Soulseeker

Lithoniel 8.5

First draft

Lithoniel had just enough time to jump back when the dragon landed on the lake of magma, triggering a mini-tsunami, the red waves crashing against the rocks, consuming them in a matter of seconds. The dragon made a step forward, and Lithoniel squinted her eyes when a wreath of smoke came out of its nostrils, rising into the sky like the chimney of a huge fireplace.

She crouched a bit, bouncing her legs as she stared at its mouth, wary and alert as she knew very well what would come next. However, the dragon didn't seem to follow the pattern and just stood there, unmoving. Maybe it was a coincidence or a strange twist of fate, but the wind started blowing, and all of a sudden, Lithoniel was enveloped in the dragon's smoke, a mist so thick it looked solid.

I can't see anything.

She gripped the hilt of her sword, and turned left when she heard a loud thud, then right as the earth shook. 

It's going around me, stalking me.

Yet, it wasn't trying to get closer, which was even worse for some reason. Lithoniel struggled not to draw her sword, but the anticipation was grating on her nerves, the lack of visibility magnifying her fears. She was about to surrender to her instinct and run away when she heard a whooshing sound like an arrow flying through the air. She ducked and saw something darting over her head before crashing on the rock behind her. It was a small ball, no bigger than a coin, but it was entirely made of lava. Lithoniel shivered when the muddyfire started corroding the hard stone like acid.

However, that was just the first round. A second later, another one whizzed toward her back. Lithoniel dropped down the ground, avoiding it, and rolled sideways when other three balls, much bigger than the first one, flew toward her. It was like someone was throwing stones at her, but that someone was strong like a giant and the stones big like skulls.

She shivered, a look of fear crossing her face as she observed the hole the lava dug in the rock. It was close, just a few inches away from her head. Lithoniel was lying motionless, completely exposed, yet the dragon didn't finish her off.

She gritted her teeth, her fear replaced by a burning rage as she understood it was playing with her. A pity the only way to come out alive was to play and win. Before that, however, she had to find a way to come out of the mist. She was still formulating a plan, prudently assessing her options, when she heard someone screaming.

Rolim?!

Caution, fear, anger—everything disappeared when she realized he could be in danger. She couldn't stop herself, resist that urge to reach him, make sure he was safe. She stood up and started running, sprinting faster than she ever did, dashing down the mountain until she forgot to breathe.

She heard a deep rumble, but ignored it and kept running until all sound disappeared, and the only thing she could hear was her heart, pounding in her ears. However, what she was facing wasn't a man, an elf, or even a beast like the Zaruk. It was something ancient, something that didn't like to be defied or worse, lose its source of amusement.

Lithoniel felt the air moving around her and bent backward, the movement so abrupt that she lost balance and fell on her back. However, she was going too fast to stop immediately and started tumbling down the mountain. It was only when she was close to the edge of the cliff and that lake of lava a the bottom of it that she slowed down.

When she finally stopped, her legs were bloody, full of scrapes and cuts, yet she could barely feel the pain. Something huge just darted over her head before sweeping the mist away as if by magic. Then it smashed on the mountain behind her like a merciless flail, earth and stone wailing as a deep scar appeared on the side of the mountain.