“Until Sverik took a page from the snakes’ code of conduct and betrayed us all,” Hansa hissed, while the others nodded solemnly.
“I take responsibility for that. It was my shortcoming, not vetting him properly before allowing him into our group,” Draven replied, biting his lower lip.
“Don’t,” Jax interjected. “He isn’t under Azazel’s control. He is willingly committing treason against the people of Eritopia.”
Draven nodded once, as a sign of appreciation toward Jax. I liked the Mara. He kept a clear—though sometimes brutally honest—head. My gaze shifted from one ally to another, trying to get as much as I could from them in terms of emotions, without them realizing I was peeking inside their minds with my sentry abilities. Given the way Phoenix’s eyes glimmered slightly every other minute, I had a feeling he was doing the same thing. Jax watched both of us carefully, the shadow of a smile passing over his face.
“This is where we stand at present,” Draven continued. “Azazel is pushing two campaigns now, while looking for us. The last Druid citadel of Antara is about to fall, as he’s taken Marchosi and turned him into a Destroyer. The incubi of Green Stone are still putting up a fight, but they are no match for Azazel’s forces. At the same time, Azazel is pushing to occupy the twentieth planet of Eritopia, Maegaris. Most of his armies and the strongest of his Destroyers have been concentrated on that project. It won’t be long until Maegaris falls, as its Master Druid was assassinated ten years ago.”
“What about Azazel? Why is he still here, on Calliope?” Grezzi asked, scratching his stubbled beard while gazing at the map.
“His one weakness is his obsession for control. He tends to become reckless and desperate when he doesn’t get what he wants. Right now, he wants the Oracles,” Draven explained. “He’s already abducted one from our midst, but Bijarki is on his way to get her back as we speak.”
“How does he intend to do that, then?” asked Wren. “It’s one incubus against a castle full of Destroyers and traitors and Azazel’s dark spells.”
“Bijarki is in possession of an invisibility spell, which will help him extract Vita and bring her back to safety without being seen,” Draven replied. “The other two are here with us tonight. For those of you who have yet to meet them, I’d like to introduce you to Aida and Phoenix.”
Aida and my brother both nodded, while the others gave them a polite half-smile.
“Our fate seems to be in your hands.” Grezzi winked at Aida, and Field instinctively took her hand and brought himself an inch closer, enough for the incubus to understand that his natural charms were not to be aimed at her.
“Our key objective right now is to take advantage of the opening Azazel has left us, given his obsession with the Oracles,” Draven continued. “Up until recently, we also had the Daughters’ support, but, given their capricious nature, we cannot rely on them for the time being. They’ve taken their sister from my mansion and removed the protective shield that kept us hidden from Azazel. Fortunately, we were able to find crucial assistance here in Stonewall, thanks to Thorn, Rebel, and their Bajangs.”
The Bajang twins gave him a thankful nod, then resumed their own analysis of the allies gathered around the table. Everyone was watching everyone at that point, with a mixture of curiosity and wariness that never made it into words. These creatures had never been in the same room like this before, and for centuries had kept their distance from one another—nevertheless, they were united by a common goal, and I was just relieved to see they’d all made it.
“Stonewall also holds a massive collection of Druid archives, which my father was wise enough to preserve and transfer here when Azazel laid waste to Persea and tore the Grand Temple down. We were able to dig valuable information and spells from these registries, and have gathered enough knowledge to deliver a resounding blow to Azazel—the kind that will bring him to his knees if we all play our parts in this,” Draven continued. “So, this is what will happen next…”
His voice trailed off for a moment as he looked down at the map and moved a ship figurine from Stonewall to the western shore of Marton.
“The Green Tribe has several expectant mothers who require a safe home for the time being,” he said. “They’re nearly finished reconditioning one of the derelict ships in the harbor below, and will sail to Marton in the morning. Serena and I will join them, as we need to reach a hidden settlement on Onyx River, where we know of six Druids still alive, kept safe from Azazel. My Aunt Jasmine worked with the Grand Temple Druids to rescue them and bring them to Calliope. We will reach out to them and bring them into the fold, as they’re not aware of any alliance rising against Azazel.”
“How do you know there are Druids there?” Grezzi asked, raising an eyebrow.
“The Oracles did their part.” Draven gave him a dry smile, prompting Aida and Phoenix to glance at each other. “We need them for a direct assault on Azazel. Your people, your armies are required to deliver a full siege against Luceria, but we need as much Druid power as we can get to destroy Azazel. Up until recently, I thought I was the only one left. Turns out I was wrong, and that’s a very good thing, because it takes Druid magic to counteract Azazel’s spells and put up a good fight.”
“Good,” Tamara replied. “What do you want our armies to do, then?”
“The allies will bring their soldiers as close to Luceria as possible, and wait for our signal,” Draven said, pointing at several figurines arranged in a tight arc around Azazel’s castle. “I’ll leave it to you to decide who goes where, as you all know the terrain and your people’s capabilities. You will have to keep a low profile—there will be green fireflies everywhere as Azazel’s eyes. To this, we have found a solution.”
He brought out the swamp witches’ book, placing it on the table. The incubi, the Lamias, the succubi, and the imps who hadn’t seen it before stared at it with raised eyebrows.
“We have been digging through the swamp witches’ spell books, with a little help from the Daughter,” Draven added. “She left several notes in here that helped us translate a stunning spell. I’m not sure you’re all aware, but swamp witch magic can be invoked by anyone, as it functions on chemical formulas and the power of words. You will all receive instructions on how to prepare and use the spell against green fireflies, should you be forced to deal with them. We have most of the ingredients, and we’re going to send two of our Red Tribe succubi to gather specific crystal powders still needed.”
“That’s not necessary,” said one of the Imp leaders, a short and stocky creature reminding me of Middle Ages illustrations of small, devilish fiends eager to consume souls. This one, however, wore a smart dark green tunic and an off-white shirt, and seemed more interested in doing business. I couldn’t help but wonder how much of the human lore had been derived from occasional bumps between our universes. “We have all the powders you need at the Marketplace. I’ll send a message bird first thing in the morning and have whatever you need delivered here.”
“Thank you, Master Imp Joon. It is much appreciated,” Draven replied with a curt nod. “Now, on to the Oracles. Azazel will soon be left without the single most functioning Oracle in his possession, as Bijarki will take Vita away. Abrille is weak and can barely see anything these days, since she transferred most of her powers to Vita, Aida, and Phoenix while they were still in their mothers’ wombs. The other two Oracles he’s keeping are apparently comatose and will most likely die soon. While that is, in itself, sad, it bodes well for the alliance. The less Azazel knows about what we’re doing and the possible future, the better. Not only will it fuel his anger and make him prone to mistakes, but he will also be unable to anticipate many, if not all, of our moves.”
He paused then and looked at me, warmth emanating from him as he waited for me to continue the briefing. We’d talked about it the day before, as Draven had expressed a willingness for me to actively participate in the conversation, as a representative for our Oracles and tight-knit group. I saw it as an honor and had
agreed.
“What you should all know now is where Azazel gets his power.” I took over, keeping my chin high as I looked everyone in the eyes.
“We already know he’s drawing energy from the volcanoes,” Inon replied with a frown.
“Indeed, but that’s not all. Azazel has a young Daughter in his possession, from an egg he stole off Mount Agrith many decades ago. He forced her to hatch prematurely and is now draining her energy for his own use. Because of the Daughter’s young age, her powers are limited, which is why we believe she’s only being used as an energy source and nothing else,” I explained, and gave them a few seconds to process the information. They were all shocked, and I couldn’t blame them.
The Dearghs nodded slowly, grunting as they looked at each other.
“Since Vita and Bijarki will be leaving Luceria under the invisibility spell, we will instruct them to get the young Daughter as well,” I continued. “While she is in there, Vita is gathering intel on the Daughter’s whereabouts, so we’re looking to get two birds with one… invisible stone.”
Anjani stifled a smirk, as did Jovi, Zeriel, and Field. But Tamara was quick to ruin the mood.
“Do you have a contingency plan, in case Bijarki and Vita are caught trying to escape?” she asked.
I swallowed hard, not wanting to even think about the possibility. Jovi coughed lightly, drawing attention to himself.
“Draven and I spoke about this, actually,” he said. “Should Bijarki fail, I’ll take two of our mutated shifters to pose as Destroyers and have them sneak me into the castle. They’re smart and cunning enough to follow my lead, take basic orders, and help me secure infiltration and extraction for both Vita and the Daughter, especially since I have the castle plans and know every exit and corridor available, as well as the secret passages.”
“Ah, yes.” Grezzi pursed his lips. “What happened to those shifters, exactly, and why aren’t their rabid heads on a spike right now?”
“During our diversion to secure Draven and Serena’s escape, one of our own was left vulnerable and surrounded by shifters beyond the protective shield,” Anjani explained briefly. “The Daughter acted on impulse and influenced them. She did something to them that amplified their natural abilities and forced them into a mindless loyalty toward us. They’re the only reason we even made it out of there alive when the protective shield came down.”
“You know what?” Aida frowned, then looked at Jovi. “I’m not okay with you putting yourself in that kind of danger. You going into Azazel’s castle by yourself, without an invisibility spell, is downright insane.”
“I love you too, Sis, but this is war,” Jovi replied firmly. “We either cower and hide because we want our loved ones safe, or we stand the hell up and bring this fight to Azazel. I’ve had enough of hiding and keeping my head down. I can do this, and I need you to have faith in me.”
Aida took a deep breath and looked away. I could tell she still wasn’t okay with it, but Jovi was right. If we spent our time worrying about one another instead of tackling Azazel, we were never going to be safe, or see our families and The Shade again.
“Provided all goes according to plan up to this point,” Draven picked up from where I’d left off, “and provided the young Daughter and Vita are successfully removed from Luceria, Azazel will be more vulnerable without one of his power sources. But we will still have a lot of work to do before we can charge him head on. Besides the Daughter and the volcanoes, the primary source of Azazel’s power is Asherak’s soul.”
The new allies stilled, staring at Draven in disbelief. They’d all heard the legends, but they seemed to have a hard time believing they were true.
“That’s just an old wives’ tale,” said Joon the Imp. “Asherak died thousands of years ago!”
“I’m afraid he didn’t,” Draven replied. “By the time the Grand Temple Druids got to him, he’d already removed his soul from his body, stashing it inside a snake pendant. It’s been kept secret among the Master Druids for millennia. Unfortunately, it became a problem when Azazel was given the keys to the Kingdom of Purgaris and became a Master Druid himself. He was told of the pendant’s existence and killed the Master Druid who’d been assigned to guard it. Azazel has performed the Soul Fusion with it, and his being is now deeply tied to Asherak’s, which is how he’s become powerful enough to overthrow nineteen Kingdoms so far.”
The Dearghs grumbled, and Inon brought a hand up to his massive stone chin. Fires flickered in his eyes—they evoked sadness and determination, and his lips tightened into a thin line.
“This cannot go on any further,” he said. “We cannot allow Azazel to suckle the life out of an innocent little girl, and our volcanoes. It goes against everything in this world, and it’s a slap in all our faces if he’s already conjuring so much power from Asherak’s curse. We will no longer stand for this.”
“What do you wish to do, then?” Draven asked.
“We will resort to a measure we’ve never had to consider before,” he replied, his voice lower than usual. “It’s a painful and temporary solution, but it will give you the opening you need to launch a direct attack against Azazel. We will sacrifice a Deargh for each active volcano. Six of our brothers will give their lives to put the volcanoes into a state of deep sleep, dimming the energy they emanate and weakening Azazel’s power source. The volcanoes will not die, as that would mean the end of all Dearghs, but their slumber will render us weak, unable to draw energy from our homes.”
“But that means you won’t be able to fight, right?” I asked, pained by the drastic proposal.
“We will, but we will have a limited amount of energy to work with,” Zur replied. “The fire burning through us now will be enough to lay waste to a considerable number of Destroyers, but we will not be able to replenish our strength afterward. It will put us in a state of hibernation, and we will no longer be able to move, but Azazel will be weak enough for you to finish the job.”
“Without the Daughter and our volcanoes, Azazel will only be left with Asherak’s soul,” Inon added. “It should be enough for you, your group, and the Marton Druids to take the pendant away from him and kill him. This is a sacrifice we are willing to make in order to ensure that Azazel is vanquished once and for all.”
I felt tears creeping up to my eyes as I watched Zur place a heavy and consoling hand on Inon’s shoulder. Their selflessness was truly extraordinary and downright touching, but my pain also stemmed from the notion of “taking the pendant away” from Azazel, since I knew that involved putting Draven at risk of getting consumed by Asherak’s darkness. Despite what I’d said to him earlier, I wasn’t yet sure how I was going to save him if he took Asherak’s curse into himself. I just rejected the notion of killing him afterward.
I swallowed my tears and took a deep breath, looking at Draven. He threw me a sideways glance filled with sadness and regret before he focused on the others around the table.
“Someone will have to send a signal out to the allied armies, then,” he said. “Once the volcanoes are down and the young Daughter is out, the siege on Luceria can begin.”
“I’ll do it.” Field raised his hand, prompting Aida to open her mouth and object, but he wouldn’t budge. “I’ll take two of the shifters with me, to take on my appearance and distract the hostile ground forces. We’ll fly out and give the signal to all warrior groups so they can begin the siege.”
The allies nodded their agreement, then glanced at the map.
“Many of the incubi who have sworn allegiance to Azazel will die in the process,” Grezzi said. “Let’s hope that just as many will be smart enough to turn their weapons on Luceria once they see how many of the free nations have risen against Azazel.”
“Grezzi has a point,” Hansa added. “The majority do not wish to fight their own people but need incentive. They need hope. So, when we charge, we do it in full force and show that we cannot be taken down so easily.”
“And as the assault takes place, Serena and I will
go straight for Azazel,” Draven continued.
“What, just the two of you?” Phoenix asked incredulously.
“It’s for the best,” I said. “Draven and I talked about it the other day. There’s no point in putting you all at risk when we can take him on, along with the young Druids. We won’t be on our own.”
“Yeah… No,” Aida interjected bluntly, her lips pursed. “It’s bad enough I have to see my brother infiltrate a castle full of Destroyers, and Field fly out, dodging poisoned spears. I’m not letting my best friend go to hell alone. We are coming, Serena. We can fight with you.”
“Aida, I—”
“Nope,” she stopped me. “Nope. There is no way I’m letting you go after Azazel without me.”
“Or me, for that matter.” Phoenix lifted an eyebrow. “Or Vita! What, you think she’ll just stand by and chill once Bijarki brings her back? You must be joking! That girl can’t wait to set the bastard’s hair on fire! No, we’re all in this together. And the more of us, the better. Azazel cannot have a single second of respite.”
“We must strike from all angles, Serena,” Aida persisted.
I didn’t know what to say. Neither did Draven, though at least he gave them a slight nod in response.
“They’re right,” Jax said. “The more of us, the better. You have my sword, as well.”
“Mine too,” Hansa chimed in with a confident smirk.
“And let’s not forget me.” Anjani winked and patted the sword hanging from her belt.
“No, you’re staying out of this.” Hansa twisted to face her sister, who refused to yield.
“Nope.” Anjani held her ground.
A minute-long glaring competition followed before Hansa clicked her teeth and shrugged.