The Violet Flamberge

Inferno Flamberge: Chapter 5

A/N: Hello everybody. It is time for another update. I'm sorry it's a short one. I just wanted to remind you that my short story The Mage and the Freckled Frog is online on Amazon as well as Kobo. I would love for you guys to buy it, give it a read and a rating on Goodreads. Reviews would be awesome. My pubslush is online. I am trying to raise money to have my novels edited and I could really use the help. I can write so much more, and so much faster if I can get these burdens off of me. I have 4 novels ready to edit and get online as ebooks and paperbacks. I could really use all of your help to help me fund these. It is my dream to be a published novelist, but if I release what I currently have, I will be torn up by reviews since my grammar and punctuation isn't ideal. Editors cost a ton of money. Please help me if you are able. I love my fans, and hope you continue to follow me. http://www.CraigAPriceJr.Pubslush.com .

Chapter 5: Arria sat atop her black dragon and watched the chaos around her. A smile lit up her face as she watched the terrified people frantically ran about the village. She planned on conquering the northern cities, but she forgot how many small villages there were through the forest on the way up. She gently stroked the dragon's neck as it walked through the village, eating men that got too close whole. With each burp a puff of steam hissed out of its mouth. Arria remembered when she first found the dragon egg deep inside the draeyk tunnels so many years ago. It was the smallest one of the hundreds she found and her favorite color besides. When she failed to save her mother, she traveled across Calthoria, beyond the mountains as far east as she could into unexplored territory. It took many weeks to cross the desert before she found green again. It was the side of Calthoria that not many people had seen, if anybody. For her, it was absolutely gorgeous. There weren't any beaches on the east coast, but cliff hundreds of feet that dropped off into the water. Arria imagined that was why they never made a port for the ships and assumed the east coast was only a wasteland. Instead, Arria found the east was more beautiful than even Sudegam, and it was there where her egg finally hatched. She spent many years there raising her dragon until she felt ready to face the keshlars once more. Arria smiled at the chaos and destruction that surrounded her. She wished she would have found the ikchani sooner, instead of wasting her time training the savage draeyks. She began to wonder how things would have been had she led both the draeyks and ikchani. Arria sighed, knowing she couldn't change the past. The ikchani wanted to set fire to the village, but Arria convinced them otherwise. They wanted to conquer, not destroy, besides Arria didn't want the other villages to know what was coming. For many it was inconceivable that women would get bloodlust or temptation for power, but Arria experienced different. It wasn't as strong as men, and could easily be reasoned against. Most men wouldn't understand reason, and that made women much easier for Arria to control. Three men were brought before Arria as the village's fighting and fleeing came to an end. Adema stood in front of them, bare chested, but otherwise completely clad in armor and helm, defining her as the captain of the ikchani army. Arria respected the women's skill and confidence. "Milady, these are the leaders of the village," Ademe said. Arria smiled and got off her dragon. She walked over to the three men as Ademe stepped away. Two were older men with bushy white beards, but the third was a young man who shook frantically. "Let this be a lesson for all, men are not meant to rule. Their time was past. It is time for a new beginning," Arria spoke loudly. Arria unsheathed her flamberge and swiftly swung it two times, decapitating both older gentlemen. The third shrieked and dropped to the ground holding his hands in front of his face. Sobs could be heard from the crowd. "No... no... please. I will do anything," the young man squealed. "Hmm... tempting," Arria walked closer to him licking her lips. She stopped, studied him, and sighed. "Too bad I'm looking for a real man tonight." She turned around and walked back to her dragon. The man's sobs continued as he begged for his life. Her hand gently stroked her dragon's cheek. "Onaryus, dinner," she whispered The dragon grinned as it dashed forward and swallowed the man whole. Prisoners began to shriek in terror, but the ikchani laughed. Arria nodded and walked back to her tent. She felt unusually satisfied at the end of the day. Normally bloodlust filled her veins so tight that she had to torture several enemies, or allies until she felt satisfied. Instead, she walked into her tent and looked at Anaela with pity. Anaela's ragged uneven hair was only a few centimeters long and dried blood was caked on her face. Normally Arria would pick up her whip and begin the torture, but instead she walked over to Anaela and grazed her hands on her cheeks. She shushed Anaela's sobbing and continued to stroke her cheek and kiss her forehead. "Don't worry my dear, everything will be alright. Tonight we will rest, but soon we will have the entire north conquered, starting with Guerettos."