Chapter 274 - Dragon Nest

I'm back on track and writing's been feeling really good the last few days. I think I'm over the 60-80% hurdle which I usually slow down on, so I'm aiming to be releasing on time again from today! Appreciate all of your patience with some of the chapters being a day or two late this month. Hope you enjoy! (This chapter felt dark even for me)

“Aurora, up to Dragons Landing!” Finnian shouted. “Find the dragon.” With out hesitating, she took off, landing above them and entering upper level of the temple. “Celaine, Wizard, with me. We’re taking the Keeper Stairs. Athir, summon every guard we have and meet as in the Dragon Halls. Have a message sent to Keeper Yunillia and tell her to come immediately.”

“Yes sir!”

Finnian led the way at a run, even Celaine struggling to keep up as he reached the hidden passage to the second level that Yunillia had guided Hump to previously. He’d already opened the door when Hump arrived and was halfway up the steps. Hump followed the two of them up, entering into the Dragon Halls.

It was desolate compared to when he’d visited for Nishari’s training with Janeen just a day prior, the dragons and their bonded away for battle. A few staff members idled, sweeping and cleaning the chambers or preparing food and drink for the dragons upon their return. There was no sign of concern amongst them. No sign of anything wrong.

But there was also no sign of a dragon.

Hump looked around, listening, searching for any sign that the beast Nisha had warned him of was here. Aurora stampeded down the hall toward them from the landing area.

She and Finnian exchanged looks.

“Shit,” Finnian said. “She doesn’t see it, but she smells blood. Seems you were right.”

“Doesn’t matter if we’re too late,” Hump exclaimed. “The nest. Hurry!”

“This way.”

They were on the move once more, rushing through halls large enough that dragons could comfortably pass through them. Hump realised they were heading in the direction of the ancient wolf dragon, Algwyn’s chamber. Before they reached it, they veered down a wide passageway to the left. Here, the roof was slightly lower, and the floor was paved with fine stone squares. Paintings of dragons, hatchlings, and their tails covered the walls, illuminated by the warm light of essence stone fixtures above. It was almost cosy.

It only made the sight of the open door at the end all the more dreadful. Hump’s stomach twisted into a knot as he noticed it was ajar. It was a grand wooden door patterned with gold, and there was no way it should have been open.

Finnian drew his giant sword from the scabbard on his back and approached, radiating a quiet dread. Hump saw the fear on his face. Not fear for himself, but fear of what he might find. It was a feeling they shared. At Hump’s side, Celaine’s bow was already out, an arrow ready in her hand. Hump had his staff up before him, but he channelled no essence to it, not wanting to give any indication to the intruder that they were there. Instead, he channelled essence into his boots, wielding the Echoless Passage enchantment to muffle his footsteps. They snuck closer silently, Aurora hanging back, though Hump could sense her waning patience as her eyes drilled holes into his back.

As Finnian reached the door, he glanced back at them, and Hump and Celaine both gave a nod, indicating that they were ready. With a firm push of his left hand, Finnian swung the door open. There was a faint bump as the door stopped, only half open.

Finnian just stared down, his eyes wide. Face shocked.

Not good, Hump thought. But he didn’t hesitate, rushing forward to Finnian’s side. A woman’s leg blocked the door, her body largely intact other than the bloody mess of torn flesh at her neck. Her head was missing, but all Hump had to do was follow the trail of blood to find it. A few paces up the hall it lay in a pool of blood. One of her eyes was missing, her cheek was flayed open revealing a few of her teeth, and an ear was missing. Despite appearing half eaten, Hump knew her at a glance.

Janeen. He had not known the woman long, but the former dragon keeper was a person that truly loved the dragons in her care. She had treasured Nisha and seeing her like this… Hump fought not to throw up.

“Mother’s mercy,” Celaine whispered.

Hump took a breath and continued forward, trying to avoid the blood as he stepped over Janeen’s corpse and crept forward as fast as he dared. Behind him, the others moved again.

There was another door ahead of them. It was slightly opened. From within came a sound that sent shivers down Hump’s spine. At first, he couldn’t place the wet, slurping sound until he heard a crunch that could only be bone.

Hump swung the door open. The nest was made of soft straw and fine twigs wound into a bed for two dozen or so eggs that lay there. Or at least, had once lain there. Now, the entire right side had been crushed, the shells broken, and the small unmoving bodies of unhatched dragons strewn across the ground, their soft scales covered in slime.

Standing over them was a figure halfway between man and dragon. It was covered in blood. In one hand, it held up one of the hatchlings, dangling it by the tale into its mouth and snapping its jaws shut. It chewed, crunching, breathing a deep, disgusting breath of satisfaction. A low groan escaped its throat.

Hump reached for his essence without thinking, rage burning so hot within him the world turned red. His dragon blood roared with furious agony.

The figure turned sharply, staring dead at Hump. Hump recognised those eyes. The hunger in them. The deep desire to feast on anything he could. He had come for Nishari as he’d travelled through the Fallen Lands, and now he’d found his way to Drakalyn.

Winston.

Hump took aim at the shapeshifter, fire boiling in his staff, filling the room with flickering red. Before he could unleash it, Winston dove into the nest of unharmed eggs.

“Stop Wizard!” Finnian roared. “Do not risk the eggs!”

Hump clenched his jaw, glaring at Winston as he crouched in the nest. A sick grin split across the shapeshifter’s face as recognition dawned.

“What have you done?” Celaine cried, her eyes shimmering as she gazed at the dead hatchlings.

“We meet again, Wizard,” he snarled, voice twisted by his transformation.

While he was the same being Hump had met before, there was something different. There was power within him now far beyond when they’d fought previously.

“What happened to you?” Hump asked.

“You know this monster?” Finnian asked furiously, his sword pointing forward, gripped in both hands. He looked like he was barely holding back himself.

“A shapeshifter we encountered on our travel to Drakalyn,” Hump said. “He attempted to attack us along with some mercenaries. We defeated them.”

“I was weak then,” Winston spat. “But no more. No more!”

“You will die here,” Finnian snarled viciously, stepping forward.

Hump split off to the right, while Celaine the left, the three of them forming a half circle around Winston. Behind them, Aurora strode forward, snarling with such ferocity that Hump thought she might just barrel into the nest and attack Winston, consequences be damned.

“Stop!” Winston screeched, an egg appearing in his clawed hand. “Stop, all of you!”

They all froze abruptly. Hump licked his lips. His heart raced. He felt as if he were standing upon a wire with a mile of nothingness beneath him. The lives of these hatchlings were in the hands of a monster.

“Keeper Yunillia will be here soon,” Hump said. “Leave now, and you might survive.”

“I am no fool.” Winston shook his head. “I am here for a feast.” He breathed deeply, savouring the air. “And oh, I have feasted. The lifeblood of wolf dragons is an unmatched delicacy. And their eggs. THEIR EGGS.” A heaving, guttural groan purred from his throat. “I smell your sweet little dragon on you too, Wizard. Ooooh, now she was a special one.”

Hate surged within Hump. He wasn’t sure he’d ever hated anything so much in that moment. “You will not touch a scale on her body.”

Aurora’s growl filled the room.

“There, there dragon,” Winston taunted, stretching out his clawed hand with the egg in its palm toward her. “None of that, my snack.” A glimmer of light shone in Winston’s eyes, feral and hungry. He turned slowly, holding out the egg to each of them. “You shall leave these halls or I shall destroy every egg here before your eyes.”

Finnian shook his head. “You will die here for what you’ve done. The Stormcaller shall see to that. And it shall not be quick. No suffering is great enough for what you have done. From now until your final breath, the eyes of Owalyn shall be fixed upon you. Her arrow hounding at your back. You shall not take a step without fear.”

Winston tilted his head like a curious dog. “Where is your god now!” His mouth suddenly grew, razor teeth bursting as his head expanded. The air rippled, shimmering as bloody essence seeped from his skin. His face changed, a snout elongating from his face, large teeth growing larger, eyes becoming inset and turning yellow. Dark scales formed over his face until he was a man with a dragon’s head, one of the eggs already between his jaws.

“Stop!” Finnian shouted.

Winston snickered.

Hump looked to Finnian. He could tell the dragon keeper didn’t know how to proceed. Hump didn’t know either, but he knew that if they did nothing this would only end badly. They had to take a risk.

He gave Celaine a hard look, catching her eye as he tried to convey his intentions. She held his gaze a moment then nodded. Whether or not they were on the same page, he was going to do something. Once he did, it would be on her to make it worthwhile, for he had only one idea.

With no spell that could protect the eggs at such range, no instantaneous magic, and no ability to kill Winston before he had a chance to strike the eggs, there was only one weakness Hump could even attempt to target. One strength that Hump had that he knew he could wield quickly.

Gathering every shred of power he had, he brought it to the edge of manifestation. Gathering it in his core, surging it through his channels. Building it silently until pain lanced through his body, not a single shred of essence escaping him. And as he drew deeper, he sensed a distant power come from him. It came from the ground, from the winds of essence in the hall, and from the Great Tree beyond. A power beyond the grasp of mortals. The pure, unbridled killing intent that only Owalyn possessed.

She leant it to him now, and it filled his soul, infusing with his own being. In it, he sensed her wrath, her helplessness, and her grief.

Only when the pain was too great did Hump unleash the power of his soul. His dragon blood roared in his mind and ran hot as fire through his veins. Purple essence rose around him, forming thick ribbons of power in the air. The hall echoed with a storm, and all the dominating will, and intent Hump could muster was directed straight at Winston. Every shred of hate, anger, and his desire to rip him limb from limb bombarding the shapeshifter’s soul. Or at least, what was left of it.

***

Celaine didn’t know what Hump intended. The fact that he had a plan was enough for a flicker of hope to kindle within her. Finnian was frozen at her side, stunned by indecision.

Seconds passed and nothing happened. Each second dragged on as she fought back the sadness and anger in her, forcing herself to look away from the bodies of the hatchlings on the ground and focus only on the changeling. On the hunt. Almost a minute passed when she finally sensed something. It was so slight, she barely noticed it, and the instant it manifested it erupted violently.

Power like she’d never seen from Hump poured out. Purple light formed around him, so thick it shrouded his form within, until he was only a shadow, his red eye shining brightly within. This was power far beyond his rank. It weighed down on her like Yunillia herself stood before her, perhaps even greater than that. And laced within it, she sensed a killing intent so deep she was glad he was on her side.

In only a moment, Hump’s soul was manifested. The vague shape of a dragon formed around him, its mouth open and roaring at Winston, echoing through the chamber so loudly the temple shook.

Celaine didn’t think as she dropped her bow and dashed forward in one motion, empowering herself with Spring Step. She felt lighter and stronger than ever as she dashed closer. In an instant she was upon Winston, snatching the egg from his grasp as he stared in stunned horror at Hump.

“Finn!” Celaine roared.

She didn’t need to. Winston turned for her, trying to savage her with his claws, but this was only a second distraction. She had the eggs, and in a burst of wind, Finn was behind the changeling. He slammed his sword into Winston’s side, blasting him out of the nest and toward Aurora her snapped down with her jaws. They slammed shut on Winston’s leg and he screamed. She shook viciously, tearing the limb from his body and sending him flying into a nearby wall.

Hump slammed the butt of his staff into the ground and said, “Earthen Grasp.”

A stone fist emerged from the ground, closing around Winston as he struggled. Power hissed from him as his entire body started to shift, his one free arm trying to pull apart the fist. The wound on his leg healed, flesh building on flesh, a new leg emerging like some deformed stub. Scaled formed over his body as he grew larger, his body expanding, bones cracking. The stone fist cracked and for a moment, Celaine thought Winston would break free.

Then Finn was there, slashing down at the changeling’s free arm, carving it off just beneath the shoulder. Blood flowed and Winston’s screams echoed through the halls.

Finn came to stand over Winston, a sword at the changeling’s throat.

“Don’t kill him!” Hump shouted.

“Why?” Finnian snarled with barely contained rage.”

Already, Hump’s soul was dissipating, his essence reabsorbed into his body so that once more the wizard she knew stood there. He strode over to Finn’s side, his staff tapping on the stone tiles of the floor.

“Because I think Winston here may have the answers we’re looking for.” Hump used his staff to lift Winston’s bloodied and damaged shirt, revealing his rune covered body. Around his neck though, they looked different. For one, they were larger and seemed to have been burnt into his flesh, damaging runes that had been there before. “I can sense power from them. Lich Queen Irila’s power.”

Hump squatted down, his own eye still shining red as he peered deeply into Winston’s eyes, as if reading something she couldn’t see. “You’re one of her servants, aren’t you?”