Page 167 of Prince of the Phantom Sky

Barron simply looked down at the sword, and chuckled. “Ah, old friend. Here we are again.”

“Skylar and Aerion are getting everyone to the ships,” Erick murmured, glancing at Kora briefly. His relief was palpable. They were gods-damned lucky Kora had spirited the ships here, otherwise they’d all be left for slaughter.

Talmon soldiers ran across the shore, leaping over their fallen counterparts who still smoked from lightning attacks. Raiden barely had time to properly check on the city as Barron’s magic pulsed around them, encasing them in darkness. They were four to one, but his magic could still best them. He could still command his magically defensive soldiers to swarm the dock and kill them all.

“What are you going to do, Erick?” Barron taunted, his magic leaking from him. Kora shivered, and Aryn pulled her away from it, his eyes lighting up within the ash cloud.

“Erick!” Kora cried. “You can’t beat him!”

He glanced back and Raiden moved, reaching for him, to rescue him from Barron’s attack. Erick waved a hand and Raiden fell back in surprise, a push of invisible power gently brushing his chest. What . . .

Erick raised his hands and Barron flew back into a stack of crates at the edge of the dock. They cracked from the force, the tops popping off. Erick . . . had magic?

Kora gasped, near-damn collapsing in Aryn’s arms. She was weakening, her breathing becoming laboured. Even the skildaj bond couldn’t repair the spirited magic she’d spent without proper rest.

“Get her out of here!” Erick ordered. Raiden frowned. He couldn’t sense the magic within Erick, his intuition of noticing another elemental absent. He was human. He had to be.

“Well, well, well.” Barron pushed to his feet, his magic writhing around him, like a creature had suctioned to his back. “You’ve been holding out on me.”

Barron attacked, his inky tendrils sharp and swift. Erick battered them away with ease, using the air as deflection. He countered with a crushing blow, pummelling Barron down to his knees before whipping his arm back. Barron choked, and Raiden startled forward as oxygen was ripped from Barron’s lungs. And not by him.

Aryn pushed Kora back down the dock through Barron’s shadows, towards the chaos of Galenites fleeing. Raiden was torn, drawn to Erick as he fought Barron, but also wanting to grab Kora and run to the fleet. Their history was clear, as Barron flicked a finger, and a shadow shot forward, wrapping around Erick’s back, throwing him across the dock. Kora begged for Erick, and Raiden ran to him upon impulse, Kora’s emotions propelling him into action. Erick panted as Raiden pulled him up.

“How are you doing this?” Raiden studied him. He still felt human.

“I have a gift,” Erick replied quickly. “Get out. Go. This fight is mine and mine alone. I only have one chance.”

“Always trying to do the right thing, Erick,” Barron chuckled, but then coughed. He hacked as he recovered from the tainted air flooding his lungs. “Shame you couldn’t do the right thing for Eleanore.”

Erick shot forward, roaring in anguish as he flew across the deck. It was impossible, and Raiden stumbled back. Maybe he really possessed magic. Had he somehow suppressed it all this time? But a wind elemental? Impossible. Only Windwards possessed such power.

“Windward! Let’s go, now!” Aryn called.

The cloud was so dense he could hardly see. Kora was slumping, her chest wheezing. Barron and Erick became a blur of bodies, fighting with such extreme speed Raiden became dizzy. He jogged to Aryn, picking Kora up in his arms. A light burned beyond the mountains, growing brighter every minute that passed.

“Where are you?” Raiden called to his siblings.

“Two ships down from the dock,” Skylar replied. “Aerion is coming to guide you.”

Just as she spoke it, Aerion emerged through the smoke, his eyes glistening from the ash. His flight suit was torn, and his curls were wild from the rain.

“Come on! Barron’s soldiers are out. It’s like they’re brain-dead. This is our chance!” Aerion yelled, grasping Aryn’s free hand.

“Erick,” Kora mumbled in Raiden’s arms.

He risked peeking back. Leto’s blood splattered the middle of the dock, his body gone and washed away by the stormy current. Pain spliced through Raiden. Pain of betrayal. Pain of loss. Larissa’s stark hair was a beacon through the clouded darkness. Should they take her with them? Her witches brand unnerved Raiden.

They had to save them all. Every innocent life counted.

“Skildaj,” Raiden handed Kora over to Aryn. “I can’t leave the witch behind.”

“What? Rai!” Aerion called, but Raiden turned back.

Erick stumbled back as Raiden reached Larissa. His lip was busted, his face bruised as he panted at Barron. Raiden froze, not wanting to draw attention to the witch. Barron had released her chain, and it lay in a heap by her curled, slender body.

“I remember you being tougher.” Erick spat blood onto the wooden dock.

“I remember you breaking easily,” Barron snapped. “How do you wield?”