Chapter 73 Three-Way Battle
Elara's POV
Sir Marcus's scarred face disappeared behind a group of fighting soldiers. I pushed through the chaos, my heart pounding with rage.
"Marcus!" I screamed. "Face me, you coward!"
Swords clashed around me. Three armies battled in complete mayhem. I couldn't tell who fought for which side anymore. Southern Kingdom soldiers attacked Northern warriors. Celestia's golden knights struck at everyone. Blood stained the ground.
I didn't care. I only saw Marcus.
He'd hurt Lily. Threatened to kill her. Forced me to betray Drakon. Every terrible thing that happened started with him.
"Elara, stop!" Faye's voice called from somewhere behind me.
I ran faster. Marcus ducked between two fighting dragons, heading toward the forest edge. He glanced back once. His cruel smile made my blood boil.
He wanted me to follow. This was a trap.
I followed anyway.
Ice formed in my palms without thinking. My magic responded to my anger, growing stronger with each step. Power I didn't know I had surged through my veins.
Marcus led me away from the main battle. The sounds of fighting grew distant. Trees closed around us. My breathing echoed too loud in the sudden quiet.
"That's far enough." Marcus turned to face me. Three soldiers stepped out from behind trees. They'd been waiting. "Foolish girl. Did you really think I'd run from you?"
"You should run." Ice spread from my fingers up my arms. "After what you did to Lily..."
"The brat?" Marcus laughed. "She cried so prettily when we locked her in the dark. Begged for her big sister every night."
White-hot rage exploded in my chest. I threw ice shards without aiming. They struck one soldier in the shoulder. He fell screaming.
"Oh, she has some fight." Marcus drew his sword. "This might actually be fun."
The other two soldiers charged. I raised my hands. Ice shot from my palms like arrows. It moved faster than before, sharper, deadlier. One soldier's sword froze solid and shattered. The other slipped on ice I created under his feet.
But Marcus was faster. He got close, swinging his blade at my head.
I ducked. Barely. The sword whistled past my ear.
"Not bad," Marcus circled me like a wolf. "But you're not a real fighter. Just a seamstress playing queen."
"I'm more than that now." I sent ice spikes up from the ground.
Marcus jumped aside. "Are you? Or are you still that scared little girl who let me threaten her sister?"
"Shut up!" I attacked again.
We danced back and forth. My ice versus his sword. I was getting tired. My magic drained my strength with each spell. Marcus barely looked winded.
"You know what the best part was?" Marcus dodged another ice blast. "Watching you pretend to love the Dragon King. You actually started believing your own lies, didn't you?"
"I do love him!"
"Does he love you back?" Marcus's words cut deeper than his blade. "Or does he just pity the poor commoner who got used by everyone?"
Doubt crept into my heart. The bond thread between Drakon and me pulsed, but it felt weak. Fragile.
Marcus saw my hesitation. He struck fast, his sword slicing across my arm.
Pain exploded. Blood flowed hot down my sleeve. I stumbled backward.
"There's the real you." Marcus advanced. "Weak. Helpless. Nothing."
"No." I pressed my hand to the wound. "I'm not nothing. Not anymore."
"Prove it, then." He raised his sword for a killing blow. "Die with some dignity at least."
A dragon's roar shook the trees.
Drakon crashed through the branches in his massive form. His golden eyes blazed with protective fury. He landed between Marcus and me, scales gleaming black as midnight.
"Touch her again," Drakon snarled, "and you'll burn."
Relief flooded through me. Then fear. "Drakon, there are more soldiers hiding..."
Arrows flew from the trees. At least ten hidden archers. They aimed for Drakon's wings and eyes.
"No!" I threw up my hands.
Ice erupted like a wall, blocking the arrows. But the effort dropped me to my knees. So tired. Using magic hurt worse than the sword cut.
Drakon breathed fire at the archers. They scattered, screaming. He turned back to Marcus. "Run while you can."
"I don't think so." Marcus whistled.
More soldiers poured from the forest. Twenty. Thirty. All armed. All moving to surround us.
"This was always the plan," Marcus grinned. "Kill the Dragon King. Blame you for leading him into a trap. Queen Morgana and Princess Celestia both want him dead. They're paying me well for this."
"They're working together?" I gasped.
"Of course. Mother and daughter united by greed." Marcus pointed his sword at us. "Attack!"
The soldiers charged as one.
Drakon fought in his dragon form, claws and fire and fury. He took down five soldiers in seconds. But there were too many. They stabbed at his legs, his wings. Trying to bring him down through numbers.
I struggled to stand. Had to help. Had to fight.
But my magic was gone. Used up. My arm bled heavily. Everything spun.
"Elara!" Drakon's panicked voice cut through my dizziness.
Marcus stood over me, sword raised. "Goodbye, imposter queen."
The blade fell.
Time seemed to slow. I saw my death coming. Saw the hatred in Marcus's eyes. Heard Drakon's anguished roar.
Then something inside me broke open.
Magic flooded out like a dam bursting. Not just ice magic. Something ancient. It came from deep in my blood, from ancestors I'd never known.
The world turned blue-white with cold.
Ice exploded from my body in all directions. It froze the ground. The trees. The air itself. Marcus's sword shattered mid-swing. He flew backward, slamming into a frozen tree trunk.
The soldiers stopped attacking Drakon. They stared at me in terror.
I rose on shaking legs. Ice crystals swirled around me like a storm. My eyes glowed. I could see the blue light reflecting off the ice.
"Don't. Touch. Him." My voice echoed with power that wasn't just mine.
Marcus tried to crawl away. His legs were frozen to the ground. "What are you?"
"I don't know." And I didn't. This magic felt old. Like it had been sleeping inside me forever, waiting. "But I'm done being afraid of you."
I raised my hand. Ice formed into a giant spear, sharp as glass, deadly as winter.
Marcus's eyes went wide with real fear.
I threw it.
The ice spear pinned his sword arm to the frozen ground. He screamed. The remaining soldiers ran, abandoning their injured leader.
Victory. I'd won.
Then the world tilted sideways. My legs gave out. The magic drained away as fast as it came, taking all my strength with it.
I fell.
Strong arms caught me. Drakon had shifted to his half-dragon form. His worried face filled my vision.
"Elara! Stay with me!"
"Did we win?" My words slurred together.
"Yes. You were amazing." He held me close. "But you used too much magic. Your body can't handle it yet."
"Tired." My eyes drooped shut.
"No, no, no. Keep your eyes open." Drakon's voice cracked with fear. "Please, Elara. Stay awake."
I tried. I really did. But darkness pulled at me like a warm blanket.
The last thing I heard was Drakon shouting for help.
Then nothing.