Echoes Of War

61

As we make our way to the heart of Drakonia, anticipation hangs heavy in the cold summer air. With the four Wolfkin by my side, we  approach the central square where Admiral Arnoux and his small army await us.

My heart pounds in my CB ext as I lay eyes on him, the man who orchestrated the destruction of my homeland and the loss of so many lives. Eight years of pain and longing culminate in this moment, and I feel the weight of my emotions threatening to overtake me.

Yet, amidst the fear and anger swirling within me, there's a sense of determination, a fierce resolve to confront the man who has haunted my nightmares for so long. He took everything from me, my brothers, my sister, my mother, my childhood....my people. This is my chance to make him pay for the devastation he's wrought, to exact justice for all those who have suffered at his hands.

As we stand face to face, I steel myself for the battle ahead, knowing that this is culmination of everything I've fought for the past eight months now. Whenever the outcome, I'm ready to face it head-one, to confront my demons and emerge from it—if I don't die first that is.
Admiral Arnoux stand before me, his tan skin contrasting sharply with his long white hair tied back in ponytail. He towards over me, his imposing figure clad in the colors of the Wolfkin tribe–blue and grey. As I approach him, I can feel the intensity of his gaze, a mixture of arrogance and disgust.

"Surrender yourself Arnoux and no one will get hurt. This will ends, between you and I." He laughs as if I stated a joke for us all, "Oh does it now? Who do you think you are to make such demands?"

"I'm the one whose life you have ruined, and I am seeking justice not only for me but the countless others you have wronged and enslaved in their own land."

He scoffs, "Justice? Spare me your moralizing, little Thundar. The Wolfkin are the superior race, and we take whatever we need and want."
"Survival at the expense of innocent lives? That's not strength, Arnoux. It's cowardice."

He smirks as he simple replies, "Cowardice? You dare to lecture me child? You, who couldn't even protect your own people? I did you a favor." I feel my teeth grit against each other, "I will not let you continue your reign of terror. Last chance surrender now, or face the consequences."
"Consequences? You really think you can stop me? Me, Arnoux the greater conqueror of all four tribes. You're nothing but a thorn in my side, Kel'enas. A nuisance to be dealt with."

My eyes flared with determination that this will end here, with me. No one else will have to be enslaved or killed off in their own lands. He already took enough from us all. "We'll see about that."

I clenched my fists, feeling the raw power of my earth element surging through my veins. I lunged forward, ready to unleash my magic on Arnoux, but he deftly sidestepped, evading my attack once again.

"Is that the best you can do, Kel'enas? After 8 years? Come on child fight like you actually mean it it." I gritted my teeth, feeling frustration boiling inside of me. I summoned my earth magic once more, hurling a barrage of sharp rocks towards him. Arnoux stumbled backward, but he quickly regained his footing and charged at me with ferocity.

Our clash was fierce and relentless. I managed to dodged his strikes, my moment fluid and precise. With each blow, I felt the weight of my past grievances driving me forward. Blood dripped from a cut on my cheek, mingling with sweat on my brow.

"You will pay for what you've done, Arnoux!"
"Foolish girl! You could've joined me but instead you wish to fight against me. You can't defeat me!"

Our battle raged on, the sound of clashing weapons escaping through the air. I fought with all my strength, my determination unwavering. With each strike, I chipped away Arnoux's defenses, inching closer to victory.

I swung at Arnoux with all the fury building inside me, each blow fueled by years of pent up anger and resentment of feeling weak, of being weak. My first connected with his face, over and over until blood splattered across my hands.

Arnoux's taunting words cut through the chaos, sending a chill down my spine. "I should've ended you when I had the chance 19 years ago," Arnoux's voice rang out, dripping with malice. "I should killed you the moment you came out of your whore mother."
His words stuck me like a physical blow, freezing me in place as I stared at him in disbelief, "What do you mean?" I managed to choke out, my voice barely above a whisper.

Arnoux sneered his eyes cold and calculating. "You're nothing but a thorn in my side, you should've been dealt with long again," he spat. "But how, I'll finish what I should've done years ago."
Backing away from him, I struggled to process the revelation. How could he possibly have known me from the moment I was born? The realization left me feeling vulnerable and exposed, as if every step I'd taken had been guided by unseen hands.

As I stumble backward, my mind reeled with unanswered questions, and a sense of dread washed over me. Arnoux's childish words echoed in my ears, haunting me with the truth of my origins.

A sudden presence loomed behind me. Turning, I found myself face to face with a mysterious woman draped in black. Before I could utter a word, she laid her hand upon my head, sending a surge of agony coursing through me. "Ahhhhh,"

A piercing scream tore from my throat as I felt myself plummeting into darkness, consumed by an overwhelming send of dread and despair. Killian's desperate attempts to reach me faded into the void as Arnoux, the woman and I vanished into the abyss, leaving behind a battlefield fraught with chaos and uncertainty.