Wrath of the dragon 6, p.6
Wrath of the Dragon 6, page 6
“I wonder why they were out this far,” Fianna said as she shook blood from her spear. “You said they’ve never been out this way before?”
“Not yet,” Lumi said. “Many of them tried, but we managed to hold them off further inland. That’s one advantage of having such a huge realm. We have a massive population to help fight back.”
“They’re probably feeling confident,” I said. “The arrival of the other demon armies will have urged them on. It probably made them—”
A scream that shook the snow on the ground pierced the sky and echoed off every hillside for miles. It was a haunting, deep voice that made bile rise up in my throat.
I felt evil leaking into my ears and setting off every warning signal inside my hunter body.
The angels gasped as they threw their hands over their ears, and Fianna dropped her weapon. Brooke winced as if she was in pain, and fiery rage consumed my body.
That sound was coming from a demon, and it was clearly fucking huge.
I scanned the snowy landscape even though it was clear the scream was coming from miles away. It eventually stopped, but the angels kept their hands over their ears as they stared out over the ice.
The echo carried on for moments after the scream ended, and I knew deep in my bones that something fucking deadly was out there.
Whatever demon made that noise, it was worse than anything we had fought before.
Chapter 4
The angels eventually lowered their hands from their ears as the last of the echo died out. I scanned the distant horizon for signs of some great monster, but all I could see was snowfall. My eardrums still rang from the noise as I tried to sniff out anything evil nearby.
“What was that?” Nisha asked softly as her silver eyes scanned the snow.
“That must have been the queen,” Lumi said quietly. “She lives so deep inland that I’m amazed we could even hear her.”
“That shows how big she is,” Cyra said. “Have you ever seen her before?”
“Not me,” Lumi replied. “Maybe some of the colonies further inland have, though.”
Fianna flew down to retrieve her spear as we listened to the howl of the cold wind. I had never heard anything like that scream before, and I had plenty of demonic kills under my belt. What the fuck was this queen going to look like?
“Do you think they know we’re here?” Cyra asked.
“I wouldn’t think so.” Ruby frowned. “The only demons that have seen us have been killed.”
“They might have other ways of sensing us,” I said. “Let’s not rule anything out. We’re clearly dealing with something we never have before.”
We waited for a moment to see if any other signs of the queen would come, but the Ice Lands were glistening and beautiful once more. That ability to forget the demons were around had gone, though. The urgency to assemble my army increased. I had to kill whatever the fuck had made that sound.
“We should head back to the cavern,” I said. “The Fire Lands’ army will be arriving soon, and I want to make sure everyone is safe.”
“Good idea,” Lumi said. “We can take a different way back to meet another colony, if you like?”
“That would be awesome.” I nodded. “I want to get to know as many of your people as possible.”
The frost angel swung around and led us over the glowing whiteness of freshly fallen snow. We flew over a long stretch of fir trees that had a frozen pond in the middle that curved into a semicircle. A large deer had stomped through the ice with its hoof and drank the crystal clear water. There was still so much untouched beauty in this land, and I was determined to make sure the demons did not infect more with their evil.
Brooke had been unnaturally quiet, and I studied the water angel’s beautiful face as we flew.
“Everything okay?” I asked gently, and her dazzlingly blue eyes met mine.
“I’m just a bit tired,” she said. “Those walrus demons were strong, but that noise we heard weakened me even more.”
“We’ll get you rested when we get back,” I said. “I’ll join you to make sure you’re okay.”
Brooke’s face brightened as she smiled, and I was already looking forward to getting her alone. Strengthening my angels was one of the best perks of my role as a god.
“Who are we visiting?” Nisha asked as we passed over low hills with blue snowy peaks.
“They’re called the snipers,” Lumi said. “A species of large birds that are incredibly wise and strong. I just know they would be an amazing addition to our army. Their beaks are so powerful!”
“Awesome,” I said. “I can’t wait to see what our finished army is going to look like.”
“It’s crazy to think my people are here,” Cyra chuckled. “These demons aren’t going to know what hit them.”
We flew over a valley surrounded by low hills, and the snow had a lilac hue to it as it flurried down from the sky. The wind picked up around us as Lumi began to descend toward the edge of a thick river that was surprisingly not frozen over.
Towering trees sat around it in a wide stretch of woodland, and the branches were deep blue with white leaves that drooped down. Pink berries grew along the plants, and a family of white rabbits hopped out of sight as we got closer.
The angels touched down on the riverbank, and I focused on my human form. My talons shrank away as every scale rippled back into skin. Each limb shrank, and I felt the rush of cold air once more as I fully turned human again.
I pulled my cloak closer as the crisp air stung my cheeks, and I was grateful for the fur-lined clothing Lumi had given me. The branches around us creaked in the wind, and the berries gave off a sweet scent like candy apples.
“This way,” Lumi said as she turned to face the woods, and she strode into the trees with her lilac curls bouncing.
My boots gripped the frozen ground well as we followed her, and we walked through the woodland as I adjusted my warm gloves. We walked a short distance before a clearing opened in the trees to reveal a structure that had been built on the ground from broken twigs and branches. It was like a giant nest encased in a dome, and a few pale green feathers lay outside of the dark archway that led inside.
“Oooh,” Brooke gasped. “This is pretty!”
A huge beak suddenly stuck out of the nest’s opening, and a six-foot bird hopped onto the snow before us. The creature’s wings were folded against its body of green feathers, and its pale eyes were wide on the sides of its head.
There was no doubt that its beak was a deadly weapon surrounded by fluffy feathers. It was long, wide, and open just enough to show me the rows of razor blade teeth inside. There was a curve at the end of its beak that looked as sharp as any sword, and I knew it would be an amazing addition to our army. I could just picture the sniper piercing a demon right in the skull.
“Chopper,” Lumi said brightly. “How are you?”
“Very well,” the bird said in a surprisingly deep voice. “I believe this must be the dragon god we have heard so much about?”
“That’s me.” I grinned. “I’m Ryan, nice to meet you.”
The bird cocked his head to the side as he studied me, and he ruffled his wings as the wind picked up around us.
“I have my flock inside,” Chopper said. “We heard the scream, and I knew it was from the great evil that lies within our land.”
“The queen.” I nodded. “We heard it, too. I can say we have our work cut out for us, but I know I can lead an army strong enough to win this war.”
“I am pleased to see other angels,” the bird said. “There are many of your kind who have not been so lucky.”
“What do you mean?” Cyra frowned. “Who?”
“There are other angels in this land,” Chopper said, and my heart dropped.
“Where?” I asked urgently as I took a step forward. “Are they okay?”
“That is hard to say,” Chopper said. “They arrived with the other demonic armies who came to our realm. We heard the evil beasts chanting about their stolen angels as they carried a box on a sledge.”
“The angels from other lands,” Ruby said quietly. “They must have brought them all here.”
“To make sure they couldn’t escape,” Cyra spat. “Those fuckers!”
“Where have they been taken?” I asked as fury swept through me.
“Deep into the queen’s lair,” Chopper said. “Nobody has ever even gotten over the border of her realm. There are too many awful things lurking there ready to spill your blood.”
“How many angels are here?” I asked, and Lumi bit her lip.
“At least three,” she said. “If all the armies that arrived brought their angel with them. Two broke in just before I left.”
“Another came in your absence,” Chopper said. “They arrived at the northern side of the land and tore through already broken towns.”
“Their army must be huge,” Nisha breathed as her silver eyes widened.
“Those poor angels,” Brooke said sadly.
“They’ll be so weak.” Ruby nodded. “I can’t even imagine how terrible they’ll feel being amongst that many demons.”
I thought about how weak the crystal angel had been when we rescued her, and I knew the imprisoned angels here would feel a hundred times worse. Would they even be able to heal after this? Was there a point of weakness that angels could not return from?
I refused to find out. We were going to save every damn one of them.
“The demonic army is growing,” I said. “But so is ours. If all lands answer our call, then we will have more than enough power and resilience to win this war.”
“The snipers will stand with you,” Chopper said firmly. “Our kind is an ancient species, and we are capable of causing extreme damage to our enemies.”
“I bet you can.” Fianna grinned. “That’s an impressive beak.”
The bird opened his jaw further to reveal he in fact had three rows of the deadly teeth. Then he stretched his wide wingspan to show there were taloned hands underneath like a pterodactyl. He was definitely the most badass bird of prey I had ever seen.
“Awesome,” I said. “I’m glad we’ve got you on our side, Chopper. Our army is gathering at the glacier cavern. Word will be sent when the fighters of the other lands have arrived.”
“We will be waiting,” Chopper said. “I am ready to follow a true leader into battle. Demon blood will spill inside my beak.”
“We’re going to tear them limb from limb,” Lumi said fiercely. “I knew I could count on your flock.”
The huge bird bowed deeply before he turned and hopped back into the enclosed nest. I heard a deep muttering inside, and I hoped the rest of his flock were just as terrifying as he was.
“Let’s get going,” I said. “Hopefully the fire folk have arrived by now.”
We strode back out of the woodland as the snow and wind eased up slightly. I focused on my hunting dragon form as the angels gracefully shot up into the sky. The rumbling power within me broke out with a deep roar as my body transformed. Every hunting instinct rose to the surface as my massive frame took over my human form. Icy scales glittered against the snow, and my powerful tail whipped through the cold air.
“We’ll fly over the great waters,” Lumi called as we soared back over the river. “It curves around the northeast border, and it’s filled with too many creatures to count. The waves are so powerful that it’s usually not too frozen over. Although, some patches do solidify until an animal breaks them down again.”
We passed over a long stretch of land that was filled with rabbit holes. Small creatures hopped in and out of their burrows as Brooke squealed with delight.
Lumi led us over another small town that bustled with life, and I was grateful to see they had built a high wall of stone around the houses. The cobbled streets were filled with wrapped-up people who waved excitedly as we flew overhead.
I wondered if we would run into any more walruses who had broken past their usual territory. How many demons would be in this land now? Surely it wouldn’t be long until they decided their ranks were complete?
There were angels trapped deep inside a demonic lair, and we had heard the roar of the queen from miles away. If the cry had hurt my angels from that distance, how much must it have harmed the ones imprisoned? The thought made my blood boil, and I couldn’t wait to break into the deep lair of the queen.
The sound of splashing liquid shook me from my thoughts, and I looked ahead to see the great water come into view. It was a jaw-dropping sight with a navy surface that sparkled with silver, and there were giant patches of ice that floated along like broken puzzle pieces.
“Wooow!” Brooke gasped. “It’s gorgeous!”
“I agree.” Lumi smiled. “It’s a beautiful part of our land.”
“I wish I felt strong enough for a swim,” the water angel sighed.
We soared over the choppy waters that lapped thick icebergs. I could see white birds bobbing along and occasionally sticking their heads under the surface to fish. The shore we were headed toward glistened with silver ice, and I took a deep breath of the freezing air.
Then a block of ice smashed below us as a giant horn broke the solid mass apart. Something splashed underneath us as the blocks fell away around the huge spike. A creature from the deep had heard us.
“What the hell?” Cyra yelled as we dove away from the flying ice.
“Holy shit,” I said as the ice debris cleared. “I think that’s a narwhal.”
The beast revealed its head above water, and I immediately spotted red eyes wildly staring out from the gray skin.
“It’s been bound with a demon,” Brooke whimpered. “It’s so huge and gross! Yuck!”
“I can’t believe this,” Lumi scoffed. “They infected the narwhals? Those animals never used to bother anyone above sea level!”
“I’m sorry,” Fianna said sincerely. “I know how much it hurts to see your land consumed by those fuckers.”
The frost angel smiled sadly at the huntress as the evil narwhal thrashed in the water below. Its long horn swung back and forth as it watched us carefully. I knew it probably couldn’t come onto land, but I wasn’t going to let any demon swim free.
“Let’s kill this thing,” I said. “I don’t know how many of these bastards there will be down there, but we can’t let it live.”
The narwhal made a deep, low roar before it slowly began to submerge itself under the water again. Its eyes never left the angels, and I knew I would need to go down to its level.
“I’m going in!” I called as I circled over the beast. “Stay far above the water in case it surfaces again!”
“Ryan!” Nisha gasped. “Are you sure? We can help above water!”
“I’ve got this,” I said firmly. “I promise.”
Then I dove down toward the glistening water as the horn of the narwhal vanished below the navy surface. I felt my body begin to shift forms as if it was on autopilot. A rush of coolness consumed me as the icy scales turned cerulean blue, and my wings retracted into my spine. Gills formed on my neck right before I crashed into the sea, and the powerful legs of a swimming dragon braced for landing.
My strong body streamlined as I crashed through the ice-cold water and into the world of the sea. The temperature wasn’t unpleasant in my water dragon form, though, and my gills moved slowly as I adjusted to breathing underwater.
There was an endless deep below me that turned from dark navy to pitch black. The narwhal was a few feet under me, and it looked even more terrifying up close. Its red eyes narrowed as it spotted me, and my strong legs prepared to swim like never before.
The demonic sea beast shot upward as I propelled myself to the side in a flash of blue muscles. I smirked as my swimming abilities came flooding back, and the narwhal roared as it became eye level with me.
A cool rush of air bubbled in my throat, and I spat a violent stream of water at the demon. The jet was so powerful and concentrated that it looked like a fucking javelin. My watery attack struck right into the demon’s red eyeball and smashed it apart into goop.
“Holy shit,” I snarled. “That’s what I’m talking about!”
The narwhal screeched as it swung its body around to face me and drove forward. Its huge horn looked sharp as all hell, but I shot down quickly to avoid it.
Then I looked up to see the underbelly of the demon hybrid, and I harnessed every ounce of strength my body had. A rush of cold air tickled my throat as I unhinged my jaw and spat out another jet, and it was even more powerful than the first. The stream of water spun around as it moved like a cyclone, and it shot up to the demon’s stomach and tore into the gray flesh easily.
Scraps of skin blasted apart, and maroon blood oozed out into the navy water. The narwhal screeched and convulsed as its belly was split open, and I felt a rush of power pulse through my veins.
That was a whole new level of water weapon, and the evil sea beast was clearly weakening.
It turned down to me slowly as blood continued to spill from its gut. The one good eye locked onto me as it swam down with much less speed than before.
I smirked as I built up that power in my throat and focused on creating the biggest cyclone I could muster. Then I opened my mouth just as the narwhal dove, and a fucking sea storm erupted from my throat. The water that shot from my jaw grew into a cyclone bigger than my body as soon as it left my mouth. It spun so violently that I could feel the pull of its current as it shot directly at the narwhal’s face.
The demon hybrid tried to swing its head away, but my weapon was too powerful. Spiraling liquid sucked the narwhal’s horn into the middle of the cyclone as the outer water smashed into the front of its skull.
I watched in awe as the stream smashed apart the face like a fucking sledgehammer, and its remaining eye was blown clean out of the side of its head. Bone and blood flew in every direction as the horn was sucked right off its face.
Then I swam quickly to the side as the giant spike disconnected from the beast, and its whole skull broke apart. The narwhal fell still as blood swirled into the water around me, and my cyclone finally faded.
