It is still colder, more shadowy and the sky is redder somehow. The wind is blowing red dust everywhere. We are caught in a violent storm of sorts or atleast that is what it looks like.
Black lighting is striking but at most frequency at what looks like the centre of the storm in the distance where a mass of dark clouds are concentrated. The inhuman shrieks are loudest there too.
There is no one at the camps so they must be there and if all the troops are there then something major must be happening.
"Temi, if you please."
She nodes curtly and takes my hand a portal swirling at her touch at nothing. We all walk through.
Right into the middle of the battle field and we are loosing. A lot of us, well those intact are littering the ground. Others are scattered in bits and pieces.
A huge wall like sixty feet upwards and spanning as far as my eyes is can see stands before us punctured with littering holes here and there.
Breaches have been made through and more are still being made by a huge serpentine monster. Basically a huge black snake with a powerful tail easily towering over the arena demoslishing.
If memory serves me right this arena was built to contain the monsters and demons and it easily spans three major cities. Many people died for this cause. Magical enforcement spells from the secret siren have held out.
There is a thin line of defense holding out the escaping demons and the troops are being overwhelmed by the numbers.
The demons and monsters spot us and come charging from all directions as if responding to our prescence. The kids behind us look grim but firm, clearly they prefer dying in a fight.
The reinforcements will never get here in time. The black lighting cracks across the red sky above us rousing me from my thoughts. I unsheath my sword and raise it planting it firmly in the ground.
A shimmery white barrier erupts encasing us and the kids in my vicinity within. The demons and monsters knock against it and they immediately turn to ashes.
"Well now let's get down to business." I turn to the battered teenagers who are visibly shaken huddling away from my barrier.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you." I try to smile but my muscles feel tight. I give up. Artemis turns to me after longingly looking at the barrier and determining it won't fail. Am in control.
"Sheila step forward." A girl a bit older than us but surely beat and grim steps forward.
"Report" Temi's voice carries authority.
"They are all all dead ma'am. All the sentries of the watch towers, the guards at entry points, first line of defense, second line, third line and fourth line. We are down to fifth line and scouts. When the reinforcements arrive we shall be to the last line of defense and third chain of command."
That is alot of dead people.
"How did that happen?"
I don't think Temi has considered the giant snake that looks like it's enjoying pummeling the walls and coating them in acidic venom.
"The sentries reported a huge spike in activity. We got here as those massive dark clouds gathered and the portal blew wider and all sorts of new atrocities started climbing out." The girl eyes the gigantic snake that surely is the trump card.
So the lighting is excess energy coming off the portal from the gift box of unpleasantness from Nyx. Am disappointed.
Karim has been eyeing me this entire time. I can't quite put my finger on it but he is different. Emmeline and Shen are flanking him.
The barrier is completely encased in ashes as the demons and monsters keep pummeling into it obscuring my view of the giant acidic snake.
YOU ARE READING
EMBER
Fantasi"I know three things for sure, One, my life has taken such a drastic turn, it'll never be the same and I have a feeling am in for an unforgettable ride. Two, we have a barely alive girl bleeding out in the toolshed who is my look alike. And three, W...
