Chapter 35-The Orb's Wrath
Rayla was the first to attack.
As she charged at him with her blades, he waved his hand dismissively, a strong gust of wind throwing her painfully against one of the support beams.
Callum drew another aspiro in the air, and blew, only for Azrael to catch it, and redirect it toward the fireplace.
The wind curled upward, then landed in the center of it, sending the flames exploding outward.
Callum pulled Ezran and Zym aside, as the wood floor ignited around them, the flames spreading quickly through the lodge's interior.
Bait came running down the stairs, letting out a a grumble panic as the fires rose around them.
"Everything burns, children. First this lodge..." he held up his hand, collecting flames from the inferno that now surrounded them. "Then all of Katolis."
He sent two separate fireballs, which blasted apart support beams, sending burning wood splinters flying through the air.
Rayla charged at him again, but he turned, grabbing her by the throat, and hurling her through another support beam.
She let out a grunt of pain as she broke through it. Her wounded shoulder smashing though it.
The roof let out a groan as it struggled to stand.
Ezran held up his wooden sword, and he too charged at the warlord.
Azrael sidestepped him, before drawing his own sword, and slicing the wooden blade apart.
Ezran stared at the broken handle with wide eyes, then looked up, as Azrael turned to him.
Zym flew forward, letting out a screech, as lighting crackled in his maw.
Azrael turned, and with a ruthless punch, knocked the dragon prince out of the air, eliciting a pained yelp, and sending him skittering along the floor.
"Zym!" Ezran shouted.
Azrael looked down at the king, curiosity flashing across his features.
He reached under his cloak, and produced the orb.
Rayla gritted her teeth, as she watched him. She looked up, and climbed onto the very shaky wooden beams that ran across the ceiling, her swords held firmly.
Azrael had not noticed.
"I wonder, young king...how much pain can your precious little mind take?" Azrael asked. He held it up above his head, a sick smirk on his face as dark clouds began to swirl out from it.
Rayla looked down at him, then jumped down, swords behind her.
And sliced.
Azrael let out a cry of pain, as the orb dropped to the ground.
His hand dropping limply to the ground as well.
He growled in rage, as he stared at the stump where it had been.
Rayla landed beside Callum, Ezran, Bait, and the slowly recovering Zym.
"Maybe ya should worry about your own pain." Rayla suggested.
Azrael glared up at them, as the fires closed in around all of them.
He held up his one remaining hand.
More flame swirled around, collecting itself in his grasp. His eyes set on Ezran, whose eyes were wide with fear.
"Burn." He snarled, before sending a fireball flying at them.
Callum stepped in front of his brother, drawing his rune.
"Aspiro." He breathed.
The air shot forth, hitting the fiery plume.
And sending it blowing back on it's caster.
Azrael's eyes widened, and he put up his hand, as the flame consumed him, blasting him backward.
"You first." Callum finished, turning to look at the others, feeling extremely weak.
"Callum!" Ezran exclaimed, pointing at the fire in panic.
As the flames rippled, and moved aside, to reveal a still burning, now even more disfigured Azrael.
His face blackened by the flame, his teeth gritted, his eyes darkening as he summoned all the dark magic left in his being.
He looked down at his orb, as it rolled across the floor. And he lunged for it.
But Callum had already spotted it. And he was closer.
He leaned down, and picked it up, staring into its swirling darkness.
"Give it here, boy!" Azrael spat, holding out his hand. "Or I'll keep you alive just long enough to watch them die!"
Callum looked down at it, then up at the warlord.
"Know what? I'm gonna throw it."
He reared back.
Azrael's eyes widened with rage.
"NO!"
Callum hurled it at his feet.
It shattered, sending glass flying.
And darkening the entire room, as the black clouds shot out of their glass prison.
For a moment, nothing was visible.
Then the clouds were gone. Sucked down into the floorboards.
Azrael was heaving, steaming with rage as he glared at them.
"Do you realize what you've done?!" He demanded.
He stared down at the floor for a moment.
Then, with a hiss, the dark clouds rose back up, and surrounded the warlord.
His head spun, as they encircled him.
And began to swirl together, and form limbs. Hands.
Hands that reached out, and clamped down tightly on his arms.
He let out a cry as he tried to shake them off.
More hands rose up behind him, grabbing his cloak, while another grabbed his hood, pulling it back to expose his head.
They pulled down, forcing him to his knees.
He looked up, eyes blazing as he glared at the horrified prey that stood before him.
Two humans, an elf, a dragon, and a glow toad.
He opened his mouth and let out a roar of rage, as the hands held him in place.
The roof began to collapse, massive sections of it crashing down around them.
"We need to go, now!" Rayla shouted, grabbing Callum and Ezran by the scruff of their clothes.
"Where?" Callum asked, his expression sinking as he watched the flames consume the main staircase, more of them blocking the front door. "There's no way..."
"There's gotta be a way!" Rayla replied, flipping her sword around, and carving into the floor. "We're not dyin here. None of us!"
The floor sagged, then gave way, dumping all five of them into the basement of the lodge.
Debris rained down after them, as they walked across the small basement room.
"Where to now?" Callum asked, looking up as the flames billowed in through the hole in the ceiling.
They collapsed into the corner, heaving, as the smoke inhalation began to have an effect.
"Guys...what if there isn't a way out?" Callum asked, exchanging looks with the others.
Zym let out a worried cry, and crawled over to Ezran for comfort.
Ezran looked up at Callum with sad eyes.
"We did it." The young king said with a firm nod. "We stopped him. We did what we had to do."
Callum felt the sadness and fear overwhelm him, and he looked to Rayla, who looked back at him with sad eyes as well. She leaned in and kissed him.
Then she pulled all three of them close, into one last embrace.
While Bait took note of none of it, and waddled across the basement floor, toward a section of the the wall.
He sniffed at the bottom of it, feeling a cool breeze circulating from it.
He let out a grunt of approval. Then he turned, and grunted louder.
"What's up, Bait?" Ezran asked, getting ip and walking over to him.
Bait looked at him, then again at the wall, before grunting in irritation.
Ezran held out his hand, and felt it.
"There's cold air on the other side of this...guys, I think it's a way out!" He exclaimed.
Rayla hurried over, examining it carefully.
Then she turned, and bashed herself against it.
The wood splintered. She gritted her teeth, and smashed into it again.
Callum ran up next to her, and joined her in putting his weight against it.
A look of hope on their faces, as they locked eyes.
Then crashed against it together.
Breaking down the wooden wall, to reveal a stone tunnel.
"Bait, I could kiss ya!" Rayla exclaimed, as she gestured for them to follow.
They ran through the tunnel, as the floor collapsed into the basement behind them, sending flames erupting after them.
"Run!" Ezran shouted, as they sprinted through the tunnel.
And erupted through the other side.
Finding themselves in the basement of the guard barracks.
The flames spewed through the opening behind them, before settling.
They stopped to catch their breath, then made their way upstairs, and out the front door.
To find the sun just beginning to rise on the horizon, a beautiful pink sky shimmering overhead, reflecting off the snow.
They looked out across the snowy, body riddled field, and watched as the Banther Lodge gave its last gasps, then collapsed into a fiery inferno.
"Hey." Ezran said, panting as he tried to catch his breath, and shedding his wooden armor. "Guys...I think we made it."
The other two nodded wordlessly, as they two breathed in the cold, fresh air.
"Ah think you're right." Rayla agreed, turning and leaning herself against Callum, who collapsed, sending them both sprawling to the snowy ground.
Ezran let out a weak, wheezing laugh, before he too gave up, and plopped down into the snow.
With Bait and Zym both rushing to his side, and licking him happily.