Author's Note: Man, I had a good vacation at Disneyland, anyway I hope that everyone continues to enjoy the story. More work is being put into 2.3, I've finally got a schedule going. No more revamping triggers! Done on that! Just all the content stuff now on!
Life of a Zero Dragon
Chapter 24: Oh Maker, I See Fire
A horrifying sight, a red dragon the size of a mansion laying siege to the port city of La Rochelle. The burning embers rose from the fiery, burning buildings, spreading and catching upon dry wood any surrounding houses and stores, igniting more flames as a large shadow sailed overhead. The town's clock tower rung loudly, signaling an alarm that many ignored as they struggled to flee for their lives.
A building collapsed, it's pillars shattering under their deterioration from the fire that charred it's wood into black ash.
"Mommy!" A child cried out as the building fell, the little girl being blasted into her back by the coming cloud of dust and ash, a pressure of the wind that formed from the falling construct.
The girl stood back on her feet, her clothes covered in soot, short red hair a mess, the child walked forward down the streets, her eyes looking up into the smoke-filled skies to see the large shape fly. Despite being in the midst of mortal danger, the female mortal ran up to the ladder leading into a tower, she climbed and climbed, reaching the top and spotting the sheer mass of scale and red colors landing on top of a airship, tearing it down onto the station which imploded in a gust of wind as the magical wind stones within combusted and shattered apart.
She filled her lungs with oxygen and smoke, yelling out with all her might. "Mommy! Where are you?!" She screamed across the town, the city that burned.
The girl was heard, but not by her mother.
The massive red dragon reared its head toward the small tower that had remained standing in the face of adversity.
It's four legs stepped forward, using the rooftops as stepping stone, the large wings fanned, sending a pressure of the wind that blew the fires, but not out. The jaws revealed themselves, and the dragon spoke to the wailing child.
"Your mother will not answer you, child of man, she has been devoured by the flames created by Osgoth, the newest tyranny of Kayla!"
The girl recoiled, hiding futilely under the small wall of the tower top. "You're lying!" She screamed out in refusal.
The Full Adult Red Dragon chuckled at the little girl's crude attempt to dissuade the truth.
"No one will come for you, nothing can save you from my unwavering fire. Child of man, you will burn. Your mother will not save you. The Maker will not save you."
"No!" She replied, suddenly she felt the tower lean, falling a bit before stopping abruptly as its base cracked and crumbled. "Ah! Help!"
"Do not worry child of man, I will help you… With death!"
With a great roar, a booming voice that traveled for miles, the large red dragon charged forward. Osgoth's four, sizable paws crushed the tops of homes with formidable muscle and sharp talons. His wings beat once, and twice, giving him lift and accelerating his already quick pace.
But, half way towards the crying girl that awaited her demise, twelve crossbow bolts fired from afar, many pricking off the scales before spinning uselessly into the flames below, but one got its mark and embedded itself within the flesh.
Osgot stopped abruptly, his size smashing apart a cart that his tail swatted away by its mere presence. He looked towards the direction of his assailants, growling with boiling anger.
"Who dares strike against Osgoth, rogue red dragon of Kayla!" He yells as his eyes spot the presence of a small army, an army made with strange red-skinned creatures.
The leader rose up upon the flat roof of a building, "I do, Osgoth! Fel King Grom, Orc Warchief of the Fel Empire! And I will call La'Koria down upon you for the many people you have consumed with your flames, overgrown lizard!"
The Fel Orcs behind him roared their war cries in unison, crossbows aimed high at the red dragon before them, while Raiders, orcs mounted on giant canines, prepared their nets. Before the Raiders, lay two rows of grunts, their blood boiling for combat while hands gripped their axes tightly in anticipation; for every twelve orcs had one shaman to cast supportive magic.
"I will burn you, prudent creature! I will tear your flesh and devour your army! I will scorch your homes and turn your children to ash!" Osgoth roared in a challenge.
"Then come and try it, dragon! Dare fight against those who repelled demons!" Grom replied in defiance.
Once again, Osgoth roared, his wings spread out and began to beat, again and again, unintentionally fanning out some flames while the rogue red dragon took flight into the sky. The Fel King leaped off his post, the crossbowmen following him as the Hero rushed to his army.
"Scatter Formation! Scatter Formation! I do not want that dragon's flames doing any splash damage to tightly-knit clusters!"
The orcs obeyed their leader, spreading out into a scattered formation, preventing more casualties than acceptable by dragon flame. Osgoth soared overhead, attempting to use his intimidating size to scare off any cowards among the ranks. But the Fel orcs held firm, resolute and determined in their leader's decision.
"Crossbows!" Grom called out, "Aim!"
The rogue full adult dragon turned in the sky, his massive form coming right the army, mouth opening wide as embers emit from within.
"Hold!" Grom yelled, though he his human self-was fearful, the Warcraft Hero's personality helped keep him collected. "Hold!"
Osgoth was right above them, the dragon's chest breathed deeply as his head reeled back to release a torrent of red and orange fire.
"Release bolts!" The ninth player commanded.
Around two dozen bolts released in near unison, each projectile launched with mechanical precision and power from the ranged weapons. They flew across the air, meeting up to the point where they collided against the mass of scale and muscle, fire and blood. Osgoth ignored them, pain erupted from multiple points of the red dragon's body as they embed themselves deep, piercing through his hardened scales.
He released a giant sphere of flame from his mouth, the fired projectile following down like a cannonball launched from a steel catapult.
"Take cover!" Grom said as he moved out of the way, the fireball flying right over him and exploding in a fury of scorching heat behind him. An emergence of pain came from his backside, by the Warcraft Hero endurance and also being the Strength attribute type aided his ability to tolerant such damage.
His troops weren't as fortunate as their Warchief, the great blast melted armor, skin, and muscle to the bone. This agonizing fate met with four crossbowmen and three grunts, an already heavy toll that would have worsened if they had not changed formations mere moments beforehand.
A few more were injured, prompting the shamans to get to work in healing the injured. Unlike in regular Warcraft 3, the shamans were granted the ability to cast a weak healing ability in Life of a Dragon to make up for the loss of the troll healer, as all troll units were removed.
There were no intelligent trolls in Kayla, after all.
"Reform!" Grom said, snapping the crossbowmen back into attention as they quickly recovered themselves to stand and prepare the next volley. The Fel Warchief looked to the Fel Raiders, "Raider! Are you ready?"
"Nearly prepared, Warchief, we only need to bring that dragon down close enough!" A raider replied.
"Were it so easy…" Grom trailed off as he spotted Osgoth preparing another trip down towards the small army of Fel orcs.
"The dragon returns, Warchief!"
"Take aim! Shaman, I want Bloodlust spells set on crossbowmen, now!" Grom yelled. "We can hit him twice in one go!"
But it took time for the Shaman to cast the Bloodlust buff, as mentioned before, this spell increases a target's attack and movement speed. However, the Shaman can only cast the speed on one person at a time before he can move to apply the spell to the next individual. This leaves a crucial gap of seconds between each casting.
The dragon began to reel back to release another fireball, his distance approaching quickly as the wings glided him over the burning city of La Rochelle.
Grom grew anxious, not all his men would have the buff in time, "Hold!"
Osgot released the fireball early, the flaming sphere crashing downward towards the army.
"Fire at will! Fire at will!" Grom repeated, the orcs obeyed him and opened fire, those who were enhanced by magic allowed them to launch multiple bolts in haste.
The bolts passed by the fireball, which came blasted against the ground, reddish orange combustion incinerating the plant life and killing three more orcs, Grom himself was sent rolling against the ground as he could practically feel his hit points drop dramatically.
He struggled back up, blood dripping from his wounds and parts of his skin having second-degree burns. The Warchief stood and pointed his katana-like sword at the dragon right overhead.
"Now!" He yelled.
A furry of large nets shot from every direction from the Raiders, catching themselves on the dragon's wings, forcing Osgoth to the ground as he landed, destroying parts of the earth below as rocks and dirt flew up into the air, creating dust.
Grom charged with his sword in hand, "Tear him asunder! Lok'tar Ogar!" His right hand glowed with magic as he grasped the pommel of his weapon with both palms.
"Fel Spirit," He announced, the spell activating as two burst of smoke and red crackling electricity formed from mana appeared into existence before the player.
They appeared, two Fel Stalkers with demonic appearance, long piercing pincers, and deadly jagged jaws, charged out from the smoke and tore at the scales and flesh of the downed rogue red dragon.
Osgoth flailed violently, a roar of defiance and pain echoing for miles as he threw off his enemies with a mighty heave. He stood up, but his wings were trapped and entangled in numerous nets. Osgoth swiped with his paw, as large as a tank, at the orcs that threatened to overwhelm him with numbers.
"Perish, mortals!" Osgoth exclaimed with rage as he blew forth a stream of fire, a spell called Breath of Fire, which blasted back the orcs, boiling their skin from the heat.
With the grunts and raiders temporarily set back, Osgoth attempted to nip at the nets and free himself, but his head was then bombarded by a ceaseless barrage of bolts. He growled and looked at his assailant's direction, taking note that he could not reach them with his flame at this range.
Osgoth roared in pain as he felt his tail being sliced by a long metal object, he turned and saw Grom stare defiantly at him.
"Maker curse you, red skin!" Osgoth yelled as he reached to chomp the player in half with his jaws.
Grom jumped, landing on the dragon's tail and running forward before avoiding narrowly the huge teeth that nearly bit him in two. His sword thrust forward, piercing through the scales and drawing forth a pool of red liquid, blood, that poured from the dragon.
Critical Hit.
"Aaaaagh!" Osgoth's voice faded, as his whole body reeled back, standing on two paws and causing Grom to fall onto the ground. The dragon took in a final breath, before falling to the side, breathing out as he died from the overwhelming loss of blood and pain.
A golden light erupted around Grom's form, signifying the achievement of a level while also granting him the relief that Osgoth was actually dead.
"Shaman…" He breathed, "Heal the wounded…" Grom trailed off in exhaustion. He took in a deep breath and stood right back up to face any survivors of his army.
"Listen up, today marks the day of change! If we are to survive and prosper in this world…" He took in another breath, his injuries stung badly that it distracted him. "Then we must show the world that we are more than just warriors! Those who are uninjured, go forth into the city, scour it for any survivors! Treat them with compassion, mercy, and concern! Rescue them from the burning embers!"
He took in another breath, "As for those were healed recently by the Shaman, set up camp here for those survivors. Raider sent a report to the base!"
"Yes, Warchief!" The army responded.
Grom nodded, closing his eyes to regain his composure from the injuries when all the sudden he felt something drop on his face. He opened his eyes again and took notice the sky above.
A drop of rain fell on his face, then another, then another, before a sprinkle of rainfall began to increase.
"I'm glad… The fires will lessen and be drowned out… Thank… Thank La'Koria…" He said, then he reached into his inventory and pulled out three glasses sealed with corks, each a Healing Potion with green liquid.
He gulped down a single vial in one go, a portion of his wounds closing and numbing down the pain vastly. His burns lessening in severity, scraps and cuts closing instantly.
"Now let's go, into La Rochelle!" Grom shouted as he sheathed his weapon and ran straight into the still burning city.
The fires were hot, the heat would be unbearable for any normal human. But thankfully, as both a Fel Orc and a Warcraft Hero, such temperatures were only a small nuisance to him. He pushed away a large pillar, his hands slightly scorched by the heat of the object. Grom ignored it, his destination set as he walked through the place.
The rain began to pick up, the fires beginning to die down as time progressed.
His eyes spotted a shadow figure, Grom's pace quickened as the figure collapsed into the rubble and flame. He bulk smashed and pushed away numerous obstacles, each lashing and pricking on him as the Fel Orc reached his target.
He couldn't see where the figure had landed, the ninth player fell to his knees and started to heave away debris about debris, then he saw.
A set of amber eyes looked up at him, the expression entirely emotionless as the same girl that dared talk back against a dragon now lay nearly lifeless on the ash covered ground.
"Don't die on me yet girl!" He yelled as his voice softened and he revealed his second Healing Potion and forcefully opened the girl's mouth, pouring the green liquid down the child's throat.
The flames were simmering, pillars of smoke filled with air.
It wasn't working, it was healing her only too little! She was closer to death's door than he thought.
"No, no, don't you dare!" Grom hastily pulled out his last vial, damned be that it was the last potion! He was not going to let this child die!
He failed before.
He failed in the army back on earth.
He failed his company and the civilians depending on him.
His hand slipped, the potion fell and broke apart on the ground below, its contents evaporating instantly.
"No, fuck!" He pressed his hands over the child, "Come on girl, don't die!"
Think, think!
"Healing Spray!" He called out his spell, the hero ability. It wasn't nearly as effective as a potion would be.
A shining multitude of colors erupted forth in a fountain spray of magic as they rushed into the girl's body.
It wasn't enough, Healing Spray healed too little and too slowly!
"Healing Spray!" He called out again.
This ability is still on cooldown.
"I don't care! Healing Spray!"
This ability is still on cooldown.
"Fuck the cooldown! I won't let this kid die on me!" He roared in defiance, "Healing Spray!"
This ability is still on cooldown.
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!" He wasn't going fail, not again, not in this world, not when he had the power!
This ability- Error! Error!
"Healing Spray!"
A flash of light, blinding his own vision, a monochrome of hues, a sight of beauty and grace lit like a beacon in the area.
His felt his body drain at an unbelievable pace, his mouth dropping with blood as he felt his mana drain at a tremendous pace.
The girl's body lit up with the light, her mortal injuries closing, chest expanding before breath came into the child.
The girl gasped, before coughing a fit came through, soot spitting out as the light dimmed down into nothing.
"You're alive… You're alive…" He smiled genuinely as he hugged her, tears pouring from his face as he gave a human-like expression, he succeeded, his mana was mostly all spent, his body standing by willpower alone even when exhaustion threatened to take him.
It was lucky his body naturally regenerated mana points, if ever slowly.
Grom lifted up the human girl in bridal style, carefully making sure his armor didn't give the red haired girl discomfort. He started to walk, his body swaying in weakness, but he pushed on towards the encampment of his army.
The child's eyes opened and she saw the Orc carrying her, her expression remained desolate, yet when she saw Grom's smile, a small tingle of envy filled her entire being. He was so happy, even when he barely stood, he remained so happy in saving her.
Her only thought while being carried to safety…
'I wish I could smile like that…'
Current Status:
Chosen Dragon Player 1: Saito Hiraga - Alive - Dragonet (Agility) Level 11
Chosen Dragon Player 2: Alex Storm - Alive - Bronze Dragonet (Strength) Level 8
Chosen Dragon Player 3: Asuna Godiva - Alive - Nether Dragonet (Strength) Level 10
Chosen Dragon Player 4: Artos Archway - Alive - Green Dragonet (Agility) Level 8
Chosen Dragon Player 5: Cora Rune - Alive - Blue Dragonet (Intelligence) Level 10
Dragon Slayer Player 6: Celdrahil - Alive - Slayer Level 8
Dragon Catcher Player 7: Rosina - Alive - Catcher Level 12
The Human Kingdom Player 8: Aylmer and Abigail - Alive - King Level 3, Princess Level [Error]
The Fel Empire Player 9: Grom - Alive - King of Fel Empire Level 7
Mercenary Player 10: Elizabeth Loyal - Alive - Sorceress Level 7
Observer Map Maker: Map Maker - Alive - The World Editor