Scaling Mountains of Fire

Chapter 17

A circle of spectators awaited her arrival, a singular speck of shadow in the middle. Massive red leathery wings spread at his back. Younger, she had gaped at their sheer size. Now, her blood boiled to see them ripped to fucking shreds.

Flame energy swirled around her, boosting her fly speed like never before. It was intoxicating. Anything felt at the tip of her grasp. She could fly across the world with two powerful wingbeats. A pulse of energy propelled her forward, the wind slashed her cheeks from the speed. Blood trickled down her face but all she felt was its burning heat. Teardrops burned on her skin.

The sound she created deafened her but it didn't matter. Her heart hammered through her skull regardless.

A dagger flew to the King's feet in challenge.

He roared. "You DARE challenge me, you whelp? You are nothing! The blessed mountains should have taken your soul and made you forfeit. You ungrateful-..."

Dev's heels slammed in his chest, interrupting his speech.

The hive mind went terribly quiet.

The King soared through the air at the impact, landing a few feet away. Two small columns smoked from his chest.

Dev fluttered her wings, hovering in the air before touching the ground.

"How are you ALIVE." he yelled, getting to his feet.

A sharp lance speared towards her mind. Flames erupted from her skin to create a physical wall against the attack. The ground rumbled.

The King roared in frustration at the sight. Dev wished to roar back, her entire being pulsed.

Around her, the forest answered. First, it was a shake of the ground. Then, the croak of the trees. In a crescendo of sound, her home roared for her.

The wind whirled around her, pushing her step forward. The ground moved under her opponent, unbalancing him. A flock of birds darkened the sky ominously.

When her firewall dropped, a gaping King stared at her. What had been fury blazing in his eyes was now replaced by disbelief. A flash of fear. Then, finally, his eyes settled on dark hatred. His features contorted in a grimace.

"No." his features distorted.

Dev stepped forward. Snow crunched under her feet. Rings of red covered her peripheral vision. A small tunnel of sight focused on the ruler before her. With each step, the tunnel shrunk until she could see none other.

For decades, he had abused of his power in the hivemind to bend all to his will. Spying on all of his people to control their movement. Their decisions. Their free will. None of them ever had a chance or an opinion. They were pawns to be played. Barriers between him and the outside world.

He said it was for their safety. For their prosperity. But it was all lies. It was all for his selfish need of protection and control. From his fear.

Her fury took the shape of a spear. Flames coalesced between them but she couldn't see it. Like a raging beast she clawed at the hive mind.

For years, you have punished us for your own grief. For years we have watched you wither away into this sorry excuse hush of a ruler. All because of the iron fist you held around our minds. We are not your people, we are your slaves.

The flaming spear approached the still figure.

Her talons caressed the threads of thought. The complex network connecting all of them blazed under her touch. Emelious's thread felt warm and comforting, Krystal's waved through her fingers like water in a stream. She followed the mental pathway until she found the darkened string connected to them all.