Chapter Twenty-Two

We entered Bastillen near the edge of the time pocket and I was immediately off and yelling. Ashe howled, and people started coming outside or turning in our direction.

Rationally, I knew we would have gotten here first, but it was still a staggering relief to see everyone still standing.

Callan came jogging down the wide street that cut through several residences, his face concerned. I threw myself into his arms and held him fiercely for a few moments before I pulled away. Sage caught up to us and doubled over, putting their hands on their knees and catching their breath.

“Penn? What’s going on? Why’d you bring Sage here?”

Before I answered, I pulled out my phone and made a video call to Toji, praying and praying he would answer.

When he did, Gideon’s face also squeezed into the frame. He was chewing something.

“Penn! I had low expectations, but whoever is cooking at Quivess can really—”

“Kana has been taken over by the Discordant Dark and she’s spread fragments to a cohort of Apprentice Warriors, including Cindra. They fed on the souls of everyone in the Temporal community and are on their way to Bastillen to do the same here.”

Silence.

You could have heard a pin drop into the ocean.

Then gasps as the people of Bastillen conveyed their shock. Callan’s mouth dropped open, and his eyes widened. On my phone, Gideon and Toji looked as though they’d been frozen.

“Penn…Penn…what…” Toji shook himself and blinked rapidly.

Yeah, I hit him hard, but I didn’t have time to hand-hold him through this. I fixed my gaze on him.

“It happened the night of the blackout.” Which I had caused. I stomped down on the guilt because guilt wouldn’t help me keep everyone alive. “When she was on patrol at Drisdari Forest, the Discordant Dark was able to put a fragment of power into her and…and…” I took a shuddering breath. “And feed on her soul. It has now possessed her completely and created a small army of…of Discordants.” I quickly explained what had happened in the caves and Gideon and Toji looked stricken and speechless. Callan released a string of curses.

“Tell Naranthe,” I said. “Let them know at least two dozen warriors have been compromised by the Discordant Dark. I need reinforcements but I don’t think they should come from the Apprentice Guild because there’s no telling how many others might be compromised. If you don’t feel safe at Quivess it might be best to leave. And…” I slid my eyes to Gideon, hating what I had to say next. “By the time I got to the caves all the time pockets were down. Which means if your soul was there…it would have been able to cross over.”

Gideon looked like he was about to fall over. His mouth opened and closed a few times as he struggled to say something.

“I’m so sorry, Gi.” I wished I had time to stay on the phone and talk him through this.

“My…my soul has…”

Toji kept a steady arm around Gideon’s shoulder, his face deeply worried.

“Toji, I’m sorry about Kana. I don’t want to fight her; it’s not really her in control of her actions, but I can’t let her succeed.”

“Gideon saw you kill her,” Toji said, his voice strained. “But it wasn’t because you were compromised, it was because she was. Penn…”

“I swear on my life I will not kill your sister.” I tried to sound as sure of that as I could. “I will stop this in a way that doesn’t end her life.”

I didn’t know how, but I would try like hell.

Toji gave a slow nod.

“I’m sorry to slam you guys with this but I had to tell you. Stay safe, okay? I’ll update you as soon as I can.”

“Penn…” Gideon’s voice was laced with fear. “Please…”

“I’m not going anywhere, Gi. I’m gonna get through this. I promise.” Was it a promise I could keep? I hoped so.

“Stay safe,” Toji said.

We disconnected and I focused on Callan, whose face was set with hard resolve.

Around us, Igiro, Eruci, and Jia had gathered closer. Behind Eruci was his wife, Rinora, and their daughter Willow, who looked scared. Rinora looked frantic. She had a hand on her pregnant belly and her other arm around her daughter.

“I hate to ask this but how many people here can fight and what weapons do you have?”

“We have a number of fighters and maintain an armory,” Igiro answered. His face was grave, his arms crossed over his chest. “And we have magic.”

He could create Suniksu and Jia could create Pachrall. And there were other magic users here. They could control their constructs without having to step off Bastillen.

“I’m so sorry that I brought this to your door.” My fingers were tightly entwined with Callan’s. “Kana followed me when I told Chelara about Bastillen. I had no idea she’d been taken over by a fragment of Discordant power—”

“And nothing else is important except preparing for battle,” Igiro cut in. “Callan explained what happened when you were taken into Drisdari Forest. We understand that a terrible power had a chance to awaken the night of the magical blackout. We will stand and face it. We will fight.”

“We’ve always known we would be vulnerable here and had to be prepared for anything,” Eruci said, picking up Willow and putting an arm around Rinora. “Igiro leads weekly fight training, and our Shapers make sure we have a decent array of weapons. We will defend Bastillen with everything we have.”

I tried to rally around his resolve. Tried to feel as though we were really going to stay ahead of the Discordants and come out of this standing.

The Discordant Dark was a frightening entity. I stood at the foot of its tomb and almost died. But right now we only had to combat fragments of its power. I kept repeating that to myself.

We could defeat a small amount of its power.

We had to.

“The time warps should help,” Callan said. “They’ll either run into them or have to move slower to get around them and we can use that to our advantage. There are warps set up all around the time pocket, not just the area we saw them.”

“Bless Linella through all her days in all timelines,” I said. “All right, it goes without saying, but no one who needs to stay here walks off this land for any reason. Got it?” I looked at Callan. “You can play defense from here and me, Ashe, and our reinforcements will engage with the Discordants beyond the time pocket.”

Callan didn’t look happy about that, but he nodded. I knew it would not be easy to watch me fight from within the time pocket, but it was nothing compared to him trying to play hero and being wiped from existence.

“I’ll take you to the armory,” Igiro said. He turned to Eruci and Jia. “Send the fighters for weapons. Then get everyone else to the bunker. It’s well stocked so don’t let anyone waste time trying to pack bags. We will need people to protect the bunker and people to defend the time pocket.” Eruci and Jia nodded and headed off, Eruci still holding Willow and moving as fast as Rinora comfortably could.

“I’ll stay here and make some more calls,” Sage said. They’d been on the phone while I was explaining the situation. “Jarron is organizing the dispatch of warriors from one of the Guilds to help us. We will get reinforcements, I promise.”

“Sounds good and thanks. We need as much help as we can get.” The Discordants weren’t huge in number, but a powerful entity taking over the bodies of skilled warriors meant we were in for a hard battle no matter what.

Sage nodded, then Callan, Ashe, and I jogged off behind Igiro.

“I’m glad to hear there’s a bunker,” I said.

“We made sure we were prepared for as many worst-case scenarios as possible,” Igiro replied. “Thankfully, under the time pocket is as safe as above it. The children, elderly, and those who don’t have the skills to be on the frontline will be safe there.”

“The armory is at Igiro’s,” Callan said, which didn’t surprise me. It wasn’t hard to see that Igiro was a leader here.

A few streets over, Igiro led us to a one-story house that sat under the shade of a sprawling tree, making the blue paneling around the lower half of it seem darker. There was a nondescript shed at the back of the house, and when he opened it, I saw a metal door in the ground. It took both Igiro and Callan to lift it using the metal rings embedded into it. It screeched open and stale air greeted us.

Fire magic flitted across my skin as Igiro held one of his palms up and Conjured a small lick of fire. The flame danced above his palm and threw shadows against the walls of the small shed. Conjurers were most known for their constructs like Pachrall, Suniksu, Zaphyr, and Luboc, but their abilities with their elemental magic were varied.

Lighting the way, Igiro led us down into cooler air.

His flame wavered but never snuffed out, the warm feel of his magic wrapping around us as we stepped off the dirt-packed staircase onto concrete floor. Igiro tossed the flame and lit a brazier attached to the wall, which was also slabbed in concrete.

The room wasn’t very large, and the one Firi Stone was enough to see the three walls that were laden with weapons. I took a moment to be impressed at the neat arrangement of swords, daggers, staffs, axes, and shields.

Projectile weapons were plentiful as they would be the most useful since they couldn’t leave the grounds. There were several sets of bows and arrows, crossbows, shuriken, and chakrams, as well as throwing knives, lances, spears, boomerangs, and slingshots that would deal a lot of damage when they were loaded with the little spiked balls I saw next to them. There was also equipment for weapons maintenance, as well as sheaths and weapon bags.

Callan picked up a wooden crossbow that was painted white with a silver-inlaid design. He then packed a bag with a slingshot and ammunition and throwing knives. Lastly, he grabbed a few spears. I had the Claymore, metal knuckles, and Ashe. I didn’t need anything more than that.

The other fighters soon arrived, grim-faced people who listened to us explain the situation as they picked out their weapons. This was no army; they were people in jeans and shorts, T-shirts, and sundresses. One woman who looked to be nearing sixty but had a gleam in her eye that said she wasn’t to be fucked with was stripping off her sunhat and gardening gloves.

I felt a myriad of terrible emotions.

The people of Bastillen were dealing with enough when it came to having to remain here, and I had brought danger to them. I could not let the time pocket be breached, could not let one person fall to the Discordant Dark.

I startled when my eyes landed on Annala.

She wore a coral-colored dress that brought out the warm tones in her brown skin. Her curly, gray-streaked hair was in a high bun.

I had gotten Mixuné’s card box from her in the Before Times, after Linella had entrusted her with it. And it was a conversation with her that had led me to realize the scheme that had reaped my three hundred years of life.

We embraced.

When we pulled back, her face was as grim as everyone else’s, but she stood tall with her shoulders set.

“It is nice to see you again. I was hoping to cross paths with you once I heard Callan had made it here, but I’ve been on the other side of town helping establish a new vegetable garden,” she said.

“I’m glad to see you, but not glad about what we’re going to face.”

“We have faced worse, have we not?” She gave a small smile and I tried to pull on that encouragement, but it wasn’t easy.

We shouldn’t have to measure the terrible things we endured. Categorize the current situation as not being so bad because the last one was worse, because the body count was higher, because last time the entire world was in danger and this time it was only a skirmish at a remote town.

“I want us to face better.”

Annala gave a grave nod. “And better we shall have. Please come by for tea once this is over. I make lovely scones.”

My throat grew tight. Come for tea and scones once we were on the other side of a small war. This was so fucking unfair.

But I would make sure we got through it.

Annala went for a bow and arrow and picked up a shield as well.

Callan and I followed her back outside. Once we were all gathered, there were about twenty of us ready to fight. Fewer than the Discordants’ number, but we would have reinforcements.

“Thank you for your willingness to pick up a weapon and face what’s coming,” I said. “I hate that I’m responsible for bringing this to you…”

“We are prepared to defend our town,” the steely-eyed older woman said. “Don’t make apologies, what’s coming is coming.”

“You’re right.” I pulled my resolve together and tried to let the certainty that we would win solidify within me.

But I felt so battered from everything I’d been through over the last week that it was hard. Callan placed his hand on my shoulder and it helped steady me.

“The goal is for the time pocket to not be breached,” Callan said. “I’m going to make an opening that will allow our allies in or out and allow us to use our weapons from inside. We can’t let the opening be compromised by the enemy.”

“Stagger yourselves.” It had been a long time since I’d been in a tactical mindset on the battlefield, but the instincts were still there. “I want a mix of strong to mid to lower strength fighters to group together. Send a group to protect the bunker, then the other groups will tier off. One group stays near the barrier of the time pocket, the next group will fall back about fifty feet, then the next. In the event they do make it in, I want there to be fresh fighters ready to greet them. I’ll also need a group on patrol around the time pocket’s borders in case they circumnavigate the town.”

“Eruci is also going to create a time pocket around the bunker,” someone spoke up.

I nodded. “Good, added protection. Conjurers, use your magic to your advantage. Are there any Tamers?” A few people raised their hands. “Would you be able to control the plant life outside Bastillen? Uproot trees, use vines to trip and constrict?”

“We can do that and more,” a young man spoke up. He looked to be in his early twenties and seemed eager about what was to come. That eager look wouldn’t last once he saw the first splatter of blood. “We’ve been able to lure a few creatures onto the lands and Tame them. Some are trained for fighting.”

“What’s your name and which creatures do you have?”

“I’m Dae-Hyun,” he replied. “We have a Vicasiv, two Jagark, and a small flock of Foleji.”

A two-headed serpentine creature and a couple boar-like ones with anger issues were good creatures to join Ashe in the fight. Foleji would be good as well. They were about the size of eagles and had skin like a hairless cat that came in a variety of colors and sported sporadic patches of scales. Their wings were most similar to bats and were edged in razor-sharp bones that could tear your face off. They were eyeless, pucker-faced, ugly things, but when trained right, a Foleji was a great battle bird.

“And with the Foleji, I assume you have—”

“Yes,” Dae-Hyun replied, swinging around a small bag that had been slung over his shoulder. He opened it and pulled out a bunch of slim ribbons in various colors and started handing them out.

“We’ve had these ribbons woven into their nests from the start,” he said. “Make sure it’s on you securely because if it falls off while the Foleji are out there, you may have to cut them down if they come for you.”

“Noted.” I took a pink one and quickly braided it into my hair.

Foleji could be Tamed to a certain extent, but they weren’t used much in battle because they were prone to ignoring commands and attacking any and everyone.

Carrying something with their scent would stop them from clawing our eyes out.

“All of the creatures will be a good asset, but try not to get them killed,” I said.

Dae-Hyun nodded, then he and the other Tamers jogged off to prepare the creatures.

“I’ll have a hand in arranging the groups and will send people to the watchtowers,” Igiro said. “Those who will be on the frontline will meet up with you. The area you and Callan first entered is where they’re likely to come from. Linella chose this location well, there aren’t any other easy ways to access the town.”

He was right. To the north there was a rocky hill that towered over the time pocket. Trying to get up there and descend on the town wouldn’t end well. To the east was an overhang that led down into a valley. So it was a safe bet to focus our attention toward the western side.

Callan and I left Igiro to finish strategizing and headed back to Sage.

We were in time to see several Zaphyr land beyond the time pocket.

Zaphyr Conjured by adults were twenty feet tall. Their long necks could turn almost three hundred and sixty degrees, and their cloud-based bodies were in constant motion, roiling as though blown by an eternal wind.

Fear crashed through me as I thought the Discordants had arrived, then I saw that the people dismounting weren’t wearing the Apprentices’ white or blue armor. Their armor was forest green with silver accents. Their chest, waist, and leg harnesses were cognac brown, as were any pouches, sheaths, and straps.

Recognition made my eyes widen. During my first lifetime, Warrior Guilds each had their own style of armor. There was an update in style, but it was still recognizable.

They wore the armor of my old Guild, Havenrow.

Callan made an opening in the time pocket and they entered.

I felt a cool touch of magic like crisp air gliding over my skin as the Wind Conjurers deconstructed the Zaphyr before stepping onto Bastillen.

The Zaphyr were large enough to carry several people, and three Wind Conjurers had transported about fifteen warriors. It was a good boost to our numbers.

“Thank you for coming.” I stepped forward to greet them.

“These warriors are from Havenrow,” Sage said, confirming what I’d suspected. “They have a hub in Merewynd, so they were able to get here quickly.”

“We’re happy to be of assistance to you,” said the man whose hand I was shaking. He looked of mixed heritage with curly hair cut short, brown skin, and a neatly trimmed goatee. “My name is Noyah Gurnu and I lead this cohort. You have remained a legendary figure within our Guild, and we could not turn down the request to assist you.”

I caught sight of a tattoo at the side of his neck; it was identical to the one on my wrist of a budding vine encircling a stylized arrow. It was touching that the tradition of getting our crest tattooed was still around.

It was also extremely strange being thought of as legendary, but I guess that went hand in hand with the whole “Changer of Worlds” thing. Sigh.

“I appreciate the support.” I noted that three people were wearing colorful half capes flung over one shoulder.

“We have excellent healers among us,” Noyah said, following my gaze. The capes made them easily identifiable as being able to offer medical assistance.

“We have healers as well,” Igiro said, coming up next to us with eight people. One of them nodded at the Havenrow warriors before running over to the watchtower and climbing up. He had a bow and plenty of arrows.

“Great, the more healers we have the better,” I said.

“What is the strategy?” Noyah asked, arms clasped behind his back, legs slightly spread. Behind him, the rest of the warriors were in a similar stance, in a loose triangular formation, all their attention on me.

“There are about twenty people here who will be joining the fight,” I said. “The rest of the town’s population will be hiding in a bunker. I’d like one of your warriors to join those who will be protecting it.”

Noyah called out to a tall woman with impressive muscles and Eruci beckoned to her. They headed off to the bunker.

“There are time warps set up in the forest and around the time pocket,” I continued. “It should help cut down some of their number. We have Conjurers who will be helping as well. There are also several Tamed creatures that are battle ready, including Foleji.” Dae-Hyun handed out ribbons to the warriors, and they fastened them onto their armor.

“I’d like two fighters assigned to keep the Tamers protected while they handle the creatures,” I said. Noyah assigned someone from his cohort while Igiro assigned someone from the Bastillen fighters.

“Our main objective is to keep the time pocket from being breached,” I continued. “The people we will be fighting are Apprentice Warriors who are under the control of an extremely powerful entity. They aren’t gonna care about killing us, but the magic that’s controlling them can be purified so aim to incapacitate. I—”

“Incoming!” The shout from the watchtower had us all on alert.

I’d already slipped on my iron knuckles and now unsheathed the Claymore, bracing myself for what was about to happen.

I had to shove down everything I was feeling about the circumstances that had led us to this point. My guilt in causing the blackout was tremendous, but I couldn’t keep spiraling on the past.

I had to focus on making sure the Discordant Dark understood I wasn’t one to be fucked with.

“Fifteen directly ahead, due west,” the watcher called. “Nine from the southwest. Western contingent will make it here in about seven minutes. Southwest three minutes after that.”

“Get to the bunker,” I said to Sage. They were un-Talented and I had no idea about their fighting skills and now wasn’t the time to find out.

Sage’s eyes were wide, but they shook their head. “I’m staying. I need to maintain cell signal to keep the Council updated on what’s happening and facilitate any other reinforcements that might head up.”

“Sage…” My voice was a growl.

“You won’t have to worry about me, promise!” They ran off toward one of the houses and dashed behind it before I could say anything else. They’d be fine as long as the time pocket wasn’t breached.

And I’d make damn sure that didn’t happen.

The Havenrow warriors and Bastillen frontline fighters approached the edge of town, standing feet away from the barrier of the time pocket.

The creatures and their handlers had arrived. The Foleji were in a large cage on top of a wagon. The Vicasiv and Jagark were free. The Vicasiv’s purple scales glittered under the sunlight as its double heads looked around, their forked tongues flicking in and out. The burly Jagark and their curved tusks looked ready to rumble.

“You ready?” I said to Ashe, who gave a snarl I had heard many times before we stepped into battle.

Now wasn’t the time for a sappy parting with Callan, but we turned to each other at the same time and he kissed me hard, our lips locking like two pieces of a puzzle. He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me close.

“Stay safe,” he rasped when we broke apart, our foreheads against each other. His grip on my waist tightened.

“You too.” We looked at each other, not walling off our emotions, not hiding behind our strength. There was no guarantee this fight would go in our favor no matter how hard we tried, but we would both give everything we had to make sure the outcome was favorable.

He kissed me again and I let myself relax into his arms, for a moment thinking of nothing but how much I craved every part of him, how much I needed his touch, his nearness.

How I would tear the world apart to make sure he stayed safe.

“Love you,” he whispered against my lips.

“Love you too,” I whispered back. Then we ran to the perimeter of the time pocket.

It was time to fight.