(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)
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Return of the Dragon Slayer.
Chapter Twenty-One.
"NOOO!" yelled Dean as he closed his eyes; he couldn't get to Finn in time, he couldn't save her and he roared in pure rage, a primal yell of loss and fury. He drew his swords as Fafnir raised his head to the heavens and issued his own roar that resounded through the realm, causing the soldiers underneath him to place their hands over their ears.
The Rukh's
Dean looked up and saw a dark shadow shoot skywards from the forest behind the Citadel walls, their cries screaming across the landscape as they got into formation, there were thousands of them.
The battle begins.
Fafnir issued another roar and the dragons that were in front of Jonas' army sent out short bursts of flame, destroying the first eight lines of soldiers in seconds, their bodies reduced to piles of ash; they shot skywards, heading back over Jude's army.
"SURRENDER, SLAYER! YOUR DRAGONS HAVE DESERTED YOU! AND YOUR ARMY IS NO MATCH FOR MINE!" Jonas laughed maniacally "MY ARMY, MY CREATURES WILL DESTROY YOU AND THAT ABOMINATION YOU RIDE!"
"Move, Azhi" said Dean to the dragon that was still hovering in front of him "Get someone to …take her down"
Azhi bowed his head It is done he moved behind Fafnir and Dean saw the severed rope that swung against the Citadel walls.
Dean raised one of his swords "SURRENDER, JONAS AND I'LL KILL YOU QUICKLY!"
Jonas laughed "SURRENDER TO TWO DRAGONS AND A MORTAL?"
"I AM A TRUE ANCIENT! AND THAT'S DRAGON SLAYER, TO YOU ASSHOLE!" he glared at Jonas "LAST CHANCE, JONAS! SURRENDER!"
Jonas laughed and signalled to a man at his right who raised a trumpet and sounded a call. The Rukh's returned the call and four swooped towards Dean, Fafnir and Azhi. Fafnir raised his head and roared…a roar that was echoed by its brothers and sisters…a roar that thundered over the plains.
Jonas watched as a black swarm rose from behind the distant mountains, the dragons had not fled, they had regrouped and there was more than the thirty that had shown themselves…there had to be over a thousand of them…his information had been incorrect, he'd been told there were no more than fifty dragons left in the realm…he'd been lied to. The Elders had lied to him!
"YOU KILL MY BELOVED?" yelled Dean.
Jonas laughed "I FUCKED YOUR BELOVED!"
Dean roared and pointed his sword at Jonas "I'M COMING FOR YOU!"
Fafnir turned and headed towards the Rukh's his wings held tight against his body as he shot towards them. His first fire-shot took out two and he turned on his side quickly as the other two Rukh's shot their feathers at him, missing him by inches; he circled behind them, tearing the body of one in two as he bit the head off the other, spitting it out as he raced to take his place at the head of the dragons.
They held their position in the skies, the Rukh's facing them off, the tension between the beasts was palpable…the fury each race held for the other seemed to grow as the seconds ticked over. Dean watched as Jonas' army got into position and he raised his arm "PELUDA!" he yelled and the dragon dipped, swooping down to his right, flying towards the Grachen Outcroppings, he flew behind them as the cavalry charge sounded; Jude dropped the blue flag and the army drew it's swords and raced towards Jonas' army.
The Battle had begun.
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Jonas watched from the Citadel walls as Jude led a legion towards their deaths and he laughed "General…go bring me Jude's head…I want it mounted on my city walls within the hour!"
"Sir!" said Xavier and he and Wil left quickly, racing down the stairs and mounting their horses, galloping out of the Citadel to join their men. Xavier turned to Wil "Take the left flank and when you hear Jude's call…" he grinned and Will returned it before they galloped off in different directions.
Jonas turned to his captain "Ready the weapons…take those dragons OUT!" and the guard gave the order. He smiled as he saw his army crash into Jude's, the sounds of swords clanging on the wind was like music to his ears…the realm would now truly be his. Gideon and Griffin were dead, the Slayer would be soon too …but not before he killed the Slayer's son in front of him; the Rukh scouts he'd sent out to retrieve the boy would be back shortly. He laughed again, the madness now fully taking hold of him as the plans he'd been making for hundreds of years were finally going to come to fruition.
He looked up suddenly when he heard the sound of a battle charge and the thundering of hooves in the distance…he stared as he watched …watched as his mouth drew down into a sneer…he turned to his guard "What are those things?" he demanded.
"I…aah…I believe they're…hippogryphs…sir" muttered the guard in disbelief.
Jonas stared at the guard before returning his attention to the stampeding creatures, their hooves beating on the sands, echoing through the landscape; their eagle heads letting out a scream that matched their riders. He saw them get to the back of Jude's army…and the ones in the lead opened their wings, sailing over the top of his cavalry…his eyes widened and he shook his head as his eyes locked with those of the one that led them…it couldn't be! But there was no denying it; and when Gideon laughed at him, his hippogryph landing behind his cavalry and attacking them from the rear, his mind started to slowly unravel. He'd killed Gideon, had heard his neck snap, had revelled in its sound…but there he was…alive and leading a legion of …he couldn't even say the word.
"More, sir!" pointed the guard.
Jonas turned his attention as another legion stormed in from the left flank and his mind broke down a little more as he saw who led this charge…Gabriel…Gabriel Jacobs who had been dead for over a thousand years. He turned as another legion of hippogryphs led by Seth Carmichael attacked the right flank "SEND IN THE RUKH'S! KILL EVERYONE!" Jonas roared "MY ARMY! THEIRS! KILL EVERYONE!"
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Dean watched as Gideon, Gabe and Seth attacked the army in waves, the hippogryphs slicing through the army like a knife through butter. "Is Sam in position?"
He is waiting for the signal
"Then lets clear a path for him!" said Dean. He raised his sword and roared "CHARGE!" and the dragons surged forward, roaring as they broke away from the fleet, forming squadrons and taking up their positions for the attack. They swarmed towards the Rukh's, shooting fire and taking out those in front before smashing into the enormous birds and ripping them apart.
Dean was in a fury, he swung his swords with pinpoint accuracy, cutting the heads of Rukh after Rukh; Fafnir, turning and attacking with him, the two of them working perfectly together; the dragon using his jaws, his talons and his tail as deadly weapons. Dean watched as some of the dragons were felled by the feathers launched at them, they pierced through the dragons scales easily, the weight of them throwing the dragons balance off and allowing the Rukh's the time to go in and effect a fatal blow. He felt each dragon death and while it saddened him, it bought with it an insurmountable rage that was echoed by Fafnir.
Fafnir roared as he charged an enormous Rukh, the bird returning the cry as the two flashed towards each other; Fafnir ducked as feather flashed past him, the side of it slicing into Dean's arm…it was like steel and he yelled as another sliced along his leg.
Slayer…
"I'M FINE! LET'S GET THIS FUCKER!" yelled Dean and Fafnir turned abruptly, ducking under a Rukh; Dean raised his sword, disembowelling the bird as Fafnir raced after the one that had injured Dean. He shot bursts of flame at it, but it ducked and weaved through the mass of birds and dragons "DOWN, FAFNIR!"
Fafnir dropped, rocketing towards the earth as Dean took out Rukh after Rukh "THERE!" and Fafnir bought his head up and bulleted silently skywards; the Rukh didn't see them coming, Fafnir closed his talons round the birds body and Dean decapitated it as Fafnir tore it in half. Dean turned as he heard the screech of the phoenix and saw Sam rocketing through the skies, his swords drawn as he headed towards the Citadel. Sam turned and grinned at his brother and Dean laughed, Sam was in his element…and having the time of his life. He was joined by five more phoenixes and they screamed as they raced towards the city walls, flying past Jonas….and Dean laughed out loud as Sam gave the man the finger before sailing over the walls and disappearing.
You brother has the same attitude as you, Slayer. The 'Old Ones' will not know what hit them.
"Take us high!" yelled Dean and Fafnir shot to the heavens as Dean surveyed the battle. The hippogryphs and Jude's army were making short work of Jonas' army and the foot soldiers had arrived from the other camps and had joined the fray. They were still vastly outnumbered "Send Kubera the call!" yelled Dean over the sounds of battle. Dean watched as Kubera reared and Jude made the signal; Dean smiled as he watched as part of the left and right flanks of Jonas' army turned on it's own; Xavier had come through, those that were still loyal to Gideon were now fighting with them.
Now the final piece of the puzzle, Slayer. Fafnir dove towards the ground, a squadron of dragons following him as they headed towards the Citadel, moving out and taking out the weapons that were being launched at them and the army beneath them.
"WHERE IS THAT ASSHOLE!" yelled Dean as he scanned the city walls for Jonas.
He has fled to the Palace.
"TIME WE PAID HIM A VISIT!" yelled Dean and Fafnir roared as he sailed over the Citadel walls, the city lay empty beneath him, the people had scattered and Dean could see them fleeing into the forests that surrounded the city…taking refuge as best they could.
Fafnir landed in front of the palace as Kubera and another hippogryph landed next to him. Dean, Gideon and Gabe jumped down from their rides, their faces filled with fury as they marched towards the Palace.
"Dean…" said Gideon.
"That asshole belongs to me!" and he kicked open the doors to the Palace; the foyer was filled with a platoon of Royal Guard "PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPONS, OR DIE WHERE YOU STAND!" roared Dean.
The guards raised their swords as one stepped forward "WE'LL KILL YOU LIKE WE KILLED YOUR BITCH!"
Dean, Gideon and Gabe yelled with rage as they attacked. The guards didn't stand a chance against the three men's fury; they hacked and sliced into the guards, working in perfect synchronicity as they slaughtered all around them. They left one man standing…his sword shaking with fear as he faced the three blood-soaked men.
"WHERE IS HE!" yelled Gideon. The guard said nothing as the terror took full hold of him "ANSWER ME AND I WON'T KILL YOU!"
The man…opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again…"He's in the …the…Great Hall"
Dean stepped forward and drove his sword through the man's chest and Gideon stepped towards the dying man "Never said anything about him not killing you, asshole!"
Dean withdrew the sword slowly, smiling at the man as he died. He turned to Gideon "Where?"
"This way" they turned and saw Sam jogging down a flight of stairs, he and his swords covered in blood.
"You done?" asked Gabe.
"No. The rest are in something called the 'Great Hall'…" he turned to his brother "Dean…" he said sadly.
"Don't Sammy. Not now" his grip tightened on his sword "Let's go" and they followed Gideon down the hallway towards a large set of double doors.
"There are six Elders in there…you don't touch them. They're mine, you understand?" he said firmly "You don't lay a hand on them!"
"Got it, Sam" said Gideon.
They turned as they heard footfalls behind them and Seth, Jude and Xavier were running towards them.
"Jude?" asked Gideon.
"The battle's almost over. Most of the army has surrendered and only a small amount of Rukh's have stayed…the rest took off a few minutes ago. Jonas in there?"
"NO-ONE touches Jonas…I'm killing that prick! Any of you try it and I'll kill you myself" he said angrily. He turned towards the door and kicked it open, the doors flying backwards as the men marched into the room.
They turned towards the front of the hall and Jonas laughed.
"DADDY!" Caleb yelled.
Jonas had the boy by his throat, a dagger held against it as Caleb tried not to cry. The Elders were standing behind Jonas, smug smiles on their faces as two Rukh's stood either side of them.
"Well, well, well…looks like things didn't quite turn out the way you planned, Slayer" he looked at Xavier "Well what a surprise, General. You never did know where your loyalties lay"
"They lie with the true Supreme Royal!" said Xavier.
"Let my son go!" yelled Dean.
Jonas laughed "I don't think so" he looked at Gideon, Sam and Gabe "Unlike them, your spawn will NOT rise from the dead!"
"Daddeee…" pleaded Caleb.
"It's alright, Caleb. No-one's going to hurt you, I promise. Just stay still" said Dean as he tried to control his rage.
Jonas stroked Caleb's hair gently "That's right, I'm not going to hurt you Caleb…I'm going to kill you like I killed your whore of a mother" he whispered into the boy's ear. Caleb's eyes widened "That's right…pushed her off the city walls…"
"Don't you listen to him, Caleb!" said Sam.
Caleb started to cry "I want my Mammaaaaa!" he wailed.
Jonas laughed "Oh, you'll be seeing your Mamma real soon. That's a promise!"
"My life for my sons" said Dean and he put his swords down and stepped towards Jonas "Let him go…please" he turned as Gideon, Gabe, Jude, Sam, Seth and Xavier put their swords down "Let him go"
They turned their heads as another platoon of guards stormed into the Great Hall, taking up position behind them and locking the doors.
Jonas laughed "Well this has worked out perfectly. Griffin is dead…now I get to kill the rest of the so-called royal family, the traitors and the Slayer and his brother…again" he pushed to dagger against Caleb's throat "But not before you watch your son die!"
"NO!" Dean yelled and he ran towards Caleb as his son screamed for him. He heard the clashing of swords at his back as the others picked up their swords and turned to fight but it was all drowned out as one of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Great Hall exploded, showering everyone with glass and a rage-filled scream reverberated around the room.
To be concluded…