The rising, p.44
The Rising, page 44
part #3 of The Onis Chronicles Series
A single horn blew throughout, long and commanding, and the armies hushed their clamor. The arcanists surrounding Laila and each of those in the towers began spinning their staffs in unison. “Veriness amorndor!” came from their lips. A new layer of energy shot up across the concealing shimmer, draping over them like a sparkling wedding veil. Watching as the second layer bound together at the peak, Laila recognized the words and field as that which had imprisoned Gothäzer and Masonel when they had initially visited the capital.
The two-leggeds and dragons went deathly quiet and still as they saw the first of the enemy dragons coming into view above the canopy. They could see the tips of their thrashing wings, and their thunder echoed throughout the skies. As more and more ancients came into view, they blanketed the horizon, and Laila’s heart sank while she watched on with dread. Sending out her thoughts, she sought the Great Aeris, but the monarch was not amongst those in view.
‘Aeris will not show herself until she deems it safe,’ Turathyl informed her. ‘She will hold back and assess the battle until it becomes advantageous for her to come forth, if at all.’
Taking a deep breath, Laila pushed past the dragons, sending her thoughts further north, seeking out the familiar monstrous semblance that gives her chills at the remembrance. And then she found her, surrounded by countless others, and she became even more sick to her stomach as she realized that those in view were merely the forefront.
‘Great Monarch Aeris,’ Laila sent out with reverence, ‘I beg of you to reconsider! End this now before any more must die!’
The monarch’s terrifying voice rang clear in her mind as she replied, ‘How nice of you to have gathered so many of the races together for me to exterminate at once. I could not have planned it better myself.’
Frustrated, Laila pleaded, ‘We simply wish for peace with you and all of the ancients! All of the races have come together as one, even the long-despised dark elves, to show you that it is possible to get past the hate and war between us and to show you that we will not give up or bow down any longer in fear. We only ask for the freedom and right to live, to raise families in a world that flourishes with love and prosperity throughout. We wish to reopen trade routes and return to the seas, to speak of ancients with reverence and respect instead of as nightmares to be feared and hated.
‘It was never my intent to anger you nor put so many lives in jeopardy. Too many have already perished by your command. My primary purpose is to unite the races, including the dragons, and to replenish the life of Onis, curing it of the advancing plague. We are prepared to rise up in battle, but it is ultimately up to you. Surely you could not wish for the deaths of any of your kind. No one will win if you insist we fight this day for our true and just cause.’
Laila waited for the monarch to respond, yet there was only silence. She considered that Aeris was simply choosing to ignore her and was about to sever the connection when she suddenly heard, ‘You all chose your fate a millennium ago when you chose to murder our mother. My only regret is that I did not do this sooner.’
‘Those responsible for that decision have all been killed!’ Laila retorted. ‘The drow elders were the ones! I saw it myself in a vision from the wood nymph! You have avenged her as you had promised, and now is the time for forgiveness! All this death is not the solution to anything. My own mother was killed by your command, using Turathyl as your weapon, but I have forgiven Turathyl as we now need you to forgive. The Mighty Ignisar once told me, “If you are to move forward, you must stop looking back…” We cannot move forward and heal this land of its hatred and its plague unless you stop the cycle now and agree to end the Reign of the Ancients! Let us have peace!’
Laila paused, watching the mass of dragons stop and hover above. She hoped deep with all her heart and might that they remained there because her words had reached through to Aeris.
Following several minutes of anxious anticipation, Aeris finally replied with a growl in her tone and a heart full of darkness, ‘It is too late for peace.’
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Rising
Laila’s heart sank to her feet as the Silver Monarch shut her from her mind as though slamming a door in her face, her attempt to mitigate the forthcoming tragedy thwarted. While she sat there atop Merimer, afraid to admit her failure aloud, the noise that ensued did that job for her when the air was filled with the sound of nearly a hundred dragons roaring harrowing cries of battle. The call of their voices shook the land below and the heavens above. With their piercing songs, there was not one two-legged amongst them that felt even a glimmer of confidence that they would not die this day. Even the ally dragons shrunk against the terrain in fear like whipped dogs as they peered at the threat about to rain terror upon them. The United pairs immediately felt the surge of their power pulse through them as they converted into their forms of fury once again.
What was even more frightening than the loud rumble of dragon cries was when, in the next moment, they all went completely silent but for that of the thundering of their wings. Thousands of eyes watched in horror, bracing themselves as the sky then lit suddenly with a torrential wave of fiery hell blasting down in unison from all the Reds. The firestorm sprayed toward the waiting city, but it abruptly halted, fanning outward upon reaching the forcefield, as though striking against glass. Flames fleeted over the field, like it had been doused in gasoline, until Thas Duar Moran was enclosed within a fiery dome, and that was all they could see. The heat and brilliance of the blaze surrounding them reminded Laila of the sun, as though they were at its very core.
The children’s cries could faintly be heard over the rumbling of the inferno while mothers tried their utmost to hush them and force them back indoors, despite that it likely wouldn’t matter where they hid them soon enough. Even Merimer pranced frantically in place beneath Laila while the elf held tight to the reins with her left hand and clutched the shaft of her Dragonsbane spear painfully tight with her right. As the flames gradually flickered and flared out, Laila, along with everyone else, heaved sighs of relief to see the forcefield still holding strong. Some even gave way to a reflexive smile, naively believing that they were safe within the field.
With the flames extinguished, there was a commanding roar above, and the sky grew even darker while storm clouds quickly overtook the area, blocking out the heavens with their foreboding blackness. Laila glanced over at the korath, who was still nearby, and witnessed that even he, in his strong and stern manner, appeared fearful of the imminent storm.
The Omi Méa closed her eyes for a moment, her heart pounding hard in her chest with trepidation as she prayed. Please, Jayenne, give me the wisdom and grace to get us through this. Kyrash, I pray you shall guide my blade and all those fighting for their freedom. Protect us and give us the strength we need. Goddess Mother, bless us all and keep safe the souls of those we will lose this day. And then the sky cracked an unholy sound as dozens of lightning bolts flashed, and everyone once again held their breath after jumping in their skins. Their adrenaline was building up within as the lightning sparked brilliantly against the field, followed by even more bolts. As it fed off the energy from the forcefield, the lightning continued to spark for several minutes, emitting zapping sounds while it crept over the shimmering dome with its brilliant fingers. It made its way trickling down the sides, sending random bursts at surrounding trees, splitting them in half like twigs, until its fierce shock had been grounded, and its threat was no more. And still, the field remained.
After the last of the bolts had fizzled out and the storm clouds gradually dispersed, there was no time to relax as a loud rumbling sound came from behind them. Laila recognized the sound from the Blue Sea, yet this was much more prominent. Everyone hesitantly turned to face south, toward the inlet from the sea and the port that was no more. Those few that were able could see that the entire waterway was becoming dry as its contents reached ever higher into the sky, controlled by the mass amount of Blue water dragons. As the swell crested over the battlements, all the two-leggeds’ mouths went agape in awe and fear, witnessing the most monstrous wave they had ever seen, spanning across the width of the city that rested against the bank.
Beneath her, Merimer pawed heavily at the ground, and Laila could feel her friend’s anxiety tied with her own. She watched in horror as the wave built up, wondering if she should do something. Laila considered attempting to freeze it with her allies as before but feared that in doing so, she would break the barrier. She antsily wavered on whether or not to act, torn between the need to do something and the dread that she would be the cause of losing their defense.
‘Hold steady, Laila,’ Turathyl said assuredly to her. ‘It will be time soon enough.’
When the water curled over toward the city, the elf maiden held her breath, observing as the first of the droplets dripped down. Their impact caused an eerie sound to echo through the hollow beneath, like the reverberations of ice cracking across a frozen lake, and everyone jumped with each crack as they braced themselves. Strange lights emitted from the droplets’ touch on the shield that rippled out as stones tossed in a river. And then the entirety of the wave splashed down. Panicked, the people below screamed, filling the city with their horrified cries while preparing to be washed away in a tsunami as it came for them. Laila’s whole body tensed, watching as the white horses came stampeding over the city of Thas Duar Moran in a torrential downpour. Nearly all below raised their arms instinctively over their heads in a pointless attempt at protection. With their hearts pounding in their chests, they witnessed the water pouring over the forcefield and down over the sides. For a brief moment, it was as though they were in a dome within the sea itself, standing at the bottom of the ocean. If it wasn’t so terrifying, they might have thought it quite beautiful, particularly with the sun shining through, casting a reflective mirage of aquatic colors across the streets, buildings, and people.
The water broke away from the top of the dome and began pouring down over the sides. After crashing over the ground, it streamed back into the riverbed, creating a rumbling splash as it flowed back into its pebbly home. Laila released the breath she had been holding but did not feel any sense of relief this time, for she knew it was not over.
Then came the quaking. Laila’s hand gripped her reins ever fiercer as she glanced frantically around, waiting for the earth to open up and swallow them all. It felt as though the trembling was coming from all around. Yet, the earth did not open. The dragons could still not penetrate the dome. Instead, another strange and unfamiliar noise caught Laila’s attention, causing her and everyone else to look up to the skies again. Just as they did, they laid witness to a large boulder the size of a horse striking into the dome above their heads. The rock exploded upon impact with the field, casting its remnants asunder, but more came into view. They came in haphazardly from every direction, each exploding against the shield. But unlike the other attacks, the stone was different. It was more than mere fire, electrical, or water energy. It was a solid force that could not be easily altered by the energy of the forcefield, and it seemed to have greater effect. Laila swallowed hard, and her face went flush as she watched the field begin to flicker with the force of the projectile boulders. Her heart rate increased with each flicker, and her chest grew tight as she tried not to panic, holding her ground.
‘Keep him safe, Tury!’ Laila sent out in distress, the threat becoming even more real.
‘I will.’
‘Goth…’
‘I will guard him with my life,’ the Red replied firmly.
Taking a deep breath, Laila continued to watch the torrent of stones and flickering of the shield when, from the corner of her eye, she spotted a giant green mass above, heading their way. For a split second, her heart fluttered with the hope and belief that the mother dragon, Onis Caelis, had somehow come to save them all. Her naïveté was unmasked when she looked to discover an unnervingly large tree, its roots dangling like tentacles, soaring through the sky as it hurtled towards the shield. The tree struck with a resounding BOOM against the field. It did not explode away as the rocks had, but instead sat there, hovering over them with its lingering promise of doom, casting a gigantic shadow over the city. The field sparked and let out a pulsating hum that filled their ears as it struggled to support the weight of the tree, but eyes from both above and below could see its flickering had increased significantly.
Korath Volodar suddenly yelled with his fist held high in the air, “HOLD!” and Laila knew they were safe no longer; the shield was failing.
Sorcerers readied their staffs, melee readied their blades, rangers nocked their arrows, and the dragons spread their wings, ready to take flight. Everyone was on the balls of their feet, hearts racing with unbearable anticipation.
At Laila’s side, several hydromancers began spinning their staffs, shouting out, “Excassida lorenette! Ranicúlym! Veriness!” and Laila could feel the effects of their power surrounding her. The human master mages joined in casting, causing an even greater energy to build up within her. A cool breeze filled her body and surrounded her mind as it became sharper and clearer. It felt similar to that of the mage emporium’s power, but on a considerably lesser scale. Even so, it was still invigorating, and she only hoped that it would be enough. There would be no room for hesitations or doubts anymore; this was it.
And then it happened; the forcefield sparked and fizzled, its energy falling away like glistening rain as it trickled to the ground. The enemy dragons roared wildly, pleased with their success, the clamor terrifying those below. They were no longer protected, and, with a jolt of rustling leaves, the giant tree began its descent. While everyone in its path screamed and ran for safety, the allied golden dragons called upon the earth spirit to grasp hold of it in their minds. It took several of them due to its enormity, and Laila joined them as well with her own powers as they caught it shy of crushing those below. They redirected it out past the city and armies, sending it soaring south beyond the river.
‘RISE!’ Laila mind-sent to all the ancient ally dragons, lighting up their minds with her command.
A new thundering commenced as the majority of their dragons took to the skies, being led by the United Riders. The wind currents shifted with the thrashing of dragon wings, and everyone squinted their eyes from the fierce gale, holding tight to their helms and weapons. They watched on in fear and reverence, witnessing the momentous event of a myriad of dragons rising against their own kind to fight for the two-leggeds’ freedom.
The chattering and roaring were mind-numbing in Laila’s head as their dragon force rose to face the enemy, cawing out their cries of battle. The cacophony only increased when the two sides collided in the air with their screeches and roars as dragon attacked dragon. Many of the onlookers could not have predicted the sheer number of ancients that were even in existence in Onis, but to see so many of them above their very heads was a gut-wrenching enlightenment for all. And yet, more were still to follow, and their ally dragons were outnumbered; they would need the armies’ support.
The United Riders headed to intercede with the overflow of ancients from the initial wave. Meanwhile, the enemy beasts’ eyes were scanning the two-legged armies below as though hungrily searching for their dinners, all eager to feel the crunching of the puny bones between their teeth.
As the enemy dragons entered the city, sorcerers of every class and nation began spinning their staffs, their various chants almost audible over the roars of the arena. The ballistae on the battlements began launching their spears, the tips of their metal forged of the same material as Laila’s Dragonsbane to pierce the ancients’ scale-armored hides. Elven arrows streamed thick like hail through the skies, and a commanding horn was blared, immediately followed by the caws of dozens of griffins taking flight, being guided by their elven riders into battle.
Some of the dwarves launched trident-like spears with extended points from the formidable dwarven ballista they had brought all the way from Gortax and insisted on hauling through the portal. They even managed to strike the odd distracted beast. Others launched bolas snares at those that dared come close enough to be captured, bringing them spiraling to the ground where dwarves would then attack in droves, slaying the beasts with mighty axes and swords.
Dark elves that weren’t casting were using their beyond human speed and agility, nearly flying through the air themselves as they leapt for low flyers with their blades so swift only a glimmer could be seen of their metals while they slashed and hacked at their foes. Others directed daggers, throwing stars, and spiked spheres from slings to damage their wings and slow their flight. A black mist hauntingly surrounded the drow army from their dark magic as it crept upward with long skeletal claws into the skies.
Laila was holding her ground atop Merimer next to the korath, watching as the grand elven city filled with the chaos of war. When two Silvers separated from the crowd and came barreling toward her, Laila shouted for the korath to move away. Although hesitant, he did as she commanded and looked back to discover the Omi Méa glaring at the incoming air dragons without fear. Laila raised her hands towards them as if commanding them to stop, but when they had come just near enough, she released a battlecry, and a steady stream of fire pelted at them out from her palms. They screeched from the burns, veering away as the inferno scorched their scaly hides.
Freed of them for a moment, Laila panned the field, and it suddenly dawned on her that, aside from the shadows of the dragons, the Silvers had not darkened the sky with a storm as they typically did, and she wondered why they had not sent lightning for her instead.
‘There are too many targets for lightning to be precise,’ Turathyl explained as she tackled a Gold. ‘The rains would also hinder their fire dragons’ assaults.’
‘I have one on me!’ came Astryma’s mind-touch in alarm.
Laila turned her head just in time to see a large Red chasing the little Blue and Rider to the south. She could sense the Blue’s panic from the Red’s much grander size. Without command, Merimer bolted in Glondora’s direction while Laila readied to aid her. The water duo seemed to be flying erratically, confusing Laila for a moment until she realized they were also confusing the Red as they made loops and turns to evade. It appeared almost as though they were toying with the mighty Red and the Omi Méa admired their aerobatics. They had most definitely come a long way to be so proficient in the air as one, especially for water dragons who were not usually very adept flyers. Against all odds, Astryma and Glondora discovered that their small size actually gave them an added edge in the sky. Even though they were not as fast as a Silver, they could maneuver with more agility than the much larger ancients. Unfortunately, all the aerobatics did them little good in the next moment as the Red sent a flaming sphere straight for them. They had become too close to dodge, and Laila too far to stop it, watching with eyes pinned while it reached them.
