Exᴛʀᴇᴍᴇ || Tʜᴇ Cʜᴏsᴇɴ Eɪɢʜᴛ Bᴏᴏᴋ Fɪᴠᴇ

Chapter fourteen// End of the Beginning

Sasha
"Why are some of them starting to run?" I huffed out, half to Tazi and half to myself.

"I don't know." The other boy responded with furrowed brows. "But I think I have a theory." He grunted and pushed back a Conqueror who was trying to advance.

"I'm all ears." I responded, quick to help him by tripping up the Conqueror.

Tazi nodded his thanks. "You see how all the animals are fleeing? Or at least most of them? Some of them are back in passive, but I mean the rest–"

"Yeah, I see it," I interrupted quickly.

He sent a sheepish grin my way. "And the Conquerors that we're fighting– like this idiot," he growled, swiping at the advancing man with his axe, "none of them have yellow eyes."

I paused to take it in. "Gerathon's not in their heads anymore." I realized. "The Bile! It's gone!"

"Exactly!" Tazi slammed the man to the ground and straightened, panting.

"We have to tell Tyler and Olvan." I spun my sword. "I'll go, if you have it handled here."

"I've got it." Tazi reassured, rubbing at the blood caked under his nose. "Go!"

I nodded determinedly and took off, leaping over downed enemies and allies alike. I reached Olvan first, falling in line with him and his huge moose.

"Olvan, sir." I called to him as soon as I had a spare moment. "Tazi and I made a discovery."

He glanced my way, but only for a second. "Sasha. What is this about?"

"The Conquerors, sir. We believe the Bile is gone. Look closely– look at their eyes."

Olvan squinted. "No yellow. Hmm."

"And the animals," I gestured with my sword. "The one's not in passive are running. They've lost their greatest advantage."

Olvan nodded in offhand agreement. He stared in the direction of Muttering Rock. "Do you know what this means, boy?" He asked, fending off a Conqueror with one hand and turning to me.

"No sir, I'm not following."

"It means Tellun is here." His voice was low with awe. "And Kovo is one step closer to completing the Staff of Cycles."

The who of what? I wanted to ask, but didn't dare.

Olvan called his moose back and swung onto its back. He cupped his hands around his mouth. "Conquerors!" The shout boomed over the battlefield, causing heads to turn from both side. "You have lost the Bile. This battle is over. Surrender and you will be harmed no further."

I saw confusion and exhaustion alike on the faces of the Conquerors. Then, slowly, one of them set down their weapon. Others saw and did the same. Within moments, half the field had surrendered to us.

I looked up at Olvan, awed. "How did you know that would work?"

He merely smiled and winked at me.

The other Greencloaks started to go around, collecting the weapons that the Conquerors has surrendered, and gathered them into groups to keep an eye on.

Zay. I spun, suddenly realizing that I'd left her and Navia all alone. I ran back toward them, sheathing my sword as I did so.

Navia looked up as I skidded to my knees beside her.

"How is she?" I asked frantically.

The Arctican sighed. "Not good."

Zay's head was laying in her lap. Her breathing was shallow, her face pale.