Wicked War of Mine (Overworld Chronicles Book 9) (35 page)

I heard his bones crack. He screamed like a little girl.

The carpet refused to let go of my foot. Qualan resumed punching like a schoolyard bully. He had no technique. Once he'd come to Eden, he'd probably never seen the use in learning hand-to-hand techniques since he was so powerful with magic. My girlfriend had not only kicked my ass multiple times during sparring, she'd also shown me how to get out of sticky situations like this.

I thrust my elbow up to block another punch and slammed my huge fist into the sensitive nerves in Qualan's solar plexus. His eyes bulged. His face turned crimson and he gasped. I pressed my palm to the carpet and channeled a burst of Murk. It thrust me upright and sent Qualan sprawling. My foot ripped out the section of carpet holding it, leaving a hole. The shred of carpet released its grip and fluttered away in the wind.

The starry night sky surrounded us. I saw flashes of light from the battle far below. Our malfunctioning carpet had carried us hundreds of feet into the air. The circular pattern on the carpet where the driver usually stood was in flames. I smothered the blaze with Murk and stood on the charred spot, hoping I could control the carpet, but it was too badly damaged.

"Kill you," Qualan said, his voice thick. Blood matted dark hair to his face and one of his eyes was swollen with a purple bruise. "Just like your woman."

Even though his words were difficult to understand thanks to his swollen tongue, I understood him just fine. I didn't say a thing. I shielded myself as he predictably tried to hit me with every ounce of destruction he could muster. The energy flowed around my barrier. He was obviously weakening, but deep in my bones, I felt exhaustion creeping in too. Qualan pressed his attack with a roar. I reinforced my shield and felt it wavering.

Sweat beaded on my forehead and trickled into my eyes. I dropped to one knee. Qualan staggered. His aim flew wide. With a pathetic fizzle, his death beam sputtered and faded.

I forced myself to my feet and walked toward him. The feat grew more difficult since, at that moment, the carpet decided to spin out of control. I grabbed Qualan by the throat. He snarled and managed a weak grasp on the collar of my armor. The stars blurred around us like a kaleidoscope.

"Who do you think you are to kill a god?" Qualan croaked.

My black talons drew blood from his neck. I tried to squeeze the life out of him, but my hands hardly responded. His head lolled and recovered. Summoning all my hate, anger, and rage at this murderer, I pressed a finger to his chest. "Who do I think I am?" I bared my teeth. "My name is Justin Slade."

I shot a thin beam of Brilliance into his chest. "You tried to kill the woman I love."

He tried to slap my hand away but I blocked with my elbow. His blue tunic smoked. I smelled burning flesh.

"Prepare to die." I pushed with a final burst of will. Qualan howled in pain. His howl turned to a gurgle as the white ray burst from his back. He slumped forward against me.

My inner demon surged against its restraints. I was almost too tired to care.

I stepped back and let Qualan face-plant on the rug. A wisp of smoke rose from the hole in his back. "That's for Elyssa, you son of a bitch." I kicked his body over the side of the carpet and watched it fall. It made a nice splash in the mud hundreds of feet below.

My stomach rose in my throat as the carpet abruptly went into a steep dive, hitting terminal velocity in seconds. I held on with all my remaining strength and watched the battle grow larger. I'd soon be splatting into the bog right next to Qualan. From this height, the mud might as well be concrete. The carpet went completely limp and folded up around me until I couldn't see a thing.

This is a really embarrassing way to die.

I clawed through the carpet. Without the enchantment protecting it from damage, it quickly fell away in tatters. I was about to be a demonic pancake. Only one desperate chance presented itself. I unfurled my wings and drew upon all the aether in the sky around me. With a burst of will, I channeled everything into my wings. They caught the air. My descent slowed ever so slightly.

Gritting my pointy teeth, I leashed more power to my wings and willed myself to levitate. I slowed almost to a stop a hundred feet or so off the ground.

I would have shouted something celebratory, but all my strength abruptly abandoned me. My wings puffed into sparkling mist. My head lolled. I fell.

Ultraviolet webs wrapped around my torso. Nightliss and Lanaeia swooped in on their carpet and arrested my fall. I subdued my inner demon and shrank back to normal size as they gently lowered me to solid ground. My knees gave way and I slumped on the grass.

Phoebe and Kanaan stood over me.

"That was beyond impressive." Phoebe looked at me in open astonishment. "A demon with angel wings?"

Kanaan gave me a look of respect. "I have never seen its like."

"Can you help me?" My voice sounded weak. "I've fallen and I can't get up."

They each gripped one of my hands and pulled me to my feet. Before I slumped again, they hoisted my arms over their shoulders.

My gaze rested on the lake of mud that had once been a pasture. Grass and dirt mixed with dark blood. Hundreds of bodies lay in the bog. Many were Seraphim, but I counted plenty of Templars as well. I saw Qualan's legs sticking up from the mud. His blue tunic and white leggings made the sight even more ridiculous. I imagined his head must have speared into the ground. If I'd had the strength, I would've waded out and taken a selfie with him behind me and posted it on the Overnet for all to see.

The Seraphim army lay in ruins, but there was one important person missing.

"Where is Daelissa?" I asked.

"She retreated with the rest of her army," Kanaan said. "Our forces were unable to pursue."

"We'll get her," Phoebe said. "I wish I could say we won this battle, but the truth is, both sides lost."

Shelton's worried face filled my view. "Holy barf muffins, man. You look even worse than before."

"Thanks, bro." It was all I could do to keep my head upright.

"You have an awful bedside manner, Harry," Bella said in a chiding tone. She pressed a hand to my face. "Healers are on the way, Justin."

"I just need a bath and some sleep." I said.

Shelton sniffed the air and waved a hand in front of his nose. "Whew. You got that right."

Nightliss and Lanaeia joined the others. Nightliss pressed a hand to my chest. Her green eyes widened with worry. "Justin, you're far past your limit. You must rest this instant."

I was about to make a smart remark when my head grew so heavy I could hardly hold it upright. I heard Nightliss commanding someone to put me on a cot and then the world blissfully faded away.

Chapter 31

Daelissa

How did this happen? How did he beat me?

Daelissa led a weary and defeated army back to Thunder Rock. Despite the number of human houses and businesses in the area, the way back seemed as devoid of life now as it had during their march to the Borathen compound. She suspected the Custodians had something to do with it. No doubt Templar scouts had discovered her plans to feed the army on humans while traversing the city the humans called Atlanta.

Qualan was gone. The last she'd seen, he was battling the Slade boy on her flying carpet. Over a hundred Seraphim soldiers had perished. Many who'd survived the ferocious attack in the bog had lost their armor and swords. Fifty or so still had theirs, but she would have to send back to Seraphina for replacement equipment.

Daelissa looked at Skazaeleus, with whom she shared the carpet she now rode on. "I need more soldiers."

"You will have them, Divinity." He bowed. "As I told you, the mass of my troops were stationed in the far reaches of the empire to protect against the Darklings."

She gripped his chin and jerked his gaze to meet hers. "If we'd had them, we would have crushed the resistance tonight."

"My apologies, Divinity." He dropped to a knee. "They will be here soon. Even now, those stationed near the ruined city of Azhka will be coming through the Alabaster Arch there. Its location coincides with Thunder Rock in this realm."

Daelissa pushed his face away and looked forward. "I need more than troops. I need someone who can lead them effectively."

"The troops stationed in Zbura have grown soft over the years." Skazaleus's voice took on a whining tone. "Primarion Coifious was assigned as a political favor and has little battle knowledge. I promise you that Primarion Arturo has far more experience. He will not let you down."

"He had best not," Daelissa said in her coldest tone.

Tovaard flew over on his carpet and bowed. "Divinity, our controllers are opening omniarch portals to take us back to Thunder Rock." As he spoke, gateways shimmered open in front of the troops. "Halt!" Tovaard cried out. The soldiers below stopped. Tovaard bowed again. "Almighty Divinity, the gateway to Thunder Rock awaits you."

"At least one of my servants is not worthless." Daelissa kicked Skazaeleus off the carpet. He yelped and fell onto the soldiers below. Daelissa looked at him over the edge. "I saw how you cowered away from the fight." She would have channeled a sphere of Brilliance to accompany her words, but the fight with Nightliss and Slade had left her sorely drained. "If you hold back like that again when your Divinity is in peril, I will kill you myself."

Skazaeleus pushed himself up, but kept his head bowed low. "My apologies, Divinity. I would have joined the battle, but—"

"Shut your mouth, you craven fool." Daelissa guided her carpet into the gateway and back to Thunder Rock. She flew from the control room and out into the main way station. The place was filled with non-Seraphim troops. Red Cell vampires camped in one corner. Her remaining battle mages had erected temporary dwellings on the opposite side. There were few Synod Templars here as they now reinforced the most important Obsidian Arch way stations she needed to control in order to keep the cancerous resistance from spreading.

Very few Nazdal remained. Before the battle at the Grand Nexus, Serena had attuned the nexus to Sturg and summoned several hundred of them. Most had been killed during the battle. "How does the boy keep winning?" she asked herself as she took the carpet down a long corridor where enslaved Darklings used their abilities to carve more space for Daelissa's troops.

The creatures bowed their heads as she passed. If she'd possessed any remaining strength, she would have struck one of them down just to sate the anger boiling in her veins.

Daelissa went to her private chambers, a grand room rivalling even that of Skazaeleus's chambers in his palace. Only a few hundred paces down the corridor from this room, an underground river flowed. The Darklings had carved a trench into the rock, creating a large pool in the room. Daelissa snapped her fingers. A young human woman appeared from the adjoining servants' room and bowed.

"Warm the water," Daelissa commanded.

The woman obeyed without a word. She powered on an aether generator, which sent heated currents into the water. When the water began to steam, Daelissa threw off her filthy rags and stepped into the water. The woman approached with soap and rags.

"Shall I wash you, Divinity?" she asked.

"Of course, you fool." She halted the woman with a look. "But first, ring the bell and have them bring me sustenance."

The woman looked at the floor. "Yes, Divinity." She walked to a rope, tugged it. A bell chimed. Seconds later, two men dragged another man into the chamber. He squirmed and squealed like a pig. Apparently, he already knew what was going to happen to him. From her comfortable position in the steaming bath, she raised her hand toward him. In order to replenish her energy, he would only be the first of many.

Kjoeriss appeared in Daelissa's doorway as she finished eating a meal the human woman prepared for her. "Divinity, Primarion Arturo has arrived." The minister spoke in heavily accented English. "Shall I have him report to you?"

Daelissa flexed her aching hand and rose. "How many soldiers does he have with him?"

"A hundred archangels and three hundred soldiers."

"Archangels?" Skazaeleus had never mentioned them to her.

Minister Kjoeriss dropped to a knee. "At the risk of angering you, Divinity, I must admit that the soldiers Skazaeleus mustered were little more than city guards. The true army consists of archangels and infantry. Most of those units were stationed near the borders with the Darkling nation and took time to recall."

Daelissa felt her rage simmer. That fool who pretended to be emperor had lied to her. It was no wonder he'd been able to gather his troops so quickly.
The city guard?
She would make certain Skazaeleus saw action at the front lines during the next encounter. "I would see this army."

"As you wish." Kjoeriss led her to a waiting carpet.

They boarded it and flew back to the main way station. Before Daelissa had come to Eden, the Brightlings had little in the way of an army. The Seraphim Empire had spanned the known world and had no true enemies since the Darklings were kept firmly in their place. After Daelissa had overthrown the Trivectus and taken over as the Divinity, the Brightling army had tried to forcibly remove her in an ill-conceived coup. She, Qualan, Qualas, and others in her inner circle had handily destroyed the army and cemented Daelissa's rule.

After that, it seemed unnecessary to form another Brightling army, especially since she and her comrades had their own armies of human playthings. Daelissa was quite curious to discover what the Brightling military had evolved into during her long absence.

Now that she was somewhat rested, they had best not disappoint.

When at first she saw the neat rows of Seraphim infantry soldiers, they seemed not unlike the city guard. True, they stood a bit taller, and their weaponry varied, some consisting of long spears with slender black hafts and crystal blades at the end. Their swords were slightly shorter than those used by the guard. Rather than translucent armor, they wore what looked like black leather overlaid with thick padding on the shoulders and abdomen.