The Last Infernal - Innocence of Youth

Extinction. (XVIII)

Extinction. (XVIII)

Black smoke started to fill the East-Forest as fire engulfed the woods at an alarming rate. The wild life animals around were panicking; birds were screeching as they flew away, some getting scortched from the flame. Sarenala snorted and coughed a few times while holding grip of the herbs in her maw, running as fast as her hinds could down the path towards the open meadow to escape the burning woods.

~“What is happening..?! The forests should not be on fire..!”~

Sarenala thought in a panic as she ran, her heart was pounding with fear. Approaching closer to the opening, She slowed herself down to catch her breath while panting heavily. The herbs fell out of her maw as she heads out of the forest in haste. At last exiting the forests, Sarenala looked around aghast, taking in the sight of the surroundings of the meadow, eyes wide with fear. There were silver armored men all around the meadow, operating strange things that were tossing boulders of rocks at caverns along with others who were marching in different caverns with sharp metal in their hands, marching inside. Upon seeing all this and how sudden it all was this night of Star-fall, tears started to form at Sarenala’s eyes as she saw all around her. It wasn’t just the East forest now engulfed in flame, but all three of the forests, North-West, East and South-East forests were all on fire, the purity and nature was being burned away billowing much spoke into the air. Sarenala roared long and loud with despair and deep sorrow. This was her home! She was hatched here and has grown up here, having spent all her young years here growing up and sharing time of joys with Fierya growing up! This was her childhood home, and now it was being destroyed... Sarenala was awed and feared so deep at the number of humans… Hundreds of them at least! She has heard rumors of the humans, though she has never seen them before. No Infernal had except for Fierya, and just the mere number of how many was here was alarming, For the Infernals species was only with a population of a little over two-hundred of their kind with perhaps ten or few eggs. Compared to the humans…

“They must mate and breed like bunnies…”

Sarenala mumbled lightly. She continued to move forward, having caught her breath; she had to get to Fierya! Sarenala raised and spread her wings, prepared to take flight.

“Dragon East-ward! Fire!”

She halted having heard those words, looking in the direction of the sound.

~“Fire? Of course the forest was on fire… no thanks to you dumb humans.”~

She thought to herself, as she didn’t think they meant anything else. `Snick`. A locking in place sound was heard in the distance where a formation of humans were. Sarenala looked in the direction of the sound; only seeing a very large and flat bow-like wooden object with an over-sized stick with pointed metal at the end of it faced her way, with two human soldiers beside the object. Having no time to waste on curiosity of what the weird thing was, she lifted her paw to take a step forward; she just had to return to Fierya! She was moments too late, for before Sarenala could take one step, a loud `swoosh` was heard; slicing through the air at a fast dangerous speed. There was not enough time... she couldn't move out of the way in time... With a loud roar and yelp; the massive bolt arrow smashed into her side, ripping through and shattering her rips while sending her sprawling ten feet, landing with a hard thud on her other side. The blow struck her sudden and with a deep cold jolt... The penetration didn't even hurt because of how sudden and strong it was, though it did knock the wind out of her as the metal arrow head pierced a lung...she gasped for air but she couldn't get it, blood was pouring out her side as she laid sprawled out, whimpering weakly and faint as her head slumped upon the ground. It would be mere moments until she dies, feeling the cold soothing breeze and grasp of death knocking on her soul telling her it was time to let go… her heart fluttered weakly and gapped, she couldn't breathe...the large arrow like object lodged deep in her... there was no escape she realized as what the humans fired at her was some sort of weapon and she was directly hit by it. A single cold tear rolled down her eye, dripping to the blood stained ground as she gasps and whispers her last breath out of her faltered lungs…

"Fie...rya..."

Then she went silent and still as her breath and life faded away in the wind.

***

“Aye nice shot! Direct kill blow to the bloody beast!”

One of the soldiers spoke out in a compliment to the man firing the ballista, seeing the dragon dead sprawled out lying in its own blood. The soldiers had no care for the dragons as they cheered themselves as if it was strong glory and honor to kill those who are unknowing of humans and who were rather peaceful types of dragons for their species. It was no honor. No glory. It was a cruel and sickening act. For them to enjoy it as they do finding it good to get rid of such creatures… It was they the soldiers who the monsters were for taking such enjoyment. Jarshal felt sick to his stomach as he watched and over-viewed the events. The forests were burning; the sky was red; as the sun rose slowly in the distance, and now the once fresh scented meadow smelled now of death as the Infernals were being killed one by one. The sight was devastating all around. Jarshal wanted to just tear his hair out and scream the order to cease and stop… but he couldn’t do that. As much as his inside gut feeling wanted to yell out such an order, his flesh and body could not, as he was bound to service to the king, the dark lord Valreth. Shaking his head, Jarshal stood where he was, next to two rows of archers; ten were in the first frost row, and another ten behind. In the distance a loud roar was heard as a dragon, looking blind in one eye,
was about sixty feet high in the air and was approaching to pass them fast, having a vicious snarl on his face. The dragon was going to attempt to fly past the small humans.

“Archers stand ready!”

commanded the lead archer as the two rows of all twenty arches raised their bows, arrows drawn back and pointed at the dragon.

“Steady!”

Jarshal looked down, he couldn’t watch this…


***

With powerful flaps with his wings, Tranras continued his flight; He planned to escape this place and the small yet dangerous humans.

“As if I don’t have enough problems…”

He mumbled to himself as he flew. It was true he had quite the large troubles, and for good reasons too. He was a rogue and traitor to his own kind, having killed the Highborne, Teralen, and wounded Fierya the Dragonqueen herself, and now is wanted dead for such crimes that he has committed. And now it seems that some smaller race in greater numbers invade and start killing off all the dragons here in this meadow that they see without having any provocation? It was nonsense he thought while he planned to get away from it all. As Tranras was nearly over these two rows of humans, he heard a sharp yell below,

“Open fire!!”

Following with many arrows fired at him with `twangs` from the bow string being released. Tranras saw the arrows approach him fast as he tried to veer away. There was too many though, too many arrows slicing through the air. Tranras roared in pain as he felt three sharp arrows pierce and lodge deep in his exposed belly, as several other arrows ripped and torn through both his wing membranes. Tranras couldn’t believe that he was hit, and how strong arrows were as his flapping became more struggled for it was becoming too hard to fly with his wings pierced. With a pained roar Tranras flails his wings as he falls, the arrows in his belly making it too painful through his body to even try using his paws to land on, crashing down from sixty feet, he smashed into the ground heavily, breaking his limbs as well as snapping his neck, dying without a word after a hard impact.


***

Jarshal scowled and looked away after seeing the dragon shot down, seeing it plummet to its death. He didn’t like the sight of death, and now this once prosperous meadow in all of Kelreth was growing rapidly in the foul stench of death. Jarshal couldn’t stand being in the front lines right now. He felt sick to his stomach standing and watching the archers, figuring he would be better off guarding his captured dragons then standing around watching the Infernals die one by one. Jarshal started to walk to the part of camp to where the cages were placed, keeping a steady pace while focused on straight ahead of him, stopping his gaze from wandering around the surrounding. Walking up to the cages, the two guards saluted Jarshal as their commander approached them.

“Hail commander! What can we do for you?”

The guard who was bossing over Korvi questioned. Jarshal glanced between the guard speaking to him and the two cages that the two yearlings were in, getting a direct look from the symbolic one. Those azure blue eyes seemed to pierce deep into Jarshal’s brown ones, saying many expressions at once, and the most of all; was fear.

“Well? What is it you need commander?”

The one guard asked bored while trying to not sound impatient. Jarshal had to force his gaze off the young dragon, looking back to the bored guard, answering him firm.

“Just checking upon you’re post. You seem rather bored though with cage duty, soldier. Why don’t you and your fellow comrade go join the other soldiers? I’ll personally handle guard duty over the cages myself.”

The guard’s eyes seemed to light up, surprised and glad that finally the boring duty ended and he would at last be able to get some action instead of watching over two cages, replying eagerly,

“Why, of course commander! Right away!”

The guard grinned as he saluted, picking up his equipment before then departing off eagerly with his comrade following close behind. Jarshal lets out a deep sigh when both the two soldiers were out of sight. Walking beside the cages, Jarshal looks to both young, who were watching him rather closely, though were keeping silent. He felt a little relieved to be in this current position… It was better than he himself finishing off the last remaining bit of the Infernals… Glancing around, Jarshal notices all three of the forests were completely engulfed in flame, as it was noticed the numbers of dragons seen was drastically reduced… The mission as cruel beyond imagine… was almost complete.


***

Furyan snarled viciously as he stood alone, backed into a corner while surrounded by soldiers who pressed upon him in their silver armor plates, slashing at him with sharp metal and dodging back from his own counter-attacks. These humans were small and annoying though possessed greater numbers. Furyan was minding his own when he first saw the humans, he having fled to the nearest cavern, to where many numbers of them came in and started attacking for no given reason. Furyan did manage to kill a few of them though he ended up getting overwhelmed and pushed back into a corner of the cavern, fighting aggressively hoping that they would falter themselves. Though it seemed that there was no end to the human soldiers, for when one fell, another quickly took place of the fallen one’s rank of position. Also unlike the humans, Furyan was getting more increasingly worn out. His movements started to slower as his leathery hide got cuts and wounds from the attacks from the metal weapons. They just seem to not end… Furyan held his ground in the corner as best as he could, though the soldiers pressed on his with vigor. He was panting heavy from growing exhaustion as his body ached from the cuts and wounds he received. He just couldn’t push them back…

One of the soldiers leaped out of rank boldly at Furyan with his sharp sword held firm and raised ready to lash out.
If Furyan wasn’t as exhausted as he is, he could have easily fended off the braving soldier who leaped out; though he was getting so exhausted… he couldn’t press on…The soldiers aim was true, as the sharp steel blade slashed at the throat, getting a direct blow under the snout, slicing open Furyan’s throat of his exposed neck. Blood spurted out suddenly as Furyan opened his maw to gasp and roar in pain and shock, this was unlike anything he has ever felt, yet all that came out of his maw for sound was a low guttering choked growl as he slowly fell down, the world was fading away fast from his vision as colors flickered before his eyes before darkening of sight, his rich thick scarlet blood sprayed from his slashed throat, not feeling himself collapse, his senses going dull as his mind went dizzy, the blur of the humans were faded gone as his mind was blanking out, nothing mattered anymore as he felt himself fall into the darkness of eternal rest.

***
Carshan looked along the walls of the large cavern he and several men walked into. Blood was stained on his blade from the fighting and killing he has helped with and did himself. The stone floor inside and the walls were rather smooth, this had to be the Highborne’s home. The men Carshan lead walked as quiet as they could with their swords drawn and held ready. The pathway was rather straight forward as they walked inside slow to not make too much noise. Carshan and his men stepped into the main large chamber after a short walk from the entrance. Halting, Carshan looked around the open space of the lair, seeing it was a nice open space, and then noticed, in the far back on the left side of the wall near some type of nesting bed; laid Fierya, whom was in still asleep having seemed to sleep through the chaos happening outside. After a moment of silent observing, Carshan notices that the Highborne herself was even wounded on her side as she laid on her other side to not hurt the wound, smirking a little as this seemed to bring a great opportunity, speaking lowly to his men,

“Alright, this must be the Highborne ‘Dragonqueen’ that we are here to put out of its misery then find this blasted gem. Luckily she is sleeping… I’m going to kill her swift and silently…You, give me a halberd.”

Carshan retrieves a sharpened halberd that a soldier gave him before stepping back into rank drawing his blade he had on his side, Carshan then silently approached Fierya while the soldiers stayed behind, watching their leader get closer to one of the fabled great dragons, knowing well that their second in command was taking a great risk. Fierya was still sound asleep, having a dreamless rest, not noticing anything around her until she started to feel movement of a small being around her. Keeping her eyes closed, trying to keep asleep, she mumbles out,

“Not…going to scare me a second time… my little one…”

As she spoke, the movement halted for a few moments before it resumed again, feeling slight chills in the air, along with getting more distracted from her sleep.
Fierya groans out,

“Korvia…. Let me sleep…”

Fierya kept her eyes closed shut as she was tired and didn’t want to wake up just yet, only wanting to rest having had a hard last dawn, she felt like she could sleep until near mid dawn instead of waking at early dawn like she normally does.

“Korvia if you don’t go back to sleep and let me rest right now I’ll not flame deer this dawn for early dawn feeding…”

Fierya spoke out a last time feeling movement right next to her; only gentle threatening with having no cooked food this dawn, as having flamed-cooked deer was a special treat to the young. Carshan held his breath for a few moments, as that was three times the large dragon in front of him growled out lowly like mumbling, three times he had to halt to see if she would open her eyes and wake up, being relieved each of the three times that she didn’t get up. Carshan felt his heart hammering with pounding fear. He has heard rumors that all the Highborne dragons of Kelretha were the most savage and cruel beasts of their species, so Carshan feared the wrath and power this Highborne may have inside and the fear of her using such powers against him if she have awoken and seen him. To Carshan’s view, Fierya was nothing but a powerful beast that would earn him great reputation for killing and getting rid of it once and for all, they were just beasts after all he knew in his mind. Examining the dragon that laid on her side, Carshan silently stood in front of Fierya, by the chest, feeling his heart inside beat hard as if it was thrashing within due to the fear and sudden excitement this has brought upon, his hands tightened around the halberd hand guard with both his armored gloved hands, having a tight firm grip.

With a strong yell Carshan rears the weapon back, and with a swift and powerful thrust, drives the sharp halberd of forged steel metal deep in the middle of Fierya’s chest, ripping through her thin, smooth chest scales, as it lodges deep in the flesh, piercing her heart inside her body. Fierya’s eyes suddenly opened as she roars deep, long and loud as so sudden was the blow and jolt of pain to her body being pierced into that she didn’t feel anything of any pain, only deep shock and confusion as if she was only still asleep, even as Carshan ripped the weapon out she felt no pain. Fierya’s thick hot rich blood sprayed out as the weapon was ripped out of her chest, covering Carshan on his body as it sprayed, some of it even managed to hit his left eye, causing Carshan to yell in his own pain as he closes both his eyes to avoid further contact, feeling something happening to his eye hoping he wasn’t going blind, hunched over while the blood of the Highborne covered him staining his armor a dark color. In the last few seconds of her life, Fierya didn’t believe that she was just killed, looking at the human soldier who did this… watching him hauntingly and sad of expression with her paling cyan blue eyes as she was fading away, seeing the blood covering the human, knowing that it was her blood that stained him, while seeing the weapon dropped to the side with stained red of her blood on the metal… Everything now felt like a dream to Fierya, it felt as if she was still asleep to her mind. The world around her started to black and flicker out of vision as her head slumps upon the ground with a soft thud, not even feeling her body or any senses around her… only a dream it all felt like… and she was about to ‘wake’ up from it… reality was no more existent to Fierya, she didn’t feel anything anymore… she thought about her precious children one last split of a second as her eye lids of her flesh closed, the Highborne Dragonqueen having fallen.

***


Korvi’s azure eyes kept watching the human outside the cage. Little Korvi was awed just as much she was scared by the human who got the mean guards to go away. He seemed younger though then most other humans… as if he was younger than most soldiers who had hair on their face and looked… older. Both Korvi and Shaol have stayed quiet for a long while, even after the mean guards went away. The human stayed around quietly, at times just simply looked and watched them. Korvi thought that perhaps he wasn’t one to talk and was a mean one too until he walked next to her cage, looking directly into Korvi’s eyes, then asks as gently as he could,

“What is your name?”

Korvi squeaked in surprise, sniffling as she hesitantly answers.

“K…Korvii…”

The human looked at her with awe, not only has he just heard her but he learned her name also.

“Korvi? That’s a beautiful name… I am Jarshal…”

Jarshal bit his lip, adding solemnly,

“I am very sorry this has happened to your home… We’ve no choice though… but you and your friend… will be spared by being captured and sold when we arrive in Seleran…. It was the only way, I am sorry…”

Jarshal banged his head on the cage after he spoke. Korvi did notice that the human seemed truly sorry… though she did not understand what Jarshal meant by them being sold. Korvi tilted her head as she asked out feebly,

“Mes…and Shaaol be okies?”

Jarshal sighed as he replied low toned to her,

“That is the name of your friend? Shaol? Yes, you and Shaol will be okay and safe.”

Shaol was watching both Korvi and Jarshal though did not know what to say so he kept very quiet, just listening to both them speak. Korvi was about to speak again but didn’t because she heard a loud familiar roar coming in the direction of her home… Korvi whined out loud as she whimpers with fear, calling out loud.

“Muuum!”

Fear and sadness was shown and seen in her azure eyes.

“Mum..?”

Jarshal mumbles to himself as a feeling of pit and regret form within his gut, looking to see in the distance of a small formation of soldiers approaching, in the lead was Carshan, blood soaked from head to toe and holding a hand over his left eye.

“Oh no…”

Jarshal muttered under his breath as he watches them approach, Korvi having gone quiet again except she was whimpering lowly.

“Commander! The mission is done! The Dragonqueen Highborne is dead! Though… The Fire-Ruby could not be found. We searched…Everywhere.!”

Carshan announced firmly though with gritted teeth as if in deep pain, the men behind him cheered and praised him, despite the small ‘failure’ of being unable to find the object they came for, they treated him as some hero. Hearing those words, Korvi gasped in shock and disbelief, seeing the blood on Carshan and having heard her mother roar out loud and long like that, knew the most horrid truth she could of ever imagine happen within her life. Not only has she recently lost her sister… but her mother too… and by the looks of all around it looked to her as if all were dying… Korvi felt as if her little heart was just shattered into millions of little pieces within her body, even Shaol looked aghast and shocked, her body shivering with sadness. Korvi cried out, tears starting streaming down as she screeches aloud,

“MUUUMS DEADS??! NU NU NU NUUUU…!! MUUUUUUM!! MUUM MUUM MUUUM NUUU DEADS PWEAASEE…!”

Sobbed Korvi pitifully, raising her young pitched voice loud. Jarshal felt his spirits within sink down low as he understood Korvi… She just lost her mother… her mother… It hit Jarshal a moment later, thinking to himself,

~“If her mother was the Dragonqueen… that means Korvi is a Highborne..!”~

Carshan looked to Korvi angrily, hearing nothing but growls and loud screeching along with seeing her wet tears stream down her snout as her head was lowered, a hateful look in her azure eyes, though he held no care for the stupid beast, as he watched the yearling dragon thrash against her shackles and not shutting up making quite the racket. Carshan lowers his hand, letting his left eye be seen, thanks to the blood, his eye now had a gold mutated color instead of his natural brown, though he wasn’t blind.

“Grah someone shut that bloody little beast up!”

Carshan ordered out getting very annoyed and a growing headache as Korvi continued thrashing and whining in her growls. Even Shaol was trembling and crying quietly, remaining silent from making any noise though, but felt shattered in her own heart, for if Korvi’s mother was dead… It was most likely her own mother was dead…

“None of you will touch her!”

Snarled out Jarshal in a harsh firm command, his hands were trembling; he couldn’t stand to see the hurting yearling be harmed anymore, he knew what it was like… to lose their family, to lose their home, and to be taken away and forced upon something they didn’t want… he knew too well. Even though a direct order was said by the Commander, the one soldier who was first Korvi’s cage guard and the same one who has been mean to her, answers to Carshan as he approached the cage Korvi was in.

“With damn pleasure!”

Then he drew a hard metal club he had on his belt, then with a swing through the bars of the cage, bashes the thrashing yearling over the back of her head hard, knocking her out swiftly. That was the last straw. Jarshal’s nerve blew as the soldier went against a direct order and obeyed the second in command, looking to Korvia to see her limp asleep from the impact. Jarshal didn’t even say a word as he drew his steel forged broadsword while walking up to the soldier who just knocked out Korvi. At first, the soldier thought Jarshal was going to kill his captured dragons, but that wasn’t the case at all. With a single sudden thrust, Jarshal impales the soldier through the gut, upward right through the spine in the upper back, penetrating the weak plating’s of armor covering the gut. The soldier gasped and went wide-eyed with shock, looking down to see the blade through him, before looking up to Jarshal with a silent bewilderment, while Jarshal returned a cold look as he rips his blade out, raising it as he twirls and slashes fast and hard down the soldiers top left shoulder to his right hip, cutting him down dead. Ignoring the awed, shocked and feared soldiers looks and stares, Jarshal wipes his blade clean of the blood, speaking low and emotionless,

“Defying a direct command from you’re commander in lead shall not be tolerated. Anyone else wish to defy a direct order?”

All the soldiers remained silent, not daring to challenge their superior in command. Jarshal smirked as he speaks

“Good. Now we are done here. It is time to depart this wasteland. Move the cages, take the sieges, we leave soon. No rest until we are out of the entry point.”

With the order given, Korvi’s and Shaol’s cages started to get lifted by soldiers, as the wagons had no room. Shaol looked to his best friend who lay still and asleep from being hit, before then looking outside his cage at the meadow, seeing the meadow itself was now on fire… All was gone… A single tear dripped down Shaol’s snout as he cried silently, the stench of death in the air as they marched towards the opening through the Sky-Mountains, he and Korvi were the last… One male and female young.The Infernals nearly hit extinction, with Korvi and Shaol as the very last, captured and with the humans leaving the meadow now ablaze in the early dawn.