I quickly step forward, and the guardians stand together behind me, ‘Stop!’ I shout.
Thypon laughs, ‘Yield and become my slaves until I figure out how to leave this hideous world, and I might consider sparing these two pathetic lives.’
‘Even if you were to find a way out. You would still destroy Mysteria and everyone in it before leaving,’ I shout.
Thypon narrows his eyes at me, ‘You’re a clever little one, aren’t you,’ he smirks. ‘But your magic is no match for mine, which gives you two choices. Yield and serve me, and in return, you live longer and die later or die now with all your loved ones. Which one shall it be?’
‘Without me, you will never know how to leave Mysteria,’ I smile.
‘Are you saying you know the way out?’
‘I do, but even then. You will never leave Mysteria again. You will never harm another realm, another world ever again,’ I say to him.
Thypon bursts into laughter, ‘Oh, you’re very funny. I think I will keep you caged up to entertain me while the rest of your friends die! How do you suppose you will keep me from leaving,’ he laughs.
I smile at him, reach into my satchel, open the lid of the trinket box, and slide it across the ground toward him.
‘And what is that?’ he asks.
‘Your new home,’ I answer.
‘You fool,’ he shouts, ‘If you think you are going to keep me locked up in a box, then you have another thing coming,’ he shouts and aims his staff at us.
A beam of flame shoots toward us. I hold my hands up, creating a sheer rippling dome to shield us. Thypon looks impressed but continues to try to burn through my shield.
Sweat forms across my forehead. The shield won’t last any longer. Kadva places his hand on my arm. I feel his power flow through my arm, entwining with mine. It makes the shield stronger, but it still isn’t enough.
Reaper mind-links me, ‘This is the time when you need to absorb my power,’ he says.
I nod and concentrate on Reaper, who’s perched on Alec’s shoulder. The black mist that emits from him begins to flow from his body into mine. The shield strengthens, but Thypon creates a large blue electric bolt that shoots down his staff, merging with the flame. As it hits the shield, I almost falter back from the force, but Quinn uses her magic to hold me up. I smile down at her and look back at Thypon. He is too strong. I need to use the sceptre.
‘Even with all of you combining your powers, it will never be enough to seal me,’ he says.
Reaper isn’t looking too good as I drain him of his power.
I need to distract Thypon. Then I can grab the sceptre from my bag and transform into a deity. Then I won’t have to risk draining Reaper of all his power and possibly his life, ‘I’ll tell you the way out of here,’ I say to Thypon.
He pauses. The flame and electricity dissipate, ‘Go on?’ he says.
‘It’s not a matter of how to leave but when,’ I say to him.
Thypon tilts his head and waits for me to explain.
‘The midsummer solstice is the only time a deity can cross through the veil.’
‘What!’ he shouts angrily, ‘I’m not waiting the rest of the year stuck in this treacherous place!’ he yells.
‘You won’t be,’ I smile. ‘You’ll be spending it in your little trinket box.’
He stares at me, confused.
I hear the Moon Goddess, Ogrum, Valkrim and Cerridwen whispering to me, calling me to take the sceptre. I remove the satchel from over my shoulder, take the sceptre out and toss the bag aside.
Thypon’s eyes widen with shock, ‘No,’ he says, his eyes narrowing angrily at me.
I hold the sceptre in front of me with two hands and recite the chant.
‘Sceptre of Divine power
I open my heart to accept my new fate
Grant me your power to defend all those at stake
May my heart stay true
As I transcend from old to new
This fate I accept with all my heart from you.’
At first, the sceptre lights up, but then nothing else happens.
‘No!’ Thypon shouts again. He then looks down at Magnus and aims his staff at him. Power surges from his staff, and a blue electric bolt strikes him. He convulses as the strike runs through his body. His eyes slightly open, ‘Nina,’ he whispers.
‘Magnus!’ I shout. But his eyes close, and his body goes limp.
Alec and I stare at one another and breathe heavily at his demise.
Thypon laughs and then aims his staff at Damon.
‘No!’ Queen Maia screams. She forms a purple ball of light at Thypon and throws it toward his face. Kadva then stands by her side and forms a blue orb he throws at Thypon.
Suddenly the gem on the sceptre lets out an explosion of light, and I’m lifted from the ground. My back arches as a dark mist swirls around me.
Everyone looks at me, transforming then Alec looks back at the guardians. ‘Everyone attack and keep attacking. We must keep Thypon at bay while Nina transforms and can seal him.’
Everyone nods and follows Queen Maia and Kadva, using all their power and every spell they know against him.
The witches create storm clouds and strike him with lightning and, using the fire spell, throw flames at him.
Quinn uses her little silver wand, striking him with zaps that burst into silver glitter each time it hits him.
Reaper mind-links me, ‘Nina, I’m flying toward you against my will. I’m not sure what’s happening,’ he says.
‘Maybe because we are bound, it might have something to do with my transforming into a goddess,’ I mind-link him back.
As I see Reaper flying toward me, the dark mist from his feathers flows toward me and seeps down my throat. I feel something under my skin in my shoulder blades forming and forcing its way out. I fall to the ground and scream. I try to scratch my shoulder blades and feel a bone and something soft. I pull at the softness to see black feathers in my hand. ‘What is happening to me?’ Suddenly the pain and pressure in my shoulder blades intensify. I scream as Reaper flies into my chest and comes out my back. At the same time, he goes through my back. Two giant black wings extend out and open. Dark mist forms all around me. It flickers like a flame. The sceptre turns to dust. I turn my hands to see my palms. I watch as the dark mist flows slowly through my darkened veins. I feel its greatness, its power. I have never felt anything like it. My arms jerk creepily, along with the rest of my body, as the power continues to take over my body and consume me.
I notice Alec has moved Magnus away and is checking his vitals. Alec’s shoulders slump, and he stares at me through the dark mist swirling around me. He shakes his no, confirming Magnus is dead.
‘No!’ I scream.