Summoner 15, p.9
Summoner 15, page 9
As I turned my gaze away from the onlookers to sweep my eyes over the slope, tension fell from my shoulders like I’d put down a heavy weight.
It was over, and I let out a grateful sigh. The rift was closed, the sacrifice was stopped.
And we’d saved Varleth.
All I had left to do was regroup with my team and plan our next steps.
Chapter Five
I jogged down the slope with a quick gait and a wide smile on my face. While my team’s mission in Vay was far from over, we’d accomplished Varleth’s rescue, so it seemed like the rest would be downhill from there.
We’d find the library, grab the books, capture Veopa, and be back home in Mistral before you could milk a goblin.
I could tell I was going to be sore in the morning, and my headache still gripped my head like a vise, but I was too happy to care.
Varleth was safe. That was all that mattered.
My summons followed me down the hill, and the blood of their recently devoured enemies dripped from their mouths as they chittered happily to me. As my eyes swept past my monsters, I spotted Horgwyn standing on the top of the rise watching me leave. The elder’s face was covered in downy white feathers and a yellow beak stood in the place where his human nose had been during our last interaction.
It seemed the owl man had also been affected by the magic cords.
“Imposter!” the old owl man yelled in a voice full of fury. “May Veopa devour your soul!”
He didn’t move to follow me, and none of the other shapeshifters seemed to heed his words, but the elder was obviously enraged by my subterfuge.
I shook my head and turned back to the path ahead of me. The village elder had helped me and my team reach the temple, and even though the old man was an asshole idiot that worshiped a dark goddess, Varleth was safe because of him, so in the end I was grateful.
As my thoughts returned to the banisher, I scanned the open hill around the road. It was hard to see in the dark, but the light of the full moon illuminated the path ahead of me enough for me to maneuver without tripping. The ground was rough, and uneven, and large boulders decorated the landscape further away from the road. The sound of the wind howling filled my ears, and the icy needles in the breeze stung my face. Small bushes and scrub brush clung to the rocky terrain of the wind-swept mountain range, and I could see for miles in every direction. Distant trees looked hazy and purple where they lined other inclines across the valley, but the majority of the landscape was bleak, open rock. There was no sign of my friends, though, and for an instant panic seized me.
Had there been more moose soldiers further away from the temple? Had they been captured? Did I save Varleth only to lose him again?
“Psst, Gryff!” A sharp whisper snapped me out of my thoughts, and I whipped my head around to find the source of the voice in the dark shadows.
Tucked into the crevice where one slope met its neighbor, a rocky overhang created a small cave-like opening, and beneath the jutting stone pile stood Arwyn, Freya, and Varleth.
My summons stayed at the bottom of the hill behind me while I crossed the distance to my wife and friends. Until I knew the rift team was safe and sound, I was hesitant to recall my minions, and keeping my wings on meant I could make a quick escape if necessary. My monsters seemed happy enough to relax on the rocky slope while I strode toward my team, though, so I pushed them from my thoughts and focused on the gorgeous red-head who greeted me with a loving smile.
“Where are the others?” Arwyn asked with a worried frown as her eyes swept past me to scan the empty slope.
“I’m not sure.” I admitted with a shrug. “The rift closed, and the worshippers were freed, but they were looking at me weird, so I figured it would be best if I got out of sight. I didn’t see Braden and the others, but they had to have been successful if the rift closed so suddenly. The strands were trying to retreat, but some of them were cut off when the portal snapped shut, so I don’t think Veopa expected us to destroy the catalyst.”
“I hope they’re alright,” Arwyn sighed, and the beautiful professor gnawed on her luscious lower lip.
“I’m sure they’re fine,” I said, and I gave the healer a reassuring smile. “Braden’s got his king gryphon, and Cyra has Kalon. They’ll catch up to us fast, just watch.”
“Hold up,” Varleth interjected with an arched eyebrow. “Braden is here? What else have I missed?”
“A lot,” I chuckled, and I clapped my friend on his shoulder. “Too much to summarize right now. We will fill you in on all the details once we get situated for the night.”
“Cyra is the one who knows the position of the airship.” Arwyn’s frown deepened. “We should stay here until we can regroup with her.”
“Good idea.” I nodded, but my gaze flickered up the craggy slope to the road. I didn’t have a clear view of the temple from the bottom of the hill, but the black midnight sky above was empty, so I’d be able to see my friends approach from the air even in the dark.
Arwyn seemed satisfied, and the red-haired healer turned her attention back to the banisher as she hovered over an infected cut on his hand. The yellow light of her healing magic bloomed from her palm like flames, but it hurt my eyes to watch it closely, and the pain in my head increased from my attempt.
I blinked and rubbed my eyes as I turned to give Freya a warm smile. The warrior princess stood several yards away from my friends, and her gold-flecked eyes moved constantly around the landscape as the beautiful shapeshifter watched for possible threats.
“Thank you for getting Varleth out of there safely,” I said in her native tongue as I reached for her hand to give it an affectionate squeeze.
“I am glad he is finally freed from the grasp of the Moose Clan,” my wife replied as she pressed her lips into a stoic line. “I hope their reign of terror is over.”
“I know it is.” I grinned. “Your father is a powerful, respected man. He will lead the territories into a better future.”
“He never would have thought it was possible to have peace before you came to our lands,” Freya replied, and her voice was soft and thoughtful. “If we hadn’t raided Skara for your ship, we would never have found my mother. You have done so much for my people, Gryff. Hawk Clan owes you a great debt.”
“I got an amazing wife out of the deal,” I laughed. “As long as you are mine, consider any debt filled.”
“I am yours forever.” Freya turned her serious gold-flecked eyes to my face, and then the blonde shapeshifter gave me a determined look. “I will give you many strong, powerful children, as you deserve, and I will follow you until the day I die.”
Suddenly, a shadow passed in front of the full moon, which created the silhouetted shape of large wings, and I craned my head skyward to see Braden’s king gryphon descend from the air in a wide spiral. Further away behind the large flying hybrid, Kalon’s bright pink wings flapped as the silver dragon followed my roommate’s summons to our location.
Cyra waved enthusiastically from her position between her familiar’s pink wings, and behind the dark-skinned summoner, Nia’s long ashen colored ponytail blew like a flag of victory.
A moment later, my entire team had dismounted their steads, and my friends greeted Varleth with overjoyed relief.
Arwyn completed her healing session on the banisher’s hand, and the red-haired healer tucked a flame colored lock behind her ear and then wiped the sweat away from her brow. She cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention, and her amber eyes were warm as she took in our reunited group.
“Now that we are all together,” my teacher said, “our next task is to reconvene with the airship. Cyra, you know the location of the platoon?”
“Yes, ma’am,” the curly-haired summoner chirped. “They parked in a clearing a couple of leagues north from the peninsula. Should take us an hour or two by air from here.”
“I’m not riding that flying dog again,” Varleth interjected in a dry tone. “Last time, it just vanished without any warning and dropped me into the ocean.”
“I’m so sorry, buddy, I went unconscious and lost control,” I said in an apologetic tone. Then I jerked my chin at the pale blue feathers extending from my shoulder blades, and I twitched my muscles to make my wings rustle. “I can carry you in my arms if that makes you feel more comfortable?”
“I know I’ve been in a cage for a while, but have you always had wings?” Varleth raised an eyebrow and scanned my appendages with an appraising eye. “They look like the dog thing’s wings to me.”
“Vingehund,” I supplied with a smirk. “And I discovered a new power recently. I’ll explain it more later.”
“Well, what are my other choices?” The banisher turned to give the other summoners a questioning glance. “Am I the only one without a flying pet?”
“Um, no,” Nia replied with a roll of her eyes. “You can walk, if you’d prefer that?”
“True,” Arwyn chuckled with a mischievous smile. “Or you could entice a moose man into giving you a ride.”
“Fine.” The gypsy sniffed. “If Braden is okay with it, I’ll ride his behemoth. That thing looks more like an airship, so maybe the ride will be smoother.”
“That’s fine with me!” The ox-like summoner grinned, and his chest puffed out with pride. “I think you’ll be surprised how comfortable Gryff Junior is.”
“Uh, what?” Varleth barked out a dry laugh. “You did not name your monster after Gryff, did you?”
“No,” Mati interrupted with a harsh glare at the other banisher, “I did. Is there a problem with that?”
“Mati,” Braden muttered in a cautious tone as he reached out and took her hand, “he’s just kidding.”
The surly gypsy’s dark eyes widened slightly as he took in the interaction between my roommate and his black-haired girlfriend. I understood the expression on my long lost friend's face, since seeing Braden with a woman took some getting used to.
“Let’s get moving,” Arwyn suggested in a firm tone, and she jerked her chin toward the flying monsters who waited nearby. “Varleth goes with Braden and Mati, Nia with Cyra, and I’ll ride the vingehund.”
“Guys, wait,” Varleth said, and he cleared his throat. “I just want to… Well, you know, say thank you.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I replied instantly, “I know you would do the same for me.”
The banisher gave me a serious look, then cast the same glance around the team. “I’m serious. You saved my life. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome, Mister Prost,” Arwyn said with a sweet smile.
“No one gets left behind,” Cyra added with a grin.
“I don’t say it enough,” the gypsy said, “but you guys are my family.”
“I love you, too,” I crooned.
Varleth shot me an icy glare as his pale face turned a crimson hue. “Shut up, you’re ruining the moment.”
I softened my teasing expression and gave my friend a genuine smile. “I’ve got your back, man, and I always will.”
“I know.” Varleth’s lips twitched into a small smile, but his dark eyes were warm.
With that settled, my team mounted the three summons and took to the air. I recalled my roosa, daggerdillo, and my arachness since they wouldn’t be able to follow me through the air, and I tucked my essence crystals back into my bandolier before I prepared for my aerial flight. I kept my vingehund and my bullet bass active, though, and I pumped my wings and followed after my team with Freya at my side. Cyra took the lead since she knew where we were going, then Braden’s king gryphon was second in our line formation, and Arwyn on my canine-like monster took the rear.
Maker, I was ready to relax for the night. Between cultural tensions, maneuvering through my shaman ruse, and then battling through seemingly endless hordes of zombie shapeshifters, I’d had a full day.
My heart was light despite the pain still ringing in my skull as we flew through the darkness toward the coast. We held a steady pace, and when the lighthouse of Vysion came into view below us, Cyra angled to the north and followed the shoreline as she continued onward. The smell of the salt water filled my nostrils, and the cold, damp ocean air clung to my skin like a wet blanket. While my cloak fluttered uselessly between my flapping vingehund wings, once I landed I could wrap the warm covering around myself and regain my lost body heat.
As I shivered from the cold, I envisioned various ways to warm myself up once we made camp for the night. I could picture the feeling of warmth from my women’s naked bodies snuggled up against me, and I grinned as heat rushed to my face despite the icy needles in the air. It was definitely the right image to motivate me to fly faster, and I surged forward with renewed vigor.
It didn’t take long for us to cover a lot of ground, and I grinned from ear to ear when I spotted the airship in a clearing below. A fire burned in the center of the clearing, and my cold-numbed muscles yearned to get closer to the heat of the flames. The flying creatures, Freya, and I circled around and spiraled into the opening in the trees to land in front of the military vessel. I dismissed my vingehund wings and bullet bass armor with a wave of my will, then I recalled my summons and quickly stowed my essence crystals back into the pockets of my bandolier.
The platoon of soldiers who were camped out on one side of the airship had been stretched idly across the scraggly grass of the clearing, and when we descended from the air, the men snapped into a defensive stance, but Arwyn quickly strode forward and threw back her hood to reveal our identities. The captain stepped forward, and the man looked way too young to be in charge of a platoon, but he gave the professor a proper salute before he lightened his expression.
“It is good to see you, Danny,” Arwyn greeted with a friendly smile. “Ready for a briefing?”
“Yes, ma’am,” the young officer replied with a swift nod. “It is good to see you as well, Miss Hamner. Was your side mission a success? Did you find the banisher?”
“Everyone is safe and sound,” the redhead confirmed. “Any trouble reaching the mainland?”
“There was a nasty storm off the coast when we approached a few days ago,” Danny supplied, “but once we got past that it was smooth sailing. We scouted the shoreline to the north and south of the peninsula while we waited to regroup.”
“I believe we encountered the same storm,” Arwyn noted thoughtfully. “It was not easy to get here by sea, but now we are all here, and we can proceed with our main mission.”
“We have food and drink prepared already if your team is hungry?” The captain gave the squad leader a smile, and then he gestured toward the fire crackling behind him.
“I thought you’d never ask,” I groaned as I rushed toward the heat of the flames.
A short while later, everyone sat wrapped up in warm blankets with full bellies and satisfied smiles on their faces. Casual conversations floated through our small group of friends and colleagues, and the air was full of lighthearted laughter.
It was a welcome change from the tension and anxiety of the day.
Varleth was abnormally positive, but after spending weeks alone in a cage, even a sarcastic and surly gypsy could get lonely. Even though he tossed out teasing barbs at everyone in the group, the light in his dark eyes made his amusement obvious.
“So,” I said, and I cleared my throat to get everyone’s attention, “we have a lot of information to review before we can determine our next course of action. I say we each give a full report, then we discuss our options.”
“Sounds good.” Arwyn nodded, and her amber eyes turned to Braden. “I’d like to hear about your experience inside the rift, first.”
The ox-like summoner blushed as everyone turned their eyes to him, but he stood up and wiped the palms of his hands down his thighs as he gathered his thoughts.
“Mati, Cyra, Nia, and I entered the rift,” the big man started, “but there were tons and tons of cages full of shapeshifters inside. We unlocked a few cages while Mati sensed for the catalyst, but before they could even escape through the rift, something happened, and they never made it out.”
“Yeah, it was weird,” Mati added as she stood up to stand beside her boyfriend. “There was this crypt looking building, with steps going down below ground, but before we could explore it or anything, a bunch of glowing strings came out of it. Then the strings attacked the people in cages, and they started to turn into monsters!”
“Wait.” I held up my hand to interrupt her. “They weren’t turning into animals?”
“I know it sounds crazy,” Braden said, and he shook his head in disbelief at his own story. “It wasn’t like any monsters I’d seen before, though, they were like animals that had been mutated and twisted by some kind of evil magic. We tried to stay and help them, but a massive horde of monsters showed up, so we had to leave them and go after the catalyst.”
“But you didn’t encounter Veopa?” Arwyn questioned.
“No weird goddesses ever showed up.” Mati shrugged. “Just a bunch of mutant animals and monsters.”
“The strands of magic were coming from an underground crypt?” I worked the muscle in my jaw as I thought over what it could mean.
How far could Veopa’s influence stretch?
“Yep,” Cyra confirmed, and her tone was unusually somber. “Some of the strands went through the rift, but there were way more cages inside the Shadowscape than on the human side.”
“Well, then I’m glad I wasn’t one of the sacrifices stashed in the monster realm,” Varleth observed with a wry smirk. “No telling what kind of weird time differences I’d come back to.”
“The time differences with the Shadowscape are weird, but I’ve been experimenting to see if a fast banisher lessens the effects,” Mati informed him. “Efficient removal of the catalyst could minimize the unpleasant consequences.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Varleth responded dryly. “Trust me, banishers know what they’re doing, but I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’ve experienced a lot of weirdness.”
