Page 59 of His Blazing Witch (The Silver City #3)

"Ayesha, stay here with them!"

"You're a crazy witch," she grumbles. "Crazy but brave, I'll give you that..."

From the way she stares at the path in front of us, she wouldn't have risked going there anyway. I can understand her. This wasn't her fight in the first place... I'm just glad she somehow managed to stay, keep up, and help us. I wish I had time to check where Naptera's at, but I don't. That's one too many witches for me to watch, and there's only one I can afford to focus on right now.

¨ Boyan, Lysandra, Tonya, you take the left side. Isaac, Ben, Johnny, on the right. Everyone else, follow your Alpha or Beta! Go! 〃

We start running, fast as the wind, despite the violent quakes breaking all around.

It's even worse once we actually get close to the East Point Ground plaza. It's in the shape of a convex sphere, but Ravena's attack has completely changed the area. I see stones turned upside down, torn out of the ground, and thrown away. I actually see one literally spit out by the soil a few steps away from us as we sprint our way in. If we get hit by one of those... it's going to hurt, bad. Damn it...

We run as fast as we can. Because we're focused on speed rather than staying upright, our feet barely touch the ground before we jump again, and we're not as bothered by the uneven ground moving under us. It's more about finding the next place to land on, and making sure we don't trip over one of those endless crevices. I try to focus all I can on Liam, but I'm scared for literally every wolf who followed us. They are all behind; as Liam said, he's definitely the fastest. I can barely stay with him, and I feel my fire behind me, reacting to my need for speed and propelling me like a comet. The only ones fast enough to keep up with us are Damian and Selena. The black wolf seems to shorten the distance at each jump with his monstrous size and dark aura. He's like a dark shadow, landing where he wants with no regards for the state of the ground underneath him. A couple of times, I fear he's about to disappear in one of the gaps, but he immediately pulls himself up and keeps running as if it was nothing.

Meanwhile, Selena's just as impressive. She's like a white bolt, light as a feather and fast as the wind. I'm amazed at her graceful run, and how she lands swiftly everywhere as if she weighed nothing. Moreover, I can feel her golden aura extending all around us as if she was lending her strength to everyone. I bet she's mind-linking them all, coordinating this attack and ensuring we don't lose anyone...

Right. I need to focus and do my best too.

We can do this. We're already halfway there, and I can now see the details of Ravena's expression. The crevices are long and deep indeed, but if we focus on the land that's been spared, we can do this. It just gets harder and harder as we get closer to the epicenter... I hear one wolf howl, trapped, with nowhere left to land. She has to go back and find another path. Another one, a gray male, almost falls before his friend comes and bites his nape to pull him up. The situation is definitely getting more and more difficult as we get closer...

Suddenly, I feel the ground fall under my foot. I barely realize what's going on, but the landslide gets worse, and without a chance to react, I feel myself getting pulled down.

¨ Mara! 〃

Selena's call got Liam's attention, and I see my mate turning back, but it's too late. I feel the void underneath me, and I just know I'm going to fall. Panicked, I move my arms around, trying to find somewhere to grab. Everything's going too fast for me to have time to use my magic. I'm going to fall...

My feet suddenly hit the water. ...Wait, the water? I glance down, and before I know it, itˇs up to my waist. I look back, but it's a real stream coming my way, flowing through the crack and probably spreading to the others. A brutal flow of water slowed down my fall. What the hell is going on?! I swim up to make sure I stay at the surface, but the water is quickly filling up this gap, and I'm pushed up, back toward Liam...

¨ Mara, you okay?! 〃

I grab his fur as soon as I can, and he bites my top to pull me out of there, the two of us out of breath. I'm soaked, but Moon Goddess, I'm alive... I look down at the large crack that almost killed me seconds ago, but the water level is already going back down. That was salt water, wasn't it? I glance around, looking for an answer, until my eyes land on a silhouette standing far away from us.

"Naptera..."

She doesn't move or try to say anything. Even if she did, she'd probably be too far for me to hear. All I can get is her sullen expression, but she looks... resigned. So she decided to lend a hand, after all?

¨ Mara, let's go! 〃

I nod and get back up on my feet behind Liam, and we resume running like crazy. I'm still soaked from my dive just then, and my head... full of questions. Naptera took our side? Or was she just helping me once? She stayed afar, does that mean she isn't going to help in the fight? As long as she doesn't cause more trouble.

I keep running while I'm torn between hundreds of questions. Suddenly, I feel something coming. I slow down. I can't see it, but all my senses are alert, like a force coming from right in front of us.

"Liam, stop!"

My mate brutally brakes, and jumps out of the way as something, indeed, seems to emerge from the ground. It's a little hill at first, but it keeps growing and growing in front of our eyes, until it stands as tall as a man. Liam and I growl, but we also slowly retreat, careful where we step. What the heck now?

The strange hill suddenly makes a very, very weird sound and breaks into two. It's almost like an egg opening, and before I can even worry about what's coming, a silhouette emerges out of that muddy mess.

¨ Holy Moon Goddess, what the fuck is that thing?! 〃

I have no idea. It looks somewhat human, but a human made of clay by a four-year-old! That thing has no face, just a rough shape of four limbs and a head, and it steps out of its shell, a moving bundle of fresh soil and mud. What the hell are we looking at?

¨ Golems! 〃 Liam's voice echoes in everyone's minds. ¨ Watch out! 〃

Just as he says that, I hear a furious growl somewhere behind me. I glance back, and a silver-gray wolf is already pinned on the ground by a golem that has overpowered him.

¨ Johnny! 〃

Two wolves that were behind him jump in to attack and bite that thing, but... it's just freaking mud! I turn around, and as I expected, it's Ravena's doing. Her head is now turned toward us, her face distorted by a horrible rictus that doesn't even look human. Her eyes have gone completely dark... What the hell has the curse done to her?!

¨ Mara! Do something, we can't bite these things! 〃

Indeed, Johnny Seaver and his wolves keep attacking the bundle of soil and trying to get it off him, but it's like fighting against a mudslide! I turn around, and the one in front of us is big and menacing too. It launches its large fist toward Liam, who dodges it with a jump to the side. Still, if he gets hit or trapped by that thing... I step back, careful to stay out of reach, and look around, but those things have appeared all over East Point Ground, ready to guard their maker. They are attacking the wolves closest to them, everyone that came to attack with us. Selena and Damian Black have no issue dodging theirs, but the bigger wolves like Boyan, Ben, and Tonya are in trouble. They are too big, and they don't have enough safe ground where they are to dodge that thing without risking falling into a crack!

How do I help them? There are yards between us!

¨ Lysandra! 〃

A scream pierces the air, and I see one of the wolves about to get swallowed by those gaps. From a distance, I can only see her silhouette, trapped between the two edges and desperate to get back to the surface. There are two golems on her, and they are pulling her into the crack! Her paws on the edge, she's trying to pull herself up, but there's too much weight on her, dragging her down. Shit, I'm too far!

¨ Mara, go! 〃 Selena urges me.

¨ But 〃

¨ Just go, you stubborn witch! We will save her, you stick to the plan! 〃

I can't go, they are all about to get killed right where they are! The two gigantic brown wolves jump to help pull Lysandra Jones up. They are too far away, I can't tell which is Boyan and which is Tonya. They are just two gigantic bundles of brown fur, battling on the edge and trying to bite her where they can pull her up, or crush the soil around her. As soon as they do, though, we see two more silhouettes of clay emerge from the ground behind them. Oh, hell, no... The two golems grab the brown wolves, either trying to pin them down or push them to the edge too. With horror, I see the ground tremble and crack under their feet, looking about to crumble. No, Moon Goddess, no!

"It's fucking mud, you idiot!" suddenly roars Ayesha.

I see her run toward us to the closest group of wolves. She charges up her fists with fire, and suddenly, shoots it right at the mountain of soil trying to suffocate Johnny Seaver. The gray wolf has to turn his head to protect himself, but as soon as the witch's fire hits the mud, it suddenly stops moving. Of course! Heat solidifies it! That thing stops moving, and the wolves attack it. It's slow, but they can get rid of all that soil and move away from it now that it's not moving anymore.

I focus on my inner fire, and turn around, shooting a large blast toward the one attacking Liam. It was high time. That thing had just about trapped him under its arm, a grip of mud around his waist, but as soon as it's solid, Liam growls furiously and gets out of there. I turn back, but the brown wolves are still struggling, and I have to hold my fire. I can't shoot! If I solidify the clay around Lysandra, it's going to get heavier, and that ground is already on the verge of collapsing with all that weight... Shit! What do I do? I turn to try and find Naptera, but she's nowhere to be seen. Where the hell did that fucking witch go?! I try to look around us, but there's no way I'll be able to fill the cracks with enough water until it gets all the way to the one under Lysandra...

Suddenly, as I'm desperate for a solution, my eyes meet with Lysandra's. We lock eyes for a second, in a weird moment that seems to just stop in time. It's strange. Although she's so far from me, and in her wolf form, I could swear she's smiling at me...

¨Go, Mara fucking Jones.〃

It hits me violently. The reality of what's going on, of what's at stake, and what I simply can't do. I'm trembling, but those words push me away from them. I take a step back, and another. Still locking eyes with her, until I have no choice but to look away, my heart ripped in two. I don't watch what happens. I just hear the ground that collapses, and the terrible ruckus that follows the earthquake on the other side of the area. I hear voices of dozens of wolves screaming in my mind, calling their names in despair. Each voice hurts a bit more than the other. I hear some yelling orders, but I run. I cry, and I keep running. Someone yells at me to keep running again, and I have no other intention.

I run to put an end to this madness, as soon as possible. I'm furious, I'm broken, and I'm ready for this fucking fight. I gather my inner fire like a volcano prepares its lava, and I suddenly shoot it ahead of me, bursting that clay monster in front of us. The mud sprays all around, but I don't stop, and run past it as if I was flying. The black wolf runs just as fast, now staying right next to me, ready for our next opponent.

They keep coming. One golem after the other, and I can hear the fights going on behind us. Those monsters of clay are trying to slow the wolves down and throw us into the gaps. I'm not powerful enough to produce enough water and fill the cracks like Naptera did, but I burst my fire at each one I can. As soon as I spot a wolf or more fighting one of those monsters, I launch my flames to burn it. Some wolves even have to dodge my violent firepower, but I have no time and no patience left for self control right now. I hear Nora's cries and Selena's anger. I feel them as if they were right next to me, and I can only hear them right now and Liam. They are like a voice overpowering everyone else, like my soul sisters following me where I'm going. I feel their pain and anger like mine, but I don't even have time to check on the others. I just have to keep running, I have to put an end to this. You damn curse, you're going to pay for this...

I accelerate, my heart beating as loud as the earthquakes all around us. The sky above us is getting darker and darker, and I can't even tell if those are clouds or the curse. It's just horribly loud, above and below. Liam and I keep running, trying to make our way past the hills of mud and the monsters emerging out of them. Each time a golem comes out, I use my fire to burn it, and Liam tears it apart as soon as it's dry enough for him to bite into.

Although we found an efficient way to get rid of them, I feel like we're not making enough progress at all. At least, not fast enough. The ground keeps moving around us, and twice already, we had to go back to find another way before we reached a dangerous edge. I'm even more panicked that I feel the fights happening everywhere behind us. I try to shoot a fireball each time I can, but it's not enough. I'm too far from most of the wolves, and I can't help out everyone while also running away from them... If only I had even more firepower! I have to control it so I won't also injure a wolf, but those things are emerging non-stop now; nowhere is safe.

¨ Mara! 〃

I stop, and look behind me.

The situation isn't looking great. I hadn't realized as Liam and I kept tearing those things apart before they could get big, but... the golems are just getting bigger and bigger. They are bigger than the wolves now, no longer human-sized This is really not good. Aside from the Alphas making their way through, most wolves are overwhelmed or stopped right where they are and pushing their fight. Ben and another wolf team up against one golem, and despite their big size, they are in trouble too. I arm my fist with a gigantic fireball, and shoot it their way, bursting through that thingˇs back. That's enough for them to jump and attack whatˇs left, but... this is just one out of so many.

¨ Mara! You have to keep going alone! 〃 roars Selena.

I turn around, but... there's still a long way until I get there. While I run to Ravena, what will become of the others? I already had to watch three of them fall!

¨ Mara...? 〃 calls out Liam, waiting for me a couple of steps away.

I glance at my mate, but I can't decide. I know I should keep going and not stop to worry about them, but... I can't. My inner wolf hates leaving her pack behind, and I agree with her. This isn't who we are. This isn't what I do. I am not just a witch, I'm also a wolf.

...And a wolf stands with her pack.

"Stay close to me," I tell Liam, before rushing back.

¨ Mara, what are you doing?! 〃

"You're not going to make it alone, and neither am I!" I shout back.

I speed up, going back, and powering my fists as much as I can. I have to keep them down to control the fire, and at each new step, I'm almost jumping in the air from the power bursting out of my fists. I feel as if I could almost take off and fly! I smile, but there are many fights that need me. I start attacking the first golems, one after the other. The wolves quickly understand and jump away from my fireballs, but I'm not stopping. I send one after the other, like a catapult attacking all over the ground. Liam joins me, and runs to help the closest group of wolves defeat their opponent.

¨ Mara, you're just wasting time! 〃

No, I'm not. I'm trying to think, how can I help them without being everywhere on the ground. I see Ayesha, and she is busy maintaining a barrier at the rear... A barrier against whom? Suddenly, I see them. The human chicks are gathered on the other side and fighting with another pack again. Did the fight from the seashore get all the way here? Already? The Fire Witch is busy containing them, so she can't help me in this situation... I'm on my own...

I keep powering my inner fire, so strong, it feels as if it's enveloping my whole body. The flames are, at least. I'm like a human torch, spreading my power all over the area, unable to contain it. Even Liam has to stay away from me and my fire... but it's not enough. The more I keep fueling that fire, the stronger it gets, even... thicker. I feel as if it's a body about to come out of mine, and... suddenly, I realize. I smile and step back. Forgetting all of the golems for a handful of seconds, I just focus on my inner fire, and keep it growing. I shoot right at my feet this time. I don't just burn the area, I maintain it, more and more, focusing all of my strength on it, growing that gigantic thing like a bonfire right in front of me.

"...Spark!" I shout.

A deafening roar shakes the area.

From the fire, a gigantic cat jumps out. No, the cat is the fire; I laugh, unable to contain my excitement. It's really Spark! The enormous feline I had seen from the witch circle is standing there, twice as big, and he has those magical golden eyes of my cat. He roars again, gathering everyone's attention, and turns his enormous head to me. It's as if all of the fire I had created before is now assembled to make up his body, the soot and flames battling all over like black and golden fur... I smile and caress his face, although my hand meets nothing but the warmth of that fire. He purrs, and the ground shakes under us.

"Go get them," I whisper.

A golden spark appears in his eyes, and he roars again before jumping across the field. The force of that jump has me step back and Liam crouch down. In just one jump, he's on the other side of the area, and ferociously attacks a bundle of golems that was over a dark gray wolf. It's a strange sensation, as if my inner fire had been taken out of me, and was now moving independently with its own will... Spark the giant fire cat jumps again, smashing two golems with his paws like a cat would hunt a mouse. Selena, who was the closest, lifts her golden eyes to the cat, the two of them staring at each other before Spark jumps again.

¨ Nice move, Mara 〃 she gasps in my mind. ¨ I'll give you that one. 〃

With my fire cat helping the werewolves all across the area, I can move again, my heart a bit lighter. A part of me is fighting at the back, and I can run again with Liam.

¨ Are you alright? 〃 asks Liam.

I nod without thinking. In truth, I can feel Spark as if he was pulling on my inner fire, and it's tiring, but... I'm alright for now. We resume running, and thanks to the new ally, more wolves are able to catch up to us. Selena and Damian Black are behind us again, each of them finding their own path toward the Earth Witch. We're finally getting closer!

A loud ruckus suddenly shakes the ground beneath us. Liam and I both jump to the side out of reflex, but it's not enough. That hill is growing, growing much bigger than any golem we've encountered already... The ground beneath us starts rising, too fast. Before we get to jump away again, we both lose balance and roll down that new hill. I feel my body rolling down and hitting the ground, again and again, as if I was falling all the way down a huge mountain. It just doesn't stop. I try to catch the ground, something, but I'm swallowed by a wave of soil and dirt, and my vision darkens. I can't...

¨ I got you. 〃

A strong grip suddenly pulls me out of there. I feel my body flying above ground, and I suddenly hit a more stable one under me. I'm exhausted, but I struggle right away to get back on my knees, and find out what's going on. I grab the black fur in front of me without thinking. I realize just then the wolf standing in front of me in a protective stance isn't Liam... it's Damian. He doesn't care, though. He growls at the gigantic thing finally emerging from that mountain in front of us. Oh, Moon Goddess... not only do we have a giant hill now separating us from Ravena, but there's something just as big coming out of it. Two clawed paws emerge first, digging through the dirt, and Damian Black growls even more. Oh, what the hell, that thing is... a bear?

¨ Mara! You okay? 〃

Liam arrives at my side, followed by Selena. He looks like he's been through hell, his fur is as dirty as can be... I nod, but I'm much more preoccupied by that thing before us... Selena growls too.

¨ I take it this one's not a golem 〃

"It must be her familiar," I gasp.

That bear isn't made of clay, but of soil. Just like I had materialized a gigantic fire cat... Oh, shit, how are we going to beat that thing and get past the hill to get to Ravena? I get back up, and the two black wolves move simultaneously to get between that thing and me and Selena.

"Liam?"

¨ You go, 〃 he says. ¨ Damian and I will take care of that thing 〃

¨ Selena, you should go with her. 〃

I see the cream-white wolf hesitate too. She glances my way, but before I can say a word, another wolf suddenly jumps in. A third black one.

¨ Nate! 〃

¨ I can't let my brothers have all the fun, can I? 〃

Indeed, he comes to stand in between his brothers, growling just as furiously.

That gigantic bear doesn't flinch in front of the trio. It's growling too, and frankly, itˇs at least three times bigger than them! I can feel its hot breath from where I stand... Can they really handle that thing? I stare at Selena, and she's unsure as well.

¨ Selena, 〃 says Nathaniel, ¨ this was your idea. You follow the plan. Go with her. 〃

¨ Nate, no, 〃 she growls. ¨ You're 〃

¨ Iˇve still got three limbs and my fangs; I'm still a fighter, Elena. 〃

She freezes. I feel something happens between them, but... unfortunately, there isn't much time for this. After a couple of seconds, without a word, Selena gently rubs her face against his flank, then she turns to me.

¨ Let's go. 〃

She jumps first to take a detour around that giant bear. Probably not liking that the white wolf ignored him to take the long way around, that giant thing growls loudly. Just then, the biggest of the black wolves attacks, followed by the three-legged one. Liam glances back at me.

¨ Stay safe, tiger. 〃

¨ You too, hot stuff. 〃

With a heavy heart, I turn away and resume running, following the white wolf that's running past. As soon as I've turned away, I hear the raging growls of the battle behind us. The three black wolves are furiously and relentlessly attacking the magic bear, making sure it won't follow us. Selena and I keep running, as fast as we can.

"Are they going to be okay?" I can't help but ask.

¨ Theyˇre fighters. They'll be fine. 〃

I can hear the anger in her voice, but I know it isn't directed at me. It's probably more the whole situation. Maybe she's mad at herself too, but I don't know why. I just keep running. I don't have the energy to be mad right now, I'm just worried about Liam, about his brothers, about everyone.

¨ Nora! 〃 I call out. ¨ How's the situation on your side? 〃

¨ Your giant cat is helping us a lot... and some humans came to help us on the other side too! They are trying to stop the girls from attacking or injuring themselves. 〃

¨ ...What about Lysandra, Boyan, and... Tonya? 〃

¨ ...I'm not sure; they haven't reappeared 〃

I can hear the sadness in her voice, and Iˇm choking up a little too..

¨ ...There are wolves trying to dig the ground where they disappeared, 〃 she continues, ¨ but... I don't know, Mara. The golems and the ground are trying to bury us alive. I have to help those who make it, but... it's not stopping, and the rest of the wolves are trapped on the other side of the fire barrier. I don't think it would be any better if they were here, though. The number doesn't seem to matter much 〃

¨ Nora, perhaps you should come over here then,〃 says Selena. ¨I have a feeling we're going to need a lot of your Light Magic here 〃

I agree.

I don't like the area we just arrived in. The sky is so dark, it's as if night has already fallen. We just got past the giant hill that emerged, and we can see Ravena again, but...

I have a feeling the Earth Witch is in a much more dangerous situation than we are. Actually, she's on her knees, her body strangely bent backwards, her face turned toward the sky with a horrifying expression.

The dark lines are all over the visible parts of her body, even on her face...

I realize she's not the one that's been attacking us all over the battlefield. It's the curse, using her powers.

Or maybe they're using each other, but either way, it's clear Ravena is losing control.

The whole area is shrouded in the darkness, and Selena and I slow down, cautious. We can both tell there's nothing good going on here...