Page 84 of A Sky of Storms
My vision darkened and I felt myself fall sideways. How that fucking cunt had known that disconnecting my hand would make me lose control of my senses and body was beyond me, but I made it my mission to find out. He’d pay for pulling a stunt like this. Slowly and painfully, he would come to regret every choice he’d ever made in life.
IfIneversawa fucking bat again it would be too soon. I spun, grabbing a wing in one hand and slamming the creature into the ground before launching on top of it. The monster gnashed its teeth, struggling against my hold. I tightened my grip on its wing and snapped with both hands, tearing the thin membrane in the process. It howled but I continued, moving onto the next wing and splintering more flesh and cartilage. The thing didn’t give up though, despite me rendering its limbs useless. It was desperate for my blood.
I punched its ugly, patchy head as it tried to bite me with its frothing fangs. They couldn’t penetrate my rock-hard skin, so I laughed like a mad man as I sentenced it to death with my fists. I loved how the adrenaline of a fight rushed through my veins and took me on a high that intensified with each hit I made. At times like this I was a fucking god amongst men. Mars reborn.
Something jumped on my back and I shook like a dog after a bath, throwing it off me. Turned out it was a Potential—one of Victoria’s, no less. I recognised his face from the attack on our garrison and couldn’t help the grin spreading on my face.
“I’m going to enjoy this,” I called, prowling towards him.
The cocky bastard held no weapon, obviously blind to the threat right in front of him. I removed my rock skin, giving me more range of motion and preserving my energy. It wouldn’t take much to finish him off.
The guy didn’t back down as I drew closer, spreading his feet and eyeing me with hatred. Most people submitted to true leaders, but he obviously had some pent-up rage churning in his chest. Must suck to believe you were more important than you actually were. To want something and not be able to take it. I chuckled, having no experience with that. If he didn’t have the power to challenge Victoria, then he definitely didn’t have it to beat me. His dumb ass was about to get a serious wake-up call.
I didn’t wait for pleasantries, striking first. My fist connected with his jaw, but the guy pushed through and aimed a few punches my way, if you could even call them that. I let one of his efforts land, using his momentum to grab one of his arms and twist. He struggled against me, flapping around like a flag in the wind, but I held firm, twisting further until I heard a satisfying crack. I was going to break his limbs just like I’d done with the giant bat.
The Potential screamed and I threw him away from me. He fell, sliding through mud and glaring daggers at me. He clambered to his feet, sneering, his mouth frothing like a wild beast as blood dripped down his face.
“Fuck you!” the guy yelled, charging at me even though one of his arms swung limply at his side.
“Nah, bro, think I’ll pass,” I replied, easily blocking his punch and kicking his feet out from beneath him.
He fell, howling in pain from landing on his broken arm. I presumed he’d stay down but the little weasel scrambled to his feet and came at me again. His fighting was getting sloppier by the second and it was like batting away a child as I shoved him to the muddy ground once more. The little bastard made to rise again so I knocked him onto his front, pushing his face down into the mud. He squirmed and after I slowly counted to five, I grabbed the collar of his jumpsuit and dragged him up so that his ear was near my lips.
“Bet you regret coming after me now.” I chuckled, letting him go and tossing him onto his broken arm.
He turned his filthy head, spitting curses at me. I had little patience for anything, let alone this runt, so I stamped my boot down on his spine with acrack. And not in the good way that osteopaths do. I stared down at him with a wide grin. Now to finish the guy off.
I was about to bend down and end his misery when a deep roar rumbled through the air. The next thing I knew, a huge shadow flew overhead, making the misty marsh even spookier. I decided the guy wasn’t a high priority anymore and jogged out of the death pit. The dragon was making its descent and I wasn’t about to get caught up in a battle with it. I wanted to prove to everyone that I was the strongest person in Terrulia, but even I knew when the stakes were too high. The monster’s face appeared through the fog, its long yellowed fangs and bright red eyes immediately drawing my attention. It was travelling swiftly, its jaws opening wide as it swooped down. Moving faster than something that size should have been able to, it captured Potentials in its mouth before they could escape and crunched down, blood coating its teeth and silencing their screams before carrying them away.
It flew up but I knew it would circle back for more. Why miss out on the smorgasbord down here? I didn’t plan on becoming lunch and I definitely wasn’t going to waste my time battling the thing to save anyone. Around me, Potentials were still fighting over the coins, the gold scattered around the marsh and sunk into mud. I needed to grab one soon before they were either taken or buried in the filth.
The dragon whirled, ready to make its descent, and I moved to stand in what little tree cover I could find. From my vantage point, I watched as it swooped to scoop up more Potentials in its huge jaws, their screams quickly silenced as it snapped its maw shut. Blood rained down over the pit. Once it was satisfied and rising again I made a dash for the chest. Potentials scrambled beside me, some to get to the chest while others tried to get the upper hand on an opponent. I flattened anyone who got in my way, my huge arms no match for them as Potentials flew from my path like I was flicking bugs.
As I reached the chest, I grabbed my coin and stuffed it into my pocket, elbowing the face of the guy beside me for good measure. I shoved the cry-baby aside with a laugh, earning a howl as a torrent of blood spilled between the fingers that had been holding his nose. Served him right. He should have gotten out of my way quicker.
I ran through the mud, only to flatten myself in the disgusting shit as a roar boomed and the monster swooped. The tip of a talon scraped the top of my hair, but I’d avoided being scooped up and becoming monster dinner. I jumped to my feet once it ascended, noticing Fallon and Zane in the distance with Noah drooped between them as they dragged him through the misty marsh. The guy looked to be in pretty bad shape.
“Grab coins!” I shouted at them, my voice carrying over the fighting still going on between the other Potentials. “And watch out for the thing above!”
Fallon’s gaze snapped to mine and her copper eyes widened. Truth be told, I didn’t blame her for being shocked. Keeping her alive was another way I could stick it to her sister for usurping me. It was petty, but I still wanted that bitch to pay and until I could fight Victoria one-on-one, I would use her own tactics and fight dirty. I watched Fallon and Zane drag Noah towards the chest, only to see the bitch I wanted to punish arrive with her favourite followers right behind them. Victoria stormed towards Fallon and co like a hurricane ready to destroy everything in her path.
There was no way they’d be able to defend themselves against the Auger bitch and her cronies with Noah hanging between them. It was the perfect time to get my revenge, but first I was going to take Victoria’s people like she’d taken Flynn from me. I raced towards the Potentials, my skin turning as hard as stone as I rolled into them like they were bowling pins. It was one of my favourite moves. Not only was it fun as all hell, but it was hard to defend against. Whatever the outcome, whoever the target, they always ended up on the back foot.
I knocked one of the Potentials over but the other two escaped me, falling over themselves in the mud to get away. I flipped into standing and squared my shoulders, blocking the others from getting to Fallon, Noah, and Zane. I could hear Fallon shouting at the merman about Victoria behind me, already knowing she’d be gearing up for a fight with her sister. The Augers had bad blood, there was no denying that. I turned my attention back to the Potentials and smirked at their weapons. They held swords and knives, but not a pulse gun was in sight.
Ever tried to cut a rock with a knife? Sure, you could chip away, but it took a lot of force to make any real damage. I doubted the three fuckheads in front of me could make a dent combined.
“And to think I was hoping for a challenge,” I said casually, looking at my hand and rubbing mud and dried blood between my thumb and fingers. “Pity.”
“I’m going to enjoy killing you,” one replied with a sneer. “Crimson cunt.”
I laughed at his pathetic insult. He made me sound like some kind of superhero. “All I need now is a red cape.”
The dragon roared from above, its call echoed by the screeching of more giant bats on their way. We would be overrun soon. Time was running the fuck out and I needed to deal with these three now. They had played a role in Flynn’s death and it was damn time they paid for it.
“Are we doing this or are you three going to stand around shaking in your boots all day?”
It was all the incentive they needed. They came at me as one, their blades raised high. I didn’t carry any. Why bother when my fists were all the weapon I needed? The first to reach me swung their sword and I raised my arm to block, following up with a punch to their gut. The breath escaped their lungs as I sent them flying across the muddy ground. I didn’t wait to see where they went, turning on the other two as they swung at me.
