Monstar Saga: Exiled

by Eden Redd

  Rujin nodded. “Brother, after tonight, it’s not a matter of who has the best tavern or inn. It will be about our partnership to make Moonvale greater, together!”

  Kazko’s eyes widened. “Rujin, do you mean it?”

  Rujin nodded, never taking his eyes off of the advancing xykks. “No more fighting! After tonight, Drayke’s prissy restaurant will pale to our combined efforts of fine dining and drinks.”

  Kazko grinned ear to ear. “Yes!”

  Lorta looked down to Kazko’s leg. The troll stood up straighter, the pain and bleeding no longer affecting him.

  The lines of xykks screeched and launched at the three trolls. Kazko roared with laughter before throwing himself directly into the fray on the stairs. Rujin and Lorta charged, clubs and sword bashing and stabbing with furious contempt.

  Hynrik huffed as he bled from many wounds. The arachnix slowed down to see three trolls fighting like demons against the xykk. Hynrik smirked before redoubling his efforts and charging into the fray from the side. His sword shot from his hand, with a strand of webbing following behind it. The sword stabbed into a xykk side and was immediately pulled out.

  The xykk ignored the wound, trying to get closer to the three trolls. When weakness touched it, it looked down to the clear fluid pumping from its body. A blink later, the creature fell as other xykks marched and stomped over it.

  From further up North Street, Kogan, Dura, and Durzol roared as they charged into the fray. The three orcs slammed into the attacking xykks and hacked at them with violent aggression.

  The xykks in the street were hacked and stabbed. Their numbers dwindled until the last one fell and Kogan’s axe split its head open.

  Everyone gathered heaved. Bloody wounds covered their bodies and a small sense of accomplishment filled their spirits.

  Kazko let out a triumphant shout when his leg weakened. The troll looked down at the wound, blood spurting and dripping down his leg.

  The troll looked to Rujin, weakness filling him. “Brother?”

  Rujin turned to his brother as he fell. The older brother dove and caught him before he hit the street. Kazko’s eyes rolled into his head, the wound still pumping out blood.

  Tears welled up in the troll’s eyes as he scooped up his younger brother in his arms.

  “Everyone, inside!” Kogan shouted.

  Rujin darted up the church steps with his brother in his arms. Almost everyone followed, except for Lorta. The troll looked down the street, not seeing Kavan or Onka. Her heart thudded in fear before she turned and followed.

  The group reached the entrance. The doors opened and they slipped inside.

  Eyes widened as they all saw Rujin carrying his brother, the two of them covered in blood. Kazko made small noises as Rujin rushed in with tears in his eyes.

  Soki slithered down the middle aisle with potions in her hands. “Get him to the altar!” She commanded.

  Rujin rushed along with the naga at his side. He gently placed his younger brother on the floor by the altar. Soki uncorked a potion and poured the contents on the wound. She then took the other potion and held it to Kazko’s lips.

  “Kazko, the potions will help but you must drink,” Soki said with authority.

  Rujin sat by this brother’s head and lifted him up onto his lap. The older brother helped push the potion to Kazko’s lips.

  “Drink. I need you,” Rujin sobbed.

  Kazko’s eyes fluttered before he parted his lips and began to drink.

  Kogan stood by the entrance as many of the townsfolk looked to their mayor.

  “More of them are coming. Ready yourselves!” Kogan shouted as his thoughts drifted to Kavan, Onka, and Drayke.

  ***

  Drayke rushed ahead, his sword gleaming from the lantern lights of town before slicing up a xykk from groin to head. The xykk made a strange gurgling sound before it fell in two halves.

  Kavan and Onka were about forty feet behind the dragonkin. Kavan glanced down to Onka at his side. The goblin was huffing and breathing hard, but she didn’t slow down.

  Drayke glanced back, “We’re almost there!”

  Kavan and Onka nodded when shadows appeared around them.

  Kavan’s heart thudded in his chest as time slowed down. Six xykks crashed into the red dragonkin and green goblin. Kavan was knocked off balance and fell. Armored insect hands reached out, not for the dragonkin, but the goblin that was still standing.

  Horror colored Kavan’s eyes as several hands grabbed Onka and lifted her up. Wings fluttered as they took off, the six of them surrounding the goblin.

  “Kavan!” Onka screamed.

  Kavan hit the floor, rolled sideways and back to his feet. The dragonkin pumped his legs as the squad of xykks carried off the struggling goblin. The world fell into instances as Kavan charged with spear in head. He watched as Onka’s eyes were the size of saucers before she and the xykks turned a sharp corner and disappeared.

  “NO!” Kavan shouted.

  Energy tickled Kavan’s senses before he felt an invisible wave strike him. The dragonkin darted past the edge of a building into the connecting street. Boots shuddered as Kavan skidded to a halt, his yellow eyes wide in disbelief.

  Onka was sitting on the cobblestone street. Her body dripped with clear fluid as she was surrounded by severed body parts to all six xykks that carried her away. Smoke rose up from their body parts as the goblin lifted her hands and looked at them covered in gore.

  Onka turned her attention to Kavan, tears filling her eyes.

  “Kavan?” the goblin said in a confused whisper.

  Kavan was silent. He rushed to the goblin while sheathing his spear behind him. Arms reached down and scooped up the Onka into his arms.

  Onka’s eyes grew heavy and her head began to nod. “I’m… so… tired,” Onka whispered.

  Kavan turned and bolted back to North Street. His legs never slowed down as he came into Drayke’s view.

  The blue and black dragonkin shouted to him again, seeing the xykk gore covering the goblin in Kavan’s arms.

  The two reached each other and charged up the street, the church a hundred feet away.

  The church doors opened, Drayke and Kavan stepping in with Onka in Kavan’s arms. The doors slammed shut and locked into place.

  Onka opened her eyes and looked at Kavan.

  “Are… we… okay?” the goblin asked weakly.

  Kavan was about to nod when the stained glass above the doors shattered inwards. Sharp glass rained down as Kavan knelt forward and covered Onka’s body with his own.

  The rest of the residents pulled back and some dove for cover. Metal groaned as a horde of xykks pulled and bent iron bars. The webbing along the bars did little to slow the monsters down as they pulled harder.

  After the last shards hit the floor, residents pulled back further in as xykks bent metal bars. Kavan was back to his feet, walking down the aisle with Onka in his arms. Lorta rushed to his side, scooping the goblin from him and rushing to the altar.

  The town of Moonvale watched as the xykks continued to bend iron bars. Claws and hands worked, forcing the gaps between bars to grow wider.

  Kavan turned around and pulled his spear from behind him. He stood at the ready, Drayke, Durzol, Dura, Kogan, and Tezzi standing by his sides. Raine and Misty floated high above everyone, short swords in hands. Shegga stood by Ammi as the dryad cowered behind a pew. Nava stood to the side with a short sword. Glem pulled back, his large hands trembling over his head. Oaks stood by the ogre, a large dagger in his hand.

  Hynrik and Zellee stood between the altar and the fighters to the front. Hynrik’s arms and spider legs trembled until Zellee touched his shoulder. Hynrik looked at the beautiful arachnix and she smiled.

  “I’m sorry,” Hynrik whispered.

  “You have nothing to be sorry for. Let’s move on as friends,” Zellee smiled.

  Hynrik nodded. “I would like that.”

  Esmeralda stayed way to the back, the alchemist holding a potion
in each hand. Bolids, harpies, and Abby stayed close to her and trembled in fear.

  “They will not destroy our town!” Kavan shouted as he held his spear at the ready.

  Several bars snapped off as xykks began to crawl in.

  “FOR MOONVALE!” Kavan shouted with the power of a dragon.

  Bodies readied when a large form appeared behind the broken iron bars and xykks. It came in like a boulder, smashing through the bars and crushing the xykks trying to get in.

  Eyes widened from everyone inside as the giant queen screeched and landed on the front pews. Wood shattered and splintered as the giant xykk roared and screeched. Round eyes stared down with a blazing rage in them, seeing meat cluster together before the slaughter.

  Kavan bent his legs and channeled 2 points of mana into his Body Sphere.

  Kavan Cynder

  Species: Dragonkin

  Health: Hurt

  Mana: 5/9

  Power surged into Kavan’s entire body before he launched like a cannonball. Spear in hand, he crossed the distance in a blink, his spear point stabbing into the queen’s armored chest. The spearpoint stabbed deep before an arm pulled back and swung. It connected with the dragonkin. Hands remained clamped onto the spear, Kavan’s body knocked aside from the blow, but it didn’t dislodge him. The spear bent as Kavan held on, the point cutting at the insides of the queen.

  It was enough for most of the town’s residents to charge.

  Drayke leapt next, his sword stabbing into a thick leg. Kogan, Durzol, and Dura rushed the other leg. Axe, hammer, and sword bit and bashed against the thick chitin armor. Arms pulled back and struck at it again.

  Raine and Misty dove down, blades flashing and slicing off a transparent wing. They turned and went in for another run at the queen’s back.

  “Fuck you!” Shegga shouted and pulled the trigger of the crossbow.

  The crossbow bolt fired with a hard twang, crossing the large chamber and stabbing into the queen’s throat. The queen grabbed the bolt, pulled it out and threw it away. Each of her four hands lashed out in different directions.

  Durzol saw an arm incoming. He threw his arms and body around his father and sister before a hand struck his back hard. The three orcs were thrown across the room and crashed into pews, cracking and turning them over.

  An armored hand slammed into Drayke, sending the dragonkin hurtling through the air and smacking against a wall. He bounced and crashed to the floor, ribs breaking on impact.

  A hand grabbed at Kavan and he twisted his body. The spear slid free and he fell to the floor. When his boots touched the floor, Kavan turned and jumped away as an armored hand came down and slammed against the church floor, cracking it.

  Misty and Rain landed on the queen’s back, side by side. Short swords raised up and stabbed down repeatedly into the armored back. The queen shrieked as a hand reached up behind her and grabbed Misty.

  The fae screamed as Raine hacked the queen’s wrist. The blows glanced off as the queen whipped her hand forward.

  Misty struck a wall, her wings bending at odd angles. Her eyes rolled into her head as she fell and hit the floor.

  Glem watched in stunned disbelief. The ogre’s eyes watered as Priestess Misty didn’t move. Watery eyes turned into a hateful rage and the ogre roared. His large form shattered a pew in front of him as he charged toward the queen.

  Nava darted out and screamed. The siren’s voice stabbed into the queen and she hesitated. The monstrous queen turned her attention to the screaming siren and charged. Thick legs slammed down before claws flashed. Nava took one step back, but it wasn’t enough. Claws raked across her body and she was flung backwards like a rag doll.

  Glem roared like a primal monster. Massive hands grabbed one of the queen’s legs. He clamped down his wide mouth and bit down on the armored thigh. An armored hand slammed into the ogre, but he didn’t budge. Teeth cracked the insect armor as he bit down with all his might.

  The queen slammed a hand down on the ogre in quick succession as Raine continued to hack at her back. Tezzi rushed to the fallen siren, picked her up and rushed away from the battle.

  Glem let go as a claw came to strike him down again. The ogre turned and grabbed the arm. A madness consumed him as he turned and pulled.

  The queen shrieked as a sickening crunch filled the church before her lower left arm was pulled free.

  Glem roared as he threw down the arm and turned to keep fighting. A clawed hand struck him from the side and the ogre went crashing into pews.

  Clear blood pumped from the stump as the queen thrashed. Kavan charged up the middle and stabbed his spear into the queen’s chest. The spearpoint stabbed through an armored plate, cracking it in four ways. The end stabbed deep as two of the queen’s arms grabbed it.

  Kavan tried to push the spear deeper, but it didn’t budge.

  Zellee and Hynrik moved away from each other. Hands rose up and shot out thick ropes of webbings. The webbing struck the struggling xykk queen. Hynrik and Zellee pulled and connected the webbing to the floor before firing more. Tension vibrated along the strands as it slowed down the queen’s movements.

  The queen screeched as she reached down, picked up a broken pew and threw it at Zellee. The aim was off, the heavy wood coming down towards Shegga and Ammi.

  Ammi’s eyes widened before she stood up and threw her body over Shegga’s body. The kobold watched as Ammi gave her a gentle smile before the thick piece of pew slammed into her back.

  The blow was strong enough to smash the surrounding pews. Shegga hit the ground and looked up to Ammi over her.

  The dryad shuddered before sap leaked from her back. She gently closed her eyes and became very still, her body arched over the kobold.

  Raine continued to stab at the monster’s back when a hand reached around and grabbed him by the waist. The fae let out a grunt before he was hurtled away and crashing down to the floor.

  Hynrik and Zellee continued to unleash strands of webs, but for every strand they fired, two more snapped from the queen's thrashing.

  Kavan pulled back his spear and stabbed again. A clawed hand slammed into his side and he was knocked off his feet. The dragonkin hit the floor and bounced. His senses reeled from the impact. Spear gone, he crashed onto the floor again. One of the queen’s hands shot forth and grabbed the dragonkin by the waist. She lifted him up as her mouth opened in four directions.

  “Kavan! You’re heating up, but you’re not ready to use your breath attack. Keep fighting!”

  Kavan heard Viz’s words, but they sounded distant. Head rolling to the side, he saw the destruction of the church as many of the townsfolk lay hurt, bleeding, or unconscious. His eyes flicked to the side, seeing many other remaining townsfolk and livestock cowering in fear of the giant monster.

  When Kavan saw fear in Lorta and Zellee’s eyes, a raging fire bloomed. The pain and broken bones nearly vanished. Claws slid out from his fingertips and Kavan channeled 2 points of mana to his Fire Sphere.

  Kavan Cynder

  Species: Dragonkin

  Health: Critically Injured. Broken Bones.

  Mana: 3/9

  The queen’s head shot forward, ready to clamp down on the dragonkin’s head and rip it off when flaming claws slashed at the side of her head. The blow was enough to cause her to recoil as Kavan slashed with both sets of flaming claws.

  Onka opened her eyes as her head lay on Lorta’s lap. The goblin watched as Kavan became unleashed, slashing flaming claws in burning arcs.

  Kavan’s arms moved like fiery comets, slashing with fire reflected in his eyes. The queen tried to retreat, the many strands of webbing preventing her escape. Heat further built up along the dragonkin’s body as he slashed and sliced.

  The residents still conscious, watched with wide eyes as Kavan became a firestorm in the queen’s hand.

  Armored plates melted. The queen let go and tried to pull back.

  Kavan hit the floor, tormenting pain flaring against his broken rib bones. A glow tou
ched his throat as he leapt up in a shot. The dragonkin channeled a point of mana into his Life Sphere.

  The queen’s arm came wide across, ready to smack the dragonkin from the air. Energy touched her and a calm flowed over her. The queen stared at the incoming dragonkin, a kind calm glowing along his form. Her arm slowed as Kavan reached up and grabbed the top and bottom part of her open mouth.

  Heat flashed as flames licked at the sides of Kavan’s mouth. He opened his maw, reared back his head and blasted out a fireball into the queen’s open mouth.

  The fireball streaked the small distance, struck her throat and exploded outwards. The back of the xykk queen’s head erupted into flames and chunks of broken chitin armor. The glow in her round, insect eyes went dark.

  Kavan let go and fell. He landed on his boots, standing tall.

  The giant xykk queen weaved before slumping to the floor into a heap. Smoke and burning xykk filled the church as she lay, no longer moving.

  All eyes turned to the dragonkin, hope and relief filling their hearts.

  Kavan’s legs quivered before he fell to his knees. The dragonkin stared ahead as alerts filled his gaze.

  Gained 1 degree in the Fire Sphere! Fire Sphere is now 4th degree.

  Gained 1 degree in the Body Sphere! Body Sphere is now 3rd degree.

  Gained 1 degree in the Life Sphere! Life Sphere is now 2nd degree.

  Gained 3 points of Mana.

  Gained 1 degree in Strength! Strength is now 5th degree.

  Gained 1 degree in Constitution! Constitution is now 5th degree.

  Gained 1 degree in Willpower! Willpower is now 5th degree.

  Gained 1 degree in Combat Skill! Combat Skill is now 5th degree, Skilled.

  Kavan gave a single, small nod to himself before he fell forward and passed out into serene darkness.

  Twenty Four

  The first rays of dawn touched the tall towers of Moonvale. Yellowish brilliant light lit up the world to a new day. A cool spring breeze washed over the town and a gentle calm settled across the surrounding lands, an unspoken relief touching the very air.

  Sunlight touched the pointed towers of the church. For a long moment, nothing else stirred. It was as if the small town was holding its breath.