Chapter Forty-Nine: The Wolf And The High Mage


    As I charge, my body lights up with the ever more familiar lightning-fire combo. The fire is growing in me, a raging inferno. I push myself up above the ground with that fire and watch as High Mage Aegon meets me in the sky.


    “Dive,” He tells me, and I do so.


    I crash into a mage, who throws me off and sends a bolt of lightning at me. I dodge it easily, the rage and sadness I own fueling me. I can’t lose this.


    Xavier and Skai help me out with the mage, who quickly becomes overwhelmed. But, like High Mage Aegon said, he’s an experienced mage. And they always have tricks up their sleeves.


    Before my eyes, the mage becomes two, then three, then four. Soon enough, he’s taking on all three of us. I fight with my sword against one of them, my sword in flames. Xavier takes on another with magically-enhanced fists that I’m guessing High Mage Aegon is helping him with. Skai, meanwhile, is just fighting with a sword.


    The first clone I fight shoots a burst of flames at me, but they cascade off of me. Seems like High Mage Aegon is still helping me, which means he still won’t be able to fight with us, at least, not with magic.


    As we fight, I tilt my sword and feint to the left. When he takes the bait, I stab him in the stomach. The mage screams and falls and he’s engulfed in flames by my burning pillar.


    Seems like his clones aren’t impervious to magic.


    A dagger catches me in the shoulder. I scream against the pain. Another of the mage’s clones—or maybe the mage himself—has thrown it magically and now he disappears, then appears before me. Caught off guard, I can only watch as his punch sends me flying.


    Experienced mage, indeed. I cough as I stand up, and I can feel my wounds healing me.


    Thank you, High Mage Aegon.


    The mage rushes at me and our blades connect. Mine bounces off and leaves my grasp. How did that happen? I’m sure I had a great grip…


    Oh, of course. Magic. I love magic and all, but I’m getting tired of fighting mages.


    He stabs at me, and I dodge, sliding and kicking his legs out from under him.


    It feels like I’ve hit concrete. My foot cracks as I hit his leg, but I recover against the pain and grab his hair. He stabs at me once again and I’m forced to let go, jumping back and finding my sword in the ground.


    An explosion knocks the mage down to the ground, and I react quickly, chopping into the mage, ending his life.


    “You haven’t said thank you,” Th’ul says next to me.


    “You’re welcome,” I respond. “You know, he wasn’t as experienced as I thought.”


    “Neither is the other,” Th’ul responds. “I think they’re relying on Xander here.”


    I look at Xander, who’s taking on Sia, Neena, and Alyx all by himself, and he’s winning. As soon as I killed the mage, his clones disappeared so Xavier is free. Skai is on the ground and unconscious, but alive for now.


    — — —


    The Wolf was an experienced fighter, but Yue already knew that. He rarely got involved in the Vanguard’s fights, but he was Captain for a reason. If there was one person who Yue thought could defeat her, it was the Wolf.


    So when she and Aster started to fight him, she was immediately cautious. The Wolf knew what he was doing, and if she wasn’t careful, she would die here.


    Their swords clashed, and the Wolf turned to parry a thrust from Aster.


    “You people don’t understand what you’re doing;” He said as he swung at Yue, who stepped back lithely.


    “You killed our friends!” Yue protested. “We’re doing what we must.”


    “I tried to warn you,” The Wolf responded. “So many times, I tried to caution you. But you wouldn’t listen. When I killed Diamond, you could’ve turned. When I killed Jos, you could’ve turned. When the assassins and spies failed, you could’ve turned.”


    “So you failed,” Aster grinned. “No matter what you do, we always survive. We’re always there to confront you.”


    “I killed Diamond, and wasn’t she the wise one in your group?” The Wolf smirked. “And I can’t help but not see Poli here. Isn’t she…”


    “DON’T SPEAK HER NAME, YOU BASTARD!” Artemis screamed, rushing—while limping—at the Wolf, who shook his head at artemis, and swung up. Artemis parried and struck but was too late to block the flat of the Wolf’s sword striking his face. He fell to the floor, unconscious.


    “You will all be examples to the Vanguard,” The Wolf continued. “Your final mistake, Yue, was the speech you gave them.”


    “I’ve turned them against you, they’ll never follow you now,” Yue smiled. “WHat does failure feel like?”


    The Wolf frowned and he changed tactics, brows furrowing as he began to defend himself, not in a desperate bid to survive, but in a sort of strategy. Aster and Yue together were enough to keep him busy as he defended himself against them, but still he found the time to speak.


    “You still have time to change.”


    “I’m tired of hearing that today,” Aster replied. “We won’t change, and I think you know that.”


    “Then I guess the answer is goodbye,” Their former captain said. “Goodbye, Yue.”


    Something pulled Yue off her feet and carried her swiftly. No, it wasn’t carrying, more like roughly dragging through the air. She looked up to find Xander flying through the air, and he yelled and then threw her.


    Straight into a tree.


    Yue screamed as the force of the impact ran through her whole body, the pain flaring.


    “Xander, you…don’t…” She coughed, spitting out blood. “You don''t have to do this.”


    “You’re right,” Xander replied, gaze softening. “I don’t have to do this. But I want to.” He sent a purple beam at her and it ricocheted off her. High Mage Aegon was a few paces away, concentrating on her, sweat beading down his brow.


    Xander doubled his efforts, persevering, hoping to find a crack in the shield. Yue crawled away from the beams, and then the shield disappeared. When the beams hit the tree, it was incinerated, leaving nothing except the charred ground to indicate it had ever existed.


    “Xander! Listen to me!”


    “ENOUGH TALK!” He roared. “You’ve made your choice, and I’ve made mine.” He drew his sword, filming with purple and charged at her. She blocked his first lunge, and grunted at the force of the impact. He was abnormally strong. His magical enhancements felt like a cheat.


    Thankfully, she wasn’t alone in this battle. Both Neena and ALyx were there to help her, but Xander just used his magic to keep them busy. They fought through a barrage of Fireballs, energy blasts, anything Xander’s imagination could come up with.


    Yue tried to find a way to disarm him, but she knew it wouldn’t be enough.


    Maybe she did need to kill him. It didn’t seem like there was any other alternative.


    Don’t give up all hope, a voice told her in her head. High Mage Aegon. If we kill Eldor—the man controlling him—then Xander won’t be controlled anymore. It’s a slim chance, and I can’t guarantee it will happen, but keep it in mind.


    Listening to the High Mage, she was unprepared for the sword coming in her direction, and only felt the bite when it stabbed her stomach. Grunting, Xander removed his sword from her body and let her slump to the ground.


    Yue’s wound began to close.


    I thought you couldn’t do healing.


    I can heal small cuts, High Mage Aegon responded. Yours wasn’t very deep.


    She stood up and jumped on Xander as he made his way to the other two girls. He shook himself, but she held on, raising her sword.


    “Forgive me, Xander.”


    A beam of purple energy erupted from his back, and she flew through the air.


    The ground met her welcomingly, and the last thing she saw was High Mage Eldor standing over Zade, knife to her friend’s neck.


    — — —


    I’ve never truly fought a High Mage before. The last timeI High Mage Eldor fought me, I was just running. He had the upper hand.


    Now, he has to control Xander while he fights me, and I’m stronger than I was. Oh, he’s still more powerful than me, but it’s not such an unfair matchup.


    Plus, I have Xavier, Th’ul, Skai—who already woke up—, and Anni to help me. Anni seems lost in the battlefield, but every time she gets an opening, she tries to stab the High Mage. Xavier, too, seems uncomfortable, but he does what he can.


    The rest of us do all we can to defeat him. I wish High Mage Aegon could attack him with us, but he’s keeping us all alive, so I can’t complain too much.


    High Mage Eldor sends a Fireball and I dodge it, finding another Fireball already waiting for me. It hits me, but is deflected by my shield, and I stumble away.


    I’ve stopped using my own magic now. I don’t have a high risk of burning yet, but I’m waiting for the right opportunity.


    Th’ul trades blows with the High Mage, keeping his mind occupied and distracted. Xavier came in from the back, punishing down. High Mage Eldor fell to the ground, and we all rush in to strike at him.


    We begin to sink into the ground.


    I scream and move as I feel the pull of the earth, dragging me down. Soon I’m knee deep in the ground, and sinking lower.


    “Let them go!” High Mage Aegon screams from far behind us.


    “You know I can’t do that,” High Mage Eldor responds as he raises his hand towards Th’ul. The fireball flies straight. When it disappears, Th’ul is gone.


    Did the High Mage just kill Th’ul? I look around wildly.


    “Watch this,” I hear from a voice behind me. Then, I shift, disappearing and reappearing somewhere else.


    “Th’ul! I didn’t know you could do this,” I say happily.


    “High Mage Aegon taught me during the tournament,” Th’ul responds proudly. “I’m low on mana, though.”


    “Same here,” I reply. “You should go get the others.”


    “Good idea.”


    He disappears again, and I begin to run towards the High Mage again. The man has seen us but he’s focusing on those still trapped. Anni disappears, then Xavier. High Mage Eldor growls and moves to Skai.


    “Try to save her and she dies.”


    “You’ll kill her anyway,” I growl.


    “True,” High Aegon and chops down with his hand, sharp as blades. Just in time, Skai disappears, but when she reappears, I can see she’s cut, bleeding from her neck. Xavier moves to help her, and Th’ul and I move on the High Mage again.


    “You are weak, pathetic,” He says. “You took forever to kill an apparition.” Smirking, he throws a flying boulder at Th’ul.


    “You sent Not-Astil the Invisible Demon?” I ask.


    “Who?”


    “I need to thank you then,” I smile. “You gave me what I needed.”


    “I gave you NOTHING!” High Mage Eldor jumps and coming down, he sends a fist at my face. It connects, and I crash into the ground, falling straight down. The breath leaves my lungs and my vision goes blurry. Th’ul was hit by the boulder High Mage Eldor sent him, so he can’t help me, but there’s a shadow behind Eldor.


    The Cultist Mage draws a dagger and holds it to my neck.


    “Will you thank me for this too?” He asks. “You’re still worthless.”


    Xavier crashes into him from behind, tackling him from behind, hitting him repeatedly, his magically-enhanced fists dealing a lot of damage. I see High Mage eldor’s fist shaking, beginning to glow.


    “Xavier, run!” I scream but it’s too late. High Mage Elder punches, and Xavier rises in the air, his face already bleeding. He goes up maybe ten feet before he falls back down, and blood streams from his mouth.


    “What have you done?” I ask. “No, Xavier.” I run to my best friend as Th’ul defends himself against the High Mage’s attacks.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Xavier is breathing but just barely. His chest heaves up and down slowly, and he’s bleeding from several wounds.


    “I’m taking him to Magefell,” High Mage Aegon says. “They can help him there. But if I go, I’m not sure I can return. The other High Mages will need me.”


    “We need you.” I bite my lip. SHould I save Xavier? Even at the possible cost of all our lives. “Do it. Take him.”


    High Mage Aegon nods. “He’ll live, Zade.” With that, he picks up my best friend, and a second later, they’re gone.”


    I collapse on the ground, recovering my breath. I feel used up, my energy spent. I don’t know how long this fight will last, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to stay alive that long. My body screams for rest, but there isn’t any.


    Looking around, I see many of my friends unconscious, incapacitated for now. Skai, her neck still bleeding, but she’s still alive. Artemis is on the ground as well, and so is Aster now. Xavier, of course, is gone. I look at them all sadly. We haven’t lost any yet, but we’re still losing.


    We need to take the upper hand.


    Even if it means I burn.


    — — —


    Yue woke up to a body falling on her. She opened her eyes to find Neena grimacing at her.


    “Sorry, I didn’t mean to,” She said. “Xander threw me.”


    “How long have I been out?” Yue asked.


    “Five minutes, I think,” The blonde responded, “Xavier almost died, so High Mage Aegon had to take him away.”


    “That’s not good,” Yue sighed. “Are they still winning?”


    “They’re wearing us down,” Neena admitted. “But it isn’t over. All it takes is one mistake…”


    “To change the outcome,” Yue replied. “Let’s change the outcome then.”


    The Wolf was fixated on fighting Alyx, so didn’t notice as Yue came up to him. She raised her sword.


    The Wolf’s head turned, a complete one hundred eighty degrees. She gaped as from his mouth poured a black sludge that began to crawl over her. She screamed.


    “You’re a…”


    “Mage?” He asked. “Yes, I am.” He raised his hands, and something began to erupt from the ground. A skeleton, its head looking around wildly. “It’s good to be free, isn’t it? I’m glad you can see me for who I am now.”


    The black sludge almost covered Yue completely now, and she thrashes, trying to get it off.


    “Don’t move,” Th’ul yelled from where he was fighting High Mage Eldor. “It won’t kill you.” She narrowed her eyes, but trusted him.


    The black sludge covered her head, and she was thrust in pitch blackness. All she could hear were the sounds of battle, the cries of her friends. Yue didn’t know what was happening, and the nervousness beat at her.


    A shadow passed above her, raising a weapon.


    “No, no , no!” She screamed, then the sword came down, and the black sludge scattered. She stared gratefully at Th’ul.


    “Don’t mention it,” He said. “Just focus on your captain.”


    “He’s not my captain.”


    “You know what I mean.” He moved again, throwing himself at the High Mage, and Yue turned to fight the Wolf.


    He was circled by skeletons guarding him. Alyx was fighting them, and they seemed easy enough to kill, but there were plenty of them.


    The Wolf must’ve been a necromancer.


    Yue struck down a skeleton, and turned to a second shattering its skull. They were disarmed and used only their fists, granting an easy fight to her. Except some of the skeletons stood up again, even with wounds in their bodies. The only ones who died were missing their heads.


    Neena came to help them as they set on the skeletons. Yue decapitated several, moving from one to another, as fast as she could. The Wolf was clearly trying to slow them down, and…


    A Fireball—sent by the Wolf— hit her in the chest and her clothes caught fire. Panicking, she fell to the ground, rolling. The fire slowly began to disappear from her clothes and she lay on the ground, panting.


    So much was happening. This was too chaotic, and she needed to finish this.


    The Wolf turned to her and Xaner dropped from the sky next to the Wolf. Alyx, Neena, and Yue, stood together.


    “This is it,” Yue whispered. “Either we win now, or die trying.”


    The villains charged at them.


    — — —


    My body flares with lightning and flames, and I feel myself getting stronger while my core complains at me. But I can’t stop now.


    With inhuman speed, I run at High Mage Eldor and strike at him. He dodgers the blow and punches me. I catch his blow with my face, and while it hurts, it doesn’t do too much damage. I send my lightning at him, and it hits him in the face and he groans. Th’ul comes in from behind, Sia behind him. They strike at the High Mage, who reacts by sending himself up to the sky then crashing down. The earth rumbles and Th’ul and Sia fall to the ground.


    I send my lightning again at the High Mage who meets it with his own, ricocheting backwards into us. As my lightning hits me, my flames absorb it. My mind is flaring with the possibilities of what I can do, but I can see High Mage Eldor feels the same.


    And he has more magic.


    He flies at me, and I meet him in the air, crashing into each other. He punches at me, and my face bursts into flames, my magic protecting me. His fist catches on fire, and I open my mouth, shooting lightning from it. The High Mage screams as he begins to smoke, the electricity crackling off him. When it disappears, his face is scarred, mangled. He’s burned, but he begins to heal before my eyes.


    “I’m done,” He growls, and pushes me down. I fall from the sky, an invisible force pulling me. As I crash into the ground, like Xavier did a few minutes ago, I see HIgh Mage Aegon diving at me. I don’t react in time. The mage’s fist crashes into me, and I spit blood.


    A blade is thrust through High Mage Aegon’s stomach. He growls and turns to Sia, who glares at him. Raising himself, he backhands her, and she falls to the ground.


    “Don’t touch her,” I say, using my skill. Obviously, it doesn’t work, but it grabs his attention.


    “Still alive?” He asks me, He raises his hand, and it sharpens turning into a blade, and he stabs it down. Grabbing it, I let it enter my shoulder a little. Grunting against the pain, I lay my hand on his shoulder.


    “May the devil take you,” I say and fire pours out of my hand, engulfing him.


    The High Mage screamsas the flame consumes him. While he’s distracted, I try to use my skill again. This time, it works. The pillar of fire consumes everything that was left of High Mage Eldor. The flames dissipate, leaving only charred ground in their wake.


    “That wasn’t enough, bastard,” A voice says behind me, and I feel a stab in my chest. Looking down, I find a blade sticking out of my chest. The pain hits me next, and the magic disappears from my body. WIth a growl, the High Mage removes his blade-hand from my body and I collapse on the ground.


    “Hail Dautha,” Eldor says as he turns to fight Th’ul next. I begin to lose consciousness and I stare at my friends, trying to see who’s still up.


    Yue, Alyx, Th’ul, and Neena seem to be the only ones who can still fight. The others are injured or unconscious, even Sia. Her leg is bleeding and she’s trying to stop it. The wound seems pretty bad.


    I wish I had the High Mage here. I wonder if I’m dying. The numbness tells me I might be.


    But I can’t go yet. Not until I do one last thing. My sword is next to me and I wrap my hands around its cold hilt. My eyes burn, and my arm begins to crackle. I can’t stand, but I crawl, making sure I don’t make any noise.


    High Mage Eldor is busy fighting Th’ul, his magic overpowering my friend’s. The High Mage’s clothes are charred, and even he is burned, but still he fights with an incomparable ferocity.


    I need to stand. Stabbing my sword into the ground, I push on it, rising slowly. My body complains against me. Somehow, I didn’t Burn, but I’m dying now. I’m just a few steps away from the High Mage. From the man responsible for the deaths of so many. He may not have done the killing but I’m sure he orchestrated it. I hate the man, and I only feel the need to kill him.


    I raise my sword, and my mouth opens.


    “Dautha can’t save you,” I say, and chop down.


    The sword smashes into the High Mage’s head, splitting it, crushing it. What I said was enough to distract Eldor for just a second. I couldn’t have used magic against him, but my sword did the job.


    The mage collapses on the ground, dead immediately, blood, brain, and pieces of his skull oozing off his skull. I smile as I watch him. The bastard is finally dead. I actually did it!


    Then I collapse too. The pain is overwhelming me. The magic leaves my body, and slowly I begin to lose my senses.


    Th’ul kneels down next to me.


    “Zade, are you okay? Zade, stay with me!” Th’ul slaps my face, but it isn’t enough to bring me out.


    “I did what I needed to,” I whisper, barely hearing my own words.


    “You can’t leave us, you know that!” Th’ul whispers, and I see a tear falling down his cheek.


    “Tell Jade that I…love her,” I say. “And tell Xavier I’m…going to see…Astil.”


    I see his face smiling at me as my body becomes weightless.


    Everything goes black, and I fall into unconsciousness.


    — — —


    The Wolf and Xander crashed into them, throwing their magic at them. Neena was thrown back as purple energy crashed into her. Alyx took on the Wolf, her sword swinging in time with the Wolf’s, although his was magically enhanced, faster, stronger.


    Xander crashed into Yue, and she reacted instinctively, stabbing.


    Her sword scraped Xander’s shoulder, cutting it. It was the first wound she’d given her boyfriend, and she regretted it immediately. The guilt hit her like a brick wall. She knew he was being controlled, but it just didn’t feel right to hurt him.


    Xander punched her, and her already broken nose bled more. Pain flared in her head, and she punched back. Xander dodged it and hit her again.


    As she stumbled back, he threw his purple energy at her again. She brought up her sword and closed her eyes, knowing she couldn’t block it.


    Nothing happened.


    Opening her eyes, she found that her sword was parting the purple energy around her. It converged again behind her, but she wasn''t touched by it.


    She pushed forwards.


    The purple energy split around her as she moved forwards. She couldn’t see anything in front of her, but she knew that Xander was somewhere in front of her. She was getting closer.


    Then the energy dissipated, and Xander was standing in front of her, the magic all gone from his hands, staring at her angrily.


    “How did you survive that?” He asked. Yue swung at him, and he smiled, letting her do it. Yue stopped her sword an inch away from his heart.


    “I knew you couldn’t do it,” He growled. “You’re a coward.” Grabbing her neck, he began to squeeze.


    Yue’s breath left her. Immediately, panic set in and she thrashed, but her body reacted instinctively, droppin her sword, using both of her hands to try to pry his from her. His grip was iron, though, and he only squeezed harder.


    “Xander, please…stop,” She managed to say.


    “Save your breath,” Xander responded. “It’s your last.”


    Yue’s sight went fuzzy. She opened her mouth, not to scream but to breathe, but there was just no more air. Xander’s grip was too strong. Her hands went limp, and she lost the feeling in her body. She was sure her face was purple.


    “I love you, Xander,” She whispered, but he ignored it, instead squeezing even harder. Yue was surprised that her windpipe hadn’t been crushed yet.


    She couldn’t feel anything anymore. There was no more pain, and she didn’t have long.


    Yue went limp.


    Xander dropped her, collapsing to the ground.


    Yue still couldn’t breathe. She was dying she was…


    She gasped, the air finally entering her lungs. She stood up, breathing heavily, feeling her raw, red throat, hervision slowly returning to her.


    “What happened?” She asked.


    “Zade did it,” Xander whispered from beside her. Yue glared at him. “It’s me, yue. I promise. I’m back.”


    She laughed and kissed him. “So you aren’t being controlled anymore?”


    “Not for now. High Mage Eldor is dead,” He told her. She laid her head on his chest, tears of joy running down her face. When she stood up, she smiled at him.


    “I have something to do, but I’ll be right back.”


    “Kill the Wolf for me,” Xander winked. “Thank you, Yue. I love you.”


    “Not as much as I do.”


    Finally happy, she grabbed her sword, ready to fight. From the corner of ehr eye, she could see Th’ul standing over a limp Zade, and a knot grew in her stomach but she ignored it for now.


    The Wolf was her first priority now. She needed to kill him before he did any more damage.


    The Wolf was still fighting both Alyx and Neena. His magic swirled around them, cutting them while his sword slashed. Yue didn’t understand what magic he was using, but it was effective, always a painful distraction to her friends.


    She was arriving just in time. People always only came just in time to save others.


    That was just the way of the world.


    “Wolf!” She screamed. “Your friends are dead. You’re alone. Give it up.”


    The Wolf smirked. “What do you expect? Honestly, Yue. Only four of you are still standing. Some of you are dying. Of the four of you, only one is a mage, and he’s still training. I’m the strongest swordsman here, and I’m the most powerful with magic. You don’t honestly think you can defeat me.”


    “We killed the High Mage!”


    A flicker of doubt crossed the Wolf’s face before it became impassive again. “That was not you. That was Zade, and he’s on his deathbed, if he’s not dead already.”


    The Wolf dove at her, leaving his magic to fight Neena and Alyx, who desperately tried to relieve themselves of the torture.


    “When you’re all on the ground, I’ll kill each of you,” The Wolf growled. “One by one. You won’t even be awake to feel it.”


    “Neither will you be alive to do it,” Yue responded, swinging at him. He waved his hand, and her sword was pulled to the right, Yue barely holding on to it. The Wolf thrust at her and she jumped backwards. Once again, the Wolf waved his hand, and she was pulled forwards, heading straight for his outstretched sword.


    She fought against it, but his magic was strong. She fought against it. Magic was just like any other force. If she pushed hard enough against it, then his force wouldn’t be strong enough to push her. She dug her feet into the ground, pushing back, but he was obviously powerful. He wasn’t the most experienced mage she’d met, but he was a damn fine one.


    What a shame..


    The sword was inches from her skin now and getting closer. He thrust it forward.


    She finally pushed through. Collapsing to the ground, she crawled backwards, her breath still heaving from almost being suffocated.


    Yue touched her chest where the sword had almost stabbed her. She was on the verge of death the entire day. She’d been stabbed, choked, forced to watch a friend die. Enough horror to traumatize anyone She couldn’t count how many times she’d almost died that day. It was weighing on her, but she was done with it all.


    The Wolf swung at her again, putting inhuman speed and strength behind it. She caught his sword with hers and stumbled back, but stayed standing, frowning at him. He frowned back at her, his mind concentrating.


    The Captain’s doing magic, She realized. Whatever he was doing, she needed to escape it. Jumping to the side, she barely dodged the dagger flying from behind her.


    “Why won’t you die?” The Wolf roared.


    “Because unlike you, I’m still needed here on earth,” Yue smiled. “Meanwhile, your time is up.”


    The Wolf’s eyes widened then narrowed. “What do you mean?” He raised his sword. “I am winning…” He sputtered and coughed up blood as a sword swung at his neck. Another swing and his head was split from his shoulders.


    “We did it,” Xander smiled at her.


    “I can’t believe it,” She embraced him. “We’re all alive. Somehow, we survived.”


    “Where’s Poli?” Xander asked. “I haven’t seen her anywhere.”


    Yue hung her head. “She was killed by the Cult.”


    Xander’s face became somber. “That’s horrible. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for it.”


    “I forgive you,” Yue began to cry. “I’m sorry for blaming you for running away. You did the right thing.”


    “I’m just glad I get to be with you again,” He replied.


    “Someone, please! Zade needs help!” Th’ul was screaming at them, his face anguished.


    Yue rushed to Th’ul’s side. Feeling for his pulse, she gasped. It was beating, but only once every ten seconds or so.


    “He’s dying. We need to get him to Magefell.”


    “How will we do that?” Xander asked. “High mage Aegon left to get Xavier to a hospital.”


    “I can get him there,” Th’ul said. “I’ve only teleported over short distances, but I can try. If I fail, he dies, but if I don’t try, he dies too.”


    “Zade, stay with us,” Yue begged. “Just for a little. We’ll get help. Do it, Th’ul.”


    Th’ul nodded and closed his eyes, grabbing Zade. He frowned as he concentrated, shivering. A minute passed with nothing happening. Then, Th’ul and Zade began to tremble and disappear. Th’ul groaned in pain but didn’t stop as they continued to disappear.


    Soon, they were totally gone.


    Yue fell to the ground next to Xander.


    “We should head back to Magefell,” Xander told her.


    “Just let me rest for five minutes,” She asked, and Xander nodded.


    Yue relaxed, closing her eyes. They’d won. It was a hard-fought battle, but they’d won and were all still alive for now.


    Yue was tired, exhausted.


    But now she felt more excited than she ever had.


    They’d won a battle against the Cult.