26. The Last Stand i

~ They came through using three portals. Cale and Rea helped Ava to create one large enough to transport all of their forces. On the other side, they emerged on the field of battle in Hedgewood. The ground was scarred black. Trees toppled over and uprooted. It looked like a nuclear weapon went off, turning black everything in its path. The familiarity of the scene had an itch running down Marx’s spine. This place was either where they would claim victory or where he would walk over the corpses of the people he loved. He brushed his somber thoughts aside. Victory was their only option.

To Ava, who stood on his right, Marx said, “Your handy work?”

“I may have caused a patch here and there.”

She bobbed her head from side to side. It was such a human gesture Marx found he had an urge to smile. He allowed his amu