Wylde Magic | Book 3

Thirty Four: Taking Back Magic

With the gates breached, the mourning city of Thanantholl roared to life in a burning rage.

The emotions of a fae are volatile at best, and the chaotic highs and lows of the last few weeks have wrecked the Autumn fae into a frenzy of bloodlust and sorrow, now fully directed at the horrid creatures in the shadows of the broken gates.

The enemy's unnerving silence as it surged forward met with the raging fire of the Autumn fae in a violent clash. Thain in the front of it all.

My heart leaped into my throat as I watched the force of impact. The enemy had no magic in their lifeless bodies, but they had an unbridled strength to make up for it. Claws and fangs and blades met dead flesh, scattering blood over both sides.

'Push back at the gate!' Schula's thoughts ripped through my head from our open link via Spaulder.

It was enough to snap me out of my horror and back into the fray.

The next stretch of time was filled with chaos and magic. Schula and I each reached out with our magic to fight off the masses pressing forward toward the gate, effectively funneling a more manageable number for Thain and Eberon to cut down.

Blood and bone shattered under our wrath, but our energies were not endless. My heart sputtered every time a horrid new foe lunged for Thain. He took the brunt of the attacks on the ground level while Eberon fought as well as gave orders.

'They just keep coming,' Schula said, exasperated.

'Spaulder, what else can you see from up there?' I asked.

Taking my eyes off the battle just long enough to look up, I watched as Spaulder changed his lazy circle to a wider path around Thanantholl. His sharp golden eyes now scanning more of the city's edge before looping back.

'One wall has been breeched,' was his answer.

'What?' Schula cried. 'Where?'

And then, a vision popped into my head. It wasn't a thought I had of my own accord, but it was a place I had seen before. A lower hanging wall near the grotto at the back of the city. Somehow, without thinking about it myself, the image of the rock wall being sundered was as clear as day in my mind.

'You can do that?' Schula asked.

'Is this what you're seeing?' I added my own question.

'Patience, curious ones,' Spaulder said. 'It is difficult to concentrate with both of your emotions so high. It is as I saw it only a moment ago. The fae creatures of Thanantholl were taken by surprise, but have since risen against the enemy.'

'Can you see far past the city?' Schula asked. 'Can you sense DuVarick?'

'Or Bara Khalja?' I added.

Spaulder swooped always, his great wings beating down the cool air above over us as he went.

As I waited impatiently for his answer, I turned my attentions back to the battle at the front gate. Taking a moment away from my magic did wonders, and my fingers itches with an abundance of power to throw fire down on the enemies below.

Slashing. Biting. Fire. Ice. Smoke. Claws. Blades. Arrows.

The massacre below seemed to be turning the tide to our favor, but there were still more coming. If we couldn't do something about this battle soon, they would wear out our warriors and push through from just the force of their numbers alone.