CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The Felled Beast
The Wyvern's roar resonated with the smoke-filled sky. Rosetta and Silvara led Voric and Eldrisa into a temple for refuge. The flames shone through the large windows, illuminating the spacious room. They all tried to catch their breath, but the smoke and ash in the air made it rough.
Voric walked to the window to see the silver wyvern flying overhead, searching for its prey. He noticed a temple in flames across the street and glared at it uncontrollably. "I'll kill them. I'll kill them all, " he murmured in a low tone, staring at the fire like he was in a trance.
Eldrisa placed her hand on Voric's back and smiled at him. "It's alright, Voric. We'll be alright."
Voric broke out of the trance. "Yes…I know, my lady." He turned to the others.
"We couldn't put down one of the black wyverns, and this silver one seems unique. I don't think we can put it down." Rosetta said.
"What do you know about wyverns?" Voric asked.
Silvara sat against a wall. "They were servants of the dragons. Each one was the color of its master."
"Yes," Voric said as he walked to the center of the room. "There was only one silver dragon. Do you know which one?"
Eldrisa muttered, "Zoldranas, the King of the Dragons."
Voric nodded. "That's correct. This means we must avoid this Wyvern at all costs. Without a Wyrmguard here, we are like children."
Silvara stood. "Then we make for the lowest part of the islands. There must be..."
The silver wyvern let out a thunderous roar as it burst through the wall, sending debris flying in all directions. A rock struck Eldrisa, knocking her unconscious. Silvara created a large ice shield to block the debris from her as quickly as possible.
"Eldrisa!" Voric ran, picked her up, and headed out of the temple. His breathing got worse as he ran, nearly collapsing.
Rosetta ran and punched the Wyvern in the face, but it did nothing as the creature swatted at her with its claw. She jumped back. "How do we hurt this thing?" she thought aloud as it charged at her.
Silvara whipped her flaming Urumi at the creature's massive face. The Wyvern became enraged and lashed its tail, destroying the temple. Rosetta and Silvara leaped out of the dust and debris into the city square. The Wyvern emerged from the smoke, growling as it slowly advanced toward them.
Breathing heavily and exhausted, Rosetta and Silvara confronted the beast. "It will take more than that, you stupid creature," Rosetta declared with a smirk that lacked conviction. A screech came from the sky and caught her attention, as she looked to see a griffin. "Dison?" The griffin swooped down on them. Rosetta and Silvara grabbed on as it took off over the city. The Wyvern roared and flew after them in pursuit. It crashed through buildings, giving chase.
"It looked like you could use a hand!" Dison shouted.
"Maybe!" Rosetta looked behind them at the beast that gave chase. "How are we going to beat this thing?!"
Silvara looked down, searching for anything useful. Her eyes brightened as she spotted a ballista below. "I have an idea. Lead it away and circle back to this spot," she instructed. She dove off the griffin, slowing her descent with a gust of wind.
Once on the ground, she rushed to the ballista, which was already loaded with a bolt. She placed her hands over it, channeling a magical aura. The bolt was quickly enveloped in ice magic. "If I can just hit its wing, I can at least stop it from chasing us," she thought as she grabbed and aimed it. Dison and Rosetta flew, leading it directly to her. "One shot is all I have." She said to herself.
Silvara steadied herself as she followed the Wyvern in the sights and pushed the trigger. The bolt flew past the griffin and struck the Wyvern's wing, freezing it. The Wyvern struggled to fly as it crashed into a tower. Silvara sighed with relief as she watched the others flying toward her.
The ground shook as Talbis, Elayne, and the Royal Guard fought the wyvern onslaught. Talbis slammed his giant sword into one's head. "Come on, you sons of bitches. I want a real challenge!" He yelled.
A wyvern flew at him from above, but smacked into a shield formed by Elayne. It crashed to the ground on its back, where Talbis jumped in the air and landed his sword in its chest.
"Where's our back up!" Talbis yelled. With that, he watched Urision fly in, sliding his blade across Wyvern's side. "YEAH! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"
Urision landed in front of them. "Did you miss me?"
Talbis looked with a grin. "Oh, shut up. We have to get these, uh, things out of here."
"Nuriel." Urision rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, those people." He looked at the Nayalmi and the others.
"We have a bigger problem." Elayne pointed to a wyvern flying above them. On it stood Kaltros, his staff in hand, staring menacingly at them.
"You humans have been a pain today, I'll give you that," Kaltros said, looking around. "I don't see the little bastard. Delcres, you fool."
Urision flew up to Kaltros. "I'm guessing you're behind this? He looked at the cloak and recalled Eliza's cloak. "The same ones who attacked Danestria all of those months ago."
Kaltros smirked. "That was a new member of our organization. She was out of line." Kaltros removed his hood, revealing his long black hair in a ponytail and rough facial features. "This, however, is an order."
"That girl alone was a monster. I know this guy is not to be underestimated. The magic aura coming from him is disturbing. "Urision thought. "Elayne! Get them out of here now! This is someone not to trifle with!" he ordered. He flew forth with slaughtering intent.
"Go!" Elayne ordered everyone in the area.
"They won't escape! Rain of infernal chaos!" Kaltros's voice echoed through the clouds. Giant fireballs fell from the atmosphere, crashing around the island, exploding, and tearing it apart.
The explosions were deafening as Elayne placed a shield overhead to deflect the incoming flames. "Don't give up!" she shouted as she watched the shield crack.
Urision flew through the fireballs, the griffin dodging them as they kept falling. "What magic and devastation. I need to end this as quickly as possible." He thought. He launched icicles toward Kaltros, but a field of flame countered them. Urision rushed in for the kill, but Kaltros quickly countered and repeatedly shot icicles from his staff. Urision grew frustrated.
Talbis ran to boulder-sized debris. "Enhance. Enhance!" He said as his body glowed. He clutched the boulder and flung it as hard as possible at Kaltros.
Kaltros raised his staff and blocked the incoming boulder with an ice shield. The ice shattered, and the boulder fell to the ground. "You pathetic insects are getting on my nerves!"
Urision flew past Kaltros with a deadly strike. He looked at his broken sword. "Damn it." He glanced at Kaltros, who smirked while holding the rest of the blade. "How do we defeat such a powerful foe?" He thought as he heard a war cry of the Nuriel screech through the air. Looking toward the cry, he saw an army of Nuriel flocking toward them. A smirk came to his face as he saw a Nuriel in golden armor leading them. "Better late than never." He watched the army swarm the wyverns.
Kaltros observed his falling wyverns and sighed with disappointment. "It's inconvenient, but not unexpected. I am sure we will meet again," he said with a smile before flying away.
Urision watched as Kaltros flew away, feeling regret washing over him. "There's no point in following him at my current level," he thought. "I can sense that he wasn't even serious." A serious expression crossed his face as he looked down at Elayne and Talbis. He looked at the Nuriel in golden armor. "That must be King Soarcros." He sighed with relief.
Swords clashed in the distance as Rosan and Delcres fought fiercely. Rosan unleashed a wave of flames at Delcres, engulfing a nearby temple. Delcres dodged the attack and countered by releasing a wave of pressure from his blade, which struck a nearby statue just as Rosan narrowly evaded it. In a swift motion, Delcres attempted to backfist Rosan, just as he had done to Ryallda. However, Rosan caught Delcres's fist with his hand, and the two locked swords again.
Delcres smiled with excitement. "This is amazing. You are the one I have been wanting to fight for so long." He jumped back from Rosan.
"Ryallda,"
Ryallda heard Arminas's voice as she opened her eyes and looked at the battle before her. "I must have passed out, " she thought as she looked at Rosan and Delcres. "Are you alright, my prince?"
"I'm fine. Thanks to this human." Arminas said, looking at Rosan.
Ryallda looked at Arminas's hands. "My prince, your hands." She tried to get up but coughed up blood. She clenched her stomach. "How? How is this human capable of fighting someone I could not?" She spoke with irritation, looking at Rosan and Delcres fighting through the streets.
"Stay still. We need a healer. Just sit there." Arminas said.
Delcres looked at Rosan with a grin. "Look at our spectacle. We are the main event." He walked toward Rosan with menace. His blade screeched and sparked as he dragged it across the cobblestone. "You are indeed the perfect champion. Let's give the world a show it'll never forget."
"You're just another lunatic to me," Rosan kept on his guard.
Delcres looked at Arminas with disappointment. "But alas, our time is not now. It saddens me so." He placed his hand on his head. "For I must do what I came to do." Delcres rushed toward Arminas, but Rosan intervened and blocked his attack.
"You are fast, but I won't let you kill the prince." Rosan looked with sincerity as he attacked Delcres with all his might.
Delcres jumped back. "You are perfect. A true warrior worth slaying."
"You're nothing but an arrogant fool, posturing around like you mean something," Rosan said with conviction.
The wings of a wyvern created a gust of wind as it lowered down with Kaltros. "Why haven't you killed the prince yet, you fool?"
"Stay out of this, Kaltros. This is my fight!" Delcres declared.
"I don't care. You should have already killed the prince, you pathetic little worm. The Nuriel's army will be here soon." Kaltros decreed.
"Shut up! I will kill you if you get in my way. The commander is mine, and so is the prince." Delcres struck a dramatic pose, pointing his blade assertively. "Come, my worthy opponent. Let us dance the dance of battle for the last time." Delcres ran toward Rosan excitedly, but unexpectedly, a portal opened and swallowed him whole. He tried to run back through it, but it closed. He breathed heavily with anger. "No...You bastards!" A shout of rage filled the sanctuary he was in.
A portal opened behind Kaltros as Veltress walked out of it onto the Wyvern. "I'm afraid we are out of time."
"So it would seem," Kaltros said, looking at Rosan with interest. "Such power for a human." He pointed his staff at the large crystal on the island. "A last attempt, I suppose." Kaltros conjured a large fireball and shot it at the crystal, shattering it into pieces. With that, the island shifted and started its descent.
Rosan watched Kaltros and Veltress fly into a portal with irritation. He whistled loudly, and the griffin came to him. He ran, grabbed Ryallda, and carried her to the griffin. Rosan placed her on Arminas's lap. They all flew off the falling island. "Where are the others?"
"They ran into the city, chased by a wyvern." Arminas glanced at Ryallda in his arms. "Hang in there. We're going to make it out. Commander, she needs a healer!"
Rosan looked worried. "First, we need to reach Elayne," he said, pulling on the reins to guide the griffin in a turn. "Rosetta, Silvara, I'll be there as soon as I can," he thought as they flew over the burning and crumbling city. "Those fiends could do all of this." He recalled the chaos that had erupted in Danestria. "We have to get stronger. Who knows when they might attack again?" he murmured.
Rosetta and Dison flew the Griffin to Silvara after defeating the Wyvern. They got off of it and walked toward her. They watched as some of the Nuriel landed on the surrounding buildings.
Dison surveyed the surrounding devastation: the crumbled temples, shattered statues, and the bodies lying on the ground—so many that he hadn't even had time to notice them all. "It's just like Danestria and my village. These people need to be stopped," he thought, picturing those wearing dragon cloaks as his frustration grew.
Rosetta placed her hand on his shoulder. "We'll stop them. I don't know how, but we will." She smiled to comfort him.
Dison let out a sigh of disbelief. "So many times, you could have died!"
Rosetta placed her hand on his face and looked into his angry eyes with a severe glare. "We will stop them. This isn't all on you."
Silvara looked at the Nuriel, who looked at them with mistrust. She watched one fly down in front of them and saw that it was a male.
"You brought this upon us," the Nuriel said, outraged, as the rest of the Nuriel spoke in their language. "What have we done to deserve this, you humans and elves? You bring nothing but destruction."
Silvara looked with grief. "We didn't do this. These people..."
"Silence! We trusted you. Now look at our home." The Nuriel said.
Rosetta and Dison surveyed the temple ruins and the dead bodies scattered across the ground as they walked alongside Silvara. "We didn't do this. We've been fighting to protect you." Rosetta said in sincerity.
"You fight to protect yourselves." The Nuriel claimed.
"You're right," Silvara said with sorrow. "This enemy was too powerful and came from nowhere! But we should have been more prepared. It is our fault."
Dison stood before Silvara and Rosetta. "Aren't you capable of defending your own home? This is just as much your fault as it is ours. You shouldn't blame us for the actions of these people," Dison argued. "The ones responsible for this are still out there, and they'll attack again and again until we stop them."
The Nuriel turned with sorrow. "You may be correct, but I do not trust someone with an aura like yours."
Dison looked confused. "What aura?.." was interrupted by a tremendous roar. Dison turned to see the silver wyvern tear out of the tower it had fallen into. It crawled down to the ground with its wounded wing.
The Nuriel nearby took flight. The one in front glanced back. "May the world guide you to victory." He soared away, joining the others.
"Thank you for your help!" shouted Rosetta in mockery. "What are we going to do about this thing?"
Dison thought back to the one Rivera shot. "It can't fly. Let's toss it over the side of the island."
Rosetta looked at Dison, confused. "Easier said than done."
Dison whistled for the griffin. It came soaring down to them. "Get on. I'll lead it to the edge, and you all attack and knock it off."
"I'm coming with you." Rosetta insisted.
"Dison looked at her and shook his head. "Alright, come on." They both ran down the city streets toward an open area with a single tree in the center of the square.
Silvara soared on the griffin as the Wyvern approached her. She watched it chase after Dison and Rosetta, crashing through everything in its path. "I hope what you have planned works, Dison," she thought.
Dison and Rosetta ran to the edge, turned, and looked at the creature getting closer. Rosetta looked at Dison with worry. Dison tried to use his sword as he had before. He slashed at the Wyvern, but nothing happened.
"What, come on! Like before, I need you to do it like before, damn it," Dison said aloud.
Rosetta charged at the Wyvern and punched it in the face, unleashing a shock wave that tore the stone from the surrounding ground. She looked on with concern as the Wyvern stood there, unfazed. It growled, raising its head and opening its mouth wide. The Wyvern lunged at her, poised to devour her.
"Rosetta!" Dison raised his sword, feeling even more energy circling through him. He slashed at the beast, creating a wave of light that struck the Wyvern, cutting the creature's head in half. The body flailed around, knocking over the tree and nearby temples. "I did it," Dison murmured as he looked at Rosetta and fell over.
The ground trembled as she witnessed Dison's slash tear the island apart. "Dison!" she shouted, rushing toward him. However, the ground crumbled beneath her feet as she ran to reach him. Rosetta grasped his hand just as he fell into the crevasse. "I put all my power into that attack. I have to..." Suddenly, the ground gave way beneath her as well. "No!" Dison slipped from her grip as Silvara seized her. She watched him fall through the sky. "Dison!"
Dison heard Rosetta's screams. "Dison? I've heard that name before." He opened his eyes and saw the forest surrounding him. The night air was cool against his face. He looked at the surrounding trees. Dison looked at his much more petite hands. "Where am I? I don't remember this."
A young boy approached him. "Hey. Are you okay?"
"Who?" Dison looked in confusion. He noticed the boy's scar on his forehead.
"Are you from another village? I haven't seen you in ours." The boy looked with concern. "You can come with me if you're lost. What's your name?"
Dison tried to speak, but no words came out. "What's happening? I can't talk," he thought, confusion in his eyes.
The boy took his hand. "Can't you talk? Alright, come on. You can stay with me tonight." The boy led him a little way before turning and saying. "Oh, yeah. My name's Dison. It's nice to meet you."
Rosetta and Silvara raced to catch up with Dison, but they watched him disappear into the clouds below. "No!" Rosetta screamed.