Page 145 of Gates of Rapture
Greaves would change shape, and she would be forced to as well.She would have to morph into something that had a chance of subduing what Greaves would become.
“Dear Creator,” she whispered.
And for the first time in millennia, Endelle knew fear.She could hear her warriors murmuring.
Thorne drew close to her.She met his gaze and asked, “What do you suggest?”
“We’ll need a Militia Warrior force five times that size.”
Endelle saw the glitter in his eyes.“You have the force ready, don’t you?”
Thorne met her gaze and smiled.“Damn straight I do.”
“And you’ll need healers on the banks and Militia Warriors in speedboats to pull the wounded out of the water and get them to shore.”Wings could easily get caught in water and drown an ascender.
At that, Thorne smiled.“Already done.They’re a mile from the vortex, in a flotilla ready to engage.”
Endelle shook her head.“I keep forgetting that you’ve been planning every contingency for months.”She drew a deep breath and said, “You have command of obsidian flame.Do with them what you see fit on every level.I know they’re not warriors so if you can help it, don’t put them into battle.Find some way to use them that will support me or your troops.”
“I agree wholeheartedly.”
“Then let’s do this thing.Let’s see if we can’t finish off that bastard right now.”
But Thorne took her arm gently in his.To her mind, he sent,I saw the vision as well.It flowed into my head as Marguerite saw it.I could also sense that there was something permanent about the change, unlike what I am able to do when I morph.Are you sure you have to do this thing?
Yes, Braulio explained it to me.
He searched her eyes,I’m so sorry that this is on you, Endelle.You deserve so much better.Regardless, I’ve got your back.
Endelle nodded.I know.Just his nearness calmed her fears.Thank you.
After Braulio had told her the difficult truth about her new ability, she had known she was facing one of the toughest moments of her life, to choose to become something she would have to morph into the rest of her ascended life.
But the hour was too late for regrets or for making other decisions.There was nothing to be done or to be undone.Apparently Greaves was going all-in, pushing his last chip onto the table and expecting to win because of his little secret.
Of course, he had no way of knowing what Braulio had done to her.
As she pondered the vision of herself in her altered state, she wondered why the hell she would have chosen something that looked so vulnerable.A ruse of some kind?
Then she remembered something about scorpions.Some carried a poison that could kill a human being but couldn’t harm a cat.She thought about adding a fine stinger tail to what would otherwise be a quite beautiful transformation, but the vision hadn’t included anything like that, just an odd almost continual shedding of perspiration, probably to keep the wings flexible.If nothing else, she would be quick in the air, much more agile than with her usual wings.
She gave her orders and with obsidian flame, including Thorne, backing her up, as well as her Warriors of the Blood, she folded to White Lake.She now levitated in the air fifty yards from Greaves.And because Thorne had built the army, and had made sure his force drilled a variety of maneuvers every day, she could sense her force move into place behind her: twenty-five hundred seasoned Militia Warriors, male and female.
Greaves was suddenly in her mind, busting past her mental shields, a reminder that the bastard had power.You can surrender now and live,he sent.
There was resonance and force behind his words, as though he shouted into a canyon.His voice hurt.
She sent back her favorite phrase, however, and added her own resonance.Fuck you.
With pleasure, she watched Greaves list, ever so slightly, midair.
A faint mist suddenly surrounded Greaves, and Endelle knew the time had come to morph.Her throat grew tight as she also swirled her mist.She got rid of her flight suit, took a deep breath, then let the morphing begin.
The physical ache returned from the time Braulio had first infected her with the virus, deep in her muscles and bones, as everything began to stretch and reshape.She kept the future stream image firmly in mind and, despite the pain, allowed the new being to come forth from her body.
But dear Creator, help her to understand how this shape could slay a monster?
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