This was supposed to be done this time last month... oh well. Guess I'm just lazy.
As it stands, this is a short story, which I've recently become interested in writing. Not short in that it's short, short in that it doesn't have multiple chapters. And it's the only story I've ever finished... :sweatdrop:
Anyways, point out silly mistakes like a name confusion or an 'and' where an 'as' should be. Without further stalling for time...
The End of an Age
The sun set the evening sky ablaze as Artemis looked upon it. He stood atop a large mountain, before the massive mouth of a cavern. Aged he was, with a fine gray beard with long hair to match it, and his features had sunken with time. "I fear there is a dark wind blowing, Fellion." He spoke in a soft tone, to seemingly nothing.
At his words a massive dragon, shining emerald, thrust its head from shadows. Its large jade eyes looked out at the sunset. "Perhaps. I sense it as well, friend." The beast's voice was low and almost frightening.
Artemis reached out and touched the creature's colossal head. "We should warn the knights."
"I shall do it." Fellion replied, hauling his body out of the cave, proving how much of a giant he was. "I will return before dawn. Farewell, Artemis."
"Farewell, Fellion." Artemis waved a shriveled hand as the dragon departed. He turned his frigid gaze back to the sun. "May I be proved wrong." He prayed.
"Kumoryu, Mikusa, Ameryu, Yashima, Taketoshi! Elemental Knights, I seek your aid!" Fellion cried out his plea as he reached the Knight's Hold, which was secluded in the Relsia Mountains of Aludra.
"Ho, dragon!" Replied a tall man dressed in black and red armor. "It is I, Ameryu! What it is you need from the Knight of Fire?"
Fellion rested himself atop the stronghold, nodding friendlily towards Ameryu. "I bear bad tidings, I'm afraid."
“I see. Arch-Mage Artemis has a new quest for us?” His hair was a flaming red, with darkened blue eyes, his face noble.
“More than a quest, Knight of the Flame. Artemis senses a dark wind. The Saiph army may be gathering strength.”
“Ah, the foul beasts. Smellier than a hog, they are. I shall rally the knights at once! Please, fetch Artemis!” Ameryu left quickly to the inner reaches of the hold to alert his fellows.
Fellion nodded slowly and took flight, returning to Nasakan Peak. The ground beneath him faded as, after hours of flight, he reached the mountain top.
“Ah, Fellion. And just before dawn, I see. What news have you?” Artemis greeted him warmly. Fellion merely shook his head.
“The Knights are preparing, but ask for your presence, my friend. Are you well?”
“Of course.” He managed a small chuckle. “These old bones are still able.” Artemis raised his gray-blue robes up slightly and climbed upon Fellion’s back, clutching onto one of the spikes. “Off we go, then.”
Meanwhile, the Knights sat at their table, speaking of battle strategies. Kumoryu, Knight of Earth, spoke intently upon the strength of a wall and the advantages of scattered scouts. His short dark brown hair matched his deep eyes, which were nearly black. His armor highly resembled that of Ameryu, only with tan and gray colors to match his element. He, like the other knights, carried righteous blood and appearance. “I say we have three different divisions. One on the front lines, one in the air, and one scattered throughout the brush.”
“I’d say that sounds fine, but do you believe the dragons would aid us?” Ameryu spoke up. “I don’t believe that other than the Sage’s dragon, I’ve seen a sociable one.”
A knight with long hair black as pitch and eyes that matched it put a piece of parchment upon the table. It was Yashima, the Knight of Darkness. He wore armor that was black and blue. His face was more sunken than the others, giving him a dark appearance he deserved.
“I have reason to believe that Fellion shall negotiate for us. Now, how will we use this airborne army? We are accustomed to fighting upon the ground, and that’s where I intend to stay.” The words escaped his mouth like they were liquid.
Mikusa, Knight of Air, shuddered. Yashima scared the youngest of the knights. His armor was white and purple, embellished with intricate patterns, and his hair was rough and white. “Celeano could’ve led them. Why’d he have to die...?”
“Let us only speak of our fallen comrade like a hero, Mikusa. He died honorably, and we honor the Knight of Ice’s name! Hail Celeano!” Kumoryu stood, raising a fist.
“Hail!” The Knights called back.
“Now, back to business...” Taketoshi said with a smile. His long silver hair glinted in the soft light of the crimson-walled room, and his smoky gray eyes focused upon the parchment. He, like the other knights, wore the color of his element, a soft white. “Here.” He said, drawing on the parchment with a quill. “We will have our army meet the Saiph here, while—”
“Ho!” Artemis called out heartily. “You requested my presence?”
“Yes, Master Sage! Please, sit down.” Kumoryu offered him a seat. “We were just drawing up our plans to meet the Saiph army.”
Artemis looked at him skeptically. “The Saiph will be a deadly foe, let us hope it is not them.”
Fellion’s voice suddenly boomed from outside. “It is as we fear; I saw them as I returned.”
This drew a pleasant look across Kumoryu’s face. He went over to a corner at the wall, where a small crystal ball sat. A smoke haze drifted around inside the polished glass. He drew upon an ancient language and saw before him indeed the Saiph forces, gathering into an army.
The Saiph were strange creatures. They looked like large wolves that had been crossed with trolls, standing tall with shaggy fur. On most, large ivory horns grew forward from their foreheads, and trailed beside their muzzles filled with razor-sharp teeth. (It was in a battle with their chieftain that Celeano was slain by a massive attack by an unidentified militia.) They stood roughly six to seven feet tall and, as Ameryu had put it, smelled worse than hogs, with red eyes that glowed demonically.
As Kumoryu examined it, a large black shadow rose up over the army and the form of some foul demon that Mikusa swore he’d seen before. Standing a mile high, with wicked horns that grew from the sides of its head, it was a ghastly apparition, nothing more than a silhouette.
Taketoshi strolled over for a look, but a silent stare of horror overtook his normally calm face. “That’s....” He mumbled.
“That’s them.” Mikusa said, as now everyone crowded around the crystal. “That has the shape of the creatures that killed Celeano.”
Yashima did not let his fury show through, although his insides screamed at him to slay the beast. “I’ve been meaning to take vengeance on the creatures that slew our friend.” He reached for his helm, but Kumoryu caught his arm.
“We’re not rushing. That’s how we lost him.”
“You’re right. Thank you Kumoryu.” Yashima nodded, one of his rare smiles crossing his face.
“So then, shall we?” Artemis said solemnly.
For the next several hours, they planned out a strategy. Kumoryu would lead one ground division head on, while Mikusa would lead a stealth division armed with cloaking magic. Ameryu would lead the wyvern riders. Taketoshi and Yashima would lead divisions on either side of the enemy, and Artemis led his legion of spell casters.
The Saiph were no creatures to be dealt with lightly, especially when these new shadow creatures aided them. They were resistant to blade and spell, and fire aided the knights greatly in their last battle. They had much strength, but were very slow. But that didn’t matter in the thick of battle; their hides could take damage up to thirty times what a normal armor-clad human could.
Outside, preparations were being made. The knights rallied the soldiers and armed them with swords and bows.
“Kumoryu,” Artemis said, “Why doesn’t Mikusa lead the airborne troops? He is the Knight of Air, is he not?”
Kumoryu merely grinned. “Oddly, the lad is afraid of heights. Besides, Master Sage, I’ve something special planned for him.”
“I see. Well played, Knight.” Artemis smiled weakly and departed.
Kumoryu wondered the fields beneath the mountains aimlessly, gazing at their beauty. The endless sea of grass waved in the wind, and the sun shone brightly upon the scene. His eye soon caught Fellion lying out lazily in the sunbeams. “Well met, Fellion!” Kumoryu called out.
“Well met indeed, Knight of the Earth.” Fellion replied.
Kumoryu bowed hastily. “I need a favor of you, friend. Could you call the dragons to our aid? We need the dragons to assist us, for the wyverns won’t be enough this time.”
“Consider it done, fair Knight.” He rose to his full height, beat his immense wings, and took flight.
The ground rushed by him quickly as he flew to Mt. Pulcherrima, where the leaders of each dragon tribe rested. A strange movement caught his eye, and he ceased his flight, hovering in midair. Nervously, he looked around with those massive jade orbs. Something shot from behind a mountain, knocking him senseless.
“What manner of sorcery...?” He mumbled as he righted himself. A dark wyvern revealed itself, sneering at him. “Aha, this manner of sorcery.”
The dark wyvern only snarled at him, angry with the dragon. Dark creatures were created when the peaceful being became possessed by an evil spirit. This one was no exception, as it charged Fellion again.
Fellion swatted him off with a bat of his wing, and it plummeted towards the ground. He soared at full speed, not wanting to tangle with the wyvern any longer.
He landed on the mountain’s summit and dove into the mouth of a cave near the peak. For what seemed like ages, he plummeted down the dark shaft at blazing speed. The ground rushed up to meet him eventually, as he pulled out of his dive.
“Well met, Fellion!” The voice emitted from somewhere to Fellion’s right, and he turned his neck.
“Well met indeed, Swordsman of the Midnight Sky.”
“Please, just Zeke, friend.” Zeke had semi-long brown hair that hung over his ears and onto his forehead, and he wore midnight blue armor. “What brings you here?” His smoky gray eyes stared up at the dragon as he wore a friendly smile.
“Business. Saiph, I’m afraid.”
“Aha. I’m sure the others will help you, and I’ll aid you as I can.”
“Most appreciated,” Fellion bared his teeth in what Zeke had learned was a smile.
Sitting patiently in the center of the cavern were the leaders of each of the dragon tribes, Muscida of Gold, Alcor of Ruby, Sheliak of Emerald, Naos of Sapphire, Gacrux of Onyx, Antares of Diamond, Mintaka of Silver, and Atria of Amethyst. Each dragon was very old, and looked the part.
“Now, Fellion,” Naos said. “You say the Saiph are gathering strength again?”
“Aye, m’lady. And they have allies. Not to sound childish, but tall, frightening ones.” He said, coming before them.
Alcor eyed him suspiciously, as if to see if he was lying. “Surely you jest...”
“No, m’lord, I tell the truth. The Elemental Knights ask your aid in the coming battle.” The dragons then murmured amongst themselves for several moments before Muscida turned towards Fellion.
“All tribes will send their aid to the final heroes of the land.” He said. “Dismissed.”
“Wonderful.” Zeke chuckled. “I’ll tell Rellia, Raedon, and Nashira.” The swordsman departed into the darkness, moving oddly silent in that armor of his.
“And one more thing... I fear there may be dark wyverns, perhaps even dark dragons aiding the Saiph.” Fellion said.
Gacrux spoke up. “And are you certain?”
“No, I merely have a great feeling. I was attacked by a dark wyvern as I approached.”
Muscida bowed his head. “Then we shall prepare accordingly. Is there anything else?” Fellion shook his head, and was allowed to leave. He took to the skies immediately to tell the knights the good news.
The sun was sinking as Fellion returned. He landed heavily in the fields beneath the castle, as the ominous wind grew even stronger.
“Fellion, do you bring us good news?” Taketoshi was waiting for him, looking up at him with friendly eyes.
“The dragons will aid you.”
“Wonderful! I’ll tell the Knights, you need your rest.”
“Very well, Knight of Light...”
For a short while, Fellion lay down in the field only staring up at the darkened sky. A certain shift in the wind caught his attention, and he turned to look behind him. “Well met, Zeke.”
Zeke rode down in the sky on a carrier dragon, which was smaller than usual for travel purposes. Another carrier dragon flew beside him, while a silver dragon not much larger than Fellion himself flew behind them.
“Am I late? Did we win already?” Zeke said as he dismounted Rellia.
“Hardly.”
“Can never lighten the mood, eh?” He chuckled slightly.
“Well met, Fellion.” A smooth female voice came from the sapphire dragon.
“Well met, Rellia, Raedon, and Nashira.” Fellion greeted them. The black carrier, Nashira, bowed.
“Well met indeed!” Raedon said. “I haven’t seen you since we were nestlings! Hello, friend, hello!”
“It’s good to see you too, Raedon. We can catch up later. The Saiph and their allies are drawing closer and closer. The battle may take place in these very fields at dawn.”
Just at that time, Artemis had been traveling down through the foothills. “Fellion, we need our rest for the battle ahead. Zeke, you may come with me. We have a guest room prepared for you.”
“Thank you, Arch-Mage.” Zeke replied, and followed Artemis back to the hold.
“Artemis is right.” Rellia said as they departed. “Why don’t we get some sleep?” The rest of the group murmured their consent, so they retreated for the mountains to slumber.
Late that night, Kumoryu stood and stared out the window, unable to sleep. “Can we win this...?” He said to himself. A dark shadow formed in the outside moonlight. Kumoryu stared at it intently, unsure just what it was. He then saw what looked like an ocean of gray. “The Saiph... the bastards, they attack under cover of night.”
He raced through the castle, banging on every door he could. “To arms! To arms!” He yelled. He prayed to the earth to make his voice resound of the rock, to reach everyone’s ears. “The Saiph are attacking! Prepare! To arms!”
In mere seconds, his fellow knights joined him, calling out their warning. Only ten minutes after he had first seen the attacking army, their own was nearly prepared to counterattack.
“Devils.” Zeke growled. “Attacking in the middle of the night.”
“It can’t be helped. Zeke, go meet the dragons atop the hold. Hopefully the dragon leaders will sense our plight.” Ameryu said. Zeke muttered his approval and left for the roof of the hold.
As he reached the top, Zeke was greeted by a massive cloud of dragons, shimmering in the moonlight. “Rellia, how does it look?”
“Not good, Zeke. They have dark wyverns, just as was said. And a few dark dragons... The odds are against us.” She replied, her head hanging low. “So this is how it ends...”
“Rellia!” Nashira cried. His voice was that of a young man, not that different from Zeke’s. “Don’t even think like that.”
“He’s right.” Raedon said. “We’ll do our best, but if we think we’ll lose, then we’ll lose.”
“Thank you...” She said. Zeke gave Rellia a reassuring hug, and mounted her.
“As the final dragon rider, I shall stand tall.” He said, and he became an entirely different person.
“You have our aid.” Nashira said, then took to the sky.
“May you fight well, Dragon Rider. Lead us and the wyvern riders boldly.” Fellion said, following Nashira.
As it turned out, the Saiph moved very slowly, and the sun was just peeking over the horizon as the two forces met. With a slight change in plans, Zeke was leading the airborne forces, and what a force they were! The dragons clashed in the air, diving and swooping, breathing flames, doing their best to repel their dark counterparts. Zeke’s long blade was drawn, and he sliced with the skill of an entire life dedicated to the sword.
Kumoryu and Ameryu led the head on attack, meeting the beasts with flame, rock, and blade.
Mikusa had refused to cloak himself and his squad, so now he led the archers. This turned out for the better, for he could manipulate the wind for maximum accuracy. Kumoryu would’ve thanked him greatly had he seen him during the battle, for the arrows had saved him more than once.
Taketoshi and Yashima lead their flanking divisions well, and soon they had their enemy almost surrounded.
As soon as the sun rose high enough, Zeke looked down to see how many bodies had fallen. They weren’t doing well. The Saiph had them outnumbered, and their leader and strange allies hadn’t even shown up yet. Already several bodies littered the ground, some Saiph, some human. He tried to keep his attention on the fight. It would be a long one.
“Zeke, cannot one of the older dragons spew flame and incinerate the Saiph?” Rellia asked, narrowly dodging a lashing tail from a dark wyvern.
“Not unless we want to burn our own men. Besides, that would only slow them, not stop them. No, we wait for the signal, and then all the dragons will breathe fire onto that hell down there.”
Kumoryu and Ameryu stood close together in the thick of the battle, tearing at the mountain of ugly beasts before them. Kumoryu raised a mound of earth under a group of Saiph, and Ameryu finished them with a searing attack from his flaming sword.
“This is getting hopeless, Kumoryu! We need some sort of help, we’re not faring well!” Ameryu cried out as another five Saiph took the place of the ones they had just defeated.
“Just wait. Taketoshi and Yashima will meet and then we’ll have our advantage.”
Taketoshi was very thankful that Artemis’s legion of sorcerers had made its way to the rear of the army. The spells were extremely helpful, for even though they did not stop the beasts, they came in sheer numbers and caused the enemy to drop its guard. Soon, he had eliminated half of the army’s tail, when he met with Yashima, who had just finished the killing of a particularly large Saiph. With silent consent, they put their hands together and a small explosion of black and white erupted.
“That’s the signal!” Mikusa said, as he fired an arrow high into the air. Zeke caught the arrow as it flew straight to him.
“Here it is. Dragons, prepare to fire upon the army!!!” He cried out.
Mikusa, Taketoshi, and Kumoryu prayed to the earth, sky and sun to let their message be heard. “Get down!” They roared, and every single man on the battlefield obeyed.
The dragons and wyverns soon let loose their fiery wrath upon the war zone, burning every standing ally. Many men were taken in the flame, but the dragons did not relent. Soon, they could breathe fire no longer, and retreated to the skies.
“Our numbers are cut in half, Rellia...” Zeke sighed. During that act, many dragons had fallen into the flame, attacked by the opposing forces.
“It was for the greater good, Zeke.” Rellia said, even though she too was remorseful.
“I know...” The rider said, heaving another sigh. “Are Raedon, Fellion, and Nashira okay?”
Rellia’s eyes scanned through what was left of the air division. “I believe so. They are together.”
“That’s good.” Two wyverns swooped at him, and he swung his blade mightily, slicing the beasts open.
The battle raged on for a countless number of hours, but the enemy forces refused to let up. Zeke cast a downward glance, and did not particularly like what he saw.
“Rellia, they need us on the ground about now. Are you ready?” Zeke asked.
“Of course.” She chuckled.
Zeke landed behind a small bunker, finding the Knights all huddled behind it. “We’ve lost all our men.” Taketoshi said sadly.
“But the Saiph are weakened.” The rider replied.
“We’ll need more troops. How many dragons can spare to land?” Kumoryu said, his face dirty with blood and dust.
“Only a few. I’ll see if I can get the biggest gold dragon to aid us. Nashira, Raedon, and Fellion will aid us for sure.” Rellia said. Zeke dismounted and she flew back into the cloud of flame and blood.
“How are the standings?” Zeke asked, as he sat down next to Yashima.
“Not well, Zeke.” Ameryu replied. “They’re weakened, but their reinforcements are on their way. We don’t even know where Artemis is.”
“Oho?” It was Artemis. He walked calmly to them from their right side.
“Master Sage! How fares the battle?”
“Not well, I’m afraid. We’ve only a few spell casters left, and they’re protecting your final handful of men.”
“Then let’s get out there.” Zeke said. He stood, seeming to emit courage. To any regular man, he would’ve seemed a god at that one moment. He raised his sword high as a small pack of dragons landed, Rellia among them. “Today we fight not just to defend ourselves, but for the fate of the continent! To arms, men!”
Kumoryu stood, chest swelling with pride. “We fight to end! Hail Aludra!”
“Hail!” Their small squad called out, and charged the enemy.
Indeed, those shadow creatures had appeared now, as their leader hung in the darkness of the line of mountains on the other side of the plain.
Taketoshi and Mikusa had each other’s backs, one not straying from the other. Kumoryu and Ameryu stood together, as did Zeke and Yashima. Artemis watched from a distance, aiding with spells as best he could.
Zeke struck beast after beast, and they strangely dissipated into smoke as he dealt a fatal blow. They had vast numbers at this point, while seven lone warriors stood amongst countless bodies. They did not need to worry about the Saiph at this point. The dark creatures—spirits, Zeke presumed—were eating them, as if they had no alliance. They were killing machines.
“Kumoryu,” Ameryu said, after striking down a spirit. “There’s too many. We can never win...”
“Never say never!” Kumoryu snapped back, furiously attacking.
Zeke was moving with liquid grace and lightning speed. Yashima matched him, absolutely furious with the creatures for taking the life of his partner. His armor was torn, his face bloody, and his limbs ached. But he would not be outdone by the dragon boy... not when he had so much more to fight for. The dragons! The dragons were almost helpless against this enemy. Too agile, the damned things were. This was a losing fight, but for some reason, Yashima took pride in fighting beside the dragon rider. He could almost call him friend, even if he rarely saw him out of the dragon’s cavern. But he had no time! The battle still raged!
Artemis looked upon the scene helplessly. There was nothing more he could do... “Wait...!” Artemis said with surprise. He prayed. He prayed to the divine light, to the mysterious dark, to the flames of creation, to the ice of purity, to the singing earth, and to the dancing air. He prayed to life itself to grant him the strength for one final blow.
Artemis began to glow with a strange light that had no true color. Lifting his staff, he cried out a final plea for strength. The glow transferred from him to his staff, and he threw it with all of his might.
It landed in the midst of the battle and exploded. It burst in a wondrous array of light, and drew up a cloud of smoke. When it cleared, the heroes and dragons still stood. What few dragons were left landed, and stared evil in the face.
Their leader stood menacingly over them, long wicked arms reaching down. They rolled and ran to either side, and the horrible creature narrowly missed them.
“It’s resistant to any element; otherwise it would be dead...” Artemis said. “I’m sorry, all my energy is tapped.”
“It’s okay, Master Sage. We’ll find a way.” Zeke said. He commanded Raedon, Fellion, and Nashira to leave. Rellia entirely refused to budge.
“Thunder.” Kumoryu proposed.
“Preposterous. Thunder energy has never been harnessed before. Any air elemental who tried is dead.” Yashima growled. Did he want Mikusa to get killed as well?
“Not if we provide enough energy for him to survive the effects.” Yashima saw a smirk on Kumoryu’s face.
“You’re toying with the boy’s life!” He growled. “I’ll not have it!”
“I’ll do it.” Mikusa’s voice knocked them senseless.
Artemis looked on with unbelieving eyes. “Are you sure, lad?”
“Quite,” was Mikusa’s reply. “Please, lend me your energy.”
Each knight placed a hand on his shoulder, and his eyes closed. Mikusa then seemed to radiate with a certain energy, tapping into the storm clouds above them.
But the shadow’s leader saw it coming. He lunged with a daring strike of a gargantuan arm. No sooner than the Knights noticed it did it stop.
Artemis had thrown himself in front of Mikusa to shield him. As the talon retracted, the sage fell to the ground, crimson blood flowing from the terrible wound.
“You’ll be remembered, Arch-Mage...” whispered Taketoshi.
“Mikusa.... use the anger! Use the sorrow!” Kumoryu said, tightening his grip.
“Okay...” Mikusa whispered. “Fiend! Vile demon! Go back whence you came!” He then roared, throwing his hand forward.
Lightning energy cackled around his fingertips as the clouds themselves seemed to share his rage. A powerful burst of energy flew forth his palms, almost knocking the team over. The attack was enormous, sparking blue energy that seemed to drain the very light from the air raged towards the shadow.
But the fiend would not surrender. He shot a blast of dark energy to meet the beam, and they halted in midair.
Time seemed to stand still.... Mikusa started to panic, but knew he had to concentrate. Almost sensing it, Ameryu spoke. “Come on. Give it all that you’ve got. Release it all.”
“He’s right.” Yashima said. “It’s do or die.”
Mikusa nodded, and let loose a furious roar, intensifying the assault.
But the dark creature strengthened his attack even more, and still the blasts held still.
Mikusa ran everything through his head, the thunder energy growing stronger with each thought. Kumoryu’s trust... Artemis’ sacrifice... the soldiers and dragons that had died...
“I shall lend you my energy as well, little one.” The air knight recognized the voice as Rellia’s. He felt much stronger! This was the power of a dragon! How he envied Zeke! But no, he had to keep his head on the battle!
The shadow leader was toying with him. He was matching every ounce of power that Mikusa had, and not even straining to do so.
“Mikusa...” The voice was new, yet old... Mikusa knew the voice from somewhere... And then the ghastly figure of Celeano appeared before him. “Stronger, Mikusa, you must become stronger. Remember my death, Mikusa? Have you no hatred for this creature? Avenge my death, slay the beast!”
“I will!” Mikusa cried out. Zeke blinked. If he wasn’t so tired from the lack of energy, he’d be confused. Who was he talking to...?
And then it happened. With a final roar of anger, a surge of energy shot through the column of lightning, tore through the enemy’s beam, and struck the creature, exploding on contact.
The explosion was enormous. The light erupted all around the battlefield, and far into the mountains. It spread across the plains, across the desert, and along every river.
Very few survived that blast. But they had survived, and banded together to rebuild what had been destroyed.
But nothing could ever rebuild what they had lost. The last magicians of Aludra had been wiped out. The dragons no longer roamed the skies. The Elemental Knights, Aludra’s last protectors, were dead. The end of an age had come, and old ways would soon be forgotten....
The End
Responses very much appreciated....
