Alara Unbroken - Doug Beyer [98]
When he saw a glow ahead of him, he felt a flood of relief—finally, he was in range of his bright home of Bant. He summoned up the last of his reserves, and flew straight for the light.
But something was wrong. The closer he flew toward the light, the more he realized that the light did not come from Bant. A sphere of swirling energy, the size of a small mountain, glowed ahead of him. As he approached it, he felt the air currents change. They spun around the glowing globe like a funnel, pulling him down to its center. Flares of energy exploded outward fitfully, threatening to singe his feathers.
Wearily, Kaeda veered away from the maelstrom, trying to steer clear of it, but its irrepressible pull threatened to draw him into its chaotic center. He tired quickly, and wondered whether he would just fall in and die.
“Kaeda, you must warn Bant,” said Rafiq’s voice in his memory. “I’m counting on you. We’ll be there as soon as we can …”
The aven found new resolve and beat his weary wings through the pain. Slowly, he dragged his flight path out of the maelstrom and escaped from it. He was doing it. He was going to deliver the message, and fulfill his duty.
As he passed around the sphere, he saw the light beyond it. The natural sunlight looked so beautiful that he was surprised he ever mistook the maelstrom for it. He flew in Bant’s direction gratefully.
But with his back to the maelstrom, a flare of energy erupted from the vortex and lanced Kaeda’s wing, utterly destroying it. As he plummeted out of the sky, Kaeda shrieked in pain.
NAYA
Zaliki couldn’t stop the battle from happening, but maybe she could stop Marisi from destroying the Tower of Qasal.
With a thrust of Marisi’s spear, his warriors leaped toward her with their swords high.
She had never thought she’d have to use magic on her own people, but she had no choice. Zaliki called on the jungle corridors of her home, which filled her with nature’s strength and fury. Her arms cut a circular hole in the air, and out of the circle tumbled a torrent of vicious timber wolves that circled around her, forming a living barrier between the Wild Nacatl and herself. At her command, the mongels pounced, each tearing into a nearby warrior. Meanwhile, she focused her energies on Marisi.
Marisi leaped forward and stabbed the point of his spear right at her. She countered with a spell that caused a sudden burst of growth in the underbrush, entangling his spear in vines and absorbing the force of his attack. The vines devoured the spear, crushing the handle into splinters and pulling the weapon down into the earth.
Weaponless, Marisi launched forward and tackled Zaliki. She controlled her fall and rolled with the impact, throwing him off her. She tried to summon a barrier made of brambles between them, but he was too quick and grabbed her leg. She stumbled as her feet were pulled out from under her, and she slammed into the ground.
“Give up, little cub,” growled Marisi. “I’m twice the fighter you are.”
She rolled over and bared her teeth. “But only half the warrior,” she replied. With that, she uttered a spell.
Zaliki’s leg grew in Marisi’s claws—and every other part of her body grew along with it. Her body expanded, unfolded, fueled by magic of uncontrolled growth. Soon she was the size of a giant, and Marisi had lost his hold on her. A solid kick to his chest sent him flying. She stood and towered over the heads of both armies.
“Now come here, you,” she boomed, and reached down to grab Marisi.
Marisi somersaulted out of the way of Zaliki’s giant claws and ran into the thick of the battle, dodging sword blows and spear thrusts. Zaliki lumbered after him, occasionally crushing combatants underfoot. The old warrior was too quick—she couldn’t move her enormous limbs fast enough to follow him through the forest. It was going