AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Twenty-One
NOAH
After several hours of traveling in a van to a compound with a portal, the ten-member team ended up on a hell planet. Hell planets had binary suns that rarely had nights, and the high temperatures made it hard for any life or vegetation to exist. Still, the underground caves had enough oxygen for humanoids to survive.
Noah had no idea how the angels had gathered so much intel about the planet’s location and the caves’ schematics, but the fact was that the assault team had explicit orders on where to attack, whom to incapacitate and arrest, so the Celestials could interrogate them.
The strick team was given standard bulletproof elite warrior suits and assault weapons. Cameras hang from their front pockets to record and broadcast the events to the headquarters. Everybody had comms and location chips in case they were captured.
Prince Aaron was the team leader. Noah didn’t know what to think about that. He only met the guy a few hours ago. They exchanged polite words before Aaron explained the plan to the hunters and the other dragons. There were more than seventy enemies to neutralize. Deadly force was allowed on foot soldiers, but they wanted the leader and his captains to be arrested.
Meanwhile, the team was inside a white sphere created as a temporary headquarters, a shelter, and a concealer of the portal that gave access to the world they had come from. That sort of technology never ceased to amaze Noah. Celestials had access to all types of technology from different worlds since they controlled the portals and had friendly interactions with the representatives of those worlds.
The team gathered in the meeting room. It was an oval space without any chairs or tables with three doors that led to the bathrooms, the portal room, and the weapon storage.
“Carter Halle is the leader of the Wild Orchid Clan. He’s a fanatic who believes that wizards should rule the world. He loathes Celestials and isn’t fond of shifters, either. He blames them for his mate’s death,” Aaron explained. “We aren’t sure what happened, but his vampire mate was killed during a Security Force’s intervention. They slaughtered the wrong vampire. She was an innocent bystander. Or so he claims.”
Michael raised his hand. “Can we assume the loss of his mate drove him mad?”
“Most likely he found an excuse for his violent behavior. Don’t be fooled by his story. He’s a megalomaniac. He loves the spotlight and the attention of his followers. He teaches forbidden magic with no regard for his followers’ life. He also encourages them to give their lives for the cause.”
“What’s the cause, exactly?” Lori asked.
“Carter believes that mages are the first inhabitants of this world. He wants to eliminate the Celestials, close the portals, and enslave all other races. Vampires, shifters, and humans aren’t worthy of being anything but enslaved people.”
“They can’t honestly believe their plan will work. They are outnumbered,” Michael said. “Mages are rare. They are also an evolution of humans. His philosophy is riddled with misconceptions.”
“Often, real facts have no weight on a sect’s ideology. They make their own rules and beliefs,” the team leader explained.
“No one is better than another,” Lori said. “He’s just another idiot who needs to have his ass kicked.”
Michael and Lori high-fived behind their back and shared a smirk.
“As much as I agree with that,” Aaron said sternly, “We need to see them for what they are—dangerous enemies. They might be rogue wizards, but they are powerful. Your suits might protect you against a few of their hits, but you need to be smart and fast. Use your super hearing and super speed to neutralize them. Bind their hands, so they can’t be a threat. Once we arrive at the main hall at the end of the maze, we’ll face the elite wizards that protect the leader. The three dragons and I will use our powers to protect the team.” He looked at Grace. “You’ll need to use your magic, too. Are you up to it?”
Grace nodded. “I’ve been practicing. Don’t worry. I won’t let it go out of control.”
“They loathe angels. They will aim to kill you first if they see your wings,” Aaron warned.
“I’ll be by her side,” Noah said, putting an arm around her shoulder.
Aaron nodded. “You’ll be assigned to her team. We’ll be dividing into three teams, following three different paths that lead to the main chamber.”
Michael raised his arm again. “If there are so many wizards here, shouldn’t we be more than ten warriors? I know dragon princes are powerful, but we seem to be the weak link here. Noah is a hybrid and a veteran hunter. Grace is…well, she’s powerful. Us four”—Michael indicated at Lori, Andrea, and Steve—“seem to be the weak link.”
Aaron folded his arms. “Vincent praised your fighting skills. You’ll be assigned to each team, and we’ll be protecting you while you use your skills to neutralize the warrior wizards.”
“It seems angels are scared of the wizards, or they’d send their armies,” Lori pitched in.
“Angels don’t want to be blamed for a massacre,” Noah said. “It’s easier to blame someone else when things go wrong.”
Aaron frowned. “We’ve volunteered for this assignment. What’s happening in your world affects all other realms. Mist Sanctum won’t be safe if the Celestials lose control over the portals. We already have a dangerous enemy to vanquish. We don’t need other races trying to invade our lands and killing our subjects.”
“I understand your point of view, and I’m grateful that you’re willing to help,” Noah explained. “But we need to question why the angels aren’t taking care of this themselves. Aren’t they powerful enough to deal with a few wizards?”
“How did they end up here anyway?” Michael questioned.
Darren intervened, “We’re losing precious time. There’s a storm forming on the surface of the planet. We won’t be able to enter the caves if we keep questioning our assignment.”
