It's quiet in the base, without Leonidas and Cecil. The wind, whipped up from an approaching storm, howls against the fort, booming with the force it hits. And yet the world is quiet, soldiers huddled in buildings to get away from the weather, and no one being brave enough to approach the one remaining twin.
Ruhban, leaning on the wall of the barracks hallway watches with detached interest as soldiers file past, the snow beginning to pile up on their cloaks. None of them bother to greet him, instead casting him glances of something close to pity.
A part of the boy bristles at it, not needing nor wanting their pity. And yet a smaller part of him enjoys the sympathy of his fellow humans. He sure isn't getting any from Cecil, and Leo is now off galavanting with a dragon.
Regardless, the storm has stalled his initiative. The youngest twin's plan was to remove himself from the fort as soon as possible, just in case Cecil decides to turn around and come back for him. However, the more he thinks about it, the less he wants to leave. Sure, Leonidas warned him, but his own mind still believes the High King to be in the right. The dragons have been launching a vicious assault on their species since day one, killing hundreds of thousands of people over the years. Why should Ruhban suddenly decide to flip sides like his twin and decide everything they fight for is wrong? That they should lay down their arms and skip off into the sunset arm-in-arm with the beasts?
It's an absurd notion. And yet, there is the nagging fear in the back of Ruhban's mind. An irrational, unrelenting terror that has driven him this far. There's more than enough evidence to prove that Cecil provides a direct threat to Ruhban's wellbeing. That doesn't necessarily mean that the twin is going to bolt off into the forest like his tail's on fire. There are serious ramifications to deserting.
As the boy stands in the hall, watching the other soldiers go about their business, the hair on the back of his arms raises, goosebumps erupting over his body. It's as if there is an angry, unseen presence hovering over his back, cold claws sinking into his shoulders.
Staying isn't safe. It's obvious. The pack at his feet is testament to that.
Yet he doesn't want to leave. He doesn't want to brave the wilderness, he doesn't want to be alone, and he doesn't want to be outcasted from the rest of his country. Despite the Encair… which is a tiny, soon to be wiped out minority of the population.
Once again, goosebumps erupt across the boy's skin and he shivers, pushing himself up off the wall. Grabbing the pack at his feet and lazily slinging it over one shoulder, Ruhban shoves the door open and stalks out into the snowy, silent courtyard. Those cold claws of dread slide down his spine, as he raises his eyes to the dark clouds above him, the hair on his neck standing on end.
It's as if some unknown creature is staring back at him through those clouds, dark eyes hidden behind the clouds, ready to pounce.
I'm not safe here, a little voice whispers in the back of his mind.
Ruhban blinks, and lets his gaze travel around the fort. There is nothing out of the ordinary. Just the silence that comes with the storm, and the soft pit-pat of snow landing in standing puddles of previously melted flakes.
Don't be ridiculous, this fort is safe, his rationality replies.
A shiver wracks the boy's body, and suddenly the blood is rushing in his ears, his heartbeat deafeningly loud. Adrenaline rocks through the boy's body, and suddenly the shivers are uncontrollable.
Run, that little voice whispers again, and soft claws prick his shoulders. Run. Now. Run!
Protests drowned by an inexplicable flight or fight response, Ruhban turns for the guard house, trying to spin out from under the gaze of whatever fear is laying on his heart.
Run, run, run, the little voice chants, that dark presence right on his heels. Run now. Get out.
It only takes the boy seconds to get to the little guard hut and push the door open. The guards on duty are currently lining the walls, leaving the hut empty, and the tiny door that leads to the unknown wilderness beyond completely unguarded. It may sound like a dumb thing to do, but what sort of dragon is going to sneak through a human sized door?
Breaths coming in rapid pants, those inexplicable dark claws curling closer to his throat, Ruhban shoves the door open and stumbles out onto the road. With no hesitation, he gets his feet and bolts down the road, ducking off into the forest as soon as possible.
It is only once he is there, unable to breathe and adrenaline spent, that he bothers to look back at the fort. The inexplicable feeling of dread is not gone, but no longer is there a sensation of claws in his skin and eyes on his back.
Idiot, his rationality hisses. Now what? I'm out in the middle of the forest, in a snowstorm, in famously cold mountains, in the dark. Where am I going to go? What am I going to do? Just go back. You were running from what? The clouds? Idiot.
Taking a moment to catch his breath, Ruhban stares at the high stone walls, still unable to make himself return. There's something wrong, a presence of Death hovering over the fort. Something is horribly wrong.
Boom!
Thunder cracks, originating from the sky above the fort, and those dark clouds that hang so close to the silent stone walls. Where there is thunder, there is lightning. But lightning? In a snowstorm? That seems… improbable.
Kaboom!
The world suddenly splits, an ear shattering-roar crackling forth from a bolt of shrieking lightning that barrels horizontally through the sky, barely clearing the walls of the fort. In a brilliant display of light, it gathers to a single figure, massive wings spread silently over the unaware humans peacefully below.
A dragon, hanging like the angel of death silently above the unsuspecting fort.
"No," Ruhban breathes, barely hidden in the tree line.
Bolts of light flashing through the darkness, silhouetting the massive figure of the dragon against the clouds, lightning gathers from the tips of the horns on the dragon's head to the very edge of its wings. As the boy watches, unable to move or cry out a warning, a voice cries out from the fort in warning.
Then, the lightning-covered figure opens its maw, and the world is once again rended, broken by the raw power of that killing lightning. The explosion of power as the lightning finds its mark blasts Ruhban back a step, blinding the boy with the sheer light.
And when the human finally manages to blink his eyes open again, the fort is in flames, the dragon vanished back into the clouds. Impossible to see, and retreating back into safety unlike the dragons ever have before. There is no direct attack, just a single devastating ambush and then a withdrawal.
They've never done that before.
Suddenly, a second figure flashes through the swirling snow, blue scales reflecting in the light of the burning fort as it perches on one of the watchtowers. With a clicking roar, the second dragon opens his muzzle and sprays boiling water into the courtyard, careful not to hit any of the now-burning buildings.
Lightning crackles through the sky again, and this time Ruhban turns away, squeezing his hands over his ears.
The boom of its impact is still loud enough to rock him.
Two dragons, that's all so far. Why aren't the watch towers firing? Why are the humans just sitting there like fish in a barrel?
Turning back to the fort, Ruhban watches as the little blue dragon drops to the wall below it, barely more than a flashing light in the darkness. Arrow after arrow pings harmlessly off its thick scales, and the dragon returns fire from its position safe on the ramparts.
Are they… winning?
Before Ruhban can mull it over, the air shakes, a dull gray shape rocketing over the top of him and landing lightly on the walls, massive wings spread behind it. It hangs there for a moment, blasting the courtyard with that incredible lightning show again, before launching itself back into the sky.
"Run," a voice hisses, claws once again digging into his shoulders, almost as if an entity is hanging behind him. "Run."
Not bothering to figure out if the voice is his own or not, Ruhban turns his back on the fort and flees into the forest.
There is nothing he can do to help. Nothing more to do but run.
There is nothing left for him there.