12: The Shadow in the Fire
Altarch protect us..." Alexis murmured under her breath, her hands clamped tightly against her bosom, still staring in blank shock at the calamitous field of fire that was Yii-Do military bastion. The explosions cause the very ground to shake beneath her feet, and the floorboards creaked like a rocking ship. Dante, as he pulled himself to his feet, espied something in the distance, gradually drawing closer. It shimmered like starlight a roared like hellfire. Whatever it was, it was lethal.
And it was headed for them.
"DUCK!" he shouted, jumping onto Alexis and flooring them both -with a sharp cry of alarm from the latter- before she could respond. Dante shrouded Alexis under his body, curling his arms and head around her to protect her from any shrapnel that may decide to come their way. Not long after, the ball of searing flame slammed into the window Alexis was peering out of only seconds ago. Alexis screamed as the glass shattered into countless pieces and flew over their heads. A small area under the window has also been obliterated, causing splinters of charred wood to be thrown at them also. The area where the window had once been was now a jagged maw ringed with deep orange flames. The flames slowly began to extend their reach, setting the edges of the floor around it alight.
"C'mon, we can't stay here, the place is catching fire. Let's grab our armour and go," Dante said. The pair of them scrambled to their feet, Dante using the adrenaline being supplied in this fight-or-flight situation to block out the pain from his wound. He made a mental note to "say hello" to Shin Mei if he saw him here. Alexis pulled on her Steel+ armour and her Hi Ninja Sword G, while Dante pulled on his Rathalos+ armour. Unfortunately, nobody had taken his sword back to Yii-Do from Fort Ryu, as they'd been too busy paying attention to him. It was probably still embedded in the stone wall from when Dante had lobbed it at Shin Mei in his ire. So he was unarmed. No matter, he'd have no trouble finding a weapon outside if the airships and destruction weren't enough of a prelude to the conflict that was taking place on the ground. If he couldn't get one from one of the corpses he'd surely be able to steal one from a Tenkai soldier. Anyway, this wasn't the time for thinking ahead. In times of fire, one had to be living in the present.
And this was most definitely a time of fire.
Dante and Alexis quickly threw the door open and ran, leaving as quickly as they could. As they ran along the hallway they could see, Teiko, Ash, Ruby, Yumi, April and Aaron, all fully armed and armour-clad, rushing along the hallway and down the stair leading to the main hall of the old barracks, where they often stayed to chat and eat as nobody else used them. Their friends acknowledged them but said nothing, all of them rushing down the stairs, through the main space and out of the old wooden doors.
They were welcomed with fire, blood and anguish.
Yii-Do was a mess. Chaos and Calamity had taken hold. The residents of Yii-Do were nowhere to be seen, and neither were any Tenkai footsoildiers. The group stood in the centre of a large ring of fire, charred remains of buildings surrounding them, trapping them in like a farm pen. The only things in sight apart from Tenkai airships were corpses, blood, fire and the charred remains of what was once industrial structure and machinery. The entire scene was alit with hellish flames that could outshine even those of the Dire Miralis. The floor was slick with blood and the air carried echoes of the pained cries of the wounded, as well as the crackles of hungry, dancing flames, devouring everything in sight.
While everybody stared on in horror and disbelief, Ash's own horror and disbelief were far greater. She had never known true carnage, true fear, true despair. The only sad thing that had ever happened to her was the death of her and Teiko's older sister, Ember. But no bereavement could ever compare to witnessing the scars of war firsthand. It was awful. All Ash wanted to do was cry, but no tears would come.
Suddenly, a shadow rushed over the blackened, ashen ground. It was quick and fleeting, appearing for only a moment, large and small at the same time. The group spread out a little, still maintaining formation, the hairs on the backs of their necks standing up like an enraged Nargacuga's tail spikes, their eager, uncertain eyes scanning every inch of their surroundings for signs of the shadow's owner.
They each jumped at the sound of a surprisingly loud, guttural growl that resonated from everywhere and nowhere at once. Then, they heard the soft sound of nimble feet on ash growing louder and quieter, closer and nearer. It was clearly some kind of monster, perhaps a Nargacuga or something. The hunters had each decided on the "something"; Nargacugas wouldn't be able to withstand fire, especially like this. And they were sure that a Nargacuga didn't behave so paradoxically, seeming to be here and not here at the same time, like a phantom.
The group's concentration was broken as Dante cried out in alarm, as if he'd seen a ghost. As he was helmetless (his helmet has been broken by Shin Mei's glaive and left at Fort Ryu along with his sword and shield), they could see his face. While he was handsome and perfectly formed, no visual appeal could hide the fact that his skin had turned deathly pale.
"What is it?" Alexis asked. Dante didn't reply for some moments, and when he did, his voice was but a whisper.
"It's here...It's really here...It's really happening...!" he rasped. Alexis had never heard her boyfriend so frightened.
"What's here? What's happening?" Alexis probed gently, holding the teenager's hands in hers. While he was facing her, he seemed to be starting through her rather than at her.
"That thing...It's the monster from my nightmare..." Dante hadn't had his hellish vision since he'd left Kairu, but now he was having it again. No...It was actually happening. Not exactly as he'd dreamt (he was alone in the dark in his dream), but he was sure that the creature was the same, if nothing else.
Whatever this thing was, it was. And it wanted to play.
