Suddenly, Sulphurious gave an agonised roar and Eryanth was free. He gazed up in surprise as the black dragon was lifted airborne.
Krato, his own jaws clamped around the back of Sulphurious’ neck, raised the beast up. Alethia had one wing and Vaalor the other. In unison, the two dragons ripped those wings apart. Sulphurious screeched and thrashed but Krato steadfastly held onto Sulphurious. Ilya swooped in and bit down on Sulphurious’ tail and together they raised him high, then pulled, severing more chunks of flesh.
Blood rained down upon Eryanth, but he did not close his eyes. He wanted to see this hideous creature ended.
With no wings, the black dragon plummeted from the sky, his neck raining blood and his tail hanging in threads.
Krato swooped in from the side and rammed the falling body sideways. It burst through the palace walls and rolled to a halt in the burning grass, taking out many Dust Devils before it stopped.
From his perch on the tower, the Lord of Chaos saw his guardian fall. Immediately, he raised his hands. He whipped the storm clouds into a frenzy and brought his wrath down upon the valley until there was nothing but shadows.
Eryanth could do nothing as the dark god leaped, heading straight towards where Diamond fought.
Kilar landed nearby, drawing Eryanth’s fading consciousness. He turned his head, his vision clouding, his body too weak to move. He blocked his mind, determined not to call upon his Nexus. He would not take her strength for his own, not now when she needed it most.
Firan vaulted from Kilar’s neck to the ground and sprinted toward him. A tear slipped from Eryanth’s dragon eyes at the sight of his father.
“Son? I need you to change back. Come back to me and I can heal you,” Firan told him urgently.
Eryanth blinked. His father looked pale and tired. His blue hair was listless, his skin dull. Anxiety struck him but he could not speak—only gurgle. Warm blood had pooled around his large head, and he realised only now that his father stood in it. He tried to nudge Firan backwards away from the macabre pool.
“No. I am not leaving you. You will not call Diamond, I understand that, but I can save you. Now do as you are told. Come back to me, my son.” Firan placed a dirt-and blood-covered hand upon Eryanth’s forehead, covering the ruby.
Eryanth closed his eyes, trying to accept the energy and magic his father gifted him.
His dragon understood; neither of them would survive if he did not retreat. Its huge body began to shrink away.
Eryanth soon lay naked in a cold pool of his own congealing blood. His severed neck oozed a steady stream. Its metallic taste saturated his mouth and nose. He coughed violently, his whole body shaking; he choked as blood filled his lungs.
Firan dropped to his knees and placed both hands over Eryanth’s wound. “I will not lose you,” he stated, his voice breaking. “We have not had enough time. There is so much I want to share with you.”
Kilar changed and ran over as Elexon sprinted away through the billowing smoke towards his father.
Warmth and love filled Eryanth’s heart as his mother kneeled beside Firan. She leaned in to kiss Eryanth’s forehead.
“Fight, Eryanth. Don’t leave us,” she wept.
Eryanth lifted his hand. It felt like a lead weight. Reaching out, he grasped her slim cool fingers just as the pain began to fade.
Firan screwed his face up in concentration. A blue haze covered his son. At the soothing wave of healing magic, Eryanth’s agony disappeared completely.
“Stop,” Eryanth implored, not wanting his father to make himself vulnerable in the midst of such danger.
Firan did. Panting, he sat back on his haunches but he did not let go of Eryanth’s neck. “Talk to me again,” he instructed.
“I love you,” Eryanth told him, then repeated it to his mother.
Firan grinned and let him go. “Thank the goddess,” he muttered. He let Eryanth sit up then he pulled him into a tight embrace. “I love you too.”
Kilar joined in, wrapping her arms as best she could around them both.
“Diamond,” Eryanth breathed, reluctantly pulling away. To be held by both his mother and father was a gift, an experience he had never expected to have, but they were all vulnerable here. He looked up. Krato and the other guardians were fighting to keep the Ashmea away from them.
His eyes widened. Above them, huge snowy white beasts ridden by white-haired women fought as viciously as any guardian. The winged creatures looked like huge owls, the feathers of their massive wings beautifully marked. Round, yellow eyes narrowed on the enemy below and they swooped from the skies to pluck their prey from the ground.
The Ice Witches formed spears of ice, throwing them with unerring accuracy into the spines of the Ashmea.
Eryanth had never seen an Ice Witch or such creatures before. Right now, though, he didn’t care what they were, they were keeping him and his parents safe.
Eryanth looked into his father’s face then his mother’s. “I am sorry but I must leave you. I must go to Diamond. I cannot leave her to fight him alone,” he told them, his heart faltering as he felt a tug on their magic.
Firan stood and dragged him to his feet. “We know. Go. We will be fine.”
Eryanth smiled in response, then ran. He shaped his magic into armour before calling upon his blades and gripping them tightly. His feet pounded into the ash as he ran across the smouldering ground to where he had last seen Diamond. Embers exploded under his feet, though their scorching heat did not harm him. With blade and magic, he carved a path towards the tower.
Near the entrance, Jack fought hard alongside Rayan. Jack was bleeding from a gash to his leg and sweating heavily.
Rayan twisted and spun behind the Battle Imp he fought, drawing his dagger over its neck, ending it.
Instantly, Jack heaved his sword upward and brought it down with all his might, severing its head.
“Where’s Diamond!?” Eryanth bellowed when he didn’t see her.
“In there. Erebos crashed in through the roof. She went after him! Erzion followed her!” Jack yelled back.
Eryanth did not slow or alter his stride, he merely pulled Dragonsblood from the shadow he had concealed it in. “Here!” he yelled. Heart pounding with fear for Diamond, he leaped up the steps, not stopping to see if Jack caught his family heirloom and disappeared into the gloom of the palace.
Chapter 31
Solid metal hit Jack’s palm, reverberating up his arm. The dragon’s eyes were gone and, though the blade was covered in old blood, it was as sharp as ever.
“Damn, that’s a fine sword,” Rayan growled. “Now use it!” he barked as a Dust Devil swirled through the ash and materialised in front of them.
Jack was ready and waiting. He swiped the Dust Devil’s head from its shoulders and the thing burst into black dust.
“Jack! You need to stop that bleeding!” shouted Arades urgently from nearby. “Get to your king!” he ordered those nearby.
Jack found himself surrounded by his guard. Rayan sheathed his sword and began chanting. Before Jack could pull a roll of linen out of his pocket to bind his thigh wound, the wizard had magical sparks flying between his fingers. Jack gasped as they shot into his open flesh, cauterising and pulling it closed. It stung like hell.
“Shit! Shit! Shit!” he bit out.
Rayan laughed. “Toughen up, majesty. We are not done ye—” The last syllable of his word was cut off as his body was swept sideways and slammed into the tower wall, along with Unis and Roin, Arades, Zane and Somal.
Jack stumbled, falling backwards as he scrambled to move clear of Sulphurious’ talons. Dragonsblood clattered from his fingers.
The stench of blood and rot overpowered his senses.
The black dragon was dragging himself over the ground, his mutilated body leaving a river of blood and dark rotting flesh behind him. Horrifyingly, it seemed Erebos’ darkness and power was healing the black dragon. With every moment that passed, his flesh was regenerating.
Red e
yes filled with hate burned into Jack before resting on Dragonsblood. He seemed to dismiss the sword, snarling when the ruby in his forehead glowed brightly. Jack grasped for his sword and felt it shudder. Its handle glowed and its blade sang. He swore he heard it calling him.
Kill it! Its life is mine!
Jack swallowed hard, fighting the urge to run towards the huge dragon without a plan or any thought at all. Instead, he took stock of his situation. The rest of his guard could not help him; they were fighting hard, and though more wizards and fae were swarming the palace, enemy soldiers were forming a solid bank of resistance. He realised that, like Sulphurious, the enemy soldiers were trying to reach their lord in the tower. He was calling them to him—to help him fight Diamond and Eryanth.
Arades and Zane pushed themselves up but Rayan was out cold. Hoping he was not dead, Jack looked away.
Sulphurious had reached the entrance. He dragged his bulk up the steps and began tearing at the bricks and clawing his way inside.
Jack’s heart froze. He was alone.
From above, a blast of fire hit the black dragon. Vaalor hovered, turbulence from his great wings stirring up ash, which landed in Jack’s nose and mouth. He spat it out but the acrid taste remained.
Sulphurious shook himself and roared up at the other guardian.
Vaalor could not land, there were too many allied troops to risk it.
Jack swallowed hard.
Vaalor was goading his brother, trying to lure him away.
Sulphurious ignored Vaalor, merely increasing his efforts to pull himself up to ram the walls with his great head.
King Oden, keeper of Dragonsblood. You can end him. This is your role here. End that evil for good.
Jack tensed at the soft yet urgent voice in his head. A woman with long silver hair pointed from Vaalor’s back to Sulphurious. She raised a sword over her head then pointed its tip at the diamond that was lodged in Vaalor’s forehead. Drive your sword into the key, majesty. It will end his life.
Jack ran.
Sulphurious saw him.
Jack heeded the dragon’s great head moving. It swung towards him. Before Jack knew it, he was spinning through the air. He screamed. Bone cracked. Pain saturated his chest. Darkness stole the edge of his vision, his body burning with agony, when he slammed into the ground.
No! He had to stay conscious.
Blinking furiously and gritting his teeth, he struggled first to his knees then to his feet. He couldn’t breathe! It hurt so much.
He leaned on his blade and coughed. Blood shot into his mouth, its metallic taste and gelatinous clots making him gag. He spat a mouthful on the ground, icy fear shuddering over his skin. He knew what that meant. At least one of his lungs was punctured. He had very little time. He staggered forward a few steps—and fell to his knees.
“Jack!” bellowed Arades.
Jack looked at him hopefully. But Arades was already fighting another Ashmea. Jack staggered up when a familiar roar reached his battle-sensitive ears.
Trajan pelted through the fighting bodies. Light-footed and agile, he darted between them all. Sulphurious could not move quick enough to knock him from the air as the Water Leopard leaped over the dragon’s barbed tail and skidded to a halt next to Jack.
Jack instantly opened his mind to the Water Leopard, knowing and trusting him implicitly.
Get on, Trajan growled. This is what your family legacy is. You are to be the dragon slayer. It is why you hold that sword. It is what your father would have told you had he lived. Your family took an oath to Alethia, the Goddess of Truth. As the Red Wizard protected Diamond’s throne and Prince Lexon’s descendants built her an army, your family were trusted with the weapon that would kill the black guardian. Your father told me its magic was a gift from the High Ruler himself, that I would know when the time was right to tell you. Now get on and let us end this.
From above, the biggest guardian Jack had ever seen roared as if in agreement.
Jack gritted his teeth against the threat of unconsciousness and climbed on Trajan’s back. The huge cat launched into a run, his paws pounding over the scorched earth. He swerved and leaped over Sulphurious’ tail then flipped them around before heading towards the dragon’s healing wings. The membranes dragged upon the ground, too new and delicate to armour or lift.
The black dragon realised that a new threat sprinted towards him. That massive tail swung again and again towards Jack.
Dragonsblood glowed as though it carried the light of Tu Lanah itself.
Jack had no time to ogle it.
Hold on! Trajan warned—and leaped.
Sulphurious screeched as Trajan’s claws curled into his unprotected wings, looking for purchase as he bounded up towards the dragon’s back.
Jack held on for dear life, every movement jarring his agonised body.
Sulphurious screamed his rage as Trajan bounded up his scaled back.
Off. Now! Trajan ordered.
The guardian’s neck was almost healed and his strength was clearly returning. He heaved his great body off the ground and reared up on his back legs.
Jack drove his blade down.
Trajan slipped and fell, unable to gain purchase with his claws on the armour now covering Sulphurious. Not so Jack. Dragonsblood was lodged firmly in Sulphurious’ flesh. It had pierced clean through his armoured scales.
Jack held on, screaming as his broken ribs stretched and pain crashed over him.
Sulphurious slammed his talons back into the ground.
Jack seized his opportunity. Panting and sweating, he yanked the blade from the dragon’s flesh and climbed up scale and bone. Fighting a wave of dizziness, he swung down from one horn to the side of the dragon’s huge head.
The ruby glinted, inviting him closer.
Sulphurious shook his head and once again reared up, trying to dislodge Jack.
Jack yelled, trying to compartmentalise his pain. When Sulphurious raised his head skyward, Jack dared let go of the horn and planted his feet against Sulphurious’ forehead. Knowing he had mere seconds, Jack gripped Dragonsblood with both hands and stabbed the blade down with all his strength. The point cracked through the ruby key, sending a wave of energy exploding outwards and across the burned grounds.
The dying dragon screeched. It shuddered and thrashed its head, trying to dislodge Dragonsblood.
Jack was thrown high into the air. The world tumbled past. His body slowed and, for a brief second, Jack was suspended high in the air.
Horrified faces watched and several of his guard launched upward, trying to catch him.
Sulphurious saw him and opened his jaws.
Jack fell towards the dragon’s open mouth.
“Jack!” bellowed Arades. He shot down from above, pulling his gold wings in to move close enough to reach his king.
Jack felt Arades’ massive arms encircle his waist. For a moment relief burned inside his heart until sudden and agonising pain shot through his forearm and he felt his flesh rip. Bone snapped in an unforgettable sound.
Agonised screams. Such loud screams filled his ears, Jack wanted to cover them. To make it stop. Jack lifted his hands to cover his ears—and stared in horror at the blood pouring from the severed stump of his right arm.
Arades snapped out his wings and soared upwards.
Sulphurious fell to the ground with a thunderous crash at the same time Jack realised that the screams he heard were his own. With a curious remoteness, he watched General Arades Gillon bellowing to those below. It was almost as if Jack were floating and watching himself from afar. His ruined and injured body hung limply in his friend’s arms. His face pale, under the blood, dirt and sweat.
Below them, the black dragon lay lifeless, Dragonsblood embedded in its skull.
The King of Rhodainia smiled as his eyes fluttered closed and he embraced oblivion.
Chapter 32
Erebos watched Sulphurious fly after Eryanth. He grinned and dove towards Diamond.
Diamond tri
ed not to worry for her mate. He was a warrior, a guardian.
Erebos pulled himself to a halt, hesitating. He cocked his head.
Then Diamond heard it too.
A cry. A baby’s cry.
Diamond’s heart pounded. What in the hell is a baby doing in the palace? Her eyes narrowed as Erebos lost interest in her; instead, he used his shadows to launch up to the pinnacle of the great tower. Feet first, he drove through the roof. The tower windows exploded outwards as he battered down through each floor.
He had not quite reached the ground floor—the throne room—when Diamond seized her chance and sprinted in through the once grand entrance.
Erzion followed.
“Erzion! Go back. This is my fight!” she yelled.
Erzion raised a brow as he blasted a Dust Devil away from her. “I agree. And it is my oath to protect you and this throne. Besides, I heard that baby cry. I’ll get the baby out and you can call your Nexus to you to help fight the dark god,” he said grimly.
Diamond twirled the spear and sliced through a Battle Imp’s shoulder, cleaving it in half. With only half a thought, she blasted a wave of magic out. The corridor walls exploded, taking her enemy’s corpse and more monsters with them.
The tower shook. Unstable now.
Rubble fell in an avalanche from the floors above her. Quickly, Diamond shielded herself and Erzion, but a massive chunk of marble fell from above, crashing in through the ceiling of the corridor. She screamed and caught it on the shield before tossing it aside, but her power faltered. Her stomach flipped. Using such vast amounts of magic and the spear was depleting her energy and blood.
“My queen, please wait for your Nexus!” Erzion beseeched her. Blood ran from his forehead where a lump of stone had caught him.
“I can’t, Erzion. I cannot feel him!” Pain saturated her heart as she said the next words. “I think he may be dead.”
“No! He is not! He will be here to aid you. I know he will!” Erzion barked. “I will believe nothing else.”
The Goddess and The Guardians Boxset: The Complete Romantic Fantasy Quartet Page 131
