Shift: NOT a Werewolf Story

Chapter Thirty-Four: Drisnôk

Getting down from the cliffs was far more difficult than getting up, and by the time Kiela made it to the bottom most if the land had been taken over by the faceless army. The shifters had retreated to behind the cliffs, and it seemed to be hopeless.

Kiela wished to be back in the village, to take a swim and wash the sweat from her skin. But the battle was my yet over, and the outcome was still uncertain. She waded back into the frat, using her claws to fight for she had no more knives. She cut down a faceless and looked up. A few feet away stood a girl with brown hair and green eyes. Smooth skin now covered where scrapes and scars used to be. But the eyes were the same.

"Artemis!" Kiela cried out joyfully.

"Kiela!" Artemis replied. She held out her arms wide and Kiela ran into them, clutching the other girl to her.

"Artemis I'm so glad that you're okay!" She gasped.

"I am glad to see you too." Artemis replied. "I have waited a long time to do this." White hot pain flashed through Kiela's shoulder, right in the healing arrow wound. She screamed in pain and fell to the ground. Her blurry eyes barely registered the bloodstained knife in Artemis' hand.

"Why would you do that?" Kiela cried. Her vision flickered. Talk about stabbing someone in the back. Artemis just gave the phrase a whole new meaning.

"You see, Kiela, when you left me I was very close to death. I could see Sylnav's hall, and all our friends that had gone before. I wasn't ready to die. Drisnôk came to me, and offered to heal my wounds, if I would only serve him. And I realized that our gods are diluting us. I they had this power to heal, then why do so many people die? Why was Manin allowed to live? And I realized that I could rule, far better then they have." She laughed maniacally. "My first step to becoming great will be to kill you. Your energy will be mine, and no one can stand before me. I am a god!"

"Artemis what are you doing?" Kiela asked, panicked.

"I am taking what is mine." Artemis replied. She drew a knife and knelt. Blood dropped down the length of the blade and dropped into Kiela's eyes.

Then a scream pierced the air, and a blade emerged, poking through Artemis' chest. She toppled to the ground, revealing the shocked form of Kym behind her.

"Kiela, are you okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine." Keila replied. Her stabbed shoulder told another story.

"You have to come. Samah and Ramsea are fighting Drisnôk. The faceless are everywhere!" Kym told her. "Where's Connix?"

"Dead." Kiela replied. "I killed him at the top of Rüjae."

"You killed him? That's amazing!"

"Don't celebrate yet." Kiela warned. "We still have a long way to go."

Horns blasted through the air. "What's that?" Kiela asked.

"North and South village must be here!" Kym exclaimed.

Sure enough, a black line of boats came over the water. People were visible, and arrows cut through the ranks of faceless by the shore. Kiela felt relief fill her.

"Where's Drisnôk?" She growled. "This war ends now."

"Follow me!" Kym replied. The two girls fought their way through the melee towards the sounds of battle.

Drisnôk was visible from leagues away. His huge body stamped and crushed both faceless warriors and shifters alike. As the girls drew nearer they spotted two people cutting and hacking at his legs. They came closer and the figures resolved themselves to be Ramsea and Samah. Drisnôk tried to shake them off, but they clung on and dodged every slash of his swords.