Catalana becomes furious. “I’ll never forget what he did that day—nor will those memories disappear. He had caused so much suffering that day and it’s the reason he’ll never be welcomed home. However, by blood, he has every right as every other Nefaliem, to participate in the Arena.”
I turn to her, “You could had stopped it. You could had stopped him!” The next thing I feel, was a stinging sensation against my cheek. I realise several moments later; my grandmother had slapped me. I was in shock and I hear Eva gasp.
“You think I let him just waltz right in and take that title. No, I didn’t. I tried, but I was far too weak in my already bruised and battered state to even try to stop him. Just because you’re an adult now didn’t think you could speak back to your superior in such a tone. Do it again and I’ll be forced to cut out your tongue.”
My eyes become glassy as I turn my heel and storm down the wide steeling hall. With my stinging eyes and cheek, I head to the balcony not far away and transition into my Nefaliem form. My skin burns as does my muscles. I know Eva will chase after me but I also know that my grandmother will stop them—as she always does.
I flew out into the balcony, transitioning, I fall towards the ground and yank out a grapple hook from my utility belt and lock it around one of the pillars around the castle. Locking tension into the wire, I swing and use it to lower myself to the ground. Once on the ground, I peer up at the sky and realise that no one has followed me-to my surprise.
Explosions erupt at my feet and ear piercing shrieks bounded around me. I saw large dragons filling the sky. They’re massive and destructive. I saw more fire flow out of the mouth of several dragons. I leap out of the way and realise it’s too late.
By instinct, I wrap my silver cloak around myself and kneel. I felt the heat of the dragon’s fire against the thin layer the protects me and the heat that causes difficulty to breathe within moments, it vanishes and I fling the cloak away and stand, brush strands of flickering fires that lick my cloak. Summoning my sterling silver sword in hand, I come to understand that we are created to fight and battle dragons because long ago—Daunts were hunted by them.
“You want me,” I mutter. “Then come and get me.” Dragons of all different shapes and sizes attack. Avoiding the flames. I felt something heavy on my left arm and realise it’s a large sterling silver shield. It’s not round like the spartan shields but rather instead, it’s curved and carved like a diamond. It shines under the gleaming sun and I felt the weight on my arms, legs, waist and chest. I glanced down and saw that I was wearing my blue, black scales, silver cloak and armour. Three layers of armour forms around my wrists, forearms, thighs, shins, knees, hips and chest. Leaving my waist wide open.
It’s not something I was proud of as it reveals my black scales but it also goes to show the tone of my stomach which I was proud I could pull off. The sound of war cries pulls my attention back and I realise that the dragons aren’t our only enemies.
I regard the sight of oncoming monsters. They’re Outlanders. I was only on the ground level but I saw a large hunter troll racing towards me swinging a large grey battle axe. I avoid it in time and spin, tapping my sword at his ankle which was enough to make him flip over. He lands on the ground, winded by my attack and I take the opportunity to stab him in the chest. Blood pools out and I yank out my blood covered sword. Several more monsters race towards me, several passed me. “No,” I said and saw they’re headed for the palace.
I saw ice flaring like a blizzard over the balcony freezing the men in the process.
I saw ice covers the balcony then out of the blue Dante floats into the air and throws ice attacks at the soaring dragons. He freezes several dragons’ wings and I watch as they collide with the ground. “Behind you!” I hear him cry.
I turn around and there’s a large black dragon. He sits there staring me down and before I know it—he releases his fiery breath and I didn’t do anything. The fire stops and I stand unscathed. I forgot my element was fire, earth, water and air. The elements could harm me but it depends on the type of dragon. With all this, I could felt the heat from their fire but when it’s against my scales—I couldn’t felt anything.
I felt my mind sync.
You are in our way. I hear the dragon said.
“I know and there’s a reason for that.” I proclaim, “You’re invading my home.”
No, you invaded ours when you stole it.
“What are you talking about?” I wondered .
The jewel, your kind took it. We want it back.
“Like I said I didn’t know what you’re talking about,” I eye the dragon, really confused right about now. There’s no denying the confusion in both our eyes.
If you are innocent, then stay out of our way. Or we will take you down like the rest of your kind. It warns. He flies away and I was left staring at him. Dante was swift to land beside me and I remain silent.
“What’s wrong?” he askeds. A question that was far from acceptable in a battlefield. That’s where we stand. In the middle of skirmish of steel and energetic majic. It’s no different to me—I’m a warrior’s child—I’m a knight. So the sight of death never has bothered me as a woman—even when I knew it should have. As a child—it was an entirely different matter. Trauma will never be undone.
“That’s not a question I could answer just yet.” I declare and grip my blade and turn away from him. “I’ll tell you later . . . maybe I’ll be alive then.” Rushing into battle, I swing my sword, aware of the need to actually use my strength to sever the head, limbs and torso of my enemies. It isn’t until dawn that the fighting ends and the castle was in ashes.
Death, blood and pain lingers.
Staring upon the crest of a fallen soldier to I realise that this attack isn’t by chance. I saw the family crest I never thought I’d saw again. It’s the crest of a curling dragon, wrapped around an insignia that looks like a fallen ‘K’—it was then do I saw that the crest was the shield of the of the Keyes family.
It’s the shield of Altair’s family.
* * *
Chapter 13: Chapter 12
* * *
12. Assault
I try to think of any other aristocratic family but none come to mind. It’s like this world—this place insists on playing tricks on me. Though, I know at the same time, this was no trick. Staring at that crest has my heart twisted in agony and my stomach dancing in a vigorous amount of butterflies.
Fear floods through me. I was unsure what I should do next. The fighting around me becomes nothing but a gentle hum. It doesn’t even cluster together enough to be considered background noise. The shine of the sun, flares and I saw the shadow of something rushing towards me. In an instant, I saw a blur of silver and blue. It dashes in scales and armour. “Kalverya!” it barks.
I come to and saw Dante’s glaring down at me. Even though his features rein anger and frustration—his eyes rein concern and fear.
“Snap out of it!” he growls. I saw behind him was a large Armourok—the size of a mammoth on Earth. It’s large tusks press against Dante’s hands as he holds it back. I could saw his struggling. Armourok, had the ability to weaken our energy levels hence our strength. I could felt it taking a toll on me. As long as I avoid looking in it’s eyes, I should be fine.
I close my eyes and leap into the air, once I was high enough. I risk opening my eyes. I stare at the sight of the Armourok. I grip my sword with two hands and drop; slicing off its head, in one fell swoop. The Armourok dies and blood pools at my heels. Dante storms over to me, “What on Nefelia are you thinking?” he growls. “You could had been killed!” I point at the crest on the ground. The wires connect and the message clicks in place. Dante saws it now. He saws what I saw—the truth behind the invasion of our home. “No way.”
I’m angry now. The angriest I’ve ever been.
With all this anger flooding through me, I didn’t notice my body collapsing on it’s own until I was in Dante’s arms. I felt my body cool down and
I realise my Nefaliem form was gone. It’s absent and I was in my human form. The form I was reborn into. “Easy now.” he whispers.
Another troll was on approach, it’s blue skin gleams under the sun as it raises its large sword. Quickly, a figure flashes over my vision and I saw a familiar man disarm the beast before destroying him with one slice of his large sword—his primary weapon. He pulls out a crossbow and fires once, arrows fly out from the side and the front killing seven monsters in total.
Before us stands Mikaro.
“I knew it, you are weak,” he grumbles.
“What did you said,” I growl but managed through gasping breaths.
“You heard me and you call yourself a Nindo. Pathetic.” He slices down several monsters and holds them off. It’s almost as if he’s trying to protect us but the thought of that makes me laugh—he wouldn’t bother—not with me. “Get her out of here. She’s useless right now.”
“I’m not useless.” I mutter, feeling as though I’ve ran a marathon.
“Rest. You’ve used up too much of your energy.”
“But I haven’t been fighting for that long.” I reply and Dante pulls me in his arms. He stands tall and turns to Mikaro.
“Be careful.” Dante orders and I hear a ‘humph’ from Mikaro.
“Don’t underestimate me.”
“I’m not, we just didn’t need anymore casualties.” Dante confesses before we take off high into the air. I hear the screeches of oncoming dragons and Dante dodges them. With his hands in a bind and my energetic majic blocked—the dragon on approach looks like he’ll kill us in one swipe. Lava squirts into the air and I glanced down to saw Mikaro burning the dragon. His element, I realise, was magma.
“Don’t just sit there, leave!” Mikaro growls and flips sideways without any hands over a woman with a large battle-axe. He moves quickly out of the way and disarms her before knocking her unconscious. He places her gently on the ground and glanceds at us. “Now!”
I felt Dante nod and soon enough, we disappear from the battlefield. You’d think that’d make us safe, on the contrary it did nothing but cause the other dragons to pursue us. I glanced up at Dante. “What do we do?” I yell over the blaring winds.
“Nothing!” he calls back.
“Why?” I demand.
“Just trust me.” he replies.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea.” I speak and realise a little too late. It’s what I’ve said that causes Dante’s eyes to fill with pain. I realise he understands what I mean by that. “I’m sorry.” I said and place my hand on his cheek. His face was smooth but strong. The world around us disappears and I hear a whistle in the air.
Glancing at the source, I saw it’s none other than the empress. “What happened?” she demands floating over to us in her sterling silver armoured suit.
“The Princess, used up too much of her energy.” Dante informs.
“Always pushing yourself aren’t you?” she mutters.
I saw a dragon behind her and I go to said something, fearing for her life but she spins around and dodges the dragon’s attack before slicing its head off. The disassembled dragon falls to the ground and Catalana turns back to us. Something crashes into us and Dante’s grip loosens enough on me that I fall towards the ground. I hold my hands out before me, praying I’d somehow stop.
Realising that the others are preoccupied from what I saw, I glanced back down at the ground feeling the wind brush against my cheeks but sting against my eyes. It’s painful but instead, I pull at something deep within me and thrust it forward. In one agonising scream, I hold out my hands and wind flows from them. I was stunned though not enough so, to stop looking over my shoulder, for an oncoming bloodthirsty dragon.
As I land on the ground, I hear screams around me. Peering over my shoulder I saw that several lesser powerful Nefaliem are plucked from the ground and flung in the air to be devoured. Most didn’t make it. I turn from the sight and realise we’re being hunted like cattle. The way they manoeuvre in the sky, the way they dive in harmony and in sync. It’s almost like they’re the predators and we’re the food.
The next thing to occur does not faze me one bit. An explosion erupts and the shrapnel flings several dragons away. The ground shakes under its outburst and I saw a spear hoisted into the ground. I grasp it and pick it up only to turn around at the sound of something entering our planet’s atmosphere.
It’s a big battle cruiser and it’s our ship. I saw it must had been shot down by the way it spins in the air, or how else did it managed to fall hundreds of thousands of feet. A giant blob of light catches everyone’s attention—for a moment—before eventually, everyone and I mean everyone decides to return to tearing each other’s throats out.
I regard the sight in disgust as I turn my attention from the fallen cruiser and to the woman standing several feet in front of me. Her green skin was wrapped in scales—I now realise she’s a Metamorphicould—a shape shifter. She stands there, before me, unfazed. Holding a blood soaked sword, she stands ready to fight. I bring forward my sword and within moments we clash swords, again, again and again. “You’re better than you look.”
I slice at her waist and she leaps back. “Is that supposed to be a complement?” I sarcastically question.
“Maybe.” she muses. I hear the sound of racing hooves and to the left of me, far off in the distance I saw an army of Minotaurs. “I saw you saw my friends princess. They’ll burn you home to the ground and make you watch while everyone you love suffers.”
I smile.
“What’s so funny?” she questions.
“The fact that you think that those half a man could possibly do anything to the people I care about?” I mock. “It’s not like they’re weak.” I smile and motion with my hand for her to ‘come and get some’ and to my expectations she does. It’s a little sad but she does. Our swords clash and like that we’re in the midst of a battle that keeps me on my toes. I know that it’s something that will always be there—it’s something that will always be a part of me—the fight. The battle for the warrior within. I couldn’t help it. It’s been encrypted within me, I was not saiding that I was the best fighter around—but I know I was strong enough to survive and in this world. With this war—that’s all that matters, survival. This was to ensure the survival of our species. One that was down to a few thousand.
Exactly, Four thousand, three hundred and twenty.
The only way I know that was because of my grandmother who’s adviser works to keep track of the number of people left on our world as not very many people will last a long time as the war that goes on will cause severe consequences—something I was aware everyone knows. Yet we risk it because we had no other choice. I normally didn’t care for what others said yet recently in the past hundred years I remember a few telling me that the Nefaliem was on the verge of extinction and no matter amount of reproduction will change that.
I slice at her waist and wait. She leaps back and I step forward and thrust my sword through her torso. She coughs up blood and grips my sword. I grow a little agitated. She dares challenge me. I think with venom. Such impudence.
She tumbles to the ground as I yank out my blood covered blade. The body that lays at my feet was a reminder of my destruction—the trauma I’ll forever face. I turn from her and ran at a man who’s quick to zip in front of me. He’s fast and a little too fast, it was something that I’ll admit on a minor level. He steps in front of me, once again, before disappearing behind me—to the side, to the right, to the left and again to the front. I pick up on his movements and I thrust forward my foot. He appears behind me, the place I expect. He falls on his rear and I was quick to swing around and stab my sword through his chest.
He gasps and coughs. “Your kind won’t win.” I mutter.
He reaches for me, his shaky hand covered in blood and I hear his heart slowly fade away. In my Nefaliem form, I was invisible—well almost. I’d like to think I am—so that way my enemies will tremble at my feet when
I need them to. He falls to the ground dead and I silently stare at the sight. I felt the wind pick up and my sings in the breeze.
There’s something dangerous on approach that much I was aware of though, I couldn’t help it when there’s nothing more left for me to do. In this battlefield, there’s plenty for me to do. I ran towards the edge of the balcony aware it opens up into the sparing courtyard. I ran towards the balcony, placing my sword on my back, in it’s sheath. I leap onto the handrail and over the balcony. In my Nefaliem form, I fall towards the ground, within moments, the ground shakes and cracks under the weight of my armour. Everyone around me was stunned at the sight, I crouch and gather my limited power—I could felt it. It’s limited. I’ll need to rest for a couple of days before I could carry out any missions or any battles for that matter.
“Kalverya!” I hear a voice call.
I saw in the distance, Asashin fighting a bunch of soldiers. There’s nothing that I could saw that man couldn’t handle. He takes down the trolls and other Dark Cartel monsters—you could tell it’s the Dark Cartel by the insignia of a swirling snake in vigorous flames on their uniforms, tattooed on their arms or stamped on their armour. I notice they notice me and several are quick to rush towards me, I summon my crossbow and fire. Arrows shoot out in different directions like Mikaro’s and down they fall.
I place the crossbow on my left leg where it comfortably sits. I summon an image of two guns. At my waist I felt something heavy and soon enough, I pluck to guns from behind me, using my energy to form bullets—I fire. Energetic bullets shoot from the barrel of the weapon and several Outlanders fall.
As a Resoncreatalian I was a fully-grown purebred Nefaliem. There’s a destiny to keep my people from extinction on my shoulders and to ensure that our race—doesn’t use their power for evil. It’s a hard job but I was not a bridge between people but between worlds. So as a result, failure was not an option.
Crimson Blade (Crimson Series Book 1) Page 17
