Besides, I liked her.
I smiled into the sunny skies ahead of me, the storm cleared out behind me, the last echoes of thunder fading in the rear. Vania had spirit. She really had thought she would best me in our little scuffle, and I didn’t doubt that she would put me through my strongest punches. It was why I knew I needed to take her by surprise and grant her no quarter in that first duel she and I had had, what seemed so long ago, but was really only two days before. I needed to make a point to her, and I definitely had. I looked forward to our next sparring match and hoped there would be many.
I warned Cassala and LeiLei to keep an open mind about the Earthling or risk Jase’s wrath, and no one, no one, wanted to be on the receiving end of that… Our Alpha was one of the most skilled telekinetic warriors there was… It was a gift and a curse. The world would bend over and obey him if it could. He could move it off its axis if he was angry enough, I believed. I swear I had seen the stars flicker because of his anger…
But, now, LeiLei and Cassala said he was smiling and joking around with Axis as if he weren't even concerned about Tarsine. I would take goofy, lighthearted Jase any day because I knew on the battlefield there was no one that would stop him…
I swung sharply around a boulder and narrowly avoided a low bridge of rock, almost brushing the cockpit as I whizzed by, and then I was gone, whisking up water from the river on the narrows, flying further along, almost into radio range of the Capital and close enough to send the message my Alpha had composed.
Jase had told me that he had already requested Kajo have troops standing by to take on the Delk Clan in the East. It would be a battle on many fronts, covering a lot of land. But, then, there was a lot of land at stake. This wasn’t just to protect all the Emerona Empire of Jase’s, it was also to gather into Kajo’s Empire everything already ruled by the Bordash, and, potentially, the Delks.
To the victors would go the spoils…
The message was simple: get your ass in gear and get over here. Just said a little more diplomatically to the Beast King.
Then I would need to get back just as quickly. The storm was set to rage for another day. I was looking forward to fighting in its wild frenzy. We were going to pick off Tarsine's tents as much as possible, and they would be quick to rouse to arms if they weren't already spread out searching for Jase. All of our troops from Emerona would be there by the time I got back from delivering my message, that was for sure. There would be a few hundred of our best men and women meeting Tarsine's.
I licked my lips, and my heart rate picked up imagining the clashing of blades and the dodging of telekinetically thrown knives racing around the battlefield. I added in rain and mud and lightning and thunder to my imagination and felt the glory and danger and desire racing through my veins.
I picked up the pace even more.
I had to hurry: I didn’t want to miss the battle.
Fifteen
Vania
I walked beside Axis’s Bravo leader, Cartari, as we made our way back to the transports. He was clearly a clown and goofball, a good match for Axis with his more severe manner of handing down discipline and orders. We practiced dashing the raindrops aside as we walked through them, working on my telekinetic Will, and I knew it was great preparation for the fight. He warned me that the fight with the Bordash would be swift and overwhelming, blades, fire, weaponry, and Willpower flying everywhere. You couldn’t know where every fired particle was coming from, you just had to keep your shielding abilities up and try to penetrate theirs.
I whispered a bit of Willpower into my left hand and struck aside a path of rain with the wind’s blow and wiped aside an entire dry patch for me to walk through, marveling at the power within me now. But, I also winced, because, if I took off the ring, would that power still be there? Jase said it was, that the ring just focused it… but… What was I without it, really? I wouldn't dare to try until after the fight. Better to use all the tools I had at hand… Quite literally.
My leg felt much better, but I knew I would have to prove myself before they let me on the battlefield. I had heard Cassala and LeiLei whispering about it. I hoped that the way of proving myself was that I got to spar with them. Finally… My quick spat with Aimer had been just enough to whet my appetite for beating one, or both, or all of the Trio. I knew I could do it.
I wanted Jase to see me do it.
We crept through the thunder, lightning, wind, and rain, just 16 dark shadows floating 5 prisoners-of-war against white salt hills. I hoped the Bordash had no scouts in the area. We wound our way toward the Wazuun River and soon were upon their transport, ducked back into a cavern, hidden by scraggly brush and trees. It was a low-flying, streamlined, battle vessel, its bright metal and many guns flashing intimidation in the cracks of lightning. It was much more armored than the one we had crashed in before.
We left the POWs outside, under guard, and it was still a little crowded within the aircraft, but much dryer and warmer. Cartari helped me ring the rain out of my clothes with telekinesis. “Marvelous!” I exclaimed. Doing laundry would never be the same.
Axis and Jase were at the control
