Dreams of Fury: Descendants of the Fall Book IV by Hodges, Aaron (most important books to read .txt) 📗

Her entire being unravelled as she relived her every mistake, her every terrible decision, the lives she had cost, the evils she had committed. Again and again she had led those who’d trusted her to their deaths, and now…now she had done it again, had brought Darien and Maisie and Cara to this place, had failed them, failed herself, failed her people.

The Old One stepped past her, advancing on Cara. The Anahera was sobbing, trying to crawl away, but Maya caught her by the wing and dragged her back, laughing, cackling as she threw the girl down in front of Erika.

Pain tore at Erika’s heart, threatening to tear her apart. Desperately she sought something, anything to sustain her, some spark amidst the suffocating despair. But she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t see anything beyond the darkness, the doom. Not a hint of love or hope or joy. It was all gone, washed away, sponged from her soul.

She watched as Cara sobbed on the floor, unable to summon the will to defend herself, and knew that her friend would die, that here, now, Erika had truly failed her.

No…

Somewhere in the depths of her soul, a piece of Erika fought against that thought, resisted. She had made a promise, had sworn…sworn to protect her friend, to do better, to be better. Somehow, her hands found the cold stone beneath her and she froze, no longer sinking, no longer slumped in defeat. Teeth clenched, she struggled, fought to push herself back, to rise again.

The weight upon her redoubled, the despair swelling within, trying to crush that spark, to drown her. Erika clung to its light, to its determination, even as she felt it slipping from her, knew that no matter her strength, this was an enemy she could not fight, not alone…

…but she was not alone. Her eyes found Cara, lying on the ground beside her, saw the Old one pinning her wing beneath a boot, saw the death shining in the creature’s eyes.

Desperately, Erika sent up a plea to the sky, to the Gods she knew did not exist, had never existed…and yet still she begged, pleaded…

Please, give me the strength to help her.

But of course there was no answer, and Erika’s agony swelled as the Old One drove a boot into Cara’s chest. The sharp crack of breaking bones punctuated the blow as Cara doubled up, gasping, crying out her pain, but still the Anahera did not fight back, could not. As Maya drew her foot back for another blow, Erika scrunched her eyes closed, unable to watch, to witness…

Very well, human, a voice—no, voices—whispered into Erika’s mind. You have…proven your word once. Perhaps…perhaps you are proof that humanity truly can change.

And suddenly, the spark to which Erika clung exploded, sweeping outwards, washing back the darkness. Where before there had been despair, Erika found an unlikely hope, an unyielding joy for the voices in her mind, the possibility of a future. The weight of responsibility no longer felt so heavy, the doom she had foreseen not so inevitable.

And she found herself rising.

We will not see another world Fall, the voices of the Anahera whispered to her. This Old One, she is too strong, too powerful. We cannot risk leaving the fledgelings, not again, but this, at least, we can do. Stop her, Erika of the Calafe.

“Impossible,” a voice whispered as Maya swung to see Erika on her feet.

Erika reacted without thought. Light burst from her gauntlet and she threw out her hand. Screaming, Maya staggered back, retreating from the power. Erika had not gathered enough to strike the creature down, but the attack still served as Erika wished, driving the Old One away from her friend. Quickly she advanced, placing herself between Cara and the Old One.

A groan came from Cara as, trembling, the Goddess rose. She clutched at her chest and one wing hung limp and broken, but despite the pain, the Anahera stood, teeth bared at the creature who opposed them.

We will watch over you, and Cara. The voices came again, followed by a pause. The other…she clings to the darkness. She will not let us in.

“So the Anahera have found their courage after all,” Maya murmured as she straightened. “No matter. Their Voices will not be enough to save you, human.

Erika had a moment to process those words, before a figure joined Maya in the darkness. A dark smile crossed Amina’s lips as she looked at them. Erika sensed the vibrations in her mind, could almost read the words of Maya as she gestured to the queen.

“Kill them.”

And smiling, Amina advanced.

* * *

Hatred blew through Adonis like a storm unleashed, tearing every other emotion from his soul. Setting his sights on Maisie, he advanced with a snarl, hands outstretched. He made no move to rush—the human could not escape him, could not fight him. Trapped by the power of the Old One, she could only stand there and die.

Indeed, she watched his advance, eyes wide with fear. Then abruptly she spun—and vanished.

Adonis staggered to a stop, confusion penetrating the haze of his mind, struggling to comprehend what had happened. The human had no power—how could she have resisted Maya’s Voice, let alone disappear into thin air?

Movement came from nearby, and he spun as the human man charged him. Adonis’s eyes widened at the creature’s nerve, but it stood no chance against his power, and brushing aside a blow from the man’s broadsword, he struck blow against the human’s chest.

The man crumpled, collapsing to the floor with hardly a sound, and Adonis turned back to the darkness.

Back to the hunt.

His ears caught the soft thump of retreating footsteps and he grinned, striding up the tunnel after his quarry. The human might resist Maya’s mental powers, might be capable of vanishing from sight, but she could not hide from his other senses. He trailed after the whisper of her soft movements, after the sharp scent of her humanity. No, she would not escape.

The chase carried him away from