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Hello everyone, I know it's been a long time... The motivation was gone for months, and there were many reasons behind that. Let's say that 2016 has been pretty horrible since since this summer.
First, my grandmother died, but it was a bit expected, since she was rather old and with advanced Alzheimer. It was probably harder for the family than it was for her, in the end.
Then, mid-October, seasonal depression, which I quite well handled on a conscious level... except that the subconscious can be a b**ch sometimes. Got no less than 3 sickness in a row due to a weakened mood, including the flu, and I was almost incapable of eating anything. Good side: I lost 10 kilos in 2 months XD
I'll skip the minor problems (which I consider minor in comparison to the rest), car broke, financial issues, threatened to be fired soon for something I'm not even responsible for,... 2016 really was an absolute charm…
And finally, in the beginning of December, my nephew fell from a 10th floor and obviously died brutally. He was just 6 months younger than me, had 2 children (one being born 1 week before the accident), and a sister who's still pregnant.
Sadness, anger, worries, I'm used to the feel of losing someone. I've unfortunately experienced more losses than one could think, so in a way... I'm less confused with death than I am with love. But this time, it was a bit of an overload to me.
I felt like I died a little this winter. I didn't know how to make people around me notice that I was in distress and in these cases, loneliness is the worst. Fortunately, I still got some help, enough at least to stand up once again.^^ Like I heard recently, everything ends, and that’s always sad. But then everything begins again too, and that is always happy. Focusing on the present, and aim for the small victories, that’s the way to go!
About my writing in general, I apologize for the long wait between chapters, but that’s the rhythm life imposes to me. I work really intensely, and I admittedly need rest when I come back home. And it is not rare that weekends become synonyms of time with friends, when I’m not at work. I still intend to work on this project as well, I can’t bear leaving this unfinished. But for my health, moral and physical, it is important for me to work at my rhythm, without the stress of a deadline. I feel like the pleasure of writing will remain something I enjoy as long as I can get to it when in the mood.
On this chapter in particular, it actually took me a lot longer to edit/proofread it than it took to write. Such scenes are new for me, and the confrontation occurring at one of the critical chapters didn’t help. Cumulated difficulties >< I hope I managed to create somewhat of an ambiance through Amaria’s eyes, but I’ll let you tell me :)
Enjoy your reading!
One bang, and the target fell, dead in an instant. To Alexander, this new weapon was magical. It felt like unleashing the wrathful power of the gods themselves… This day was the best he ever lived. Only one thing did bother the war chief in his march, actually.
“There’s incredibly few people around here… It’s like they have already evacuated…” he said with a glance of suspicion toward the kid walking at his side.
Alexander knew really few of David, but he had known the father for sure. The genius mind who brought this invention back from the ashes of a forgotten past. And a man of a really large vision. If the son held half of his father’s talent, then he would be his best investment, his legacy for the next generation.
But of course, if the boy tried to cross the limits of his rank, or betrayed him, then he would only be a great loss for the next generation...
“Oh, that’s because they probably did. Before using the tunnel, I told the guards to spread the word that the head of the city himself had required every citizen to gather at the tower for their own safety. These ones are just the most stubborn and the stupidest.”
The war chief rose a brow. How could this kid admit the highest treason with such detachment? Deeply disappointing… But at least, Alexander had to admire the foolishness of pure sincerity. It made everything so easier. When it came to his own men, the conqueror was usually merciful and death was rarely sentenced. But did the behavior of this kid encourage any other punishment?
Nonetheless, one should observe a problem from every angle before taking a decision of a permanent result… David showed guts, for sure, but the war chief was curious either if it was actual foolish bravery or… hiding something. So far, the Devons, father and son, had both shown the same temper: cold and distant, calculating, driven by a fierce rage that boiled silently most of the time, only to blast out in moments of crisis. Warriors at souls, forced to live a pacific life that wasn’t meant for them.
Alexander had to make sure once and for all whether this kid could be trusted or not. And to put weight to his words, Alexander knew no better way than an armed threat. It instantly revealed the true nature of people. Lifting his armed hand, he pointed the gun it held on the temple of the boy, ready to fire in case of certified betrayal.
“And how exactly did you think I would welcome this revelation, young man?” The war chief asked as a last chance, cold as winter itself.
“Well, exactly like that, since you’re obviously not the quick-witted kind.” David replied with the same flat and bored tone, simply pushing the weapon out of his face. “What do you prefer? Hunting them around like annoying rabbits? Or having them all gathered in one place, a big scene all for yourself and your victory? I just thought you’d like to make an example, war chief… Plus, a military prowess tends to remain written in history books, for all it’s worth…”
Astonished, Alexander didn’t find the strength to point the weapon on the boy’s head again. The line was never clear between courtesy and manipulation attempt… Life had taught him all too well to not trust overly friendly gestures from barely known people, whatever their age! He wouldn’t have become a feared war chief without his natural distrust… Often, a friendly hand turned out to hide a poisoned needle.
On one hand, what were the risks? Gathered or not, their weapons were inferior and victory was inevitable. The enemies could never get close enough to defend if they respected some safety measures from potential bolts or arrows. The main threat would be their dragon, since his spies asserted him they didn’t have any other way to blast an area at such range. But again, any sight of the creature in the sky, and it had better to pray that its scales could resist dozens of bullets shot within seconds! His whole army knew the reptile as their priority target in case of resistance. Good luck surviving his men’s bloodlust!
No, this city didn’t have anything. He knew every last detail of it; he had studied the ground for years! He even knew what this tower kept so mysteriously. A bunch of antiquities from a forgotten past, not much more than some religious adorations to stupid myths…
So arrogant… They thought of themselves to be so better than the rest of the world, because of their self-proclaimed wisdom and peace... The world would see once and for all if the quill was stronger than the sword. Maybe would he make good use of all this garbage, who knew? The soldiers and the population needed distractions…
Whatever the way the problem was twisted and turned into the war chief’s mind, there wasn’t much risk for David trying to double cross him, and especially not when Alexander kept him close to him.
Could it be as simple as it sounded like then?
“Is this supposed to be a gift?” Alexander inquired, struggling to determine the true intentions of the boy.
“I was more thinking of it as a proof of good will…” the boy replied with a shrug, like the tint of impressment in the voice of the war chief meant absolutely nothing to him. Alexander would have suspected him to be the depressed kind, but that fire in his eyes was no lie. He was focused on the street right ahead, like he was trying to pierce through the fleeing crowd. “I give you this city, you give me my revenge. Make no mistake, I just hope my efforts in satisfying my part of the deal will encourage you to do the same.”
Such a calm storm… It was a bit scary, even for the experienced war chief, to witness such a need to kill in a young man only entering adulthood. A divine rage like this held the true potential of a legend, an unstoppable being whose sole name would make armies dismantle in fear…
“This man is quite an obsession of yours, isn’t he?” Alexander asked with a chuckle, but instantly stopped laughing as David threw him a deadly stare. Something so pure it instantly inspired respect to the, once again, experienced warrior. He had seen some enemies having the same look on battlefields, and those were threats bigger than any weapon created so far…
“This man killed my father, mutilated his dead body, and humiliated him by simply erasing him from the world. Like he never existed. I’ve been on my own in a city where everyone hated me. I had to work to survive, for people who despised me. He ruined my life! Tell me you wouldn’t be exactly there with the exact same goal if you were me…”
There was nothing but cold revenge in the boy’s eyes, fueled by pain… Alexander didn’t know much about this man David relentlessly talked about, except the fact that he had tamed a dragon and been a persistent annoyance to his former associate. According to his spies, this man, this ‘nameless warrior’, had never been interested in taking part in the stakes of his city and was extremely discrete, like he avoided the crowd at any cost. This mysterious individual didn’t sound like much of a threat to the war chief’s ears. Every city had their bunch of weird researchers, they were essential to development at some point! But clearly, when it came to battlefields, their creations were far more dangerous than themselves…
Nothing much of an interest to Alexander, in summary… He could have tried to take him as a prisoner, but even the unique skill to tame a dragon would soon be obsolete against his future generations of weapons. Plus, David was a much more promising investment.
A motivated, dedicated and clever spirit, a boiling rage… only a little military training was amiss, but it would be a detail.
Granting this kill to the boy would ensure a far more interesting gain!
“I gave you my words, young man.” Alexander smiled with respect, returning his attention to the street ahead. The central tower wasn’t far away anymore. “I get this city, and you get this guy. However, his dragon isn’t part of the deal, I prefer to warn you.”
“The dragon is none of my business. Get your trophy. If she could watch, it would be a fine bonus. But life taught me to not be too cocky…”
An amused grin remained on the war chief’s face. He had come to conquer, to settle his authority on a potential threat. And now he had the opportunity to test a new recruit.
This was about to get really interesting…
“Bolner, what’s going on?” The young man asked in one blow as they arrived to the tower, out of breath. “They’re inside the walls!”
“I know, doing my best here!” the big warrior replied toughly, merely paying him attention while he directed the citizen inside the tower and received information from the soldiers at the same time. “Go with the other citizens, and let us do our job!”
Amaria could sense her companion getting tensed from such answer. The dragoness was certain that, if Bolner didn’t already have such a load on his shoulders, there could have been some tough words from her human in response. But in such circumstances, even she knew that getting an answer was already proof of esteem.
Both human and dragon took a step back as a bunch of armored men with shinier features gathered around the head of the city. Probably higher ranked… And what Amaria could witness was another proof of human’s qualities in times of crisis.
With an incredible calm, the big warrior spread his orders among his army like he had trained all his life for that precise moment. The young dragoness had never approved conflicts, for they carried too many risks of losing valuable individuals. But she had to admit that motivation pushed humans beyond what some would have called ‘limits’, and such leadership skills did not find any equal among dragons, as far as she knew…
“Let’s take advantage of the nightfall! We know this ground better than they do! All we have to do is to circle them, and lure them to tighter spaces so our men get a chance in direct combat! Lead them to dead ends and dark corners and ambush them!”
“Sir, it’s too late!” One of the men shouted, instantly getting everyone’s attention.
A heavy silence fell on the troops gathered in the place. At the end of the main street, an army was appearing, walking in order in their direction. Soon, other armed men showed up in the east main street… then at the west… They were surrounded. The enemy had cut every exit, and their circle of death was closing step by step.
It was, indeed, too late for a strategy… The enemy was coming straight at them. The deadly army had invaded the city in less than thirty minutes! All the defenders could do was waiting for the conclusion of the sad joke that was this war… with no other defense than their armor and shield in case of a gun firing.
Everyone around seemed to have the same reflex: make sure every citizen was safe within the tower. Some stares insisted a bit on the dragon and the young man who weren’t part of the army, but none spoke a word about it.
In the mind of the young dragoness, it was clear she had to get her human to a safe place as well. But she feared that moving now would trigger a bad consequence… Some of the blood thirstiest invaders already pointed their hellish weapons on them… No doubt they would have shot if they were allowed to. But they most likely had been told to kill only the run away…
Remaining still was their best chance, the odds seemed to tell… The two last citizens, a dragon and a human, trapped among the soldiers while the rest was in safety within the tower. But safe for how long?
With their guns, even she knew this battle was already lost. And truth be told, she was a bit curious about why the defending army still hadn’t shown submission yet.
“Seems like we have to improvise, in such short time I based all my strategies on the walls protecting us for at least an hour…” Bolner grumbled in such a low tone that the dragoness was probably the only one to hear. Even the big experienced warrior was losing hope? Why didn’t he put an end to this madness, and at least save his people?
But of course, from humans who remorselessly attacked pacific beings of their own kind, Amaria knew the chances of being spared were quite narrow… Bolner didn’t know how to solve this, but he wanted to try and save his people however unlikely the chances of success might be. It was admirable…
Foolish, but admirable…
Tension was everywhere in the atmosphere when the enemies gathered behind the imaginary line of a perfect circle, around fifty meters away from the already defeated city army. A certain advantage of the range, Amaria could tell from her experience in hunting. But surprisingly, none fired… They seemed to wait, in an impressive coordination and order. They had probably trained for a long time to prepare this only event… They blocked any exit, like a sadistic game before the execution...
A bigger man, maybe as impressive as Bolner himself, slowly made his way through the troops who once again, left a clear way in a scary sense of discipline. A different armor, seemingly a lighter one, yet with all kinds of blades fixed to every last piece of metal, and of course a gun hanging at his side. With his body and his personalized equipment, no doubt was allowed that this man alone could do serious damages to the lines with a single charge…
And the identity of this monster wasn’t any mystery either… especially when everyone noticed who walked by his side.
David?! The dirty little… She could see in her human’s eyes and into Bolner’s that they came to the same conclusion as she did. The crushing defeat finally found its explanation… This kid alone had caused the fall of the most peaceful human city Amaria ever knew of. Within only a few minutes, the dragoness had witnessed the greatest and the worst of humankind…
“Lord Bolner, head of the city!” Alexander shouted in a devious joy, like he was introducing a celebrity to a crowd. “I must say that I’m impressed and honored to meet you, despite the circumstances! You’ve gotten quite a reputation around armies of all the island. They call you the giant, the god of the battlefield, the undefeatable… You inspire… hope and respect, and truly, I admired that. Sincerely.”
An obvious mockery to the vanquished. This was something she knew some dragons practiced when they teased their prey before consuming them… But it was terrifying to see how malevolent and vicious humans could become, if given too much power…
While the tensed men of Bolner’s army stood in an ashamed silence, a sinister laughter rose from the invaders’ troops, a sadistic amusement shared by almost every single individual in the crowd. They knew they had won. And they imposed their domination to their victims.
Easy to understand, but sad to witness in a species claiming to be ‘civilized’…
“Your admiration is well received, lord Alexander.” Bolner bowed respectfully toward the victorious war chief. But something in his voice and movement felt cold… He only replied politely to keep his dignity, but it would be his honesty that would have the final word. “Although what you mentioned about me is nothing like an achievement. A leader must be strong and be a model of virtue, respect and reputation come naturally. But, I know… These notions probably sound alien to someone who’s used to rule by fear and manipulation… ”
The crowd of the invaders became quickly as silent as their prey. Everyone’s attention was focused on the enemies’ war chief, visibly fearing his reaction. It was a game of mind power between the two leaders… Alexander wanted to humiliate this city once and for all, but Bolner replied with a weirdly confident smile and a calm tone. The satisfaction of throwing a barely covered insult, hidden behind the smile of someone who knew their fate was already written and who refused to die in disgrace.
The young dragoness didn’t need much imagination to picture how hurtful it could be to a human’s pride, to be provoked by an already defeated enemy. She had seen her companion using this practice on his former nemesis, to push the button… and it always triggered a passionate rage, in the bad sense of the term.
Curiously, Alexander didn’t react as spontaneously as Mr. Devon used to… Was this monster more in control of his emotions? Amaria could barely feel anything else than murderous furor irradiating from this colossus, yet he simply smiled like a child amused by an entertaining toy…
Nothing gave her chills like a human ignoring his natural feeling for some dark obsession… David was already scary in his cell, but this one truly looked like a blood thirsty beast.
From now on, it was a matter of time before he would order the genocide…
“Do you know the common trait of all these symbols they associate you to?” the sadistic war chief threw to the only man who stood with true dignity in front of him. “I’ve seen every kind of these… Giants, gods, undefeatable heroes… when they eventually fall, we tend to realize they were only humans after all… And today, head of the city, is the day you fall. Did you think you could develop a new kind of weapon and not be considered as a threat for not sharing it? Because you made a mistake about me, lord Bolner… I do not inspire fear… I am the incarnation of my people’s fears. This. All this. It happens because my city wants me to neutralize the threat. I’ve become their leader because they chose me to be.”
Horrified, Amaria stared at the head of the city, lower jaw slightly dropping. She thought all of this was because of a single mad man… Was it truly an entire city that considered her as a danger, without even knowing her? This time, it wasn’t randomness… it was crystal clear. She was the root cause of this chaos, despite all the good she meant…
Both her human and the massive warrior had the same curious reaction though. They exchanged a gaze in perfect synchronicity, like they mentally shared an unspoken opinion. The two humans nodded and looked at her with a look she had never observed before.
Curiously, she managed to feel the thought they expressed with that frown.
It was denial. It was support. Like both of them sensed the direct attack affecting an ally and instinctively wanted to blow up a horribly wrong statement. And all this, without even speaking a single word. That was probably what they called the sense of comradeship. And feeling this determination to stand up for one of their own deeply touched her…
Being considered as one of them… Even in the end, it felt so heartwarming to experience it.
“You already know everything I could possibly reply to you, lord Alexander, for I already explained all this many times in the messages which copies are still in my archives, in the very building you’re sieging right now. We both know, no, we all know here that you just came up with an excuse to murder the innocent people of a peaceful city. And all this, because you want everyone to see how all-mighty you are now. So how about we skip the false diplomatic politeness and I give you the answer you came so early for?”
With the exception of his eyebrows lowering in a frowning expression, Alexander remained awfully calm. The plans of the enemies to play on the defeated was cut to the root, and the ego of their leader was hurt once more. And for the first time, Amaria felt like she actually stopped considering this as madness… This man alone, the head of the city, stood for everyone who couldn’t, to defend his city’s dignity. A clear message that if their lives would be easy to take, their pride could never be broken.
Her human had told her once the meaning of this heavy title... Being head of the city implied being responsible of the important decisions regarding the whole city, pictured as a body in their local ideology. Like a body, when pain was sensed somewhere, it was up to the head to find a way to cure it. When something needed to be told, the head of the city was the voice of the city. And in the dark hours, he was supposed to be the light guiding them all through the darkness…
Truly a title that was meant for a soul dedicated to its kind. Amaria and her companion always shared two opinions about this: Neither of them would ever want to carry such responsibility, and its weight had never been so well-assigned than on Bolner’s shoulders.
An opinion that was renewed by the words of pride and honor she heard from that human, and an opinion which the dragoness knew her companion shared once more. But pride or not, everyone seemed to know that the rest was inevitable.
“Well, please tell me, I’m so eager to hear…” Alexander replied with a vicious smile, hand already reaching down to his deadly weapon at his belt. A chill traveled through the dragoness’ spine; this was the teasing of a predator cornering its prey for the final attack, a behavior she was knew all too well.
“Before our official answer, since it’s apparently all we got left, I’d like to tell you what I personally think about this, Alexander. You, or your people, whoever commands this… You are so thirsty for war and conflicts that you projected your fears over a population who just tried new ways, potential leads to a more peaceful world. But you see nothing but a threat in a dear friend of us who never harmed anyone, a friend that could have potentially brought benefits to your people too! And that disgusts me… I despise you and your ideals of murders.”
Now, Amaria’s blood was freezing in her veins… kind of a meaningful feeling of dread from a cold-blooded creature. This wasn’t ambiguous, even to her: this was another direct and personal insult toward Alexander and possibly to all of his people. She wondered how the enemies’ leader hadn’t shot yet…
Bolner was quite frightening too. This massive yet usually calm wise man showed an angry side she had never seen before. It was pure defiance mixed with harsh honesty. And these, spoken with a threatening and fearless stare.
“But I guess you might be more interested in the official answer, so here it is.” The head of the city puffed the chess with dignity. “It is a pure military question: surrendering and dying with shame, or fighting until our last breath. So I ask everyone concerned here: when something threatens your lives, what do you do?”
The young dragoness had a jolt of surprise when, in a single voice, every soldier under Bolner’s command replied in a single voice:
“WE FACE IT PROUDLY!”
Such coordination in a collective response… truly a beautiful thing to witness, and impressive too. With so many acting as one by instinct, Amaria began to have a glimpse of humanity’s real potential, and why they were so feared by her kind.
It was a shame the opponent had the same battle skill. Such bravery was pointless. However, it didn’t seem to occur to the humans around who continued their claim.
“Do you intend to surrender a dear friend who proved many times how precious she became to our lives?”
“NO ONE LEFT BEHIND! NO ONE SOLD! NO ONE ABANDONED!”
This time she was prepared. But still, the shared shout managed to surprise her… Her whole life she thought of humans as aggressive, hateful beings toward what was different. But here she saw a new side she considered an exception until now: the ability to disregard what others were to only care about who they were.
And to a dragoness who considered not being killed on spot as the biggest proof of tolerance from this species, it was touching beyond words.
However, the emotion it triggered didn’t blind her attention… Amaria distinctively heard her companion joining the voice in the collective and faithful scream. She could have sworn that she hadn’t heard him the first time. Careful… It might hide a will to betray his promise to not endanger himself over her safety. She surely wouldn’t let that happen, even if it was just a possibility at this point…
“And what will be your reply, to an army that came to force you to either kneel or die?”
“WE’LL STAND! WE’LL DIE! WHILE WE LIVE, NO OTHER WILL HAVE TO!”
This war scream, far louder than the previous, imposed a majestic silence over the whole city until the last echo decayed with dignity on the stones.
While the sieging army seemed to hesitate in an attitude that was close to a fearful respect, Bolner’s men hit their shield with the weapon they carried in their other hand. Swords, maces, axes… Each of these soldiers seemed to have a unique weapon, probably the most adapted to their fighting skills and affinities. But the sound produced by the synchronized shocks of metal was just as intimidating as the screams.
And the young dragoness noticed that it was also an efficient diversion to hide the deadly silent archers preparing their arrows in the line behind…
Through the dark, stressful minutes she was living, Amaria understood more about humans than in a whole year. Their reputation of a conflicting species at heart was at the same time so true and so misunderstood. Like dragons, their individuals had their beliefs, their convictions, their values and their morals. But in their world, it took more than individual strength to prevail.
…And that probably was the reason why they seemed so complicated.
Dragons only had to deal with a few variables in life, their own. How to survive, how to find nourishment or shelter, and how to act regarding who or what was in front of them. But humans? They had all of these skills to master, plus countless more implied by their need to cooperate! When a dragon was attacked by something, either this something was stronger or weaker. It was simple. When a human was attacked, the outcome couldn’t be predicted so easily…
Battle tactics, strategies, these were alien dimensions to a dragon… and yet so potentially powerful. These screams, these noises and synchronized movements… They seemed ridiculous and foolish at first but the young dragoness could feel the confidence of the opposing troops shaking. Intimidation… Simple, and yet, humans managed to bring it to a frightening level.
One thing had to be kept in mind though…
The other side of the conflict area was also composed of humans… These tactics were probably known and foreseen. And naturally, even if the enemy was disturbed, its soldiers all looked at their leader, waiting for orders. A leader who didn’t seem as impressed as the rest of his men.
With a satisfied grin, Alexander stared at Bolner, visibly amused by the turn of the events. It was clear that he hoped to find defiance in his rival, and that the head of the city had exceeded his expectancies. A special, invisible bound linked the two war chiefs, a weird energy that flowed between only the two of them, regardless of the living around.
And it wasn’t good… the young dragoness could feel it in her guts, danger was drastically rising. Alexander was up to no good and it was imminent now!
“Well, quite an impressive speech, lord Bolner…” the massive enemies’ leader laughed darkly, with a calm equally frightening as the performance of the defending men. “I respect your ideology. I do. Together, you are more than a city. You are the embodiment of your values, you are a fierce beast making one in adversity. And that’s honorable… but… you know this old saying…”
With a swift movement, the war chief grabbed the weapon hanging at his side.
He aimed.
“Cut the head…”
A hellish detonation blasted in the silent area, echoing even more violently than the voice of the men around had.
And all the stares converged on Bolner who took a step back, letting out a sound of surprise and pain, and bringing a hand to his belly.
Just like the humans around, Amaria couldn’t stop watching the head of the city, a friend of hers, struggling to keep standing while a red stain was slowly spreading on his clothes. So that… was the power of this weapon… unstoppable, quick as lightning… An intense fear gained her body, and totally paralyzed her as Alexander ended his sentence coldly.
“… and the beast will fall.”
This time, he aimed at her! She barely had the time to turn the head and see the canon of the weapon locked on her. She closed her eyes when the second detonation blew, unable to face her own death.
But instead of feeling something pierce her scales, that was a whole mass that knocked her aside, before collapsing next to her along with a third. Disoriented, confused, Amaria opened an eye to recognize the groaning shape on the ground.
Bolner!
Despite the unspeakable pain he probably felt with a bullet in the abdomen, the head of the city had reacted quickly and saved both her life and her human’s. Because apparently, her companion had been caught in the rescue as well!
“In the tower…. Quick!” the massive warrior hissed between his teeth while his men engaged a fierce charge on their own. They offered a perfect cover!
With the same reactivity, Amaria and her companion stood and took each side of the big warrior to carry him inside the temporary safety of the tower’s walls. Bullets flew around, and even if her mind was focused on avoiding getting shot in their retreat, there was no doubt that this city’s army was offering a more ferocious resistance than expected. A vain resistance, but a brave one…
Arrived at the door, Bolner gathered the strength to make a knock she couldn’t memorize in these conditions. But it was a thoughtful precaution humans had taken there, for it was probably some sort of code between them. An armed and armored man opened the big door from the inside, allowing the three of them to enter just as another bullet flew over their head, before blocking the way right after they got in.
“EVERYBODY DOWNSTAIRS! NOW!” Bolner yelled as soon as he stepped inside, carried by both Amaria and her companion.
Amaria didn’t see what the face of the people gathered here looked like before the head of the city screamed his orders at them. But right now, they were filled with dread and fear. Like a bunch of children, they needed the few soldiers there to lead them.
Clever… Where else should they go? They couldn’t do much but wait for the invader to come and kill them, but at least, in there, the citizen would be the last to go…
“What a shame…” Bolner groaned a bit louder as he struggled to get into a sitting position. Fortunately, while the young dragoness remained shocked by the situation, her human had the good reflex to make their friend rest his back against the stone wall. “I thought I could handle it but it hurts like hell… And It kind of hurts my pride too…” then, addressing to the few soldiers who still hesitated to lead civilians into a place they had kept secret for years, the head of the city repeated his order. “Get them all to the vault, it’s the last safe place we’ve got.”
“Bolner, stay calm.” The dragoness’ companion tried to keep him quiet to not worsen his state. “we can…”
“Save me? No you can’t…” Bolner hissed, pressing on the wound to slow the hemorrhage. “This is not lethal but what is coming is, and I’m in no state to fight anymore. I know this is it for me, I’ve seen it. So don’t ruin it with cries and comforting tones!”
This response took both dragoness and human aback. It was hard to tell if it was dark humor, but she highly doubted that Bolner would have joked in such crucial time. Fortunately, once again, her companion didn’t let his emotions make him lose sense of reality:
“I’m sorry… But we’re running out of time… We still can save th…”
“The amulet is in the vault. Put the citizens at work and you’ll find it on time.” He spat out of nowhere. “But it doesn’t matter. Time is all we have left, for you and me more than anyone. By the way, the vault isn’t safe, I said that to keep their hope burning a little longer. Trust the savior, our common ghostly friend said…”
These words again… It couldn’t be random, especially since both seemed to be linked to the white shadow… But more important, since it was the conclusion she shared with a single crossed stare with her companion, it meant that… Bolner had been manipulated by this ghostly being as well. And none of them had even thought of this possibility. At least they had each other, but Bolner… Alone against this remorseless trickster…
One could only imagine how much of his life had been stolen, without anyone to help him or share his demise…
“For how long have you known… that you’ll end here and now?” her human asked the question that was burning her lips. Because it was basically what the wounded head of the city was saying.
To that question, Bolner smiled and his body was agitated with a soft laughter, before turning into another groan of pain. Like he had waited for this precise question his whole life, which maybe wasn’t so much of a metaphor…
“I was merely fifteen when he showed me everything…” The weakened warrior spoke with a smile, as if the memories danced in front of his eyes, a soothing show for falling man. “During my young years, I thought that our memories outliving us was the shiniest reflection of our deeds of goodness and bravery. That’s what I fought for on many battlefields. I aimed at being the strongest because I feared to be forgotten. I wanted my existence to have a point. So I accepted the purpose I was given, the chance to be part of history… and to watch after you…”
“At the age of fifteen?!” The young man reacted with tears of anger appearing in the corners of his eyes, visibly shocked by this awful revelation. “How comes you haven’t woken up by the time?! I never wanted anyone to watch after me! Why didn’t you stop this foolishness to live your own life?! And most importantly, why did you choose such path if you knew the outcome?”
“Because the two weren’t incompatible… Maybe I chose to watch after you because of this mission in the beginning, but it brought me so much… Turned out I enjoyed being a protector much more than being a legendary fighter… and I wouldn’t trade this life for another… In time, I stopped watching after you just because I was asked to; I watched after you just like I watched after every citizen. I loved growing to be the hero I dreamt to be, not because I put enormous efforts in becoming it, but because these efforts came naturally to me. Do you know how good it feels, to realize that you’re fundamentally good?”
“Please just tell me you didn’t gamble your whole life on me for such reason…” Amaria’s lover replied, visibly horrified by a choice he couldn’t understand. But which the dragoness knew all too well…. The spirit of sacrifice that her human also showed unconsciously. “Tell me you had at least some clues that you weren’t sacrificing yourself in vain… Because right now, it feels like everything you ever built rests on my shoulders and I’m really, really scared about failing… What made you so sure you were doing the right choice?”
“I surely found many reasons over the years to choose this path and not another… But if you ask me what gave me faith in you, kid, I would say it was because of… ‘blue butt’.”
This term rang a bell in Amaria’s mind, but her companion reacted more vividly to this mention. It only occurred to her a second later, when she reconnected the elements. It was that memory where her companion first used his smartness to pay back a bully by humiliating him in front of everyone! It took her time, since she wasn’t good at recognizing human faces… How stupid she felt for not noticing…
“But… This is a story from my childhood… you can’t be…” Her human muttered, probably coming to the same conclusion.
“You think only you can change your name?” Bolner smiled with satisfaction. “I had to, by the time. Because of this story, as a matter of fact. But you know what? The inconveniences were insignificant in the balance. Because from that day, every time I felt down, hopeless, I remembered that one time when a weaker child used his intelligence to stand for someone who couldn’t, to outsmart a stronger kid everyone thought to be out of reach. I remembered how compassion and sincere need for justice bloomed so early in the heart of such a young life. And it reminded me the kind of world I wanted to build during my lifetime. Quite the uncertain result, isn’t that?”
“You tell me, you probably know more than I do!”
“I don’t… Our friend never told of showed me the end… The only thing he told me is that… the enemy would enter the tower exactly two minutes after I warn you. And that you could need some encouragement before that…”
Amaria froze, and so did her human. That… was a warning… Which meant…
“Yup, they are coming…” Bolner groaned in pain. “So you should spend less time worrying, and more time acting.”
By instinct, the young man knelt and tried to help Bolner standing, but the injured warrior still managed to reject his stubborn friend.
“No! You leave me here and you do your job! There is only one way this all can end well it requires you being focused on your goal.”
“I can’t let you die here!”
“We all die in the end! Life is short, and its biggest reward, ultimately, is to be able to leave the way we want, with a peaceful heart and the most burning hopes for the world we entrust to the future generations. That’s what you gave me, so don’t take it back!”
“How can you be so sure I’m able to do this?!” Amaria’s lover asked once again, trembling both in fear and rage.
“Because that’s what you do! Both of you! You save the day when we least expect it! A man threatens to corrupt the minds of this city? You force everyone’s respect by bringing a miracle remedy out of nowhere! Someone attacks you? You defeat them with mercy! And when a dangerous animal needs to be put down, you do it.”
Still clenching teeth from the horrible pain he endured, Bolner planted his stare right into his friend’s eyes. It was a direct reference to what he never talked about. His deepest shame.
“You too have the right to live and defend yourself, so quit your freaking guilt and do what you’re the best at! Being spontaneous! Unpredictable! And erase that stupid smile from Alexander’s face! Erase his whole head if you can! Do you understand me, son? Grow a pair and get the job done like you always do!”
At this moment, a loud ‘BANG’ shook the doors of the tower. The enemy was done with the defending soldiers… They came for their prize.
“Now go!” Bolner pushed the young man away with all of his remaining forces. “Make this worthwhile!”
Amaria didn’t think twice before grabbing her companion by the arm and dragging him toward the stairs. He didn’t resist, but he couldn’t detach his eyes from the friend and mentor he was abandoning. But there was no choice… a second ‘BANG’ made the walls tremble as they both dashed to the stairs, hidden right on time.
Because the third strike was the last, and the door opened in a blast, revealing a massive figure that walked in, accompanied by a smaller one and followed by visibly out of breath soldiers.
Alexander, his men, and this disgusting little traitor again… here to finish their nasty job…
“How many were they, out there? Your men?” The war chief asked coldly, wiping neglectingly some blood off his sword. His face showed a less calm tint; things probably didn’t go as expected for him.
“Thirty, including the archers… They were good men…” Bolner replied with a peaceful smile. It was obvious he didn’t hope for any good outcome from this situation. At this point, it almost felt like he was embracing the little time he had left.
“They took down around seventy of mine…” Alexander spat between his teeth, pointing the blade at the defeated man’s throat.
“Couldn’t be prouder of them….” The fallen head of the city laughed sincerely, completely disregarding the weapon to stare directly at his rival. “And you should have seen what they could have done… if you had showed some honor and kept to your schedule…”
“War has no rule, if not the survival of the fittest… Your accusations have no effect on me. I just use every resource I have…”
“I was just saying that I would have loved to try a thing or two… You’d have surely appreciated it to their right value!” Bolner declared like it was now nothing but a simple event of the past. “It won’t work, Alexander… In the opposite of a real body, when the head of the city falls, another will grow back in time….”
“Hopefully this one… will not…” Alexander replied coldly, his furor visible on his face. The war chief probably didn’t expect so many losses. And it was clear, even to Amaria, that the war chief intended to get rid of the annoyance.
While Bolner exploded in an uncontrolled, mad laughter, both Amaria and her human turn their look away as they saw Alexander arming his strike. Before she closed her eyes, the scared dragoness saw just enough to notice that the only one not sharing this reflex was Bolner himself, who looked straight at his opponent in pure defiance.
The last thing he ever did…
There was a quick sound mixing a metal cut and the noise of flesh and bones being ripped…. Followed by a heavy bump that marked the end of the insane laughter.
Fearing what they could see, the pair dared to give a look at the scene again.
And what they saw was nightmare fuel…
Laying on its side, the bodiless head of Bolner still expressed a sheer amusement, while a few meters away, the lifeless corpse fell from its own weight…
First, my grandmother died, but it was a bit expected, since she was rather old and with advanced Alzheimer. It was probably harder for the family than it was for her, in the end.
Then, mid-October, seasonal depression, which I quite well handled on a conscious level... except that the subconscious can be a b**ch sometimes. Got no less than 3 sickness in a row due to a weakened mood, including the flu, and I was almost incapable of eating anything. Good side: I lost 10 kilos in 2 months XD
I'll skip the minor problems (which I consider minor in comparison to the rest), car broke, financial issues, threatened to be fired soon for something I'm not even responsible for,... 2016 really was an absolute charm…
And finally, in the beginning of December, my nephew fell from a 10th floor and obviously died brutally. He was just 6 months younger than me, had 2 children (one being born 1 week before the accident), and a sister who's still pregnant.
Sadness, anger, worries, I'm used to the feel of losing someone. I've unfortunately experienced more losses than one could think, so in a way... I'm less confused with death than I am with love. But this time, it was a bit of an overload to me.
I felt like I died a little this winter. I didn't know how to make people around me notice that I was in distress and in these cases, loneliness is the worst. Fortunately, I still got some help, enough at least to stand up once again.^^ Like I heard recently, everything ends, and that’s always sad. But then everything begins again too, and that is always happy. Focusing on the present, and aim for the small victories, that’s the way to go!
About my writing in general, I apologize for the long wait between chapters, but that’s the rhythm life imposes to me. I work really intensely, and I admittedly need rest when I come back home. And it is not rare that weekends become synonyms of time with friends, when I’m not at work. I still intend to work on this project as well, I can’t bear leaving this unfinished. But for my health, moral and physical, it is important for me to work at my rhythm, without the stress of a deadline. I feel like the pleasure of writing will remain something I enjoy as long as I can get to it when in the mood.
On this chapter in particular, it actually took me a lot longer to edit/proofread it than it took to write. Such scenes are new for me, and the confrontation occurring at one of the critical chapters didn’t help. Cumulated difficulties >< I hope I managed to create somewhat of an ambiance through Amaria’s eyes, but I’ll let you tell me :)
Enjoy your reading!
One bang, and the target fell, dead in an instant. To Alexander, this new weapon was magical. It felt like unleashing the wrathful power of the gods themselves… This day was the best he ever lived. Only one thing did bother the war chief in his march, actually.
“There’s incredibly few people around here… It’s like they have already evacuated…” he said with a glance of suspicion toward the kid walking at his side.
Alexander knew really few of David, but he had known the father for sure. The genius mind who brought this invention back from the ashes of a forgotten past. And a man of a really large vision. If the son held half of his father’s talent, then he would be his best investment, his legacy for the next generation.
But of course, if the boy tried to cross the limits of his rank, or betrayed him, then he would only be a great loss for the next generation...
“Oh, that’s because they probably did. Before using the tunnel, I told the guards to spread the word that the head of the city himself had required every citizen to gather at the tower for their own safety. These ones are just the most stubborn and the stupidest.”
The war chief rose a brow. How could this kid admit the highest treason with such detachment? Deeply disappointing… But at least, Alexander had to admire the foolishness of pure sincerity. It made everything so easier. When it came to his own men, the conqueror was usually merciful and death was rarely sentenced. But did the behavior of this kid encourage any other punishment?
Nonetheless, one should observe a problem from every angle before taking a decision of a permanent result… David showed guts, for sure, but the war chief was curious either if it was actual foolish bravery or… hiding something. So far, the Devons, father and son, had both shown the same temper: cold and distant, calculating, driven by a fierce rage that boiled silently most of the time, only to blast out in moments of crisis. Warriors at souls, forced to live a pacific life that wasn’t meant for them.
Alexander had to make sure once and for all whether this kid could be trusted or not. And to put weight to his words, Alexander knew no better way than an armed threat. It instantly revealed the true nature of people. Lifting his armed hand, he pointed the gun it held on the temple of the boy, ready to fire in case of certified betrayal.
“And how exactly did you think I would welcome this revelation, young man?” The war chief asked as a last chance, cold as winter itself.
“Well, exactly like that, since you’re obviously not the quick-witted kind.” David replied with the same flat and bored tone, simply pushing the weapon out of his face. “What do you prefer? Hunting them around like annoying rabbits? Or having them all gathered in one place, a big scene all for yourself and your victory? I just thought you’d like to make an example, war chief… Plus, a military prowess tends to remain written in history books, for all it’s worth…”
Astonished, Alexander didn’t find the strength to point the weapon on the boy’s head again. The line was never clear between courtesy and manipulation attempt… Life had taught him all too well to not trust overly friendly gestures from barely known people, whatever their age! He wouldn’t have become a feared war chief without his natural distrust… Often, a friendly hand turned out to hide a poisoned needle.
On one hand, what were the risks? Gathered or not, their weapons were inferior and victory was inevitable. The enemies could never get close enough to defend if they respected some safety measures from potential bolts or arrows. The main threat would be their dragon, since his spies asserted him they didn’t have any other way to blast an area at such range. But again, any sight of the creature in the sky, and it had better to pray that its scales could resist dozens of bullets shot within seconds! His whole army knew the reptile as their priority target in case of resistance. Good luck surviving his men’s bloodlust!
No, this city didn’t have anything. He knew every last detail of it; he had studied the ground for years! He even knew what this tower kept so mysteriously. A bunch of antiquities from a forgotten past, not much more than some religious adorations to stupid myths…
So arrogant… They thought of themselves to be so better than the rest of the world, because of their self-proclaimed wisdom and peace... The world would see once and for all if the quill was stronger than the sword. Maybe would he make good use of all this garbage, who knew? The soldiers and the population needed distractions…
Whatever the way the problem was twisted and turned into the war chief’s mind, there wasn’t much risk for David trying to double cross him, and especially not when Alexander kept him close to him.
Could it be as simple as it sounded like then?
“Is this supposed to be a gift?” Alexander inquired, struggling to determine the true intentions of the boy.
“I was more thinking of it as a proof of good will…” the boy replied with a shrug, like the tint of impressment in the voice of the war chief meant absolutely nothing to him. Alexander would have suspected him to be the depressed kind, but that fire in his eyes was no lie. He was focused on the street right ahead, like he was trying to pierce through the fleeing crowd. “I give you this city, you give me my revenge. Make no mistake, I just hope my efforts in satisfying my part of the deal will encourage you to do the same.”
Such a calm storm… It was a bit scary, even for the experienced war chief, to witness such a need to kill in a young man only entering adulthood. A divine rage like this held the true potential of a legend, an unstoppable being whose sole name would make armies dismantle in fear…
“This man is quite an obsession of yours, isn’t he?” Alexander asked with a chuckle, but instantly stopped laughing as David threw him a deadly stare. Something so pure it instantly inspired respect to the, once again, experienced warrior. He had seen some enemies having the same look on battlefields, and those were threats bigger than any weapon created so far…
“This man killed my father, mutilated his dead body, and humiliated him by simply erasing him from the world. Like he never existed. I’ve been on my own in a city where everyone hated me. I had to work to survive, for people who despised me. He ruined my life! Tell me you wouldn’t be exactly there with the exact same goal if you were me…”
There was nothing but cold revenge in the boy’s eyes, fueled by pain… Alexander didn’t know much about this man David relentlessly talked about, except the fact that he had tamed a dragon and been a persistent annoyance to his former associate. According to his spies, this man, this ‘nameless warrior’, had never been interested in taking part in the stakes of his city and was extremely discrete, like he avoided the crowd at any cost. This mysterious individual didn’t sound like much of a threat to the war chief’s ears. Every city had their bunch of weird researchers, they were essential to development at some point! But clearly, when it came to battlefields, their creations were far more dangerous than themselves…
Nothing much of an interest to Alexander, in summary… He could have tried to take him as a prisoner, but even the unique skill to tame a dragon would soon be obsolete against his future generations of weapons. Plus, David was a much more promising investment.
A motivated, dedicated and clever spirit, a boiling rage… only a little military training was amiss, but it would be a detail.
Granting this kill to the boy would ensure a far more interesting gain!
“I gave you my words, young man.” Alexander smiled with respect, returning his attention to the street ahead. The central tower wasn’t far away anymore. “I get this city, and you get this guy. However, his dragon isn’t part of the deal, I prefer to warn you.”
“The dragon is none of my business. Get your trophy. If she could watch, it would be a fine bonus. But life taught me to not be too cocky…”
An amused grin remained on the war chief’s face. He had come to conquer, to settle his authority on a potential threat. And now he had the opportunity to test a new recruit.
This was about to get really interesting…
“Bolner, what’s going on?” The young man asked in one blow as they arrived to the tower, out of breath. “They’re inside the walls!”
“I know, doing my best here!” the big warrior replied toughly, merely paying him attention while he directed the citizen inside the tower and received information from the soldiers at the same time. “Go with the other citizens, and let us do our job!”
Amaria could sense her companion getting tensed from such answer. The dragoness was certain that, if Bolner didn’t already have such a load on his shoulders, there could have been some tough words from her human in response. But in such circumstances, even she knew that getting an answer was already proof of esteem.
Both human and dragon took a step back as a bunch of armored men with shinier features gathered around the head of the city. Probably higher ranked… And what Amaria could witness was another proof of human’s qualities in times of crisis.
With an incredible calm, the big warrior spread his orders among his army like he had trained all his life for that precise moment. The young dragoness had never approved conflicts, for they carried too many risks of losing valuable individuals. But she had to admit that motivation pushed humans beyond what some would have called ‘limits’, and such leadership skills did not find any equal among dragons, as far as she knew…
“Let’s take advantage of the nightfall! We know this ground better than they do! All we have to do is to circle them, and lure them to tighter spaces so our men get a chance in direct combat! Lead them to dead ends and dark corners and ambush them!”
“Sir, it’s too late!” One of the men shouted, instantly getting everyone’s attention.
A heavy silence fell on the troops gathered in the place. At the end of the main street, an army was appearing, walking in order in their direction. Soon, other armed men showed up in the east main street… then at the west… They were surrounded. The enemy had cut every exit, and their circle of death was closing step by step.
It was, indeed, too late for a strategy… The enemy was coming straight at them. The deadly army had invaded the city in less than thirty minutes! All the defenders could do was waiting for the conclusion of the sad joke that was this war… with no other defense than their armor and shield in case of a gun firing.
Everyone around seemed to have the same reflex: make sure every citizen was safe within the tower. Some stares insisted a bit on the dragon and the young man who weren’t part of the army, but none spoke a word about it.
In the mind of the young dragoness, it was clear she had to get her human to a safe place as well. But she feared that moving now would trigger a bad consequence… Some of the blood thirstiest invaders already pointed their hellish weapons on them… No doubt they would have shot if they were allowed to. But they most likely had been told to kill only the run away…
Remaining still was their best chance, the odds seemed to tell… The two last citizens, a dragon and a human, trapped among the soldiers while the rest was in safety within the tower. But safe for how long?
With their guns, even she knew this battle was already lost. And truth be told, she was a bit curious about why the defending army still hadn’t shown submission yet.
“Seems like we have to improvise, in such short time I based all my strategies on the walls protecting us for at least an hour…” Bolner grumbled in such a low tone that the dragoness was probably the only one to hear. Even the big experienced warrior was losing hope? Why didn’t he put an end to this madness, and at least save his people?
But of course, from humans who remorselessly attacked pacific beings of their own kind, Amaria knew the chances of being spared were quite narrow… Bolner didn’t know how to solve this, but he wanted to try and save his people however unlikely the chances of success might be. It was admirable…
Foolish, but admirable…
Tension was everywhere in the atmosphere when the enemies gathered behind the imaginary line of a perfect circle, around fifty meters away from the already defeated city army. A certain advantage of the range, Amaria could tell from her experience in hunting. But surprisingly, none fired… They seemed to wait, in an impressive coordination and order. They had probably trained for a long time to prepare this only event… They blocked any exit, like a sadistic game before the execution...
A bigger man, maybe as impressive as Bolner himself, slowly made his way through the troops who once again, left a clear way in a scary sense of discipline. A different armor, seemingly a lighter one, yet with all kinds of blades fixed to every last piece of metal, and of course a gun hanging at his side. With his body and his personalized equipment, no doubt was allowed that this man alone could do serious damages to the lines with a single charge…
And the identity of this monster wasn’t any mystery either… especially when everyone noticed who walked by his side.
David?! The dirty little… She could see in her human’s eyes and into Bolner’s that they came to the same conclusion as she did. The crushing defeat finally found its explanation… This kid alone had caused the fall of the most peaceful human city Amaria ever knew of. Within only a few minutes, the dragoness had witnessed the greatest and the worst of humankind…
“Lord Bolner, head of the city!” Alexander shouted in a devious joy, like he was introducing a celebrity to a crowd. “I must say that I’m impressed and honored to meet you, despite the circumstances! You’ve gotten quite a reputation around armies of all the island. They call you the giant, the god of the battlefield, the undefeatable… You inspire… hope and respect, and truly, I admired that. Sincerely.”
An obvious mockery to the vanquished. This was something she knew some dragons practiced when they teased their prey before consuming them… But it was terrifying to see how malevolent and vicious humans could become, if given too much power…
While the tensed men of Bolner’s army stood in an ashamed silence, a sinister laughter rose from the invaders’ troops, a sadistic amusement shared by almost every single individual in the crowd. They knew they had won. And they imposed their domination to their victims.
Easy to understand, but sad to witness in a species claiming to be ‘civilized’…
“Your admiration is well received, lord Alexander.” Bolner bowed respectfully toward the victorious war chief. But something in his voice and movement felt cold… He only replied politely to keep his dignity, but it would be his honesty that would have the final word. “Although what you mentioned about me is nothing like an achievement. A leader must be strong and be a model of virtue, respect and reputation come naturally. But, I know… These notions probably sound alien to someone who’s used to rule by fear and manipulation… ”
The crowd of the invaders became quickly as silent as their prey. Everyone’s attention was focused on the enemies’ war chief, visibly fearing his reaction. It was a game of mind power between the two leaders… Alexander wanted to humiliate this city once and for all, but Bolner replied with a weirdly confident smile and a calm tone. The satisfaction of throwing a barely covered insult, hidden behind the smile of someone who knew their fate was already written and who refused to die in disgrace.
The young dragoness didn’t need much imagination to picture how hurtful it could be to a human’s pride, to be provoked by an already defeated enemy. She had seen her companion using this practice on his former nemesis, to push the button… and it always triggered a passionate rage, in the bad sense of the term.
Curiously, Alexander didn’t react as spontaneously as Mr. Devon used to… Was this monster more in control of his emotions? Amaria could barely feel anything else than murderous furor irradiating from this colossus, yet he simply smiled like a child amused by an entertaining toy…
Nothing gave her chills like a human ignoring his natural feeling for some dark obsession… David was already scary in his cell, but this one truly looked like a blood thirsty beast.
From now on, it was a matter of time before he would order the genocide…
“Do you know the common trait of all these symbols they associate you to?” the sadistic war chief threw to the only man who stood with true dignity in front of him. “I’ve seen every kind of these… Giants, gods, undefeatable heroes… when they eventually fall, we tend to realize they were only humans after all… And today, head of the city, is the day you fall. Did you think you could develop a new kind of weapon and not be considered as a threat for not sharing it? Because you made a mistake about me, lord Bolner… I do not inspire fear… I am the incarnation of my people’s fears. This. All this. It happens because my city wants me to neutralize the threat. I’ve become their leader because they chose me to be.”
Horrified, Amaria stared at the head of the city, lower jaw slightly dropping. She thought all of this was because of a single mad man… Was it truly an entire city that considered her as a danger, without even knowing her? This time, it wasn’t randomness… it was crystal clear. She was the root cause of this chaos, despite all the good she meant…
Both her human and the massive warrior had the same curious reaction though. They exchanged a gaze in perfect synchronicity, like they mentally shared an unspoken opinion. The two humans nodded and looked at her with a look she had never observed before.
Curiously, she managed to feel the thought they expressed with that frown.
It was denial. It was support. Like both of them sensed the direct attack affecting an ally and instinctively wanted to blow up a horribly wrong statement. And all this, without even speaking a single word. That was probably what they called the sense of comradeship. And feeling this determination to stand up for one of their own deeply touched her…
Being considered as one of them… Even in the end, it felt so heartwarming to experience it.
“You already know everything I could possibly reply to you, lord Alexander, for I already explained all this many times in the messages which copies are still in my archives, in the very building you’re sieging right now. We both know, no, we all know here that you just came up with an excuse to murder the innocent people of a peaceful city. And all this, because you want everyone to see how all-mighty you are now. So how about we skip the false diplomatic politeness and I give you the answer you came so early for?”
With the exception of his eyebrows lowering in a frowning expression, Alexander remained awfully calm. The plans of the enemies to play on the defeated was cut to the root, and the ego of their leader was hurt once more. And for the first time, Amaria felt like she actually stopped considering this as madness… This man alone, the head of the city, stood for everyone who couldn’t, to defend his city’s dignity. A clear message that if their lives would be easy to take, their pride could never be broken.
Her human had told her once the meaning of this heavy title... Being head of the city implied being responsible of the important decisions regarding the whole city, pictured as a body in their local ideology. Like a body, when pain was sensed somewhere, it was up to the head to find a way to cure it. When something needed to be told, the head of the city was the voice of the city. And in the dark hours, he was supposed to be the light guiding them all through the darkness…
Truly a title that was meant for a soul dedicated to its kind. Amaria and her companion always shared two opinions about this: Neither of them would ever want to carry such responsibility, and its weight had never been so well-assigned than on Bolner’s shoulders.
An opinion that was renewed by the words of pride and honor she heard from that human, and an opinion which the dragoness knew her companion shared once more. But pride or not, everyone seemed to know that the rest was inevitable.
“Well, please tell me, I’m so eager to hear…” Alexander replied with a vicious smile, hand already reaching down to his deadly weapon at his belt. A chill traveled through the dragoness’ spine; this was the teasing of a predator cornering its prey for the final attack, a behavior she was knew all too well.
“Before our official answer, since it’s apparently all we got left, I’d like to tell you what I personally think about this, Alexander. You, or your people, whoever commands this… You are so thirsty for war and conflicts that you projected your fears over a population who just tried new ways, potential leads to a more peaceful world. But you see nothing but a threat in a dear friend of us who never harmed anyone, a friend that could have potentially brought benefits to your people too! And that disgusts me… I despise you and your ideals of murders.”
Now, Amaria’s blood was freezing in her veins… kind of a meaningful feeling of dread from a cold-blooded creature. This wasn’t ambiguous, even to her: this was another direct and personal insult toward Alexander and possibly to all of his people. She wondered how the enemies’ leader hadn’t shot yet…
Bolner was quite frightening too. This massive yet usually calm wise man showed an angry side she had never seen before. It was pure defiance mixed with harsh honesty. And these, spoken with a threatening and fearless stare.
“But I guess you might be more interested in the official answer, so here it is.” The head of the city puffed the chess with dignity. “It is a pure military question: surrendering and dying with shame, or fighting until our last breath. So I ask everyone concerned here: when something threatens your lives, what do you do?”
The young dragoness had a jolt of surprise when, in a single voice, every soldier under Bolner’s command replied in a single voice:
“WE FACE IT PROUDLY!”
Such coordination in a collective response… truly a beautiful thing to witness, and impressive too. With so many acting as one by instinct, Amaria began to have a glimpse of humanity’s real potential, and why they were so feared by her kind.
It was a shame the opponent had the same battle skill. Such bravery was pointless. However, it didn’t seem to occur to the humans around who continued their claim.
“Do you intend to surrender a dear friend who proved many times how precious she became to our lives?”
“NO ONE LEFT BEHIND! NO ONE SOLD! NO ONE ABANDONED!”
This time she was prepared. But still, the shared shout managed to surprise her… Her whole life she thought of humans as aggressive, hateful beings toward what was different. But here she saw a new side she considered an exception until now: the ability to disregard what others were to only care about who they were.
And to a dragoness who considered not being killed on spot as the biggest proof of tolerance from this species, it was touching beyond words.
However, the emotion it triggered didn’t blind her attention… Amaria distinctively heard her companion joining the voice in the collective and faithful scream. She could have sworn that she hadn’t heard him the first time. Careful… It might hide a will to betray his promise to not endanger himself over her safety. She surely wouldn’t let that happen, even if it was just a possibility at this point…
“And what will be your reply, to an army that came to force you to either kneel or die?”
“WE’LL STAND! WE’LL DIE! WHILE WE LIVE, NO OTHER WILL HAVE TO!”
This war scream, far louder than the previous, imposed a majestic silence over the whole city until the last echo decayed with dignity on the stones.
While the sieging army seemed to hesitate in an attitude that was close to a fearful respect, Bolner’s men hit their shield with the weapon they carried in their other hand. Swords, maces, axes… Each of these soldiers seemed to have a unique weapon, probably the most adapted to their fighting skills and affinities. But the sound produced by the synchronized shocks of metal was just as intimidating as the screams.
And the young dragoness noticed that it was also an efficient diversion to hide the deadly silent archers preparing their arrows in the line behind…
Through the dark, stressful minutes she was living, Amaria understood more about humans than in a whole year. Their reputation of a conflicting species at heart was at the same time so true and so misunderstood. Like dragons, their individuals had their beliefs, their convictions, their values and their morals. But in their world, it took more than individual strength to prevail.
…And that probably was the reason why they seemed so complicated.
Dragons only had to deal with a few variables in life, their own. How to survive, how to find nourishment or shelter, and how to act regarding who or what was in front of them. But humans? They had all of these skills to master, plus countless more implied by their need to cooperate! When a dragon was attacked by something, either this something was stronger or weaker. It was simple. When a human was attacked, the outcome couldn’t be predicted so easily…
Battle tactics, strategies, these were alien dimensions to a dragon… and yet so potentially powerful. These screams, these noises and synchronized movements… They seemed ridiculous and foolish at first but the young dragoness could feel the confidence of the opposing troops shaking. Intimidation… Simple, and yet, humans managed to bring it to a frightening level.
One thing had to be kept in mind though…
The other side of the conflict area was also composed of humans… These tactics were probably known and foreseen. And naturally, even if the enemy was disturbed, its soldiers all looked at their leader, waiting for orders. A leader who didn’t seem as impressed as the rest of his men.
With a satisfied grin, Alexander stared at Bolner, visibly amused by the turn of the events. It was clear that he hoped to find defiance in his rival, and that the head of the city had exceeded his expectancies. A special, invisible bound linked the two war chiefs, a weird energy that flowed between only the two of them, regardless of the living around.
And it wasn’t good… the young dragoness could feel it in her guts, danger was drastically rising. Alexander was up to no good and it was imminent now!
“Well, quite an impressive speech, lord Bolner…” the massive enemies’ leader laughed darkly, with a calm equally frightening as the performance of the defending men. “I respect your ideology. I do. Together, you are more than a city. You are the embodiment of your values, you are a fierce beast making one in adversity. And that’s honorable… but… you know this old saying…”
With a swift movement, the war chief grabbed the weapon hanging at his side.
He aimed.
“Cut the head…”
A hellish detonation blasted in the silent area, echoing even more violently than the voice of the men around had.
And all the stares converged on Bolner who took a step back, letting out a sound of surprise and pain, and bringing a hand to his belly.
Just like the humans around, Amaria couldn’t stop watching the head of the city, a friend of hers, struggling to keep standing while a red stain was slowly spreading on his clothes. So that… was the power of this weapon… unstoppable, quick as lightning… An intense fear gained her body, and totally paralyzed her as Alexander ended his sentence coldly.
“… and the beast will fall.”
This time, he aimed at her! She barely had the time to turn the head and see the canon of the weapon locked on her. She closed her eyes when the second detonation blew, unable to face her own death.
But instead of feeling something pierce her scales, that was a whole mass that knocked her aside, before collapsing next to her along with a third. Disoriented, confused, Amaria opened an eye to recognize the groaning shape on the ground.
Bolner!
Despite the unspeakable pain he probably felt with a bullet in the abdomen, the head of the city had reacted quickly and saved both her life and her human’s. Because apparently, her companion had been caught in the rescue as well!
“In the tower…. Quick!” the massive warrior hissed between his teeth while his men engaged a fierce charge on their own. They offered a perfect cover!
With the same reactivity, Amaria and her companion stood and took each side of the big warrior to carry him inside the temporary safety of the tower’s walls. Bullets flew around, and even if her mind was focused on avoiding getting shot in their retreat, there was no doubt that this city’s army was offering a more ferocious resistance than expected. A vain resistance, but a brave one…
Arrived at the door, Bolner gathered the strength to make a knock she couldn’t memorize in these conditions. But it was a thoughtful precaution humans had taken there, for it was probably some sort of code between them. An armed and armored man opened the big door from the inside, allowing the three of them to enter just as another bullet flew over their head, before blocking the way right after they got in.
“EVERYBODY DOWNSTAIRS! NOW!” Bolner yelled as soon as he stepped inside, carried by both Amaria and her companion.
Amaria didn’t see what the face of the people gathered here looked like before the head of the city screamed his orders at them. But right now, they were filled with dread and fear. Like a bunch of children, they needed the few soldiers there to lead them.
Clever… Where else should they go? They couldn’t do much but wait for the invader to come and kill them, but at least, in there, the citizen would be the last to go…
“What a shame…” Bolner groaned a bit louder as he struggled to get into a sitting position. Fortunately, while the young dragoness remained shocked by the situation, her human had the good reflex to make their friend rest his back against the stone wall. “I thought I could handle it but it hurts like hell… And It kind of hurts my pride too…” then, addressing to the few soldiers who still hesitated to lead civilians into a place they had kept secret for years, the head of the city repeated his order. “Get them all to the vault, it’s the last safe place we’ve got.”
“Bolner, stay calm.” The dragoness’ companion tried to keep him quiet to not worsen his state. “we can…”
“Save me? No you can’t…” Bolner hissed, pressing on the wound to slow the hemorrhage. “This is not lethal but what is coming is, and I’m in no state to fight anymore. I know this is it for me, I’ve seen it. So don’t ruin it with cries and comforting tones!”
This response took both dragoness and human aback. It was hard to tell if it was dark humor, but she highly doubted that Bolner would have joked in such crucial time. Fortunately, once again, her companion didn’t let his emotions make him lose sense of reality:
“I’m sorry… But we’re running out of time… We still can save th…”
“The amulet is in the vault. Put the citizens at work and you’ll find it on time.” He spat out of nowhere. “But it doesn’t matter. Time is all we have left, for you and me more than anyone. By the way, the vault isn’t safe, I said that to keep their hope burning a little longer. Trust the savior, our common ghostly friend said…”
These words again… It couldn’t be random, especially since both seemed to be linked to the white shadow… But more important, since it was the conclusion she shared with a single crossed stare with her companion, it meant that… Bolner had been manipulated by this ghostly being as well. And none of them had even thought of this possibility. At least they had each other, but Bolner… Alone against this remorseless trickster…
One could only imagine how much of his life had been stolen, without anyone to help him or share his demise…
“For how long have you known… that you’ll end here and now?” her human asked the question that was burning her lips. Because it was basically what the wounded head of the city was saying.
To that question, Bolner smiled and his body was agitated with a soft laughter, before turning into another groan of pain. Like he had waited for this precise question his whole life, which maybe wasn’t so much of a metaphor…
“I was merely fifteen when he showed me everything…” The weakened warrior spoke with a smile, as if the memories danced in front of his eyes, a soothing show for falling man. “During my young years, I thought that our memories outliving us was the shiniest reflection of our deeds of goodness and bravery. That’s what I fought for on many battlefields. I aimed at being the strongest because I feared to be forgotten. I wanted my existence to have a point. So I accepted the purpose I was given, the chance to be part of history… and to watch after you…”
“At the age of fifteen?!” The young man reacted with tears of anger appearing in the corners of his eyes, visibly shocked by this awful revelation. “How comes you haven’t woken up by the time?! I never wanted anyone to watch after me! Why didn’t you stop this foolishness to live your own life?! And most importantly, why did you choose such path if you knew the outcome?”
“Because the two weren’t incompatible… Maybe I chose to watch after you because of this mission in the beginning, but it brought me so much… Turned out I enjoyed being a protector much more than being a legendary fighter… and I wouldn’t trade this life for another… In time, I stopped watching after you just because I was asked to; I watched after you just like I watched after every citizen. I loved growing to be the hero I dreamt to be, not because I put enormous efforts in becoming it, but because these efforts came naturally to me. Do you know how good it feels, to realize that you’re fundamentally good?”
“Please just tell me you didn’t gamble your whole life on me for such reason…” Amaria’s lover replied, visibly horrified by a choice he couldn’t understand. But which the dragoness knew all too well…. The spirit of sacrifice that her human also showed unconsciously. “Tell me you had at least some clues that you weren’t sacrificing yourself in vain… Because right now, it feels like everything you ever built rests on my shoulders and I’m really, really scared about failing… What made you so sure you were doing the right choice?”
“I surely found many reasons over the years to choose this path and not another… But if you ask me what gave me faith in you, kid, I would say it was because of… ‘blue butt’.”
This term rang a bell in Amaria’s mind, but her companion reacted more vividly to this mention. It only occurred to her a second later, when she reconnected the elements. It was that memory where her companion first used his smartness to pay back a bully by humiliating him in front of everyone! It took her time, since she wasn’t good at recognizing human faces… How stupid she felt for not noticing…
“But… This is a story from my childhood… you can’t be…” Her human muttered, probably coming to the same conclusion.
“You think only you can change your name?” Bolner smiled with satisfaction. “I had to, by the time. Because of this story, as a matter of fact. But you know what? The inconveniences were insignificant in the balance. Because from that day, every time I felt down, hopeless, I remembered that one time when a weaker child used his intelligence to stand for someone who couldn’t, to outsmart a stronger kid everyone thought to be out of reach. I remembered how compassion and sincere need for justice bloomed so early in the heart of such a young life. And it reminded me the kind of world I wanted to build during my lifetime. Quite the uncertain result, isn’t that?”
“You tell me, you probably know more than I do!”
“I don’t… Our friend never told of showed me the end… The only thing he told me is that… the enemy would enter the tower exactly two minutes after I warn you. And that you could need some encouragement before that…”
Amaria froze, and so did her human. That… was a warning… Which meant…
“Yup, they are coming…” Bolner groaned in pain. “So you should spend less time worrying, and more time acting.”
By instinct, the young man knelt and tried to help Bolner standing, but the injured warrior still managed to reject his stubborn friend.
“No! You leave me here and you do your job! There is only one way this all can end well it requires you being focused on your goal.”
“I can’t let you die here!”
“We all die in the end! Life is short, and its biggest reward, ultimately, is to be able to leave the way we want, with a peaceful heart and the most burning hopes for the world we entrust to the future generations. That’s what you gave me, so don’t take it back!”
“How can you be so sure I’m able to do this?!” Amaria’s lover asked once again, trembling both in fear and rage.
“Because that’s what you do! Both of you! You save the day when we least expect it! A man threatens to corrupt the minds of this city? You force everyone’s respect by bringing a miracle remedy out of nowhere! Someone attacks you? You defeat them with mercy! And when a dangerous animal needs to be put down, you do it.”
Still clenching teeth from the horrible pain he endured, Bolner planted his stare right into his friend’s eyes. It was a direct reference to what he never talked about. His deepest shame.
“You too have the right to live and defend yourself, so quit your freaking guilt and do what you’re the best at! Being spontaneous! Unpredictable! And erase that stupid smile from Alexander’s face! Erase his whole head if you can! Do you understand me, son? Grow a pair and get the job done like you always do!”
At this moment, a loud ‘BANG’ shook the doors of the tower. The enemy was done with the defending soldiers… They came for their prize.
“Now go!” Bolner pushed the young man away with all of his remaining forces. “Make this worthwhile!”
Amaria didn’t think twice before grabbing her companion by the arm and dragging him toward the stairs. He didn’t resist, but he couldn’t detach his eyes from the friend and mentor he was abandoning. But there was no choice… a second ‘BANG’ made the walls tremble as they both dashed to the stairs, hidden right on time.
Because the third strike was the last, and the door opened in a blast, revealing a massive figure that walked in, accompanied by a smaller one and followed by visibly out of breath soldiers.
Alexander, his men, and this disgusting little traitor again… here to finish their nasty job…
“How many were they, out there? Your men?” The war chief asked coldly, wiping neglectingly some blood off his sword. His face showed a less calm tint; things probably didn’t go as expected for him.
“Thirty, including the archers… They were good men…” Bolner replied with a peaceful smile. It was obvious he didn’t hope for any good outcome from this situation. At this point, it almost felt like he was embracing the little time he had left.
“They took down around seventy of mine…” Alexander spat between his teeth, pointing the blade at the defeated man’s throat.
“Couldn’t be prouder of them….” The fallen head of the city laughed sincerely, completely disregarding the weapon to stare directly at his rival. “And you should have seen what they could have done… if you had showed some honor and kept to your schedule…”
“War has no rule, if not the survival of the fittest… Your accusations have no effect on me. I just use every resource I have…”
“I was just saying that I would have loved to try a thing or two… You’d have surely appreciated it to their right value!” Bolner declared like it was now nothing but a simple event of the past. “It won’t work, Alexander… In the opposite of a real body, when the head of the city falls, another will grow back in time….”
“Hopefully this one… will not…” Alexander replied coldly, his furor visible on his face. The war chief probably didn’t expect so many losses. And it was clear, even to Amaria, that the war chief intended to get rid of the annoyance.
While Bolner exploded in an uncontrolled, mad laughter, both Amaria and her human turn their look away as they saw Alexander arming his strike. Before she closed her eyes, the scared dragoness saw just enough to notice that the only one not sharing this reflex was Bolner himself, who looked straight at his opponent in pure defiance.
The last thing he ever did…
There was a quick sound mixing a metal cut and the noise of flesh and bones being ripped…. Followed by a heavy bump that marked the end of the insane laughter.
Fearing what they could see, the pair dared to give a look at the scene again.
And what they saw was nightmare fuel…
Laying on its side, the bodiless head of Bolner still expressed a sheer amusement, while a few meters away, the lifeless corpse fell from its own weight…
Category Story / Fantasy
Species Western Dragon
Size 50 x 50px
File Size 37.7 kB
Listed in Folders
Yay ! Another chapter !
Indeed, it seems like you had a crapy year. I don't know what to say, I'm pretty bad raising someone's mood :/.You can post a journal though when you are depressing. There are countless people doing so already and people's attention seems to help. At the very least it will keep your watchers updated so you don't have to come with an explanation of why you weren't able to continue the story. I'm not sure I'm really clear :/ Well, anyway, I wish you good luck with the new year. It is unlikely to be worse than 2016 at least.
Oh, also, is this the last chapter or not ? I'm waiting for it to be complete so I can binge-read it. I hate to stop right in the middle of a book.
Indeed, it seems like you had a crapy year. I don't know what to say, I'm pretty bad raising someone's mood :/.You can post a journal though when you are depressing. There are countless people doing so already and people's attention seems to help. At the very least it will keep your watchers updated so you don't have to come with an explanation of why you weren't able to continue the story. I'm not sure I'm really clear :/ Well, anyway, I wish you good luck with the new year. It is unlikely to be worse than 2016 at least.
Oh, also, is this the last chapter or not ? I'm waiting for it to be complete so I can binge-read it. I hate to stop right in the middle of a book.
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