“Biix, NO!” screamed Dathian as he saw him and Red vanish underneath the ground.
Daane and the rest of the army had enough time to stop just before they reached the edge of the newly collapsed earth. Ayden and Ethan stopped and turned around as Nathian drew his bow instead in case the Drykans charge. Dathian landed and jumped off Cheyanne, and rushed over to the edge.
“Biix, say something! Please god, don’t let him be dead!”
“Biix!” yelled a frightened Ethan as he rushed over to Dathian.
They both frantically searched with their eyes for their missing friend.
“What?” suddenly came an annoyingly familiar voice from behind.
Ethan stood up and turned, only to see Biix standing next to Red with an obnoxious grin on his face.
“You… son of a bitch!” yelled Ethan as he ran up and punched Biix in the shoulder.
Dathian just shook his head and laughed.
Ayden yelled out to Daane, “Quick, go around, we can handle ourselves!”
“We can?!” asked Nathian as he aimed his bow at many approaching Drykans.
Ayden followed the trench with his eyes, and regretfully discovered that it stretches all the way to the harbor, and there is no other easy way across… they were alone.
Ayden then turned to Nathian, and said, “That may be a problem…”
Ethan and Dathian jumped off and drew their swords. Biix dropped his in the trench, and frantically searched for anything that he could use, finally picking up a large root from the ground.
“Well… this doesn’t look good,” said Ayden with a hint of sarcasm.
Dathian quickly turned to him with a less than pleased look, and said, “It doesn’t?! You don’t think this looks good, mister charge in without thinking or looking?! Are you kidding me?! You have got to be the most…”
Before Dathian could finish his statement, Glammdreing landed in front of them with a tremendous blow, like lightning from the sky. He then shot towards the Drykans with equal speed and intensity. It was as if he was able to slow time to nothing more than a crawl, and was free to do whatever he pleased. He moved from man to man, executing the same killing move of slicing open their throats. In a matter or mortal seconds, the warrior Angel slayed over half the grouping of Drykans. He then appeared back in front of Ayden and the others as if he had never moved. The numerous bodies were still standing on their own accord as if unaffected, then, one by one, slumped over dead. Glammdreing then turned around to face them, and failed to resist the urge to smile with a sense of overaccomplishment.
They all waited for Ayden to say something smart, but he had, maybe for the second time in his life, nothing to say.
“That’s what I thought,” said the Angel, cockishly interrupting the silence. “Now, step aside.”
Daane and the rest of the Kain’s Guard have not yet left as the warrior Angel held out his hands, and raised the fallen earth temporarily back to its rightful place, allowing them to cross. Daane led the way and walked over the Angel’s conjured bridge. As they looked on, the remaining Drykans ran with all haste back to the capital. Daane and Ayden then once again moved to the front of the line and looked on towards their fallen capital.
It has been a month since the King looked upon his capital… and home. Memories of the first attack, and the death of his wife, quickly entered his mind. He spoke to himself inside, and said, ‘So, the time has finally come to reclaim our home from the demons of Alvane who sought to take it from us. Is this to be our end, or will this be our beginning? Will I be the first King of Kain to let an outside force lay claim to our lands? Kaidian, Lord of all, be with me this day. Be with all of us.’
Daane then turned around to face his brethren, then spoke with a soft tone, “This is our city, and they took it from us. They took our homes and killed our families. I do not know how the battle will fair, but I do know one thing. I know that I am proud to have called myself your King. I am proud to be a man of our great people. I look to all of you now, and I see our past, AND our future. I see husbands and fathers. I see strength. If this is to be our end, then we will make it SUCH AN END! If the battle goes ill, history will speak of a few brave Kain that rose against a tyrant. We will be known as the ones who would not give up until the very last breath of the very last man is stolen! I swear to you now, as your King… your leader… and your friend… that I, Daane, King of Kain, WILL NOT STOP UNTL THE BLOOD OF EVERY DRAGONKIN IS SPILLED UPON THE STREETS OF OUR CAPITAL!”
Dathian watched his father as he has never seemed him before. He witnessed a courage that he could only dream of one day having, but also a hatred that he hopes to never have. The Kain erupted into cheer as pride flowed through them. As they continued, a thunderous applause sounded from the conjured storm above.
Daane controlled his emotions as he turned around to once again face the fallen capital. He then whispered out loud, speaking now to his fallen wife, “I am coming home, my love.” He then pulled back on the reins causing his horse to rear up, then galloped off towards the capital with the mighty Kain behind.
At the pinnacle of Menethiel, Bargokk watches on in horror as half the drakes are reduced to broken and lifeless bodies spread along the capital outskirts. Calthrog also stands near, in disgust at what he has become. Lorkath, standing between them, just smiles on.
Unable to remain silent any longer, Bargokk turns to Lorkath, and exclaims, “Was this a part of your grand plan?! Kill half my army?!”
“Relax,” replied Lorkath, “…they were supposed to die. They are only pawns to draw out the Angel’s power, so she may exhaust it.”
Calthrog looks at his brother, and sees the pain in his face. Bargokk may wish the destruction of the Kain, and to stand with his King, but he also cares for his army, and more importantly… his people. Calthrog has been doubting his actions for a long time now, but never before has he seen his brother do the same.
“Relax?!” yelled Bargokk. “Do you really expect me to do nothing?!”
Lorkath, now giving his full attention, replied, “It is too dangerous for you to reveal your dragon form. The White Queen will bring you down with her fire the moment you set flight. We must lure her into the city, and only then will I be able to my Lord’s bidding.”
“Your Lord’s bidding?! Where has this ‘Lord’ been this whole time?! He put us in this mess, and when it comes time to clean it up, he is nowhere to be found!” fired back Bargokk.
Lorkath softened his tone, as he said, “Archimus is NOT the Lord I refer too. There is something much bigger happening here, and the Shade Lord was also but a pawn. He is just as expendable as you and I are, for the true ‘Lord’ does not play favors, nor pardons. We will either obey him, or we will be ourselves, destroyed. Trust… as you once did.”
His words did penetrate the Red Dragon, but it did not deter his rage. He looked to Calthrog, so he may read his face, and understand that he will do what he must for their people, even if it means dying at the hand of the White Queen. Calthrog understood, and began a dialog within their mind, so only they could hear it.
“Brother, before you go, hear my words. All our lives we have served our people, and up until now, nobly. I do not wish to control you, or force your hand, I merely beg your consideration. Lorkath has already doomed all within these walls, and their lives cannot be saved by either one of us. Let us return home… let us lead what remains of our people, together.”
Bargokk stared deeply, as he responded, “I am sorry, brother, but I must finish this, once and for all.”
He then took a step up onto the railing, then looked at Lorkath, and said, “You may be frightened of the Angels, but I am NOT! You may be able to stand here while our people die at YOUR hand, but I am NOT! If it means that this is the end of me, then so be it, but I will go down with the blood of the Kain upon my scales, for I am a DRAGON, THEE RED DRAGON, AND I KNOW NO FEAR!”
He then allowed his body to fall off the railing.
Lorkath, showing litt
le reaction, said, “Go then, for your life is no longer important to our Lord.”
At this very moment, Calthrog feels alone and at odds with the King he is supposed to serve, and the brother that he wishes to join. He stands in silence for a moment, then walks back into the Throne Room as Lorkath lingered, obsessively watching the battle unfold. He then continued to the third level and as he passed each Drykan, he no longer saw them as warriors. Instead, he sees sons, daughters, brothers and fathers. He sees fear in their eyes, and regret in their guts. He sees the blind obedience he instilled in them. But most importantly of all… he sees what he has done.
Back in the Mines, Alandra and Sadja have found Malthius to investigate the source of the rumbling. Before any of them could say a word, they felt the ground beneath them rumble, shaking the very foundation they stood on. They looked at Malthius in confusion and worry. Before he could respond, a booming sound came blasting through the city from the distant mining tunnels to the south. The Keepers turned towards the direction of the sound and froze.
Sadja finally responded, “What in the name of Kaidian was that?”
“What is happening?” asked Alandra with slight worry in her voice.
“I don’t know,” replied Malthius, “it almost sounded like an explosion.”
“Are the miners expanding the tunnels?” asked Sadja. “I don’t know why they would be, this doesn’t present itself as the perfect time for mining.
“No, all construction in the tunnels was stopped weeks ago,” replied Malthius with a look of worry on his face.
They said nothing as they fixated their gaze in the direction of the mysterious sound. There wasn’t a sound to be heard as if all time stopped. Then it came. The soft and distance sounds of screams from the southern tunnels.
Malthius turned from a state of worry, to a state of disbelief, and said, “No… it can’t be… it can’t!”
“What is it?!” yelled Alandra.
The Keeper of the Hammer hesitated for a moment, before saying, “The Krocklin… they have come!” He then revealed his Hammer as Sadja revealed his Sword, and Alandra revealed her Bow. He then said, “We must get to the tunnels!”
Malthius took off running as Alandra and Sadja looked at each other, smiled, then followed.
As they ran past, Malchian, the leader of the Clauggs, shouted, “What is it?”
Malthius stopped and turned around as he yelled, “The Krocklin! They are attacking!” Malchian was immediately frozen in a momentary state of horror, as Malthius continued, “Get the women and children to safety! Send every able-bodied soldier to protect them.”
The Claugg’s leader then turned to run for the armory to gather his weapons. As he did, he turned back to the Keepers, and yelled, “GO! I will meet you there. Do not let them enter the city!”
“What about the Kain? They can fight…” asked Sadja.
“NO!” interrupted Malthius, “They are needed for the war outside, WE will handle this!”
Malthius nodded as they ran towards the tunnels. Upon arriving, screaming men and women ran past them towards Belroot. Before them, an enormous cloud of dust and debris moved inward. As the cloud dissipates, they can see the outline of a massive hole in the mountain wall. The Keepers said nothing as they held their mighty weapons at the ready, with all their power and glory revealed.
They hear the growing sounds of distant footsteps, as Malthius yells, “Do NOT let them pass, show NO mercy to these dishonorable abominations!”
Sadja smirked as he replied, “Do you really need to tell us that? Do you not know us at all? LET THEM COME!”
Alandra added, “Why not, after all, you could use all the practice you can get. I know that you have been confined underground, but that’s no excuse to be lazy.”
Sadja rolled his eyes.
The sound and vibration of the footsteps increased as the Krocklin approached the hole. Finally, they arrived, and the Keepers watch countless screaming Krocklin spew out of the hole in a dead sprint. As they enter the tunnel, they spread out in all directions, completely covering the tunnel floor and ceiling, like insects dumped from a jar. The massive Blackhide wolves ran through the stampeding army and make their way to the front. The Krocklin on top stretch out their weapons of all shapes and sizes in the air. The wolves and their riders arrive first, now only a hundred yards from the Keepers.
“You ready for this?!” yells Sadja to his fellow Keepers.
Malthius replies, “Readier than I have been before! How DARE these creatures attack MY city! THEY ARE NOT PREPARED!”
With these boisterous words, Malthius raises his mighty blue Hammer above his head. As it grows in power, the ground around his feet starts to shake. He then hurls it onto the ground, causing as a massive earthquake to thunder towards the onslaught of Krocklin. As it arrives, it uproots the ground beneath their feet, sending large rocks and chunks of mountain floor hurtling through the air into the stampeding Krocklin, destroying their bodies, killing them instantly. At the same time, the ground collapses into a massive ravine, sending many into the black abyss. The wolves quickly avoided the collapsing ground as they continued to push towards the Keepers. As the first wave approaches, Alandra begins releasing arrow after arrow just as soon as she can draw them. Sadja takes his Sword, and side-swipes it through the air, causing a blade of light rushing towards the invaders. As it arrives, it slices through them like a knife through butter, dropping the two halves of their bodies to the ground before they can even react. With all their attempts, the Krocklin’s numbers don’t seem to be touched by their attacks, and continued to charge.
Sadja turned to the others with never-ending resolve, and said, “No matter what... we do not stop… we do NOT STOP!”
Malthius places his free hand on the Keepers shoulder, and says, “If need be… to the end, my friend.”
Alandra, sensing something familiar from behind, interjected, “Men... always quick to feeling overwhelmed.
Just then, only seconds before the Krocklin reach them, they hear a tremendous screech. They turn and see Moonshine flying over the top of them, landing in-between them and the Krocklin onslaught. As she landed, she threw her massive wings back behind her, and as she flapped them forwards, a powerful and enchanted wind sent the Krocklin flying backwards onto their backs. Then, from behind her, Alandra leapt over and landed in the middle of the shaken Krocklin. She then crafted two mystical blades in her hands, and began slicing through the distracted abominations. Moonshine then flapped her wings again, hovered in the air for a moment, then grabbed several Krocklin with her strong talons and carried them off. Malthius looked at Sadja with a refueled adrenalin, and charged the Krocklin. Sadja followed closely, and between the three Keepers, their numbers were drastically reduced in a matter of minutes.
Back at the capital, the King’s forces arrived outside the camps where imprisoned Kain desperately await their release. Daane looks to them, and sees their readiness to get out. His heart warms as he eagerly rides towards them. Ayden follows closely behind, but something draws his attention.
Before he could properly react, Ayden screams at his brother, “DAANE! STOP!”
Daane hears him, but his attention is stolen before he can reply, and without any warning or anticipation of his arrival, Bargokk silently glides down straight towards them, neck arched, and flames ready.
“SHIELDS UP!” screamed Nathian.
But they were not needed, for the Red Dragon intended his flames for someone else… the helpless Kain locked in the camps. With his first pass, he released an inferno so disastrously hot, that the hair on Daane’s horse singed off, and his helmet grew too hot, causing him to quickly throw it to the ground. His Trueborn then reared up, causing him to fall off. As he hit the hard ground, he looked up through blurred vision, and saw his people running as their skin melts off their body. They made it a few yards before they are no longer able to scream, and eventually collapse as their bodies continue to burn. Bargokk turns tightly, comes back, and s
pares no time in-between his waves of fire. In a matter of moments, all the captured Kain waste away from the Dragon’s flames.
Ayden forces his brother to his feet, shakes clarity back into him, and hands him his shield. He then gives him a look as if to say, if this is it, I’m ready, and I know you are too. Terrified, the Kain begin to lose their nerve.
“Everyone, spread out, NOW!” yelled Daane.
Ayden got back on his horse, also yelling, “Don’t give him an easy target, and keep your shields close!”
Glammdreing stopped Daane, and said, “Do not worry my friend… you are not alone.” He then turned and yelled in a voice amplified by the heavens, “DDDRRRAAAGGGOOONNN!!! HEAR MY WORDS!”
Bargokk circled around so he could see the Angel, snarled his menacing jaws, and released an ear deafening roar.
Glammdreing continued, “YOU MURDER THE INNOCENT, YET AVOID THE STRONG!!!”
Bargokk then flew over the top of Glammdreing, and answered in an equally booming voice, “COME THEN, ANGEL, COME TO YOUR END!!!”
Glammdreing first turned to Daane, and repeated, “You are NOT alone!” then took to the skies after Bargokk.
Krendweil flew over to Kalorah and said, “What is our next move?”
Kalorah didn’t say anything at first as she gazed upon the silent capital. She felt as if she awaited a trap, not knowing which one will spring first.
Krendweil said again, “My Lady, what is our next move?”
The Reclaiming: The Keepers Saga: Volume Two Page 34
