“It won’t be Ryker. He’s dealing with a situation created by the Light Fae mobilizing units againstGlacialis Arxto take Sylas—the shortsighted plan Temperance has now abandoned of using him to unmake his son. It triggered King Darethor sending a counterforce of Dark Fae to cut off the Light Fae, in order to protect Sylas and his family on Velra’s behalf.”
“Jesus Christ, it’s a complete shitshow.”
“When fear wins out over reason, this is often the result, yes. He has sent Guardians equipped with Bastion Gauntlets this way, but I’ll head them off now to keep further Celestial power away from Ruxnoth. I’ll have Ryker send them without. We can’t leave Draven and his people without backup.”
“No!” Dad called out. “Don’t bring more beings into this who will be damaged!”
“Draven!” Cornelius called back.
My dad looked absolutely devastated as he stared out at all of us, then turned back toward Cornelius in the distance and uttered the words that dragons just did not do well with, “We’ll retreat!”
Ruxnoth burst down from the sky, dematerialized his wings, then grabbed Cornelius by the throat and wrenched him off his feet. “Ah, Cornelius Martel, you interfering fool. How great you could have been if you’d carved out your own seat of power here when the Celestial Plane first ejected you. Instead, you became one of them, all these lessers down here, even capitulating to them, giving up your position as supreme leader of the supernatural world.”
“The foolish actions belong to you,” Cornelius rasped.
Ruxnoth snarled. “No one is evacuating. They will behold my glory.” He grinned with manic excitement. “You see, these are to be my first subjects, the beginning of my rule.”
Cornelius didn’t get to reply, to do a single thing, as Ruxnoth tossed him away with a burst of power so formidable now he was hopped up on Ariana’s power as well, that it ripped a hole in the fabric of the realm and sent Cornelius tearing through it.
“Holy shit,” Zayn choked.
The whole lot of us choked, gasped, fucking freaked, honestly.
Kai went to activate his Aetherbound Scepter again.
“Stay your hand!” Dad boomed over to him.
Kai looked out at him, hesitating. He didn’t like retreating either.
“I need that spell you discussed with Cornelius. That needs to be the focus, Kai.”
I saw Kai grit his teeth, but then nod.
Thankfully, because in the next moment, Ruxnoth went for him, but Kai was already teleporting out, and wrapping it around Ariana and Vorzyr, taking them with him.
In the next second, Ruxnoth shot onto the battlefield in amongst his liquified soldiers. “Hmm,” he uttered, surveying the damage. “I am duly impressed.” He eyed my dad. “And with you also, mighty Vortimer ruler. It’s refreshing to finally encounter a dragon who isn’t just a mindless beast like the rest of your kind.”
Snarls and growls came his way, mine included.
Ruxnoth merely laughed.
“Piece of shit,” Zayn muttered under his breath. And then he yelled out to the psychopath, “Where’s Win? Did you hurt him, you son of a bitch?”
“My miraculous boy is settling in perfectly well to his new life in my domain.” He narrowed his eyes at us both. “He is closed to you now.”
“The fuck he is,” I seethed.
“You don’t even know him,” Zayn rumbled.
No, he didn’t. But the look in Ruxnoth’s eyes indicated that he thought he did.
Huh.That was an advantage for Winter, something he could work with, and use against the manipulative maniac.
“Winter is open to me rather wonderfully in actual fact.”
Urgh.A shudder went through me at his words.
Zayn made an overexaggerated gagging sound. “Bullshit.”
