The Year of the Tiger (Book 3 of The Almair Series) (Completed)

Chapter 71

We made it to the warehouse just as the moon started to turn red. Magic filled the air around, and I felt stronger than I did beforehand, even after the battle with Marcus.

"Ready?" Matt asked, and I nodded. He got out of the car when I did and grabbed the sword that I had given him. His whole body was tense, and I knew that he was nervous about what was to come.

"Is everyone in positions?" I asked, and I was greeted with murmurs of confirmation. I sighed and nodded. "Good," I said and started to walk forward. I made no move to hide myself nor to be quiet because I knew that they knew I would come. I knew that the Master knew that I would be there, especially since I had done that spell two days ago. "Rescue team, I will tell you when you need to go. Don't go until I say so, understood? She'll be on the third floor in the last room."

"Understood, Almair," my father, who was leading the rescue team, said. "Stay safe."

I bit back a tired smirk but didn't say a word because as soon as I made it to the clearing, the doors opened, and he stepped out.

Kalron...

The male still looked the same as all those years ago. He still had the same black hair that hadn't started to gray yet in the same braid that he was known for. He still had the same goatee that I made fun of every single day because it was so thin on the sides that I could pinch it off. He had the same nose, same mouth, and the same stature, even if his skin looked taut and pale. However, there was one thing that didn't look the same as my master, and it took my breath away because I had no idea what it meant.

His eyes... his eyes were the only thing that was different about him. They were black, soulless, and they had no joy, no nothing. There was no warmth that came from them, and they looked dead, useless.

"Well, well, well," he sneered and bowed mockingly. "Isn't it the precious Almair," he said, and I rolled my eyes. "You are very predictable, don't you know that?" he asked.

I shrugged. "On some things I tried to be," I replied. "I mean, it's a known fact that I am here for the kid."

The man that has control over Kalron chuckled. "Yes, yes," he said. He studied me, and his smirk deepened. "And you came here without completing your training. Tell me," he cocked his head and studied me, "was saying that spell with that Wister worth it?" he asked and raised an eyebrow. "Or those "secret" meetings with him?"

The groups stiffened, for that was one thing that I had not told them. I had not told them that I knew about Wisters and had been in contact with one and would continue to do so, even if they banned me from talking to him.

"Martha," Faolon warned. "W-"

"Not now," I said, interrupting him. "Can't we talk about this later? Like we are not in the middle of talking to the enemy?" I shrugged. "It could be," I replied. "I have no idea how the last meeting helped me, but I am sure that it helped me."

"Hmph," he said and smirked. "So, it seems that you have kept this a secret from them." He cocked his head and studied me. "What else have you been hiding from them?"

I shrugged. "It doesn't concern you," I replied. "There is nothing you need to know about what I am hiding from them or not."

His smirk deepened, and he lifted his head to where everyone was waiting. "Is this who you want to follow?" he asked, and something changed in his voice as if it was compelling them to listen.

Shit...

"I mean, you don't want someone to hide things from you, do you?" he asked, and I felt my mare stiffen beside me. "Put down your weapons. Turn your backs toward the Almair and join me. Join my movement, and you can have the freedom that you crave."

"Martha," Matt whispered from behind me. He gripped his weapon tighter, and I had a feeling that someone was compelling him to use it against me since he was the closest one.

"She has failed you," Kalron said. "She hasn't even completed her training. She is not even a tiger and will never be a tiger. She doesn't have the motivation nor the strength to be one. That is why she is a weak Almair. Bow down to me. Follow me. Let me be your leader and not her."

The tension and the anxiety built around us, and I could tell that they were fighting against what he wanted them to do. However, they were losing the battle against the spell, and I could tell that they could not keep fighting it.

"Martha," Matt said again, and I could tell that it was getting harder for him to fight it.

"K-"

"Shut up!" I exclaimed, the annoyance and anger getting the best of me. I grabbed the sword that I had on me and slammed the end into the ground, creating this force field type of arrangement that blocked his power from taking over my group that spread like a blast from a sonic boom, surrounding them.

I had no idea why I did what I did. I had this urge to do it, so I did, and I think it had worked in my favor because the spell was broken.

Kalron took a step back, and for a moment, his eyes turned their normal brown color before they were black again. Shock filled the male's eyes, and I had a feeling that he thought I was weak, easy to manipulate, and control.

"These are my people, not yours," I said and stared at him with hard eyes. I set my jaw and glared. "You do not control them; I do. I fight and serve them just as they serve me. You have no power over them and will never have power over them."

Kalron quickly got over his fear and chuckled. "I have power over your "Master" and that man," he said. "They are too far gone to be any service to you, even with that Wister's help."

I chuckled darkly. "You are losing power over him, and you know it," I said. I stood and slid the sword from the ground. "That is why he had wanted me to say the spell then, didn't he? He knew that you were to lose your host today and set the male, my master, free. Isn't. That. Right?"

Kalron stood his ground and set his jaw. His whole body was tense, and I knew that my Kalron was trying to get out; I could feel it.

"Just give up control," I said and took a step forward with my blade pointed to the ground. "Leave his body and be like them again. Become a shadow in the dark where you have no control over anyone, not even your little Dark Forces."

"You don't know who you are dealing with, Martha," Kalron warned. He twitched his fingers, and I knew that he was planning an attack soon. He was going to try to use magic against me, but we both knew that it wouldn't work, not with the spells that were already protecting me from his dark magic.

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "Well? Guess what?" I asked. I smirked and narrowed my eyes. "It is you who do not know who you are dealing with, and you are about to meet your match."

The moon turned a dark red, and the power filled us. This was the moment that we were waiting for. This was the time to face these Dark Forces and rescue Bethany. This was the time when I saved Master Yin from himself and the Master that controlled him.

This was the time, so all I said before I ran toward him was, "attack." 

And. 

All. 

Hell. 

Broke. 

Loose.