Wings and flames

Chapter 79

Viridian held a single blade. Her hair was tied up and her sore arm looked good as ever. In her royal clothes, which she'd picked for her attendance with the king, she looked only moderately threatening. The deep green always faded into black but no-one dared to look long enough to notice. The fire dragons had fallen onto their knees, Aeck had made sure more than half of them were useless for at least a week or two. The general, precisely how she'd anticipated, was confident as ever to notice the drop in temperature around him. In his defence, he did hold the last god's jade around his throat and the man had no idea what happened to the last person who'd held it. 

Viridian took three little steps onto the general. A proud man, always been able to command the room. He'd always dress immaculate. A man of high honour. Today, she knew why. He was the god hunter, the man who thought it would be a good idea to not only hunt gods but hold them prisoners. She was going to enjoy every minute of this. 

Viridian : Tell me general, what is your plan now that I refuse to help you hold Aeck down? 

General : Viridian...I still have one willing god on my side. Vermilion, let's make a deal. Your son for your wife? 

Vermilion didn't have to speak. Viridian knew. Everyone did. Only Jade gasped. 

Viridian (curiously) : And what will you do once you have the amber? 

General : Once I have the jade, amethyst and the amber? All the three dark ones will bow to me. Athoms will be mine to rule, that wind dragon can't hold me down if I've got gods to win for me. 

Viridian : Ah... You seem to keep assuming that I'll listen to you. May I ask what gave you that impression?

General (smugly) : Viridian, I may not have known that you were one of the dark ones. But I do know you. I know what you hold dear above all else. Either you bow to me and have Sam be a royal prisoner or I kill that water dragon of yours. A good looking pet I must say, he genuinely believes you love him. (Now talking to Sam) And you would comply, wouldn't you Sam? (He moved over to Sam and slowly cut his wing to prove his point) You wouldn't hurt the fire dragon, not if it meant risking the life of Viridian. 

Sam winced at the pain but did not move. He wouldn't risk Viri's life, he'd just got her back. But he didn't have to worry. Something strange happened. Viridian, known for her lethal calm, suddenly, was anything but. The night grew darker. 

Viridian (her voice low) : Do you know what god I am?

General (blissfully unaware of what's coming for him): Well,  I assume fear. That's the only one left. 

Viri : The thing about gods is...we like to know everything. Naturally, I know a lot about you. 

General : The dark ones play tricks, I've read all about them. You don't scare me Viridian. 

Viri : When I heard that you were the god hunter, I started wondering, who would fight with gods? Not someone smart but also not someone who has something to lose. Only someone who's lost everyone they've loved would go on about trapping the ancient. And then a little dragon told me, you used to be in love, general. 

General : Unless you plan to bring my lover up from the grave, I don't see any relevance of this. 

Viridian : I wouldn't start the story if it was irrelevant, especially considering I can easily kill everyone here but you. (The general gulped at that, Viri remained unfazed. She started to encircle the general, classic predator move that only Jade seemed to register) As I was saying, you had the sweetest little love story. One of those long distance ones, wasn't it? He'd travel all the way here, you two would make sweet sweet love all afternoon, you'd promise him the finest life in Athoms and inexchange he'd help you trap little kids who you thought were godlings. You two planned to rule the place.