I was clearing through some of my old stuff after moving house and found my notes on this long forgotten project :) Needless to say I've been inspired to come back to it. Mostly for my own sense of completionism but if people are enjoying it I may go back and re-edit the earlier chapters as there are a lot of typos/grammar errors. And I think they could use some tweaking to make the sentences and dialogue flow a bit better. For now though I just want to continue the story.
The smell of fire drifted through the forest as the team sprinted to Astera. All around animals barked and brayed in terror as their natural instincts guided them away from the blaze, pursued by wispy predators of grey and black. The tendrils of smoke curled through the jungle malevolently, appendages of a ravenous tyrant come to devour them all.
Despite everyone's protests, Hirio rose from his sled and ran with the group. The hunter's wounds having mostly closed thanks to the potions. Kenichi had taken the lead, sprinting maniacally through the forest towards his burning home, with Zoyla just barely keeping pace. Behind Hirio Erick and Sonia tumbled through the undergrowth clumsily, almost being left behind.
The sound of battle grew louder. Wood was splintering and buildings crumbling, intermingled with vengeful roars and terrified screams. Hirio kept his sight on Zoyla in front of him, only glancing back a few times to see Sonia white as a sheet. He ignored her obvious panic and tried to focus on undoing the knot in his own stomach.
Fire, hordes of people, and this time alone. Hirio did not fancy his chances. "Kenichi, what's your plan?" He shouted ahead.
"Find the Commander!" He yelled back. "He'll know what to do!"
"And if we can't find him?" Hirio responded, the implications obvious.
But Kenichi refused to acknowledge them. "The old man's tough, he'll be fine!" Hirio kept his doubts to himself.
Before long they were racing towards the bridge leading out from the cantina. Hirio paid no mind to the people they passed, greeting him with a mixture of confused murmurs to raving terror and everything in between. One man limped along wordlessly; eyes fixed firmly on the ground at his feet. Another was carried past with a splinter of wood broken off in his calf, screeching in agony while blood pooled inside the stretcher. Behind him, a woman wandered the bridge aimlessly, asking anyone who passed if they had seen her daughter escape in a cracked and hollow voice.
She grabbed onto Hirio. "Please, my daughter, only a little thing with bright blonde hair, have you seen her? Please?" Hirio tried to push her aside, but her grip held strong. "No! Please sir! Have you seen her? Just tell me you've seen her! Please!" Her wailing grew more incessant.
I don't have time for this. He thought, and violently pushed her off. She sprawled on the ground, screaming. "Please! Please!" A pair of teary eyes bored into the old hunter, sunken pits of desperation and horror that were uncomfortably familiar. Strangely, as Hirio left the young woman behind, he could've sworn she had a hole between her ribs. He did not turn around to check.
The group raced across the bridge and arrived in Astera. The smell of burning was hanging thick in the air, rising from the lower levels in the company of screams and shrieks. Unable to bear the images that combination formed in his mind, Hirio looked over the edge of the cantina to the carnage below.
Huge swathes of Astera where ablaze, most of the tradeyard was a charred husk, and the fire was quickly spreading to the second level. The second fleet rushed to save as much as they could, despite the dissuasion of the ravening flames and other hunters calling for them to save themselves.
A few survivors had managed to get onto boats to escape the fire in the tradeyard, but those boats now lay in pieces across the harbour. Men and women jumped from the burning wreckage of ships into the ocean, desperately swimming towards a safe landing. Some managed to clamber onto the ruined jetty, others simply washed ashore, unmoving.
In the centre of the wreckage, shrouded by the smoke and flames, something moved. An opaque shadow slithering amongst a bed of charred ruins. Hirio felt the knot in his gut tighten, strangling his stomach, and a cold shiver crept through his body.
Suddenly, the shadow went still and silent. Becoming a grotesque statue petrified against a smouldering sea. In that instant, the entire world seemed to stop turning. All other sounds became irrelevant, and the New World held its breath, as it waited on the whims of the monster that had come to destroy it.
The first and only warning Astera received was an impossibly deep growl. A menacing dirge of seething disgust that rattled Hirio's being to its core, and as he struggled to control the primal terror it induced, the shadow snapped its wings. A thunderclap shook Astera and swept aside the smoke. And where once there was a shadow, now there was hatred given flesh.
The beast sat upright on the broken remains of the Red Maiden. Surveying his handiwork with two churning pits of rage. Fatalis swayed his long, serpentine neck, surveying the devastation the same way a smith might admire his craftsmanship. The architect of destruction flapped his leathery wings a second time and leapt from his sinking throne onto the Astera docks.
"We're supposed to fight… that?" Zoyla whispered.
Hirio shook his head. "No, you're going to get whoever's left out of Astera, and I'll keep it busy."
"You'll need help." Kenichi insisted, clutching his greatsword.
"Not from you." Hirio retorted. "Find your grandfather, if he's alive. Astera is finished, but the fleets still need a leader." Kenichi glared, having a silent argument with the hunter. But after several tense seconds Hirio won, and Kenichi nodded in agreement. "Fine." He relented.
The old hunter then turned to Erick and Sonia. "You two may as well go, there's nothing you can do here." The pair began protesting, but Hirio did not stop to hear them. Having said all he intended to the hunter ran towards one of the many pulley systems that criss-crossed Astera. It was broken, but that didn't matter. He only needed to go down.
Grabbing the rope Hirio slid down it with practiced ease, landing firmly on the ground floor of the port. His muscles still throbbed where Bron had slashed him, but they would move, and that was enough. Steeling himself Hirio ran onward into the fire, towards where Fatalis had landed.
Eventually he emerged into a clearing, and there it was. The dragon was sniffing through wreckage, as if looking for something, but when Hirio entered the area, its head snapped towards him instantaneously. The moment the dragon made eye contact Hirio stumbled, coming to a complete stop directly in front of the creature. Despite this being the second time he had faced such a dragon, its gaze still unnerved him. The old hunter knew that these creatures were intelligent, perhaps even more so than humans. He wondered what thoughts crossed the dark recesses of its mind as it glowered at him, licking its lips hungrily. This thing doesn't just want to eat us, it hates us. He knew it, he recognised those eyes. He had seen them before in the mirror.
Hirio assumed a stance and tested his footing, hearing the floorboards creak and the ocean slosh beneath them. The dragon continued to meet the hunter's eyes with a baleful glare. Hirios objective was to keep it occupied, he saw no reason to rush into the jaws of death if the dragon wanted to waste time in a staring contest. What is it doing? What is it planning? He thought, casting his mind back to his first encounter with a Fatalis. That time he had charged it from the front, while Bron and Li-
The monster struck without warning. Uncoiling its sinewy form and lashing out like a snake. Hirio dove frantically, and before he could find his feet a shadow fell over him as the beast reared its head to strike again. Not wasting time to turn and look he rolled sideways and heard a splintering crack and the snap of jaws behind him.
Hirio sprang upwards like a viper, reversing his momentum and sending his blade careening backwards where the Fatalis had landed its blow. His sword met no resistance. The beast had already withdrawn and Hirio's sword cleaved through nothing but air.
Turning to face the dragon again Hirio rallied his thoughts. Its quick. His eyes darted across its enormous frame, searching for the telltale clench of muscles or twitch of sinews that signified an oncoming attack.
Instead, it began to inhale, and a white-hot glow began crawling up from the depths of the dragon's maw. Hirio flung himself through the gap in the floorboards created moments earlier by the dragon's attack, plunging into the ocean. His vision flared, and the water around him began to steam and boil. If I get underneath it, it'll crush me. If I get too far away it'll turn me to cinders. Hirio racked his brain for ideas while the inferno raged above him, buying him precious seconds to strategize.
From his precarious sanctuary he looked up through the hole above, seeing the scintillating flames dance above the waves. Bubbles rose all around him and met their demise on the surface of the water, bursting violently. Suddenly, Hirio had an idea. Risky, but it could work.
When the torrent finally abated Hirio clambered up from the hole into a furnace. The smoke stung his eyes, and the heat made him feel as though he might wretch. Fatalis was still coiled in the same position, and Hirio knew he only had a few moments before the dragon caught its breath and resumed its attack.
Wasting no time, the hunter bolted in the opposite direction like a shot from a bow, angling left in anticipation of another blast of fire. The blast came; Hirio dove again, found his footing, and continued his mad dash away from the dragon. Chase me damn you! He thought, he dare not voice it aloud. Fatalis was too clever for that.
He risked a glimpse over his shoulder and was pleased to see the dragon had obliged him. Uncoiling it's sinewy length and dragging the ponderous body in pursuit. Just don't take to the air or this will never work.
Once Fatalis was where he wanted it, Hirio pivoted. Changing momentum with practiced ease and charging headlong at the monster. He saw its hind legs twitch and pirouetted to the side as the creature threw its weight forward, claw outstretched. Hirio had anticipated the attack, and before Fatalis could withdraw Hirio spun on his heel intending to deliver a savage blow to the beast's vulnerable limb.
But the blow never came. Pain shot through his gut, his abdomen seized, and all momentum was lost. Without enough force behind it his blade clattered uselessly against the dragon's burnished scales sending a jolt of pain up his arm. The old hunter didn't have time to stop and look, but he was sure his wound from Bron had just reopened.
Damn him. Damn the thrice damned bastard. Hirio grunted and threw his body aside to avoid another swipe from Fatalis, missing his head by a hair's breadth. If I die here, while he still lives...The thought planted itself in Hirios mind like a tumour, gnawing, worrying, weaving tendrils of doubt that probed into his being.
Then, those tendrils found the rage, the indescribable anger that had been his sole companion through those long, lonely years. Hirio could hear his heartbeat roaring in his ears. He saw fire, heard her screams in the night. No. I will not die here. Not until I've killed you. The thought thrashed and mauled within his mind, like a caged beast that had been prodded too many times.
He gave into the feeling, letting the beast within rampage through his brain, eviscerating any doubts and setting his limbs afire. The pain remained, but he did not care. It didn't matter, none of it mattered. Not this wound, or this place, or Sonia or Erick or any of them. And least of all was this stupid worm trying to kill him. Hirio let out a primal scream, bellowing his frustrations to the world, and lunged forward.
He crossed the remaining distance to his target with blinding speed, until he was standing before the hole that had previously saved his life. Thanks to his feigned retreat, the black dragon now stood directly above it. As he predicted Fatalis brought its full weight down upon him, seeking to crush him under its writhing mass. And when it did, Hirio plunged between the splintered gap in the floorboards, into the boiling ocean.
Now underwater, Hirio spun his body upwards and thrust his greatsword into the dragons hide before it could rise again. He watched the blade disappear between the obsidian scales and the hunter was bathed in a torrent of blood. Baring his teeth Hirio twisted the hilt viciously and another fountain of the dragons ichor bled into the ocean like a burst pustule.
A deafening shriek followed as the dragon realised the depth of its mistake, recoiling so forcefully that Hirio's sword was torn from his grasp. He could hear it convulsing on the platform above, twisting and howling in pain. The hunter waited until the tumult had subsided. Then, deeming it safe to emerge, kicked upwards and pulled himself onto dry land with a groan. Wiping the water from his eyes, Hirio stood and observed his handiwork.
Fatalis was lying on its side amongst the splintered ruins of Asteras docks, while smoking liquid poured from a wound in its chest where Hirio's sword was still embedded. The creature was breathing in deep rasps, rattling and twitching every so often, trying to scrape air into its throat. Must've punctured a lung, thought Hirio.
As his battle rage left him pain and exhaustion returned, he almost fell to his knees, but willed his body to remain upright. This isn't over yet. Hirio trudged over to where the Fatalis lay, grimacing with every step and clutching his stomach. He could feel warm blood gently dripping through his fingers, though he couldn't be certain who it belonged to.
The Elder Dragons molten eyes were shut, though occasionally the eyelids fluttered. Hirio regarded them warily as he took hold of his sword hilt and prepared to pull it free from the wound. I'll take its head, just to be sure. He pulled once and the blade did not move. Cursing, he took hold of the sword with two hands and threw his weight backwards, and though the sword wriggled in its gory sheath it still did not come free. Hirio swore loudly and steeled himself, the pain in his abdomen was growing worse and he needed a potion. Zoyla, should've asked her if she had any more. Hirio pressed his mailed boot against the dragons hide and pulled with all his might, prying and twisting to try and prize his sword free.
With a final effort the sword came loose. Hirio fell to the ground with a clatter of armour, and in that instant, realised he had been tricked.
The dragon's eyes snapped open, and its body lurched upwards violently. Hirio heard a whistling noise to his right and turned just in time to see a tail lashing towards him. With no time to react the whip-like appendage struck him clean in the chest with a thunderous crack. The hunter felt his feet leave the ground, direction lost all meaning. He felt blood splatter up from his lungs while his torso shrieked in agony.
For what seemed like an eternity he flew through the air, then felt his shoulder hit something solid, followed by a sickening crunch. His vision blurred, his ears rang, his body convulsed and he vomited more blood. He looked around, a shadow was moving in the distance, occasionally flaring up like a candle and then going dark again. It seemed like it was getting darker each time. No, not darker. He thought. Further away. He was moving, something was pulling on his arm. Not...Like...This...Hirio struggled to keep his eyes open, summoning up his anger, but it would not answer. "Perhaps I'll see you soon." Lira's voice echoed in his head. No... He fought against the encroaching darkness, trying to will his soul to remain in his body. I can't...I can't see you yet...I'm still...a failure...