IN FULL COLOUR - Dark Fantasy

Axel

“Those fae soldiers back there!?” I yelled to Jarryd, leaping over a fallen body of dusty gold.

“Dead! But more is coming!” He hollered over his shoulder, “many more!”

I contemplated his words and swiftly did the calculations, taking into consideration where we were, how many wolves were in our party and their condition. Beast ran a few paces behind my left shoulder, Dorian up front, leading the way, Jarryd to my right and six more warriors, already shifted into their beast forms weaved around us, following the orders of their Delta.

“Link the order!” I yelled to Jarryd as we sprinted through the evacuated halls of Dire Mountain. We had lost men in the fight, but now was not the time to evaluate casualties, now was the time to survive. All of us.

He nodded and his eyes glazed over. It would be the final call for all wolves to evacuate the village. Once we reached the iron gate, whoever was left outside, would have to find other means of shelter as the gate would be slammed shut behind us.

As we ran, I scanned what was left of the group again. We were covered in scratches, bruises, blood and gore. My lungs burned in protest, begging me to stop and catch my breath, but we were a hairs breath away from becoming corpses ourselves as two more Aqrabuamelu beasts came charging around the corner of a building to our left.

Too close. They were too close.

As one, the group swerved to the right, taking a sharp turn away from the roaring, snapping anomalies, following Dorian’s every step as he leapt down a set of stairs, hitting the bottom hard but continuing on without so much as a flinch.

Beast grunted as he hit the ground, but his boots didn’t falter and we pushed harder, aiming for the hidden tunnel in the mountains.

We needed to regroup if we wanted to fight back.

Finally entering the long, darkened tunnel, my vision blurred and slowly adjusted to the darkness as the first glowing globe illuminated the rocky interior. Boots thudded against the hard ground beneath us and roaring echoed off the walls as the beasts came charging after us, the smaller one falling slightly behind the larger as the limited space pushed in on their mighty forms.

The snapping of their pinchers rippled through the distance between us, promising a painful death, should one of us trip and fall. Jarryd stumbled, but I gripped his vest and pulled him back onto his feet before his knees even touched the ground.

A grunt of thanks and not a single second lost.

Alongside us and up ahead the glowing globes guided us towards safety and as the gate grew nearer, I could make out two mighty forms, glowing in bright light waiting for us, swords of flaming silver clasped in their gloved hands.

Locke and his younger brother, Davin. Both trained as warriors, protectors of the realm, stood awaiting us, dressed from head to toe in black and silver military leathers. Behind them, high fae warriors stood proud and at the ready.

I almost sagged in relief as my eyes met with Locke’s. A promise from one warrior to another. Just make the gate.

“Hurry!” I yelled as another blaring roar shook the mountain, this time sounding much closer than before. Too close.

We broke through the barrier of the gate and light exploded all around us. Bright, blinding light, followed by the agonising screams of monsters and metal slashing against bone and stone. It only lasted a few seconds before darkness closed in again and all sounds faded.

My heart was beating in my ears and my chest heaving, begging for more oxygen.

Locke and his brother, now covered in black blood, strolled into the safety beyond the iron gate, and he instructed one of his men to relay the order of locking the final barrier. With a dip of his chin, the warrior sprinted to Lighthaven where the order would be executed.

Panting and exhausted, we glanced at each other and slowly backed away from the gate, making our way to the belly of Lighthaven where we would be doing headcounts and identify the fallen.

I savoured the moment.

We made it.

We were alive.

In silence, we walked towards Lighthaven, welcoming the quiet, as we breathed large gulps of air into our lungs and appreciated the sound of our own boots thudding against the ground. Alive, it echoed.

In the far distance, somewhere outside, just beyond the tunnel, muffled yelling and screaming erupted. We stopped, perking our ears. Then, as if now inside the tunnel, footsteps echoed, the sound travelling down the rocky passage. Hurried, running footsteps, more than one set and frantic yelling became more distinguishable.

Lighthaven's fae warriors seemed uneasy, as they could detect more than we could with their special abilities and keen sense of hearing. Locke took up his place in front of them, sword glowing a bright silver yet again in anticipation for what was to come. His fists tightened around the hilt as he listened.

“Move! Don’t let them get away!” A deep male voice barked angrily somewhere in the distance, down the passage.

It was dark, too dark to see what was coming. The Willow’s faint glowing lights danced in their globes, but it was not bright enough to light up the passage.

My heart stopped.

Her scent hit me before her panicked voice did.

“Wait! Don’t lock the gate!”

No! No! Too far, she wasn’t going to make it in time!

My body shook, “DON’T LOCK THE GATE! STOP THEM!” I yelled and pointed in the direction of Lighthaven. Jarryd met my worried gaze and shot down the hall on his way to relay my message.

“We have children! Wait!” Gabrielle called out again, this time closer.

I whirled around and sprinted for the gate with all the remaining strength I had. What the hell was she still doing outside!? She was supposed to be in Lighthaven!

“Gabby!”

“Axel! Wait!” She responded to my call immediately.

The hair in the back of my neck stood up as she came into view. Not only her but three more she-wolves, all carrying tiny pups between the ages of two and four years. That wasn’t what unsettled me, what had me trembling with fear as I sprinted towards the gate, was the mass of golden armoured warriors on their heels, not even ten paces behind them.

Shit, they weren’t going to make it.

I roared in anger as my wolf pushed forward, claws and canines slashing through flesh.

Locke was also sprinting for the gate.

Every sound around me, behind me, faded as I ran. My mind had gone still. Blank. I had no thoughts; no perception of pain as an unworldly quietness filled me. Dread. Sorrow. Horror.

The harsh sound of metal banging against stone cut through my core as the iron gate slammed shut, creating a fatal barrier between me and the woman I loved.