Converging Destinies: Part 1

Chapter 156

       Everyone besides Cedric burst into fits of coughing. Cedric breathed in the toxic gas, but it didn't harm him at all. His fellow party members weren't so fortunate.

       Zerai was the closest to the dragon, and he collapsed to the ground in a fit of uncontrollable coughing. The rest reeled back, but were able to steel through it.

       A flame appeared above Cedric's hand and flew at the dragon. But, the flame glanced off the dragon's thick, green scales. Above its eyes, a crest sprouted that ran down the dragon's back. The dragon was massive, around the same size as the demon the group had faced in Point Frost. It was a miracle that it could so easily slip through this dense forest undetected.

       Then, as quickly as it had come, the dragon ducked back into the forest and disappeared. Cedric looked around frantically. He could faintly hear deep wingbeats.

       "Are you okay!" Cedric shouted, his eyes darting around his friends. It was immediately obvious that Zerai was in the most dire condition.

       Zerai put his hand on his chest and muttered under his breath. As his body glowed with golden light, he stopped coughing.

       Eris looked around for a brief moment before diving into one of the nearby, now dead thickets. Silently, they slipped through the thicket and hid out of sight.

       Much like Zerai, Ara' Sei put her hand on her chest and whispered. Her body glowed with pale light, and she took a calm, deep breath.

       "What should we do?" Ara' Sei asked, her eyes darting around in search of the dragon.

       Cedric let a flame appear above his hand, and he stood at the ready. His eyes looked around for the dragon as well.

       Ella looked around and drew her dark colored sword.

       Zerai took a deep breath and his blad appeared in his hand. His blade pulsed with power, and he also stood at the ready.

       "Be ready for when it strikes again." Zerai said.

       Ara' Sei let a beacon build within her arm, but she held it at her fingertips.

       "Should we run?" Ara' Sei asked.

       "It might be a good idea soon." Cedric answered. Everyone in the group stood at the ready for the moment the dragon would return.

       Suddenly, the dragon's head poked through one of the nearby thickets and released another blast of poisonous gas. However, it was also bombarded by a barrage of magic. But, all of the magic bounced harmlessly off the dragon's thick hide.

       The poison once again encircled the whole group, including Eris, who had remained hidden. Eris and Zerai fell to the floor in fits of coughing. The inside of their lungs, noses, and eyes felt as though they had been set alight.

       Ella charged towards the dragon with her blade. She ran to the base of its neck and chest before cleaving at it with her blade. Five fluid strikes of her greatsword carved into the dragon's chest, and with a roar it reeled back.

       "Insolent creature." The dragon said. It's voice shook the brambles and echoed through the group's ears. Ella felt dread creep up her spine. There was a very good chance that this thing could kill all of them.