Wrath of the Dragon 2, page 19
I dug the blade deeper into the slimy flesh, and I felt the demon stumble as it slowed down. The two other beasts screamed as they drew closer, and I grunted and yanked my dagger back up. Then I slammed the weapon down once more into the middle of the demon’s skull, and it shuddered violently.
As it started to topple over, I just managed to swing my leg over to jump onto the ground. I grunted again as my palms hit the rocky terrain, and there was a crash as the demon fell on its side.
The sounds of demon footsteps were getting louder now, and when I spun around, I saw that Cyra was still up in the air with her glowing palms ready for action. Her maroon wings were spread wide, and the golden flecks of her skin sparkled under the moonlight that came through the treetops.
The two approaching demons were chunkier than the first, but their thick legs and wide bodies would be a hell of a lot harder to take down. One of them had a shell that extended up to the neck, and it had one milky eye with a giant scar down the middle. Green mold blotted its legs, and its blowhole stem was covered in bite marks and bits of algae.
I stood my ground as they approached, and I clutched my dagger to ready myself for the next fight. My powers tingled at my fingertips, and I could feel my dragon form itching to be released. That would have to wait a little while, though. This was a fight for my human body.
“I’ll get the one with the scar,” I called up to Cyra. “Try and get the other one’s eyes with your palms. Burn that fucker blind. If you fly down from behind, then you’ll be able to miss the horns.”
“Got it,” Cyra said as she kept her golden eyes on the beasts.
We didn’t have time for much more conversation after that. The two stampeding demons reached us, and they both seemed uninterested in me. Their sights were set on Cyra now, and they charged straight for her despite her being the unreachable one in the treetops.
“So, you clearly caught on that I’m an angel,” Cyra growled as the beasts came to a halt below her. “What a shame that you evolved with shells instead of wings, am I right?”
The angel smirked down at the beasts as she circled them, and the shelled bastards stomped their feet into the ground. They howled up at her, and I felt a cold sweat break out on my forehead over how loud they were being. The demons were going to attract every other member of their species with that noise, and I needed to shut them the hell up as soon as possible.
I raced toward the two shelled monsters with my dagger ready for action, and Cyra floated a few inches out of their reach and watched the beasts carefully. She kept their attention with her waving palms, and I was grateful for the distraction as I got closer. I could smell their moldy shells from here, and I made sure not to step on any marshy spots of land. The last thing I needed was for a foot to get stuck in a sinkhole
As I was about to jump onto the scarred demon’s back, it spun around to face me.
I stared into its milky eye and prepared to leap onto the fucker’s shell whenever it charged. But the beast only stared me down as its nostrils flared, and I had an odd feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something about this demon made me think it had a level of intelligence I hadn’t seen before. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but its good eye seemed to study me like it was figuring out its next move as carefully as I was.
The second demon lingered behind and kept a scowling eye on Cyra. She kept a safe distance and held her fiery palms up as a warning.
Still, I stood staring at the milky-eyed demon for a moment, and I was ready to pounce the second it moved. Then something really fucking creepy happened.
The scarred demon smiled at me. Not a happy smile, but one that sent a shiver down my spine. It slowly showed off all of its sharp teeth and opened its mouth so wide that I could smell its putrid breath. Then a long tongue extended out toward me and waggled as if it was taunting me like a child.
“What the fuck is it doing?” Cyra hissed as she continued to wave her hands.
“I don’t know,” I replied as I kept my eyes on the large demon.
Its tongue rolled over its yellow fangs, and the beast cocked its head as it looked me up and down.
“Take her,” the scarred demon suddenly snarled in a low, gravelly tone.
Then the milky-eyed fucker raced toward me like a charging bull, and I heard Cyra scream from behind it. I only caught a glimpse of what happened as I leapt at the scarred demon. I managed to just clear the bastard’s head and land on its protected neck, and then I clung onto its horns as it bucked and kicked.
One glance at my fire angel made my blood go cold.
The second shelled beast had leapt onto its hind legs and jumped up with an agility I never would have dreamed they could have. It used its mouth to clamp down onto Cyra’s foot and started to pull her toward the ground.
“Cyra!” I yelled. “Burn its face!”
The fire angel swung her glowing hands down toward the demon’s snout, but it violently swung her by the leg so she was thrown from side to side in the air. Her wings were the only thing keeping her from being dragged down to the ground, and she desperately fought against her captor by flying as hard as she could. Her maroon feathers flapped quickly, and her face was scrunched up with effort as she tried to escape.
My heart was in my throat as I turned my attention back to my own attacker.
I needed to kill this fucker fast so I could help Cyra.
The demon raced around in circles beneath me as it made a sneering cackle that made my blood boil, and I studied the shell that covered its back and neck. It looked rock hard, and the horns were so thick that they joined together in the center to protect the skull. Even its breathing tube seemed to have a thick coating of shell around it, so it was a very well-armored demon, but it had messed with the wrong guy.
I would just have to get to any exposed skin, which wouldn’t be easy while I was clinging on for dear life.
Then I reconsidered that the demon already had one damaged eye, so destroying the second one would be my fastest route to victory. Fighting blind was enough to weaken anyone.
“Take her away,” the scarred demon growled, and the other beast started to run toward the cliffs.
“Let her go, you fuckers,” I hissed, and the demon cackled below me.
I knew I only had a few moments to stop Cyra from being taken inside the caves. With my heart in my throat, I hauled myself further up on the bucking beast by gripping the demon’s horns. Then I leaned right over the bastard’s face with my dagger poised for the kill.
Nobody messed with my angels and got away with it. I was ready to spill blood all over the moonlit rocks.
But it wasn’t easy to hold on and aim precisely at the eye as the demon bucked below me. I grunted with the effort of staying upright as the beast leapt up and down with a sickening speed. The burning need to save Cyra gave me strength, though, and I pulled myself forward just enough to reach over the demon’s face.
Then I drove my blade right into the center of the bastard’s good eyeball, and I shuddered at the horrific squelch. The feeling was similar to cutting Jell-O, but with a lot more blood spurting out, and way too much howling from the demon.
I needed to shut this fucker up.
I quickly pulled my dagger out of the destroyed eye, and bits of goop and flesh rained down from the socket as the creature snarled and roared again. Then I plunged my weapon down into the middle of its snout.
The blade pushed through moss-covered skin, and I had to turn my head to keep blood from splattering my face. The demon immediately stopped howling and began to make a pathetic sputtering sound instead. It slowed right down to a wobbling trot, and I pulled my dagger up in preparation for a final blow.
With a bleeding eye socket and snout, the demon was already a useless wreck, but I had to make sure it was fully dead.
The beast gave one last feeble attempt at swinging its head around toward me, and I pierced my blade into its snout once more. I felt the dagger break through flesh and bone in an instant, and the demon started to stumble onto its side as it died. The creature still twitched for a second as its brain stopped working, but I knew he was done for, so I yanked my blade free as I jumped onto the ground.
I narrowly avoided a marshy puddle and immediately began to race over toward the cliffs. The demon that was dragging Cyra had been slowed down by her determined flying. I kept my eyes on her as she fought against the beast, and she kept her body aimed in the opposite direction.
My entire being pumped with adrenaline, and I ran so quickly that I barely felt each step under my feet. A deep rage burned in my chest as I watched the shelled bastard try to kidnap my angel. It pulled her toward the ledge path with heartless yanks and disgusting snarls, and I moved as fast as my legs were capable of.
Even when I was in my human form, I was a force to be reckoned with. I barely noticed the cold wind that stung my face, and I gained ground on the demon within a few seconds.
Cyra’s eyes were locked on me, but she kept quiet as she put all her energy into flying against her attacker. The demon had managed to reach the bottom of the pathway, and the blue cliffs towered above us. I didn’t have time to admire their staggering beauty, but I was aware of how fucking high they were as I reached the ledge pathway.
It wasn’t until I was right at the beast’s back that it spun around, but I was ready, and I leapt at it with a growl.
The demon didn’t drop Cyra’s leg as I jumped, but it tried to keep running up the ledge. The pathway was only just wide enough for the demon, and gray bits of dust and debris were kicked up in the air by its huge feet. I collided with the demon’s neck right before it could get anywhere, and I struck my hand painfully against one of its horns as I pulled myself up. Blood dribbled down my palm, but I barely even registered the injury as I kept my focus on the fight.
This demon had a slightly more exposed neck than the last, and I clutched on tightly with my thighs as it tried to continue running up the hill. It looked like its shell had been broken slightly at the top of the spine, and that gave me the perfect spot to attack it.
I brought my blade down into the demon’s neck, and thick blood oozed from the wound as the creature cried out. The sudden howl made it loosen its grip on Cyra just enough for her to pull her slim leg from its grasp, and the angel soared upward before she flew around to join me at the beast’s back.
“Are you okay?” I asked as the demon bucked as high as it could.
“I’m fine,” she panted. “Let’s finish this thing off.”
I brought my blade down toward the couple of exposed inches of skin between the horns, and Cyra placed her burning palm on the side of its throat at the same time. The combined attack caused the demon to stop in its tracks, and it gargled as it swayed in pain. I knew if it fell to the side, I would be crushed against the cliff wall, so I leapt off the back of the demon and onto the rocky ground.
The demon slowly turned to face me as blood poured from its head wound, and its neck had burning embers embedded in it that were already spreading up its cheek. It opened its mouth as if it wanted to attempt one last call for help, but I brought my blade down directly into its face to pierce the skull right between its eyes, and the demon shuddered for a split second before it finally died.
Cyra landed beside me as the creature fell, and she kept her fiery palms raised in case of another attack. The chunky demon toppled over and knocked its shell against the blue stone cliff, and the ground shook as it dropped onto the rocky ledge. Bits of sapphire-colored debris tumbled down from above, and I pulled Cyra close to my chest, held my arm up to shield our faces, and coughed as dust drifted up my nose.
“Fuck,” I hissed as the rubble settled. “Are you okay?”
The angel stepped back and shook her burgundy hair to dislodge bits of debris.
“I’m fine,” she said as she looked down at her leg. “It’s so weird. The demon was holding me tightly, but it didn’t try to pierce the flesh or damage my leg.”
“It wanted to take you to the cave,” I said. “Maybe it wanted you in full health to present to the king. I imagine an angel in perfect condition is the best offering it could give the king.”
“Perfect condition?” Cyra snorted. “I’m not a rare item to exchange on the market.”
“You are to them,” I pointed out.
Cyra scowled down at the dead demon, and its blood began to ooze down the path toward us.
“Let’s get back to our hiding spot in the trees,” I said. “We’re lucky we haven’t already drawn the attention of every demon inside.”
We quickly made our way over the rocky ground and carefully jumped over several bubbling marsh puddles as we went. Then we came to the corpse of the scarred demon, and it already smelled like rotting flesh with a dark pool of blood around it. We finally stopped running once we were behind the cover of the trees, and then we caught our breaths in silence for a moment.
I leaned against the rough bark and examined my wounded hand. The scrape against the demon’s horn had ripped the flesh of my palm, and blood slowly seeped out. It wasn’t super deep, but the cut stung in the cold wind.
“Here,” Cyra said as she took my hand in hers.
The fire angel gently placed her burning palm against my wound, and I felt a flash of pain as the skin was closed up. But then the flesh melted back together instantly, and I smiled as Cyra planted a soft kiss on the scar. Tiny flecks of gold danced around my palm, and I felt the stinging pain dim to a gentle warmth.
“Thanks,” I said. “You’re quite useful to have around.”
“I know.” Cyra grinned as she flicked her hair. “What would you do without me, Ryan?”
“Probably bleed a lot more,” I said as I kissed her cheek. “Are you feeling okay? I know demons are the worst thing for an angel to come up against.”
“I’m really fine,” Cyra replied. “They make me want to burn this whole place to the ground, but I think I’m just even more fired up to save Brooke now.”
“How many different kinds of watery demons are there?” I asked. “We’ve fought so many, and we haven’t even gotten inside their lair yet.”
“I don’t know.” Cyra shrugged. “But I do know I hate the ones with shells.”
“And the ones with orbs,” I said. “Also, the ones with webbed feet can fuck off, too.”
“Exactly,” the fire angel said. “But I’m really feeling okay. I just want to have Nisha back out here with us.”
I peered out from behind the tree to inspect the cave entrance. The shelled demons didn’t seem to have successfully alerted any backup, but their dead bodies would be enough to do that. One glance at the scene would tell any demon that danger was close by. Especially since it was impossible to cross the lake of the Ashrays at night.
“Nisha needs to hurry up,” I muttered as I studied the cave entrance. “The next demon that sticks its head out of the exit is going to see those bodies and alert the others.”
“There are plenty of beasts in this land who could have done that,” Cyra pointed out. “I’m sure they lose a demon or two all the time, and I don’t think ‘dragon man with an angel lover’ is going to be their first guess as to who the culprit is. But I can feel Nisha’s presence still. She’s safe.”
“Hmm,” I said. “What if the demons have some kind of magic that partially masks her from you? You could be picking up a false reading or something.”
“It’s her,” Cyra said firmly. “I know how my sister’s energy feels.”
I trusted the angel, but I knew there was a whole world of demon magic we hadn’t been exposed to yet. The island demons had throwing orbs, and the ones we just fought had rock hard shells. There were so many variations of these evil fuckers that I knew we couldn’t rule out any possibilities. I didn’t even want to think about how many other types must have infested the other lands of Dracoria.
“If she doesn’t come out soon, then I’m going in,” I said. “I know you can tell if she’s still strong, but she could still be caught in a trap or something.”
“I love how much you protect us,” Cyra said softly. “You really would do anything for us.”
“Of course,” I said. “You’re my angels, and it’s my duty to protect you. When you bound yourselves to me, it changed my life. I’ll always keep you safe.”
Cyra tucked her burgundy hair behind her ears, and she ran a gentle hand down my arm. The fire angel’s touch sent a comforting warmth down my back, and I smiled as her golden eyes met mine.
I settled for staring at the cave entrance after that, and every second that passed felt like hours. The blue rocks of the cliffs sparkled enough in the moonlight to see the surrounding area dimly, and I drummed my fingers impatiently against the tree trunk.
“Can you still feel Brooke?” I asked, and Cyra nodded.
“She’s still in there,” the fire angel said. “But she’s weak. As soon as Nisha--”
Cyra’s words broke off as a sudden rumbling noise filled the air.
It was so loud that some debris fell from the cliff walls and formed little clouds of blue powder. The sound echoed out over the rocky land and onward to the lake, and it was clear that it had come from inside the caves.
My whole body felt cold as the roar scraped the insides of my ears, and I knew with my whole being that something evil had made that sound.
There was something enormous inside that cave, and it had just woken up.
Chapter 15
I started to race toward the cave before my brain had fully processed what had happened. The roar that rang out over the land sent goosebumps up my arms, and I could only think of Nisha inside that cave. She was in there with whatever the fuck had made that noise, and I needed to get her out.
My heart was in my throat as I ran, and Cyra ran behind me.
