Page 191 of The Last Guardian

“Soldiers!” Haedeon bellowed. “Engage!”’

On instinct, I went to Zaid. The monsters charged at us, their claws crunching on the ground—groaning, wailing, howling, armed with all kinds of weapons: rusty knives, iron axes, and even bone spears.

“Use the power now,” Zaid bellowed. “Haedeon is scared of it.”

“I can’t—it doesn’t answer me,” I snarled with a dark glare. I wanted to scream at Zaid, demanding every single truth he had kept from me. I wanted explanations. But I didn’t want him to die. And now it was either us dying together or walking out together. No middle ground.

I reached for my bow, but it wasn’t on my back anymore. “Give me a sword⁠—”

But a goblin bounced on me. Zaid moved fast, disemboweled him with his black sword, entrails spilling and smoldering across the floor.

Zaid handed me one of the lighter swords he had on his hip. I wielded the sword before another goblin could jump on me.

A multitude of them charged, attacking with their claws, knives, and axes. Zaid lashed out with his jet-black flames, dark embers glowing brightly, like a warning, eager to consume everything in their path.

The stench of blood, of decay, tickled my senses as the goblins charged again and again.

One gave a brutal strike in my direction with a dark, rusty axe. Some of them were on Zaid as his blackfire tried to drive them back.

There were too many of them. And too few of us.

My blade met the axe in a splash of metallic sounds, and the goblin retreated. But it came back stronger. I twisted my hips and pointed the blade of my sword towards his throat. The creature screamed, stumbled backwards, then charged again.

Another goblin jumped on me—faster than the big one—screeching and swarming. We both fell from the impact. I hit the ground, the sword falling away from my hand.

The goblin climbed on top of me, his slimy little body pressed against mine. His rusty-green dagger plunged into my shoulder in a stroke.

I cried out, struggling beneath him. I pushed him away. The blade was still embedded in my shoulder. A searing sensation traveled beneath my skin, consuming my flesh.

I tried to get my sword, but potent, scorching pain spread through me, making me stumble as the goblin regained its position on top of me. Again.

A bright blue light glowed and burst around us.

Not from me.

Not from the relic.

It came from somewhere else… from the end of the cave.

A flash of light struck the tiny goblin and charged toward another. The light encircled my body, defending me against their attack. Then, with a life of its own, the energy slithered across the ground like a serpent, driving the goblins backwards.

The goblins screamed in terror; they swarmed everywhere, like little rats. The clatter of weapons hitting the ground echoed as they ran from the light, leaving their belongings behind.

The blade, which was still in my shoulder, vanished, letting warm, thick blood ooze out over my skin. I caught a glimpse of Haedeon’s gaze fixed on the beam of light. There was fear dancing in his horrible eyes.

He looked at my shoulder. And his lips curled into a wicked smile. “At least you’ll die before you release that abominable creature onto the world,” Haedeon hissed with malice.

The beam of light struck him; the High Mage jumped in terror. In a mist of blood, Haedeon vanished. They were gone. All of them.

I panted; the pain in my shoulder stung, burning my insides. I hissed.

Zaid took a step towards me.

I took a step back, holding up my arm to keep him from approaching. “Don’t come near me,” I spat.

Zaid looked at me with supplicating eyes. “Alyana…”

Fuck. Him.