Chapter 748: Titans
Two titans faced off above us, magic flowing from the stronghold, through Belaisle and the gathering storm and into the crystals Demetrius held in his hands.
"No!" Belaisle's denial reverberated, my ears aching from the sound.
"You were so certain you broke me," Demetrius said, voice softer, but still overwhelming as the gush of power diving for the crystals increased in speed, the wind it raised battering me, forcing me to hunch forward with my face pressed into Ameline's shoulder and hers to mine. But I still heard the sorcerer speak.
Every word.
"I did break you!" I tried to look up, caught a glimpse of Belaisle striking at Demetrius with one fist, but the former Steam Union sorcerer simply twisted to the side, the blow going wide.
"You didn't," Demetrius said in his kind and gentle voice. "I held on, Liander. Even after you killed my parents. Even after you threatened the love of my heart. Even when you crushed me and took my power." Tears rose in my eyes, my heart constricting for all of the pain he endured only to be here, now, in this place, facing the one who tried to ruin him. "And yet, I remain, don't I, Liander? And I have Fate to thank." Demetrius looked down at the smiling maji girl. "I am Steam Union," he said in a deep and resounding voice, "and I always will be."
A crack of thunder jolted me as lightning hit the ground only a heartbeat before, making my hair stand on end, the scent of crisping ozone burning my nose.
At the very same moment, I heard the drach begin to sing.
Heart surging with hope, I looked up completely, no longer willing to peek, shading my squinting eyes from debris. Trill and her brothers were in action again, channeling power back the other way. Into the drach.
The dragons surged as one to their feet, dumping the screaming Brotherhood to the ground.
Demetrius held out his hands at shoulder height, the exodus of power through Belaisle now flowing outward from the crystals and into the Zornovs far faster than it left. Better, it flew through the drach, upward into the gashes in the veil, returning in a rush to the planes from where it had been taken.
"Your arrogance was your Fate," Demetrius said as Belaisle screamed and began to shrink at last, in jerking, painful looking steps, his body contorting as one arm shriveled, one side of his face, his right hip, down, down until he was just himself again.
The wind died, slowed to a breeze as the magic went home. I looked up, tears running down my face, to see the gashes heal, closing behind the power, restoring what had been damaged until only a soft breath of air remained.
Stilled.
Went quiet.
The sudden silence was almost painful as I released Ameline, openly weeping in relief. I might have been empty, but the planes were safe. My family, the ones I loved.
It was all that mattered to me.
Trill and her brothers collapsed, Quaid immediately going to them, protecting them as his eyes flared with blue fire, power restored. He looked shocked when he caught my eyes, sadness flickering over his face.
Yes, his magic was back. But mine...
Gone. Maybe forever.
Was this my loss?
Demetrius had shrunk himself, now the diminutive, sweet-faced sorcerer I knew. But no longer did a scar mar his face, his white hair thick and lustrous, body held with pride and power. He turned to me, not a hint of madness in his eyes as he blew me a kiss.
I laughed through my tears and caught it, pressed it to my heart.
But how?
"You forgot," Demetrius said, comforting in his way, as Belaisle fell to his knees with a howl of rage. "The very power you used to draw the magicks to you lives in the crystals tied to the maji you tried to manipulate." He tossed them both in his hands, their cores now full of power again, glowing like small stars in his grip. "The moment you accessed the power of the stronghold, you left yourself-and those magicks-open to me. And the crystals."
The drach roared, still melodious, but full of joy, filling the air with the sound of their approval.
Belaisle's body crumpled further as, I could only guess, the crystals continued to siphon from him. "Brother," he croaked, reaching for Demetrius. "We could have ruled the Universe together." He gasped for a breath as his face began to age, skin wrinkling, eyes sinking into their sockets. "Don't give up all that power."
The drach rose into the air, the backwash of their wing strokes buffeting me all over again. But I didn't mind, rejoiced at their recovery as they hovered above, their power pinning the fallen and now powerless Brotherhood to the ground.
"Power?" Demetrius's smile was angelic. "I have the greatest of all power, Liander. I have my sanity back."
Belaisle sighed as he finally collapsed and fell still. But I wasn't looking at him anymore.
My gaze followed Demetrius as he turned to me, the weeping Ameline who clutched me light a frightened child, and held out his hands.
And the glowing crystals he held.
New hope joined with the old, a spark so pure I struggled to move, to take what he offered, my mind unable to accept maybe, just maybe, we'd won after all.
And that the crystal before me held the life I thought I lost.
White power flared, a figure moving with frightening speed toward the smiling sorcerer, a hand lashing toward my crystal. I cried out in fear, longing making me more afraid than the sight of Alison, her ghostly face pinched in fury, trying to take what was mine.
Demetrius spun, gestured. And the two crystals came together in her face. A giant spark leaped from the two as they clinked together, flying from their glowing surfaces to land on Alison's chest.
She screamed as the spark burrowed inside her, clawed at herself, entire form taking on the same glow as the fire she'd absorbed, until her entire body flung outward in a flare of light.
And she was gone.
I let my hands fall, hoping she'd finally moved on to a better place, even as my secret fear all was lost burned its own hole inside me.
But Demetrius's smile was as sweet as ever as he returned his attention to us, as though nothing happened. "For you," he said. "With thanks."
Ameline snatched hers, gasped out loud as power jerked her upright. I clutched at Demetrius's hand, feeling a tingle race over my fingertips as they passed across the surface of the crystal.
And my power slammed back into me in a single blow.
Syd! My demon's fire scorched me in her eagerness to reach me.
Syd! Shaylee sang my name as Sidhe power shook me from my toes to the top of my head.
Sydlynn, my vampire sent, cold sizzle of her spirit magic filling me up again.
The family magic surged its joy, spinning in dizzy circles, making me a little queasy, while the black blossom of my sorcery opened wide, full, for the moment, not hungry.
And as they came together, their joy at being with me again, my maji power burst forth in a brilliant light of rainbow flare, puncturing the clouds over head.
And the sky opened.
I looked down from the wonder of it, drenched in the sudden downpour where I was sure no rain had ever fallen, to see the fierce happiness on Ameline's face, knew she, too, was restored.
Turned to find Belaisle, gray and withered, crawling from the circle we'd made. Took a step toward him even as Rupe, panting from his battle with his sorcery, dove for his master.
I tried to catch them, pull them back. But the wall of Fate rose and held me back. Forcing me to watch as the pair fell through a gaping black hole, the snarl on Rupe's face telling me that for him, this wasn't over.
But it was. I wiped rain from my face, laughing as my power retreated from the wall, smiling at Fate.
I have other plans for those two, she sent to me, her mind so large I finally had to retreat from my need to see just how far it went. Now that the path ahead is clear.
I was in as about a trusting mood as I'd ever felt, so I just nodded. Let it go. Let them go.
I had no doubt I'd get another chance to kill Liander Belaisle.
Light One, the stronghold reached for me. My fate is now at hand. And I have you to thank. For so long I've waited for this day. I am the center of everything. And now, all life can find its way to me at last.
The torrent of rain eased as quickly as it began and, as the clouds shivered and parted, blue sky, bright and welcoming, appeared, a full and happy sun where once none hung, shone down over the empty plane.
Mia's weeping drew my attention from the amazing change around me, her body crumpling at last into a small ball of shattered life, hope, love. I reached for her with power, felt my maji ability stretch, bigger and stronger than before, and eased her into sleep.
Demetrius came to my side, kissed my cheek. "You leave Liander and Rupe to me," he said. "They are my Fate, in case you didn't know."
I hadn't. Squeezed his hand. "You're leaving me." Why did that make me want to hug him and cry like a little girl?
"You'll see me again." He drew a deep breath, arms wide, smile just as much so, before a black portal appeared behind him. "Tell Ethpeal I'll be by to check on her soon."
And fell backward into it before it swallowed him up and snapped shut.
Gram. He'd mentioned Gram.
But Fate said... did that mean I wasn't going to lose her?
More hope. I dared believe.
I turned to Fate to ask her, only to hear the sound of the very plane around me.
Inhaling.
***
