68

Intervention

Sorren opens his eyes to a fiery sky; the clouds cast in orange by the setting sun. With a grunt he tries to take his arm from under his body. An indescribable pain borders him on the edge of consciousness, threatening to take drag him down again. He grits his teeth letting out a muffled moan biting his lip to the point of drawing blood. Doing so was the wrong thing to do and the taste of dirt fills his mouth.

He looks around him only to see vegetables? –What happened to me?- Sorren’s groggy and pain filled mind starts to put things together. Slyfer had been holding onto him when the griffins attacked. Then they had spun. Spun so fast Sorren’s vision went black and he passed out for a few seconds. When he came to he was soaring through the air. Below was nothing but fields of green. With a racing and sinking heart he realized he had been thrown! His momentum slowed down and in doing so his body started to drop through the skies until he finally plowed into the ground, digging a ditch through the field of green.

He tries to talk, but the resulting pain makes him want to throw up. –Is Slyfer okay, is my sister alive. What happened to Alexo… the griffins, gods so many griffins!- He sits up screaming as he does. His breathing is labored, caused by a few cracked or broken ribs. Turning his head ever so slowly he looks at the arm that was stuck under him. The thing is broken, hanging uselessly at an odd angle.

On top of it all he has no idea how long he has been out. He can already feel the madness clawing for control and when it wins he will turn into a demon. He lifts his other arm to test it. It is fine but three fingers on his hand are broken. Swearing he reaches for a hidden pocket in his armor. The painful throbbing of the damaged fingers makes him want to scream. But he swallows it down, hating himself for his weakness, hating the world for what brought him to this.

The pocket is near his chest. With a deep breath and a loud grunt he forces his hand in. Hand shaking he tries a few times to take out the satchel holding the orange powder, swearing every time he fails to grasp it. He finally reaches and pulls it out with another painful whine, but the effort is too much for his broken body and he soon finds himself on his back again.

Slyfer now in a warm and cozy bed has a thin sheen of sweat covering his body. The healers had tried to clean him as best they could, but some parts of his body still have dried blood on it. At the foot of the bed sits three women. In the corner of the room are Aldowin and Vanya. Shcree is also present sleeping soundly on a pillow next to Slyfer. In his mind he has a birds eye view over what was the enemy camp. Somehow his limbs have enlarged and are blood red. He watches but can’t control as a few humans are turned into meat paste by one of his now huge red claws.

-Why, they did not fight…. Why kill them.-  He looks down only to find a Dwarf’s head sticking out of what he can only describe as a bunch of cracked boulders. Next to it the dwarf is another person. A High Elf by the look of it, but he can’t make out the Elf’s face due to the hair hanging over it. Slyfer takes off. He starts to panic. –Why am I in my dragon form!- Before he can continue to think on it the scene quickly changes. The camp grows smaller and then enlarges. Slyfer knows he is somehow using dragon sight to search the camp. –What am I searching for?-

Before the thought can finish he spots a bloody human laying sprawled on the ground. On his face is a ghastly bloody smile. The human’s eyes are lifeless. The human is dead. The human is Alexo? Slyfer roars and dives toward the scene. He crashes to the ground cracking it and collapsing tents. Paying no heed to the screaming soldiers around Slyfer’s other claw reaches out and picks up the body. Only now can Slyfer see that there is another person in that claw as well. -A woman… a very large woman… Its Birtha!-

At the thought something rushes through his memories of her, quickly analyzing it before leaving as quickly as it came. The dwarf looks up at Slyfer and says something. Slyfer can’t quite make out what it is. To him it feels like he is floating underwater and sealed off from the world. Slyfer  roars again making those in the camp run for their lives. Wherever he goes no one dares to attack, they only stare up, frozen in fear or they run disappearing into the multitudes of tents.

Slyfer watches as he takes off, the scene quickly changes to that of vast green fields. With a few beats of his wings he soon leaves the camp behind. He suddenly slows down. There is a small crater far below. His dragon sight comes into play again and the scene enlarges almost to the point of making him disorientated. His vision had never been this strong!

In the middle of the small crater is something that can barely be called humanoid. Its limbs are stuck at odd angles. Its dirt covered and the hair is silver. –Wait… silver hair. Could that be Sorren?-

Once again the thing rushes through his mind and in the blink of an eye goes through all the memories he has of Sorren. Slyfer dives down he can feel his lungs fill with air as magic and fire starts to gather in his maw. The dwarf starts screaming causing Slyfer to feel annoyed to the point of going crazy in rage. Just as quick as the rage grew so too does it fade along with the magic and fire. Slyfer lands and scoops Sorren up. Soon he is in the air again and he can vaguely sense that he is headed towards a tower.

Things slowly start to turn black until he once again finds himself in the abyss. Alric powers onward. He feels annoyed and surprised. Annoyed that he could not kill nearly as much as he wanted if it were up to him he would have killed every single human, but the Dwarf King is even worse than Serena. Constantly nagging him, screaming for mercy on the other rodents’ behalf.

He feels surprised that Slyfer’s consciousness has grown so powerful in a short while. He invaded Slyfer’s mind to get more information, to use it as a reference to search for people that could have any information. It wasn’t long before it woke up and watched what Alric was doing. It tried to take control a few times, but of course the hatchling is more than a thousand years too early to try that. It is not long before the tower comes into view.

Alric is once again surprised. The architecture is unlike anything he has ever seen…. Or destroyed. He watches as Elves scurry around like ants mounting strange large crossbows. –They intend to fight?-

His heart fills with glee at the prospect of destroying something that has never been seen before, but it sinks when Serena appears from behind the tower. –I hate her, oh how I hate this damn female.- He lets out a mighty roar just to let the two-legs know how lucky they are. He nearly chortles in pleasure when a few pass out because of his killing intent.  The others quickly drop their weapons and some curl up into balls. –Bah weak maggots. They are not worth a fart!-

“Alric, stop your nonsense. I am sure you have already killed a few by giving them heart attacks already.”

Serena’s voice causes his irritation to rise to new levels. “It is not my fault they are weak and cannot withstand-“

She interrupts him, “I bet it is not the killing intent, but your ugly face causing them grief.”

He growls. –Hateful creature, one day I will bite her tail off!-

The two circle each other and Serena’s eyes scan his claws. “So you brought some two-legs back. You are not completely useless afterall.”

He growls audibly causing the confused Dwarf to start panicking. If the two start fighting he knows it won’t end well for him.

“You say I am useless? Who slept through sixteen years of Slyfer’s life while I gathered all the gold to the point where you basically disappeared under it. Such a lazy female, I wonder how you ever got a mate.”

“Enough!”

At the mention of her mate Serena had clearly become angry. Alric is filled happiness at seeing the always calm Serena getting angry. She usually gets the better of him when they have words. This time he feels like he won.

Serena angles away from him and the two head behind the tower from where she came. He can see an open field and near it a bunch of tables with self-important two legs sitting on them. Putting on his best scowl he dives towards them. He can see panic flash across their faces! One actually topples over his chair in his haste to try and get away. At the last moment he extends his wings and lands with a crash. Serena shoots him with another insult about his landings. –Who cares for beauty, when a dragon lands even the earth beneath his feet must quake in fear!-

He waits for the dust to settle all the while staring at the two-legs. To his surprise the High Elf Queen is already on bended knee. He once offered to go kill her when she did not want to join the alliance. –Now she kneels as soon as I arrive?-

His eyes sweep over them pinning them down like insects. –Where is the lanky sword master…. The coward must be hiding?-

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Serena walks up next to him the two of them making an awe inspiring sight. Serena for a her beauty and grace and Alric for his pure built to kill atmosphere. Placing the two-legs he carried down on the ground he looks at the rodents. “What do you want?”

His gruff and rough voice makes them unsure of themselves and the fools look to each other for a way out. “Speak!”

They jump at his command, the first to speak steps forward a Dark Elf by the look of things. Alric searches Slyfer’s memories again. –This one is called Great Hunter…. What a joke.-

“Lord Dragon, we were just discussing with Lady Serena what  Slyfer’s purpose is-“

-Maggot, look at him shake.-

“-we were hoping that the two of you can shed some light on-“

-Maybe I should kill him?-

“So Lady Serena was telling us of what Slyfer wishes to accomplish and the role the dragons will serve.”

-Why does it talk so much… serve did the maggot just say serve?-

“We were also discussing how we could help accomplish this task and ensure a safe future-“

Alric suddenly growls and launches forward his large jaws opening and snapping shit a mere millimeter from Great Sun’s face, the force and clap of it causing Great hunter to topple over and roll back a few times unceremoniously.  “If not for Serena’s presence you would be dead! You dare ask me how you will accomplish Slyfer’s task? Your ancestors or you yourselves swore an oath!  Yet you stand here asking me this, are you an imbecile. Do you wish to die?  I have been beyond the mountain, I have seen what the betrayer has done to the land and people….  if you do not unite, you are all dead or worse. Let me tell you… No let me show you fools what awaits you or your stupidity will lead to your undoing!”

Alric’s head rises and he looks down on them the way you would a dirty insect. “When I am done and you still ask me that question. I will kill you, take Slyfer and leave you to your fates.”

Great hunter gets up sputtering and disheveled. He looks to Serena for help but she pretends not to see him at all. Before he can say something Alric’s consciousness crashes into his as well as everyone else gathered around.

Luna leans over resting her chin on her other arm; she is splayed out on the bed next to Slyfer and her eyes have never left Vanya. The other girl is squirming under her gaze, which is understandable since she has been staring at Vanya since they entered the room. Trisha is sitting near the edge of the bed absentmindedly playing with her tail. What Serena said keeps running through her mind. -Am I really meek? Does it make me meek to ask if I am really meek?- She glances over at Fira who is sitting not far from her.  –She has it worse…-

Fira is holding her head in shame. Not only did she not make an impression, she passed out! She cant explain what happened her breathing just started speeding up, her heart was racing and before she knew she saw stars and then darkness. –What must Slyfer’s mother think of me? Trisha managed to keep standing and yet she was called meek!-

The silence is broken when Slyfer lets out a soft grumble. Vanya who has been avoiding looking in their direction does so only to find Luna’s eyes still trained on her.  Luna gives her a predatory smile, which causes Vanya’s head to snap away from Slyfer’s direction, for some reason Vanya feels guilty just for looking at him. Even with her back turned she can feel Luna’s eyes. –Why is she doing this?-

Trisha leans over and wipes at Slyfer’s head with a cold cloth. For some reason he looks a lot thinner. It makes her brow crease with worry.

Fira watches her hand as she does it. She starts swearing at herself for the sudden pang of jealousy it brings. Ignoring it she walks over to the other side of the bed just to be a bit closer. She feels like screaming. Her heart is filled with uncertainty. When Slyfer left they were not on good terms. –What if he wakes up and chases me away, what if he rejects me…- She bites the inside of her cheek as these thought mill around in her head, making her want to bash it against a wall.

Luna stretches out. Drawing both Trisha and Fira’s attention. Both frown at the same time. –How can she be so relaxed!-

Slyfer grumbles again and slowly opens his eyes. The first thing he sees are three of the most beautiful faces in his world. For a moment he just looks at them. Although he is confused about Fira’s presence he decides to push it aside for now. No in fact he is confused about everything. “How did  I get here?”  Trisha flops down on him hugging tightly to his chest.  He smiles. “Did you miss me?”

When hearing his voice Trisha smiles back and a tear runs down her cheek. “You are never leaving me behind again, you hear me!”

Slyfer wants to rub the tear away but something feels strange with his arm. Sensing it Trisha looks down. “Slyfer your arm its…”

Lifting it above the blanket rather slowly, for fear of what he might see. Slyfer steels his resolve. He remembers the pain of losing it. When it appears, Slyfer nearly screams. “My arm is small!” The others look at it with surprise. Just yesterday there was nothing, now though there is a small baby hand. He flexes it and nearly screams again. –What is this!-

Aldowin walks over, his face serious. “Slyfer you lost your arm in the battle. Because of your healing abilities it has partially grown back, but for some reason it has stopped and now it may never grow to its normal size again.”

Slyfer and the others look between Aldowin and the weird baby hand. Slyfer flexes it again. “This was my strong hand!”

Unable to hold it any longer Aldowin bends over and starts laughing. While saying the same thing over and over again. “This was my strong hand.” He continues to laugh as everyone stares at him Schree hearing the commotion jumps up from the pillow she was on.  Seeing Slyfer awake, she jumps on his shoulder and smells his nose in greeting.

Slyfer is too shocked to pay attention. Aldowin continues to laugh now pointing at Slyfer’s concerned face. He then points at the baby hand, which at that very moment starts to twitch. “Your face was priceless; I would definitely pay to see it again.” Seeing the panic in Slyfer’s eyes Aldowin smiles and explains. “Due to… some racial traits you can grow back lost limbs, however, it usually takes a few decades. He gestures at the hand. It growing so fast must be due to your healing ability, but be warned it will take all of your strength as it grows. You will not be able to fight in such a state.”

Slyfer furrows his brows. He wants to swear at Aldowin but it will have to wait. Lifting his hand and feeling a bit more relieved with the news, he starts to scratch behind Schree’s ear. “I missed you girl.” The flying monkey snuggles into his neck the way it always had before. Still scratching her, he looks at the others. If things could remain like this forever it would be perfect, but looking at the weird hand reminds him that he will have to fight if he wants to continue living in peace. With a long sigh, Slyfer looks up at Aldowin once again feeling the weight of what he has to do on his shoulders. “Please explain to me how I got here.”

Down below in the field the atmosphere is far more serious. They had tried to block their minds from the invasion, but Alric’s mind washed through them like a tsunami and they were simply pebbles of sand to be easily brushed aside. Within seconds their faces changed from ones of anger to ones of fear. What Alric showed them was no light matter. What he showed them spelled their doom.

Alric exits as quickly as he entered. He then growls at one of the High Elves standing to the side. “Traitor!”

Hearing him say it the High Elf panics and falls to his knees. “Please Lord Dragon I did not know what was transpiring beyond the mountains. I beg forgiveness, I beg-“

Before he could finish Lookin’s father had struck. The High Elf’s face is set in shock. A moment later his head rolls off of his body and hits the ground. Blood flowing from his now severed neck.  “Disgusting pig, you dare align yourself with something so evil! Even if you were tortured a thousand lifetimes it would not be enough.” Lookin’s father spits on the corpse.

Alric looks at the Elf. “You carry the same smell as this one.” He points toward Lookin still unconscious on the ground. His father had not paid attention to him since he believed his son would never be in such a state. The High Elf rushes forward, but Alric’s words stop him halfway. “He too is a traitor will you treat him the same way?”

His father stops dead in his tracks. All concern leaving his face only to be replaced by a blank mask. Old Sun finally recovers from what he had seen. He stands up, face grim. “Summon messengers and our fastest wolves. I want them here, now!”

The dwarf wants to do the same, but soon realizes he is the only dwarf here. He needs to return as soon as possible they need to act fast. He needs all the available troops his race can muster. Or there will be no hope for them. There may already be none!

The Dwarf walks over to Alric with no fear at all. From what he has seen, dying now would be a blessing! “Lord Dragon, I need to return. We need to make preparations.”

Serena snorts in disdain. “Now they wish to act? I think we should just leave.”

All heads snap to her and Alric chuckles. “I agree Serena.”

Great Hunter jumps up. “No! You can’t, even after all you have seen you wish to leave-“

Alric growls. “We cant? Don’t make me laugh Dunmer. You abandoned us remember this is your doing, this was your choice. All of you here deserve less than nothing from us.”

Great Hunter swallows hard. How can he refute those words?  How can he say anything against it. He had started to believe in the boy, but seeing his daughter drift away from him once again made him blind again. He started to doubt once more. Even worse. This is the result of what his father chose. To refuse helping the dragons in their time of need. His refusal to follow through on his promise has inadvertently condemned them all to a fate far worse than death!

Lookin’s father finally moves after having stared at his son for some time. He looks at the Queen his voice cold and without emotion. “My Queen, what will we do?”

The Queen does not reply. Her mind is repeating the things she saw. The suffering even the humans are living under. The woods, the grasslands the flowing hills. Nature has been corrupted to a point where nothing grows in the West and it’s all her fault. She had seen how the dragons were defeated, but she had never seen what it led to. The strange things the humans have built, war machines of strange designs she could never imagine. –Slyfer was right. We stood still while they advanced far beyond our comprehension.-

Seeing his Queen stuck as she is Lookin’s father turns and calls for a mount and messenger. One soon arrives. He then unceremoniously puts the reins in the Dwarf’s hands. “Go, Master Dwarf. My Queen will await your return. He then turns to Alric and goes on his knees. “Lord Dragon, I will take the punishment for my Queen’s actions in her stead. Please do not leave us. Do not abandon us.”

Alric turns away. “How can your life make up for the thousands of my kind that were killed? How can such a thing make up for all that we have lost?”

Alric nearly snaps when he feels a small hand brush against his leg. He stops when he sees a head of green hair. Jade looks up at Alric then Serena and smiles even as tears of hopelessness streak down her face. “Lord and Lady Dragon you have already paid your dues. You have already lost so much. Please go, I ask only that you keep my brother and his loved ones safe. We do not deserve your help. Our actions have already condemned us to this fate.”

Great hunter and the other elders look at her in surprise. The looks soon turn to anger. “Jade what are you say-“

She turns and snaps at hem. “Shut up! What gives us the right to ask this of them? What makes you believe we can request more help after everything our people has done?  We do not deserve it! Where were we when they needed us the most? Where were we when their hatchlings and mates died?”

Great Hunter wants to speak again, but the Queen cuts him off. “She is right, we made our beds. I killed my race when I made that choice.”

The tigress who had been lazing in the sun sits up. “If Slyfer goes, we will go.”

Great hunter snorts. “Pray tell, where will you go? Just where do you think you can hide from what you just saw!”

The tigress licks her paw. “I do not know, but to me it looks like you all have already lost hope. When the leaders have lost hope how can they expect their people to continue to fight? I cannot align myself with weak willed two-legs.”

Grey King steps forward and past the tigress. “The wolves will fight! We will not lay down and be hunted like deer to be slaughtered. We will fight, biting, scratching and howling with pride to the end. After all there is no other way. We have lived under oppressors already and I would rather die than see it happen again.”

Great Hunter looks at the wolf surprised. Another Dark Elf elder speaks up. “You talk as if you actually have a choice!”

Grey King leaps forward a few of his wolves in tow. “Try and tell me otherwise elf. I would like to hear you say it again while I chew on your bones.”

The Dark Elf pales and shrinks back. Grey King turns towards the wolves behind him. “As of today the wolves are free to choose our own path. It is high time that we take back our destinies. We will fight to the last swipe of my paw and bite of my jaw.”

The fairies surround the wolves. “We too will stay and fight.”

This causes Serena and Alric to both look surprised. Serena speaks up first. “Why will you fight?”

The fairy giggles at the dragon as if it’s a stupid question. “Lady dragon how long have you watched over Slyfer?”

Caught off guard the dragon is silent for a while and then replies. “His whole life.”

The fairy turns to Alric. “And you Lord, how long has it been?”

Alric growls, he never liked fairies. They are too happy and anything that is too happy, he finds suspicious. “Why ask these stupid questions, get to the point.”

The fairy shrugs and giggles. “You both have known and watched over Slyfer his whole life, yet you do not understand him. The fairies will stay because Slyfer will stay. Even if you were to drag him away he would come back. Anything short of killing him will not keep him contained.” The fairy giggles again. “We will not go and neither will the Sky Prince!”

Silence reins and the fairy floats closer.

Her attention narrows so that only the two dragons can hear her words. “Of course, I believe you two already knew that.”