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I went back to Earth—this time performing the spell from my parents' old cabin—despite an inner warning and teleported back into the void with urgency. But as soon as I arrived, I knew something was wrong. I gagged on the smoke-filled air, my eyes stinging. The desperate cries of those trapped inside were muffled by the roar of the fire.
I followed the sound, my heart pounding in my chest. These were screams from my men. I knew it the moment I turned the bend.
I was frozen in shock as my gaze fell upon the horrific scene. My beloved men, the ones I entrusted with my protection, were in chains, bound to a pile of kindling that reached to the sky. The flames were already raging, with tongues of orange and red devouring their bodies slowly, as if savoring their suffering. I watched in disbelief as their anguished screams pierced the air, and the terror in their eyes burned into my soul.
“What happened?” I croaked out.
It appeared the damage and pain was so bad, they couldn't speak. All they could do was look out at me with stark-white filled eyes. Had they been human, they would've been dead by now. As immortal shadow demons, it would take a long time for the flames to burn them out of existing. Still, the fiery heat caused them an immense amount of suffering as it sought to consume them.
I thrust my hands forward and uttered a spell, hoping to break their chains and free them from the dark magic that bound them. Waves of light surged from my fingertips, but the chains still held strong. Desperate, I shouted more incantations, desperately trying each magical spell I knew. But all of my efforts had no impact, and the chains remained intact.
“Oh my God…no! Why is this happening? Did I…?” I screamed in despair. They wouldn’t have taken the decision so lightly, to transform themselves into shadows. Yet, in the same breath, I understood why they thought it was the only sensible option for them.
The fire licked around the men tethered to the podium in a ferocious dance, but suddenly it seemed to be pushed away by an unseen force. I frantically tugged at the chains, hoping for a miracle, but the metal links beneath my fingertips remained solid as stone and hot as embers.
"We've been here before," Altair croaked out when he could finally speak, "but never for this long."
"You never said anything," I yelled, the force of my emotions pushing against the chain bindings that held them in place. I didn't even realize the burning sensation of my blistered skin as my fingers worked to loosen the chains.
"We were trying to keep you from worrying. Stop now, Sadie. You're only hurting yourself." His features began to rearrange themselves back into the form they had once taken as his body worked to regenerate itself.
“You mean you didn’t do this on purpose?” I was stunned.
“No, Sadie. Burning was never on my list of ways to die.” He grinned, then cringed as the flames grew in strength below them.
"Oh no, not again," Morpheus groaned out, as his flesh started to reappear.
I was filled with rage and frustration. I couldn't believe they had kept this from me. How could they not have realized the danger I was in? I couldn't stand to see them suffer like this, but I was powerless to help.
“Hasn’t been a location shift for what seems like ages,” Dominik grunted out. “I’d even settle for that blasted opera music hall about now.”
The fire started back up again.
“Oh, no…” I moaned.
Panic grasped me and I tried to use my magic to release them before the flames heightened, but nothing worked. No matter what spell I attempted, the chains wouldn't budge and the flames wouldn't die.
I had felt the heat on my face, smelled the acrid smoke and heard the crackling of the podium which held them suspended. I watched in horror as my friends, who had always been so strong and fearless, continued to burn. Tears streamed down my face as I watched them burn alive over and over again. I was helpless, unable to save them. I screamed in frustration and rage, using every ounce of my power to try and stop the flames. But it was all for nothing. I had been too late.
“Go Sadie!” Morpheus hollered. "You don't have to see this." Altair was already passed out from the pain, and Dominik jerked at the chains viciously. “Now!”
“No!” I ran straight for the podium. The flames licked outward and burned me and I cried out in pain. I wanted this to be over. I prayed to all the gods for the time to shift just so thetorture could be over, even though it meant I couldn’t go with them to the next location.
I had exerted every ounce of energy I had to battle the blaze, and I was aware of the spell on Earth weakening. I could feel the magical bond with my home planet fading. I pulled hard to maintain my presence with them, until I was forcefully returned to reality—back to Earth.
The darkness of the cabin muffled my thoughts and emotions. My heart felt like it was tearing in two. On one side, the fear of losing my men forever tugged at my mind and on the other, a fear of ending up alone with the same destiny as my parents. But within me, there was a fire, fueled by my love for them and my determination to save them.
I held back tears, steeling my brave face as I accepted the challenge before me. Even though I feel powerless, I couldn't turn my back on the people who'd always been there for me—even before I knew they were there. Even as their father tried to cunningly keep them away from me on Earth with daunting tasks and dangerous, evil missions elsewhere.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Well, that was rubbish advice. Or was it?
Chapter 21
Sadie
Istood at the crossroads, my heart a tangled knot of fear and uncertainty. Altair, Morpheus, and Dominik were in peril, and I needed to make a critical choice. It went against every instinct within me, but I knew I had no other option. I had to summon Apollyn for help. I needed his powers.
Part of me dreaded this action, for it allowed him back into my life, when I had done so much to keep him away. I knew he was a dangerous foe with a capacity for cruelty and violence. And yet, I could not ignore the call of desperation that drove me to seek his help.
