Keys to the Demon Prison (Fablehaven #5)(139)

"All but the unfaithful," Bracken called.


Kendra knelt, and one by one the astrids came forward to have their true forms restored. It took longer than she expected. Soon she started closing her eyes with each kiss to avoid the blinding blizzard of sparks that accompanied each transformation. All of the astrids looked more or less like the first. The weapons varied, as did some elements of the armor, but each had golden wings, and each looked intimidating.


At last, with eighty-seven astrids restored, three darker astrids remained. These lacked the shining golden feathers of the others, and they wore remorseful expressions.


"You turned on the Fairy Queen after she chastised you for your failure," Bracken reprimanded. "But you came when she called. You will hereafter be considered the lowest rank of all those present. May you reclaim your honor through outstanding valor." He nodded at Kendra.


When she kissed the final three, they grew into shining warriors indistinguishable from the others. The three knelt before Bracken. They spoke in unison. "We apologize for our disloyalty. Our rebelliousness will forever shame us. Thank you for this opportunity to prove our penitence. We will not fail you."


"You picked the right day to prove yourselves," Bracken said. "Behold, dawn approaches."


Looking to the east, Kendra saw color in the sky. Overhead, the clouds were thinning. Accompanied by several astrids, Kendra and Bracken returned to where their companions waited, a short distance from the shrine.


"Looks like you recruited some help," Trask said, sounding heartier than he had in days.


"These are astrids?" Seth said, giddy with excitement.


"This is only the beginning," Bracken promised. "Agad is on his way with a group of dragons. Additional reinforcements may issue from the shrine. We may not have the strength to defeat our opponents, but we'll give these demons a welcome to remember."


"What's the plan?" Warren asked.


"We'll form up on the far side of the shrine," Bracken said. "A large clearing separates the shrine from Zzyzx. Since the Fairy Queen is using the shrine as a portal, our sacred homeland will be somewhat vulnerable. We'll try to lure the combat to other locations, and twelve astrids will hang back specifically to protect the shrine."


"Should I build a tower?" Seth asked. "I have a little tower that will grow into a real one if I plant it in the ground."


Bracken shook his head. "Mobility will be too crucial. These are beings of immense power. The strongest of them tear down walls and towers for sport. Save your tower for another day. The demons will try to paralyze us with fear, but the astrids and I can counter their dark auras. None of you will feel the effects of magical fear unless the rest of us fall. Kendra and Seth will each have two astrids assigned as bodyguards; the rest of us will each have one."


"This will be an unstoppable horde," Vanessa reminded.


"We can harass their vanguard, but more will keep coming, too many to handle. We need concrete objectives."


"I have specific maneuvers in mind," Bracken said. "But Nagi Luna is watching. The restoration of the astrids really caught her attention. Much of our hope depends on surprise. I'll share the specific assignments as our adversaries emerge."


Vanessa chuckled. "You require a lot of trust."


"He's the one who brought the army," Warren said. "We don't have much choice but to hope his plan is a good one."


"Our situation is ridiculously perilous," Bracken said. "Yet I'm confident that, under the circumstances, my plan grants us the only possible opportunity to win the day."


"Don't start saying we might win," Newel complained. "You're making me nervous."


"We won't defeat them," Bracken clarified. "But we could survive."


"I think he's lost it," Doren whispered, twirling a finger beside his ear.


"This way," Bracken said. "When the sun rises, the prison will open."


Kendra fell into step behind Newel and Doren.


"Think they remember?" Newel asked Doren, eyeing the astrids.


"Remember what?" Kendra inquired.


Doren placed a hand beside his mouth and whispered, "Newel used to sling rocks at the astrids for sport."


"Hush," Newel hissed urgently, clamping a hand over Doren's mouth. "Doren and his stories."


Up ahead, Kendra saw human-sized fairies rising from the pond around the shrine. Kendra had not seen fairies like them since she had helped to rescue Fablehaven from Bahumat. Tall and graceful, they carried slender spears and swords, and gave haughty looks to the astrids.


A group of the oversized fairies gathered around Hugo and started chanting. The ground rippled, and Hugo began to swell as earth and stone flowed up into his body, giving him new mass. Huge thorns sprouted on his arms and legs. By the time they finished chanting, Hugo stood at almost twice his former height, larger than when the fairies had prepared him for battle during the shadow plague. A group of fairies brought the golem an enormous sword, longer than Trask was tall, with a broad, sharp blade.