ROTU: Chapter Forty-Nine

"Some of the Avehkal followed!" Jarek warned as the portal sealed behind him. He spun his ship to dodge an attack. "Watch your back!"

"We are behind you too," a Lumaña pilot replied as he sent a counterattack to the Avehkal closing in on Brogan, "so you are not alone."

"We've got to get into position," Danika said. "We can't delay."

"We will split up among you to help protect you," another Lumaña pilot said as he followed Hoshi. "Just keep focused on your task."

***

Jalena stood at the west side of the Great Pyramid, contemplating how to ignite the shield as Tau and Surion made their way through the area with their staffs held high, casting spells to mask the area and ward off any late-night wanderers. Her thoughts were cut short, however, as Drasúl stepped through an oval of red light, followed by a group of Avehkal warriors and Dark Magi.

Jalena involuntarily stepped back as she encountered the dark energy that radiated from Drasúl. He was different than when she faced him at the Colorado headquarters. The irises of his eyes were now crimson, encircled by a black rim. They matched the dark crimson line that bordered the edge of his eyelids. The power of the Mysteis had left him and was now replaced by something darker. The Mark of Darkone rested permanently on his forehead.

He smiled as he and his team spread out before the others. "Ah, Jalena, so you didn't leave me disappointed by dying for the human at least. Now, I feel complete, given we can finish what we started without interference."

"You have lost yourself," she replied.

"Found myself is more like it. In exchange for defeating the light warriors—the one within this body and those who oppose me externally—I would give anything."

"More like everything."

He smirked in response and then drew out a long sword from a sheath. Its blade glinted red in the moonlight. "I made a gift for you."

Jalena's eyes held a yellow glow as she re-ignited the power of the dragons. Gold flames once again spread out around her as the sigils on her skin lit. She reformed her and Gyan's swords, which vibrated with an even greater energy than in the moments before.

Drasúl's eyes narrowed as he watched the two swords merge and seal into one.

The halo within Jalena's gaze swirled with multiple colors as each of the warriors' charisma surfaced within her all at once. As she thought of each warrior on her team, more power moved through her. Double crosses appeared on her face within the flames around her eyes. Vines of leaves and thorns appeared across her cheeks and along her forearms.

The ground shook as a deep rumble sounded beneath the group.

"I see you have newfound power as well," Drasúl chuckled. "Good. You will need it."

Drasúl lightly flicked his fingers forward, but Jalena was ready. With the surge of heightened power flooding through her, she could sense his moves before he made them.

She swept her sword before her and the gold fire of the dragons formed a barrier against the black fog that raced toward her team. The fog stopped as it met the border of fire.

The Dark Magi disappeared and reformed on the other side of the fire. They moved to attack Nyhra and Shamira. Tau remained by Shamira's side as she initiated Jarek's and Lorcan's charisma. Surion joined Nyhra to help ward off magical attacks as the elder master lowered her stance for combat.

Oba grinned as the Avehkal surrounded him. "Just like old times," he said as he drew his sword.

"You are fighting a battle you cannot win, Drasúl," Jalena said. "Even if you defeat me, the Conduits will rise to one day take back their planet. They are the masters of the Earth and have been awakened. They may be easy to control now, but they will not always remain so. They are already remembering their power."

Drasúl threw his head back and laughed. "Masters, you say? This place has no masters except those of the dark."

Crimson blades shot through the air at Jalena. She disappeared, dodging the blades. Using Danika's disappearing charisma, she sent a burst of fire at the Dark Magi advancing on Shamira but quickly teleported as Drasúl blocked her fire.

"Even if you disappear, I can still sense your energy, Jalena," he said. "You can't hide from Darkone's power."

She reappeared nearby, searching for an opening to close the distance between herself and Drasúl.

Surion cried out and dropped her staff as black fire erupted around it. Tau stepped in front of the Dark Magi to block his next advance but was too late in saving Surion from the flames that swarmed her.

Tau jabbed his staff into the air before him and sent a blast of gold light at the Magi. The Magi warded off his attack with a spin of his own staff.

The two opponents facing Oba dropped to the ground. He rushed to join Tau in fighting the Magi. Grabbing one of the fallen Avehkal's large guns, he repeatedly shot bullets of fire until the Magi backed away.

Jalena advanced on Drasúl as an urgency to end him filled her. She was beginning to feel a heightened need to release the Light Key within her and knew it was because the Earth's shield was readying to launch. Whatever magic Drasúl had used to open the portals would trigger the shield at any moment.

She turned and threw her sword with great speed directly at Drasúl. Her sword split apart and then disappeared as he teleported. Understanding the sword's motion, instinctively Jalena mimicked Drasúl's teleportion trail. Gyan's gladaé formed and reformed each time Jalena teleported, the swords working in harmony with her intent to follow Drasúl. She grabbed the hilt of her own sword as it flashed before her just as she appeared in the air to shove it through his shoulder.

He cried out in pain and disappeared in a burst of light again.

Drasúl dodged Jalena's continual blows until the swords revealed a pattern in her mind. Jalena arrived a split second before his next location as both swords appeared. The blades slammed together as one. Jalena took a large step and shoved the sword through his chest. The gladaés disappeared again as she spun and smashed her foot against his jaw. He rolled across the ground. She advanced on him before he could stand, knowing that he would not lose consciousness as he had in Colorado.

She reached for the light of the moon pulsing within her, and its glow spread across her skin. The gold light coming from the sigils on her arm blended with the red fire of the Earth that now rushed through her veins. The whites of her eyes turned to gold as her pupils narrowed to slits and a red glow filled her irises. The flames of the dragon diminished as red and blue flames spiked high around her. She could feel the optimal transformation of the Earth's gift to her as the ancient power of the phoenix heightened within her with each step she took toward Drasúl.

"I have him you know," Drasúl whispered as he pushed himself up to his knees. "He is chained and likely ready to die considering the beating that he has been given by now."

Jalena stopped in her advance, feeling the truth in what Drasúl spoke as he telepathically showed her a mental image of Kaelon chained alongside Lyons and Sean. The light within her gaze diminished as she halted her transformation.

Drasúl chuckled without looking up. "I knew that would get your attention." He shook his head. "Still in love with the human, then?" He scowled in disgust as his brow furrowed. "When will you learn that they will only hold you back!" he shouted.

Jalena! Shamira yelled as she fought the three Dark Magi that had her cornered against the Great Pyramid. Combined, the Magi's fire is consuming Jarek's power! I can't hold them!

Jalena arrived too late as the Magi pierced Shamira through with rays of red light.

The three flew back from Jalena's own blast of blue and gold light as she appeared in between the Magi and Shamira. She lifted one Magi into the air with the dragon's power and sent a blast of blue and gold light repeatedly at him until his body disintegrated into a burst of black mist.

The other two disappeared.

Jalena turned to find Shamira gone.

Shamira! she called as she placed her hands on the pyramid. She looked around in confusion when she could no longer sense Shamira's energy. Shamira!

"No!" Nyhra cried out.

Jalena turned just in time to see the elder master throw her own body in front of her. Nyhra gasped as Drasúl's sword and the light blades of the other two Magi pierced her all at once.

Drasúl and the Magi continued forward.

"No!" Jalena exclaimed as she caught Nyhra's falling form. "Nyhra!" she called shrilly.

The elder master's gaze held a blank stare, the poison of Drasúl's sword had already killed her.

Drasúl chuckled as the sword disappeared in a black fog and then reappeared within his grasp. "Just like a teacher…always interfering when they should just let you learn your own lesson."

Jalena turned and faced the Drasúl fully as she laid the elder master on the ground and placed herself in between Nyhra's body and her three opponents. Her blended sword reformed in her grasp.

With a yell and a heart full of emotion, Jalena pierced the ground with her gladaé.

Drasúl halted as a surge of gold and blue light emerged from the sword. The blast knocked him off his feet as the Dark Magi instantly disintegrated within its heated energy.

Drasúl teleported, but the energy of the sword penetrated his trail. As he reappeared, the light slammed into him again. His back hit the ground hard, where he lay still.

"I'm sorry," Jalena whispered as she knelt and gently brushed a hand over Nyhra's eyes. She swallowed back the despair that bubbled to surface from within her and swallowed back her regret and sorrow, knowing that she could not let her guard down more than she already had.

Shamira? Her brow furrowed despite the calmness she felt as she placed her hand on the pyramid again.

Jalena slowly stood as gold light pulsed widely around Nyhra's body, and the Mark of the Priestesses formed on the elder master's forehead.

Fury overtook the sorrow that ran through Jalena as Drasúl slowly stood.

She teleported and reappeared in midair above him, bringing her gladaé down over him while producing a blue and gold shield around herself.

He swung his sword up, and Jalena slammed her gladaé against it as she continued her advance. The pulsing beneath her skin grew stronger, and the ancient power of the Earth heightened within her once more.

She glanced at the top of the pyramid, where she knew she had to go to intercept the shield. Her eyes widened as she saw Ralian appear high above the pyramid and turn his ship into a dive.

A fleet of Avehkal ships followed.

Jalena threw up a shield around what was left of her team as the enemy ships' piercing rays showered over them.

***