The Deian War: Conquest Read Online Free

Phantom. He had to credit Calla’s contribution as she tore into the creature’s armoured legs, snapping at its exposed areas and bringing it to its knees even as Lupus shouldered it to the floor in an undaunted, ferocious barge. He could still feel its blood drip from his teeth as he wrenched its head from its shoulders and threw the obtuse, snarling body part away from sight.
       The death of the Gore Prince seemed to signal the end of the whole conflict. As the two Apostles finished off their shared prey, looking to one another for any sign of injury and heartened to find none, their earthly sister joined them in time to see their brutal combat efficiency.
       “Well met, my kindred” Gaia bowed her head. Of all the Chosen, her Apostolic form remained the most human. That being said, her leaf-green skin and flowery hair set her apart as anything but. Her lips moved with a natural grace that was entirely justified given her form’s talents; the manipulation and control of the natural elements and earth.
       Any meeting between us is well met, sister, Lupus replied.
       Walking alone through the ruins of the camp now, he pictured the way he must have tried to smile at her to show how truly he meant those words. He hoped his eyes did his words justice, yet he found himself pained to know that his form could never truly display the kind of love and peace that he wanted it to; instead, he imagined it only showed rage and strength.
       A legionnaire of the 10th walked past him and saluted, bringing her right forearm to her left breast, hand clenched in a fist to display the solidarity and strength of the legions and he gave responded in kind. He had changed his form back to his human self after the battle, seeing no need for the part of him that was made for war now that the conflict was over. Still, something had plagued him, something in his spirit that had been bothering him increasingly over the last two years. He could never seem to identify what it was.
       Understanding his need for space and self-scrutiny, Calla had not said a word of challenge as he morphed and told her where he would be. Instead she offered him her hand on his left shoulder plate, a placating gesture that she hoped would help to calm his mind. Though they had won a great victory here and she could see that he was satisfied with it, she knew better than to ask why he was troubled. Likewise, Gaia could understand his desires to be alone, even when the legionnaires were busy with their victory cheers and celebrations.
       Lupus found himself at the edge of the camp limits. He looked into the dense forest and he knew that direction could only lead to the treacherous mountains. Yet, for all the Phantoms’ thirst for slaughter and death, even if it was their own, he could not understand why not one of them had decided to retreat and ambush them. At the least they could hide, wait for the legions to leave Fernus and attack the humans again. As he walked closer to the thickening trees, his arms crossed over his broad chest, he sniffed the air as though his human form’s senses were as attuned as his Apostle’s. In truth, they nearly were.
       Over the course of the Abodian Campaign, fighting side by side with his fellow Apostles, he had noticed his talents and powers begin to grow and strengthen. As the Lion, his body was faster and more agile. His claws were sharper, his mane was thicker, his roar was more powerful and his teeth were like razors edged with diamonds, able to slice through any armour the enemy could wreath themselves in. What startled him, though, was that as a human he was developing as well. His sight was sharper, his hearing keener, and his sense of smell…well, it had become so profound that he often thought he had changed form and become the Lion, but in fact he would always find he still wore his natural human flesh.
       The others had grown in power too; both were becoming stronger and fiercer and more capable,