Everyone, save for Keilan, the Lese scions, and a few other individuals, on board, crashed down on their knees as the aura of the Aveanii was unleashed upon them, cascading outward like waves of angry water.

  Its wings were deep black, with veins of purple running through its massive skeletal structure. Both appendages flared outward and a sea of shadows consumed the fleet with the intent to devour. It was met with a separate wave of dark essence, which rose upward like a tide to meet the sea of shadows. And for the first time in his life, Keilan saw a great element falter in the face of a lesser one.

  A storm of crimson lightning struck down just as Kiki dived in, unleashing a sea of fire that bathed everywhere in burning haze and golden flames, and together, the three managed to hold back the Aveani. However, despite the powerful display, Keilan could see that this was a losing battle.

  The Aveanii, despite its lesser element, seemed too great a foe for the Minders.

  The creature raised its thick hands—pale like the limbs of a human corpse—and a burning lance appeared in its grip, forged from writhing shadows.

  Keilan's expression became grim as the situation turned more sour, so much so that Elle, who barely made any sounds, released a deep groan, her shell trembling.

  The Aveanii, clothed in a flowing toga with bands of rich metals wrapped around its neck and arms, gazed down at the flowing turtle, and its eyes seemed to pass through the shell, gazing into the multitudes of lords and low level Kings gathered within.

  "What fortuitous encounter," it said, and Keilan shivered as its voice crawled down his spine like oil. "To have the princes and princesses of Lese brought before me. Truly, Karma stands with us."

  [This is not good, Keilan,] a formally quiet voice whispered into his mind.

  "You think I don't know that?" Keilan retorted in annoyance. "Can you cloak us from its view?"

  [I could, but that would only draw in more attention towards this battlefield. You do not want Divine Kings and Ascendants coming to inquire further.]

  Keilan grimaced at that, finding himself out of ideas. He was only a Spirit lord, no idea of his would be sufficient against a Spirit King, especially one of such level.

  More pressure erupted, this time bringing everyone down, as the Aveanii let loose its weapon, trails of inky shadows sailing behind as the attack burned towards them.

  A wall of crackling crimson lightning rose into its path, joined alongside by what looked like a whirlpool of darkness that moved to engulf the attack.

  It tore both defensive techniques apart, emerging out the other side in a hail of crimson black sparks.

  Kiki flared her wings, screeching deafeningly as a beam of fire blasted out from her mouth, this time targeted at the Aveanii instead of its creation.

  Keilan understood its thought process. If it could take out the Aveanii— or more feasibly—disrupt its attention, then there was a chance of the attack dissipating.

  The bird man slapped aside the attack, and Keilan had to brace just as the lance impacted the shell of the Spirit King turtle.

  There was a loud groan of agony as the entire room shook, trembling and throwing multiple people off their feet, Keilan included. When he rose back up, the three Minders were already engaged in a furious battle with the Aveanii.

  Crimson, black, and golden orange clashed against purple shadows in a conflagration of essence that sent explosions rippling out in waves after waves.

  Their shelter, the turtle, trembled more and more as the backwash of blocked and deflected techniques washed over her shell, no doubt inflicting injuries.

  Dark lines of emerging crimson trailed behind Nalon just as Kiki unleashed a tornado of flame and feathers.

  Huiron's serpent curled around the Aveanii, exuding waves and waves of darkness that could have blanketed an entire continent had they been down below. And yet, the Aveanii still managed to come out on top.

  Its clawed fingers clamped down on the beak of the flaming bird, stopping her just before she released another beam of fire. At the same time, it backhanded Nalon who'd been about to jump in, sending the huge wolf careening to the side with a shrill whine.

  The black serpent's tail slammed into it just before it could bring down another lance of darkness onto Kiki's head, freeing the bird creature and sending the Aveanii tumbling backwards.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  The three Minders had reached the limit of their powers and they all knew it, both audiences and participants. If nothing changed soon, both Minders would die and the rest of them would be taken prisoner or killed on the spot.

  Their miracle came in the form of a massive ship descending towards them, its hull emitting so much energy that Keilan had to sharply withdraw his perception.

  The Dreadship fired before the Aveanii could react, and it barely crossed its arms to block just before a straight beam of burning energy punched into it.

  The world exploded.

  Keilan grimaced as white noise filled his ears, rising alongside the explosion. His eyes saw nothing but white light, and scalding heat washed over him, slipping through his armor to turn his skin a bright shade of red.

  The explosion died down soon after, revealing the form of the Aveanii, still alive but not unscathed.

  Its toga, likely an armor now that Keilan looked closer, was blackened with patches burnt out or still up in flames. The feathers on its wings were gone, leaving only a cracked skeleton made of dimly glowing energy. Same with its head. But that wasn't where it took the most damage.

  Down its arms—the arms it had crossed to take on the energy beam—was nothing more than drifting smoke. From the elbow downwards, there was nothing. The beam had completely vaporized its arms, luckily leaving its chest unscathed, likely due to the powerful armor it wore.

  The rest of its limbs did not go scot-free. Running up the other side up to its shoulder was nothing more than a charred skeleton, cracked and looking only a touch away from completely crumbling.

  Hatred seethed in its eyes as it glared up at the Dreadship and the gathered Spirit King Minders, all of whom were already charging up for a follow up attack.

  It took one look at the assembly, eyes glancing at the already distant turtle, and then it vanished.

  Keilan sagged as a sigh of relief rushed out of his throat. That had been very close. A few minutes late and they'd have all been roasted meat, and not good ones, either.

  He remembered the last time he was in a situation like this; barred from leaving by a proud and powerful Aveanii who wanted to take them prisoner.

  He shook off the memory from his mind, not wanting to deal with the people in that memory.

  Keilan took in a deep breath and unclenched his hand. Dark minded, he moved to find something else to do when the equivalent of a knock on the door touched his mind.

  He recognized who it was and let them in.

  "Come, we have a new development below. We'll be leaving early."

  Relieved, Keilan nodded. "I'll be there." And then he cut the call off.

  ***

  A few minutes later, he found himself standing beside the others at a sectioned-off space in the shell.

  The others—those who wouldn't be following them—had cleared a space for them, leaving the dozen warriors as they prepared for planetfall.

  Suddenly feeling cold, Keilan rubbed his palms together, cupping them over his mouth and blowing hot air into it. The only thing the breath managed to do was warm his face and fingers. The rest of his body remained chilling.

  "Anything the problem, Keilan?" Sareina stepped up beside him.

  "Just a little cold," Keilan answered. "No need to worry."

  "It's probably the nervousness," a passing Huiron said, alleviating the worried frown on Sareina's face.

  Keilan sighed when the cold still persisted. He straightened and then released a bit of energy from his soul well, and then like a rag, he circulated it around the entire room, taking a bit of the heat surrounding everyone, until the wind he'd sent out had become warm, and then he brought it back, using the warm air to cloak his body.

  "Neat trick," Huiron said. "Mind teaching me?

  Keilan snorted, amused. "You're more likely to freeze yourself than produce an inkling of warmth."

  "On point" Sareina butted in with a smile. "Your power isn't exactly one for warmth, Huiron."

  The Saulae Scion affected an offended look and seemed on the verge of speaking when Vanis interrupted, approaching with Solis's second in command in tow.

  "Okay, gather around, we need to go over what is happening down below and how to deal with it."

  When everyone had fully gathered, Huiron and Sareina once again bickering silently as the woman tried to shut him up from what he was likely about to say.

  "So, as I said, there is a new development down below. And not one in our favor. We—Feene and I—are of the opinion that word of our arrival has managed to reach the enemy on the ground, and—"

  "I'm fairly certain we aren't the only ones going down to the planet's surface right now, or the only ones to have touched down on its surface today, for that matter. What's so special about ours?" Huiron interrupted, dodging away from Sareina's restraining arm.

  "I was just getting to that," Vanis narrowed his eyes at him. He turned to the others. "As I was saying, we believe that this is likely because of the enemy that escaped from us, and also, more likely, because of my brother's fleet up above, they have concluded that the rest of us will be onboard the fleet heading for the ground. And so are pushing hard for the perimeter."

  "Would it hold?" Sareina asked.

  "Not indefinitely, no." Vanis shook his head. "The more enemies that pour out, the more the perimeter will buckle until it crumbles. Which is why we'll be taking a vanguard role.

  "Right now, Spirit lords are the majority of those flooding the perimeter, with a couple of Spirit Kings to mix. In the next half an hour, that number will double and triple. Without fresh reinforcement, the perimeter will collapse."

  "Um, I think we're forgetting something," Keilan raised his hands. "WE are the reason the enemy is pushing hard for the perimeter. I won't delude myself into believing that they aren't aware of our position in space. Also, they outnumber us like, two to one? What's to say they don't attack us up here instead of wasting time crashing against the ground perimeter?"

  Everyone turned to Vanis, who smiled and nodded. "Good point, Keilan. Fortunately, we've taken this into account, which is why we will be descending by ourselves. Any assault will likely be targeted at us rather than Elle or the Fleet trailing behind."

  Because capturing him or the other scions was worth more than the fleet, or the entire armada in space, in fact. Keilan had already seen so in the expression of the last Aveanii to attack them.

  "Stay alert, everyone. We're not getting down unbarred."