Alizeh and Zeek rode in the back of the cab, heading toward the institution. Alizeh blew out a breath and said, “I still don’t understand why we had to wait ten minutes before we left.”Zeek gave her a stern look and said, “I wanted to hit them with two separate attacks. I sent the part of the group who had the most physical strength first. I want them to be surprised by our presence. I was hoping we would have more people in the magical group, but I understand why Jayden and Dixon chose to go with the first group.”Suddenly, Zeek’s face went blank, and he gripped the seat cushions with both hands. He could hear Genève’s voice and see her face clearly. It was like she was standing right in front of him. He felt an unfamiliar, smug sensation come over him when she asked, “So, Dane, what does this mean for my mission. Will you be able to find him?”Zeek felt his mouth move and heard himself say, “Of course we will be able to find him. I am just going to need a little time to put togethe
Zeek could not believe how easy this was. All their powers seemed to be enhanced. He also noticed that Jeonna’s power seemed weaker than he expected. He was sure that this was their fight to win. As they pulled Jeonna closer, the group stepped toward her, ready to extinguish her as quickly as possible. They were not prepared for two more people to enter the hallway.One of the men looked them up and down, considering his adversaries. It seemed as if he were hunting for the easiest prey. His eyes focused on Gwendolyn, and he said a few incomprehensible words and raised his hands. Before anyone knew what was happening, Gwen fell to the floor, convulsing with foam spewing from her mouth.No one checked on her as all hell burst loose. Jeonna broke free, and Zeek and Alizeh had to tighten their hold. Orion was closest to Jeonna, so he quickened his pace.Cade ran toward the room where Trixie was being held. Jayden and Isabella focused their anger on the two men who had entered the hall. Th
Radof took a step back, blending deeper with the shadows of the night. He held his breath as Dane looked in his direction, then let it out when he realized that he had not been seen. He stood concealed by the shadows until Dane was out of sight, then he began his long journey home.As he walked the path to his underground cave, he went over what he knew about this strange newcomer.He knew that Dane had been summoned by Genève and had had no choice but to come. Radof had been to every watering hole and tavern in town to listen to the townsfolk talk. He had realized long ago these were the best places to pick up the information because wine and spirits loosened the tongue as nothing else could. That was how he had learned Genève’s purpose for Dane. He was here to help her find Zeek.The townsfolk spun great tales about how Dan had gotten himself separated from the rest of the group Genève had summoned, and how he had something up his sleeve, something that pleased the queen immensely.
Orion noticed the others looking around in awe at the immaculate landscape, but he couldn’t enjoy the view. His priority was to find out what kind of shape Gwendolyn was in. He put her down on the grass, which seemed to break the strange spell that the ambiance of the place had on everyone.Alizeh was the first to walk toward them. She reached out and touched her mother’s face, then drew her hand back. Gwendolyn was burning up.Zeek caught her eye and softly said, “One of Asmodeus’s demon minions must have put a spell on her. We need to figure out how to remove it. We will go to the shaman. He will help. I have visited this realm many times before, and he is aware of my plans. He will be expecting us.”As he walked away, he motioned for Orion to follow. Orion scooped Gwendolyn into his arms and caught up to his father. Everyone else trailed behind. They were all amazed by how different this place was than their own homes. There were no shops, no traffic, just beautiful untouched natur
Radof stepped into the small, dreary room and peered around. It pleased him that there were so many people ready to take a stand. Now all he needed to figure out was how to get a message to Orion. As he strode toward the center of the room, a sudden hush swept over the crowd. He looked at all the familiar faces and felt an unexpected surge of pride.We will really do this. Our town will be our own again, he thought to himself.“Thank you all for coming. I know that each one of you is taking a monumental risk in being here, and I praise you for that. We are all here for the same reason, and I can say with confidence that better days will soon come. Before I get started, do any of you have questions or concerns?”A small, middle-aged woman stood up. The grin on her face was so dazzling, the dreary room appeared to brighten. Radof had to look twice because he had known this lady for many years and had never once experienced her smile. Her name was Alana.“I have found my son. He is not
Sheeshan looked at each of the people Zeek had brought with him. These were the individuals upon whom the fate of the world rested, and none of them were even slightly prepared. He motioned for Dixon to follow him.“I need you to give me a quick rundown of what each person can do. We will then set a plan to teach them to use their powers.”Dixon nodded and pointed at Zeek. “Well as I'm sure that you already know, Zeek is a wizard. All of his extraordinary abilities come from alchemy, potions, spells, and his magic staff.”Sheeshan smiled patiently and responded, “Yes, I have known Zeek for many moons. He has an amazing grasp on what he can and cannot do with his powers. Everyone else here, I am afraid, does not understand what they are capable of.”Dixon sighed. "These people possess some of the most phenomenal abilities I have ever come across, yet they are completely unaware. I am sure Zeek told you about me, but I will just summarize my talents to be certain we are on the same page
Alizeh was talking to Zeek and watching them out of the corner of her eye. As they walked closer, Dixon could sense her vitality. It vibrated all around her. He could not believe one person could hold so much raw intensity and not even be aware of it.Sheeshan noticed it, too, because it seemed to influence the energy and vibration of the universe. He had felt nothing like this before. He looked at her, wide-eyed, trying to hide his amazement.“Hi Alizeh, I just wanted to start this conversation by letting you know that your mother is doing quite well. She is up and will be ready for you to see her once we are done here. Dixon will give you a small amount of information about the powers you possess.”Dixon smiled and added, “I know that you have been dabbling in your powers since you met Orion, but I don’t think you understand them at all. Am I correct in this assumption?”He finally had Alizeh’s full attention. She looked straight into his eyes and answered, “Honestly, I don't have a
Dane looked at Radof with excitement. “I think I have it! I keep getting tiny snippets of what he is seeing. I believe they are preparing for something big. Just give me a little more time, and I will try to connect with him. When I touch your arm, deliver the message.”After a few moments, Dane's eyes opened wide, rolled backward, and then closed again. He reached out and touched Radof’s arm. Radof cleared his throat and began.“Hello friend. I have some news for you. It's important that you get back to this dimension right away. An army of those who oppose Genève has been gathered. They await your command. It's time to begin our war, to put your son in Genève’s place on her throne. We just need you and your team to lead us. Come as quickly as you can. With every moment that passes, the danger for us grows.”As he finished speaking, his words began echoing, and the world started spinning. He looked over at Dane and realized by his startled face that he was experiencing the same thing