Hunter: Eclipse

Chapter 28

"As will I." He growled, the blast coming reliable and fast.

I moved faster, with an ease that left my body feeling as fluid as the ocean that crashed against the rock. A shudder from the earth with each hit as we fought differently now. Our pattern was familiar, like when Hades and I trained. I learnt to read his signs and he mine, and now, Odin and I danced to the same tune. No more thinking, just survival.

The battle was starting to take its toll. I did as Hades had told me, using the energy all around to keep me going. If it ever ran out, I knew I would be done. Odin had the stamina centuries of using these abilities offered, while I did not. Even now, with this new found ease as everything seemed to click into place, to keep going would be my end.

And then Hades was there. His army was rising as Alfie and Annipe returned. The whizz of Artemis's arrows was soaring a welcoming sound, and then as Odin turned from me to defend against the newest, more deadlier attacks, the warmth and healing power of two familiar hands were on my hips. Aches and injuries I hadn't even registered tingled and burned as Apollo healed. Unable to stop myself, I turned to face him before looking down. It was worse than I had imagined; he had saved me, again.

"You did good, Bunny." He whispered, the healing stopped, but he didn't let me go.

Looking over my shoulder, Hades, the snakes, and Artemis now took on Odin. They were each a force to be reckoned with, and Odin didn't have an Apollo to give him some health points back.

"The others?" I ask, unable to stop watching the sight before us.

"Kara has it under control. Most retreated, some seek her permission to stay." Apollo tells me.

"Okay, well, let's go finish this then?" Instead, I'm now standing by the portal with Hermes and Apollo. "What-"

"I can't shut it. I don't know what they did or why, but everything I've tried isn't working." Hermes mumbles, frantically doing something in the bowl the witches had used to open it.

"Have you tried chanting, everyone had been chanting?" I ask, looking up at the fight still going.

Hermes glared at me, before mimicking my question. "Have you tried chanting? This isn't normal. What they did, wasn't your average or common gateway. I've been on both sides and tracked the break between worlds, I can't do it."

"What?" My mouth went dry and looking into the flickering light, I saw a flicker of myself staring back.

Hesitantly I reached out to touch it, only to have Hermes slap my hand away.

"Don't do that. It won't help anything." He sighed. "Especially if you end up on the other side."

"No one over there knows what to do, the Valkyrie? It was their dirt and talisman thingo that got it there."

Hermes shook his head. "I tried reversing it. No one knows."

"Well, it can't stay here!" I scream at him.

I look at Apollo who only shrugs, just as something, no someone, lands on the beach near us.

"Artemis!" He calls out, running to his twin and just as quickly Hermes does too.

Looking up, it's only Hades up there now with Odin. Around me the injured are being seen to, a few more of my kind are now among the Kasha. I can't see Ailin or Kara and Apollo is busy helping his sister. I look again into the light, at the stones. If Ailin had destroyed them when-

This time I touch the rocks, feeling the spark of their energy in my fingertips as I run them along the warm surface. If the sacred stones were destroyed, they'd be no portal. We can't close it, so, we must destroy it. This time when I look into the light my eyes water, it's too bright, I'm too close, but then it's not there at all.