Darian thrust his hand forward, sending a blast of energy, but Jake met it with his own. They exploded upon impact, causing a shockwave that shook the room. The door to the lounge cracked and fell off its hinges. Since Darian fired first, the explosion occurred closer to Jake. It knocked him off balance and shook him. Darian seized the opening and dashed at him, but Jake rolled to the side to avoid Darian's kick. The move placed Jake with his back to the panoramic window. He saw Darian's eyes flicker toward the glass behind him before Darian fired another beam. Jake knew what he was doing and deflected it with the same spell, resulting in another shockwave. The glass behind him cracked slightly from the reverberations.

Jake expected more of the same, but Darian surprised him with a strong gust of air. He pinned Jake to the glass because he caught him flat-footed. The intensity increased until Jake could no longer breathe or open his eyes. He felt like he got caught in a hurricane. The sound was almost deafening. Jake needed to move, but he found his limbs wouldn't budge. Despite the roaring gusts, Jake heard two things over the din. One was Darian's laughter, and the other was the cracks in the glass spreading. If he didn't break free soon, he would fall out the window to his death. But then it stopped, and Jake heard a thud. He opened his eyes to see a stunned Darian lying on the floor. Jake gasped for air and glanced around to see what had happened. A large chunk of the wall sat next to Darian's head. Someone had launched it at him.

"Thought you could use some help," Shane's voice said in Jake's head.

"I thought you went to join the others," Jake replied.

"No, I was trying to get up here to join you, but somebody broke the elevator."

"Well, I'm glad you're here. I could use some healing. Where are you?" Jake asked, but before Shane could answer, Darian stirred.

"You lied to me, Jake," Darian said, picking himself up off the floor. "Your yellow mage friend is here. Show yourself!"

"Stay put," Jake said to Shane in his head.

Darian grew frustrated when no one appeared or answered him, so he looked around to see where Shane was. Jake took advantage of the distraction. He pounced and tackled Darian to the floor. A flurry of punches and hardened headbutts dazed Darian and broke multiple bones in his face. Bruises and blood appeared and disappeared as he healed himself.

"I'm really getting tired of that!" Jake yelled and increased the voracity of his attacks. He didn't let up. Jake wasn't going to allow Darian any room for a counterattack. Jake's speed and anger surprised Darian. Jake thought he saw a brief moment of fear. He hammered him until a crater began to form under Darian's body. Darian tried to sit up, but Jake stomped him. "Stay down!" Jake said, unleashing a chi blast that shattered the floor and sent Darian to the next level.

"Jake, calm down. You'll expend what energy you have left," Shane said.

"I have to finish him off," Jake replied, adding an even stronger shot. Unfortunately, Darian dodged it and leaped up through the hole.

As he landed, Darian turned and shattered the window. The wind that poured in disoriented Jake. He was already fatigued and couldn't prepare for what came next. Sensing Jake was vulnerable, Darian lifted the shards of glass and sent them at Jake. Jake cried out in pain as it felt like a hundred knives stabbed into him at once.

***

Bret and Maya held Isaac between them. They placed his arms over their shoulders and led him into the hallway because he had trouble walking. As Bret stepped over the destruction and carnage, tears streamed down his face.

"This was all my fault," he said.

"No, it wasn't. Stop that," Maya replied.

"If I hadn't fried the stupid panel, Marcus wouldn't have had to come to help us. He might still be alive."

"Bret, look at me," Maya said. He looked into her eyes and found her gaze comforting. Her eyes were glowing. He wasn't sure if she was using magic on him, but he was glad for the comfort. "Marcus chose to sacrifice himself for us. You didn't make him do that. Now, don't let it be in vain. We have to get Isaac out of here."

"Don't worry about me," Isaac muttered.

"You can barely move," Bret said. "What did they do to you?"

"They took a lot of my blood."

"Oh no," Maya replied, glancing up toward where Jake was fighting Darian. "If the king injected that stuff into himself..."

"I can—sense him," Isaac said.

"Jake?"

"No, the king. I can feel his emotions. He's happy about something."

"Maybe there's a connection because he has your blood in him," Bret suggested.

"If he's happy, that can't be good," Maya replied.

"We need to get to Jake," Bret said. "Maybe I can teleport us up there."

Bret grabbed their hands and channeled magic, but nothing happened. He tried again, but the same result remained. The frustration boiled over, and Bret cursed to himself.

"What's wrong?" Maya asked.

"I can't teleport. Something is blocking me."

"The tower is secure. They must have magic in place to block teleportation. The king wouldn't want someone showing up in his bedroom unannounced," Maya said.

"Guess we'll use the elevator."

They carried Isaac into the hallway and met with the surviving men from Ash. Bret approached the elevator, but one of the men stopped him.

"The damn thing is jammed. We tried," he said.

Bret bit his lip to keep from screaming in anger. He refocused on the stairs. The thought of climbing that many flights made his legs ache even thinking about it, but he had no choice.

"I'll go up there and join the fight," Bret said.

"You mean we will go up there," Maya corrected.

"No, stay with Isaac. I don't want you..."

"Don't you dare! I know exactly how I'm going to die, and it isn't here or now," Maya said, pointing a finger in Bret's face. "That knowledge gives me an advantage. I'm coming with you!"

Bret knew he couldn't argue any further. He handed Isaac over to one of the men, and they began their ascent up the stairs.

***

Jake could feel the energy draining from him as blood ran from more cuts than Jake could count. He struggled to push himself off the floor, but Darian kicked him down again. Jake cried out in pain as the strike drove shards of glass deeper into his skin. He raised his hand and sent a weak beam at Darian, which Darian deflected easily. The laughter that followed chilled Jake to his bones. Darian was toying with him. The king raised his hand and pointed it at Jake's head.

"At least I can say you didn't disappoint me after all. This was a good fight, but it's time to end this," Darian said. Jake turned and saw the light form from Darian's palm, but his attack shot sideways and out the broken window. At first, Jake thought Darian was mocking him, but the look of surprise and anger on Darian's face told him otherwise. "Show yourself, coward!" Darian yelled and tried to locate Shane. His eyes darted back and forth. It seemed as if he was listening for something as well. Darian stopped and stared at a spot in the wall before saying, "Gotcha!" He blasted a hole but cursed when he saw nothing on the other side.

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Then, something strange happened. Multiple copies of Jake rushed into the room. They were illusions but were corporeal enough to put Darian on the defensive. Darian fought them off and took out a few with any spell he could muster. Jake saw chi energy, fireballs, lightning, and flying objects. Darian never looked to be in danger, but he was distracted. While this happened, Jake turned to look at Shaylie. She was hiding behind the broken bar. Jake gestured for her to run, but she shook her head.

"Tell her to run!" Shane said in Jake's mind.

"I did. She won't listen."

"Yeah, that sounds like her. Look, this swarm won't work for long. Are you okay?"

"No, I'm in bad shape. I don't have much left."

"Enough of this nonsense!" Darian roared, interrupting Jake and Shane's conversation. "Your friend can't escape, and neither can she," Darian said, pointing directly at Shaylie's hiding spot. "I told you what would happen if anyone else came here!" Darian continued as he dispatched the final illusion. He moved toward Shaylie, but Jake heaved himself up the best he could and drove his body into Darian, tripping him. Darian landed hard and groaned. He hadn't expected Jake to do this. "Still have some fight, eh?" a slightly winded Darian asked.

Jake couldn't rise. Darian reached his feet first, but a chair whacked him. When Darian turned, more objects from around the room smashed against him. He lifted his arms to protect his face. The problem was that Shane's protracted use of magic allowed Darian to pinpoint his location. "There you are," Darian said. He lifted his hand despite the onslaught, and the wall to his left started to shake. A crack formed, and the wood buckled. Darian closed his fist, making the entire section collapse. Jake heard a loud cry of pain.

"Shane!" Jake thought, but he didn't get a response.

"I'll finish him off later. Now, I need to deal with her," Darian said, turning toward Shaylie.

Jake crawled across the floor, feeling the scrape of the glass shrapnel against his wounds. He didn't care. All Jake wanted was to get between them. Darian saw this and released a long groan. "Why won't you just die?" he asked and raised his foot to stomp on Jake's head. As he brought it down, the foot froze an inch above Jake's skull. A look of confusion twisted Darian's face. He looked up to see Maya and Bret enter the room. Bret made Darian back up a step with a wave of fire that singed his skin. Maya heaved a large couch that struck Darian in the chin, toppling him. Unfortunately, Darian rolled through and bounced back to his feet within seconds. The look of rage on his face scared Jake. "Enough of these pests!" he screamed.

Everyone braced for spells, but Darian surprised them. He used shields instead. Bret fought his shield off, but Maya felt her magic flow cease. Bret thought quickly as Darian readied for another attempt. He didn't aim for him because he knew he couldn't damage Darian. Bret pointed toward the ceiling above Darian and sent lighting. He targeted a crack Darian hadn't noticed. When the bolt hit its mark, the ceiling collapsed. Debris and a heavy beam fell, nailing Darian in the head. Jake saw Darian stumble but remain upright. He flung the beam back at Bret, striking him and knocking him out.

Jake had enough. It couldn't end like this. He had one hope left. Jake pooled every bit of magical energy that remained in him. Darian felt it and turned just in time to receive a shot to the chest. It wasn't large, but the attack knocked Darian into the hole in the floor. Jake rolled to the edge of the opening and turned his hands so that the beam drove Darian through three floors. He watched him fall as the last bit of magic left him. His eyes stopped glowing. It would have to do because he couldn't channel again even if he tried.

"That should buy us enough time to escape," Jake said. "Grab Bret and the Shark. Let's get out of here."

"Where is the Shark?" Maya asked.

"In the rubble over there," Jake replied, pointing at the wall.

Maya hurried over and looked for Shane while Shaylie rushed to Jake's side. Shaylie tried to lift Jake, but he cried out in pain. Her hands slipped because of all the blood.

"He needs healing," Shaylie cried.

"I have a shield on me," Maya said while trying to move pieces of the wall to get to Shane.

"He's—coming. We have to..." Jake started to say, but he couldn't finish.

"No! Help me!" Shaylie yelled. No one knew what to do. Shaylie tried again to pick him up, but he was too heavy. Maya abandoned her search for the Shark and moved in her direction, but a sound from the hole in the floor stopped her. She could hear Darian. Shaylie panicked when she saw Maya's expression. The only thing that snapped her out of it was Jake's voice.

"Fire," Jake murmured.

"What?" Shaylie asked.

"Cauterize the wounds—with fire."

"I can't do it with this shield, and Bret is unconscious!" Shaylie said.

"Hurry, he's almost here," Jake replied.

"Shaylie! What are you doing!?" Maya yelled. "Stop channeling!"

Shaylie ignored her. She strained against her shield, feeling the energy build inside her. Since it had nowhere to go, it swelled. Her insides felt hot. Sweat poured from her brow. "Please. He can't die," she whispered. More energy welled inside of her, making her entire body shake. It felt like her skin was going to burst. She saw Jake's eyes flutter, and Shaylie cried, "No, don't close your eyes!"

Maya could feel the energy pulse inside Shaylie and knew it was reaching critical mass. "You have to stop before you..." Maya began, but something silenced her. She felt a change in the air. "Shaylie?"

Shaylie's eyes flew open. What Maya saw made her gasp. They were glowing bright white. The magic ebbed for a moment before flowing again. Maya sensed something pop. It wasn't Shaylie. She felt the shield break, and magic roared out of Shaylie. She quickly conjured small flames in each of Jake's wounds. Jake screamed in pain, which only made it harder for Shaylie to focus on what she was doing. Her hands trembled from the effort and her reluctance to use fire. It took every ounce of her being to maintain control because the sheer amount of magic frightened her. She had never felt anything like it before.

"Shaylie, look out!" Maya warned as Darian returned. He leaped out of the hole in the floor, landing a few feet away from Shaylie and Jake.

The sound of Maya's voice broke what little resolve Shaylie had left. Darian took two steps before Shaylie turned toward him. He noticed her eyes and froze. They saw fear on his face for the first time. The expression grew as Shaylie unleashed the fire inside her with an almighty scream. Darian burst into flames from head to toe. He stumbled and flailed, falling through the broken window and out of the tower. As he plummeted toward the ground, they swore they heard laughter.

Silence followed. No one wanted to speak after what they had witnessed. Shaylie pulled Jake into an embrace and cried softly. While this happened, Maya attended to Bret.

"What happened?" Bret asked weakly.

"Darian's dead," Maya said.

"Jake?"

"He's okay."

"Check on the Shark," Jake said.

Maya returned to the damaged wall, but she didn't find anyone. "He's not here," she said.

Jake sighed. He knew this would happen. Shane was probably already gone, and Jake would keep his secret as he promised. He worried about what Shaylie would think if she ever learned the truth about Shane, but that was a problem for another time. Thankfully, Isaac and the men from Ash arrived before Shaylie asked any questions about the Shark.

"Is everyone okay?" Isaac asked.

"We could use some healing," Jake said.

Isaac bent down and healed Jake's wounds the best he could. Jake shuddered, and his back arched. Shaylie watched the holes in his skin seal, but you could still see marks. "Those will probably leave scars," Isaac said. "Some of them were pretty bad."

Jake nodded as he sat up and regained his composure. He looked around at the carnage and marveled at the fact they were still alive. However, he noticed someone was missing. "Where's Marcus?" Jake asked.

"He didn't make it," Bret replied, staring at the floor. "Marcus sacrificed himself to save us."

Jake didn't know how to respond. He felt numb, and not because of the healing. Jake pulled Shaylie close because the news only increased her tears.

"What happens now?" Maya asked.

"We get the hell out of here and hide somewhere," Jake said.

"Where do we go?" Shaylie asked.

"I don't know, but they will hunt us down. We killed the king."

"No, I killed him," Shaylie replied, but it wasn't bragging. She looked shaken to her core.

"Either way, they're going to want us all," Jake said. He tried to push himself to his feet, but he needed help. Once he got his footing, he said, "Let's go." Jake turned to leave, but he noticed Shaylie staring out the window. "Forget about him, Shay."

"I don't think I'll ever be able to do that," she whispered as she joined the group.

***

Early morning sunlight poured through the broken window as Renault surveyed the destruction. He knew what had happened because he had watched the security footage. Now, he was simply searching for anything left behind. Renault wanted clues as to where Shaylie and her friends went. He touched the scorch marks on the wall while Jayson entered the room.

"What do we do now, sir?" Jayson asked.

"We pick ourselves up and move on," Renault replied. "That's what Darian would have wanted."

"Who will become King? There was no heir."

"We will determine that in due time."

"Perhaps you could claim the throne," Jayson said, earning a half-smile from Renault.

"I don't fancy myself a king. There's enough on my plate as it is," Renault said and continued his investigation. Glass crunched underneath his boot as he walked over to the broken window and peered down.

"Careful," Jayson said.

"Relax. Have you had any useful visions?"

"No, sir," Jayson replied as one of Renault's assistants approached them.

Renault didn't turn, but he addressed the man upon his arrival. "I want you to write a full report and give it to the newspaper. Have them run pictures of everyone involved in last night's attack. Declare them traitors and put out a reward. Then have every news station run the story."

"Yes, sir," the man said and left with a bow.

Jayson watched Renault examine more of the wreckage before he spoke again. "What about Varidia, sir?"

"The invasion will have to wait."

"It will not wait," a raspy voice said from the back of the room.

Renault and Jayson looked at each other fearfully. They knew what they heard, but both hoped it was only in their minds. Neither wanted to admit the truth because it was impossible. They were afraid to even turn around. But then the dry, grating laughter began, sending shivers down their spines. They had no choice but to see who was making such an awful sound. What they saw was worse. A naked and burned man stood before them. Small, tattered pieces of scorched cloth clung to his skin. It seemed clear he was healing, but not quickly. No hair grew on his body. Yet, despite all these things, he smiled.

"It worked," Darian said.

"Darian!?" Renault asked, his voice cracking.

"IT WORKED!" Darian yelled, raising his hands in triumph. His hoarse laughter echoed off the walls and in their minds. They couldn't look away no matter how hard they tried. No one spoke because they were deeply afraid.

To be continued in Book 2 (Coming Soon).