The Fall

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Waking from his fitful sleep, he felt refreshed, though still sour over his blunder.

Hopping down from his rock, he moved towards the nearest group of his siblings, when he felt a subtle tremor run through the cavern floor. Mother began to stir, with a look of alarm in her eyes, causing him to race across the cavern, roaring at his siblings to prepare.

The humans had come.

Exiting into the tunnels and winding his way to the first barricade, he saw his siblings attacking through the barrier. Holes had begun to form, and he could see the wall being attacked from the other side. Reaching them, he noticed minor scrapes and nicks on their bodies and even scorch marks on some of their faces. Shimmering blades were piercing through the wall, trying to stab at them. He blocked a blade with his dagger but took a hit on his side. Gritting his teeth in pain, he kept swinging, trying to deflect or injure their attackers.

They tried to stand their ground and fight back, but the barrier was crumbling even more. He sidestepped the wild swing of a sword, seeing a chunk of the wall crumble. It was only made from mushroom stalks, dirt, and small stones and wasn’t meant to hold forever. Cursing, he barked at his siblings to fall back, as the hole became large enough to see the figures on the other side.

A dark silhouette appeared through the hole in the wall as an arrow shot forward. Its tip gleamed with magic as it shot out. Whistling in the air, it struck the throat of his brother standing next to him. His other siblings wailed in terror as they watched their brother hold his throat, blood pouring between his fingers. One of them ran to his side and hoisted him onto his shoulders, trying to flee down the tunnel.

Everyone crouched low. They started backing up and moving at odd angles. Attempting to shake the archer. More figures began appearing in the hole, hacking and cutting around it. Making it large enough to get through. Realizing that all was lost, they began fleeing down the tunnel.

He stayed at the rear to help defend his siblings and, if nothing else, at least to give them a better chance of not getting struck by the archer. As they were fleeing, he felt a stab in his center and lurched in alarm. He searched inward and identified the cause.

His brother was dead... their bond severed.

With his soul trembling and anguish gripping his chest, he kept running. Anger, like he had never felt before, was building within him, anger at anyone who would bring harm to his family. Right now, he could do nothing, but the day would come when he would ensure he had the power to protect them.

Nearing the nest, he could see more of his siblings coming from the other direction; they too were bearing cuts and burns, meaning their barrier had fallen as well. Their eyes were wide in fright as a group of humans gave chase, arrows flying in great numbers. He could see some humans carrying flames at the rear, but hearing shouts from behind told him that their attackers were close as well.

Coming together, the two groups turned into the cavern with their nest, dodging arrows and blasts of flames. The humans with the flames were not just for light, he thought with worry. Their future did not look bright as they would become trapped here, as no one was willing to leave Mother’s side, and she was too big to use the tunnel.

Stolen story; please report.

Determined, he turned as they were nearing Mother and started rallying his siblings, noticing the many wounded around him. They would form a line to prevent them from reaching Mother, giving even their last breath to protect her.

They watched in horror as a great number of humans, in formation, entered the cavern. One of the humans stood out among the others—a boulder of a man, clearly their leader, covered in metal and carrying a giant sword. The others varied, some wearing plates of shiny metal, some carrying long spears and swords, and some carrying those cursed flames. As they started marching further in, he heard Mother growl in frustration.

Turning back, he saw her put her legs beneath her and begin to rise, power building within. The cavern rumbled as Mother's massive frame revealed itself in all its glory, towering over all who stood before her.

Mother stood tall and roared with rage.

Her powerful golden aura swept through the cavern, slamming into the humans like a tidal wave, carrying her fury and authority. Her golden fur danced about her frame, looking both majestic and terrifying. A wall of pure power pushed the humans to their knees. They trembled in fear, many passing out from the strain, as she lunged forward, swiping with her claws. Striking the first group of humans, she sent them flying back into the formation. Blood and screams filled the air as Mother continued her attacks, clawing, and stomping in a storm of murder.

Though their formation had been broken, and many were still unable to move from Mother’s aura or sheer terror, they began to regroup. He noticed a few flame carriers attempting to get behind Mother and led his group to intercept. Running forward in a craze, he jumped, swinging his dagger at the nearest human with the flame.

He took a flame to the chest instead, as the human was agile and easily sidestepped his wild swing. This was someone trained to use the weapons they wielded, and he knew he was at a disadvantage. His brother came to his rescue, plunging a blade into the flame carrier’s chest and continuing to attack another. Helping his siblings, they whittled down the two remaining humans, taking a few cuts and burns along the way.

They turned when a powerful bellow tore through the air.

The leader had made it to Mother and was yelling and leaping into the air in her direction. She roared in challenge, sweeping with her claws, a golden aura covering their surface. He spun in the air, narrowly escaping the golden-clad claws, and swung his sword. Its blade contained a pale green aura, slicing cleanly through her hand and severing it at the wrist.

She roared in pain and fury as wails and sobs echoed around her.

As her blood spilled, her children wept.

They couldn't understand why anyone would ever want to hurt Mother, and they were mortified. They were new to the world and didn’t know how to deal with such a fearsome foe, and some began to cower in fear. He was not them, and became furious that they had dared to hurt Mother. She had given everything to them, and because of them, she could not protect herself in her weakened state. He cursed the unfairness of being unable to do anything. He screamed in rage as hot anger built in his center and power swelled through his limbs.

He could feel the bond feeding him strength.

He shot forward in a blur of motion, making a mad dash at the giant man standing before Mother. Swinging his dagger with all his strength, he struck at the face of the man who would dare harm her. But the dagger hit nothing but air.

His eyes went wide as the man moved swifter than he could see.

Sidestepping his wild swing, the man's metal-wrapped fist shot out, striking him in the temple, knocking him to the ground, ears buzzing, and head spinning. The man raised his sword high, with a green aura surrounding his blade. He knew, without a doubt, when that sword fell, he would cease to exist. He hoped Mother and his siblings would find a way to live but knew that the thought was foolish.

A pillar of green aura shot to the sky as the sword started its descent, as if to cut through the very world itself. As the green light was falling towards him, he felt a heavy impact knocking him back. Looking up with wide eyes, he saw Mother standing over him, protectively, with a sad, sorrowful look in her eyes.

And the blade descended.

He screamed in horror as Mother fell, landing beside him with a horrifying gash across her neck. She struggled to rise before slowly going still, holding the same sorrowful look frozen in her eyes. Pain tore through his soul as he wailed, tears streaming down his face, his sibling faring no better.

Mother’s bond was broken.

Staring in shock, feeling as if his heart had been ripped to pieces, he didn’t even flinch or notice, when the sword pierced his chest.

Falling to the cavern floor as darkness took him, his last thought was of Mother.

And how he failed her.