* * *
“They’re beautiful.” Muda told him.
Alkorn had returned to the main camp. The battle raged on, and so he ignored the question, and got a report from Erik.
“You have done well.” He told Muda as soon as Erik finished.
“It was the plans we made together.” Muda replied.
“In part, but your decisions and adaptability are what have brought us this far.”
Sophia smiled for a moment, proud, but her smile quickly faded. Behind Alkorn a dark spot plummeted towards the earth.
“Archers!” She screamed. “Above us!”
Within moments a hundred bows were strung and drawn.
“Loose!” Sophia cried out.
And hundreds of arrows flew through the air, bouncing useless off the hardened body of the descending god. Alkorn dove in front of Sophia and Muda to protect them. The black spot soon became a recognizable as human-like, and gracefully landed on the ground.
“You must be Ibalize.” Alkorn said.
Ibalize smiled. "You are the one who slew my brother. You did not have wings before."
“A gift from the goddess.” Alkorn replied.
“Unlikely.” Ibalize grasped the shards in his hands. “You stole his power. Now I will take it from you.” Ibalize launched forward, but Alkorn was just as fast. He raised his sword to block the shards, and the two struggled in combat. Ibalize struck high and low in quick succession, trying to find Alkorn's weaknesses, but Alkorn answered in turn. Neither landed a single blow.
Alkorn was still clumsy with his wings, and so Ibalize took to the air. Alkorn hesitated a moment, then followed after. The tow darted back and forth, Ibalize making sudden strikes at Muda and Sophia, but Alkorn intercepting and pushing the enraged god back.
It could have gone on like this for days, if Gloria had not appeared with Yaros and his parents. Ibalize saw them and charged towards the ground, landing with a shard to Gloria's throat.
“You!” Ibalize screamed at Gloria. “I killed you.”
He turned to his brother. “And I saw you die.” He stuttered.
“Left me to die would be more accurate, brother.” Yaros spat. “You always were too hasty.”
“Shards are for bards, it’s in the cards!” Gloria danced away, giggling to herself. Everyone watched her for a moment, then Solaris spoke.
“The shards do not kill, at least not by themselves. They are a gateway for power, giving and taking at the will of the bearer. We used our own shard to revive Gloria after your coward's attack.” She looked truly disappointed.
“Enough!” Ibalize cried out, and dove towards Gloria, shards raised.
Yaros snatched the shard from his mother’s hand and stepped in front of her, his own weapon bared, and blocked the attack.
“Brother!” Ibalize pleaded. “Together we can still win this.”
Yaros smiled, his brightness twisting. “Together?” He asked. “It was never supposed to be together.” He twisted, and rammed the shard into his brother’s throat.
The power came like a torrent, slamming into Yaros and almost knocking him from his feet. As it rushed into him his body began to twist. The bright light that he once held disappeared and his body turned black. His flesh bubbled and spikes burst through the skin.
Ibalize was powerless to fight him off, but Muda charged in, sword drawn. He jumped and drove his sword into the Ibalize's back. Muda gritted his teeth and plunged the sword in again and again, each time he was hit with a burst of the power. Ibalize tried to throw Muda away, but found the young king grown powerful. Muda made one final thrust and Ibalize's power also flowed into him and he began to grow stronger.
Sophia screamed, and tried to rush towards him, but she was thrown away. Finally, Yaros himself reached out, and threw Muda down to the ground, forcing the sword out of his screaming brother. Yaros stepped back, withdrawing the shard, and watched as his brother fell to the ground. He stared down at Ibalize for a moment, then grabbed him with two massive claws, and ripped him in half.
Diablos and Solaris screamed in terror as their favored son threw down the broken pieces of his brother.
“What have you done!?” Diablos begged of him.
Yaros smiled. “What I always intended to do. Did you think I would let that simpleton command me?”
He turned towards Alkorn. “I will spare you, but your king must die.”
Sophia turned towards her husband, and watched his body continue to shudder, trying to deal with the energies that it had just absorbed. She pulled herself to him
Sophia did not hesitate, she grasped the necklace given to her by her mother, and channeled fire into it. The fire twisted, and changed into an infinity of colors, then struck Yaros hard in the chest.
Muda saw his wife attacking this new enemy. He picked up his sword once again, and charged forward, striking with his newly gained strength. Energy began to creep towards him again, but Muda turned it back, and forced it into Yaros with all the force he could muster. Alkorn saw Muda's efforts and lurched forward to help. He thrust in his own shard, then doubled back the energy.
Yaros screamed as the power streamed through him. What had previously been ecstasy turned into agony. His body raged, and he let loose a final scream, and then was consumed.
With his final breath he shrieked. “This is not the end.” Then slumped to the ground and faded away in a burst of ash and cinder.
Epilogue
Diablos waited behind with Solaris. They watched the last of the smoke that had been their son evaporated.
“What do we do now?” Diablos asked her.
Solaris had no answer. She turned to her husband, and grasped him.
“The mortals have two of the shards.” Diablos said.
“They have proven worthy guardians thus far.” She responded. “They will rebuild, and then we can speak with them of the fate of the harp.”
“And the dark ones?”
“That is a worry for another day.”
They held each other for a moment longer, then left to once again hide the shards.
* * *
Muda tightened his hold on Sophia as they lay in the dark. It had been several months since the confrontation with Yaros and Ibalize, and life had begun to return to normal. Sophia would soon have to return to Sikeran, and see to her own country, but for now they had each other.
Muda knew the war was not over. They would need to learn more about the shards, and what they could do. They would need to share this knowledge with what remnants of humanity remained. But for now they would rebuild, and when they were ready they would speak with the gods as equals.
* * *
Alkorn stayed with his king and queen for a while, but felt ever anxious. Yaros’ final words stuck with him. Finally, he chose to journey again through the tear, to see what more he could learn. Erik and they gryphon riders went with him.
* * *
Gloria looked into the entrance of her cave. “Well, at least that’s over.” She said to herself. “I wonder if there are any chickens left….”
About the Authors
Ayesha Huggins
Ayesha Huggins writes novels and short stories for individuals and businesses that wishes to capture entertaining and captivating content for their publishing companies or businesses. Her ghost written novels have left satisfied employers in her wake. She is currently working on a fantasy novel- the rising to be published under the same name.
A fantasy and romance author, she combines her storytelling skills with her overactive imagination to produce a captivating read.
Matthew Ariss
Matthew grew up in Alberta, Canada where he studied English literature at the University of Calgary. He then made his way through a good chunk of Asia, writing as he went. He is currently working on his first solo novel, as well as a graphic novel with his old friend Garett Marks. He enjoys video game design, running and craft beers.
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