Chapter 5: No Mercy

It has been years since their first encounter with the drake back in Shurima, and since then they were more paranoid than ever. They couldn't walk through the forest without throwing a glance over their shoulders or hide somewhere to make sure the land was clear before passing it. After all, they were right to be wary. Recklessness would easily cost them their lives.

Of course, there were multiple times when the drake had caught up on them, and they would have no choice but to fight for their lives. Her father was getting older and weaker, and she was still inexperienced in so many aspects, forcing them to choose brains over brawn when engaged in battle. But from every battle they had managed to survive, Shyvana grew stronger and more capable of harnessing her strength. Nevertheless, her fury and hatred burnt brighter as well.

She would never forget how the triplets had deceived her, too. She had believed that they were good men, friendly even, but she was too naive to think otherwise. Since then, she learnt to never trust anyone again, especially humans.

Still, she couldn't get rid of the guilt she felt when the triplets had died, burnt alive by the drake. Zahrul's words still haunted her mind until this day, and because of that she pledged to never step into any places where humans took up residence. It took a lot to convince her father, and eventually her father gave in to her wishes.

Since then, Shyvana and her father were doomed to move from one place to another, setting up camp and hunting for food. And when the drake appeared, they would have to fight to stay alive.

Everywhere you go, death follows.

She had no idea how much longer she can endure the endless battles. She felt as though she might go insane sooner or later.

"What?"

"We're going to Ionia," the old dragon announced that morning. "By ship, we have to head east to the edge of the Great Barrier and book a passage to Ionia,"

"Why?" Shyvana asked angrily, not bothering to hide the irritation in her voice.

"You can seek refuge there," he ran a knife down the tip of a branch, shaping it into a spear. "It's a nation of peace and order, isolated from the Valoran mainland. I can persuade the Elders that we come in peace, and you will be much safer there,"

"There's nowhere safe, not unless that drake is dead,"

"The Ionians are adept in spiritual arts, they will have ways to mask your presence in Ionia,"

Shyvana paced back and forth in front of her father, her face crumpled in deep concentration. "No," she hissed.

"I thought you always wanted a home, Shyvana," he looked up from his work and narrowed his eyes, staring at his daughter skeptically.

"It's no use," she laughed bitterly. "The Elders, or whoever the hell they are, may accept us. But you never know when they are going to exile us either. You told me to never trust humans. We are dragons, father. They will only fear us and seek to get rid of us,"

"We don't have a choice," he stood abruptly, tossing his knife to the ground. "It's either Ionia, or wandering aimlessly in Valoran. And it's not like I can walk like before," he gestured at his crippled leg. "Please understand, Shyvana. We can't escape him forever, we may not be lucky enough to escape from him next time,"

"All these while we have been running away every time he attacks," she retorted. "Why can't we just kill that bastard already?"

"We won't stand a chance!"

"That's because we're holding back!"

"Shyvana," he pleaded. "I beg you, go to Ionia. You will find peace there,"

"Peace doesn't exist. If it does, we wouldn't be here!" she was screaming now, pacing back and forth. She was oblivious to little motes of flame dancing beneath her feet, singeing the grass she stepped on.

Do you think I did not notice how hateful you have become? He looked at her sadly, knowing that he had failed at raising his daughter the correct way. He had wanted to teach her that despite their predicament, there was still hope and love in the world. But the endless battles with the drake only poisoned her heart even further, tainting it with hate, malice and misery.

Ionia was the only way. She would learn to find peace there, learn to calm herself and channel her powers at the right moment. Perhaps she would even make friends there, knowing that Ionia is also a home for Celestial and otherworldly beings, even though he had never heard of Ionians making peace with a dragon or other wild beasts before.

"And so what if they could mask our presence?" her eyes burned dangerously, flames coating her fingers. "That drake isn't stupid, he'll find the trail that leads him to Ionia-"

"I didn't say I was going to Ionia," he said quietly, only loud enough for her to hear. "You are,"

Shyvana's arms fell limply to her sides. Her mouth hung open, but no words came out. Her outburst earlier was replaced by an astonished silence, as though she was trying to comprehend what her father just said.

"You said I could seek refuge there…"

"Yes," he sighed, knowing that she would react violently to his decision. "I'm bringing you to Ionia, but I'm leaving you there. I will lead the drake away from you. You will be safe there, training with the people of Ionia and learning their ways. You never know, they might accept you as one of their best fighters in Ionia,"

"You can't -"

"I can, and I will," he said sternly, brooking no argument. "I am getting old, Shyvana. I won't be around forever,"

"Still, it doesn't mean I should leave you," her lips quivered, but she refused to let her tears fall. She could feel her throat burning with anger and she clenched her fists harder. "He won't just kill you, he will make you suffer!"

The old dragon gritted his teeth. It's not like he wanted to leave her in a place where she was not familiar with. It pained him to see his daughter isolated and distraught, first being left by her mother, and now him. But if it was for her own good, he would do it even if it made him feel guilty.

Damn it, love, he cursed at his beloved, wondering if she could hear him. So this is how you felt when you did it? Like you are trapped in between?

He quickly pulled Shyvana into a tight embrace, caressing her hair gently, showing her that he still loved her. "He won't torture me, don't worry. I promise. I'll attract him to somewhere far away where he won't find you. And who knows? Maybe a few years later, you would be much stronger than you are right now. Maybe you will come looking for me, and we can defeat him together,"

Shyvana's shoulders stopped trembling for a moment. He felt a glimmer of hope, thinking that he had finally made her see sense, but it was quickly put out when Shyvana shoved roughly, pulling away from him.

On her face was a mask of fury and anguish and hurt, her unshed tears threatening to break free.

"Lies," she hissed. "You're just going to leave me like mother did, aren't you? I understand, after all I'm just a burden to you. Hell, you should have given me to those three assholes we met in Bel'Zhun back then,"

His heart sank when she said those words, but he said nothing to correct her.

"Maybe I was the mistake all along," her voice was melancholic, though it still held anger and hatred. "Maybe I shouldn't be born at all. All that I've ever done was bring more suffering to those around me,"

She turned her back on him and started walking through the forest, away from her father who still stood rooted to the ground, taking in what his daughter just said.

"Wait, Shyvana -"

"Don't worry," she grumbled. "I'm just going to check out the snares for game. Then we can go to Ionia since that's what you want so much," With that, she went deeper into the forest. The camp was filled with silence once again.

"I'm sorry, Shyvana," he whispered under his breath, staring deep into the forest with a forlorn gaze.

When she went to the third snare she had carefully placed in the forest only to find the bait missing again, she angrily snapped the snare into half. She looked up at the skies and cursed at whatever Gods that were watching, frustrated with her ill-fate.

She had been so furious that when she stomped through the forest, she did not know she was leaving a trail of scorched grass behind. Her grunts and mumbles every time she found a snare empty had scared away all the animals nearby, which only annoyed her even more.

She couldn't believe her father was doing this to her. She thought that he would be different, unlike her mother.

I hate you, mother, she fumed, and went searching for the fourth snare. It's all your fault that we ended up like this. And now father wants to leave me too. Great. Parenting done right.

The fourth snare turned up empty as well, and by then Shyvana was so enraged that she threw her head back and let out an ear-splitting roar, not caring if the entire forest heard her. Leaves and bushes around her rustled noisily as small animals quickly scurried away, afraid of facing the wrath of the dragon.

"For fuck's sake!" she screamed and slammed her fist into a nearby tree, leaving a blackened cavity in the poor tree. She stormed towards a nearby stream, not even bothering to look for the fifth snare. She did not intend to starve tonight, and to do that, she would have to fish.

In her hand was a charred wooden spear she had crafted out of a branch. It was a shoddy job done using her claws, but it was better than nothing. She waded awkwardly in the stream searching for a school of fish, and positioned her spear above her shoulder. She watched as the fish darted in and out, unaware of its predator nearby.

You were being harsh to him, a voice in her head whispered. Shyvana lashed out the spear and grunted when it missed. He was right. He was doing this for your own good.

"I never want to be near a human again. Never again," she jabbed, grinning with triumph when it hit a fish.

What is it that you fear? Betrayal? Deceit?

"Shut up," Jab. Missed.

Or isolation?

"He'll never defeat the drake. There had been several times when he nearly died," she jabbed again, stabbing another fish. "I can't stay somewhere safe knowing he's out there fighting my battle,"

Your battle? How so?

"That drake wants me dead. That makes it my battle,"

You lash out blindly. You'll never stand a chance against the drake. You will die fighting him. So will your father.

"You don't know that!" she furiously ran the spear into the bed of the stream. All the fish immediately swam away, and the surface of the stream rippled slightly. Steam rose, the water temperature rising rapidly.

Your anger blinds you. And your hatred. You burn down everything you touch. Everywhere you go, death follows.

Her breath hitched in fear. The flames around her fingers and feet flickered slightly and went out, the heat around her dissipating quickly. Her hands trembled as they hung limply at her sides. Earlier where there was wrath and loathing in her heart, was now filled with fear and uncertainty.

She hated herself for being born. And she was afraid. Afraid of loneliness and never belonging anywhere until she meets her end. Afraid that she will never have a home, that she would never have someone she loves.

There was only one person she loved more than herself in this world - her father. And she did not need a home as long as she could spend time with him.

There must be another way, she thought. We can both stay in Ionia, earn their favor and ask for their assistance to fight the drake. There has to be another way. He doesn't have to do this alone. I have to persuade him.

Shyvana grabbed her spear and her catch, heading back to the clearing. She wondered if her father would even listen to her. She knew that she had hurt him with her harsh words, but she intended to make everything right once again.

I would have to apologize, she sighed. I hope he understands.

I shouldn't have told her, the old dragon thought. He kept his mind occupied by gathering resources and setting up traps, building a fire and crafting more tools. However, his worry for Shyvana only doubled.

He had a hunch that something bad was going to happen. The forest seemed too quiet today, and it was becoming more and more unsettling. He shrugged it off though, thinking that it was probably just him being thinking too much.

Until the sound of rustling leaves and birds squawking in fear reached his ears, which was promptly followed by a loud thud as though a tree had collapsed.

The old dragon reached out for a wooden spear, slowly creeping towards the source of the sound with his crippled leg shuffling behind him. His senses heightened as he summoned his draconic strength, his right hand wielding the spear tightly. He entered the part of the forest where he knew would be teeming with wildlife, be it squirrels and foxes or bugs and beetles roaming the greenery.

But there was no sound of bees buzzing around or bushes rustling with little animals running around. There was no sight of squirrels scurrying from branches to branches, or animals shying away from his sudden intrusion.

Something's wrong.

It only confirmed his fear when a strong smell of burnt wood hit him. In the distance, he could see clouds of smoke billowing out of the forest, as though some parts of the forest was on fire. Eventually he reached the source of the noise, and gasped in shock to see the devastation before him.

The grasses and bushes were singed, with toppled trees still blazing. There were marks carved into the blackened bark of the trees. He went near them to investigate, and found out that they were deep gashes . He went to the middle where there was a mess of burnt trees and scorched grass, accidentally stepping on a charred, mangled carcass of a deer that he was not aware of. It was burnt beyond recognition.

They wouldn't be safe here. Not for long.

The old dragon was about to head back to the camp when he realized Shyvana was still out there, oblivious to the danger around her. That thought made him feel queasy, and he turned on his heels to go searching for her. Then he saw something quick moving in the corner of his vision.

He had to duck when a carcass went sailing over his head, before hitting a tree and rolling harmlessly to the ground. He was stunned by the sight of the bloody body, its innards strewn everywhere. An ear-piercing cry startled him, and he only managed to turn before something enormous was hurled towards him, knocking the air out of him and pinning him to the ground.

"There you are," the drake landed before him, chuckling at the old dragon. "Took me a while to look for you two,"

The old dragon groped desperately for the spear, grunting with every effort. He could see the drake approaching him, his jaws alight with flames that would burn him to cinders at close distance. When his fingers finally found what he looked for, he mustered his strength and threw it towards the drake, aiming for his eye.

Somehow the spear missed its mark, and instead impaled the drake's jaw. The drake threw back his head and roared painfully, letting off a burst of flames that exploded midair. He was stunned temporarily by the bright explosion, his claws flailing around to remove the spear.

Amidst the confusion, the old dragon willed himself to transform. He easily ripped apart the large tree that was restraining his movements, and burst forth with newfound strength towards the drake. Fire coated his hide and scales, setting grasses and plants and trees on fire. He leapt onto the drake, who was shaking himself out of his trance, and swiped his claws violently at the drake, tearing away scales, skin and leathery hide.

The drake roared with anguish and attempted to avoid his blows by locking his jaw on his wing. His tail lashed out and pierced a hole through the Celestial dragon's wing, and quickly plunged his fangs into his shoulder. The old dragon hissed, and spread his wings to retreat. He was surprised when instead of taking into the air, he was pulled backwards by the winds and stumbled onto the ground clumsily.

He looked down at his wing and grunted. His left wing was punctured, with a few bleeding wounds resulting from the drake's bite. He crawled backwards, putting some distance between him and the drake.

The drake emitted a feral growl. The old dragon grinned when he realized he had managed to inflict as much damage as he did. There were long, bloody gashes on the drake's scaly back, and rashes along his belly where his flames had struck him.

"Still not giving up?" the drake heaved, his tail whipping around impatiently.

"Never," the old dragon's maw gaped, and he pounced onto the drake.

The drake flapped his wings and stepped backwards, as though he had anticipated what the old dragon would do. The old dragon was no longer capable of flight, and he only whined helplessly as he fell to the ground beneath the drake. Before he could climb to his feet, the drake's feet grabbed his neck and tail tightly, his talons digging into his flesh. He shot towards the sky and flew out of the forest.

The drake pumped his wings harder, flying further and further into the air while his prey struggled harmlessly within his talons. He flew high above the rocky ranges of the Great Barrier, then dived downwards, bringing the old dragon with him. He slammed the old dragon into a small hill, dragging him along as he gained speed. The old dragon cried piteously as his feet, wings and belly collided painfully with sharp rocks and boulders, leaving a long, devastating scar upon the rocky hill.

The drake was still relentless. He lifted the wounded dragon into the air, his teeth gleaming wickedly under the sun. The old dragon had gone limp in his grasp, bloody gashes and raw, red flesh visible on his belly and lower body. Blood was seeping from the wounds where the drake's talons had dug deep into his skin, suffocating him even more.

He plummeted towards the forest again, throwing the old dragon to the ground. The old dragon was so weak that he could barely lift his wing, and winced helplessly as he crashed to the ground, feeling his bones beneath his hide being snapped like twigs.

"Where is the half-dragon?" the drake descended upon him, one talon against his neck which pinned him to the ground. The old dragon protested weakly. He gurgled a reply, blood pouring from his mouth.

"Somewhere safe," he hissed. His reply earned him a punch across his snout, leaving three deep cuts across his face. "You better run. In the years to come, she'll cut you down like carving a cake,"

"Persistent fool," the drake howled. Fire flowed in the drake's mouth like liquid, and he drew his head backwards to land his fatal blow.

However, he was interrupted when a huge ball of fire smacked him across the face. The impact threw him off the old dragon, stumbling backwards until he regained his balance. A smaller dragon came sprinting towards the drake, flames coating her body like a burning armor.

The drake grinned viciously and rushed forward to meet his new opponent. He was fast, but the half-dragon was faster, throwing rapid punches and fireballs towards the drake. Rage made her blood boil, giving her an extreme burst of speed and strength. The drake successfully landed a few blows upon her, yet she kept clawing and jabbing as though it barely bothered her.

Shyvana lusted for his blood, and she refused to retreat. She saw how her father was terribly wounded, and it woke something beastly inside her. Fury clouded her mind, and all she could see was a burning red.

She grinned triumphantly when she saw uncertainty and panic in the drake's eyes. She blindly threw her claw forward, leaving herself open for a counterattack. The drake saw his opportunity and took it, spinning his body in a wide arc and slammed his tail into her vulnerable stomach.

Shyvana gasped for breath, and her father watched helplessly as she was flung through the air. Her back met a large boulder with a sickening crunch, and she dropped to the ground, grunting painfully. Flames flickered out as the dragon slowly shrank,leaving a frail girl with a pair of poor-looking gauntlets, covered by a ragged and burnt cloak.

"You little half-human runt,"

Shyvana opened her eyes wearily, her vision swimming as she tried to look around her. Her heart raced with panic when she noticed the drake crawling towards her, bloodlust filling his fiery, vengeful gaze.

She saw a larger figure behind the drake, and gasped in relief when her father let forth a torrent of flames. The drake howled in pain, his enormous form shielding Shyvana from the Celestial dragon's breath. When the flames died, smoke was rising from the drake's scales and his head quivered before falling to the ground. His wings twitched violently, and the rise and fall of his chest showed that he was still alive.

He shoved the unconscious drake to the side, shuffling limply towards his daughter before falling as well. His breathing was ragged, and blood still flowed incessantly from his mouth and grievous wounds. Shyvana crawled towards him, grunting and whimpering as her stomach throbbed painfully.

He was dying, there was no use denying it.

The old dragon coughed, sputtering blood across the scorched ground. She would be on her own from now on. And he regretted leaving her so soon. He smiled sadly when his daughter reached out a hand for him, tears streaming down her face. There was nothing he could do to comfort his grieving daughter.

He thought of the woman whom he fell in love with. He would be joining her soon. But before that, he wanted Shyvana to know the truth about her mother. That she did what she could to keep her safe.

"Shyvana," his voice was a hoarse whisper. "Your mother-"

A large, scaly foot stomped on the old dragon's neck, crushing his windpipe. Blood spewed from the dragon's broken neck, covering Shyvana from head to toe.

She screamed.

"Inconceivable!" the drake was covered in his own blood, his scales still smoking and his burnt flesh gleaming bright red. He gripped the dead dragon's horns forcefully with his claws and battered his head against the boulder again and again and again. Shyvana stared horrifyingly as her father's skin broke apart, revealing the skull beneath. The drake continued his endless pounding, splitting the skull and tearing brain matter apart, roaring and howling all kinds of angry insults as he kept ramming.

She was too weak to do anything but watch.

The drake panted heavily, then lifted his head and glared at her. Shyvana cowered in fear and tried to crawl backwards. The drake was about to leap before he noticed a bright light beneath him, drawing Shyvana's attention as well.

The dead dragon's chest glowed, and the heat surrounding them rose as well. The drake poked the dragon's chest curiously, trying to figure out what was happening. The light became more intense. The drake went nearer to inspect the strange illuminating light.

When he realized what was going to happen, he tried to rear back but it was too late. The dead dragon's chest sizzled as heat flowed freely, and suddenly it exploded. Boiling blood coated the drake's head and seeped into his eyes, blinding him. The drake hissed and howled, his claws scratching his eyes furiously to relieve the pain.

The Heart of Brambleback, Shyvana realized. Somehow her father had managed to swallow the Heart before he died. The Heart boils the consumer's blood and flesh, giving him a surge of adrenaline rush. When he died, his corpse had gone cold, and the heat of the Heart reacted even more violently when surrounded by a cold body.

The drake cried piteously, failing to wipe away the blood that still sizzled in his eyes. He spread his wings and fled immediately, his howls echoing throughout the Great Barrier.

Shyvana hissed furiously, knowing that she should have struck the last blow when she had the chance. Her stomach screamed in pain as she tried to move about. Her back throbbed in pain as well, forcing her to lie down on her stomach.

Exhaustion took over, and she fell into a deep sleep.

Shyvana woke up to cold droplets of water hitting her cheeks and the sound of rolling thunder in her ears. When she opened her eyes and looked up, the skies had gone grey, and a heavy downpour splattered against the forest floors. She shivered as her cloak was soaked in the rain.

Why am I out in the rain? Where is father?

She groaned in pain as she propped herself on her elbows. She shuddered in fear as she recalled the nightmare she had earlier, remembering how the drake tore her father to pieces.

However, when she looked in front of her, she realized that it wasn't just a nightmare.

The puddles upon the muddy ground were a mix of blood and rainwater. Her father's corpse laid ahead, his neck snapped and his head pounded into a gory mess. His chest and belly had been torn apart, revealing his broken ribs and a deflated organ beneath that was now the colour of dark blue. Blood pooled around the dead dragon, flowing like little streams as the downpour grew heavier and heavier.

Shyvana choked back a sob, crawling towards her father. She felt so cold, yet she was too tired to summon her fire to warm herself up.

At this moment, there was nothing else she could remember except the argument she had had with her father before she stormed off in anger. She remembered how hurtful her words were, and she had no doubt that her father was upset with her. She would give anything just to take back those words, and tell her father how sorry she was.

"Father," she croaked. Her trembling hand reached out and stroked his broken wing, feeling the cold scales that used to be so warm and smooth. "Please forgive me," she buried her face into his shoulder, hugging him tightly.

There was no use apologizing. He could not hear her anymore.

A part of her died that day. Her heart was now devoid of hope and happiness. She was truly alone now, and she would never find companionship until the end of her days.

Remember Shyvana, her father's voice echoed in her mind. After dawn, the sun will shine again, and the skies will be clear. No sadness lasts forever.

"No sadness lasts forever," she mumbled, more tears running down her cheeks. Those words seemed meaningless to her now. All her life she had been hiding and running away from the drake. Her life had been filled with nothing but misery and woe and desperation. Her skies will never be clear.

I will kill him, Shyvana's hand clenched into a fist. She pounded the muddy ground furiously, splattering water and blood everywhere. I will avenge you, father. I will break his neck like he had broken yourself, and I will tear his fucking heart out while he is still alive.

Her heart burnt with fierce determination as she found her new purpose in life: vengeance for her father. But right now, she was too tired and hungry to do anything. She looked at her father's corpse as sadness overwhelmed her once again. She wasn't ready to leave him yet.

Shyvana lifted his wing and crawled underneath, seeking for warmth. His scales, however, were cold, and she used what little strength she had left to summon a little spark of flame, enough to warm up herself and her father. She wanted to spend the last night with her father, snuggling into his warm embrace. She remembered how he would pull her towards him whenever the night was too cold, and she knew she would always be safe in her father's embrace.

She knew that when she woke up, her father's corpse would be cold once again. She pushed the thought away and pretended that he was just sleeping, ignoring the blood that drenched her cloak.

Shyvana couldn't help but reminisce the days when her family had been whole, when they all sat at the dinner table laughing and eating gleefully without a single worry on their minds. She sniffled and nuzzled her face against her father's shoulder, allowing herself to be pulled into slumber once again.

The next day she would go after her father's murderer. But for now, she grieved in silence.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks to all those who left a review. Once again, reviews are very much appreciated.