Chapter Eighty

The city opened up into bustling streets. A bunch of folk just going about their day scattered in terror as the beast took each step separately, taking each slowly. Getting through the center of Belodia was far easier than Gregron had expected. He had thought they would try to stop them immediately when leaving the palace, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Though there were soldiers and mages that came in to attempt to stop the shadowy beast from making his way through the city, there was no wall of soldiers nor the other council members here to really put up a fight. It was like they were testing the best way to hurt the beast, but keeping their distance. Enough to have him growling in their direction, but not enough to take him off course.

The folk of Belodia didn’t wait around to learn more, the streets were cleared after they saw a monster walking through their streets. The warriors and Gregron whispered between themselves concerned with what the army was waiting for. Though Gareth was the one who brought up the point; they didn’t want to destroy their city. They weren’t an overtly rich country to begin with, and Claven had been working to build up the city to the best of his ability. It would be a pity for the folk living here if they destroyed all that. They were being allowed to go through the city. The thing that worried Gregron most about this set up was that they knew where they wanted to fight and were preparing to take them down even now. It’s what he would do.

The further from the palace they got, the more the warriors worried. The folk further out were much rougher. They didn’t run like the others, their eyes watched eagerly from alleyways. If Avaline didn’t have them covered with the glamour, they would have been eaten alive by those men. It wasn’t until they reached the outskirts of the city, where the poorer populous lived in the tents spread out over the rolling sand dunes.

Not far from the city, they were met by a wall of soldiers. Damion dove headfirst into the fray, tearing the soldiers limb from limb. They attacked him only at first, but as the soldiers started to try to surround him, they were able to successfully block him away from the escapees. Cala’s shield trembled around them. The warriors, brandishing their weapons, leapt into the battle, Avaline’s glamour fell away from them as they fought. Though many of those fighting had realized that there was a shield in the middle of the battle. Cala and Avaline both shook in desperation, trying to make sure to keep their magic up and working as other mages attacked their small bubble of protection.

Just when Cala called out, that the shield was going to fall, the beast came storming through. His blood smearing on the invisible shield surrounding them. Circling, he made a small birth between the attackers and the rescue crew, somehow perfectly aimed to not touch any of those who were fighting on their side. Avaline cried out, “I’m going to drop the glamour, they know we’re here. I need to help fight!” She screamed and Cala only grunted in reply, watching his wife leave the circle of protection he held.

A murmur went up through the battlefield. It was shocking to suddenly see naked women appear in the middle of a battle filled street. Though they were able to hold their own for now against the others, they were stopped here in the center of the streets. Avaline was trying her damndest to make a path with her magic that could keep them moving, even if slowly, but they were being cut down too quickly and she wasn’t able to actually get anywhere. Roars resounded as two massive shadows swooped down out of the sky.

Avaline dove down into the shield, “Dragons!” She cried. “This can’t get any worse.”

Screams erupted around them as the dragons spewed flames all over the battlefield, burning their enemies. Folk ran around, catching others on fire. Arrows and magic were now aimed away from them as a wall of fire block the road they had come from and blocked their enemies advances from the side. The beast that had helped them get this far seemed to turn and watch the dragons for a moment before continuing his killing spree. The women around Gregron whimpered in fear, huddling closer to him. “I think if they were after us, they would have targeted us from the beginning. Look, their flames are purposefully avoiding the street we’re on. And they are backing up Damion.”

“Maybe that’s not Damion at all!” Avaline cried, her eyes wild with fear. “What if he’s just another dragon, looking to get us out of here to keep us as a meal of their own?” She wrapped her arms around her chest, her eyes following the flight of the dragons.

“Why would they target us for a meal when there are a hundred other folk here they could eat?” Gregron snapped. Still angry that she had hurt Damion, possibly even sentenced him to death with that damn charm.

“Maybe they want something else from us? Dragons haven’t been seen for a hundred years, and they just show up, today, to save us? Do you know a dragon or something? You on friendly terms with them?” Her cheeks turned bright red, but Gregron only glared at her.

“Either we use this as potential to get out of here and just accept it, or I send you back to that mad man. Which would you have me do?” Gregron called, standing as a path opened up before them. “Come, lets move while we still can.” He knew it was dangerous, but not taking the opportunity presented at this time would only guarantee their deaths. Between the black beast fighting with them, and the dragons added fire power, they were clearing a path. A wall of fire on either side of them and behind them kept those trying to attack them from getting too close.

The roars of the beasts and the screams of the dying sent shivers down all their spines. Garthe, Charbet, and Chirbon came back, still wielding their weapons, flanking them. Cala held the shield to prevent flying arrows from hitting, but it wasn’t as overwhelming now that bodies weren’t being flung at the shield trying to break through. Though they couldn’t see what was happening with their black monster protector anymore. And it left Gregron worried he would be further harmed.

A howling roar sounded through the city, sending goosebumps over Gregron’s arms and nape of his neck. At the same time, the ground beneath them trembled, opening up into a crevice that would be difficult for them to get over. Swearing under his breath, he tried to see out past the fire walls surrounding them but couldn’t tell what was going on.

“That’s my father’s magic! Watch the ground!” Avaline called out, flittering higher for a better view. As vines started to protrude, those with weapons attacked back, trying to keep the vines from being able to hurt anyone. Though they were trying to fight them off, the vines were coming in faster than they could keep them back. Soon, the vines were wrapping around the women they were trying to rescue. Their screams caught the attention of the black beast. As he came bounding through the fire wall. This only made the women panic more, even though he was clearly trying to help them get out of the city.

The beast went to where the vines were growing from the ground ripping them out by the roots. As he did this, the dragons were attacking anyone who looked like they were going to try to make it through their hellfire walls. As an ice mage came to the front to try to pull the walls down, the smaller red dragon dove for him, and one of the maids with them fainted as his leg landed with a thud in the sand in front of her. Chirbon, cursed throwing the woman over his shoulder as he watched the bluish-purple dragon extend the fire wall on each side.

“Let’s move!” Gareth yelled, pressing ahead. Though there were soldiers who weren’t cleared out of their way, Cherbet and Gareth were enough to protect them. The fugitives froze as the ground trembled, breaking apart before them into a wide crevice. The black beast was out of the fire wall quickly, going back on the attack. “What the hell are we supposed to do now?” Though his sword was still at the ready, but there was no one to fight. The heat from the protecting fire simmered and he wiped his brow with his sleeve.

Avaline put her hand on Cala’s shoulder. They were far enough away that the other’s could only see the seriousness in their faces as they spoke quietly. Though Cala kept up his shield, he frowned, nodding and Avaline flittered over to the group. “Chirbon, you and your daughter have nihility magic, right?” She cocked her head to the side, looking at him expectantly.

Nodding, Chirbon agreed. “Yes.”

“Can you use it as a type of shield to protect against arrows and magic if they start to fly?” Avaline asked. She quickly continued as the Chirobi’s eyes narrowed at her. “If Cala can drop the shield, I think we can converge our magic together to create a bridge that will hold long enough for us to get over that. Once we do, we’ll be at the home stretch and nearly to the tower.” Avaline pointed to where the tents were thinning, and the dunes rolled. Even from here, they could see the tower spire stretching toward Kumaris. “We’re so close, I can taste it.”

“Nihility is hard. We won’t have a lot of time. Can you work quickly?” Chirbon’s voice was thick, and he was clearly tired.

“We’ll have to. We need to move as quickly as possible. Cala isn’t going to be able to keep up this pace much longer.” The dragons above roared, veering toward the tower and Avaline’s heart dropped. She was pretty sure she needed them for this to work. “No! Where are they going?” Her head turned, watching as they flew away.

“They’re bringing another to help.” Chirbon answered. Everyone looked at him suspiciously, but no one brought up the question that was on all their minds. How could he possibly know? Instead, Cala dropped the shield and Chirbon and Cherbet raise their arms and magic to block out any attack they could. Though they would not be as well served even together as Cala’s shield.

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