Chapter 8: Dragonslayer – Part 1/3
Normally, this is the part where I would spout some nonsense about how difficult this was to write, or what to expect in this chapter. This time, I would like to thank the guest 'SK' for leaving a review with ACTUAL CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISM! Seriously, 10/10 review, I take the many points you've made, and I will try to improve in the future.
Another thing. 'Dragonslayer' is a three-part chapter, for good reason too, and is the last chapter in 'Destiny', so I'm beginning it in the traditional way. With a bang.
Now, on with the show.
(Obsidian's POV)
"Winter?"
I walk into the cove slowly. I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm not going to come out of this visit without multiple bruises, so I decided to come armoured. I mean, of course I'm armoured, I usually am, but the point remains the same!
OWCH!
A cold, blunt object hits me on the side of the head, almost knocking me unconscious, and successfully dazing me. I manage to regain my bearings just in time to dodge a ball of ice, one coming from a suspiciously black ice dragoness…
"Winter?! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
She doesn't answer, obviously, and sends another orb of ice at my head. I bring up bladed end of Nifred to block the blow, only to have the weapon knocked out of my grasp, and for my head to end up significantly colder, and more bruised, than it should be.
My scales flare with pain, and small amounts of blood flow to my eyes. I turn towards Winter, and I get a shock. Her eyes have gone completely white. That can only mean one thing…
"TALMARIS! YOU SON OF A *****! RELEASE WINTER AND SHOW YOURSELF!"
I'm disappointed. Winter opens her maw, but it is not her voice coming out of it.
"This one is mine, anomaly. She was alone, and I decided to 'help' her. A shame that the contract she unwittingly signed involved her enslavement to Convexity."
I completely lose my mind, and my draconic instincts take over.
"YOU ******* ***** ******* ****! I'LL KILL YOU!"
Now, I'm not entirely sure why my anger is taking control of me. Perhaps it is the thought of Talmaris doing the same thing to Firana. Perhaps it is simply my instincts fully developing. Or, and this is most likely, perhaps it is the corruption of my mind. Whatever caused this doesn't matter, I'm no longer Obsidian, or even Thomas Dickson, my original name. Now… now I'm a creature of vengeance. All I want is to tear Talmaris limb from limb, and if that means going through Winter, so be it.
I go feral. I drop Nifred, and charge at Winter on all fours. I collide with the corrupted dragoness head-first, and I allow my teeth to sink into her flesh. There is no scream of pain, no blood pouring from the wound, not even a shudder of surprise… but I don't care. I can't. All that matters right now is killing Talmaris, and avenging all the dead from the Siege of Warfang.
Winter flips me over, and launches purple ice spikes at me. I dodge to the left, most missing, but one hits me on my left eye. I scream, the pain ironically blinding me, and I fall to my four knees, trembling in pain. Winter approaches, and she raises her tail blade, intent on finishing me off. I look up, seeing the raised tail blade. So… this is what ends me. Not Talmaris, an ape, or even age. No. A poor, lonely dragoness who cannot control her own actions, and would never harm me willingly.
I close my eyes, and wait for the final blow…
But it never comes.
(Winter's POV)
I open my eyes, only to find myself in a purple vortex. Shades of purple dance eerily, a corrupted light reflecting off my scales.
"Where am I?"
I idly ask the void surrounding me, not expecting an answer.
"In my domain, child."
"Who's there?!"
"I have many names, but you… you may call me the God of Fate."
Wait… isn't this the Purple Dragon of Legend?
"Are you the Purple Dragon?"
"FINALLY, someone who RECOGNISES me for what I am, instead of giving that pathetic excuse of a dragon, Spyro, my title."
Wait a minute… isn't Spyro the name of the purple dragon who saved our planet? Then… doesn't that make this the purple dragon who Obsidian mentioned when I first met him?
(Flashback)
"Yes, again. No, I am not talking about the Purple Dragon who pulled our world back together and defeated Malefor, I'm talking about the first Purple Dragon, Talmaris. The self-proclaimed God of Fate. He's secretly been controlling the Dragon Realms from Convexity for thousands of years, and I recently chucked him from his throne." I let a small chuckle escape my maw. "Honestly speaking, he's the one responsible for most of the destruction back home, and if I don't kill him, he could either A. return, or B. take control of this realm. I don't want either happening."
(Flashback end)
"Wait a minute, you're Talmaris, aren't you?! The cause of all the destruction back home?!"
"SILENCE, UNWORTHY WRETCH! I am the one, true Purple Dragon, you will give me the respect I deserve, and maybe I will return you to your family!"
"You can send me home?!" I ask, my voice full of hope. "How?!"
"SILENCE!" Talmaris takes a breath. "If you want to go home, listen to me very carefully. We are in Convexity right now, a world of my creation. I have built portals here, one of which leads back to the Dragon Realms." A stone ring materialises, and a blue vortex appears in the centre of it. "Hop on in, it will take you back to your family."
"And Obsidian?"
Those two are mortal enemies, but I can't leave Obsidian behind.
Talmaris' face darkens.
"He wrongfully challenged me. I can return you, but Obsidian must die."
"That's what I thought." I steel myself, knowing that I might not ever see my brother again. "Then I'll have to reject your offer."
The purple vortex explodes with energy, and the portal disappears.
"YOU FOOLISH WRETCH! THEN BEGONE, AND SEE WHAT I'M DOING WITH YOU!"
Purple energy surrounds me, and before I know what is happening, I've been transported back onto the island… and I find myself raising my tail-blade, preparing to kill Obsidian!
NO! What has Talmaris been doing with my body while I was-
I'm not in control of myself. I feel my tail tense, and my muscles begin launching my tail-blade downwards…
(Obsidian's POV)
I open my eyes, surprised that the finishing blow didn't come. I thought Talmaris would have taken the opportunity to kill me by now, but…
Winter's eyes slowly clear, the white being replaced by blue, reptilian eyes, which in turn are replaced by the blue, human-like eyes I've come to expect from sentient dragons.
Winter collapses, eyes widening in shock, and tears start streaming down her face. The black scales covering her slowly turn blue again, the convexity-infused dragon slowly turning back into the young dragoness I have come to know during my time here. The feral part of my mind retreats, and I manage to regain control of myself, and pull the ice spike out of my eye. The pain is intense, but I've… actually, I haven't had worse. I've certainly not had anything this crippling.
I pull out the two red gems I grabbed before I first faced Talmaris. I press them both to my ruined eye, and they disappear in a flash of red light. Pain once again flares in my left eye, and I close it. When I open the eye again, I can see out of it, but… only barely. It will heal on its own, eventually.
I turn towards Winter, who is now audibly crying. I walk towards her, before draping a wing over her back. The dragoness looks at me with cloudy eyes, her face impossible to read.
"Winter…" A fresh set of tears stream down the dragoness' face. "It wasn't you, Winter. It wasn't you."
I pull Winter into a hug, and she then starts properly sobbing. Tears stream down my cold armour, and I get an odd sense of Deja-vu.
When Winter calms down, I pull out of the hug.
"Winter, look. As much as I'd like to sit here, comforting you, that wasn't why I was here. I needed to tell you that you're expected back in the village. Stoick is preparing to raid the nest, and he wants both of us there with the tribe when he does." Winter's eyes widen in protest, and in surprise. "He's already explained to the village that you're not like the vermin, and I'm willing to forgive you for that ice spike. Good thing I snatched a couple of red gems before I came into this world, otherwise I'd probably have lost an eye."
Winter smiles, another tear escaping from her left eye.
"Thank you, Obsidian… just… what happened?"
I close my eyes, shame filling me.
"Short answer: We both went feral. Long answer: You were corrupted by convexity and attacked me, and my instincts pushed my mind to the side in response, hence the discarded glaive over there." Winter sighs, her tears apparently spent. "Let's get going. I don't want to keep the village waiting."
And… end of part 1/3 of 'Dragonslayer'. To those of you who are still reading, thank you for reading thus far, and thank you to the reviewers and to Shamgxk for the support.
Until next time… which is probably in the editing stage at this point.
