Statera *Chosen At Birth*

Chapter Forty-Four

"Umm... Daniel who's attached to you and why  does he look like a miniature version of you?" Alise asked knowing the answer but wanted to make sure it wasn't from fatigue.

"My younger brother David." Daniel beamed happily as the mini-me of him looked up at him frowning.

"Wow, it's been too long," Justice said giving him a hug and then Daniel got tackled from behind and he felt the back of his shirt dampen.

"Mom?!" Daniel questioned turning around to see his mother with tears streaming down her face and he pulled her into a hug. Behind her, his father stood there watching the two brothers talk with excitement behind Daniel comparing their weapons and powers.

"Dad?!" Daniel heard from behind him and then the two collided into a massive hug as Daniel's mother pulled away. Alise and Sydney both sniffled watching the reunion.

Bestienna looked to the beach as the avenue flooded with their troops. Mermaids, Griffins, fairies, and rebel troops along with their animal companions ready to fight the undead that climbed onto the shore of the beach and stopped surprised by the counterattack. Every eye was on Daniel as he pulled away from his family and friends and they stood behind him. Bestienna stood by his side and nodded before a dragon appeared over the beach. It morphed into Alan and the sight sent Daniel's spine into a cold turmoil.

"Why don't you just give up?" Alan shouted from the beach.

"No, you won't have the water kingdom while I'm alive," Daniel shouted back. Alan's face reddened with anger at his response.

"Fine. When we're done with all of you the city will become nothing but ash!" Alan shouted morphing into a dragon and then a battle cheer sprang from the army ahead of them that grew as more small boats landed onto the shore. Daniel raised a trident into the air which signaled roars and a chorus of determined shouts that echoed over the ocean. In one fluid motion, the charge began and scores of drakes of all color and huge winged beasts surged into the air as bats and flying reptiles darkened the sky ahead of them. As they ran into the fight the battle into the air had already begun as drakes and birds collided with loud cannon-like booms and arrows surged upward.

Running next to Daniel in a new wardress, Bestienna waved her hands as they glowed green pulsing with tendrils of green smoke. She yelled as steel clashed around her and animals collided with deep growls and claw strikes. As if she was winding a rope she moved her hands in a circle close to her body and then leaves surged from under her like a tornado forming. Instead of normal leaves they were hardened like steel and surged around her in a clear tornado. Her eyes turned to solid emerald and held a palm out in front of her.

"Fulium Tempestas!" She hissed. Immediately every steel like leaf surged forward in a cluttered and dangerous wave. Everything in front of her fell as sharp leaves penetrated their skin between weak points in their armor. Every war elephants fell turning into massive porcupine-like animals.

Oblivious to what Bestienna was doing, Daniel sent a bulge of water at a vampire missing it completely. It turned around and glared its fangs at him. It spoke and then tendrils of black smoke whispered in the air towards him. "I don't think so," Daniel said before sending another larger wave of water at the vampire knocking it down in front of an elephant that accidentally trampled him.

"That would not have been pleasant." Someone said behind Daniel, starling him.

"Who are you?" Daniel asked as he blocked an attack with his trident and countered.

"I'm Adrian. Basically, I adopted your brother when he first got to the island." He said as he fought off a few zombies and waved magic out of a skeleton nearby, "When he and all of the others washed ashore everyone was whisked away to the hospital. Scared the hell out of all the tourists I can tell you that." Adrian laughed as he and Daniel wove in between each other's attacks defending each other and countering in a tight dueling pair.

"What about his friend?" Daniel asked and then Adrian rolled his brown eyes in agitation.

"You mean the one that's always three feet away from him?" Adrian asked and Daniel laughed parrying a longsword.

"Yeah, that would be the one." Daniel laughed bashing a skeleton with his trident.

"We didn't know that he and your parents were in the hospital until they were released a few days after." Adrian shrugged then ducked below a sword swing, "Could do without that Alonso fellow I can tell you that." Adrian complained.

"That's not going to happen they've been friends since almost birth. That's what happens in a close-knit community." Daniel explained hearing a sigh escape, Adrian.

"Watch out!" Adrian yelled as they both ducked below a beam of purple and pink aurotic energy, "Chit chat over?" Adrian asked and Daniel nodded with a smile.

"Yeah." Daniel smiled and then laughed before they separated. Daniel waved a hand of steaming hot water at a stateran, but they disappeared. In a confused fury, Daniel looked around him. He ducked just in time as a blade swept over the top of his head on centimeters above it. With a violent outburst, the weretiger waved magic out of his staff that Daniel blocked and then stabbed him with his trident, "Tricky ass." Daniel muttered under his breath before walking away to join the fight again. He looked around to see how many of each side there were before continuing on, "At least it's almost over." Daniel sighed moving closer to the beach.