Portals opened all around her and dozens of creatures very similar to the one she had just cut down poured through the magical doorways in the sky above the city. "Look!" Qureen did not have long to savour her victory. Silly nursery rhymes and old wives tales," Cato scoffed. A wing fell one way and the dispatched creature fell another. "My eyes aren't what they once were, but I think that is Qureen." The two rangers stood side by side and watched the faerie shape-shifter dancing in an aerial battle. "Agreed," Tashir said and gathered her bow. Defend the people." Essa listed off their points. On those grounds, I offer you a truce." Tashir blinked as she registered Essa's claim, nodded once, and took the proffered hand. Tashir looked up at the red-haired ranger and allowed a wave of distrust to cross her eyes. They sheathed one of their knives and offered a hand. "The people will be slaughtered," Essa said. "By the ancients," she whispered, temporarily forgetting her bow. Massive portals opened and creatures were swarming through, descending on Anahata like locusts on a wheat field. Across the city, a battle was taking place in the sky. Tashir reached for her bow but even she was shocked to see what was happening. "The 's gone." Essa stared in bewilderment. "What just happened?" Tashir asked as Essa let her sit up. A reddish-purple line of bruising indicated how close to death she had come. They lifted their knife and Tashir turned her head and coughed while rubbing her throat. They were at the edge of the city and a sudden massive explosion made them all look to see the Senate tower collapse. "What happened, then? Why are you and Cato here? Are you still alive, old man?" Essa turned to look over at Cato but pressed her knife tighter to Tashir's throat so that she dared not even gulp. "You just found me here regaining consciousness. I should cut your throat and be done with it. Essa's loud demands exacerbated the severity. Tashir squinted back the severe pain in her head. The sudden shock of being jumped so easily made her cry out in frustration rather than fear. A sudden knee on her chest and a kukri at her throat made that impossible. Despair over her entire predicament threatened to overwhelm her, but she did not become the best vampire hunter in the realm by resting or sulking. Her anger grew the more she thought about the surprise attack that she should have seen coming. She despised nothing more than a duplicitous ally. It took her a while to remember what had happened. Confidence returning, and anger simmering, Essa set off at a jog. Their gut feeling was that she was still alive so they searched for a few moments to find the trail left by her captors. There on the ground, at the edge of the clearing, was Conrad's head, the firelight reflecting eerily from its eyes. They rubbed dirt out of their eyes and took stock of their predicament. It scampered away to the nearest tree and disappeared among the branches and flames.Įssa concentrated and the ground upheaved. Once they could breathe, Essa let go of the monkey. A second hand burst out and then a red-haired head. The grip was solid and the efforts of escape, this way and that, slowly drew the arm upwards. It mouthed a silent scream in fright and tried to pull itself away. Suddenly a hand burst through the loose soil and grabbed the monkey's hand. The monkey dropped to the ground and scrambled over the fissure to the spot. It stared at one particular point that, every so often, showed the slightest movement to pique its curiosity. A mute nihonzaru, perched above, had remained and watched the scar intently. The clash that had actually caused it had frightened most of the wildlife away. A newly ploughed fissure looked like a black scar in the woodland sea of light it resembled a gaping gash in the flesh of the forest floor left by a monstrous creature of epic proportions. The flames silently danced among the ever-burning trees of the fabled fire forest.
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