Okay guys I was planning on writing this chapter next week, but I got inspired and wrote in under four hours!
This chap is dedicated to Valcha45, you really made my day with that review and it inspired me. Thank you for writing it and noticing the amount of work I put in to improve every time I write as well as the character intricacies and emotions accompanying that. I sometimes feel like I have split myself apart here.
Also thanks to the others that have rated my story and your continued support a lot of you have been with me from the very first chap and stuck through the very bad grammar to get to the mildly bad grammar where we are now. Once I am done with book 1 i am going to take some time to fix those and other mistakes I have picked up, if i do both you guys will never get a new chap! Cant have that can we?
Anyway here is the chap!
Please check out this Fiction: http://royalroadl.com/fiction/6245
An apocalyptic serial novel by Scott Scherr
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52
Bad Humy!
Vinx flies and seven others fly as fast as their little wings can carry them, she had been connected with Slyfer whil they were talking to the human with the creepy smile. So as soon as he said that they had sent the army away to go and find a mage she and the others had sped off towards the Capitol’s direction. At first they stayed low, weaving between the grass and plants near the ground in order to escape detection from the Griffins. When the Griffins were out of site however they picked up the pace and spread out.
Their mission is simple, they need to find the army that left and inform them of what is happening so that they can at least send half of them back to avoid a disaster that may occur. Slyfer was fighting for his own reasons but buying time was the main one. The dragons told him that even if he were to win against the Orcs, if needed the humans would intervene.
The mission required haste and stealth, something the fairies had in bucket loads, however even though they were speeding along. Vinx could not help but wonder at the changes of the land behind the outpost. In every direction she looked, are farms as vast as her fairy eyes can see. Rows and rows of corn, followed by rows and rows of another vegetable then beasts for meat. It did not take much to realise that the first outpost guarded the agricultural part of Atlantia, however her mind could not fathom the amount of people that would need all this food!
Everything looks peaceful here and they passed many different races working together, all of whom are now heading back towards their houses that are set up intermittently along a broad paved road, the sheer amount of them turns every outcropping of houses into a small town like existence, and without fail in every town the most impressive building is undoubtedly the huge stores that have large crystals embedded on the roof. To her surprise these crystals gather magic at a constant rate; she had no time to inspect its use, but she assumed it was for keeping the food harvested fresh in some kind of way.
Vinx bites her lip, worry filling her little heart for Slyfer. The eldest of them all sees it and tries to cheer her up. “Slyfer will be fine, he is a dragon… something of which you always remind us.”
She frowns, “what does that matter; we know almost nothing about our enemy. He is a blind man fighting in the dark near a cliff's edge. Sure he may defeat a hundred, or a thousand but it only takes one lucky strike to end a life, one strike that I could warn him about if I am with him.”
The eldest smiles thinking that Vinx has grown up a lot since joining the boy. “Do not worry, one of us has stayed behind and is keeping a close eye on things. She has already found the extra troops the humans hid.”
Vinx’s frown deepens. “That does not make me feel better in any way.”
The eldest gives up and increases the speed a little, Vinx’s urgency starting to affect her as well…
In the elven camps all is quiet as the ones left behind wait with bated breath to hear of victory or… defeat. In a tent almost in the center is Vanya pacing up down frustration clearly on her face. She is not the only one that is frustrated in this tent. Fira sits not far from her riding on a chair with arms crossed. One hand holding a lock of hair in front of her. She had watched it change color numerous times in the last hour. The only thing keeping her sane is concentrating on Slyfer’s feelings.
Vanya stops and looks at the pair of almost Silver eyes that have been following her this whole time as she paced. She sighs then turns to Fira. ‘Could you please ask her to stop staring at me like that, it is strange.”
Fira looks a Luna, who seems to have not heard Vanya since her lazy eyes are still locked on the human. Fira is once again surprised at the weird way Luna is lying on her stomach with her head on her hands. She wonders briefly if Luna had learned to sleep like that from the tigress. The two have been very close lately.
Fira smiles. ‘Luna stop staring at Vanya, you are making her uncomfortable.” Vanya nods in appreciation but Luna’s words makes her face frown.
“Why is Luna making you uncomfortable?”
Vanya sits down. “Because you have been staring at me since we came in here.”
Luna shrugs as if it makes no difference. “Luna does not think that is a valid reason, why is Vanya so upset.”
Vanya frowns. “Well Luna, before Slyfer left I asked if I could go with and talk to the commander, since I am engaged to a noble it may have helped us gain some favor.”
Luna sits up, her legs folded underneath her and she tilts her head in question. “Why does Vanya want favor?”
Vanya stands up and paces again. “Its not that I want favor, but I want us to pass safely into Atlantia. Instead Slyfer locked me up here.”
Fira snorts. “Join the club my father put me here, saying I would be safe. I think I have gained the right to fight as well. I can’t believe Slyfer did not speak up for me.” She pouts while saying.
Luna lays back down her eyes staying on Vanya. She has taken Slyfer’s orders literally when he asked her to keep an eye on the human. Luna does not know why but Slyfer still does not completely trust her. As for Fira, Luna believes Slyfer just did not think of it at the time, he was too worried with a huge battle coming then to give attention to a father fighting with his daughter.
“Luna also thinks this is boring, but it is for the best if Alpha says so.” She had also wanted to go with, but Slyfer had stopped and chided her. Thinking back on it she feels a bit of regret.
He had told her that despite having many chances she never trained and hence is not ready for battle in her current form, there is also the possibility that she may lose control and start attacking friendly warriors. Slyfer had laughed when saying that, before his face turned a little sad and he said. “One crazy person on the battlefield is trouble enough.”
Luna sits up again and leans back against the headrest of the bed she is laying on. Vanya watches as the strange girl makes a fist and punches it out while saying “hah.” In a slow and lazy way. The fact that Luna’s face is neutral only adds to the strangeness of it.
Seeing the ridiculous look on Vanya’s face, Luna says. “Luna will train hard.”
Slyfer dodges a large ash green fist covered in what looks like nails aimed at his head. The fist is accompanied by a swoosh sound and Slyfer can feel the wind caused by the force touch his hair. –This is what, the ninth one? Don’t these stupid creatures learn?-
He grabs hold of the arm that is now above his head. With a light push from his leg he wings around it like an acrobat would on a crossbar. The Orc cries out in alarm right before Slyfer smashes his knee into its face. With a sickening crunch the head flattens , turning unrecognizable in an instant. Anger in Slyfer grows once more, he wants to finish this, but Grazvoc keeps sending his lackeys out. Any that refuse get killed by him. Slyfer laughs crazily while burning his latest victim. He is laughing because he knows something Grazvoc does not. Sooner or later the Orcs will decide that losing their souls is way worse than dying by his hand. Slyfer continues to laugh crazily while he thinks of new creative ways to kill. He picks up the arm that as the nail spiked glove on it, it’s the only part he did not burn. He holds it up, “the next Orc I will kill with this, come if you dare maggots! Or give me your Wyvern dung war chief!”
After that he turns his back on them and makes a few practice swings.
Not far away Blake giggles in delight. “I dare say that young savage is rather entertaining, don’t you think?”
“He is indeed my Lord, but if this continues it may turn to our disadvantage.” Says the advisor nervously.
Blake frowns, “why do you say that?”
“Well, well my Lord the Orcs are simple, they respect strength. The boy is showing that in bucket loads, so far he has defeated every opponent with a single blow and has received no injuries. If this continues they may decide to join his side.”
Blake swears. “Why did you not say that sooner, I will increase your punishment as a result,” he places his finger on his lower lip while thinking. “As long as Grazvoc still has the ward I gave him it won’t be so easy to kill him.”
The advisor frowns. “My Lord?”
Blake huffs in frustration, “unlike you I plan for the future, I gave Grazvoc a rather good present.”
The advisor is still confused. “My Lord with respect a anti-magic ward wont help, since they are not using magic.”
Blake slaps the advisor. “Are you stupid? DO you think I am idiot? Its not an anti-magic ward. Its that thing I was experimenting with.”
The advisor goes pail. “My Lord, it would drive him crazy, we still have no way of controlling the wielder once its activated!”
Blake stands up. “Are you talking back, did you just shout at me. I have been at this backwater outpost for nearly six months now! I hate it, in order to get out of here I have to stop these, these mongrels, these savages from getting past here. Do you understand? If I climb in rank, you do as well, so shut up and prepare to protect me if the need should arise.” Blake visibly calms down and straitens the robe part of his armor. He lets out a long breath and sits back down giving the advisor a smile. “Don’t worry if you die it will be a worthy sacrifice.”
Slyfer drops the now pulverized arm on to the already burning corps of yet another Orc. Having had enough, Slyfer steps toward the horde. He smiles as they subconsciously make way for him. He pauses only a second, his sense on full alert should one try and ambush him. Another step, another pause as his red eyes flicker around. His body by now is covered in dark green blood, his hare caked with the vile liquid, making him look more like a monster than anything else.
Seeing they made more way for him he starts to walk continuously and a road soon opens towards Grazvoc. Trisha watches as he stops ten meters away from the brute while holding her breath. The Queen laughs. “Look the Orc is shaking!”
Trisha focuses her eyes and it reveals that the Queen is talking the truth. Slyfer’s voice booms over to them. Its flat, neutral as if slaughtering the orcs was the same as peeling potatoes. For some reason this makes Trisha shudder even more than the crazy voice before. Its for a simple reason. The crazy voice was filled with madness; this one has ill intent, but has intelligence behind it. What’s more dangerous, a mad man hacking at you, or a trained killer with a honed blade?
Slyfer cocks his head while looking at the Orc rife with fear. “It is time Grazvoc, accept your fate.”
“Grazvoc no want fight, Grazvoc accept defeat, pointy ear is too strong.” The other Orcs start to growl with displeasure. Grazvoc had sent twelve Orcs to die before him and now he was cowering like a feeble humy.
Slyfer smiles evilly. “You know it does not work that way, you accepted my challenge did you not?” he gets no answer. Losing patience he shouts. “Did you not!”
Grazvoc goes to his knees. “Grazvoc sorry, Grazvoc help kill humys?”
Slyfer steps back and looks at the creature with disgust. “You help me, look around you Orc, your warriors have already abandoned you like you abandoned the twelve before you.”
He looks around to find angry stares filled with disgust. Sometime in their conversation the Orcs had backed away and are now standing closer to Slyfer. This angers Grazvoc, he had all the Orcs in the palm of his hand and he can kill anyone of them in single combat, yet now they look at him as if he is a pest.
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He breathes harder and stands up grabbing his axe and with practiced ease makes a swipe at Slyfer in the hope of surprising him! Slyfer steps back and the axe misses his abdomen by mere millimeters! He intends to step in, but Grazvoc having watched his way of fighting is already swinging his fist since the axe wont make it in time. Slyfer leans to the right and the fist shoots past! He suddenly grabs the arm and pulls the Orc forward. The Orc screams, knowing the killing blow comes next!
Blake closes his eyes and expands his consciousness, sending his senses towards the ward Grazvoc should have on him. The advisor shakes his head when Blake opens his eyes with a satisfied grin. “Now it begins, grow my abomination!”
Slyfer intending to throw Grazvoc into the ground senses a sudden spike of strange magic that makes his skin crawl in disgust, coming from the orc. Not knowing whats happening he lets go of the arm to early and instead of smashing the Orc into the ground, it goes flying int to the air!
All heads turn up as the screaming Orc flails in the air screaming in fear. “The Queen snorts I did not expect him to go that route.”
Aldowins’s voice breaks her smile. “No, something is wrong. Look at Slyfer!”
Slyfer readiess for the worst his instincts are screaming danger! Deciding not to wait, he sinks down and the Orcs start running when they see his legs swell. “Hah!” He pushes off leaving a crater behind and sending the Orcs who started running to late, flying. In the air he draws his sword while realizing Grazvoc has stopped screaming!
He steers his body using air magic preparing the sword. Air rips past his ears and everything is a blur except for his target! He pulls the sword back preparing to cut the thing clean in half, when a blood curdling screams fills the air. A strange light starts to shine from the Orc’s body enveloping it in the dirty magic. A second later Slyfer is there and with a mighty swing crashes into the ball of filth.
A sound akin to a thunder clap lets everyone grab their ears! The sound is followed by a blast of wind caused by the force of their collision. Blake’s satisfied smile turns into worry, when his creation crashes into the earth kicking up boulders, grass, dirt and dust in a twenty meter radius. Everyone is silent as they wait to see the result hidden by the dust.
A figure lands making his own small crater, before anyone can see who it is it turns into a blur once again blowing into the dust and the ring of a sword striking hard fills the air. At first its slow, then it starts to speed up. The ringing increases until it is a continues tone harmful to the ears!
Slyfer hacks and slashes in desperation increasing his speed to the limits, but it still yields no results. All the while he can hear the pitiful Orc scream in pain on the inside. It screams are enough to illicit pity from Slyfer in his current state, but that’s not the reason for his frantic attacks.
He can feel it, feel a magic grow that is both familiar and frightening to him. He has sensed it before in himself, only this is dirtier like looking into murky pool of rancid water where his would be pitch black. He starts to use magic to augment his attacks causing bursts of flames followed by torrents of water and air blades screaming with deathly intent. –Nothing works, this is bad!-
The attacks suddenly stop and the object of Slyfer’s fear is revealed! Around it is nothing but destruction. Spots of soil around the dirty looking orb is melted to the point of turning into water. Steam rises in a hiss as other parts with water touches it, and finally deep gashes are cut into the ground all around it, but the orb does not even have a scratch on it!
Slyfer jumps back towards Ban, a frantic expression on his face. “Ban, take Trisha, gather everyone and run, don’t look back just run!” Ban wants to talk back but Slyfer in his panic screams at him. “Ban I said run, all of you fuck off!”
Ban nods and starts immediately his troops quickly evacuate as he heads to Trisha’s location like a bat out of hell! Before he arrives his voice is already screaming at the people gathered. “Retreat Slyfer says retreat, something very bad is coming!”
In the camps Fira suddenly jumps up, “Something is wrong, I can feel fear. Fear is coming from Slyfer!” Luna sits up and her neutral face changes for the first time into one of worry. Vanya had stopped her pacing by now. “Slyfer afraid, I can hardly believe that!”
Fira shakes her head, almost on the verge of panic. “No, it’s true it’s something bad, very bad. I have to go, I have to help him!”
Luna stands up determination on her face. “Luna will go too!”
Fira only nods not really having heard anything past “go”. Vanya’s gaze flickers between the two before she nods.
“I will help you.”
All the fairies stop in unison and turn back to where they had come from. As one all ask at the same time. “What is that?”
Vinx flies towards the direction; the Eldest’s voice stops her. “Vinx we cannot help we are already far away, we can only trust in Slyfer.”
Vinx nods but her little heart aches with worry. “Come on lets go.” Is all she can say before speeding away with tear stained cheeks, intent on completing her mission no matter what!
Slyfer watches in dismay as the army starts to retreat. –Too slow- He augments his voice. “You are too slow you slugs, move like your lives depend it, move, move, move!”
He looks back at the orb that is slowly starting to take shape. He swallows hard. –I will kill it, I have to and then, then that human is going to be my new toy!-
As if registering for the first time he looks toward Blake’s location. –Coward, he must have ran off as soon as he saw the dust clear, no matter I will drag him out of wherever he is after this and straight into his own little hell.-
Footsteps, behind makes him want to scream and bash in whoever's head it is, that is so stupid! He turns around and his heart drops lower that the soles of his feet. “Trisha, what are you doing here. Where is Ban I will break all his limbs!”
She grabs and kisses him. “Calm down, I am here now and there is no way I am leaving. So accept it and and tell me how I can help.”
Slyfer feels some of the panic leave him when hearing her soothing voice. His brain that had been working overdrive slows down and turns focused. He kisses her again and leans his forehead against hers while holding her tight. “Thank you, but I wish you had not come. I can’t lose you after I have just found you.”
She puts her hands around his neck, not caring about his green blood covered appearance. “Lose me to that blob? She smiles I have seen worse…lets get through this.” Slyfer nods with a new found determination and steps back. He can’t help but smile when he sees her forehead covered in goo!
As one they turn towards the morphing, churning ever growing blob.
Trisha takes a few steps back readying her bow. –Its time I show off a bit of my tricks! I refuse to follow him in his shadow, I trained hard every time I went out with Vinx to collect the herbs I even used it on myself! Time to show him my power.- Slyfer nearly turns around when he feels spike of magic from behind him.
-So the kitty cat learned how to use magic?- He blows out a deep breath focusing his all on gathering his own magic. “Trish when that thing forms, we are going to blow it straight to hell!”
Fira and Luna mounted on none other than Grey King run against the tide of flowing soldiers, in the opposite direction. Fira swears. “That bitch one-upped us again.” Luna looks at Fira questioningly. “Its Trisha, she is already by Slyfer’s side and it feels like they are getting ready to face whatever it is that spooked Slyfer.”
Luna makes a fist and hits her other hand with the flat side like she has seen others do. “Luna should have been first, Tiger is not first for no reason.”
Fira decides to ignore the muttering Luna behind her and focuses on just staying on Grey King’s back! He dodges to the right of an oncoming group of elves before leaping over two other wolves who whelp in surprise. Seeing the path is finally clear he growls low and doubles the pace, pushing his lungs, muscles and already frantic heart to the limit! –Hmpf, can’t believe I listened to him damn two leg if you die I will turn into a hell-hound and drag you back from the abyss just to kill you again!-
On the hill where Slyfer had stood, Aldowin now finds himself reluctant to leave. Next to him are the respective Queens of the High Elves and tigers crumpled up at their feet is Trisha’s unconscious mother. The cause of her state her own daughter when she and Ban had tried to stop her from going to Slyfer! Ban has already been rushed of to the infirmary due to his wounds.
Aldowin looks at her and then Trisha. “My student has found himself a good woman.” His words are barely cold when a female voice interrupts his worried thoughts. “Move old man or we run you over!”
Aldowin still wants to turn and look, but the Queen dive-tackles him just as Grey King’s paws pass where his head was a moment ago! Aldowin jumps up wanting to curse them, but seeing who it makes him pale as a ghost! Fira with her red hair blazing looks like a warrior Queen her magic is already leaving a path of singed grass behind. Luna is basically standing on Grey Kings back in anticipation to see Slyfer, how she is keeping her position without holding on and falling off is beyond Aldowin!
The last one of their group suddenly speaks. “What are they doing Slyfer said to evacuate.”
Aldowin looks at the Snow Elf girl, “they are following their hearts.”
Venon wants to object, but a sudden crash interrupts anything she would have wanted to say. A deafening roar follows after it along with the crackle of magic on a scale she has never seen!
Slyfer fires all the magic he had gathered in one go, feeling like every pore on his body is being ripped open. The air heats and then suddenly combusts into a raging tornado of flame, so large it nearly reaches him who is standing a hundred meters away from its epicenter. Shortly after, wind blades along with arrows fly over his head and into the fire continuously. They make the air scream to a point that his ears tart to ring and bleed!
Fira jumps down and shouts with exertion as her magic mingles with Slyfer’s, with another shout she punches at the ground and the tornado follows suite collapsing on itself and into the center. The ground underneath instantly turns into molten lava and starts to move in a circular motion. Churning and crushing everything and anything in its wake!
Slyfer looks at the new arrivals with surprise and fear. “What are you-“
His voice is interrupted with a bang as their combined magic is ripped apart. Following it is a voice so tormented with pain it makes them all cringe involuntarily. It sounds wheezy and distorted. Slyfer swallows hard… the abomination survived!
“Whyyyy, paain, whyyy. Bad humy. Why pain so much.”
The fire completely dissipates revealing a creature so grotesque Slyfer wants to throw up at the sight of it. Even worse is the dirty and disgusting magic emanating from it! It walks towards them in a hobble like fashion, the lava hissing as it burns exposed flesh forming blisters that spew green puss. To Slyfer’s dismay it heals continuously as it burns repeating the process over and over. “Help, kill me. Pain so much, killll meeee.”
The thing grabs it bulbous head that has at least four mouths spaced around it. Tusks stick out in all directions on the top of its head, forming a horned crown. Eyes that weep dark green blood are spaced around the multitude of mouths and stare at hem some blinking, others not. It cries out again and Slyfer’s shudders when he realizes it’s none of the mouths on its disgusting head, but instead a large one stretching from its groin to its shoulder!
Trisha gags when the wind carries the smell of the thing's corruption. It suddenly convulses and spews out a yellow liquid from every mouth. Slyfer tries to swallow his disgust and fails nearly throwing up. The thing shudders again making lifeless extra limbs sprouting all over its body shake. Then it stops. “Why you no help, why you leave paaaiinblegh,” more yellow bile spouts mid-sentence. It then starts to lick it up with the huge tongue darting form its large mouth; it stops again and as if remembering.... All its eyes once again focuses on Slyfer.
“Help, kill you no help! Why, why, Why, Why, WHY!”
This time the voice was filled with anger and hate. Slyfer readies his sword that already has nicks and cracks in it. “Get ready, it’s coming!”