Chapter 15: Bait of Harbor
[Violetta POV]
The days kept on flying forward before I realized it had already been the end of the second month of winter. Thus the echoing roar sounds like the beginning of the invasion, an army of dragons. The army flying of griffin onto the flock of war, readying myself it seems, I ride the machinery which resembles the broom.
It has been days in and out of creeping anxiety, the old fool also has been so worked up of late. His anxiety is all over the place, it is visible on his face without asking. For the reason? Well, I can not say and it is not in place to ask something like that, albeit it is too late now.
Hearsay I can’t shake off even my own anxiety let alone his. After all, we are all just toys for the divine, it’s bitter how someone like me is considered a pawn when I have my own aspiration and something to live for yet be treated like that.
“Something bothering your mind? You are quite stern about this, this isn’t the battle you are going fight you know?” Putting my package onto the flying machinery, I ask of Darwen. Don’t know why maybe lord Mikhail is trying something for his entertainment. The cruelty of immortality is rich.
“And what would make it any better, fighting dragons is one thing, surviving it is another. You know full well what made of those experiences.” Darwen says with quite a worrisome tone, that it has been a while since the relationship died down from the usual bickering.
“This is just a bait tactic, the explosives are our main point there, discard your worry about me and focus on your axe, it is going to break if you grip it so much.” Lightening the mood, I joke as I ride the broom to check its engine. I embroiled the uniqueness onto the wide sky.
“Right now you are still joking, are you? Fine, at least don’t shun me out of this. I am the kingdom’s sword, it is also my duty to determine its end.” He rode a griffin alongside me with the same speed that was able to mimic the strength of something ran from the mana itself.
I don’t expect any less from him, despite old age still being my rival that I have wholeheartedly given myself to and strive for the improvement of no end. My comrades have also departed from their station, one-third shall be the scout while the other serve at the bait.
After a while, they hurried back into formation. A few of them in tattered and frostbite. Most of them return to the medic for treatment, and there is one who speaks clearly enough for a report
“Urgent! Report from the scout, there are thirteen on the horizon, they are furious and….” He stutters as if the horror has enough of him wholely while still giving the best front face for the bravery left in the heart.
“Their leader is Zardori, the winter’s wrath.” The battalion lost their morale with the single sentence, that was the same one who had taken Marvos’s father's life. The same one that has overtaken the north with his first advance. It would be true when they are in the rush for something diabolical.
Well, these comrades have taken courage into their hearts, it would be unwise to lose hope right? I shall give them a rally speech. At least before it should be my last words. I don’t want to have any regrets before leaving this world, at least not that inelegant.
“Ahem, listen-“ I cough getting attention before he takes the spotlight
“Soldier or something of the kingdom, you all look destroyed just by some mighty names, it’s so detestable. You know there is no turning back, right?” Darwen spills something that is even worse now, to take advantage of the weakness of my comrades. How irritating does the murmur start to crowd?
“You should look forward to it. Fighting it like your last second on earth. Don’t count on turning tails right now, It won’t be easy but there is always something that you fighting for, right?” He says with a smirk on his face, whatever he can talk down of there is always a way for his antic to be reversed.
“Whether it is wealth, honor, or someone you wish to save. If you fail today's battle, there will be countless to harm tomorrow. So get your spirit up, the end is waiting for us but death awaits you much later.” Darwen flies toward the cloud to where the dragons are, without a second word. That is reckless…I just can’t have the same reason to have that courage anymore.
“He is right, we have something to protect.” One mage starts with the murmur and along there would be soon after.
“Wealth, we can’t spend them when dying here. I have too many spells to study.” Another shout into an uproar of the rally.
“Honor, huh? Well, coming from the family of long-serving line this sure sounds like a reason to die for.” The last sounds with excitement and contentment, we may all die today but for a good reason I don’t feel fear anymore.
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“Then all combatant mages of the 1st battalion rally yourself. The plan shall follow the will of the third archangel and King Marvos.” I command as the rest of us follow the wind-cutting trial that Darwen long left to where the dragons are.
To the vast sky above where the invasion takes place, they take no mercy upon those ants that trample under them. The first two dragons appeared in the southern region of Umbridge.
Razm, the tempest symphony, and Nazli, the dancing gales. The playful storm in the destruction of the harbor belongs in a mocking tone.
“Are these human ideas of battling boats? Have they gone down in strength after a few centuries? How disappointing.” With those words, Nazli boasts of the wind taking off the fishermen's boat when we can’t help but watch in sorrow.
“Well, you can’t take notice of the inferior beings like them. All you need is to stick to Zadori's plan, you don’t want to anger him right?” Razm's scornful growls as the thunderous assault destroys the lighthouse and Umbridge’s central stature.
“Quite a late regroup, witch. How should we deal with this, should we detonate the dynamite that master has planned?” Darwen approached from behind and asked, it is tempting with all the boasting that they have been provoking but…
“It’s still too soon as there are thirteen of them, even enchanted I hardly doubt they would permanently harm two let alone the rest of them,” I say with caution, why does he shake his head like that?
“You don’t seem to understand the situation, Violet. Master never said that you and the others should handle all of them. He has dispatched with the adventurers to the border to deal with some of them.” Darwen says with a sigh, why hasn’t lord Mikhail said anything about this…
[“…in all thinking you must experience the real thing to witness the chaos the universe has to offer.”]
Is this what he meant by the chaos of the universe, what a mischievous one behind the shell of someone with only ignorance and all mighty. Maybe it was right to put my trust in him after all.
“Still we should bide our time, as you said. I still my communication to come with them.” As he said, a single magic dove flew to the trace of him as the dragons noticed our hiding in the cloud.
“There you are, irritating ants. Prepare to meet your end!” Razm firing in a thunderous tempest at the cloud, causing chaos among my formation, all because of the single bird?
“Now what are we going to do, it is all because of your stupid communication faulty!” I scorn irritatingly at him, now foremost is rearranging our lost and bringing the wounded to the medic. But where do we retreat to?
“…It’s good news worth the chaos of my message. There are only three left on the other side. The only one that needed to be captured alive is Zadori their leader.” Another tall order, well I am glad that the stake of said situation has gone down for a bit but there are still two dragons at hand to beat.
“I have a suggestion, witch. If you are willing to listen.” Darwen makes is discerning smirk, is he thinking that this war is all fun and game to him?
“What is it? And make it quick.” I scornfully say.
“Tell your battalion to return to rest and regroup at the border of the Wall of Dark and Light. We shall handle these two weakling by ourselves.” Darwen says readying his axe, what left of sanity has left that man but I am not that normal either.
“Mages of 1st battalion, all dismissed and regroup at the border of the Wall of Dark and Light. The last battle shall take place there.” I command as the griffin flock carrying them soaring back. I and Darwen come down to the ground where the two dragons have been waiting.
“Finally dare show yourself, ants? Well, it would be fun to sample the last hope of this place.” Nazili says with the growing tempest coming in southward at us.
“Handle the yellow one, I will handle the blue one.” Darwen knocks his head and jumps his griffin onto the battle at the west of the harbor. Leaving me alone with Nazili and her brewing tempest coming.
“A human woman…I am being generous, if you pleading I will play with your body for a little before giving you a fitting death. Deal?” Nazili laughs, how irritating now I have to hear a little lizard while a little second I am still scared of it. How stupid I am.
“In another million years, your lizard. On the contrary, you would be the one who shall be pleading.” I taunt her toward the dynamite-filled house. As stupid as a lizard brain would be it took the bait without a second thought.
[“Growing wind carrying the frost of the night, heed my call”] [‘blizzard’] The cold air worsens the storm, all but to blindfold the lizard into making a mistake. The snowflakes fill the air with cold so does the dust of the dynamite. Accumulated little by little, this small snowball will become a storm.
[“Singing the glory of light, bring me the dust of spring”] [‘flos’] Small pollen begins to spurt around with a dust-filled tone where the laughter and sound fade into nothingness. It would be extravagant how my end be if the plan be at my thinking, however an end to this kind of lizard? I would never in a thousand years.
[“Let my fury echo through endless time,
My legacy's hymn, an unbroken chime.
A flame, summoning the world's demise,
Cinders' echo resounds, defying all ties."]
[‘Ira flagrans’] As the resounding of the dynamite and the dusty air break the murking of the tempest. A large scale of flame through the negate cry of anger, I let loose of my deepest desire falling back to the ground as the water lizard engulfs in the magic flame unable to extiguish no matter how much it continues to pout on itself.
I fall back in the water arm of my rival and dearest, as he is in the blood of the arrogant immortal that discerns the mortals. “You finally defeat it, too long for the old times. You have grown old, witch.” He smiles, and through the heavy breath and blood of himself mixed with the enemy cuts, he still smiles.
“Fine, it’s my loss then. Let us pact up before your bleeding gets worse, my only man.” I scoff as I call the mechanical broom and ride back to the medic, the sea serpent drowns itself in the sea of flame, and the thunder lizard suffocates with unsung notes. Quite a beautiful sight to be seen.
The end