Page 5 of World At War

A burst of frost erupts from me, a crystalline wave that unfurls across the field. Ice crystals form on the smoldering wheat, extinguishing the flames in a dramatic display of elemental mastery. The sudden transition from fire to frost leaves a surreal tableau in its wake. Steam rises from the extinguished embers, creating an ephemeral fog that drifts through the now-charred field.

The scent of burned flesh is replaced by a brisk, clean freshness as the temperature continues to plummet. The field, once a chaotic battleground, is now a frozen landscape, the remnants of the inferno encased in a delicate layer of frost. Crackling of flames is replaced by the hushed whispers of the wind asit weaves through the crystalline aftermath, leaving behind a momentary calm in the eye of the storm.

Out of nowhere, an unseen force tackles me to the ground, and I find myself rolling down the hill, the world spinning in a disorienting whirlwind. Panic claws at my chest as I grapple against an unknown assailant, struggling to maintain my footing.

I gasp for air as powerful hands wrap tightly around my throat, the vise-like grip making each breath a desperate battle. The scent of burned earth mingles with the metallic tang of fear, and the rapid thud of my heartbeat reverberates in my ears. The world becomes a blurred panorama, and spots form before my eyes, threatening to plunge me into darkness. Why can’t I call on my dragon or ice?

Amid my struggle, I catch a glimpse of salvation. The dragons of my mates, colossal and swift, streak through the sky towards me. Their majestic forms become a beacon of hope in the tumultuous landscape. Yet, the relentless grip on my throat persists, and I feel the life force within me waning.

A second Drow figure approaches, their malicious intent palpable. With a cruel efficiency, they jab a needle filled with some ominous blackish fluid into my thigh. Agony courses through my veins like fire, the toxic liquid spreading like a malevolent serpent through my body. The world blurs further, and my vision dims, the edges of my consciousness fraying.

Just as oblivion threatens to claim me, Draven’s dragon, a guardian in the storm, lands with thunderous authority. In a swift and savage motion, the dragon tears the Drow assailant in front of me in half, a gory spectacle that sends a chilling shock through my weakening body. The hands that had constrictedaround my throat release their grip just before the final descent into unconsciousness.

As my world teeters on the precipice, the surrounding chaos momentarily subsides. The scent of blood and the metallic tinge of the blackish fluid linger in the air, a stark reminder of the perilous dance between life and death. The world dims, the sounds of battle fading, and I surrender to the impending darkness.

Chapter 4

Draven

My blood burnsthrough me like a raging inferno seeing my mate helpless on the ground. I can feel her strength waning after whatever had been injected into her took hold. Knox lands next and shreds the male that holds our mate to tiny bits. My gentle, peace-loving brother is borderline psychotic with rage. As Knox kneels next to Tia, I watch the battle waging on around us. The Drow that is left is running towards the portals, retreating to battle another day. “How is she?” Fear etches my voice as I look down at my beloved brother and our mate.

“She’s sleeping. Whatever they gave her isn’t enough to keep her down for long.” Knox says confidently before scooping our mate up in his arms. “You need to shift and carry us back to the castle. She needs rest and food.” I comply immediately, running as fast as I can until I get far enough away to shift. Laying down quickly, I roll to my side, making it easier and faster for my brother to climb onto my back. Once Knox is in position, I fly directly to the castle and land in the courtyard. He slides off my back and we’re met by Tia’s brother Noah, whom clears the path for us to get into the castle quickly. Winding through the halls, we make it to our master suite, and Knox lays our mate down on the bed.

“How do we heal her?” Noah asks as he reaches out and touches his sister’s hand gently.

“I’m not sure.” My tone is just barely above a whisper as I watch my brother try to position Tia on the bed.

A musical laughter echoes behind me. I turn and see Oberon with Aurora at his side. “I’ve got this.” Aurora’s voice is all her beast as she approaches her daughter. Her shifted hands rest on Tia as energy crackles over her talons. “Hatchling. Wake up. Your clutch and people need you, the dark ones need to die.” I listen to my mother in laws commanding tone. Its pitch makes my dragon stand on high alert. Mentioning our children has made him rise to the surface.

Wave after wave of scales ripple under the surface of Tia’s skin with ever-increasing speed. In a blur, Aurora shifts to her beast and grabs Tia running and launching off our balcony into the gardens below. Within moments of impact, Tia’s gargantuan beast rips free of her human form and roars its rage into the night. Her massive head lowers to her mother’s beast and their eyes glow intensely.

I can only imagine the conversation that’s being held between them. Eventually, after several tense moments, Tia looks up at Knox and me.“It’s time to take the battle to the Drow. Gather the strongest of all the species of dragon present. Oberon will open the rift and we will storm the Underverse.”Tia’s voice echoes through the common dragon bond, answering roars sound all around the castle.

Tia shifts back to her human form and hugs her mother tightly. Knox and I turn quickly and race through the hallways to get downstairs and out into the garden. Upon reaching the garden,we spot Aurora and Tia walking out the back gate, hand in hand, towards the masses gathered in the field.

Ice spreads almost ten feet wide along the path the girls are walking. Once in the field, they look at each other and the frost bursts out in all directions, plunging the field into winter. Suddenly, Tia runs from her mother’s side and her dragoness bursts free from its human bonds. The roar she lets loose with knocks over trees in the field over a mile away. Her head spins, and those blackened, pulsing orbs lock on us.“Place someone in charge, gather the others. We will be victorious!”Tia’s voice echoes in my head, and I watch the other dragons divide themselves up according to strength.

Aurora comes up alongside of me and places a hand on my shoulder. “She won’t stop till your father’s head is recovered. Just remember to remind her she needs to rest and eat,” Aurora says just before shifting to her hybrid beast.

All kinds of dragons swarm around Tiamat like a queen bee in a hive. They are dropping dozens of animals into her mouth, feeding her before this endeavor. My brother and I shift and approach our mate, just as Oberon manifests before her. He appears to be on edge, nervous. “All is ready on our side to go.” Just as the words leave his mouth a portal opens and hundreds of fae archers march onto the field alongside of the dragons. Tia tilts her massive head to the side, looking down at the new arrivals, then over to her mother.“Mother agrees. They fear me. This is good,”Tia says through the mate bond just to us.

We study the assembled fae, and it appears there are at least five species here: woodland, sun, moon, water, and high fae. Oberon and the other Kings gather and chant, their wands glow, and pulse in time with the words. Tia’s eyes narrow as she focuses on the spot before the fae kings. It’s as if reality its self is beingripped to pieces. I watch Tia’s colossal beast lumber towards the area the kings are standing in. Just as the portal rips into existence, Tia’s head lowers, and she fires her breath weapon into the unknown. Screams echo within the portal, and I can only assume she just torched much of the Drow’s army.

“Let’s go!”Tia says as she looks over her shoulder at the rest of the army gathered to fight with us. The dragons flood the rift, diving in at their queen’s behest.

Just before Aurora goes to launch into the unknown, Tia drops her wing, stopping her mother’s forward momentum.“Let the fae pass first. I don’t trust them.”Tia says through the familial bond. Her words send a chill down my spine as I look over at my brother, watching his reaction. Knox is unwavering in his stance. Tia’s word has become law because of her gift of the Blood Queen’s and Gallus’s knowledge. After all the fae have passed before us, Tia lumbers through the rift, her steps shaking the very ground as she walks. My brother and I take to the air once we are in the Underverse to protect Tia from above.

The Underverse its self is a dark and foreboding place, filled with tunnels and caverns. It’s completely subterranean. The only light is provided by glowing crystals in the blackened stone of the caverns. Massive nightmare creatures not only are attacking our forces but the Drow as well. Tiamat chooses now to shift back to her human form, her taloned gauntlets glow with the power of her force weapon. Just as a giant flying eyeball with tentacles changes course and veers towards Tia, she spins just in time to blast it with her weapon. “Damn Beholder…” she mutters before taking off to join her mother’s beast in battle.

Knox and I shift back and chase after our wayward mate and mother-in-law. The Drow are master mages powerful in the dark arts. Thankfully for us, their hand to hand is weak for the mostpart. Knox and I slice through Underdark creatures and Drow with our taloned gauntlets. Tia and Aurora seem to be enjoying the battle immensely as they dance back and forth, taking turns battling creatures. “Draven? Why doesn’t Tia just decimate the drow and these horrid creatures?” Tilting my head to the side, I ponder my brother’s question.

My gaze lifts and I inspect the Underverse and all the Underdark creatures that live here. Besides the Drow, there’re thousands of creatures of different sizes and strengths in the mix. “She’s conserving her strength for the battle ahead. I have a feeling we will be battling for days on end at this rate before we reach the Drow city.” I say in a huff as I look at the expansive battle before us.

“This is insane!” Knox says, exasperated, as he motions towards the battlefield. “I have total faith in Tia and Aurora, but even they will get tired at some point, then what?” The concern in Knox’s voice pulls at the tightness in my chest. My thirst for vengeance must be sated, but not at the cost of possibly losing my mate.

“We will rest and feed as we need to. Several of these Underdark creatures are edible, so we will be fine.” Tia says with a confidence that’s awe inspiring. Tia moves towards me and kisses me firmly on my lips. I can feel her love for my brother and I flood the bond as she caresses my cheeks.

“I will not fail your father even if I have to burn this entire place to ash.” The tones of her dragon take over her normally sultry voice. The raw emotion and power radiating off of my mate makes the scales on my arms stand on edge. Tia moves over to Knox and kisses him just as passionately.

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