The Children of Destiny

Chapter 30 - The Final Battle

(This one's the longest chapter I've ever written so brace yourself.)

I watched in horror as Umbris and his new group of lions leaped on humans and elves and screams filled the air. I wanted so badly to do something, but my legs felt like they were being sucked into the sand. My vision was filled with red tones from all the blood splattering around the clearing. I opened my mouth to say something, but no sound came out.

Did we fail...?

"Evander!" Scout yelled.

Apparently, he'd been trying to get my attention for a while now, but I'd been too busy freaking out to notice.

"Get yourself together!" Max hissed. "You're supposed to be our leader, right?"

"Whoever said that?" I said finally. "If I am your leader, I clearly haven't been doing a good enough job. I was the one who ticked off Umbris. I decided to trust him."

"Don't lie to yourself," Scout smiled. "If it weren't for you, I would still be stuck in Starling Tribe right now."

"I wouldn't have reunited with my mom," Max added. "Plus, you've been a great big brother."

Roxie barked in agreement. I felt tears well up in my eyes. I didn't deserve all this credit, but my friends were adamant about giving it to me.

"Hey, no big emotions now!" Scout said. "You need to tell us what our next move is."

I looked around us. Pools of blood covered the ground and unmoving bodies were scattered everywhere around us. There was only one correct answer. After a long pause, I finally spoke.

"We fight," I declared. "and we get everyone else to fight with us. To fight together."

"Got it!" Scout smiled. "Let's fight then."

Scout and Maxine immediately went to team tag a lion Ash was fighting, and Roxie and I ran to help Auryon, who was struggling to keep everything in order in all the chaos. I quickly made a spear of ice and lunged at the first lion I saw, who yelped as I stabbed her in the neck.

"Auryon!" I called.

"Not right now, kid!" Auryon replied. "Kinda busy!"

"Just listen," I demanded. "We have to fight together. With the elves. That's the only way we'll win!"

"Are you sure?" Auryon asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I smiled as I sent another lion howling off in pain.

Auryon nodded and turned to the rest of the group. I assumed she had this covered and started to head back to help Scout and Max, but she grabbed my arm, keeping me from going anywhere.

"Hey, this kid says we have to fight with the elves," Auryon announced. "So, let's do it like the world depends on it, which it does!"

I looked around, a bit embarrassed, as all the humans let out battle cries and began to charge closer to the elves. At first, it was clear the elves were startled, but then they realized that the humans were fighting with them and they relaxed a bit.

Auryon turned their head towards me and smiled. No mockery or contempt. Just a genuine, grateful smile. I smiled back, blushing with embarrassment, as she released my arm. Together, we joined the rest of the crowd and split up to fight. I searched for a target and found Ash struggling with two lionesses.

"Need some help?" I asked. "I'll cover your back."

Ash grunted in response as fire burned out of his palms. I was distracted by how cool that was for only a moment, then I got to fighting the second lioness. I sent a bunch of ice shards her way and watched as they all pierced her skin like large mosquitoes. The lioness snarled at me and lunged forward, jaws wide open, and I created an ice pillar in front of me. She landed head first onto it and it stabbed into her skull, killing her instantly.