Eternal Oaths: Book One

Chapter XII

"Aegivor...Aegivor...Aegivor." The words flowed like a waterfall of chants from Queen Elara and her Athena, resonating with ancient power. This was the incantation of the most formidable defensive spell—an impenetrable shield against all physical harm. The magic wove itself around the casters, enveloping them and those they intended to protect, like ethereal armor. It demanded the combined mana of five witches, and served as the very reason why witch royalty was always flanked by their four blood-sworn protectors.

A dome of luminescent green energy blossomed above them, cascading down like falling stars, wrapping around the enormous form of the sea turtle beneath them. The creature groaned, her massive frame shifting uneasily, sensing the approaching danger. Solene felt the warmth of the magic as it enveloped her like a protective embrace. She always felt a little safer and more powerful this way. At Starfell, they had battled with and without its protection. Often, the difference between life and death was determined by their combat skills or their ability to cast the basic form of the defensive spell "aegis". She glanced at Talia, Nyx, and Eden, their bodies cloaked in the same comforting light before it dimmed into a weightless and invisible form. Eden followed the shimmering magic with her eyes as it spread along her wrist and up to her fingertips.

The Shadows seemed to know this magic and roared an awful screeching sound, falling into the water as a gigantic sea turtle made of pitch black plumes of cloud and lightning.

All around them sea life was dying, rising up to the surface floating lifelessly in large groups.

"They're draining the life around them..." Nyx's warriors said in unison. The two fae warriors took a defensive stance in front of Nyx, ready for combat.

The merfolk guiding the sea turtle looked on in terror but fled to load what appeared to be water cannons. They aimed their cannons at the Shadows before them. The cannons blasted torrents of water that transformed into a relentless barrage of ice spheres. Though their aim was true, the spheres passed right through the Shadows, as effective as stabbing a cloud with a fork.

"Wardivor...Wardivor...Wardivor." They heard Zephyrine and her Athena chanting. This time another layer of magical body armor shimmered with purple bioluminescence, wrapping around them with a shimmer before dimming.

Solene tried to recall any knowledge she had of these ancient enemies. Her memories held nothing of their weaknesses, nor how to fight them. She pleaded to Remi in her mind.

"Focus on magical attacks using fire, do not let the Shadows touch you." Remi said aloud to everyone.

"Get yourselves to safety!" Solene called to the terrified merfolk. "We've got it from here." The two bowed their heads at them before frantically heading to a hidden entrance inside the sea turtle's shell.

"Protect the crew!" Nyx commanded his guards–they hesitated for a second before bowing before him and darting after them.

"These can't be the Shadows from a century ago." Talia called to them in disbelief, the question of shifting or staying in mortal form to access her fire magic was evident in her face.

"Don't shift Tally, you'll be a bigger target." Nyx warned before a mischievous grin took over his face. "Remember how we tricked the entire third-year class into thinking they were being ambushed by an army?"

Tally and Solene nodded, a smile playing at their lips. Nyx's eyes glowed with an otherworldly light as he channeled the essence of dreams and emotions into his magic. A shimmering veil of illusion spread out from him, creating dozens of illusory copies of the group that danced and moved across the turtle's broad shell and hovered over the ocean toward them. The Shadow turtle reared its head back, a terrible orb of energy forming at its mouth with the intention to obliterate them.