Wow…chapter 50 already. I have to admit that I never thought it was going to take this long to finish this story but I am kind of glad that it is. Anyway, enough of my babbling, I know the real reason you are even here anyway. It is time for…
The Battle of Farthen Dûr
To say the least, the sight of a strangely large boulder with spikes coming out of it was enough to give even the Urgals pause for thought. Many were wondering if the boulder would do something else while others were still marveling at the sheer size of it. The dwarves especially were interested in it as far as I could tell from the looks on their faces.
When a few moments of inaction passed, the Urgals decided that it was no longer considered important and decided to renew their attack. However, I had already come to that conclusion long before they did and was already moving.
I quickly dismissed Purple Legend for now as there was no need for it yet and I needed my hands at the moment. I then pushed my way towards the front line; apologizing to almost everyone I bumped into. Once I got to the front line, I threw caution to the wind and jumped over the defenses. I heard the exclamation coming from the Varden but I paid little attention. My focus was on that boulder.
As I was racing towards it, my hands started to move through the familiar pattern. Weeks of practice resulted in the muscle memory required for me to use these abilities. I watched as the Urgals attention was now focused on me and they started to raise their weapons in preparation to obtain their first kill. I gave a small smirk as my hand rested on the final sign and said "Sora D-Arts Earth Style Earth Chain."
I then reached out with my right hand and a single medium-size line of green energy shot out of my hand. I quickly grabbed onto it as I commanded the chain to extend. The Urgals were shocked and thinking that it was an attack, raised their weapons in defense. However, the chain bypassed them all and came to connect with my real target.
The target was the dragon-size boulder itself.
The moment the chain connected with the boulder, it started to expand so that it would completely cover it. Every time the green energy passed over a spike, it would grow larger at the base and get sharper at the tip. Everyone was staring in awe as to the effects that were going on to the boulder because of the chain. What they failed to notice until later was that I had Force jumped into the air with my right hand still holding onto the earth chain.
When people started to notice my position, I started my attack. I reached deep within myself and grabbing onto the chain with both hands, started to pull. I was grunting in pain and sweat was starting to form on my forehead. I had to admit to myself that this was a lot easier when he was younger and not so heavy.
So I was glad when I heard the boulder starting to give way and lift itself into the air. People were in awe and I sense that most saw this as more of a demonstration than anything else. However, there were a few who were now seeing the true scope of what I was doing.
By the time the rest did, it was already too late.
I put more energy into lifting the boulder and it started to speed up towards me. I then force the boulder to loop around me for a few passes to build up speed and power. I could feel the heat in my arms due to the intense effort of swinging the flail and knew that it was no or never to unleash this attack.
I chose now.
I targeted another group of Urgals and swung the boulder around my head one more time before bringing my entire weight into one single downward slam. I was screaming from the intense pain that my arms were feeling as I let my weight and gravity bring the mighty earth flail crashing down upon those groups of Urgals.
They never stood a chance as they got either skewered by one of the spikes or crushed by the weight of the boulder. However, that was not the end of my attack for it was at that moment that all the earth energy that had been covering the boulder suddenly expanded in all directions in a mighty earthquake. The mountain shook as Urgals were sent flying into the air only to fall on the hard ground, disabling them or killing them outright.
I could still feel the heat in my arms but I knew that to rest would mean death. However, I also knew that in my current condition, I would be unfit for battle as I felt like I could barely lift a sword, let alone have the strength and energy needed to perform my combos.
I needed a haven and the closest one was the boulder itself.
I quickly commanded the chain to retract. This time, I allowed myself to be propelled forward instead of the boulder. I could see the hard earth racing towards my body and new that in a few more seconds I would be nothing more than a bloody puddle. To prevent that from happening, I twist myself in the air so that my feet would be the first to hit the boulder. I then channeled my energy towards my feet and created a hole large enough to allow me entrance and small enough so that no Urgals could come in.
Once inside, I quickly got onto Spyro's back, sitting in the saddle that was still there. I then took some deep breaths as Spyro gave me some of his energy to use in soothing my arms. It felt like cold water was slowly pouring on them and it almost caused me to fall asleep. However, the knowledge that the Varden was still in danger was enough to keep my focus in check.
Once I had recovered, I rubbed y right hand on what I believe to be Spyro's neck. It was hard to tell due to the absent of light. I then said "You ready to kick some Urgal butt?"
Though I could not see his face, I had a feeling that Spyro was smirking. I could feel all that pent up anger, boredom, and frustration on the verge of exploding into his fury. He replied "Now did you really need to ask that question partner."
I nodded my head and we started to merge our minds into a single entity. Our bond extended and grew so that there were no secrets between us.
We had become a true Rider and dragon.
We charged up our energy, which had been collecting in a massive pool at the direct center of our bond. I could feel the fury in Spyro on the verge of releasing and I figured that if we were going to make an entrance, we might as well make it a good one.
It was around that time that the Urgals lost interest in us and focused their attention back on the Varden. They charged again but due to the respite that I had given the Varden, they were able to repel the Urgals for a second time. However, they would be unable to stop them a third time as more troops started to pour into the chamber, at first in awe by the large boulder Spyro and I were in but focused back onto the battle at present.
The Urgal horn was about to sound for the third time when rumbling was now echoing across the battlefield. At first the Varden were worry that it might be a subterranean attack on their flanks but it was quickly dismissed when the source was discovered.
It was the large boulder we were in.
In addition to the rumbling, the boulder started to shake, poking those who got too close and further crushing those who were still under it. The Urgals at that point were getting tired of this strange boulder that was delaying them from the sweet taste of battle that they craved and some started to converge on the boulder with axes ready to strike.
They never got the chance.
Before a blow was struck, a beam of purple light shot out of the hole that I had created earlier. The entire battlefield was silent as everyone was just staring at the beam. Not long after, another beam appeared at the top of the boulder, and then another, then yet another until it seems as if almost every part of the boulder was now projecting that strange blinding purple light.
It was then that a roar was sounded. It was deep, long, and it did not take a genius to figure out that it was a direct challenge to all those that would face it. The strangest thing was that the challenge roar was draconic in sound.
Most heads turned to Saphira but she was still staring at the boulder, her mouth closed. Eragon likewise was also looking at the boulder but unlike most of the Varden, he could feel, though barely at his current level, the energy that was inside the boulder.
It was then that the shaking started to resume, but it was now more violent. The Urgals were smart and tried to distance themselves from the menacing boulder. However, no amount of distance could protect them from what happened next.
For it was at that moment that Spyro unleashed his fury and the entire boulder exploded sending hundreds of razor sharp earth shards at the Urgals. There was barely anytime for them to defense themselves as the earth shards skewered them as easily as any sword or arrow. Standing in the spot where the boulder once was located was a sight that no one saw coming.
They saw Spyro and me for what we truly were…as a fully fledge Dragon Rider. Spyro was standing on all fours but his size was still greater then Saphira by a few inches. His eyes were narrowed and focused but blazing with the fire in his soul. His tail was whipping around menacing, challenging anyone to dare attempt to harm him.
I was on his back sitting on the saddle with Purple Legend already in my left hand. Without thinking about it, I reached over to my right hand and pulled off my glove, revealing to all the insignia of the Rider, the silver palm.
The Urgals, after overcoming their shock, advance towards us. Their faces snarled and their weapons rose. They knew that we were trapped and I could sense that their archers had already sighted us to discourage us from flying.
I brought out my trade-mark grin and said to Spyro within the safety of our combined thoughts "It's time to shows these punks what it means to mess with a true dragon." Spyro replied by shorting out a jet of flame, burring two of the Urgals in front of him and whipping his tail in an arc to sweep up another half-dozen.
Before the Urgals had a chance to react, Spyro jumped into the air and crashed into the ground. The impact created another shockwave, though not as large as the one I created with the earth flail, tripping up the rest of the Urgals around us.
Spyro then showed off his grace by using his snake skill to leap over the Urgals separating us from the Varden's front line.
Once we were there, I got off of Spyro and position myself in front of him. I brought up Purple Legend in a challenging pose and said "Those who wish the Varden harm step forward so that me and my partner can show you a real battle." Spyro growled to confirm with my declaration.
A few moments passed before a Kull decided to approach us. Though he was large and menacing as all Kull were, I notice that his movements were rather cautious and controlled. I quickly figured out that he was afraid of us.
That fear was going to be the end of him.
When the Kull got no more than a few feet from me, Spyro opened his mouth. The Kull backed off thinking that he was in a safe distance in case Spyro would breathe fire on him and for the most part he was right if Spyro was in fact breathing fire at that particular time.
Instead all that most people saw was a blast from Spyro mouth one second and the next was the Kull falling over dead with an ice shard that had skewered his head.
Shocked would have been the understatement compared to what everyone was feeling at that particular moment. They had believed that dragons were only capable of breathing fire and they just now witness a dragon breathing out ice. It was a real upset for most and I figured that it was time to press our advantage now that we had installed the doubt in the Urgals hearts.
I said in a challenging voice "Well since you won't come to use, I guess we will have to come to you!"
The Urgals brought their weapons up in defense but not even they were prepared for the assault they were about to experience.
I rushed over to the center of their lines while Spyro took off into the air. Once he was high enough, he started shooting out large fireball much to people's surprise. The fireballs landed at clustered Urgals and exploded into smaller fireballs which killed those who had only gotten wounded in the main one. Spyro also switched it up by shooting ice shards to using his comet dash to strafe an Urgal position to even landing on the ground and getting his fangs and claws dirty through physical combat.
I was emerged in the energies that Spyro and I shared. My Keyblade was moving faster and I was hitting harder. I was dealing death blows left and right and never giving the Urgals a chance to counterattack. My attacks would be occasionally be paused for a brief use of magic or range weapons.
However, it was then that the suspicion I had about there being something…off with these Urgals was now confirmed. When I thrust my Keyblade through the body of one of them, I notice that a pick heart appeared and drifted off into the sky for a few feet before disappearing. I turned my head back at a glance to check the other Urgals that I had kill and saw that their bodies were no longer there. One word escaped my mouth at that moment and it was one word that meant the one thing that had always caused me problems.
"Heartless…" I whispered before returning my attention back on the battle.
After penetrating deep into their lines, I Force jumped my way back to the front of the Varden lines. I could sense people's awe in me but I paid little attention as the sound of metal banging on metal distracted me. I turned my head and noticed that while I was busy with one section, another section decided to take advantage of it and press the attack. They had already broken through the first line of defense and were already engaging with the main body of the Varden.
Angry with myself for not keeping track of all the lines, I went over to the besieged lines. I quickly asked Spyro to continue laying down suppressing fire but to extend his coverage to all of the fronts.
What happened in those next few moments became nothing more than a blur in my mind. I remember fighting alongside the Varden and my friends who seemed to be inspired by Spyro's presence. I could remember watching as Eragon and Saphira fought to the limits of their abilities as each one of them taking down more and more of the Urgal Heartless.
That was one thing I remember though, the realization of the Urgal Heartless. I knew from past experience that it was possible for someone to be infused with a Heartless to become a sort of half breed. This kind of fusion is rarely voluntary and often results with you turning into a full Heartless. However, if you managed to control it, all of your strengths become enhanced and it is harder to kill. Evidence of that was clear on the battlefield as I watch Urgals and Kull continue to fight even after they had suffered a few fatal wounds.
There was a weakness to this form in which they now take more damage due to the powers of the Keyblade which I can safely confirmed through the repeated times I killed an Urgal with nothing more than a stab in the chest.
One thing was bugging me though. I knew that there were only two people who knew how to create these forms and I knew that neither Galbatorix nor Durza would have that knowledge to create them.
So that left the question of who was it? Once again, the answer came to me sooner than I expected.
As I took down another Urgal, I heard a deep baritone laugh emanating from behind me. I turned around and my eyes widen in shock as to who I saw.
"Well…Well…Well, if it isn't the Key-brat playing the hero" said the new player in this world in the same annoying voice.
Sora and Spyro are back in business but who has just made their presence known. I wonder who it could be. Found out in the next chapter and as always…
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Richer1992
