Chapter 173 Siege

Chapter 173 Siege

The sky above Tenebrous turned red with warning.

The fragile ceasefire on both sides had not lasted more than a few days before the conflict began heavily again. Smoke rose in the distance, black and heavy, curling like claws. Explosions echoed across the city. Alarms wailed. Inside the main estate, everyone was already stirring into action. Guards grabbing weapons, and supernaturals powering up their abilities.

The shields had failed.

Jessica’s fairy protection that had kept most of the city safe and sustained the brief ceasefire had finally been broken by a new magical attack from Maverick and Elara.

The message was loud and clear. Maverick and Elara's army were marching from the outer part of the city where they had been controlling. Their target was a place that had been named “The Barricade.” It was the meeting point between the inner and outer parts of the city, and it was where the human and supernatural alliance had set up a fortress to stop Maverick's forces from breaching the inner city. All the surviving inhabitants of the city, including its leaders were all in the inner parts, and should Maverick successfully breach it; the war was as good as over

At the barricade, Jessica was standing on an observation post. She was staring at what remained of her efforts, watching as the enemies poured through to attack them. The full force of Maverick's army was terrifying to see–It was made up of both the rogue fighters of his blood pact members, and lots of dark-magic creatures made from bones and shadows, shifters twisted by curses, and towering beasts made from stolen souls.

Rufus came running behind her from the stairs, with torn clothes and his face stained with blood. “They broke through,” he said, out of breath. “Big time.”

“I know,” Jessica whispered. “The shields were breached by forbidden magic.”

He looked thoughtfully at the approaching horde of enemies.

“Maverick does not seem to be playing around this time. He sent in almost all his forces to try and break into the inner city. This is not just an attack anymore–it is a siege.”

From the ground below, Simon was busy shouting orders and organizing their own defense troops. With him were Marlboro and Melora, with Simon leading the supernatural army made up of werewolves from Alex's pack and other packs, warlocks, the Celestial Guards given by Jessica's father, and many other warriors from the fallen High Council member's forces. Marlboro led the human alliance, made up of his officers and volunteers who were well armed with magical armor and weapons supplied by Alex. Melora worked with a squad of white witches, weaving spells and making more magically enhanced weapons. The barricade was their strongest defense base in the war–Tenebrous’s last real line before the inner city.

“We have to hold this wall,” Simon shouted up at Jessica and Rufus. “Make sure you stick to the plan or we lose the city.”

Jessica nodded once, already spreading her wings and getting ready to launch aerial attacks at his command. “We are set to go.”

Rufus grinned at her. “I've got you, princess.”

Far away from the Frontlines, in the tense war room at the estate, Alex watched the proceedings from streaming feeds. Avery was standing beside him, anxiously watching the screen also.

“Should we not be there with them?” she asked with concern.

“They are capable of holding off the enemy,” Alex replied calmly. “Simon, Melora, Rufus, and Jessica are there. Even Marlboro is with them also, there is nothing to worry about.”

“Are they enough?”

His jaw tightened. “They will have to be.”

Back at the barricade, complete chaos had erupted and the war was in full swing. Explosions shook the city as both sides fired explosive projectiles at each other, sending both bodies and debris flying in all directions with each devastating impact.

Jessica flew low above the battlefield, throwing spells of light to slow down the shapeshifters charging the barricade. Rufus was dodging between the charging enemies, shooting with his guns and stabbing with his daggers when he could.

Simon was everywhere at once. Fighting, giving commands and protecting his people.

But Melora was in the middle of it all, healing every fallen soldier she could reach. Her powers were being pushed to their limits, but she held on, fueled by passion and determination.

“I need more time!” she shouted to Simon as she healed a young witch’s burned leg.

“You don’t have time,” Simon yelled, pointing at a golem that was now breaking through the gate of the barricade. “It is here!”

The gate finally exploded after multiple strikes. Flames and bones flew in every direction, and the giant golem stepped into the barricade itself, swinging its huge mace.

Soldiers screamed and scattered.

Simon followed the monster with his eyes, seeing it making a beeline towards Melora who was casting a healing spell on a group of wounded human fighters. Without thinking, he began to run towards the creature, pushing his half shifted form to its limit and reaching there just in time as the golem swung its heavy mace in Melora's direction.

He did not have a chance.

The golem’s mace came down like lightning, as Simon pushed Melora out of its path. It struck the ground just inches away from her, but caught Simon directly in the chest.

The impact sent him flying like a splintered piece of wood, crashing through a nearby wall, and falling limply with a sick thud.

“SIMON!”

Melora ran to him as the golem turned its attention to other targets. Blood covered his chest. His breathing was shallow. Bones were clearly broken–ribs, and maybe even his spine.

“No,” she whispered. “No, no, no.”

She pressed her hands to his chest, summoning all the healing magic her exhausted body could muster, but it still was not enough.

Simon reached up weakly and held her hand. He tried to smile, but he began to cough, bleeding from many wounds on his body.

“Do-don’t cryyy, Me-l-orra,” he managed to mumble, choking on blood as he spoke.

He was slipping away, and she could see the effort he was making to speak. She was not going to let it happen. Not while there was something she could do about it.

“I am sorry,” she whispered with her eyes full of tears. “I did not want to do this, but I have no choice.”

Then she reached deep inside herself, past the safe magical powers she was born and raised with, past the learned spells, and all the way into the old well. The one she was never supposed to touch.

Forbidden magic.

A magic that drained life and gave it back. Her hands began to shake as she spoke the ancient cursed words used to steal a dying soul back from the hands of death. Her voice rose in a feverish madness, a dark and evil aura lit up all around her, and strange forbidden symbols appeared on Simon's broken body.

Everyone stopped to stare at the madness going on, even the enemy.

Rufus turned and saw it. “What in the name of the goddess is Melora up to?” He yelled at Jessica.

Jessica landed nearby, horrified by Melora's desperation. “She is venturing into the forbidden realm of darkness, she will kill herself if she is not careful.”

A blast of white light eventually exploded from Melora’s body, wrapping around Simon like a soft cocoon. The wounds began to heal, and the bleeding stopped instantly as his broken bones shifted back into place.”

And then—he opened his eyes.

“Melora?”

She smiled through tears. “You idiot. You are alive.”

“You saved me,” he whispered. “I saw the gates to the afterlife.”

“The afterlife will have to wait for a little longer,” Melora said with a small chuckle.

“I love you.” He whispered slowly, reaching for her face and cupping it gently.

Melora stared at him. “What?”

“I said I love you. And I think I always have.”

Melora let out a short laugh, then leaned in and kissed him. “Good. Because I love you too.”

And then she fainted, drained completely by the risky spell she had just used.

Seeing Simon safe and alive, a renewed surge of energy swept through their entire force, and they attacked the enemies with reborn ferocity. Rufus charged at the golem from behind, jumping onto its back and stabbing into the glowing heart inside its chest before it could even see him coming.

Jessica flew high, summoned the last of her fairy power, and dropped a storm of golden spears into its body, severely weakening it.

Simon, still a bit weak and dizzy, lay Melora down carefully, safely away from danger. Then he pushed himself up and shifted in anger to his full wolf form.

In one blinding movement, he charged for the golem, latched onto it and brutally ripped off its head in one quick motion.

The headless creature stumbled, flaying its helpless hands wildly before crashing to the ground–dead.

The battlefield went silent, and for a moment no one moved.

Then the rest of Maverick's army turned and fled as more of their monstrous creatures fell. The soldiers cheered and chased after them, taking down as many as they could.

Another great victory had been won, and they had successfully held the line.

The barricade still stood–the inner city was still safe.

Back at the estate, medics treated and healed the wounded. The dead were counted, while the survivors rested.

Simon lay on a cot, staring at the ceiling.

Melora sat beside him, holding his hand.

“You know you scared the hell out of me, right?” she said quietly.

“It was not on purpose.”

“You almost died.”

“But I did not. Because of you.”

Melora looked down at their hands. “That magic. I was not supposed to use it. It could have killed me.”

He turned to her. “But it did not.”

“No.”

Simon sat up slowly. “Then let’s stop wasting time.”

She blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I love you. And when this war is over, I am not letting you out of my sight.”

Melora blushed. “Okay.”

They kissed again, slower this time. No panic. Just peace. Just love.

There was no love in Maverick's mansion however. He stood in a dark room, watching the battle through a pool of black water.

They had won.

Again.

He smashed his fist angrily into the desk beside him, breaking it in half.

“Enough of this,” he said to Elara. “It seems I may have underestimated Alex and his allies. They are stronger than I thought.”

“Should I prepare the Blood Witch?” she asked in a soft and dangerous tone.

Maverick’s eyes gleamed. “Yes. Release her. It is time they learn what true fear looks like.”