Prologue: Beginning forged in blood and steel
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Flames of loss, wind of glory
Prologue: Beginning forged in blood and steel
(A/N: Read Flyte, then come back to this. OH, and listen to this)
Aleh'Exuh The impenetrable city of the Draic, the "Reaching Claw" of the world, the highest spot in the land.
It was falling. It was dying as wave after wave of Griffons poured in, decimating the stone masonry with their flying death machines made of their cunning. The dragons were a proud race, one feared and respected for it's Blacksmiths and the beauty that they created, but they were no match to the swift and cunning Griffon Empire.
One after another, projectiles slammed into the toppling and dizzying heights, sending beautiful golden spires to the earth. It was the siege of the century.
The dragons fought back, bravely, but they were no match for the sheer numbers of the Griffons.
This was the fall of the Reaching Claw.
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"GO!" I watched as mama killed yet another Griffon. I stood in shock as my home burned down around me, my father was out fighting the swelling numbers of Griffons as they poured in from all sides, they had come under the cover of night, when we were asleep, when we were defensless.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR OBSIDIAN?! GO!"
Fear and shock rooted me to the spot as I saw my mother, covered in blood. Of her enemies, and of herself. She staggered, her back legs bleeding heavily. She was wounded, she was wounded and dying and there was nothing I could do. There was nothing I could ever hope to do.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! GO CHILD! LIVE! THIS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR YOU!" She shouted, her roaring voice snapped me out. And I ran.
I ran for my life, I jumped out of the window with reckless abandon. My wings were not fully developed at the time so I plummeted.
But, I found a way around that. Quickly did I extend them, I couldn't fly, but I could glide.
Adrenaline hammered in my veins as I ran through the night, all around me flaming buildings and the cry of war as dragons took to the sky. Flames and eruptions as they breathed the roaring voice, long held by the Draic.
I ran as my elders fought the waves upon waves. The night sky ablaze as the Reaching Claw fell. The roof I was running on suddenly gave out, but I pushed with all my might, propelling me forward and onto the next one a good 15 meters away.
Below me, some dragons had taken to the streets, they however were surrounded by the various packs of swarming Griffons as they attacked, their sole mission to eradicate my kind.
I ran still.
Suddenly, a massive flaming spire broke off from the many buildings above me and crashed down, blocking my path. Fear twisted in my gut, as hot and as angry as the flames now surrounding me.
"HELP!" I cried into the night as the flames creeped ever closer, I knew my time was at hand, but I didn't want to admit it. Deep down I wanted to live. Even as my home, my world crashed around me.
"OBSIDIAN!" I heard my name called as I looked up, and there soaring above the towering spires was my father. A massive dragon with the ability to call upon the frost at his whim.
I saw that he was being chased by two griffons, they dove as he descended to me. He must have been alerted to their presence because he spun around and unsheathed the Bane.
Acting quickly, he flared his wings and slowed down until he wasn't moving at all. The incoming griffons dive bombed him. He quickly swiped back hand sliced the first griffon, cutting deeply into it's chest. The second griffon extended it's claws as it too approached. My father held the massive scimitar sword in front of him, deflecting the blow. As the griffon tried veering off, daddy held the blade cradled in the crook of his elbow. The Bane glowed sickly red for a moment before a brilliant burst of light sped from it, hitting the retreating griffon squarely in the back. It called shrilly as it fell.
"Obsidian! Are you okay?" Asked Daddy as he grabbed me and flew me away from the burning building. I climbed up on his back.
"What of your mother? Obsidian? Tell me, what happened to Sapphire?" I heard the pleading in his voice.
I just laid my head in his scales, I wanted to forget. I wanted to just leave and forget.
"......I see." I peered over his shoulder and saw the faint reflection of a tear in the moonlight as it fell into the night.
"Listen, Obsidian, take the Bane." He said, shifting into a barrel roll. I scampered along his scales until I was on his belly facing me as he handed the massive broadsword to me.
The Bane was the family treasure. A massive Scimitar with a single hole running through it's center. A renowned weapon forged by my Father's Grandfather. A gun sword capable of firing bullets and energy alike.
"I...I.."I stuttered, he merely thrust it into my claws. It was heavy, so heavy.
"Listen Obsidian. This sword will protect you. It will protect you as it has protected me. It will be heavy now." He thrust it into my claws and looked me sternly in the eyes.
"Never forget that weight Obsidian. Never forget what happened here tonight. This weight will serve as a reminder, you will carry this weight every day you walk. Never forget us Obsidian."
I began crying as I heaved it onto my back, I heard a click as it attached itself to my back. The Bane was specially designed to clip into a dragon's various spines so there was no real need for a sheath.
"Remember the Reach Obsidian." Said my father once more as he finally landed.
"Daddy? I asked as I hopped off. We had landed in a dark forest, the fires of Aleh'Exuh burned in the distance, almost worlds away.
"Where are you going?" I asked as he took off, scattering the treetops with his powerful wing beats.
"I'm going back Obsidian." He replied, I began to move towards him, I didn't want him to leave. Not now, not yet.
"No! The Claw needs me Obsidian. Your mother needs me." He said softer.
"Daddy? Please don't go-"
"Walk Obsidian. Walk, walk to the next town and tell them what happened here. Tell them, 'The Claw has fallen. And with it, our temper.' Go now Obsidian. Live!"
He shouted talking off into the night sky.
I sat there crying for a few minutes, maybe more so. I couldn't tell. The passage of time was muted to me as I sat in my sadness.
Eventually. Something happened. I don't know what. But something.....changed inside me. Without a word, I got up and walked the dark woodland road. The Bane on my back.
It felt so heavy.