Chapter 6:Flight Through Fire ( Part 1)
858 Words
The first arrow struck the ancient oak with a deafening crack.
Silver bark splintered, showering glowing leaves across the village square.
Then came another.
And another.
Within seconds, hundreds of black-fletched arrows darkened the morning sky.
"Shields!" Elowen cried.
The witches of the Hidden Village raised their staffs as one. Silver runes spiraled upward, weaving together into a shimmering dome above the village. Arrows struck the barrier like rain against glass, exploding into sparks before falling harmlessly to the ground.
For a heartbeat, the shield held.
Then a crimson fireball slammed into it from above.
The impact shook the valley.
Lira looked up just in time to see six dragons diving through the clouds, their scales marred by glowing Blood Runes.
"They're attacking the barrier!" she shouted.
Kael's expression hardened.
"They're not choosing this."
"I know."
His fists clenched.
"They're my people."
---
Across the valley, Varyth watched from atop a rocky ridge.
He hadn't transformed.
He stood in human form now, dressed in black armor etched with crimson veins that seemed to pulse with every beat of his heart.
He looked almost regal.
Almost kind.
Which somehow made him more frightening.
"Bring me the Heart," his voice echoed across the battlefield.
"I'll ask only once more."
Elowen stepped forward.
"It does not belong to you."
Varyth sighed.
"I truly hoped you'd make the wiser choice."
He raised one hand.
The dragons overhead inhaled simultaneously.
Crimson fire poured from their jaws.
The protective barrier shattered.
---
Chaos erupted.
Villagers rushed children toward underground shelters hidden beneath the First Tree.
Werewolf guardians shifted into towering wolf forms, forming a wall between the fleeing civilians and the advancing soldiers.
Dragon defenders launched into the sky to intercept the corrupted dragons.
The peaceful sanctuary transformed into a battlefield in seconds.
Lira tightened her grip on her staff.
"I have to help."
Kael drew his sword.
"So do I."
Before either of them could move, Elowen blocked their path.
"No."
Lira stared.
"They'll die."
"If you stay..."
Elowen's eyes filled with sorrow.
"...everyone dies."
She held up the ancient map once more.
"Your journey is bigger than this battle."
Kael shook his head.
"I don't abandon people."
"You aren't abandoning them."
The Keeper's voice remained calm despite the destruction surrounding them.
"They are buying you time."
Those words hit harder than any spell.
---
A thunderous roar shook the valley.
One of the enslaved dragons crashed into the ground nearby, scattering villagers in every direction.
Its scales were streaked with Blood Magic, but tears streamed from its golden eyes.
It wasn't roaring in anger.
It was screaming.
Lira's heart broke.
"The runes are hurting them."
Kael nodded grimly.
"They're prisoners inside their own bodies."
The dragon suddenly lunged toward a frightened child.
Without thinking, Kael sprinted forward.
"No!"
He leaped between them just as the dragon's claws descended.
At the last second, Kael met the creature's gaze.
"You know me."
The dragon hesitated.
For the briefest moment, its crimson eyes flickered back to gold.
"Fight it!" Kael shouted.
"You are stronger than this!"
The dragon trembled violently.
Its claws stopped inches from the child.
A Blood Rune carved into its neck flared bright red.
The dragon cried out in agony before being forced backward as invisible magic reclaimed control.
Varyth watched with interest.
"Remarkable."
---
Lira helped the terrified child to safety.
When she turned back, Kael was still standing before the dragon.
"You don't have to do this," he whispered.
The dragon's body shook.
Its jaws opened.
Not to attack.
To speak.
"...Run..."
The single word came out broken, strained, as though every syllable caused unbearable pain.
Kael's eyes widened.
"You can still resist."
The dragon nodded almost imperceptibly.
Then its body jerked violently.
Its wings spread.
Crimson fire gathered in its throat.
"Kael!" Lira screamed.
She slammed her staff into the earth.
A wall of crystal erupted between Kael and the dragon just as the fire exploded.
The blast shattered the crystal wall.
The force threw Kael backward across the battlefield.
Lira raced to his side.
"Are you hurt?"
He coughed, pushing himself upright.
"I've definitely had better mornings."
Despite everything, she laughed.
Just once.
It surprised them both.
---
A horn echoed from the far side of the valley.
Every Blood-marked soldier stopped advancing.
They stepped aside.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the silence.
From the forest emerged a creature unlike anything Lira had ever seen.
It stood nearly twelve feet tall.
Its body resembled a wolf, but black armor had fused directly into its flesh.
Crimson crystals protruded from its shoulders.
Its eyes glowed like molten embers.
Elowen's face drained of color.
"No..."
Kael looked at her.
"What is it?"
She whispered only one name.
"The Crimson Fang."
The monstrous beast lowered its head and released a howl so powerful it shook every tree in the valley.
The corrupted dragons answered.
So did the Blood-marked soldiers.
Even the earth seemed to tremble beneath its call.
Varyth smiled.
"My hunter has found its prey."
The Crimson Fang's glowing eyes locked onto Lira and Kael.
It ignored everyone else.
With one explosive leap, it crossed the battlefield, racing straight toward them.
- Writer
