Bloodseeker away from Delagio by its neck. He tossed it aside, like an unwanted toy. The shocked Vampire flew through the front doors and smashed down on the gravel, sliding several yards in a shower of gravel.
“Midnight, watch out!” yelled Gabriella.
Instinctively he jumped to the side just in time to avoid a dagger thrown by Dakin. It whirled past him and stuck into a banister. Gabriella ran at the Bloodling and unleashed a spinning kick to his head. He fell to one knee, and then caught her leg as she tried to deliver a second. Her scream jolted my stomach as he began to crush her kneecap.
Midnight had his hands full with the Bloodseeker he’d thrown outside. The flesh had been flayed from one side of its face and it had come back with a grudge. I tried to reach her, but was sent sprawling by a Skinshifter. My swords spiralled out of my hands. As I wrestled with the giant dog, I watched in horror as Dakin used his free hand to strangle my soulmate.
“Help her!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.
I saw Sage Etorre run from his position at the top of the stairs and vault into the air. He landed hard on Dakin and the two went careering along the marble floor. Gabriella took the opportunity to limp away.
“Get off me!” I raged, attention back with the shifter that was trying its best to consume my face. I used the crook of my elbow to get his muzzle into a sort of headlock position. Using all of my strength against the bucking hellhound, I dragged us both towards the nearest Crimson Twin. The wrong end was closest to me. I ignored the searing pain as I closed my hand around the sharp edge and slid it towards me. Wrapping both hands around the hilt, I rotated the sword and forced the blade into the shifter’s mouth. It clamped its jaw together and its teeth screeched against the blade. I pushed with all of my strength and felt it connect with something soft. I twisted the sword. The beast made a strange coughing sound and collapsed. I withdrew the blade, which sent a wet spray of blood across my face. The bitter metallic taste filled my mouth. I spat it out and pushed the creature off me.
I grabbed the Crimson Twins and scanned for Gabriella. She was hobbling her way towards me. I grabbed her hand and closed my eyes. I felt the waves rush through me. When I opened them again, she tested her leg and nodded with a smile. I looked down at my previously wounded hand. Good as new.
I hadn’t seen what had happened between Dakin and Sage Etorre, but the Vampire was nowhere to be seen. Etorre was badly hurt. He stumbled his way back up the stairs, clutching his side. I wanted to go and help him, but I didn’t get the chance.
Droves of SOS poured through every door in every direction. All of the Golems were now fully involved in the fight. I swore under my breath.
“Guardians, back to back!” screamed Gabriella, who had re-entered the fray. Everyone on our side formed a circle in the middle of the entrance. The battle continued, but now we were on the losing side. Around us I watched as the Golems fell one by one, overpowered by sheer numbers. Their eyes winked out like dying embers. I went to bring my sword down on a Bloodling, but the tip of a blade pressed against my throat. I turned to see a second Bloodling.
“Don’t even think about it,” he warned. He nodded towards the floor. I let the swords drop. Around me, I could see that everyone else had been overpowered. We were outnumbered three to one. Outside I could still hear the battle raging on. I could only imagine that there was fighting in every part of the Warren. The mansion was alive with the sound of death. But right there, where it mattered, there was only about twelve of us left and three times as many SOS. I looked at all the bodies which littered the floor and my heart sank. At the top of the stairs I saw Faru leaning on his staff, watching the battle as if he were a judging in a boxing match. All of his clay effigies were lying in twisted piles around us. A final member of the SOS stepped through the doorway. His red robe rippled around his body. A hulking war hammer rested across his shoulders.
Sage Asmund.
“Faru,” he bellowed. “Maybe now you see just how powerful we are. Unseal the Veil and we will leave your Guardians alive. Do not condemn so many to death for the sake of one.” I winced as the blade against my throat dug in harder, drawing blood. Next to me I heard Gabriella whisper to Midnight. “Teleport. Save yourself.” “No,” he replied. “I’m not leavin’ you guys behind.” I watched as Faru placed his hands together. He pressed them to his lips and appeared to ponder the situation. “Asmund — I believe you have forfeited the right to be referred to as a Sage — you know I simply cannot allow that to happen.”
“Don’t be a fool old man. He’s one boy,” Asmund shouted, walking forwards until he was at the base of the stairs. “Unseal the Veil, otherwise will kill everyone where they stand — including the boy — and I shall serve your soul to the Sorrow as a replacement!’
Faru exhaled. It was a long exaggerated sigh. “I believe that puts us in somewhat of a quandary. I do however, have an alternative proposition for you Asmund.”
The Vampire leaned forward, resting his chin on the base of his hammer. “Oh, this should be interesting. Please tell me what it is.”
“If you let everyone go now and withdraw the SOS, I will allow your followers to live.”
Asmund threw back his head and laughed. It was a shrill noise which defied his Viking-like appearance and made goosebumps shoot down my skin. “Sorry old friend, I’m afraid that’s not going to happen.” “Asmund I beg you to reconsider.” “Not a chance.” Faru gave a sad slow shake of his head. “Oh dear, I do so abhor violence. I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this.”
Confused, I glanced at Gabriella. She gave an almost imperceptible jerk of her head to the right. I strained to look and noticed a pile of Golems dissolving into dust.
Wait…
I glanced at Faru. He appeared to be growing younger by the second. Asmund worked out what was happening a second too late.
Faru moved so fast he was practically a blur. In a flash he’d descended the stairs. He came to me first and slammed an open palm into the Bloodling’s chest, launching him high into the air. Next a knee came into the back of the Succubus subduing Gabriella. Her sword was collected and Faru spun around, lobbing off the Umbra’s head. He drove the blade into the chest of the Pixie locking down Midnight. Then the blur moved around the circle, striking with his walking staff. He swept the legs of a Bloodseeker from underneath him and stamped the base down between the Vampire’s eyes. He then used it to uppercut a Goblin. The whirling blur kept sweeping around the circle, stabbing, crushing and severing his way through the SOS. The sword that had been at my neck had only just clattered to the ground by the time Faru came full circle. He grabbed a Crimson Twin from the ground and threw it at the still airborne Bloodling. It sliced through, causing him to burst into flaming dust and came to a wobbling rest in the wall above the doors.
He left Asmund for last. The ex-Sage barely had time to lift his hammer before Faru reached him. He grabbed the Vampire in his hands and closed his eyes. “Goodbye old friend.” A blue energy appeared between his fingers. It encased the Vampire. He screamed as his body became a skeletal x-ray and then dissolved into nothing.
My mouth fell open in awe. Faru had dispatched everyone in the room in a matter of seconds.
The energy had gone from the Sage. He looked like a worn, old man again. His expression was one of grief. Using his cane, he wobbled his way back up the stairs and re-joined Sage Etorre “All able bodied Guardians back outside,” shouted Gabriella. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sophia appear on the balcony. Dread raked its cold fingers across my skin. Dakin had his arm locked around her waist.
The Vampire’s robe was ripped, his bloodied face twisted and barely recognisable. A knife was pressed against the little girl’s throat.
“Midnight!” I croaked.
He turned to look and froze.
“Faru!” shouted Dakin, holding against the struggling Sophia. “Listen to me! If you don’t open the Veil door, I will open her throat instead! I swear it!” Gabriella gasped and placed a hand over her mouth. Faru looked upwards, a helpless expression on his worn face. Rachel rushed in. She was covered in blood and one of her wings was missing. She looked up and saw what was happening. “Dakin, no!”
“Shut up bitch.” Dakin pointed his free hand at Faru. “Listen to me you pathetic old man. Do as I say unless you want to be responsible for her death.” Faru gave a single nod of his head. I felt a surge of panic, even though I knew he had no choice. I only prayed he had a plan up his sleeve. “Tell your goons to stay where they are!” Dakin warned.
Faru looked at us each in turn. “Don’t move. Any of you,” he said, holding his gaze on Midnight the longest. I
