The Final Battle!
You don't have to be asleep to have nightmares! When the sky is painted red. The ground is a sea of bodies and blood. The clang of metal on metal; sword on sword; muffled in the turmoil. The sickening crunch of men's skulls caving in. The audible tear of flesh being slashed apart. The battle rages on!
Agonising, blood curdling screams filled the air as men were laid to waste. I danced & weaved my way through the opposing army, mercilessly slashing my sword, cutting down any who stood in my path. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a rather large brigade of the Empire's soldiers charging towards me, as I gracefully hacked my way through the enemy. Putting an end to the life of my latest adversary, I turned to face this new threat, sword raised, waiting for them to come closer. I waited.
A flicker of movement to my left caught my attention. I swung around and sliced my attacker in mid-flight. The man had tried to leap at me from behind and crush my skull while I was distracted. Foolish! Yanking my blade from it's latest victim, I turned at the sound of approaching infantry. The warrior's bare throated yells easily gave them away. Two dozen men running towards me, weapons in hand, yelling their challenge to me. I was outnumbered and they were nearly upon me. This was going to be interesting.
Just as they were about to strike, Saphira, my brilliant sapphire scaled dragon, swooped down to torch the oncoming warriors. 'You should be more careful, Little One' Saphira admonished me through our mental link, 'I won't always be here to save your skin!'
'Nice timing, friend of my heart' I replied.
Saphira merely chuckled and let loose a deafening roar, flying away to burn more Imperial fools.
The sun was setting, making it harder to see who to fight. We had been fighting for two days straight. Those days had been filled with endless bloodshed.
Both sides had suffered massive losses. Yet neither side was willing to give up!
Looking skyward, I noticed small black, winged figures; silhouettes in the darkening sky, circling above. Their numbers growing; vultures waiting for their feast. The clouds of war gathered!
Conscious of the birds, I dove back into the fray. Shoving back my disgust at the immense bloodshed. My disgust that we must do this. But I still felt the undeniable exhilaration of battle. The thrill of knowing that every moment might be my last. That I could be cut down in an instant. It was intoxicating!
Men… Soldiers stood in my way; the fell to my blade. I jumped over enemy blades; dived under their spears; weaving between their infantry; spun out of their reach. Human limbs flew as I spun my blade in elegant, flowing movements. I flowed from form to form, slicing those who dared oppose me.
Each movement revolted me to the core knowing that I had taken yet another life. War! Such a terrible thing. People like to pretend that there is something noble… something honourable about warfare. But there isn't. Where is the honour in these massacres?
But this was war! These people are my enemy. It's kill or be killed. I could not afford them any mercy!
Hopefully, this would be the end! We had been fighting this war for nigh on a century. Our ancestors kept the rebellion alive and their cause alive, in us. The land had been plunged into darkness long ago. Slavery burnt strong. Poverty filled the streets. Those in power grew fat and lazy, as the hard working peasants slowly died. Those who dare even speak up against the King would be slaughtered for treason, along with every member of their family. The Empire showed no mercy.
The land is shrouded in darkness, nurtured by the dark King. And we are the light!
The sky disappeared. The air grew colder, as the shadow of the beast glided onwards. The black nightmare flew towards me. A winged monstrosity of un-proportional size. It's red eyes crackling with menace. It's insane Rider flailing his sword above his head; yelling his challenge.
'SAPHIRA' I shouted out mentally. Her reply came moments later in the form of an ear splitting roar as my loyal dragon dropped from the air to land beside me. Sheathing my blade, I took two massive leaps; first to her shoulder and then to the saddle in the hollow between her neck and shoulders.
Getting into position and drawing my sword, raising it in challenge. 'Into the sky,' I told Saphira through our link, 'to win or die!'
Roaring her agreement to my words, Saphira bound into the air; gaining altitude. Higher we flew, mentally preparing ourselves for battle, as we closed in on blasted King and his accursed dragon. Now we end this. Now, the tyrant King DIES!
In no time at all, we met in the sky. Circling each other. Sizing up our opposition. There is no going back. It's time to dance with our destiny.
'Give it up 'Runt Rider', you cannot win, for I am all powerful' boasted the Galbatorix, 'I am a God among men.' The tyrant King laughed. A crazy, maniacal laugh, filled with evil and malice. A laugh that portrayed the insanity within!
'NEVER' was my reply. And with that, Saphira melded her mind with my own; our very essence, so linked as it is, crossed the final barrier to become one being. I know not form whose throat we released the bare throated yell. Know not who let loose the rage filled roar. Know not who flapped our wings. There was no distinction between us. We were one!
We raised our sword; roared our challenge and flew towards our opponent. As we collided with our final enemy, we immediately lashed out with our claws. Battering the black beast with our tail and claws; biting the monster's neck; stabbing with our sword whenever we came within range. We could feel the magic, crackling at our fingertips, waiting to be unleashed; waiting to devastate our enemy.
Slowly, we separated. We began to think separate thoughts. Our tactics were not working. Our combined strength could not match that of Galbatorix. We could not overthrow the madman through brute strength alone. We needed to think strategy.
Evading their retaliatory blows, Saphira flew, corkscrewing through the air. Hoping to use her much smaller form to our advantage as she flipped and flew, using aerial techniques that only a skilled dragon such ad herself could achieve; attempting to get above the twisted dragon and his insane Rider. However, the crazed beast's sheer bulk was proving to be a problem. Whenever we came close to getting the advantage, the dark dragon would lash out; holding us at bay.
'What's the matter Runt Rider?' taunted the King, 'afraid to fight a real opponent, are we? HA! I expected more!'
'You want more?' I shouted back, 'we'll give you more.' With that promise in mind; I secured myself into Saphira's saddle. And Saphira, realising my idea, flipped upside down, flying underneath the massive dragon's body. Before Galbatorix could react, Saphira opened her maw, and released a turret of untamed flame; torching the dragon's delicate underbelly; before quickly diving out of enemy reach.
While the King was distracted trying to soothe his dragon's anguish; my faithful friend manoeuvred above the shrieking beast. As she did this, I loosened the straps on the saddle, and tightened my grip on my blade.
As Saphira came to hover above the black beast, I jumped. Leaping from her saddle, to the open air, once again, I tightened my hold on my weapon, as my form plummeted down. In a few short moments, I found myself landing firmly on the enemy dragon's back; directly behind the still seated King.
For a moment I was disoriented. Luckily, I was given the chance to regain my composition, while Galbatorix unstrapped himself and stood to face me. At this distance, the tyrant King's imposing figure was even more terrifying. The dark man stood a couple of inches taller tan me. His body was in peak condition for a man of his age. His black armour reflected the darkness within his soul. His sharp steel sword held loosely by his side; it's blade glinting, in the waning light, with malice. Worst of all was his face! Covered with the scars of other battles; other swords; other, now fallen, opponents. His brow was creased as if in fury. Yet, he wore a lopsided smile as he observed the destruction he had wrought the land. His eyes! His eyes were deadened and hollow; yet deep in those black orbs, there was a flurry of every kind of emotion. To most, he would appear a spiteful, vindictive old tyrant king who revelled in destruction. But not to me! His eyes betrayed him; they show the real King. They show the madness within!
The King's twisted, lopsided smile widened as his eyes fell on me. In a lightning quick act, the Galbatorix's sword rose and slashed. It was only my well honed reflexes that saved me from decapitation, as I blocked. As our blades collided, the uncommon strength behind his strike made my arms quiver, jarring my bones.
Again and again he struck. And, again and again I parried. Taking the defensive gave me some advantages. As he struck, he tired slightly. And as he attacked, I got to observe his fighting style; slowly learning to predict his moves.
The next time he struck was when I sprung my trap. Locking our blades, I lashed out with my foot. Before he thought of what he was doing, the King had doubled over in reflex. Quick as a flash, I brought my knee up to crash into his skull; disorienting the tyrant. Lashing out once again, I sent the black hearted fiend sailing into the open air.
Twirling my sword in my hands, I drove the magnificent blade into the neck of the tyrant's vile dragon. Twisting the blade, to cause as much damage as possible; I yelled to Saphira, 'RIP HIM OUT OF THE SKY!'
Roaring her approval, Saphira lunged at the shadowy beast. As she approached, I dived off of the dragon's back, following the evil King. I wasn't going to leave anything to chance. The black tyrant MUST fall.
Sheathing my sword, I slapped my arms to my sides, nose diving in order to catch up to the King. As I neared Galbatorix, I drew my blade and spread my arms and legs to stabilize my descent. As I drew nearer, the King flipped onto his back and lashed out. I parried his blow and retaliated with one of my own. Back and forth, we traded blow for blow; all of the while falling through the air.
Before I knew it, our blades were once again locked in a battle of wills; pushing against one another.
Taking the pommel of his sword in one hand, Galbatorix reached behind him and gripped the dagger sheathed on the back of his belt. Bringing it forward, the tyrant slashed at my arm, so as to gain the advantage. Seeing it coming, I reached out my left hand and grabbed the wrist holding the dagger. Our swords, practically forgotten, still locked in the to and fro of war; as we struggled for the dagger.
Changing tactics, the insane Rider kicked and struggled to move the small blade towards my heart; an act I fought my hardest to prevent. So, on two fronts, we struggled; all the while tumbling to the fast approaching ground.
The black King was tiring, I gained the upper hand. The dagger turned. Taking control of the miniature blade, I thrust it into the tyrant's sword arm.
'ARRGH', Galbatorix yelled out in pain. 'NOOO!' he screamed in dismay; his grip had unclenched; he dropped his sword. I have the advantage. I could actually defeat him!
Now freed of all opposition, I brought my sword around. And taking my momentary advantage, I lunged; thrusting the magnificent blade through the tyrant King's black heart.
Leaning towards Galbatorix, as his eyes glazed over; as the life drained from his limbs, I whispered 'I expected … More!' And with that, I removed my blood drowned sword from the King's dying carcass, I kicked away from the lifeless body of my sworn enemy. I watched as it fell to the ground over which it once ruled.
A piercing roar of agony echoed throughout the land. Moments later, with an ear bursting roar of victory; Saphira swooped underneath me, catching me before I hit the earth. And together, as we soared higher into the air, we watched as both our enemies hit the ground. We had won. The land … Nay! … The people were finally free!