Free Aetherial Annihilation by John Corwin Page A

tried to take the women. I protected them, Justin."
    "Are you okay?" I asked.
    "There is no use running from conflict is there?" Despair clouded Nightliss's voice. "It always finds you."
    "Are you coming home?" I asked, daring to hope.
    "Yes." She sighed. "I do not know how, but I will find a way."
    "We'll be waiting," Elyssa said. "We love you."
    "I love you too, my friends." Her voice broke.
    "Try to find the nearest Obsidian Arch," I told her. "Some of them are still working."
    "Let me find the nearest one," Elyssa said.
    There was a crackle, and the call ended.
    "Damn it." I tried calling the number, but only received an error message.
    "Your call cannot be completed as dialed," a robotic voice informed me.
    We waited by the phone, but Nightliss didn't call back.
    Elyssa rubbed my arm. "I'm sure she'll make it home safe."
    I lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "I hope so. The Templars need their Clarion."
     
    I woke up the next morning feeling much better. The soreness in my bones and muscles had faded to a dull ache. My ribs felt mostly whole again, and it seemed I was on the mend, albeit slower than usual. Elyssa and I went downstairs, the smell of pancakes and bacon wafting into our noses.
    Shelton popped out of the kitchen with a heaping platter of flapjacks and a huge grin on his face. "Just in time."
    Bella followed him with plates of bacon and eggs. "Good, you're up before Harry eats all the food."
    "Smells heavenly." I took a chair and wolfed down a pancake. "It's good to be back."
    I chowed down two helpings of pancakes, and finished with eggs and bacon then sat back and released a contented burp.
    "I knew you missed my cooking." Shelton sipped his coffee, a smug grin on his face. He checked the time on his phone. "Welp, guess we should get a move on. I have a feeling Commander Borathen is on the warpath to figure out what's going on, and I sure don't want him blowing up one of those meteors before we get there."
    "I doubt he'd do anything so rash." Elyssa finished off her orange juice. "He'll study them from every angle before committing to anything."
    "Let's hope the nom militaries around the world are so cautious," Bella said.
    I told them about the call from Nightliss.
    "Goodness, I hope she makes it," Bella said. "You're already quite an inspiration to have around, Justin, but Nightliss would really help morale with the Templars."
    "Hey, what about me?" Shelton said. "I'm awe-inspiring." He stood and pulled the string on an invisible bow and held the pose. "Am I right?"
    We burst into laughter.
    "Nobody can stop us now," Elyssa said.
    "Maybe we could use your muscular butt cheeks to crush the meteors," I said with a snort.
     
    After showering, Elyssa and I dressed in full Templar fatigues, consisting of a black unitard called Nightingale armor. The clothing started as a black belt of cloth that grew to cover a person from head to toe, if so desired. I extended it from the neck down while Elyssa did the same.
    Shelton and Bella waited below, Shelton dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and his faithful leather duster. He perched a wide-brimmed hat atop his head and holstered a staff and wand at either side.
    He shrugged. "Never hurts to be prepared, even if I can't use magic."
    Bella had her Arcane instruments as well, and wore a slim-fitting robe. She ran a hand along her curved pink wand and sighed. "I feel so crippled without magic. At least I have my dhampyr abilities."
    Like Elyssa, she had the strengths of a vampire, but none of the weaknesses. Her violet eyes and warm blood were the telltale signs of her condition.
    We went to the Queens Gate way station and had to convince the arch operator there to open a gateway to the Grotto way station beneath Phipps Plaza in Atlanta.
    "Look, bud, we're on official business." Shelton jabbed a finger at the obstinate man.
    The operator threw up his hands. "Fine, just don't blame me if you explode." He sighed. "I supposed I'll be the one to clean up the