Dragon Realm Scorch

Avalon and Guster stood in awe as Uther’s muscles rippled through his body. His veins pumped the insidious fluid through him as his skin tightened over his hulking body. Fumes rose from his pores and his eyes cracked red and bulged from their sockets.

Uther twisted his spine backwards, letting out a gurgling roar that echoed for miles in all directions. He pounded on his chest and curled over, dragging his massive knuckles over the smooth marble ground. “You be the Night Whisper,” he said to Avalon, his voice a raspy growl. “Uther remembers what you did. You be a dead girl now!”

Guster stepped backwards, readying a knife in each hand. “What’s de plan, blue?”

Avalon reared her sword and bent her knees. She sneered at the contorted mess that was now the Iron Soul. Whatever Night-fueled evil he had given his soul to, it would be her duty to vanquish it and keep the seal from releasing. “Kill him.”

Avalon dashed forward with Guster trailing behind. She feinted to the side, whipping her sword to make a clean slice across Uther’s stomach while Guster threw his knives at Uther as soon as Avalon left him an opening.

Uther let out a demonic cackle. Strands of dark ink threaded his wounds shut, pushing out Guster’s weapons.

Avalon huffed and leaped back towards the giant, driving her sword deep into his side. With a single breath, she bounced off the ninjato’s hilt, gaining a breath of stillness in the air before she swung a hefty kick into his face.

Uther’s nose buckled and caved in with a satisfying ‘crunch’. His head reeled back, blood spraying in an arc.

Avalon grabbed her sword on the way down, spinning and ripping her blade loose in a gruesome display of gore.

Not missing a beat, Guster unleashed a torrent of knives, peppering Uther’s thigh. Uther limped several paces forward and squeezed his fists, pulsing his veins and spilling

massive quantities of blood before howling into the sky. Once again, the Plague Reach closed his

lacerations. His nose inflated and popped back into form and the many knives that were once in his leg, clattered onto the ground.

“You no get it! Uther is king! Uther is god!” he said, sliding his right foot back and gathering footing with his left, “and Uther will show you why!” With a flash, he vanished.

Avalon only had a fleeting second to realize the looming shadow over her before a wide backhand rattled her head and sent her flying through the air.

Uther disappeared into a blur once more before cutting off Avalon midair and catching her by the shoulder, his thumb pressing into her chest. He grinned while furrowing his brow, and crushed her in his hand.

Avalon screamed in agony as her shoulder and chest compressed. Thoughts of fire raced through her head.

It’s too much! I need to escape! Concentrate! Keep the pain behind me, keep focused!

Remember your training as a Rabbit and as a Silent One!

Gripping her sword tightly, she ran it through Uther’s wrist like a skewer.

Uther’s eyes widened as he swiftly released his prisoner. He clutched his trembling hand, as his finger twitched from the throbbing pain.

Avalon hit the ground like a sack of rice. She squirmed and crawled with her good arm towards Guster.

Guster sprung to aid the Silent One. He pulled her up and threw her arm around his shoulders as they ran away from the enraging giant with all the strength Avalon’s limp legs could muster.

“Blue, we need to get out of here!” cried Guster. He looked behind him to find the beast of a man charging them.

Guster grunted, rolling head over heels as the giant bowled him over and apprehended Avalon by her collar.

Uther curled his lip as he lifted her to meet his gaze. With his free hand he slid the Silencer out of his wrist and waved it before her. A mere toy in his hand. “You be Silent One now? You worship false warrior. Jedeo no can save you now. No one can!” He raised her head with the ninjato’s blade. “You will beg for fast killing before this day ends.”

Avalon glowered, spitting into Uther’s face, “I won’t give you the satisfaction!”

“We shall see,” said Uther, tossing the blade to one side and dropping Avalon on her back. He placed his foot on her chest and began to lean, “What will Uther break first, bones or will?”

Avalon struggled to take in a breath as the weight of Uther’s massive foot bore down on her. Her teeth clenched as she fought back the need to scream. Closing her fist, she brought it to her

lips and looked towards the heavens.

Jedeo I won’t give in... I won’t surrender...

I’ve ran all my life, I won’t run anymore...

I’m not afraid of the Ashes...

Grant me your Silencer...

From which all others are born...

And give me Wings so-

A grotesque crack ripped through her body.

“Hear that one, Avalon?” taunted Uther. “Uther thinks it was yo- Aaar!” Uther roared in anguish as Guster drove his knives into Uther’s eyes leaping atop the monster’s shoulders.

The bounty hunter tugged violently further into Uther’s skull. Oozing puss dribbled down his cheeks. The Plague Reach chugged through Uther’s body feverishly as it removed the blinding daggers. Guster growled in frustration as he stabbed the sides of Uther’s neck. Blood sprayed, soaking Guster’s hands in a wet coat of red.

“You were supposed to be my ticket back into de good graces of de Network!” shouted Guster as he ducked Uther’s reaching hands. “But I’ll be just fine if I kill you instead!”

Uther’s smirked as he snatched Guster by the collar and lifted the pest over his head.

“Hey! What’chu think you're doin’?” said Guster as he wriggled in Uther’s hold.

Uther dropped Guster over his knee, shattering his spine.

Avalon watched on in horror as Guster’s body went limp. She tried to scream, but could not find the will to, she could only grimace in spurts of agony as she crawled on her knees. She winced as each painful breath left her crushed sternum and her left arm dangled from its misshapen socket. She swayed back and forth, stumbling as she rose to her feet. Her prayer was a jumbled mess in her head, whispering it now with a hoarse voice.

“Jedeo I won’t give in... I won’t surrender...

I’ve ran all my life, I won’t run anymore...

I’m not afraid of the Ashes...

Grant me your Silencer...

From which all others are born...

And give me Wings so…”

Uther looked up from his new plaything. “Haven’t had enough, girl?”

“...And give me Wings so…” she tried again, her energy drained.

Uther dropped Guster and inched towards Avalon, raising his fist over her. “What was that?”

Avalon rolled her eyes upwards to meet Uther’s. She reached out her arm, “And give me

WINGS SO WHITE!!!” she roared.

A brilliant shockwave of light erupted from Avalon, ripping away Uther’s Plague Reach. Terrified, Uther swung down his fist like a sledgehammer, but was met with Avalon’s Silencer, which had flashed back into her hands.

Avalon held her blade across her head. Translucent feathers billowed away from her shoulders, scattering into the wind. A soothing coolness draped over Avalon’s body. She lifted her weak arm and gripped the bottom part of her hilt. Her lungs breathed freely. No pain, only peace.

With a flick of her wrist she deflected away Uther’s attack.

“What is this? Uther beat you! Uther beat you-”

With another snap of her wrist, Avalon plunged her Silencer through Uther. “It’s done,” she whispered.

Cracks of white light fractured like glass from Uther’s stomach across his chest and shoulders as his body disintegrated into white ash. The Iron Soul fell to his knees. Every fiber of his being crumbled until he was just a heap of dust.

Avalon’s Silencer settled from its intense state to just a shimmering glint, then finally restored to normal steel. Avalon dropped her blade and collapsed in exhaustion.

A crack echoed through the desert as the massive seal caved into itself and a pillar of light shot out from the center of the seal into the air. With a roaring wave of wind, tumultuous walls of sand rushed from all directions. They crashed into Avalon’s and Guster’s fallen bodies, sweeping them up as if they were leaves caught in a gale.