Page 97 of The Exiled Dragon

“It will not end like this! If I can’t be successful, you can’t either!” Adam roared. He reached into his pocket, slinging the dust into Creed’s eyes. Amora screamed, being pulled back by Nicholas. Adam laughed maniacally as he reached the Elders, ripping the bags of memory powder from their clothes. Kane immediately pushed Adam back; he fell to the ground, unable to grab the memory powder. Clara jumped, clawing her way through the throat of one Elder, pulling out their windpipe. Blood poured on the ground, the other Wolves howling in victory, watching their leaders give justice.

Kane stood up, his back straight, staring down at Adam on his back. Seeing Adam would get up and come forward to fight him, he swung his claw and slit three more Elders across their throats. Marcus, Kane’s Beta, picked up the memory powder bags, and they ran from the tribe to take them to the King and Queen of the Cerulean Moon.

Both Clara and Kane were not finished with the Elders. They clawed out their hearts, leaving them to beat on the ground for a few moments before finally stopping. Wolves surrounded them, finishing the bodies. Their thirst for blood scattered the pieces until it all lay in a bloody mess on the now red-tinted snow. The salvageable pieces were taken to the bonfire in the middle of the tribe. The sizzle of their flesh burning made Clara wince.

Apollo reached for Adam; his talons stuck into his chest. Adam ripped out his talons, now punching Apollo in the face. Plumes of smoke engulfed the entire area. Dragons and Wolves took away the women who were not warriors and children into their homes. Many children screamed, not for Adam to save them, but for Creed. Creed, still disoriented, shook his head at the white smoke that filled his burning nostrils.

Apollo and Adam had fully shifted, their claws ripping at each other’s throats. Nicholas joined in on the fight once Amora was pushed to the side of the clearing. Adam, still having consumed black magic just this morning, could withstand fighting on his own. He rolled on the ground like a crocodile ripping his prey in two, taking Apollo along with him, his feathers falling off his body.

Clara stood by Amora, who watched intently. Her heart pounded and begged for her small tribe of Dragons to win this fight. Clara’s calming aura held Amora together just enough to keep her stable. Kane wanted to intervene, but this was the fight for the title of the tribe. Torin, his Wolf, continued to grumble and complain. It would be an amazing feat to fight an Alpha Dragon to death. Kane stood back, waiting. If Adam survived, he would be swiftly dealt with, just like the Elder’s lifeless remains that burned in the fire.

Apollo, still weak, faltered, his hind legs not as strong as they once were, buckled, finally falling backward. Nicholas pushed back Adam with the brunt of his horns, snapping his powerful jaws at the front forelegs. Nicholas was quickly thrown off, the black magic making Adam’s power twice greater than normal. Knowing that Apollo was Creed’s father, Adam would make it doubly sweet to have both of his parents killed by his own doing. Adam pounced forward, now having a clear shot at Apollo, and raised his head for the final blow to break his neck when Creed came barreling in, entering the fight in his Dragon form, pushing Adam into a pile of snow.

Creed’s Dragon put him in a battle stance, his tail swaying back and forth, black feathers being blown in the wind. A large burst of fire went towards Adam, searing the tops of his wings from being able to fly comfortably. Creed’s massive Dragon was several heads taller than that of his enemy. His Dragon smirked, thinking how easy it would be to break him and now having Creed's permission.

Adam shook off the ash from his burnt wings, snapping his jaws with venom dripping down his teeth. Adam took the first lunge, digging his teeth into Creed’s back. He roared out, wrapping his long neck around to take a bite out of Adam’s red scales.

Creed pulled at Adam’s neck, pulling so hard, scales dropped into the dirtied snow. Adam whimpered but did not surrender. The fire burned in Adam’s chest again, ready to release his own flame. He turned his back. It was a risky move to expose your Dragon’s belly, but it was the only choice Adam had. Head rearing back, buried in the snow underneath his tongue, his igniting fluid sprayed before his fire could leave his mouth. Creed took this as the opportunity to release his own fire, pushing the fluid back into Adam’s mouth. Creed’s fire erupted inside of Adam, leaking down his esophagus.

Closing his mouth, Adam felt not his own fire but that of Creed’s. It burned him down to his belly, causing it to expand within him. Creed jumped off the red Dragon’s body; he moved away slowly, watching Adam’s every move.

Adam’s red Dragon rolled on the ground in pain. He knocked over tents and cooking supplies and came too close to the crowd of onlookers. Warriors no longer crowded around him, sparking no cheers or uplifting comments to help their Alpha Dragon. They now looked to Creed, breathing heavily, watching Adam whither in pain.

Adam’s Dragon shifted back into human form, no longer able to hold it. Adam cried out, his voice still maintaining his Dragon’s voice.

“No!” he growled out, his skin becoming dark from within. The outside of his body was now covered in dark, crusted flakes. “Amora!!” he cried out. Adam’s hand was outstretched to her, begging for comfort. She gripped onto Nicholas. They had both shifted back into human forms, seeking the comfort of each other. Amora didn’t even look at Adam, and her heart squeezed in her chest. She cared about her childhood friend, but that was all over now. He had ripped every part of her, not just her body but her spirit as well. It would take many years for Nicholas to cover up her emotional scars.

“Don’t leave me,” Amora whispered. Nicholas wanted one last go at the Dragon who kept his mate from him for so long, who raped and kept her for himself. Nicholas held onto Amora, her tears running down his chest.

“I’ll never leave you, not in a million moon cycles.” Nicholas and Amora held onto each other until the screams fell between small cries and a whimper.

Creed’s Dragon shifted back to his human form. He now stood over Adam, whose eyes could no longer blink. The fire burned up all the moisture in his body, now leaving him nothing but a hollow husk. Adam’s eyes looked into Creed’s. No words were exchanged until Adam’s last breath breathed out nothing but his black smoke, eyes wide with no lids to cover them.

The crowd was now silent. They gathered to see their former Alpha, burned and charred. The smell was revolting, causing several children to run into the woods to relieve their stomachs. Creed turned away, his fists clenched, then loosening to look in the palm of his hands.

“Ya did it.” Apollo limped to his son. His hind legs were healing fast, but it was evident that Apollo still needed rest. “A’m proud o’ ye, Creed.” Creed’s Dragon purred, but Creed himself wasn’t sure why.

“Who are you?” Creed’s brows furrowed. He grabbed his throat, wondering why he could suddenly speak. His hands touched his throat, fingers trailing down his face. “I’m healed?”

“Oh god.” Amora ran to him, touching his chest. “Do you not remember? Do you remember Odessa?” Creed’s Dragon grew excited, but Creed could not understand.

“Odessa? Who is that? Why can I talk?” Creed moved his face in ways he couldn’t have done before. Amora only frowned, biting her lip.

Clara, now wearing an enormous shirt over her body, ran to the small group forming around the remnants of Adam. “Did he forget?” Clara’s concern now had the entire group murmuring about what to do. Apollo grabbed Creed by the shoulders.

“I am yar father! Do ye not remember?! We jus' met this marnin'! We came here to avenge yar mother. Ya did it, ya kill’d Adam!”

“I know, I killed him,” Creed spoke, now looking at the body. “He was trying to kill someone innocent. That is why I attacked. I didn’t mean to kill him. I just wanted to help you. I promised her. I promised her I wouldn’t hurt him.” Creed’s Dragon retaliated, not liking what he was saying. He rubbed his chest, trying to calm his beast, but he couldn’t understand what was happening to him.

The wind above them stirred, causing the snow to blow away from them. Large pearl-colored wings moved the falling snow in swirls as the magnificent she-Dragon landed in the wide-open clearing a few yards away. Her purple scales illuminated brightly against the white snow.

“Ondi?” Apollo glanced at the radiant scales of the Dragon. It looked just like his mate from afar, but unfortunately, he realized this Dragon was not calling to him but his son.

Creed looked at her, finding her the most beautiful Dragon he had ever seen. Her head looked around the encampment, the purple smoke covering her entire body until a small woman tripped into the snow, falling to her knees.

“I can’t get rid of this.” Clara’s hand had touched Creed’s arm, trying to access his damage. “I can’t heal magic, only wounds.” Amora cursed under her breath, but Creed took no mind to either of them. He stepped away, walking to the girl with dark curled hair, braids on either side of her head, decorated with beads and metal clippings. He had seen his mother wear the same hairstyle so long ago.

The dress was plain, but it suited her. Her round face, the buttoned nose, had him entranced, not to mention those beautiful amethyst eyes were. They were otherworldly, the way she blinked her full lashes toward him. Creed had seen these eyes before, but he knew not where. Maybe they were from a long-lost dream.

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