The Elements of Zion: The Vine, The Branch, and The Thorn

Part 2-Chapter 10

A low, guttural chant rumbled through the darkness, echoing off the unseen walls of my mind. It seeped into the edges of my consciousness, pulling me back from the brink of unconsciousness. The words, twisted and ancient, clawed at my thoughts like a swarm of insects. The voice was unmistakable—The Destroyer's. His incantation pulsed through the air, vibrating with a venomous power that twisted the world around us. I forced my eyes open, vision blurring as I fought against the weight pressing down on my skull. The scene before me wavered, shadows shifting as I struggled to focus. Through the haze, I saw him—The Destroyer, standing amidst the chaos, his form towering and dark, a monstrous silhouette against the dim light. His head, twisted and horned, was thrown back as he chanted, summoning something from the depths.

The chanting grew louder, more insistent, and with each word, shadows began to writhe and take shape around him. Winged creatures emerged from the darkness, their forms grotesque and misshapen, wings flaring like tattered banners in the wind. The creatures swirled around The Destroyer, summoned by his will, their twisted faces contorted with malice. The chant pounded through my skull, each beat a hammer blow. Pain flared as I pushed myself up, limbs trembling, vision swimming in a red haze, and that's when I saw him—Trose.

He fought amidst the chaos, his wings a blur of silver as he clashed with the swarm. The creatures snapped and clawed at him, their shrieks blending with the dark melody of The Destroyer's chant. Trose's talons tore through the dark beings, sending bursts of shadow splattering against the ground, but more kept coming, rising from the shadows like a tide that refused to ebb.

"Trose..." I croaked, but my voice was swallowed by the cacophony around us. The chant, the screeching creatures, the beating of my own heart—they melded into a single, oppressive noise that threatened to drown out everything else.

The Destroyer's voice sliced through the chaos, dripping with a mix of amusement and disdain. "Guardian, how amusing it is that you still fight." His eyes gleamed with a cruel delight. "Do you not see? You are a relic, clinging to a faded glory. I am the storm that will wash away your kind, the end you cannot hope to defy."

Trose fought on, undeterred by the odds, his form a silver streak amidst the writhing darkness. But for every creature he cut down, another took its place, rising from the shadows that clung to the battlefield. The Destroyer's power had birthed a new nightmare, one that swarmed around my friend with relentless ferocity.

I tried to force my body to move, but my limbs felt like lead, each breath a struggle against the weight pressing down on me. The chanting echoed in my mind, twisting my thoughts, pulling me back toward the darkness. But through the haze, I could still see Trose, his sapphire eyes blazing as he fought to keep the creatures at bay. He wouldn't last much longer—not against these odds.

Trose's wings beat against the air, each movement fueled by determination that burned through his weariness. He caught a glimpse of me struggling to rise, his eyes blazing with an unspoken message: Hold on, Isaac. Don't give up. A clawed hand raked across his shoulder, tearing through feathers, but he gritted his beak against the pain, refusing to let the shadows claim him. He twisted in mid-air, slicing through two more creatures, their howls dissolving into the night. But with each victory, more of them swarmed, their dark wings blotting out the sky. Trose's breath came in sharp gasps, but still, he fought, a lone guardian amidst a sea of darkness, clinging to the hope that I would find my strength.

A tremor of fear wound its way through me, but it was quickly quashed. I would not—could not—stand by while my friend fell. With blood matting my hair and streaming down my face, I stumbled to my feet. My hands shook as I gripped the helmet, my fingers sliding on the slick interior. The battlefield before me was a blur of darkness and chaos, but I could still make out The Destroyer and his minions. The beasts' laughter echoed mockingly in my ears, but it didn't deter me.