Chapter 36 #3
Something massive slammed into me, and burning pain lanced through my side as something pierced through my scales. A booming cry roared past my lips as I went tumbling from the sky, something still latched onto me.
I clawed and fought to break free of whatever held me, but whatever it was, embedded itself into me deep. I fell from the cloud of magic, and large purple scales came into view, along with large, piercing yellow eyes.
Morgana had shifted, her sharp, beastly features becoming visible as we plummeted from the sky.
She had transformed into the same kind of beast as me, though I was still considerably larger than she was.
Her claws shimmered with something as she began to retract them, and we tumbled toward the ground from the force of her collision.
The shadows had been a distraction, a cover, and I snarled, trying to claw at her as the ground became closer and closer.
I risked it and shadowed, only making it a few feet away. Her claws ripped from my stomach and blood spewed from the gash, seeping down onto the battle below. I couldn’t regain control and I crashed to the earth, rolling and tumbling across the field, bodies crunching beneath me.
I gritted my teeth and shifted as I slowed to a stop.
Blood was gushing from a deep gash across my abdomen, and I had to use both hands to staunch the flow.
I cried out, pressing down on the wound, hoping to generate enough pressure for my body to begin healing, at least enough for me to reach safety.
A hulking silhouette crashed against my shield, followed by another as her soldiers began to attempt to reach me.
Morgana’s massive form crashed to the earth, her sharp claws crunching down onto more unsuspecting bodies, her own fucking people. Everyone started to flee from her as she narrowed her enormous yellow eyes on me, clearing a path.
All of my energy was going into the shield around me, into healing and I fought to stay conscious. Cursing, I glanced down at my stomach and swayed. It wasn’t healing, not properly, and I growled as I realized why. My gaze cut to her claws again, a shimmering green coating them.
Morgana was almost upon me, her massive maw lowering, her lips peeling back in a wide grin.
Her sharp, needle-like teeth were on horrifying display.
Did I look like that? Cause fuck, that was intimidating.
Something must have caught her attention as her yellow gaze slid past me, a snarl of rage filling the air.
“What have you done?”
Turning my head in that direction, I searched the field but found only more fighting.
What had she seen? I winced as I tried to lean up, the gash still too slowly stitching together.
Magic, bodies, and weapons were still pounding against my shield, but I searched again, looking past the chaos surrounding me.
Relief followed quickly by panic washed over me as I spotted Jaxon.
He stood in his leathers, swords strapped to his back, but it was what he carried that made me panic.
I wiped the sweat from my eyes as they narrowed on the girl cradled in his arms. Her body was limp, her head lolled to the side.
Unseeing yellow eyes gazed over the battle, her fierce scowl replaced by a vacant expression, her short black hair framing her face.
He had done it… he had killed Lana.
My head whipped back toward Morgana, who was now airborne again, her massive form casting a shadow over me as she bellowed and charged for my brother.
No! Pain rippled across my abdomen as I forced myself to stand.
Blood was still pouring onto the ground, seeping between my fingers, but I had to get to him.
Snarling, I spun, but I was surrounded, my shield the only thing protecting me from the onslaught of battle raging around me.
My stomach was too damaged to risk shadowing, especially at this distance.
Wide eyed I watched as Morgana’s monstrous purple form shot through the air.
Jaxon laid Lana at his feet, a sword now in his hand.
A fucking sword. What was a fucking sword going to do against her?
! Fuck. Fuck! She was already almost upon him, her mouth widening, and I sensed what she was about to do.
Even with a strong shield, it wouldn’t hold long, not against that type of flame. I had to risk it; I had to try.
Something golden shot from the skies, and my magic sputtered out as I watched with gut-wrenching horror as a griffin crashed into Morgana’s snout.
Agatha’s piercing cry split the air as her massive paws latched onto Morgana’s scales.
Her head thrashed wildly, attempting to peck and blind one of Morgana’s eyes.
Flames licked up Morgana’s snout, and bile rose in my throat as a glint of red appeared. Aria emerged from beneath Agatha, leaping onto Morgana's snout and raising her sword high, poised for an attack.
“Aria, no!” I roared, but it was too late.
Aria and Agatha were consumed by flames, their anguished screams echoing through the air.
Agatha managed to grab Aria with her paw, shielding her and extinguishing most of the fire with her own body.
Together, they descended like a fiery comet, plunging towards the ground.
I roared following Aria's descent and forced myself to shadow.
My shield dropped and I cursed as my magic faltered.
I quickly cracked open the door between Zara and me and tugged on her magic sharply, taking what I needed and slamming it shut again.
It was sloppy and I ended up a hundred yards past where I had intended.
I spun, sighing in relief as I spotted Jaxon, already underneath them. Massive waves of water stretched high, dousing the flames as his magic slowed their descent, floating them down on a wave onto the now sodden earth.
My attention went straight to Morgana, but she was no longer there.
I turned, spotting her flying back towards her side of the battlefield. What was she doing? She just lost her opportunity. She had us. My brow furrowed, but more crying wails came from somewhere above. Dimitri and Tria dove toward the ground, landing between their fallen friends.
Agatha lay still, her once thick mane of feathers now gone, replaced with oozing crimson, and scorched blackened skin.
Patches of charred fur marred her body and paws.
The griffins whined, nudging Agatha with their beaks, but she didn’t stir.
Aria’s entire right side was covered in the same oozing, charred crimson as she weakly convulsed on the ground.
Jaxon knelt beside her, his face a mask of anguish as he glanced between Aria and Agatha, murmuring incoherently, his hands outstretched over Aria trying to heal her burns.
Fighting through the pain, I managed to shadow to his side, stumbling as I almost collided with him.
“Jaxon, we need to move,” I said, my voice a rasping command.
“You are going to be okay,” Jaxon whispered, again and again. His gaze was fixed on her, eyes wide as if he were in shock.
“Help me send them to Julian,” I said sharply, meeting Aria's gaze. Her breaths were sharp and fast as her body continued to shake, but her gaze cut to Agatha, and a whimper left her lips.
“Agatha too, Aria,” I reassured her, and I took a deep breath. Shadows emerged but they were weak and I exhaled as I felt Jaxon’s magic brush against mine.
“You are going to be okay,” Jaxon breathed. “You both have to be okay.”