Chapter 42
T
o say that Azahara wasn’t even slightly terrified would be a blatant lie.
Ignoring the tightening in her stomach, the unmistakable grip of fear would be plain stupidity.
The sheer magnitude of Ligrok was nearly impossible to comprehend, and as her mind closed the window with Jayce, the resonating presence of Ilkiz poured through.
“Allow the fear to meld with your anger, little one,” Ilkiz thrummed, her scales trembling as sheer elation ran through her. “You ride me, the mightiest of beasts to claim the skies. You have nothing to fear when I am with you.”
Ilkiz’s size was grand in comparison to Vemi and Fury, but it fell short of the colossal entity before them.
As Ligrok breached fully through the surface, the sea around it convulsed and churned, creating tumultuous waves that echoed the magnitude of its presence.
The heavy mist they had broken through clung to its colossal body, adding even more to its imposing aura.
Immense tentacles, housing strength that likely decimated ships, stretched out in all directions.
Each of them lined with suction cups that could grip and pull anything in their path.
The mere movement of these tentacles created whirlpools and currents, contributing to the chaotic scene surrounding Ligrok.
Its massive mouth, with razor-sharp teeth glistening in the falling sun, resembled a dark abyss ready to consume anything in its path.
Each tooth was a formidable weapon, capable of rending ships and tearing through the toughest materials—enough to instill fear within Azahara for Ilkiz if she were to get too close.
Its eyes, piercing white like snow, glinted with malicious intent.
Ligrok was a nightmare leviathan, one that she was determined to destroy.
“Kaen!” Her scream resonated, pushing her throat to its limits. “Go for its eye! Akua, follow Ilkiz!”
Do I just tell you where to go or…? Azahara asked, tilting slightly to the right. As if responding to an unspoken command, Ilkiz immediately began fanning downward.
“No, we are connected in more ways than just our minds. Place your mind into my body, and I will know what you would like to do.”
With a deep breath, she steered Ilkiz straight down towards Ligrok.
Although it had already spotted them, it refrained from attacking.
Only when they closed in did it assume a poised stance.
Several tentacles lifted from the water and shot straight at them.
Their movements seemed to be in slow motion, but as her mind directed Ilkiz to dive, the magnitude of the force behind them was anything but sluggish.
Straightening, she focused on Kaen, who guided Fury straight into one of Ligrok’s eyes.
Its claws latched onto its lid, and a blast of fire shot into it.
The resulting cry was a haunting blend of a resonant tone and a high-pitched wail.
Its piercing shrill created its own wind chill, compelling her to put her hands against her ears.
Go for its neck, Ilkiz, she instructed, leaning forward and grabbing hold of any scales she could. The descent was rapid, but as her wings flapped them forward, she was surprised she was able to hold on. The wind in her face forced her eyes closed, and the water felt like daggers against her skin.
As Ilkiz closed her wings and made contact with Ligrok, she latched on with a tight, unforgiving grip. The sudden stop in momentum made Azahara shift, but her newfound strength kept her settled.
Looking up, she saw Vemi circling. “Akua! Help Kaen!”
Just as her attention shifted to Ilkiz, her mighty Dragon clawed at the grotesque, rough, slimy, and rubbery skin. It seemed she was having a difficult time grasping, as a thick, mucous-like slime coated it.
After a brief moment of struggle, Ilkiz tilted her head back, a surge of Power gathering in her throat.
The anticipation was palpable as Azahara sensed the impending release.
Then, with a resounding roar, streams of purple flames with sparks of lightning erupted from Ilkiz’s mouth, colliding with the Titan and eliciting yet another thunderous cry.
As the ominous feeling of an imminent strike loomed, their quick thinking kicked in, and Ilkiz wasted no time. They gracefully toppled backward just as a barrage of tentacles violently struck the space where they had been latched onto just moments before.
Azahara couldn’t stifle a startled scream. In the midst of the fall, she desperately reached out, but the distance proved insurmountable, and they separated.
“Ilkiz!!” Her desperate cry resonated through the chaos, and attuned to her distress, the mighty form of her Spirit swiveled as the scent of the encroaching sea filled the air. With precision, it employed its colossal talons, securing her within its grasp.
“Too bad you don’t have a set of wings yourself, little one,” Ilkiz joked. While Azahara wanted to banter in return, reigning in her racing heart took precedence. “You aren’t going to like this, but just trust that I will catch you.”
The ominous statement didn’t sit well with her, and as Ilkiz unfurled her wings, soaring into the sky, Azahara’s unease grew justified.
In a toss that felt like she was merely a plaything, she was hurled upward while Ilkiz spun.
Breaking through the clouds, Azahara swore every inch of her body clamored for survival, convinced she might suffer a heart attack mid-air.
As the ascent halted and gravity took over, she entered a free fall. Arms outstretched, she kicked to maintain some semblance of control. Emerging through the clouds, Ilkiz swooped in to catch her. Bouncing roughly on the center of her back, Azahara rolled to a stop.
“Fuck—” She grasped her head, quickly rising to her feet. “We really need to work on that.” Grumbling, she hurried to find her proper position at the nape of Ilkiz’s neck.
“You okay?” Ilkiz inquired, her concern evident in the cadence of her words.
“Sure, did that cause any damage?” Once the turbulence subsided, they angled back downward. As Ligrok came into view, Azahara spotted Fury and Vemi circling the Titan.
“Doesn’t look like it. Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.
” Approaching closer, the confirmation resonated that not even Ilkiz’s formidable Power had breached the Titan’s thick skin.
It had only managed to break through the barnacles and coral formations that had clung to it during its enduring existence in the harsh sea environment.
“It was placed here to keep my people and my children from breaking through.”
“Maybe I should have brought Jayce,” she bit her lip. “Let’s keep it distracted. We can allow the Neptune to get through, and then we can fly past it.”
“It will likely chase, but I suppose that works.”
“Okay then—” she was abruptly cut off.
“Set us free,” Azahara’s eyes widened. That voice was not Ilkiz. “Please, set us free. Don’t leave us here.” The same voices that had greeted her upon her arrival in Ilkiz, like echoes from an underwater civilization, resonated once more.
As more voices inundated her mind, threatening to overwhelm, there was a shift and they gradually began melded into a soothing cadence of prayers rather than desperate cries for help.
Tears welled in her eyes at the collective hope for freedom, and a realization struck her.
Ligrok wasn’t merely a barrier preventing Ilkiz’s people from leaving; it was stifling their growth, hindering them from living.
“Set us free.”
“Ilkiz, fly over its head.” Uncertain of what she could achieve, Azahara couldn’t turn away from the call for help.
She refused to ignore the pain and suffering of the people, determined not to be like the King who disregarded the pleas of the common folk—like the farmer striving to safeguard his land and family.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Ilkiz executed the command, lowering them overhead as they faced the looming obstacle.
Can you speak with Vemi and Fury?
“I can, what are you going to do, little one?” Her tone held worry, but an undercut of intrigue.
Probably something stupid, she released an exasperated sigh, tell them to fly as far away as possible but to still stay in view. You, come find me when I call.
“Don’t die, I don’t want to have to deal with Jayce.”
They shared a chuckle as they glided over the Titan’s colossal frame, and as they reached a pivotal point, she rose to her feet.
A peculiar sensation settled in her stomach, a premonition of what she was about to undertake.
Deliberately plunging into the gaping maw of a Titan—undeniably an act of audacity.
Jayce would likely be infuriated, but what had she fought for if not to wield the strength bestowed on her?
Was she destined to perpetually depend on others for the very purpose she was called to fulfill?
No, she refused to be confined to a mere title; she would be more than that.
Fueled by resolve, she sprinted to the edge of Ilkiz’s neck and propelled herself forward.
The initial freefall felt normal, but as her gaze fixed on the Titan below, normalcy metamorphosed into regret.
An unsettling flip in her stomach clamored for her to retract her decision, to summon her Spirit back and ensure her safety.
The instinct for self-preservation nearly triumphed, yet, as she clenched her jaw tightly and drew upon her inner strength, her power surged.
The Titan’s mouth yawned open with a screech that reverberated through the skies, marginally slowing her descent due to its ferocity.
An overpowering blend of noxious and briny odors assaulted her senses—seaweed, salt, and the stench of decomposing matter threatened to overwhelm.
The pungency nearly rendered her unconscious, but she stood resolute.
Passing the initial lining of the Titan’s mouth, she closed her eyes and sought the Light.
Yet, instead of grasping for it, she reached beyond.
Delving into the malevolence thrust upon her without consent—the painful reminder that no matter where she fled in the world, he would persist. It served her in that she still had a long road ahead for her healing, but equally for her revenge.
As the light surrounding her faded, and she descended into the twilight of the Titan’s body, she clung to the darkness, succumbing to thoughts and feelings of annihilation.