Echoes of the Past

Chapter Thirty Eight - Part One

Chapter Thirty Eight - Offense and Defense - Part One

Evan screamed.

A whirlwind of air burst in front of them, swirling with a fierce blue light. Bullets and electric blasts struck the wind with explosive impacts and rippled like pebbles dropped in water. James stumbled back as several blasts made their way through, thudding on the ground or pinging off walls far behind them. He saw Evan standing with his feet planted, arms up over his head, eyes squeezed shut and tears flowing out from his intense concentration.

Sam shot into the sky and sailed high over the wall of wind. His Light Shield appeared over his arm and he twisted in the air, blocking dozens of shots as he entered the battlefield. Evan cried out with exhaustion and his legs buckled.

James drew his sword over his back as Evan collapsed on the ground. The wind disappeared instantly. Most gunfire had stopped or refocused on Sam, who now darted between several riflemen, swinging his sword.

"Evan," James called as he reached him.

Evan panted heavily, sweat dripping from his brow. The sudden expenditure of magic looked to have depleted his strength - right when they needed him the most.

Sam leapt high into the air and threw down a fireball at the nearest rifleman, striking the man's arm and dropping his gun. Twisting in the air, he evaded several more shots before throwing down fireballs at another three riflemen.

Deafening gunshots exploded on the ground near James and zipped by him, causing him to duck and stumble. The nearest guards were on a raised platform to the side, at the base of one of the smaller towers. As they fired at him again, James cried out and raised an arm defensively. The bullets struck a disc of Light that burst to life over his arm. The impacts shook his bones and pushed him back, his feet skidding through the dirt. James steadied himself and paused, both proud and shocked at summoning the shield, before realising that a guard was rushing towards him.

The man raised a heavy pistol at him, a long knife in his other hand. He wore heavy chest and shoulder guards, the armour covering most of his torso, while his burly arms were bare. A fierce look was in his eyes.

James readied his sword and stepped away from Evan, who remained panting on the ground. He brought his sword up as the man fired at him, and bullets struck the wide blade. One of the shots grazed James's ear and he jerked away in shock and sharp pain.

James ducked under the swinging knife as the man came to him. His sword caught the man across the chest and dug deep into the armour, drawing blood. He stumbled back as the man dropped and clutched at his chest. The new sword Liana had given him still seemed far too large, but its power felt good in his hands.

Several more gunshots pinged by James's head. He spun towards a new set of riflemen and summoned his Light Shield. He braced for impacts that never came, and realised that all the shots must have somehow missed him.

Evan was finally on his feet, resting on his broadsword. It was only then that James saw the blade had changed colour, and was now a dark-grey; almost black. Possibly another Voarn trick with sorcery, he guessed. Evan's pained and weary expression remained, though there was a determination to him as he raised his sword high.

"For Therapia!" Evan cried. He broke into a strained run, deflecting several shots with his darkened sword.

James wiped blood from his stinging ear and forced himself into a run, following Evan. Jaxx was nowhere to be seen. His guards were everywhere; dozens on the walkways of the tower and many more on the ground. A jolt of fear gripped James, seeing all the enemies rushing towards them, but he willed himself to focus and grit his teeth. All he could do was barrel through as many guards as he could before his luck ran out.