Megalonia
A\N This is a very loose to almost not there fanfiction on the Wings of Fire series. It does not have spoilers regarding the series and you don't need to have read the Wings of Fire series to understand the story. Hope you like it and happy reading.
White pain flared through Zoltar's chest, his talons hitting the wet earth and the
pungent scent of Scorpus and Mowzan’s fear clouding his senses as he tore
through the dark forest. Sticks and stones flew out from under his claws as
he hurtled through the undergrowth. Trees whipped his snout with thorny
branches, almost blinding him while a cruel wind howled through the tops of the
ancient trees. Their hooked boughs reached out with clawed fingers to grab at
scaly wings of the three black dragons bolting though the trees.
Zoltar
knew they shouldn't have come into this part of the forest. He would have
thought that the thundering roar coming from this part of the forest would have
been a warning, not to mention that the sun had just gone down, but of course
they hadn't listened. Scorpus and Mowzan practically
never listened to him, just because this was his first mission as
a soldier and because he didn't have acid fangs like the rest of the
shadow talon tribe. Now they were running for their lives through
some strange jungle when it just should have been a quick scouting mission
to find out if the island was safe.
Zoltar's
heart leapt into his throat as a bloodcurdling roar filled the forest far
behind him. The ground shook beneath him and the sound of heavy paws hitting
the damp earth vibrated through his whole body. Branches cracked as the unknown
creature bounded through the tangled trees, lashing at the trunks and leaves as
it went.
A sudden
rush of fear gave Zoltar a burst of speed like never before and he charged in
front of Mowzan, desperate to get away from the black panther of a beast behind
him. Creepers snatched at his wings and tail like a nest of serpents and
gnarled tree roots threatened to trip him with every step he took.
“We have
to get out of the forest and out into clear ground. We won't be able to lift
off the ground with this dense canopy and tangled vines!” Zoltar roared
over the metallic clang of talons from the reptilian monster behind them.
“It’s
going to catch us before we can reach a break in this flaming forest,” Mowzan
yelled next to Zoltar, his wings lightly brushing Zoltar’s with each gasping
breath he took.
"Our
only chance is to fight it off then,” Scorpus responded as he leapt over a
fallen oak tree, his barbed tail scraping the rough tree bark.
“Are you
sure that’s a good idea?” Zoltar glanced back at the trees behind him, his
heart pounding with terror. There was no way they would be able to defeat this
thing. If it could crash through giant oaks as though they were water then
what chance did three much smaller dragons stand against it?
As if to
confirm his fears, the beast howled like a rabid wolf and hurtled after
them at breakneck speed, a crazed bloodthirsty look burning in its eyes. Zoltar
was amazed and terrified by the beast’s speed and agility as it chased after
them through the twisted trees. It seemed impossible to stop as its spiked
tail thwacked the tree trunks leaving deep gashes in the wood. The thorny
branches and bushes didn't seem to leave so much as a scrap on its sleek black
hide as it tore through them.
“We can
use this oak as a barricade,” Scorpus responded, pointing at the fallen tree
with one wing as Zoltar and Mowzan sprang over the massive log.
‘This isn’t a good idea,’ Zoltar worried as
he crouched, readying himself for the first attack. Trees hadn't stopped the
beast so far, so how was a rotten log supposed to help stop it? His heart beat
faster and faster as the monster neared, its saber teeth gleaming in the
blades of moonlight.
“Fire with
everything you've got. Ready? Launch in five, four,” Scorpus counted down as
the beast sped towards them.
'Please let this work. Please let this
work,' Zoltar silently prayed as he sucked in a deep breath, feeling the
heat build inside him like a miniature sun.
“Go!”
Scorpus yelled, opening his jaws and spraying a stream of yellow acid from his
fangs. Zoltar let out a river of crimson hot flame alongside Mowzan's acid. The
attack hit the oncoming monster clean in the snout, stopping it in its
tracks. It roared in pain as it pawed at its horned face, scratching at the
flames and acid. Trees and branches toppled as it rammed into objects; blindly.
Seconds later with a look of pure blood murder in its eyes, it charged back
after the group of dragons as though half its face wasn’t on fire and melting
from the acid.
“Run!”
Scorpus roared, breaking away from Zoltar and Mowzan and bolting through
the bushes.
“Wait!
Come back!” Mowzan bellowed after Scorpus.
Zoltar
grabbed Mowzan’s wing, yelling, "It's too late! It won't
stop!" and pulled him away from the log just as the beast burst
through the wood like it wasn’t there. A shower of broken branches and
splinters rained down on Zoltar and Mowzan, cutting into their wings and
tail as they swerved this way and that. The sharp wood cut into the thin
membranes of Zoltar's wings making him gasp in pain.
Suddenly
Mowzan yelled and cold fear clinched Zoltar's heart as he whipped his head
around to where Mowzan lay dead with the massive beast towering over him, its
spear like tail dripping with scarlet red blood. The two jagged saber teeth
jutting out from its upper jaw were wet with black saliva and the spikes on its
back shone an obsidian black in the thin blades of moonlight cutting through
the canopy.
Zoltar let
out an involuntary cry of fear. The beast jerked its mangled black
panther like head up from its kill and looked straight at Zoltar. Its red
glowing eyes struck fear straight through his heart. In desperation to get away
from this nightmare, Zoltar sprinted forwards only to suddenly stumble on a
hidden tree root and fall to his knees. He looked back at the behemoth, terror
shimmering in his glowing amethyst eyes. It had stopped and was slowly stalking
towards him like a puma cornering a mountain goat, as if it knew he
couldn't get away and was savouring the moment of victory. Zoltar tried to
move, but he felt rooted to the ground. He could smell the beast's foul, rotten
breath and could see its dagger sharp teeth as it crept closer.
“Come on
kid! Don’t give up,” Zoltar looked up to see Scorpus helping him to his feet,
“One of us has to distract it or it will get us both,” Scorpus said, glancing
at the beast. It had stopped and was watching them with vicious greed in its
eyes. It knew it had them.
“Which…”
Zoltar started, dreading the answer, but the Scorpus interrupted him.
“I’ll do
it."
"No,
you can't," Zoltar cried, grabbing hold of Scorpus's tail, "The
shadow talons need you. You are their best soldier left."
The beast
was starting to move slowly forward again, saliva dripping from its open
jaws.
"You
have your whole life ahead of you. Me, I’m old. I’ve lived the best of my life.
I’ve taught you everything you will need to know to become a
good soldier. Now go and tell the shadow talons that the island is
not safe!” Scorpus shouted, yanking his tail away from Zoltar as he ran towards
the beast, breathing a plume of fire to get its attention away from
Zoltar. He ran off in another direction with the beast close on his tail.
Zoltar
stood there in shock for a second before he carried on running, pain
ripping at his heart like an angry beast. He knew he couldn't save Scorpus
now. Scorpus’s shouts echoed behind him, willing him to stop, but he
didn't. He couldn’t let Scorpus’s sacrifice be for naught. Not after
all Scorpus had done for him. He had to convince the shadow
talons that the island was not safe and that they should find somewhere else.
Zoltar
could see light ahead of him as the tangled forest gave way to a wide, open
lake. Flapping his wings, he soared into the air, skimming the surface of the
moonlit water with his claws. He looked back at the now silent forest. Nothing
stirred under the trees, not a sound could be heard in those dark shadowy
woods. There was nothing to show of what had just happened. The beast had gone.
)
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