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Chapter 196: The Warrior's Blade
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Warrior of the Way Chapter 197: The Warrior's Blade
As soon as Giselle was back from wherever Renny sent her, both women collapsed on the cold concrete. Kree was the first to move, leaving his spot and padding over to Renny, crossing over the remnants of the faerie circle as she slumped to the floor, her body suddenly seeming exhausted and sore.Rhychard followed Kree, sliding the Guardian Sword back into its scabbard on his back as he crossed the concrete floor, the sword vanishing as soon as he released it. He removed his cloak, bunching it up in case Renny needed it as a pillow."Warrior, we need to talk about this," Tryna said, her voice a soft musical tone, a sharp contrast to the dagger she still held in her hand. Rhychard, however, didn't want to talk about it. Didn't want to get into it right then until he knew Renny was all right. He knew he might come to regret his decision not to allow Halafarin to take the aswang, but for Trace's sake, he owed it to his friend to move slowly, making sure the right decision was made. Kneeli
Warrior of the Way Chapter 198: The Warrior's Blade
Aradhon hit the ground hard, the air rushing from his lungs as the dry heat from the air in the Nether battled against his efforts to suck in a breath. His whole body screamed with the pain the Warrior's lifemate caused him, blood dripping from his lips and nose. He groaned as he rolled over, hands and knees on the ground as he stared at the charcoal dirt below him.He wasn't sure what happened. The human female should have been the perfect conduit for a Gateway between realms. She had traversed both life and death and returned to life once again. She was the perfect bridge. So what happened? Where did her power come from, and how did she escape his clutches? He had her, wrapped in the coils of the spell. He had seen the Gateway open and take her.The aswang. She helped them, draining the life force from his sacrifices before they could fulfill their function. She betrayed him, and in doing so, she betrayed the Unseelie and especially Prince Dakath.Aradhon sucked in a deep breath, the
Warrior of the Way Chapter 199: The Warrior's Blade
Rhychard only had two places he really enjoyed going, the coffee house down the street from him, Common Grounds, and Embers, a cigar bar on Washington Street that overlooked the Indian River. Sadly, he hadn't been able to enjoy either one much lately. Tonight, he decided to change that.Once they left the Leary Building, Trace took Giselle back to her place, while Famallumi and Tryna returned to Rhychard's apartment. Kree followed Rhychard to Embers, settling on the roof of the place as he usually did, and Renny stood beside Rhychard, a rum runner in her hand, while gnomes hid in the bushes. Rhychard held a Glenlivet in one hand and a Rocky Patel cigar in the other, the smoke sending a lingering curl into the early evening."The hospital is keeping Laci overnight," Renny said. "She's feeling better, she says. Of course, she grumbled about the food, but who doesn't complain about hospital food." She sipped her drink, running her tongue over her lips when she finished. "You know, when Ar
Warrior of the Way Chapter 200: Summerlands
Kayla Lewell sat at her vanity table, brushing out her long, reddish hair, staring at her green eyes in her reflection as she counted each stroke. Her pale skin, dusted with freckles, was a sharp contrast to her dark red hair, but she refused to tan, not seeing the point. Who would ever notice if she did? Would Alex Barrister even notice if she changed something about herself so vain as the tone of her skin? Kayla smiled as she thought of the only male witch in the Cauldron Coven. Alex just left her house a little while ago, the two of them going through some of the rituals that Tansy Paxton had taught them at the Murky Cauldron. Kayla found herself drawn to the tall, lanky college kid who liked to dress all in black and pretend he was so solemn. He had taken to the rituals far faster than Kayla, but then again, he was a true believer in magic. Kayla was there because she needed somewhere to belong. She needed to shake her feelings of isolation in a crowded world, and the coven beat h
Warrior of the Way Chapter 201: Summerlands
Tansy Paxton sat in the hospital waiting room, her hands wrapped around a cold cup of coffee, Wanda Patterson beside her, as they both awaited news on Laci Valentine. The leader of the Cauldron Coven forced herself to practice her breathing exercises, doing her best to remain calm and not blame herself for another member of her coven getting hurt. They had just buried the young witch, Rose Tillery; they did not need to mourn another one of their own. Wanda continued to sit there, sipping her third cup of hot tea as she studied the other people in the waiting room. At first she babbled on about random topics, her nerves getting the better of her, her talking a way to control her agitation somehow. Eventually, however, when Tansy wasn't such a willing conversationalist, the older woman drifted into silence, her legs crossed at her ankles as she drank cup after cup of tea. Tansy knew she should help the other woman, but her own regrets consumed her, making her useless to be of any comfor
Warrior of the Way Chapter 202: Summerlands
A few minutes later, Tansy stood on one side of Laci's hospital bed, while Wanda and Jayden stood on the other, Wanda stroking the honey-skinned girl as if petting a cat. Laci's mother remained in the waiting room, knowing nothing of what the witches said next would make any sense to her, and she needed time to just catch her breath. "How are you feeling?" Tansy asked first. "They say you're doing well, but then again, they aren't the ones dealing with the pain." She tried her best to give the girl a reassuring smile.Laci smiled back although her eyes seemed more hollow than normal, and her skin had lost some of its color. "It hurts, but otherwise, I'm not doing bad. I've suffered worse believe it or not."Tansy reached out and squeezed Laci's forearm. "I believe it with everything you've been through in the past eight years." She then took a deep breath. "Jayden says you saw Rose. What do you mean you saw her? Like in a dream? A vision?"Laci took a deep breath, her hands still shak
Warrior of the Way Chapter 204: Summerlands
Laci watched the others leave her room, the feeling that evil things were once again just beginning making her anxious. The vision, if it truly was one, still echoed in her mind, the screams of both Renny and Rose replaying over and over. Was that the Summerlands she had visited? And if it was, did that mean Renny was dead? Surely, if that was the case, someone would have told her by now. No, Laci would choose to believe that Renny was alive and well, and that there was some other reason she had seen her in the Land of the Dead. Still, there were the screams of the others, the anguish and pain. Tansy said the Summerlands were a place of peace and tranquility, so why did it seem the two women were being attacked, cords of magic whipping around them like loose wires? And the demon? How did such a creature get to dwell in the Summerlands? They were supposed to be bound in the Nether with the rest of the Unseelie. None of this made sense.Laci settled her head back on the pillow and closed
Warrior of the Way Chapter 204: Summerlands
When the battle is over, you're supposed to return home, and life slowly drifts back into a normal, mundane routine. No more fighting. No more bloodshed. No more death. That was supposed to be normal. At least for normal people that would be normal. However, Rhychard Bartlett, Warrior of the Way, understood that he could no longer be considered a normal person. That life ended four months ago. Now, his normal consisted of faeries and gnomes and demons and dark elves, some fighting alongside him, some fighting against him. His normal would blow most people's minds.He stood in the shower, his six-five frame bent slightly so he could allow the stream of hot water to beat into his scalp and soak into his long, dark hair before flowing down his back. His entire body ached, bruised and battered from the nightmare he endured earlier that evening, and the sad part was, he wasn't even the one who did the major fighting. No, his sweet Renny did the fighting and saved the day. Or rather, the nig
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Warrior of the Way Chapter 263: Summerlands
While their mother piddled in the kitchen fixing them a plate of fajitas, the Valentine sisters sat on the living room sofa, legs folded under them. Maria Valentine put most of the house back in order after Baltabek's attack, but the destruction remained obvious to Laci. She held tight to her sister ever since the Summerlands, scared to let her go. Jayden, of course, fussed at her to stop being a mother hen.Once everyone arrived back at Rhychard's Thinking Rock, a place Renny decided would cause the least amount of sightseers, the witches and Famallumi returned to the Murky Cauldron while Rhychard placed a still-weak Jayden in the back of Laci's car. The eldest Valentine wasted no time or words as she headed straight for home."I almost lost you," Laci said. "I don't know what I would have done if that happened.""Probably moved into my room since it's the biggest," Jayden said with a shrug."That's not even funny," Laci snapped, shoving Jayden's hand away from her in disgust.Jayden
Warrior of the Way Chapter 262: Summerlands
Rhychard wasn't sure what he hit, but he found himself spinning backward, the Guardian Sword leaving his hand as he hit the ground with a hard thud, the air whooshing out of his lungs. Scrambling to his feet, a pain tugging at the back of his head from where he hit the ground, the first thing he noticed was Laci sprawled on top of Kree. Renny! He jerked his attention around until he saw her still gripping Jayden's arm as both women lay stretched out on the grass. However, he didn't see the wall he ran into, knocking him back on his ass. Another glance around, and he noticed the salt circle and the three witches sitting on the ground, eyes closed as they chanted. An older man he didn't recognize stood behind Wanda, his face a mask of admiration.A groan alerted Rhychard to Baltabek stirring, and Rhychard lunged for his sword. The demon moved faster, however, and shot a burst of his demonic power at the Warrior, knocking him back against the invisible barrier, the air he just managed to
Warrior of the Way Chapter 261: Summerlands
Rhychard heard screams, but he couldn't tell whose or where they originated. They might have even been his for all he knew. Pieces of the broken table jabbed him in his back and legs, and he felt blood making a trail down his side. Groaning, he tried to sit up. He must get up. Renny needed his protection as did his parents.:Warrior, Baltabek is heading to your home,: Kree sent. Rhychard could hear the elven hound moving toward him through their connection. :He hid among the woods along the creek.:"Rhychard!" Renny shouted, and then he felt her hands on his arms along with someone else's on his other side.:Well, he knows how to make an entrance.: Rhychard sent.He could hear shouts of panic coming from the parking lot and other apartments, people screaming at the sudden explosion.Glancing up, he noticed the other set of hands helping him to his feet belonged to his father. His mother stood by the sofa, her face pinched with concern, and Tryna picked herself up off the floor from whe
Warrior of the Way Chapter 260: Summerlands
Tansy walked over to where Alex's backpack lay on the ground from where the gnome dropped it when they first entered the Summerlands, pulling out the container of salt that rolled halfway out. As she stood, she couldn't take her gaze off the dark pack, remembering its owner and how far he came since walking into the Murky Cauldron that first day. Her heart twisted, and she did her best to keep the tears at bay. She didn't know how much time they had, so she needed to make sure she completed the barrier spell before Renny arrived with Baltabek.Kayla and Wanda sat off to the side, Kayla with her arms wrapped around her knees as she stared at the last spot she saw Alex, and Wanda absorbing her surroundings. Since the demons had been cast out of the Summerlands, the dank grayish color slowly faded away, replaced once more by the lush greens and vibrant colors of the flowers that filled the Land of the Dead. They had even seen the return of some of those who had already passed on from the
Warrior of the Way Chapter 259: Summerlands
"Mom! Dad. What are you doing here?" Rhychard just stood there, staring. He didn't need this right now."Your father thought I was crazy," Catherine Bartlett said. "He even made sure I didn't have any hidden wine bottles anywhere. Empty wine bottles, that is. I had to drag him here to see for himself.""You're alive," Rhychard's father said as he stood there and stared at Renny, his brows bunched in disbelief. "How is this even possible?"Rhychard sighed. "I've discovered just about anything is possible these days.""Hello, Mr. Bartlett," Renny said as she casually closed her purse, hiding the gnomes from sight for now. Catherine didn't handle them well last time, and Renny didn't know how Rhychard's father would react. "I'm sorry we didn't come over and tell you. We've just been…well, we've had our hands full."James Bartlett swooped in, wrapping his arms around Renny and giving her the tightest bear hug she ever had. "I can imagine you have," he told her, his voice filled with enthus
Warrior of the Way Chapter 258: Summerlands
Rhychard watched as Renny gathered up the other Warriors and returned them to the Guardian Sword, only to reappear a moment later with Pux on her shoulder. Laci paced the entire time until Renny returned, eager to be on her way to protecting her sister. With the bridges gone, she had no other way back to the Land Above than Renny. None of them did, actually. Rhychard ran a hand over his long, dark hair, worried about what they would find when they arrived in the Valentine household, concerned for his brother, just as Laci showed concern for her sister.Tansy still stood off to the side, holding a sobbing Kayla and a shaking Wanda. Both witches shifted back to normal once the demons left them, but still wore the wear and tear from the possession. Rhychard hoped they would continue to heal with time, at least physically. He highly doubted Kayla would heal emotionally anytime soon considering her hands snapped Alex's neck even though the demon controlled her. That would be a heavy weight
Warrior of the Way Chapter 257: Summerlands
Karl stood there, still not sure what he should be doing or even what was actually happening. He saw what those demons did to downtown. He couldn't possibly stop one if it showed up now and took over Jayden's body. Glancing over at Famallumi, he wondered just how much power the elves possessed. Gormec seemed to always have his giant hammer nearby, and while Karl had seen its power before, was it enough to stop the demons? There were only five of them against a demon like the ones who killed a witch and almost defeated his brother, the Warrior. Karl didn't particularly care for his odds."How do you feel?" he asked Jayden, his hands over his chest."I'd feel better if you'd stop staring at me like I'm about to go off my meds," Jayden snapped."How about I go and fix us all some lemonade?" Jayden's mother suggested. "It'll give us something to do while we wait for the others.""Do we even know they're going to be here?" Gormec asked, leaning on the handle of his hammer. "It's been longer
Warrior of the Way Chapter 256: Summerlands
The witches continued to shout their chant, their power strengthened with their success. Baltabek sent a blast toward them, but Rhychard blocked it and hurled the power at the demon's feet, the ground exploding and shoving Baltabek up and backward into the air. The other Warriors quickly pressed their attack while the demon lay on the ground.Kayla let out a wail, slicing the air, and dropped to her knees. The demon inside of her wasn't so easily taken, however. With clenched fists, he shoved his power at the witches, doing his best to stop their chanting. Rhychard caught one of the bolts before it struck Tansy, but the next slipped past him and struck Laci in the chest, somersaulting her backward to land on the ground in a heap.Kree leaped up on his back paws, spinning in midair before racing over to the fallen witch. Rhychard could hear her moan and breathed a sigh of relief that she still lived. :Is she okay?: he asked Kree.Kree leaned down, pressing his muzzle against Laci's sho
Warrior of the Way Chapter 255: Summerlands
Rhychard blocked another blast, sending it off to the side to explode into the ground. The gnomes fought from inside the ground, churning up the soil the demons stood upon and causing them to slip and lose their balance. Kree darted in all directions, drawing the demons' fire while he attempted to get close enough to bite one of them. The witches sent their power at the demons, Rose from behind and the others in front, doing their best to keep Baltabek and the others from focusing on any one person. They all did their best to bide Renny time to bring the other Warriors out of the sword, but Rhychard wasn't sure how much longer they could keep it up.The demons who possessed the witches spun, one sending a bolt of power at Rhychard's head and the other one sending one at his feet. He swung his sword, blocking the bolt to his head, but missing the one aimed at his feet. The magic snatched at his ankles, spinning him around and dragging him to the ground. His sword arm hit the ground, his
