Ryker was powerless to contribute to the defense. Instead, the boy he didn't recognize wrenched command from the Dominions, something Ryker imagined their Commander may not take well to. The kid was impressively powerful, but Ryker watched the mist, mesmerized by the power required to make it vulnerable.
The club formed in the kid's hands, his body tensed, the club swung. A scream touched their eyes when it struck true. The smash rippled a million shards that poured across the floor. Ascendancy was freed, the club an inch from his head.
Ryker exhaled. The flows diminished. A spell of speechlessness trapped them all, heavy breathing filled the void.
Then he heard one of the Dominions cry out, "Look at his arm!" Recognition crossed each face.
They swarmed on Nox, then.
"Get back!" someone ordered.
"Back away from him," another followed.
"Release the power," Karim shouted.
The Dominions unified.
But it was the woman that took up a place between Nox and them.
A shove, and Evelyn found herself on the floor. She cried out in surprise, then in pain when the weight of her palms slammed into marble.
When she rolled to her side, she watched with horror for what was happening. The men were shouting, fighting it, but she could not see any sign of the offense.
All she saw was that it was being frozen. Hot winds brushed her face like the energy was siphoned out.
From the floor, propped on an elbow, she focused on the power of Jesus, willing him to turn the water to wine, to turn the mist to ice. Hope flowed through her, but the flows were blocked. Fear sank in. The light faded. She was too weak to channel Jesus' power.
Then, the shards poured out in a million pieces, drifting up against her like snow. Evelyn gasped, and pushed herself to her feet. Her wrist ached, but she ignored it. Nikolai was freed. The Dominions turned on the one that saved him.
God give me strength, she prayed, heart pounding.
She stepped between them, a shield forming between them and her.
"He saved him!" She demanded they listen. "Do not touch him."
But Nox was quickly forgotten. She rounded him and sank alongside Nikolai, throwing her arm around his curled back.
"Nikolai, beloved, please tell me you are okay." She tried to peer into the haunted hollows of his face.
The club formed in the kid's hands, his body tensed, the club swung. A scream touched their eyes when it struck true. The smash rippled a million shards that poured across the floor. Ascendancy was freed, the club an inch from his head.
Ryker exhaled. The flows diminished. A spell of speechlessness trapped them all, heavy breathing filled the void.
Then he heard one of the Dominions cry out, "Look at his arm!" Recognition crossed each face.
They swarmed on Nox, then.
"Get back!" someone ordered.
"Back away from him," another followed.
"Release the power," Karim shouted.
The Dominions unified.
But it was the woman that took up a place between Nox and them.
A shove, and Evelyn found herself on the floor. She cried out in surprise, then in pain when the weight of her palms slammed into marble.
When she rolled to her side, she watched with horror for what was happening. The men were shouting, fighting it, but she could not see any sign of the offense.
All she saw was that it was being frozen. Hot winds brushed her face like the energy was siphoned out.
From the floor, propped on an elbow, she focused on the power of Jesus, willing him to turn the water to wine, to turn the mist to ice. Hope flowed through her, but the flows were blocked. Fear sank in. The light faded. She was too weak to channel Jesus' power.
Then, the shards poured out in a million pieces, drifting up against her like snow. Evelyn gasped, and pushed herself to her feet. Her wrist ached, but she ignored it. Nikolai was freed. The Dominions turned on the one that saved him.
God give me strength, she prayed, heart pounding.
She stepped between them, a shield forming between them and her.
"He saved him!" She demanded they listen. "Do not touch him."
But Nox was quickly forgotten. She rounded him and sank alongside Nikolai, throwing her arm around his curled back.
"Nikolai, beloved, please tell me you are okay." She tried to peer into the haunted hollows of his face.