It had never happened before. They had never had a result that wasno result. The adjudicators had consulted the Great Council and some of the Principal Elders. After much deliberation, they had decided that the Castor was too powerful not to be Cast, and after a frank conversation with the Ivanov Heir, they had asked him what Cast result he had hoped for. Lucas had been confident he would choose the Dark Cast, he had been sure of it.
Cord had chosen Crimson Cast. Neutrality. The most disobedient Castor that Lucas had ever met had chosen neutrality. Lucas had been speechless. Garrick, the Prime for the Crimson Cast, dumbstruck. Prime Castor Rorik of the Pure Cast had merely turned and walked out. Whether he was indifferent, annoyed or bored, it was difficult to tell.
Lucas heard the sound of movement and got ready. He had yet to venture out of the room he had portalled into in the Northern Headquarters, not because he was scared or apprehensive of the Drakhyn outside, but because he could sense that there were no Akrhyn outside. NoaliveAkrhyn anyway. As he waited, he realised the noise was getting closer and was not outside but above him.
Curious, he looked upwards and cast a small spell. A shriek was his answer, and he fought a smile. “You can come down,” he whispered into the room, knowing his spell carried his voice to the rafters above him.
“I don’t think I can.”
He heard the answer. “Where did you enter?”
“Pantry. I can come out in the library. Can you make it there, Castor?”
“I do not think we have time for this,” Lucas muttered. With a few well-chosen powders, he said the spell, and a large hole formed in the roof. It was a testament to his skill that no noise was made during the creation of the hole. He watched the young female Akrhyn stick her head out of the hole and sigh in relief at the sight of the Prime Castor.
Kallie lowered herself carefully and stumbled slightly on her landing due to her ankle. Lucas mixed the same powders in the reverse order, and the hole in the roof disappeared. He eyed his handiwork with contentment before he realised that Kallie was hurt.
“Do you know where the others are?” Lucas asked her as he offered her aid.
“Well, I heard a lot of noise and then a crashing. I think they’re fighting?”
“Who left you?”
“Sloane and Principal Elder Salem. They needed to find Elite Sentinel Tegan and Castor Ivanov. Michael and Marcus have gone.”
“I can tell you where they are. Michael, Marcus and Cord are in the Pure Cast’s tower. Michael is being aided, as is Marcus.” Lucas frowned. “There are no Akrhyn in this building, none breathing anyway.”
“I think they may have escaped,” Kallie whispered.
“They left you?” Lucas was surprised.
“We heard fighting, and we knew it was probably Tegan. Principal Elder Salem went to aid her.” Kallie sighed. “I encouraged Sloane to go when we heard more Drakhyn fighting.”
“Let’s get you to medical, and I will come back and see how things progress here.” Lucas extended his hand to the young Akrhyn female. He took her to the room Michael had been in and was pleased when he saw the Holt Heir sitting up in bed, but it wasonlyMichael and two Pures in the room. “Where is he?” Lucas demanded.
“He left once he knew I was better,” Michael told them. He frowned as he heard the huskiness of his voice. “I sound strange.”
Lucas kept his comment to himself that it was a side effect of having your throat slit. “You are still healing.” Lucas called over a Pure Castor to attend to Kallie’s needs, and as the healer assessed her, Lucas considered Michael. “How long after you were healed did he stay?”
“Gone almost immediately.” Jameis snorted.
“That male...” Lucas shook his head as he cursed internally. “I will go back for him. We believe the others have left the Headquarters. I will return.” Lucas portalled back to the Headquarters, but this time he chose the visiting Castor’s room. On seeing the destruction, he knew there had been fighting here. He left the room and travelled along the hall silently, listening for any noise. As he passed a window, he looked out and surveyed the scene outside grimly.
A mass of Drakhyn were engaged in battle against Sentinels and Lycans. He caught a glimpse of red robes and knew he had found Cord. Lucas did not engage in combat. He could fight; he chose not to. Studies and teachings were his calling. Still, as he watched the fight below, he felt his blood stirring.How were there so many Drakhyn?He did not understand it. Even in the ancient Texts, there was no mention of this number of Drakhyn joining together.
Lucas saw that a small group of Akrhyn were protecting Commander Bryce, and Lucas knew that even though he would not fight, he could assist. Portalling down to the Commander, he called out to the others that he had Bryce and portalled him to the medical wing.
“I have another for you,” Lucas snapped as he led Bryce to a bed.
“Dad!” Kallie ran over to her father, the pain and swelling from her ankle healed.
“Kallie, sweetheart.” Bryce grabbed his youngest daughter and held her tight as Jameis and the other healers tried to get him to lie down.
“I fear I may be back with more,” Lucas warned before he portalled back to the battle scene. He made sure he was by the trees when he portalled and not in amidst the battle. He saw a few pockets of dense Akrhyn, meaning they were protecting the injured. Lucas began picking through the injured and transporting them to medical. When he returned, he had another Castor with him.
“Tell me there is aid coming?” a Sentinel gasped as he clutched Lucas’s arm.
“I have not heard, but I have sent the call.”