by Eden Redd
***
The symir stayed underwater as it searched for the green dragon. It snaked along, deep underwater and circled the area. The flames on the surface had died, but the serpent's senses were still heightened to see and sense any movement. It continued to make odd circles when something from above touched its senses.
The symir turned its gaze upwards as something crashed into the water. Claws flashed out as Norrah clamped onto the sea serpent’s neck and raked her claws across. The symir bucked and spun. The force was enough to dislodge Norrah. The green dragon kept her wings close to her body before bursting forward. Bubbles and muted growls filled the area before the dragon and sea serpent crashed and coiled into each other. Norrah’s claws slashed against the hard scales. The symir opened its maw to bite the dragon. Norrah elbowed under the serpent’s jaw with one arm and slashed against its neck with her other hand.
Symir blood floated into the waters as the two titans fought. The symir whispered an arcane incantation and a dark aura formed.
Norrah planted her back legs on the serpent to push away, but her damaged leg hadn’t fully healed yet. Pain caused her to wince and slowed her retreat. Black power surged and a shockwave struck the green dragon.
Norrah was thrown off the symir and floated backwards, her senses lost in a daze. The symir quickly swung its tail and snaked through the water toward the stunned green dragon. Large, sharp teeth gleamed in the darkness as the symir aimed for Norrah’s head.
The emerald green dragon caught a glimpse of approaching teeth. With a thought, she tapped her life sphere and inner power surged. A green aura appeared around the dragon just as symir bit down. Norrah’s gaze remained firm as the symir couldn’t gain any purchase on the protective aura. Teeth slid off and the serpent tried to bite again.
Norrah’s hands flashed forward and grabbed the top and bottom of the open symir mouth. Dragon muscles bulged as she tried to tear open the serpent’s mouth.
The symir grunted in pain. Norrah remained to task, trying to break the monster’s very jaw. Something thick whipped around and struck Norrah’s aura hard. The mana shield cracked and she pushed herself to end this fight. The symir’s tail whipped around again, this time surrounded by a dark aura. It hit the mana shield and it collapsed on impact.
The force of the hit caused the dragon and sea serpent to spin underwater. Norrah grunted as she slowly felt like she was losing her edge. She planted her clawed feet against the bulk of the serpent and pushed off.
The symir growled before it opened its mouth. A ball of black energy filled the space in its mouth as it readied to fire.
Norrah’s entire body surged forward to the side of the symir’s head. Her clawed hands slashed and sea serpent blood bloomed. The symir pulled its head away and lost its focus. The black ball of energy died in its mouth. Norrah launched at the symir and grabbed onto its head. Her tail whipped around and spikes stabbed out from the end. It slammed into the bulk of the serpent as she held on for dear life.
The symir’s entire body undulated and burst upwards toward the surface. Norrah held on as she and the top half of the symir exploded out of the water. Dark energy rippled and the symir whipped its head hard.
Norrah lost her grip and was thrown into the air. Wings flashed out to grab a thermal when she looked down with wide eyes. The symir’s mouth was already open and a ball of black energy floated between its teeth. There was no hesitation as a thick stream of concentrated darkness blasted out. It crossed the small distance and just before it was going to strike Norrah, a green aura appeared around her body.
Darkness and life and exploded.
Norrah felt the beam strike her mana shield. The aura cracked and collapsed. The beam continued, hitting her chest and sent her flying backwards. Pain burned as she was helpless to fight it. The scales along her chest began to crack and when they nearly reached the point where they couldn’t take anymore, the beam stopped.
Norrah flew backwards across the sky, her body weakened. She could barely keep her head up as the blow sent her through the air. The beach appeared under her. A short breath later, her back crashed into one of the mountain spires.
Norrah let out a weak groan as she fell. Her chest blackened and the remainder of the dark energy trying to eat away at her very life force, caused the green dragon to fall onto the trees below her. Branches and trunks shattered from her impact. Norrah hit the ground and laid there, a small moan rising up from her snout.
The symir stared as the spot where Norrah fell. It couldn’t see her through the trees, but its senses picked up on her weak heartbeat. It opened its mouth, ready to sterilize the area when lightning flashed further along the beach. The symir turned its attention to the flying blue dragon, blasting lightning at the army of crab monsters as they advanced on the town.
A sinister smirk appeared along the serpent’s mouth before it opened it and another ball of black energy appeared within.
***
Shego roared lightning. Thick streams of energy slammed into the backs of giant crabs as they continued their relentless march. Shells blackened on some and others caved in from the streams of lightning.
The blue dragon looked down, seeing that half of the force moving toward the town was dead or dying. She had concentrated most of her lightning breath attacks to split off the main force. Spines from many of the monster’s backs shot into the air, but fell short of reaching the dragon as she made deadly passes.
Shego glanced ahead after making an attack run. She saw the people of Moon Cove gathering in the streets and grabbing their loved ones. Fear touched their eyes and voices as they could see the length of the beach with the approaching armored crabs and a lone dragon blasting at them with power.
“A few more passes and those monsters should be destroyed,” Shego said to the mind link for everyone to hear.
The blue dragon banked left and circled around for another pass. Her wings and body moved with urgency as she made her loop and prepared for another run. Lightning sparked and filled her mouth as she bore down on the remaining monsters. Her eyes flashed as she readied another volley of lightning attacks when something in the distance touched her heightened senses.
Shego banked away but it was too late. A thick beam of black energy struck her back and exploded. Darkness bloomed and the blue dragon was hurtled sideways. Confusion filled Shego’s wits as she tumbled through the air and crashed into trees. The dragon’s bulk shattered trees before she hit the ground and bounced once. She landed feet away from her initial landing and slid to halt.
Steamy blood leaked from Shego’s back as she tried to lift her head. Her head quickly fell back to the ground and she whimpered in pain.
***
Nate stood his ground as lizard people stepped along and stood side by side with the giant crabs. Arrows, blades, and blunt weapons were at the ready as the lone man glanced to the sides. Lightning crackled along his forearms and fists.
The subek from the ship and the attack the other night stepped from the surrounding line and eyed Nate. He didn’t have his bow. As Nate sized him up, he saw that the subek was not armed at all.
The lizard man looked at Nate with cool eyes. “You have chosen the wrong side of this conflict.”
Nate was silent, drinking in everything around him.
The subek continued. “My name is Vazk, High Priest to the goddess, Hexnia. You have been condemned to death.”
“I doubt there is anything I can say to convince you that this is a bad direction to take,” Nate stated simply.
Vazk smirked evilly. “No, there isn’t. The dragons have abandoned the true seers. My people are descended from their dragon bloodlines and we were the first to be cast out. Now, dragons seek seers. They ignore us and take on those who are not of their blood. Such a betrayal will never go unpunished.”
Vazk lifted his scaly hands to the dark sky. “The goddess Hexnia has taken us to her bosom. She gives us gifts and we follow her will. When the world is cleansed, she will re
make our people into the new dragons of Arith. It will be a beginning of a new age!”
The subek lowered his hands to his sides and gave Nate a deadly glare. “We simply have to kill every seer and dragon until there are none left. A noble goal to remake the world.”
Nate felt Shego’s thoughts as she blasted at monsters along the beach, the connection between them still strong. He lifted his fists, energy arcing along his knuckles.
“Blood and family don’t always mean truth. End this and we all walk away,” Nate said with a hard tone.
Vazk kept his evil smirk. “Only fools seek compromise.”
A black aura surrounded the subek. His oval eyes glowed with power. Muscles bulged as he stood. Arms grew thicker, as did his chest, body and legs.
Nate glanced around, seeing the same thing happening to all the gathered subeks. Energy and power came off them in waves, crashing against his senses. It was in that moment where Nate could feel their spheres. The dark and body spheres grew more and more powerful. It was the same feeling he had when Shego connected her air sphere with him. Energies pushed against his mind, feeling the subek’s body spheres growing by each degree. When their spheres grew a decree higher than his, a sliver of concern touched Nate’s heart.
Hexnia must be increasing their mana spheres. Even if they are just one degree higher than me, it will be enough to make it a hard fight. Their numbers will make it impossible to overcome.
Nate focused his senses on Vazk. The subek’s body sphere had grown two degrees higher than those gathered. Nate could feel the lizard man reach the fifth degree, while Nate’s own body sphere was still a three. Another energy burned against Nate’s senses, feeling the dark sphere growing by a few degrees.
“Nate,” Izzi whispered weakly.
“I’m coming,” Nate mentally whispered back.
Vazk let out a haunting laugh as he stood with a black aura surrounding him.
Use the air sphere to its full advantage.
Nate tensed, ready to fight when the connection between him and Shego was abruptly severed. The energy along his hands and forearms died and all he could feel was his own body sphere.
Painful anguish touched Nate’s mind before Shego let out a whimper.
“No dragons to help you, Seer,” Vazk grinned before he bolted forward with a fist cocked
Nate’s body hummed with his own power, lifting his arm and blocking the incoming blow. When the scaly fist connected with his arm, power exploded and Nate was hurtled back.
Legs swung out and touched the ground. Dirt flew up as Nate skidded to a halt. In that moment bedlam erupted.
Crab monsters and subeks converged. They closed ranks, rushing at the lone man. Nate bent his legs and jumped straight up. Large armored monsters crashed into each other as many subeks leapt into the air, after the seer.
Nate spun as his hands lashed out. He grabbed an incoming scaled fist. The moment of impact sent a shockwave through his arm, stunning him for half a breath before Nate twisted the fist hard. Since they were in the air, the subek spun to Nate’s twist, their legs swinging wildly and striking down two others in the air. As Nate and the dizzy subek fell, the seer’s knee bent and kicked the lizard man straight in the gut. Oval eyes widened as Nate spun his body, let go of the scaled fist and slammed the back of his heel across the subek’s head.
Nate landed on a smooth crab shell and darted to another. A tide of lizard people followed, all of them jumping off the backs of crabs. Pincers rose up, trying to stab or capture the lone man, missing him by inches. Nate pressed on, trying to make some distance when a fist slammed into his back.
Nate’s entire body spun forward. His chest hit a tree, cracked it and bounced off. Pain and heat radiated from his chest as he landed on his feet, spun and kicked out. His senses were correct at the incoming wave of lizard people. The first one was too close and received a kick dead center of their chest. The blow was enough to shatter the dark aura and send the subek crashing into others behind them.
Nate slipped among the trees as lizard people rushed after him. Bodies moved in quick blurs as mana filled the area. Nate kept moving, his senses picking up on the subeks getting closer. They were faster than him and closing the distance. A subek punched at the fleeing Nate and missed. Their scaled fist struck a tree trunk and cracked it open. Nate leapt up onto the thick branch and leapt again, trying to make his way to the top and attempt an escape.
A scaled hand closed around his ankle and any momentum Nate had vanished.
Vazk chuckled as his body spun while holding Nate by his ankle.
Nate’s world blurred as he pulled back his other leg to kick away the subek when his chest struck another tree. Ribs cracked as Nate felt the wind knocked out of him. The hand around his ankle didn’t let go and swung him around again. Nate tried to bend his body to return a strike when his shoulder crashed into a thick branch and it exploded off the tree.
Confusion filled Nate’s mind as he tried to keep his wits. His body was swung around like a ragdoll and the hand let go.
Nate’s body spun and crashed into a tree. He bounced off and landed on the ground with a hard thud.
Scaled bodies moved closer and surrounded the fallen man. Nate lifted his head, blood trickling out of his mouth and down his chin. Pain radiated along his whole upper body. His ribs were tender and as he attempted to stand up, sharp torment caused him to grunt.
Vazk stood over the large man on all fours. His pointed tongue slid out and licked his thin lips as Nate struggled to breathe.
“The Crelltu are moving to finish off the white dragon. Our ally, the Symir, will finish off the blue and green one. And we will show you what it means to fight true power. Hexnia will reward us for your suffering and she will damn your soul to the deepest pits of shadow and fire.”
Nate grunted as he forced himself to slowly get back to his feet. When he stood up, he weaved as he turned to Vazk.
“I don’t need a goddess to win my battles for me,” Nate said with a defiant sneer.
An amused expression filled Vazk’s scaly features. “Only a fool would give up their advantage in the name of honor.”
Vazk blurred forward and swung a fist. Nate parried the blow, his arm shaking from the subek’s unnatural power. Muscles surged as Nate fell into a practiced stand and unleashed a flurry of attacks. The body sphere glowed along his spirit, chasing away the pain of his cracked ribs. Vazk’s body moved too, the man and subek trading blows and blocking each one.
Nate grunted as every time he parried, the power behind Vazk’s blows hurting. Punishment rained down as Nate tried to keep up. Strength and power caused Nate’s arms and fists to tremble as he tried to keep up. A scaled fist shot past his defense and slammed into his cracked ribs.
Nate let out a loud grunt and coughed up blood.
Vazk lifted a fist and brought it across Nate’s cheek. Nate moved slower, missing the parry and feeling the scaled knuckles crashing into his face. The power behind the blow sent Nate reeling. His back slammed into a tree and it shuddered on impact. Before he could catch a breath, Vazk’s fist slammed into Nate’s exposed stomach. Nate’s eyes widened and blood spurted from his mouth.
Vazk took a step back as Nate fell to his knees.
“Not so tough,” the lizard man sneered.
Nate looked up with a crazed look in his eyes. The body sphere glowed hot in his entire being. It radiated like an internal sun, light touching every cell of his being.
Memories and thoughts washed on the shores of Nate’s soul. Scenes played out of the two times he increased his body sphere without knowing how it actually did it. Knowledge and experience poured into his mind, remembering that to reach the next degree, he had to push himself beyond his limits.
Keep… fighting.
Nate lifted a knee and planted his foot. He looked up at the subek with renewed fire in his eyes.
Vazk tut-tutted. “For a seer, you don’t see beyond your little world.”
“For a follower
of Hexnia, you talk a lot of shit,” Nate smirked.
Vazk’s eyes flashed with rage. He lifted his fist and punched Nate directly on the nose.
Nate’s nose broke and blood spurted out. Despite the mountain of pain, Nate forced himself to stand up. Another fist struck his cheek, causing Nate to stumble to the side and grab onto a tree. Hands clung to the trunk as he tried to stay standing. A scaled fist slammed into his spine and pain roared.
Nate heaved as he tried to keep himself upright. Blood dripped from his mouth and he let out a small, insane chuckle. Another fist slammed into his back and Nate fell to his knees.
Subeks watched as their high priest lifted his fist and brought it down on Nate’s shoulder.
Bone cracked and Nate let out a strangled grunt.
Vazk grinned as he lifted his fist, ready to cave in the man’s head.
The glow under Nate’s skin grew brighter. The sphere vibrated deep within. Nate grinned with bloody lips and teeth as he felt himself align closer to his own power. When a fist hit the back of his head, Nate’s face crashed into the tree and his body went limp. He slumped down to the ground, blood dripping into the base of the tree.
“Pathetic,” Vazk said and held out his hand. “A dagger to cut off our prize.”
Nate stared at the ground, his senses alive. The sphere deep within grew brighter. The mana sphere pulsed and in an instant, it grew a degree larger. New power pushed through his broken body. Broken bones began to mend. Blood slipped back into his wounds. Each broken area of skin began to pucker and close.
I feel stronger. I’m regenerating.
A dagger was placed in Vazk’s hand. When he bent down to claim his prize, a small chuckling rose up from the man face down on the ground. The lizard man raised a boney eye ridge when Nate planted his palms against the ground.
“You call that a punch,” Nate hissed before his entire body leapt up into a whirlwind.
Vazk barely blocked a thick fist when a second fist shot past and slammed into his scaly cheek. The black aura around the subek flickered as his body spun and crashed into a tree.
