Children of Darkness: Ch 24

So Close, Yet So Far

The smell of burned fur tore at Moro´s nostrils and she could see the black patches of burned fur from the lightning jolts suffered from repeated clashing with Infernio´s sword. Her left shoulder also carried a large seared area from a near miss from a burst of flame.

But Moro felt no pain, only the adrenaline spurred on by the rush of battle and she slowly rose to her feet facing Infernio as he approached her. Moro raised her axe as and swung it with all her might against Infernio´s left side.

Infernio raised his left fist to block the blow and immediately struck out against Moro with his sword only narrowly missing her head as she jumped backwards to avoid the blow.

"Why do you continue to fight?" said Infernio in his cold metallic voice. "You cannot damage me, the fight is pointless. Lay down your weapon and I will grant you a swift death."

Moro could not disagree with that judgment based upon their duel. Though Moro had delivered several blows to Infernio it had left nothing but small dents and scratches in his metal body. But Moro knew better than to focus on that, she knew what power lay in the axe she wielded.

She blocked a quick blow from Infernio and then only barely managed to jump aside as cone of flames erupted from the red crystal set in Infernio´s chest
Her gaze glancing to the head of the axe she looked across the steel. It was polished to a mirror like perfection with a detailed image of a dragon with is wings spread across both blades of the axe. Unusual for a ape weapon, but the axe was not normal either.  

She swung the axe at Infernio again, aiming low this time to try and knock him off balance. But Infernio did not even flinch and a moment later Moro was knocked backwards by a powerful blow from Infernio´s left fist.

Even as she rose to her feet Infernio charged again with his sword raised and Moro desperately dived out of the way. But she was not quite fast enough as Infernio´s sword pierced her breastplate and made a long wound across her chest.

Moro quickly jumped back a few more times putting distance to Infernio. She involuntarily shivered a little as electricity still coursed through he body from contact with the sword. She was clutching the wound with one hand, the blood dyeing the fur on her hands red even as it slipped between her fingers and continued down her body. But it was enough.  

Raising her axe with the other hand, Moro gently took her bloodied hand and ran it along the axes blades leaving behind a fine trail of blood which seemed to instantly melt with the steel.

Moro had inherited the axe from her mother, who had gotten it from her mother and so forth as long as anyone could remember. It is said it dated back to a time when the Guardians and Ape´s were allies.

Moro could not avoid smiling at her own thoughts. The Guardians and Apes allied? That had to be a very long time ago indeed. But none of that mattered now anyway. What mattered was what the axe could do and had done. According to the legends the axe could cut through anything, but only if it was coated in the wielders blood, blood drawn by the enemy. And Moro knew that legend to be true, she had tested it herself after all.

"Die!" yelled Infernio as he charged at Moro intent on the finishing blow.
Moro turned axe in her hand. It felt lighter like it had done when she had first tested the legend and she knew what followed.

As Infernio struck at her with a powerful over head slash, Moro graciously moved aside and with a unbelievably quick cut she severed Infernio´s left arm from his body.

Infernio stood unmoving for a few seconds even after the arm landed heavily on the ground, but as Moro turned around to attack again he jumped out of the way.

Landing heavily on the ground , he immediately turned around and unleashed a massive cone of flames from the red crystal at the center of his body, forcing Moro backwards. He then quickly sheathed his sword in a scabbard on his back and raised his remaining hand into the air.

A moment later a red fireball flew upwards before exploding in a shower of sparks high above the battle.  

But in Warfang castle entirely different events were unfolding.

Demetrius stepped backwards as the shadowy wing continued to grow, reaching the size of an adult dragon's wing. This extreme size compared to the rest of the young dragons body did not seem to be a hindrance however as Larshyr jumped at him.

Demetrius moved away as Larshyr's teeth aimed for his neck. Missing him, the young dragon landed on the ground behind Demetrius and immediately disappeared in a shadowy smoke.

The smoke then moved above Demetrius where Larshyr once again reappeared and fell towards Demetrius with his shadowy wing spread out in its full width and the shadows seemingly darkening around it like it was absorbing the light of the room itself.

Demetrius quickly disappeared into a dark cloud smoke as the shadow wing emanated a powerful dark shockwave which tore large claw like marks across the stone floor where Demetrius had been standing.

Carx and Zera could only watch horrified at the battle which took place before them and Fliera and Coldalar likewise simply stared in fearsome silence as Larshyr attacked Demetrius again and again. A dark aura surrounded Larshyr all this time and he seemingly did not even notice his brother or Zera anymore.

Demetrius however felt no fear at the sight of the young dragons change, only interest. When he had first fought the three young dragons here, he had been able to feel part of his own aura emanating from the dark field he had placed on Larshyr´s side.

Now however he only felt Larshyr's dark aura emanating from the field and he wondered if the field had somehow changed.

But Demetrius quickly pushed those thoughts aside. He had noticed the blue dragon and the red dragoness who had just entered the room and knew they would not remain motionless for long. He had to wrap this up.

So when Larshyr turned into a shadow smoke again, Demetrius did the same and moved into Larshyr´s smoke. A moment later Larshyr reappeared and was seemingly hurled through the room until he hit the wall and fell motionless to the ground. As he lay there the dark aura around him disappeared and the shadowy wing evaporated though the dark field covering his wound remained.

"Larshyr!" exclaimed Zera as she once again tried to break free of the shadow hands holding her.

Demetrius reappeared facing Zera.

"Don't worry he should only be unconscious" he said with a cold smile.

"Get away from my daughter!" roared Coldalar immediately as he charged forward.

Demetrius turned around and thrust his tail blade forward like a spear.

Coldalar raised his wing in defense and the tail blade pounced harmlessly of.

But the blow itself still knocked the tired Coldalar off balance and he stumbled sideways a few steps before recovering.

Immediately Fliera sent several fireballs at Demetrius who quickly jumped aside and pulled back towards Spyro´s immobile figure.

Coldalar quickly jumped over too Zera and with his claws quickly freed her.  As she got to her feet she looked up at him. "Farther?" said Zera slowly unable to believe her own eyes.

Coldalar smiled and a single tear ran down his cheek. "Don't worry my little snowflake, everything is all right now" he said as he gave her a quick kiss on her forehead.

A cold chuckle pierced the air. "Touching, very touching" said Demetrius in voice which made it impossible to tell if he was sarcastic or not. "But I wonder if everything really is all right."

"You won't lay another claw upon our daughter" said Fliera defiantly as she walked in front of Coldalar and Zera.

"I have no interest in her, she is worth as much to me as your lives, which is to say nothing" said Demetrius coldly. "My sole interest is in the purple dragon and in the black dragoness children."

Even as Demetrius spoke Carx managed to get free of his binds thanks to the help of Coldalar. He immediately started circling Demetrius, while moving towards his unconscious brother.

Demetrius eyed him, but ultimately did not act. Cynder´s children would only be a bonus if he could capture them, nothing else and as things stood the chances of him doing that were running low. He could feel her approaching fast as well as another powerful aura of darkness he could not place. But until they arrived, he was going to enjoy this.

He suddenly opened his mouth and unleashed a cone of shadowy flames upon Fliera who quickly retaliated with her own flames and the two locked together in a contest of strength.

But Carx saw an opportunity in this and quickly jumped forward firing of a single large fireball towards Demetrius.

Demetrius did not even stop the stream of shadowy flames as he raised one of his wings in defense against Carx fireball.

But Coldalar had also been ready and he attacked from Demetrius other side, aiming his powerful claws at Demetrius unprotected flank.

Demetrius vanished in a cloud of shadowy smoke, but reappeared moments later behind Coldalar and quickly raked Coldalar´s back before he could react.

Coldalar stumbled forward his vision blurring for a second. He had not recovered his strength after his sudden awakening and he felt very tired. But he had to protect Zera!

He turned around with a roar and unleashed a stream of ice upon Demetrius.

Demetrius raise his wings in defense, but the stream split before it hit him and instead whirled around him in a circle. Demetrius could feel the temperature around him dropping rapidly and quickly jumped out of the circle just as a pillar of ice rose out of the floor there.

Fliera immediately charged Demetrius head on while Carx and Zera attacking Demetrius flanks with an elemental blast. Demetrius reacted by jumping straight at Fliera and both of them fell to the floor locked in a flurry of claws and teeth.

The two rolled across the floor for a few moments managed to push Fliera away from him with his hind legs. Quickly getting up he discovered he was bleeding from a single wound to his chest, but Fliera was far worse of bleeding from three wounds to her chest and stomach.

Demetrius quickly unleashed a swarm of shadowy claws upon Fliera, but before they reached her cone of ice and cone of fire evaporated them.

Coldalar then attacked again jumping at Demetrius with all the strength he could muster. Demetrius did not even blink as he quickly spread his wings and then with a single powerful wing beat unleashed a dark shockwave which knocked Coldalar to the ground.

"Die!" roared Demetrius as dark energy gathered around his claws and he swiped at Coldalar once unleashing a series of dark blades.

Coldalar could see the blades coming, but as he tried to get away, his legs collapsed under him. He did not have the strength. But as he lay there, Fliera jumped in front of him. Her wings were held up in defense as she steeled herself for the blow.

Dark blades collided with Fliera´s wings' sending out sparks of darkness as they grinded against them and for a moment it seemed like Fliera would be able to take the blow without harm…but only for a moment.

The dark blades tore through Fliera´s wings and struck her in the chest.

Cynder heard a terrible scream of pain coming from inside the room just as she landed on the balcony and she hurried inside, fear beating in her chest.

"Mother!" screamed Zera as she ran towards Fliera who had collapsed on the ground. Coldalar was also horrified and managed to fight his way back up.

"Fliera, Fliera!" he exclaimed desperately as he stood next to her.

Her wings were torn to shreds and she was bleeding heavily from several wounds, but he could also feel that she was still breathing. She opened her eyes and looked at him, but no sound but pained breathing escaped her lips.

"Don't worry, everything will be alright" said Coldalar slowly and reassuring. It was directed as much to himself as to Zera and Fliera.

Gently he placed one of his paw upon Fliera´s body while keeping constant eye contact with her. He could see that she knew what he was going to do.

Gathering what strength he could muster he created layers of ice across the wounds she had received. He felt a shiver run through her body, but a moment later her breathing seemed to ease up a bit. He sighed with relief before collapsing on top of her.

Carx had been watching Demetrius during this time, ready to fight if he tried anything. But he had simply been watching the scene with an amused smile. But suddenly his gaze shifted and his smile faded a bit.

"Carx go make sure your brother is okay" said Cynder firmly as she walked towards Demetrius. "Zera stay with your parents, watch over them."

Carx turned around and smiled a bit as he saw her. But Cynder did not even look at him; she was completely focused upon Demetrius. Carx could see the anger in her eyes and quickly did as he was told.

Cynder stopped in front of Demetrius.

"We finally meet again, my love" said Demetrius with a warm smile.

"Don´t call me that, I am not who I once was and I will never be so again!" snarled Cynder, though her voice wavered just a little as she meet Demetrius blood red eyes.

Demetrius noticed this wavering in her voice and his smile only broadened. But at the same time he was also aware of how tired he was. Though his fights had been easy, he had been forced to use his abilities repeatedly and he was worn out.

Suddenly the wound of wing beats was heard out on the balcony and a moment later Ghronur and Tironar entered.

Demetrius looked at the newcomers and was about to say something, when he stopped suddenly and his eyes widened. His gaze drifted to a small black dragonling who was slowly climbing down from the green dragons back. As the dragonling landed on the ground helped by a female cheetah, he looked around and his red eyes meet Demetrius.

"My son…" whispered Demetrius slowly. He had little doubt that it truly was his and Cynder´s son and a single tear ran down his cheek.

Cynder and Tironar also noticed that Demetrius was distracted and both suddenly charged forward. But they stopped as the entire room shook with a powerful tremor.

Demetrius was also ripped out of his distraction by the tremor and looked at Cynder who meet his gaze. "I am sorry I cannot stay any longer, but at least I meet my son" he said with a warm smile.

Without warning large cracks appeared in the floor around the immobile Spyro and suddenly the floor collapsed under him, sending him hurling down wards.
Demetrius also turned into a cloud of shadowy smoke now and disappeared through the cracks in the floor beneath him.

Cynder followed him with all haste. Her heart beat heavily with fear as her mind tried to comprehend what was happening.

As she turned into shadowy cloud and followed Demetrius down through the tower she could see several holes right beneath where Spyro had been. There was one on every floor.

Her heart clenched together as she tried to catch up with Demetrius but he was always a little ahead. And then suddenly they reached the bottom of the tower.
Demetrius flew into a tunnel which had broken through the floor into the cellar and through it Cynder could see several iron statues and she caught just glimpse of Spyro´s darkness covered tail.

But she also saw one of the horned; four legged Iron statues rear back on its back legs, green crystals gleaming under its hooves and then slam it into the sides of the tunnel.

A powerful tremor shook the entire tower as the tunnel collapsed right in front of Cynder. The last she saw was Demetrius smiling at her.

At first Cynder was completely silent and paralyzed looking at the collapsed tunnel. Then suddenly she started screaming and tore at the rocks with her claws dark energy emanating from her body. But it only lasted a few seconds before she collapsed on the floor, crying.