Page 57 of Eluvonia (Rift of Ages #1)

AERIS

W e look back towards the cliffs, and my heart sinks.

The Dragons that had retreated are now regrouping, and they’ve brought reinforcements.

Their dark shapes blot out the sky as they rise higher, their wings beating in perfect unison.

The formation is even larger now—at least two dozen of them, reds, greens, browns—flying toward us like a storm, an unstoppable force determined to bring us down.

Kaida’s powerful wings beat harder, pushing us faster across the sky, but the weight of the approaching horde bears down on us.

We need to fly faster, Kaida says, his voice strained, If we don’t make it to the portal, we’re done for.

The sea stretches endlessly before us, shimmering like molten glass under the harsh glare of the sun, a cold, unforgiving horizon.

The wind tears at my face, sharp and stinging, but it’s not enough to drown out the roars and snarls from behind us .

“They’re gaining!” I shout, my voice raw, adrenaline and fear burning through every word.

I glance back, my heart sinking further as the Dragons close in, their shadows growing darker against the sky. My grip tightens on Kaida’s scales, but my breath comes in shallow gasps, dread creeping over me.

Kaida’s voice cuts through my panic, tight with strain. We can’t outrun them. Not for long.

Declan’s golden form dips low beside Kaida, his blood-streaked scales shimmering in the fading light. He casts a grim glance back at the oncoming swarm, his expression hardening. I’ll draw them off. Buy you time to get across the sea.

No! Kaida snarls, that’s not happening.

You’ll never make it if we don’t split up! Declan roars back, his voice a mix of frustration and desperation.

“We’re not leaving you!” I shout, my voice cracking with emotion as I turn to him, tear-streaked face pleading. “Don’t even think about it, Declan!”

But the Dragons leave us no more time for argument.

The first wave crashes into us with a thunderous impact.

A red Dragon dives straight at Declan, claws outstretched, eyes blazing with fury.

He roars, meeting the beast head-on. Their bodies collide, the air filled with the sound of snapping jaws and beating wings.

The red Dragon’s jaws clamp onto Declan’s neck with brutal force, its sharp, glinting teeth sinking deep into his golden scales. Blood pours from the wound, a sickening crimson river flowing freely down his broad chest.

“Declan!” I scream, my hands trembling as I draw my vine bow. The tension in my muscles is unbearable as I notch a thorn-tipped arrow. The shaft hums faintly with magic before I release it, sending it whistling through the air. The arrow buries itself deep into the red Dragon’s eye.

The creature screeches in pain, its grip faltering, just enough for Declan to tear himself free. His wings falter for a moment, and he tilts unevenly, his flight shaky as blood continues to pour from his neck.

I’m fine! Declan growls, but the blood streaming from his neck tells a different story. His breath comes in ragged gasps, his golden scales glistening with the dark red of his own blood, but he fights to stay aloft, his focus unyielding.

Another Dragon—a massive brown—dives toward Kaida, its claws raking at his wing.

With a furious roar, Kaida twists midair, slamming into the Dragon with all his strength.

The two spiral downward in a chaotic tangle of teeth and talons.

Kaida’s jaws snap around the Dragon’s wing, shredding it, but the force of the attack sends us plummeting.

I scream as we slam into the water, the impact jolting me violently.

For a terrifying moment, I’m submerged, the icy saltwater filling my mouth and blurring my vision.

Kaida surges upward, his massive wings propelling us back into the air.

I’m drenched and gasping for breath, my heart hammering wildly.

More Dragons are coming. There’s no end to them.

Declan hovers above us, his massive golden form casting a protective shadow. You have to go. I’ll draw their attention, he growls, his voice laced with a mix of determination and sorrow that clenches around my heart like a vice.

I glare up at him, the tears in my eyes turning molten with anger. “As if,” I snap, my voice cracking. The very idea of leaving him behind makes my stomach churn .

Declan’s golden eyes meet mine, fierce and unwavering, though I see the torment flickering behind them.

His massive wings beat steadily against the air as we glide above the sparkling waves, but there’s a new heaviness to his movements—a weight he’s carrying beyond the blood dripping from his torn neck.

Don’t be foolish, he growls, his voice thick with frustration and sorrow. If you stay, we all die. If you go, you can live. You can save Eluvonia. That’s what matters.

Tears stream down my face, hot and blinding. My hands clench into fists as I pound them against Kaida’s scales. “I’m not leaving you!” My voice cracks, the words wrenched from my throat. “Don’t ask me to do this, Declan! Please!”

Kaida growls low, his wings cutting through the air in a steady rhythm. She’s right, he rumbles, glancing back at Declan. We don’t leave our own behind.

Declan lets out a deep, guttural snarl, his massive head snapping toward Kaida. Damn it, Kaida! This isn’t a debate!

You need to live. She— his gaze locks on me, and something in his expression shatters, she needs to live.

I can barely breathe through the tears choking me. “Declan, no. Don’t you dare do this. We can fight together—we can—”

We can’t! His roar cuts me off, the finality in his tone striking me like a blow. You don’t see what I see, Aeris. More are coming. We’ll be surrounded in minutes. He glances over his shoulder, and even I can hear the steady thunder of Dragon wings growing louder in the surrounding darkness.

“Then we will die together!” I scream, my hands trembling as they clutch at Kaida’s scales. “You don’t get to make this decision for us!”

Declan’s expression softens for a fleeting moment, his eyes filled with something I can only describe as love—and regret.

Baby girl, he says softly, the words slipping into my mind like a gentle caress.

The tenderness in his voice breaks me. You’re stronger than you think.

Stronger than me and Kaida. But you have a purpose—a future.

Don’t waste it here. Don’t waste it on me.

I sob openly, shaking my head as my entire body trembles. “No. Don’t you dare say goodbye to me. Don’t you dare!”

Kaida growls in frustration, his voice tense. Dec, there has to be another way—

There’s no other way! Declan snarls, cutting him off. His golden wings flare wide, his bloodied neck turning to face Kaida and me one last time. You have to protect her, Kaida. Promise me.

Kaida hesitates, his chest rumbling with resistance. But then, his jaw tightens, and his voice comes through with grim resolve. Dammit, you know I will.

“No!” I scream, my throat raw and aching. I twist on Kaida’s back, trying to leap off, to reach Declan, but Kaida’s tail knocks me back, pinning me in place.

Declan’s gaze softens again as he looks at me, ignoring the approaching horde of Dragons. You’ll understand one day, he whispers into my mind. I’m so damn proud of you, Aeris. I’m glad you stumbled into my life. You will always be my girl.

“Declan!” My voice is broken now, shredded by the pain ripping through me. “Please! I can’t do this without you!”

But he doesn’t answer. With a deafening roar, Declan turns and speeds toward the oncoming Dragons, his massive form glowing like the sun itself.

Kaida lets out a feral growl, his entire body vibrating with fury as he turns sharply, his wings tilting to fly the opposite direction.

“What are you doing?!” I scream, pounding my fists against Kaida’s back. “You’re going the wrong way! We can’t leave him!”

Kaida doesn’t answer, his muscles taut with strain as he forces himself to fly faster, the wind whipping tears from my cheeks.

I twist around, desperation clawing at my chest as I search the skies for Declan. And then I see him. His golden scales gleam in the moonlight, a beacon of defiance against the swarm of Dragons descending upon him.

“No,” I whisper, the word catching in my throat.

Declan unleashes a massive wall of fire, an inferno that roars and crackles as it devours the first wave of Dragons. Two brown Dragons and a red are consumed by the flames, their lifeless bodies tumbling into the sea below.

For a moment, hope flickers in my chest. But it’s short-lived. The rest of the horde is undeterred.

A Dragon dives at Declan, its teeth sinking into his back.

His roar of pain reverberates through the air, a sound so raw and full of anguish that it feels like it’s being torn from my own chest. He twists violently, his claws tearing through the Dragon’s throat.

Blood sprays into the sky, and the beast falls away.

But then another red Dragon slams into him from the side, the impact so fierce it sends them both tumbling. I cry out, my hands gripping Kaida’s scales as I watch Declan struggle to right himself.

“Declan, fight!” I scream, my voice hoarse and breaking.

Another brown Dragon dives at him, its claws raking across his chest and carving deep, bloody gashes into his scales. Declan roars again, his fire blazing as he scorches the beast, but more Dragons close in, their combined weight dragging him downward.

“Kaida, turn around!” I shriek, pounding on his back with fists that are numb from the cold air. “We have to help him! Please, Kaida!”

Kaida growls low, his wings slicing through the air with precision, but he doesn’t look back. It’s too late, he says, his voice tight.

“No!” I sob, twisting again to watch Declan. His movements are slowing, his once-brilliant golden glow dimming under the onslaught.

But he doesn’t stop.

With one final, earth-shaking roar, Declan breathes a last torrent of golden fire. The flames sear the air, consuming the Dragons closest to him in a dazzling explosion of light. For a brief, fleeting moment, he is a star burning bright against the sky.

And then, his wings falter.

Time seems to freeze as his massive body begins to fall. He plummets toward the sea, his roar fading into silence as the water rises to meet him. The sound of his impact is like a thunderclap, and waves ripple outward, swallowing him whole.

“ DECLAN! ” The scream tears from my throat, raw and broken, the sound of it echoing in my ears even as the world seems to tilt around me.

Kaida pushes harder, his wings beating furiously as he flies us farther and farther from the swarm of Dragons. The wind rushes past, but it feels distant, muffled, as though I’m underwater.

“Kaida, stop!” I cry, my voice hoarse and cracked. “Turn around! We can’t leave him! Please, Kaida, please!”

But Kaida doesn’t respond. His jaw is tight, his body rigid with effort as he forces himself to keep going.

I twist again, my tear-streaked face locking onto the spot where Declan fell. The rippling waves are all that’s left of him, the golden beacon that had once been so bright now extinguished.

“Declan!” I scream again, the word ripped from my chest with so much force it feels like I might break apart. My body shakes uncontrollably, my sobs wracking my frame as the place where he disappeared grows smaller and smaller until it’s just a speck on the horizon.

“NO! ” The sound is raw, primal, an unrelenting echo of my grief. My fists slam weakly against Kaida’s scales as tears blur my vision.

The loss hollows me out, a gaping wound that nothing will ever fill. My heart feels like it’s being ripped apart, the agony so complete I can barely breathe.

The sea stretches endlessly beneath us, the shimmering waves taunting me with their silence. All I can do is stare, my screams fading into broken sobs as Kaida carries me further and further away.