A dark cloud gathered over the Academy as Apas Durah emerged from Tayor's tent and turned for the Academy. As he approached the wall, his mass grew to and enormous size. He hovered at the wall and laughed as Men and Orcs alike scrambled to get away.
Inside, Shayn stood at his desk with Ono, Maru, Jovan and Eheren going over a small model of the Academy and its wall and grounds. Jovan was pointing out the places where he thought the spell that protected the wall could be weakened. He know the Orcs and Gorak couldn't break the spell, but Tayor had much stronger magic.
"It is possible for Tayor to weaken the spell enough for the Orcs to break through?" Jovan bent over the model. "I have Councilor Humbridge here and Gaunt and Terryn here. Den and Rainstone are in the back covering a spot near the cliff. Captain Testa..."
Suddenly the room grew dark as all the light from outside faded away leaving only torch light to illuminate the room. Ono hurried to the window and looked out to find the afternoon sky had suddenly turned to a smoky gray.
"What is it?" Shayn asked.
"I don't know." Ono said. "An eclipse?"
"Not this time of year." Eheren said, he looked over to the window. "Cutter says there's trouble. We should get outside now."
"Tayor is up to something!" Shayn pounded his fist on the desk. "Get everyone on the ready for the attack! Lets go!"
Not wanting to take time to run through then the building, Shayn grabbed Ono and him and Eheren cast a spell that transported them outside to the wall. As they appeared, Shayn looked out to see a huge gray cloud shaped like the torso and head of a man looming over the gates of the Academy. As he watched it grow, Kalin and Texta ran up and joined him.
"By Rimnar!" Ono shouted, his eyes open wide in shock "What is that?"
"Species, Djinn. Long thought extinct. They were created long ago by a civilization dead over one hundred years ago. They are incredibly powerful."
"Powerful enough to breach the spell?
As Kalin asked the question, the Djinn slammed its fist down crushing the wall. Orcs poured into the courtyard howling their war cry's. From the top of the wall, Zarin's father Captain Testa came running with his sword in hand. He stopped and called to the archers he had stationed all along the wall.
"Fire!!"
Steel arrows streaked through the air speeding down at the enemy with precise aim dropping Orcs one after another. Volley after volley was launched by cadets and Academy guards until their supply was exhausted and Captain Testa ordered his men to charge. As he leaped from the wall, Jovan joined him to fight at his side and watch his back.
As Captain Testa and his men joined the battle, Eheren and Blink shifted and leaped from a balcony and dived down it the on coming wave of Orcs. Lightning shot down striking Orc warriors while Blink swooped in sending his black flame into the charging crowd of warriors. Clubs and war hammers smashed Academy guards while Savonti warriors on trackers charged out from a rear exit blasting Orc invaders with their staff weapons. Yaru and his warriors slithered out to the attack, his energy blades flashed as he cut down Orcs dressed in black or red. Surprised by the strange reptilian warriors, Hamar and his Bloodfalls doubled their efforts at trying to get into the Academy building. With a signal. Hamar sent Oggha at the south entrances as he attacked the main gate.
As Oggha and his warriors advanced on the southern entrance, a tall reptilian warrior dressed in silver armed with a strange staff stepped out of the southern entrance. He looked at Oggha then slapped his fist against his chest in some strange salute.
"Nazun." Maru said nodding his head without taking his eyes from the Orcs he faced. "I am Lord Maru of the Savonti and this place is under my protection. I advise you to go and take your warriors away from this place of learning or you will all die."
"You are alone strange one." Oggha smirked. "You are no match for me or my warriors. Move aside and I might allow you to live."
"Kill me if you can Orc." Maru smiled a frightening Savonti grin holding his staff to his side. "It is your death."
Oggha slapped one of his Orcs on the back sending him to attack Maru. With his club in his hand, the Orc charged at Maru. It swung for his head and missed, tripping and falling to Maru's feet. Maru casually touched the warrior with his staff and sent a charge of energy surging through his body killing him. He looked over to Oggha as he put his hands on his hips.
"Next."
Two warriors charged at Maru. One with a spear and the other with a ax. The warrior with the spear thrust forward at Maru's chest only to suddenly spin around and stab his companion through the neck. Confused by what he had just done, the warrior fell back stumbling away from Maru, he tripped and fell on the ax blade which stabbed right into his chest.
"Kill him!!
Oggha and his man all charged in to attack Maru. Twirling his staff, Maru fired three shots which ricocheted from skull to skull killing all ten attackers except Oggha who stood there staring at him amazed. Oggha dropped his weapons and bowed to Maru swearing his allegiance to him forever.
As Tempus flew over the Academy walls, the fighting in the courtyard was intense. Cutter, Eheren, Blink and Shayn were in dragon form fighting hordes of Orcs, Trolls and other assorted beast. Cutter was busy fighting a Hydra while Shayn was wrestling with an Ogre. Ono had been fighting Orcs until he spotted the Ogre attack Shayn. He watched as they wrestled across the courtyard with the Ogre gaining the upper hand and forcing Shayn to the ground. As it raised its huge fist to hit Shayn again, something triggered in Ono and he took off running toward his mate in battle. In his head, Ono screamed Shayn's name in rage and fear. As he ran he started to shift forms. He went down on all fours as his body grew longer and heavier. Instead of the paws of a wolf, heavy scaled dragon legs formed. His body grew longer and thicker with grey scales that covered him from the tip of his tail to the top of his head. Short horns sprouted from his temple and ran down his face to his chin. He grew a snout with strong jaws able to snap iron bars. Ono had finally found his Dragon form. He was a Thunder Dragon, a dragon of strength and his mate was in trouble.
Charging forward, Ono crashed into the Ogre knocking him off of Shayn. It rolled away and was stunned for a second, then back on its feet ready to fight. Roaring, Ono reared up on his hind legs and beat the Ogre down with his dragon fist then came down crushing its chest. Struggling to breathe, the Ogre crawled off trying to get away from the Dragon and out of the fighting. With a roar, Ono stood at Shayn's side waiting for his next challenge.
"Get me to the wall." Insa told Tempus.
After circling the Academy, Tempus dropped down and let everyone down of his back.
"Don't shift yet." Zarin told him. "We're not staying here."
"Where are you going?" Insa asked.
"We have to find Tabor." Zarin took the Chain from around his neck and put it on Insa. "This will break Tayor's spell on you, and give you back your abilities. If I don't come back, tell my father I love him and tell the others good bye for me."
He switched the Chain onto Pelic freeing him from Tayor's spell, then put it back around his own neck.
"I have taught you many things over the years." Insa said to Zarin and Reno. "I taught you right from wrong and what's dark from what's light. I know what Tabor's done to all of you, but please, don't fight Tabor with hate in your heart. I don't want you to become as evil as he is. Come back with your souls intact, all of you."
"We'll try Professor." Zarin hugged him and they climbed back on Tempus and he took off.
"Now what?" Pelic asked.
"We face Tayor and get the city back." Insa went to the rail of the wall and roared. "That felt good."
As the Academy guards and the Savonti warriors battled back and forth with Tayor's forces, Tayor seemed to be gaining the upper hand. The Bloodfalls and the Blackbanes were a huge force to fight against. With the help of the Trolls, Ogres and other beast, It wasn't looking very good. Ono in thunder dragon form with Shayn held them from getting through to the Acadeny doors, but they were out matched. There were just to many and not enough warriors in the Academy to fight. Pretty soon the cadets would have to take up weapons if something didn't happen soon.
Captain Lowell Testa and Jovan were covered with Orc blood standing surrounded by many dead Orcs and Academy guards. They were tired but nothing would stop them from protecting the school.
With a final stab, Captain Testa took out the last Orc that stood against him and he turned to find Jovan exhausted on his knees bleeding from a dozen cuts. He reached down and helped Jovan up.
"Are you alright?"
"I could use a back rub and a mug of beer right about now." He smiled wiping blood from his face. "But I'll be OK."
Captain Testa chuckled at Jovan's joke. After all that had happened, a sense of humor was a good thing. Who knows if the Academy was going to make it another day. Captain Testa turned to look at the doors to the building. There was still fighting going on. Shayn and some new dragon seemed to be holding their own keeping anything away from the doors. He turned to look at the gate. Orcs were still coming in. To the west there was another wave coming towards him. He lifted his sword to be ready. Then something strange happened. The Orcs dressed in black and red turned and started fighting Orcs dressed in green. As Captain Testa looked closer, he saw among them, Captain Morganz Alavara, chief of all Winterhaven's guards charging toward him.
"Look Jovan. We have company!"
From the wall of the Academy, Apas Durah looked down at the battling mortals. Their war was no real concern of his. He didn't care who won here. All he really wanted was his freedom from the damned bottle. He knew there was three ways he could go. He could give himself over to the one who holds the bottle and hope he frees him once he has what he wants, but that human didn't seem like the trusting type. He would keep him for years as his magical slave, just like many others in the past had done. Or he could try and trick him into destroying the bottle and freeing him. He couldn't touch or hurt him physically, but he could use his magic to scare him. Perhaps then he might make a mistake and break the bottle. That also didn't seem like it had much of a chance to succeed. His last choice was to wait and learn as much as he could about this human, then turn on him when he lease expected it. Let him gain confidence in his hold on him, then betray him and watch as he dies.
With Tayor in his hand, Apas flew over the battle towards the Academy following Tayor's direction. Arrows streaked by and staff fire shot at them. Apas was hit many times but neither had any effect on his magical body.
On a walkway high over the Academy doors, Councilors Den. Humbridge and Terryn hurried out to take their place in the defense of the Academy. They had seen Apas and Tayor's approach to the school and knew they would be the Academy's last defense before Tayor could gain access to the schools secrets.
Spotting Apas coming at them in the air, each of the Councilors opened fire with their strongest spells. Lightning and fireball, energy bolts and mystic arrows shot at Apas. Cutter swooped down to the attack surrounded by rows of red and shadow dragon on his tail. As they attacked, Apas swung out with his huge arm to bat the dragons out of the air. The dragons vanished as Cutter slipped around Apas and grabbed at Tayor in his hand. Tayor shot a bolt at Cutter, sending a shock through the dragons body. Beating his wings hard, Cutter banked left steering himself away for another attack.
Surrounding himself with a globe of power, Tayor ordered Apas in to attack the school while he slipped in another way.
With the battle raging on, Apas drifted down to the Academy building as smoke. He moved pass the two dragons fighting in front of the building and headed in to follow Tayor's order to get him into the school. As he approached the doors, a sudden searing flash streaked down and blasted the ground in front of Apas. Shielding his eyes and floating back, he looked up to see what had barred him from getting to the building. As his eyes cleared, he saw a blinding light floating high over the building. He watched, it slowly descended down toward him as its light faded away. To his surprise, a man dressed in a dark blue jacket and black leather pants with a massive set of white wings came down to land in front of the doors.
Apas Durah hissed at Jayce St. James as he pulled Salvation and blocked him from entering the school.
"That's as far as you go, Demon!" There was a golden spark in his eyes as he confronted the evil spirit. "Go back to whatever hell you came from."
"Greetings little angel." Apas drifted back laughing. "You can't possibly think that you and your little knife could hurt one as great as Apas Durah! I battled scores of demons in hell's you can't even image long before human worms crawled from the seas."
"I can and I will." Jayce said. "If you move another inch forward. Don't underestimate what me and my little knife can do."
"I'll try not to."
Apas reached back and formed a fireball and threw it at Jayce. Swinging Salvation high, Jayce hit the burning orb and sent it flying out over the wall. Moving fast, Apas shot a series of blasts at him. Jayce twisted and turned Salvation, blocking each blast then deflecting them back at him. With his hand held out, Apas reabsorbed each blast that stuck him. With a wave of his hand he sent another heat blast at Jayce. Jayce just let it come and just like Apas, he absorbed the energy.
"Your fire can't hurt me." Jayce yelled. "But let's see what mine does to you."
Casting out his hand, Jayce called on his sunbirds who came flying down out of the sun. They circled around Jayce, then shot it Apas like arrows. As they hit him, he screamed in pain as five smoking holes appeared in his chest. Apas drifted back in shock from the pain. The angel had hurt him. This was the first time he had felt pain in centuries. He screamed out in rage and conjured a scimitar then shrank himself down to the same size as Jayce.
"It's time to die angel!"
"Yeah." Jayce smiled. "It is a good day to die, but not for me!"
"Then I shall oblige your wish!" Apas raised his scimitar and charged at Jayce. Jayce braced himself and met the charge high with Salvation. The two powerful swords crashed together and sparks flew. Spinning on his heels, Jayce swung around with a slice high for Apas head. He countered holding his sword straight pointed up, then forcing it down and sending out a force blast with his other hand. Jayce folded his wing around himself, using it as a shield to block the Djinn's force blast.
Like two titans, the two combatants fought. Magic flared and swords clashed as the battle raged. Apas leaped into the air and soared high up over the Academy putting some distance between him and Jayce. Opening his wings, Jayce took off after him chasing him away from the city.
Below, while everyone was distracted by the aerial battle, Tayor made his way to an entrance to the school that very few knew about. It was on the eastern side of the building hidden behind a statue of Regis Westlake, an old headmaster of the Academy. Tayor knew the password that would move the statue and give him a way in.
Watching to make sure no one was following him, Tayor stepped up to the Westlake statue and whispered the password.
"Blackheart."
The statue started to vibrate as it slide away from the wall. Tayor smiled, at last he would get what he had wanted for all these years. He took two steps toward the entrance and stopped.
"Aiya Tayor." Insa the smoke dragon stood there blocking his way. "I've been expecting you."
[So where are we going?] Tempus asked as they circled the city, [Where do you think Tabor will be?]
Zarin looked down at the ruined city beneath him. This had once been such a beautiful city before Tayor started the war. Shining towers of silver and gold, glass houses and mansions built and fashioned in Elven design. Now it had all been ransacked and burned. The market place was in flames and all the citizens had abandoned Winterhaven. It was all so sad. As they flew, they passed over Zarin's house. He told Tempus to land.
After landing, Zarin and Reno climbed down off his back and Tempus shifted while Zarin went to the open door to his families little cottage.
"Where are we?" He asked Reno.
"This was Zarin's home."
They went in to find everything was smashed and destroyed. The furniture was piled and thrown all over the cottage. His mothers kitchen was in shambles, Zarin looked down and picked up a picture with broken glass and a cracked frame.
"I guess my house looks like this too." Dack said from the door where he stood with Thalia, Craven and Trip. Dack walked over to Zarin who had sat down staring at the picture of him and his parents taken the day Zarin's father had been promoted to captain.
"That was a good day." Dack smiled. "Remember? Your father took us all for a picnic in the Academy park. Your mother had made us all that fried chicken lunch. I had so much fun that day until Tabor showed up and ruined it for us. Its funny how just seeing him could ruin such a good day."
"That's it!" Zarin looked at Dack wide eyed. "I know where he is."
Dack looked at him confused, then he remembered all the times Tabor had harassed them in the park. The time he had spelled the animal shrubbery to attack them breaking Dack's arm.
"The park?"
"He'll be there waiting for me."
"For us." Craven said. "You mean for us."
"No, I mean for me." Zarin dropped the picture. "I want you all to go back to the Academy and help there. I have to do this myself."
Reno, Thalia Trip and Craven rushed over arguing why they had to come. Dack held up his hand then shouted.
"SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU!!"
Everyone got quiet and turned to Dack.
"Thalia, Trip and Rese will go back to the Academy and help them there. Make sure our parent are OK please." Zarin started to object but Dack kept talking. "Reno, Craven and I are going with you. You can argue if you want, but we're going with you. Face it. I'm not leaving you to fight him alone, so deal with it."
"Besides." Reno said. "You know Tabor, He won't be alone. He'll have some nasty trick planned, and you won't be able to deal with it and him at the same time.
"And I have no choice here?" Zarin looked at each of them for an answer.
"Of course you have a choice." Thalia took his arm as they walked out of the house. "You could come with us and someone else can take care of Tabor, but I don't think you'll do that."
She kissed his check, then went to Reno and hugged him and kissed him full on the lips.
"Bring them home safe." She took his hand in hers, "I love you."
"I love you too." He held her for a minute, then let her go. "I'll bring them back."
She kissed Cravens cheek then hugged and kissed Dack.
"Be careful little brother."
"I will."
Rese shifted and Thalia and Trip climbed on his back. They waved good bye and he took off.
"You guys are crazy." Zarin said. "You know that right?
"Just like you." Dack put his arm around Zarin's shoulders as they headed for the park. "When this is over, there's something I have to tell you."
"What?" Zarin asked.
"We'll talk later."
"No." Zarin stopped him. "There may not be a later. If there's something you want to tell me, you should do it now."
Dack looked up at Zarin then at the others who had stopped to wait for them. Reno knew what Dack wanted to say and he thought it was about time. He guided Craven away to give them some privacy.
"Zarin." Dack said looking a bit scared. "I've known you since we first started school. You've always been there when I was in trouble or needed a hand."
"And I always will be." Zarin assured him. 'But what are you trying to say?"
"This." Dack reached out and took Zarin in his arms. He pulled him close and kissed him deeply. For a second, Zarin was surprised, then he wrapped his arms around his best friend and fell into his kiss.
"What took you so long to do that?" Zarin asked as the stood touching foreheads in an embrace.
"I wasn't sure if you felt the same" Dack kissed his nose. "I would have felt like shit if you had kicked me in the ass."
"Well I'xm not going to kick your ass." Zarin smiled. "But when this is over, there are other things I might want to do to your ass."
They laughed as Zarin pinched his bottom and kissed him again.
"Are you guys done?" Reno smiled as they hurried to catch up with them. Dack was glowing with relief. "I told you."
"Shut up!"
"Lets get this over with." Zarin shifted to a spotted panther then tuned to the others. [We should go.]
"That's new." Dack shifted to his black panther form and roared and joined Zarin. Reno took his wolf form and Craven that of a bear and they were off after the one who had taunted them all for years.
In the center of Academy park, Tabor Larin stood quietly looking out into the burning city. He had seen Zarin and his friends gather at Zarin's house. He watched as Trip and Thalia left with the dragon, that meant Zarin would be coming with Reno, Dack and that traitor Craven. That was fine with him, he would kill the others later. Winterhaven was lose but he really didn't care. As long as he still had control over the Ring of Endrin, there were plenty of other cities he could conquer.
What he really wanted first of all was to be the one to kill a certain group of ex classmates and from what he could sense, they were on their way to meet him.
"They're almost here." Tabor told Gorak and Kuda. "Gorak, Dack and Craven are yours. Show no mercy. Dack should be easy, he never did have much talent. Craven will put up more of a fight. Kuda, The Werewolf is yours. Beware, he is very fast and strong."
"No Werewolf can match the might of an Orc." Kuda smiled as he smacked his mace across his palm. "I will crush him like the dog he is."
"See that you do."
As Tabor waited. he walked over to the group of bushes clipped in the shape of animals. He thought about the day he had caught Zarin and Dack here practicing the simple spell they had learned that day. From behind a tree, Tabor had cast an animation spell his father had taught him on the elephant shaped shrub. It came to life and roared and kicked out breaking Dack's arm. and almost stomped Zarin to death before the spell wore off. Tabor remembered running off laughing. They told Professor Insa but they couldn't prove it had been him so nothing was ever done about it. Today he would get to do much worse than a broken arm.
The sky was dark with smoke as Zarin, Dack, Craven and Reno approached the gates of Academy Park. They stood tall and proud in a line as they made their way in through the gate. In front of them, Tabor smiled a wicked grin as him and his two Orcs looked out at them.
"So here it ends." Tabor took one step forward clenching and unclenching his hands sending power surging through him. "I always knew it would come to this Zarin, me facing you to the death."
"None of this is my choice." Zarin said. "You did this. You caused all of it. The city burns because of you. I can't even blame your father, because this was all started by you years ago. You and your hate.
"That's right." He laughed. "You can't imagine how much I hate you all. It's like a raging pyre deep down inside me and all focused on you and you and you! On all of you!"
"I don't get it." Dack said. "You weren't always like this. You were actually a friendly guy once, back before I met Zarin. We were friends, then suddenly you just hated me and all my friends. Was it something I did? Was it me?"
"NO!" Tabor lifted his hand and sent a bolt of energy at Dack. Moving quickly, Dack tried to erect a shield to block the blast but didn't quite make it. The blast hit the shield but broke through and hit Dack knocking him back off his feet. Zarin swung out his hand sending a force blast at Tabor that knocked him to the ground.
"Kill them!!"
Zarin cast a shield around Dack, then turned back to Tabor just in time to shield himself from one of his blast.
"You ruined my life." Tabor fumed. "You took the one friend I had and turned him against me."
"I never turned Dack against you." Zarin yelled to him. "You did that yourself. We could've all been friends but you wanted him all to yourself. That's not how friendship works Tabor. He doesn't belong to me or you. He's his own person with a mind of his own. He thinks, he loves and he listens. He cares about people. You should try it. Give this all up, stop hating and learn to love. This is your chance to change, take it and live."
"I'll take something alright." Tabor shot a blast at him. "I'll take your heart and crush it under my boot!
Zarin held strong on his shield, them sent a blast back at Tabor which he deflected off away from him.
"Your a lot stronger then you were back on Pentanthin. Somethings changed about you."
"No more hate." Zarin said. "That's whats changed in me. I'm not going to let hate destroy my life like you did."
"Then lets see which is stronger." Tabor raised his hand. "My hate or your love."
As Zarin and Tabor faced off and started to battle, Craven hurried to Dack's side. He checked for a heartbeat and made sure he was breathing when he heard Reno yell something to him. Looking up, Craven jumped to his feet just as Gorak sent a blast at his unprotected body. The bolt burned straight through his chest and seared his heart killed the young cadet before his body hit the ground.
As his spirit lifted from his dead body, Craven looked down surprised to see his dead body laying there.
[Aiya my son.]
Craven watched as another spirit rose up from his body. He smiled, he knew who it was,
[Grandfather?]
[Yes Craven, its me. I'm sorry I couldn't stop this from happening.]
[It's OK.] Craven said. [But what about them? With me dead, Gorak will attack Dack while Zarin is fighting. We have to help him. Can we advise him like you did me for all those years?]
[Yes we can.] Micha Tasco said. [But just until this is over. It's time for us to rest. Follow me.]
Drifting down, Craven entered Dack's mind and took over his body just as Gorak sent his next blast. Dack's hand shot up with a blast of his own that hit Gorak's blast and exploded in mid air. The powerful blast blew back in Gorak's face, he staggered back shielding his eyes. When he opened them, Dack was up on his feet ready for a fight.
"So the little one is awake." The Orc looked down on him. "You're going to try and fight me. This should be enjoyable."
"I don't think you'll enjoy this at all."
Lifting his arms, Dack conjured a ball of energy and thrust it out at Gorak. With almost lightning speed, the powerball shot forward at Gorak. Frantically he cast a shield up in front of him, but the powerball hit with the force of a charging bull and shattered like glass. Surprised at what the power the kid had shown, Gorak summoned a whirlwind of electricity and sent it hurling at Dack. Lightning spun and crackled as it flew at him. Dack created a force shield and pushed it out at the spinning funnel of power and directed it out beyond the park on over the cliff.
As the two sets of Mages battled, Reno faced off against Kuda. With his mace raised, Kuda charged at Reno, bellowing his war cry. His mace smashed down as Reno dived to the side slashed out at the Orcs body. Hammering from side to side, Kuda slammed his mace down at Reno again and again every time missing him by inches.. With every jump, Reno launched a series of punches at Kuda. One, two to his face then leap away. One, two and a kick to his chest, then leap away again. Kuda swung again, and again he missed his mark. Reno leaped onto Kuda's back and hammered the back of his head then kicked away at the middle of his back. Kuda howled in pain and frustration. He swung his mace high at Reno who ducked and punched out twice at Kuda's groin knocking the air from his lungs. Kuda doubled over and Reno sent an upper cut square at his jaw. Like a sack of potatoes, Kuda went back off his feet to land in a pile with a broken jaw. He scrambled to get back to his feet but Reno was there with his mace.
"I'll kill you!!"
The battle between Kuda and Reno was over and the Orc had lost. But there was no way he was going to stop, or give up and walk away. With Reno standing there with his mace, Kuda dived for him. Reno raised the mace and hit him right in the center of his head, cracking his skull and ending his life.
With Kuda dead and Tabor deeply intent on his battle with his enemy, Gorak knew his chances of success was low. This child, the yellow hair whelp, Tabor had said would be the weak untalented one, but he was wrong. The child fought with a ferocity he had never seen in one so young before. Now not only would he have to defeat this Dack person, the werewolf could be on his back at any second.
From his robe, Gorak grabbed a dark shell he always kept there for emergencies. He tossed it at Dack's face. Reacting quick, Dack shot a blast at it. The shell exploded in a flash of darkness covering Dack completely. Reno dived for the Orc mage but ran straight into his force shield.
With a quick spell, the cowardly Gorak disappeared in a flash abandoning Tabor to fight by himself.
Alone now with Zarin in front of him and Dack and Reno to the left and right, Tabor knew he was in trouble. He had been drawing on power from the ring to fight with, but to face Zarin, Dack and Reno, He would need the ring in his possession. That would mean taking it from his father. He would need to get back to the Academy to get it.
"This is not over Zarin." He yelled at them. "We'll finished this back where it all started."
Tabor swept his hands around his body and disappeared.
Zarin hurried to Dack and grabbed him in a his arms as he looked over his shoulders at Cravens body.
"Are you alright?" He asked. "Did he hurt you?"
"I'm fine." Dack said. "But Craven's dead. How are we going to tell his parents?"
"We can't think about that now" He said. "We can grieve for him later. Right now we have to get after him. Your our best locator, do you know where he disappeared too?"
Dack closed eyes and concentrated on Tabor. He reached into himself and used his memories of encounters in the past to connect with Tabor. He remembered the day they met and the times they use to have fun together. Then he remembered the look on Tabor's face the day Dack met Zarin. He looked so angry. Dack didn't understand why he had been so mad.
Suddenly, in Dack's mind, he saw Tabor back in the Academy grounds.
"He's heading back for the school."
"Then come on." Zarin said turning to go. "We have to fly.
"I don't have a winged form." Dack said worried. He didn't want to be left behind.
"Yes you do. You have the fly if nothing else. Use that form, try it."
Dack closed his eyes and concentrated on the fly form he had taken so long ago back on the ship to Lands end. In a flash he shifted and flew over to land on Reno's shoulder.
[I did it!]
"Reno. We're going to fly ahead." Zarin said. "Hurry in, we may need your help."
"I'll be there as soon as I can." Reno tossed the mace at Kuda's body. "I'll bring Craven's body back, his parents will want to lay him to rest."
In a flash, Zarin shifted to his eagle form and they took off into the sky. They flew high up over the wall and into the Academy grounds. The fighting was still going on, though with the addition of the Karnevil clan, Tayor's forces were no longer on the winning side. Morganz, Zark and Kellem along with Jovan and Lowell swept through the grounds and forced Tayors forces too where the Dragons could round them up into one area where they were overwhelmed. Without Tayor or Gorak to lead them, and without the power of the Nightmare gem spell, the Bloodfalls and Blackbanes had to surrender. But where was Tayor Larin?
High in the skies Apas and Jayce did battle. Their swords rang out like thunder and lightning flashed with each strike. Swinging his sword around, Apas slammed the blade at Jayce's side. Salvation moved swift to intercept the blow and Jayce kicked out at him.
"Your feeble blows can not hurt me little angel." Apas laughed. "You are nothing compared to me!"
"You keep thinking that." Jayce reached out and sent a flashed of intense sunlight into the Djinns face. Blinded he drew back covering his eyes. Jayce swooped in and slashed at him with Salvation. As the blade touched him, a burning scar appeared across his chest. Apas screamed in pain. Jayce moved fast not giving him a chances to recover. Salvation stabbed and slashed again cutting into his shoulder. Smoke and flames bellowed from the wound. Apas dropped his sword and grabbed at his chest. The pain was overwhelming. He tried to conjure another weapon but Jayce was on him to fast.With a single slice, he cut right through his neck decapitated the Djinn. As he fell, Apas Durah exploded in smoke and ash and blew away on the wind.
At the Westlake entrance to the Academy, Tayor and Insa stood facing each other. All the sounds of battle had stopped and there was no one else around. As Tayor backed himself out of the entrance, Insa slowly walked out to meet him.
"Your forces have been defeated." Insa said as smoke seeped out from under his robes. "This war is over."
"It's not over until I say it's over." Tayor raised his cane and pointed it at Insa. "I don't need Orcs. I don't need the Djinn to best you. I have the Ring of Endrin and that's all I need. Soon, this place and all the rest of Winterhaven will soon be mine!"
"You think magic no matter how powerful will be enough to give you control over our city?" Insa's eyes glowed a bright yellow. "There isn't enough magic on Keanna to make us give in to you and your madness. When will you learn that you can not control us, we will never bow down and make you our king no matter what magic you use."
"If you won't make me king." Tayor waved his staff over his head pulling power from the ring. "Then I'll take what I want!"
Lowering his staff, Tayor sent a beam of energy at Insa. Crossing his arms in front of him, the beam struck and surrounded him bathing Insa in a strange colored light. Insa shook for a second, then fell back and started shifting back and forth from dragon to human again and again. Insa howled from the intense pain of his continuous shifting form. Thick gray smoke poured from every part of his body as he rolled around the alcove. Tayor through back his head and laughed in triumph. With the smoke dragon out of the way, his path was clear to enter the Academy and claim his victory.
"NOW THIS CITY IS MINE!!!"
With no one left to stop him, Tayor started into the school. Suddenly, was a dark blurry shadow appeared above him. Avirex appeared hovering in the air in front of the door.
"Aren't you forgetting something." She drifted down to hover before him. "What about Tabor?"
"Take him." Tayor waved her away and stepped into the schools entrance . "I don't need him anymore. He gave me what I wanted, He's your son. take him to whatever hell you came from. I never want to see either of you again in my city."
"Father?"
Tayor turned to find Tabor standing behind ther looking confused. He had heard everything his father had said.
"Is this my reward for all I've done for you?" He said his voice trembling. "I lied and cheated. I turned my friends lives over to you. I found the ring and brought it to you. I even killed for you and your just going to turn me over to that."
"Why not?" Tayor laughed. "That, is the woman who give birth to you. It's only fitting that she take from this world what she brought into the world."
Avirex drifted down toward Tabor, her cowl pulled down to keep her face covered. She radiated a sense and a smell of death. Tabor backed away from her not wanting her to touch him.
"No father!"
Tabor held out his hand and called out to the ring. As if magnetized, the Ring of Endrin lifted Tayor's hand, then ripped itself free and shot across the alcove towards Tabor. Suddenly from out of the Academy a golden eagle came screeching down. It flew in between Tayor and Tabor and grabbed the ring out of the air.
"NOOOOO!!!" Tayor screamed. "The ring is mine!"
Tayor shot blast after blast at the eagle as it dipped and dived through the air avoiding the bolts. It soared high to the top peak of the school, then turned back and dived down straight at Tabor. Frantic from the lose of the ring, Tayor rushed out of the school firing as he ran. His aim was wild, he missing Zarin with each shot but hit Tabor several times. Pain ripped through Tabor's body as he fell bleeding to the to the ground. He tried to heal himself and get up, but his wounds were to much for him, and he never did pay much attention in his healing classes.
With the ring in his possession, Zarin came down to land. He stepped up and stood over to Tabor as Tayor kept up his attack. Now that Zarin had both the ring and the chain, Tayor's bolts were nothing. He easily waved them off. But that didn't stop Tayor. If magic wouldn't work, he would try force. Tayor grabbed the head of his staff and pulled the sword from its holder.
"The ring." He raised the sword and pointed it at Zarin. "I want it back. Give it to me!"
"No." Zarin stood over Tabor's bleeding body protecting him. "I won't let you hurt anyone else.You've done enough, I won't let the hurt him anymore."
"He can't hurt Tabor anymore." Avirex said as she drifted down and knelt at Tabor's side. "Our son is dead."
"Good." Tayor sneered. "You are in my command Avirex. Kill him and bring me the ring now."
Avirex stood up and looked at Tayor. She pulled back her cowl to show her gruesome rotted old face. Tayor flinched in horror and stepped back.
"Do you remember your promise to me?" She drifted forward towards him. "Do you remember what I said would happen if you broke your promise?"
"He's dead." Tayor said, his voice trembled with fear. "Take his soul and be gone from here."
"It wasn't his soul I wanted." Her eyes flashed red as she drew closer to Tayor. He looked left and right for somewhere to escape too. "It was his life I wanted to save from you! You abused and corrupted our son making him dark like you. I could have cleansed him and gave him a chance at a real life. He could have loved and had a life with people who cared about him, but that life is over now and you took it. I was never going to take his soul, but I will take yours."
"No!" Tayor shot a blast at her as she opened her cloak and advance on him. "No! No! Nooooo!!"
Avirex wrapped the screaming Tayor in her cloak and swallowed his soul then threw his body on the ground. She turned to Zarin.
"Bury my son in peace." She said as she started to fade away. "And burn this one or you may see him again."
