THE MYSTICONS CONTINUED on without Zarya, finally reaching the room where Tazma and Dreadbane were. Nearby was the Codex piece they’d stolen. Zarya’s Codex piece.
Dreadbane and Tazma were working on something called a celestial focus. The long, gold-and-blue artifact had helped their spell throw the meteor shower off course. Luckily, they were continually being distracted by a couple of foz that were running around the room.
Piper and Em worked quickly, placing three orbs near the back of the celestial focus while Tazma and Dreadbane were snarling at the foz.
Then the Mysticons hid in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to blow the artifact up.
“It’s time, my liege,” Tazma said. “Time to level the city.”
“We’ll raze the city when I say,” Dreadbane replied.
“Their time is up,” Tazma muttered. “Raze the city!”
“I am the decider, and I will decide,” Dreadbane shot back. He waited a moment, then nodded. “Now, Mage. Rain down fire and brimstone on Drake City!”
“Elcalarum despotio,” Tazma said, reciting the spell, “feyarium!”
The Mysticons saw their chance. Em reached for her bracer, about to push the symbol on it that would make the orbs explode. But before she could detonate the bombs, Piper grabbed her hand.
“Ohmygoblin! Stop!” She pointed to the celestial focus. Two foz were sitting right next to the explosive orbs. If Em detonated them, the foz would be blasted to bits.
As Tazma finished her spell, the entire room trembled. Then the focus glowed and released its beam. The meteors changed direction. The Mysticons heard the roar of the fiery rocks as they approached the city.
“By the Hammer of Harmon,” Em said, her throat tight. They could see the balls of fire getting closer. She still had her finger on her bracer, but the foz were right next to the orbs. She just couldn’t bring herself to do it.
“What do we do?” Piper asked. “We can’t blow up the focus with those two cutie-pies there!”
“Maybe we don’t have to,” Arkayna said, studying the celestial focus. It moved ever so slightly, guiding the meteors.
“We can make the meteors miss,” Em said, finishing her thought.
Arkayna stormed out of their hiding spot and aimed her bracer at Dreadbane. “Unleash the Dragon!”
“Fly, Phoenix, fly!” Piper yelled, freeing her Mysticon avatar. The Dragon and Phoenix rushed toward Dreadbane and Tazma, who turned in horror. The Dragon slammed into Dreadbane, knocking him back. The Phoenix swooped down on Tazma, but she dove behind some rocks before the Phoenix exploded in a flash of gold magic.
As Arkayna charged toward the celestial focus, Dreadbane felt around for his sword, eager to fight back. “First the foz invade my lair,” he said, flinging some bone shards at Arkayna. “Now the Mysticons?”
Arkayna dove for the focus, but just as she did, Tazma’s black shadow tentacles circled her, Piper, and Em. Tazma came out from her hiding spot and held the Mysticons in the air, making them face the meteor shower. “Time for your city to burn,” she sneered.
Dreadbane approached Arkayna. His hand glowed with a dangerous magic. “Witness the ruin and destruction,” he said to the Mysticons. “Then I’ll turn you all to bone. Just like your pathetic queen and king.”