Felix woke the next morning, covered in sweat and heaving. A nightmare, one already forgotten, ended his sleep prematurely. Yet, he was not the only one.
Kyrith and Eri were up, with the dragon physically shaking. Eri had tears running down her cheeks.
Then, there was Zira–
Felix…
–Her mind was awash in fear and panic. She let out a whimper even as she called out his name.
Felix! Where are you! Her frenzied mind lashed out and grabbed hold of his.
I’m right here! he shouted, biting back the pain. A moment later he struggled to his feet and threw himself onto her side, doing his best to give her a hug.
Fe– She froze, her breathing ragged and unstable.
ZIRA! I’m right here! It’s okay… It’s okay…
There was a long pause before she slowly pulled her mind away. I… I thought I lost you.
I’m right here. We’re together and I’m not going anywhere without you, he said reassuringly. Meanwhile, from behind him, he heard shaky footsteps.
“Felix? I think we need to return.”
He turned his head, seeing Eri standing next to him.
She continued, “I had… I had a dream. I think something terrible is about to happen. There were people screaming. There was fire and–”
He shook his head. “I think you’re right. We will leave immediately.”
***
The sun was barely peeking over the horizon as they soared high into the sky, leaving the sanctuary to the inky void below them.
They were traveling hard, a sinking feeling pervaded them all…
How long can you maintain this speed? Felix asked, hunched over low.
For a while, now that we aren’t so loaded with gear, Zira responded. They left most of their supplies behind, they weren't going to be needing them any longer. And before you ask, we should make it back before sundown.
He didn’t immediately respond.
The excitement they felt at discovering the portal was a distant memory. Now, Felix was beginning to wonder about Mirezabeth’s warning…
Okay, he finally said. Do you… Do you think–
I don’t know. Zira’s tone was heavy with fear.
Gods– Mirezabeth, please, guide us home. Let the winds be in our favor…
That was the first time he prayed.
Unbeknownst to him, to Eri, to Kyrith and Zira, events were about to take place. Unbeknownst to them, lives were about to be changed.
A tragedy was about to start.
----------------------------------------
Gillador sat with his elbows on the table, his hands clamped together and covering his mouth. His expression was serious, the tension alone keeping his wrinkles at bay.
At his side sat Calinna, nervously doodling away in a borrowed journal. To his front was Oralyn, she hadn’t said a word and kept her expression stoic.
There were others as well. Noria and Lorem were talking behind him in hushed tones, but their topic was one that was on everyone’s mind. What’s going to happen next?
Yedril was pacing back and forth, worried for his sister’s sake. Solanna was currently off with a group of hunters, scouting and looking for Calsen…
Their partners, the little jewels, were all in a pile in his tent and sound asleep.
That left Haldria and Yarnel. Haldria was pretending to be asleep, but he knew her well. It was an act, one of her many ways of dealing with such a stressful situation like this.
And Yarnel? Well, Gil didn’t know for sure but the dragon was probably invisible and floating above them….
They had all gathered in the pre-dawn hours. A hunter-turned-scout had woken and informed them that Chief Calsen and his group had been spotted. The Chief was still a ways out but would no doubt be returning this morning.
The hunters knew what was going on. Oralyn had hand picked all of them, including two who had come with her. Meanwhile, Solanna was put in charge of leading the group as she had the most knowledge of the area. Her only request was to bring a particular kobold with her…
I hope they make it back safely, he thought. A feeling deep inside him told him today wasn’t going to end well. But, let’s not dwell on that. We still got time to convince him. We have all the time in the world, in fact.
They had settled on a simple plan. Calinna, him, and Oralyn would confront Chief Calsen. They would try to convince him to stop his plans and reconsider.
And if he didn’t?
That’s what worried Gillador. The Chief’s tribe would almost certainly come to their leader’s aid, and that would get ugly. That’s why no one else knew what was going on. They had to keep things as quiet as possible, otherwise word might reach Calsen’s men.
But, thankfully, they had Yarnel on their side. The dragon alone could take on the entire tribe, despite his size–
Movement in the fog caught Gil’s attention, and a second later Solanna and Tracker appeared.
“He’s almost here,” Solanna said before anyone could greet them.
“I figured–” he started to say, already getting up. However, Tracker cut him off.
“Elf Chief bring dwarf.”
That caused him to freeze momentarily before standing up the rest of the way. “A…dwarf?”
Solanna nodded. “Definitely a dwarf, and a weird one at that.”
Standing up as well, Oralyn spoke for the first time. “What do you mean?”
“He’s… Well, we watched him set multiple creatures on fire already. Even Calsen and his men are giving the dwarf space.”
That’s concerning… Gil thought, before addressing the hunters. “Alright… Thank you, Solanna– Actually, where are the others?”
“They’re still out there. We decided to set up an ambush in case things don’t go well.”
“You… You don’t think I can convince him?!” Calinna asked suddenly, almost horrified.
Solanna said nothing but Gil was quick to respond. “It's a precaution,” he said before giving the huntress a stern look. “Our plan is still to talk to him.”
Calinna didn’t look convinced. She clenched the new journal tightly, bringing it close to her chest.
The group fell silent for several seconds before Gil cleared his throat. He waited until all eyes were upon him. “Come, we must stop him before he reaches his tribe.”
With that, they filed out and headed off to their respective positions…
----------------------------------------
“So, all I have to do is give it a bit of mana?” Chief Calsen asked, staring nervously down at the strange contraption in his hands. The item in question was the bomb, a boxy little thing that constantly ticked.
Hanzel let out a sigh. “That’s what I said, yes.”
Calsen gulped. Just holding it, he could feel the bottled up mana. It so desperately wanted to escape.
For a brief moment, though, his eyes flitted over to the dwarf as a sinister thought entered his mind. If I have the bomb, then I don’t need this deranged idiot.
But as quickly as the thought came, he squashed it. The dwarf was sent to help, and killing him might upset his informant. I still need him, both of them…
He took a deep breath and carefully stuck it into his pack, making sure to wrap it tightly. Once he was finished, he gave his men a nod and they continued moving through the forest…
The trek didn’t take long, however. Chief Calsen had opted for traveling through the night in the hopes of reaching the clearing as soon as possible. He knew time would be of the essence, and it wouldn’t take long for people to realize he was gone.
Besides, the sooner he made it back, the sooner he could enact his plan. With that damn human and his dragons gone, this would be the perfect time.
He began to smile. Once we make it back, I can gather the rest of my men and, if this bomb does what Hanzel says, we can just stroll into the hatchery…
Of course, he knew there were others who would try to defend it, but it seemed Hanzel had an idea of his own. However, he had been suspiciously quiet about what he would do.
Maybe I should really kill him? I don’t trust him at all–
His thoughts were broken when one of his men suddenly froze. Confused, Calsen looked past him and frowned. They had reached the clearing but, standing just past the trees, were three individuals.
“Chief Calsen! We’re here to talk,” an old gruff voice called out. A moment later one of the other individuals nervously stepped forward.
“F-father…”
----------------------------------------
Calinna shook in fear as she addressed her father. A small part of her wanted to run to him and beg for forgiveness, but the rest couldn’t.
“Father,” she said again, her voice tense and shaky. “Please–”
“What is going on here?” Chief Calsen, her father, asked.
Gil was next to speak. “We know what you are up to. We’re here to convince you to stop.”
She felt her father’s harsh gaze upon her, making her squirm. Unable to take it any longer, Calinna found her voice. “Father please! Don’t do this! You are making a mistake! Please, father, don’t take the eggs!”
A cool wind blew as silence fell. For a moment, she took it as a sign that her father was considering her plea. But her hopes were quickly dashed.
His expression changed to one of disappointment. “Calinna, I’m ashamed… I’m ashamed that you fell to that damn human’s influence–”
“NO!” she screamed, startling herself. “Felix isn’t evil! He’s a good man, a good human! He’s doing his best to help! He’s… He’s trying to save us!”
As the words left her mouth, she felt an intense pang near her heart. A warning that she was close to breaking her contract…
“Save us? Save us from what?! Ourselves? Listen to yourself, Calinna! You're being manipulated!”
“N-no,” she muttered, fighting through the pain. “He’s… We’re… We are–”
A taloned hand appeared on her shoulder, stopping her from going on. A moment later, she looked up and found Yarnel floating next to her.
“That is enough, I think I shall handle this,” the dragon said.
----------------------------------------
Oralyn could only watch in silence as Calinna tried to convince her father to stop. She was tired, exhausted from lack of sleep. Constant self-doubt and worry were her enemies.
And yet, here she stood. Silent? Yes. Scared? Absolutely. But she refused to give in. She couldn’t. She had to prove to everyone that she was the right pick for the title of Queen.
But am I?
The question hung in her mind even as her…friend continued to defy her father. Calinna isn’t brave, yet look at her.
Of course, there was one candidate missing. And though she could easily accuse Eri of shirking responsibility, this was not something any of them could have foreseen. Besides, this should be the opportunity you need!
And still, she stood silently.
Even as Calinna nearly broke her contract, she remained.
Even as Yarnel made his appearance, she did not move.
Please, don’t let this end in bloodshed…
Before she realized it, fear had already taken hold of her. But she was a master at maintaining appearances, her mask held.
So she stood with a stoic look as the scene before began to heat up…
“You must be Chief Calsen, then?” Yarnel said as he floated towards the elf, only coming to a stop a few feet away.
The Chief’s eyes narrowed. The appearance of the dragon had clearly spooked him, yet he held his ground. “Yes… And you are?”
“The name is Yarnel.” The small dragon gave a quick bow. “But that is all the questions I will answer for you. However, I have plenty to ask you. And you will answer.”
Raising his hand, several crystals appeared above it. Then, without warning, they suddenly zipped off in multiple directions.
It took Oralyn a few moments to realize the crystals were forming a wide perimeter around them. Meanwhile, Chief Calsen finally took a step back but he was rebuffed.
Stumbling forward, his eyes widened and sweat began to build upon his brow.
“You cannot escape,” the dragon said casually.
“Hanzel! Hanzel, where are you!” Calsen shouted as he desperately looked for someone. His men too were starting to look panicked.
However, to everyone’s curiosity and apprehension, a dwarf appeared from the brush nearby. He had a twisted smile as he casually walked up to the Chief, his hands clenched together as if he had caught a bug.
“I found an interesting specimen, would you like to see–” The dwarf said before being cut off by his hands getting slapped. A dragonfly quickly fluttered away…
For a moment, there was pure rage from Hanzel but it was quickly gone. Instead, the dwarf looked up to the crystals and watched them with almost childlike wonder.
As the interaction took place, Yarnel was not idle. The crystals began to glow as they slowly circled around them. The feeling of mana condensing and flowing around her, through her, made Oralyn shudder.
“Now, I have some questions. I will get the truth from you, one way or another.” The dragon floated higher into the air as if to look down and judge the Chief. “Who is helping you? You will tell me everyone who is helping you.” He gestured to the dwarf for effect.
Calsen’s eyes glanced over to the dwarf before back to the dragon. “I don’t know what you are talking about–”
The dwarf stepped forward. “The name is Hanzel! And I was promised a painful death in exchange!” He sounded almost giddy at the thought and yet, it felt fake, like a garishly painted mask.
Oralyn felt a cold chill run down her spine. This… This isn’t good. She wasn’t the only one who was thinking that. Gillador was slowly easing his way over to Calinna…
“Do something! We’re trapped!” Chief Calsen shouted towards the dwarf.
Hanzel let out another sigh before suddenly perking up. “Oh, I suppose this is a good enough opportunity. Maybe I can learn how a dragon ticks before I die?”
Yarnel scoffed. “What? Do you believe you can take me on–” The dragon stopped.
The dwarf pulled something out from one of his pouches and held it up. A red crystal twinkled in the light. He started to laugh.
“Time to die.”
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“Run! Get out of here!” Yarnel shouted, as a wave of air blasted Oralyn. All the while, Hanzel threw the crystal into his mouth and gulped.
There was a bright flash and suddenly Oralyn felt weightless. She felt the rushing air, the intense heat, and mana. She felt the ground beneath her as she crashed into it, she felt the searing pain coming from her legs.
But most of all, she felt fear.
Stunned, Oralyn didn’t know how long she laid there on the ground. Only now, she managed to glance up as a cloud of fire began to rise. Screams and alarms were being sounded from everywhere. Panic was beginning to ensue…
“Oralyn!”
The shout of her name came from somewhere off to her left. Yet, she could not place the voice.
A shadowy figure appeared above her. “Oralyn! Please, can you hear me!”
She blinked as feeling began to return to her. She let out a groan in pain.
“Oh, Gods! Oralyn, wait here! I’ll–” But the voice died off. The figure was staring at something in the distance.
Slowly regaining her senses, she lifted her head up and looked to see what the figure saw. At first, nothing. Her vision was blurry and her head was spinning.
Fo…cus! she shouted at herself and, after a few moments, several things became apparent. First, the figure above her was Calinna. Her dress was stained and tattered, and she had several cuts running up and down her arms.
But Oralyn did not dwell on that for long as the next thing she saw made her stomach drop.
Rampaging through their camp was a monster the likes she had never seen before. Only one word came to her mind.
Fire.
The beast, the hellish beast, was covered in fire and smoke as it stomped on anything it could. All the while, burning ichor seeped and sprayed everything as it flailed its arms.
Yet, as people ran away, something small flitted around the beast, sending jets of water towards it.
Yarnel, she realized after a moment. He’s fighting that… That demon! But that thought only made her aware of something else. Where’s everyone else?
Her eyes widened. “The hatchery! Calinna, we need to get to the hatchery!” she shouted as she started struggling to her feet.
“But… But Oralyn, you’re hurt!” Her friend shouted.
“I…don’t care! We need… We need to get to the hatchery!” she said, gritting her teeth. Her legs felt like they were on fire. At least I don’t feel terrified anymore, Oralyn joked darkly to herself.
“O-okay…” Calinna slipped an arm underneath her and helped her onto her feet.
“Come on… We have to hurry!”
The two of them set off quickly despite Oralyn’s injuries. Unfortunately for her, the hatchery was still far away. Yet, she persevered and used her pain to keep the fear away…
By the time the two reached their destination, the scenery had changed. The camp was fully engulfed in flames now and even the manor hadn’t escaped the beast’s wrath. Parts of it were smoldering and warped from the heat.
The battle still raged, however. Yarnel and the hellish demon continued their fight. The air was alight with chaotic mana and acrid smoke. But Oralyn couldn’t focus on it, she was barely hanging on as it were.
“Gods!” she heard a familiar voice call out as she and Calinna staggered into the hatchery. The barrier seemingly not stopping them.
Another arm was thrusted underneath her. It was Haldria, and she had the look of terror upon her face.
“Noria! We need you! Oralyn is burned!”
They set her down gently up against one of the dens as the small woman made her appearance.
“How…bad?” Oralyn asked, fighting through the searing pain.
“Let’s see,” Noria said as she kneeled down. She was doing a good job at hiding her frantic expression but that quickly changed. “Hold her down!” she said with a gasp. “I’ll need to use my healing magic!”
Bad then…
“Listen Oralyn, this is going to hurt… A lot. I’m not so good at healing…” The mage clarified, even as her hands began to shake.
“Just…do it!” Oralyn grunted.
Noria nodded and waited until Calinna and Haldria grabbed a hold of Oralyn. “I’m… I’m starting!”
Oralyn sucked in a lungful of air as Noria’s hands touched her legs. Mana began to flow, the feeling of white hot steel piercing every fiber of her being.
She screamed out in agony…
----------------------------------------
Solanna let out a choking gasp, rolling quickly onto her side. In her hands was her bow and a single, broken arrow.
The air was full of smoke and heat as fire danced all around her. And, crumpled next to her, was a green kobold.
Slowly gathering her wits, she tried to remember the last moments before she lost consciousness. That dwarf… He ate the crystal and then… Her eyes widened in horror as the gaps began to fill in.
Tracker, her, and a few hunters had set up nearby in the event Calsen would try something. Unfortunately, they hadn’t expected this. Even Yarnel was caught off guard…
With a hiss, she crawled over to Tracker and felt for a pulse. She found it and immediately set to waking the kobold.
“Tracker! Wake up! We have to get moving!” she shouted as the kobold stirred.
With a groan Tracker’s eyes opened. “What…happen?”
“Later! We have to get out of here! The forest is on fire and we’re surrounded by flames!” Solanna answered as she began scooping the kobold into her arms.
“Set Tracker down! Tracker walk!”
“Fine, but stay close. I’m going to try something.” Solanna stood up and closed her eyes. Thank the gods for Yarnel’s lessons…
Desperately, she reached out to the world with her mind. A soft hum could be heard from her as she reached for that singular, constant drone. She called on it, not with words but with her emotions.
As she waited, the fires began to close around them, slowly consuming everything in their path. Not even the sky trees could escape.
“Master… Hurry!” Tracker whisper-shouted.
Sweat poured off of Solanna as she renewed her efforts, her song growing in volume. Please… Help us!
The air suddenly swelled around them, covering them in a dense pocket of mana. She took her chance.
Grabbing Tracker’s arm, she took off at a dead sprint. Something guided her, pulled her towards the right direction. The mana held as they ran through the burning forest. It was just long enough for them to stumble out into the clearing.
Collapsing to her knees from exhaustion, Solanna took a lungful of air. A mistake.
A coughing fit ensued, taking enough time to pass for the fires behind them to creep up…
“Master, come! We get far away!” There was anxiety and fear in the kobold’s tone, something she had never seen from Tracker.
“What’s…wrong?” she asked, steadily getting back onto her feet. But before Tracker could answer, she saw.
The clearing was burning. The main camp was burning. Even the manor was burning.
Everything was burning.
Worst of all? A hellish beast roamed free, setting everything it touched on fire.
Her first thought went to her partner. Falzan! Are you okay?!
Solanna! I fine, but… Quick, come to hatchery! We here!
She let out a relieved sigh. I’ll be there soon. Is everyone else okay?
Oralyn hurt, and no see Gil… Everyone else here!
She clicked her tongue in frustration. Okay, I’ll be there soon.
Hurry! I scared…
Stay with the others, I’ll be there in a moment. I promise. Solanna turned her attention to the kobold.
“We have to get to the hatchery. Oralyn’s hurt and Gil is missing.”
Tracker whimpered but eventually gave her a nod. “Master lead, Tracker follow…”
They set off once more, but almost immediately came to another stop. Ahead of them was the form of an old man, slowly crawling towards the hatchery.
“Gil!” she shouted and made her to him. Reaching him, she quickly dropped to her knees.
“Ah, about damn time!” The old man shouted. “Was beginning to think ya left me to die! Well, ya not getting rid of me that easily! Not today!”
Solanna let a smile show but quickly went to help Gil up.
“Careful! My ankle, I think it's broken!” he grunted.
“Don’t worry, I’ll help–”
A roar sounded off near the manor before a blast of hot air washed over her. Wincing, she did her best to shield the old man.
“Gods damn it!” he shouted either from pain or anger, Solanna wasn’t sure.
Still, the heat passed over them, leaving them mostly unscathed. A blessing, for what it was worth, and one she wasn’t going to let go to waste…
She pulled the old elf up and glanced back at Tracker. “Run ahead and let them know I’ve got Gil!”
For a moment it looked as if the kobold didn’t hear her, but after a shallow gulp Tracker took off for the hatchery.
“Tell them he’s hurt!” she called out one final time, before turning focus to Gil.
“We’ll take it slow–”
“Screw that! We’ve got to hurry! Calsen is still around!”
“He’s still alive?” she asked, a little surprised. However, she didn’t wait for his reply to start the trek back to the hatchery.
“Yeah, and the bastard made it out mostly untouched. Though, I think his pants might have caught fire…” He let out a chuckle.
“That’s good, I suppose… Maybe he’s learned his lesson?” she tried, though, she already knew the answer.
“I think it's too late for that,” Gil said before pointing out to the beast still rampaging. “Look, is that Yarnel?”
She squinted and saw what he was looking at. A small, almost glittering dragon, dove for the hellish looking demon. A moment later, the two collided and resulted in an explosion, sending more hot air their way.
“Prepare yourself, I’m picking up the pace,” she commented as their footsteps increased.
The rest of the trek was made in silence as the two kept a wary eye on the current battle. But, as Gil had mentioned, things were far from over for them. Chief Calsen was in too deep now, there was no going back…
Damn it all! she cursed to herself. This is not at all what we were promised! I’m going to demand a larger room in the dormitory once this is all over! Falzan and I will live like a King and Queen!
She let her thoughts fade as they made it to the hatchery. There, several people were waiting for them. Lorem and Yedril quickly rushed out to assist with Gil.
“Ya know? This the first time I’ve been here,” the old man grunted as they walked through the threshold. The barrier did not stop them.
“Set him down over by Oralyn!” Noria called out as she came to greet them.
“How is she? Falzan said she was hurt,” Solanna asked.
“It’s… It was bad, but she’s doing better. She was burned and I did what I could… I’ve wrapped her burns as best as I could.”
Solanna noticed that Noria’s shirt was much shorter now, exposing a bit of her stomach. If things weren’t so dire, I’d make a joke… Instead, all she did was give a nod.
They set Gil down by Oralyn, who was breathing heavily but still conscious. Calinna was by her side, holding her hand.
“Gil! Oh, gods! I didn’t know what happened to you…” Calinna said, but Solanna stopped listening as she turned her focus into looking for her partner.
Falzan, where–
An emerald-colored dragon suddenly tackled her, sending her to the ground.
Solanna! You okay?! I worried, I scared something happen to you! You didn’t respond! It was hard for her to make out all his frantic words, but just seeing him put her at ease.
She reached under his snout and began to give him scritches. I told you I’d make it back, she responded with a smile.
He let out a purr and fell on top of her. I glad… Others keep me company while I wait. But I want you…
And now I’m here… But things aren’t over yet, she added, her smile dropping. Calsen is… Calsen will try something. I want you and the others to stay hidden.
Falzan let out a whine. But… No… Can we run away? Do we have to stay?
She could feel his tumultuous thoughts. He was scared. And who could blame him? Who could blame any of them for being scared? Their lives were still uncertain as Yarnel had yet to finish off the beast.
How many have died already? she wondered. Of the group of hunters she was with, only her and Tracker had reappeared. At least, they aren’t here. Maybe they escaped further into the forest?
She could only hope–
Her world exploded.
----------------------------------------
Oralyn found herself laying on the stone floor, dust settling all around her. Disoriented and exhausted, she could only think it was a dream. Yet, as her hearing returned, so to did the pain from her legs.
With a groan, she struggled to sit up. Next to her, Calinna stirred.
Finally getting back into a sitting position, she shook her head. What was… her thought trailed off as she wiped the dust from her eyes and noticed something.
The eastern wall, the wall that faced the camps, was gone.
“Ora…lyn…” Calinna muttered next to her before suddenly coming alive. “Oralyn!”
“I’m…alive,” she muttered with a cough.
“Oh thank the Gods! What…” Calinna too saw the missing wall.
With a deep breath Oralyn began to stand, using the den next to her as support. “It looks… It looks like your father is here.”
“Father…”
She didn’t respond, instead she propped herself against the den and took another heavy breath. The searing pain from her legs had lessened but just the act of standing had been painful. Still, she had a duty.
“What… What are you doing?!” Her friend asked as she too got to her feet.
“Going to stop your father,” she answered, taking a tentative step. “He can’t be allowed to take a single egg.”
Around her, the others were beginning to stir, a few even making it to their feet. Seeing them, she decided to call out to them.
“Everyone who can move! To me! We cannot let him near the eggs!”
“Ah! So some of you survived?!” a voice called out from beyond the dust of the destroyed wall. “Listen well then! Surrender and no one has to die! I just want the eggs!”
It was Chief Calsen.
Oralyn felt her anger flare. “Over my dead body! Even if you succeed here, you’ll be hunted! The Sages will not accept this! Master Aluin will not accept this! The dragons will not accept this!”
The dust slowly cleared away, revealing a large group of elves. At the front was Calsen, he stood with a spear in his hand and a cocky smile on his face. Meanwhile, Oralyn’s group slowly gathered around her, all with an assortment of weapons.
“Bah! Master Aluin can kiss my ass! And if you think I haven’t thought that far ahead, you’re sorely mistaken!” he shouted back, waving his hand dismissively. “Now, please, just surrender.”
“Go to hell!” Solanna shouted next to Oralyn, her bow at the ready and an arrow nocked.
Calinna stepped forward. “Father! Please reconsider–”
“Calinna, my daughter… Look around you, it's too late for that– Not that I planned on changing my mind… Look, come over here to me. I understand that your mind has been twisted by that bastard’s powers. But I know someone who can help.”
Oralyn watched as her friend took a step back, permanently siding with her and the others.
“Father…” she started to say, shaking her head. Tears formed and rolled down her cheeks. “Father, it's not me that’s had their mind twisted! It’s you!”
Silence fell as Calsen’s eyes narrowed. “So be it. I’ll just have to take you and the eggs by force,” he said before addressing his group. “Kill them.”
Fear suddenly reared its ugly head again for Oralyn, gripping her tightly. She could only watch as Calsen’s men began to charge. She could only watch as Calsen, himself, raised his spear. She could only watch as he took aim and threw it.
She could only watch as it sailed through the air, heading straight for her.
Oralyn closed her eyes.
A scream rang out in the hatchery…
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Yarnel floated over the raging demon beneath him. Already, he had burned a large chunk of his mana crystals. But, thankfully, the fight was nearly over.
It appears my combat experience has rusted over the years… he thought musingly to himself. The damage and destruction around him not registering in his mind. He had seen this all before, after all.
But who would’ve thought I’d have to fight a Flame Shade? He summoned another crystal and converted the mana within. A second later, a burst of water jetted out from him. It hit the flaming monster square in the head.
It roared, thrashing its arms wildly. Its movements were starting to slow, however.
Shades were not an easy foe to deal with. They were a type of elemental, one born from a corrupted, dying soul. They were rare even then, you needed a catalyst for one to properly form.
Much like this one… Yarnel vanished as fire was sent his way. He reappeared behind it. I think I’ve weakened it enough. This fight has gone on for far too long, and I need to get back to the hatchery.
He had to be careful, though. Mana, of any type, could easily fuel an elemental. That’s what made them so dangerous and why he had spent so much effort on simply converting his mana crystals into pure water…
Another crystal appeared above his hand. This one, however, was much larger. Yarnel let a toothy, draconic smile show. Time to finish this.
Grasping ahold of the crystal, he began to hum. The beat of mana thumped within it, responding to his call. The crystal began to glow a bright white.
As the shade began to turn and face him, Yarnel darted downward. He aimed for the elemental’s chest, right for where the mana crystal that Hanzel had swallowed would be.
In an instant, his scales fused and became a hard crystalline shell. He plunged deep into the monster. His crystal and Hanzel’s touched.
Another explosion sent him flying out and away, but he had been successful.
Gaining height, Yarnel watched with almost sadistic glee as the fire shade, first, exploded outward, then began to get sucked in.
In its final moments, the hellish, corrupted elemental roared. It lashed out for him one last time, its arms turning to ash. They did not reach him.
Mana swelled and condensed around his crystal, taking the heat and rage along with it. And, with a low THRUMP, the fire shade was consumed.
Staring down at the crystal, he simply waved his hand and watched as it vanished…
With the threat of the fire shade gone, Yarnel allowed himself a moment of respite as he shifted his gaze towards the hatchery. His smile was replaced with a sneer.
He watched as Calsen and his men charged into the hatchery. I took too long, he thought to himself in disgust.
A heartbeat later, he vanished once more, reappearing above the hatchery. Closing his eyes, he felt out the various enchantments that were supposed to protect this place.
They were just as he left them.
Good…
He reactivated them.
----------------------------------------
Time for Oralyn passed for what felt like an eternity. She kept her eyes closed, expecting the biting metal tip of the spear to pierce her. She could hear the sound of rushing men, their shouts of glee almost deafening.
Then all went quiet.
Is this it? she wondered. Has the spear already stabbed me? Am I already dead? Yet, she felt nothing– Wait… My legs! They still burn! For once, she was happy for the pain. It told her she was still alive.
But… The spear? It should have hit me by now. Cautiously, she cracked open her eyes and looked down. There was no spear.
Her legs almost gave out as a wave of relief hit her. He must have missed–
The thought died as she took in the scene around her, so much had changed in such a short amount of time…
The hatchery was dead silent. Like statues, Calsen’s men were frozen in place, their weapons out and pointed towards her and her group. And like statues, their eyes were lifeless.
Oralyn fell onto the floor in fright. But the grim display was not all before her.
Past the wall was Chief Calsen, himself. He stared back in, his jaw hanging open and his eyes were wide in horror. He wasn’t looking at his men.
A pit formed in Oralyn’s stomach as she turned her own gaze to a figure in front of her. There, on her knees and choking blood, was Calinna. A spear piercing her chest.
She watched as her friend fell onto her side, gasping desperately for a breath.
“Ca… Calinna…” Oralyn muttered in pure shock. “No… No… No, no, no! NO! NO! NO!”
Ignoring everything, she crawled to Calinna’s side. “Calinna… No…”
Her friend stopped her struggling and suddenly stared up at her. A smile appeared.
“I-I’m… S-s-sorry,” she gasped out.
“Shh! Don’t speak!” Oralyn looked up and panned around the room in a panic. “NORIA! NORIA PLEASE–”
A hand grasped hers.
“D-don’t… Don’t l-leave me… I-I’m scared…”
Oralyn shook her head. “I'm not…” Tears began to stream forth, blurring her vision. “I’m staying right here.”
Noria appeared next to them but she ignored her.
“Calinna… Listen to me. You’re brave… You’re strong… You’ve got a heart of gold.” She choked back the tears. “Calinna, I’m so sorry… I’m sorry I’ve been so rude to you.”
“It’s…okay. I-I…” Calinna coughed up blood. The light in her eyes was starting to fade. “F-forgive you…”
“Calinna! Wait! No, please… Stay with me! Calinna! Calinna! You’re my friend! You can’t die, not like this!” Oralyn was becoming distraught as she started to shake her friend.
But Calinna only smiled as she used the last of her strength to say her final words. “You’re my friend too…”
Oralyn watched as her friend faded from this world.