SWNOVELS Chapter Chapter Twenty Five
Joe’s body fell to the floor. Kinga struggled to hold him up, wrapping her arms around him,
“Wake up!” she whispered, pulling him tight against her, “Please, wake up.” Around her the pale creatures of the mines stepped back, lowering their heads, and she closed her eyes, knowing he wasn’t asleep, but unable to bear the horrible truth.
Astride his dragon Avarat looked to the bridge in confusion,
“He cannot be dead!” he hissed, “It is a trick!” Kinga looked over to Maven, silent beside Reece, his head hung low. She hadn’t noticed how cold Joe was, but her fingers brushed his neck and she flinched at the touch.
“Where is it?” Avarat roared from above, “Where is the Majiak!” She snapped her eyes to him angrily, her lip curling in a strange kind of victory,
“Gone!” she said. Avarat shook his head, eyes wide in astonishment, and she turned her face away, hiding her tears. No-one had known what would happen to the Majiak if Joe died. Had he guessed it would simply disappear? Had he felt it? She closed her eyes and shivered from a wave of guilt. She called him a coward, laughing at the idea he could be the chosen one, but the prophecy was true; the bearer of four had brought the four Majiak together and refused Avarat’s offer, choosing instead to let his life end, saving the worlds.
“Was wrong,” she whispered in his ear, “Saved us all.”
She held him close, rocking back and forth, muttering apologies when a strange sound whispered from the darkness. She looked up trying to find the source but the chamber was unchanged. Her companions heard it too, searching the dark hollows with puzzled eyes, and even the horde fell silent.
“There!” said Tollik, pointing into the mist filled abyss. She peered over the span’s edge. In the white fog a dance of colour grew brighter, rising into the cavern. Avarat drew back his dragon with a sharp pull of the reins and stared into the pit. His former arrogance vanished and he sat hunched and wary, a fearful cast to his face.
From the mists a swarm of tiny lights appeared, fluttering towards the bridge; a multi-coloured cloud of tiny shapes. Kinga realised the whisper she heard was the beating of thousands of tiny wings. She gasped. Majia moths teemed from the sea of white clouds; a dazzle of bright colour rising from the depths. At the edges of the cavern, light flickered in sunken hollows. More tiny creatures fluttered from the darkness, drawing in from every corner of the mines. Avarat’s dragon snorted in alarm, bucking against the reins, and he whipped his gaze to the streams of light,
“What is happening?” he bellowed, “Kozane! Do something!” But Kozane froze where he stood, staring at the light in fascination.
Thousands of moths already filled the chamber but still they came, the first clouds drifting towards Kinga, and Petraya’s hand appeared on her shoulder, pulling her back. She let Joe fall and watched helplessly as the light surrounded him, pressing into a single blinding glare.
“His hand!” she hissed. The dark stain Joe tried so hard to hide was glowing; a faint dull throb at first, but growing brighter and brighter, until it cast out rays of fierce blue light. Kinga fell back, her mouth slack with wonder and the moths landed, each exploding in a shower of sparks as they touched Joe’s body. The last of the moths emerged, the hollows behind them darkening, and still no sound was heard, every pair of eyes watching entranced as the final colourful streams burst around him.
The cavern was once again lit only by crystals and Avarat gave out a cry, urging his dragon closer, his eyes fixed on the sign of four, its light pulsing dully, but fading. Kinga reached out her hand, touching the darkened skin, but there was no warmth and she dropped her head.
“Idiota,” Joe whispered. Her head snapped up, searching his still face for movement and suddenly his eyes sprang open. He coughed thickly and gave a weary moan, pushing away her hand when she moved to help him. Slowly, for the first time since leaving the forests of Junn, he found the strength to stand.
Avarat drew his dragon back, a furious snarl on his lips,
“More tricks! A fool’s bluff won’t save you dear brother.” Joe rubbed his eyes and gave a long yawn, stretching his muscles.
“Where were we?” he said. Avarat glared. “Oh that’s right, you asked me to give you the Majiak and I said no. Then I died I think.” Avarat drew the dragon around,
“You cannot resist me boy,” he hissed, “You may hold the Majiak, but you forget I carry three!” Joe nodded and raised his hands,
“Bring them out then.” Avarat’s eyes flickered with worry,
“Fool! The Majiak cannot be controlled.”
“Really?” Joe rubbed his chin, “That’s weird, because I can control mine.”
Before Avarat could reply, Joe closed his eyes and spread his arms wide. Petraya grabbed Kinga’s arm, ignoring her protests, and pulled her across the bridge to where the King’s body lay still in the dust. She struggled, though she was weak from releasing her Majia and the woman was too strong to resist. She glanced back at Joe, whispering quietly to himself, and saw the mark on his hand glow.
Then the Majiak emerged.
Dancing streams of colourful energy blossoming from Joe in slow, glowing arcs, like music made of light. They spread in a shimmering web of intertwined beams, graceful and soft, each showering tiny glittering sparks like snowflakes. Kinga couldn’t take her eyes from it but Petraya spun her round and shook her harshly,
“Beautiful,” she said, “But deadly.” Kinga let the woman drag her from the bridge and they pressed themselves against the cavern wall. Kinga broke free of Petraya’s hold.
“Not worry,” she said, “Joe control.”
She hoped she was right. The power spread through the chamber like a cobweb drifting on the breeze, but grew bright and drew back, each beam curling like a viper. Petraya dropped to her knees, drawing in her breath, and the Majia sprang.
It burned through the air like lightning, cutting the Wytches legs from under them and scattering spiders from the walls. High above reeling dragons burst into flame and plunged into the mists as arcs of light found them. The storm of energy spat into the cavern walls, punching away chunks of stone and running long cracks across the high, domed ceiling. Rubble rained down, crashing into the bridge, scattering Tollik and his people to the lip of the abyss. Avarat’s soldiers fled, all thoughts of loyalty to Avarat forgotten as they stampeded back to the safety of the tunnels.
The chamber shook and thick columns of rock splintered and tumbled into the mist. Maven was struggling with the heavy rope binding his hands and shouting at Reece for help, though the boy stood hypnotised by the Majiak. Their guards left them and the mines roared with screams and explosions as the cavern was torn apart by the surging energy. The whole chamber collapsed around them and he staggered through a rain of shattered rock, barging Reece ahead, though unable to break him from his daze. He glanced to Joe, silent and steady in the centre of the storm and wondered if the boy would find it as easy to recall the power as he had to set it loose. He drew hope from the bodies littered around him, all followers of Avarat. The energy had not touched one of Joe’s friends. Finally Maven’s eyes found what he was looking for, a fallen shard of debris large enough and sharp enough to cut his bonds. He bent quickly, dragging the rope across the rock’s jagged edge. A shadow fell over him and he glanced up in time to see Kozane’s fist flashing towards him. Then he was crashing into the dust, stars dancing before his eyes. He shook his head clear, scrambling back from the Warlock, who drew a long dagger. His eyes were lit by madness.
“You will not escape justice this time Maven!” he hissed and lunged forward. Maven dodged, helped by a sudden tremor throwing both of them off-balance, but with his hands bound he wouldn’t escape Kozane for long. The man snarled at him, swiping out with the blade, and Maven staggered back. Too late he realised he was being driven to the lip of the gorge. Kozane pressed forward, flashing the dagger, cutting off all paths of escape.
“The council does not condone murder,” Maven yelled, hoping he could be heard over the turmoil around them. Kozane pressed forward again, driving Maven back until he teetered on the brink of the abyss.
“This is not murder,” he screamed, “This is justice!” He lunged and there was nowhere for Maven to turn. He tensed for the strike, helplessly watching the dagger press into his waistcoat…
… and then he was behind Kozane, watching the man fall forward and tumble over the edge, plunging into the mists with a scream. Looking down he found Reece grinning up at him, arms wrapped around Maven’s legs. He lifted his hand and flexed a finger on which sat a fat, gold ring.
“I nicked it off that Flint bloke!” he shouted, grinning more, “Watch!” He stood up, holding the ring high and twisted the green gemstone in its centre. He vanished. Maven blinked, looking round for the boy, and suddenly he reappeared standing beside him.
“Good eh!” Maven couldn’t help but smile, though his face darkened when he glanced over to the rock’s edge. For a second he hesitated, but turned away and clapped Reece on the back,
“Come on,” he said, “We have to stop Joe before he brings the whole place down.”
Maven led Reece through a rain of debris to the thin strip of rock on which Joe stood. Overhead Avarat hauled on the reins of his dragon, trapped in a circling cage of light. His skin smouldered and he jerked from the power surging around him.
“Protect me!” He screamed, “Protect me!” But the Majiak he held refused his call and Maven recalled the prophecy’s words,
‘Deserted by strength, the proud will fall’. Avarat’s dragon roared, cut by the Majiak, and jerked in the air, its wide wings torn and in flames. His eyes met Mavens and drew thin.
“This is not over Warlock!” he snarled and turned his struggling mount to the flickering portal behind them. It stuttered as the beast passed through and vanished. The other gates were gone too, some torn apart by the Majiak, others used for escape by Avarat’s fleeing dragons. No single enemy remained alive and Maven wondered why Avarat had been spared. Had Joe commanded the power to let him live? The chamber shuddered and collapsed around him and he wished Joe had spared the mines as well.
Struggling through falling rock, Maven and Reece finally reached the centre of the bridge. Slowly the Majiak was returning to Joe, the last strands of power curling around him in pale wisps.
“What’s up with him?” Reece asked, prodding Joe’s blank face. Maven grabbed Joe’s arm,
“We’ll worry about that later, let’s get him out of here!” They dragged Joe along the bridge, guiding his sluggish feet along the thin sliver of rock. He walked in a daze, eyes shut and face oddly calm, but somehow they managed to lead him to where Kinga and Petraya were waiting, Tollik and his companions at their side. Kinga stormed up to them and slapped Joe across the face. His eyes sprang open.
“Not die again?” she said firmly. He nodded, rubbing his cheek, and she smiled, nodding back.
“We have to go,” Tollik said, looking up at the fractured rock, “Back to the city, while we can.” Maven agreed, taking hold of Joe’s hand. But Joe wasn’t watching him. His eyes were fixed on the body carried on the shoulders of Tollik’s men; the body of his father.