Zach Brenner's Arc

Chapter 46 of 86

The airship swung north toward the black plain. Zach watched the tower grow closer through the frost on the rail. Then Geneva stepped beside him and put a hand on the wheel. "Turn her around," the old man said. "South. Back to the coast." Talon frowned but held the wheel. "We're a mile from the tower." "And six people cannot win the war that comes after," Geneva said. "Malachar takes the crystal today. Tomorrow he pours Darkthorne's soul into his own flesh. When that happens, every monster in this world marches at once. You will kill Malachar. Then a thousand things worse will come for whoever is left." He looked at Zach. "You need armies, boy. Not just a blade." Zach felt the truth of it settle in his chest. He had trained to swing one sword. He had not thought past the killing blow. "Whiskerbark. Black Hollow. Tyr Alys," Geneva said. "Rally them. And you cannot lead soldiers you cannot fight beside as one." Raven stepped up. "Garrok already leads Black Hollow. His people will come." "They will," Garrok said. "For the hunters I lost." Zach turned to Talon. "Fly us to Fairhaven." They landed at the skyport as the sun dropped. Glass domes threw pink light across the docks. Waterfalls poured down the towers into pools far below. Airships slid between the spires like fish. Zach had passed through here before, but never stopped to see it whole. Geneva led them to a flat stone yard behind the docks. "Draw the sword. All of you, put your hands on it." Zach held the blade level. Raven set her palm on the flat. Lyra took the hilt. Ayla and Talon and Garrok pressed in. The sword pulled at Zach's arms, heavy as always. He stopped fighting the weight. He let it lift. White light ran up the steel and into their hands. Zach felt them all at once. Raven's quick heart. Lyra's cool focus. Ayla's warm current of healing. Garrok's raw strength. For one breath they were not six people. They were one thing holding one weapon. "Now push together," Geneva said. Zach willed the light out. It answered as one wave, wider and cleaner than anything he had thrown alone. The blast struck the far wall and cracked the stone. The others staggered but stayed upright. Ayla's healing washed back down the blade and steadied them all. Zach lowered the sword. His hands shook, but he grinned. "We can hold it now. Together." "You can," Geneva said. "So go and gather your armies. You have days, not weeks." Raven looked at Zach. "Fairhaven first. Then Whiskerbark. Then the rest." She squeezed his hand. "Envoys. Then war." Zach sheathed the blade. He was no longer a stranger dropped into this fight. He was the one meant to end it, and now he had a plan bigger than one man and one sword. "Talon," he said. "Take us up. We start rallying at first light."