* Two Years Earlier: The Vallath nation had waged war on Sarania as part of their undying conquest to take over the entire Western continent*
Samuel looked passed the enemy lines, every one of his comrades had been killed and their corpses gathered and stacked upon each other. Roughly a hundred brave young men that gave their lives for Sarania.
It was almost high noon, the hottest point of day and the Vallath army was getting closer to Wall Yotanda. The wall shut off all outsiders from Sarania for centuries."I'm I the only one left?", Samuel asked himself. He checked around the battlefield, the Vallath forces had killed nearly everyone and all the war dragons captured. In the corner of his eye was Captain Zain Einar hiding behind a captured Scarlet dragon, the beast was put barely moving.
He rushed through the battlefield, unnoticed by the Vallath forces. He hid by the tail of the beast while the captain was hiding against the dragon's head.
"Captain.", he whispered, "My captain."
Captain Einar turned his head, "By the gods, you are alive private!".
Samuel shook his head and took a look around. Some enemy troops were working on a large cannon like weapon. It was nothing like Samuel had seen, it had a large metallic base, a long barrel and the entire contraption was made out of a precious a red gemstone."What's that?", he asked.
"Well that's a Sun cannon private.", the captain responded, "And If we don't stop that thing before noon then consider Sarania gone."
Samuel looked around and saw Azarian's body among his fallen comrades, the hand of what seemed to be a lifeless body moved slightly.
"Impossible!", he shouted.
"What is it Private?" "Private Azarian is alive.", Samuel said, " I saw him move. We need to save him." "Negative private.", Captain Einar said, "It's almost noon and once that weapon is done absorbing the sun's energy, Sarania is under the Vallath Empire.""But-"
" That's an order Private.", Captain Einar clinched his fist, "I'm not willing to risk the millions of lives behind that wall on the slime chance that your best friend is alive. I just can't.""But if he is alive he can help us stop that thing."
"It is too great of a risk boy.", said Captain Einar, "I need you to help me stop that thing from firing."
Samuel was furious and took off anyway, disobeying his captain's orders.
The Vallath soldiers were gathering the fresh dead bodies on the battlefield. Samuel snuck past them and crossed the enemy line. He hid behind the metallic base of the cannon and waited for the solider to leave the pile of dead bodies.The solider left and Samuel rushed to Azarian's body. His body was stacked under two bodies, the bodies of Samuels two senior officers. He cleared the bodies and held Azarian in his arms. He felt his wrist and felt his faint pulse.
"Come on bud let's get you out of here." He dragged Azarian away from the Vallath soldiers and hid behind a large bolder. He checked his body for any injuries and felt his protective vest trenched in blood pouring out of his chest. He removed the protective vest and saw an arrow head sticking out of his chest.He yanked the arrowhead and Azarian woke up in an outburst. He threw the arrowhead on the ground. The arrowhead left a gapping hole in his chest but it healed within a blink of an eye.
"But that's impossible.", Samuel whispered to himself.
Azarian's eyes had dilated, his skin had turned pale and the veins in his arm had popped out. He grabbed Samuel's arm and stared at him with a soulless gaze. Samuel tried fighting off the hold but the more he struggled, the tighter Azarian would hold onto him.
Samuel felt Azarian's sharp claw like nails pierce through his skin. He screamed and panicked but the more he did the deeper Azarian would claw into his arm.
"Please Azarian, this isn't you.", Samuel cried, "Let go of me please. Listen to me please."
Azarian growled like an unholy beast. When he opened his mouth, Samuel noticed his sharp long fangs. "This isn't possible but how?", Samuel said.
Azarian stuck his fangs in Samuel's neck and chewed on his neck. Samuel's body stiffed and he couldn't move an inch. He tried screaming for help but all that left his mouth was his dying breathe.
***On the other side of the battlefield, the Captain was under panic. It was only a matter of moments before noon, Samuel was not in sight and the cannon was nearly ready.
The Captain made a dash for the cannon. The Vallath soldiers saw him charging at them and armed themselves with bow and arrows. Dozens of soldiers launched their arrows but not a single arrow touched the Captain.
He was drawing closer to the cannon and the soldiers kept on firing at him. Finally one arrow went through his leg. He dropped to the ground and clutched onto his thigh. He screamed and tried pulling the arrow out but the more pressure he put on it the more painful it felt.Dozens of soldiers circled him and beat him to a pulp. They stomped on him and did it to the sound of his bones breaking. He was nearly dead and all they had to do was let him out of his misery. One soldier named O'Connor stopped his comrades and held the captain's bruised and battered body by the neck.
O'Connor bent down on one knee while the other knee pinned the Captain's chest. The Captain tried fighting him off but O'Connor pressed his knee into his chest. O'Connor reached for the knife In his pocket. He put it against the Captain's throat. He slit it slightly and blood oozed onto the knife.General Marcos saw the chaos from near the cannon and rushed to the commotion. Einar was barely breathing, his face disfigured and his bleeding wounds cover in sand now coloured in his blood. O'Connor was an inch away from slitting his throat completely.
"That's enough O'Connor.", General Marcos said.
O'Connor withdrew his knife and got off Captain Einar. He stared at Captain Einar and spat on him.
"Weak.", he said.Einar was gasping for air and holding his neck.General Marcos held O'Connor by his back."The madmen of Vallath already have enough dead bodies.", the General said, "We don't need another.". O'Connor rounded up the rest of his squad and they all assembled near the cannon. General Marcos got up on the platform of the cannon. He looked down on hundreds of Vallath's soldiers."Well done men.", he said, "Today we came here with the mission to take Sarania in the the name of our Emperor and we did just that. Today marks a day of celebration as we have brought more people under our great nation."
The soldiers cheered and rejoiced.
"It was a hard fought battle and many lives were lost but they did not die in vein.", General Marcos paused and looked at the cannon. He held the contraption, "So let's us tear down these walls!"
Noon had struck and the weapon was fully charged. The soldier manning the cannon waited anxiously for the General's order and when the general shouted "Fire!", he pulled down the latch. A great blazing ball of fire was discharged from the weapon. When it made contact with the wall, chunks of bricks went flying through the air and most of it came crumbling down.Ash and smoke filled the day's blue sky and no one could see anything past the wall. When the smoke finally cleared and the ash settled, Sarania was in clear sight and the Vallath forces went charging in with their moon night dragon flag raised up high.
Her legs stiffened and her hands couldn't stop shaking. Her excuse of a bed banged against the hallow walls of the labyrinth and could be heard throughout the rest of the camp. Alora's roommate, Layla, woke up from to the sound of the loud ruckus."I swear if don't stop moving around, I'm going to fucking kill you.", she hopped out of the bottom bunk. "The sun isn't even up yet." She climbed the metal foot ladder and onto the top bunk. Alora entire body was shaking, her hazel eyes were open and locked onto the ceiling. "Shit.", she yanked Alora's blanket and tossed it on the ground. She held her arms and shook her. "Not again.", she tapped Alora's face. "Come on wake up!", Alora's eyes began to dilate, her body spasms worsened. "Zain!!!", she cried. Zain came in with his cane in hand. "What is?, What's happening?", he asked."It's Alora.", her eyes watered up, "I don't know what's happening." Layla got off the ladder and Zain hopped right on. He touched Alora's hand. It felt l
The day was brighter than most in the town of Stormica. The large windowless structure that was the Stormica Market was packed with a sea of customers and merchants. Azarian walked into the market and his ears were drowning in the sound of deals happening. He held his black dragon leather satchel and marched into the sea that of the market.He had heard stories from Nancy about the market. She would always describe it as a place where the imagination meets reality. It was mesmerizing sight, infant exotic dragons, culinary delicacies from the fairy Kingdom of The North Lands, Spell books of Mages and magical weapons that were crafted by famous blacksmiths. A pure marvel it was.Azarian wondered around the market looking for a merchant named Ryoko the collector, a name he had heard from a blacksmith not long ago. "The man who collects legends out of stories and become a legend himself.", the blacksmith said. He approached every merchant he could and not a single one knew the merchant
The rest of the squad sat for hours in Alora and Layla's room waiting for Thomas to return from his meeting with Zain. The three talked for hours about the days before the Vallath took over Sarania. "I just miss my mom you know.", Layla said, "I know it's been a few years but it's just such a fresh memory, worst day of my life." "Yeah.", Kai cracked open a bottle of the finest local brew and drank it. "I didn't know you drank.", Alora said. He looked her in the eyes and smiled. He continued to drown himself in the bottle. "It helps silence the voices.", he said, "My parents were never really around. They travelled alot from district to district. It was just me and my little brother Kalsi." "He died during the invasion.", his eyes teared up, " I could have saved him, I should have saved him but-", he fell silent and stared his bottle. "But the reason why I drink princess is because I hear him call me. Most nights and sometimes when I'm alone. He sounds so happy and other times he
"No Azarian this is too much." , Nancy said. "You took me in when I had no where to go.", Azarian said, "It's the least I can do." Azarian opened his satchel and removed the bundle of money. He put the money on the table. Nancy was worried and Azarian could tell by the way she looked at the table. "Where did you get the money from?", she asked. Malak woke up from his slumber and walked into the living room. "Mummy what's going on?", he rubbed his eyes and yawned. Nancy slid the money underneath the table. She got off her seat and rushed to Malak. She squatted to his height. "Nothing.", she held him in her arms, "Mummy is just talking to uncle Azai about stuff.", Nancy said, "Grown up stuff. Come on go back to sleep." "But I don't want to sleep.", Malak said, "I want to play.""It's night time you can't go pl-" "Sure we can go play.", Azarian said, "I will find you outside." The little boy rushed up to Azarian and hugged his legs. He then ran outside the door as quickly as hi
"Get up! Get up!", Alora said.He was gripping onto his thigh real bad. His hand was coated in his blood. The mysterious lady had struck him with a magical fire blast. He let go of the wound and the flame went right through barely missing the bone. It was bad, he couldn't stop bleeding. He held as much he could but he was losing too much blood way too fast. He tore off his sleeve and wrapped it around the wound. He let of the sleeve and it was quickly trenched in his blood"Just go.", he clinched onto the wound applying more pressure. "She coming there's no point in both of us dying." Alora stood there and a thousand thoughts were going through her mind. The carrier bag was in her arms and she tossed it on the ground. She opened the bag and it was full of letters. She rushed through them and stuffed a handful of them in her back pocket. She stuck her head at the edge of alley way and saw the mystery lady with a group of Enforcers. She was ordering them to look around the alley ways
They had been waiting in line for hours and they were finally next. The man who had the list of appointments had been calling out names from morning, his throat was dry and his lips were drier. "Complaint 66!", the man shouted. Azarian and Nancy stood up from their seats. They walked up to the man and they could see that man had a long day."The captain will see you now.", he said.They entered the captain's office. His office glamorous and filled with things he had collected over the years. Honour medals cased in glass, portraits of him and his comrades fifty years ago when the war effort resumed. He was younger then, he had a full head of black hair and had a charismatic charm in his eyes. The captain was seated at his desk signing some paperwork sent by the Imperial Office in the Capital. He didn't move when an inch when Nancy and Azarian walked into the room. Azarian and Nancy sat on the chairs that faced his desk. "Excuse me sir.", Nancy said. The Captain put down his pen a
"Oh good you are awake now.", The lady said. Alora couldn't move her body. She was laying on the cold hard prison floor. She tried to speak, her mouth didn't move. She grunted loudly trying to speak, her mouth couldn't utter the words."Palrugos.", the lady said, "An old paralysis spell used by mages during the war of ages." The lady smiled and paced around the small prison cell."I don't think we've properly met Princess.", she said, "I am Jade, daughter of Emperor Sebastien and hand to the Emperor. We've been monitoring your resistance movement for years now, every move you made we watched." Alora tried moving again. Her fingers twitched and she grunted even louder."The spell will wear off eventually. If I were you I wouldn't fight it.", She bent down and faced Alora. "I thought we killed every royal but here I am in the midst of the princess herself.", she said, "Never did I think that a royal was even in the resistance but again here I am surprised. Father is going to love th
"Come on my boy.", his father said, "It's the night." Azarian got out of bed, he grabbed his favourite warm winter coat on the rack. His father lit a lamp and they left the cottage. It was cold that night, like most nights during that winter. The snow fell underneath the sky full of stars and the glimmering moon. The cottage was in the middle of the forest away fifteen miles away from Sarania. The forest itself wasn't to pleasant, every night ever since he was born Azarian heard a rumbling growl. It scared him everytime. Azarian and his father walked into the forest. He heard the growling beast from the far distance. He was shaken and was on heels. His father looked down on him and saw the terror written all over his face. "Give me your hand.", he said. Azarian reached out his hand and his father placed it in his. His hand was small and soft, not a wound on it, it was innocent. "Where are we going papa?", Azarian asked underneath his breathe."I haven't been honest with you.", h