Dragon Realm Scorch

Inle was picked up by the sandstorm like a rag doll, wrenched away from his dying prey. Now he was at the mercy of the sandstorm as he flipped head over heels, twisting wildly in a mini vortex created by the multiple storms that continued to clash into each other.

He tried to guard his mouth and eyes from the bombardment of sand grains. Each pelted him like tiny fragments of glass, quickly leaving small cuts on his exposed skin.

A glint of metal sheened in the distance. Inle felt himself being pulled towards it. Finally, he pierced through the eye of the storm, clattering to the ground.

Looking up, he watched in amazement that he was in a berth of calmness, a dome like forcefield kept the swirling devastation of sand at bay as it churned around Inle and two other figures. Inle rolled to his knees to find the Collector before him, holding a golden sword in the air. At his feet was a writhing Elucard.

“Master, what have you done to him?” Inle said, hovering his hands over the tortured elf's body.

“I struck him with the ‘Darkened Vision’. A weapon that entrances a victim in an endless dream of their desire, contorted into something truly cruel,” responded the Collector. In his other hand was the ghostly, evanescent blade, “One who wields the blade can peer into the victim's vision.”

Inle looked up with concern and curiosity, “What do you see?”

The Collector grinned wickedly, “Something our master can use,” He sheathed the blade back into its leather scabbard, “Come, we are done here.”

“What of Uther? What will become of Elucard?” asked Inle. He glanced nervously at the shadows pooling from the Collector and his feet, and then back to Elucard.

“I see why you admire him now. He was a worthy opponent. It would have been wasteful to slay him. He will live. I cannot say the same for Uther.”

Both the cat and shadow elf slipped into the shadowy portal as the sandstorms raged on.

***

Guster gingerly reached out from the sand. His legs refused to move, his body stiff. Although still weak, his arms brushed away the sand that covered his broken form. He dipped in and out of the darkness and his body slowly gave in to death.

He looked up into the sky hearing them flap. Black, blurry wraiths circled above him with long gray wings.

Dis is where it all ends. I wish I led a better life. I wish I at least had someone to share that life with. I wish…

“Be better den dat, Guster,” he muttered to himself. He reached into his jacket and shakily pulled out his cigarette case. “Wishing for things you never had. Now’s no time to wish, just to die.”

He struggled to open the case and fumbled for a bliss stick. He rested one in his mouth and searched for a match in his coat.

“Damn it!” he cursed, finding none. He looked up and witnessed a pinto horse trotting up to him.

“Avalon? Avalon is dat you?” he called out. His throat swollen and hoarse.

“Guster what have you gotten yourself into?” said Siv as she dismounted. She stood over the battered body of her friend. “Couldn’t go a day without finding trouble?” tears formed in her eyes.

“Blue?” Guster coughed a splatter of blood. His eyes rolled around. “Siv…” he finally realized Avalon wasn’t by his side any longer.

Siv squatted down and tilted her head. She moved a hand over her mouth. “Look at yourself, Guster.”

“Siv…” Guster swallowed hard. “I... I ain’t got much time-”

Siv pulled out and struck a match, lighting Guster the cigarette. “You look like a million sendetti, Gus.”

“Siv… please,” Guster took a long drag. The smoke burned his throat, but the sensation relieved his tense mind. “I want you... to take my jacket. Turn it into de Network.”

“That doesn’t matter to me,” refused Siv. She tugged Guster’s jacket to pull him up, but stopped short when Guster screamed out in pain. “I-I need to get you out of here.”

“Siv, Alanna’s angels are here.” Guster pushed away Siv’s hands. “It’s too late for me, but you got a whole life waitin’ for you. Take my jacket. Let me do right by you.”

“I don’t want to be in the Network without you, Gus.”

“Siv... I ain’t makin’ it out of dis one.” Guster hacked and heaved more blood. “Please...let me have dis. Let... me finally do somethin’ good for... you.”

“Guster I-”

Guster’s cigarette slipped from his lips, his eyes clouded over, his body went limp.

Siv collapsed on Guster's body, gripping his collar. “Guster, damn it! You selfish prick!” she whispered. She pulled back onto her knees and wiped away her tears. “I’m going to miss you, swamp rat,” she chuckled.