Chapter 47

Jace quickly explained what he knew of the situation to his mother. Though bitterly he thought, most of this he knew only because of Zebedaios, the demon Pearl had just tried to kill. She listened without saying a word yet her now purple eyes filled with concern. Flicking to Danya every now and then she came to understand what was going on.

“You have not seen Iza Szwed or any of the other witches?”

“I have not.”

“Well we need them right now, I do hope they are not possessed as well or that will pose a serious issue,” Pearl said as she made her way through the room, throwing Danya a sad look as she left the room and Jace followed her.

Outside Gaufrid was still on the floor with the net pinning him to it. He was calm, no longer thrashing and his eyes were closed. However beside him stood a demon in the form of a child, huge ram horns grew from his head. His skin was ghostly white.

Pearl shot a blast of light from her eyes and Jace did as well, this time not holding back because of Zebedaios. The exhausted demon was swiftly obliterated under the heat of their combined light.

Gaufrid opened his eyes under the net. Both the Queen and Prince just stared at him for a moment.

“Mind getting this off me Jace?” Gaufrid said weakly.

Jace snapped into action and started to remove the net. As he did so he explained the situation again to Gaufrid, who slowly stood up, stretching his exhausted muscles.

“It seems the Myth Hunters have found a way to combine their souls with demons to use the attacking power of the demon alongside the mythical power neutraliser that they already have. With that they are able to destroy our mental walls. This is seriously concerning,” Gaufrid explained.

“We are going to find the witches, Danya is still within your office, do you best to support her until we return,” Queen Pearl said quickly.

Both Jace and the Queen ran down the hallway. It was so bizarre to see the Queen run anywhere. Her composed and regal self usually walked slowly with a superior and unhurried air about her. It told the world around her that she didn’t need to run; she was so powerful that nothing could escape her. Sure right now she was safe but her court and her people were in dire danger.

Her heels thumped against the ground as she picked up speed. Their coats flew behind them as they leapt down the stairs, skipping steps both with long legs.

On the ground around them it seemed that just about everyone within the palace was possessed by demons. Jace was overcome with fear, they did not nearly have enough magical power to free everyone in time. It would be a great feat to have zero casualties. He hoped that somewhere Zebedaios was helping out and that he hadn’t been burnt away into nothingness by his mother’s light. He had disappeared after all, surely that meant he was ok.

They finally made it to the section of the palace in which the witches lived. They had a nice view of another wing of the palace. Iza was collapsed against a wall, the body of another Phoenix also collapsed next to her.

Pearl took a short sharp and scared inhale of air. She rushed to Iza’s side and rocked the witch gently.

For a heart breaking moment the witch stay lifeless and flopped from side to side. But son her eyes fluttered open.

“Oh my Queen,” she said, sounding a little daze.

“We are under attack from the Myth Hunters,” Pearl said quickly.

“I know,” Iza frowned, “all of the guards have been possessed.”

“The whole of my court has been possessed as well as the royal family. We need your help and the help of the witches,” Pearl explained, trying to keep the desperation from her voice but Jace could hear it. He hated the sound of it.

Suddenly something that would haunt Jace for the rest of his life exploded forth.

From the rooftop of the portion of the palace visible from, the witches window a bird of flame burst. It was no small bird, it was a bird as big as a dragon, its flaming wings beat. Its feathers were a purple flame. Heat blazing off it melted the snow and permafrost of the surrounding area, leaving scorched earth and rumble in its wake. Many floors of the palace were completely destroyed as the bird had made its way upward. Sizzling chunks of marble peppered the ground like a meteor shower come to the earth’s surface. Each leaving its own little crater.

It beat its flaming wings climbing higher into the sky and let out the scratch of an eagle with the power of a raging inferno.

The phoenix.

A bird made of raw fire, a Fae creature long gone from the world. One of which the Phoenix got their name from, as well as what the royal Phoenix became as they died. Often called the Blue Phoenix which the crest of the royal clan was based upon, it mirrored this symbol of death.

Royal Phoenix would only live 60 years of pure power and in their dying moments they would be brought to the roof top and be given a send off before transforming into the phoenix and flying toward the sun. Returning to the power to the God who had gifted it to them. Royal Phoenix were thought to be unkillable with the level of power they possessed. Each and every one of them made it to the age of 60. To have an already short life cut even shorter was a horror.

The bird flew higher and higher into the air. Jace was bearing witness to such a thing and he couldn’t breathe. He was certain as he watched the bird that his own heart had stopped.

Beside him, his mother rushed to the window. Her face full of pain she screamed at the top of her lungs. “CASSIANUS!”