The Elemental Chain Saga Book Two: Dragons Ascending

Chapter Fifteen: The Frost Melts

Greg saw the shadows coming and knew what to do. He concentrated on his aura and a shield of energy burst forth around him.

The shadows slammed down on the shield and Greg felt it almost give way; it wasn't nearly as strong without his staff to take power from. Greg could see as Xensor pressed the assault and the shadows became claws and they tore at the shield, trying to rip through the dome and into Greg.

The shield held up against the onslaught but Greg knew he had to figure out a way to live through this, his mind racing to find the solution. So he prepared a spell, weaving it with folds of his aura. He tried to ignore as the shadows clawed at the shield and cracks of energy began to spread. His aura was its brightest gleam, a twinkling silver, rolling off of him in swaths of power. He hoped that his shield's silver color blocked his preparations.

Finally, as Xensor grew impatient, he roared and tore the shadows back, letting them collect into sword blades. And as Xensor prepared to cast them, Greg let the shield go, exploding it around him into shards of his aura.

He stood, the aura billowing around him. "Ventus Turbo," he called out. The air in the room stirred, twisting upwards into a giant turbine of air. The shadows were ripped apart by the twisting wind, shredded into black confetti. Greg stood still as the wind whipped his robes, completely concentrating on keeping the wind going, feeling as his last reserves of auric energy dwindled.

The wind built up, and the air tore at Xensor, dragging him forward even as he tried to escape its grasp. Greg watched as Xensor moved his mouth, knowing he was cursing him but not hearing him over the roaring wind. The tornado caught Xensor's robes and he was ripped off his feet and into the whirl. The tornado wrathed around the room, twisting across the small space. Finally, Greg let it die out as his aura gave at the use of so much of it.

He slumped to his knees and he saw Xensor's bloody body slam to the floor.

Greg drew in breaths of air, trying to build up his strength in case Xensor somehow was still alive. He knelled there, gasping for breath, for the next five minutes but after that time had passed he slumped to the ground, knowing the fight was over.

He tried to get to his feet, but his body would not respond. He raised his hand to his face and he saw how it was drenched in blood, his own blood. He felt his consciousness sliding away, like water through his clenched fist.

And as his eyes flicked closed, he hoped that he wouldn't die here, lying in his own blood, the blood that was the same color as the amber robes he wore.
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DragonDog1: Well, this was a short chapter. Well, cliffhanger over, or is it...