Dragon Tide Chronicles: Dawn Rising

Chapter 71: Betrayal

Chapter 71: Betrayal

The battlefield just got from bad to worse as soon as we arrived. The Chromatics are clearly pinned down, being attacked on two fronts, the Gems from the south west, and the Insurrection from the east. I patiently wait for Daniel’s signal to charge, anticipating the battle greatly. It’s been a long time since I’ve last been in a battle like this.

On Daniel’s side, the Guardians and many of the chromatic outsiders who swore to help us await the signal as well. My men, with their body armor and guns, are likewise eager. Suddenly, Daniel throws a grenade into the Gem Dragonling forces, and waits.

BOOM!

After the explosion kills several soldiers, we charge, guns literally blazing, bullets flying. The Gems are caught off guard, but the Insurrection is not. Half of their forces divert to charge at us, in a flanking position.

Fortunately, Daniel’s own men cut them off, the battle going according to plan. We begin to press the attack, as our distraction proves vital to the Chromatics, and they begin to push the enemy back as well. Everything starts looking much better, and I allow a small smile to cross my face.

I just have a tiny feeling that I’ll regret getting confident so soon.

Racla

“My lady, Daniel and Elizabeth’s forces are distracting the enemy! Our troops are gaining ground! Orders?” My attending sergeant barks, looking flushed with relief at the change of the tide of battle.

I only scowl. “So Elizabeth and Daniel’s forces escaped the bomb unscathed? I should have guessed. Very well then. Sergeant!” I bark at him, a plan forming in my head.

“Y-yes?” He jumps a little. I just love making people feel nervous.

“Tell the wall forces to unveil our little surprise… our six million turret armed wall defenses.”

He nods briefly. “Yes ma’am! I’ll get right on it!” He rushes into the city, yelling out orders for my men.

You had better run while you can, pixies… because there’s no way I’m letting you steal my victory.

And that’s when six million cannons open fire on my enemies. Dragonling and fairy alike.

Elizabeth

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!” I scream as our battle strategy quickly transforms into a bloody massacre, death raining from the sky, and smashing the land into craters.

“It’s that damned Racla again!! She activated Sunneroria’s Ultimate Defense! Over six million cannons fire all at once, non-stop! We MUST fall back! There’s no way to stop it now!” I growl, this Racla girl is sincerely pissing me off.

I clench my fist, and a mighty wall of earth rises up and shelters our troops from further losses. The terrifying endless cycle of explosions are dulled, but I can feel every impact on the wall.

Me and Daniel pause and catch our breath; Racla’s surprise attack gave us a huge heart attack.

“Ya know, I really think…” Daniel gasps for breath. “That it’s waaaay past time to retire! That just bordered on the insanity!”

I nod. “Is your commander mentally deranged? We’re on HER side!!!” Why would she do that, our actions should indicate we’re trying to help her!

“And that’s exactly why. Racla has a huge, pig headed sense of pride. She won’t take help normally. It would pretty much be a sign of the apocalypse if she started accepting help, much less from a fairy. She hates you and everything to do with you. I think that she wants nothing more than to see your nation burn.”

Daniel and his kind’s ability to read minds!! So annoying, but he’s probably right about that.

But it doesn’t make it right. She about killed us with her ‘pride’!!!

“Umm… Daniel, what is it that I’m hearing?” My voice rings with worry.

He pauses. “I don’t hear anything.” It slowly dawns on him. “Why is everything silent?”

Suddenly, the earth wall explodes, and sends a giant debris cloud flying.

Once the dust settles, we see Racla standing in the center of the field, her sword pointed in our direction, and a huge hole in Tom and the Insurrection’s forces.

“Why don’t you stop hiding… and fight me, you dirty pixies, you wretched traitors!” She yells in a taunting voice. “Or are you too scared, going to run off to your rabbit holes? NOT THIS TIME, COWARDS!” She screams, bloodlust in her angry voice.

This girl… with her crimson eyes and hair, and her appetite for blood… This girl is far worse than even Alexander!! What a wretched child!

“Is that any way to talk to a grown up, girl?” I yell back.

Her eyes gleam with the extent of her malice and thirst for battle. “It is the way a girl talks to the one who killed her father! I am Racla Hisagi, daughter of Alexandi Hisagi! You killed my father, and left my home barren like a dried husk! As long as one fairy lives, I will not rest!” She roars.

“Well just try it!” I snap back.

Racla gains a deadly gleam of amusement in her eyes.

“It’s quite funny how you declared war on my father, when you don’t even know the full strength my family possesses!” She laughs cruelly.

“I’m going to enjoy this!” She hisses with cruel glee. She swings her sword, and a huge shockwave slams into me, sending me flying several hundred feet.

“Damn, that girl must have a really strong arm!!” I roll to one side as she swings her sword yet again, the force of her strike driving a trench into the sandy ground.

Seconds later, Racla is standing over me, a crazy grin stretched across her face.

Is she insane?!

Racla throws a massive punch at my face, and I barely manage to dodge, right when she swings her other arm and aims for my back. I curse, too slow to dodge.

“Oh no you don’t!” Daniel yells, and kicks Racla straight in the face. She goes sailing, slamming into a pillar of rock.

“Damn it, Daniel!!!” She roars in frustration, then takes her sword out, and charges him. Their blades meet in a shower of sparks, their movements like flashes of lightning. Each strike unleashes a massive shockwave, forcing the armies to their knees, forcing them to watch the struggle unfold.

Racla jumps back, and Daniel does too, and they both breath fire, their intense breaths clash in a tide of fire that scorches the nearby sand into glass. They both glare at each other, their gazes filled with livid fury.

“Heeeeey, what’s happening all?” Ignitus shouts, and a massive fireball forces Racla and Daniel apart.

“What are you doing here, Ignitus? I thought you would be in the city, away from the fighting!”

He looks at me with a fake look of astonishment.

“And leave you all to rip each other to bits? No thanks. Besides… you’ve got a problem. A BIG problem.” He says as Tom and a man who must be the leader behind the Insurrection start walking towards us.

“I think that this war has just got started. And we’d better finish it soon. I think something bad is about to happen…”

Ah, but you have no idea, little mortal… just how bad it is about to get…

Ramok thinks to himself as he detects movement outside his chamber.

So… you have arrived… hmmph. Not that it makes a difference.