If you ever saw something that you were sure you imagined or heard a sound that no one else did - then you know what it's like to attend a show starring the Novaks.
"A magical act so spectacular, it had to be real."
An oh so common statement after...
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The feeling buried deep in August's stomach was unlike anything he ever felt. It wasn't quite butterflies, and it wasn't quite nervousness. It was a strange uneasiness that was slathered on every inch of his skin and every joint in his body. He was always the hunter. He knew the queasy feeling he got when he was on his way to eliminate a target, but this was different. At this moment, he was not the hunter. He was the hunted, and that feeling buried deep inside of him was fear.
Positioned at the end of the bridge, where he had initially encountered his ghoul family in the shadowy tunnels beneath Turkmenistan, with all the ghouls standing behind him, August waited patiently for the sorcerers to make their move.
The scouts that August sent above ground had already tipped him off that they were near. He knew the clock was ticking. As he stared down the endless dark tunnel, he could only hear the breathing and quiet movements of the ghouls behind him. They were just loud enough that he couldn't hear the stream below. He listened for its peaceful melody, but the anxious movements of the ghouls were all that made it to his eardrums.
The quick pitter-patter of Temuth came into range. He was moving fast and with a purpose. "They are here! They are here!" Temuth shouted.
It was time.
Far into the dark tunnels, a march grew. Stomp stomp, stomp stomp. June was leading a small army of sorcerers through the tunnels to find the Ghoul King. June felt quite the opposite of August. It wasn't nerves, butterflies or anything like that. It was adrenaline. Excitement. She was put on a wild goose chase that caused nothing but death and heartbreak when her family lost their magic. She was ready to rain fury and rage on the caped man who started this all.
The sorcerer army consisted of nearly 50 level 4 sorcerers. There was no guarantee their magic would withstand August's magic eating abilities, but this was what the sorcerers could put together. Many of the sorcerers could feel their magic weaken as they marched through the tunnels, but not June. She felt stronger than ever. Beside her were Josef and Valaire. Josef was only there to watch over his daughter. He was merely a level 1 sorcerer and his magic had been zapped of him when he got within a few miles of August. However, Valaire was quite strong.
June grabbed Valaire by the forearm and squeezed it. "How you feeling?"
"My magic is low, but not gone." Valarie flexed her forearm, showing June her strength. "I'll be able to fight in the battle."
"Just follow my lead," June directed.
"We all are," Valaire replied.
As June and the sorcerers approached the bridge and the marching grew from a sound in August's ears to a rumbling beneath his feet, the two tribes finally came face to face. Somewhere around 100 total sorcerers and ghouls with just a short bridge separating them. The tension in the air felt thick and sticky. Not a single punch was yet thrown, but the metallic smell of blood already seemed to hover just below their noses.
