FOR HER, HE WILL SET EVERY KINGDOM ON FIRE.
Kyron LeFur never wanted to be king. He may have united a torn people and ended a bloody war, but none of that matters without his queen. She sacrificed her crown for him, and now he will stop at nothing t...
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I release Kyron's hand and charge forward with the forces. At first, it is hard to calculate what our situation is. The sea of bodies around me is thick and hot. It's almost like we're the only ones outside, scrambling around with no direction. And then the crowd breaks, and I get a glimpse of the shifters waiting for us.
All manner of deadly predators stand between us and the city, sharp teeth bared, and claws extended. They are massive, and their numbers are countless. It brings me a moment of pause that lasts eternity and at the same time is not long enough to fill my lungs with air. I knew what to expect, yet meeting it in reality is a shock to my system.
A bone-rattling roar echoes off the decapitated buildings before everything is a clash of fur, feathers, and delicate skin. The colors of elemental power burst around me, blues and reds and greens. It isn't the brute force felt in the shifters' strength. No, our power is conniving. Simple elements that one encounters in their every day. There is nothing to fear until the wind blows you off your feet and water fills your mouth and nose, drowning you where you stand. Our gifts are most lethal when unexpected.
I look back, wanting to catch one last glimpse of my loved ones, but the masses have swallowed them. Suddenly, my farewells seem inadequate. Did they go into this battle knowing just how much I love each of them? Will I get the chance to tell them again? My heart sinks at the idea that so many words were unspoken.
A claw sweeps across my peripheral vision. I gasp and duck, the sharp blades grazing the top of my head. A cougar lunges for me, and I kick its closest leg, colliding it with the other. It stumbles, giving me the opportunity to get to my feet.
I unsheathe my sword and hold it in front of me. The cat pounces again, and so do I. We are a blur of swipes and jabs. Neither of us toying with the other. I can see it in the animal's green eyes; it wants to take me out and move on to its next opponent. Frustrated with our back and forth, it swings at me with both paws in a one-two maneuver. It's long claws slice through the arm of my jacket, but instead of stepping back, I aim for its exposed stomach. My blade sinks into its gut, and I twist the hilt for good measure. The cougar folds in on itself and crumbles to the ground.
I forge on, slicing through fur and feathers. I'm not sure what is the endgame to all of this. Do we kill until one kingdom is thoroughly destroyed? It seems so senseless, with so many lives hanging in the balance, both Pilirian and Allaji.
A screech comes from above, followed by the sound of flapping. Speckled wings gleam in the moonlight, their span impressive. It is the image that haunts my nightmares. The man who I once considered a friend, and the scheming hawk who sent my world spiraling.
Keeping my gaze trained on the Zek, I chase after him. If I can take him down, the Allaji are without a ruler. They could very well turn tail and return to their land. The person to succeed Zek could be just as atrocious, but the death of the king could buy us some time before the new ruler takes their crown.
