Gods of Malcea ✔️

P A R T: F I R E

"The evil that is in the world almost always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding."

-Xamdú

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Fariel brushed back his lip full of silver blood. Still, he smiled a mouth full of white teeth. He could imagine the smell of the air on Isla now fresh upon his cheeks, ignoring the burning fire all around him. Never would he had thought bringing such an honored dragon down from the very graces of the gods would be this simple, this easy. He would never be welcomed back if he were to kill a messenger of the gods. He let out a laugh then. 

"Fariel, behind you!" 

He ducked as Karos sliced the head of the gwasa clear off and was quick to turn around as one tried to lunge for his throat. He took a steady step back, face hardened. In one swift move, he plunged his sword through its head once and focused on the nearing ones with quick thrusts to each of their throats. 

"Find Analia! I need to find my mother!" 

Because of him, Fariel thought.

 "I will clear a way for you! Keep watch above."  

He gave a quick nod back as he elbowed a gwasa in the face. The stench of their blood was covered all over Karos, which made Fariel feel a wave of unease. He could no longer find him by scent. 

They had many years of friendship with one another. If something were to happen to him, he would feel a deep of a loss as when he first lost everything. Losing a friend and any chance of going home would kill him. He looked for Analia for a moment but was quick to run after Karos. 

Truly, Fariel thought. This man was damned. Nothing but death ever followed him.  

Through the screaming and running of the surviving townspeople, Fariel lost track of his footsteps and scent. He worried for his mother, but he knows the truth as good as he did.

More and more gwasas ran through the flames of fire letting out screeches of pain. Fire came falling from the sky as trees burned and branches fell onto the clay huts. Analia came bursting out of the wreckage. She rolled on the ground putting the fire on her out in an instance. 

"Analia, you did not." 

Fariel felt the rumbles and heard the roars of the Mother Gwasa nearing them. Soon, he felt another rumble and a raging roar that made him look at Analia like he was on the verge of snapping her neck. Another Mother Gwasa was coming. 

She ignored him and continued to tie her hair in a thick knot. 

"You smell of burnt hair."

"Is that all you smell? There is nothing but charring bodies here, the nasty stench of those things all over me, and all you smell is the burnt strands of my hair?" 

"Your smell is rather strong, much more putrid."

"Enough of this! That bird up above... what is it? Is that not a phoenix?"

"Yes, Analia."

"Are they not the messengers of the gods of old?" 

The fires were blazing and, in the carnage, gave way to more gwasas. 

"The ones you humans lost faith and belief in? Yes." 

Fariel knew they had to leave before they overrun the town. It was nearing its end and, in their wake, they will devour all that is left.

"Then why is such a bird doing this? And Ake, Ake what of him? He is a dragon, but I fear the phoenix will... "

"Ake will not die. Calm yourself."