Taming Darkness
Chapter 34

~Darius-

"Now what?" Tobias asks, looking at the bubble-like structure encasing this place; the energy radiating off it is strong, too strong for me to absorb without having major issues.

"We use the Phoenixes. Aleera sent them back to us for a reason. I know she meant for her Phoenixes to help us. If we can get the Phoenixes to lend enough power to open a portal and get the recruits here, we may just stand a chance at bringing down the barrier between the two realms." "We still won't have enough power. We'll use it all, tearing that down," Lycus grumbles, pointing at the ward. It's like looking at the sun through a bubble, rainbows everywhere. But he's right. It would take all our power to tear it down, but we have an infinite power source, an immortal one, her flock.

"We will if we convince her Phoenixes to charge us," I argue fervently. "I can break this veil completely, but I need magic!" I growl at them, my frustration reaching a boiling point. I scoop up a rock, feeling its weight in my hand as I search the skies for the colossal Phoenix.

Ryze hisses at me, her slender body tense and ready to strike. Tobias and Lycus instinctively back away, their eyes darting between Ryze and me. As the massive Spark flies into the center, commanding his flock with the authority of a king, I take careful aim before hurling the rock. Channeling what little power I possess, I propel it high enough to reach him.

However, Spark moves with a grace that belies his size, and the rock misses him entirely. The bird doesn't even acknowledge the projectile, but Ryze does. Seconds later, her sharp talons tear into my back, leaving trails of fire in their wake. Ryze squawks in rage, convinced I am attacking her father. I swat her away, holding out my hand as she tumbles off my back. The force of her attack sends me sprawling forward.

"F**k!" Tobias hisses, his expression a mix of fear and anger. He waves his arms and rushes at Ryze, trying to protect me from her impending pounce.

"Bloody bird," I snap, gritting my teeth against the pain in my back. I point to Spark, only to replace him peering down at his daughter with a mixture of curiosity and concern. Ryze screeches again, the sound so piercing it feels like a dagger in my ears. Tobias moves between Ryze and me, waving his arms in an attempt to calm her down.

"Settle, girl," he coos, and she huffs indignantly, settling down a little, her eyes never leaving mine. However, her screeching has drawn the attention of her father, who now stares down at us with a penetrating gaze. He tucks his wings against his body and dives straight toward us, his massive form cutting through the air like a missile.

The speed at which Spark descends is breathtaking, and my heart hammers in my chest as I brace myself for the impact. But, at the last moment, he pulls up and lands on his feet with an earth-shaking thud. His wings outstretched, he hisses at me, and I take an involuntary step back. This is no juvenile Phoenix. This is a creature of immense power and ancient wisdom.

"We aren't hurting her. Just trying to get your attention!" I yell at the magnificent bird, my voice cracking with desperation.

Ryze hops away, positioning herself by Spark's side while he continues to glare at me. He caws loudly, and I curse as he lowers his head and charges at me, his beak wide open and wings spread wide like a harbinger of doom.

But before he reaches me, Kalen throws himself between us, his hands outstretched and glowing black with shadows. Spark rears back, snapping his beak just inches from Kalen's trembling hand. I can feel Kalen's fear through our bond, and I grip his hips, ready to pull him away if necessary.

"Easy, Kalen," I growl, my voice taut with tension. Kalen hesitantly steps toward Spark, his shadows slithering up his arms and dancing between his fingers.

"We don't want to hurt her," Kalen tells Spark, his voice strained with effort.

Spark snaps his beak mere inches from Kalen's hand again, and he sucks in a desperate breath.

"Aleera!" Kalen yells furiously at him. The mention of her name seems to catch Spark's attention. The bird c***s his head to the side, and Ryze nips at her father's tail feathers. Spark's wing bats her back, warning her to stay away from us.

"Aleera!" Tobias repeats Kalen's words, his voice echoing through the air. Meanwhile, Spark tilts his head as Tobias steps forward. He holds up his wrist. "We need magic!" Tobias stresses to him, tapping his wrist.

Spark shakes out his feathers, taking a few steps back before nudging Ryze. Together, they take to the sky. Kalen snarls and reaches down before I can stop him. He grabs a rock and smashes it into Spark's back, between his shoulder blades. Spark's wings open instantly, and the bird pivots, rearing up. I yank Kalen back, only for him to turn and shove me.

"He'll listen," Kalen insists. When Spark charges at him, Kalen runs at him too, but instead of retreating from the attack, Kalen runs at him head-on.

Tobias screams, darting after Kalen as Spark tackles him, sending him tumbling to the ground. Beside me, Lycus shifts into his wolf form, preparing to defend Kalen against the massive Phoenix. Spark screeches, scratching at Kalen's face with his razor-sharp claws. Kalen manages to roll away just as Spark tries to impale him with his beak.

Kalen grabs the bird by the beak, and the Phoenix jolts as the shadows touch him. He tries to blast Kalen back with his own power, but Kalen just grips the feathers on either side of his head. Spark stiffens and suddenly stops his attack entirely. "Aleera!" Kalen screams in the bird's face. Spark rustles his feathers, his eyes glowing, and he backs up.

Tobias is at Kalen's side instantly, dragging him up, while Lycus growls, stalking the Phoenix in his wolf form as the creature backs up before suddenly taking flight.

"Well, great, that worked. And I lost another set of pants!" Lycus huffs when he shifts back. "F*****g damn near shit my f*****g pants too," he growls. I shake my head, trying to think of another plan.

Tobias dusts Kalen off with his hand, scolding him for being reckless. Suddenly, the sky darkens as a storm appears out of nowhere, and the Phoenixes fly into the wind.

Spark's mighty roar fills the sky, and in unison, the Phoenixes sing to his chorus. Power zaps, and sparks arc between them when they all suddenly dive and swoop toward us.

"Hold your ground," Kalen snaps at me, his eyes turning an eerie white. Whatever he did to Spark, the bird is allowing him to manipulate them. His eyes return to normal when I am blasted with a surge of electricity and magic by Spark and Ryze. The force makes me stumble back, only to be blasted with another jolt. The birds take turns hitting us and powering us up.

Magic surges through my veins by the time they finish. Tobias instantly opens a portal to Astrid, and Lycus shifts and runs through it to alert our men.

"Turns out I can manipulate a Phoenix," Kalen chuckles as my fingers tingle with the newfound power. I feel an echo of Aleera sharing her strength through the bond. I flex my muscles, testing the potency of the magic coursing through me as it melds with my essence, and my gaze lifts to the veil with renewed vigor. Our men file out, taking their stances and moving around the shield, ready to fight for their queen.

Rubbing my hands together, tendrils of darkness slip from my fingertips just as Spark roars above me. Once again, the Phoenixes blast the shield in unison with my attack. When the veil flickers, turning solid briefly, our men don't hesitate to touch it and unleash their own power.

I release more of the magic and start absorbing the shield. I take on its energy, recycling it by sending it straight back into the veil. It finally cracks under the pressure when it becomes too much, shattering like glass as it erupts. We are hit with its shockwave, yet my feet remain planted on the ground as the veil between realms disintegrates. The sky pixelates as it bursts, revealing something I never thought I would see again: Aleera's old house and hundreds of startled power hunters.

We broke the veils between the realms! I smirk at their horrified faces, cracking my neck. Lycus shifts, the Phoenixes dive, and Tobias wanders back over to me.

"Now let's f**k shit up!" he laughs, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

Together, we charge forward into the fray, the taste of victory already on our lips. The bond with Aleera, the power we have gained, and the Phoenixes on our side make us feel invincible. As we battle through the power hunters, the air crackles with magic and the scent of victory. We are an unstoppable force, ready to reclaim our rightful place in this world.

The battle rages on, our forces cutting through the ranks of power hunters like a hot knife through butter. The air is charged with a palpable energy as magic clashes and collides, casting brilliant displays of color and destruction throughout the battlefield. Our men fight with a ferocity born of desperation, loyalty, and love for their queen.

Ryze and Spark weave through the chaos, their flames scorching enemies and leaving nothing but ash in their wake. The Phoenixes' fierce loyalty to Aleera fuels their relentless assault, ensuring that no enemy dares to come too close.

Lycus, Tobias, Kalen, and I form a tight unit, our backs to one another as we face the onslaught. Our combined power is a force to be reckoned with, leaving devastation in our path. The ground shakes under our feet and the air hums with the intensity of our magic. We are a whirlwind of destruction, and our enemies fear us.