by S. E. Smith
Paul jerked as Raffvin’s claws ripped across his belly leaving deep gouges. He tucked his back feet up under the gray dragon and tossed him over his head and rolled over onto his belly as Aikaterina’s screams filled the cave. Pushing up, he snapped at Raffvin as he tried to grab him again. The gray dragon locked his claws onto the golden dragon’s forearms and swung his tail. Paul fell heavily on his side grunting when the large gray dragon landed on his ribs.
Son of a bitch, Paul snarled out, royally pissed as he wrestled to break free of the other dragon. He hoped Morian was doing better than he was.
Paul reached around with his tail. He wrapped it around the gray dragon’s back leg and pulled at the same time as he dragged his back claws down the front of the male’s thighs cutting deep gashes. He had to get to the Hive Queen before she was destroyed. The gray dragon had to let him go or risk getting his damn guts ripped open. Paul threw the gray dragon to the side and stumbled to his feet. He was covered in both their blood. His from the wounds Raffvin had inflicted and Raffvin’s for the dozens of cuts Paul had given him.
Turning, he charged up the steps trying to get to Aikaterina whose screams had died down to whimpers as she slowly began to collapse. Paul could see the blisters forming all around her body as the black bands began to cut through her. He was almost to her when a band of the black symbiot shot out, piercing his left forearm. The force of the blow forced his claw open and the ruby crystal fell, rolling across the platform.
Paul’s dragon roared out harshly as the band wound back around his front leg and started slicing through the scales into the flesh. He was barely aware of raising his tail to slash it across the gray dragon’s face as he tried to attack from behind again. Instead, he pulled from the calm center deep inside him and pushed the pain away. He would not let evil win.
Strength flooded him as he felt Morian touch his mind. We are almost there! Don’t make me have to whip your ass! You get up and do what you have to until we get there.
This bastard is pissing me off! He responded with a grunt as he caught a tail to his already tender side. Where is he fucking getting his strength?
It is the symbiot, she responded. That is why his eyes are black. It took me a little while to figure it out. He must have it inside him.
Well, I’m about to do an autopsy to take it out, Paul growled as he caught the offending tail as it swung at him again in his right claw and twisted it brutally before snapping the end.
Raffvin roared out in pain. Breaking a tail bone hurts like hell, doesn’t it? Paul couldn’t help but think with glee even as he snapped at the dark symbiot determined to slice his claw from his front leg.
Paul reached the ruby crystal and slammed his tortured forearm down on it. The black band hissed and screeched as it was pulled into the center of the stone. Turning onto his back, he caught the huge gray dragon as it charged him. His eyes flickered up as he saw a golden eagle swoop down, talons out. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the necklace up into the air. The eagle caught the jewel in its talon and curved upward to the top of the golden statue. Dropping the stone around her neck, the crystal glowed a brilliant red as it absorbed the dark energy slowly draining Aikaterina of life.
Raffvin’s dragon jerked back as the statue began to glow a dark gold again. His dragon stumbled backwards down the steps turning in disbelief as the cavern began to glow brightly. His eyes turned to the forms of the other dragons appearing at each entrance to the Hive. Symbiots in a wide variety of shapes were dropping red stones over the other golden statues, absorbing the smaller bands of negative energy.
“No!” Raffvin screamed as he shifted back into his two-legged form. “No!” He screamed again grabbing his head before turning to look with murder in his eyes at the huge golden dragon standing protectively in front of the Hive Queen. “You! You are to blame for this!”
Paul shifted and stood proudly in front of Aikaterina, Morian in the form of her white dragon stood behind him with her wings spread. He looked down dispassionately at the man who had brought so much pain to his new world. Who let greed and power corrupt him, his dragon, and even his symbiot to the point that there was nothing left but a gaunt shell of a Valdier warrior.
He let his gaze move to the entrances leading into the Hive. Zoran’s red, gold and green dragon stood at one entrance while each of his brothers…. my sons, Paul thought, stood proudly at each of the others blocking any escape. Their symbiots had taken up position in front of each of the eleven remaining statues. He finally turned his gaze back to Raffvin who seemed to shrink further into his madness as he realized that he had failed.
Paul turned as he felt a hand slide along his lower back. “As the Priestess to the Hive, it is my responsibility to sentence him for the attack on it and to the damage that was done,” she said with a quiet strength that spoke of her royal status.
He nodded his head in understanding but kept his eyes trained on Raffvin. The hair on the back of his neck was standing straight up and his gut was telling him that the bastard had a card up his sleeve. He would not give in gracefully. He loosened his stance as Morian stepped slightly in front of him. His eyes narrowing on Raffvin’s face as a multitude of emotions swept across it. They ranged from rage to hatred to madness.
Chapter 21
Following her symbiot as it lead her through the twisting maze of tunnels and air shafts, Morian folded her wings against her sides so she could fit through a narrower section of rock. She could feel the black symbiots gaining on her. She swerved upward into a vertical shaft before twisting at the last minute into another horizontal one, bouncing off the smooth walls as she did and almost losing control. She rolled and picked up speed, ignoring the burning in her lungs and wings. She hadn’t flown this hard or fast in centuries. She burst into a large open area and swung around, beating her wings frantically as she waited for the black creatures to catch up with her. When the first one appeared, she used her tail as a club. Swinging it as hard as she could, she knocked the creature back into the others, snarling in pain as blisters formed where she touched it. Loud hisses of rage filled the narrow shaft and echoed up into the larger one sending a shiver through her petite white and gold body.
She didn’t wait around to find out how angry she had just made them. Looking up, she saw the narrow opening at the top of one of the towers. It was too small for her to fit through. Putting on a burst of speed, she called to her symbiot to break through the narrow opening.
Hurry, they are coming, she breathed out with a mixture of excitement and fear.
Crash protect you, her symbiot responded. The others wait just outside.
Crash? Morian asked in confusion as she dodged the sharp spears of rock suddenly raining down as her symbiot burst through. From the sounds behind her, she was more successful at dodging them than the symbiots following her.
Paul asked me for a name. I like Crash! It responded as it shot through the ceiling in a perfect reflection of its name.
Morian twisted as she went through the opening and up into the nighttime sky. She flew straight up before turning and looking down as the black shapes emerged. She waited until she counted the last one. It would be close as they began to swarm around her. Her dragon shuddered as a long black band wrapped around her tail leaving a long blister near the one she had just received.
Crash moved to attack it but Morian hissed for it to stay back. Now, Zoran, she called out in dragon speak.
With pleasure, Zoran responded. Trelon, let’s hope your and Cara’s crystals work.
They will, Trelon said with a confident growl.
Trelon, Zoran, and Creon circled around Morian with their symbiots. Each of the dragons and their symbiots wore or carried hundreds of the ruby crystals that Trelon and Cara had been growing since Ariel and Mandra had returned. None of the crystals were as large as the one Ariel had brought back but they were all just as powerful. Loud hissing and screeching filled the air as the black symbiots were being pulled away from the white dragon they
had been seeking to destroy.
Long tethers of negative energy roped through the air and into the center of the crystals which began to glow brighter and brighter as it absorbed the energy and converted it. Thin bands of gold began appearing as the darkness was pulled away. The remains of the symbiots from Valdier warriors who had died under Raffvin’s hand began raining back down into the open shaft.
Morian’s heart burned with grief. Unable to ignore the pain radiating from the tiny remains, she folded her wings and dropped down below where the remaining black bands fought against the pull. Once clear, she rotated until she was able to glide back down through the narrow opening her symbiot had created so she could land on the smooth floor far below, shifting back into her two-legged form.
“Have hope, little ones,” she murmured as she looked out over the tiny, shivering teardrops that lay in small pools on the hard, cold floor. “I will return you to your Queen.”
Crash landed next to Morian and shifted into a Were Cat. It sent its own warmth out to the injured remains. When one symbiot is hurt or destroyed it resonated through the Hive to the others. Raffvin had committed a crime against the very fundamental beliefs of their people and the symbiotic relationship with the Hive. He could not be allowed to live.
“Crash,” Morian said softly, turning to look at the symbiot with sorrow in her eyes. “Take them into you and protect what is left. They have lost enough.”
Crash bowed its huge head in acknowledgement and walked to each small pool, scooping up the remains with its long tongue and absorbing it into its larger body. Morian turned to look up as Zoran, Mandra, and Creon’s dragons flew through the opening above her. Her heart swelled with pride as she watched the three dragons circle around before landing next to her and shifting.
“It is done,” Zoran said watching as his mother’s symbiot scanned the area for any of the gold remains that it might have missed. “We need to find your mate.”
Morian nodded. “Crash,” she called out before looking at her sons. “Your symbiots know the way. They will take each of you to a different entrance so that we can prevent Raffvin from escaping. He has much to answer for,” she added heavily, looking up at the night sky.
“He won’t escape this time,” Trelon growled out. “We’ll make sure of that.”
Morian nodded before she looked at her youngest son. “Creon, have you heard from the others?” She asked, unable to completely hide her fear for her other two sons.
Creon smiled and brushed his hand down her cheek, wiping a smear of dirt away. “Mandra and Kelan are fine. I think they are having far too much fun. Vox and Ha’ven were complaining they were not leaving any of the Marastin Dow for them to play with.”
Morian gave a slight shake of her head and rolled her eyes. “Men! I swear you never grow up,” she chuckled before a painful gasp left her lips and her eyes widened.
“What is it?” Zoran asked reaching out to steady her when she swayed.
“Paul…. The Queen…. They are in danger,” she whispered before turning and shifting.
Morian took off without another word. She would have to trust that Zoran, Trelon and Creon’s symbiots would guide them. Crash flashed in front of her, moving faster than she could through the tunnels.
Can you lead us back, she asked her dragon in a tone that spoke of the urgency of the situation.
No problem, her dragon bit out swerving around a corner and down a long narrow shaft.
A flash of pain that Morian knew didn’t come from any injury to her, her dragon, or her symbiot swept through her again as she rounded another corner. She could feel the pain radiating from her mate. The bitter taste of fear filled her mouth at the thought that they might arrive too late. She had to let him know that she and the others were almost there.
Reaching out, she touched Paul’s mind using the symbiot on him. We are almost there! Don’t make me have to whip your ass! You get up and do what you have to until we get there, she demanded fiercely.
This bastard is pissing me off! He responded tersely. Where is he fucking getting his strength?
It is the symbiot, Morian responded with a sudden insight. That is why his eyes are black. It took me a little while to figure it out. He must have it inside him.
She didn’t say anything else for fear of distracting her mate as he fought for not only his life, but the life of all their people. Her dragon rounded the last corner and burst through into the cavern where her mate and Raffvin were locked in battle. Crash was swooping down over him, reaching for the ruby crystal he had worn around his neck. Her gaze flew to the tortured figure of the Hive Queen as the black bands of Raffvin’s symbiot surrounded her. She flew towards her mate even as the room began to fill with a golden glow as the other symbiots began raining red crystals around the other statues, pulling the dark energy away.
She circled once before gliding to land behind her mate who had shifted back into his two-legged form to confront Raffvin. She rose up tall and proud behind him. He was a fierce figure in either form and her love for him and his determination to protect the people he had adopted showed in his stance.
She shifted as Raffvin stared up at them in disbelief. Walking up behind Paul, she ran her hand along his lower back for strength before stepping forward to look down at Raffvin with disdain. Raising her chin, she began speaking not as Dola, not as Morian, but as the Priestess to the Hive. It was her responsibility to administer justice for the savage betrayal to their people and for the harm done to the Hive.
As she spoke, the madness in Raffvin’s eyes grew. His low rumble sounded just a split second before he struck out. He was no longer in the form of his two-legged self nor that of the gaunt, gray dragon. Now, a smaller but deadlier dragon formed. One made of the black energy that he had slowly replaced his royal blood with.
Morian screamed out in warning even as Paul pushed her behind him. Zoran, Trelon, and Creon’s dragons roared out in rage as Raffvin attacked. Everything seemed to slow as Paul shifted into his golden dragon, meeting Raffvin head-on.
Chapter 22
Paul saw the look in Raffvin’s eyes change and the way he moved his right foot into position. It was the one he liked to favor when he was about to attack. Paul was already reaching for Morian when Raffvin shifted. Thrusting her behind him, he shifted and charged down the steps as Raffvin moved upwards. Their bodies crashed with a resounding thud, gold against black. Muscles bulged as they gripped each other in the age old battle of good vs evil.
Paul pushed into the slightly smaller dragon forcing him back far enough that he could swing his spiked tail up between them. The razor sharp tips sliced through the missing scales on Raffvin’s thigh, burying deeply into the main artery there. He grimaced as Raffvin’s talons sank into his shoulders but he didn’t release him as he swung his tail again and again.
It wasn’t until the third blow that he caught a glimpse of red mist flickering as he swung his tail around. Zoran and Creon’s symbiots were flying above him, dropping small crystals onto the platform behind him. Every time his tail swung backwards, it would rake up more crystals along the spikes at the end. With each cut, he was pulling the negative energy out of Raffvin who was beginning to wither in his arms more than fight against him.
“The crystals!” Paul yelled out as he struggled to keep his grip on the black dragon that was fighting like the hounds of hell were tearing him apart. “I need Ariel’s pendant!” He called out hoarsely referring to the crystal Ariel had been given.
Aikaterina approached where he held the black dragon. She removed the necklace from around her neck and with a wave of her hand, it appeared around Raffvin’s neck. Paul thrust the smaller dragon away from him as it began screeching and smoking. Long wisps of black pulled from its body, twisting and melting into the crystal around its neck. Every time the dragon tried to claw the necklace away from its body, piercing roars of pain filled the cavern as the crystal sucked more energy from it.
Raffvin shifted back to his two-legged
form and collapsed to the floor in agony. “No!” He screamed. “The Hive was mine to control!”
Morian slowly walked down the steps to rest her hand on the huge golden dragon that stood over Raffvin’s tortured figure. “Raffvin, you are condemned to imprisonment for treason against the people of Valdier and for the attack on the Hive. Your sentence is to be confined within the crystal, neither alive nor dead, for eternity. May the Gods have no mercy on your soul,” she said dispassionately as he reached out to her with one hand that began to dissolve and flow into the crystal.
Zoran, Trelon, and Creon flew down to stand as guards as they all watched Raffvin slowly dissolve into the crystal. Only when the crystal slowly faded back to its normal color did Morian look up at her mate. Tears glimmered in her eyes as she stared at the man who had come from the stars to her. Raising her hand, she laid it against the golden jaw of her mate.
“It is over,” she whispered staring into the dark brown eyes glowing with flakes of gold. “The terror is finally over. My family is safe.”
Paul rubbed his head against her outstretched hand before he shifted and pulled her into his arms. Burying his face in her neck, he just held her tightly against him until both their trembling ceased. Only then did he raise his head to look at the Queen of the Hive.
A small smile curved his lips as he studied her. “I thought you said you couldn’t interfere,” he said with a raised eyebrow.
An answering smile curved her lips before she shrugged her slender shoulders. “What is the phrase you used? Oh yes - he was pissing me off,” she replied looking about the cavern as it began to glow brightly again.