Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

F iona

With a war cry, I plunged into battle with the nightcrawlers and their monstrous allies. We hadn't encountered the second type of creature before. I wish we never had. These new ones were the size of small houses and ferocious as hell. However, they didn't move all that fast. They towered over us as twisted shadows come to life. My breath caught in my throat when I looked over their grotesque and monstrous forms. Some resembled twisted amalgamations of various animals, with claws as sharp as daggers and teeth like razors. Others were shrouded in darkness, and their forms constantly morphed in the dim light.

I grabbed my dagger from my pants and slashed as I tried to fight these beings off. A scream left me when my hand got burned. It wasn't their size or ugliness that set them apart. It was their ability to exhale charcoal mist. It was a noxious substance that burned our skin upon contact. As the mist enveloped us, searing pain shot through my veins. I grit my teeth against the agony and called on the wind. I used the breeze to blow it away from us and back at the creatures. I couldn't let this slow us down.

Armed with the daggers we had acquired from Artemis's maidens, we fought with all our might. Without needing to talk about it, our movements were fluid and coordinated as we engaged the creatures in combat. I wielded my dagger with precision. My movements were graceful yet deadly as I struck out at our foes.

Violet was just as lethal as her powers came to the fore. The air crackled with energy as she unleashed bolts of magic upon our enemies. Each blast sent the creatures reeling. Their twisted forms writhed in pain as they struggled to remain on their feet.

Aislinn's control over the elements proved invaluable. The very earth beneath our feet rose up to aid us in our fight. With a flick of her wrist, she sent torrents of water crashing down upon our foes. Their cries of pain echoed through the chamber. She couldn't do as much as I bet she wanted, given the tight confines, but she took out nightcrawlers and the other assholes with precision.

But even as we battled with all our might, we failed to notice the creatures pushing us back into another chamber until it was too late. It wasn't until they backed up a couple of steps that we became aware. I turned and looked at the woman who stood across the space from us. Nyx still bore the scars of our previous encounter as she glared at us with enough hatred to incinerate everyone on the Acropolis.

My heart sank as I saw her clutching the shield. Its power crackled ominously in her grasp. With a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I realized that our mission had just become infinitely more complicated. If she sent the shield after us, it would take us back to Nocturne or her dungeon if we were lucky. If we weren't, it would kill us outright.

Nyx said something I didn't understand, and the creatures attacked once more. The cavernous chamber reverberated with the clash of metal and the hiss of arcane spells. Shadows danced upon the stone walls, cast by the flickering light of Violet's phoenix flames. The radiant bursts of energy added a strobe light effect. I spun between adversaries, my dagger flashing in the dim light. "These things just keep coming!" I exclaimed as I parried a vicious swipe from a nightcrawler.

Violet's eyes were ablaze with determination as she unleashed torrents of sparkling magic that sparked through the air. "Hold them off, Fiona! I almost have a clear shot!" Her words were barely audible over the din of battle as she focused her energies on a group of shadowy creatures.

Aislinn used the dagger and her elemental magic to fight. "We needed to keep moving!" she called out.

"No! We needed to grab the, you know what," I replied.

We fought against our adversaries, and within seconds the acrid scent of burning flesh mingled with the metallic tang of blood. It filled the air with a sickening haze. Sweat beaded upon our brows, mingling with the dirt and grime of battle as we pushed ourselves to the brink of exhaustion.

Despite our best efforts, the tide of battle seemed to turn against us. The creatures pushed us inexorably toward the end of the chamber where Nyx awaited. The room reverberated with Nyx's ear-piercing scream. It sent shivers down our spines as we tried to watch her next move while fighting her shadow monsters.

Nyx's voice sliced through the tension like a rusty knife. "You three are beginning to piss me off." The goddess's eyes flashed with malice. "Why don't you die already?" The last was shouted so loud it made the cavern rumble and rocks fall from the ceiling.

Aislinn shot me a terrified look. It made me want to reassure her. Unfortunately, I wasn't a liar, so I kept my mouth shut and continued fighting while my mind tried to come up with a plan to get us out of this. The chamber erupted into chaos as Nyx unleashed a wave of magic. Her attacks struck with deadly accuracy, but we darted and wove our way through the bodies, and it was her creatures that suffered. We added to the body count as our daggers flashed in the dim light. We fought against Nyx's relentless onslaught.

But even as we pushed back against the tide of darkness, the battle took its toll. The air was thick with the acrid stench of burning flesh, and my muscles screamed in protest with every movement. Aislinn moved closer to me and whispered, "Cover me."

Nodding, I tried to watch what she was doing while still fighting the creatures. My first hint at what she was planning was when my hair whipped into my face. The entire chamber went silent when the shield was yanked out of Nyx's grasp a second later. Aislinn smiled and lifted a finger to manipulate the wind. She kept the shield tethered and managed to drag it away from the goddess. Nyx screamed, and her creatures headed for her out of concern. I grabbed Violet and gestured to the way we'd come.

The three of us ran for the exit. Aislinn got out first, and Nyx sent her creatures after her. They pushed Violet and me aside and hurried past without giving us a second thought. "She's coming after us," I whispered to Violet. That lit a fire under our butts, and we kicked it into gear.

Violet conjured her bow and arrow while I opted to use my magic to fight those racing after Aislinn. I had no idea how many there were, but we couldn't let them get Aislinn. I unleashed spell after spell, never faltering. Violet switched to her magic when an arrow whizzed too close to Aislinn's head.

As we closed in on Aislinn, I could feel the arcane power crackling through the air. It was an electrifying symphony that reverberated through the fabric of my being. "Keep it up, Aislinn! We're almost there!" I shouted. I wanted to encourage her and keep her moving. If she looked back, she might panic and stop.

"Get your hands off that shield, you twisted witch!" Nyx spat behind us. Her voice dripped with contempt as she hurled a barrage of arcane bolts at us. Each one crackled with raw power.

With a furious snarl, Nyx unleashed a torrent of dark energy, the force of her assault threatening us with a jolt of raw power. Aislinn's grip on the shield remained steadfast while Violet and I jumped to the sides of the tunnel. Nyx took out her creatures for us. It made getting out of the temple difficult and slowed us down but we made it without problem.

"We've got this, Aislinn! Keep it steady!" Violet shouted when Nyx's power brushed her side. I prayed Aislinn was alright. I held my breath, waiting for her to collapse. A relieved breath whooshed from me when she didn't slow or stop.

I whooped when she burst out of the ancient temple's confines a few seconds later. The remaining creatures followed with Violet and I emerging into the cool night air next. I wasted no time in erecting an invisible barrier blocking the entrance like a stalwart sentinel. We needed to slow the goddess.

The moon cast its silvery glow over the Acropolis, illuminating the ruins with an ethereal light as we sprinted toward our friends. "Thank the gods we're not alone in this mess," I said. Nylah and her companions were waiting for us. Kaiya and Aeira were clad in sleek, form-fitting black clothes. They jumped into battle with us, fighting the creatures without being asked.

Aislinn sent a gust of wind to aid her in handing off the shield to Nylah. "Nylah, do your thing and make sure that this is hidden and can't be stolen by the goddesses," she called out. Her voice rang clear above the din of battle.

Nylah nodded in understanding, her expression steely as she began to weave her magic. Her movements were fluid and graceful as she traced intricate patterns in the air. Her magic rippled through the air with enough power at that second to rival that of the gods. The light emanating from her sigils was so bright I had to look away.,

Suddenly, Nyx erupted from the temple with a roar of fury. Her eyes were ablaze with anger as she beheld the scene unfolding before her. Metis materialized on the Acropolis, her presence adding another layer of tension to the already charged atmosphere.

"Looks like we've got some uninvited guests," I muttered. My grip tightened on my dagger as I prepared for the inevitable confrontation.

Meanwhile, the mundies who had unwittingly stumbled upon the scene stood frozen in fear, their eyes wide with disbelief as they beheld the goddesses and creatures locked in battle. This was going to blow up in our faces.

"This doesn't look good," Aislinn declared as she sent a couple of shadow creatures tumbling away. I shot a magical bomb at them and then cast a spell to befuddle the mundie minds.

With a final flourish of her magic, Nylah concealed the shield from prying eyes, her actions throwing Nyx and Metis into confusion. Seizing the opportunity, Nylah mounted her Pegasus's back. She called out to her friends, and they joined her. Leaning toward us, Nylah said, "I'd stay and help, but..." She let the rest of her comment trail off.

I nodded and waved them away. "Thanks for the assist," I called out. "We'll catch up soon!" They vanished into the night with the relic, leaving us to face the wrath of the goddesses alone.

With the shield now safely hidden away, Metis continued her tirade against Nyx, her threats echoing through the night air. I left the goddesses to battle one another and urged the mundies to flee to safety. The battle between the goddesses would only escalate from here, and I doubted any of us could get away in time. The shadow creatures sensed the impending danger, too, and fled inside the temple. Violet, Aislinn, and I followed the mundies down the hill.

I grabbed my phone from my pocket and dialed my mate. "Bas, we need to speak to Artemis immediately," I said into the phone.

"I'm right here," Artemis replied right away.

"The shield has been taken care of, but Metis and Nyx are gearing up for a battle that could blow up the Acropolis and all of us on it. You need to do something," I told her so fast my words ran together.

Artemis's voice crackled over the line. "I will take care of it," she assured us. With a final word of encouragement, she abruptly ended the call.

A deafening clap of thunder reverberated through the night sky, followed by a blinding flash of lightning that sent us scrambling for cover. We ended up crouching with our arms over our heads. "She could have warned us," I griped when my heart threatened to beat out of my chest.

We waited a few seconds to see if there would be more trouble before cautiously emerging from our protective stance. Violet, Aislinn, and I beheld the aftermath. A scorched imprint where the goddesses had stood was the only evidence of their sudden departure.

"Well, that was electrifying," Violet quipped, a smirk dancing on her lips as she brushed dirt from her clothes.

"Seems like we just narrowly avoided a divine showdown," Aislinn remarked. A relieved smile lit up her features as we exchanged knowing glances.

"Let's make a mental note to stay on the gods' good side," I added.

With the case finally handled, I relaxed, and we turned our backs on the Acropolis. There was a collective sigh of relief as we began our journey back to the familiarity and safety of home. "I've had my fill of excitement and danger for a month. Let's get home before she gives us another wild case. I miss my mate and my daughter," Aislinn replied.

A weary smile tugged at my lips as we walked through the moonlit streets. I couldn't agree more. I loved the cases I handled with my best friends as much as I loved spending time with Bas and Grams. And I hadn't done nearly enough of the latter lately.