Chapter 28: A Lasting Fury

REN

Renimil Cloudsurge looks on with horror as a blue dragon rises to its full height. Its blue scales glinting from the setting sun, sand running off its back. The dragon whips its tail around before letting it settle to wrap around him. The force of it sends Kosh and Flig to the ground. Ren and Eris stagger before Ren grabs her to offer support. She shivers in his arms, still crying. Aluuna tries to run to heal the half-orc. The scaly beast whips its tail this time slamming into Aluuna. She tumbles a few times before coming to a stop.

Flig steps forward cautiously, Okami snarls beside him, ready to pounce.

"Flig" Ren says, concern in his eyes.

Flig puts his hand up. "It's okay."

The ground vibrates as the blue dragon chuckles softly. "Quite confidant, you are, Snack." His voice is deep and resonating.

None of them have ever come face to face with a dragon before. Never faced something as immense as this creature. Or as dangerous. Ren's eyes flit back and forth between the dragon and Kith. Eris is still tucked in his arms. He is the only thing holding her up. The front of his robes wet from her tears as she has her face buried in his chest. He looks to Kosh. He saw something he hadn't in so long. The same look he had when Ren lost everything. It was despair, fear, fury. So much fury. Before Flig could try and talk with it, Kosh darts across the gap between them and the dragon. He throws out his bloodletting kukri and it imbeds itself into the face of the dragon. The blue beast snickers, raising its head to shake the blade from his face. The blade returns to Kosh in an instant.

"Let's have some fun, shall we." The beast swipes its claw at Kosh. Blood spills off Kosh's face and chest as he stumbles back a few feet.

Aluuna releases the force of the heavens down on the creature's head. A roar escapes him.

Harrin rushes the monster, who flies off the ground just out of his reach. Harrin grunts in aggravation.

Razor-sharp petals flail about furiously. Dozens of cuts mar the dragon's face. Thick vines and nettles start to form around Flig and Okami.

Ren whispers ancient words. The dragon roars, landing on the ground vigorously shaking its head.

Its tail whips around in an attempt to slash Ren and Eris. A thick veil of flames appears in front of them even as Ren and Eris move to dodge the creature's attack. The fire scorches the dragon as it mitigates his attack. Fire blazes in Eris's eyes. Grief is now tempered by unfathomable rage. Flames spark from beneath her as she is hurled into the air and comes to slam down in front of the blue dragon.

The ground crumbles beneath the creature. and he growls low in his throat staring at Eris. "Think your fury can match mine?! You pathetic human!" The beast roars.

Kosh throws his dagger once more and it embeds in the monster's eye.

The blue dragon once again takes to the sky. Twirling and twisting before diving straight for them. Electricity builds in its mouth before shooting out in an erratic line.

Kosh and Ren dodge the attack as best they can, Ren smashing into a nearby palm tree.

Aluuna makes a break for Kith as sand rains down.

Flig wraps his arms around Okami. The blue streak blasts the wall of thorns taking the brunt of the strike. It hits Flig in the arm causing him to cry out in pain. Okami wriggles free and drags Flig behind a small boulder.

The blue dragon dives down straight for Kith and Aluuna.

"NO!" Kosh and Harrin scream.

Ren casts a protective shield over Aluuna. His heart is heavy as he has to choose between the two. Aluuna slams on the forcefield that prevents her from healing Kith and looks to Renimil with shock and desperation.

A blast of fire so strong the adventurers themselves are almost singed by it, slams into the blue dragon and it slams into the floor. Another dragon smashes its body into it. The two dragons fight, claw and slash as they roll and tumble across the desert sands. The group ducks and dodges. Sand rains down clouding their vision and getting into their lungs. Ren and Kosh cough and sputter.

"GO!" The golden dragon roars to them. "NOW!"

Eris shoves at Ren as he urges her away. She punches and kicks, tears running down her face. He scopes her up and throws her over his shoulder. They run as fast as they can. When they get to the top of a dune, Ren looks back, the dragons have taken to aerial combat. Tears threaten to fall, something he was amiss to do in front of others.

Flig puts his hand on his shoulder. "We must go, my friend."


REN

His heart ached. Another loved one lost. The group moves despondently through the night desert. The air is now cold, but just as unforgiving. Ren couldn't feel it though. He couldn't feel anything. Why did he bother? Why did he care? He is an elf. Death was inevitable for others not like himself. He would have to watch this time and time again. But even as he thought this, he knew it was just the anger. The guilt. His last words will cause him pain for the rest of his life. Memories of those words wreak havoc in his mind. Accusing Kith. Causing a rift between them. Was it even the truth? Didn't things change between them all? Didn't they all become… family? Kith, Kosh, and Eris are the closest people he's had in a long time. He got along with Harrin and the others too. They've been through so much. Why did he have to say those things? Why didn't he just ask for their help? Wouldn't they have understood? Wouldn't they have helped?


KOSH

They finally met up with some of their horses and were able to get most of their gear back. Kosh searched mindlessly for the yurt. Finding it, he tugged it out and set it up on the ground. Entering, a fire roars to life and it wasn't until then that Kosh felt that he was even cold. He looks around as the others find a place to sit and mend wounds, eating and drinking. Eris sits next to him by the fire. She had stopped crying a while ago. Tears stained her cheeks, covered in grime and sweat. He looks around not seeing Ren. Anger rises in him. That bastard! He made Kith feel like shit. Made him beat himself up. Made Kith die for him. At that moment, Renimil enters and sits down in front of him and Eris. He looks at him. Pain and something else. Regret. Serves you right!

"I know you hate me," Ren says softly.

"You know NOTHING of how I feel, Renimil." Kosh sneers.

"I should have -," Ren takes a deep breath, his voice shaky. "- asked for help."

"We should have done a lot of things," Flig adds, joining them.

Aluuna lies on a sleeping bag. Tears welling in her eyes. "We still have no idea what we're going to do. I know what I'm supposed to do." She pauses. "My brain and heart are at war." She turns to look at them. "I suspect we are all at war with ourselves."

Harrin rubs his face. "Is there any way to do both?"

Eris looks up for her knees. "What do you mean?" She asks flatly. No emotion. Nothing.

"Is there any way to get the tome, study it, quickly find out if anything of import is there and if not destroy it?" Harrin continues.

The group remains silent. Thinking, feeling, or trying hard not to.

That was Kosh's go-to. Not feeling. Keeping everyone at arm's length. Mili was just an attraction. An easy lay. Nothing more. She could never have been anything more. Eris. Ren. The others. They were here to do a job. That's it. Kosh abruptly stands to his feet and stalks over to his bed, leaving the others to look after him in surprise. He didn't give a shit. Fuck them. Fuck Renimil and his selfishness. Fuck Kith for abandoning him. For leaving him behind.