11- Escaping the Nightmare

One week had passed since Dew was locked up in Vertigo's dungeon, and every waking minute he always listened to the passing footsteps; dreading the moment Noxia would return. It took him 3 long, agony filled days to recover after what happened and even then he still sported some sore areas and wounds; still he had to keep his guard up. He made an oath to himself; he'd get out of here, and he'd get as far from this place as possible.

His father wanted him to run in the first place...its damn time Dew listened to him this time...

 

 

"Alright, what information do we have today?" Vertigo sat at a large round table, surrounded by an assortment of Monster Women and humans who she had under her command. At said table were 4 special ones; her High Generals; all were at their respective sides for Military, Science, Cultural, and of course Sex Slavery.

"So far we're keeping the Risen Light at bay," High General Ragnaroka spoke; a Dragon Girl. Like all her species her skin was coated in light green scales, a mix of lime and sage; eyes being a deep crimson. She had a human face with short purple hair, her hands and feet being clawed as her legs were hinded, a long tail wagging behind her; a pair of large wings on her back, coiled up as well. She wore a large breastplate; colored a deep black and green hue, as well as a pair of armored shorts; her naval exposed, including a pair of gauntlets and greaves. Her look was finished by a large sword being on her hip, given a very fitting name; Hope Crusher. "But those human fanatics keep trying to breach our cities."

"We'll route more people to assist you, what about you Madam Soulstorm?" The one in question was one of the Witches, due to her Monster Girl origins she was in a child-like body, her long blond hair reaching her buttocks as she wore a short red dress and brown boots; stopping at her knees. A large staff rested in her hands, as her vibrant emerald eyes glanced to Vertigo.

"Mistress, so far regarding the...Drake we've taken captive I've found something that'd really interest you."

"Enlighten me."

"Are you aware of the old Dragonlord, Fearswoop? The one parent’s tell stories to in order to see the dread and worry in their eyes?"

"All Echidnas are; a powerful and timeless dragon clad in unstoppable and toxic Lead Armor who fought in the Dragon Wars and used Spirit Energy-"

"No, Pure Spirit Energy; he had so much that he was unmatched, I assume you recall the rest of the story?"

"He vanished one day, out of the blue; I assumed he died; look Soulstorm what the hell does this have to do with that vermin in the dungeon?"

"Patience...his body is the same; living Spirit Energy in a physical manifestation; having gathered into a drake egg." Vertigo rested a hand on her chin, in thought. So indeed that drake was like the dragon who send chills down every creature’s spines...but the question was why didn’t he have the same control over his powers?

"Are you also aware of the Night of Eternal Darkness?"

"Yeah, the night when all Spirit Energy gathered in one spot-"

"Where the Spirit Drake will be located...your hymen is intact and as far as I recall the shattering of an Echidna’s hymen is always followed by a glorious intake of Spirit Energy from the one who broke it. Now, if he were to break it, on that night..."

"All that power...would be mine..." Vertigo grew a sinister sneer. Glaring to one of her human slaves she narrowed her eyes.

"How many days until the Night?"

"M-mistress, about a g-g-good year or two-"

"Ensure that drake is kept alive and...not so well until then; with that power I can finish what my mother started...finally usher in the Era of the Echidna, and take over this world..."

 

 

Dew punched the door once again, huffing as he had barely dented the metal door, but his knuckles were bleeding; blood dripping onto the floor. He had been at this for a good hour, because he had to face the reality that this was the only thing he could do to escape. He learned yesterday the damned door was enchanted to be resistant to all his elemental attacks, and clearly punching it did nothing save for damage his hands...but what else could he do? It was either do this, or sit down and be reminded constantly that this could be the end; his campaign was over, all because he failed to listen to his dad. His emotions grew so bleak and dark...Dew felt himself sink lower and lower into the ground...actually he looked down and noticed he was indeed sinking into the f*****g ground! Black shadowy energy gathered around his legs and tail; only Dew's waist above the ground. His darker thoughts began to recede, and Dew began to rise from the ground. This...was another Elemental ability...Dew decided to dub it Shadow Force; his dark thoughts seeming to manifest into him being able to shift into a darker world. More dark thoughts flowed through Dew, as he pressed his hand to the door.

He felt the cool air of the other side...he had phased his hand through the door. Dew applied some pressure as he walked, and soon he was outside the cell, on the other side, no longer confined.

Free, at last.

Snapping back reality Dew spread his wings and gently opened the window; dropping down as he started to flap; rising in the air as he gazed upwards. The night sky made his scales shimmer majestically as he gazed down at the castle; beating his wings as he rose higher and higher...and flew right past a roost of Werebats.

The hellish screams behind him were a quite the inclination to dive down into the forest below; Dew taking cover in a small cavern; watching the massive flock fly by; no doubt soon to return home without their quarry.

"I suppose you are hiding from the Werebats?" An aged voice asked behind him; Dew turning...to see an odd sight.

He stood at a towering 9'12, arms crossed, his long tail sweeping the ground, hind legs keeping his body up as he hunched over. His large bat wings were folded up as his dark emerald skin glimmered in the cavern light. His triangular head rested on a long neck; his violet eyes staring down at Dew. The drake stared up at him...backing up a bit.

"Do not be frightened young drake; I'm not your foe, if I were I'd have kicked you out and left you to the winged beasts who flew by earlier." He extended a large hand, showing kindness. "My name is Trefalkyr; I'm the Forest Guardian here. I’ve been protecting this forest for decades from those who dare to defy it, to the point where the cursed Echidna refuses to come here; she seems to have an apprehension towards my ilk." Dew shook his hand, feeling the rough scales, as he noticed it, releasing Trefalkyr's hand a moment later.

"You're a dragon aren't you?" The large one nodded, his tail slowly waving.

"Indeed I am; a Forest Dragon to be exact; I'm adept in the Earthen element, but I really have grown to appreciate this." He tapped the cave wall, and herbs bloomed forth; Trefalkyr was adept in Floral elemental magic. The dragon glanced down to Dew once more, and placed his palm on the drake's head, Dew about to freak out but he suddenly felt a rush of information swell in his head; words filling his mind, powers coursing through it; it was amazing, Trefalkyr moving his hand away as Dew held his head, shaking it slowly.

"What did you do to me?" He asked, the dragon slowly walking to the mouth of the cave, slowly motioning for Dew to follow him; the young drake folding his wings up and following the dragon; until they reached a clearing in the forest; the brown soil parting under their feet.

"Dragon-Kata," Trefalkyr spoke, holding his hand up; brilliant green light emanating from it, to possibly emphasis his point to the troubled drake. "The Martial Arts of all Dragonkind; we've taught humans and other creatures this power; I have given you the same talent."

"But why? Why bestow that...power onto me? Why am I important enough?"

"Let's just say you are more important to the world than you've been led to believe." Trefalkyr’s gaze shifted to something to his right, suddenly punching a tree, and said tree exploding into trunks and splinters as if it had spontaneously exploded! Dew looked at this with awe; the drake approaching the destroyed tree and ran a hand along the trunk, hearing the dragon step back.

"Now you try, on the tree over there." He pointed to a smaller tree, a few feet from them. "Focus your energy into your fist; do not act with force, but with your mind; your will. The true essence of Dragon-Kata is manifesting your will into power, that is why it’s so dangerous." Dew stood up and treaded over to the tree, and he balled his fist up, closing his eyes, and concentrating, not using raw force, but his willpower, condensing it into his arm, and he jabbed the tree; opening his eyes just in time to watch the upper half of the tree explode into shards.

"Well done, now for something a tad harder." Dew watched the dragon's wings unfurl, and with a flick Dew watched fire dance along them, and he slashed a tree in half in one fell swoop.

"All elements are linked to Dragon-Kata, young one." His wings cooled off and folded back up. "You've learned a bit of the basics already, do the same but concentrate on fire, how it grows, how it feels, how it can burn and cut." Dew glanced down to his hands, and thought hard on fire, on everything about it...and his wings ignited, but the fire did not burn at all, in fact all he felt was a comforting warmth, no pain at all; Dew holding them forward as the flames fanned out a moment later; glancing up to Trefalkyr, the dragon slowly walking back towards the cavern.

"Wait! Trefalkyr!" Dew cried, watching the dragon stop walking. "Where do I go from here? What do I do now?"

"That is up to you Dew, but know this; your fate has been set in stone already, it's up to you to uncover said fate and chisel it how you see fit." And with that, the dragon returned to his cavern; leaving Dew alone in the clearing; a moment later spreading his wings and flying off; he needed to find somewhere to rest for the time being; he had the idea Trefalkyr would not want him there for now.

The dragon's words lingered on his mind...his fate had already been decided before he knew it? What could that even mean, and more importantly, what was the fate foretold?

 

 

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN HE ESCAPED!?!?!" Vertigo boomed; fury coating every bit of her voice as the human guards under her reign cowered before her, bowing down with their heads touching the floor.

"F-f-forgive us Mistress Vertigo! But we have no idea how he escaped! That cell was enchanted and-" He was cut off when Vertigo's eyes began a gold snake-like hue, and after releasing a scream all the men were turned to stone; being shattered by her tail a moment later.

"Well, we'll have to get more slaves later on then." Soulstorm spoke up, kneeling down to poke at the shambles of stone that used to be 12 soldiers. "But there is still time to get the drake back, long before the Night comes."

"How is that?"

"We can trace his Spirit Energy, at least a small bit. We'll be able to find where he's close to; and from there you could send the troops to recover him." Vertigo's anger slowly dispelled as she rubbed her face, and leaned back in her seat, a tad more content.

"How he got out eludes me...but the second he's found, beat him within an inch of his life and return him to a much stronger, smaller cell. And don't kill him...once I get all the power, that shall fall to me..."

To Be Continued...