Who The Fire Favours (ONC2023) gxg

Chapter 24: Rider

Rider watched the world burn.

Her hazy vision couldn't focus on the battle around her. She had fought so long for the answers she desperately needed but now she had them everything else didn't matter. Aria had ruined her life for her grimoire. That's it. That's all it was.

Rider couldn't move even if she wanted to.

The ache in her legs made her want to scream but her dry throat meant she couldn't make a sound. The reminder of the paralysis Aria had given her made her want to give up but with every strike of her sword she was brought right back to that night. Until Ixis' face came into view.

"Give me the black grimoire, Ixis."

"No."

Ixis took her breath away. The Regent was facing off against her own Thrineholder, sword versus sword in a blazing halo of flame that did not falter. Unlike Aria's pristine white armour Ixis had forged her own deep red and amber from the depths of her defiant Trait. Rider could tell she was struggling but Ixis continued to stand in Aria's way despite her fatigue. She was far stronger than Aria could've hoped to imagine and Ixis had chosen to protect her. She was beautiful.

"It doesn't matter how many times I reset your memories, Regent's never do what they're told!"

Aria's manic Light Trait split the earth in two, the flimsy ground crumbling beneath them with the sheer weight of Axis' gears crunching together. Ixis was fighting with her eyes shut, the Thronholder's power attempting to steal her memories with every blast of her grimoire.

"I don't know why I ever believed in you, Aria. All you've ever done is blame other people for your mistakes. Me. Rider. Night. Heck, even Ethros is done with your shit. He isn't even here."

"Are you sure about that?"

Aria's razor sharp grin sent Rider spiralling, the thought of her dreaded Agar returning in the worst possible moment. The winds picked up around her, Rider desperate to get away and find safety from the giant albino dragon descending into the pit. Ethros the Blinding Light had arrived and he had no idea what he had done.

"I've only been away for five minutes, Ari and you're already fighting your own Regent. What, did she take the last Insta Roll again?"

Rider didn't know why but his casual banter infuriated her far more than any threat ever could. She desperately tried to drag her dead weight into a sitting position but her arms weren't strong enough. Her cane was left smashed on the ground only a few metres away from an unconscious Skyla. Rider's stomach dropped at the thought of the Lightning Traited no longer retaining any memories of their time together.

"Ethie. She's a damn Traitor. She was working with Rider to get her damn dragon back."

"Is that so?"

The carefree dragon immediately became hostile towards the group, Rider managing to notice the twins' concealment working overtime to help the injured Timker Mole flee. Rider had to admit that without Gizmo she would never have gotten her Oathed back. As much as she hated it with everything he had put her through he deserved to live.

Nate looked back at her with a glassy eyed expression, breaking her heart twice over at the realisation he didn't recognise her. With a heavy heart, Rider smiled sadly and shook her head. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream at him to help her. But that selfless part of her wouldn't let her be selfish and she knew if they went back for her they would die. Whether they remembered her or not. With that damning thought, Rider did the only thing she could think of and resigned herself to the fate she should have had a long time ago.

She laughed.

"Is that what you think? Wow, Ari. I know you erase your own memories but I didn't think you increased your own stupidity too."

"What're you talking about, Shadow Traited?"

Ethros' high and mighty act made Rider cough, her chest burning with more than the smoke and ash in her lungs. To think she had grown up with him by her side. It made her sick.

It didn't matter what she said to convince them. In their eyes she would always be the villain. If she had to become that to save Ixis' life then so be it. If Aria thought she had manipulated her Regent then maybe, just maybe Aria would let her go. After all, no one could deny the bond between Regent and Throneholder.

"I blackmailed her. I kidnapped her dragon to force her to work for me even though she knew it was wrong. The only reason she's protecting me now is because only I know where her Oathed is. Surely you can relate, can't you Aria?"

Aria gripped the pommel of her sword, pointing it at Rider just like she did when she took her help and cut her down instead. Rider froze, attempting to breathe through the pain of each and every scar Aria had carved into her.

"I must applaud you, Rider. If anyone else had been there I think they'd fall for your little ruse. Unfortunately for you, I am a Novawraith dragon. I know you're lying."

Shit. Shit. Shit.

"Ixis cares for you. You care for her. This battle alone is enough evidence for me."

"No!"

Rider couldn't watch.

In a matter of seconds, Ethros dismantled Ixis' attempts to fight in a single blast of his white flame. The Fire Traited tried to stay upright struggling just like she had done to fight off the paralytic so many years ago. Ixis had been a loyal Regent until the end. Rider couldn't allow that to be tarnished anymore.

"Night!"

Ixis voice left her speechless.

Rider was sure he had been rescued by Gizmo to safety but there he was taking on his brother with everything he had. After so many years of being trapped in an ever changing cage the Novawraith had perfected the size change to shapeshift into bigger and smaller versions in a matter of seconds and was aiming for every weak spot he could reach.

Ixis staggered back to Skyla, attempting to shake her awake but her Volta Trollian refused to let her near. But Aria wasn't done with her yet. The moment Ixis lifted her head to look at Rider in relief a light beam sniped her in the head. Her helmet was shattered on impact, blood and ash splattering her vibrant red hair while all Rider could do was look on in horror. Ixis fell mere inches away from her.

"Aria! I'll fucking kill you!"

Rider didn't recognise her own voice. The ash that spilled out of Ixis' head was too quick to gather, Rider screaming in agony with every inch she gained to reach her. Her body wouldn't work but she'd be damned if she didn't try. Summoning her grimoire in a fit of rage she tried to find something, anything that would work. The wound wasn't deep. She couldn't heal. But she could take her pain for her.

"Night...you're gonna hate me for this but...I need you to get us both out of here. I think Ixy has a family in Beggar's End. Get to them. Hopefully, they still remember her if they haven't looked into the light. I really hope they didn't."

Rider looked up at the grey stained sky and let her Shadow Trait consume her. The cold dread of the metal armour sealed her pain a little easier than before, the borrowed wound dripped blood down her ear but the sound of Ixis' steady breathing made her smile. Her rage ripped through all of her progress researching Axis.

Until a roar alerted Rider to look up.

She smiled at the sight of Ixis' Oathed, no wound in sight but she could see Night struggling with the wound she had transferred over to them both. Skyla was only beginning to wake up, terrified by the battle and the familiar fear of the unknown with no memory to cling to. Rider silently thanked her for everything she had done, rendering Aria's attempts to reach her completely useless with every ounce of shadows her light cast to snuff her out.

Even in the end, Rider would fight like a demon to achieve her goal.

That was why she was called Hellraiser.