Calamity Falls | Wattys 2019

XXXIII

"The dark armies will attack from the east. We will have to bring the wolves to the human territory to protect the border. We may even have to go into the dark's territory," Calamity said, supplying battle tactics.

"But what about the northern border? If they were to try to attack from there, then our homes and the people unable to fight would be defenseless while we're away," Leopold's father, Derek, said.

Calamity shook her head. "I've already thought of that possibility. The task would take too long and would tire out the troops. Even if they did risk it, I can put up wards against anyone considered an enemy from entering. It would probably take at least a day and would be extremely strenuous on my body to cover such a large area, but I can do it. It would make everyone feel safer. It isn't foolproof, especially if a specialist is brought in to break the barrier, but it would make attacking significantly harder. Plus, there would be time for the people that aren't fighting to prepare themselves for the attack."

Derek nodded solemnly. "You provide a good argument. Your plan seems ideal, but it sounds like you would need time recover after this process. We would need to plan accordingly to make sure that you will still be okay to fight when the time comes. You seem to be willing to put in a lot of effort to protect our people. Why is that?" Derek asked curious.

Calamity glanced down. "I hate that my kin keep causing so much pain to others. They treat everyone of different species as if they're less than them." Calamity's hands tightened into fists, her nails digging harshly into her skin.

The scent of blood wafted into Leopold's nose. He stood abruptly and walked over to Calamity. He took her hands in his own and flattened out her hands, so she would stop hurting herself. The moon-shaped cuts on her palms healed almost instantaneously. The tingles made Leopold's teeth ache with need. He walked back to his seat after he was sure that Calamity was done hurting herself.

Calamity cleared her throat. "They need to be stopped. Not all of them are evil, but the vast majority of them act purely on selfish desires that often hurt others. Besides," Calamity glanced at Leopold, "it doesn't hurt that my mate is the king of your people."

Leo smiled kindly up at her, but he frowned when he heard Josiah's voice in his head.

You need to tell her. She obviously at least likes you. She wants to save our people because of you.

It's not that simple. He shut Josiah out of his head.

Josiah gaped from his spot beside him. "Rude..." he muttered under his breath.

Calamity looked up at him, brows furrowed. She looked over to Leo as if expecting an explanation, but he just shook his head, pretending that he didn't know what he was talking about. Calamity just shrugged, assuming that he was talking with someone in the pack through their link.

"I think I should probably actually get started on the wards immediately. I'm going to need some pure quartz--specifically six pieces. I have a dark blade already, so you won't have to worry about finding one. I'm going to also need six volunteers to carry the crystal quartz to the border. They need to be as spread out as possible to make sure the entire perimeter is covered. Your Highness, if you would conclude the meeting so I can get started," she stared into Leo's eyes.

"We will do as Calamity suggests. With that, the meeting is hereby ended," Leo boomed to the men in the room.

The people in the room disbanded. Leo waltzed over to Calamity. "Are you sure about this? I don't like the idea of you hurting yourself."

"It's a relatively simple ritual. I will be fine after about two days of rest afterwards. I just have to use some of my blood to bind the quartz together. I have to ask if you can get six people to deliver the quartz to the six points on your border."

"Consider it done. I'll have them within ten minutes," Leo assured.

"Great. I will go create a circle of salt in my room. Meet me there with the volunteers and the quartz in ten minutes."

Leo nodded. They walked in separate directions to complete their assigned jobs.

~~~

Just as promised, Leo arrived at Calamity's room in ten minutes with six of the fastest runners in the pack. They each carried an asymmetrical piece of crystal quartz for the ritual.

"Good, you're right on time. Come hither," she said to the young men in the room. She had them all gather around the circle. Calamity raised a pure black dagger to her hand and sliced it. She spilt some of her blood on each rock. "Go."

The boys took off to each of their destinations. Calamity raised her hand over the salt circle. She trailed her blood over the entire thing.

"What's the salt for?" Leopold asked curiously.

"The salt purifies the ritual and my blood. The purer, the more powerful the spell. As long as I maintain my own purity, I'll be able to complete these rituals with ease," Calamity explained to Leopold.

Leopold was horrified. "You mean that you're never going to have sex?"

Calamity gave him an amused look. "It's fine, as long as it's in the confines of marriage. I would never have premarital sex."

Leopold was only partially relieved. He would get to have sex with her at some point, but when would they get married? He had never even considered marriage before. It just wasn't something he thought about. He would have to propose at some point, but when?

"Calamity, I need to tell you something."

"I'm a bit busy right now, Leo. It'll have to wait until after I complete this. In a couple minutes I won't be able to talk for a while. My sole focus will have to be on connecting the quartz and establishing a strong border. We can talk after. I promise." Calamity grinned up at him. She raised the knife to her other hand and made an incision identical to the one already on her other hand.

Leo noticed that the cuts weren't healing at their usual pace. It probably had to do with the dark blade that she was using.

Calamity spread her arms out wide from her sides. She closed her eyes, focusing on the locations of the crystals. Her eyes flew open, completely black. "They're in position. Tell them to place the quartz on the ground."

Leopold mindlinked them immediately.

Calamity released a labored breath. "Now comes the hard part."

She stood still with her eyes closed. Leo waited for something to happen, but nothing did.

Time seemed to move slowly. Leopold just watched Calamity. A minute ticked by, then an hour, then two, then five, then ten, then fifteen. A day passed by. Leopold had moved to sit on Calamity's bed. His feet started hurting after two hours.

A ripple of energy suddenly coursed through the air. Leopold's eyes widened as he stood slowly, watching Calamity intently.

She opened her eyes slowly, releasing a relieved breath. Her eyes faded from black to their red color. "It is done." She said before her body began to crumble in on itself.

Leopold was by her side in an instant to catch her. She looked tiredly at him before her eyes closed slowly, exhaustion taking her prisoner.