‘That is what I wanted, Nara. For you to fight me like the reincarnation you’re meant to be. Pity it took killing your brother—’

I scream my rage at him as I lash out and throw everything I have at him, my soul, my life, mypain.

He pushes it back at me, and every bit of exhaustion overtakes me, sending me flying back. Everything spins, and I can only look up as Aurum prepares to hit me once more; yet he never does. Darius steps in front of me like a shield, blocking out Aurum’s magic.

Aurum hisses, shaking his hand as if he’s been burned. He tuts. ‘Oh, nephew, nephew. Why must you always intervene at the most inconvenient times.’

Darius doesn’t waste time in pitiful conversation as he launches himself at Aurum, their magic clashing before both shift.

I can only blink as Aurum’s new look as a shifter comes into focus. I can see the exposed bone and rot in his chest and wings, the sharp teeth on display through the gaping hole in the side of his maw.

They connect in an almighty blow, Darius fighting for us and our land, and Aurum fighting for his own gain.

I try to stand up, my voice hoarse from screaming as horror clutches my chest, watching Aurum latch on to Darius’s neck. He lands heavily, dust coating the air, while I rush towards him. His body shifts back, and Aurum descends to face us.

I’m helping Darius sit up when Aurum lets out a low, hateful laugh in his human form.

‘Oh, how I could revel in this moment for ever.’

---