Chapter 8
Krieus continued to look for a safe space to land that would provide a temporary shelter for them, whilst trying to navigate past the ridiculous amount of lightning that was surrounding.
"This weather is the worst!" Areon groaned seemingly unbothered by the storm taking place around them
"Not now, Areon."
Krieus continued to weave in and out of the strikes before landing near a destroyed underpass. The entire terrain looked dilapidated,
Though the remaining half of the bridge was more than enough to provide a shelter to them at this time.
A sigh left Krieus after finally finding a temporary refuge and Areon pet mister Puff Puff who was deeply frightened by the storm.
"The choice is still up to you, Areon. Do you want to wait out this storm, or do you want to return when its safe?"
Without missing a beat Areon was ready to answer. Whilst yawning and caressing the horrified wolf. He hopped off the dragon before starting to stretch.
"I still want to train here. I can't be afraid of little lightning if my goal is to be as strong as you pops."
A smirk cracked across Krieus' face.
"A little lightning…"
Areon and the dark dragon began to deeply chuckle to themselves despite the dangerous situation ensuing, much to mister Puff Puff's dismay as the wolf, in a dejected fashion groaned.
He was disappointed to see that through the dark dragon's training, his friend may have traded his survival instincts for battle instincts.
Krieus took a long gaze around the terrain before realizing something.
"There's a bunch of plants here... plants for houses, plants for lights, plants for...bridges?"
The dragon gazed above him to find the destroyed bridge in front of them was actually a plant, with browning spots on it's yellow exterior and withered roots.
"There's only one group of people who could do something like this…"
The dragon sighed before continuing to explain to Areon.
"Though it looks dilapidated, that much is clear as day, there must have been an elf village that used to be here. Meaning that this isn't the dragon's training ground that it used to be."
"Do you think that some elves are still here?"
"Possibly."
"Really?"
"Yeah, they're the only ones who set up settlements like this anyway."
"I wanna run into an elf."
"You probably don't. Not in this storm anyway."
The thunder continued to roar as they laid under the broken bridge.
"How long do you think we have for this to blow over anyway." Areon asked.
"Who knows, it's a fool's errand to predict the whims of nature."
"I guess, I wonder if the elves would handle the storm well. The orcs would usually be terrified and running for the hills."
"Actually, elves tend to be quite adept when it comes to adapting with the wild. Especially those with element stones, something like this would barely be a challenge throughout their day to day."
"So they know a lot about how to use element stones then. Do you think any of them will help me get better at the explosion fist."
"Not a good idea to go around thinking that. Elves are ridiculously territorial. They don't like anyone crossing onto their land for any reason. It's an elven creed that all of their land is not to be contaminated with foreigners, they won't like us being here. Though I would expect their terrain to have a little more...decency than what it's been reduced to now."
"Darn."
Areon let out a soft sigh, giving up on his short-lived daydream.
Then, from what seemingly came out of nowhere, there was a whistling arrow, cutting through the air.
It was about to land and hit Areon's temple, until the boy snatched the weapon by it's wooden rod, his hand bursting with flames, and snapped it in half with his fists clenching pressure.
"Very good, Areon."
"Practical lesson number one: never be caught in a defenseless position!"
Then there was a group of elves that staggered out of the bushes, clearly surprised to see a twelve-year-old grab and snap an arrow in two.
Areon saw this group of four elves but something seemed off. Their clothes were dirty and their rugged appearance along with their thoroughly worn out bow and arrows suggested that they might have been hunting something, yet not successful due to the lack of blood or animal corpses around them.
"I didn't expect elves to look so, exhausted."
The elves began to scream at them.
"What are you dirty vermin doing on our land? Do you think that we elves are so weak that we can be trampled even now? We're still more than enough to obliterate you even in our weakened state!"
One of them shouted at the top of their lungs. Another joined in with his arrow pointed directly at Krieus.
"That's right! Don't think that because you're a dragon we won't shoot. You made a big mistake by showing up here."
Areon observed the elves and took note of their thin frame.
"Yikes! What is going on here? Have they been eating lately?"
He raised his hands in surrender.
"Okay, we don't wanna hurt anyone-"
Before another word could leave Areon's mouth he was cut off by the elves hollering.
"If you didn't want trouble then you shouldn't have come, you're corrupting our land!"
"If you leave now and drop off all of your valuables, we'll look the other way. Don't make us get the chief elder Lucious here!"
"Damn it! Are they trying to rob us right now?"
The elves continued.
"And take that cursed dragon with you! He's the only thing we don't need!"
Mister Puff Puff growled as Areon's expression darkened at the statement.
"What did you say?"
Frankly, Areon was taken aback by the fact that they were so comfortable with disrespecting a dragon to their face. Most orcs wouldn't dare. Yet the dark dragon's demeanor seemed unshaken.
Krieus interjected as he noticed where the conversation was going.
"It's okay, we'll go. We don't want any problems. It looks like we'll have to find another place for training Areon."
Areon sighed and decided to follow with Krieus' lead.
"Fine. These guys aren't worth the trouble anyway."
They began to make their way back, however as Areon turned his body in order to walk away from the elves and towards Krieus, another arrow shot forth, aimed at the child's neck.
The boy spun around and for the second time destroyed their weapon. Fire flickering from his hand.
"Hey! What gives! We already said that we're leaving!"
The elves expression was still as cold as ever whilst shouting at the group.
"Don't take us for fools. Drop off your valuables or else we won't let you go! The element stone too, hand it over. That could sell for a pretty penny!"
"They're still trying to do this, huh."
Areon grumbled to himself before responding out of anger.
"I get that you guys are desperate and all, but I promise you that none of you are ready for what comes next if you keep trying to rob us."
Another elf continued their ramblings.
"You expect us to believe that you just so happened to be skilled at something like that as a child? We will take on you and that dragon, the one who is in danger here is you!"
"Enough! I was going to be lenient if they had just obeyed, It doesn't look like they intend on handing it over. Get them!"
A group of two began to rush towards Areon while the rest of the four shot at him from the rear.
The boy looked back at Krieus, asking for his permission.
"Can I take care of these bullies?"
"Sure, but make it quick."
Then fire began to blaze around Areon's body, with enough heat to begin scorching the ground. Perfectly resembling how the boy was eager to show off all of his skills.
"I may have struggled with the explosion fist…"
A burst of flames erupted from his hands as he propelled himself in the direction of one of the incoming elves, the arrows not even close to grazing him. His feet were planted directly in the stomach of the approaching assailant causing their body to launch backwards.
"But there's plenty of other stuff I learnt how to do over the years just fine!"
He heard another arrow whistling through the battlefield from his right and twisted his torso in the arrow's direction. He grabbed his black blade, gifted by Krieus, with one hand and the other began to glow with a menacing heat and a bright orange flare.
Then in one singular, swift motion he cut the arrow with his dagger and blasted a fire ball at the attacking elf to his right. Searing his opponent almost instantly.
Before the boy's feet could touch the ground, the backs of the two elves had already fallen on the floor.
"Two down, two more to go!"
One of the elves rushed towards Areon with a sword but Areon ducked the downward swing and spun his body clockwise to preform a sweeping leg kick, with his leg now bursting aflame.
After falling to the ground Areon was already stepping over the elf's keeled over, and burning body, ignoring how he was wincing and desperately clinging onto his leg. Areon was only focused on what was ahead, walking towards the remaining elf.
"You know, you really can stop this and end it all if you want."
The elf snarled at his suggestion.
"I'll give up your corpse to the chief when I'm done with you."
He reached into his pocket before revealing a bright gem with yellow hue that much resembled the rock on Areon's wrist in nature.
"He has a element stone!"
Then before he could have a following thought, the ground beneath Areon had split open and he began to fall into the fissure.
Out of instinct his feet emitted violent flames that burst him high towards the air. As he was above, he was just barely able to catch a glimpse of the ground that had viciously snapped itself shut.
He returned his focus to the elf, yet in the blink of an eye there were five arrows all on a course set to pierce him.
"Shoot! This guy's a cut above the rest of them. He really has me playing defense."
Areon pulled out his hand and created a blast of fire to take out the projectiles. A violent force of the shockwave rippling through the air rattled the opposing elf briefly. Pieces of the fallen debris began to sparkle onto the floor as Areon fell straight to the ground, landing on his feet, with his eyes almost glowing with rage being visible through the smoke. He truly embodied the essence of a predator.
There was a momentary pause before Areon grabbed his blade and the elf used their element stone again. Huge stalagmites formed from the ground, almost instantaneously, the force of them enough to cleave a tree in two.
The boy dodged each and every single one of the them whilst running towards the elf before using his hands to explode fire once again, bursting him forth in order to end the fight.
The elf understood that there was no stopping the child, not like this. So he quickly created a barrier with the ground, using the last seconds he had as efficiently as he could. As the dirt molded from below, hardened, and created a dome that surrounded him.
"You're not getting off that easy!"
Then he took his blade and cut right through the barrier, completely bisecting it's top half. The elf's eyes widened as he saw that Areon's fist was ablaze and saw the satisfaction that was on his face before he landed the finishing blow.
Boom!
Areon poked his head out of the destroyed sphere and gave Krieus a thumbs up as the smoke continued to waft away from the construct. Smiling ear to ear with a grin on his face.
"Did you see that? I got em real good didn't I?"
A chuckle escaped Krieus' lips.
"That you did, I was starting to wonder who the real bully was for a second there. Good job on keeping them alive, you managed to hold back the entire fight."
As Areon continued to walk towards the dark dragon.
"Yeah, but I'm still a little disappointed that I couldn't nail the explosion fist at the end, the kaboom isn't happening the way it should."
"It'll happen sooner or later."
Then the strikes of lightning became more fierce and smitted the ground more frequently. Mister Puff Puff began to bark nervously.
"Are you proud of what you barbian beasts have done to our land?"
The mysterious voice from above drew the attention of the everyone towards him.
There they saw the three cloaked figures who appeared, each of them floating in the air well above the group.
The white haired man stroked his chin before he began.
"The crime of trespassing on elven territory is one thing, yet to commit the crime of attacking innocent citizens is punishable by death, is it not master Lucious?"
Areon interjected.
"I would hardly call them innocent."
He then glared at the boy, causing Areon to stop in his tracks.
"What the hell is up with this guy. I can't feel my body, he hasn't even done anything yet but I can already tell he's bad news."
Lucious without doing as much as glancing in Areon's direction, addressed the dragon.
"Indeed it is. Explain yourself, dragon. Why have you come here to die."
Krieus glared at the elf and then began to speak.
"Are you the chief elder that we heard so much about? Why are you so set on carnage?"
Lucious' eyebrow began to twitch out of annoyance.
"Indeed I am. I hope you know that I don't take my people's safety lightly. You have ruined our land and assaulted our patrons. The only way to solve this is bloodshed."
Krieus shook his head.
"I think I know exactly what you're after…or should I say what you came to drink?"
The floating elves stared at the dragon without expression as Areon, completely confused, tilted his head to face the dark dragon.
"You have come to defeat me in hopes of getting the dragon's blood, haven't you?"