Can't Shred Our Love - Ripnami

Chapter 29

"I really can't believe you haven't read any of these stories," Riptide grinned. "I used to love these when I was younger!"

"These are some of the most ridiculous scrolls I've ever seen," I laughed.

"Of course they are, they're made for children, it's not as if they're going to be completely logical and sensible works," Riptide rolled his eyes. "Their names are famous in-"

A sudden shake interrupted us, and a loud, mournful wail began to sound.

"What's going on?" I frowned, wincing as the sound mercilessly stampeded for my ears.

Turtle rushed in. "Quick! It's happening, we have to get there quickly!"

"What?" I hurriedly stood up.

"Typhoon's reincarnating Whirlpool! We have to get there quickly so we can stop him!"

"What about the barriers?" Riptide gasped beside me as we sprinted forward.

"The spies have found the emergency keys."

"Haven't they told mother?"

"Mother's trusting the army to deal with it. I feel like she thinks that it doesn't matter if Whirlpool is reincarnated."

We sped out of the Palace, and dived into the currents that carried us to the fort.

Where now?  I flashed to Turtle.

Follow. he flashed back, and turned sharply. I followed onwards. Without my notice, a blue arrow of light suddenly shot at me and I collapsed heavily down, far faster than would have been possible in the ocean. Once I stood up, I found that the bodies of the army surrounded me, in an open air area.

"You're here, finally, your highness!" A dragon hurried up, and I realised it was a spy. "Quickly, the traitor's doing something dangerous with a group of animus."

"So that's why they made it open air, to make it easier for the animus," Riptide muttered.

"Yes, yes. Quickly!" Turtle urged, and we sprinted after him. We emerged out of a clearing, covered in mist.

"What's happening?"

"The spell has already started," Turtle breathed in horror. "We have to break up the formation! Now!" He sprinted forward. I grabbed his tail to avoid getting lost and felt Riptide do the same with my tail. As I got closer, shadows in the mist became more apparent. We got close enough, and I realised, a ghostly figure was emerging out of the basin...

"No!" I shouted, and sped towards the ring but was pushed back. A pulsing blue shield and blocked me.

Typhoon's face contorted when he saw me. 

"It's you." he snarled. He stood in the centre of the ring of animus, with a hooded SandWing beside him and a motionless SeaWing to his other side. I glanced at the motionless SeaWing. Its eyes were pure black, without even a glint of life. dead, soulless. I shivered. Blue light poured from the animus dragons and into the basin, and the ghost had begun to push out, face in pain. I only just realised it was Whirlpool. 

"Stop now!" I commanded.

"Or what?" Typhoon snarled. "Or you'll crush another dragon's dream under your foot, like all pompous royals did? Well, I'm taking none of that now. Whirlpool's coming back, and he'll be king!" He glared at me. "Animus! Kill her!" He shouted, and the sound reverberated in the deadly silence of the swirling white mist.

"Sir, the enchantment can't be interrupted." A SandWing beside him informed.

Typhoon growled. "Then I'll deal with her myself." Without warning, he rushed towards me, not even giving me time to react. He headbutted me, and I was thrown back. Riptide gave a cry of anger and alarm and rushed at Typhoon. Typhoon clawed his underbelly. I bit onto his neck and forced my teeth down as hard as I could. Typhoon shouted with pain as blood spurted out. His tail smacked into my feet and I collapsed down. Riptide clawed Typhoon's skin, even as blood dripped out of his belly. I roared. My claws found Typhoon's eyes.

"We have to take care of the body!" Turtle shouted. "Otherwise he'll come back!"

I swivelled round. The ghost had begun to force through the skin of the soulless body. 

"No!" I screamed, running at the animus and shoving one aside, but it was useless. I bit and tore, but nothing interrupted him.

Turtle whispered frantically, and suddenly, the animus vanished into a purple mist. The shield immediately began repairing, but I entered and ripped the soulless dragon's body to pieces. Whirlpool's soul burst out, screaming in anger. Typhoon roared, beyond words in anger.

The soul's mouth opened, and a high pitched, impossibly loud voice screeched out.

"How dare you! How dare you! You've destroyed my body!"

"Good," I snarled back.

Whirlpool shook his head angrily, more beast than dragon. 

"I must have a body!"

"And I must destroy you," I snarled, running a claw into his neck. Nothing happened, as expected. 

"You cannot destroy, me, I am untouchable by all things corporeal," Whirlpool sneered. "If I cannot join my rightful body, then the only body I can enter...is yours."

"Tsunami!" Riptide shouted, and sped for me, but Whirlpool had already begun to force his way in. I screamed, without anyway to fend him off. Something flashed in front of my eyes, a vision, a memory, a distant dream.

"Why would you want to be king? You'd have to be responsible for all those people," Typhoon cocked his head. "I can't understand it."

I smiled. "Exactly! Imagine if I could help the SeaWings grow and improve as a tribe. We'd be the best tribe in Pyrrhia!"

Typhoon shrugged, but smiled as well. "Better you than me, I suppose, your majesty." His smile turns teasing.

"Hey! Quit it!" Typhoon began to chuckle and I followed.

"Either way," Typhoon's expression turned serious. "Whether or not you become king, you'll always have my support. I love you, Whirlpool."

"I love you too, Typhoon."

 The scene faded, and another emerged.

"Enough about me," the SeaWing in front of me gave a twinkling laugh. Sapphire, she was called. Named after the princess. "How about you? What do your parents do?" 

"They're no one important," I quickly lied. Sapphire had discreetly shown her distaste for the aristocracy. "They're, uh, armour smiths."

"Ah, where do they live?"

"Uh, Prawn Road."

"Prawn Road?" Sapphire frowned. "I don't believe I've heard of that street before."

Of course, she hadn't. I 'd made it up! I gritted my teeth getting ready for the stinging accusation, but it never came.

"Oh well, probably just my limited knowledge in geography. Should have payed attention in school." Sapphire smiled, and I couldn't help but smile with her. 

"Oh dear, what's the time? Is it already sunset? I've got to go," Sapphire hastily got up. "I'll see you tomorrow, same place?"

"Yes," I called after her, but she didn't hear it, for she was already entirely submerged. The sun set below the horizon, and the moon drifted up, but I still didn't move, lost in thought...