The Dragon's Chase

Chapter Seventeen

(Guys. Almost there! I'm so proud of myself, even if the beginning of this story is cringey and makes very little sense. There's a reason this is the rough draft. Anyways, there's a song I'd like to tell you about. While writing the end of this chapter, I turned on "The Window" by Trout Fishing in America. It helped me write a specific scene.)

Ava led Blazania out of the cell, but they didn't make it very far before they encountered Lucas and Lucy mid-battle with Thassio and Merrik. Ava's sword was in one hand, her other arm supporting Blazania. She was too light, it was too easy to carry her.

"Did they help you sell me out?" Blazania timidly asked.

"For the last time, Blazania, no one betrayed you," Ava repeated for what felt like the millionth time. "We're here to bring you home."

"Hey Ava!" Merrik called as he blocked a dagger strike from Lucy with his sword. He was sweating, a look of intense concentration on his face. Clearly, the fight was harder than he had anticipated. "Got her? Great, we need to go."

Lucy just giggled. "Go? Go where? You four won't be going anywhere!"

Lucas nodded, advancing on poor Thassio, who was just trying his best not to get killed by the much shorter human general. "Indeed. There are scores of guards outside of the dungeons right now. Escape is pointless."

"Don't tell me what's pointless, you asshole," Ava growled, adjusting Blazania with her arm so she could try and defend herself with her sword.

"Oh, you want to try and fight me?" Lucas asked, removing his sword from Thassio's. He turned towards Ava with a cold, malicious grin on his face. "By all means, try. You won't live to tell the tale."

Ava held her sword and got into the best fighting stance she could, still supporting Blazania with her other arm. Holding her friend, she was restricted and she had a hard time believing that Blazania would be able and willing to help. Anxiety began filling her. She had to win this fight, she had to. There was no way she'd be able to escape if she didn't.

Lucas swung her sword down at Ava and she blocked it, the sound of metal clanging against metal ringing through the dungeons. His cold grin didn't leave his face and his mohawk was still sticking straight up. He had barely broken a sweat with Thassio, that was his idea of a warmup. This fight would be easy, too. His enemy was fighting one-handed and focussed on supporting and defending the girl who thought that she had betrayed her.

Ava blocked another hit from Lucas, but she couldn't keep this up for much longer, not with Blazania leaning on her. She could tell he was just toying with her, anyways. From his cold, cruel smile, Ava could see that he had something he was hiding. Whatever it was, she did not want to find out. Unfortunately for her, she was about to.

Drop your sword and let go of Blazania. What? No, that was crazy. Why would Ava do that? Come on, Ava, do it. Lucas won't hurt you. Now drop your sword, let go of Blazania, and walk over to him. He's here to help you.

Strangely, Ava felt compelled to do what she was thinking. It was weird and she knew it, so why was she doing it? Slowly, her sword tip fell towards the ground and it slipped out of her hand, hitting the dungeon floor with a loud clang. She felt her arm slip out from under Blazania and her legs move away from the others, towards Lukas.

Lukas grinned. He reached out and grabbed Ava's arm. She was still, not fighting. He was making sure of that. He cared little for the dragon girl that fell to the floor in front of his eyes after Ava had let go of her. She was of no use to him anymore.

"Hey, what are you doing to her?!" Merrik demanded, blocking another hit from Lucy. "Let her go! Ava!"

"Ava's not there right now, please try again later," Lucas told Merrik maliciously, pulling Ava close to him.