Meta Gods War 3 by B. Miles (the ebook reader txt) 📕

WHEN YOUR FATHER WALKED THE LAND. AND NOW I RETURN TO THE OLD WAYS.

“No,” Cam said. “There’s another way. There has to be—”

Lightning cracked the sky and ripped his magic into pieces. Cam screamed as it shattered. The power reverberated through his mind like a struck gong, and he thought his skull might shatter into a million pieces. He dropped to one knee, groaning in pain, clutching at his head.

But the lightning stopped.

Slowly, Cam lifted his chin. Another figure floated in the sky, not far from Lycanica. He blinked, trying to clear his vision of the after-image, but the figure didn’t go away.

She was tall and thin and wore a long green flowing dress that hung down beneath her feet. Her blond hair was braided and reached down to her lower back. Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent. Long pointed ears jutted out on both sides of her almond-shaped head. She looked like a willow compared to Lycanica.

“Enough, sister,” the new figure said. Her voice echoed over the field, but it didn’t have the same horrible, booming quality. It was more like a windchime rustling on a tree branch.

It took Cam a breath to realize it was Danua, goddess of the Elves.

THIS DOES NOT CONCERN YOU, SISTER, Lycanica said.

“My children are down there dying alongside the Humans,” Danua said. “We turned our backs to your little crusade, but you’ve gone too far.”

SO MUCH HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM US, Lycanica said. AND YET YOU SIDE WITH HIM STILL. IT HAS BEEN EASY FOR YOU, HASN’T IT, SISTER? YOU, WHO MANAGED TO KEEP YOUR CHILDREN FROM DEATH.

“Nothing’s been easy these millennia,” Danua said. “But we made our pact. Your war was bad enough, but this? This is too much. Release your children and leave this place, sister.”

I AM FINISHED BOWING TO THE WILL OF OTHER GODS. Lycanica lifted her hands up above her head. I AM FINISHED LIVING UNDER THE YOKE OF HIM STILL, EVEN AFTER ALL THE LONG YEARS.

“He’s gone, sister, and he’s not coming back. This won’t change anything. You can’t undo what he’s done.”

BUT I CAN TAKE FROM HIM WHAT HE LOVED MOST. Lycanica brought her hands down, and lightning flashed from the sky again.

Danua’s hands flew out to either side of her. The lightning slammed against a barrier barely five feet above the heads of the army. It rippled as the lightning struck it, but it didn’t break. Men ran back toward the baggage car, leaving the field, but Cam remained where he was, his eyes transfixed on the sky above him.

“I will ask you one more time,” Danua said. “Leave here.”

SISTER, YOU NEVER DID KNOW YOUR LIMITS.

Lightning flashed again. But this time, it was one singular conflagration of power from hundreds of different points in the sky, all of them aimed at one single person.

They converged on Danua, and the shockwave that followed the strikes knocked Cam back to the ground. The wolves fell flat on their sides and Cam’s men were thrown off their feet. Trees bent to the side; limbs snapped from their trunks. He heard screams and howls of fear. When he lifted his head and the sky cleared of light, he saw the wolves running back toward the tree line, fleeing the field at last.

He slowly looked up. Danua’s hands were held high above her head, palms flat toward the sky, like she was holding up a roof. She brought her hands down and let them hang limp by her sides.

“If that’s your wish, then,” she said.

Then she flew forward so quickly, she became nothing more than a green blur as she slammed into Lycanica, and a deafening crack filled his ears.

39

The goddesses fought in a blur of bodies, energy, and magic. The field around them was ripped into pieces. Lightning smashed against the rocks. Fire scorched the earth.

Cam shouted at the men to retreat.

“You have to come too,” Arter said, grabbing Cam by the arm. “You have to come with us.”

“No,” Cam said, pulling himself away. His eyes scanned the field. Both wings were retreating back toward their camp, running as fast as they could. The heavy divisions were slow, though, and couldn’t keep pace with the lighter infantry.

He made his decision and began to sprint as fast as he could. Arter shouted something that was lost in the deafening roar of the fight above them.

Cam stumbled as magic slammed into the ground around him. The earth shook and chunks of rock and soil broke off, floated into the air, then smashed back down. He used ice magic to smash through boulders and to keep lightning from breaking down onto his skull. He pulled men up and shoved them toward the camp, screamed at them all to flee as fast as they could.

And he kept running, legs moving, eyes locked on the heavy infantry.

He knew Key would be able to get away. She was surrounded by her men and was mobile enough to run. Her wing was already making a fast retreat, and he had to hope she was still among them. Miuri and Felin were safe on the ridge, out of range of the battle. He couldn’t do anything for them.

But Brice was still in danger.

The battle raged above him. The goddesses smashed against each other in lightning claps and bursts of energy that rained fire down onto the field below. He heard people scream, wolves howl, and trees burst into splinters and shards. Cam had to throw himself to the ground more than once as the earth exploded around him.

The heavy infantry drew closer. They shed their armor as they ran, dropping it as fast as they could. Cam thought he could see Brice in their midst, her plumed helmet blowing in the unnatural wind.

Green clashed with silver in the air as swirling black clouds rolled around them.

Cam called on his power again as lightning ripped down around the heavy division. Men were roasted in their armor and fell to the ground smoking and groaning. He