No, worse than that. Someone would have intentionally betrayed him. Set him up for this so that they’d all get their butts handed to them in this massacre.
He passed a look between Kody, Xev, and Dagon. “So what do we do?”
Dagon hesitated before he answered. “Where are the Arelim or Sephiroth?”
Snorting with bitter amusement, Xev looked at Nick with a smirk that said he’d let him explain. Oh goody!
Nick was less than amused as he ran with the cue. “The last Sephiroth is imprisoned. I have no idea where. From what I’ve been told, I don’t want to know where, either, as it’s highly unpleasant. The Arelim are in the middle of a horrific civil war, and both sides hate my guts with a passion that burns brighter than a binary star system. Needless to say, we’re a little low on allies. I do have a few Dark-Hunters and two lunatics I can count on. Along with one awesome Charonte.”
Simi grinned.
Menyara sighed heavily. “He’s right. Rezar is missing. Verlyn captured. Our side has been losing ground for a long time now, which is another reason why we had to secure the Malachai and limit his powers any way we could. But that being said, I can summon Acheron and Savitar, as well as Thorn.”
Dagon cocked his head. “Thorn?”
“Leucious of the Brakadians,” Menyara explained. “He and his Hellchasers are still firmly against Noir and Azura. Though their numbers aren’t many, they’re as strong as ever, and they fight them every chance they get.”
Xev inclined his head to Menyara. “Summon them all and do it fast. We need every sword.”
No sooner had he spoken than a strange light permeated the room, washing it with a weird glow that came from outside.
Dread filled every pore of Nick’s body. “What is that?”
“Takiramon,” Dagon and Xev said in unison.
“And that would be what brand of Pokémon, Ash Ketchum? Should I fetch Pikachu’s ball and have at it? I choose you, Dagon!”
Rolling her eyes at Nick’s sarcasm that went over Xev’s and Dagon’s heads, Kody let go of Nick’s hand and summoned her Arelim battle armor and swords. “It’s the veil of mortal sleep.”
“The who… what?”
Kody checked her weapons. “Veil of mortal sleep. There aren’t many creatures strong enough to conjure it. It casts that red glow over the earth and puts the humans into a trance so that they are unaware of us… Like your mother, they sleep, completely safe, and totally ignorant of what’s happening around them.” Kody jerked her chin toward the window. “See for yourself.”
Nick went to look, and sure enough. Everyone outside, who’d been walking around just a few minutes ago, was lying sprawled out on the sidewalks like corpses in open graves. It was creepy and chilling – not something anyone wanted to see outside of a zombie movie.
His blood ran cold at the unnatural sight that left him terrified for the world and everyone in it. Worse, it made him feel powerless against who or whatever had sent that. How could they even begin to fight against something so powerful? Were they nuts?
“Are they okay?” he asked Xev.
“For the moment.”
“Meaning?”
Kody sighed nervously. “They’re easy pickings. If we don’t do something, they won’t be okay for long. Anything or anyone could attack them. And if they stay that way until morning, they’re all dead. There won’t be any way to bring them back, then. Including your mom.”
Simi spread her wings and broke out her barbecue sauce. “The Simi ready to battle and chow down. Show me them demons! It’s snack time!”
Kody turned to Nick as he felt his eyes starting to change to demon red. “You need to stay mortal. Keep your Malachai powers leashed.”
“Why?”
“Because you can’t control them. Every time you break them out, we lose a part of you. Can’t you feel it?”
At the moment, what he felt was sick to his stomach that all of this was happening to innocent people because of him and what they’d failed to do.
Protect them.
“She’s right, Nick.” Xev stepped closer to him. “I saw it, too. We barely got you back earlier. Another minute, and I’m not sure we would have.”
Dagon brushed at the bloody wound on his neck. “Since I was the one bitten and I’m still weak from it, I concur. You don’t need to invoke powers you can’t control. It’s just a real bad idea.”
Menyara strengthened the spells for the condo. “We’re still hidden here. They can’t find us. Stay with Cherise while I get our reinforcements.” She vanished instantly.
“I don’t like staying here and waiting,” Nick shouted at Menyara, but she was already gone and didn’t hear a word of it.
Irritated, he watched as the birds began to land on the ground and transform into demonic warriors who searched the bodies as if looking for someone. And he had a bad idea that person was either him or Caleb. “We need to get to Caleb’s and protect him.”
Dagon snorted. “You use that kind of power and they will sense it instantly, follow you, and attack.”