Crusade Across Worlds (33 page)

“And what if Reuzkimpart sends in concurrent
waves?”

“You mean
when
,” Sampson addresses
Keller’s question. “We will have reserves on standby. I estimate
with Reuzkimpart’s loss from his last attempt, he will have a force
no greater than five thousand, and that is a high approximation. We
will not put all our forces in at once.”

“Fychu,” Hozfin says in his deep voice. “We
have…
other
resource.”

Sampson raises a brow.

“Ludin,” the king says. “Very powerful. Good
at crushing enemy.”

“How many do you have available?”

“Ten. Must be kept hungry before
battle.”

“And I know,” he glances between Tucker and
Walker, “that you have trained riders here.”

“Train?” Hozfin shakes his head. “No. Riders
capable
.”

“I don’t know,” Clarence shuffles closer to
Sampson. “Is it wise to use such an unstable defense?”

“Ludin great help in attack,” Warze says.
“Killed
many
Vermix.”

“But,” Clarence looks from the King’s second
to Sampson, “if I remember, you told me they were released in a
moment of desperation. The Arizals were getting overrun. Thias
hadn’t released the Nerwos to assist yet. If the point is to be in
control, let’s be in control.”

“It could still be an advantage,” the Fychu
argues. “If it comes to that.”

“And what makes us think it will not?”
Blovid asks. He looks around the group, glancing from Sampson to
the other leaders. “We all know this will be Reuzkimpart’s final
attempt. He is eager and he is motivated. Everything leads me to
believe that this invasion will likely be the pinnacle of the war.
Perhaps it is wise if we plan for the absolute worst?”

“The worst would be Reuzkimpart getting
a-hold of the Gifts,” Chancellor Keller says. “Is there a
contingency plan in place for that?”

“It will not occur,” Sampson assures.

“And if it does?”

“I will not allow it.”

“And if it does, Fychu?” Chancellor Keller
insists. “Then what? What happens if, by some chance, Reuzkimpart
is able to make it off Nerwolix or the moons with the Gifts in his
possession? What happens after that?”

“We start praying to the Way is what
happens,” Clarence sighs.

“You see?” the chancellor looks around.
“There must be some plan in place for the
possibility
that
this may not succeed. If Reuzkimpart finds himself in possession of
the two Gifts, we will no longer be safe. Not the Mybyncians, nor
the Zingfinolds and Nerwos, and most especially, the Dofinikes. If
those Gifts fall into his hands, I fear for the survival of the
Three Worlds.”

“I am also curious,” Ehan turns to Sampson.
“What is your plan for this possibility?”

The Fychu takes a deep breath.
“
If
—and I do stress the implausibility—
if
Reuzkimpart
were to get ahold of the Gifts, I would go after him myself.”

“Why not just do that now?” Keller asks.
“Spare us the possibility of—”

“The Vermix will not fall just because
Reuzkimpart does. We have already discussed this. It needs to be a
defeat of the
Vermix
, of their strength and the power they
yield. I could kill Reuzkimpart quite easily, but it will do
nothing to stop the oppression on Dellapalania. And that is what we
need to do. Alter the power structure; release the Arizals from
their cages. That is why we need to go forward with this war. Bring
the Vermix here, crush their spirit and kill their Leader so they
can understand their time is over. This is the way it must be.”

“So,” Norhra leans forward, “you assure us
that if the Gifts are to fall into Reuzkimpart’s possession, you
personally
will retrieve them and kill the Vermix
Leader?”

I open my mouth to interject but Sampson
beats me to it with a nod. “However, I highly doubt that that is
what will occur.”

“At least there is some comfort,” Ehan looks
to his sister.

“Comfort?” Chancellor Keller scoffs. “What
comfort? My apologies, Fychu, but as you already know, I do not
feel this is the wisest action for us to take. I understand that
there is no convincing you otherwise and with the queen supporting
this plan, I have no choice but to accept it. However,” he shifts
his focus to the dark-haired Nerwo, “I do not believe there is
anything comforting in anything that is being said.”

Clarence harrumphs.

“This war does not just include your
people,” he snaps and then looks over at Ehan and King Hozfin, “or
yours, but mine as well. I must do everything to protect my people
and the Gift that was bestowed to
our
World.”

“That’s what we’re doing,” Sampson sharpens
his tone. “We are all here for the same purpose and as I’ve already
explained, several of you may not agree with what I have planned. I
simply ask that you have faith that we will succeed. But that will
only happen if we work together,” he looks at the skeptical Miyon,
“
all
of us. We will surround the Vermix in the valley—our
numbers far outweigh theirs—and we will strike them down, all while
the Gifts are being kept here, in Zinnollo, safely guarded.”

“By whom?”

“Zingfinolds,” King Hozfin says.

Ehan and Norhra exchange uneasy glances.

“And myself,” Clarence adds. “And Qippert,
Vix, Jothkore and the humans and any Nerwos who feel they should be
present as well.”

“Zinnollo was easily overrun,” Chancellor
Keller challenges.

“We were unassisted at the time,” Sampson
says, still straining to reign in his anger. “What happened three
months ago will not be the case this time. And
if
,” he
continues, just as Keller is about to counter, “there is any
possibility that the Gifts will not be safe or the Vermix are
getting too close, the four will take the Floating Ruby and the
Shadow Bag to the separate moons.”

“It is unwise,” the chancellor shakes his
head.

“Yes, you have made your opinion clear,” the
Fychu looks around the room. “Does anyone else have anything to
add? Or any questions?”

Jace raises his hand and Sampson nods in his
direction.

“You said there’d be some Dofinikes on the
moons?”

“Yes. I have secured one hundred for each
moon, though, again, I don’t think we will need them. However,” he
turns to the brother and sister, “to ease everyone’s mind, it may
be beneficial for a few Nerwos to do the same. I sincerely doubt
they’ll be much more than bored, but as everyone is interested in
the contingency plan…”

Norhra nods as Ehan answers for the both of
them. “I can collect a small group, but I know very few will
volunteer to sit by while the war commences. Several seek
retribution for the attack three months ago.”

“I understand.”

“But I can secure at least fifty for each
moon.”

“That’s more than enough,” Sampson nods.
“Thank you.”

“Fychu,” Chancellor Keller softly says. “I
meant no disrespect. I fear for my people. I fear for my queen. We
are facing a domestic threat and the loss of…” his sage skin pales.
“To lose the Gift…it would be…
catastrophic
.”

“It will not happen,” Sampson confirms
before looking around the king’s home. “I know you all never asked
for this war. Neither did I. Not now…not in the past. But we are
faced with this situation regardless. Reuzkimpart believes he can
take what he wants; he believes he can secure the ultimate power by
taking what is not his, by taking what is sacred to all of us. If
we do not stop him now, he will succeed and as the chancellor
stated,” he glances at Keller, “I fear for the survival of the
Three Worlds. We have twenty-five hundred Mybyncians, at least one
third of the Nerwos, the entire Zingfinold population and all of
us, here. We
can
win this. We
have
to win this, but
all have to be united to do so. So I am asking you,” he scans the
space one final time, “are you all with me? Are we in this
together?”

A collective silence fills the air.

Hozfin nods first. “Zingfinold with you,
Fychu.”

Ehan glances to his sister and back again at
Sampson. “The Nerwos are with you, Fychu.”

“Mybyncia,” Chancellor Keller offers a deep
sigh, “is with you, Fychu.”

“The humans,” Reid says, “are with you,
Fychu.”

“Good,” Sampson nods as a genuine smile
spreads across his face. “Then let us prepare.”

I don’t remember a time when we’ve all been
together without anyone talking.

Normally someone breaks and says
something—
a joke to ease the tension or some playful banter
between the Rogues
—
but we’ve been waiting in Tucker’s home
since Sampson left and no one has uttered a sound. Not even a sigh.
Everyone has been pacing the tribesman’s home, arms folded and
heads down, their concentration elsewhere. On the valley. On the
invasion. On what’s most likely happening a few miles away. But
even with the soft footsteps, it’s been quiet. Unnervingly quiet.
And eerie. Nearly everyone we know is away, awaiting or
participating in this inevitable battle while we were left here to
ride it out.

It all comes down to today.

I’m
the one that’s supposed to kill
Reuzkimpart. Me. And instead of being on the front lines with the
others, I’ve allowed myself to remain here, away from the danger.
Away from the fight. How am I going to do what needs to be done if
I’m not even near him?

“How long did Sampson say he’d be?”

Pratt’s question breaks the silence and the
Rogues glance to her, then to one another, and finally to me,
looking for answers. I wish I could tell them. I wish I could
explain that while Sampson’s plan to capture Reuzkimpart with the
Gifts may work, this thing won’t be over until
I
end it.
It’s my fate. My burden to bear and no one else—not even Reid—knows
it. I open my mouth, not sure what I’m about to say when Jace
responds first.

“Didn’t. But it’s got to be over an hour
now.”

Walker rubs his neck. “How long could it
take to show off a few ancient relics?”

“Think it’s a little more than that,” Reid
mutters, pacing to the other side of the Rogue Leader’s home. He
bites his thumbnail, circles Tucker and heads back.

“I get that, Rox,” he rolls his eyes,
annoyed. “But come on…this thing’s got to have started already,
right?”

“Unless they’re planning a night invasion,”
Booker offers.

Able runs his hands through his copper hair.
Shoulders slumping, he slides his hand soothingly over Mae’s.
“Which means we could be sitting here all day.”

Walker exhales with a look at me. Something
burns in the expression—affection, I think—but the emotion is
second to the curiosity and worry. “Any news?”

I stop mid-pace.

Honestly, I should’ve heard something by
now. A check-in. A status update.
Something
. But it’s been
quiet. Too quiet. I expected my great-great-grandfather to send me
a few reassuring words, but nothing. And that estimation of an hour
is wrong. It’s been longer than that. Sampson left us at dawn and
the sun’s been in the sky for some time. Something must have
happened by now, but without any word from the others, I have no
reassurance to offer.

“Bestie?” Able asks.

Before I can respond, the red drape flies
back and Clarence jets in, panic in his eyes. They dart from face
to face, landing on mine. “They’re here. They’re—”

He’s cut off by a loud boom. It runs through
the bark, rumbling the entire tree as if something hard has slammed
into it. We all sprint forward, encircling my
great-great-grandfather who pulls away from the entrance and moves
to the center of Tucker’s home. “Everyone stay here…they’re
outside!”

“Outside?” Mae pales.

“You mean
right
outside?” Pratt
glances at Reid. “I thought they wouldn’t be able to break
through?”

“Why are they here?” Jace asks. “Shouldn’t
they be down at—?”

A second boom shakes the tree. A bright
blast sears the curtain and suddenly, the red fabric ignites,
flames eating their way around the entry, opening our safe haven to
the outside chaos. A snout peeks past the charred fabric. Clarence
doesn’t hesitate. Morphing into his massive green state, he lunges
forward, knocking into the intruding Vermix and slamming him
against the wooden wall. The Dofinike’s Traxpire falls and Reid
grabs for it. Pressing the weapon to the Vermix’s stomach, he pulls
the trigger and the Dofinike goes limp.

It all happens in a matter of seconds.

I’m still wrapping my mind around the
burning curtain when Clarence flips towards us. “They came straight
for the city. They know it’s a trap. They know the Gifts are being
paraded for them.”

“Do they know the Gifts are here?” Tucker
asks.

“Even if they don’t, they’re cutting off our
forces in getting back,” he rushes forward, retrieving our
Traxpires in the corner and passes them around. “Some Nerwos are in
the city, but the majority are down by the valley.”

“Where’s Sampson?” Reid asks.

“On his way back. Once we knew the Vermix
were coming for Zinnollo, he took off. A lot of Nerwos are in the
surrounding trees but…” he shakes his head with defeat, “…our
entire force is down by the valley.”

“But…” Pratt starts just as a third rumble
shakes the tree. This one is harder than the first two and sends a
jar of fireflies crashing into one another. The glass shatters as
cushions fall from the bed and for a moment, I lose my footing.

“What do we do?” Werzo asks. “Should we stay
here?”

“How many are here?”

“Too many. More than we thought
there’d—”

Clarence is cut off by a trio of Vermix
rushing past the curtain and toward us, Traxpires blazing. The
orange shots ring out, ripping through the bark, setting the wood
ablaze. Dropping to my knees, I fire on the encroaching Vermix
along with someone else, blasts of orange illuminating the Rogue
Leader’s home. Two of the Dofinikes fall while the third advances,
pummeling straight into Jace and Werzo. He tackles them and the
three go toppling through one of the charred holes.