Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
I sent more spells as our people worked through Tristan’s battle design. Gargoyles up high dove downward, each group catching two or three of the larger Guardians and collectively ripping them apart. Those below came up, aiming for the soft bellies and ripping them open.
Anyone not targeted by the groups had to deal with me. I tried to chase, obviously couldn’t keep up, and threw a wall of magic in front of them. They slammed against it, not knowing to claw or that it was there at all. Two knocked themselves out and fell. I caught them in nets and sent one of our Guardians to get Sebastian. He could keep people from falling to their doom.
A Guardian raced toward me from the side, apparently thinking I needed eyes to know where the enemy was. My magic alerted me, and a spell nearly took off his arm.
Oops. That one got away from me.
“You should’ve killed him,” Ivy House said. “Pick one to make an example of.”
We didn’t need to bother.
The groups above and below went at an angle this time, all of them uniform, except for the few people of Gerard’s that were slow to catch on. They picked off the last of the strong Guardians and split in half, twice as many groups in the sky now. They started going for the smaller, weaker gargoyles in larger numbers, turning the sky into a washing machine of perfect synergy.
I hadn’t seen the battle at Gimerel, and in trainings, I was always doing something. For a moment, I hovered in complete wonder. Good lord, Tristan had created something sensational. Our people pulled it off perfectly.
Below, the shifters and basajaunak showed that they had organization as well, running through the city in their own groups, growling and snarling and making sure they were seen. It wouldn’t be a good look to randomly attack the onlookers, though the basajaunak did grab up a few people and carry them around by their ankles.
Back at the battle, I dazzled someone with light, distracting him before I rammed into his side. I scratched and clawed and peppered him with spells, as well, just to share the wealth. The lead enforcer would have someone to commiserate with.
Two enemy gargoyles came to help their guy. I turned to hit them with a spell, but Tristan came out of nowhere, barreling into the side of one, his weight and velocity continuing to the second. Jasper grabbed me, and Ulric took my place before two more gargoyles flew in to help Tristan.
Cyra squawked as she zipped by in a colorful plume of fire, hard on the trail of a wide-eyed gargoyle. Lightning struck another gargoyle in the back to the far left. The gargoyle froze, folded his wings, and fell.
Sebastian’s ride flew him in, and the weird mage easily caught the plummeting gargoyle in a magical net before blasting another gargoyle to his right. Apparently, he hadn’t gotten the note to simply keep people from dying, rather than helping take them down. Oh, well.
In less than an hour, it was over. We hadn’t taken them all down, probably only about three-quarters, but the rest fled. With howls and yelps and every ounce of speed they clearly possessed, they took off for the city or the mountains.
I checked in with our people, healing those who’d gotten sliced up. Most only had scratches and bruises. Tristan’s strategy had kept our people from the worst this cairn had to offer, despite some of the flying muscle they had. I then offered the connection to their people, because in the end, we did need them. We wanted them in the convocation, and the only way they could really experience being led by a female gargoyle was if they felt the differences I offered.
Tristan hovered in the air, beating his wings in victory. Gargoyles roared, many humming their wings along with him. Hollace let off waves of thunder, and Cyra turned and sent a stream of fire straight at me.
“Dang it, Cyra.” I met the fire with water. It was easy because she wasn’t putting much power behind her magic, and then I sent a blast of wind to knock her off-course. She went tumbling in a ball of flame, complete theatrics because I hadn’t put that much power into my return fire. She was helping me show off.
I looked for Tristan because I didn’t know what happened now. After training, we usually returned to base, me doing the equivalent of a new gym- goer limping out after their first session. That wouldn’t look great here, though. I’d ruin the image.
He swooped down for me, and I turned to make it easy. His giant clawed hands grabbed me around the waist, and I tucked in my wings. He brought me in and banked before heading higher into the sky.