The PureLights of Ohm Totem (38 page)

Coda didn't know if he was to follow her or stay right where he was. Was she making the way for him and Zoey right now? He looked at Chev. Chev shook his head, indicating for Coda to stay put.

Nova bowed. “Greetings, Crepus.”

Coda narrowed his eyes.
Why doesn't she just tear him apart right here, right now?

Crepus tipped his head in greeting. “Welcome to the Dim Lands, Nova. Every full moon you trespass on my lands for this silly Circle of Elders and I hope you're grateful that I have allowed it. But tonight, I just can't allow it anymore.”

Nova looked up at the moon. “As you can see, Crepus, there isn't a full moon tonight. How did you know that I'd travel to The Circle five moons after the full moon?”

Crepus's tail swiped against the ground, flinging soft dirt to his left. Grinning wickedly, he chortled, “You don't know?” Crepus glanced over his shoulder. Skint walked forward. He, too, had a cunning grin.

Nova turned toward Ke, and saw by the look of shock on his face that he had no idea that Skint was a spy. Nova blinked with satisfaction. “Ke, please be more careful whom you share our news with…and I apologize for my mistake. I accused you of wanting to be a Dim. I'm grateful that I was wrong.”

Ke blinked back, then turned his eyes on Skint. Skint glared back at Ke. A new rivalry seemed to form right then and there.

Nova turned her attention back to Crepus. “What do you want?” she inquired flatly.

Coda couldn't tell if she was angry or calm. Seeing the hundreds of Dims surrounding them, his body ached with fear.
They could attack us at any moment. We have no chance.

“I want the skylark. You can have Orion.”

Orion?
Coda wanted to scream that he wasn't Orion. He wanted to tell Crepus that Zoey wasn't the skylark he was looking for. He shook his head. He knew it wouldn't matter to the dragon.

“Zoey? Would you like to go with Crepus Dim?”

Zoey lurched back. She composed herself, stating an emphatic “no.” She almost felt sick that Nova would even ask that question. She didn't know what was going on and Coda sensed her bewilderment. Coda knew she just wanted to get out of here and go home. And now, here by The Circle of Elders in the Dim Lands, she was facing one of her worst fears—being put on the spot.

“She said ‘no,’ Crepus, and her will reflects mine.”

Crepus snarled. “Then so be it.” He spit on the ground in front of Nova. It singed the brown sandy dirt. A small cloud of smoke rose in front of her.

Nova's tail slowly raised, then flicked back and forth three times. A loud screech erupted behind Coda. Twisting around, he saw that it was Shikoba. She jumped high, spreading her wings out wide. Like a lightning bolt, she shot forward, flying at a high speed over the Dims, toward the Sihu Tribe.

“Attack!” came Crepus's voice, taking everyone’s focus away from the hawk, and to the moment at hand. Instantly, hundreds of Dims gave a war cry and ran forward.

Nova ran quickly to the edge of the circle and stood in front of Coda. “I'll make a way for you to get Zoey across the Fog. If you lose me, defend her the best you can. She isn't as trained as you are. She'll rely on you for your skill.” She glanced at Zoey. “Do you understand?”

Zoey, seeming determined and ready, nodded her head yes.

Just then, a large Dim looking like a rhinoceros, barreled into Nova. Nova fell back, then recovered with incredible skill. The rhinoceros came at her again, but was suddenly flipped on its back, with alarming speed. Nova jumped on its chest, pressed on its gray crystal and twisted her paw, stunning it unconscious.

Coda glanced behind him. There were his friends, even Ke, defending with all of their hearts. He saw the amazing speed and accuracy of their moves. They far outmatched the Dims, except for Chev. If it weren't for his brute strength and large bulk, Coda knew that he'd be the first PureLight down. Regardless, the Dims outnumbered them. He didn't know how long the PureLights could last.

Then Coda's stomach lurched.
Where's Zoey?

Spinning in circles, he searched everywhere.
Where is she?
“Zoey!”

She was nowhere to be seen.
Did she enter the battle?
He panicked, yelling again, “Zoey!”

Realizing that no one could hear him over the sounds of the ensuing fight, he decided to run through the battle to search for her, but with his first few steps he was suddenly tripped and fell face-first into the sandy ground. He shook the dirt off and saw Sigun, the tiger who tried to stop him from following Skint the other night. Sigun bared his teeth, sending a clear message with his low growl. Two coyotes appeared beside him. The two from the other day!

Coda didn't have a moment to spare. He had to look for his sister, but was trapped. Two more Dims stood next to the coyotes, and then three more. He looked around. More and more Dims were racing in his direction.

He looked for Nova, and saw that she had created a split in the crowd. How she did it amazed Coda. With one flick of a tail here and another there, Dims tumbled backward or fell sideways, unhurt from her invisible magic. She was a master at this. And, at the same moment, she was using the Art of Defense. He saw her flip a large cat and stun it, then flick her tail, using her magic to throw another Dim that was about to attack her.

Coda felt the fur on the back of his neck stand on end.
Uh oh!

Several Dims landed on him, pinning him to the ground. A coyote snarled, dripping sticky saliva on his forehead. Then three more animals held him down.

“End him!” growled Sigun.

Coda spun on the ground, dislodging the many paws and hooves that were on him. He stood up to face them, but was pummeled from behind. The thought that this fight was impossible entered his mind again, but quickly faded when he hit hard against the dirt. Stars filled his vision. Just as quickly, he shook his head clear, diving sideways, barely escaping a large hoof that landed on the spot he had just occupied a moment ago.

Jumping forward, Coda dodged another attack, landing expertly on all fours, crouching in a defensive stance. His training was becoming evident.

Two more Dims, a bear and a wolverine, sprang at him. He sidestepped the bear, then undercut the wolverine, sending it spinning into the air. The wolverine landed on its back and Coda quickly jumped on it, planting his paw on its gray crystal, stunning him.

Coda was amazed at his own agility. He was even faster in battle than in training.
How am I doing this so well?

The momentary loss of focus betrayed him as the two coyotes swiped at him, striking a severe bite against his left flank. He buckled in sudden pain, falling to the dirt. The ground seeped red with his blood. His eyes widened when he saw the two coyotes rise on their hind legs. They were about to deliver him a deadly bite.

As they lunged, Coda flipped on his back and rolled backwards. They missed, getting tangled up with each other on the ground. Coda jumped forward, landing a paw against each one of their crystals. Out they went.

He glanced at his injury. It dripped with blood and though his adrenaline seemed to mask the pain, he knew that if he survived this he'd be in a lot pain afterwards.

Zoey! Where is she?

In between dodging the numerous swipes and blows coming from the onslaught of Dims, he desperately looked for her.
Where could she have gone?

Pained by the thought that the Dims might have somehow taken her, he searched that much harder. Frantically, he moved through the canyon, scouring the cliffs, hoping she'd be flying high, but knew that was unlikely, since winged Dims darted everywhere above him.
Was she hiding in the brush
? He hoped so.

Regaining his wits, he found himself completely alone. He was in the corner of the circular, southern end of the canyon. Where's Sigun? He crouched low, waiting for him to pounce, but after a few moments nothing happened. He surveyed the battle and realized that the Dims weren't paying attention to him anymore. They were focused on the north, attacking furiously at something.
Was it Nova?

He narrowed his eyes, searching the northern sky. What he saw nearly caused his heart to sing with joy. The reinforcements were here! PureLight Wings were diving into the crowd of Dims, scattering the Dims’ focus in too many directions. Relief flooded through Coda.

A growl quickly turned his relief upside down. Only a few yards away stood Sigun. “I will always have you in my sights, Orion,” spat Sigun. “I will kill you.” A thick golden eagle, fallen from a wound, hit face-first on the ground next to Sigun, sliding into the tiger's hind legs. Sigun turned, pounced on the eagle, and pressed his large paw hard on its throat.

“No!” yelled Coda, as he ran at the tiger, ramming his shoulder into him, sending the angry traitor toppling on his side. Sigun slowly shook his head, then rose to his full height. Coda's eyes widened at the large, muscular tiger before him.

Uh oh!
Coda quickly glanced at the eagle. He couldn’t tell if it was alive or dead.

Coda ducked as he felt a large paw coming at him, swiping the air just above Coda's head. Coda rolled to his right, again avoiding another blow from Sigun. The tiger was as fast as lightning and landed the next couple of blows, tearing flesh from Coda's shoulder, splattering his blood to the earth.

Coda cringed, then assessed the situation. There was Sigun, bearing his teeth down upon him, ready to crush Coda's neck. This tiger was twice the size of Coda, but not as brilliant. Coda, for the first time in his life, knew his intelligence far outweighed many spirit animals when it came to the Art of Defense. He dodged to the side, easily avoiding Sigun. Then, to change the energy, Coda decided to close his eyes.

Sigun stopped, confused. “Open your eyes, you coward.”

Coda shook his head” no”.

Sigun flung dirt at Coda, hitting Coda in the face. “Open them!”

Coda shook his head yet again.

“I want you to watch your death through open eyes,” growled Sigun.

“There is no death,” responded Coda.

“There is today.” Sigun jumped toward Coda, spinning in the air, bringing his hind claws to bear down on Coda. Coda, feeling the inevitable impact, turned, caught and trapped Sigun's nearest hind leg with both forepaws. Coda then hooked one forepaw over the trapped leg, moved both forepaws in a clockwise direction, turned and stepped toward Sigun. This reversed Sigun's force, flipping him, sending him straight on his back. A moment later Coda stunned him, then opened his eyes. He was astonished by what he had just done. This all happened in a matter of seconds—and with with his eyes closed! Maybe he was this Orion character after all?

Dismissing the thought, Coda returned to the fray around him. He could tell that the fight had turned for the better, and the canyon was filled with stunned Dims lying on their sides. Their eyes were closed, dazed to the world.

For a moment the air was silent and everything was still. Then Coda heard Chev yell his name. Turning around, he saw the gray elephant. Tears flowed down his gray cheeks. He had slash wounds similar to his own, but Chev's were by far deeper and more serious. But Coda knew that's not why he was crying.

Chev fell to his knees. “I couldn't save her. I couldn't do it. I tried, but I—”

“Who?” demanded Coda. “Zoey?” His mind went in circles and his belly cramped with bleak fear.
Is she dead?

Nova materialized beside Coda. “Zoey was taken. Crepus has her,” she reported, with a pained expression.

Coda’s momentary elation of Zoey still being alive snapped to anger. He must get her, find her, and stop Crepus from all this bloodshed he brought to Ohm Totem.

“How was she taken?” Coda looked around, thinking he could spot Zoey somewhere.

“Isi saw a Dim swoop down and take her the moment Crepus called the attack.”

“What?” Coda glared past the western cliffs, and into the night sky. “I'm going to find her!'”

“Stop!” yelled Nova. “You'll die before you reach the Southern Fog. You must mend your wounds. We'll take a scouting party to look for her, but until you're better, you stay with the Sihu Tribe.”

“But they'll kill her,” Coda protested.

“If they do, then Crepus will die as well. He needs her, so I don't see Crepus making that decision.”

Coda suddenly became weak and his legs buckled. His vision blurred and he took a deep breath. He wanted to ask for help, but even the strength to speak had left him. He was losing a lot of blood.

“Numee!” called Nova.

“Right here,” replied the raccoon, swiftly leaving Chev’s side. She'd been mending his wounds, which looked as if they were already healing. Chev was peacefully snoring away.

“Please see to Coda while I get a scouting party together. And when Coda's strong, you, Coda, Chev, Shikoba, and I are crossing the northern Fog to rescue Zoey.”

“You want Chev to go?” asked Numee dubiously. Then she nodded, knowing Nova had her reasons. She placed her paws on Coda's wounds. He felt the Prana enter his body, and instantly, his strength began to come back.

Coda stood. “Nova?”

“Get your rest, dear one. Tomorrow we'll go through the Fog. Your sister will be safe. I've sent a call out to a fellow VioletLight.”