Dragon Tide Chronicles: Dawn Rising

Chapter 52: Alexander: Fury of the Storm

Chapter 52: Alexander: Fury of the Storm

The TV turned on, and I was instantly alert, because all fairy TV’s are programed to activate if there is an emergency.

“Major storm clouds have developed in a matter of seconds over the entire city, meteorologists are not even sure how this is possible, but the haunting memory of The Year of Storms burns in our minds as we wonder, is it going to happen again? In addition, powerful magic is being detected in the city, but its source is untraceable, its origin is so vast and powerful.”

“Alexander…” I murmur. A loud clap of thunder signals the start of the storm, and rain begins to fall outside in a heavy torrent and the wind outside slowly increases into a dreadful gale. Hilary frowns.

“The power in the air… it’s unbelievable!” I nod.

“Yeah, Alexander has control over the Storm elements, like lightning and wind.” She looks at me quizzically.

“How? He’s a red dragonling after all.” I smile grimly.

“The dragonlings apparently have a secret order called the Guardians. He’s one of them, they’re kinda hard to explain Hill.” She just nods. “You stay here and I’ll go take care of Alexander… assuming I can find him.” With that, I walk out the door, and into the violent storm raging just outside.

I began walking through the city, when Grandpa Quin came rolling towards me on his wheelchair, as fast as he could.

“Danica! What is going on? How could a storm this scale appear in seconds?! It’s just like…”

I cut him off. “Before I know. This is Alexander’s doing. He’s the one behind the Year of Storms, grandpa. And now he’s after me.” He frowns.

“Sweetheart, are you sure? How’d you even learn that information?” He asks, concerned.

“Yes, I’m sure grandpa, Hillary told me he was coming. As for how I know, he told me himself.” I reply, my tone nervous as thunder continues to roar, the lightning begins to strike randomly every few seconds.

Grandpa looks nervous as well. “Well, if that’s the case I certainly hope that… wait. The magic in the area just spiked. Do you feel it?” He says with sudden alarm

“Yeah… I’m feeling it too… but where is it coming from…?” It hits me just as the voice of Alexander booms throughout the entire city:

“Danica Crown. Meet me here and now, at the Feltatus Spire, the tallest skyscraper in the city. But if you are not interested in fighting me, I can always kill you with my storm, it would be just SO easy.”

“If it’s so easy why didn’t you kill me when I was a little kid? Or when I was a little princess? Wouldn’t have been easy that way?!” I yell out at him, infuriated.

“There is no honor in slaying a child in cold blood. This way, my honor will permit me to kill you. Unlike your bastard of a grandfather.”

“Do NOT EVER INSULT MY GRANDFATHER! YOU AREN’T EVEN A MAN COMPARED TO HIM, YOU’RE NOTHING BUT A FLEA TO HIM!” I scream in rage.

He says nothing for a moment, then…

“You will meet me in battle in one minute, or I will destroy your city, and your nation, and leave not one alive, child or adult.”

The presence of the magic in the air dies down. I look at Grandpa, worried.

“Go, Danica, and make me proud. Make us all proud.” He says, emotion that of pride and worry choking his voice. “I know if anyone can put an end to him, it’s you.” I tear up, close to tears.

“I love you grandpa.” I choke out, hugging him fiercely.

“I love you too. Now go, before he loses patience.” He says in a more gruff voice.

“Yes, Gramps, I’ll see you later.”

The thing is, I don’t know if that’s the case at all.

After teleporting to the center of the Upper Class Trade District, where the Feltatus Spire is located, I begin to search for him, in vain.

“You are terribly stupid, aren’t you?” A quiet voice says from behind me. I wheel around, to find Alexander standing behind me, his eyes closed, his mouth drawn in a tight frown. I draw my sword, and point it at him. “I have been behind you for the past minute, while you were looking for me like a drunk monkey. I could’ve already killed you by now.”

Again I challenge him, “Then why didn’t you?”

His eyes open, and a bright red flare of light bursts forth as his eyes gleam scarlet red, almost burning as though on fire.

“Because I want to enjoy this. I want to see the light fade from your eyes when I kill you.” He says with a snarl, his sword in his hand, the movement of his hand drawing his sword had happened in a split second.

“Why? Why is it that you hate me so much?! Is there nothing more to your life than simply killing people?!” I scream at him, hating the very look of him.

“Because you and your family…” He raises his sword to his side, then swings it behind him at the skyscraper.

“TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!” He roars, as his strike literally splits the ground and the skyscraper in two.

I narrow my eyes, frustrated. “But why do you hate ME? I know you hate my family, because of the actions of our family during the war may have been questionable, but what have I ever done to you?”

He lowers his sword, but still keeps it in my direction, and he replies in a low voice,

“I hate it. I hate how you think that I’m so different than you. You think you’re the only one who suffers loss, suffering. We’re not as different as you think.” I frown, then yell in response,

“What are you talking about? I’m nothing like you!” He suddenly presses his knife against my throats, and hisses,

“You are EXACTLY like me! You’re just blind to the truth! At least your friends haven’t died right before your eyes, at least you didn’t get to see your brother die right before your eyes, you were spared such a luxury! I… I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO DEAL WITH THE HAUNTING IMAGES OF MY FRIENDS SINCE THEIR DEATHS!” He begins to yell at me, growing rage burning from within him.

I struggle, then manage to push him off.

“That reminds me… what happened to him? Where is he buried? What did YOU do with him?!” I yell in response.

He begins to laugh in hysterics. “Oh, I see now. I understand why you went after me, I should’ve seen it. You only came after me because you thought I would know what happened to your brother’s rotting corpse? Well guess what? I don’t know! I don’t even care about him! All I care about… IS YOUR DEATH!” He finishes with yet another yell of rage, then flies toward me, sword raised to strike. I raise my own.

“BRING IT ON, YOU BASTARD!” I roar, and my sword meets his, the force creates a mighty crater all around us, the shockwave shakes the damaged skyscraper, and it begins to fall, screeching metal tears and window glass shatters as it collides into the earth, shaking the whole city and sending a massive dust cloud of shards of glass into the air.

There is no doubt about it. I WILL kill him, not matter what it takes!