On the other side of the empire, dark clouds swirled overhead, and thunder rumbled in the distance, blocking the once-bright sky.
Frostweave was finally starting to give way to Blosomshroud, and the ice was melting, leading to torrential rainfall.
Yara and the dragon had decided against flying as that would make them easier to spot in the lowlands. Plus, they didn't want to risk the eggs in this weather.
The first drops of rain splattered against Yara's skin as they entered the woods. Their ice-like temperature gave her goosebumps. The dragon, its scales glistening with raindrops, moved with surprising grace through the forest. Its eyes scanned the surroundings for any sign of danger.
The raindrops began to fall harder, drenching the two of them.
"Just our fucking luck," she grumbled under her breath, pushing her wet hair out of her face.
This was the fourth time the weather was ruining their travel plan. It had been a week since they left the village.
The eggs remained safe in her satchel, protected by the enchantment. They continued in silence for a while, aided by the dragon's night vision, which made navigating the dark forest floor easy.
Sensing something in the dark, the dragon stopped and unleashed a low, ominous growl. Yara squinted, 'What is it now?' she thought.
The rain made it hard for her to see. She slid down from the dragon's back, one hand supporting the eggs while the other gripped the dagger strapped to her side.
In the shadows, a figure clad in dark armour emerged from the mist—
Kellan was back!
'How did he find us? The rain should have masked scents and covered tracks.'
His sharp, calculating eyes locked onto Yara and the dragon, and he smiled predatorily.
"Well, well, What do we have here? " Kellan sneered, a cruel grin on his lips.
"This was supposed to be a hunt. You are making it too easy for me, beastie."
Yara met Kellan's gaze. "We won't let you harm them," she called out as she secured the satchel, ensuring it was firmly strapped to her body.
'This is bad. How do I fight and protect the eggs at the same time?' she thought, tightening her grip on the eggs.
Kellan sighed, "The price has already been paid; I don't make the rules. I simply follow the thrill," he said.
"N-name your price. We can double the money. You can find something else to hunt. why must it be him?!" Yara asked; the dragon looked from her to the disgusting-smelling man, wondering what she was trying to do.
'Don't bargain with the enemy!' It growled at her.
Kellan chuckled darkly. "Someone wants the dragon, sweetheart. I'm just here for the hunt and maybe the view," he trailed off as he eyed her.
Yara tensed, then blinked in surprise when the dragon stepped in front of her. "It seems the beastie doesn't agree with your methods," Kellan called out across the space.
"I have nothing against you, woman. But if you insist on being a hindrance, I'll take pleasure in dealing with you first," he sighed.
"You can try," Yara called his bluff.
"Are you sure, girl? Would you risk your life for this creature? I can give you the life of a queen. What say you?" He reached out a hand to her.
Yara simply gave him the middle finger.
Kellan's eye twitched as his face turned red.
The dragon stared at the finger, head tilted. What was that? The disgusting human's scent was enraged.
"Is that your answer? Fine. If you won't come willingly, I shall make you." he snarled.
He signalled to his men, and the woods erupted into chaos. The dragon immediately swiped its tail, sending attackers flying through the air and slamming into trees.
Yara lunged at one of Kellan's men, her dagger finding its mark on his neck. Blood splurted as she swiped, kicking his limp body away.
Another one lunged at her with a sword, but Yara sidestepped the attack with ease, delivering a swift kick to his knee that sent him crashing to the ground with a cry of pain. Before he could recover, she drove her dagger into his exposed neck and quickly took him out.
She barely dodged a swipe from behind, feeling some of her hair get nipped. A burly man wielding a battle-axe tried to take her out from behind. His rotting teeth were on display as he grinned at her. "Yer in the wron' place bitch," he eyed her with malice. They circled each other, trying to find an opening.
"Look around you. Who's the one chasing after a dragon in the middle of the night?" Yara scoffed, looking at his feet. The idiot wasn't bracing well in the mud, and all his moves were easy to read.
'Sloppy footwork, his stance is full of openings. It seems like he is about to—'
She anticipated his lunge, spun on her heel, and drove her dagger into his chest with a vicious thrust as he barreled towards her, using his momentum against him. He fell dead beside his comrade.
Meanwhile, Kellan's eyes locked on the golden dragon as he barked orders to his men above the sounds of clashing weapons and roaring flames.
"Focus on the beast! We need it alive!" He threw a spell at the dragon.
Yara's eyes narrowed as she rushed towards the dragon. This crazy bastard wouldn't ruin her plans, not after she came this close.
The dragon unleashed a torrent of flames that lit up the stormy night. Kellan's men, caught in the fiery onslaught, scrambled to evade the searing heat.
The cries of those caught faded with the flames. But for every attacker it felled, two more seemed to take their place. It was as though they were being multiplied each second. Some of them were even using spells.
'Just like then.' It thought, rage increasing at the distant memory.
One man lunged at the dragon from behind, his sword aimed at its underbelly, but its tail whipped around with blinding speed, knocking him off his feet and sending him crashing into a nearby tree with a sickening crunch.
Another goon attempted to flank the dragon, but it anticipated his move. The dragon turned on its hind legs and delivered a powerful swipe of its claws, sending the man's body parts spraying on the mud and his comrades.
Yara sighed. The dragon seemed to be holding its own, but it was only a matter of time before something went wrong. 'We need to end this quickly,' she thought, focusing on the fight around her.
A man approached her from the side. It seemed he was at least smarter than the rest because he moved cautiously, his blade held defensively in front of him. Yara feinted to the left before darting to the right, ducking under his guard and slashing across his exposed throat.
He staggered back, clutching at the wound as blood gushed between his fingers.
Suddenly, a bolt of magic flew past Yara, narrowly missing her head and taking down one of Kellan's men behind her. Seizing the opportunity, Yara spun around and drove her dagger into the exposed throat of her distracted opponent, silencing him with a gurgle of blood.
Fuelled by the chaos, Kellan lunged at the dragon wildly. "You can't escape me again, beast!" he bellowed, his enchanted sword clashing against the golden scales. The sword dug past scales and struck flesh and blood.
The dragon roared and swiped its claws, sending Kellan sprawling in the mud.
'Fuck, Fuck, fuck!' Yara rushed to the injured dragon's side with her blood-stained dagger.
Kellan jumped to his feet immediately, his eyes widening as the dragon unleashed a burst of flames at him. He threw his cape over him, letting the flames roll over him again. The rain had also reduced the intensity of the flames.
He barely dodged getting decapitated by Yara, who had taken the time he had his face covered to close the distance between them.
"You can't win, little girl. Surrender, and maybe I'll let you live." He grunted as their blades clashed against one another.
Yara, breathing heavily, smirked at Kellan. "Right back at you."
Kellan blinked, then laughed. "I like you, girl! We can become a good match. What say you?" he asked, leering at her wet form.
"Go to hell," she spat, kicking him away.
They clashed blades a few more times, trying to get the drop on each other. 'This woman, her skills aren't ordinary.' Kellan thought as he dodged a swipe to his neck and jumped to escape her leg sweep. 'This fight style is familiar. This is interesting,' he grinned, finally finding an opening in her defence and sending her across the field.
Yara cursed as she jumped to her feet. Her eyes widened as her knees gave out, and she dropped back into the mud. Fatigue crept into her limbs, slowing her reflexes and dulling her senses.
She knew she couldn't keep this up much longer. She could hear the dragon's roars behind her, 'Just how many are there?' she thought, frustrated.
She stabbed a tree with her dagger and pulled herself up. The men gathered around her, weapons drawn.
She was getting cornered. She pulled the dagger out, smirking at them. "Five on one? You need that much of a handicap?" she taunted.
"You'll be sorry bitch!" one of them roared, and they all rushed towards her.
The odds were quickly stacked against her. She felt the sting of a blade grazing her shoulder. She dodged another swipe and was kicked aside.
Yara's focus shifted momentarily, her senses honing in on a nearby disturbance. She realized too late—the sound of magic crackling, the shimmering of a rune in the air. Kellan stood in the dragon's blind spot, charging up a spell.
He shot the spell at the dragon before she could yell out a warning.
Yara's eyes widened as the spell hit it square in the chest, sending it sprawling into the trees, black chain-like ruins covering its wings and body.
The dragon convulsed. It roared as though in sheer agony. Its massive frame thrashed violently, and its wings flapped wildly as if trying to dislodge the ruins on it. The men ran away from it, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire. Its roars shook the forest.
"No!" she shouted, running towards it. With its wings beating furiously against the rain-soaked air, the dragon attempted to rise, only to falter and crash back to the ground in a spray of mud and water.
Its scales shimmered in the dim moonlight, reflecting the eerie glow of the surrounding forest as rain cascaded down its sleek form, mixing with the crimson blood seeping from wounds inflicted by Kellan's cursed weapon and the mud on the forest floor.
Kellan rushed over as well, trying to get to it. Kellan was already charging his teleportation spell. Yara remembered him saying he was here for the dragon, not the eggs.
'Fuck! I let my guard down!' she thought as she rushed past the goons on their way to the circle.
Yara cried out as one of the men tackled her to the ground, kicking her dagger away. "Get the hell off of me!" she screamed as she struggled with him. The dragon's tail caught Kellan in his side and sent him flying again.
He cursed, rubbing the blood off his face. The impact had broken his arm. He wouldn't let the dragon escape again, not when he had it where he wanted it. 'Fuck!' he cursed again, activating a transportation circle.
The man grappling in the mud with Yara noticed his move, snatched the satchel from her, and ran towards the charging teleportation circle.
"NO!" Yara cried out, rushing after him. The bastard activated his magic and coated his legs with lightning, dashing through the muddy field to the circle.
"No, no, no, this can't be happening!" she could hear the dragon trashing behind her. It seemed it had noticed the man fleeing with the eggs and struggled harder against the spell, roaring as it stumbled towards them. She dodged a swipe of its tail and reached for the satchel.
A burst of magical energy activated the teleportation circle just as her hand grazed it, and the shockwave threw her against a tree. The impact forced a grunt out of her, stars dancing before her eyes as pain shot through her body.
Tears welled in her eyes, mixing with raindrops as she struggled to maintain her grip on consciousness.
One sensation pierced through the haze—the trembling of the earth beneath her under the weight of the dragon's struggle. She couldn't afford to lose consciousness—not yet. She needed to ensure that the dragon was okay.
"I can't... I can't black out yet," she muttered through gritted teeth. Her fingers clenched at the damp earth as she struggled to regain her bearings, her breaths coming in ragged gasps.
Yara forced herself to her feet, her muscles protesting with every movement.
An emotion burned like a white-hot flame within her—rage.
She raged at herself for failing to protect the eggs and allowing them to be snatched by those imbeciles. She cursed her weakness and foolishness for letting her guard down when it mattered most. How could she have been so careless? She should have trained more and maybe kept the eggs hidden somewhere else while she fought.
And rage at the smugglers, how dare they steal what wasn't theirs to take? The memory of their smug expressions, as they disappeared, fueled the flames of her fury.
"How could I let this happen?"
Hot pain laced through her back as she took a step forward.
'My back is definitely fucked up,' she thought, stumbling blindly towards the sound of destruction. The ground shook, and trees flew across her vision; the dragon was still thrashing about.
"Fuck!" Her voice choked with desperation as she fell to the ground again.
Her vision blurred, and her limbs felt heavy. The dragon's roars echoed in Yara's ears, growing fainter with each passing moment.
"Not now...Not yet..."
She began to crawl towards the sound of the dragon.
The world warped into nothingness, and she slid into the darkness