Page 90 of The Dark War

Sugha leaped over the canyon, seeing a warrior she-wolf cornered into the underbrush of thorns. His fire blazed with fury. Taking his club, he charged forward as he saw the she-wolf shift from her wolf to the soft skin that reminded him of Odessa. His eyes widened all but a moment until he came barreling in like a battering ram knocking rogue wolves and shifters.

Sugha noted the foul smell of the enemy and committed it to memory. His wide feet easily stomped the rogues that lay on the ground, and his club was thrown over his shoulder. Looking down at the helpless she-wolf, her fear reeked from her body. She shook uncontrollably, her wounds slowly closing. “W-what are you?” She took in a large breath. “You aren’t a rogue.” Sugha leaned over, his hand reaching for hers until she came out of the thorns.

“An orc,” he replied. “I’m Sugha,” he said, puffing out his chest. “And you are a werewolf, correct?” The she-wolf was swimming with questions, but the bright light over the canyon grew white, encompassing the battlefield, had her ignoring her curiosity. “Nala,” she yelled over the blinding light.

“We can fight together as friends? No?” Nala smiled, taking his hand. Sugha’s heart filled with warmth, making a new friend, even if she wasn’t his mate.

Cyrene had broken through the thirteenth level of black magic. Odessa continued to fuel her power until the bright light burst from both of their chests like the rings of Saturn. It pulsated through the air like the sickening beat of the clubs of Earth until the last blast caused them both to faint.

The canyon grew closer to absorb their bodies until an ivory colored dragon flew and pulled Cyrene into her scaled arms, flying her to the nearest medical tent. Creed, who had been fighting off the witches and warlocks below, trying to break the concentration of two critical beings of the war, stiffened seeing his mate falling from the sky.

Creed had mercilessly killed hundreds to protect his mate, along with Horus, who was impressed by Creed’s strength. Horus bowed his head when he saw that Creed had captured his mate in his arms, Creed bowed the same, having the honor to fight with a full-blooded dragon.

Meanwhile, Clara, Kane, Wesley, and Charlotte had climbed the cliff. Along the way, they dealt with numerous witches and warlocks trying to conjure their magic and throw it at them as they climbed. Still, the Sword of Reckoning could quickly avert the blasts.

As Kane stood on the cliff, Virion was the only thing between them and ending this war. Virion had taken the Death Sword that had ripped through Melina’s abdomen and clanged it against the arm of the throne. “You idiots!” he screamed at the shadows on the wall. “How did those blasted orcs get in here?” The shadow’s bright blue eyes scowled down at Virion in irritation, flying toward Virion, one whispering in his ear.

“Yes, I know it will change the war’s outcome. Along with that sorceress and dragon. Why the fuck couldn’t we penetrate it?” Virion growled. Wesley slung Charlotte’s wolf on the cliff, her nails accidentally making too much noise. “Ah, well, well,” Virion purred. “Just the supernaturals we wanted to see. We will end you, and then the entire world of Bergarian will be lost anyway. Strike at the spirit of Bergarian, yes?” Osirus fluttered downward, standing next to Kane’s gigantic form. He nodded his head, pulling out his own sword of steel.

Kane growled, Torin baring his teeth. “There is only one outcome of this war, Virion, and that is you being pushed back into the bowels of the Underworld where you belong. Along with your cowardly demons that have yet to show their faces.” He growled.

“Oh, I’m sorry, you wanted to see them? Better than this mug I have right here?” His wicked grin that went ear to ear lengthened again, the forked tongue flicking rows of fangs. “That can be arranged. Which demon would you like to see first?”

Kane, a wolf with very few words, lunged forward trying to get a grip on the enemy so Wesley could force the sword into Virion’s chest. Virion stepped out of the way in time to sling the Death Sword upward, catching Kane on the side of his face. Blood trickled from the cut. Kane put a claw to his face feeling the black sludge forming inside.

Clara whimpered, feeling the blade through the bond. The three shadows slinked forward, going straight toward Wesley, who held the sword in a battle stance. He had no armor to protect him, only the leather pants he donned the entire battle as he carried the sword. Osirus stayed back, the blade was made of iron, and now with the powers of Vulcan, he could burn to a crisp within seconds.

The shadows swept around him, the sword swinging and cutting through one of the demons. A blood-curdling scream came from the three-horned demon shadow and fell to the ground. It crawled toward him, trying to reach the others, but Wesley swung again at his next attacker.

Kane shook his head. His vision went blurry from the black magic inside the Death Sword Virion carried. Clara pounced behind Virion so quickly, that he barely saw her until her teeth planted into his neck. Taking the sword he tried to hide behind him, but she let go quickly, now slinking toward Kane to cover him.

Osirus took this as his chance to join the fight, his sword fighting skills being far superior from years of practice. Virion smirked, shaking away the blood that now dried and flaked away from his red suit. “Got to love this healing thing,” he casually mentioned. “I can sort of see why being a shifter is slightly appealing.” Osirus slung his sword down, the light metal scratching up the Death Sword. Virion pushed onwards, both blades touching.

Their faces were so close, Osirus could smell death escaping Virion’s breath. Osirus snarled, his fangs lengthening, dripping a silver venom from his mouth. “My, my, angry little pixie,” Virion taunted. It was just enough for Osirus to push his sword harder against the demon blade and break his own blade down to the handle. Osirus cursed, throwing the handle, and backed away.

The three shadows that tried to get close to Wesley returned to Virion’s body. He inhaled deeply, feeling even more power return.

Three distinct voices expelled from Virion’s mouth. “Here, puppy, puppy.” Wesley gripped the handle of The Reckoning until he threw it at Kane, who caught it with his claws. Torin had enough and he would be sure to end it now.

Clara tried to heal Kane’s wound on his head, but all she could do was slow the bleeding and the dark magic enough to where it didn’t affect him as much. She whimpered, knowing the magic would seep into Kane the more he fought, with every beating of his heart.

She stumbled, getting closer to Osirus. Shifting, she lay naked in front of Osirus, who pulled off his cape and wrapped it around her. “He’s been hit already.” She breathed shakily. “How is Melina?” Osirus looked to Kane, who was now in a full-blown battle against Virion.

Wesley, now back into his wolf form, heard the scraping of nails of company they did not need. They peered over, growling and snapping at the vampires, trying to join in on the fun.

“Better, Creed gave us his blood.” Clara’s eyes brightened, hope filling her face. “Can we get more? Are Odessa and Creed all right?” Clara tried to scoot closer to the cliff, only for Osirus to pull her away.

“They are fine,” he said sternly. “Odessa was taken to a medical tent along with Cyrene. The links appear to be working, and we are beginning to win on the ground. We just need to take Virion.” The two blades had heated to bright red, Kane continuing to take more small scrapes and blows to his body. He groaned, and Clara tried to stand up.

“You can’t get near him,” Osirus pulled her back. “Your mate will have my head, and you will be nothing but a distraction to him.”

“But you can’t fight either,” Clara sighed. “Vulcan’s iron is far too powerful.” Osirus gritted his teeth. He hated feeling helpless. All during this war, he had felt nothing but weak, and here he was, watching the scene unfold like a faeling.

Kane dodged another attack. The scrapes on his forearms and chest now oozing with blood and black sludge. He wouldn’t give up, not now. The black magic across the land was slowly dying. With the combination of Cyrene and Odessa’s Darius powers, they could overcome the darkness.

Unfortunately, he had to get rid of the source, and that was Virion.

Virion rolled on the ground, springing up at lightning speed, scraping the back of Kane’s knee. He roared, swinging the sword and unfortunately the flat of the blade only knocked Virion to the ground. The shadows gathered around Kane while Virion stabilized himself. Virion wasn’t the most skilled warrior, but with his demons' constant healings and power surges, he was doing better than he expected.

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