Chapter 65: Dragon fight

Nathaniel:

I can hear the rumbling come from outside. Erik gives me a nervous look. I go to the window, and look outside. There is smoke coming from the stairs. Wait, is Trelia burning? How can it be, when everything is carved from stone?

"You wait in here, I'll go check what is happening," I tell Erik, and then grab my sword.

As soon as I go out, I am nearly forced to the ground. Something big must have fallen, for the earth to shake like that. Will the columns hold? I look at the nearest one, and see cracks forming on it.

Then, I hear it. A roar. I look in the direction of the stairs. I can see two dragons, locked in battle. Not only that, but I will never fail to recognize Giv's white bulk with its golden details. But who is the other one? Could it be?

I run through the streets, doing my best to keep my balance, despite how badly the ground shakes. The houses hide the battle from me. When I reach the staircase, I see the black dragon over the white one. I take out my sword, and rush the beast.

I remember how everyone screamed, as Ajax flew over our town. Bringing fire and death to everyone I held dear. I will be damned if I let him take Givontair as well.

I pour mana into my sword, and then try to gauge one of Ajax's eyes out. He sees me at the last second, and releases Givontair. The black beast has his back against the entrance. If he tries to run now, it will be in human form.

This gives Giv time to stand up. He looks at Ajax with pure hatred in his eyes. I don't have time to ponder on that because Ajax lets out a stream of fire.

Before I can do so much as blink, Givontair shields me with his wings. I hear when he gives out a keening sound that sounds like he is barely holding on to himself, despite the pain.

Ajax's stream can't hold a candle to Givontair's because after only twenty seconds, he ends it. Givontair unfurrow his wing from around me, and I spring into action.

I know for a fact that Ajax won't be able to breathe fire for at least another minute. I rush him, and try to hack off one of his feet. His tail swipes at me. I can see that the tip is a bloody ruin. Ajax won't be able to fly for quite some time. I smile at that, and cut off more of the tail.

The black dragon roars then, and begins to jump in place. I lose my balance, and roll down the stairs. A tail stops me, after the thirtieth step. Yet, I feel that every bone I have must be broken by now.

Giv must have seen the state I am in because he wraps his tail around me, and foists me up. My soulmate places me on his back. Despite the protests my body is giving me, I take a hold of one of the spikes, which grow on Givontair's back.

Ajax charges us, his maw going not for Givontair's neck, but for me. Givontair gets on his hind legs, and then brings his entire bulk down on the black dragon. His fangs lock on the being's neck, and he manages to bite out a big chunk of flesh.

For a second, I think this was it. That Ajax's reign of terror is at an end. My hopes are dashed, when the wound closes. His mana shifts, and he ends up in his human form, down on the ground.

"Giv, breathe fire down on him," I say. Yet, Givontair doesn't move. He does nothing, as Ajax limps away from us, and then exits Trelia.

Givontair takes a hold of me with his tail again, and lowers me on the steps of the staircase. When he turns back into his dragon form, he is shivering. I watch him, as he stares at his hands in mute horror.

"Giv?" I try to get his attention, but he doesn't seem to be in the mood to listen. "Giv, why did you let him go?"

This question seems to snap him out of it.

"I nearly killed my father," he whispers. His eyes are wide, and full of fear. "I nearly became a kin slayer."

I limp over to him, and take a hold of his hand.

"Think about all the people Ajax killed already. We must pursue him. Before he heals completely," I try to urge him, but Givontair just places both of his hands on his ears, and begins to shake even more violently. He mumbles something I can't quite understand, and collapses on the steps.

I barely have any time to catch him. I thought that Givontair doesn't like Ajax. That the feeling was mutual. Yet, right now, he seems to be breaking over what nearly happened.

"You hurt him to protect us," I say, trying to make him see reason. "What you did was the right thing. Now come, we must catch him."

"He could have killed me, when he found out the prophecy. Yet, he left me with loving parents. To grow sheltered, and loved," Givontair says. I realize, then, what the problem is.

Givontair doesn't hate Ajax. He knows that the black dragon must be stopped, but he doesn't want to be the one to do so. At the end of the day, the two are still family, no matter how estranged.

"Heal me, and I will go after him," I suggest. Givontair takes a hold of me, and holds me close.

"I can't lose you," his lack of faith in me makes me pause. Doesn't he know that I still have some dragon corpses in my bottomless bag?

Powerful ones. Enough, to force even Ajax to go to the defensive. I tell him all that, and he lets go of me. He takes a couple of steps back, his eyes wide.

"You haven't stopped with the necromancy?" He asks me, fear in his voice. "Now, when the Dread is looking for a new champion? How could you be this careless?"

"Yes, now!" I say, not proud that my voice rises at the end. "If not now, then when?"

Givontair then turns around, and begins to descent down the staircase. His refusal to give me an answer irks me. I try to climb the staircase, but my bones protest with each move.

"Giv!" I yell after him. He doesn't turn around. I grind my teeth, and do my best to follow him. Surely, he is going to heal me?