The Heartstone Saga by Archibald Bradford (short novels in english .TXT) 📕

a hell of a thing! What took you so long?” He shouted across the field, a hint of smugness in his voice.

After finally coupling with Evadne, the dark Empath had become convinced that he had all but saved her, more determined than ever before to finish what she started so very long ago, so that he could finally begin his life with her.

“Jonathan! Stop this madness! Let us save them!” Sadie’s voice faltered as she called out to him, barely carrying back to her one-time protégé.

“Is that Sadie?” He lifted his hand to block the sun in his eyes as he searched for her; “Been a while, teacher mine. But don’t you see? I am saving them! This is the day that we have been working towards! A day that will never be forgotten! After today, no one will dare to push a monster girl so far! Fear will keep humanity’s darkness and cruelty at bay!”

“Oh you fucking moron!” Erica screamed at him, her face red and her tail puffed up with anger; “This won’t accomplish anything but heartbreak!”

She knew exactly what those girls endured.

But Jonathan wasn’t swayed.

“Poor little girl, I will save you too!” He promised.

He raised his hand, and there was a collective intake of breath.

A moment later he dropped it, and the controlled rage of the Tenebrae was suddenly unleashed with a deafening roar.

Volka took to the air again, shouting out orders as she did.

“Queen Julia! Hold them at bay until we can find a way to stop this! If needs be, we might have to restrain every single one of these girls!”

A daunting proposition, but the way she said it made it seem possible.

“Your will be done, Dominar! My daughters! Do not sully our name this day!” Julia proclaimed loudly from behind the line as she raised her fist; “Legionnaires! Brace!”

In unison the five colonies of Antlions fitted their shields together and bent one knee to shift the wall of treated wood and iron towards the mass of charging monsters.

Each of them had set aside their traditional spears and swords in favour of simple cudgels; it put them at a severe disadvantage, but their aim was to subdue, not kill.

“Aegis!” Instructor Kavanaugh barked out, not to be outdone; “Canisters at the ready!”

Behind the shield of Antlion bodies lost-tech measures were being readied.

“No stingers!” The lost-tech instructor continued; “The wind isn’t on our side. Focus on control and containment!”

“My warriors!” Alcaia called out as well; “Subdue the Tenebrae! Beat them into the ground if you have to! For the Valkyrja-datta!”

A great ululation came from the Amazons on the field, their natural battle-lust rising in their blood.

Nameless actually blushed at being used as a battle-cry, but what was he going to do, ask them to stop?

The thunder of the charging Tenebrae grew ever louder as the charged up the gentle slope.

__________

Nina came to her senses to find an unpleasant sight waiting: the Witch Olena sitting cross legged beside her.

“Ah fuck I’m dead.” She whined.

“Not yet. But you tried ever so hard.”

The Witch’s tone wasn’t sarcastic but Nina felt the bite of it all the same; it was much like she was consoling a child for failing to achieve a sought after goal.

Oh but sweetie you were sooo close!

Bitch.

“How long have I been out of it?”

“A quarter hour at most, it seemed that you really needed to have a good cry.”

Deeply uncomfortable with being talked down to so obviously, Nina got to her feet, though she winced at the pain in her side from her ribs.

“Thanks for the rescue weird lady. But I have to go, I need to find my family.”

“Yes you do.” Olena agreed; “The fighting has already begun, and if we do nothing I fear the worst.”

“So you decided to help out after all huh?” Nina grumbled.

She regretted it immediately though as the Witch stared at her, holding her in place like no one save her mother ever had before.

It was a long ten seconds before Olena spoke again.

“I always intended to help, little giant. But I forgot my comically oversized hammer at home.”

Nina cleared her throat, once again striving, and failing, to shake off the discomfort the Witch so easily engendered in her.

Then Olena surprised her by letting out a sigh, a mortal moment of weakness that didn’t suit her, though she followed it by pulling the Gigas over to sit in her lap, Nina simply unable to resist.

“Always the warrior breeds charge forwards. Never thinking, never looking anywhere but directly ahead. Witches help sideways. We protect the blind spots that the enemy would otherwise exploit. The one time we failed in this marked the ruin of the Valkyrie. And the Amazons weep for them!” Olena laughed darkly, sending a strange chill down Nina’s spine as eldritch light seeped from the Witch’s eyes; “Given half a moment I would take your bond-sister over my knee and spank her bottom raw for the stupidity she and her sisters displayed so long ago in keeping such a secret from us.”

“You! I would-” Nina sputtered as her instincts warred within her.

Part of her wanted to murder the impertinent woman for talking smack about her angel, while the larger part was instinctively paralysed by the Witch and her chilling wiles.

“You would... what?” Olena cooed as she stroked one finger across the giant’s brow; “You would kiss between my thighs? Kind you are to offer, but we have not the time.”

A trapped volcano, the Gigas burned with humiliation, unable to do anything as the other monster girl held her in sway.

At last Olena took pity on her, or grew bored of her game.

“Why do you think I am here, little Nina? I was tracking those Ogres so that the attack on Garland could