The Golden Symbol (35 page)

“Get here and take care of the Lorkon!”

Jacob could see Azuriah’s lips moving, but his voice didn’t come through Jacob’s vision—it came from his immediate surroundings, though he wasn’t sure how.

Jacob nodded, though he wasn’t sure if Azuriah could see that or not, and pulled back. He flung the door open and dashed to where Keitus was being held by the tree.

Remembering what had happened before, he kept his distance from the Lorkon
and
the thrashing trees as he pulled one of the syringes out of his pocket. No need to have it knocked from his hand.

The moment Keitus saw the syringe, he started struggling. He screamed, twisting, thrashing, even biting the tree that held him.

“Maintain your grip, Makalos!” Azuriah shouted. “Don’t let him loose!”

One of Keitus’s men woke up and Coren attacked him. This time, the man was ready, and he and Coren were evenly matched. They began fighting back and forth. The noise was almost too loud, and Jacob struggled to maintain concentration. He tried to approach Keitus from behind, but the Lorkon was thrashing too much. He didn’t want to lose the antidote, so he still hesitated.

“What do I do?”

“Stab him with it!”

Jacob approached from one side, but Keitus kicked at him, legs and arms flailing.

“Makalos, stop him,” Azuriah said. “Hold him still!”

If only Akeno were here! A lightning bolt through the heart would definitely “stop” Keitus.

It was obvious the Makalos tried—did their best—but they simply weren’t strong enough. And it didn’t seem to matter which direction Jacob came from—Keitus’s wiggling and thrashing kept him just out of reach.

Jacob’s shoulders slumped. “I can’t do it.”

Azuriah growled. He yanked out his pole and stabbed it backward—it struck Coren’s opponent through the heart, and the man dropped. Then he thrust it forward and held it to Keitus’s neck.

“Hold still, old man, or I’ll slice you.”

His threat came too late. Just at that moment, Keitus fell from the tree. He’d ripped so much of the bark away, there wasn’t enough left to hold him.

He got to his feet, dusting himself off. “If it’s a fight you want, Shiengol, it’s a fight you’ll get.”

“Very well.” Azuriah glared. “But we do it in the clearing, with no one assisting. You call your men down and I’ll keep the Makalos from helping. If I win, the boy administers the antidote. If I lose, I allow you to kill me.”

Jacob swallowed.
Kill
him? Wasn’t that a bit much? He remembered what Azuriah said about Shiengols—they pretty much controlled the time and manner of their deaths. It really
was
a bit much.

A glint appeared in Keitus’s eyes. “Agreed.”

He grabbed a fallen man by the shoulder—the guy must’ve just woken up. “Let no one interfere, and you shall be the first to join my immortal ranks.”

The man nodded and Keitus released him, then strode into the clearing.

Dad was just leaving the manor, holding Mom and Amberly. Jacob ran to them and threw his arms around Mom.

“What’s going on?” Dad asked.

“Keitus and Azuriah are about to fight. And, uh, to the death.”

Keitus looked up and smiled at Dad. He’d obviously heard Jacob’s statement. “And when I win, I’ll have fun with your family. Perhaps if your son dies, that Key will work for anyone. It’s worth a try, isn’t it?”

Dad clenched his fists. “Your reign is over.” He pulled Mom closer.

Azuriah attacked first. He leaped through the air, black and red robes swirling, hair flying around him. He knocked Keitus to the ground and held the tip of his pole to the Lorkon’s throat.

“Don’t think that will kill me, Shiengol,” Keitus said.

With one swat, he flicked Azuriah’s pole aside and jumped to his feet, long sword in both hands.

For the first several seconds, Jacob could barely follow their actions. Robes billowed and flared, eyes glared brightly, sunlight flashed off metal and polished wood. They were so fast, it was hard to make sense of what was going on.

Then, when he finally started understanding what they were doing, his mouth dropped. Their fighting involved far more than just weapons.

Both had trained for years—Keitus was over a hundred years old, and Jacob had never learned how old Azuriah was. They used ancient—but very sophisticated—techniques. Azuriah drew on the energy of the sun and frequently blinded his opponent. But Keitus was so natural with the sword, it didn’t seem to matter that he couldn’t see.

Azuriah’s shield flicked in and out of view—the Shiengol was able to bring it to life half a second before needing it. Jacob
really
had to practice that.

He’d always known Lorkon feared and hated Shiengols, and now he saw why. If Azuriah had been fighting any of the other Lorkon, he would have won already. But because this was Keitus, the Shiengol was barely maintaining his own position.

Around and around the clearing they went.

Keitus jumped into the branches of a tree—at least twenty feet into the air. He swung out and way over, flipping in the process, nearly taking off Azuriah’s head with his sword.

After that, Azuriah kept him from getting close to the trees. The Lorkon had the upper hand where strength, speed, and build were concerned. But Azuriah had magic and the ability to see and predict emotions and desires.

Neither would
ever
win—Jacob was sure of it.

After at least ten minutes of fighting, he and his family settled on the steps of the manor. He couldn’t keep his eyes off his uncle and grandfather.

Sweat poured down Azuriah’s face. Blood dripped down Keitus’s. Azuriah’s hair became part of the fight as he flipped it repeatedly into Keitus’s eyes, then used the distraction to get in a few blows.

Suddenly, everything stopped. They hesitated. Circled each other.

Keitus attacked, knocking Azuriah’s pole from his hands.

Azuriah dropped and rolled out of reach. He sprang to his feet and threw away his robes.

Jacob started. “Azuriah, no!”

He needed the power behind his symbols!

Azuriah ignored him. Then Jacob realized something. Everything the Shiengol wore had symbols etched on it. Underneath his robes were black pants and a red shirt, both of which accentuated his lean, angular body. The metal of the symbol flashed on the fabric.

Keitus laughed. “Hand-to-hand combat, then?”

Azuriah nodded once. “No weapons.”

Keitus agreed, dropping his own robes, showing black, form-fitting clothing. He was lean, like the Shiengol. But unlike the Shiengol, he was tall—incredibly tall. And muscular. His black hair was in a short ponytail, which only made his face seem even more severe. He pulled his gloves up, a menacing smile on his face.

They began their next stage of combat, which was a type of martial arts Jacob had never seen before. Of course, he wasn’t very familiar with any form of martial arts, but this was almost musical, it flowed so well.

Their hands and legs became a blur. Both of them did numerous back and forward flips. They danced around each other, dodging, punching, attacking.

“This is never going to end,” Jacob said.

Dad frowned, then bit his lip. “Yes, it will,” he whispered. “Azuriah is tiring. Keitus is not.”

“Does Keitus know?” Mom asked.

No one responded. Jacob really hoped he didn’t.

His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed a flurry of activity on the other side of the clearing. One of Keitus’s men was struggling with Coren. He punched Coren to the ground, then pulled out a small bow and arrow that had been strapped to his back.

Jacob pointed. “Look.”

The man notched the arrow and took aim at Azuriah.

Just before the man let the arrow fly, Jacob sprang to his feet again. “Stop!” he shouted.

His call was enough to startle the man. The arrow whizzed a foot above its target, striking the manor door instead.

Azuriah flipped backward, landing far enough away from Keitus to get the Lorkon’s attention. “You dare break the rules?” He panted heavily, obviously exhausted. How was he going to continue?

Keitus glared. “There are no rules.” A flash of light glanced off a knife he held behind his back.

Azuriah didn’t see the blade.

Jacob knew he had to intervene—Dad couldn’t. He was too injured. Jacob whipped his pole into position and raced down the stairs. He didn’t care how inexperienced he was compared to Keitus. He couldn’t let the Lorkon kill Azuriah!

Just as Keitus dashed across the distance between himself and the Shiengol, Jacob reached the clearing, molding the air into a shield.

Keitus swung at Azuriah. Azuriah blocked and the knife missed, but the blow was enough to knock the Shiengol to the ground. Keitus adjusted and raised the blade.

Jacob ran and dropped, sliding feet-first toward the battlers, dust billowing up around him.

The knife hit his shield, nearly breaking through, and Jacob instinctively swung his pole. It slammed into Keitus.

Keitus stumbled to the side, knife no longer in his hands. He growled and picked up his two-handed sword, then lunged for Jacob.

Jacob barely had time to react. He jumped aside, knocking Keitus’s sword away. His senses felt dulled and it took him a moment to realize why. He was no longer using Britt or Azuriah’s powers. Just Pambri’s.

He hoped it would be enough.

Azuriah grabbed his pole and molded a shield. He didn’t look at Jacob, but Jacob could tell the Shiengol was grateful for the intervention.

Together, they attacked the Lorkon king. Jacob did everything he could to keep up with Azuriah—even exhausted, his uncle was still quick.

Azuriah began using his hair again. Jacob couldn’t do that, so he focused on capturing the sunlight. When Azuriah’s hair blinded Keitus from the front, Jacob flashed light at him when he turned away.

Keitus soon realized what was happening. He opened his eyes as infrequently as possible. He still fought and battled, seeming to be energized by his anger.

Jacob put everything he had into the fight. He remembered things his father, Azuriah, and even Sweet Pea had taught him and applied it all as well as he could. He dashed around, under, and past Keitus, striking where he could, blocking blows with his shield.

Keitus was stronger. He was taller. He was faster. But Jacob was nearly as fast. Gratitude poured over him for his basketball skills yet again as he dodged a slice of the sword. He rolled under the blade and jumped to his feet, then attacked from one side while Azuriah pounced from the other.

“He’s getting tired,” Jacob said, panting. “I can tell from his—”

“Emotions, yes,” Azuriah said. “I see them as well.”

Keitus growled. He jumped at Azuriah, but feinted and swung his blade around, nearly slicing Jacob’s shoulder.

“Oh, and he’s angry too.”

“Shut your trap!” Keitus bellowed.

Jacob laughed. “Don’t like me commenting on your feelings?” He ducked an attack, then bounced to Keitus’s other side. “You’re getting sloppy. Am I annoying you? Should I stop?”

Keitus raised his sword and ran at Jacob, roaring.

Jacob barely got out of the way in time. He decided to focus on the fight again rather than continuing to anger the Lorkon.

Good thing, too. Keitus’s next blow hit the shield so hard, Jacob lost control and the shield disappeared. He rolled out of the way, but not fast enough. The tip of the sword sliced his left arm.

At first, he didn’t feel it—he heard Mom screaming—and then the pain rushed over him. He gasped, his fingers tingling.

He tried, but couldn’t lift his hand well enough to maintain a shield. His focus was off too much.

Gritting his teeth, he again used the sun to blind Keitus, then got in as many attacks as possible with his pole.

Azuriah continued attacking on the opposite side, and Keitus barely kept up with both of them.

Back and forth the three went, around the clearing, dodging blows. Keitus got too close to the trees again, and once more, used one to catapult himself to the middle of the clearing.

Instead of rushing for Jacob and Azuriah, though, he raced the other direction, straight to Mom and Dad. Mom and Amberly screamed—Jacob should have Keyed them home! Why hadn’t he thought of that?

Focus, Jacob. Get me his knife.

Azuriah didn’t look at Jacob, but the voice was his. A Shiengol hadn’t pushed thoughts into Jacob’s mind since he fought the dinosaur-like Cerpire outside of August Fortress. It was a weird sensation.

Jacob obeyed instantly. With one motion, he scooped up Keitus’s knife and passed it to Azuriah.

Dad handed Amberly to Mom and she ran out of the way, down the porch.

Keitus reached the steps.

Dad looked around—he had no way to defend himself.

Keitus bounded to the top of the steps.

Azuriah threw Keitus’s knife. It flashed in the air.

The Lorkon raised his sword. The handle of the knife struck him hard on the back of the head and he fell.

Keitus slid down the steps, sprawling across the dirt of the clearing, dazed.

Run—help me stop him.

Jacob raced across the clearing, throwing his pole aside. It wasn’t time for fighting anymore.

Azuriah flicked his hand toward the forest. A root sprang from the dirt beneath Keitus and wrapped itself around the Lorkon’s ankle.

Keitus kicked. The root broke. He jumped up. Another root erupted from the ground, wrapping around his leg. Who was controlling the plants?

The root dragged Keitus to the dirt again.

Jacob pulled the syringe from his pocket.

Azuriah got there first. He pounced on the Lorkon, elbow smashed against the creature’s neck. “Now, Jacob!”

Jacob uncapped the syringe. He paused for a moment.

Keitus stared at him. The colors in the air around the Lorkon showed his intense hatred. As if that wasn’t enough, the emotion was mirrored in his eyes.

“You are nothing to me, Danilo. Nothing.”

The Lorkon struggled against Azuriah’s grip. He nearly threw the Shiengol off, but another root sprang from the ground and whipped around his wrist, holding his hand in place. It gave Jacob a clear shot at Keitus’s side. No longer hesitating, Jacob jumped forward and skidded to a stop on his knees. He stabbed the Lorkon before anything more could happen.