Mortem lets out a deathly growl. Alice and Ryan take on Mortem, for as much as they argue they fight really well together. Bex and Emmy go to take on the Draugr. I stay back waiting for an opening to get to the castle door. Ryan shoots ice from his axe as he swings it at Mortem. Alice whacks Mortem with her baton. Bex and Draugr are battling it out with their weapons. Emmy shoots an electric ball at the Draugr which knocks him back a bit giving Bex an advantage over him. Ryan and Alice are shooting ice from their weapons at Mortem. Mortem is countering the ice with his fire which puts that battle in a stalemate.
Emmy and Bex aren’t having much luck with the Draugr either. Bex has fire coming out of his sword, but he can’t seem to strike the Draugr. Emmy is trying to find a way to get to the Draugr’s heart, but she can’t find an opening. Suddenly from the air above us are several arrows that are heading right for Mortem, Mortem is hit which gives Ryan the chance to jump on his back. Mortem is trying to swing Ryan off of him and in the process his tail strikes Alice, taking her down.
“Alice!” Ryan cries out.
Fuck this isn’t good. I rush to Alice’s side. She has a gaping hole in her abdomen. The wound is bleeding profusely. Shit this really isn’t good. I’m so busy focusing on Alice that I don’t know what’s going on around me.
“Bexton!” Emmy shouts.
I look up to see Bex has gotten hit with the Draugr’s mace. Fuck. Emmy runs to Bex’s side. Meanwhile Carter is shooting at the Draugr to keep him occupied, Brie is doing the same thing with her arrows that are focused on Mortem. Avery runs out to the battlefield. She goes to Bex first. Emmy turns around in fury, and to my shock she has the biggest flame of dark fire I’ve ever seen. Emmy blasts the Draugr with the dark fire, he cries out in pain as he goes up in flames. Ryan manages to cut off Mortem's head. Emmy runs over to where I am, she bends down on Alice’s other side.
“Calder, go! You need to get Kyndle. I’ve got this,” Emmy directs.
I get up and run towards the door. I look behind me to see Ryan chopping up Mortem’s body into pieces while Brie and Carter take care of the head. Once I’m at the door I place my hand on the door. I have no idea how I know that’s what I’m supposed to do, but I do. The marks on my arm glow, and then the door opens.
Kyndle’s spirit flies ahead of me, and I follow her to her physical body. Kyndle is in one of the high towers. I bust open the door with a fireball. Kyndle is chained to the floor. I walk up to her and wave my hands over the chains around her feet. The chains melt. Kyndle is free.
I put my hand on her head and pet her. Kyndle rubs her head into my hand.
“There, there girl, I’ve got you,” I say in a soft voice.
Kyndle has been reunited with her spirit. I climb on Kyndle’s back, and we fly out the window. I land near where the group is. Brie is working on Alice while Avery is working on Bex. Emmy runs up to me.
“How are they?” I ask.
“Bex will survive, but I’m afraid Alice won’t make it. Mortem’s poison is so strong and deadly,” Emmy starts to sniffle.
I pull Emmy towards me. Alice is her best friend, she can’t die. Kyndle nudges my body with her head. I turn to her. “Not now girl,” I say trying to comfort my sister, but Kyndle isn’t letting up. I turn to face her. “What?” I ask, annoyed.
Kyndle flies over to Alice and lands next to her. Emmy and I join the others. I have no idea what Kyndle is doing, or why she wanted my attention. Kyndle starts to cry, and her tears land on Alice. Suddenly Alice starts to breathe normally, and her wound starts to close up.
“She healed her,” Brie states checking over Alice in amazement. Alice passed out. “Alice is going to be okay.”
Emmy hugs Kyndle. “Thank you,” Emmy says with tears in her eyes.
I pat Kyndle on the head. “Good job girl. Can we please get the hell out of here?”
There is a unified “Yes” from the team.
We put Bex and Alice on Kyndle’s back and secure them. We grab our stuff. With our rocks in our hands, we all think of the manor. Once we are back home Alice and Bex go right to the healing wing.
My mom and dad hug the crap out of Emmy and I. Jason and Kenzie hug Brie, and then head to the healing wing with Avery to see Bex. I’m sure Ivy is in the healing wing with Alice. After hugging my family, I head outside with Kyndle to get to know her a bit better.
Kyndle and I are in the training clearing in the woods. Kyndle is beautiful. Lynden walks into the clearing. I hug her and introduce her to Kyndle. Kyndle and Lynden hit it off. I can’t help but look at Lynden. I think I have a crush on Lynden, but Lynden isn’t my soulmate, she can’t be, because Lynden can’t have a soulmate. It sucks because she gets along with my animal companion, and I can talk to her. I feel like we have the type of relationship that soulmates would have, but we can never be together.
“I’m glad you and the team had a successful mission.” She smiles.
I take Lynden's hand and intertwine it in mine.
“Yeah, me too.”
Kyndle flies high into the air. Lynden and I watch as Kyndle does fancy flips, and dives in the air. I notice Lynden and I are still holding hands. Maybe there is an exception to the rule, but as I think those words Lynden pulls her hand from mine.
“Calder, you know we can’t be together.”
“Tell me that you don’t have feelings for me, and I will forget my feelings for you,” I state. If she feels the same way, then fate be damned.
“Calder, I like you as a friend and that’s it.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Lynden sighs. “In a different life maybe we could be together, but we can’t. I accepted my fate a long time ago. Please don’t make this any harder than it has to be. Besides I know you have a soulmate, and you will find her soon, and no it’s not me.”
“She won’t be you.” I take Lynden’s hands into my own. “I can’t help having feelings for you. I know you are younger than me, I’ll wait for you.”
Lynden shakes her head.
“Then you’d wait forever. I know you will love your soulmate; she already loves you.”
“What, how do you know that?” Now I’m confused.
Lynden looks up at the sky towards Kyndle, and then her eyes are back on me.
“I know who she is. I know all about her. She is an incredible woman, there really is none like her. She has loved you for a long time, to her you are everything. She will make you happy, much happier than I ever could. Calder you are a great man, I’m lucky to have you as a friend, but that’s all we can be. I won’t take you away from your soulmate, she needs you, I do not. Besides, you need her too, you just don’t know it yet. There is a reason you two are meant to be together.” Lynden kisses my cheek. Lynden lets go of my hands and starts to walk away.
“When will I meet this amazing soulmate of mine? I think I’ve already met her,” I state.
Lynden turns and smiles at me.
“You right you already have, and it’s not me.”
Lynden turns back around and heads out of the clearing.
Kyndle lands next to me, and I pet her. “Why does she have to be so cryptic? I don’t get women,” I declare. “Let’s head back. I’m sure you are hungry, hell I’m starving. What do you eat anyway?” I ask Kyndle.
Kyndle breaths fire in the shape of a fish.
“Ah fish, I can definitely get you some of that. Anything else you like?”
Kyndle breaths fire in the shape of a pig, then a chicken, and then a cow.
“So basically, if I feed you meat, you will be happy?”
Kyndle nods her head yes and rubs her head against me. I laugh.
“Alright girl, let's get us some food.”
I climb on Kyndle’s back, and we fly back to the manor. Kyndle shrinks to about the size of a parrot and sits on my shoulder. We head to the dining hall where my parents, Emmy, Carter, Ryan, and my grandmother are. I sit down at the table to eat. I make a bowl of chopped up chicken and spinach for Kyndle, which she devours. I feed her some more. I don’t know when she was last fed, but she is hungry. After her third bowl of food, she is finally satisfied.
After dinner I head to shower, and then crash in my bed. It feels amazing to be in bed. We spent about four days in the Death Forest. It didn’t seem that long, but then time seems to stand still there. I wish Kyndle a goodnight, she is perched on my headboard. I’ll have to get her nice bird cage tomorrow along with other supplies. I close my eyes, and let sleep take over my weary body.