by Eden Redd
Dorian tried to keep his eyes neutral, unsure where she was going.
Nypha continued, “I remember him whispering during the conflicts.”
Dorian’s eyes bulged in his head, “You heard him! You heard him say the words to use Splitter’s power?”
The young lord was up and running to the entrance cavern again. Nypha watched as he grabbed Splitter and his clothes and raced back. Dropping his clothes among the piles of treasure, the young man took hold of Splitter’s sheath and drew the mystical blade.
“Can you tell me what he whispered? Can you tell me the word of power he used?”
Nypha’s eyes drifted down to the journal. Eyes moving from left to right, she poured over an incident that proved difficult for the human lord. Shadow elves had formed a tight defensive line among the trees, their archers pinning down Lord Lockwood’s men. The younger Harris Lockwood leapt into a charge, taking an arrow to the shoulder as he uttered a word and a ghostly slash cleaved sideways among several trees. The trees shuddered and fell into one another, causing shadow elves to hit the ground and in full view of Lockwood’s archers.
Nypha focused on the whisper and looked up to Dorian, “Goll.”
Dorian’s brow formed a V as he turned to the open doors and the cavern beyond. The word “Goll” was spirit or ghost in the old tongue. The young lord growled his contempt on failing to figure it out on his own. Planting his feet, he whipped Splitter with one wide arc, whispering the ancient word.
Splitter glowed as he completed the arc, a curved band of white energy shooting from the blade. Dorian and Nypha watched as the energy sliced through the air and hit the rocky cavern wall opposite from them. The energy slammed into the hard surface and the cavern shook as the neat slash appeared in the stone, cracks forming outward.
The young lord turned with a wide smile on his face. Nypha watched with wide eyes as he stabbed the sword into the stone floor, let go and ran toward her. Dorian leapt into the air and crashed into the dragon woman. Nypha managed to toss the book aside before catching the flying lord. The two fell back onto the bed and Dorian pressed his lips to Nypha’s. The dragon woman was astonished at his brazen attack, driving his tongue into her mouth and his manhood hardening against her thigh.
Dorian played with the dragon woman until he pulled back and grinned, “You have my father’s secrets! Can you find the third and final word to unlock Splitter’s last ability?”
Nypha returned his smile but her eyes held a dark edge, “I don’t know. I can vaguely remember your father using two of the swords abilities but I don’t recollect a third. I may have to comb through my books to find an instance when he used it.”
Dorian’s smile faded slightly but his eyes still contained hope, “Can I help?”
Nypha stared into his big green eyes, “I doubt you can read my native tongue.”
“There must be something I can do? I feel we are so close!”
A familiar stirring welled up as Nypha glanced down to see the young lord was clearly excited. “I may have to do some reading but in the meantime, I would hate for such passion to go to waste.”
Dorian followed her gaze to his rock-hard manhood and then looked back at her, “You can read and….?”
Nypha reached over and picked up the journal while giving Dorian a wicked smirk, “I can do many things my young lord.”
Spreading her thighs, the dragon woman lifted the open book over her eyes and began reading, “Don’t be shy. The sun is setting and it may take us all night.”
Dorian grinned as he molded his body to the sensual dragon, tongue licking a pointed nipple. Nypha let out a small gasp as the lord speared her once again. When she began to read, pleasure and knowledge danced to entwined bodies.
***
Squads of the city guard marched down cobbled streets. Some guards splintered off in pairs, knocking on doors as the sun touched the horizon. The air held a cloud of confusion with some people answering doors and other homes standing silent. The people of the city questioned the disturbance but the city guards told them they were simply investigating a matter and just looking for anything suspicious. One guard took a tally, quickly noting every place that answered or went unanswered.
Word spread quickly and some people began leaving their homes amid the marching city guards. Concern grew when they realized some homes remained dark, no candles or lanterns burned to indicate anyone was home.
Nina stepped down the few steps of her family home, looking across the street as guards knocked on her friend Jared’s home. The family had not been seen since last night’s celebration. The young woman remembered seeing Jared going into his home and waited for him to come out so they could dance. She recalled he was gone a long time, and soon his father and then his mother went in. Nina lost track of time but as dawn approached, the lights in his home blinked out one by one, dark shapes moving behind thin curtains. The young woman assumed they must have been entertaining, but remembered thinking it odd to be inside with everyone in the streets.
The sun set lower behind the horizon, the sky filling with pinkish red light. The guards slammed metal fists on Jared’s family door, calling out. No one answered. One guard shrugged to the other one. They started to leave and began their descent of the small stone steps when a scream filled the area.
Nina turned and a horror gripped her spirit. Her father grabbed her and pulled her back as something crawled from the sewer, a slimy arm holding onto a woman’s leg. The slime groaned as its body undulated, crawling further out of the sewer, a half-formed mouth opening wider and wider.
Men rushed the humanoid slime, driving their boots into it repeatedly. Slime reached out and took hold while the thing stood up slowly. The guards pulled unlit torches from their belts. One held it out while the other used flint and stone to create sparks. Panic swelled as men and women began screaming. Tentacles slipped from the monster’s body, snaking out and jamming into faces and mouths. The screams turned to gurgles as slime crawled into their mouths, noses and eyes. One woman let out a whimper before transparent tentacles rammed into her face, caving it in.
Nina was stunned as her father dragged her along. She watched as the people, held in the slimes grip, began to shudder and tremble. The guards continued to try and light their torches when the door to Jared’s home opened. Dark shadows slipped out of the doorway. The guards had their backs to the shadows as they struck flint and stone again, sparks causing a torch to light. Nina gazed as the light touched the shadows, showing dark violet bodies with patches of flesh missing. Pointed ears twitched as pale crimson eyes opened. Intermingled with decaying shadow elves, Jared slouched forward, parts of his flesh missing and white bone displayed for any to see. Next to him, his parents lurched with the dead shadow elves.
A guard turned around, eyes widening. Hands reached out and took hold of a guard. One swung the lit torch but it was quickly stopped by a shadow elf taking hold of his wrist. Shouts turned to screams as white teeth flashed. The shadow elves and Jared launched onto the guards, biting into flesh. The grotesque sounds echoed off the stone homes as arms ripped off and necks gnawed on.
“I love you,” Nina heard her father say as he stopped pulling her.
The young woman turned to see the decayed shadow elves and mutilated townspeople burst from silent homes. The street filled with the dead as sewer lids were knocked up, slimes emerging. Father and daughter were surrounded as people fell to the monsters filling their streets. Nina clung to her father, crying as he held her close. Shadow elves turned from the bloody carnage and rushed the father and daughter. Nina screamed as she was pulled from her father, teeth sinking into her flesh and limbs pulled from their sockets.
The young woman’s screams stopped as her head ripped from her neck, shadow elves fighting over sinew and organs. Horns blared in the distance as the sun set behind the western horizon.
***
Strum and Xoli were standing at the castle entrance, the General giving orders to his captains when sever
al guards and citizens rushed up the cobbled street. Strum stopped speaking as he watched the horror in their eyes, pouring in, frantic and shouting for help. The aging general leapt down the steps and dashed to the castle wall entrance. A guard made a beeline for him, stark madness in his eyes.
“What is it?” General Strum commanded as he took hold of the guard.
“Dead…..dead shadow elves and people…..slimes rising up…they are eating people!” The guard managed, barely holding back tears.
Strum looked to the gate as more people poured in crying for sanctuary. Turning his attention to the castle guards, he took control of the situation.
“Close the castle gates! Don’t let anyone else in!” Strum commanded.
The guards nodded as they knocked the wooden wedges with big metal hammers. Thick chains rattled as they grew slack and the massive doors closed shut, stopping citizens from entering the castle grounds. Fists banged on entrance doors and people screamed to be let in.
Strum turned his eyes to Xoli, “Open the vault.”
The high elf sorceress bowed her head before turning and moving up the castle steps. Captains were at Strum’s side, waiting for orders but the general began marching up the stairs. They quickly followed as they entered the throne room and walked in tight formation.
Outside, the city filled with screams of terror as chaos bloomed. Guards along the high walls of the castle looked down to see dark bodies jumping and dragging citizens. Blood curdling screams spiraled on as decayed bodies ate and ripped at living flesh.
General Strum walked with purpose down a corridor but before he could reach the stairs, Lady Astor called out to him. The general turned his eyes to the Lady as she shouted his name and rushed to his side, her daughters in tow.
“We heard the screams. What is happening, General?” Lady Astor demanded.
The white-haired general gave her a stern glare, “We are under attack. Stay within the castle walls. Bar your rooms and keep your guards close. I will send word when it is safe.”
“You can’t expect us to….” The general cut her off.
“Stay in your rooms or I’ll put you to work leading the counter attack!”
Lady Astor opened her mouth and then quickly closed it as Strum turned from her and descended a set of stairs. Guards joined the general as he marched down another corridor. The group turned down another corridor and at the end of it, Xoli was standing at a large metal door.
The sorceress whispered arcane words and as soon as Strum stood by her side, almond shaped eyes opened and a surge of power vibrated the air. The metal door opened slightly, men took hold and pulled it open. Strum stepped into the vault and eyed the racks of swords and maces. Runes etched into every handle and the dusty vault gave off an air of magical power.
Strum turned to his captains while drawing a sword from the rack, “Arm every guard and soldier with a weapon from this vault. If there is not enough for everyone, order them to light torches to use as weapons.”
General Strum whispered an arcane word and the sword in his hand blazed to life with fire. The flame surrounded the sword, licking at the air.
“Once armed, wait for my order. I will lead the counter attack. We will burn the infestation from our kingdom!” Strum said with conviction.
Sixteen
Nypha closed her eyes for a moment as an orgasm bloomed. Dorian’s head moved between her thighs, licking at her wet slit, lost to ambrosia. The sensual caress of the young lord’s tongue set the dragon on edge as she lost her concentration. Opening her eyes, she looked to the young lord as he continued to lap and lick. He had been down there for some time and as he teased her body to a wet confession, she tried to keep at the task at hand.
The journal spoke of Harris Lockwood’s dire battles. Outnumbered, the lord had fallen several times during certain dangerous conflicts, clerics managing to raise him again before death took his spirit away. The dragon kept it to herself, unsure how much Dorian knew of his father’s battles. There would be a time and place to speak of such things but she hardly wanted to ruin the moment. Despite the brutal conflicts of men and monsters hacking at one another, Harris hadn’t used the third ability of Splitter. Nypha remembered there was a time when men and monsters suddenly went silent during their battle and a short time later, screams of pain and horror rose up. Trying to remember, she read line by line of her own handwriting, searching for the one instance where Harris used an attack that would devastate the enemy.
Looking back to the book in hand, she began reading as Dorian swirled his tongue at her abused clit. A faint sound rose up and Nypha turned her eyes from the journal. Sensitive ears picked up a murmur. It slowly grew louder as Nypha mentally pushed away Dorian’s masterful work. The sound turned into a deluge of screams, fire and the faint tone of ripping flesh.
Nypha sat up in a shot, nervous energy filling her body for a moment. Dorian pulled away from her creamy thighs and looked up, slightly confused.
Nypha gazed down and a sliver of concern touched her brow, “Uboria is under attack.”
Dorian stared at her for barely a moment before standing up, moving to his clothes and sword on the stone floor. Determination filled his body language as he dressed quickly and strapped Splitter to his back.
Nypha was up, book in hand and to Dorian’s side as they both walked out into the main cavern.
“We need to start making our way down the mountain,” Dorian said as he began walking toward the entrance.
“There is a faster way,” Nypha said before her skin began to tremble.
The lord looked to the beautiful dragon as she fell to all fours. Muscles and skin bulged as she grew longer and bigger. Wings flared outward and black scales burst from her smooth flesh. Legs bent and tail grew thicker. The woman’s neck elongated as horns shifted. A snout protruded and teeth sharpened into the dagger points. Silver lines ran down her long neck as she turned her attention to the lord at her side.
“Climb on,” Nypha said with a deep tone.
Dorian raised his hands and grabbed hold of the dragon’s large body. Pulling himself up, he straddled her back and held onto her neck. Nypha glanced back to see the lord secured and then galloped to the cavern entrance on three legs, one hand holding the book to her chest. Powerful legs pushed off the cavern floor and wings spread out as the majestic dragon caught a thermal. Dorian clutched at her as Uboria and the world below yawned before them. Shifting her weight, the dragon turned and dived for the kingdom, fires burning and plumes of smoke reaching into the evening sky.
***
Cindrar and Lirla watched from an arched tower window. Fires roared up as panic filled the streets. The older dragon woman gazed with indifference as men and women gathered at the castle gate in the courtyard, brandishing swords and torches. General Strum shouted out orders and the guards and soldiers cheered back, ready to follow him into battle. Guards worked the wooden gears, the main castle doors slowly opening and desperate people slipping in. Guards took hold of people and dragged them aside while the main force readied to march into the chaotic streets.
“Should we help them?” Lirla said to her mother.
Cindrar kept her gaze steady on the kingdom as she spoke, “This is their own doing. We cannot enable them to be dependent on us.”
Lirla sniffed, “I smell dark magic. An abomination rises to the streets, directing the dead and twisted souls.”
Cindrar looked to the burning city, eyes drinking in every strand of time, magic, screams and blood. “Prepare to leave them to their fate. I will not chance your safety to the monsters storming the city.”
Lirla looked to her mother for a moment before turning back to the horrific symphony playing on.
General Strum stood before his men, “Like the tip of a god’s finger, we will push through the main street, securing side streets and setting a protective barrier! We will open the middle of our surge to allow those fleeing a means back to the castle! You will not falter! Stand your ground and do not let the
enemy gain an inch!”
The soldiers shouted and clanged swords against breastplates. Guards pulled more survivors in, ordering the panicked horde to make room for the counter attack.
Strum turned and faced the now open gate, “Save our families and burn the darkness! We march!”
Like a disciplined machine, General Strum led the march through the gate. Men followed in perfect formation, stepping in unison as they trailed behind the white haired general. Oversized scorpion crossbows aimed down at the nearby streets along the castle wall. Men pulled up bubbling cauldrons of oil and archers took their places among lit torches.
General Strum marched as wide-eyed people rushed past. The General picked up his pace and his soldiers followed. The sound of boots and metal echoed off stone buildings as they made their way down the wide cobble stone street. The sun had long disappeared behind the horizon and stars began to glimmer amid the smoky sky.
Strum watched with a hard intensity as he and his men made their way deeper into the city. The screams grew louder until the white-haired general witnessed fallen citizens and growling shadow elves hunched over them. Limbs and flesh were pulled from writhing bodies. Sobbing and screams blanketed the area. A shadow elf turned animalistic pale red eyes to the general and let out an inhuman scream. The undead monsters stopped their feeding as they turned to the armored meat filling the street. Like a match going off, the monsters were to their feet and running, teeth bared and sickening groans rising like a serpent ready to strike.
“Form up!” Strum commanded as he drew his sword and flames emerged along the mystical blade.
From the left and right of the general, soldiers shouldered up and drew their blades. Magic sparked and blades lit up with mana fueled fire. The line drawn and the men kept their nerve as savage creatures rushed them. The violet bodies closed the distance. Strum’s thoughts touched an image of Jyda. Heart hardening, the General readied his blade.
The dead shadow elves’ groans turned into a howling terror. Strum squared his jaw as the dead reached striking distance. Strum took one step into the incoming horde, raised his blade and brought it down, cleaving a shadow elf from head to stomach, fire burning at its putrid flesh. Both forces clashed and the very street shook.
