Purple Dragon [REPUBLISHED]

Chapter 28: The Chief Must Die

The next moments seemed to happen in slow motion. Amasya felt herself react, and the energy surrounding her pulsed brighter. It nearly blinded everyone in the hall, but not Cass.

The Chief must die.

Pulling her lips over her teeth, Cass grimaced in a terrifying expression. Her eyes were wild with fury and hate. She leapt over the tables with incredible agility and lunged for the Chief.

Sonia screamed and fell over, holding her head. Eira flailed, her eyes widening in fear and realization.

Just as the point was about to sink into Eira's chest, a blur of grey and white barreled into Cass, knocking her into the wall.

"Seal?!" Amasya hissed in anger and surprise. Seal growled at Cass, crouching defensively by Eira. He was almost comically small and insignificant next to the muscled and foaming Cass. She snarled low in her throat. Her ears laid back as she bared her teeth at him.

"My defender," Eira cooed, and a spark of hope and pleasure flickered in Seal's eyes. He was in love with her! The spitting fool was in love with Eira! Seal hissed back at Cass.

Amasya screamed as she launched herself at him. But Eira had joined in the action now. She flung herself at Amasya, pinning her to the ground.

Nothing could contain Amasya's fury now. She shook from anger, and it filled the room, snapping with electricity. Ice shattered and spilled over the ground. The guests ducked under the tables.

Cass and Amasya stood side by side against the Chief and her tiny defender.

"Really?" Cass hissed. "You want him as your little guard? You know you can do better!"

Eira howled and charged, but Cass neatly dodged the oncoming attack. Roaring, she locked her mouth onto Eira's hind leg, and Amasya heard bones crack.

The Chief screamed in agony.

"You stole me from my home!" Cass shrieked. "You beat me until I was bloody! You killed my parents!" She was seething with rage.

Eira hissed. "But the one thing I am thankful for is that you taught me well." Her eyes gleamed.

Cass advanced on the shivering Chief. "Too well," she spat. Her talons sunk into her side, and Eira screamed again as her flesh was torn and ripped. Seal hollered, but Amasya easily knocked him aside. He stumbled to his feet, and Amasya grabbed a platter and smashed it on his head. He collapsed onto the floor.

"Useless fool!" Eira snarled. Cass looked at her all the hate she could summon. She reached down to rip out her throat.

As she was bending over, Eira locked her jaws around her shoulder. Yelping in surprise and pain, Cass jumped back, and Eira got to her feet, three legged.

Swinging her huge tail, Eira stabbed her tail spikes into Cass's thigh. She bellowed in pain. Blood trickled down her side.

Amasya swung her tail into Eira's face, sending teeth flying. Her once beautiful face was unrecognizable, all purple and swollen and bloodied.

With a swift motion, Eira grabbed a piece of broken ice and stabbed it through Cass's paw. She screamed, tears slipping from her eyes, and she crumpled to the ground. Blood splattered across the walls.

"Fight you imbeciles!" Eira screamed to her cowering court. "KILL THEM ALL!"

The hall erupted into battle. Icinians attacked the Keslinians as Cass and Eira continued to fight. Amasya turned and came face to face with her father.

"Daughter," a smile curved on his face.

"Not anymore," Amasya hissed and she lunged forward, snarling. Her father knocked her aside, swinging his tail. She dodged the deadly spikes and scampered onto his back, clamping her jaws onto his neck.

He roared and shook her off. She rolled out of his claws reach, scrambling to her feet.

Cass and Eira circled each other, both injured.

"I've dreamed of killing you," Bastian panted, growling low in his throat.

"I'm touched that you dream about me," Amasya replied, in a cold voice. Bastian's nostrils flared in fury. He attacked, but she danced out of his reach.

"You destroyed everything!" Bastian howled. "My family! My reputation! But I won't let you take my crown." She lunged to his side, but he blocked her. "Don't think I don't know about your stupid Order. Don't think I won't fight you!"

"May the best Chief win," Amasya snapped. She closed her eyes and let the magic take her. It coursed through her veins, fueled her mind, controlled her instincts.

All around her the battle raged on. Broken, dusty bodies lay on the ground. Screams of pain pounded into her head, but she wasn't in the castle anymore. She was somewhere else, somewhere inside of her mind. She felt the magic flow of magic surge from her.

She moved faster, a blur of purple in the air. Roaring in frustration, Bastian raked his claws across her chest. She felt the wetness of blood, but there was no pain. She laughed at his exhausted attempts.

"You can't kill me," she said as her wounds repaired themselves. "You are my subject. Not the other way around."

Realization and resignation slowly dawned on Bastian's face. "Retreat!" he yelled to his remaining soldiers. "Retreat!"

"Amasya!" a voice called. It was Everett. He gerstured frantically. "We need to go!"

"No!" Cade yelled. "We can't let them go! We need to keep fighting!"

"We're retreating!" Bastian howled. "Move now!" Cass was tiring, and Eira was about to collapse.

"No!" Cade shrieked, killing the Icinian before him. "I'm not leaving! I'll kill her!" He took a step toward Amasya, but Elias tackled him.

"RETREAT NOW!" Bastian shrieked as Amasya lunged at him. He barely evaded her blows.

"NO!" Cade howled. Amasya roared, her talons reaching for her father's throat.

He dodged her, but suddenly faltered. She stared, confused. Was he giving up? He stumbled, blood dribbling from his mouth. Amasya stepped back as he fell to the ground. Then she saw the arrow grotesquely protruding from his back. She saw her brother standing with a crossbow in his paws.

"The Chief must die," Cade snarled.