Chapter 34: Prism(8)
Kai shot through the air, wings pounding hard, the rush of wind screaming past his ears. Below, the chaos had already broken loose Kathlyn was surrounded by a snapping, clawing swarm, her fists flaring with bursts of flame as she ducked and dodged, her strikes clean and brutal.
He darted left, twisting in the air as two of the creatures long-limbed, bone-spiked things launched themselves after him, leaping so high their claws nearly scraped his boots. Kai spun mid-flight, a blade of condensed light forming in his hand, and slashed hard, sending one beast tumbling back into the mass below.
The other clipped his wing.
"Damn—!"
Kai flapped upward sharply, feeling the jolt ripple through his shoulder. Pain, sharp and immediate, but manageable. Below, Kathlyn blasted a wide shockwave of fire, scattering three more of the creatures, but already, new ones were filling in the gaps.
"They're forcing us left!" Kai called down.
Kathlyn didn't look up — she just pivoted smoothly, knocking aside a lunging beast with her elbow, then slamming a kick straight into the side of its skull. "I know!"
Kai gritted his teeth, banking hard as a burst of snarling shadows launched after him again.
He could feel it the subtle pull, the mental tug, the way the Prism's pressure grew stronger the closer they got to the left side of the field. It wasn't just emotional noise anymore. It was like the air itself was clawing at his mind, trying to rip something loose.
Kathlyn slammed both fists into the ground, fire erupting outward in a wide ring, buying herself a half-second of space. She twisted to glance up at him.
"Kai! We can't hold here!"