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Chapter 20
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2022-06-22 14:05:33Related chapters
The Darkest Hour Chapter 21
The morning came, and with it a brief respite from the biting cold that had swept over them in the night. Callum was sure it was getting colder just as he was sure the blotch covering the sun was getting bigger but right now all he could think about were the sparks he was creating between his fingers.Lena watched with fascination as he absently clicked his fingers while they prepared breakfast. Since the second source had closed she hadn't even the slightest trace of water-magic at her disposal. Finally, Callum stopped what he was doing and looked up to meet her gaze. Silent communion passed between them."So, what do you think?" he asked.Lena frowned. "I don't know. I mean they certainly appear to be sparks of magic but just why you have access to them while the rest of us don't...""But that's the thing: I don't have access to my powers or at least I don't think I do. I feel different somehow, but I just can't figure out what it is inside me that's causing the magic to flo
Last Updated : 2022-06-22The Darkest Hour Chapter 22
In the strange land of her half-sleep, Phae screamed. All around her buildings burnt and people died at the hands of the dark mage's magic her magic that had caused so much death and destruction already. She couldn't help but think of poor Master Kulgrim and the cruel fate he had suffered because of what she had done.Because of herTheir trail of destruction had lasted for weeks now. Weeks and weeks of needless slaughter. Once word had started to spread through the region, some of the towns and villages they encountered were prepared and some even had a small garrison ready to meet them at the gates. No matter how hard they tried, they all met the same fate. And she was powerless to stop him. He had full control now, her indomitable will eventually sapped by endless days of struggle against the mage's dark magics that kept her trapped in a perpetual state of half-sleep. She had nothing left now to combat his evil spells save the hope that someone somewhere was looking for
Last Updated : 2022-06-22The Darkest Hour Chapter 23
Phae's eyes snapped open. Something was wrong very wrong. She struggled against the bonds of magic that held her in place."There, there, little one, don't be afraid," Varrus called over to her from the bank. "I wouldn't look down if I were you."Phae did look down. She was suspended over the precipice is a massive waterfall. The waterfall was so high she couldn't even see the bottom through the spray. One thing was for certain: a single command from the dark mage and her life would come to an end.She closed her eyes and began to pray. "Oh, prayers won't help you my child," Varrus scoffed. "After all I have the gods on my side, look."Phae tried her best to ignore him but as she turned her head away visions of her father's face flashed inside her mind. A thin, cruel smile formed on Varrus' lips. "Oh, I haven't done anything to him yet," he said at last. He paused as he savoured in Phae's torture. "But he'll be here soon I can assure you of that!"Phae's expression changed. "He
Last Updated : 2022-06-22The Darkest Hour Chapter 24
The storm raged as they led their cart up the steep ascent. All around them, thick, weather-beaten trees clung to the hard ground wherever they could. In more than one place fallen trunks crossed their path and they had to carefully navigate around them in what were by now treacherous conditions. Callum wiped his face with his sleeve. Streams of water ran down his face and dropped from his nose and his brow. He peered into the gloom."See anything Callum?""No, not yet," he replied. He paused. "So much for summer eh?"Behind him, Aaron laughed. "Well you certainly saved that one up didn't you!" Even Callum was forced to grin at his friend's remark. "I know you could do with a wash Callum but this is getting ridiculous!"Callum was about to respond when all of a sudden Lena called them to a halt. "I see a light.""A light?""Yes, a light up ahead look."Lena pointed into the gloom and Callum followed her gaze, squinting hard through the rain. Sure enough, there in the distan
Last Updated : 2022-06-22The Darkest Hour Chapter 25
Callum hit the floor and rolled to the side. Beside him Aaron and Lena both had the wind knocked out of them. If it hadn't been for his quick reactions they would all have been hit by the wave of fire Phae had sent hurtling towards them. He helped his companions to their feet.Floating high above them, the fragile wraith-like form of Phae cackled wickedly. The voice of Varrus echoed from her lips. "Like that did you boy? There's more where that came from you know!"Another wave of fire flew from Phae's outstretched hands. In days gone by Callum or Lena might have been able to raise a shield to protect them, but now with the last source of magic fading, they were helpless against the onslaught. It was as if she drew power directly from the source itself.They dived to the ground again as the second wave of fire threatened to engulf them. Aaron swore as he hit the ground hard. A large gash opened up on the side of his face. "Callum, what do we do?"He shook his head wearily. "I don
Last Updated : 2022-06-22The Darkest Hour Chapter 26: The Darkest Hour, Part 2
Varrus screamed. In the blink of an eye his whole world was turned upside down and he found himself floating within the star-god's prison. Skargyr's voice was a low rumble. "Great shall be the reward for your loyalty my servant."Varrus gulped. Something was different. The star-god seemed to have grown in power since they had last met.Varrus clutched the hilt of his sword to stop himself trembling. Adrenaline from his encounter with the boy and his friends still coursed through his veins. "What would you have me do next my Lord?"The star-god paused, as if to take a deep breath. The sound was as thunder rumbling in the heavens. Varrus clutched his sword even tighter. His fingers started to lose feeling."As the magic of the old world fades so I am able to extend myself further beyond the bounds of my prison. While I yet draw my energy from the sun, still there are those who would try to stop me."Kill the mages Varrus. Destroy their kind so none may thwart me."A cruel smile f
Last Updated : 2022-06-22The Darkest Hour Chapter 27
The passageway ran on for miles. For further that he could ever have imagined. Mile upon mile of scorched black rock marked his path and guided him on his way. The further he went, the hotter his path became as he neared the mountain's core.After a short while Varrus paused to catch his breath. He was breathing hard and his robes were drenched with sweat. He desperately searched his memory for the words to a spell of cooling. As he did so, an involuntary impulse ran through him and the words of a spell unknown to him appeared on the tip of his tongue.At once his body temperature cooled and his breathing slowed. Even now, in the depths of the world's greatest volcano, his master watched over him. He felt the pull of the star-god's magic stronger than ever. Despite his weariness, he was pulled deeper into the heart of the mountain."Not far to go now my servant."The pull of the star-god's magic became almost inexorable. Varrus wasn't even sure he still retained control of his le
Last Updated : 2022-06-22The Darkest Hour Chapter 28
"And so the light of the world goes out," Lena whispered. Beside her, Callum knelt weeping at the cliff edge. Standing a short distance behind her, Aaron was numb with shock."My sight," he murmured, "it's gone." Lena looked up to the heavens for some sign of hope but found none. Above them the thick black stain that covered the sun had grown to engulf the entire sun, casting their world in perpetual dusk. Not even she could find a glimmer of hope in this their darkest hour. She took Aaron by the hand and gave it a squeeze. She had to be strong now for all of them. Hers was the least burden to bear this dark day; the loss of her magic as nought compared to the loss of sight of he who was dearest to her, or the loss of a child, as Callum was now grieving. All their efforts it seemed, had come to nothing. And Varrus was gone. On the far side of the rapids, there wasn't so much as a trace of the dark mage who had vanished the moment his task was complete. Lena knew there was m
Last Updated : 2022-06-22
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The Darkest Hour Chapter 50: Epilogue
It was over the demons were gone. An eerie silence fell upon the city. No one knew what to do. Some of the survivors broke down and wept while others embraced companions, or offered up a silent prayer for the departed. At some point during the battle he had lost sight of Lukas and they'd been separated. Though his mind was clouded he was sure he remembered seeing his friend wade into the thickest fighting, throwing himself mercilessly at the demon creatures during what they felt would surely be their final moments on the earth.Suddenly Edwin's eyes widened. As he started to sift through his memories, one image in particular stuck in his mind. Lukas had fallen!Edwin's heart started to race. He searched round desperately but couldn't recognise his friend's face amidst the countless bodies that filled the city streets. Just then a faint voice reached his ears."Edwin."Edwin looked round, anxiously scanning the bodies that lay on the floor. There amidst a pile of demon corpses
The Darkest Hour Chapter 49
Phae opened her eyes to find herself standing alone atop a cold stony precipice floating adrift in the dark desolate void. The realm she had entered was a mirror of the star-god's psyche a sort of "in between" where she knew their final confrontation would take place. Though there was no obvious sign of life she knew that somewhere amidst the darkness the evil one prepared for his final act. On this one rocky outcrop would be decided the fate of the world. For better or for worse she held the fate of everything dearest to her in her small, fragile hands. She inhaled deeply and felt the warmth of her new powers surge inside her. At that moment, something started to stir. Though she could not see it at first, a world was forming around her. From her rocky outcrop a bleak, barren plain surged into existence and stretched out as far as her eyes could see. She looked to the heavens as high above her stars burst into being and clouds swirled into life. Another moment later and the sta
The Darkest Hour Chapter 48
The moment had come. There, buried beneath a thick blanket of snow, the Heart called to her. She could already feel the subtle changes in the world around her as she approached. All she had to do was reach out and touch it... She had survived death and travelled hundreds of miles without food, water or barest idea of what her final task would be, or even who or what she was. It was all now so clear.She was unique in the world born of union between the two great forces of nature. If the earth were the body then magic was the blood; neither could exist without the other. It seemed fitting then that she should be the one to save them all seemed fitting that she should be the one to breathe life back into the old world and so right the wrongs of the past.She knew what she must do.Slowly, serenely, Phae floated to the ground, her bare, naked feet sinking into the soft white snow. She barely registered the cold her innate power kept her safe from harm.The earth called to her.
The Darkest Hour Chapter 47
Phae shivered. Strangely, it wasn't the cold that made her tremble; it was the chill of magic pulling at her soul. She had been travelling for over a week, floating as naked as the day she had been born, pulled by some strange force that whispered to her in her dreams comforted her and told her everything would be alright.Given all her experiences it seemed strange that she should trust the force now guiding her, but something about it just felt "right". Somewhere deep inside her soul, she recognised the voice that spoke to her. Some small seed, planted there by her mother's blood had given her a direct link to the strange power that had saved her.No, the power wasn't strange it was perfectly natural. Phae shivered again as the pieces of the puzzle started to fit together. She had undoubtedly gained her magical talents from her father, and from her mother she had gained... the link. The earth was calling her, and it was a voice too powerful to resist. She travelled, she knew,
The Darkest Hour Chapter 46
High above the misery and destruction, Varrus, the dark envoy, appeared amidst a cloud of thick black smoke. His mount Death snorted furiously as he held position above the Magical Isle and surveyed the carnage his forces had wrought."Curses! What has he done to my beautiful army!"Even from a distance the dark mage could sense the tremendous power being wielded so very far below. Every so often a flash of pure brilliant light would shine up from the 'Isle and cause him to flinch away in pain. Despite the cold, despite the dark, despite everything, somehow Callum had managed to find a way to thwart his plans.Varrus could feel the lurking presence of the star-god at the back of his mind. He was now entering a critical phase of the plan. Failure now wouldn't just mean death it would mean an eternity of damnation at the whim of his omnipotent master.Varrus gripped the reins of his dark Pegasus tightly and brought his mount lower over the island. At his presence, swarms of furies a
The Darkest Hour Chapter 45
Callum floated on the crest of a wave. The power he had unleashed surged through his veins, illuminating the twilight sky in flashes of dazzling light followed by equally dazzling dark light the stuff of the malevolent powers the stuff from which Varrus' armies seemed to be built. He floated a few yards from the ground, a shining beacon of hope to the men and women who fought valiantly alongside him.This, Callum realised, must have been part of Varrus' plan all along strike at the heart of magic and stop any chance the old world might have of saving itself.Below him, following as closely as they dared, Kiera, Lena and Aaron stuck in close formation and fought desperately to keep the hordes of winged furies at bay. Callum knew now that he was the key that he had been the key all along. By destroying him and all those dearest to him, Varrus would effectively win the day.But Varrus' plan would be his undoing. Phae was gone, and Kiera had nearly died. Such had been the effectiven
The Darkest Hour Chapter 44
The fighting was bloody. They had only been on the island for a few hours and already they had seen enough death to last a lifetime. Edwin stepped gingerly past the bloodied corpse of their sergeant who lay face down alongside three more of their former squad-mates. The four men had been cut down within the space of a minute by a particularly bloodthirsty pack of the smaller creatures that had forced them away from the harbour, into the city streets. If it hadn't been for Lukas and a couple of the braver members of their squad, he too might have fallen to their savage claws. By all rights he shouldn't even have been alive, but somehow he had survived where other braver, stronger men had failed. He was just one of the lucky ones, though he wasn't sure if "luck" was the right word for it.As the adrenaline of their latest encounter started to fade, one trooper started to vomit onto the side of the street. Edwin patted the young man on the back as he stepped past him to find Lukas starin
The Darkest Hour Chapter 43
The fighting on the western wall was intense. Soldiers banded together to try and stave off the furies' attacks as every so often one of the larger beasts would swoop down and send the defenders scattering in all directions. The Magical Isle hadn't seen such bloodshed in many long centuries, and still the dark mage was yet to make himself known.Callum allowed himself the briefest glance up at the sky as all around him men and women fought and died against a foe he couldn't even begin to describe. The fate of the world was balanced on a knife-edge and the furies were just the first move. Though his sword was covered in the blood of at least a dozen victims, the creatures continued to swell in number and swarm the walls in greater and greater numbers. Just then his thoughts were brought crashing back down to earth as beside him, Lena let out a scream. A large creature, quite unlike any demon Callum had seen landed in front of them and let out a blood curdling cry. Aaron swore as the
The Darkest Hour Chapter 42
The boarding planks thumped against the dock. Edwin stumbled forward amidst the press of troopers surging towards the shore. Lukas grabbed him by the arm as he felt his feet begin to slip beneath him. He hadn't even stepped onto dry land and already he owed Lukas his life. At the Captain's orders they edged their way along the packed pier towards the shelter of the city. It was then that the first shrieks pierced the air."Get down!"Edwin leapt to the ground and covered his head with both his hands as six dark shapes flashed past them, shrieking and slashing. Edwin rolled onto his back just in time to see Captain Bridgemore locked in combat with the first of the monsters, sword flashing as the creature clawed and swiped. As soldiers rushed to the Captain's aid the creature beat its leathery wings and drew itself high into the air. Edwin watched in horror as the beasts made another diving run. Lukas held out his hand and Edwin allowed himself to be dragged to his feet. "We need to
