112. Klaus

CHAPTER 112

Klaus

We move room to room, clearing out any and all that we find. The death toll on the first floor alone is in the twenties for the other side. I'm not saying that we're coming out of this unscathed but we are doing much better than they are. All the extra training that Nicodeamus and Alaric made us go through is paying off hugely. Vladimir's men were not expecting us to remain in our human forms and to be using swords. I know that they trained for hand-to-hand and beast-on-beast battles. We're kicking it old school and bringing the pain with the metal of our blades. Not to say that Jayce and I didn't have a fun time letting our animals loose to tear through the small rabble that was waiting for us in the foyer.

The first floor is cleared quickly, and there are two sets of stairs leading up to the second floor. We divide our team into two sets of three. Aurora and I take one of the Dire Wolves with us. Jayce, Arnulf, and the other Dire Wolf go up the other flight of stairs. I watch Aurora's eyes flicker, knowing that she is speaking with Jayce directly, trying to figure out exactly where they are in relation to the landing for the second floor.

"It's time to go. They're ready. Let's move." Aurora is very concise in her statement giving the order to move without hesitation.

As we ascend to the second floor, the air feels heavy with anticipation, each step echoing softly in the dimly lit corridors. I strain my senses, trying to pinpoint the location of our comrades through the unspoken connection we share. Though they're not within immediate sight, I can sense their presence lingering tantalizingly close, a comforting reassurance in the midst of uncertainty.

Beside me, Aurora's restlessness is palpable, her hand flexing nervously at her side. I imagine the faint click of her gauntlet's talons tapping against each other in agitation, a silent testament to her impatience. It's as if she's a caged tiger, her primal instincts urging her to pounce upon her prey, even as it remains just out of reach.

The tension in the air is almost suffocating, each passing moment stretching on like an eternity. Though the endgame is within sight, it still feels frustratingly distant, teasingly out of reach. For Aurora, the desire for victory burns bright, a hunger that cannot be sated until she can taste the sweet fruits of triumph.

I can't imagine what it's been like for her for the last almost two-hundred and thirty years of training and preparing for this day to finally come. I know that Dimitri has trained her well. She wouldn't be as lethal as she is if it weren't for him and his training. That man has been so many things to her: friend, guardian, trainer, disciplinarian, and now mate. He has seen Aurora at her best and at her absolute worst. I can't imagine what's going through his mind right now, with her being so far out of reach. All of our protective instincts are heightened when it comes to her. Still, he's had over two-hundred years of protective instincts ingrained into the very fiber of his being. He doesn't know anything other than protecting her at all costs and loving her unconditionally. I watch my warrior queen, my beautiful angel, stand there as she plots which way for us to go.

As Aurora leads the way down the dimly lit hallway, a sense of urgency permeates the air, palpable in the tension that hangs between us. The faint echo of our footsteps reverberates off the cold stone walls, a constant reminder of the perilous journey that lies ahead.

With each step, the musty scent of age-old dust fills my nostrils, mingling with the faint aroma of decay that lingers in the air. The corridor seems to stretch on endlessly, shrouded in shadows that dance and flicker in the dim torchlight.

Aurora's determination is evident in the set of her jaw and the determined glint in her eyes. She moves with purpose, her every movement calculated and deliberate as she leads us forward.

As we reach the spot where Jayce and the other team should be, a sense of unease settles over me like a heavy shroud. The passageway ahead is sealed off, a stark reminder of the obstacles that lie in our path. It's clear that someone, at some point, has taken measures to impede our progress, adding another layer of complexity to our already perilous mission.

As Aurora motions for us to step back, a surge of anticipation courses through me, mingling with the palpable tension in the air. Her eyes briefly illuminate with an otherworldly glow, a silent command communicated through their gleaming depths. I can almost feel the energy crackling around us, charged with the promise of impending destruction.

With a knowing glance in my direction, Aurora's smirk speaks volumes, a silent acknowledgment of the power she is about to unleash. The rhythmic clicking of the igniter reverberates through the air, a precursor to the cataclysmic display about to unfold.

As Aurora steps back, a surge of energy builds within her, culminating in a dazzling spectacle of light and frost. Her breath weapon erupts from her throat in a torrent of purple lightning tinged with frost, an awe-inspiring display of raw power and elemental fury.

I watch in awe as the stones before us crumble and disintegrate under the force of Aurora's onslaught, reduced to nothing more than a pile of dust and ash. The air is thick with the smell of scorched earth and ozone, the remnants of Aurora's devastating assault lingering in the air.

For a fleeting moment, time seems to stand still as we take in the aftermath of Aurora's display. The magnitude of her power leaves me utterly speechless, a testament to the strength and determination of my mate. As the dust settles and silence descends upon the scene, I am left in awe of the indomitable force that stands before me. Everything that her breath weapon touched is still crumbling and falling to the ground in a heap of dust and ash. I stand there, utterly amazed at the new power that my mate wields.

Aurora calls down the stairwell, beckoning Jayce and his team to come up, telling them that it's safe now. The look of shock and awe on my bond mate's faces is more than enough to confirm that, like me, they had no clue she was able to do this. Aurora studies the structural stability of what's left of the wall in front of us and motions for us to move quickly away from it, not trusting how far the stone will disintegrate.

As we advance down the dimly lit hallway, tension hangs thick in the air, suffusing the atmosphere with an almost palpable sense of apprehension. Every step echoes loudly against the stone walls, reverberating through the corridor like a foreboding drumbeat.

Rounding the corner, we are met with the chilling sight of four formidable Lycans standing before us. Time seems to stand still as we lock eyes with our adversaries, each of us frozen in a tense standoff. The air crackles with an electric energy, charged with the anticipation of imminent conflict.

In the silence that follows, Aurora's smirk cuts through the tension like a knife, a harbinger of the impending storm. With a slow, deliberate movement, she raises her right hand, a gesture laden with ominous significance.

As her hand ascends, a sudden chill permeates the air, sending shivers down our spines. Ice crystals materialize with startling rapidity, forming a frosty shroud around Aurora's hair before cascading outward in a relentless wave. In a matter of seconds, the four Lycan males are ensnared in a prison of ice, their forms rendered motionless and helpless against the frigid embrace.

The scene unfolds with an eerie sense of inevitability, the icy grip of Aurora's power serving as a chilling reminder of the ruthless determination that drives us forward. In the face of such raw elemental force, resistance seems futile, and we are left to confront the grim reality of our mission with a heavy heart.

"I'm not completely heartless. These males are young and could quite possibly be saved. They'll hibernate for now; we'll deal with them later." This act of mercy that we have just witnessed is rare, especially with all things considered. Aurora moves swiftly down the hallway to the next room that's on her left. She pauses at the door and then motions for the Dire Wolves to come up to sniff at it. Silently, Aurora draws her sword and gives us a nod that she's ready to go in. Aurora suddenly kicks the door open and flails her sword as she charges into the room. We follow swiftly behind her, but by the time we enter, the room looks like a winter wonderland as most of it is encased in various degrees of ice. Several young Lycan males are frozen in ice up to their jaws, immobilizing them. I get to observe my mate put the young males into deep hibernation. She takes excellent care preserving their lives for now, until we can determine if they should be spared or not later. Four older males lie dead by Aurora's sword and the bites from the Dire Wolves at her side.

I survey the scene quickly; this appears to be one of the primary studies in the castle. Through the bond, I alert Alaric to the discovery that we have just made. Ancient tomes line the western wall from floor to ceiling. Their age is apparent by the thick leather casing in which the pages are bound. Undecipherable glyphs line the spines of the tomes. From what Alaric can relay to me quickly, these tomes are probably thousands of years old and can bear witness to the magic of ages. Answers to how and why the different blood magics work on the different species may be found within these walls.

Arnulf digs deeply into his bag and pulls out two flasks and a large chunk of meat. Aurora comes to his side, takes a container and the flesh. She begins to gorge herself on what she's been presented with. I happen to find out that the flasks are filled with blood and vodka to help prevent coagulation. She hasn't used the full magnitude of her power yet, but the biggest fight is yet to come. It is wise that she sits here and refuels while she can. She waves off the second flask and tells him to hold it till later. For now, she's content, and the room is secure.

She motions for us to leave the room, and once we're all out, she closes the door and encases it in ice, making sure that nobody else can gain entrance. Satisfied with her work, she puts her sword away and begins down the hallway again, heading towards the next room that we need to clear. We repeat the process several more times on this floor until we have the entire second floor under our control. We double back to the staircase that we used to get to this floor, and she seals both entrances with ice.

On the northern side of the second floor is the staircase, which leads to the third and final floor in this part of the castle. A silent conversation is held between Aurora and Jayce before he and his two pack mates head up the stairs before us. We hear a growling begin above us, signaling that Jayce and his pack mates have found more attackers.

Cautiously, we approach the landing, and to my surprise, Jayce and his pack mates have it all under control. Only two attackers met them at the landing, and they were dispatched quickly. Aurora approaches Jayce slowly and runs her fingers through his thick fur. Her right hand gently caresses his left ear as she moves past him and into the hallway.

We watch Aurora's eyes flicker as she moves down the hall. She's always looking over her shoulder, checking where all of her people are at all times. "The dragons have taken control of the courtyard. We just need to clear the castle then take over the towers. Arnulf, you take the lead on the third floor; we've got your back." Arnulf nods then heads into the hallway and draws his sword.

"Let's finish up here so we can go the hell home." Arnulf smirks then catches up with Aurora and moves slightly ahead of her.

Just like that, Arnulf takes the lead, and we follow behind them. It's coming to the end of our journey, and now we work on clearing the final floor.