For Whom The Bell Tolls (1)

      The Valkyries, Fennis, Charlie, and myself all run as fast as we can through the Academy. Pockets of Eld still exist and they surround us when they are able. Fennis is busy carrying Abi’s unconscious form, giving us a handicap. We fight them off to the best of our ability, but the Beta refuse to leave us alone. The biggest concentration of them is in the room Dom and Gehenna are.

      The ones who attack us, however, fare poorly against the combined might of us all. Beasts of twisted, mangled flesh attack us one after the other. Comparatively, they are weak alone, but their numbers are outrageous. Where could they possibly be coming from? I mean, those portals, but…

      A charred-black claw swoops down on me while I am distracted. There is a flash before me as Mimi stands right as rain. Where her fist hangs in the air stands a Beta with a severed arm, and a hole through their chest.

      “No time to be distracted, beautiful.” She winks at me.

      “What? ‘Beautiful’?”

      Mimi giggles and disappears. She is so fast. Lightning-fast, technically, but it still boggles the mind, even though I’m in the “know.” Another Beta comes for me from high in the air. The portals are letting them out everywhere, and the air is no exception. I draw my sword.

      Before I can block the incoming attack, Kay swoops in from midair and tackles the Beta. They roll across the ground for a moment before Kay manages to right herself and brings her daggers down over and over. As she dismounts the corpse, she turns to me with a small smile tugging at her lips, and then she too runs back into the fray.

      I see Charlie struggling with three Beta up ahead and rush to her side. They smack her shield out of her left hand. I slice one's arm off before the beast can bring its trunk-like arm down on her.

      “This feels like the first time we met,” she gasps.

      Her words make me wince. “During the beginnings of the war, when Nina was taken from us?” I ask.

      She slices at one Beta, then rolls to the side. I keep my back against hers and slice at another one. It isn’t long before we’ve made short work of the group. Charlie reaches over and tilts my head up by my chin.

      “No, silly girl, when you saved that man. My guards had you all surrounded and yet you still showed no fear.”

      My eyes are like saucers in the reflection from Charlie’s pure-blue eyes. “You… remember…”

      Before she can respond, Fennis urges us to continue – we’re nearing the end of the courtyard now. The gates stand wide open with the armies still fighting against the Eld and now the Beta. Corpses span the horizon, and the stench of death has stained the wind.

      “And what are we supposed to do now?” I ask. “All there is, is more and more fighting. The Beta will not stop coming.”

     “Indeed. They will not. Once a Beta has marked your thread, it will hunt you forever. That’s the entire reason this always happens.”

      In wanders Dom – young, and super-hot Dom. I shake my head to clear those thoughts.

      What the hell? Since when do I like men? No… what?

      Wait. I have always liked men. What the hell is going on with me? Me liking women is not supposed to be my default. Sure, I made my decision to like these specific women but, oh for fuck sakes. This isn’t even important right now.

      Mimi interrupts my thoughts. “What do you mean, always happens? You know, your entire conversation with Gehenna was eerie…”

      Dom looks over at me. “My Lord, it is as much my fault as anyone's that things have gone so far off course. For that, I apologize.”

      Fennis he is not who he is bowing to, but me. Quickly looking at the others, I realized they are just as confused as I am.

      “Though you will have to forgive me on your own time, as it is in limited abundance right now. You all must go.”

      Confused, I question him. “Go where? There are Beta everywhere! You yourself said they will follow us forever. What could we possibly do?”

      A roar cuts through the skies and we all look up. To our amazement, there in the sky, dotting the horizon…

      “Is that a freaking boat? In the sky?!” Mimi calls out first.

      “Of all the things to see in my lifetime…” Rose is equally flabbergasted.

      Even Kay stares with her mouth wide open. I wonder if these blatant showing of emotions is related to Ame’s spell being cut off her when she died, or if it results from pulling that infection out of her.

      “My gods. The mad man did it!” Fennis exclaims.

      “What? Who did what?” I ask.

      “Bartholum, that crazy son of a bitch! He found an old book that talked about an ancient piece of machinery that Nina had created a prototype of during the rebellions.”

      Just then, the courtyard floods with Beta. They’ve regrouped and are closing in on us as Kyle lands the ship at the edge of the actual battlefield.

      “You must all go!” Dom repeats.

      “You have to come as well,” I tell him.

      He shakes his head. “The Beta will never stop. They have your fates and they hunger for them. All present must be wiped out for you all to have any semblance of peace.”

      It’s then that I notice small fissures going up his arms. I can see a faint glow in the cracks. I tilt my head at it, and he notices my gaze.

      “Ah. Forgive me. I have been channeling several spells for quite some time, you see. Even talking has been difficult. Though in this form, it is much easier. I will put up a barrier after you all have made it to the ship, trapping all things Beta within it.”

      “Well, good. Then you can do that and we can all leave together.”

      Another shake of his head. “I won’t be able to leave the barrier, as I am the channeler. It would bring it down.”

      “Then we shall stay and fight with you! Then we will all leave through the barrier.”

      He seems hesitant for a moment before talking complete gibberish.

      “I must put The barrier up after you leave, my Lord. Nothing of the Beta can pass through it.”

      “Right. So we can all leave together.” Anxiety shakes my voice.

      Rose places a hand on my shoulder, with sadness deep inside her eyes. Everyone else is looking at me, too.

      “What? What are you all looking at?” Panic assails me more than ever before.

       Dom looks at me with grief-stricken eyes. “My Lord, you must go. Now, and hurry, before the barrier is raised! We are running out of time!”

      “Again, we can all run through it after-”

      “Nothing Beta can pass through it, Eve..."

      My heart drops. My breath hitches. What is he insinuating? I look at the others, but they all turn their gazes from me.