Part 11 (1/2)
The four nodded in unison. No time to waste. Conor pulled out the ax at his belt. Briggan bared his teeth at Kovo. He and Conor charged as one.
Abeke and Meilin lunged for Gerathon, with Uraza and Jhi right beside them. Rollan called Essix as Halawir prepared to take off from the Evertree's branches. They all seemed to move in a slow, blurred motion. From the corners of his eyes, Conor saw Suka change her course in mid-gallop from the Evertree to Gerathon. The Evertree's branches glimmered behind her towering shape. Conor veered to one side and crouched low as the bear charged past him. His hair whipped over his face and he turned his eyes up, mouth open, to see one of her enormous paws soar over his head. The rest of her was shadowed, a t.i.tan of a silhouette with a bright glowing eye high above the earth. Then her paw crashed down to the ground, throwing Conor onto his back. He scrambled to his feet again.
The other Great Beasts were on the move too. Arax the Ram's horns looked nearly big enough to tear the Evertree down. His hooves beat against the earth, furious and heavy, ripping up entire fields of gra.s.s as he charged ahead. Kovo tensed as the ram hurtled toward him. At the last moment, Kovo sidestepped with surprising speed. He grabbed Arax's horns and twisted hard. Their shadows engulfed Conor and everything around him. The two giants toppled to the ground with a shudder, the force strong enough to crack the earth.
Halawir took off into the air but Mulop swung his giant tentacles up. One of them caught Halawir before he could fly higher. The giant eagle shrieked in fury as the enormous suctioned rings on the tentacle wrapped around his talons, trapping him in midair. Essix dove for him, a small, stark figure against Halawir's maelstrom of beating wings. The falcon extended her talons and hurled into Halawir with an earsplitting shriek. One of Essix's claws hooked into Halawir's left wing, throwing the eagle off balance. Halawir lunged at Essix with his gleaming, razor-sharp beak the beak tore into Essix's wing before the gyrfalcon could pull away. Essix let out an angry cry and lunged back. Even restrained by Mulop, the beating of Halawir's wings was so strong that a funnel of wind started to form around him. The gusts bent some of the Evertree's branches, and more leaves whipped around in the air.
Conor had to fight to keep from being lifted right off his feet. As the leaves flashed past his vision, he remembered his dreams in a flash. Golden leaves, towering tree, the Great Ape roaring. He turned back to Kovo and gritted his teeth.
”Now, Briggan!” Conor shouted.
As Kovo shoved Arax away roughly by his horns, he turned in time to see Conor and Briggan charging straight for him. He only had time to bare his teeth before Briggan slammed into him. The wolf knocked him onto his back with a heavy thud. Briggan snapped at the ape's neck, but Kovo rolled just in time, forcing Briggan off of him and swinging a mighty fist at Briggan's snout. Briggan leaped back, narrowly avoiding the blow. For an instant, Kovo was on the ground, and his attention was turned completely away from Conor. Briggan snarled as Kovo lunged for him.
Conor made a flying leap for Kovo. His arms laced around Kovo's neck, throwing him off balance and stopping his attack. The wolf twisted around Kovo's arm. He sunk his teeth into the ape's thick wrist, making him roar in pain. Conor saw instantly that Briggan was trying to force Kovo toward the Evertree. To make him sacrifice himself in the way that Tellun, Rumfuss, and the other Great Beasts had.
Nearby, Suka let out an earthshaking roar as she faced Gerathon. The serpent had uncoiled and now towered over the polar bear, her fangs wide open.
Conor hung on for dear life as Kovo swung around, trying to shake the boy off of him. Briggan tightened his jaw. Kovo spun to crush Conor under his back, but Conor let go at the last second and scrambled away.
Near them, Halawir managed to shake Mulop off, throwing him against the tree. Blood stained one of Essix's wings, but the gyrfalcon dug her claws grimly into the eagle. Halawir looked ready to attack Essix again when a white blur of motion struck him. Ninani the Swan! Conor ducked instinctively at the sight. Wind roared against his face. Her pale wings nearly blotted out the dark sky as they beat furiously against Halawir. An angry cry emerged from her throat. Halawir, startled for an instant, forgot Essix and the moment gave Essix the chance to strike out. Halawir screamed as the gyrfalcon's beak tore into his side.
”Conor!”
Abeke's shout shook Conor from watching the winged beasts fight. Just in time, he saw Kovo roar and throw a heavy fist at him. Conor threw a hand up in a pitiful defense. Something silver and gray blurred in front of him before Kovo's strike could land.
Briggan.
The Great Wolf struck like lightning, his fangs shooting out at Kovo's arm and locking onto his wrist before Conor could even think. Kovo's roar changed to one of pain. He swung his arm backward, taking a snarling Briggan with him, and tried in vain to throw him off. Briggan hung on grimly. The ground shook as Kovo stumbled backward. Then he lost his footing as Briggan gave his arm a ferocious shake. Kovo roared again in fury. He twisted around and sank his teeth into Briggan's shoulder.
”Briggan!” Conor screamed as he scrambled to his feet. Briggan winced in pain. He tried to continue hanging on, but Kovo's bite had taken its toll, and the wolf was forced to release the ape.
The earth shuddered. Conor glanced over to the Evertree in time to see Suka seize Gerathon's body between her thick jaws. She clamped down hard. Gerathon hissed in fury, twisting her body in an attempt to free herself, but it was too late. Suka charged at the Evertree with the serpent. They struck with the force of an avalanche. The tree shook, one of its branches snapping and cras.h.i.+ng to the ground. Blinding light engulfed everyone.
When Conor could see again, Suka and Gerathon were gone. The Evertree leaned from the weight of the blow.
Nearby, Uraza leaped for Halawir, managing to grab one of his talons in her teeth, and Mulop wrapped a tentacle around the other. With the forces of Ninani and Essix keeping him from flying higher, Halawir screamed in frustration. He finally lost his balance and crashed to the ground. Arax the Ram was there, ready and waiting. He lifted Halawir with his horns, then charged at the Evertree with the eagle. Halawir tried to untangle himself, but to no avail.
Both Arax and Halawir struck the Evertree and vanished in a haze of light and thunder. Ninani and Mulop followed immediately afterward, sacrificing themselves in their wake.
Kovo threw his head back with a furious cry. ”You fools!” he shrieked, grief mixed with his rage. He brandished the Staff of Cycles higher. ”You sacrifice yourselves for nothing!” He bared his teeth at the rest of them. ”Then I will destroy everything. I will destroy you all! I will rule Erdas alone!”
He looked down at the wounded Briggan at his feet.
No! Conor sprinted toward them. With Gerathon and Halawir gone, Rollan, Meilin, and Abeke rushed to help. Uraza pounced on Kovo right before he could lunge at Briggan again. Her claws dug into the ape's thick back hide. Kovo stumbled, giving Briggan the chance to dodge his blow. Kovo shook his body left and right finally, with a terrifying growl, he spun so roughly that Uraza flew off of him. He reared up to his full height, pounding his chest with his fists. His eyes glowed red in the darkness.
And then, to Conor's disbelief, he heard Meilin's clear voice ring out. ”Now, Jhi!” she cried.
JHI CHARGED AT KOVO. WHEN SHE REACHED HIM, SHE reared up to her full height a formidable sight, even as a smaller version of her Great Beast self. She let out a roar. Meilin felt a sudden jolt of both fright and pride. Never had she heard such a sound before. Gentle Jhi, now a terrifying warrior. Even Kovo seemed stunned for a moment.
Meilin moved on instinct. The Bile had held her back for so long that now, to have full control over her entire body and mind, she felt completely exhilarated. She broke into a run, then stepped lightly off of Jhi's back and made a graceful, flying leap toward Kovo. Her arms hooked around his neck. He swung wildly to shake her off but Meilin kept her balance on his shoulders. She whipped off the sash tied around her waist and yanked it tightly around Kovo's eyes, blinding him. He threw his fists out around him, striking at the air. ”Go, Jhi!” Meilin cried out.
Jhi lunged toward Kovo but not before Kovo managed to throw Meilin off his back. She hit the ground hard. Stars exploded before her eyes. Kovo swung his staff at Jhi, forcing her back, and slammed the staff into the ground again. Light burst from the crook in all directions. Meilin and her friends cried out at the brightness and threw their arms up. Meilin felt her bond with Jhi tremble, as if a string between them had just been violently plucked. Panic rushed through her. She struggled to her feet and staggered toward Jhi.
The panda looked back at her, also shaken. Uraza, Briggan, and Essix all shuddered in place and Uraza's violet eyes flickered for an instant, turning colorless. The cobalt blue color of Briggan's brilliant eyes faded too. For a moment, it seemed as if all of their bonds would break.
No, they can't, Meilin cried silently. She braced herself for the worst.
Suddenly the light from the staff flickered and died. Confused, Meilin glanced at Kovo. What she saw made her mouth drop open. Another figure had lunged at Kovo, someone riding on the shoulders of an enormous crocodile. The crocodile's jaws were open, and his roar was directed at Kovo.
It was Shane.
Shane.
I must be hallucinating, Meilin thought, struggling to understand.
Shane let out a furious yell at Kovo, one full of anguish and anger. His crocodile snapped at Kovo. Its jaws clamped down on the gorilla's side. Shane slashed out at the ape's face with his saber. The blade sliced into Kovo's eyebrow, cutting deep. Kovo roared in pain. He spun sharply, yanking Shane and the crocodile with him. Meilin tried to shake the shock from her system.
Shane won't be able to hold Kovo back for long, she thought.
Then she realized that Shane was shouting something. Something at them. ”Get him!” he yelled.
Jhi moved with terrifying speed. She lunged at Kovo with her jaws wide open. Her attack forced him backward. Meilin couldn't believe how fast Jhi was moving this was the warrior side of her, the side that Meilin had always whined to see but that Jhi had kept hidden until the moments when she knew she had to unleash it. In that instant, Meilin felt an indescribable sense of pride in her spirit animal.
Jhi had always been the true warrior. The warrior who turned to peace and kindness first, and struck only in love and defense. The wise warrior. What Meilin should have wanted to be all along.
Jhi's claws raked across Kovo's chest before he could get out of the way, leaving four deep red gashes. He roared. Shane ducked the swipe, then rolled and grabbed Kovo's leg. It didn't take a huge amount of force Shane's move was enough to trip Kovo. He fell heavily.
Nearby, Conor rose. He put his hands on Briggan's fur, as if to strengthen their connection, and Briggan managed to stagger back to his feet. Meilin marveled at how regal Conor looked. He and Briggan charged Kovo as one. Rollan and Essix did the same Rollan sprinting forward, Essix following him in the air, ignoring her wounded wing. Abeke and Uraza charged at Kovo too. Uraza jumped for Kovo's arm, the one that brandished the staff. Her jaws closed on it. At the same time, Briggan grabbed the arm in his teeth. Together, the two yanked hard.
”Essix!” Rollan shouted. Essix dove for Kovo's face, forcing him to throw his other hand up to defend himself. Attacked from all sides, blind and fallen, Kovo finally dropped the staff. It rolled once, until it lay at Meilin's feet.
”Now, Meilin!” Conor shouted.
Meilin bent down and seized the staff. She tossed it to Conor. Kovo let out a roar that sounded more desperate this time. But he couldn't stop Conor from taking the Platinum Elk off of his neck and looping it around the staff. Kovo's voice suddenly turned pleading.
”I could have saved you all!” he cried from where he lay on the ground. His eyes darted from one of the Four Fallen to the next, disbelieving. ”If you do this, we will all peris.h.!.+ You will destroy the Evertree, and you will all die!” His gaze switched to Meilin, Rollan, Abeke, and finally Conor. ”You will forever lose your spirit animals.” His voice held in it a terrible tone of finality.
Conor hesitated, just for a second. Meilin swallowed hard as she met Jhi's gaze. Even in her warriorlike state, Jhi's expression was as calm and steady as ever. Meilin could feel the wisdom in her gaze, and it broke her heart. She knew what Conor had to do.
Finally Conor returned Kovo's look. ”I know,” he answered. His voice did not tremble at all.
Then he pressed the Platinum Elk tightly against the staff. The talisman vanished in a halo of light, and threads of bright silver lit up on the staff. It started to glow. Conor pointed it at the Evertree.
Kovo's struggles turned frantic, but the others held him firmly down. ”No! You can't! Stop!”
Conor ignored him. He lifted the completed Staff of Cycles, took a deep breath, and rammed it into the ground.
A BRILLIANT BOLT OF LIGHTNING STRUCK THE WOUNDED Evertree. Abeke ducked down and covered her ears, but the explosion tossed her easily to the ground. It shook the entire crater. Sparks of fire flew from the Evertree, quickly igniting on each of its lower branches. The giant tree groaned in agony, shuddering, and then an enormous crack split the entire tree down its middle. Abeke winced at the sight, as if the lightning had struck her instead.