Page 114 of A Kingdom so Crimson

The deafening chorus of viscous screeches, howls, screams, and roars reverberated through the air, melding into a deadly symphony. Amidst the chaos, Kaizen's voice fluttered into my mind, cutting through the fear and stirring me into action.

Control it, Eliah, because that will be all you have left.

All you have left.

All you have left.

I repeated the mantra to myself and letting it anchor me. With trembling limbs, I began to move and swallowed hard, centering myself back into reality as my body pumped with adrenaline. The black pebbles slid off me in a rocky cascade, clattering to the ground as I crawled toward my bow. I grasped its cold wood tightly, swallowing down the rising tide of panic that threatened to engulf me and wondering why it didn't attack.

It knew I was there.

I scanned the black pebbles around me, searching for clues as to what might have spooked the dragon and caused the repulsion. My gaze fell upon my own bloodied form, and realization dawned with a chilling clarity—I was covered in the grotesque blood of the Breva.

The sticky, dried, dark fluid clung to my skin and suit, its foul stench still filling my nostrils, overpowering my own coppery blood.

Slowly, I rose to my feet, finding my balance, and swiftly set off again, pushing back against the suffocating grip of fear.

Control it, Eliah.

Inhale, exhale.

I returned to the breathing techniques Levon had taught me, forcing the fear out of my heart.

Inhale, exhale.

I forced my ears to focus on the shifting and clattering of the pebbles underfoot, refusing to let my mind conjure the horrors that could accompany such chaos that screamed beyond the boulders. The air was electrified with more howls, gnashing of teeth, and screeches that erupted perilously close.

Nocking an arrow, I sprinted toward the expanse of open air, praying for some semblance of escape away from such sounds. I honed in on my breathing, channeling my anger to propel my legs forward despite the profound exhaustion and gnawing hunger threatening to drag me down with each step. A deafening snap reverberated to my right, coming from the other side of the boulder wall, followed by guttural screeches that sliced through the air.

Leaping over broken rocks, I hit an end wall that led right to the cacophony of horrid sounds. Confronted with a choice, I had to either scale the towering boulders and risk becoming a target for the dragon or possibly face the snarls head-on, praying they were in another part of the maze.

Digging my feet into the pebbles, I scanned the sky, thick with ominous clouds, searching desperately for a sign.

With a heavy heart, I took a step toward the screams, cursing myself for the decision.

Bow raised and arrow drawn taut, I advanced cautiously, my breath irregular against my ears. Each step felt like a burden as I navigated around scattered rocks amidst the sea of pebbles, muscles straining from the tension of holding the arrow at the ready.

I slowly walked forward, following the twists and turns of the maze, pressing myself against its side walls for cover. With each quick turn, the screams began to fade along with the obsidian pebbles, spurring me to quicken my pace against the hard black terrain.

The maze abruptly opened into a broad, open space strewn with dark, molten rocks that glistened with the same residual, eerie glow as the obsidian pebbles. The ground was a chaotic scatter of jagged, blackened stones, that promised to cut your skin if you faltered. I crouched behind the last massive boulder, my heart racing as I scanned the surrounding landscape with wary, watchful eyes. Each rock seemed to shift and shimmer with a menacing light, casting long, flickering shadows that danced across the uneven terrain. The air was thick with the acrid scent of scorched earth, heightening my sense of unease as I tried to make sense of the treacherous new environment, wondering if there was another dragon with fire-breathing abilities or if the black dragons' poisonous smoke could do this.

The eerie silence of the new area did nothing to ease the growing knot of dread in my stomach. Every sense was heightened, every instinct screaming at me to stay alert. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my heart, and took several cautious steps into the open expanse, scanning the long line of rocks.

Unexpectedly, a grotesque face lunged toward me, stealing my breath. Instinctively, I released my arrow, closing my eyes at the motion. I couldn't stop the scream that escaped my lips as a Skinner tackled me to the ground, cutting open my skin on the rugged obsidian rock beneath me. Black blood bubbled out of the Skinner's throat where the arrow had pierced straight through, the close range ensuring a fatal shot. Its long, bony fingers clawed desperately at my skin, leaving deep scratches as I struggled beneath its weight. I could feel the creature's jagged nails digging into my flesh, and the stench of its foul, viscous blood threatened to overwhelm me as it drenched my clothes and pooled around me.

Desperation surged through me. I grasped the bow and slammed it into the side of its head, making it topple off with a sag. I scrambled to my feet as crunching rocks heralded another attack before a second Skinner slammed into me, throwing me to the ground and causing me to lose my bow in the fall. My head struck the molten rock hard, dizziness blurring my vision and blood trickling down the base of my skull.

I thrashed against the new attacker, much larger and more menacing than the last two I encountered. It straddled me, its bony fingers digging deep into my forearms. A cry left my lips as I glimpsed another figure through my distorted view. With a desperate effort, I threw my legs up into the creature's torso, but it barely shifted. Its rotten grin oozed a slimy green, the stench making me gag as my fading vision begged me to succumb to the darkness.

"Keep fighting!"roared the familiar voice in my head that stirred me to stay conscious.

Reaching for an arrow, my hand fumbled as the dragon's deafening roar assaulted our ears, momentarily stunning the Skinner. Seizing the opportunity, I drove the arrow into its side. It screeched out, tightening its hold on me as I tried to find thisodd, angry energy within me, but it only flickered in response as if it, too, was depleted.

The dragon's black body slithered up, tackling another Skinner running towards us before leaping in our direction. Snarling, tendrils of smoke billowed from its mouth and nose.

I screamed as the Skinner on me shifted, angrily screeching at the dragon. Desperation fueled my actions, and I jabbed my thumbs into its cavernous eye socket, feeling pus swell around my fingers. It slashed out, opening a wound across my chest before collapsing backward.

Blood oozed from my chest as I scrambled for my bow; my breaths deteriorated, and I panicked, facing the giant, snake-like dragon hovering nearby.

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