Balam: Virgo the Pure (Trials of the Zodiac Book 2)

GOLDEN EYES

BALAM

Delivering unfavorable news was never fun. Sebastian's words hung over us like a dead weight. The looming threat of war and Lamashtu, the first horseman and embodiment of Famine, had cast a shadow over the giant kingdom. After hours-long meetings about what that could mean, I was tired.

I called out to Thought, hoping she would answer my prayers, but it was useless. She had not reached out since appearing to us in the woods. I wanted nothing more than to ask her what to do next, how to beat a demon who could summon other demons. I knew she would not answer those questions even if she did come. The laws The Universe formulated bewildered me. All evil could be eradicated if the Primordials joined us.

After the hours of meetings and planning, we went to a training courtyard. Dummies made from hay lined one wall. On the other wall, weapons, far too big for me to use, hung from nails. All were made for giants to fight at their whole height. Zakhar ventured from his room, busying himself in the corner, punching a sack filled with stones.

Rashid, our most skilled warrior, had taken it upon himself to lead a training session for Kai, Jalen, and me. Rashid and I practiced fighting without magic while Jalen and Kai threw everything they had at us. There was a good chance the siphoning curse would be used in the impending battle, and I wanted to be prepared.

Flew through the air like an arrow towards. They held their own using their weapons for thirty minutes. Jalen was fast, and Kai was strong, the strongest of all zodiacs. They made for imposing rivals.

Rashid held his blade with one hand, the gleaming sword poised for whatever came. Rashid could handle any of our weapons, but watching him with a sword was pure art. I held my scythe in perfect form, prepared for their first strike.

Kai moved first, the ground beneath his feet cracking, sending jagged rocks hurtling toward Rashid. Jalen pulled water from the cracks between Kai's feet, a stream aimed at me. They worked like they had never been apart. Each benefitted the other, which was remarkable to watch. At first, I was a little jealous of them, having someone to miss me.

I flipped out of the way while Rashid cut through the pieces of stone. Zakhar turned to look at our scrimmage, catching my attention. His exposed upper body glistened with sweat. I wouldn't have noticed a stone coming my way without him nodding, a smirk almost gracing his lips.

I knocked the rock away with my blade and advanced, swinging my scythe in wide arcs, deflecting another round of stones. They were switching between Rashid and me, trying to find an opening.

The duo increased the tempo of their attacks as we closed in. They were relentless in their assault, sending geysers of water and mounds of earth toward us. Rashid and I were being pushed to our limits, defending ourselves against the relentless offensive created by ranged combat specialists.

Rashid tossed his sword. The blade flew through the air like an arrow towards Jalen. With a simple gesture, a way blocked the attack. Rashid's sword ended up wedged in the dirt before repeating in his hand. We still had the length of a football field between us.

Jalen and Kai shared a look before moving in tandem to create a devastating combination of their elements. They summoned a massive, swirling vortex of mud as we advanced ten yards, thrusting it towards us. With a leap, Rashid closed the distance between himself and the elemental maelstrom, his sword glowing with intensity. He unleashed a powerful strike swiftly, blindingly, splitting the mud sludge in half. I followed, using the gap to swing my scythe with precision, stopping just before the tip of my weapon hit Kai in the temple.

"Cutting it close, I barely knocked you down, and you try to kill me for it," Kai replied, a levity in his tone. I smiled, releasing my weapon into the ether.