The Divine Unleashed (Book 3) (2 page)

The dragon was soon gliding toward the ground, and Kade could feel waves of exhaustion coming off his winged friend.  For a moment, he was afraid the dragon might just hit the ground and crash to a stop…if he was able to make it that far.  Darcienna stretched, as the ground came up at them.  The dragon leaned back and flapped hard several times as it touched down, trying to be gentle.  Its wings fell to the ground and it collapsed, breathing heavily.  Doren lurched sideways and barely hung onto the dragon’s wing-joints.  Kade and Darcienna surged forward as their momentum almost pitched them over the dragon’s head.  Kade pushed back and both he and the beautiful, blue-eyed rider righted themselves.

Kade tried to swing his leg over the dragon’s neck, but his muscles protested painfully.  He gritted his teeth, and on the next attempt, swung his leg hard.  He flipped over onto his stomach and slid down.  He landed, and after almost falling, stumbled around while pounding on his legs to get the circulation back in them.  Doren gracefully worked his way down the tail of the dragon and stopped, surveying the area.  Kade saw what looked like suspicion in the master’s eye, but after glancing around himself, he dismissed any concerns.  Darcienna leaned forward and swung her leg behind herself, then turned and slid down into Kade’s waiting arms.  She arched her back, stretching and rubbed her back side. 

Darcienna stopped and slowly turned while scanning the area.  Kade watched her, and as she completed the circle, coming around to face him, her eyes were glowing softly.  He tried to muster the energy to care and almost failed.  He took a deep breath and let it out, feeling his mind become a little more alert.  He could swear that her eyes were permanently glowing anymore.  With a sigh, he warned the dragon of the possibility of danger.  The dragon drew in its wings, scraping them along the ground instead of curling them in and wearily lumbered to its feet.  It sniffed the air several times.  Kade could feel confusion through the link.  It definitely smelled something, but it was a familiar scent that was not associated with danger.

Kade walked around the dragon, watching the cave closely.  Nothing moved.  He turned and scanned the trees carefully.  Something about them was not quite right.  Kade squinted and tried to focus, but the sun was making it hard to see.

“Kade,” Darcienna said slowly.  “It’s too quiet, and something is definitely wrong.”

It was as if Darcienna’s words caused the area to explode in a frenzy of activity.  Spiders dropped from the trees and charged out from everywhere.  There were hundreds.  They poured out of the cave in droves.  Kade spun through the moves for the Fire Calling and had it held high, ready to let fly when it occurred to him that it was spiders he was seeing.  They rushed him and he welcomed them as the fire evaporated.

“Kade,” Darcienna said, but he did not look at her as the spiders came at them.  Had he spared her so much as a glance, he would have seen that her eyes were glowing and getting brighter by the moment.

“I see,” Kade said as he stepped up to greet his allies.

“Kade?” Doren asked in a firm, critical voice.

“They are our friends,” Kade said as the spiders closed in on them.

“Kade!” Darcienna yelled as the first of the spiders reached them, her hands raised in indecision.  Her eyes flared brightly.

Kade’s belief that he was being greeted by allies quickly turned into shock and disbelief as he was violently driven to the ground.  He struggled to catch his breath, the wind being knocked out of him.  The dragon leapt to its feet and roared in confusion.  It backed up a step as it readied itself to launch into the attackers that were holding Kade pinned to the ground.  Doren had a sparking energy dancing between his fingers and was on the verge of attacking.

“No!  Do not hurt the spiders.  There has to be a reason for this.  Doren, don’t!” Kade yelled while making eye contact with the Master Chosen.  Doren clenched his jaw and let the spark flash out of existence.  The spiders quickly overwhelmed the Master Chosen and drove him to the ground.

“Apprentice, you had better be right,” Doren hissed, seething.  Kade rankled at the way Doren used the title but that was the least of his concerns at the moment.

Rayden was swinging his head back and forth, roaring over the buzz.  As weary as he was, the dragon was not too weary to come to Kade’s aid.  Rayden was readying himself for full-fledged battle.  He inhaled deeply, ready to burn them to dust.  Allies or not, anything that attacked his Chosen was not going to live long.

“Rayden, stand down!” Kade yelled.  “Rayden, do not hurt them!”

The dragon puffed up and let loose with a roar that shook the ground as it threw its head forward, bellowing its rage.  Kade’s ears rang but the spiders still held.  They were no longer attempting to attack the dragon, but they were not backing off, either.  Rayden charged the spiders that had Kade pinned.

“NO!” Kade yelled.  The dragon threw his head wildly, fighting the urge to rend the attackers.  Kade could feel the link explode with the dragon’s desire to tear these creatures to pieces.

Darcienna turned to rush to Kade’s aid, her hands extended, ready to call up her shield, but with the spiders holding Kade, it would only trap him in with his attacker.  Unfortunately, as she ran, she did not see the spider charging off her right side.  Kade was certain it was not planning on just restraining her, but instead, was coming in for the kill.  Its fangs were extended as it scurried forward, focused on its victim.  Kade struggled as he flexed his muscles, trying to gain leverage.  Regretfully, he knew he was going to have to hurt the spiders as they were not going to let him up willingly.  Kade gritted his teeth, ready to use his extra strength to do what it took to save the woman racing to save him.

Just as he was readying his muscled to go into action, he saw a flash of black that charged in and collided with the spider violently.  The black mass had thick, plush fur that flowed in the wind.  It was larger than the attacking spider by almost twice.  The two spiders rolled end over end with the larger, black spider pinning the smaller one roughly.  The black spider hissed violently at the one on the bottom, buzzing several quick, strong words as it pressed down, making it clear who was in charge.  The pinned spider went limp and slowly turned its head to look at the Apprentice Chosen.  Kade smiled as Crayken got up and spun toward the spiders that still held his arms.  With the full command of a king filled with rage, Crayken marched at them.  They shrank at his presence as he stalked up to them and glared hard.  He buzzed angrily and they fell away as if struck.  Kade was still very confused as to what was going on, but he very much enjoyed seeing the king show them who was in charge and who it was that they had just attacked.

“Kade,” Darcienna said, moving next to him.  “Why would they attack us?  Did they forget us that quickly?”

“I am not certain, but I am betting there is a good explanation for all this, and we are going to get that very soon, I am sure,” Kade said as he spared a glance at Doren.  The Master Chosen stared in awe as Kade stood tall and proud.

The regal, black spider presented an impressive image as he stalked toward the herd of spiders surrounding them.  Kade could feel the fury coming off the king as he marched back and forth buzzing angrily.  As if choreographed, all the spiders flinched and then turned to stare at Kade.  The king stood silently, letting his words sink in.  They started dropping to their knees and put their heads against the dirt.

“What was that all about?” Darcienna asked as she stalked up to the king.  “I thought you were our friends, but as soon as we come back, the clutch attacks us?”  She started to get worked up.  The king tried to speak but Darcienna was exhausted, sore and too angry to think calmly.

“Darcienna,” Kade said as he put a calming hand on her arm.  “Let the king speak.  I am sure there is a good reason,” Kade said confidently as he turned toward Crayken, eager to hear the explanation.

“There is,” a familiar voice said as the most majestic, beautiful white spider flowed out of the crowd.  “These spiders are from another clutch and did not recognize you.  They were protecting the cave from intruders for you.  We did not expect you back so soon,” she said as she glided up to stand directly in front of him.

“We did not expect to be back so soon, either,” Kade responded as he breathed a sigh of relief.  He smiled and stepped forward while placing his hand on her shoulder.  She returned the gesture.  Several spiders gave out what could only be called a gasp.  Kade ignored the reactions as he continued with the conversation.  “We ran into Morg,” Kade said and then seemed to remember Doren.  “Forgive my manners,” Kade said as he turned toward the Master Chosen.  “This is the Master Chosen, Doren.  Master Doren, meet the king, Crayken, and the queen, Rakna.”

“I have heard many good things about you,” Doren said, matching their poise with his own.

“It is our honor to have another Chosen with us,” Rakna said with a slight inclination of her head.

“The honor is mine,” Doren said with a slight bow as he cocked an eyebrow at Kade.  He inclined his head to the queen and backed away to turn and stand next to Kade.  “Chosen?”  Kade let the question go without answer.   Technically, he was an Apprentice Chosen.  For one to have the title of Chosen, they had to hold the rank of Adept or Master.  Doren sighed.   Kade knew he was going to hear about this later. 

Kade could see an obvious problem brewing.  He was not certain he was going to be able to show the Master Chosen the respect he demanded if his condescending tone continued.  He was not very confident that things were going to go as smoothly as he hoped.  He mentally sighed and refocused on the royal couple.

The queen turned to approach the king when one of the spiders buzzed quietly.  Rakna froze, as did Crayken.  They looked at each other and then back to Kade.  Based on the royal couple’s reaction, he was certain that the words were not kind.  The queen’s anger flared as her composure slipped slightly.  She turned on the spider and buzzed firmly.

“If he chose to, he could have destroyed you in the blink of an eye!” the white spider said firmly in her language.  The queen buzzed several more times as Kade stepped up to stand next to her.  Rakna paused to glance at him.

“I would like to speak to the spider, if that comment was directed at me,” Kade said as he turned his gaze on the offender.  Rakna hesitated.  “Would Crayken have you speak for him?” Kade asked while lifting his chin slightly.  “If the spiders are to respect me, then I must give them a reason to.”  Rakna glanced at the king.  He nodded one time but did not take his eyes off the spider.

“As you wish,” Rakna hissed.

“Please translate for me,” Kade said as his eyes locked on the new spider.

“I shall,” Rakna said as she turned to face the spider, fury rippling through her.

“What was said?” Kade asked, leveling his gaze at the offender.

“He said he finds it hard to accept that you are the one who conquered the leader of the Morphites.  He says they were able to overcome you without much effort,” Crayken said.

Kade nodded his head slightly as he considered the situation.  He took a breath and tilted his head back in confidence.  He looked over the crowd slowly, making sure he had all the spiders’ attention.  Everyone was locked onto him.  No one moved.  The shuffling died down and hundreds of spiders watched closely, for what, they did not know, but there was an intensity in the air as all waited.

“Kade, what is going on?” Darcienna asked in frustration.

“The spider doubts our abilities.  He does not believe we killed the black leader.  I am going to…show him that we do, indeed, have the power to accomplish such a feat,” Kade said as he smiled mischievously.  He felt the swirl of power start to fill him.  The block slid away and his head spun from the Divine that raced through him, eager to be let loose.  Kade had to focus as the Divine threatened to overwhelm him but it only took a moment and his thoughts were his once again.  He smiled as the raging torrent of power was now at his command. 
So they doubt me?
Kade thought as his breathing deepened and his pulse quickened. 

Doren’s eyes widened as he could easily sense the Divine crashing through the Apprentice Chosen.  He studied the young man, waiting.  A hunger grew in him as he watched Kade fill with power.

“I hope you know what you are doing,” Darcienna said, but there was a glint in her eye.

“Trust me.  They will not soon forget us,” Kade said with a snarl.

The queen followed Kade as he walked over to stand directly in front of the spider.  He looked down at his victim and tried to imagine how the king would deal with this.  It did not take long for Kade to know how he wanted to make his point.

“So, you question my abilities?” Kade asked dangerously.  Even had Rakna not translated, he was certain the spider would have caught his tone.

“We saw nothing for us to respect.  We took you easily,” the spider said, fidgeting slightly.

“Then you would have preferred me to do this,” Kade said as his arms became a flurry of motions. 

The Lightning Calling exploded from his hand, racing over the ground, leaving a blackened trail to crash loudly into a nearby tree.  The explosion shook the ground and the spider screamed in terror.  The tree splintered, sending limbs, leaves and twigs high into the air to shower down around the spiders.  The tree fell with a crash.  Kade quickly spun into the moves for the Divine Fire Calling, creating as large a fire as possible and unleashed it on the fallen tree.  It was engulfed in a blue flame that reached high into the air.  Kade caught a look from Doren and was certain it was approval, but it was also something else.  Hunger?  The look was gone instantly.  The spiders wailed in horror.  The spider facing Kade cringed in horror and started to back away.