ARYSARNIA

BLOOD FROM THE SEA

Cariman had reached the castle searching for an entry into one of its towers. Then as fate will have it he crossed Surune in the sky as he took off from the tower of the Owls, a smaller tower beside the tower of the angel. He knocked the dwarf off course towards the city, where a tumble between the two brought them crashing back into the tower sprawling in flames. Cariman stood up before Surune, yet Surune appeared to care less as to whether Cariman was alive or dead and attacked him immediately with enthusiasm. Their combat took them to a rumble of fire through the streets of the already mortified city, and always ending back at the castle. It took a while for Surune to realise his attacks had little effect on Cariman.

He decided to push his luck and spewed fire from his mouth toward Cariman; but Cariman remained unmoving, he seemed to be absorbing the flames as he hovered in mid-air.

"Metal sharpens metal, Surune," he said and the dwarf stopped and tried to dive into Cariman but he was quick to seize Surune by the neck. "What are you doing here? I killed you myself," said Surune struggling to speak.

"I survived Surune" Cariman said. Surune felt it as Cariman overpowered him and threw him back onto the tower. Surune stubbornly rose up and drew away panting and yet laughing cynically.

"I don't care what you do... I have my revenge, I had the chance to kill you and I destroyed your army. Oh-I almost forgot, I also had the chance to skin your pretty daughter alive and now we rule your city. Who laughs last now?" Surune continued with his taunting laugh as Cariman stood burning. "And your whole kingdom is still suffering under a cursed queen. What a god you people have, he spits you out when you become too cold for him to chew"

The fire on his naked body suddenly snuffed out and the golden feathers covering him gleamed. "I'm not going to kill you Surune, it will be too lenient" Cariman spread out his wings over Surune. "I have been following you. You do not deserve this power"

There was a piercing screeching sound coming from Cariman as fire ebbed out of Surune into his wings. After a minute of the ordeal, Surune fell onto his knees; knew he had lost his power.

Cariman turned to fly away. Then-"How on earth did you do that!" Surune squealed from behind.

"When you burned me up at Crysonar, you only set my incubation in motion. I did not know that somehow, I had the blood of a phoenix running through my veins" he came back to stand before Surune "I don't know how long but eventually I hatched from my shell among the ruins... and I'm glad I did"

"Your daughter is dead! Did you know? Alaidalene killed her... She lies scattered in the Lupine woods. The worms had a field day, he he he..."

The commotion atop the tower had attracted attention, a couple of goblins raced up the spiralling staircase. Cariman flew away. But in the eyes of Surune he was just a naked man floating away on the wind.

"So you became the new phoenix...I guess you are not as fortunate as you think" Surune said and went down the tower.

"He is alive....and he took away your talents,am I right?" Alaidalene said drawing to him.
Surune became wary of her but stood still. "Yess, but I still have my wits your majesty, like before I'm still lethal"

"Well... to rule, you will still need power -your crown alone is not really worth much" she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, "You served me well, but you challenged my authority once and I can't risk it again," she said. The dwarf shivered at her touch and was soon creeping with worms that issued out of him, within seconds he was a pile of bones and rags.

Ardal barged into the throne room followed closely by Astinux.

"I have news mother"

"You found a new toy...charming" Alaidalene said admiring the beauty of Astinux.