Tempest

31. Don't Test Me

"Portals," Tempest said to the group gathered in the King's office. "He intends to open portals and let his army out. That is how he intends to get to all the areas. I wondered how he was going to do it and I had no clue about it until last night. What I don't know is where he would start. With the small communities, have them join him to attack the larger ones or vice-versa."

It was early in the morning and Tempest had asked for an audience with the Royals.

"It makes sense," Aida said. "Natasha was the strongest portal manager we have ever seen, but she is long gone. I have never even sensed another who is nearly as powerful as she was."

"How can we block it?" Galan asked. "If we can find something that can prevent the portals from opening, we can get word out to all the folks so they can be ready. That can reduce the number of areas they can have access to which would severely limit their attack points."

"Dragon Stones," Damien said. "We have used them for millenia to block out external magic and keep us from being attacked by outsiders."

"But we will need some magic if we are to fight. That will be one of our strongest defence systems," Dean pointed out.

"That's the beauty of the rocks," Damien said. "The magic can still be used within the borders made by the Dragon Rocks. We would need to get the rocks and distribute them to our allies."

The question was how? How would the rocks be distributed? Which communities would be most at risk? How could they get them to everyone who needed them?

"What if we could create something similar to Dragon Rocks with similar properties which could do the job just as effectively?" Leon asked.

"That way we can share the ingredients for the rocks and each village can create their own. It would mean we didn't have to distribute the actual rocks. It would save us time and resources," Marc added. The twins high-fived each other and there were murmurs of approval in the room.

"Let's get our teams on it right away," Tristan said. "Damien, please get us a sample asap."

The teams quickly dispersed to work on the instructions that were quickly allocated to them. Damien walked up to Tempest and Galan.

"How long will it take you to get the rocks?" Galan asked.

"A couple of days to fly out there, a couple to get back."

"That's too long. We need it soonest," Tempest said. Aida chuckled from behind them.

"I may or may not know a teleporter!" she said.

*

After much discussion, it was decided that Damien, Aida and Sam would travel to go and collect the Dragon Rocks. Tempest was a bit annoyed that she couldn't go but she was allocated other tasks.

"I heard you were a fierce warrior," Ceres had said. "I need your help with the men."

Tempest had thrown a look in Galan's direction. His deadpan expression was a giveaway as to his involvement in this decision. He would pay for it later and her narrowed eyes in his direction were a promise. He shrugged, giving her a lopsided grin.

"Your men have been doing well without me, Ceres, I doubt that a couple of lessons in a week would make a great difference. They already have you." Tempest had shrugged off the offer.

"Tempest, please," Ceres had said. "These are my men and any edge they can get can make the difference between life and death for them. Please,"

It was the look in her eyes that swayed her more than the words did. Still not happy about it, she agreed to join them at the training grounds. Normally she would have loved to help but she felt like she had been manipulated into doing it and it irked her.

When she joined them later that morning, she watched them practice for about twenty minutes, her face becoming more and more grim. Finally she looked at Ceres.

"I have heard that the bark of the baobab tree can be fortified and made really strong and light. Get as many of them as you can and get a team that can build them into some kind of armour for the fighters in their Lycan forms," she told Ceres. "We will need a little help in protecting our fighters."

Ceres frowned, and glared at Tempest. "Are you saying my men cannot handle themselves?"

"They are good, Ceres, but they need more. I would go through your ten best men in as many minutes. I just want them to have additional protection. That way they can fight for longer and have a better chance of survival."

Of course one of the men had to look up and send her a glare. "Ten of our best in ten minutes, huh?" he asked.

"Best believe it. I don't joke with stuff like that," Tempest told him coolly.

"Well, the way I see it, there are ten of us just sitting here waiting to have our arses kicked by some little girl after having years and years of training. Surely we can spare ten minutes of our busy schedule to help you with that." The man was huge, with large arms and long shaggy brown hair. He wore a displeased frown on his face and the group of men who now stood behind him had the same expressions.

"You see why I don't like to help out, Ceres?" Tempest groaned.

"Haven't seen you help out, actually. Just heard you disrespect my best fighters and they are saying put your money where your mouth is." Ceres had her hands crossed, her lips unsmiling. She was not going to help her out with this one.

Tempest threw her hands in the air, glad she had worn her track pants and a tank top. She would not need to go into her were form to defeat these idiots and it would be a good way to burn off some frustrations.

Having Galan spend the night in her bed, his body pressed against hers, his breath fanning her cheek all night, had created all sorts of havoc within her. She definitely needed an outlet for her frustration.

"Start the timer when they are ready," she told Ceres who was looking at her wristwatch. "When I am done, in ten minutes, you will owe me anything that I choose to dish out for you."

Ceres nodded, a smirk on her face. "Men, you heard her. And If anything goes wrong and I get to do something weird, you're in it with me so you better have her on her ass within that time."

Tempest merely rolled her eyes and went to stand in front of the man who had called her out. She barely reached his chin and was about a third of his size. He flexed his muscles in a show of power which had her shaking her head.

"Are we in a fight or on the catwalk? Stop strutting and hit me," she said, cocking her head to the side.

The man growled and attacked. 

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27 November 2020

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