what seemed an eternity. His mind raced, struggling to comprehend what he had just seen. “He… he… he’s gone…” Lian thought.
Trembling with fear, Lian stepped forth, the elder’s blood dampening his new boots. He quickly looked around. In the distance, he could see the village walls. Lian started off ferociously in the village’s direction. He slipped on the blood soaked forest floor and crashed to the ground, soaking himself in Marrow’s blood. Lian quickly stood, looking down at his blood soaked clothes before once again starting to run toward the walls. He ran through the forest separating him from his destination quickly, weaving between trees and leaping across well-planted boulders. As Lian drew near the village walls, he noticed a bright green light shining from within. He slowed to a walk, then came to a halt, observing the light. Then, a violent crash brought down the walls. Lian’s eyes widened at the sight. As quickly as the walls crashed down, a shockwave from the collapse lifted Lian from his feet and tossed him to his back. Lian’s head smacked against the ground, causing his vision to blur and his ears to ring, filled with echoes. In shock, Lian laid on the ground for a few moments. When his vision began to clear and the ringing subsided, Lian climbed to his feet and staggered toward the rubble that was left of the wall.
The time to warn the villagers had passed. He had failed to get there in time. Lian climbed on top of the rubble, peering into the village.
Lian looked toward the rear gates, seeing the Battle Sages standing still, “What are they?” he thought. “And what do they want?”
Lian looked farther into the village to see a terrifying being holding Eva by the throat. As he watched, he could Dreathous’ grip tighten around her throat.
Lian’s eyes widened. “No…” he thought. “No, no, no, no! Not her!” Lian closed his eyes and clenched his fists. Tears streamed down his face once again, and he screamed with all his might, “No! Miss Eva!”
Eva shifted her eyes to the terrified boy. “He should have fled…” muttered Eva to herself.
Dreathous looked to the boy, then back to Eva. “That’s him, isn’t it?” he said in a low tone. “The descendent of the bastard who matched my power?”
Eva smiled slowly, staring into the monsters glowing red eyes.
Dreathous snarled. “Answer me, you bitch!” he screamed.
Eva struggled to speak, his grip still hard on her throat. “He will kill you all!”
Dreathous roared in her face. “Not this time!”
Eva’s neck cracked as her leathery skin tore. Blood squirted from Dreathous’ hand as he squeezed it into a fist. He had severed Eva’s head from her body. Lian once again watched as someone who had cared for him was viciously murdered. He watched her lifeless body and head fell toward the ground. Before the body or head could touch the ground, they began emitting the same green light Lian had seen earlier. In an instant, her body turned to dust. A gust of wind carried the dust toward Lian, fluttering his hair as the dust moved past him.
Suddenly, Eva’s voice filled his mind. “Run Lian,” whispered the voice. “Get the sword… Get to Shana’s Pass. You must escape…”
Thunder cracked heavily, shaking the valley itself. Gusts of wind howled, bending the trees of the forest to its will.
Dreathous looked to Lian, his red glowing red eyes glaring with malice. “Get him!” he commanded. “I want his head, and I want it now!”
Dreathous moved toward Lian. The Battle Sages broke their formation and ran toward the boy as well. Nearly petrified with fear, Lian took a step back. Lightning struck the ground within the village. Magical energy spread across the ground and erupted into a transparent dome with the same green hue as the cloud covered sky.
Dreathous and his sages were sealed within. Dreathous roared, then looked to his
Trembling with fear, Lian stepped forth, the elder’s blood dampening his new boots. He quickly looked around. In the distance, he could see the village walls. Lian started off ferociously in the village’s direction. He slipped on the blood soaked forest floor and crashed to the ground, soaking himself in Marrow’s blood. Lian quickly stood, looking down at his blood soaked clothes before once again starting to run toward the walls. He ran through the forest separating him from his destination quickly, weaving between trees and leaping across well-planted boulders. As Lian drew near the village walls, he noticed a bright green light shining from within. He slowed to a walk, then came to a halt, observing the light. Then, a violent crash brought down the walls. Lian’s eyes widened at the sight. As quickly as the walls crashed down, a shockwave from the collapse lifted Lian from his feet and tossed him to his back. Lian’s head smacked against the ground, causing his vision to blur and his ears to ring, filled with echoes. In shock, Lian laid on the ground for a few moments. When his vision began to clear and the ringing subsided, Lian climbed to his feet and staggered toward the rubble that was left of the wall.
The time to warn the villagers had passed. He had failed to get there in time. Lian climbed on top of the rubble, peering into the village.
Lian looked toward the rear gates, seeing the Battle Sages standing still, “What are they?” he thought. “And what do they want?”
Lian looked farther into the village to see a terrifying being holding Eva by the throat. As he watched, he could Dreathous’ grip tighten around her throat.
Lian’s eyes widened. “No…” he thought. “No, no, no, no! Not her!” Lian closed his eyes and clenched his fists. Tears streamed down his face once again, and he screamed with all his might, “No! Miss Eva!”
Eva shifted her eyes to the terrified boy. “He should have fled…” muttered Eva to herself.
Dreathous looked to the boy, then back to Eva. “That’s him, isn’t it?” he said in a low tone. “The descendent of the bastard who matched my power?”
Eva smiled slowly, staring into the monsters glowing red eyes.
Dreathous snarled. “Answer me, you bitch!” he screamed.
Eva struggled to speak, his grip still hard on her throat. “He will kill you all!”
Dreathous roared in her face. “Not this time!”
Eva’s neck cracked as her leathery skin tore. Blood squirted from Dreathous’ hand as he squeezed it into a fist. He had severed Eva’s head from her body. Lian once again watched as someone who had cared for him was viciously murdered. He watched her lifeless body and head fell toward the ground. Before the body or head could touch the ground, they began emitting the same green light Lian had seen earlier. In an instant, her body turned to dust. A gust of wind carried the dust toward Lian, fluttering his hair as the dust moved past him.
Suddenly, Eva’s voice filled his mind. “Run Lian,” whispered the voice. “Get the sword… Get to Shana’s Pass. You must escape…”
Thunder cracked heavily, shaking the valley itself. Gusts of wind howled, bending the trees of the forest to its will.
Dreathous looked to Lian, his red glowing red eyes glaring with malice. “Get him!” he commanded. “I want his head, and I want it now!”
Dreathous moved toward Lian. The Battle Sages broke their formation and ran toward the boy as well. Nearly petrified with fear, Lian took a step back. Lightning struck the ground within the village. Magical energy spread across the ground and erupted into a transparent dome with the same green hue as the cloud covered sky.
Dreathous and his sages were sealed within. Dreathous roared, then looked to his
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