BDS: Chapter Thirty

At the west edge of the main clearing, Drasúl smirked as he watched Jabari's ship return to the sky. "I warned her, and she still underestimated that old fool." He shook his head as he paced in front of Kesól and Marcile. "I'll just have to finish the job myself. With his health as it stands now, it won't be long before I send him to his end."

"You'll have to get past all of us first," Jarek said as he approached Drasúl from behind Kesól. He smiled. "Just think of us as the old wizard's light entourage."

Drasúl studied the group before him. "How many of you light bringers do I have to deal with before the slate's clean?"

Jarek smiled. "You'll never see the end. We just keep multiplying with our lovers. People can't resist our attractiveness." He observed Drasúl intently. "So, you're a Javen, huh?"

Drasúl stared at Jarek without response.

"And by the way, what's with your name?" Jarek continues. "How do you get Drasúl out of Mordán, Sinial, and Aderes? Shouldn't your name be something like Mor-sin-ad instead?" he said, stressing the last syllable. "Or maybe…Dán-ial-eres?"

Drasúl's eyes flashed. He flicked his staff lightly and a crimson-black stream of fire flew at Jarek.

Jarek teleported out of Drasúl's reach near where Lorcan was perched on the branch of a tree, a slight distance behind Marcile.

"So, how's the moonfire wound?" Jarek asked without glancing up.

Lorcan placed a hand on his chest. "Healed. Thanks to Malik's power and quick reaction, I'm just a little tired rather than dead."

"Yeah, that crazy wizard's pretty useful." Jarek glanced back at Drasúl. "I guess this one doesn't like his new name."

Lorcan smiled. "Guess not. Try using both together in case he is experiencing identity confusion."

"Good idea," Jarek replied before Lorcan teleported. He raised his voice to get Drasúl's attention again as he walked forward. "Look Morsinad Dánialeres, you aren't going to be able to win this one, so why don't you just give up your soul already? Sir Malik said a Javen is trapped in darkness because you stole the power of the black dragon, so go on, we will give you a head start on your journey back to the dark." The halo in Jarek's eyes swirled with multiple colors as glowing orange markings appeared around his eyes in the shape of flames. "I can see the future, so I know your fate."

"Did you see this coming then?" Drasúl replied flatly. He turned his short staff so that it was horizontal. A sheet of crimson-black light erupted along the length of his staff and soared at Jarek.

Jarek dodged the light but missed another ray darting inward toward his left side. He curled his shoulder back and teleported, but not before receiving a deep wound across his left bicep.

A large silver and gold sword formed within Kesól's hand as yellow light filled his eyes. He stepped forward.

"I've heard about your kind, Krystalian," Drasúl said as he met Kesól's gaze. "It will be a legendary accomplishment—ending the last of you."

Marcile's blue ring expanded into a double-edged blade as he advanced cautiously alongside Kesól.

Danika appeared in an instant at Jarek's side. Her eyes and hands lit up brightly as she helped heal his wound. The smoke from Drasúl's attack lingered around them.

Jarek coughed and groaned as he waved his other arm at the smoke. "Stupid Javen doesn't have a very good sense of humor."

"I don't think dark energy likes to joke much, Jarek," she replied as his wound closed. Your moves are reckless. You know better. Use Relasu when you face him and synchronize with his moves.

Jarek smiled in response, the colors of his fire charisma still swirling through his eyes.

She glanced down at his hand. You did it on purpose.

He gave her a nod and held up one hand to reveal a ring of Drasúl's black and crimson flames swirling around his wrist. "Joke's on him. I got some of his stupid Javen fire."

Danika smiled and shook her head. "It's a good thing its frequency is compatible with your energy."

"Fire's my thing." He smiled. "Incoming," he said as his eyes lit up.

The two disappeared, and Drasúl's next attack slammed into the trunk of a nearby tree.

Jarek reappeared near Drasúl and touched his other wrist to the fire. The ring duplicated so that it swirled around both his forearms. He watched closely as Kesól and Marcile warded off attacks from Drasúl. "Aderes! We know you're in there, Aderes!" he shouted.

Drasúl paused as he turned to Jarek. He glanced behind him and then pointed a finger at his own chest. "You mean in here?" He laughed. "Ah, I see. You think your fellow warrior can hear you?" He shook his head. "He only exists as a tool for me to utilize—my very own puppet. His energy has no will of its own." He laughed again. "I have always found light warriors more amusing than intimidating."

"In that case, let me amuse you," Jarek replied, his eyes focused.

Bullets of Drasúl's own fire flew at him as Jarek attacked.

The smile on Drasúl's face disappeared as he teleported a short distance away.

"Not so funny when your own power is flying back at you, is it, Morsinad?" Jarek taunted.

Let Marcile and I take care of him for now, Master Jarek, Kesól said as his yellow glittering light expanded around him. Your team needs your help fighting the Avehkal.

As two more Avehkal joined Drasúl's side, Jarek turned to see dozens more filing into the clearing with black weapons resting across their shoulders. "Too bad, Morsinad. See you another time. Thanks for the fire." He vanished in a flash, appearing before the Avehkal alongside Lorcan, Tarak, and Brogan.

The warriors readied their gladaés as the Avehkal aimed.

***

From his position, Gyan looked up as more blasts lit the sky. The Order and Alpherian pilots had teamed up and were pushing the Avehkal ships to the northern region of the forest.

Nearby, Ralian watched the battle above from where he was perched on the branch of a large tree. "Shift your frequency," he said to his pilots as a silver metal strip around his throat lit up with a green light. "There is some kind of secondary force that prevents our fire from penetrating their ships' shield. You'll have to launch attacks from two different frequencies at the same time."

Many of the Avehkal fleet retreated from the Order ships.

"They're restructuring their attack," Jabari radioed the pilots. "Be prepared."

An Avehkal disc launched forward and dove beneath an Alpherian fighter. A thick beam of gold light shot from the top of the Avehkal's ship, melting the bottom of the fighter as a second red beam shot straight in between the gold, cutting completely through the small Alpherian ship.

The ship exploded.

Ralian's eyes glinted in satisfaction. "Hit the wings or the underside of their ships," he directed. "That should do it."

"It doesn't work on the Order ships," an Avehkal pilot responded as he dodged the return fire from an Order pilot.

"Attack in pairs, each using a different frequency from various angles so that you attack with full power," replied Ralian.

The Avehkal pilots instantly swarmed the Order ships. "They've figured out Fane's code," Jabari announced, his eyes alight. "You'll have to outmaneuver them and hit them from behind. Watch you left, Fraku!" He winced as an Order ship's shield suddenly dissolved and the ship exploded with a secondary attack.

Three discs raced after Sade's ship as it rapidly dropped toward the Ice Mountains—one side of the ship was already on fire. Gyan looked up in alarm as he heard another explosion near him. He sprinted east through the clearing, teleporting to different points to cover the distance faster. He looked to his side as Jalena appeared beside him. Fire is spreading through the ship, he explained. I have him shielded as long as he doesn't go beyond my range. Can you get him in time?

See you in a bit… She smiled. Valora! she called before disappearing in a flash of light.

On my way, replied Valora.

Sade stood at the open door of his ship, scanning the terrain below him for a place to jump. Gyan's blue shield pulsed around him. He instinctively flinched as Jalena appeared beside him. "Didn't mean to scare you." She held out her hand. "I would pull your energy to teleport with me, but it may kill you since you aren't a warrior."

"You jumping with me?"

"I teleport, and you ride," Jalena replied.

"Huh?"

She smiled and pushed Sade out the ship doorway just before she disappeared.

Moments later the ship slammed into the side of the mountain and exploded.

"I got you," Valora said as she caught Sade by the arm from the back of a gawl. She grunted in effort as she helped him up onto the gawl's back.

"Yes, you do." Sade wrapped his arms tight around her waist and looked at the bird beneath him. "You certain it won't eat me?"

"Not if you're with me." Valora laughed as Sade gripped her tighter.

The gawl landed on a boulder a safe distance from the battle, and the two jumped from its back before it took flight again.

"Yeah, well that's what I want," said Sade.

"Huh?"

He grinned and scratched his trimmed beard. "I," he pointed to his chest, "want to be with," he pointed at her, "you." He stepped closer. "I knew it when the star witch took you that time at the Three Peaks. It killed me that I had to wait for backup to follow her ship or I would have rescued you myself."

She raised an eyebrow. "Did you hit your head or something?" Master Jabari, I have a delivery for you. Sade needs a ride.

Almost there, replied Jabari.

"Valora," Sade moved forward quickly—his face close to hers, "thanks for the rescue." He grabbed both sides of her face and kissed her mouth hard. Then he released her, jumped from the boulder, and leaped onto the lowering ramp of the Xita-8 as Jabari swooped low. He grinned and gave Valora a small wave as Jabari flew the ship into the air.

Valora watched the ship in startled confusion for several moments. She raised her eyebrows and shook her head. A small smile fell across her lips as she teleported. She reappeared near the clearing but immediately slowed her pace and ducked behind a tree as she heard voices. She looked up to find Ralian standing on a tree branch, studying the warriors as they continued to engage the Avehkal fighters.

Thron leaned casually against the trunk below him. "We should ignite the weapons and take them out now," he said.

"Not yet," replied Ralian. "If it's not the right timing, they will detect it and then learn quickly how to counter it." His eyes narrowed in thought. "The light warriors operate on a high frequency that is difficult to sense. They are more flexible in their adaptation than any warriors I have ever seen in battle."

"Even Tau?" asked Thron.

Ralian nodded.

Thron brought his gun up in front of him. "In that case, let's see what else I can do until that time." He walked into the clearing to join his troops.

Ralian looked around in surprise as the tree branches suddenly began to sway. He jumped to the ground as the branches near him attempted to grab and wrap around him.

"The trees are not your friend, Avehkal," Valora said as she moved to face him, "so I wouldn't rely on them to support you."

Ralian stared at Valora as the halo in her eyes swirled green and her glowing green leaf markings solidified across her face, hands, and forearms. "Ah, so I guess they are yours?"

"Something like that."

"So tell me, warrior, does this upset you then?" He whipped his gun so that it was facing behind him and shot a blue beam of light at the tree.

Valora's eyes lit up with fury as the tree exploded and bark flew in every direction. Light immediately flew from her hands at Ralian.

"Let me help you, sis," Brogan said as he appeared next to her. He grabbed her wrist and the light ray emerging from her doubled in size. Another ray extended from the twins' opposite hand, circling out wide around Ralian. Ralian's gun ignited and a blue circular shield expanded in front of him just as the light reached him. The force of the blast caused him to fly back into the trunk of another tree, whose branches immediately aimed for him. He smirked as he somersaulted backward to his feet and bolted into the clearing, away from the trees. His expression dropped when Jalena appeared behind him. He turned his head to look at her with difficulty.

Jalena's eyes narrowed as she increased her hold on his internal energy.

"Sorry to disappoint, warrior." His gold-pointed grin returned. "But, your power won't work that easily on me." He pulled the trigger on his gun. "I'm not from around here."

Jalena teleported before the beam could hit her.

Ralian turned back to Brogan and dropped his gun as he sized him up and threw out his empty hands. "This should be fun." He and Brogan collided as Valora turned to engage more Avehkal sprinting their way.

***

Black, white-tipped flames spiked high around Drasúl as silver light swirled in his eyes. The glow of his tribal markings transformed to black. He watched Kesól closely as Kesól removed his glowing sword from the chest of the Avehkal before him.

Gyan's shield now outlined Marcile, who was lying unconscious on the ground near other Avehkal bodies. Kesól held Drasúl's gaze as he knelt to check Marcile's pulse, the yellow glow in his eyes brightening.

"You're ready to go again then?" Drasúl stated as a glow seeped beneath the dragon marking on his arm. He glanced behind him. "Let's make the stakes more interesting." He immediately vanished and reappeared behind Tikana just as she turned to toss her shundril to Hoshi to use on a nearby Avehkal.

The flames around Drasúl diminished as he yanked Tikana back against him.

Tikana's eyes widened as she struggled against Drasúl's hold. Her attempts to fight him failed as the light in his eyes brightened. Hoshi spun to help Tikana by attacking Drasúl with the shundril but was sent flying back with a blast from Drasúl's staff.

Jalena teleported and caught Hoshi before she hit the ground.

I'm okay, Hoshi said as Danika appeared in a flash near her. She gave Jalena a grateful nod.

Kesól appeared in a yellow flash before Drasúl.

"Easy," Drasúl whispered to Tikana as he looked pointedly from behind her at Kesól. "There is no way for you to escape."

Kesól's gaze hardened.

The silver suppression bands around Drasúl's wrists glowed and unwrapped to wind around Tikana's forearms. As the red light in the suppression bands ignited, her eyes closed, and her body sagged in his grasp.

"I can feel what she is to you," Drasúl said.

He is baiting you,Gyan said to Kesól as he appeared nearby.

Kesól's eyes lit up even more brightly. It doesn't matter. You of all people should know that, Gyan. He slowly placed his sword in the sheath at his side. Yellow, glittering smoke swirled around him as he moved forward. The sword vanished from inside Kesól's sheath as the smoke spread rapidly across the ground.

Drasúl's eyes narrowed as he watched the smoke. "One more step, Kesól, and I snap her in two. Now, you will do as I say if you want her to live."

Kesól stopped walking. His eyes widened as he grabbed the front of his cloak. He closed his eyes.

I feel the spike in your energy, Kesól! Gyan warned. Focus! We will help you.

Drasúl smiled as he watched Kesól. "What is this?" He glanced at Tikana's unconscious form and back to Kesól. "Something more than love?"

After several minutes of silence, Kesól looked up and spoke calmly. Thank you, Gyan. Those years of practice have finally paid off. Watch with Relasu and be ready.

Gyan breathed a sigh of relief.

Kesól's yellow smoke sunk within cracks along the ground. Gyan watched closely as the smoke crept back up from the ground and reformed into Kesól's large sword to hover in the air behind Drasúl. White and gold light flooded the area behind Drasúl as Kesól's power filled the sword.

Before Drasúl turned around, Kesól teleported and reappeared behind Drasúl, grabbed the hilt of his sword, and rammed it into Drasúl's back. Drasúl gasped and released Tikana as Kesól pushed the sword further in.

Drasúl's black, white-tipped flames rematerialized around him.

An aura of gold light expanded around Kesól, protecting him from Drasúl's flames. Gyan!

I have her. Gyan teleported and caught Tikana as she fell from Drasúl's grasp. A swirling shield appeared around them both, and he rolled with her out of harm's way.

"You will not touch her again, Drasúl," Kesól whispered. He shoved the sword further in and twisted the blade.

Drasúl groaned in pain as the light from Kesól's sword burned him. He shouted as he turned and grabbed Kesól by the neck, causing the sword to cut deeper.

The yellow glow of Kesól's eyes dimmed as Drasúl's eyes turned completely black. The glow beneath the dragon marking on his arm brightened as the white of his skin darkened. Kesól's blade disintegrated. The hilt of Kesól's sword fell to the ground in a puff of yellow smoke as black liquid spread through Drasúl's body.

Kesól eyes widened as the liquid slid from Drasúl's grasp to his neck. He grabbed Drasúl's arm tightly and gasped for air as the liquid seeped into his skin. Yellow, glittering light swirled beneath his skin, attempting to fight Drasúl's poison as it entered his body.

Gyan quickly unlocked the suppression binds around Tikana's arms. She opened her eyes slowly and gave Gyan a nod as her awareness returned. He teleported back to Kesól, leaving his shield around Tikana. He initiated Relasu to see through the thick black flames that now surrounded Kesól and Drasúl.

Jalena appeared in a flash of light behind Gyan. Without pause, she tossed her gladaé at the black flames. Drasúl leaned back just as her gladaé zoomed between the two, its light grazing his chin.

Now, Gyan! Jalena said.

Light erupted from Gyan's hands and formed a piercing ray of blue as he stretched out his arms. Drasúl released Kesól and teleported before Gyan's ray reached him.

Kesól dropped to the ground as Jalena's gladaé curved and returned to her grasp.

Danika! Gyan yelled.

I'm here. She appeared at Kesól's side and placed two glowing hands on his chest.

Gyan ignited a blue shield around the two as an aura of white light surrounded Danika. The spreading black liquid began to retract from Kesól and turned into a gray mist as it left his body. The mist hovered above him for several moments before fading completely into Danika's light.

Drasúl reappeared and sent a crimson-black stream of light at Danika and Kesól.

Jarek suddenly appeared in a flash before them, his hands spread out wide. He grinned as he absorbed the attack. Drasúl's fire swirled around him. "You just keep giving me more ammo, don't you Morsinad?"

Drasúl turned on Jarek in a fury. His flames transformed into black, glittering fog that spread rapidly across the ground at Jarek. "I will end you."

Jalena and Gyan both appeared on either side of Jarek.

The violet and gold in Gyan's gladaé brightened as he stabbed the sword into the ground before them. The fog retracted as his light within the sword spread across the ground. "Not as long as we're here."

Drasúl smirked as he moved forward. "Then I'll just take care of you all at once."

Jarek projected his voice as loud as he could. "Aderes! Hey, Aderes!"

Drasúl suddenly stopped in his advance. The fog around him vanished as if someone had extinguished a flame.

"Nice," Gyan said. "Hold him there, Jalena."

"It isn't me. I was about to reach for his energy, but…"

Drasúl gasped as the color of his eyes returned to his normal silver-blue chrome. A red glow around his irises flashed and slowly solidified into a halo.

The eyes in each warrior widened as they observed the black marking of the Lumsigne appear on Drasúl's neck.

"Aderes!" Jarek shouted again. "I knew it! I knew you could hear me!"

Do it, Gyan, and give it all you got. Aderes's strained voice burst through Gyan's mind. I can hold him for only a moment.

Aderes? Tears blurred Gyan's gaze as his eyes lit up brightly and his chest tightened. An aura of white light expanded dramatically around him as love for his friend filled him. A shout from deep within him rang out as he slammed his hands against the ground and cried out loudly.

A blinding burst of white light pierced the ground around Drasúl.

Drasúl looked down, his eyes wide. Sharp beams of blue light shot up amid the white and speared Drasúl's body from multiple directions.

Gyan lifted one hand and shot another blue ray directly through Drasúl's chest.

Drasúl's body sagged into the spears. The Lumsigne on his neck faded along with the red halo in his eyes just before they shut.

Let's go, Jabari said as he landed the ship nearby.Kesól…Jalena…the Avehkal are withdrawing for some reason. It's a good time to retreat.

As you gather the others, we will form the Lumfáinne, she replied.

Kesól and Tikana ran to retrieve Marcile before returning to the ship.

Hurry, Jabari told Jalena as Kesól and Tikana hurried up the ramp and the ship lifted into the air. Master Asia and Sufina are already with me.

Form the Lumfáinne now! Jalena told the rest of the team.

"Thanks, Aderes," Gyan whispered. He caught Jarek's eye and gave him a nod as he felt Jarek's affection.

Somehow I just knew, Jarek said softly.

The rays piercing through Drasúl disappeared as Gyan teleported. Drasúl dropped to the ground.

One by one, the warriors teleported to the center of the clearing and spread their arms out to the side as the Order ships left the forest.

His communication band now destroyed from his encounter with Brogan, Ralian yelled as loud as his voice would carry. "Launch it now!" he said as he stumbled into the clearing, bloodied and bruised.

The remaining Avehkal dropped to one knee, propped their guns on their shoulders, and aimed for the circle of warriors. Beams of red and gold shot from their guns as the light of the Lumfáinne built within the warriors and spread across the group.

Jalena glanced at the surrounding Avehkal as the light gathered in momentum. A glow of violet swirled within the light of her eyes as she opened her Reserve. The diamond-bordered spiral appeared on her forehead as the rest of her Reserve markings quickly formed across her skin.

The beams from the Avehkals' guns slammed into the light gathering between the warriors.

Gyan felt as if his breath had been stolen from him. He gasped as the light spinning around the team slowly faded. Fatigue overcame him, and he dropped to his knees.

"Jalena," he whispered as he watched her glowing, blurry form walk closer to him. Everything around him blackened, and his eyes closed.

The warriors' light faded completely as each fell unconscious to the ground.

Ralian moved forward but stopped as smoke from the beams cleared and he noted a shadowed form surrounded with a violet glow standing in the middle of the fallen warriors.

Jalena held her gladaé out before her and turned to face Ralian fully, her expression hard.

Ralian brought his gun quickly to his shoulder. "There's still one—! How did—?" He suddenly stopped, as if frozen in place. His face twisted in pain.

Jalena forced her way inside Ralian's mind. I have learned how to match your frequency, Ralian. Your body will not be able to withstand the power I carry within. Leave this realm. If you face me again, I will drain your energy until you exhale your last dark breath.

She made Ralian drop to one knee. His hand opened involuntarily as his gun fell from his grasp.

Her eyes remained on Ralian as Jalena lowered her hand. Her gladaé hovered in the air before her. The light of it expanded over her team. Each of the warriors' gladaés lifted from their sheaths and rose in the air. The swords crossed above them, forming a ring around Jalena's.

Jalena held Ralian's gaze, keeping him rooted and silent as the light from within each warrior's gladaé expanded and connected to Jalena's light. The joint light spun rapidly around the warriors, increasing in momentum until it solidified into a bright thick stream.

Jalena released her hold on Ralian.

He wiped the sweat from his brow, turned his head, and vomited on the ground. "Do it again!" he screamed hoarsely to his troops in between ragged breaths. He vomited again but managed to hold a shaky arm up to shield his eyes from the ring of blinding, blue-white light that had formed around the warriors.

"It's too late! Get low!" Thron shouted.

Ralian and Thron both dropped flat to their stomachs.

Light shot out violently in every direction as the Lumfáinne released.

The remaining Avehkal ran in the opposite direction, some of them dropping beneath the flood of light and others disintegrating within it as they failed to clear its reach. The light expanded swiftly through the forest trees without harm, spreading further through the woods until it slowly retracted.

White smoke drifted throughout the clearing. Ralian looked up to where the warriors were just moments before but nothing remained.

A violet-blue bloody hand suddenly grabbed the back of Ralian's garment and yanked him over onto his back.

Ralian squinted as he looked up into Drasúl's bloody face. "You look a little worn," he said as he scanned the rest of Drasúl's battered appearance.

Drasúl sneered. "We follow them."

"Wrong," Ralian replied as he stood with effort. "The timing must be right. What's left of my warriors need to rest and recover. You need to as well. I can feel the churning energy within you, Drasúl. Your power is unstable because of the light warrior's energy surfacing inside of you. Something within the other warriors calls him. If you do not find a way to suppress him, you could be defeated."

"I told you, I cannot be defeated."

Ralian sighed and stood. "That's the arrogance of the Javen speaking. This is not a battle of who is most powerful, Drasúl, but one of wit." He stopped talking as he noted a shift in the smoke floating up through the trees. His eyes narrowed as he gazed at the sky.

Thron approached him from behind. "What is it?"

"Aeolus and his warriors are here. Gather everyone and move underground now." He turned to Drasúl as they moved quickly to the entrance of an underground tunnel. "If you want to win this battle, you must do it soon. We will establish a plan to strike the warriors in a way that will be unexpected…It's time we hit home."

"Alsar."

"Yes. Yevani to be exact."

***