The Matchmaker - The Arrax Saga Book 1 Chapter 216

The clearing buzzed with quiet anticipation. The sun had only just crested the treetops, casting long golden beams across the churned earth. The air was cool. It was the final morning of training, and everyone felt it, the weight, the urgency, the readiness.

Saphira stood at the centre of the field, wind tugging at the end of her plaited hair. Around her, the strongest of each faction gathered with a couple of their best, Finn for the wolves, Raven for the witches, Jasper for the vampires, and Jed and Asher for the dragons. The rest of the pack formed a wide circle around them, silent but alert.

Nikolas stepped forward. “This is it. One last session. We’ve trained hard. We’ve bled. We’ve learned. Today, we test everything.”

Saphira closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Then she opened the mind-link.

It unfurled like a breath held too long, soft, steady, and then suddenly everywhere.

*“Can everyone hear me?”* she asked.

A chorus of responses echoed back, some startled, some amused, all clear.

*“Whoa,”* Jed said. *“I can hear everyone.”*

*“This is incredible,”* Zafira murmured. *“We can speak while shifted.”*

*“No more shouting across the field,”* Jasper added dryly.

Saphira smiled. *“Let’s use it. Stay connected. Move as one.”*

They began.

The wolves went first. Finn led the charge, flanked by two others. They shifted mid-run, fur rippling, claws tearing into the earth. Their attacks were fast and coordinated, testing the defenders’ reflexes. Through the link, Saphira heard them calling positions, warning of flanks, adjusting in real time.

*“Left side’s open, cover it!”*

*“Switching targets. Go!”*

The defenders, witches, vampires, dragons, responded instantly. No hesitation. No confusion. Just movement.

Next came the vampires. Jasper moved like a shadow, slipping between defenders, testing their blind spots. The link buzzed with quick updates.

Then the witches stepped forward. Raven raised her hands, casting a layered illusion across the field. This time, she narrated it through the link.

*“Wall to your right is false. The shadow ahead is real.”*

The defenders adapted faster than ever before. The link turned chaos into choreography.

Finally, the dragons.

Jed and Asher shifted fully, wings slicing the air. They dove, circled, struck with precision. The defenders moved in sync, calling positions, shielding allies, adjusting flight paths.

Saphira and Nikolas joined the fray, holding back their full strength but moving with perfect unity. They didn’t need words. Their bond was its own language, fluid, instinctive, unshakable.

By early afternoon, the session slowed. The pack was breathless, sweat-slicked, and grinning. Mud streaked their clothes. Magic still hummed faintly in the air.

Nikolas raised a hand. “Hold.”

Everyone stilled and shifted back.

Saphira stepped forward, her voice carrying across the clearing. “You’ve done more than we asked. You’ve become more than we hoped.”

Nikolas met her gaze, then turned to the pack. “We’ve kept something from you. Not out of mistrust, but because we needed to be sure we could control it. It will be our secret weapon against the Core.”

He reached for Saphira’s hand. Together, they stepped into the centre of the field.

Their energy rose, slow at first, then building. Wind kicked up around them. The ground trembled beneath their feet. Flames curled around Nikolas’s fingers. Ice shimmered along Saphira’s arms. Sparks of lightning danced between them, crackling in the air.

And then together they released it.

A blast of elemental energy surged from their joined hands, striking the earth in a controlled explosion of fire, wind, and light. The ground cracked, glowing briefly before settling into silence.

They landed in the centre of the scorched ring, shifting back in unison.

The pack stared, stunned.

No one spoke.

Then Anastasia whispered, “Goddess.”

Jed let out a low whistle. “You’ve been holding that back?”

Nikolas gave a small smile. “The Core won’t be expecting us. Or the level of skill we’ve built together.”

Saphira stepped forward. “Rest. Eat. We’ll discuss final plans time after dinner in the dining hall. Everyone must be there.”

As the pack began to disperse, some still glancing back at the scorched earth, Nikolas turned to the inner circle.

“Jed, Raven, Asher, Zafira, Anastasia, Finn, Amara, Jasper, Talia, Sam, I want you in the office after lunch. Final prep.”

They all nodded without hesitation.

And then the pack moved as one, heading toward the hall, the bond between them stronger than ever.

The office was dim, the curtains drawn against the afternoon sun. A map of the Matchmaker’s territory lay stretched across the central table. Notes were scribbled in the margins, markers circling key points.

One by one, everyone filed in, Jed, Raven, Asher, Zafira, Anastasia, Finn, Amara, Jasper, Talia, and Sam. They all took a seat and waited patiently for Nikolas to start.

Nikolas stood at the head of the table, Saphira beside him. He looked around the room, meeting each gaze in turn.

“We leave at one in the morning. That gives us time to reach the outer edge of the Matchmaker’s territory, spread out, and scout before dawn. We strike at first light.”

A few nods. No surprise. They’d all known it was coming.

“I want the pack to move as one,” Nikolas continued. “No isolated units. No lone heroes. We go in as a single force, divided into groups, yes, but each one balanced. Wolves, vampires, witches, dragons. Every team needs to be able to handle whatever comes.”

Saphira stepped forward slightly. “We’ll rotate leadership within each group, but the strongest will ultimately lead. You.” Her gaze moved around the room. “You’ll lead from within. Keep them focused and moving.”

“And when we go for the Core,” Nikolas added, “Saphira and I will be at the front.”

A pause followed, not hesitation, just the quiet weight of agreement settling into place.

Raven folded her arms. “We’ll hold the line behind you.”

Jed cracked his knuckles. “And clear the path if needed.”

Asher gave a small nod. “We’ll be ready.”

Zafira leaned forward. “What about fallback signals? If something goes wrong?”

“We’ll use the mind-link,” Saphira said. “I’ll keep it open the whole time. If anything happens, you call it in. No delays. No second-guessing.”

Finn let out a slow breath. “Feels real now.”

“It is,” Nikolas said. “But we’re ready. You’ve all trained for this. Amara, I need you to arrange a team of the healers to come with the antidotes and medicine, but you will stay here.”

Amara nodded. “I will make sure they are ready.”

Saphira looked around the room, her voice softer now, but no less certain. “We’re not just going in to fight. We’re going in to end this. Together.”

Nikolas straightened. “I’ll tell the rest of the pack the plan after dinner. Then everyone should get as much rest as possible.”

Everyone agreed and then chairs scraped back and one by one, they left the room.

No one mentioned it, but Saphira could see it, they were all worried, it was clear in their eyes, in the silence.

*We will all make it, we have to.*