The Adventures of the Junior Phoenixes, Part 1: The Pendant of Life

Chapter 19: Hereafter

Chapter 19

     The panther stared down Shade. He held his wand tight in his hand as it pounced. He flicked his wand quickly and petrified the angry black cat as it fell in a thud at his feet, solid and stopped.

     Two Dire Wolves growled then began to run at Star. She shot two stunning spells. The big dogs yelped in pain but kept coming. Star shot several more stunning spells. The dogs kept getting hit until they could take it no more and they ran, yelping and in pain.

     Rain Fox froze for a second. She held the blades in her hands, unable to move. Shade ran up from behind her to face three Dire Wolves and a large snake. He cursed at the snake and it froze, but the Dire Wolves jumped, knocking him down. Star ran to them but was head-butted by one of the Dire Wolves, which stood over her, teeth bare and eyes glowing with anger.

     “No!” Rain Fox whispered.

     All around them, villagers were running to the shelter of their tents and huts. The Baxia began to stand and rear. Their large beaks snapped at any mad creatures that were unlucky enough to be within reach. The large stone-like jaws of the Baxia crushed bone and tore flesh.

     Sam was on top of one of the Baxia as she guarded the children who had run into a hut. She closed the hut door and stood before it as the Baxia under her rose and started to snap at Dire Wolves and beasts. One large Dire Wolf jumped onto the mound as it stood, and it swiped at Sam. Sam ducked out of the way but her shirt tore from the claws of the big wolf.

     “Aw, seriously?” Sam complained. “That’s my favorite Taylor Swift shirt, you troll hole!” She cursed the Dire Wolf and sent it back to the ground below, chains of all sorts wrapped around it conjured from her wand.

     Echo changed into tiger form and began to wrestle with a lion that roared at a group of women. She slashed at the lion with her large clawed paws and hit it right in the face, tearing at flesh and fur. The lion tried to pounce on her, but she slipped away and jumped, landing on its back. She then switched back to human form and froze the great beast right there with a flick of her wand. She then transformed back into a tiger and ran, fast, towards a pack that was trying to tear at another group of villagers.

     The hunters all drew their bows and loosed their arrows. The shafts sung in the air, meeting fur and hide with impeccable aim. The other hunters gathered their sickles and spears, holding off wolves and other beasts, protecting the villagers where they can.

     The Medicine Men all gathered near the center fire. They loosed fireballs from the fire at any unfriendly animals that they spotted. A group of morphed horses, all mad and kicking, rushed towards them and kicked a few of them hard before being burned by fireballs aimed at them.

     “No!” Rain Fox said loudly.

     Shade kicked back at the Dire Wolf that was over him. He shouted out a few words, and hit the Dire Wolves hard. But they recouped, and began to encircle him again.

     Star slipped from under the wolf that stood over her. It swiped at her and caught her in the leg. She screamed in pain, but loosed a bolt of lightning from her wand and it shocked the wolf. It ran away as she hobbled towards Rain Fox and Shade.

     “Dang thing got me in the leg!” Star shouted.

     “Watch it,” Shade said, pointing at the two Dire Wolves. “These two are not going to give up.”

     “NO!” Rain Fox shouted out loud. She drew the blades and ran head first at the Dire Wolves. Her pendant began to glow, the blades did as well. They grew to a longer length in her hands, the magic within them working with a will of their own, guiding her hands. When she swung them a flash of blue light emerged. She swiped at the Dire Wolves with a fury that was unmatched by any warrior in the village. The wolves never knew what hit them. They collapsed under the ferocity of Rain Fox’s blades. She sliced them but did not kill them, hitting them with the blunt side of her blade. She then ran at several more wolves and creatures, each falling to the power of her blades and the glow of her pendant.