TBC: Chapter Forty-Six

More Vaznaun than not lay motionless across the outer palace grounds. The remaining light warriors stood side by side behind Mersán, fully alert and ready for another attack from Akila. Jalena had knelt to rest on one knee but kept her gladaé unsheathed.

Do not interfere,Mersán told the warriors telepathically. I will show you some of what she is capable of, so pay close attention.

Akila paced before Mersán, her eyes full of hatred. "Malik," she hissed. "I am no granddaughter to you!"

"Are you finished studying the talent of my teammates, yet?" Mersán stated. "It's bad manners, Akila, to show up freshly rested to a fight after the opponent has used their energy to battle others before you."

Akila's eyes narrowed. "You are not easily fooled, Malik, but this is no time to discuss my research methods."

The tribal markings on Akila's skin seeped a bright blue glow as her chrome eyes lit up. She clasped her extended hands out before her and pointed the tip of her staff at Mersán. A thick beam of violet-red and white light pierced the distance between them.

Mersán calmly pointed his white staff at Akila and absorbed the entirety of her attack with it. He raised an eyebrow. "You'll have to do more than that."

Akila's white face suddenly took on a greenish hue—her eyes turned black as her hair whipped wildly around her. The veins around her eyes and tribal markings bulged, distorting her features dramatically.

Some of the warriors instinctively stepped back as she took on the gruesome appearance, but Mersán's face remained unsurprised as he watched Akila with a studious expression.

Akila smiled wickedly. She lifted a blackened hand over the top of the now-black stone in her staff. A large pool of thick, dark metallic liquid began to seep from the top of the stone and onto the ground. She lifted her arm and stretched her fingers. The liquid rose off the ground and soared through the air toward Mersán.

Mersán's eyes and skin lit up brightly just as the liquid swallowed him. He flew back and hit the ground hard. His shout of pain resounded throughout the gardens.

Jalena immediately stood, and the surrounding warriors all stepped toward Akila.

Do not interfere!Mersán's booming voice entered the warriors' minds.

Sir! Hoshi exclaimed.

Hoshi cringed as Mersán's warning exploded again within her head. You heard me!

The warriors froze in their advance.

Akila smiled in confidence and moved forward slowly. "The poison from Sarlak's Pool will tear your muscles apart from the inside out, old wizard. Then, you will no longer be able to move."

Mersán's legs kicked out several times as his body attempted to reject the poison before he went still. The thick liquid, which appeared glued to him, thinned on the surface of his body as it sank into his skin.

Akila closed the distance between her and Mersán as her features returned to normal. She stopped suddenly and stepped back, her mouth gaping open in surprise.

Bright royal blue-silver light emerged from beneath the poison. The remaining liquid covering Mersán's skin broke apart and lifted away. The light brightened until all the poison disintegrated. As the last bits of the liquid disappeared, Mersán teleported and reappeared on his feet, directly in front of Akila.

"As you reminded the warriors earlier—starlight heals," he said quietly. "Careful of your assumptions, granddaughter. It won't be that easy to immobilize me."

Akila's eyes narrowed—an intent to kill now clearly etched in her gaze. She disappeared and reappeared a distance away from Mersán. A violet-red light filled her vision and outlined the edge of her entire body. Her black hair turned violet as flames spiked high all around her. The mark of the Mysteis appeared across her forehead in a violet glow.

For the first time, Mersán's gaze registered surprise, which did not go unnoticed by Akila. She laughed. "Oh, how I have waited years to see that look on your face. You did not know that I knew the Magic of Seven did you, Malik?"

Mersán's face became unreadable again. He stared in silence at Akila, as if she were simply a problematic puzzle that needed to be solved.

His voice entered the minds of the warriors once more. The rest of your team is on the way out of the dungeons now so move closer to the palace walls. When they reach you, immediately form the Lumfáinne and teleport back to the forest. Malik has already informed the others of what to do.

Jarek looked around them. We aren't being attacked anymore, so how do we ignite the circle to teleport?

You'll be in danger as soon as Akila sees that Master Valora is with you, he replied. Get ready. They are almost here.

The warriors backed away slowly from Akila as Mersán repeatedly shot bright beams of silver-white light from the tip of his staff at her.

From within the protection of her blaze, Akila caught the attacks easily with an outstretched hand and absorbed it. "Is that it?" She said in disappointment. She watched Mersán for several seconds in confusion before she burst out laughing. "Have you lived so long that you have forgotten the power the elders taught you, Malik, or have you gone soft and do not wish to kill me?"

"Not all attacks are meant just for harm, Akila," Mersán replied.

Akila cast another confused glance at Mersán and then turned her sharp gaze to the palace wall where the warriors had just emerged from the dungeon pathway and gathered with the rest of the team. Her smile faded and fury filled her expression as her stare fell to Valora.

The violet-red flames spiked higher as Akila turned her staff on the warriors. She lifted both her hands. A large blazing wave of seven violet-black-flamed dragons with glowing eyes emerged behind her. The dragons' roars pierced the night air.

Akila swept her staff dramatically out in front of her.

Surprise swept the faces of the team as Akila's light dragons charged the warriors.

Now! Mersán told the team.

Do not let her attack override your focus! Jalena commanded as blue-white light overflowed from her eyes. Think only of our destination!

The warriors, who had already joined arms, tightened their grip on each other and stared with full concentration into the eyes of the warrior across from them. Gyan held Jalena's gaze steadily as his eyes filled with light. He released the overwhelming intent to protect her and his team from deep within him.

The power of the Lumfáinne gained in intensity as the dragons soared across the palace grounds. The warriors' eyes opened widely, and their heads tilted back as a burst of blue-white light spread through their bodies and erupted from the eyes and chest of each warrior. The light joined through the united arms of the team and swirled through the circle, increasing in density and momentum. The warriors were instantly pulled into the center of the light and disappeared seconds before Akila's attack reached them.

A soft chuckle of satisfaction escaped Mersán. "Good," he whispered.

Akila's light dragons slammed into the side of the outer palace wall, causing the entire wall on the right side of the bridge to crumble. Stone fragments of the wall went soaring into the air and crashed into the lake near the castle, splashing water high over the grounds. The dragons disappeared into a burst of violet-red sparks into the night sky.

Akila turned her furious glare upon Mersán.

"I will destroy you, Malik!" she screamed. The flames around her spiked higher as she pointed her staff again at Mersán.

Mersán's eyes lit up as he walked calmly forward. "No, Akila. A choice to follow a destructive path will always lead to a scattered heart, just as a scattered heart will lead to destruction." His form began to fade. Mersán became more transparent with each step until his entire body disappeared. His voice carried through the night air. "It is only yourself that you will destroy."

Akila stared at where Mersán stood for several moments in silence as understanding dawned on her face. "A twin of illusion," she said quietly. The flames around her disappeared as her appearance returned to normal.

She sprinted to the dungeon pathway. "No!"

Akila disappeared into starlight as soon as she passed the outer palace wall and reappeared in the cell chambers. She looked around wildly and gasped as she saw the destruction of the suppression lights and cell bars. She turned and burst through an open door leading into her hidden study. The table that aligned the back wall was cleared—all vials containing Valora's blood were gone.

"Malik!" Akila screamed his name into the empty room. Her chest heaved in seething anger.

Akila teleported into the hidden passageway next to Mordán's study. She pushed open the door to the study and dropped to her knees next to a small table under the window. She spread her hand over one of the marble tiles that aligned the floor. The tribal markings across her hand emitted their blue glow and seeped into the tile so that it lifted to reveal a hidden compartment. Akila reached in and enclosed her hands around the spine of a large book. She pulled out the black book and ran a hand across the title.