The Fall of Neverdark: (Echoes of the Lost Book 1) by Philip C. Quaintrell

Author:Philip C. Quaintrell [Quaintrell, Philip C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quaintrell Publishings Ltd
Published: 2018-11-29T05:00:00+00:00

28

Lirian’s Burning

Athis the ironheart broke through the clouds with the first rays of daybreak. The majestic colours of sunrise were muted this morning by the column of black smoke that rose up from the heart of The Evermoore.

Lirian was burning.

There didn’t look to be a single building untouched by Malliath’s fire, though it appeared that King Weymund’s palace, situated on the side of the small mountain, had only taken minor damage.

This isn’t just fire damage, Athis observed. Dragons fought here…

Inara looked down at the wreckage, inclined to agree. To the experienced eye, it was clear to see where the tail of a dragon had cut the top off a building. Deep grooves, matching dragon claws, marred the streets and the sides of people’s homes.

This wasn’t just Malliath on a rampage; Ilargo had been in the middle of this.

The sound of ringing bells alarmed across the ruins of the city. Inara checked the skies around her before realising the alarm was for them.

They think you’re Malliath.

From this height I could be any dragon, Athis replied. I fear the survivors of Lirian will live with a dread of my kin for the rest of their lives.

Inara hated to accept that. How’s your ice breath feeling?

Athis turned his head to lay a single blue eye on his companion. I haven’t had need of it for some time.

Inara glanced down at the raging flames. The fires burning their homes are dragon’s breath. They won’t be extinguished by just water or snow.

Athis prepared to dive down. Then let us restore their faith in dragon-kind!

Inara braced herself and took a breath. Athis eventually spread his wings and slowed his descent before the softest landing Inara had ever known.

On street level, the city appeared even worse. The smoke and fire made everything chaotic, but it was the bodies that tugged at Inara’s heart. Down here, she could see their faces, still and lifeless, their bodies tinged with licking flames. Others had been trampled and crushed by Malliath’s bulk, a sight Inara could barely stand.

Athis inhaled a deep breath and the scales between Inara’s legs became icy cold. The red dragon sprung his head forward and sputtered a few icicles and a cold gust of air. Athis shook his head and took another breath. This time, a torrent of ice, sleet, and freezing air blasted the nearest building, extinguishing the flames in a battle of steam.

Another two fires required extinguishing before people stopped screaming and calling for soldiers. Athis moved periodically around Lirian, his icy breath freeing up entire streets so that others might begin the search for survivors.

“Help! Please!”

Inara whipped her head in the direction of the desperate call. A woman in ragged clothes and covered in ash was banging against a door, crying for her child.

Go! Athis instructed.

Inara wasted no time finding her feet. The Dragorn ran down the length of Athis’s back, navigating the spikes and flexing muscles. The dragon flourished his tail, giving the half-elf some height as she added her own elven strength to the jump.

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