Defiance Rising

THIRTY-THREE

  From my high vantage point, I strain to watch as Bastien leaps from rooftop to rooftop. His dismissal stings far more than I would like to admit. It’s my fault though. I was a fool to beg him to take me back when I had no right to ask for such a thing. Nothing has changed. My destiny remains, as does my vow to be with Eamon.

  Even as the pain of Bastien’s rejection floods into my heart, I know that if given the chance to do it all again, I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m not strong enough to live without Bastien. I know that now. The question is…how long will he be able to hold out?

  And what of Eamon? Can I really crush him yet again? I close my eyes and fight back the guilt that crashes over me. I never meant to hurt him. I wish there was another way.

  I duck low as the hum of Sky Ships rises into the air, echoing down the long streets that lead to the heart of the city. Moving into position, I peer over the rooftop ledge to see spider drones patrolling the streets. Fear settles into my stomach as I search for my friends among the mass of aliens.

  There is no way we can win this war…not without my powers.

  The sun beats down on me, warming the black roof so I hardly notice the chill in the air. An eerie silence falls over the City, a calm before the storm.

  In the distance, a building explodes in a cloud of brick dust. Black clad soldiers race down the street, chasing after a figure that blurs out of sight as soon as he hits the main street. Toren.

  My fingers dig into the metal ledge as I watch flashes of red light up the streets before me. Brym leads a small group of soldiers down a side street, pausing to slap small devices onto the walls before racing away. Seconds pass and a ripple of explosions rocks the eastern quadrant.

  To the south, a black cloud approaches at an impossible speed. I blink, shielding my eyes to see that it is not a cloud, but an enormous flock of birds. Once they reach the Shard, they circle overhead, cawing loudly before dive-bombing on the aliens below. The Squaddie’s screams rise over the birds’ cries as red laser beams shoot wildly through the air. Wolves, coyotes and mountain lions attack from the north, barreling past my building to tear down anyone in their path.

  Beus and Brym lead a sneak attack on the Shard’s courtyard but are held back until the birds finish their battle. To the west of the Shard, I spy Bastien leaping from building to building, drawing fire away from where Zahra and Aminah huddle. Toren blurs into sight and disappears with Aminah in his arms. I search for him until I see him reappear a few blocks over. He deposits Aminah with Eamon and races back for Zahra.

  He never makes it.

  A spider drone blasts through a building one block between them. I watch in horror as Toren tries to slow as the building tumbles down upon him, but he slams into the debris with enough force to knock the air out of him.

  “No!” I shout. I slam my palm against the railing in frustration.

  Anger bores into my chest as I watch my friends struggling to survive. They won’t last long outnumbered like this.

  I rise and pace the rooftop, desperate to join in the fight. My steps falter as Aminah’s shriek pierces through my mind. Illyria! Help us!

  I race back to the ledge, searching for any sign of my friend. I cry out when I see that a Squaddie has Aminah slung over his shoulder and two others drag an unconscious Eamon through the double doors of the Shard.

  A gust of wind blows my hair over my face and I turn to find a battered Toren limping my way. “Toren!”

  His knees give out on him as he falls to the roof. I rush to his side, pulling his head into my lap. A deep gash oozes over his eye, the blood blurring his vision. “Oh God! You’re hurt!”

  “They knew our plans. Drakon must have pulled them out of Kyan.” He grunts, cradling his ribs. “We can’t win.”

  “I know. I’ve been watching. Where is everyone else?”

  “I don’t know.” His face pinches with pain. “I haven’t seen Bastien or Eamon. Zahra was gone when I finally got around the debris. I think she’s going after Kyan.

  “Eamon?” My brow furrows with confusion. “You don’t know?”

  He rises up onto his elbow. “What?”

  I glance away, toward the Shard. Aminah’s screams linger in my mind. “Aminah and Eamon were captured.”

  Toren jerks upright, wincing at the pain in his side but determined to go after her. I push him back. “You can’t help her. Not like this.”

  He opens his mouth to protest but nods. “Then she needs your help.”

  “You know I can’t. I don’t have my powers.”

  “Then find them!” He roars. “For all we know, Drakon is torturing Aminah just like he did Kyan. I can’t…” he gulps. “You have to stop him.”

  I lean back from him as my doubt swells. “What if I can’t?”

  Toren’s expression is grim as he turns to look at me. “Then we are all going to die.”

  “No pressure then,” I mutter as I push up to my feet and begin pacing. I have no idea how to tap into my powers. I never have. How does one flip a switch when there is none to be found?

  “Bastien.”

  I turn back. “What did you say?”

  “He’s your trigger,” Toren grunts as he tries to rise to his feet. Sweat glistens on his forehead as he wavers, but remains upright. “You have to think of him.”

  “It’s not that easy. Just thinking of him isn’t enough. I have to see...” I trail off as I spin to search the rooftops. The City is vast, spanning numerous miles. It would be nearly impossible to find him on a normal day, but his acrobatics have created quite a stir among the Sky Ships.

  I squint, raising my hands to block the sun as I watch a tiny figure in the distance leap from a rooftop and slap the underside of a Sky Ship. Red lasers charge as he coils in midair and shoots off. I hear the boom of the blast seconds after the ship erupts into a fiery ball, plummeting to the earth.

  “Watch out!” I scream uselessly as the shockwave catches up to Bastien, slamming him to the rooftop of a lower building. I rise up onto my tiptoes, searching for any movement through the cloud of smoke, but I see none.

  I watch, praying that he will shoot out of the smoke to go play chicken with another Sky Ship, but he never appears.

  The trembling begins in my fingers, radiating swiftly up my forearms and into my shoulders. Like an uncontained explosion, rage spills into every cell within my body as three Sky Ships converge on Bastien.

  Images suddenly invade my mind, driving me to my knees as Aminah calls out to me. Drakon has Eamon!

  I can see Eamon lying unconscious on the floor. His hair is bloody and matted to his forehead. His left cheek is swollen and a bruise has begun to form on his jaw. His breathing is labored as his back contorts, his face pinched with agony.

  He’s been like that since Drakon started digging around in his mind. He’s still breathing, but he’s in bad shape, Illyria. He needs your help.

  I curl my fingers around the metal railing. It groans under the pressure as it molds to my fingers. “Whoa!” Toren cries, pulling my hands away to inspect the damage. “How did you do that?”

  I ignore him, focusing on the surge of energy coursing through my body. My hands shake as they rise up beside me and the air crackles with energy. Rage crashes against me in unrelenting waves, each time building in intensity.

  My body quakes and my teeth chatter as I rise up onto my tiptoes. I gasp for breath as my skin begins to burn. Power swells in my chest. “It’s too much,” I cry as currents of agony flood my body. “I can’t control it!”

  Toren backs away until his spine presses against the roof access door. His fingers curl around the door handle, ready to run.

  Calm down. You can handle this.

  “Kyan?” I scream aloud.

  Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Let the Shadow come.

  I’m scared! It’s too strong this time. I don’t know i
f I can─

  You can. You were born for this moment. His voice is strong, confident.

  I close my eyes and try to think past the pain. The whispers have risen to riotous jeering in my mind. The Shadow waits just on the edge, waiting, watching.

  Command it to come to you.

  How?

  You will know.

  I sink within my mind, imaging myself on a beach. The water is crystal blue, the skies cloudless and the sound of palm trees swaying lazily in the air soothes my mind. I look to the distance and see thunderous, rolling black clouds rampaging toward me. I dig my feet in and hold my ground as it approaches.

  The Shadow blocks out the light and I plummet into complete darkness. Only the forks of white lighting that hit the churning water light my vision. Fear cripples me.

  I raise my hands overhead and throw my head back, staring the Shadow head on. You are not in control of me!

  My face brightens with brilliant white as a streak of lightning slams into me. My chest burns and my lungs collapse in on themselves as I’m consumed with pain. I cry out as the fire sears my flesh. Tears cascade from my eyes as I struggle to remember to breathe, to think.

  Fight for Bastien, Kyan calls through my rising screams.

  I bring my hands to my chest and draw the lightning away, balling it into my hands. The clouds overhead roar as thunder crashes all around. I close my hand over the lightning, sealing out all light as I absorb the energy. I clamp down on my jaw as violent tremors send me crashing to the ground.

  “Illyria!”

  Opening my eyes, I look up to see Toren kneeling above me. He reaches out for me, but jerks his hand back as an arch of energy zaps him. “What happened to you?”

  I rise slowly, holding my head in my hands. “I think I just joined myself with the Shadow.”

  “Is that a good thing?” he asks hesitantly.

  “I guess we will find out.” I place my hands on the ground and flip up to my feet. The movement is effortless.

  Well done, Kyan calls weakly. Believe that you are invincible and you will be.

  “Uh, Illyria…?”

  I turn to look at Toren. “What?”

  “Your hair…it’s black.”

  I lift my hair off my shoulder, filtering the obsidian stands through my fingers. I let the strands slip through my fingers.

  “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad look it’s just…freaky,” Toren says, averting his gaze. His eyes widen with fright as he raises a finger to point directly behind me.

  My hair whips around my face as I turn to see a Sky Ship bearing down on us. Toren grabs my arm and yanks me toward the door. “Run!”

  “No,” I shake him off. I walk toward the ledge and wait for the ship to approach. It’s laser core swirls as the cannons charge. “I’m not running anymore.”

  Energy ripples along my skin. I feel alive and deadly. I grin as the crimson laser slams into my chest. It knocks me back a step as it spreads along the length of my body, curling around me with blistering heat. I lean my head back and breathe deeply as the heat sinks into my flesh, completely absorbed. My mind is abuzz with the added energy.

  I lower my head and grin. “I guess Kyan was right.”

  “How did you do that?” Toren calls from the open rooftop door.

  “I’m invincible.” I stretch out my hands, curling my fingers inward like claws. The ship shreds down the middle, spiraling to the ground in a rain of sparks and molten metal. The explosion rocks the building.

  Toren limps quickly to my side. “I’m not even going to ask.”

  “Come here,” I command, holding out my hand. He stops beside me, eyes open in wonder as I press my hands to his chest. Healing warmth glows instantly from my fingers. He gasps as the cracks in his ribs mend.

  The glow fades and I pull back my hands. “Better?”

  “Yeah, but didn’t that weaken you?”

  I grin. “Not this time.”

  Toren looks past me toward the building where Bastien fell. “You need to go after him. I’ll go after Aminah.”

  “You won’t be able to get through,” I warn.

  He offers me a sad smile. “I have to try. Get to Bastien and then help Zahra with Kyan. I’ll hold the fort until you arrive.”

  “I’ll get there as soon as I can.” I clasp Toren on the back. “You want a lift?”

  “Nah, I’m good. Just go.”

  I turn and race for the edge, ignoring Toren’s cry of alarm as I leap into the sky. The air whips around me as I dive off the building and fly down the main street. I stay low to remain under the Sky Ship’s radar until I reach Bastien.

  The broken buildings blur past as I tear down the streets. Below me, soldiers whip their guns up to shoot at me, but their laser beams fall far behind. I throw out my arms and veer down two blocks before shooting straight toward the four-story brick apartment building where Bastien fell.

  Three Sky Ships hover over the building, but their lasers remain dark. This worries me. If Bastien is alive, he won’t still be on that rooftop. A flash of red to my right sends me spiraling through the open window of an apartment and straight through the opposite side. I curl around the edge of the building and come up on the backside of a spider drone. It’s laser cannon scans the skies for me.

  Dipping low, I grab hold of one of its back legs and yank it into the sky. My mind screams that this should be impossible, but I hardly feel the weight of the machine. As I clear the top of the roofline, I spy Bastien’s crumpled shape in the middle of a Caldonian circle. The soldiers are approaching cautiously.

  I grit my teeth and launch the drone straight at the nearest Sky Ship’s starboard engines. The Caldonians on the rooftop scatter as the ship collides in mid-air with another. In a cloud of fire and smoke, the drone plummets to the ground.

  The third ship is forced to retreat half a block and is quickly engaged by a ground force I can’t see. Perhaps Brym and Beus have made it to this section of the city.

  I land on the roof beside Bastien in a crouch. I slowly rise, spreading my feet wide to face off with the recovering Caldonians.

  “Get the girl!”

  I turn at the vicious snarl that rises from my left. “You!”

  Scar Face struggles to maintain an air of authority as his men retreat, leaving him alone to face off with me. “You got lucky the first time, girl.”

  “My friend convinced me not to chase after you. Unfortunately for you, he’s not here right now.” With a flick of my wrist, I slam Scar Face into the railing and press him back so that he’s dangling head first toward the ground. “Where is Kyan?”

  “I’m not telling you anything,” he grunts.

  I drop him a foot and grin at his pathetic scream. “I’m only going to ask one more time. After that, I will give your men the same opportunity. I’m sure one of them will be more than happy to help.”

  “You kill me and Drakon will take pleasure in shredding your mind!”

  “I do like a challenge,” I call over my shoulder as I release my hold on him. His screams ricochet between the brick buildings before abruptly cutting off as he hits the ground.

  I turn and face the remaining seven men. Only three of them are daring enough to raise their lasers at me. “I need to know where my friend is being kept. If you tell me, I will let you live.”

  A young boy steps forward. “I will help you, and so will these men.” He points to three other soldiers who have their lasers lowered to the ground. “We are a part of Kyan’s Rising.”

  I narrow my eyes at the boy. Although he looks to be only a year or two younger than me, I see great wisdom in his young eyes. “What’s your name?”

  “Carleon, Son of Drabis.”

  “Why have I never seen you before, Carleon?”

  He drops his gaze. “Kyan felt it best for me to remain behind.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m too young,”
he mutters.

  My gaze flickers toward the three men who hold lasers pointed at me in their trembling hands. I reach out and mentally snatch their weapons from their hands. I squeeze my hand into a fist and the guns crumple inward. “Go. Leave the City and I will let you live.”

  The men scramble for the door, slamming it behind them. I turn toward Carleon and his men, each laying their weapons on the ground in submission as I approach. I reach out and touch Carleon on the shoulder. “War does not care what age you are, and neither do I. Can you fight?”

  “Yes,” he nods. I look beyond him at the other three soldiers who nod enthusiastically. “Then you’re going to need your weapons.”

  They grin and pick them back up, their lasers humming to life. “Switch to stun. There has been enough death here today.”

  I turn and look back toward Bastien. “Where is Kyan being held?”

  “In the courtyard of the Shard, but you can’t get there from here,” Carleon says.

  I drop down beside Bastien, grateful to see the steady rise and fall of his chest. He’s alive. “Can I trust you with this man’s safety?”

  Carleon puffs up his chest as the men form a half circle around me. “With our lives.”

  Tears slip down my cheeks as I stare down at Bastien, smoothing the hair away from his face. He is covered with bruises and his legs are broken in several places. Lifting his shirt, I wince at the sight of blood pooling in his belly, just below his skin.

  I let my eyes fall shut and summon the healing fires. They come fast and bright and the golden glow spreads along Bastien’s body. The cuts and bruises begin to fade and his abdomen returns to flesh color. I sink back onto my knees, breathing hard.

  “You’re a healer?” Carleon gasps. “And you can fly?”

  I push up to my feet, feeling slightly weakened by the second healing. “I can do far more than that.”

  Rising up onto the rooftop ledge, I turn back. “Get him somewhere safe and don’t let him leave. I will come back for him once I’m done with Drakon.”

  “Be careful,” Carleon warns. “Commander Drakon is a Mind Bender. He has been trained, as Aloysius’ second in command. Don’t underestimate him.” I nod, casting one last glance down at Bastien before I leap from the rooftop.