Chapter 77: Tower Collapse

Jude POV

The sound in his ears was one of the most terrible sounds he'd heard.

An entire stone building cracking apart. It sounded like an earthquake. He'd only experienced a handful in his life, and none of them destructive enough to split the earth. He remembered shifters running for cover, getting as far away from the quake zone as possible …

Just like he and his family and friends, including his new ally and friend the King of Lugdunum, had to get out of this tower.

"By the Twelve Sacred Sites," Ravyn gasped. "The Dark Goddess' battle with Hades has caused a serious disturbance."

"And all the energy bolts flying around didn't help," Daxius noted dryly. "Including our own magic as we attempted to push the fiend back."

Ah yes, the spells whizzing through the air. Jude had lost count of the crackling energy bolts, and the spiraling energy surrounding Hades. During the cosmic battle of the past few minutes, he'd stood further back from Melisande, Hades, whatever you wanted to call this being that now slumped, unconscious, supported by Jude on the one side and Ravyn on the other. Jude had watched as that being writhed, surrounded by a spiral of dark energy spinning faster and faster, trying to keep out the energy of love and protection that Ravyn, Lilia, and the other magicians wove. Spinning faster and faster, that dark energy became wilder and more erratic, and the positive energy got caught up in the whirlwind.

No wonder Jude felt dizzy now, but he smacked himself across the face to snap himself out of it. No time to stand here like a moon-eyed fool!

"We have to teleport out of here," Anneliese urged. "Melisande's block is gone. I checked."

CRACK.

Jiro shoved Anneliese out of the way. "The ceiling is coming down. MOVE!"

No one needed to be told twice. They all ran down the corridor, trying to get to a safe place to weave the teleportation spell properly. Jude felt Melisande dangling from his hands. She seemed as light as a child's straw doll. Ravyn gripped her tightly as she made a break for it, trying to get to safety to cast the spell. 

CRACK!

A stone smashed against the floor behind them. Marieke cried out and Patch howled, startled. 

Dust filled Jude's lungs, and he coughed, tasting the staleness of the dust. It felt as if someone had changed the ancient noble stone into something foul and disgusting. This place was truly cursed, and it wouldn't be a loss if it crumbled into pebbles.

"How soon can we teleport?" he asked Lilia, Anneliese, and Daxius.

WHOOSH!

An angry silver-and-black bolt from the Dark Goddess' energy spiral shot over their heads. "HIT THE FLOOR," Dane bellowed.

"ARE YOU INSANE?" Patch growled. "There's probably not going to be a floor much longer. We'll be buried in rubble, and then everyone will blame the shifters for the king of Lugdunum getting entombed!"

Odo shouted, "Head Mage Pascalline, a shield, if you please!"

The mage, who'd added her power to the Eternal Stench spell and helped boost Ravyn's and Lilia's golden and violet flame to battle the Dark Goddess, answered, "Patch is right, this place won't last much longer!"

Ravyn summoned up her Luna authority. "We're teleporting, NOW!"

Hastily, Lilia, Anneliese, Garnet, Daxius, Morgana, and Head Mage Pascalline, as well as the other mages, crafted a teleportation spiral.

Jude's wolf Arcturus could hear the upper floors coming down, the ancient stones giving way with a dreadful noise. The tower was a deathtrap, and he couldn't wait to be anywhere else.

BOOM!

An explosion ripped apart the section of the wall closest to them. 

"Where's that d*mn teleportation spell?" Ravyn asked, her voice shaking. "It's taking forever."

"It's a curse," Marieke shouted. "I can feel it. It feels so angry!"

"Fenrir's guts, Marieke is right," Garnet said, horrified. "The Dark Goddess couldn't let us get away without a parting gift! Ravyn, we need any power you can spare."

With one hand still firmly grasping Melisande's shoulder, Ravyn added her magic to the spiral. Jude tried to boost her strength through the bond. It had to be enough. It had to.

"Keep working," he shouted. "We're nearly there!"

He had no idea if they were or not, but everyone perked up, and Bram's proud smile uplifted him. He felt as if he could hold up the whole tower by himself while everyone fled to safety.

* * * * *

Daxius POV

Ravyn certainly knew how to pick her mates.

Jude Faolan was a tower of strength when this cursed tower threatened to bury them alive. Mustering up all his magic and determination, Daxius added one last great energy burst to the violet and gold teleportation spiral.

"Prepare yourselves," he encouraged everyone. "We'll be out of here in two shakes of a serpent's tail."

A melon-sized chunk of stone hit Garnet from the side and she fell to her knees, howling in pain. Jiro screamed, panic and worry fueling him, He scooped his mate into his arms, carrying her with him.

Anneliese yelped in pain as flying sharp stones pierced her skin. Snarling at anything that dared to hurt his mate, Patch shielded her, and so did Lilia. Dane bared his teeth, inserting his big body between the debris storm and the rest of the party, especially the king of Lugdunum. 

Daxius felt nothing but pride being surrounded by these brave heroes, and privileged and honored to stand by Ravyn's side as they both faced the very worst that the Dark Goddess could conjure up. 

That said, he really wished the teleportation spell would just whisk them all away! Couldn't he make it go any faster? What was wrong with it?

He reached out with his psychic senses and encountered a dark, thorny energy. "It's the curse," he shouted to everyone. "It's slowing down the spell! It's interfering. We have to strengthen it, no matter what! Garnet's hurt, but the rest of us have to pick up the slack."

A flood of energy came from all the other mages, and even Garnet, despite her pain. Now more eager than ever to finish the spell, Daxius poured turquoise energy into the spiral, giving it a stir with his hand, the way he and Ravyn used to do together.

Faster and faster the spiral spun, sweeping everyone up. Daxius reached out for someone and found Lilia's arms. He held onto his daughter and felt her arms go around him. "I don't care where we end up as long as it's not deep in the sea," Lilia cried out.

BOOM! Another wall collapsed ahead. 

"Hold on, everyone," Ravyn shouted.

Jude, Jiro, and Dane howled loudly, and Daxius swore Odo howled as well. The spiral swept them all up, spinning faster and faster, with Ravyn and Jude gripping Melisande.

Daxius felt a deep and powerful relief … until Marieke cried out in terrible agony as the black curse hit her.

"MARIEKE!"

His horrified, loving, worried cry lingered in the air as he and the others vanished just before the tower collapsed from within.