Chapter 16: Emerald Scales

Finally reaching the forest after a number of days, Iskatl sniffed the air; a shiver ran down his spine, as if something were watching him, and Amani. He couldn't shake this feeling. It was nothing like what he'd felt in the past; he'd been watched by plenty of people before, but this made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"Amani? I don't think we should visit the tribe."

"Yeah, I feel it too."

It was only natural that the Apex of Apex Predators knew it was being hunted and sought to make the hunter into its prey. It wouldn't be long before they encountered it. The pair stepped into the precipice of the forest and crossed the boundary between life and death. The forest was corrupted by a dragon's mana, and the trees shimmered with a bright, verdant green glow that was impossible to miss. Even Amani took note of it immediately.

"It's so unsettling, I almost can't believe it... Did it migrate recently?"

"I don't know, Amani. Seems like it's been here a while, yet I've never encountered any mana quite like this..."

The pair pressed forward into the forest, and Iskatl watched the treeline intently, as if expecting something to jump out of it. Where is it? He could feel that there was something near to them, yet all his senses told him otherwise. He smelled the mana; it was of ash and leaf. He saw the mana, bright and green. He heard the mana humming, as if it were a jewel being vibrated. The mana was so thick in the air, it even had a taste to it; it tasted like a salad he didn't like, one with spinach and cabbage. Horrible.

"Amani. Be on guard. It has to be somewhere close; I can't place its location, but the further we go into the forest, the more intense the mana. Follow close."

She'd nod, and at that, Iskatl bounded forward and she'd follow suit. Amani almost felt bad; he seemed so on edge, and he didn't even know this was the Tyrant. She did, however.

He extended his senses outward with his mana, expanding his range of sight, and saw it! A green dragon! Flames covered his body, as they did so often, but they felt stronger than usual, more potent, as if enhanced. Flame Resonance was already doing him right. Drawing his blade, he wasted no time and dashed toward the dragon, slamming the blade into the dragon's leg before a loud clang rang out throughout the forest. The dragon went to slam him with its tail, and a curtain of piercing pink light caught the tail's blow and shattered before he backed up.

"Idiot! Wait for me, Iskatl!"

Panting softly, he stared up at the beast. It completely dwarfed the last dragon in size. It was like the one from before was a dwarf, and this one was a full-sized man. The dragon turned to face the pair, a hulking monster that towered over them ten times over. Standing up straight, its head was right beside the treeline, and a rumbling escaped its throat as a feminine voice was heard in Iskatl's very being.

"So, these are the protectors of the forest? Where are the rest? The wolves and the elves from the moon? Surely Lord Zyelt did not slaughter all of them. Disappointing."

Iskatl backed away from the dragon slowly as he examined it: scales shining like emeralds and eyes radiating a powerful orange gaze that threatened to swallow him whole. He felt a primal fear wash over him as his legs threatened to turn tail and run, before Amani put a hand on his shoulder. The Moon wasn't out, but the treeline covered the sun's rays, so she wasn't in top shape, but she wasn't being weakened either. A purple light washed over him and replaced that fear with hope.

"Iskatl. This is the Emerald Tyrant. But what is it compared to you? Aren't you going to kill him? Zyelt?"

"Thanks."

Dragging a hand across the dull end of his blade before Amani touched it, causing the black blade to radiate a pink light, which the blade converted into bright orange and pink flames.

"This blade is special. I think it will be the one to behead Zyelt. Iskatl, you lead and I'll support. Close up any gaps in your stance, protect, and then some. Just go all out. Don't worry about defense or dodging, I have it covered. 'Kay?"

Iskatl nodded and took a deep exhale as he stepped forward. The blade in his hand hummed loudly as he closed his eyes, then opened them again. Looking around, the forest seemed to be charged with the beast's mana. Something he'd have to watch out for. But Amani said to focus on offense, so that's what he did, holding his blade close to his torso in a sort of side stance.

The Tyrant's throat rumbled and glowed blue. His eyes told him it was charging up frost, yet his ears crackled with lightning, as the dragon opened its maw and a breath of electrically charged frost escaped its maw. A dome of light would block the energy spewing forth, dispersing it to the area behind the pair, and Iskatl rushed toward the dragon and slashed his blade into it. Unlike last time, there was no clang, but the dragon roared in pain before its claws went to crash into the redhead.

A loud clang as its claws met another barrier of light. It couldn't place where Amani was, for some strange reason. It was as if she were nowhere. Iskatl slashed into the Tyrant's legs, an explosion of pink flames emanating from his strike before the dragon roared out. An explosion of ice sent Iskatl flying before the dragon was gone.

A woman's voice rang out from everywhere.

"I see I can't use my true self; the size is too disadvantageous in this battle. You will face my weaker self. Surely you can handle that?"

In the dragon's place was a woman with no clothes and no distinct features. Her body made her seem more like a mannequin than a woman. Patches of emerald scales on her hips, and her hair was a verdant green, reaching down to her waist. Iskatl exhaled softly before tilting his head.

"Amani. Is this normal? I've never known a dragon to take on a human form."

She was gone. Nowhere to be found.

"Amani?"

The woman gave a toothy grin, showing her sharp teeth to the boy.