Chapter 139
- Evan -
Josh's tears hit the ground, dripping from his skin. My sword is glowing with energy, wrapping around my body.
Kaysi, weak but awake, lifted her head, voice low like a whisper, but it carried.
"End her where she stands and send her demons back to the depths where they belong!"
Josh inhaled, and his fires exploded. I lounged along beside him, my sword white-knuckle gripped in my bleeding hands.
A violet light glowed from Kaysi's body, but her sword was not drawn. Somehow, our own aura was mixed with hers, glowing specks in with ours. It was like her power fed our own. Our energies surged through our wounds, still bleeding, and we felt as though we had the power to defeat 100 demons.
Micah spun towards Kaysi, eyes in disbelief. "Are you insane? You can barely stand, and your aura is somehow joining Josh and Evan? What are you doing?" Her tone cracked, fierce and terrified all at once. "You're going to kill yourself, Kaysi!
Kaysi winced. "I don't know how I am doing this, and I can't stop the energy from leaving me."
James stepped into the battle next to Josh and Evan. For Becky and Kaysi's sake, we can't keep this up. I am stepping in so we can get this done!
The witch shrieked as Josh's fire, James Bolt, and my blade collided in a burst of blinding light. Slicing her in two and James' bow piercing her head as the fires burned her remains into ash, which disappeared into the wind.
Josh chuckled, "Three strikes, you're out!"
For a second, it felt like we won—then a voice drifted from beyond the portal.
Not hers and not any demon's.
A man's voice. Smooth, almost elegant, lace with dark amusement.
"Well done," it said softly, as if applauding us from a distant theater.
"Such spirit. Such...potential."
Every hair on my neck rose. The portal began to twist closed, and the voice faded into silence, leaving behind only the scent of burned air and the echo of unseen eyes watching.
The air went still—too still.
No sound of Josh's crackling flames, no whisper of movement. Only the hiss of cooling stone and our own ragged breathing.
Josh lowered his arm slowly, the cold fire dimming along his skin. "Tell me you heard that too?" He whispered.
"I did," I said, scanning the warped shadows near the portal's rim as it almost drew close. "But I don't see anything."
Micah's eyes darted across the scorched ground. "It wasn't a demon," she said under her breath. "Demons don't behave and speak like that. And she applauds us?"
James reloaded a bolt, the metallic click echoing far too loud. "Then we've got a bigger problem. Whoever that was—I think he's been watching us."
The portal sealed closed with a sound like stone scraping. When the light faded, the wall behind it shimmered faintly—then solidified into cold steel—etched into it, as if symbols were in the abyss.
"There are seals to monitor and collect data," Josh said, touching the metal, his divine arm humming faintly. "These...aren't meant for summoning like what the witch used. They're linked to wards, as if they wish to trap something here.
"Maybe the demons the witch collected. Or maybe the person on the other side of the portal." I thought out loud.
Kaysi's legs buckled, and Micah caught her.
"Kaysi!?" Micah exclaimed. "I told you to take it easy."
"I think it is best we go back to the shelter and check on things from here," Duke said. "Kaysi isn't looking so good, and she needs to get back to bed and rest more."
"I dipped a bit into the cookie jar, but I didn't bite off more than I could chew." She weakly laughed.
"If that is your way of saying we are fine because you aren't dead, I don't take that lightly." Micah scolded.
"Do you know what happened with your powers, why they poured into Josh and Evan?" James asked. "I was worried you were overdoing it, so I jumped into the battle."
Kaysi sighed, "Honestly, I have no clue."
Josh scratched his head. "I believe you did it before as well, when we were rescuing Thomas. It was like you were leading me with your strength. I didn't notice it this time, but I did feel a surge in my powers like I could defeat 100 demons."
"I felt the same," I admitted. It was strange, and I think I felt this power before as well, but I can't remember where or when."
We finally made it to the shelter and makeshift temporary hospital. The building was so dark you could barely make your way through with the candlelight and some flashlights, but we were running out of battery power as well.
The nurses noticed Kaysi was burning up. A fever probably started from the fight and from infections from unhealed wounds, some of which even reopened.
James stood by Micah as she scolded her some more, but was happy to see her awake, finally.
I went with Josh, Baby, and Duke to see if we could help the nurses.
Unfortunately, we don't have much time or staff to gather resources. Right now, everyone is mostly stable except Becky. Our gas will run out in 2 days."
James and Micah came up to us just to listen to the last half of the conversation.
"James, you fixed the power back at the school. Can you fix the power here?" I asked him.
"I can't fix older equipment because I have learned on some old systems, but transformers or power lines are out of my knowledge. I haven't made it there yet."
"Duke and I will make a run to the last three gas stations under the dome to see if we can find some leftover gas, but the trucks have not been able to come in to fill the stations, so the chances are low but not zero." Baby volunteered.
"No time to waste, let's go. You kids stay here and don't get into any trouble until we get back."
"I will keep the kids safe while you're gone." Uncle nodded to Duke.
Duke smiled, and then they left.
The nurse approached us. "Hey, kids, can you help us get some extra blankets to everyone? It's going to be cold tonight, and it looks like it's going to keep getting colder."
From the moment Uncle or any of us walked in, it had become natural to just ask for our help.
"I am going to check on Becky, and I will report back to y'all," Josh said with a wave.
"Hey, cheater, how come you get out of work?" I yelled softly not to disturb the other guests. "
"Because I lifted more when the truck of supplies first got here." Josh stuck out his tongue.
I was happy to see Josh trying to cut up, but the dark circles and his immediate desire to see Becky's condition didn't hide anything from us.
Josh disappeared down the dim hallway lit by the glow of candles, his footsteps fading into the echoing against the wooden floors and concrete until the sound vanished under the low hum of the generator that powered Becky's vent.
Micah sighed, rubbing her face. "I hate this. Victory never comes without a loss or more questions."
James stood beside her, arms crossed, hand on chin. "I know that face. What are you chewing on?"
"Duke said we are to hold this place down until they get back. If anything happens—"
"It won't be so far other than the phone that we got back from the witch; they haven't made any attempt to get to us. At this point, I think we are pretty spent; maybe they will even give up." I said sarcastically. I know I didn't believe that.
"Wishful thinking," Micah chuckled.
We split to help the nurses—Micah distributing blankets, James checking supplies, and counting for inventory. I was handing what was left of dinner to the guests before we got tucked away for the evening. But the air felt numb and heavy. I couldn't get my mind off the man on the other side of the portal.
A low hum buzzed through the walls, not from the power lines but something else.
Micah turned, frowning. "What? Do you notice something?"
"Is that the generator? It's not getting low on gas, is it?"
But before I could answer, Josh's voice shouted from the dimly lit hall—sharp and panicked echoes.
"Becky?!"
We ran.
The small recovery room was empty; the blanket she had been under had been neatly folded across the cot—no sign of a struggle. No blood. Just…absence.
Josh was frozen, standing in the doorway, his divine arm trembling faintly, a blue light glowing. "She was right here. Right here."
"Maybe she woke up like Kaysi did." I said, "Or maybe one of the nurses moved her—"
"They didn't," Micah cut me off, scanning the medical charts scattered on the table outside in the hall. "They haven't touched her file since we got here."
A chill ran through the air, sharp enough to see our breath.
"Let's check Kaysi," James said quickly. "She's just two rooms over."
We sprinted to the following room down the hall.
His bed—empty too. The IV line hung limp, and blood pooled faintly inside the tubing, still warm.
Micah's voice cracked. No...She couldn't have walked out; her fever was still peaking, and she had not received the meds. I went with a nurse to get them when we got blankets."
Josh turned, panic spreading across his face. "They're both gone—Becky and Kaysi—what if—"
"Josh, slow down," I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. His aura was flaring, dangerously unstable. If his fire lit here, it could burn the place down."
He jerked back from me, eyes glowing faintly with divine flame. "Don't ask me to slow down and breathe, Evan. Not when she is gone again!"
Before I could respond, a large gust of wind knocked out all the candlelight in the building.
The generator died with a sputter.
Darkness swallowed around us.
All I could hear was the sound of my blood pulsing in my veins and our breathing.
Then—a whisper in the wind, close, faint, and familiar.
"Run while you can, little wolf..."
My blood ran cold at the same voice from the portal.
"Josh, light your fire so we can see." I hissed.
"Josh..."
"JOSH!?"
I didn't get a response.
"Grab a lantern and relight it for someone," Micah shouted.
James grabbed a last-minute backup flashlight from his bag. He swept the hallway; only three remained.
Josh's footprints—scorched on the floor—led to the back door. The metal frame was warped and heat-scorched from the inside out.
"Hey, guys," James exclaimed. "There is a note here telling me the children are in exchange for my collection."