ANGEL OF JUSTICE (2014 revised)

Chapter Sixteen - Goddess

The Goddess

Prince Darric screamed a warning. Jarron spun around, hands thrown forward, releasing his spell. The six hideous beasts chasing them, abruptly stopped, paralysed by Jarron's the invisible wall. Pawing and sniffing the ground, the creatures resembling prehistoric bears crossed with wolves, padded back and forth searching for the edge of the wall. Their ferocious growls of frustration filled the air.

"I can't hold it for long!"

Talen gathered a handful of crystals from his bag. "Drop the ward and duck!"

Jarron relinquished his spell and dropped to the ground as fireballs shot overhead. The air sizzled as they blasted into the beasts, setting them on fire. "What on Cardinia are they?" Jarron asked, moving further away from the dying creatures.

"Don't you recognise the men we killed recently?" Darric stated.

"Can't say as I do," Jarron replied cringing at the awful smell of charred flesh and fur on the wind.

Eren's face was ashen white. "Who would recall them from death?"

"The Barralayian lord has blood workers who can summon a soul from the void. You have no idea what he has been doing here, Eren."

For a moment, Talen paused, concentrating on something that caught his eye from the northern woods. "More beasts are heading our way. It's time to get moving again!"

The group turned and ran towards the coastline less than a half-mile away, its blue waters shimmering under the afternoon sun.

"If we get to the water... Jarron and I can call upon the sea magic." Eren stated.

From the woods, the grassland sloped down gradually to the sea cliffs, lending the beasts an advantage to gain speed downhill. Talen looked once more to the north.

"We have to beat them to that dip in the cliffs where the dunes start." he indicated towards the low point along the coast.

The group ran on. Behind them, the beasts approaching from the north could be seen clearly. At least twenty of them were led by a massive black beast streaking ahead of the others.  The ground trembled from the stampede. Jarron almost stumbled on the uneven ground save for Darric's swift aid at his side.

"How many crystals have you got left, Talen?" Darric asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Barely three at full strength, the rest are useless."

Darric slowed down, urging Eren and Jarron to continue ahead, he turned and unleashed his blade. Talen stopped beside him. Kneeling, he felt the vibration of the beasts advance as he tipped out the contents of his bag, while nervously glancing up at the beasts. More than a dozen crystals fell out of the bag; three were a pale blue-green; the rest were dull and lifeless.

"I don't have much to work with here!"

"Do what you can to buy us some time!"

Scraping aside grass and dirt with his hands, Talen placed the three crystals of partial power within. Closing his eyes, he held the crystals and called upon the earth for power.

"Come on hordes of hell! Come and greet death!" Darric yelled, taking several strides towards the approaching creatures.

The head beast started to slow, coming to a stop fifty feet away from Darric. Rising on its hind legs, it let out a blood-chilling roar.

"If you've got something, Talen I could use a little help about now!" Darric yelled out over his shoulder.

"I'm trying!" Talen yelled out as he continued to call upon the land's magic. Ever so slowly, the crystals flickered brightly to life.