Empire of Blood, page 10
part #2 of Armageddon Series
She never ate so much food, but despite feeling miserably full, she could not deny that it was a delicious banquet. Looking around, she saw that the other officers, including General Araneus, had quickly forgotten their formalities during their meal. From the looks on their faces, they had indulged themselves a bit too much from the alcohol.
As more people finished eating, they began chatting with one another once more.
Two of the officers from the Force that she recognized as Gromm and Beck came over to talk. They were the two who rescued her and Thor from the Lich months ago.
“Oi! There you are!” Gromm called out to her.
“We’ve heard all about your success! Welcome to the Force!” Beck exclaimed with a huge grin.
“Uh… Thor and I have been in the Force for a couple months now,” she said nervously. The two brothers exchanged glances with one another and attempted to speak, but it seemed as though they were too troubled to continue. “What’s wrong?”
“Err… nothing!” Beck said.
Silver sauntered over and casually placed a hand on Selena’s shoulder.
“Captain Altessa!” they exclaimed and bowed their heads low.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you two around. Tell me, how has Captain Bel been?” he asked, his eyes glaring between the two. At that moment, both Gromm and Beck shook in their spots. Selena’s eyes widened when she realized what Silver meant.
“He took you two in for questioning, didn’t he?” she asked.
Beck immediately fell to his knees and held his hands together as if he were about to pray. “Please! Forgive me! Forgive us! He… you don’t know what he was like!”
Gromm looked off to the side with a look of shame. “He was threatening to kill our dragon. He already knew but needed us to confess.”
It took her a while to find the right words to say.
“I understand,” she said. “I would never ask for you to choose if it meant saving your partner. I’m not mad at either of you. It’s already been addressed, and luckily everything worked out for the better.”
The two of them looked at her in complete shock. Silver, on the other hand, gazed upon her in admiration.
The ground suddenly started to shake beneath their feet. The lights in the chandelier flickered off and on. A loud crash roared from outside the city’s walls.
“What’s happening?” Selena exclaimed.
The temple was in disarray and panic.
“Soldiers! To your dragons now! Civilians through here!” General Araneus commanded as he opened a hidden entrance to the secret bunkers near the prison cells. “This is not a drill! Move your sorry asses!”
Where are you? I see what looks like a flight of dragons near the edge of the city!
Selena and Silver exchanged glances and followed their brothers in arms to the city square to see their dragons were already heading in their direction.
Thor landed near her with his suit of armor and saddle ready to go.
“I’m not going to be separated from you! I’m coming with!” Silver yelled.
As they mounted up, the rogue dragons already made their way within the city limits.
There were hundreds of them but they looked different. Their faces and snouts were distorted and twisted looking behind a blank, white bone mask, except for the holes for the eyes. Their hides were as black as the void, with long claws the size of two long swords combined. They had three different wings that appeared to be like metallic razor blades about twice the length of their long and thick slimy bodies.
What are those things? They’re unlike any dragon I’ve ever seen!
They reek of black magic! Whatever they are, they’re unholy and unnatural abominations!
The creatures begun to lay waste to the city; they spewed out large fireballs and destroying all in their path. All of the residents were running towards the safety of the temple. Some of the beasts dropped to the ground and used their claws to skewer through those who tried to escape before being ripped apart and devoured like a snack.
Where is Rahim? I need to make sure he’s safe!
Thor whipped his head around to the sound of his voice coming from in the other direction.
There! I see him!
Selena looked up at the grotesque scene above. The dark creatures were much larger than their own dragons. The other soldiers attempted their best to fight off the invasion, but to her horror, some were easily fought off and eaten.
Silver reached out and grabbed her arm as Thor took to the sky. “We need to get out of here while we still can! We can’t stay here and fight them!”
Selena shook her head. “I need to find Rahim! We’re not going to leave him behind!” From the corner of her eye, she saw that Rahim was almost to the temple until one of the demonic looking dragons landed in front of him. “Rahim! No!”
It reached out with its claws and struck at him, but their blades stopped right in front of his face. Azrael moved with lightning speed and stopped its attack with his sword.
“Get out of here! I’ll hold it off!” he yelled.
Rahim, who was still frozen in fear, nodded and quickly darted past it and reached Selena.
“There you are!” he cried as Selena and Silver helped him board Thor’s saddle. “Where is Niamh? I was heading to your feast with her a few minutes ago before the attack! We need to go back and find her!” Just before Thor got up high enough, two of the evil dragons appeared in front of them. “Watch out!” Rahim cowered in the corner.
Thor reared his head back and exhaled a terrifying fire breath that singed parts of their mask, but with no damage anywhere else. However, they backed away to recover while they darted past.
“We can only attack their faces.” Silver observed.
Selena pleaded: “Can you help some of the other soldiers and pass along this information? We may still have a fighting chance.”
Silver looked at her with a fearful glance, but nodded. “When everything is safe, please meet me back at the temple!” he shouted through gritted teeth. He jumped into the air and transformed into a white and blue dragon to help the others below.
“What is that all about? He’s more clingy than usual!” Rahim observed. Selena ignored him and scouted around to try to find Niamh.
I see Niamh! She’s in trouble!
Thor attempted to get to her, but another dragon blocked their path. Selena and Rahim saw Azrael swiftly running towards the beast, wielding a sword in one hand and a pistol in the other. He scored a hit with his pistol before he lunged right in front of the dragon creature.
“Whoa! He’s incredible!” Rahim shouted.
Selena was amazed at how fast he moved and his power to take the creature down himself. What happened next stunned all three of them.
Azrael became shrouded in shadow and darkness. Seven dragon heads—the main head was marked with having four horns while the rest had one—emerged forth from the cloud and attacked the monster with different breath abilities. Selena saw different elements clashing together through the cloud of magic: fire, lightning, ice, earth, poison, all intertwined in a dance of attacks that destroyed the beast.
The shadows disappeared, and Doragon soon joined beside Azrael.
“I’ve never seen any kind of magic like that before!” Rahim cried.
Selena was completely dumbfounded. The shadows looked like the Angel of Death.
He looked up at her as Thor flew away. When she and Azrael locked gazes, she immediately knew.
“He’s… Death.” Rahim did not hear her.
Thor dove behind one of the buildings. To their horror, they saw Niamh cowering on the ground as one of the dragon beasts marched toward her.
Rahim reached out and shouted: “Niamh!”
She looked over for a brief moment before the creature stepped forward. In one fell swoop, it sliced through her chest.
Blinded with rage, Selena’s eyes started to glow. She ran along Thor’s spine and, as she jumped up, she was surrounded in an orb of blinding light.
Selena! No!
When the orb disappeared, it revealed a spectral dragon made of pure energy that was about the size of Thor. She unfolded her large wings and tucked them in before diving towards the monster that killed Niamh. Rearing back her head like a snake, she spewed out white fire mixed with lightning that blasted into its mask.
Half of it crumbled away from the attack, revealing parts of its black skull made of acid that dripped to the ground. It gave them an eerie smile before departing the city with its comrades.
With her rage replaced with grief, she turned back to normal and fell from the air.
Thor flew in underneath and caught her in his saddle before landing.
The last of the dragon monsters vanished in smoke, leaving them to deal with their loss.
Chapter 9
As soon as Selena stumbled off Thor’s saddle, he immediately whipped over and pinned her down with his talons.
What do you think you were doing? His voice rumbled in the back of her mind as he bared his large teeth.
Selena was still a little dazed but she had remained conscious throughout the ordeal. It took her a moment to realize what Thor was talking about.
I was trying to…
No! You weren’t trying anything! You could have gotten yourself killed! What is the matter with you?
I’m sorry! I don’t know what overcame me.
Sorry isn’t going to bring you back if you had gotten killed! Promise me that you won’t do that again until you have more control! Promise me!
I’m sorry! I promise! I swear to you!
Thor lowered his growling snout to her face before giving her a huff in satisfaction. He lifted up his talons and let her get to her feet.
“What in the Divine’s name was that?” Rahim exclaimed. Selena immediately turned around to see Azrael walking in their direction with Doragon following behind. “I’ve never seen that kind of magic before from either of you!”
While Selena was looking at Azrael full of questions, she answered: “Right now is not the best of times, but just know that I found the power to become a dragon.”
“Wait, what?” Rahim stumbled back in shock. “How?”
“I said not now! Azrael, you’re not human, are you?” Selena asked. Azrael didn’t respond. Overcome with fear, she pulled out one of her loaded concealed pistols she had strapped to Thor’s saddle and pointed it at Azrael’s head.
“What are you doing?” Rahim cried out.
“Answer me! What in Oblivion are you?” The firearm shook in her hands.
“You know and yet, you’re pointing a gun to Death’s head?” Azrael asked her.
“Would someone please explain to me what is going on here?” Rahim asked in confusion and threw his hands in the air. “What were those things that just attacked us? Niamh is dead! And now this?”
“Your girlfriend isn’t dead!” Azrael shouted.
Selena lowered her gun. “Are you insane? We just saw her-”
“Believe me when I tell you, Niamh isn’t dead! She was just badly hurt, but she’s still alive!” Selena and Rahim exchanged glances with each other. “I don’t know what those things were, but they’re not natural. They looked like they were artificially created, or altered somehow.”
There was so much that Selena wanted to ask. Her mind was buzzing, but all she could force out was, “How?”
“It’s a very long story. You can put the gun away, by the way. I’m not your enemy here!”
Selena forced herself to relax and did as he said.
Silver immediately dove in towards their location and changed back into his normal form just as he touched the ground.
“Is everyone alright?” he asked.
“No! We’re not! He’s… he’s…” Rahim stumbled as he pointed at Azrael.
“I think you have some explaining to do,” Selena said.
“Ah! Yes, Azrael. Please do tell us.” Silver sang.
“Ugh! You already know this! Go away!” Azrael yelled.
“I don’t mind hearing the tale again. And besides, my future wife deserves an explanation!”
“Huh?” Rahim looked between him and Selena in confusion. “What is he talking about?”
“Hush! Talk now!” Selena demanded.
“Fine! What is with all of you?” Azrael asked in frustration.
“I don’t know, maybe because we’ve been dealing with a god this entire time?” Rahim then glared down at Selena. “You and I need to have a long talk too after Azrael’s done!”
“I wouldn’t really call myself a god anymore. Remember when we talked about the Day of Eternal Darkness and I said that I’ve only heard of it? Well, that’s not exactly true. I knew what it was the moment I heard you talking in your sleep. The last time that happened was where it all began for me.
“It was about ten thousand years ago when I was still in Oblivion. Venexus was actually my most powerful servant. He served at my right hand. However, on that dreadful day, he somehow had enough power to overthrow me and took over my realm. I was arrogant and selfish. Meanwhile as he gathered his strength to overpower me, he was also feeding me lies that I deserved to be more powerful than the other two Divines. I gave in to temptation and tried to take all the power for myself.
“Through his manipulation and new power, he dethroned me and I faced judgment for my crimes. I was banished and they took away my powers, leaving me in the mortal realm for eternity while still being the shepherd of souls. Even my true name was stricken from history so nobody knew who I really was. With Doragon’s help, I have to keep a spell active at all times that allows me to do my job. Before Xyaxon and Ulrich knew what was going on in Oblivion, Venexus had already taken over my kingdom. He grew too strong to be taken down. Even as the years passed, the other two Divines continued to grow weaker.”
“With Doragon’s help? So, is he not really a dragon?” asked Selena.
Azrael nodded. “Doragon is a spirit beast. He is my companion. He can take on the form of anything he wishes, but he chooses to be a dragon so we can be part of the Force.”
Selena said, “I suspected that you weren’t human. You kept talking like you knew when people would die, like when you announced the exact time of death for Erik.”
“I can see everyone’s lifespan, but I won’t tell you how much time you have left. It violates the code and law that I’m set to abide by since the beginning of time.”
“I kind of assumed that much.”
“Yes, but even with that, you still helped me with my project!” Silver chimed in.
Selena’s eyes widened. “You helped Silver with the Well of Souls? Why?”
Azrael breathed in deeply. “Because you weren’t supposed to be stillborn.”
Their group grew quiet.
“What do you mean?”
Azrael made an uncomfortable noise. “Ugh! Do I need to spell it out for you? Since Venexus took over my realm, everything has been thrown off balance, including people dying before they’re supposed to. You weren’t supposed to be stillborn. You were supposed be a normal, healthy child. I agreed to help Silver with this project because I thought that it would be my small way to help reconcile what I’ve done. I’m actually forbidden to go to the Soul Gate to bring the dead back, but his project was a way around for me not having to do that.”
“What is the Soul Gate?” Rahim asked.
“I can’t tell you what it is, but you and everyone else who has lived will eventually stand before it.”
Azrael, one of the three Divines in human form, had been with them the entire time. Selena had been in the presence of Death himself. She was filled with such conflicting feelings, but she was more overcome with fear.
Azrael whipped his head around to look at her. “I don’t understand why people are afraid of me, I’m not the one who kills people. It’s my job to usher souls from this world to the next!” He stopped when he realized he lashed out in anger again. “I’m… I’m sorry. I think I understand why you would be afraid of me. I am the promise that everyone has to keep.”
“Except me!” Silver sang.
“You don’t count! Get out of here!”
“That explains why you hate Silver so much.” Selena observed. “And so, all those times where you’ve said that I wasn’t going to die, then-”
“You should trust me,” Azrael interrupted, “if I’ve ever told you that something wasn’t going to kill you, I mean it.”
“So… then… do you know how we’re all going to die?” Rahim asked.
“More or less, but I’m not a damn fortune teller! I only know the exact hour of when you’ll die, but I don’t know how! All of you are frustrating me!”
“This was what you got yourself into!” Silver chimed in, “But if you would listen to Phantom Dust, he may help you!”
“I’m actually not surprised that my father knows, but what did he exactly agree to help you with?” Selena asked.
“To help me and Doragon get our kingdom back and to restore balance and peace to the world. I know I sound selfish, but it needs to be done to protect all of you too. In a way, we’re all helping each other, despite only wanting to gain something from it.”
“But if the Lich took over Oblivion, then why is he in our realm?” Rahim asked.
“He’s powerful enough to where he can go in between realms as he pleases, but he can’t bring anything or anyone else over with him — not without more magic at least. Even I couldn’t do that when I still held the throne. It took the other two Divines to have enough power to banish me here. It sounds simple, but it takes so much magic.”
“He wants to bring his army here from Oblivion,” Selena said.
“He can’t do that now, not with Ragnarok destroyed.” Rahim sounded happy, but Azrael shook his head.
Selena said, “Azrael is right. That’s why we need to stop him before the Day of Eternal Darkness. His power is supposed to increase ten-fold on that day. He would be unstoppable.”
“He may or may not be powerful enough to bring his army over here. He may need something more, at least for sustaining the gate. Believe me, I’ve tried! I haven’t been able to find a power source strong enough to sustain anything like that!” Silver exclaimed.
