02 Thorn Closes In

CHAPTER 2 THORN CLOSES IN Blaze. looked to the trees. "What does that horn mean?" "Is Thorn here?" Skyla asked. Tag pulled out his dagger. "Or his spies? Grey pointed. "It means that Maximus is back."

Three owls landed in front of Grey. "We have news," Maximus said. "Thorn and The Shadow are close?" Grey guessed. Maximus nodded. "Part of the wall has been destroyed. The trees and flowers outside it have turned to dust." Skyla gasped. Grey patted Skyla's shoulder. "Did you see Thorn?" he asked Maximus. "Yes," Maximus replied. "He and The Shadow will reach Valor Wood very soon. But I do have some good news."

He pointed toward a nearby treetop. A tiny nixie with glittery wings flew out. "Nova!" Tag cried. Nova was joined by another nixie, then another. Soon a whole swarm of nixies fluttered in the air like sparkling fireflies. "King Nidus! You made it just in time!" Grey smiled, greeting Nova's father. "We came as soon as we could," the nixie king replied. BOOM! A crash of thunder echoed around the forest. Tag's feathers shook as the dark cloud of The Shadow filled the sky. Valor Wood fell into darkness.

"The Owls of Valor will protect the border for as long as we can!" Maximus shouted as he and his warriors flew off. "Is it time for battle?" Tag shouted over the roar of thunder. Blaze's eyes widened. "Blaze still needs to learn how to use the Ember Stone!" Skyla yelled. "Can you hold off The Shadow?" Grey asked King Nidus. The king nodded. The nixies pointed to the sky and sent out streams of sparkling magic.

"They're creating a dome just like the one covering the Nixie Kingdom, beneath Lullaby Lake," Blaze said. Valor Wood was protected by a huge bubble of light. Tag watched as lightning hit the bright shield. It bounced right off! "We'll hold our shield for as long as we can," Nova told Tag. "But we can't hold off Thorn and The Shadow forever."

"Follow me!" Grey told Tag, Blaze, and Skyla. "But we have to stay and fight!" Tag cried. Grey stopped. "Tag, we must help Blaze first. If she cannot use the Ember Stone, then all hope is lost. Without her, Thorn and The Shadow will surely destroy Perodia."