Rosinanti_Rise of the Dragon Lord

by Kevin J. Kessler

  The world felt different, larger, more imposing. The Ice Queen saw brown locks of hair falling before her face. She saw human hands gripping into the soft soil of the ground. She felt weak and defeated. Looking to her sides, she saw Valentean and Kayden lying equally prone and equally human in the wake of Aleksandra’s explosive attack. A booming growl shook Seraphina from her momentary daze. Looking up, she saw Aleksandra, still very much in control and still very much a dragon, eyeing them as though they were mere morsels to be devoured. Seraphina’s limbs shook with the strain of unconditional terror.

  “Val…” she whispered, hoping her animus warrior had some way out of this. One look into his eyes shattered her heart to pieces. He had nothing. There was a haunting desperation and agony of helplessness reflected in the emerald pools of his stare. She slammed her eyes closed over an escaping tear and waited.

  Aleksandra savored the moment. The end of this farcical encounter had finally arrived. She looked at the three gods of Terra, the false idols who sought to oppose her one true path. Up until this point, every time she had one of them dead to rights, someone or something had intervened, snatching away her victory at the last moment. But there was no help to be found this time. No last-minute savior would deny her the blood of her foes.

  She scanned the ground, seeing their human allies. Vahn, Maura, and Nahzarro lay prone near the balcony, having felt the aftershocks of her thunderous final attack. But they were inconsequential anyway. Their bag of tricks had been exhausted, and they posed no threat to her final triumph. Aleksandra felt the heat of the Goddess’s gift gather at the back of her throat. She slowly swung open her maw, bathing the tiny gods in the crimson glow of the Goddess’s love. The flames filled her mouth, warming her tongue. She felt the energy of the Skeletal Throne fill her, empowering her, urging her onward. The Shogai would die. The Goddess would return to a ununited world, but that mattered not. The only concern she had now was finishing this battle.

  Throwing her head forward, Aleksandra savored the look of fear and desperation on all three of their faces. Then, just as the flames pushed against the back of her teeth, a booming eruption resounded from the area above her. The ceiling of her fortress shook, and then, to her horror, the Skeletal Throne exploded in a shower of crimson light and flying bone.

  The sudden loss of power was overwhelming, and something within her heart burst. The sound of glass breaking filled her head, and Aleksandra found her once more human body falling back along the ground, rolling to a shuddering stop. The throne’s detonation had scattered her foes. Aleksandra scanned the area, trying to ascertain their location while clutching at her own heart in wide-eyed panic. The Eye was gone. The power that kept her rejuvenated and mighty in the face of the draining nature of her power had dried up. Aleksandra took deep, shuddering intakes of breath, feeling her flesh tingle at the incredible loss she now felt.

  Her arms shook as she pushed herself up to a kneeling position. Fatigue began to settle in. She had been drawing on the chaos now for a prolonged period of time, and with the destruction of the throne, she was finally feeling the effects of it. Valentean and Kayden were almost standing once more, with Seraphina right behind them. She locked eyes with the Shogai, his face shining with infuriating blossoming hope.

  That look upon his sacrilegious face churned the chaos within her soul, and Aleksandra felt a pulsation of fiery power flood through her. She could not afford to play around any longer. She had toyed with them long enough, knowing her reserves of magical energy were infinite. But now, with the first pangs of mystical exhaustion knocking on the furthest borders of her mind, she had to end this battle. Up until this point, she had utilized fifty percent of her potential, a paltry half of what she was truly capable of. Releasing the full brunt of her power was the only way to ensure the grand victory the empress had sought for years.

  As Aleksandra began to gather the chaos within her chest, she felt a twinge of uncharacteristic fear. She had never delved this deep into her reserves of power and knew not whether her body could handle the full strain of the Goddess’s love. But still, she had to try. She had underestimated these pests for far too long. They should never have gotten this close. This battle should have ended long ago. Gritting her teeth, Aleksandra climbed to her feet. Her eyes locked with the Shogai’s once more. Face contorting with strain and rage, Aleksandra released her gathered power, and the resulting eruption threw her foes back and away from her and continued upward, shattering the ceiling, breaking through the illusion of blue sky to reveal the actual night.

  Amidst the falling stone and white metallic debris from some unknown wreck, Aleksandra noticed three bodies plummeting. One she recognized as the mangled body of General Zouka. It fell limp and lifeless, smacking into the ground before being buried beneath a shower of rubble. Another was the warrior of Casid. Was it he who was responsible for this horrid turn of events? Could this mere human have caused her such distress? As he fell, the big man grabbed on to the still form of a woman, holding her close to his chest and turning so it was he who smashed into the ground, back-first, protecting her.

  Valentean, Seraphina, and Kayden had moved back toward their other allies as the Shogai protected the humans by forming a dome of wind around them that tossed the falling stone away, creating a small circle of safety.

  Aleksandra felt her power peak, and along with it, the cracks in her flesh deepened and elongated, splitting her open down the sides of her neck, along her torso, arms, hands, legs, and feet. The cuts were agonizing. It felt as though her blood were boiling within her veins. The reddened area within the gashes pulsated like lava and scorched her with the Goddess’s fiery kiss. But the pain was worth it; the disfigurement was with purpose. She would miss the face of Aleksandra, the human, but for her grand purpose, the face of the Prophet of Ignis would do just as well.

  She panted in the wake of her explosive power-up. Her vision changed, and the entire world seemed hazy like the air above an open flame. She was hyper aware of everyone and everything around her—the shuffling of dirt, the flow of the lake, the whistle of the wind as it blew past her ears. She saw the entire world from on high now. A constant quaking within her flesh told her she could not hold this level of power for long. The strain on her body was monumental. She needed to end this fast.

  Valentean dropped his arms, and the wind protecting his human allies ceased. Maura ran toward the warrior of Casid, frantic in her scramble to reach them. For an instant, Aleksandra considered disintegrating the annoying pest as she knelt by the large man’s side, but without the throne’s rejuvenating power, she wanted to save that particular joy for after she had dealt with Valentean, Seraphina, and Kayden. The Shogai stepped forward, Kayden right alongside him. She chuckled at her former animus warrior’s inability to allow his brother to step into a position of dominance or leadership. It would be his undoing. The creature that had once been called her sister stood to the right of Valentean, a step behind him.

  Valentean and Seraphina looked concerned, worry etching along their faces as she silently regarded them with the indifferent disinterest of one who was vastly superior. Kayden did not look afraid; he simply seethed with anger. She was not shocked by this. He was a creature of pride above all else. That pride had made him so easy to control. It had always been Kayden’s greatest weakness. When she killed him, she hoped to see his pride finally shattered. She wanted him to weep, to beg for his life, to see everything he had once believed about himself collapse in a sobering moment of horrid clarity. That was the only fitting end for a traitor.

  Aleksandra was not content to wait for them to make their move. She vanished into a blur of speed, rematerializing before her foes to begin her final assault. Even she was surprised at the ease, grace, and destructive finality of her attacks. Valentean, Seraphina, and Kayden seemed to be moving in slow motion as she pounded their torsos and faces with world-ending punches and kicks, content to end this battle with the power of her fists alone. They tried to counterattack,
and Aleksandra enjoyed the feeling of knocking aside Valentean’s futile punches, twisting beneath Kayden’s furious kicks, and allowing Seraphina’s ineffectual magic to harmlessly bounce off her, never slowing for an instant.

  And now…the end.

  Maura skidded onto the ground beside Nevick and Deana, trying to block out the sounds of Aleksandra’s horrid devastation. Kneeling at their side, she was relieved to see both of them breathing. Deana was unconscious with a nasty-looking gash on her forehead, likely suffered in the fall.

  “Nevick,” she exclaimed, laying a hand on the warrior’s shoulder. “Are you all right?”

  He groaned in response, sitting up through a haze of pain. “Maura?”

  “Yes, I’m here. Can you stand?”

  Nevick nodded, slowly trying to regain a vertical base, holding Deana tight against his chest. “Deana was healing me when the damn roof collapsed. She didn’t fully get the job done.” He looked out at the sight of battle, his scowl darkening. Maura followed her friend’s gaze and saw what could only be described as brutality of the highest sort. Aleksandra was an inferno of destruction, and Maura could not even follow the struggle for the most part.

  “I need to get in there,” Nevick groaned, trying to rise fully.

  “There’s nothing you can do here,” Maura replied, gripping his shoulder with insistence. “You’d only get in the way. Trust me. It’s a sobering thought that I’m dealing with myself. But in a battle of gods…there’s not much we can do.” Nevick growled in annoyance and frustration as he fully stood. “Besides, Deana needs you to watch over her.”

  Nevick nodded slowly as acceptance seeped over his face. “Fine…” he replied, clutching his unconscious fiancée close to his chest.

  Kayden was flabbergasted. He had always known Aleksandra was the strongest magical being to ever exist upon Terra, but he had never known the true levels of her might. He had never felt so helpless before, not even when Valentean had thrashed him so completely within the battle arena. This was a whole other level. This was the definition of hopelessness.

  As Kayden fell from an attack he never even saw, he smacked his face into the ground. A string of slobber streaked with blood slowly fell from his lips, spreading onto the ground below him. He watched Valentean struggle as the red and black streak that was Aleksandra pummeled him. A small part of his inner being churned at the sight. Despite this momentary alliance, his feelings toward his sainted sibling had not shifted in the least. He still gained a small measure of satisfaction at seeing his brother humbled before an all-powerful foe.

  He thought of Valentean’s mastery over air, water, and fire and how none of that was helping him to combat the empress. Finally, there was something that was just beyond his abilities. Kayden seethed with momentary jealousy at his brother’s ability to command three of the four elements. The things he could have done with that power. And what kind of might accompanied the ability to control all four elements? Had anyone ever accomplished such a feat in the history of Terra? Kayden doubted it. With that kind of power, perhaps even Aleksandra would pale in comparison.

  Suddenly, Valentean fell onto his back, and Aleksandra turned her attention toward Seraphina. Kayden’s heart froze. He should not care; he knew this. What was she to him? Nothing. Just an inconsequential obstacle. But she had been kind to him…kind when he had not deserved it. She had shown compassion after he had assisted in the murder of her parents, in the decimation of her home. She could have torn his mind to mush when they clashed upon the Dreamscape, but she had not. Instead, Seraphina had tried to heal him, to reason with him.

  Her body flew back as the empress began her onslaught. Seraphina was flung through the air several times, smacking into the upended ground over and over. Blood spilled over the right side of her face. Kayden heard at least two of the Ice Queen’s ribs splinter beneath Aleksandra’s assault, and a fresh burst of bright red internal blood flew from her mouth. This was different from the pounding Valentean and Kayden had endured. This had a sense of finality to it. Aleksandra was moving in for the kill.

  Kayden took a hesitant step, wanting to rush in, to try and intervene, to repay the kindness this woman had shown him in sparing his life. But that would do nothing. Aleksandra would bat him aside with extreme ease and continue her execution without even slowing down. But what could he do? He had to do something. He looked to Valentean, who still struggled on the ground. It seemed as though he had not even realized the woman he avowed his life to was moments from death.

  Could they rush her together? No. Even then, they would never stand a chance. She was too mighty. If only he had the power of all four elements, then he could stop her. Then he would silence that fiery witch forever. If only he had that power. If only someone had that power. His gaze traveled once more to Valentean, a horrid idea crossing his mind and bringing a sneering snarl to his lips.

  No, he thought, raging. Why should I? Why should I have to? For some woman I barely know? Why should I have to share something with…with him. Something that is mine. Something that makes me who I am! He doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t need it! Why should I give it to him? No! I won’t! I won’t! I won’t!

  Kayden looked over at Seraphina once more and saw her on her knees, blood continuing to spill from her lips.

  I won’t.

  Aleksandra materialized behind her, gripping her sister by the back of the hair.

  I won’t.

  A ball of flame burst to life within her palm, which crackled with red lightning. Kayden cursed and stumbled toward Valentean, who had finally risen to his feet and had seen what was transpiring. Kayden watched his brother’s fists ball as he took a step, ready to ineffectually leap into battle. Kayden, however, grabbed his brother by the shoulder and spun him around. The Burai brothers stood eye to eye.

  “Take it,” Kayden said, his voice low and yet insistent. His eyes came alive with the purple light of darkness. Valentean looked confused. He was such an idiot.

  Kayden thrust his open palm into Valentean’s chest, focusing his power. He felt a shuddering rip from within his body, felt something so precious move down his arm. Valentean gasped, and Kayden fell back and away from him, a feeling of all-encompassing weakness making his limbs heavy. Then, the transformation began.

  Valentean screamed as purple light exploded from his eyes. He stumbled back and away from Kayden, falling onto the ground. He could feel the darkness worming its way inside of him, pressing into every cell in his body, bullying its way through the paths of energy that made him who and what he is. Turning his attention back to Seraphina, he saw that Aleksandra had stopped in the wake of his commotion, and her eyes were squarely locked upon him as he writhed on the ground.

  The darkness that had passed so unexpectedly from Kayden into him found the light that was his true power, and the two pressed against one another, at war within him. His eyes were turning from white to purple over and over, back and forth as these two conflicting energies battled for supremacy. This momentary distraction allowed the chaos he had received from Aleksandra to bypass the mental walls he had constructed around it. Red light danced along his eyes, intermingling with the white and purple. Then, the energy of Seraphina’s order rose up and struck out against the chaos. His eyes flashed through colors with every passing microsecond. White, purple, red, blue, white, purple, red, blue, white, purple, red, blue. His insides were boiling. The battle of these combined forces were killing him, tearing him apart from the inside out as they each struggled for supremacy.

  Aleksandra dropped Seraphina and advanced, clearly sensing the explosions of energy alive within him. Her fingers wrapped around Valentean’s throat, cutting off his screams as she hoisted him into the air, holding him easily above her head. White, purple, red, blue, white purple, red, blue. The noise and pain were incredible. Aleksandra raised her free hand that still contained the crackling crimson fireball meant to end Seraphina’s life. White, purple, red, blue, white, purple, red, blue. The noise reached cacophonou
s levels as the empress’s hand flew toward his body. White, purple, red, blue, white, purple, red, blue. Memories exploded in his mind’s eye at the speed of light.

  Everything dies, Valentean…

  Love can burn forever…

  Together?… Always…

  Then suddenly, the four fundamental forces of Terra collided one final time within his heart and mind, and in that solidifying instant, Valentean felt something he had sought for many years within himself. Something Aqua had once told him was the entire basis of life on Terra. Balance.

  Golden light exploded from Valentean’s eyes, and his hand shot out, catching Aleksandra at the wrist. The empress’s face fell in shock, and the fireball upon her palm dissipated as she let go of his throat. She grimaced and attempted to pull her arm away, but Valentean did not budge. Through the hideous cracks that split her face open, Valentean could see a look of genuine fear. She continued to uselessly pull against his grip. The empress screamed and cried and wrenched at her arm until Valentean simply let go, causing the mighty sorceress to trip over her own legs and fall to the ground, a heap of screaming rage and terror.

  The power of the planet was alive within his body. It was his to command, his to control. He was the living embodiment of Terra’s delicate balance.

  White.

  Purple.

  Red.

  Blue.

  Light.

  Darkness.

  Chaos.

  Order.

  Air.

  Rock.

  Fire.

  Water.

  Valentean.

  Kayden.

  Aleksandra.

  Seraphina.

  Aleksandra stumbled to her feet, gaping in awe at the golden god who stood before her. Valentean began to gather the power of the planet around him. The wind whipped his hair. Embers of flame flared to life around his body. Small pebbles and droplets of moisture levitated around him, orbiting the space he occupied in all directions.