Drakonis

Southern Boarder

"Fire again!" Vorian shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos as more men surged onto the battlefield. The air was thick with the acrid stench of smoke and blood. On the field below, the clash of steel and roars of pain mixed with the shouts of soldiers, creating a cacophony of war.

The Kratens, fierce and formidable, fought with desperate strength, their reptilian forms twisted and scarred from the battle. Despite their valiant efforts, they were being overwhelmed. Human soldiers hacked and slashed, their faces grim with the resolve of those who have no choice but to fight to the death.

Vorian's eyes scanned the battlefield, his heart pounding with fear and anguish. He could see his sons, Uhroh and Eli, fighting fiercely among the chaos. Every time he caught sight of them, a wave of terror washed over him. The brutal reality of war was that not everyone would make it out alive, and the thought of losing either of them was unbearable.

"Stay close!" Vorian shouted to his men, desperately trying to protect the young soldiers who had been entrusted to him. His gaze flickered back to his sons, whose skill and bravery were evident even amid the bloodshed. Loran's movements were precise and determined, a reflection of his deep connection to the battle.

Vorian's hands clenched into fists as he watched. Every swing of their weapons, every dodge and strike, seemed like a dance with death. He saw the Kratens fall, their once-mighty forms crumpling to the ground under the relentless assault. The sight was both heartbreaking and infuriating.

"Hold the line!" Thalia commanded, her voice hoarse but firm, cutting through the din of battle. Vorian, his heart pounding with fear and determination, ran up to his wife, trying to pull her from the fray. His eyes darted around, desperately searching for his family amidst the chaos.

"Where is Olympia?" Vorian shouted, his voice cracking as he scanned the blood-soaked battlefield.

"She's with Ashley and Luna," Thalia shouted back, her voice choked with emotion. "They're taking the injured away. Vorian, we have to surrender!"

Her plea was desperate, her tears mingling with the grime of battle. Vorian could see the fear in her eyes, the pain of witnessing the massacre and the desperate hope that surrender might end the bloodshed. But his resolve hardened.

"No," Vorian said, shaking his head vehemently. "We can't surrender. Not like this. We have to hold our ground, no matter the cost."

Thali's eyes widened with anguish. "But we are falling. Look around! If we don't surrender, we'll be wiped out. What's left of our people will be slaughtered."

Vorian's gaze hardened as he looked back at the battle. His sons, fought side by side, their faces pale with fear yet filled with a fierce determination. Uhroh's movements were shaky but precise, every strike a testament to his will to survive. Eli, his breaths ragged, swung his weapon with all the strength he could muster, his eyes darting around as if seeking an escape from the carnage.

"I won't surrender," Vorian said firmly, his voice filled with grim determination. "Not while there's still a chance to fight. I refuse to let them take everything we've built without a fight. This is my home! They murdered my father and brother here."

"I know Vorian... but we can't stay here any longer" Thalia begged but Vorian shook his head

Thalia's shoulders slumped, tears streaming down her face as she looked at her husband. "Please, Vorian, think of the children. Think of our family. I refuse to loose them to this war."

"I am thinking of them," Vorian replied, his voice breaking. "But if we surrender now, we betray everything we've fought for. I can't live with that. We have to hold the line, for their sake, for ours."

As the battle raged on, Vorian's fear for his sons and his family was overshadowed only by his stubborn resolve. The Kratens fell one by one, their bodies littering the battlefield, but Vorian's determination never wavered. His refusal to surrender was a beacon of defiance amidst the chaos, even as he watched the brutality unfold around him.

"Stand firm!" Vorian roared, rallying his remaining soldiers, his voice filled with fierce conviction. The battle raged around them, the air thick with the acrid smell of smoke and blood. "The Drakonis will send support," he whispered to his wife, his voice a desperate plea cloaked in hope.

Thalia's eyes, red and brimming with unshed tears, locked onto his. "I just want to run away and escape all this bloodshed," she whispered, her voice trembling with fear.

Vorian paused, staring at his wife with raw honesty. Then he pulled her into a tight embrace as she wept into his shoulder. "We will win this war, even if it takes my last breath," he whispered to her.

"We owe it to them—our children, Thalia," he reminded her, and she nodded, the weight of their shared duty settling between them.

Looking up at his face, they both understood their mission. "I'll go find the girls. Be safe," she said, turning to disappear into the chaos, her figure quickly swallowed by the smoke and violence.

Vorian watched her go, his heart heavy with dread. He turned back to the battlefield, his gaze fixing on his sons and clan. They fought with increasing desperation, their movements growing more frantic as the odds stacked against them. Their faces were pale, sweat mingling with blood, their breaths coming in ragged gasps.

The Kratens, despite their valiant efforts, were falling in droves. The ground was littered with their fallen bodies, the once-mighty defenders now reduced to grim markers of a battle lost. Vorian's resolve wavered as he watched the brutality unfold, the weight of the decision he'd made pressing down on him.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed across the battlefield. The earth trembled, and a new wave of terror swept through the soldiers. The Drakonis, the feared dragon riders, had finally arrived, their presence both a beacon of hope and a harbinger of more destruction. The sky darkened with their massive wings, and the roar of their dragons added a new, terrifying layer to the chaos.

The soldiers' morale faltered, their fear palpable as the massive creatures descended. The battle became a frenzied melee, the once-ordered lines dissolving into chaos. Vorian's heart pounded as he saw his sons fighting amidst the confusion, their faces etched with fear and exhaustion.

"Hold the line!" King Draven shouted, but his voice was lost in the cacophony of battle. The Drakonis roared above, their flames lighting up the sky as they engaged the remaining Kratens. The battlefield was engulfed in a swirling storm of fire, blood, and smoke.

As the Drakonis and the remaining Kratens clashed, Vorian stood at the edge of the chaos, a smile breaking on his face. The battlefield was a maelstrom of violence and death, and the future seemed as dark and uncertain as the smoke-filled sky above.