Then she unleashed an almighty scream as she sawTrulnuroth’sclaws cut clean throughMorgana.
Eden dropped shortly after, one ofTrulnuroth’sshots with the staff landing just right, andYorickcried out, calling forth a bolt of psychic power that piercedTrulnuroth’sforehead.Trulnurothdoubled over in pain, then growled so loudly that it rumbled the whole theatre.
Calamity’s heart burned, and not just with fiery magic.Shelooked atMorgana’scurls askew on the floor where she lay, soaking with the still-wet blood where she’d felledSaudane.ShesawEdensplayed unceremoniously in an aisle,Yorickcrouched over her in grief, pumping healing magic into her.ButthenTrulnurothstruck him, too, with a dark ray, pushing him back away fromEden.
“Stop!”Calamityyelled, stepping in front ofTrulnuroth, her hands raised so he could see no magic currently flowed through them. “Please,Dad, stop!”
She sawLiam’sbloodied, resolute face set in a grimace as he paused mid-swing.Shecouldn’t let him fall, too.Ifit was just her, she didn’t stand a chance.Shewas nothing without the rest of the party.
“Are you ready to take your place at my side, daughter?”Trulnurothasked, his booming voice vibrating through her so hard her teeth and horns hurt.
She looked again atLiam, who shook his head, even as his tears fell.Sheknew what he was saying– it wasn’t worth saving him if she was just to bring aboutTrulnuroth’splan.
“No,” she croaked. “ButI’llgo with you.I’lljoin you in exile.Justplease, leave.Andlet my friends heal in peace.”
Calamity heldTrulnuroth’sgaze as he seemed to consider this.Butshe saw his expression set into amusement, and realisation sank through her.Inorder to convince him to stand down, she’d have to offer him something he actually wanted.Andhe didn’t want her.
“Let me be clear, child,” he boomed. “Nothingmatters more to me than fulfilling my destiny.Certainlynot you.”
Calamity didn’t have time to let this hurt her; she had her answer, and they needed to do their best.SheandLiamwould go down in the name of saving their world; saving each other.Shefunnelled all of her desperation into a spell, ready to unleash it upon him; upon everything around her if she had to.
But thenTrulnurothstumbled forward, canting just enough forCalamityto seeNashalastanding behind him, her staff soaked in his obsidian blood.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered toCalamity, then raised her staff again.BeforeTrulnurothcould right himself, she landed a kick to his face, then a punch to the area where his scales had fallen away.Hescreeched in agony, then turned to strike back, butNashaladodged one claw and then the other, his tail narrowly missing her face.
Calamity wreathed him in flames that caught on his scales and skin, his horns sticking up out of the fire like logs.LiamflankedTrulnurothon his other side, slashing at his heel, weakening his stance, but took a tail to the back in return.Theshadows fully dissipated asTrulnurothtried to heal himself, butCalamitycould tell he was weakening.
It was a war of attrition, especially as the party’s magic depleted, butCalamitygrew sure they were winning.Theyjust needed to hold on; stay nimble.Getto their friends before it was too late to help them.ButTrulnurothblocked them every time they tried to aid the fallen.They’dhave to finish with him before they could helpMorgana,Eden, andYorick.
Suddenly,Nashala’sstaff sweptTrulnuroth’slegs out from under him.Hemanaged to catch himself before falling completely prone, but the staff ofTheTwelveclattered away and over the edge of the stage.Calamitymet his gaze yet again, darkness swirling in his white eyes as he bared his teeth.Thiswas thePrinceofPandemonium, on his knees, near defeat.
“Look at you now,Dad,” she mocked. “Whata reign of chaos this has been.”
“You ungrateful child,” he sneered. “Youcould have had everything.”
“I have everythingIcould possibly want,” she said, then tugged on the piece of his horn she wore around her neck until the leather snapped.Shethrew it down in front of him.Shecouldn’t do much without it, but she’d find a new way to channel her power.Hismagic needed to die with him.
ButTrulnurothwasn’t done.Heroared, louder and angrier than any sound he’d made before; so loud that the windowpanes rattled in their frames.Blackbeams shot out from him towards his daughter, absorbing all light as they came.
Calamity closed her eyes, braced herself, and lifted her hands to magically shield herself, but before she could finish uttering the spell, she felt a sharp, strong force to her stomach that sent her tumbling backwards.
She opened her eyes as she fell backwards off the stage, out of the range ofTrulnuroth’sattack, making eye contact withNashalaas she tumbled away.Thewarrior– because that’s what she was, a warrior, even if it had taken her a while to find something to fight for– stood firmly in her place as the force ofTrulnuroth’sfury hit her from behind.Thedarkness envelopedNashala, andCalamitycould have sworn she saw her smile before she was consumed.
When the beams dissipated,Calamitystood in front of the stage and saw two things:Liamwith his sword lodged betweenTrulnuroth’shorns, and nothing but the dust ofPandemoniumwhereNashalahad been.
Calamity wailed.
Chapter37
Chloe
I’d already met withDafyddChenfrom the council.I’demailed him first thingMondaymorning, and he’d had a cancellation for the following day, soI’dtaken the bus to the council building and met with him, walking him through my long-term strategy for the farm’s growth.He’dseemed thrilled, both with the resultsI’dseen already and the ideasIhad for the future.
But thenI’dpitched something he wasn’t expecting.
“I’ve loved working atGwenynenthis summer,”Isaid. “AndI’mreally proud of whatI’veachieved.”
“Good,” he said. “Youshould be.”
