As he watched, he felt content that it was his one unresolved issue and with her gone, he was free for but a moment till he returned to remember the war waging all around. And the sky was alive with combat while the ground forced swarmed.
Ethan soon became a huge beacon for demons, especially the brown Dragon from earlier after it tore apart a dozen Gargoyles while suffering minimal injuries. His fire alone was too flashy to go unnoticed. Storm-shadow flew them to the thickest group of fliers and kept as far away from the Dragon that pursued as possible. Twice already Ethan learned a Drone didn’t hurt the dragon who was also a fire manipulator. The Dragon also fired a dozen baseball size Drones from its maw as well and Ethan proved he could absorb the energy too. He was afraid when he missed one and it entered through his back, but it merely warmed his inside before diminishing.
Storm-shadow suddenly did a barrel roll as a reddish ball of energy shot from the ground and instead hit a Gargoyle who was barely fast enough to disembowel a demon that looked like a bat with a wolf’s head before dying.
The Dragon’s immense size belied its speed and Ethan yelled “Drop!”
Storm-shadow didn’t hesitate and dropped just as thick ivory claws tried grasping Ethan and it was his enchanted jacket which sparked off the deadliest part of the assault and dimmed much of the pain, but they didn’t get away unscathed. Ethan cried out as the deceptively nimble dragon flipped and grabbed for Ethan, who barely lost his head, but one claw hooked under the jacket collar and ripped through the material as if it were paper. Then it whipped its long neck around and its maw snapped, catching Storm-shadow’s left hoof.
“Bettil!” Storm-shadow cried out in pain as his hoof was violently ripped away from his knee.
There was muffled a ‘Boom’ as the hoof exploded in the dragons mouth from the self destruct command word imbued in the shoe Celestia had made and was enchanted. The dragon roared in pain as the power was unleashed and half its jaw was blown away.
“Storm!” Ethan shouted, his own pain nothing compared to his partner’s.
“Safety, we must land!” Came his companion’s pained response. A river of blood gushed from his missing appendage. “Ethan, hold my mane. I’ll not make it without having it cauterized!”
Ethan barely managed to grab the dark mane as Storm-shadow bit down in the large ruby at his chest, jerked with everything he had and tore the chain and dropped it. The saddle vanished immediately and with it went the ward to resist fire. With a thought Ethan used a hotter flame to seal the gaping wound and did so in a way that burned the nerves that screamed pain. In moments Storm-shadow’s flight leveled, but remained rocky with the loss of limb. The Pegasai made straight for the central castle, built all of living wood and was little more than half the size of the First House’s.
Turning his head, Ethan suddenly yelled “HURRY!” for the dragon was in a berserker’s rage, its now red eyes promising death and not registering that half its jaw was gone.
Redoubling efforts and knowing they weren’t a match, Storm-shadow took a look and hurried to the nearest safe area. The dragon roared so loud the air shuddered. The Pegasai chose to angle over a lake to the shortest area where Jormungandr saw their distress and slithered towards them, leaving behind a twitching gray dragon he had just killed himself.
Demons and warriors of Order alike parted ways from the immense serpent or risk being crushed since all knew his scales rivaled dragons, his favorite prey.
Out over the water Ethan gasped and yelled as an arrow painfully pierced his shoulder. The spells Kanade had placed as protection were destroyed completely from the brown dragon’s claw. It was clearly an Elf’s arrow and it bit deeper than the bone, lodging deep in marrow.
The impact knocked Ethan’s balance and now that the saddle was gone, so did his protective straps as he fell off his mount’s back.
The feeling of falling and pain didn’t cause half as much fear as when he saw down below was nothing but water. His eyes widened a moment before entering it with a painful splash.
NO!!! he mentally shrieked as he was surrounded by water, trapped by it. Immediately his childhood fear resurfaced.
Ethan was nine years old and enjoying the beautiful day at the beach with his grandparents down for the summer since his mother couldn’t risk getting stuck in beach sand in her wheelchair. Billy was over teasing other little girls with seaweed he had found and they were screaming and giggling. His grandfather suddenly said “Let’s go enjoy the waves.” while holding a boogey board and smiling widely.
Together they went out, him and his grandfather and after ten minutes of play his grandfather was called to shore by his grandmother, but he wanted to stay.
A rip current came out of nowhere and by the time he tried calling for help he was too far. He struggled swimming till a large wave slammed him under. Before he could swim up for another breath another crashed and disoriented him. It was unknown to be up or down as his lungs began burning. He pleaded to be saved, but the ocean kept him under. When the pain was too much his mouth opened and seawater surged in his lungs as darkness took him.
A lifeguard supposedly found him seconds after, but he was unresponsive for five entire minutes before he took his own first gasp of air on the beach surrounded by paramedics.
The trauma of helplessness, fear and pain of deep water scarred him ever since.
The sensation of drowning returned fully to his mind. The burning in his lungs were precursors to the eventual inevitability as he struggled since he had forgotten how to swim properly especially with an arrow lodged in his shoulder.
Suddenly there was a splash and teeth bit down on his good arm. Storm-shadow resurfaced with Ethan as he knew his partner’s true fear of deep water and wasn’t going to allow him to drown. Ethan’s head surfaced in a gasp as the water boiled around him from his power. Storm-shadow felt the water scalding him alive, but fear of his friend’s own terror had him trying to do what he could. Ethan’s wide eyes and gasps were wild, almost delusional till a roar above drew his undivided attention.
The dragon was dropping down upon them.
Jormungandr, unlike snakes without a sentient mind, curled himself at the water’s edge and with immense muscles, he completely leapt off the ground like a compressed spring. The dragon’s enraged focus was the World Snake’s advantage. Fifteen foot long fangs extended as the cottonmouth opened wide and sunk them deep into the dragon’s neck and coiled around it. Jormungandr’s momentum knocked the brown greater demon’s trajectory and they landed in the heart of the lake with a tremendous splash that caused a tidal wave.
The wave mixed the boiling water with cooler, but Storm-shadow held on and resurfaced. Ethan’s struggling relaxed as he realized someone was helping and stopped flash boiling the lake water. “Storm?”
“Good!” Storm-shadow said as he transferred Ethan to his back. “Hold on, we must get out of the water!” Ethan had a death grip on his friend’s soaked mane, barely keeping the terror at bay. “Hold on to me no matter what. I won’t let you drown ever again.”
Storm-shadow struggled to swim, his soaked wings helping some. His strength and power was diminished without all four limbs intact, but he kept them just above water and every moment came a paddle closer to shore.
A dark blot sped to them beneath the surface and suddenly Storm-shadow whinnied in pain as a Kelpie sunk its saber-like fangs into its natural enemy from below. The red eyed black horse surfaced with a hunk of meat in its mouth of predatory teeth. The demon horse was at home in the water and Storm-shadow and his companion were too far from aid.
Centuries of battle against his natural enemy had Storm-shadow yell a command which his hooves obeyed and a blue spike a foot long extended from his front hooves and when the Kelpie got too close and hungered for more blood, it was too unaware in its next assault. With a mighty effort Storm-shadow brought his hooves up out of the water and one lanced through the other horse’s skull while a second tore through the spine and severed its spinal co
rd.
A few seconds later something pressed them upwards from below, something far too immense to be a Kelpie. Ethan feared the dragon till they were lifted out completely.
Black and dark orange bands were beneath and a wedged head curved around. “Jormund!” Ethan yelled in genuine relief. Over in the center of the lake floated the lifeless form of the merciless dragon.
“Are you…” The snake hissed and both watched Storm-shadow collapse.
“Storm!” Ethan yelled in more terror so much that his throat was raw.
The winged stallion simply smiled at his friend and companion. “Sorry we didn’t have more time together, Ethan. You were and will always be my dearest friend.” Storm-shadow’s head dropped and revealed half his throat had been ripped out and the once tremendous gush of blood came to a stop as the heart did.
Ethan was frozen as a large blue soul rose from the proud stallion. It burned brightly in just how great he was in life.
A genuine king and dear friend died.
Chapter 17
A hole felt as if it had just punched through his heart in realization at the floating white orb over a once great warrior. Time seem to slow and all sounds died down as Ethan took in the baseball size soul that blazed in a heat and soundless blue fire. Tears began to spill down his cheeks when his ragged heart beat faster and harder. It was hard to believe, but Ethan knew once a soul separates from its body it cannot be simply returned. It meant that the body was just a meaty husk, unable to be brought back without Fate’s intervention, which won’t happen.
Storm, you died to protect me. Ethan thought. You didn’t have to. Why, Storm, why? Why you?
His heart then changed a rhythm as sounds of battle returned when he knew many more souls were dying. All around approached more Kelpie as they caught Storm-shadow’s bare soul’s scent.
Hope surged in Ethan as Storm-shadow’s form gave a sudden jerk.
But then it was crushed as a cruel rune for animation burned into his companion’s forehead, destroying the stormy patch of grey hair which was his namesake.
Bitter hatred built in Ethan as he realized what was happening. Necromancers were using the dead of Order to bolster its forces. Many were already battling a former reanimated ally who had been slain in combat and the fresh corpses would continue to fight till the rune was destroyed. Storm-shadow’s soul simply hovered, his death too soon made him silent, disoriented and confused.
Other souls were being devoured as well. “I’m sorry, my friend. I’ll protect you now…” As those words left his lips his terror and fright vanished.
Ethan’s cold rage changed.
His wrathful anger now was on a level none could comprehend.
A primal roar unlike any had ever heard shot in all directions, louder than all the fighting could ever make and not even the greatest dragons could ever match it. It was so loud the ground shook like an earthquake and the air shuddered. The battle came to an utter end. Ethan exploded in a fire that went wider than the lake and the flames carried and amplified his roar. In his head he suddenly got a picture of a tornado aflame and in his rage he grabbed hold. Storm-shadow’s body was vaporized in the flamed roar along with all of the lake’s water and every demonic aquatic being that was in it.
The battle came to a complete standstill on both sides, demons and warriors alike were drawn to it. The tower of fire burned over a mile high and wide began to swirl and change colors from orange to a deep red it was almost purple. In its heart spiraled Jormungandr, the World Snake as he was lifted by its unstoppable force. None could see a man in the heart of the tornado flying from the raw energy used by him. It spun faster and faster, giving awe and total fear to every witness.
Then it began to move. Fast.
Ethan had never felt so much hatred, his meditative lessons were gone entirely. The flames supported him in the air as it was imagined. It made an F-5 tornado akin to a gentle breeze, but one under control of the strongest type of being, an Elemental. Ethan could feel the fire swirling around him as if it were a living entity, but one who obeyed his every command.
A flash of movement caught his attention to see Jormungandr caught in the tempest of power and a mere thought threw the snake out near the base without any harm. The snake’s green eyes were lit with wonder as he looked at Ethan from the inner funnel. Jormungandr’s roar was the signal that began the end.
In the firestorm of immense power Ethan roared and willed everything forward.
The tornado’s increased rotation was just a prelude as it sped across the ground at over two hundred miles per hour, faster than anything could hope to flee from. Demons high and low were caught in its path and came out charred or flung as flaming projectiles when caught in the strongest currents. Even getting close killed.
Ethan made a straight line for where the demonic barrier protected most of their hordes, who let the lesser demons be fodder to whittle down the defenders. In seconds Ethan’s tornado shredded it like cobwebs to flame. It couldn’t withstand his attack or even serve to slow it down. The roar of fire, wind and Ethan’s own mighty inhuman roar was unable to hear the glass shattering sound as he glared at the battlements the demons brought and used to great effect.
Not anymore.
The mile wide tornado burned everything in its path. At the carnage it wrought even dragons fled for their lives, Elves Translocated and left many to die.
Under complete control, the fire turned and began to break into two, half mile wide pillars of fire and were set to seek out every demon around the destroyed barrier. Ethan’s greater tornado remained whole and turned around to gain even more speed, aiming for the defenders.
Those of Order began screaming, Thor and many warriors tried destroying the vortex heading at them to no effect. No Pixies were present since they had to Translocate the young and civilian away immediately when the first barrier went down. Everyone else was left to face the approaching blaze.
Only they were surprised to find themselves alive as the fire didn’t harm anyone that didn’t deserve it. Thousands fell and then millions, but only of demonic origin or reanimated. All the defenders felt was a warm tickling sensation as it passed, some even glimpsed at the long figure flying inside one of the pair’s heart.
When the twin tornados separated and merged into one on the other side it reformed and in a counterclockwise spin both flames destroyed every demon, and possessed individual resurrected via necromancy, to a man.
The extra tower died in seconds to release all its energy in a safe way while Ethan willed his to slow more slowly till he landed.
When it vanished nothing but silence filled the gap. All living looked upon him with wide eyed awe. The grounds smoked with corpses and were gagging, but only silence greeted the Fire Elemental for over a half mile where he stood alone.
The ground shook as Thor ran over and a half dozen flew, all struck stupid at his display. “By my father’s beard!” Thor shouted as he shrunk to his natural seven and a half feet. “What was that? You single handedly took on an entire army and won.”
Pegasus landed nearest and Odin dropped, at the end of Gungnir’s wicked tip was spitted the head of a man Ethan remembered as Michael Zing from a picture he saw after Kira’s trial. Odin grinned and said “Well done, Lad!” he laughed and raised his lance. “When you destroyed their barrier Pegasus and I slew the mastermind. Nice arrow! You…” The one eyed warrior stopped smiling as he took in the river of tears spilling from his cheeks and how he shook with emotion. He knew someone had been lost. In a softer tone he asked “Who, Lad?”
Ethan walked up to Pegasus and choked “I’m so sorry.”
Pegasus’ sparkling blue eyes widened before his legs gave way. “No. please… it’s not true.”
The king of all herds named after him collapsed completely. “I was drowning and he saved me. I’m terrified of deep water, but when we surfaced a Kelpie attacked. He killed it before he died.”
Pegasus hardened his eyes and stood moments later.
He reared and for a moment Ethan thought he was going to be stomped and didn’t move. Instead the mighty stallion spread his wings and shrieked in a horse-like way and spread his wings even wider. He held that position as every member of the herd, Shadow-storm, Storm’s younger twin bother, included reared and made the same noise or flew up. There was no translation that could vocalize the meaning for it wasn’t needed.
Jormungandr slithered over before the crowd could race over and opened his mouth. Out came a safeguarded soul and in the softest voice anyone had ever hear from the snake he said “Your mighty ssson. Hisss valiant sssacrifice is what sssaved othrsss. Ethan’sss rage came becaussse of it.”
Star-bolt landed heavily and nearly threw the blood slick Gra off. They stopped as big fat tears dropped at the sight of her mate’s orb. Her muzzle tried nuzzling it, but her gifts wouldn’t allow her to touch him. “Did he die well?” her voice shook as Gra dismounted and began tending the mare’s gashed hindquarters.
“He did.” The great snake said when others were too choked up.
“My love,” Star-bolt forced herself to say. “sadly I cannot yet follow you yet. I was going to wait till tonight in our stall, but I’m carrying another foal. The healers told me a few hours ago before…”
In a whisper they heard his disembodied voice. “Good.” It was weak and weary, but it was Storm-shadow. “I’m so tired. Raise our foal well. I will wait with my brothers, sisters and our lost children. Be well.” Star-bolt broke down and cried.
Forgemaster (Book 1 in the Spirit Guide Saga) Page 55
