Chronicles From the End of an Age

Inevitable - 2 Days BTA

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The space around them thrummed with power. It pulsed through cave walls, flooding the air with the scent of fire and the taste of stone. The presence was a tidal wave of pressure, each pulse causing a worried tingle to run down the motley green back of an acid drake, unable to do anything except curl up in a ball with his eyes closed, wishing it to be over. The entire planet felt as if it was shuddering, as if reality was slowly fracturing around him, as though the elements themselves had awoken in a fierce battle.

"D...dad," the small terrified voice of a hatchling peeped nervously from under his curled wing.

The drake's eyes snapped open, looking at the top of the cave warily, before raising his wing to reveal the two young dragons underneath. The young dragoness was also looking up with terrified eyes, while her sister lay in restless sleep, twitching with whimpers in the throughs of an unimaginable nightmare.

"Yes, Nyra?" he asked softly, trying to show the picture of calm confidence, but was unable to keep the nervous jitter out of his voice.

"I...is it gonna be over soon?" she asked.

"Hopefully," he replied, "But we are safe here."

She didn't seem entirely convinced, "What about mum?"

The drake, Acre, hesitated a moment, "She'll be alright. Your mum is a survivor."

Nyra nodded, curling up and laying her chin on her tail, "I'm scared."

He reached out with his snout and gently nudged the little hatchling, "I am to, but I think it will be over soon."

"You promise?"

"I promise," he said, unsure if he were lying or not, but he couldn't stand to see her so scared.

If anything, she seemed slightly reassured, and closed her eyes, falling into the same restless sleep as her sister. The world around them continued to grumble and shake. The power refused to rest and wain. It had been like this for days, only growing and growing. As soon as it happened he had fled with his hatchlings underground, as did many dragons who didn't go off to fight in what everyone knew was to be the final battle of the horrific war. He had seen only flashes of it from high in the sky. A horizon lit by a glowing fire. But it was so far away that he didn't think they would be affected. Now, as the power grew steadily stronger and stronger, he wasn't so sure.

He tried to push back the worry growing in his body in favour of some sleep. But he couldn't, not with the planet shuddering below him, nor the waves of power pressing down on him, trying to crush him into the ground. He hadn't been able to sleep for days. So instead he curled tighter around the two hatchlings sleeping beneath his wing, feeling his stomach grumbling in hunger, and his parched throat calling out for a drink. It would be worse for the younglings. The days hidden in the cave were beginning to take their toll.

The hours passed with frightening speed, the power around them growing ever more oppressive. Acre managed to fall into a light doze, his body at least calling for sleep if it couldn't eat or drink. But that didn't last long. He didn't know how he knew, but he could tell somehow that the earth around them seemed to shift and change. It was like the power, instead of only seeping into the cave, originated from it. The very stone beneath his body seemed to gurgle with satisfaction, coming to life with the eagerness of a hatchling breaking out of an egg.

Acre's eyes snapped open as the ground began to physically shake. The hatchlings under his wing awoke with frightened yowls. Cracks began to run through the ground and roof. A stalactite fell, shattering near Acre's tail. It shocked him into action as he quickly sprung to his feet, flaring his wings open instinctually to protect the two young ones from falling stones. They staggered to their feet, struggling under the shaking ground.