War for the Skies (completed) (Book 1 of the Heroes of the Realms series)

Chapter 28

Author's note: Guys real quick, I just want to apologize for not updating the story in a while. I've been busy and I was trying to find new ideas and develop new characters in the story, and well here's the result. Also thank you guys so much for reading the book, I really do appreciate it and the reads on the book exploded since the last time I updated so thank you guys so much :)

-Author

Theo and Aurora both looked shocked and terrified of their surroundings. For some reason, though, this place felt the least dangerous in our entire journey. Until the shadows arrived.

I was about to nudge Amiko awake when the strange animals appeared again. The first beasts I had ever fought. There were about seven of them, surrounding us, huffing the air in and out of their noses.

Riding the shadow tiger in the middle was a girl wearing a dark blue jacket with a hood which leaked out her dirty blond hair. She had purple eyes and a vicious smile, as if she would kill any of us that instant. She wore long gloves reaching her hands from her elbows, but her fingers were left free. Inside her hoodie was a black shirt, and in the center of that was a glowing purple circle.

The tigers slowly made their way towards us. Theo pulled out his axe, and Aurora her spear, and I was left with no weapon since that stupid soldier had broken mine what seemed like hours ago. The tigers didn't make any sudden movements of attack, just groggily closed in on us.

"We should go back," Theo whispered.

Aurora nodded anxiously.

"Wasn't this where we were supposed to go anyway? Besides this girl might lead us to their control area, so we can find out what's really going on," I whispered back.

Theo wore his brave face and nodded. He hefted his axe, but before he could do anything with it a raven flew out of nowhere and knocked the axe out of his hand.

The tigers took advantage. They went straight towards Theo.

The girl started riding her tiger towards Aurora, who drew her spear, ready for an attack.

I didn't know what to do. My powers were still very unstable, and I didn't have a weapon. But I had to risk it. My heart started to beat faster and I could feel my body warm up with all of the extra blood pumping around my body.

I focused another cloud of wind in my hand and shot it at the girl. It exploded on her chest, knocking her off and hitting one of the tigers in the face.

Even without its rider, the tiger stormed toward Aurora. She screamed as she threw her spear, which made a home right between the shadow's eyes, making him explode into dark feathers.

I looked over to Theo, and he was blasting fire at his attackers, but he would become tired soon, just like he did against Glacia. I tried to summon a tornado where he was but couldn't, and I didn't notice the tiger that was running at me.

I used the wind to push it back and Aurora used her spear to stab it in the gut. It also exploded into feathers. The girl was using her powers against Theo, blasting him with dark beams, and I knew in a second he would be overwhelmed.

"Aurora listen to me, I need you to take out the girl that's attacking Theo," I told her.

"I was thinking we could get some tea," she said sarcastically. "I know we're going to do that!"

"Alright, then I'm going to use the wind to boost you up into the air, and I want you to use the end of your spear to knock her out, or make her lose her focus," I explained.

"Why can't I just kill her?"

"She might have information."

Aurora huffed but then nodded.

"Whenever you're ready," I said.

"We don't have time for-" she was cut off when I lifted her into the air, and she made her way toward the girl. She pointed the flat end of her spear at the girl's face and it collided, making the girl tumble down.

I heard a scream but couldn't tell if it was the girl's or Theo's.

I flew toward him at the highest speed I could manage, and stuck out my fist like Superman, ready to punch one of the tigers out of existence.

Just as I reached him however, another one bit me from the back, making me lose my balance, and sprawl across the hard, rocky floor.

My face hurt from the fall, my head hurt from using my powers too much, and I couldn't get my head off of Skylar.

Theo was going to die, then they were going to take Aurora, and Amiko, and then me, and then they would march through their gateways and destroy the realms.

I tried to blow the tigers away, but as I stuck out my hand, a surge of pain flared through my body, alarming me that I was going to die. Right there, right then.

A tiger pounced on me and I knew this was my end. But before it could land on me and kill me, it was pulled back, in midair, towards a huge cyclone formed about a mile away.

The other tigers followed suite, slowly floating into their dooms in the tornado. I wasn't being sucked in, which gave me the feeling that the lightning bolt was going to strike again, but that already happened. It couldn't happen twice.

I looked behind me and saw Amiko's hands sticking out, as if she was controlling the storm. She struggled to keep it alive long enough for the tigers to go in, so I helped her. I stuck out my hands and tried to keep the cyclone alive as best as I could. Once all of the shadows spun around to their deaths in the tornado, I let go, and so did Amiko, making the storm disappear, without a trace of any darkness.

Theo had bite marks all over his clothes, the girl was sprawled lifeless on the ground, and Aurora was leaning on her spear so she wouldn't fall down. I turned around to face Amiko.

"...How did you...?" I managed.

"Leon, I think... it's time for you to learn," she said.

"Learn... what?" I panted.

She put her hands toward her face, and grabbed her own cheeks gently. Then she pulled off her face, and revealed another one behind it.

"No... no..." I whispered as I fell back on the ground.

"Why so surprised? It's your sister, Anne."