The Elemental Chain Saga Book Two: Dragons Ascending

Chapter Eighteen: Running

Max sprinted across the wheat grass plains, his breathing sharp. The dull, red sun cast a gloomy light through the grass, splitting the somber rays into lines of dusty red. Max leapt over a rocky outcrop, his silhouette hanging in the air for a split second and then gone, and still, he sprinted on, dodging savannah trees as he went, his legs brushing through the brittle grass.

He really hated Redemptio. He swore he was always running from something. First, the three ghoul sisters, then the Doomserpent almost killed him (does that even work here?), and now the Sprinths.

Sprinths were evil beast that looked like wolves when still but, when they were in motion, they were blurs of black, making a hissing sound as they zoomed after their victims, going so fast that there full form couldn't be seen. They consumed the victims souls by latching on to them. Max was not about to get first hand experience.

His legs moved on autopilot, rushing threw the yellow grass brush as he ran towards the next Ring. He hated not having Cometfell at his side, providing him comfort, he hated always having to run, but at the same time, he knew he must. He knew it would all be worth it in the end, Leyetta had said so.

Leyetta...

When Max had first gone through the door he had ended up in a large room. His eyes had roamed the room, gazing across glass cylinders full of strange fluids, bubbling like acid. Curled figures pulsed like glow stone in the tanks and Max had wondered of their purpose. And his breath was taken as his eyes fell upon the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her hair had shone like diamonds and her skin was flawless. Her eyes were a mystery, a merge of silver, blue, red, and a hint of green. She had seen him and let her smile shine at him and he had been starstruck. He had walked over to her and she had introduced herself as Leyetta.

She told him all about Redemptio. To get out you had to traverse the nine Entrals, or worlds, and make it through the Rings to leave. You had to be really up to the challenge to make it out, but once you did, you would be alive like never before. Max remembered asking Leyetta why she never left herself, and she gave him a sad smile, saying it was her job to make sure people knew what they were doing, she always wished to leave, but never could. Max offered to take her but she gave him yet another sad, perfect smile, before pushing him softly out of the room. He stepped out into the first Entral and when he turned around, the room was gone.

Max's foot snagged on something and he was wrenched from his memory, his face rushing to meet the yellow earth as he tripped, rolling to a hard stop. He gasped as his breath was knocked out of his body. He struggled to get up and quickly turned around. He had tripped on a gnarled tree root when he was busy thinking about Leyetta. He turned forward and saw that the glowing Ring was close, a large blue orb of radiant light-a hissing cut through the air; the Sprinths were closer.

Max tore through the brush and poured all his strength into his feet, willing his body to give more, to go faster.

But still, the Sprinths grew closer.

Max ran until his legs begged him to stop, and then ran some more. Max dared not look back, dared not stop, for he was so close to the Ring now, just a hundred more yards. His feet went from a dull thud to a tap as they hit the ceramic floor of a ruined villa. The traces of once magnificent marble statues and columns were but rubble, only small unscathed amounts remained. He poured on the speed, dashing among the crumbling columns and desolate statues. He risked a glance back. And then he was slammed off his feet.

He rolled on the ground, trying to push the Sprinth off of him. A large wolf-like beast snarled over him, it's clawed paws pressing his shoulders to the ground and black saliva dripping onto his chests, oozing through the fabric. Max struggled and flailed as it lowered it's head and opened it's maw wide. Max gagged on the noxious odor, knowing that that was the least of his problems.

Max managed to point his palm up and he pressed it against the Sprinths chest. His aura burst around him, shining with its own light, a miniature sun, contrasting the darkness of the beast. It's eyes watered and that was all the time Max needed. A ball of fire blasted into the Sprinth and it flipped off of Max and howled, it's howl turning into a low growl as it eyed him from a distance. Taking the opportunity, Max leapt to his feet and charged at the Ring, the Sprinth on his heels, snapping it's yellowed fangs at the soles of his feet.

Finally, Max leapt, dodging the Sprinth by a handbreadth, and soared straight into the Ring.

Max had made it through the second Entral. The blue light of the Ring filtered around Max, healing his various injuries. He gave a small smile and thought happily to himself, two down, seven to go. Others would have been disheartened but Max was encouraged, he was getting closer.

He wondered if the next Entral would be as easy as the first or as hard as the second. He also thought on the mysterious shadowed man who had entered Redemptio before him. Where had he gone? How far was he? All where questions Max wondered.

A burst of white light spilled through the Ring, bathing Max with its chilling touch. Max readied himself; he was about to be ported to the next Entral. The light exploded into a flaming radiance, warming him to the core of his being, making his skin tingle and thrum with a fiery energy. The world shifted. Max closed his eyes to lessen the queasiness. And then the light settled and Max slowly, wearily, opened his eyes.

All around Max, stone pillars rose into a gray sky. All looked the same in every direction he looked. There was no noise at all, just silence and gray pillars soaring up to a drab gray sky. A dull world; and, actually, Max didn't mind. He rather a drab one then deadly.

Max let his aura envelope himself. He felt it's warmth and then touched out at it's energy, feeling for more. He felt the auric energy like hot water around him and then it was there, to his right, a tingling sensation he couldn't ignore.

He held on to that feeling as he snapped close the connection to his aura. He could feel the tugging even though his aura was no longer around him, he had learned that trick after wandering around the first Entral for days, not knowing where the Ring was.

But now, he knew so, for adventure, for hope, for redemption, he set off for the third Ring.
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DragonDog1: As Max journeys through Redemptio, Cooper soars with Altor, and Sybil, Mathias and Lloyd hide out in the mountains. Soon all hell will break loose. All in due time...