The Forge Of Kings

Chapter 25: Greatness Beneath The Deep

    "Ow." I gripped my head and sat up, I attempted to stand but collapsed to dizziness. There were screams coming from the ballroom, A giant flaming boulder had collapsed the corridor and the doorway to it. I crawled to the wall, and used it to stand, taking my time to prevent the dizziness. I reached to my forehead and winced in pain, no blood, but definitely a bruise. I looked out the next window, The Dragons and fireballs were still flying over the city, and seemed to be aiming for the dam behind the palace, they're trying to flood the city.

     My spine began to shiver. Drake. I proceeded down the hallway and entered the Foyer, "DRAKE!?" people were running down the steps and out the door, I ran across the drawbridge, it began to rise before I got off, I fell into moat below, I swam up to the ledge and climbed out. I catched my breath and ran down the stairs, A group of archers had tasked themselves with taking down the Dragon's above, but weren't making much progress, I continued down the steps and was met with the remainder of the crowd in the courtyard, but those left were either dead, or wailing in grief. I ran passed the group and down the next staircase.

     I had finally reached the city street, but just as I did, one of the fireballs slammed into the dam at the left side of the palace, it began to crack and crumble, a giant wave crashed down into the court yard, I ran into a house and slammed the door. The water flooded the streets, people screamed as they were swept away, I held the door shut, but water began to flood down the staircase across the room, it started rising faster than my mind could keep up with. I kept my head above the water until I couldn't anymore.

     I swam up the steps and into a bedroom, I found a window, I rammed myself into it, but it wouldn't break, I removed my heel, and slammed it into the window. Once. Twice. And then a third time, the window shattered, the glass began to sink in slow motion. I swam through and upward. My head burst up from the depths and I was met with the screams and chaos I had left. But those left, were on the rooftops of the taller buildings of the city. I swam to the nearest building and collapsed to the ground. I lied there breathless. Staring at the colorful lanterns floating to the sky, tonight took a real bad turn. I sat up and looked towards the palace, or what was left of it.

     My stomach sank, the tallest floors were in the towers towards the dams, and not near where the ballroom was. One of the remaining towers crumbled and sank into the waters. The Dragons had flown off, and the fireballs had ceased. Though the danger was over, I couldn't seem to relax myself. I stared towards the palace, the next thing I knew, I was one with the wailing citizens. Drake. No...

     I lied there. On the ground, unsure of where to go from here, I had to find Drake, but I couldn't search the second largest city in the world, while it was under a lake of water. I stood up, the sun was rising from behind the remains of the palace. The sky turned a bright pink, and then orange, and then finally yellow. The screaming had stopped, the only sounds left the flow of the water. I sat up, I have been lying here long enough, I looked at what was left of my dress, it was torn from the knee down on one side, the slip for my right leg was just a hole, my hair had fallen from my bun and just hung above my shoulders and I had one heel left. I kicked off my shoe, no need for that anymore.

     I stood there. In silence for what felt like ages, I had no idea what to do, I never felt like this, helpless. Marooned. I reached for my scar, it was sore, but seemed to have stop bleeding. I walked to the edge of the rooftop, and looked, the water was clear, I could see the corpses below, the miscellaneous items floating. Frozen in time. Preserved. What was once labeled "The Greatest city in the world." Flooded. I wiped my hands on my dress and I caught a look at the ring Drake had given me. The next thing I knew his words were echoing in my head. "You make me brave, and I want to be brave" I took a deep breath, and turned to the wall of Lólem that remained intact, holding the water in.