The Axelridge Series Book 4 Griff's Red Card
Chapter 23

(Chapter song ‘Get Low' by DJ Snake)

GRIFFIN

Water splashes and we look to the edge of Lake Hydra where a fully covered diver rises to the surface.

“Ho! Come to me, my lovely.” Azriel squats to the waters edge and reaches for the stone.

“Azriel. Keep the rock in the water! We don’t want it going haywire again.” Finn warns.

“Ah…Quite right.” He glances at Finn then back at the diver. “Alright, my boy. Keep the rock thusly and don’t…move.” He positions the rock half in the water.

It's red veins sporadically pulse and fizzle out. “Hmm…Just as I feared. It’s infected.” He says as if he’s diagnosing a patient.

“Infected with what?” Finn asks.

He looks the rock over and brushes his hands off. He rests his arms on his knees and turns his head to us. “Well, to put it bluntly, cosmic shit. Pardon my language, love.”

Faith shakes her head with a smile.

“Cosmic shite? What’s that mean?” I ask.

He stands and walks to Faith who’s holding his magicians bag. He opens it starts to search through it. “Basically, all the gunk and goop from Eternity’s strike. The pure energy went into the surrounding rock of the mountain. What traveled out to Axelridge was by product of that. It struck the rock and infected it.”

“Like a virus?” Jax asks.

“Like a possession. The rock is possessed by cosmic garbage. That garbage is interfering with the normal magical systems placed on it.” He reaches his full arm into the 8 inch deep bag. “Where is it? I know I brought it with me.”

“What are you looking for?” Faith asks.

“My tambourine. You saw it, yeah?” He looks up to her.

“Yeah. On the night stand where we left it.” She responds.

A shit-eating grin crosses his lips. “Right. Now I remember.”

The boys all look at each other with questioning looks.

“A tambourine? What ya smoking?” I turn to Finn. “Yer man is a right blackguard, he is.”

Azriels jaw falls. “I am not!”

“I call ‘em as I see ‘em.” I shrug.

He stands and places his hands on his hips. “Well, you can kindly shut your Guiness drinking mouth, ya tosser!” He scowls.

“Listen here, ya wanker…” I feel anger rise, clench my fists and take a giant step in his direction to pop the sod in the upper lip for calling me a drunk.

“Griff, come on!” Finn moans and slams a hand on my chest to stop me. He furrows his brow at me and I glance at Azriel who really needs that smug look rubbed off.

“Shall I continue?” Azriel looks at us all.

“Go ahead.” Finn waves him on as I shake my head and cross my arms in aggravation. I can’t believe we have to rely on this barmy idiot.

“As I was.”

He dives his two arms into the bag. “There has to be something…” He grits.

Faith holds the bag in her hands. She turns and tosses us a smile as she waits for Azriel to be done with it.

“Ah! Here’s the thing!” He pulls out a small drum. “That’ll do quite nicely.”

It’s no bigger than a dinner plate and about 2 inches thick. It’s covered in hide and stretched with string and metal hoops.

“A drum?” Noah snorts.

“Quite right, my tall friend. Just what the doctor ordered.” He flicks the drum with his finger and grins at the sound. He walks to the waters edge and sits crossed legged. He places the drum in his lap.

Finn glances at us then nervously walk to Azriel. “Azriel…um...What’s the drum for?” He asks as he looks down at the sorcerer.

“The rock needs a path back to its roots.” He says as he lays his red crystal on the rock.

Finn squats down. “It’s a rock.”

Azriel shoots him a look. “It can hear you, now hush!”

Finn puts up his hands in surrender, stands and walks back to us with his brows up. The look he has is what we're all thinking. This guy’s mental.

Azriel whispers to the rock and the crystal and then starts to play the drum. It sounds tribal and dark how he’s playing it and we all watch with intensity.

The diver holds the rock still and soon its sporadic red pulse seems to match the beats of the drum.

“There you are, lovely. That’s right. Come back.” Azriel plays on and the rocks light gets more intense. “Good…Keep there…No!...Don’t let go…a little more…” He’s talking to it like it's a child and it’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever witnessed in my life.

The light beats faster until it’s fully lit up and no longer pulsing.

“Excellent! Steller job! Now, let’s get that out.”

He sets the drum aside and shakes his arms out his sleeves before reaching out and taking up his crystal. “I apologize, this may sting a bit.”

Noah leans to Finns ear. “It’s a rock.”

“Shush!” Finn barks quietly.

The red crystal glows and the rock starts to shake in the divers hand. The diver starts to panic behind his mask.

“Don’t move mate or else she’ll bite.” Azriel warns.

The divers eyes widen and he freezes said for his shaking hands.

The shaking increases and it doesn’t seem like the diver can hold on much longer.

“DON'T FIGHT, DEAR! YOU'LL JUST MAKE IT WORSE!” Azriel holds the divers hand and the crystal over the water. His head and upper body shakes as he tries to cure the rock.

“Here…it…comes…” He grinds out.

Water is splashing up from the divers arms. He’s screaming as he’s shaken faster. Thin blue veins light up all over the rock. The energy in the veins start to travel up the sides of it to the where the crystal’s tip sits.

Through the shaking, you can barely see the blue light enter the crystal.

“A LITTLE MORE…” Azriel hollers.

“AZ!” Faith runs to him and drops behind him. He’s being shaken off shore and she grabs his waist to hold him back. “HOLY SHIT!!” She yells.

“LL-AA-NNGGUU-AA-GE!” Azriel barks at her.

“SS-ORRR-YY!”

“LL-I-TTLL-EE M-M-MMO-RR-EE….GOT IT!”

The blue light fills the crystal, the diver drops the rock back in the water and Azriel and Faith fall backwards as Azriel aims the tip of the crystal to the sky. “TAKE COVER!”

Like a Roman candle, four blue balls of light fire into the sky and explode over the lake with the power of 100 fireworks.

We’re all knocked to our asses by the shockwave of it and have to shield our faces from the burning light that fills the sky.

As the light dies down, we uncover our faces. The diver jumps out, rips his mask off and flops on his back, blowing out breaths.

Faith is hanging onto Azriels head, petting him and kissing him. “I’m alright, love. Just a little winded. No need to fuss.”

“That looked intense, Az. Are you sure?” She asks as he pushes himself forward to a sit.

“Yes. I’m right as rain, darling.” He groans as he rises to a stand and stretches his back out. “Be a dear and set an appointment for the chiropractors.” He glances at her and she giggles, shaking her head.

“What the hell was that?” Finn asked.

“Cosmic shit. Pardon my French. Eternity’s energy. I’ve pulled it from the stone and released it. She’s back to managing now. Your rock is cured.” Azriel says as he places his hands behind his back and rocks on his toes with a smile.

“How can you be sure?” I narrow my eyes and look him over.

He looks down like he’s thinking. “Well, I can’t…really.” He looks up at all of us. “You'd have to use it.”

“Ok.” Noah pushes past and Jax stops him.

“Noah, no!” Finn orders. “I think once the divers complete the tunnel to Atlas, that should be proof enough.”

“I checked in with the dive team a while ago. They’ve found the tunnel and have already broken through. Water is already flowing so, we should have results from Atlas in the next few days.” Marcus informs.

“Good.” Finn stands in the middle of out circle. “Now on to step two. Noah?”

“Just need to hit record.” He supplies.

“Let’s do it.” He grins.

We set up in front of the cameras and Finn prepares his statement. Noah mans the live feed as we all stand at Finn's side. Adam stands right beside Finn to make sure he’s visible to Alistair.

Noah gives the signal and Finn clears his throat. “Good morning. I hope the people of Axelridge are out there doing well and are being taken care of by our friends in Falcon Ridge and Phoenix.” He glances at all of us then back at the camera. “I’m talking with you today to tell you it won’t be long before you come back home. We're cleaning up the mess from the flood as fast as we can. Soon, you’ll be able to come home and put this behind you. We can rebuild the city. Make it better than ever. Prove that not even a flood can bring us down. Not only will Axelridge come back stronger, but it will have a new addition.”

He turns to Lake Hydra and the camera turns to it too. “This lake laid dormant under us for centuries. We had no idea it was there. This was the source of the earthquakes and now will be the focal point of Axelridges landscape. This lake will represent the SOUL of everyone here. It will shine in our HEARTS and show the world that after MULTIPLE disasters, we will never fall.”

He turns back to the camera. “Axelridge is changing in more ways than one. I hope…no, I pray, that everyone returns safely and changes with us. Alpha Trezner out.”

Noah punches his keys. “Over 6 million views. Someone was watching.”

“Good. Now, we wait and hope he took the bait.” Finn says.

“Oh, he took the bait, alright.”

We all turn to see Eddie standing in a cut off tank and shorts with his arms crossed. A sly smirk sits on his lips as he looks us over. “Nice speech, Finley. Really…inspiring.” He scrunches his nose as he stuffs his hands in his pockets.

The Alphas turn to him and I look at my phone. Seeing what I’ve been waiting for, I take off to the trail to fetch it.

I linked Finn to tell him to keep his link open.

‘Is there a lucky charm meeting or something?’

‘He'll be back.’

‘Nice hints about the lake. Creative.’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘Come on, Finn. We both know that game won’t work. You know what you got and you know I want it. So, before I mess up your pretty face, hand it over.’

‘Hand what over?’

‘The rock. I know you have it. It’s key to the lake.’

‘What makes you think I have it?’

‘You’d be stupid to keep it in there knowing what it is. Looking around, I can see you fixed it. Where is it?’

‘I don’t have it.’

‘Don't lie to me, Finley.’

‘If you want the rock, you’re going to have to replace it and I’m not telling you anything.’

I collect the things I need and head back down the path. I don’t want to spook him so I hang back and wait.

‘I can arrange that. A few well placed sharp objects should do the trick.’

‘Oh yeah? You’d have a hard time. You’re outnumbered.’

‘You guys really are idiots? You think I’d actually travel without packing a case?’

‘Well, you are riding in Eddie…so…there’s that. Preparation was never his strong suit.’ Jax links.

‘You know, he can hear you.’ Alistair informs.

‘Shit. Sorry, Eddie!’ He speaks to Eddie’s mind.

‘Anyway.’ Alistair sighs, raises his hand and snaps his fingers. 10 demons appear out of thin air in wavy ripples. They all hiss and growl as their dying or dead faces twist into grotesque anger.

‘See! I told ya!’ Marcus yells as he hits Finns chest.

I see the signal and wave to the people behind me. “Don’t worry, lad!” I shout as I round the trail and step in front of my friends. I cross my arms and stand in front of Alistair, sneering at the demons behind him. I’m making my distain and rage felt by all. “I didn’t forget to pack either.” I snap my fingers and the bushes rustle as 10 big men walk out of the trail and lone up behind me.

I glance at the Bulldogs and their faces all match the anger I feel. I turn back to Alistair and tick my head.

“You think they’re going to beat me?” He snarls.

“Aye, laddie. Ya want hell on earth, do ya now? Tell ya what, take a footballers pitch. We deliver hell to ya door, right?” I hear knuckles and necks crack behind me as I take a few steps closer. “Them boys? Lots pent up, they do and they have some coins cash in. The tab will be your ass.” I say low, lift my chin and look into his eyes.

He steps up to my space. Edward isn’t a small lad. Stands half a head above, but Irishmen have never been afraid of the biggies. I give the same energy right back.

“Ya got something say…Puca?” I snarl.

He laughs and lowers his head, shaking it. “Goblin. That’s good…That’s really funny…I like that one.” He raises his eyes to me and locks in a stare. “Kill them slowly.” He grits.

The lake area fills with demonic growls as we all step back. It didn’t come from the ones behind him. Confused, I look up and at least 20 more demons fall from the sky to join the others on the ground.

“SHIT!”

“RUN!!”