Celestial Guardians: Uniting Dimensions (Celestial Guardians Series, #1)

Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Kevin's POV

No blade could have cut deeper than Damien's treachery. A void where trust once resided was left behind by the sting that pierced my chest. My fists were tightly balled up, and the faint glow of my celestial arrow seemed to reflect the tempest of emotions brewing within me.

"Why, Damien?" My voice was harsh and aggressive as I demanded. "Have we made a mistake? Swapping allegiance for authority? Abandoning all that we worked for?"

As he cocked his head, Damien maintained an incredibly composed expression." Give me a break, Kevin. I am sick and tired of being poor and will no longer trade in my loyalty for fool's gold."

I felt a raging, unquenchable inferno of rage at the hubris in his voice. Behind me, my wings spread out, casting a light on the ominous storm Damien had summoned up above. "Justice and balance aren't at stake here, are they? It all comes down to your pride. A thirst for power!

As if my accusation were a compliment, Damien shrugged and smirked. "Then why shouldn't I desire power so badly? That is, after all, the job of a Celestial Guardian. Protective authority? Ability to govern? What I'm doing is just going a little farther."

"You're taking it too far!" Jamaica yelled out from right next to me, her heavenly arrow drawn and steady.

I rumbled, "Far enough to betray us," and advanced slightly. The tension between us was so great that the ground shook under my feet. "You've left us no choice, Damien."

In an act of deception, he arched an eyebrow. "No option? Wow, Kevin. An option is always available. You could join me here. Consider the possibilities of our joint achievements. Our quartet—Jamaica, Nel, you and me—is unstoppable."

"Unstoppable?" The poison in Nel's voice made him scowl. "Damien, you have already restrained yourself. You forfeited any cause worth battling for the instant you prioritized power over people."

Damien's grin waned, and his pupils widened. "If there was ever a moral compass, it was you, Nel. Still, compass needles can break."

It was that. I knew then that it was pointless to continue talking. Even worse than being lost, Damien had deliberately destroyed the map that could have led him back.

As our eyes locked, a subtle understanding flowed between Jamaica and me. Facing him would be our only option. We had to, not because we wished to, but because we refused to let his egotism undermine all our efforts to preserve it.

"Damien, there's one thing you're wrong about," I stated with a level head. "Strength is a product of character, not power. Doing so makes you careless. And being careless will lead to defeat."

Twisted and vicious, Damien's grin reappeared. "Big words for someone who's already lost everything."

As soon as he lifted his hands, the shadowy energy surged to life all around him. Like a tidal wave, it swept outward and headed straight for us. Following my gut, I raised my celestial arrow and focused all the remaining light within me. When the two forces met, they sent shockwaves hurtling through the atmosphere.

"Jamaica, Nel!" I yelled out. "Now!"

No additional guidance was required of them. With her arrow drawn, Jamaica leaped into the air. Her wings spread wide like a comet. Nel flanked Damien as he roared his flames to life and circled.

The conflict was a whirlwind of heat and cold, light and dark. Though formidable, Damien failed to recognize our true strength. We returned his blows with equal vigor. We adjusted to his every move.