The Divine Path (The Divine Series) by Allen J Johnston Page B

several times and then tensed, ready for battle.  Kade quickly worked the Silence Calling while trying to keep an eye on all directions at once.  He got ready for the Transparency Calling when he saw something drift through the shadows as silent as the wind.  It was gone before he could see any details, but it was not small.  He raised his hands, ready to fly through the calling when, out of reflex, he fell to the ground and rolled as something fell toward him from the sky.
                  Jumping to his feet and tensing, ready to execute the Divine Fire Calling, Kade scanned the area quickly only to find nothing.  His heart was racing wildly.  Sometimes the unknown was much worse than the known, and right now, there was a lot of unknown setting off the Detection Calling.
                  Rayden lunged at Kade with whip-like speed and snatched something out of the air just above his head.  The Apprentice Chosen felt the wisp of something on his hair as the dragon’s teeth crashed down on the attacker.  When the dragon stepped back, it had what appeared to be a spider that was approximately six feet long hanging out of its mouth.  Kade shivered hard and stepped back.  He hated spiders with a passion.
                  The creature was twisting, trying to get at least one bite on the dragon before its life was crushed out of it, as Rayden bit down hard.  There was a sickly green ooze coming from its mouth as it let out such a high pitched scream that Kade felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.  Rayden took a deep breath with the spider still struggling and exhaled a blast of fire that cooked the wriggling creature.  The smell of burnt hair filled the area.  Rayden twisted his head and tossed the spider aside with a flick.
                  “Darcienna!” Kade yelled, trying to prompt her into action.  It was clear that it was too much too quickly.  She was still reeling from so much danger as she stood rooted to the spot.  “Darcienna!” Kade said in a voice of command, “Your shield!  Now!” Kade exclaimed as he sent the Divine Fire at a shadow that was skittering through the treetops.
                  Two spiders screeched in pain as they lit up and fell to their deaths.  Kade did not have a chance to revel in any sort of victory as the scene before him unfolded.  He felt his chest constrict as the Divine Fire lit up the tops of the trees, revealing hundreds of the black creatures.
                  “Darcienna!” Kade yelled as he roughly grabbed her by the arms and spun her around to face him.  “Your shield!” he said harshly, breaking through to her.
                  Darcienna slowly raised her hands as if she were waking from a trance.  The green energy shot forth to surround them.  Two spiders bounced off the shield as it formed.  Kade jumped back as one hit the ground directly in front of him.  The dragon lunged.  Its teeth came together in a crash, but the spider was no longer in the same place.  It bounded into the air and landed gracefully on the dragon’s back.  In a fraction of a second, Kade realized that this fierce dragon may find an end at those poisonous fangs.
    Rayden swun g back and forth trying for the spider, but it was out of his reach and it was not going to be dislodged.  The spider reared slightly as its fangs extended.  Kade flew into action and performed the Lightning Calling faster than he had ever thought possible.  His hands were a blur and his movements were as fluid as water.  The spider lunged but missed as the dragon bucked.  The spider gripped the dragon tighter and reared, again.  It was not going to be denied in its second attempt.  It was just barely enough time.  The lightning shot forth to catch the spider just a mere hairs-breath away from the dragon’s hide.  How the Divine could interpret such a blur of movement was beyond Kade’s understanding,