KEEPERS BOOK 2: THE HUNT FOR SONJA

Chapter 36

The realms
Night crawler fortress

Hidden behind the trees the goblin king along with his children an army watched in horrific fascination at a circle of robed miscreants chanted an unfamiliar spell.  Behind a wooden slab that looked like an alter a female stood, her face revealed a banished mage, face turned toward the sky as words spilled from her lips.  In her hands she cupped a chalice.
They found the prisoners strung up by their arms a spell had rendered them imobile. The king clenched his fist as he regarded the rest of the prisoners seeing the mage king, Sierra, the Elvin warlord and the another mage.
Mystralya hitched a breath as she saw her aunt, the hand on her shoulder was strong as it prevented her from breaking through the trees.  She looked up at Cyrus who stood just beside her, shaking his head, his blue eyes told her to remain still still.
Ivanly had turned back to his Male form crouching low against a copse, beside him was Soren and Kiera along with the mages.
We have to be stealth otherwise we may loose them.
Mystralya heard the warning clear in her head from the mage prince, surprised that she could hear it above the feast.  Turning to look for him, she saw him looking at her with a warning glance.
Mervale grabbed a sword from her waist standing beside Cyntar waiting for a signal.
They were all poised to attack but were waiting for the signal. She glanced at her mate, he was looking at the circle with deep concentration when she saw the witch signal and they dragged someone from the side, it was Grunner!
"I need his blood" She bellowed.  One of the males who dragged the Lycan pulled out a dagger and slit his palm squeezing the blood onto the chalice.
The goblin king lifted his hand and when the witch poured the chalice to the earth the trees started to shake, a howling wind blew in their direction lifting dust and debris all over them. The king threw his arm down and the goblins started to attack.
Distracted the witch glanced at the intruders and signaled for her own attack, hordes of misfits from all kingdoms raised a battle cry, their prisoners temporarily forgotten most especially Grunner who nurse his palm against his chest as the males that held him let him go. Feeling the power slowly return into him he was able to shift making a dash for the abandoned castle in search of Shyra.
Utter chaos erupted as a battle ensued between the immortals. Grabbing a sword, Ivanly ran into the thicker slicing his way through as he made for Sierra. She had been thrown to the ground her body spamming from the release of whatever bound her. Ivanly reached her and lifted her in his arms before fighting those that came to stop him.
Cyntar And Mervale fought side by side for a moment trying to reach for the queen when they saw the king reach her first.  He was about to take her but she pulled out a sword from his side and began fighting beside him.
Mystralya watched as Soren and Kiera joined the fray attempting to protect Sierra as Ivanly tried to bring her to safety. Eager to help she triggered against Cyrus grip but he had wrapped his arms around her waist and held her steady.
"You can't go to them, you would be slaughtered!" He warned, concern etched his features.
"I can use my magic you fool.  Let me go!" She argued struggling from his hold.
"You'll need a real weapon, these are immortal fighters they have shields.  Have you even been to a battle before"
She stood still and glared at him.
"I though so" he grinned "once Ivanly brings her I can let you go and you can spirit her to safety that I may join the battle."
"Why don't you just go"
"And leave you here?  Do you have a death wish?"
She turned away from his stubbornly, his grip was tight, his muscles bulged as he gripped her.  She could feel the steel in his arms, there was no use fighting him for now.  Luckily Ivanly was able to escape the fray and bring Sierra to her.
Mystralya hugged her aunt seeing the distress in her eyes "it's you mother, Tarrick took her inside"
"Take your aunt to safety little one, Cyrus and I will find her and bring her back" Ivanly roared.
Nodding her head she gave Cyprus another glare before vanishing from the scene.
Ivanly grinned at Cyrus "I can see you like the Fae"
"She's a thorn on my side" Cyprus crumbles
"It starts that way all the time" Ivanly mocked before the two jumped into the battle making their way toward the ruins of the castle. The sky was in chaos as the clouds swirl together.
Grunner's wolf sensed her scent following its trail he found the chamber where Tarrick continued to torture Shyra. Shackles bound her wrist , ankles and neck. Her breath was being squeezed from her.  She wanted to cry out but her throat was constricted.
Tarrick  raised a brow as he saw Grunner, his face twisted mad "you think you can save her? Go ahead and try you traitor!" Tarrick shifted to his wolf and both of them clashed in the air before falling to the ground.  The spell that held Shyra was starting to lift.  She could feel her powers return as the two wolfs circled each other.
She managed to remove the shackles and fell to the ground watching in horror as both wolves one golden and one dark tried to tear each other's throats.
"Goddess help me stop their madness" Shyra whispered. A slow tingle spread through her body as if ins answer to his call, summoning the energy shy lifted her pals and slashed a ball of light the split the lycans apart.
Both wolves crashed apart on either side of the wall but they soon recovered, the wide berth gave Shyra a chance to build a shield that would divide them but they were both ready for battle lunging for the invisible wall they tried to tear I with their claws as they growled
" traitor!" Tarrick growled fiercely at Grunner
"I'm not the one who tried to destroy his son" Grunner growled back.
"Your not doing this for my son but your daughter"
Grunner paused but the anger was deep as he clawed through the shield.
"I've always known she was yours fool! Only a blind fools wouldn't have noticed the similarities. The one that stands beside you is to blame not I instead you submit your loyalties to her blindly" Garrick continued to growl.
"You betrayed her with your hunger for power and caused the problems that we now face. It was your ambition that have driven the lycans to this. Had you been a better king I wouldn't have changed my mind. You destroyed your own kingdom with your greed and I have watched in silence far too long. It's time to pay for what you have done."
Grunner retreated turning back to his Male form he focused on the shield with all his power and made it crack, he banked of Tarrick's consistent battering to make the shield crumble. Shifting to his Male form Tarrick produced a sword lunging toward Grunner when he deflected the blow lunging to the other side as Tarrick to continued to attack.
Ivanly and Cyprus managed to find the chamber finding the lycans battling it out. Ivanly tossed his sword to Grunner who quickly reached out and grabbed it bringing it down on Tarrick's blade as it met his shoulder.
They found Shyra huddled in a corner, Cyprus went to her immediately lifting her so she leaned against him for support.
"We have to get you to safety my lady" Cyprus said politely.
Turning to the goblin she shook her head "They'll kill each other, I can leave them like this"
"They need to fight it out" Ivanly joined them when he saw the dust coming from the ceiling. They heard a loud rumble but it wasn't enough to distract the two fighters "I'll stay and watch them but Cyprus has to get you out, you daughters are looking for you"
At the mention of her daughters Shyra nodded her head and left with Cyprus turning one last time to witness the ferocity in their clashing swords.  These two lycans she had known since youth who had once been fierce friends were now ready to take the others life.  It made for a maudlin picture but a Tarrick needed to pay the price for his folly and Grunner need to come out of his shell and face the truth he had kept buried within him.
As they walked toward the entrance of the ruins the walls were starting to shake.
"These foundations will not hold for long" Shyra said worriedly. "I hope they manage to get out before it finally crumbles"
Once outside she witnessed utter chaos as immortals fought against one another, the swirling clouds above were hungry to unleash its own wrath.  Pushing away from Cyprus she asked "what happened to your mother and the others?"
"We've come to free all of you" he responded "she's with my father I don't know about the others" he replied honestly.
Suddenly an immortal crashed in front of them one of the goblins had severed his head it knocked Shyra from Cyprus falling to the ground beside the headless body she noted it was one of the outcasts. She felt herself being dragged back up by Cyprus he started to push against the fray trying to get Shyra way from the battle when he saw the mage king and his son using their magic to clear a path toward the altar.
Shyra bit back the scream as she watched Tarun slay random outcast with his magic. She pulled free from Cyprus grip and started running toward the altar when her arm was grabbed, an outcast was about to cleave her body but Cyprus was quick, his sword severed the head of the immortal. Sensing the danger about her she clapped her palms and fisted her hand above her forming a shield so she could make it to the alter unharmed.
The clouds where swirling, dust and grime rose from the earth causing a mist of rubble. Thankfully her shield was able to prevent her body from being swollen by the grey mist. A bolt of lightning flashed through the sky making her look up to see the stormy clouds swirling tike a tornado.
The chant must have worked this time, she thought to herself as she continued her trek. The witch Katana had also formed a shield, Tarun magic wasn't able to penetrate through. She could see the witche's eyes turn white as she raised her face up into the sky screaming words that were inaudible. By the holy mother, she was opening the doorway!
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Human realms

Dagmar looked at the sky, it was starting to turn cloudy, a flash of thunder cracked through the sky. Turning to Alice she smiled. "Their doing it from the inside"
"What are you talking about?" Alis never grew fond of Dagmar , the mage had always given her the creeps but something in that expression told her the witch sensed something.
"Someone from the realms or maybe a whole lot of them, their trying to open the doorway. It's seems they want their king back as badly as he wants to return." She replied triumphantly. "This will be a peach, we just have to find an appropriate place and use use it as a doorway. This is easy" she bolted from the room with Alis at her heels.