The Seven Seals: Dragon Crusade
Chapter 31: A New Dawn

Kate stood with Travis, Laela, Rossiel, and Rahz, weapons ready as they faced this dark and mysterious figure. She had a gut feeling that this man was none other than Shangorn. Feeling the fire burning inside her once again, Kate glared at the demonic man.

Orin looked towards them, shaken and dying. Shangorn looked at her with utter annoyance and slammed his heel into Orin’s head, pressing him down into the ground. “Well, well, well, I never thought I would see the Seals again,” he cooed. “Though…in a more pathetic form than before.”

“Watch it!” Travis growled.

Kate pointed her naginata at Shangorn. “Step away from him!”

“This is none of your concern, Seals,” Shangorn said coldly. “You should be thanking me. I’m going to kill the pestilence that has just been bugging your efforts.”

Kate held her naginata a bit higher. “He’s no pestilence! Orin is one of us!”

Shangorn tilted his head to the side, the same stoic look on his face. “So he’s your friend? Does a friend defy you and kill off multiple innocent people? Even for me that’s a little too much.” He waved his hand to the elven prince. “This is the abomination I created, so how about we take this fight elsewhere when I’m done.”

Travis huffed. “You know you’re pretty calm for someone who’s surrounded by the Creator’s Seals.”

Shangorn narrowed his eyes at him. “I would say the same for you and your companions. You dare tread in a powerful sorcerer’s presence. Boy, you may have the brawn, but you most definitely do not have the brains.”

“We’ve had enough of this!” Rossiel said. “There is something deeper to the devastation that has been made. And if my eyes do not deceive me, you are the Demonlord.”

Shangorn sighed. “Perhaps… You all were to be destroyed the previous night along but the city didn’t stand much of a chance either way... But it seems the Creator grows stronger within you. No matter—” a large black sword began to form in his right hand, emanating a dark essence, “I’ll just finish you all up now.”

“I wouldn’t speak so quickly, Shangorn,” came a powerful voice.

Everyone looked to the right street in the intersection. Earidon, dressed in gold armor, strode into the scene, a squadron of twenty wood elves following him from behind and wearing the same armor.

Kate felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of her friend. He finally arrived! She resisted the urge to run to him and held her place. There were still things to take care of.

“I believe we can handle the elf prince from here just fine,” Earidon said rather cockily. He looked to the Seals and winked.

Shangorn scowled bitterly as he met Earidon’s gaze. It was as if two old enemies had met once again. “I don’t need your insufferable words.” His eyes glowed red with anger as he looked back to the Seals. “It seems the odds are in your favor at this new dawn.” He withdrew his foot from Orin’s head. “But know that this is only the beginning.” Dark smoke formed around Shangorn and completely captivated him within seconds before disappearing in the wind. Once he was utterly gone, everyone seemed to slacken, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his or her shoulders.

Kate immediately ran to Orin’s side. She fell down on her knees and pushed him over onto his backside. His wounds were worse than what she had imagined, not to mention he was covered in dirt that would infect them. He grimaced and stared up at Kate with tired eyes. “Seal…” Orin said in a cracked voice. Wincing, he shut his eyes and moved his hand to the cut on his chest.

“Try not to move too much,” Kate said, growing worried by the second. She wanted to help him somehow, but she didn’t know how.

“He’ll need to be taken to the infirmary at once, my healers will do their best to get him back into shape,” Earidon said, striding over to the two.

“I can help out too!” Laela offered.

Travis walked over to Orin’s other side and kneeled down. “I’ll carry him from here,” he said, smiling weakly.

Kate nodded. “Sure, sure, just be careful with him…”

“What are you doing?!”

Kate whipped her head to the left towards the empty street. Kirith stood several feet away, wounded badly and holding his sword. He was enraged and furious as lightning flickered in his eyes. Kate knew exactly why…

She shot up from the ground and stood between him and Orin. “What does it look like?”

Kirith scowled and pointed a finger at Orindir. “You’re helping him!!” he growled. “He’s our enemy, Kate! Step aside so I can end this once and for all!”

“Killing him won’t solve anything!” Kate retorted. “He’s just like us, he’s the Seventh Seal!”

“NO HE ISN’T!! STOP SAYING THAT!” Kirith stepped closer. “MOVE ASIDE!”

“I won’t! I won’t let you become subject to your own evil!” Kate spread her arms out. “No more killing, please!!”

Kirith bared his teeth but didn’t say anything. The two of them were eye to eye as they stared at each other intensely. It was like an unseen war went on between the two, and neither one was ready to give up. After several seconds, Kirith looked away and sheathed his sword. He turned away from them, still angry and ready to pounce at any given moment.

Kate lowered her arms and looked to Travis, nodding for him to carry on. Travis slinked Orin over his shoulder and stood up as if the weight was nothing.

Earidon sighed and motioned with his hand towards the street perpendicular of them. “There’s a hold out in the Northwestern tower that we’ve settled at, we can bring him there,” he suggested.

“Lead the way,” Travis replied.

Rossiel stepped forward, eyeing Orin cautiously. “I’ll go ahead and retrieve the survivors and bring them back.”

“I’ll come with you!” Rahz said, grinning triumphantly as Rossiel made somewhat of a tired sigh.

“Ah, yes!” Earidon looked to his squad. “Go help them, there might be some who are stuck under the rubble.”

“Yes, sir!” They said, before following Rossiel and Rahz.

Earidon motioned with his head as they began to jog. Kate exhaled deeply and looked to Orin. He looked unconscious, or at least she hoped that was the state he was in and not dead. Kate looked back to see Kirith following them from behind, though rather slowly with his head down and his fists clenched. This, and Kate knew quite well, was not going to go off on an easy start.

Kate stood at the wall of the city, gazing off at the landscape. Her mind was lost in deep thought as she leaned against the small slab wall that wouldn’t have saved her from the fall below had it not been there. The sun was setting in the East, setting the lands and clouds in warm shades that made Kate’s mind wander.

Much had been done ever since the sun rose. After they had brought Orin to the tower, Laela and the elven healers went to work on healing him as best as they could and keeping his vitals in check. Earidon left shortly after to join the battle in driving out the Felorians. Many died, but some had retreated out of the city’s vigilance and into the lands beyond. No dragon was left to be seen, which left many of them curious as to what happened.

After the victory, everyone had gone around in teams to search out any more citizens that were in need. A large group of men, women, and children had been found in a barricaded area that was beneath the wall. Some had even helped out with putting out the flames. There was still a large sum of destruction, but only half of the city had really been affected.

Down below, the Seals were doing their best to get some rest, since they had been up all night and facing the chaos. But Kate yet again couldn’t bring herself to sleep. The memory of the elves dying by her hand still haunted her, and she didn’t want to imagine what her dreams might bring if she slept. It made her feel sick to her stomach, but she continued to tell herself that this was how things were going to be.

Kate sighed, feeling the chilling air brush against her skin. I hate this… she thought. Why did I have to be stuck to endure this… Kate leaned on the wall and covered her face with her hands. “It’s sick, this world is sick,” she thought aloud.

“I wouldn’t put it like that.”

Kate looked over bleary eyed to see Earidon walking out of the tower. He smiled distinctly before stopping next to her and looking off. “I mean, for a place that is filled with death and war it is rather quite peaceful,” he said.

Kate couldn’t help but smile. “You’re right, it is.” She rested her head on her folded hands, to which lay flat on the wall. “Earidon, where have you been?”

Earidon exhaled slowly. “I do apologize for my delay, though I believe there is no excuse to why we were late,” he said. “We were crossing the lower mountain ranges of Marnesius when a demon appeared. It took out half of our army, but by the Creator’s will we were successful in taking it down. The dark Sorcerer must have known of our plan.” Earidon looked to Kate. “But I believe you and the Seals had it all under control.”

Kate shook her head and stood up straight. “Yeah, until Shangorn came along and almost killed us. I was actually afraid that we would’ve had to fight him then… Even if my Seal has finally aided me I still feel far from ready.”

Earidon put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. “You and your friends will be ready when the time comes. If the prophecies and tales are true, you and the others will defeat the darkness, and we’ll be at your side no matter what.”

Kate smiled faintly and nodded. “You have a point,” she replied quietly. A bitter feeling entered her thoughts.“… Do you think…Orin will be okay?”

Earidon raised his eyebrows. “The fallen Prince? Physically I’m sure he’ll pull through but…”

“But?”

Earidon’s smile faded as he gazed off. “I’m afraid it won’t be easy for him after this. The people will be infuriated, the dragons are displeased with him, and I’m not entirely sure he will be able to return to his home country.”

Kate lowered her head, thinking about all that might happen. The enraged expression on Kirith’s face flashed through her mind. “Then…we’ll have to do our best and protect him. Orin is the Seventh Seal, despite whatever dark or holy ritual he went through to obtain such power.”

Earidon nodded slowly. His gaze moved back to her as he seemed to formulating what to say. “I’m curious, Kate. Do you…still wish to return your world?”

Kate was somewhat surprised by this question, but she decided to go with it. “Well…no…” she replied. “I want to stay here; I need to stay here. I’ve realized some things and I’ve come to terms with who I am. Whether I go back or not doesn’t matter, it’s if I finish the task here or not is what matters most…though I do miss what I had…”

Earidon nodded in understanding. “When the Creator decides you’re ready,” he began, “he will guide you home…in due time…” he patted Kate’s back, “in due time, dear one.”