The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga Taliesin Govannon (best free ereader .txt) 📖

                I sounded like I was being piped through a massive sound system. When nothing showed, I sent another bolt of energy into the water.

                “Serpent! Show yourself you coward!” I commanded.

                The water started to bubble, and I readied my most powerful fire-bolt.

                Now I have you!

                The surface of the lake erupted upwards, and the serpent from my earlier vision towered over me. It was gray and slimy. It looked like a giant earthworm except for its gray color and five rows of shark-sized teeth in its gaping maw.

                “This is for Anthony!" I cried as I let my fire-bolt. fly. It scorched the beast's skin but did little more.

                What it did seem to trigger, however, was all of the creatures that had attacked us thus far popping out of the ground. Hellephants, their tusks spitting fire… the giant bats, taking flight… Thagnerian snare-beasts, looking like mini-van sized tarantulas… the mechanized corpses… even the clay and wood ravagers… all appeared and turned towards me.

                I didn’t have a chance to react, however, because as soon as the beasties appeared, so did my friends.

                Vincent came crashing in, ripping the leg off of a spider and swinging it at the mechanized corpses. Three at a time were smashed with each swing, and he dove into the fight with his spider-leg held high.

                Behind him came Raina, floated there by Gaia, who was right behind her. Raina shot electric bolts of green energy at the bats, incinerating one, then two, then three. Gaia sent boulders shooting at the ravagers, breaking them into dried twigs and dust.

                Angelique appeared next, picking up a hellephant by it’s flaming tusks and crashing it into another. Trevor came roaring in on a motorcycle, his sister leaping off of the back onto a giant bat, dragging it down and killing it with a knife.

                Trevor turned the motorcycle around on the trail and came speeding back. A sword in his right hand, he cut the heads off of several mechanized corpses on each pass.

                The Fae sisters appeared behind him, wrapped in dragon skin and jumping in to battle whatever creature was nearest to them.

                Suddenly, Katsu and Hatsu were at my side. “The serpent!” Katsu yelled. “It’s acting like a portal, bringing more monsters through. Until we kill it, we can’t end the battle!”

                Hatsu raised her hands, and bright white light shot out, hitting the giant serpent-worm. Katsu did the same thing, and the serpent roared.

                I looked around, still feeling incredibly powerful. I looked at my friends fighting and realized that this was only one battle. There was a war coming, and people may die.

                I should end this I thought. The lake! It should provide a solid magickal link to whoever’s behind this!

                I moved away from the main battle around the lake.  When I stood on the other side, I started gathering my power.

                I can’t complete the five elements I thought, So I’ll draw on my rage and anger. They’ve made me strong enough to call forth the creature, and now they can help me end this!

                The ball of energy was… cloudy. Murky. But powerful. Yes… oh, SO powerful! I prepared to send it through the lake to the lake’s owner.

                “Stop!”

                I turned around, and Angelique stood there, her eyes wide.

                “I have to stop this!” I cried to her, the sound of the rolling energy I had raised echoing through the trees like a mighty wind.

                “You can’t send the curse through the earth!” She called back. “Your energy is too unfocused. You could kill a lot more than who sent the lake… if it even reaches them.”

                “But Anthony… Mohammad… Dylan!” I said, tears in my eyes. “I have to avenge them!”

                “And you will!” Angelique called. “But not this way. Send that curse through the earth, and you could kill millions of Anthonys, or Mohammads, or Dylans!”

                “Annabelle, listen to her.” Gaia said, stepping out of the forest.

                “She knows what she’s talking about.” Vincent added, appearing behind her.

                My hands dropped, and the energy ball dissipated. Tears rolled down my face as my lovers rushed towards me, embracing me from all sides.

                “I love you… all of you.” I sobbed.

                "We love you, too." Gaia said. Vincent and Angelique nodded and hugged me tighter.

                “Let’s finish this lake monster.” Angelique said.

                “How?” I asked.

                “Let’s try to unify the elements within you again.” Angelique suggested.

                I centered myself, and connected to the four classical elements: air, fire, water, and earth. I then reached out with my soul to connect to spirit.

                “I can feel it… it’s there.” I said. “But I can’t… quite… reach it!”

                “Let us help.” Gaia said. “Just remain open.”

                “Okay.” I said, closing my eyes again.

                I saw myself surrounded by each person’s unique energy. They swirled around me like wisps of smoke.

                “I love you, Annabelle." Gaia said, and I saw a bright red trail of light snake from her spirit to mine. It warmed me and brought the power of spirit into sharper focus.

                “I love you, Annabelle.” Vincent said, and a red stream of energy shot from him to me. The scene cleared still.

                I felt Angelique kiss me on the cheek. “I love you, Annabelle.”

                I saw and felt her red love energy fill my spirit. Suddenly, the element of spirit appeared like a bolt of pure purple energy, wrapping around the other four elements and integrating them into a cohesive whole. I felt the combined energy filling me, filling my spirit. My friends let go, and I felt myself rise up and float over the dark, murky lake.

                Hatsu and Katsu were holding their own against the Llamhigyn Y Dwr, but they couldn't deliver the finishing blow. I floated over, light streaming from my eyes and hands, and seized the serpent around its tail.

                “I think it's time for you to go." I said and sent my energy