And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
-Dylan Thomas
Everly
"Angel, listen to me. You have to stay back. You have to run. Please. Run. Don't look back."
Zeke's words replay in my mind as I watch his back disappear into the wall of allied shifters and make his way to the frontline.
Run. Don't look back.
Those words reverberate through my mind, reviving the buried memory of momma encouraging me to flee. That recollection of her withered arms encircling me as she drew up enough energy to say goodbye. I feel like history is repeating itself. But this time, I won't run. Too much is at stake, including my mate.
Gulping down the emotion that threatens to break free, I take a step towards my fate.
The sound of Seri mumbling incoherently in the vehicle draws my attention away from the battle brewing before me. She is rocking gently in her seat, her eyes clenched tight, fist balled on her knees, and she has slight perspiration across her forehead. "Seri? Are you okay?" Taking in her composure, I reach for her, briefly touching her arm.
Her body jolts and she grips my hand as she inhales sharply. "We invoke the Creator and the many spirit-helpers of this realm. From the Creator flows the energy of transformation. From the Creator we exit the realm of physical limitations and join the vast levels of experience in the spirit world of light. And from the Creator comes the power of the elementals."
Then, Seri begins to chant, her voice growing in power and carrying a melodic rhythm.
EN— AY ICHI CHIO, EN— AY ICHI CHIO
EN— AY EN— AY EN— AY YAH
EN— AY EN— AY— I YO
EN— AY EN— AY EN— AY YAH
EN— AY EN— AY— I YO
EN— AY ICHI CHIO— OHH
The sound absolute anarchy pulls my focus away from Seri and towards the melee in front of us. My pack joins with the Ozark Mountain Crew in attack and each member engages the Devil Claw members and the mystery shifter group in battle. The atmosphere grows thick with sweat and iron.
As Seri continues to chant, I look through the window and watch as the girls join in the shifter combat. Bel uses wind to force three adversaries together and then quickly propels them into a nearby dumpster. Thea reaches out and vines tangle around the lid tightly as one of them tries to flee.
Nearby, Caylin shoots fireballs in rapid procession at the Devil's Claws, motivating a handful to flee the scene. As she continues her pursuit of her feline prey, her body suddenly goes limp as she collapses to the ground and my eyes catch something shimmery protruding from her back.
"Caylin!" I hear a recognizable voice roar.
My breathing intensifies as the familiar feeling of magic tickles my skin. Seri's psalm of ancient words settle into my soul. When she finishes, she opens her eyes, which shimmer with power and magic. "No more running, Everly. It's time to fight."
A strength I've never felt before blossoms within my being. As I turn to make my way to fight alongside my pack- my family, rain begins to fall from the heavens. I feel each drop as it lands on my skin and call upon my body to soak them in, each droplet adding to my liquid arsenal.
Lightning streaks across the sky, like poisoned veins feeding the heartbeat of bloodshed. Before they fade into the vantablack night, thunder barrels in, acting as percussion to the rage rising within me.
YOU ARE READING
The Element: A Shift in the Water (Completed)
Fantasy"In nature, water decides when it starts and when it stops. The storm goes where it wants and it's power comes from within. You are the storm, Everly - nothing can hold you back." Described as a fantastical-romance with fur, The Element is a contemp...
