Guardian of Calandria | ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Seven

          Kira and Zarich faced each other, circling around, glares locked. Her glowing eyes flickered, but Kira couldn't tell if they could move or just floated there. Flames rolled over the knuckle of one of Zarich's boney hands. The Wilders who took care of the remaining harpies formed a circle surrounding them. Some shouted for Kira's success, others stood ready to join the fight. Dragons landed on the farm land, their heads towering above the ring of Wilders. Kira tried to block them all out, focusing only on Zarich.

"Tell me one thing." Kira's hand flexed against the hilt of her sword. "Why?"

"Why what?" Zarich smiled with what little muscles and skin remained on Rodyn's face.

"Why hunt the Guardians? Why cause a plague that made humans turn on magic?"

Zarich laughed. "I'm flattered you think I was the one who caused the humans to fear magic. Alas, I cannot take credit for that one."

Kira stopped walking. A breeze swept through the farm, rattling the leaves. The cold air chilled Kira's spine, but she resisted the urge to shudder. Trembling would've looked too much like Kira was frightened. Confused, exhausted, angry—she was all of those things. Frightened wasn't on that list.

"What do you mean you didn't cause the plague? Humans thought magic was the cause and thus they hunted magic, leading the Wilders to go into—"

"Yes, I am well aware of the stories. I did live through that moment in history." Zarich outlined the muscle curving over her jaw bone. The tip of her phalange dug into the soft tissue. Muscles elongated and tugged with the movement of another smile. "There are many more evils in this world, Kira. I'm not even the tip of those mountains. To answer your other question, because I could."

Kira gritted her teeth. "Because you could? You killed the Guardians, hunted me and my family, possessed people for your own sick need to survive, all because you could?"

"Did you expect some deep meaning to why I am the way I am? Or maybe you wanted a grandiose explanation which could wrap life into a perfect bow for you? I like power, Kira. It feels good to know I'm a Goddess. To know I could break people with the snap of my fingers. You gave in to your darkness so you know how good it feels! You truly are naïve to the world, Kira. Life isn't simple and it doesn't always make sense. Why should anything I do have to make sense? I did it because I could do it. Because watching people cower before me made me tingle in places you couldn't understand. I lust for it the way you hunger for Addrick."

"You're evil." Kira spit at Zarich's feet.

She tilted her head back, cackling. Zarich's laughter rose like booming thunder, magic sparked at the tips of her bones. Moonlight spilled over her, shadows stretched from her form, reaching for Kira like a choking hand. Kira's feet twisted in the soil, the rocks ground under the souls of her boots. Sounds faded until Kira heard only her breaths and the chortles erupting from Zarich. Magic consumed her, but this time she kept it on the brink. Kira wouldn't allow it to take over her vision; she wouldn't allow the darkness to guide her, that's what Zarich wanted.

Her eyes moved around the circle of Wilders. If she lost control, if she faltered for a moment, they'd be easy prey for her power. That close to her and Zarich, they were in danger. Kira had to hold back, she had to. Addrick stepped through the ring of Wilders. Gray eyes stared at her, his blood stained cheeks puffing with his haggard breaths. Sweat and dirt and grime covered his tan skin, splotches of blood stretched over his tattered clothes. Even in his current state Kira still found him beautiful. Her eyebrows knitted together, tears dripped along her cheeks.

His hands stretched out from his sides, magic swirling at his fingers. Slowly, Addrick knelt. Strong fingers pressed into the soil, they drew a shape in the ground Kira couldn't see, his eyes still on her. The air shimmered, moving with narrow ripples passing in front of the Wilders. Kira smiled. Addrick recreated their training ground, protecting the Wilders from her.