The Divine Path (The Divine Series) (33 page)

“They have her!”
Kade exclaimed.

He
grabbed the sack of books and was about to swing them up onto the dragon when he stopped, setting the bag back down.  Carefully reaching into the sack, he pulled the black book out and tucked it into the back of his pants.  He signaled Rayden to kneel and pulled himself up, quickly tying the books into place.  Kade performed the Silence Calling and then the Transparency Calling as his pulse started to race.  Dragon and rider faded from view, and Kade signaled the dragon to go.

Rayden
moved along the path, knocking branches out of the way as he traveled.  The trail opened to a hillside where the landscape thinned.  Kade could see the creature now with Darcienna held fast and yearned to send the Divine Power crashing into it. 

Just put her down
, Kade thought as he fought the urge to blast it in the back.

H
e watched closely, hoping to see Darcienna move.  He focused on the limp form, desperate for a sign that would indicate she was still alive, but she hung limp in the creatures grasp as it moved methodically.  It did not matter if it was up hill or downhill, it walked at the same steady pace as though gravity nor the steepness of the grade had any effect on it.

Kade rubbed his
eyes, sure they were playing tricks on him. Or, maybe it was the lack of light, but he was sure there were two smaller creatures trailing the other one, now.  Where had they come from?  He turned away and rubbed his eyes once more, but when he looked back, sure enough, there were definitely three of them.  Kade could feel the ground shake as their heavy footsteps thudded with each time their feet hit the ground.  They marched in perfect step with each other as if something or someone were calling cadence.  Kade could feel the vibrations, even from this distance.

H
e heard a sound so faint that he almost missed it.  He paused, hoping he was wrong about what it might be.  For just a moment, he could have sworn it was the sound of laughter. 

Morg?
  But, if it was Morg, wouldn’t he just come for me?
  He asked himself.  His jaw hit the ground, and his eyes came open wide as the sound drifted to him once more.

             
One of the trailing creatures turned slowly to look back, and then just as slowly, turned to face forward.  Something about the way it moved concerned him, but he was not able to say why.  He continued on, watching for an opening, hoping he could swoop in and grab her, but they did not show any signs of stopping or releasing their grip on their captive.  She was a ragdoll in their hands.

K
ade kept his eyes on the creatures as they trudged up the mountain…or maybe it was more accurate to call them huge, rolling hills.  The creature in the back and to the right would look behind itself every few minutes.  It gave Kade a bad feeling but he continued, regardless.

What could it be looking for?
Kade questioned as he studied the three figures
.  It cannot see or hear me, and I am too far back for them to catch my scent, so what could it be looking at?

They gave no other indication that they knew they were being followed except for that glance back. 
Maybe it was just their way of watching for me to make sure I was not following.  Yes, that makes more sense
, Kade thought.

Rayden had to work his way around rocks he
re and there but nothing that hindered their travel.  Kade continued to close the gap.  Again, one would turn and look back, giving him the eerie feeling that they were looking right at him, watching him as if they knew exactly where he was.

The creatures crested the top of the hill
and continued in their methodical march.  As Kade closed the gap, he could see light in the distance.  He came to a stop and listened.  Sure enough, there was laughter again.  He prepared to signal the dragon to continue when a movement off to his right caught his attention.  His head whipped around, but there was absolutely nothing.  If there had been something, he definitely would have seen it.  Rocks, mounds of dirt and a few sparse shrubs here and there were all that littered the hillside.  Something was nagging at him, but nothing seemed out of place.  He closed his eyed and used the Reveal Calling, but yet again, nothing.  He continued to stare for several long moments and then refocused his attention on the sound coming from over the hill.

“Let’s keep moving,” Kade said.

Rayden stalked forward carefully, as if hunting prey.  Kade glanced back several times but never saw more than the empty field.  The feeling of being watched crept over him and continued to grow, but after surveying the hillside closely one more time, he put it off to nerves.  It was impossible for anyone to see him unless they were using the Divine, and if someone were using the Divine, he would know.  He reached up and felt for the medallion.  It was not warm or cool.  It was just as it should be.

Kade worked his way over the hill and slowly peered around
at the landscape.  The area opened up into a vast valley with a mansion on the far side that could house twenty people comfortably.  There were some large rocks and boulders he was able to use for cover.  Kade was grateful for the cover as he watched the three creatures walk up the front steps and dropped Darcienna’s body on the porch.  She was still not moving.  All three creatures turned to stare directly at him.  Even at this distance, he was certain they were looking right at him.  He did not need glowing eyes to know that something was just not right here.

Kade brought the dragon to a stop and slid down.  He moved forward to crawl over a rock and then leaned on a boulder t
hat came up to just past his waist.  He watched.  If he was able to see the dragon, he may have had a little warning of the danger as the dragon sniffed the ground several times, showing signs of agitation.  Kade looked on as the laughter from the house erupted again.  He recognized the sound of that voice instantly.  He could not shake the distinct feeling that the laughter was aimed at him.

A
s he was searching for a way to approach the house, the front door flung open, and a man carrying a staff walked out with the most confident stride.  Even if Kade had not recognized the voice, the arrogance that the man exuded would have easily identified who he was.  The close-cut salt and pepper beard that was visible from where Kade hid.  The man’s presence alone made his six foot height seem more like nine feet tall.  He walked as if he had absolutely nothing to fear and was now coming out to collect his prize.  The man looked in Kade’s direction and bellowed out a laugh that echoed down the mountain.  Kade got the definite sense that he was fooling no one.  He considered striking, hoping he still had some advantage he could use.  Just as he was formulating his plan, he saw the moonlight glint off something spherical around the man with the staff.  He realized in a rush why his Lightning Calling did not finish off Morg back in Arden.  The man was protected with a calling.  Now, Kade felt fear, and it was as if a hand were wrapped around his heart, squeezing tighter and tighter by the moment.

The evil Chosen descended the steps as though he had not a care in the world.  Kade wished more than anything that he could open the grou
nd and have the man swallowed up, or call on the wind to sweep him away, but he had nothing.  Nothing he could do would go through a shield that was made to protect from attack.  His mind raced as he searched frantically for a plan.  Morg took long strides directly toward him as if he had nothing to fear.  He was a man that walked with purpose, a man who had nothing to fear.  His arrogance made him an imposing figure that would have intimidated even the bravest of warriors.  He exuded danger.  The look in his eye was that of a killer through and through.  This was not a man that ever found himself on the losing end of a battle.

Kade watched in horror as Morg marched directly at him with the larger creature in tow, stopping just fifty feet away
.  He raised his staff and Kade could see the muscles ripple in his forearms as he aimed the ancient artifact at him.  Morg turned and half looked over his shoulder as he addressed the creatures.  Kade could have sworn they were a solid lump in one instant, but in the next, they were humanoid in shape.

“Here
?” Morg asked. 

Kade looked around as a slight vibration came through the boulder he was leaning on.  He quickly looked behind himself
, but not a thing moved.  Something made the ground shake, but what?  Kade closed his eyes again and used the Reveal Calling.  There was nothing except the man with the staff glowing with the Divine.  His inner voice was screaming at him of danger, causing his mind to frantically search for what he was missing. 

Kade glanced at the ground between himself and Morg, looking for a way to set it on fire, but there was nothing to sustain a flame.  His min
d started to race as he felt the vibration again.  The creature spoke in a gravelly voice.  Kade was not able to make out what was said, but Morg rolled his head back and laughed uproariously. 

The dragon huffed several times, eager to attack
, but Kade knew that his precious friend would not fare well against the power Morg was capable of wielding. He compelled Rayden to stand down.  He thought back on their first encounter in Arden and shivered.  Such power was unfathomable.  Kade narrowed his eyes and tried to get a good look at the staff.  Was that the reason Morg seemed to wield so much power?  Kade felt he was onto something when a strong vibration ran through the boulder.  He looked around at all the boulders and felt his heart start to pound.  Just as he was about to stand up, the boulder he was leaning on shifted.  He stumbled slightly as he pushed away.  Something grabbed him from behind and lifted him into the air effortlessly.

Kade gritted his teeth under the pressure and twisted to look over his shoulder.  At first,
he was sure he was looking at nothing more than a rock until eyes appeared from slits, and a mouth formed from a crack.  The creature squeezed, and Kade felt the air rush out of his lungs.  He pounded at the arms, but all he got from it were bruised hands.  An invisible force slammed into the creature, sending it sprawling.  Kade was able to get a breath but then the pressure started again.  The unseen dragon attacked mercilessly.  Cracks formed in the arm holding Kade, and the creature let out a deep moan. 

The dragon assailed the creature over and over to the point where Kade was sure he was going to take some of the brunt of the dragon’s rage.  Other creatures formed as if being made from the ground itself.  Kade felt the dragon’s breath in his face as it latched onto the creature
’s arm and violently pulled.  The arm cracked and then shattered, dropping Kade to the ground.  Fresh air raced in to fill his lungs.  He lay on the ground, gasping for breath.

Kade felt his mind start to clear with every breath he took.  The sound of laughter filled his ears.  Kade looked up slowly and saw Morg laughing as if this were the most amusing thing ever. 
Something in him snapped.  A blackness so complete filled his heart that all semblance of rational thought evaporated.  The Divine filled him so completely that nothing else existed except his target.  Revenge burned in him like a wildfire.  Justice be damned, he wanted revenge.  He spun and launched into the thirteen moves, sending the lightning blazing over the ground.  One of the earth creatures was caught in its path and exploded in a shower of rocks and dust.

Morg laughed a taunt at the invisible Chosen.  Kade turned on him and sent a bolt ripping
toward him with a thunderous crash that blackened the ground as it raced toward its target.  The man staggered back, his eyes wide as the sphere shimmered and flashed but then stabilized.  Kade hit him again with another thunderous blast and Morg was no longer laughing.  He was knocked off his feet and down on all fours.  He looked up and saw there was a trench ten feet long where the sphere had been pushed back as it dug in.

The earth creatures came at hi
m in waves.  He spun as the Divine coursed through him like a raging current.  Nothing but hate filled him as he launched blast after blast at the creatures until the area was filled with debris.  There was a constant shower of stone and dust as he continued to dance.  He snarled as he spun on Morg and let the Divine blend with his fury. The air crackled with power as the lightning bolt came to life, and he launched.  But…for some reason his conscious mind could not grasp…he sent the bolt wide and it glanced off the shield, shooting off to disappear in the heavens.  Kade stood, breathing hard as his mind struggled to understand what he was seeing.

H
e felt the blood drain from his face as he stood in shock.  His gut twisted in such a tight knot that he thought he might get sick.  The power slowly faded from him till he stood empty, his hand still outstretched from releasing his last calling.  He looked at the limp form of Darcienna while she hung in the air between himself and Morg.  The evil Chosen had his staff aimed forward, holding Darcienna in the air.  Kade felt vile hatred for the man.  He desperately wanted to make Morg suffer horribly for this evil trick.  This was the most profound hate a man could feel.  This was not a hate that was fueled by the rush of unthinking actions or emotions that sent him out of control.  This was the most dangerous kind of hate.  This was a hate that was felt during calm, a hate that comes from the heart, the kind of hate that can eat a man’s soul.

Kade saw the blood trickling from her
split lip.  He ground his teeth, struggling to control his anger.  He needed to think.  He looked around and saw that there was a wall of walking rock quickly closing in on him.