Fallen Worlds

Chapter 3: Battle of the new world

The conversation ended abruptly. A distant roar rolled through the forest. It wasn't the cry of an animal. It sounded… Angry. Another followed. Closer. Trees trembled as birds exploded into the sky. Then came something unmistakable. The clash of battle. Heavy impacts echoed through the woods, followed by the deafening squeal of some enormous beast. Every head turned toward the sound. Alice's smile disappeared. "...Please tell me that's not who I think it is." Wolf didn't answer. Instead, she stepped forward. One. Two. Three measured strides. The shadows beneath the trees stirred. Price noticed them first. They weren't moving with the wind. They were moving...

Toward Wolf. Darkness gathered around her boots before rising like smoke. It curled around her outstretched hand. She never spoke. She simply lifted one arm. The shadows obeyed. A translucent wall of dark gray energy erupted around the entire clearing. It shimmered faintly, almost like polished glass, though black wisps drifted endlessly across its surface. The barrier enclosed Wolf. Alice. And every member of Task Force 141. Soap looked around. "...Anybody else seeing this?" Nobody answered. They were all staring. The roar came again. Much louder. Something enormous smashed through the treeline.

BOOM!

The creature slammed shoulder-first into the barrier. The impact shook the entire dome. Soap lost his footing. "What the—!" He landed hard on his back. The barrier didn't so much as crack. Price's eyes widened. Whatever had hit it… Should've flattened a truck. The beast backed away, snorting violently. It stood nearly twelve feet at the shoulder. A boar. Or what had once been one. Its hide was layered with thick brown fur woven over muscles that rippled beneath every movement. Massive ivory tusks curved outward like sharpened scythes. Golden runes glowed beneath its skin, pulsing with each furious breath. Its eyes… Burned crimson. Before anyone could process what they were seeing—

Something wrapped around it. A colossal serpent burst through the trees, scales shimmering a deep royal purple beneath the morning sun. Its body coiled around the boar with crushing force. The forest erupted into chaos. Trees splintered. Earth flew. The boar screamed in fury, throwing itself against the serpent. Neither creature gave an inch. Soap slowly climbed to his feet. "...Did..." He brushed dirt from his sleeve. "...Did anyone else just see that?" Alice glanced toward him. "You screamed." "I did not." "You absolutely did." "I was..." He cleared his throat. "...Surprised." Alice couldn't help smiling. "I'll allow it." Wolf never looked away from the battle. "It seems..." A pause. "...he found another Golden Boar." The layered quality in her voice had faded. Now it sounded singular. Calm. Almost tired. Alice pinched the bridge of her nose. "...Unbelievable." She looked toward the fighting monsters. "You overgrown lizard!" Her voice echoed across the clearing. "What are you doing?" The serpent actually paused. Its massive head turned toward her. That hesitation proved costly. The Golden Boar drove both tusks beneath one of its coils. With a violent twist...

The serpent was hurled sideways. It smashed through half a dozen trees before disappearing into the forest with an earth-shaking crash. Alice sighed. "...Why do I even ask?" Wolf finally moved. She raised one hand. No flourish. No incantation. The shadows around her feet surged forward. Price watched them race across the ground like living things. They reached the charging boar. Rose upward. For the briefest instant… The monster stopped. A perfectly straight black line appeared down the center of its body. Wolf lowered her hand. The Golden Boar separated cleanly into two equal halves. The pieces collapsed in opposite directions with a thunderous crash. Silence. Even the birds stopped singing. König stared. "...Scheiße." Wolf turned her head slightly toward him. Just enough to acknowledge the word. Then she dismissed the barrier. The gray dome dissolved into drifting wisps of shadow before disappearing entirely. The forest felt strangely empty without it. Heavy footsteps approached. Branches cracked. The enormous serpent dragged itself back into the clearing. Closer now, the soldiers realized it was even larger than they'd first thought. Its scales bore fresh gouges where the boar's tusks had struck. One horn was chipped. Purple blood stained part of its neck. Despite that… The creature somehow managed to look offended more than injured. "I had it."

Its deep voice rumbled between labored breaths. Wolf folded her arms. "I'm sure." "I did." "You were airborne." "I was repositioning." "You were thrown." "...Strategically." Alice laughed. Wolf didn't. "You landed half a forest away." The serpent looked genuinely insulted. "I would've won." "You eventually would've found your way back." The massive creature huffed.The massive serpent's body shimmered with violet light. Scales folded inward, limbs emerged, and the towering creature compressed into a humanoid form. Standing where the dragon had been was a figure just over seven feet tall, broad-shouldered and clad in layered armor that seemed forged to mirror his own scales. Deep violet scales still covered his face and hands, while sweeping black horns curved back over his head. A long tail swayed lazily behind him, and intelligent crimson eyes scanned the clearing with the ease of someone who'd survived far worse than a Golden Boar. He stretched his shoulders with an audible groan. "That..." He winced. "...Actually hurt." Alice crossed her arms. "Azymondius." Her tone carried the unmistakable sound of someone who'd had this conversation many times before. "Care to explain why you decided wrestling another Golden Boar by yourself was a good idea?" Azymondius smiled sheepishly. "...It was going well until it wasn't." Wolf looked at him. "It started 'wasn't' when it threw you." "...Details."

Ghost watched the towering dragonborn carefully. "So..." His voice remained calm. "He's with you?" Wolf glanced toward Azymondius. "You could say that." The dragonborn straightened immediately, puffing out his chest. "'You could say that?'" He placed a hand dramatically over his breastplate. "If I wasn't here, who would be your wingman?" Alice smiled. "Your confidence is admirable." Wolf remained expressionless. "You are neither my wingman..." A pause. "...nor necessary." Azymondius looked wounded. "That hurts." Alice stepped beside him, resting a hand on one armored shoulder. "Besides..." She grinned. "Wolf doesn't—" "No." Wolf answered before either of them could continue. Azymondius blinked. "You didn't even let me finish." "I know what you were going to say." "...Do you?" "Yes." "...I don't think you do." "You were about to ask when I last—" Azymondius pointed triumphantly. "See? I wasn't—" A shadow lashed across the clearing.

Thwack.

The tendril struck him square in the stomach. Every bit of air left his lungs. He doubled over, coughing. "...Touché..." he wheezed. Alice laughed outright. "You really should learn when to stop talking." Azymondius slowly stood again, rubbing his chest. "...Worth it." Wolf didn't dignify that with a response.

Price watched the exchange quietly. The three of them moved like people who'd fought beside one another for years. Comfortable. Predictable. Family. He finally spoke. "So..." He looked toward Wolf. "This is your team?" Wolf gave a small nod. "Part of it." She glanced toward the southern horizon. "We're missing one." Alice's smile softened. "She's back in Riversport." Price caught the unfamiliar name immediately. "Riversport?" Wolf looked back at him. For a brief moment… Recognition crossed her golden eyes. Then understanding. "...Right." "You aren't from here." She gestured vaguely south. "Riversport is the largest trade city on this side of the continent." "Our headquarters is there." "Why?" Alice answered instead. "Because information arrives before armies do." "And merchants hear everything." Price filed that away. Useful.Very useful. Before he could ask another question—

A soft golden light illuminated Alice's robes. She stopped. "My pendant..." The glow intensified beneath the fabric. "It's receiving a message." Wolf turned immediately. "Answer it. It could be Lux." Alice unclipped the crystal pendant from around her neck. Resting it carefully in her palm, she whispered something too quietly for the soldiers to hear. The crystal brightened. Golden light rose upward, twisting into the shape of a person. The image flickered violently. Then stabilized. A man appeared. His face was streaked with soot. Ash clung to his clothes. One sleeve had burned away entirely. He looked exhausted. Panicked. The moment he saw them—

"THANK GOD!" His voice cracked. "We need help!" Behind him— Flames. Buildings. Smoke. People running. A roar thundered through the crystal. Even distorted by magic… It carried enough force to make everyone instinctively look toward the sky. The man flinched. "It's a dragon!" Another explosion shook whatever city he was standing in. "It's burning everything!" Alice stepped forward. Her voice had lost every trace of humor. "Where are you?" "Dragonsreach." Another deafening roar. "We're evacuating people but I don't know how much longer we can—" The image distorted. Static rippled across the crystal. Then...

Nothing. The light disappeared. Silence. Nobody spoke. Wolf already was. "We're moving." She didn't shout. She didn't need to. The command carried across the clearing effortlessly. She raised one hand. The earth answered. The distant pounding of hooves echoed through the trees. Growing louder. Branches parted. Six enormous horses burst into the clearing at a full gallop. Each stood well over seventeen hands high. Their coats were black enough to swallow the morning light. Their manes flowed like ink. Instead of panicking among strangers… They stopped in perfect formation before Wolf. Snorting. Pawing at the ground. Waiting. Soap stared. "...Those are horses?" "They're beautiful," Gaz breathed. "They're working," Ghost corrected. Wolf mounted the lead horse in one smooth movement. The animal immediately settled beneath her. As though it had been waiting for no one else. She looked toward Azymondius. "Airborne." The dragonborn grinned. "You don't have to tell me twice." Purple light erupted around him. Armor shifted. Limbs lengthened. Scales spread across expanding muscle. His body grew impossibly fast. Within seconds, the dragon stood where the man had been. Massive claws dug trenches into the earth. He crouched once. Then his wings snapped open with a thunderous WHUMP. The force sent leaves spiraling through the clearing. One powerful beat— He launched skyward. Another— And he was already circling high above the forest, waiting. Wolf turned back toward Price. "You." Price met her gaze. "You're coming." Soap blinked. "...Us?" "You've already proven you can follow orders." Her eyes swept across the team. "And your discipline may save lives." Price waited. Wolf continued. "My people can fight the dragon." "They cannot fight it..." She looked toward the silent forest. "Search every burning building at the same time." Price didn't hesitate. "What do you need?" "Get civilians out." "Keep them moving." "If you see the dragon..." She paused. "...Run." The simplicity of the order told Price everything he needed to know. This wasn't a creature they could shoot. He nodded once. "We'll do it." Wolf held his gaze for another moment. Then inclined her head. A silent acknowledgment between commanders. "Mount up." Price looked back at his team. "You heard her." The soldiers moved immediately. Soap stopped beside one of the towering horses. "...Captain..." Price was already tightening the saddle straps. "I've never ridden a horse." Alice guided her own mount alongside him. The massive stallion lowered its head toward Soap, giving his shoulder an almost curious nudge. She smiled. "He knows you're nervous." "...That's comforting." "It should be." She reached down, offering him a hand. "Just climb on." "He'll do the hard part." Soap looked from the horse...to Alice...back to the horse. "...If I die..." Ghost walked past, already mounted. "You survived a collapsing building." he paused. "Don't let the horse embarrass you." Gaz laughed as Soap shot Ghost an offended look. "...I liked you better when you were quiet." Ghost adjusted the reins. "You never did." Soap sighed dramatically. Then grabbed the saddle. "Right..." He muttered. "How hard can this be?"

The horses flew across the forest. Branches whipped overhead. Roots and fallen logs became little more than obstacles to leap over as the great black steeds thundered between ancient trees without slowing once. Price had ridden horses before. Nothing like this. These animals seemed to know the forest better than any rider ever could. They twisted through impossible gaps, bounded over streams, and climbed uneven ground as though the terrain itself bent around them. Above the canopy, Azymondius' enormous wings beat steadily, keeping pace with the riders below. Price leaned forward in the saddle. "How far?" "We're almost there!" Alice called over her shoulder. Price looked ahead. "How large is this town?" "Dragonsreach?" Alice answered. "Just over two thousand people." She urged her horse over a fallen tree. "It's a trade town." "Busy." "But nowhere near the size of Riversport." A deafening roar echoed across the valley. Closer. Much closer. The horses instinctively flattened their ears. Wolf never slowed. "Go." Her voice carried across the wind. "Azymondius." The dragon banked overhead. "Keep it occupied until we arrive." The great dragon answered with a thunderous roar that shook leaves from the trees before folding his wings and diving toward the distant smoke. Wolf turned her attention back to the riders. "When we reach the town—"

Her voice remained calm despite the urgency. "Alice." "I need you with them." Alice nodded once. "I know." "There will be fires." Wolf's golden eyes never left the growing plume of black smoke rising ahead. "Clear paths." "Keep civilians moving." "I'm on it." Wolf looked toward Task Force 141. "The rest of you stay with her." A faint pause. "Unless becoming charcoal sounds appealing." "Preferably not." König's reply was so matter-of-fact that even Ghost glanced toward him.

The forest ended abruptly. Dragonsreach spread before them. Or… What remained of it. Price had seen cities after artillery strikes. He'd walked through villages leveled by missiles. He'd watched buildings collapse under sustained bombardment. This… Was different. Entire streets burned. Homes collapsed beneath roaring flames. Smoke billowed high enough to blot out the afternoon sun. People screamed. Children cried. Merchants abandoned overturned carts filled with goods now scattered across the streets. The heat struck them before they even reached the gates. It rolled outward like the opening door of a furnace. The smell followed. Burning timber. Scorched stone. Smoke. And something else. Something Price recognized immediately. Burning flesh. "...Bloody hell." Ghost rarely voiced what everyone else was thinking. This time… Nobody disagreed. Wolf's horse came to an abrupt stop. For the briefest moment… She simply stared. Something flickered behind those golden eyes. Recognition. Memory. Gone almost as quickly as it appeared. She swung from the saddle. "Move." Another roar tore across the sky. Price looked up. High above the burning rooftops, Azymondius slammed bodily into another flying beast. The impact echoed like thunder. The dragon was enormous. But the creature he fought...

Was larger. Longer. Leaner. Its wings stretched nearly the width of the town square. Dark crimson scales shimmered beneath the firelight. Its neck twisted unnaturally as it snapped toward Azymondius with jaws large enough to swallow a horse whole. The beast answered with a torrent of fire. Azymondius barely rolled aside in time. The flames consumed an already burning watchtower. "What the hell is that?" Gaz asked. Wolf never looked away. "...A wyvern." Gaz blinked. "There's a difference?" Alice stepped beside him. "A considerable one." She watched the battle overhead. "Dragons are generally smaller." "Far more intelligent." "And unlike wyverns..." She frowned. "...they rarely attack people without reason." Soap looked from one flying monster to the other. "So what?" He pointed skyward. "Someone picked a fight with that thing?" Wolf's expression hardened. "No." "Wyverns don't need a reason." She watched the creature tear another chunk from a rooftop with its tail. "They're predators. They kill because they can. They claim territory. They eat. And..." Her voice grew quieter. "...they never truly stop growing." Price followed her gaze. The wyvern dwarfed Azymondius. "My guess..." Wolf continued.

"...is this town has been feeding it for years." Soap frowned. "Why would anyone feed something that wants to eat them?" "Perhaps they didn't know." Alice's voice carried genuine disappointment. "Or perhaps they hoped keeping it fed would keep it away." Wolf nodded once. "People make foolish bargains." Another explosion rocked the town. "...Eventually those bargains come due." Her gaze fixed on the massive wyvern circling overhead. "When this is over..." She spoke almost to herself. "...I'll be speaking with the mayor. If he's still alive." Silence settled over the group. Only for a moment. Wolf turned. "Everyone knows their role?" One by one… Heads nodded. Price met her gaze. "So do you." The corner of Wolf's mask shifted almost imperceptibly. Approval. "Good." She looked skyward once more. "Me and Azymondius..." Her eyes tracked the diving wyvern. "...will deal with the town's pet." Before anyone could respond… Her body dissolved. Shadows exploded outward across the ground. They surged through the streets like living smoke, racing toward the battle. Price watched them disappear. Then turned toward his own team. "You heard her." His voice snapped them back into motion. "Gaz." "Medical." "Soap." "Help move civilians." "König." "With me." "Ghost." Ghost had already started moving. "I know." Price gave a single nod. "Let's get as many people out as we can." He looked once toward the inferno consuming Dragonsreach. "And let's make damn sure none of us become kindling." Without another word… Task Force 141 charged into the burning city. Wolf shot through the streets as little more than living shadow. The burning town blurred beneath her. Cries for help echoed between collapsing buildings, but she forced herself to stay focused.

Azymondius can buy them time. Price and his men will get the civilians out. End the threat.

Another deafening roar shook the sky. The wyvern twisted violently, jaws snapping toward Azymondius as the dragon tried to stay beneath its neck. Wolf's golden eyes narrowed. Why? She surged upward through another ribbon of shadow. Why would anyone feed a wyvern? The thought refused to leave her. They should have known better. The beast rolled suddenly, forcing Azymondius away with a sweep of its massive tail. Wolf reacted instantly. The shadows beneath her exploded outward. Then—

She unfolded her wings. Dark as midnight. Neither feathered like an angel's… Nor leathery like a demon's. Strong black pinions stretched wide, pale blue membranes catching the firelight as they snapped open behind her. She rarely used them. There was almost never a reason to. One powerful beat launched her skyward. The world slowed. Heat rushed past her face. The wyvern turned. Too late. A shadow tendril erupted from her forearm like a living whip.

CRACK!

It slammed across the beast's face. The impact twisted its enormous head sideways. Dark blood sprayed into the air as a shallow gash opened beneath one eye. The wyvern shrieked. Its answer came immediately. Fire. A torrent of blazing orange engulfed the sky. Wolf folded one wing. Rolled beneath the flames. Then snapped both wings open again, shooting upward along the creature's blind side. She was too small. Too fast. The wyvern couldn't keep her in sight. "Azymondius!" He didn't need another invitation. The dragon folded his wings. Dove. And struck. The collision echoed across Dragonsreach. His jaws locked onto the wyvern's left side. Scales shattered beneath the bite. With a savage wrench of his neck, Azymondius tore free a massive section of flesh before raking hooked claws across the creature's wing. The membrane ripped open. The wyvern screamed. Its flight faltered. One wing caught air. The other collapsed. It spiraled downward. Wolf and Azymondius broke away just as the beast smashed into the center of Dragonsreach. Stone exploded outward. The ancient fountain at the heart of the square shattered beneath its weight. Market stalls disappeared beneath splintered timber and flying debris. The ground itself trembled. Dust rolled through the streets. Wolf landed first. Both boots struck the rooftop of a nearby inn. She raised both hands. Every shadow in the square answered. Dark tendrils burst from beneath broken stone. They wrapped around the wyvern's legs. Its wings. Its neck. Its tail. Dozens became hundreds. Each one thicker than the last. The monster thrashed violently. Roaring. Pulling. For one heartbeat… It held. Then—

SNAP.

One tendril broke. Another. Then three more. The wyvern forced itself upward inch by inch. Wolf's jaw tightened. ...Damn. It's stronger than I expected. She thrust both hands forward. More shadows answered. The streets themselves seemed to darken as magic poured into the bindings. The tendrils multiplied. Wrapping over one another. Layer after layer. Each requiring more of her strength than the last. She could feel it. The familiar pull beneath her ribs. Magic leaving faster than it returned. Normally… She would've ended this already. But not here. Not with civilians still trapped in burning buildings. One mistake. One missed strike. Half the town could die. Below her, Azymondius crashed back onto the wyvern. His claws ripped furrows through its armored back. He drove it into the broken fountain again. "I've got it!" he roared. The wyvern answered by throwing him bodily across the square. He skipped once across the cobblestones before crashing through the wall of a warehouse. "...Mostly!" his muffled voice echoed from somewhere inside. Wolf almost smiled. Almost. Enough. She inhaled once. Slowly. The shadows around the entire square stopped moving. Every loose ribbon of darkness. Every tendril. Every fragment. They all converged. Drawn toward her like rivers flowing into the sea. The air grew heavy. Even the flames seemed to hesitate. Wolf spread her wings once more. The gathered shadows climbed her arms until they resembled black living armor. She looked down at the struggling wyvern.

Your hunger ends here.

She closed one hand. The shadows obeyed. A single impossibly thin blade of darkness flashed across the square. Silent. Clean. The wyvern froze. Its roar died in its throat. For a heartbeat… Nothing happened. Then its massive head slid from its shoulders. The body collapsed. The earth shook. Silence followed. Only the crackling of burning buildings remained. Wolf exhaled slowly. The shadows dispersed. Her wings dissipated behind her. Already she could feel the cost. The familiar heaviness settling into her limbs. Not enough to weaken her. Not yet. But enough that she knew this battle had taken more than it should have. Her eyes drifted toward the burning town.

This is only the beginning...