Game of Survival (Part 1)

The wind had indeed changed. The Zephyr from the East had given up its place to the warmer Nasimgramm from the West.

The sun was at its peak, high as it could before it would inevitably fall down. The summer began its course, revealing clear skies and vibrating leaves. Spring had yielded its fruits, making nature looks as if it was ready to take over the world. Autumn was looming over. Winter was a distant memory.

The alternating of seasons; a law that passes under the sovereign power of time.

But to this absolute rule, one single place made exception.

The dark whispers of the wind through the dunes told stories of death and misery.

The sky looked at it terrified, the shunning deeps of the earth gazed with disdain.

There fear won over courage. Justice succumbed to power.

The abyss didn't dare to come. Light flooded it.

Arrival meant doom. Departure was futile.

Hell was timeless, yet it didn't surpass the land in which death dominated without wanting nor trying.

The mightiest of the deserts shrank in comparison to the Great Void – a seemingly endless expanse of ash, gray as it could be.

Average temperatures all year, very rare rains and storms, no vegetation. It looked like Earth in its primeval stages, when all life had yet to appear.

But, in that inhospitable place, still life flourished.

And behind the mountains, ruins where death sought to rise and become Earth's true master.

Step step

Quick steps, muffled by the ash under his feet. The long cape on his shoulder left a barely visible trail, to which a creature followed.

“...”, the Archdragon stopped his march, looked around and turned to look at the beast behind him. “They must be near here. I guess they have just arrived on the coast.”

The dragon halted himself. His height was immense for a normal animal, spanning over three meters. His body was covered in pitch black and hard scales while his eyes reflected a shining orange hue like lanterns.

“Yes, I sense someone some kilometers ahead...”

He communicated telepathically to his lord. His firm voice resembled the one of a simple adult male.

“I can feel them now... they're four in total and... they're strong. So be careful, Lord Gendir.”

“I'll be...”, he replied putting a hand up. He looked at the horizon between the dunes as if sensing something wrong, “Tch...”

The distressed groan got the dragon's attention.

“Everything okay, Lord Gendir?”

“It's them... I think only one of the Bishops. He's coming towards us, so go and stop him, Azalea.”, he ordered with a grave tone, already beginning his walk towards the sea.

“... It will be done.”

With that, the dragon opened his two enormous wings – also covered in black scales – and let out a low roar as a salute before lifting off and going the opposite way at a great speed.

The sound of his wings flapping quickly faded away as Gendir was left alone with his own thoughts. His red eyes scouted in front of him as his fists clutched, making his knuckles turn white. He bit his lips and grimaced with distress once again.

Why is everyone attracted by these four guys? They're just lowly humans like the Bishops! So why is everyone mobilizing like the strongest of the gods is coming! Damn... why am I the only one that can't understand...

He kept walking for about an hour. The sun hit him relentlessly as it placed right in front of him, notifying the approach of the obscure night. His white hair blew proudly at the breeze of the wind which continuously moved little particles of ash on the ground, reshaping the form and disposition of the dunes slowly but steadily.

There were no sounds all around except for his footsteps and the wind. He could hear his calm heartbeat as he kept marching determined.

“... ???”, he felt a strange pressure, strong enough to make him stumble, “What...”

His heartbeat accelerated and the blood began rushing in his veins and arteries. His body was on full alert as if hunted by a dangerous beasts. The primal instinct of fear came over him once again since when that event had reshaped the story of his kind had taken place.

“No... no...”, he mumbled while clutching at his chest. A grimace of pain colored his usual serious face.

He took a few steps, just enough to gaze at what was behind that high dune he was on.

He looked right in front of him and saw four people, two male and two females. They all radiated a great aura of power.

His eyes locked on the guy with a black spear on his back. As he turned, his eyes widened and began to boil with a mix of fear, hatred and bloodlust.

“Huh???”, he was sure, even after seeing that guy's face for just a fraction of a second. “You!!!”

His shout made everyone turn to him. Before Kael and the others could even see him, the shadows of the night put everything in darkness. But that didn't last long.

The whole figure of Gendir was surrounded by a roaring flame, illuminating meters and meters away in all directions.

The crackles of the fire were interrupted by an another bloodcurdling shout full of anger.

“You genocidal monster!!!”

Kael looked with a mixture of shock and admiration at the menacing person in front of him, “What???”.

The air rippled. A flash of heat and then Gendir was just there. Kael barely had time to widen his eyes before he got hit in the face. The impact cracked the air like a thunder and sent him flying right into the side of a dune.

“Kael!!!”, Ascarin and Olivia moved immediately, reading their weapons.

Mala was the first to react and sent a long vine towards the Archdragon. He quickly turned and as soon as it touched his hand, it morphed into a long line of firecrackers. The redirected attack pushed her back violently.

“Umpfh!”, Ascarin jumped and took her in his arms.

Olivia sprinted forward while wielding a short sword, “Leave this to me!”.

She avoided the first blow from Gendir by pivoting on her left foot. Her pace quickened and she lowered a blow that would've killed any human just by its sheer strength.

“Huh???”

Gendir had somehow blocked. A fire whip had completely blocked her weapon and with a quick move Gendir disarmed her. Olivia blocked the two first punches of the counterattack and stepped back, peeking to her side.

“Are you alright there?”, she asked to Ascarin before blocking a sideways kick from Gendir which pushed her far. “Ngh...”

“Yes, Mala is alright!”, he got back up with her, “Coming right now!”

“You won't!!!”, Gendir shouted furiously and a wall of high flames encircled him and Olivia.

“What is this?”, she gasped and stumbled back. The heat was unbearable and the fire didn't seem to stop. “Crap...”

Gendir had jumped towards her, catching her off guard. She tried blocking the best way she could but ended up being hit by one of his flaming punches. She got on one knees while clutching her ribs and looking up powerless at the adversary lowering his united fists.

“... !!!”, he suddenly stopped and jumped back as a bullet of compressed air passed right between them. “You!”

The projectile had created a hole in the flame barrier, from which Kael emerged. His bruised face colored by his usual arrogant smirk. As he passed right through the fire with no problems, he tended a hand towards them and, just like they appeared, they vanished into nothingness, leaving Gendir's scorching body as the only light source.

“You guys can go ahead. I'll take care of this guy!”, he said confidently.

Ascarin clenched his fists and nearly stepped forward, “Don't act stupid! We can't just leave you here with him.”

“Ehehehe, don't worry! I can easily take him. Come on, keep going!”, he insisted.

His friend looked hesitant and even opened his hand, ready to summon his bow. “Tch... fine!”, he took Mala by the hand as she was helping Olivia get back up. “Let's go! Come on!”

“You won't!!!”, Gendir growled as he put two fingers in his mouth, producing a loud and acute whistle. It reverberated between the desolate dunes many times before a thick fog formed behind him.

“Oh no...”, Mala whispered as her eyes widened in unison with the others.

An army of ferocious and menacing black dragons, which doubled their heights, blocked their paths. They showed their sharp fangs and their eyes showed no mercy, piercing through like no other beast of the continent could do.

The dragons spread their wings to enlarge their already wide frame, but Ascarin and the others didn't step back.

“Hey!”, Kael said to get their attention, “Bring them out of here! I'm gonna have a delicate conversation with him.”

“H-How can you be so calm and nonchalant about it!?”, Ascarin hissed keeping an eye on the monsters in front of him. “What if we get separated, Kael?”

He turned towards him and gave him a reassuring smile, “You knew me for so long, so believe me when I say this... we'll surely see each other again!”

His friend tried saying something but he just bit his lips, as if a past thought had just passed in front of him, “... I-I will. I trust you. Good luck!”

With that he put a hand in the ash. A sudden explosion raised a big fuss, preventing the dragons from seeing them for a moment. After everything settled, Ascarin, Mala and Olivia were already running towards East through the dunes and the dragons followed, launching themselves in pursuit while growling angrily.

“So...”, Kael brought the attention back to the main battlefield, where Gendir's anger fueled the embers on the ground, creating a ritual-like atmosphere in that cold night, “... you're a dragon. Yet, despite your words, I don't remember being a genocidal monster at any point in my life!”

“Your smug and arrogant demeanor irritates me... as if I didn't hate you already.”

They began walking in circle, studying one another with the keen eyes of an experienced fighter. Kael was keeping his smile while Gendir gritted his teeth more, clenching his fists as he was ready to jump on him.

I didn't think people could be here, let alone dragons and humanoid ones! What was Altas hiding? Why did he wrote no entity was living here?

Kael's mind ran as he processed what had happened in those minutes. He was sure that was a harsh place, but him nor Ascarin and the others were expecting an encounter with another life form – and surely not a powerful one like this.

The heat in his opponent eyes showed no sign of stopping.

“You have such amazing spirit. The hatred you're feeling is fueling those flames!”, he stopped his circular motion and was mimicked by Gendir, “But alas... you're not alone.”

“Mhh?”

Woosh

From the bottom of his feet, a powerful and glowing blue flame began to rise, silent and fluid like water but still emanating an unprecedented temperature. The air moved, shooting heat all around him as it engulfed his whole body. Ecstasy running through his veins; he clenched his fists, making the flame wince higher and hotter than before. It was like a lighthouse amid a stormy sea.

The darkness was cut as the light of the two flames met at the center of the arena. The orange and blue embers met and fused with each other before vanishing into nothingness with a soft crackle.

The feeble rays of moon finally merged with all of this, casting small shadows of the two opponents on the ground.

The smell of fresh ash melted with the hot air, giving the impression of being trapped in an active furnace.

Gendir observed astonished, sensing the incredible amount of mana flowing from that man. He had never seen such a color for fire and its intensity surpassed any flame ever produced by dragons.

“No way! That's...”, his eyes widened in shock after realizing something in midst of his thoughts.

“Yes... this is a flame made of pure mana.”, Kael continued confidently, now walking right towards the Archdragon. “Are you surprised?”

“...”

Pure mana... that means... he also has perfect control over mana! Impossible!

Gendir recoiled over the ash and stretched out his left hand, opening it as a vivid flame formed on its palm.

Kael stopped and looked curiously at it and got ready, his fists got swallowed by that fire around him.

I have to strike now!!!

From that flame, three identical incandescent vortexes shot out of his hand and went at a high speed towards his opponent.

Kael dodge the first with a quick motion, sending it crashing on a dune behind him, and kicked the second one, launching it into the air like a firework before it slowly went out.

The last one came after a second and almost caught him by surprise. Its pointy end nearly gazing into Kael's orbit.

Fsssh-Krrrrshhht

The sound a metallic object cutting through flames ripped across the arena, filling both contestants' ears. It ended just as abruptly as it started, but this time Kael had a weapon in his hands.

Gendir's draconic blood froze in his veins at the sight of that dagger. It was golden and with a blackstone guard decorated with many notched carvings resembling a continuous spiny stem of a rose. At the center of it, stood a tiny and shining red gem, embedded with precision and care.

It shone a teal light on the points where its blade would reflect the everlasting blue flames.

“I can't... believe it.”, he whispered, “The Fertitas!”

That weapon... why is it in a human's hands? How???

Kael broke the silence once again, “Nothing to be shocked about. It's just a funny toy I have.”

Gendir lounged at him without responding, brandishing a sword made fully of a black glassy substance similar to obsidian.

Kael was taken aback by the fact he couldn't even see the weapon forming. He swiftly blocked all of his opponent's attacks, demonstrating incredible quickness and swordsmanship abilities. His feet moved quickly across the ash like the ones of a dancer, executing movements with extreme precision to give his attacks and blocks a great efficiency without the need of too much strength.

The Archdragon suddenly launched the weapon in the air and jumped, trying to strike Kael with an axe kick right in the head.

In a fraction of a second he dropped the Fertitas, which immediately disappeared in the usual hexagonal light blue particles. He crossed his wrists so that he caught Gendir's talon between them. The strength of the impact was tremendous, sending ash flying everywhere and alimenting the flames on the ground.

“Ngh...”

Kael groaned as his feet began sinking in the ground a little as his opponent pressed down on his arms.

“Come on!”

Slowly he started regaining balance, pushing up against the attack. The strength he put grew immensely in a matter of seconds.

“... !!!”

Gendir was taken aback as Kael managed to launch him back with just his wrists. He nearly fell as he landed a few meters from his sword.

Tch...

He went left to grab it, ignoring his enemy's presence.

“Stay focused!”, Kael dashed towards him at a high speed.

“Damn you!”

Gendir tried to surprise him by turning with haste and punching him, but Kael reacted even faster and stepped on his closed fists. He flew right behind him and hit the Archdragon in the back and sent him crashing on a dune.

“You're strong, I have to admit that... I still wonder though: why did you attack me?”, Kael asked with intrigue as he walked towards Gendir. “No one screams and curses at someone and then attacks him without a reason after all.”

“Ahh...”, he wailed in pain as he got back up, “... you even ask why should I curse and attack you?”

“... ???”, Kael suddenly felt a sudden surge of power coming from him as the flames disappeared all at once.

“I have all the rights to do so... to the one who took nearly everything away from me!!!”

Crack

The sound of broken bones echoed through the arena. The wind changed direction without warning, it warned of something. From Gendir's back, two malformed pale wings slipped out with a stomach-churning noise of flesh being teared and bones moving. He bit his lips but he couldn't hold his heart-rending cries. The moon hided behind the clouds that were now forming as it refused to gaze at that horrible spectacle.

“I... I will... ngh!!!”, he managed to mutter between the laments, “I will... risk everything... to kill you! You bastard...”, his voice filled with hatred as he got on one knee.

The wings had an irregular shape and were almost transparent and broken in some parts as if they weren't fully formed yet.

“My wings may be... imperfect... ugly and useless. But... after all... I'm still the Archdragon. I can't leave my kind in darkness... oh, no I can't.”, thunders began striking the ground all around, creating a conflagration of sounds and flashing lights. “I vowed to protect my family! My blood!!! I dared to challenge anyone who would've tried to harm it! I oathed to take my revenge on the one who brought it to its knees!!!”

Kael watched everything while standing still, his eyes wide from the surprise. Despite this, he didn't flinch nor backed up and listened to the lightnings and Gendir's voice.

He's going crazy... I've already seen plenty black dragons and studied everything about them. Those are the wings of dragon's fetuses. Somehow, his ones aren't fully developed yet. In fact... I was wondering why he didn't transform into a dragon, since he would've gained some advantage.

“And so...”, the Archdragon continued, raising to his feet, “... I'll use my last forces to ascend... ngh... and become a true dragon!”

So that's it... his trump card. He is giving his all to make a transformation.

Kael squeezed his eyes in concentration in the midst of that chaos. He opened his left hand slowly just above the ashen floor. After a bit, small particles of black rock started forming piece by piece a giant hammer, solid and heavy. As soon as the process finished, it fell on the floor with a dull thud.

Kael lifted it with ease despite its obvious weight.

Gendir responded. He opened his right hand and a lightning fell right on it, leaving a pure electric charge in it. It looked alive and didn't have any effect on his body. It flowed through his body and got to his wings, whose transparency allowed electricity to be seen moving between the flesh back and forth.

Kael smiled at that move, clenching the hammer more and more until it cracked.

“... what control of lightnings!”

From the cracks in the stone, tiny flames of mana spurted out like magma from a volcano, replacing the ones on the ground as they fell.

Guess this fight will go on much longer... ehehehe, I wonder if I'll be able to reunite with them afterwards...

A lightning struck right between them, giving the start signal to the second act of that fight.

Both shifted in position and launched themselves against each other. Their weapons clashed and recoiled with an intense shockwave that shook the air around them. A series of electric shocks enveloped Kael's hammer but they were quickly absorbed by the mana flames, alimenting them like fuel as they roared lively.

Gendir fired a bolt out of his weapon, its velocity relatively easy for Kael to dodge. He got ready to move to the side to then charge towards him, but a thunder struck the projectile out of nowhere and made it accelerate like crazy.

“... !”

Kael was caught off guard. He lost momentum and could only block the hit with his hammer. The mana flames did the same thing as before, riling up and screeching right in front of his face.

It reduced his visibility, which gave Gendir the possibility to get closer and attack directly.

During the run towards his enemy, he picked back up the obsidian sword and swung it as soon as he was in range.

The blow was still deflected downwards as Kael had made the Fertitas appear in his right hand once again while still holding the hammer in the other. He quickly raised its crossed arms in rapid succession. The Fertitas slashed Gendir's torso and the hammer sent him falling on the floor.

“Gah!!! Ngh... nfh... nfh... Ahhh!”, he groaned in pain, clutching at its deep wound. He raised his bloody hand in front of his face, “The blood... of my species. To think... that I can't defend it from a mere human. But still... you are him, I'm sure. But if you aren't... please... leave them be.”

His pleads didn't scratch Kael's serious expression. He left the hammer fall to the ground and only held the dagger. He walked to him, looking at the wings loosing color by the seconds.

“I still don't have a clue whom you're talking about. I've never seen you in my life, Archdragon.”

“... Liar.”

Kael scoffed defeated and grimaced with nuisance.

Such stubbornness and... desperation.

“You are crazy, you know that?”

“...”

Kael, at the lack of response, lifted the Fertitas high in the sky, letting the rays of moonlight touch its blade.

“Goodbye, Archdragon. May your species flourish once ag-”

Swish

Something from behind arrived at full speed, disarming Kael of its weapon, which then disappeared into thin air. He quickly turned around worried. His eyes widened as he saw hundreds of people in dark cloaks holding lanterns on the dunes in front of him.

“Who are they???”, he retreated until he got beside Gendir, who was still kneeling at the strain of its forces.

“Ohhhhh...”, a deep, velvety and slow voice filled with arrogance, “... we have a human here.”

He stepped up between those figures, standing out next to them thanks to his imposing figure. He was tall, lean but still sinewy. He emanated an unsettling grace, his lips slightly curved up as he showed his young face, resembling the typical features of a Northern noble. One eye had the deep of the abyss and the color of the night sky while the other glowed an unnatural amber hue that flickered like a dying ember. His cream colored, short wavy and curly hair moved with swiftness thanks to the gentle wind. He was wearing a long, flowing cloak of deep crimson and charred black, decorated with gold embroidery resembling twisting flames and ancient runes. The edge smoldered faintly but constantly, as if on fire. Behind the cloak, a dark tunic with crimson sashes enriched his attire, completed ultimately by a twisted obsidian amulet around his neck.

His right hand hanged calmly near his side, while the other was kept hidden under the robe.

“To think that the day would come where the superb Lord of the Black Dragons would kneel defeated. Not even us succeeded in doing so... he was weakened, yes... but still a powerhouse capable of holding off against entire armies. You're not a normal human... aren't you?”

Kael swallowed nervously. Something was off about that guy. His gaze feigned innocence, but the face gave a hint of cruelty, selfishness and lust.

Before he could talk though, Gendir slowly raised his head. His blurry vision adjusted enough to catch the resemblance of that person who was talking just now. His face lit up in an instant, morphing into a pure anger as he gritted his teeth. He managed to get up, surprising Kael, who wasn't even regarded by him.

Little embers started forming on the ground again.

“Efimorij!!!”, he shouted at the top of his lungs, spitting saliva and blood.

The embers rose to life, sprouting into great flames. They flickered once, twice, three times.

“Ugh... Cough, cough...”

The flames disappeared and Gendir fell on one knee once again.

“Don't stress yourself, old man. You're not in the condition of getting angry, so don't think about fighting.”, Efimorij chuckled menacingly, holding the right hand in front of his mouth. “And you, human, step aside. I'll dispose of him for good...”

Kael looked at the Archdragon and the back at him. He seemed to hesitate.

“You have doubts? Well... I'll make them go away.”, Efimorij stepped up, walking down the dune he was standing on. “Hesitation is a great mistake many commit. Seems you're one of them.”

Kael' hand opened as his spear started forming slowly.

He's different from the Archdragon. I sense no mana coming out from him, but he still exudes such a great pressure. I'll make this quick then...

...no, but – can you hear – wh – shhh – over here – hush – help me –

The sound of distant and overlapping voices of different people made his skin crawl. He stopped immediately, peering around to locate the source of the whispers. They weren't in his head, since the voices echoed feebly in the ash. Finally, his eyes fell on the only thing that could have possibly produced them.

It's him! This kind of magic...

“By the look on your face...”, he talked once again with the same confidence and arrogance as before, “... I suppose you know what kind of mage I am? Ehehehe. Right... I've forgot to introduce myself! After all, you're a new face around this god-forsaken place. I am Efimorij, First Bishop of the Oblivion Flame, Commander of our Majesty's army, Son of our Everlasting God and proud owner of the Oblivion Cube!”

“The Oblivion Cube...”, Kael muttered. He grimaced in annoyance, “I don't understand any of the other things, though... Majesty? Never saw you and your strange-looking men at a parade of our king. And that flame you're talking about? No clue? Isn't this place supposed to be lifeless?”

Efimorij laughed, letting his face show a full cocky grin which he immediately shrugged off with a simple smile, “Ohhh, so much questions! Time always runs low lately, don't you think?”

“Don't change subject!”, Kael tried to warn as he was slowly loosing his patience.

“Fine, fine... you could not be more wrong, human. This place, as much as it looks like an empty shell of land where life can't grow, is home of a place... larger than what any of your people can comprehend. And it was our home... our cursed home.”, his voice nearly whispering those last words, as if telling them in secret to the wind.

Kael reflected about it. He narrowed his eyes, trying to ignore those voices still in the background.

So Altas was really lying... but what made him do so? I've gotta tell Ascarin right away when we reunite!

“I think we've talked enough, haven't we... Kael of Nara?”

“Huh???”, his eyes widened in horror, his legs tensed at the unexpected reveal of his name and city of birth, “My name... how do you-”

Fwhhhmmm...

“Get away from the Lord!!!”

Everyone raised their heads right above Gendir's almost unconscious body. An enormous bright yellow portal had appeared, flashing the entire zone with bright lights and casting even heavier shadows on the ash. Kael jumped back a few dozen of meters from there, looking at the umpteenth event of that day.

From there, a slim and elegant figure appeared, flipping through the air and landing perfectly.

Her features were immediately recognized by the bishop, who smiled as if amazed by her presence.

“Dear Queen of dragons!”, he bowed sarcastically with a sly grin. “What a shame to have you here in such a... critical situation!”

Her gaze spoke more words than she could have. Two marbles of pure gold with black irises of a dragon and long, dark eyelashes. Her silken and flowing white hair cascaded on her slender yet high shoulders. These were uncovered by her white and ethereal dress with gold ornaments on the upper sides. It left her cleavage open and it connected behind on her nape with an almost transparent golden choker. Its decorated pattern was reproduced on the peculiar circlet on her head, which also developed into four spikes disposed in couples of two on each side, and on the small golden brooch right on top of her sternum, serving as a bridge for the two lobes of her dress.

She wasn't armed, yet her aura perspired a feeling of menace and full-on rage.

Her lips parted. The atmosphere felt as tense as it could be, leaving time in suspense as the moon revealed its light, dim and fierce.

“I'm here to serve justice upon you, Bishop.”