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Chapter 35: Reaping the Harvest
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Warrior of the Way Chapter 36: Reaping the Harvest
Not until Rhychard had locked and bolted the door did Buttercup come out of her corner. Wrapping her arms across her chest, she rubbed her hands up and down her upper arms. She still had that trapped look in her eyes."He's gone," Rhychard assured her as he walked over to where she stood.Buttercup fell into him, her trembling body trying to wrap him around her like a blanket as she held onto him. He held her, the top of her head coming to his chin. He could smell his Irish Spring and made a mental note to pick up something more feminine for her to shower with. If she was going to be there for a while—and it looked like she was—she might as well have what she needed."I take it he didn't know you quit?"With a deep breath, Buttercup pushed away from him, her thin fingers wiping the water streaks from her eyes. "I wasn't planning on quitting." She gave him a wan smile as she wrapped her arms around herself again. "I only wanted to stop what I was doing for Pastor Adrian, but those creat
Warrior of the Way Chapter 37: Reaping the Harvest
"Are you here to help or not?" Rhychard asked.Kendalais cocked a slanted eyebrow. "Humans have no patience.""Well, we don't live thousands of years, so time is a commodity we tend not to squander."The Sidhe Warrior started to open his mouth in rebuttal, but Tryna stopped him. "Please, Warrior Master, we must know what you know and have time to act on it."The elf's nod was barely perceptible, but he wasn't one for grand gestures, anyway. "Tryna has told me of the demon's purpose and progress. The Void's influence on the land before and the weakening of the Way's impact to change that influence now has gained Vargas a solid footing on his attempt to open a Gateway to the Nether. The Void would destroy Harbor City if that were to happen, of course."Rhychard suppressed his rage. "Of course," he growled.Kendalais remained ignorant of Rhychard's annoyance. Elves were quite oblivious to human mannerisms, believing most of them the silly emotions of spoiled children. "He will require a l
Warrior of the Way Chapter 38: Reaping the Harvest
A gentle breeze came off Manatee Creek, keeping the late-morning sun from becoming unbearable. A momma duck floated past, trailed by seven little babies in a zig-zag pattern. About three feet behind them was baby number eight, not seeming to care that it wasn't with the others. Rhychard took a pull from his Rocky Patel as he watched the loner stop here and there periodically to investigate some floating leaf or pesky insect. Take your time and enjoy the sights, my friend. Things change all too quickly.The flat rock—his Thinking Rock as he liked to call it—was warming as the sun floated higher into the morning sky. The creek lapped at the stone as the water drifted by, a harmony mixing with the rustling leaves above him. A mullet jumped off to the west. Rhychard tilted his head back and allowed the sun to warm his face. The heat helped cool the tension his morning had brought him, and there had been quite a bit of tension.He heard the snap of twigs behind him. Out of reflex, he sent a
Warrior of the Way Chapter 39: Reaping the Harvest
Rhychard took a long pull from his cigar, allowing the mild smoke to linger before exhaling. He stared at the glowing tip as he recalled the fiasco of breaking into Adrian's office. "It was worth a try. Without the pastor's so-called evidence people can stand up to him. Too bad gargoyles can get on to church property now." He knew he sounded bitter, but he couldn't help it. Everything they told him seemed to have been a lie.Tryna nodded, her tiny, childlike lips pressed into a stern line. "It is worse than I feared.""We have another problem. Jerome, Buttercup's pimp, came looking for her. I had to convince him to leave.""This is the man she works for?" Tryna turned and looked at him, her brows bunched in a confused knot."Her boss, so to speak, yes. He didn't like the fact she wasn't working his streets. My guess is Adrian told him where to find her, and Vargas told Adrian.""That is unfortunate." Tryna turned back to the water.He could tell that something was on her mind, but he w
Warrior of the Way Chapter 40: Reaping the Harvest
"If there is no job, where are we going?"Rhychard glanced over at Trace Wheeler, who was only slightly rough in appearance as opposed to his usual total mess. "To finish one."The afternoon made its slow slide into evening with the sun dipping toward the west. Shadows were getting longer, and rush hour clogged the narrow streets. Rhychard had called Trace and told him to be ready. Luckily, his friend was never into anything more important than the new level of Angry Birds and a Cheetos sandwich, so there was never a problem getting his help.Rhychard could have done the job by himself, but since Trace had been the one to get the gig in the first place, he should be a part of its conclusion. Besides, Rhychard needed to redeem himself in the eyes of his friend.It had taken Rhychard a while sitting on his Thinking Rock, but common sense somehow seeped through his thick skull. Both Tryna and Kree had been right, and Trace for that matter. Bitterness was like a cancer that devoured a pers
Warrior of the Way Chapter 41: Reaping the Harvest
Rhychard reached over his shoulder and pulled one of his short swords out of the harness. The man's eyes went wide. "I get the gun comment quite a bit, but in the end, it doesn't matter. These aren't your normal swords; in case you hadn't noticed. But please, run, and let's see how far you get."The burly man stared with dark eyes at both swords. Rhychard just shrugged and smiled. The man turned to his friend and gestured to the boxes, grumbling to Justin that he would suffer for their embarrassing labor. Justin paled even more, a feat Rhychard didn't think possible.Every time Justin went to move, Kree growled him back into place. The man was beyond frustrated, but still too scared of the massive hound in front of him to do anything about it. "What do you want? You can't just take my things!""First, they are not your things. Second, we aren't taking them. Are we, Trace?" Rhychard glanced at his friend who had his arm around Mrs. Ivy in a protective gesture."No, we're not." Trace's v
Warrior of the Way Chapter 42: Reaping the Harvest
Rhychard took the Guardian Sword away from Justin's throat, wiped the blood from the tip on the grass, and then sheathed it. The voices went quiet. As it vanished from sight, the Warrior walked over to Kree and scratched the coshey behind his ear. The elven hound closed his eyes and leaned into his hand, enjoying the attention. "Going to tattle on me?":Warrior, I am not an informant for the Seelie. I am a coshey. I am your elven hound. I chose you. The Seelie did not send me. My loyalty is to my Warrior.::Thanks, I needed to do this.:Kree opened his eyes and swung his muzzle to glance up at Rhychard. His dark eyes revealed the depth of his care for the human. :I know this. If I do not agree with something, I assure you I will be forthcoming with it. However, I will always support you. As you humans say, I have your back.:Rhychard scratched harder in gratitude. He needed the coshey's acceptance more than he realized. He had felt so alone since everything happened to him. Yet, Kree h
Warrior of the Way Chapter 43: Reaping the Harvest
Rhychard sat astride his Suzuki and stared up at Renny Saunders townhouse. The chilly, quiet night entirely swallowed the Friday sun. The sky was clear, the stars pin-pricking the night canopy. It was the first night of the Dark Moon. Tomorrow that moon would hold power, power Vargas would harness and use to open a Gateway to the Nether.Rhychard still wasn't sure how he would stop the Unseelie demon or if he even could, but he knew he would tell Renny the truth. He didn't think it would change anything between them, but she would know he hadn't cheated on her. That was all he wanted at this point, to clear his name in her eyes. He hated that she thought badly of him, especially since he hadn't really done anything wrong.Except not trust her. He should have told her everything from the start and not hid it from her no matter what Kendalais had commanded. Four years the two of them had been together, and he had listened to some pompous elf he had only known for a short time instead of
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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
