Prophecy: Tome of Embers

20. Peace On Earth

At first there was nothing but the chaos. When Monica's men showed up it had distracted the heroes, and it'd taken them too long to get their bearing as they were torn between offense and defense. Toby knew they couldn't waste time debating it though, and he'd led by example as he charged in with his full attention on the Anchoress. Just as they'd discussed, Lorelei and Cliff flanked him, while Myrna once again stayed back to protect Austin. This time she was a little more determined, and with the additional help from the armed forces, she could focus on attacking a little more than she had to on defending.

With a swing of her arm she was able to produce a line of glimmering energy that shot forward with steady precision, flinging whoever it hit a considerable distance upon impact. There were many cultists, and even with all the firepower one managed to sneak through and try to attack Austin. She remedied this by holding out her hand, a translucent shield of magic stemming from her palm to ward them from harm while she waited for the attacker to be picked off by someone else.

Lorelei employed her hands on approach, leaping into the air with a flip and landing on one of her enemies shoulders. Clenching his head between her knees, she twisted her body and snapped his neck, falling away and kicking the lifeless body into the crowd. There was no time to take a breath, and already she ducked another as he swung a blade at her, giving her the vantage to bring his feet out from underneath him and swipe his dagger before planting it in his chest.

Cliff also worked in close proximity, though his performance was rooted in brute strength instead of the acrobatics. With incredible aim he dropped several cultists to the ground with headshots while he braced his shoulder and bowled over a few more like a battering ram. Between him and his allies, bolstered by Monica's forces, they were able to keep the entire cult occupied, giving them little opportunity to focus on the one thing that was most important to them.

The Anchoress herself was distracted with Toby, who threw fireballs at her while he dodged her advances. She shrieked in rage, knowing that he was no match for her station, and began to lash out. Her vicious and quick attacks were unpredictable, and she struck her own people while she tried to get at her opponent. Toby was just barely managing to avoid her, and he only did so then by running away, rendering him incapable of launching any more attacks. Soon there would no place left for him to run, and he knew that, but he also knew he just had to hold out long enough.

Austin was standing as a statue behind Myrna, keeping his eyes closed as he tuned out all the sounds that echoed around him. He took the advice of Lorelei, of Myrna and Toby, and he concentrated on his power, on what he wanted to conjure. Yet it didn't seem to be working, there was no tingling in his hands, no words transcribed in his mind that brought about the power that he was seeking. He knew he couldn't fail, not now, but he wasn't sure what else he could do to make it happen-especially as the tide of battle began to turn in the favor of one side in particular.

For the Anchoress.

Even with all the help her forces were too much, and Cliff and Lorelei both found themselves outnumbered. Toby was backed into a corner with the dark queen, and too many of the cultists were heading straight for Myrna. The shield that she cast was wavering as they beat it down, attacking it with everything they had, and all at once it shattered, diffusing the energy she had put into it and knocking her unconscious. She collapsed on the ground, withdrawn from the fight, her allies soon to follow.

It was strange to Austin, as if he had been watching the whole thing, but he was aware that he had never opened his eyes or moved from his spot. He could see his friend fall in front of him, see the dire peril that the others were in. He could see the small boy across the way that watched the scene with eyes that had no hope, no soul, no anything. All these things broke his heart, and soon his bones as he witnessed the cultists coming for him. No, he would not fail, not after everything that they'd been through, not after he had forced them to believe in him-he would not fail. He opened his eyes.