Page 159 of The Ascended
Aelix's good eye went wide with alarm. He thrashed against his bonds, the chains cutting deeper into his wrists. "Run!" he shouted, the word torn from his throat.
One of the fire elementals pressed a burning hand to his shoulder. The smell of charred flesh filled the air as Aelix screamed.
"Stop!" I shouted, sparks dancing through my fingers. "What do you want with me?"
Kavik tilted his head at an odd angle. That terrible smile never wavered. "Classified information, I'm afraid."
"I'm not going with you alive," I told him.
His smile widened more. "Alive was never part of the plan."
The fire elementals surged forward as one—a wave of flame that turned the air around us into an oven. The heat hit hard, soaking me in sweat and burning my lungs.
Marx and I moved together, our powers colliding in a defensive wall that screamed where light met curse. The barrier held for three heartbeats before the first elemental struck it, and I felt the impact in my bones.
They were strong. Stronger than anything we'd faced.
I dodged, throwing a blade of light towards the fire beast. It struck its core and the thing shrieked before collapsing into embers that burned holes in reality before fading.
Beside me, Marx's curses had taken on a life of their own, wrapping around another elemental. Where they touched, the creature's flames evaporated. Its form began to collapse, the very essence that held it together corrupted by her power until it shattered into smoking fragments.
Through the chaos, I glimpsed Aelix breaking free of his bonds. Blood poured from his wrists where the chains had cut to bone, but he launched himself at Kavik with a roar that shook the clearing. Blood spiraled from his fingertips.
Kavik deflected without looking, his attention never leaving me.
"What are you doing?" Aelix demanded, circling his opponent. His movements were desperate, sloppy. "Have you lost your mind? She's under Xül's protection!"
"She is a threat," Kavik responded, his voice flat. "The girl is a threat. She must be eliminated."
"What are you talking about?" Aelix dodged a blast of wildfire that left a crater where he'd been standing. The edge of it caught him anyway, sending him spinning. He kept his feet with effort. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"The girl is a threat," Kavik repeated. "She must be eliminated."
Another fire beast lunged for me—its form towered twice my height. I threw up a shield of starlight, pouring everything I had into it.
The creature's burning fist smashed through my defense.
I lurched sideways, feeling the heat of its strike pass inches from my face.
"Thais!" Marx shouted, fighting to reach me. Three elementals moved to intercept her, forcing her back with walls of flame that filled the air with smoke.
I pushed myself to my feet, muscles screaming in protest. Deepinside, I felt it—that well of power Xül had helped me find. I reached for it, pulling harder than ever before.
Stars answered.
Light streamed down from the heavens, wrapping around my arms, my torso, my legs—a second skin of celestial brilliance that made the beasts recoil. For a moment, I felt invincible.
The massive elemental charged again. This time I didn't dodge.
I met it head-on, my star-wrapped fist colliding with its core. The impact sent shockwaves through the clearing, shattering nearby trees. The creature exploded in a shower of sparks and ash that fell across scorched earth.
Victory lasted two seconds. Three more took its place, and these were learning. They moved with caution, testing my defenses.
And I was weakening. The well of power wasn't endless—I could feel its limits now, feel myself approaching them with terrifying speed. Each draw took more effort, each manifestation cost more than the last.
Across the clearing, Aelix was losing. Kavik's attacks had taken on a frenzied quality, wildfire lashing out. Aelix's blood ran from a dozen wounds. Would Kavik actually kill him—another Legend? What the fuck was happening?
"The girl is a threat," Kavik continued to chant, each repetition driving him to greater violence. "She must be eliminated. The girl is a threat. She must be eliminated."
