Slay the Dragon

CHAPTER 14 - ERYS

The forest played the song of the crickets under the midnight sky. Owls hooted, and the leaves rustled with the gust of the northern wind.

While heading south, Erys had trouble thinking of their game plan to obtain the Orb of Phlareus. But he’s certain that if the dragons would start another war against the humans before the comet arrives—then that would be his perfect opportunity to sneak into the Emperor’s Palace, while most of its armies would be gone for the war. The sooner he gets the orb, the fewer lives would be lost.

However, the only problem now would be the dragon hunters, who were scattered around these vast lands. Erys and Forsyr had to stay in their human form at all times, even though it would take more time traveling on foot.

“I must admit, My King …” Forsyr spoke as they walked past trees after trees. “I’d been reckless in advising you to burn the house. I’d like to ask for your forgiveness.”

“I would,” Erys said. “But first I should know of why you did that.”

Forsyr turned his head to him. “Why I did what, My King?”

“Why you wanted to burn all of them at our first glance.”

Forsyr returned his gaze forward and said, “The answer you want is quite personal, My King … I’m afraid it’d only be a bother for you … I’m only your Lawdra—“  

“Forsyr,” Erys interrupted. “You’re never just a Lawdra. You’re already a family of mine … all five of you.” His thoughts recalled sadly of the fallen Lawdras. They had stood as his parents, guiding his decisions in ruling Draconos after his father died. “Tell me.”

“As you say …” Forsyr took a short moment before he started. “I’ve lived over eight hundred years, My King. But as you might have known, living such a long span of time always had a cost.”

“Our memories,” Erys muttered, remembering what his father had taught him. With every hundred years of a dragon’s life, his oldest memories slowly decay. Their minds were not capable enough of storing such a vast amount of memory. So they would forget more as they grew older.

Forsyr nodded. “Not that I can remember … but Ovylion told me I had a wife once … and our love bore three, strong sons. But unfortunately, she died of illness … and the War of the Red Century took all of my sons from me. What I only remember now, My King … was my youngest son.”

“What was he like?”

Forsyr slowed down, paused, and glanced at his shoulder. “He was just like you, My King.”

Chills ran through Erys’ body. “Like me? I had his face?”

Forsyr gave a sad smile and shook his head. “Far more than that … he was very kind … sympathetic … and obedient.”  

Erys was not obedient, he came to know. It’s only his duty as king to follow what his Lawdras advised him he should do. But sometimes, out of stupid reasons, he became reckless, failing to obey their counsels. “But did you know their names?”

“Ovylion told me their names and what they’re like …” Forsyr’s face fell into a frown, “But I had no memory left of them … even their faces. And the only thing I tried to remember—was my hatred for the humans. I shall never forgive th—“

Forsyr stopped speaking as he seemed to notice something.

“What is it?” Erys asked, looking around the dark forest.

“Can you hear it, My King?” Forsyr raised his head.

The leaves above them shook, along with the sound of the tweaking branches.

Erys lifted his shoulders. “Could be another monkey, Forsyr.”

“No, it’s not …” Forsyr’s eyes grew wide as he saw something behind Erys. “Get back!” He shoved Erys away, just before a human slammed down against the ground hard, right exactly from his last position.

Erys rolled to the earthy soil and hit his back against a thick root from a tree. He muttered a curse. What the hell just happened?

As his vision grew clearer, he caught a smoky glimpse of Forsyr, facing a human whose back was turned to Erys. He found the human kneeling, with his extremely wide, velvet-colored cape spread on the ground behind. The center of the cape embroidered a huge symbol of a black sword and a pair of white dragon wings on both sides.

Erys parted his lips in fear after realizing what the sigil was. It was the same symbol he had seen from the ships they destroyed from Ormir. A dragon hunter, he confirmed.

“I thought I came unnoticed from rushing at the branches.” The hunter stood up and pulled out his broadsword that was pierced through the ground. “I could’ve gotten your king’s head.”

Erys held his crown close to him as he slowly recovered—careful with his movements. His chest pounded fast. How did this hunter found them? Was it the villagers? He had no knowledge of what this human was capable of. But he’s certain that this hunter had experienced more battles before.

The armor was a boiled leather vest with his velvet cape clasped around his shoulders. He raised his broadsword one-handedly and pointed it at Erys. “You’re lucky this old guy had keen eyes.” The hunter twisted a smirk.

“We mean no harm,” Erys said, his breath almost caught up in his throat. He never had seen a dragon hunter his entire life. But now, the sight only terrified him, knowing they had lost so much because of these monstrous warriors.

“And yet, you’ve been so bold of burning a house in Ilora?” The hunter’s voice turned serious.

Erys’ eyes quickly searched the surroundings. It seemed like the hunter was alone, he observed, and the other hunters had yet to arrive. He could still pull this off with Forsyr.

“And who do you think you are?” Forsyr’s face burned with anger.

“I am Akim, a Crusade Hunter from Shavath. You beasts have trespassed in our lands—which would mean your deaths are at hand. My fellow brothers are already on their way … but there’s no need for them to come here.”  

“You speak too proudly for a lowly human,” Forsyr said.

“You’ve got nowhere to run,” Akim replied. “The Dravalon Army is marching from the South to destroy all of you once and for all.”

Erys shot his eyebrows up. South? Hold on … This would mean that what they had predicted was true. The humans were indeed planning to use the comet to destroy their realm. This would be a huge problem. Erys’ plan of going south had failed. Sooner or later, they would encounter the army ahead if they continue traveling south.

“Yield … if you don’t want to feel the wrath of a dragon’s fire,” Forsyr told him.

“Your fire is nothing to me.” The hunter made his stance—one hand on his sword and the other holding the side of his red cape.

“There they are!”

A voice of a man came from a distance. When Erys turned, he spotted a group of men carrying torches, along with sharp weapons.

“They tried to burn my wife and my children while we’re gone!” One of the men yelled out furiously. The rest of them let out their mad cries as they charged to attack.

Erys was about to run—but then he caught Akim dashing towards him.

[Wind Style] [Second Form]

“Air s***h!” Akim cast as he swung his broadsword for a strike.

He’s a lot faster than what Erys thought—but he was able to shape-shift his hands and arms, transforming them into dragon claws just before the hunter landed his blade.

Erys used the claws to intercept the sword … but it didn’t happen.

Akim only waved his blade into the air, drawing an arc and touching nothing.

At first, Erys thought this hunter’s only playing with him. But he’s not. The arc created a curve—an unseen wind which blasted towards him. He quickly blocked the attack using his claws, but the wind s***h was too powerful that it shoved him back.

The impact knocked Erys against the hard surface of a tree trunk behind. Then he fell to the ground. He winced in pain as his hands and arms dripped with blood, coming out of the cut drawn by the s***h.

[First Form]

“Gust of Dea—“

Akim took an abrupt stop from casting another sword skill when he turned his head towards Forsyr, who was now rushing towards the villagers.

“Curse that old beast!” Akim was forced to follow the Lawdra.

Erys slowly stood up to recover. He didn’t know dragon hunters could be this strong. If he hadn’t blocked the attack in time, it could’ve ended him in an instant.

His eyes caught Forsyr, whose mouth was already glowing with intense heat.

“Forsyr, watch out!” Erys called.

Akim seemed to be incredibly fast enough to land in front of the village men. “Get behind me!” he said just as Forsyr blasted out raging fire at them.

The brightness of the blaze blinded Erys. But he knew it—they’d been burned already. These village men should have stayed in their houses. But they chose to chase them, only to die from a dragon’s fire. Erys only wanted to kill the hunter, but it brought the innocent men together with Akim’s death.

When Forsyr stopped, Erys uncovered his eyes to see.

“What?” He furrowed his brows in shock at what he saw.

The villagers were still standing—completely unhurt behind Akim, with his wide, velvet cape spread out to protect them. They were alive … Erys couldn’t believe it. What was that cape? It seemed like Akim just used it to block the fire.

“How is this possible?” Forsyr stepped back.

Erys’ thoughts went back to what Mondramyr Legad had mentioned before. Was this the weapon he was talking about? The weapons that the humans made from the powers of the Orb of Phlareus?

And there could be more …

Though the powers of the orb had still been a mystery for him, Erys was certain that Akim’s cape, and probably all dragon hunters’ capes, had the same ability. It would make them immune from any fire, which would be a huge advantage against the dragons. They had to leave now before the other dragon hunters could arrive.

“Forsyr, we have to go!” Erys called out as he began to run through the forest. Forsyr followed behind.

“Don’t you think I’ll let your heads get away!” Akim yelled while tailing them.

The chase made Erys breathless. They hasted as fast as they could, avoiding trunks and roots and other obstacles in their path.

“You can’t run forever!” Akim’s voice was closing.

“My King … we should … burn our path … so the hunter couldn’t follow,” Forsyr said as he caught up.

Erys looked around first to see if no one was around. Then he nodded and together, they blew fire on their path and everywhere around them. The grass, the plants, and the roots caught the flames and spread out. Their feet ran over the burning ground … but it never affected them. The level of heat increased throughout his entire body as the environment blazed like hell.

Akim’s curse could be heard behind them. When Erys turned his head, the only tracks they left were the raging flames.

Akim climbed up the trunk of a tree like an expert—the next he jumped from branches to branches to follow them. He moved like the wind—his body seemed so light that he almost flew above them.

Erys had no other choice. He blasted another fire breath up towards the leaves and branches while Forsyr continued throwing flames on the ground.

They didn’t stop creating a forest fire… until they saw no sign of Akim anymore. 

A few moments had passed and Erys’ ears caught a sound of water flowing ahead. “That must be the river.” He told Forsyr. They needed to hurry, as the forest fire would attract more hunters nearby.

When they got out of the forest and reached the shallow stream, the skies were already cloudy. Light raindrops fell down, and it seemed like it would fall heavy soon.

They didn’t want to waste time, so they quickly made their way across the river.

“We can’t go south anymore, Forsyr. Where should we go?” Erys asked. This was a complete disaster. Their plan of staying hidden from being recognized was already gone because of that forest fire they had just created. And now, they’re being tracked by those hunters.

“I’m afraid we’re only left with one place to go, My King …” Forsyr said, frowning. “Ormir.”