Dire Destiny of Ours Read Online Free

image of the tunnel mouth that led down to the way station in the Down Under, I willed a portal to open. The air within the omniarch flickered to reveal the mouth of a cave covered partially by vines about fifty yards away from us.
    I stepped through the portal and into the jungle. Humidity and heat greeted me since it was still summer in this part of the world. My companions stepped through right after me. Shelton quickly shed his leather duster, but kept the hat even though the trees provided ample shade from the sun.
    "This place is almost as creepy as the Dark Forest." Shelton ran his gaze over the thick foliage.
    "No tragons in this place," I said. The words were hardly out of my mouth when shadowy figures stepped out of the cave. Shelton went for his staff, but I stopped him. "They're Templars."
    "Scared the crap out of me," Shelton said.
    The Australian Templars had taken control of the way station deep underground, but given our current shortage of healthy troops, I hadn't been sure how many were guarding this place. I raised my hand and opened my mouth to shout my identification.
    Blurs of white streaked from above. Lightning crackled, and several of the Templars went down. My jaw dropped open as winged Seraphim swooped to the ground, swords drawn, and attacked the survivors.
     
     
     
     

Chapter 2
     
    "Justin, watch out!" Nightliss dove into me and sent me tumbling over the jutting roots of a nearby tree.
    I spun onto my back as a Seraphim flew past and slashed a hunk from the tree at the height my head had been. Shelton and Bella ducked behind the tree with us.
    I watched as the attacker soared higher. "Is he really using his wings to fly?"
    Nightliss looked as shocked as I felt. "I don't know how it's possible. We can levitate through channeling, but our wings are not solid."
    "Save the scientific debate for later," Shelton growled. "We've got unholy terrors attacking one of our bases."
    The last Templar guard went down beneath the onslaught of a lightning-wreathed sword. The Seraphim bearing the weapon stood at least six feet tall and wore sleek blue armor with a blazing white sun symbol on the front. The other flying Seraphim sported red armor that shimmered by the light of their swords. They all wore helmets with wings jutting from the sides.
    "Their armor doesn't look the same," I said. The Seraphim we'd beaten before wore translucent crystal armor. This stuff looked almost like rugged but flexible plastic or carbon fiber.
    "Looks like something from a galaxy far, far away," Shelton murmured.
    I heard the Seraphim who'd attacked us shouting at his comrades on the ground and pointing our way. "We're about to have company."
    "Christ Almighty in a walrus suit." Shelton pointed to our right.
    I caught glimpses of another formation of Seraphim a hundred yards away as they flew through the trees. Beneath them marched infantry wearing armor similar to their flying buddies, though it was less ornate.
    "This is not the same army we fought last week," Nightliss said.
    "I have a feeling Daelissa must have received reinforcements." Bella had her wand in one hand and staff in the other.
    I couldn't help but draw parallels to my LARP—live-action role-playing—days. "They're like knights and infantry."
    "They're our death if we don't run like hell soon," Shelton said.
    I stared at the opening to the cavern. Any other Templars below might be completely unaware of the army about to march down their throats. They'd be slaughtered. It didn't take a lot of brainpower to understand why Daelissa's forces were attacking the Three Sisters way station. It was one of only a few such places that had Alabaster Arches—the only arches capable of opening a gateway between realms. She undoubtedly knew about the Darkling Empire's location in Seraphina. Once she super-powered her army with human soul essence, they could march through this arch and lay waste to the Darkling nation.
    I looked at my companions with grim determination.