Page 38 of Shadows Ascend (Remnant Archives #2)
I could sense my soulmate drawing near and felt a sense of relief despite the chaos of beasts, blood, and fire separating us—I was going to kill Shea.
Raising the shadows around me, I fell into the familiar dance I had been trained to do my entire life.
Adrenaline pumping through my body as I faced the most grotesque creatures I had ever seen, a grim smile on my face.
Using shadow like a blade, I cut down the monsters with ease.
They were simple minded creatures acting purely on instinct, too large to move quickly, too stupid to recognize my shadows as a threat.
And so I fought—a new foe on a battlefield that was not mine in the making but it seemed I was to participate just the same.
My brow raised when one of the beasts deflected my shadows with its heavy ax, showing a bit more fortitude, learning from its slain kin.
Tilting my head, I studied the creature towering over me, its focus so intent that I could see its nostrils flare with sickening desire.
I wrinkled my nose. Gross.
Half man, half bull, it stared at me like a prized possession. Triumph flickered in its yellow eyes while curling horns tilted in my direction, as if it had already won this fight, and I would play that to my advantage.
"Get Riella out of here," I commanded Emon through our bond, the monster bowing its head and charging me. Summoning my shadows, I gathered them into a sharpened blade, fitting perfectly in my hand for a kill.
"Not without you, little umbra," Emon snarled in my mind. "Incoming!"
Grinning, I spun away from the charging creature, leaping upwards, throwing my leg over my speeding soulmate who raced his way through the frenzied battle.
Sliding quickly over the top of his powerful panther body, the momentum caused me to slip over to the other side, heading face first into thick black grasses seeping with blood.
"Mother!" screamed Riella, catching me with a shadow arm that looped around my waist and hauled me back up behind her.
I blinked at my sudden upright position while Riella stared down at her arm that was whole again. "I became shadow!" her tiny voice was full of disbelief.
"Yes you did, well done, my beautiful brave little girl!
" I gasped into her hair, hugging her close, shielding her with my body from the violence and chaos we were surrounded by.
"We will have to discuss it more later," I breathed, kissing her cheek before I sent an explosion of shadows outward, opening a path for Emon to race through.
“Above!” I screamed just before a blaze of fire poured down from the skies. Emon’s powerful panther form cut to the side, the blaze just inches from us and searing hot against our skin.
Riella whimpered and I grit my teeth, glaring at the inferno that continued to pour down, its fire rippling beneath Emon’s massive paws, lighting up the entire valley.
“The fire is coraling them but I cannot distinguish its source,” Emon snarled in my mind.
My head snapped up and I smiled with realization—clever shifter. “We need to get into the skies.”
"Plan on doing a bit of sightseeing?" he chuckled through our bond, sliding along the grass to slice out with his claws taking down several monsters along the way and forcing Riella and I to hang on even tighter.
I smiled tightly, rising up over Riella, and carving my hand upwards. The shadows splitting through the creatures like a guillotine of darkness. “I plan on making a new friend of course.”
“Little umbra,” he grumbled along our bond , “we are not bringing home one of these disgusting creatures. Your attraction to beasts is unhealthy if these are your interests. Even your gnomes are pushing the line.” Lunging, he released a roar, teeth tearing out the side of one of the monsters to fully emphasize his protest.
I snickered, drawing large masses of shadow to me and breathing deeply, I squeezed Riella. “Hold tightly, little one. We are going to get out of here.”
Her head bobbed against my chest and pulled her hand up where her spear was still held tightly in her tiny fisted grip.
“Keep it ready,” I whispered, kissing the top of her head. “It’s time to ascend, shifter.”
Emon purred along our bond, “ I will follow any path you take me down, Remnant Dark. Besides, a sky that breathes fire is still better than being submerged in The Under.”
I grinned, throwing out the shadows like discs in front of us.
“Then let us see if you can fly, shifter king,” I teased and held my breath as Emon launched himself onto the platform, mere feet above the wild frenzy below.
Then he leapt to another and another, following the shadows ascending into the deep red sky with trust and confident agility.
I inhaled. He was spectacular.
“So are you, little umbra,” he purred, hearing my inward thoughts as we rose from the ashes and blood.
I smiled, breathing in fresh air untainted by the rotting carnage below and brushed back my hair when I heard the large swoop of wings and sensed a massive shadow hovering above us.
“Remnant…please tell me the sun just went behind the clouds, and that is not the smell of what I think it is,” Emon growled.
“There is no sun here, Emon. Get ready to dodge, shifter,” I called back to him.
“Fuck,” he snarled, just as flames shot out in front of us, burning the next shadow step.
Instinct had Emon veering sideways in a powerful blind leap without a shadow in place and my heart skipped at the incredible sense of trust he had in me as we all momentarily flew across the Vagari skies.
Right when he started to fall—I laid down more shadow, his feet silent as they hit our new path.
A burst of laughter exploded from our daughter. “That was so much fun faedere! Do it again.”
Incredulous, I looked down at the wild excitement blazing in our daughter's eyes, the fear minimal as the winds blew her hair from her braid, tangling itself on her glittering crown.
“If you enjoyed that, then look over to your left, little chickadee.” I said, smiling down at her with motherly pride and just the same amount of excitement even while guiding the shadows to race alongside the winged beast.
“Is that—a sky dragon?” Riella gasped. The awe in her voice was one of reverence.
“It is. Rather, a smaller version of the true ones. This one is a firedrake.” I said with just as much breathlessness.
Taking in the sparkling hues of its red scales, its fearsome powerful wings and the bright orange orbs of its eyes, I watched as the beautiful creature glared with irritation and curiosity at us right before it burst into flame.
“I seriously hope you have a goddess damn plan, little umbra,” Emon growled again, still leaping from one shadow to the next.
I squeezed our daughter, leaning down towards her, concentrating on the horizon so we did not plummet from the sky, I raised my voice against the rushing winds, “Riella, you have been able to communicate with any living creature. I want you to try to communicate with the firedrake. Say these words exactly. Natrix Drakaina .”
“ Dragon Queen,” Emon grinned in my mind, not surprised at all.
I narrowed my eyes on him, “You knew?”
Before he could answer, Riella assaulted me with big eyes over her petite shoulder. “But that is what Shen Shen called you!”
I pressed my lips together, that scheming braggart of a water dragon. “Yes, it is. Hurry now, before it decides to turn its fire upon us again.”
Reilla nodded quickly, turning back to the firedrake that was now indistinguishable from the flames pouring off of him. The stench of smoke swirling thickly, choking the air from our lungs .
“How did you know?” I whispered fearfully to Emon, if he knew then that meant the dragons were at risk.
Emon purred reassuringly, “Your secret is safe with me, little umbra.
Although one day I do want to hear the story of how you became the ruler of the sky dragons instead of eliminating them as requested by your own queen.
As always your strength and power captivates me.
You are fucking incredible, Remnant Ezra Solaire Dark. "
I hummed inwardly. “A tenuous rule based solely on giving them free reign of the Southern Mountains separate from the crown. A decision that cost me dearly."
“Would you do it again? If given the choice?” The seriousness in his question made me feel like there was a possible wrong answer.
I licked at my lips nervously, what did Emon actually know? “I would have found a way to save them…without the cost,” I replied with sincere honesty.
Emon grunted, launching himself onto the next shadows.
Within the seconds it took Emon to expose my truths, Riella had already conveyed my message and the firedrake answered. Flames died off its body, leaving behind nothing but a smokey trail and two giant orbs swerving to meet mine. Instant love and loyalty shining within them.
This was why I loved dragons. It didn’t matter who I was or what I had done in the past. The dragons were all connected spiritually and once you were a part of their family there was no escaping their infinite devotion.
I would have never slain the majestic beasts even under orders of the former queen but it had cost me and put everything I had worked hard to preserve in jeopardy including my own family.
"The ridge," Emon growled in my mind.
Looking outward, I could finally see the large looming cliff I had noticed when we first entered.
At first I thought it had been the Red Caps but those gracefully extended into a lavender blue sky.
Elegant in their presence. These lands conquered each other, unwantedly the earth split and separated in a rough manner that wasn’t at all elegant… it was violent .