Primalcraft: Crimes of the Father (Book 3)

Chapter 24

His four legs ran over the ash-covered ground, the forest was on fire, while people's cries echoed in a distance. Hisfurry wolf form dashed over the ground, the wind burning his eyes and airalmost suffocating him with all the scents. Nightmane ran with purpose in mind, knowing Blake's scent by heart while Jaxon perused his surroundings.

The shouts had quieted down, only explosions could be heard now but they were muffled like they were underwater. Sniffing the air, Jaxon came to a halt, growling at the strange barrier in his way. Focusing on turning back to his human form, he glanced back to see Elliott already turned back and pacing back and forth along the barrier.

Jaxon soon followed suit, focusing on turning back with his clothes on which always was a risky task for him. Elliott could do it flawlessly and Kai... Jaxon grimaced when Kai's nude form came up beside him. Shameless in his display.

"Put on some damn clothes," Jaxon hissed and threw the clothes Kai had been carrying at him. Kai just shrugged and put on some clothes while Jaxon touched the barrier. His hand went through unharmed.

Elliott tried it as well with the same result. "It seems like it is letting us through."

"Not only you," Owen said, coming up from behind them. Refugees poured into the barrier, letting them through without a problem. Freya, Clover, and Millie came up beside Owen, helping some stragglers get through. "From what we can tell, it only keeps the attacking witches out."

"What about Blake?" asked Jaxon, not seeing his favorite coinín anywhere.

"The last time I heard, he was at the parking lot which should be at the center of this barrier. If I was a gambling man, I would think he or that archon of his is the one who is erecting the barrier," Owen said, helping the last people into the barrier and following them. All the others followed suit, Aeron poking the barrier for a few seconds with a grimace before Haley pushed him inside with an eye roll.

"How many attacked?" Elliott asked, walking by Owen.

"From what we can tell, all of them. We have even seen teenagers among their ranks. Scarlett Graycrest is leading them from the back."

Walking past the main school building, they soon had a wide view of the parking lot. Children hid in cars while their parents sat by them, watching the barrier with worried expressions. A few were hurt and were pulled inside the school to be healed. Anyone who could fight was putting up a line between the parking lot and the witches towards the river.

At the center of the parking lot stood Ahriman, holding his hands over a strange golden fountain while Mya, Hamish, Dale, and Blake stood around him. They glanced up when Jaxon shouted, and Blake's face lit up with recognition, holding out his arms for Jaxon's assault. His arms shaking, Jaxon lifted up his little coinín, perusing him for wounds. Only when he was sure there was none did he let him go.

"Is this all?" asked Mya, her face filled with worry.

"No, but those further away ran to Mactire. I doubt the witches would be so insane that they attacked a human village," Owen said.

"Let's just hope that the local police don't show up. It will be fucking hard to explain this situation," Kai muttered. "Please, tell me you have a plan."

"I'm a tad busy here," Ahriman replied, not letting the fountain go with his gaze. "You will need to find Nemain and Frank Lloyd. Nemain has most likely set up his Hearth of Ire close by. Destroy it and things might calm down."

"That is all fine and well, but don't you forget that Nemain, an archon, is most likely guarding it," Dale pointed out. "What the hell are we going to do against an archon?"