Rage

"I'm sorry," he said softly, closing the door before Runë reached it.

Ashlard shoved the door down, hard, pushing the wood into the ground. The leather hinges holding firm. It wouldn't hold someone like Blain for long. But it would be enough time to leave unopposed. Ashlard teared up as he walked away. He could hear frantic shouts from within, calling for him to come back... But there wasn't any coming back... Not now.

As he reached the lake, he finally heard the door open. Behind him he could hear frantic footsteps. They weren't the heavy thuds of a military man... He didn't have the heart to look at her. Ashlard leapt, snapping his wings open and soaring off into the rain.

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King Raynor was standing on his balcony. The rain didn't bother him, but it did stifle his plans. He could hardly burn Ashlard out of his forest in this weather. Unlike some of his nobles, Raynor didn't actually think Ashlard deserved his treatment. But circumstances and past actions dictated otherwise. For the good of the Kingdom, Ashlard must die. He only hoped he could save his son in the process. The greatest loss however, was Blain. The man commanded the heart and soul of Tel Atun's military might. Condemning he and his slave to death was a difficult decision. But the possibility of a revolt was too great... He had to keep reminding himself, that his actions were for the greater good.

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Ashlard circled Tel Atun, the wind was increasing, making it difficult to track straight. A bright flash of lightning lit up the city. He could momentarily make out the entire castle... It was now or never. Swooping down towards the tower, Ashlard decided it would be the safest place to enter without being seen. No doubt the stairs would be guarded, but Ashlard thought the chute their meals were delivered in, would be large enough for him to crawl through.

As expected, his old room was silent and empty. If there was an ambush, the size of this room would not be in a soldiers favour. He walked quickly to the cupboard, opening the door and climbed in.

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Runë was hysterical, she didn't know if Ashlard was coming back. Blain and the others didn't seem to understand what he was doing. Only Ciray sat beside her, the cart jostling them as it trundled through the forest. Everyone was wet, there was only so much the cloaks could do, and Blain had given his to Runë. She couldn't stop thinking about the babies, how they were going to grow up without a father... She doubled over, crying silently for the man she loved. Already mourning his loss. She had to stop him... She had to save him... She had to bring him home again...

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Ashlard found himself in the kitchens. He'd never been in them before, but he was surprised at how hot it was. There seemed to be a skeleton workforce on throughout the night, they were mostly watching the fires, keeping them stoked and making sure nothing got out of control. Ashlard slipped out onto the floor. Surging with energy, he managed to pull himself into his beast form. In this shape he could comfortably stay on all fours, keeping low and to the shadows. Ashlard managed to avoid the small amount of people walking around, and he quickly spotted an exit. That was until a large man stepped through the doors. He was clearly drunk, staggering around, Ashlard shrunk back into the shadows, counting his blessings that he hadn't just been seen.

He watched the man stagger forwards a few steps, before turning down a small corridor to Ashlard's right. Ashlard began to move, when he heard a soft sob.

"No... Please."

It was a soft, feminine voice, Ashlard snarled quietly, turning to follow the man. At the end of the corridor, was a small room. Filled with dishes, it had a small woman chained to the floor. She was pressed up against the wall, holding a scrubbing brush before her, pointing at the man. He was in the process of disrobing, clearly amused by her actions. Ashlard growled softly, he didn't have time for this... But he couldn't let this happen either...

Stepping out of the shadows, he raised himself to his full height. The woman's eye's went wide, and then she fell limply, unconscious against the wall. The man to his credit, was alert enough to turn around. He didn't have enough time to scream however, as Ashlard clamped his jaws across the man's throat, crushing his windpipe.

FLASH

My wife left me... Took the kids... She found out about the whore's...

FLASH

Spending the last of my coins at the bar, drowning my sorrows...

FLASH

The scullery maid... She's just a slave... Nobody would know...

FLASH

Ashlard dropped the man's corpse. He moved towards the woman, grabbing the chain, he found it attached to her ankle. It wasn't difficult to snap, and he slunk back into the shadows. Slipping through the door was easy now. No other distractions stood in his way. Ashlard found a flight of stairs leading upwards... His prey was getting closer...

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Runë was feeling desperate now. She could see the open sky as the carriage passed out into the open. She shivered as the safety of the forest was left behind. Glimpsing to either side, she weighed her options. Ciray was laying down, wrapped in her cloak. Raph was riding ahead, probably scouting. That left Blain, riding beside them. She hoped this would work...

Springing into action, she leapt from the carriage. Landing at a run, she sprinted in the direction of Tel Atun for a few metres, before collapsing. She rolled on the ground, gripping her ankle, her face twisted with pain. Blain saw her jump, immediately calling for Mildred to stop. He couldn't blame Runë... He understood that she was compelled to find Ashlard... He was wondering how long it would take for her to break. Swinging off his horse, he quickly walked over to her.

"I'm sorry Runë," he said softly, "we have to keep moving, he'll come back."

Runë just nodded, letting a tear roll down her cheek... She hated betraying her friends...

Blain scooped her up into his arms, cradling her as he walked back to the carriage. His heart broke as she started sobbing...

Runë felt herself being placed back into the carriage... Now or never... She waited until just as his arms released her, to twist violently, kicking out hard with both legs. Blain was caught completely off guard, the kick knocking the wind out of him as he landed flat on his back. Ciray just stared in shock, unsure of what to do as Runë stood up. She gave a sad smile to Ciray, just before she leapt straight onto the back of Blain's horse and with a kick, started galloping back towards Tel Atun... Towards Ashlard...

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Ashlard was getting frustrated, he had no idea where the royal quarters were. His ability to remain unseen was poor enough he didn't want to risk roaming the halls. He'd already been spotted twice... And two more bodies had been left out of sight. What he needed was a way to draw out his prey... What better way to get people moving, than a fire?

The main hall was mostly deserted. Only two guards were in the room at any one time, but what caught his attention, was the corridor that lead to Blain's office... Hopefully his old friend would forgive him for this... It wasn't hard getting into Blain's office, the door wasn't particularly strong, so a firm shove was all it took to break the lock away. A quick check of the room to make sure it was clear, and Ashlard spat a ball of fire at Blain's desk... Now all he had to do was get back to the hall and wait.

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Runë was riding hard, Blain had taken Raph's horse and was giving chase, but she was well ahead of him. Being smaller than Blain gave her confidence that she would reach the castle before he could catch her. She just hoped the horse wouldn't injure itself, running across uneven pasture. Twisting back in the saddle she could see the faint shape in the distance that let her know she was still being pursued. She choked back a sob... She had to do this... She had to bring Ashlard home... Turning back, she could see the silhouette of Tel Atun now... She could also see smoke...

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Ashlard was growing impatient, he didn't realise that this was a low priority area of the castle and he was worried that the fire would be out of control, before someone found it. But the sound of a fire drum brought him back... Let's see how this plays out... Ashlard had climbed up into the rafters, sitting high above the heads of anyone coming to investigate the fires. This is where he sat, as droves of servants came scurrying in, carrying buckets of water, trying desperately to douse the flames. It was well over an hour before it seemed they had gotten everything under control. Ashlard was fuming, he was so sure his prey would have appeared.

"I should never has listened to Blain!" Snarled King Raynor, storming into the room with a guard on his tail.

"Your Majesty, Blain may not have set this fire-"

"Of course he did you imbecile!" Snarled the King, "Who found the boy and brought him in? Who convinced me to spare his execution? Who helped him escape?" King Raynor was pacing across the room now, "I should have executed him along with his bitch of a mother..."

Ashlard froze... He didn't hear any more words... Just a cold emptiness... King Raynor was responsible for the attack on his family... Amara's words made sense now... The Knurlig was even armed with the King's weapons. He was responsible for Amara's death... For Darthe's death... Ashlard leapt from the rafters. Landing on all fours in the middle of the hall, the loud thump drew the attention of everyone in the room.

"You killed my family..." Ashlard took a deep breath, "now I'll kill you..."

The guard charged Ashlard immediately... There was no hope... He was just trying to buy the King time to flee. Ashlard sprung into action, surging with power, he grew to his full size, extending his scales and growing claws... The hunt was on... The guard felt no pain, Ashlard tore through him in the blink of an eye, dashing towards the corridor that King Raynor had fled through. The corridor itself was filled with a mix of soldiers, and servants. The King was pushing through the last of them, at the far end of the corridor.

At his entrance, the servants began to flee, some running into the burnt remains of Blain's office, some attempting to follow the King. More than one took a dive through a nearby window. The soldiers on the other hand, all drew their weapons. Ashlard didn't hesitate, spitting white hot flames through the corridor, he cleared most of the soldiers in seconds. The few still alive, weren't in condition to fight.

Ashlard ran on all fours, following the King through a large set of doors. Before him was his prize... King Raynor was in the process of shoving the Queen through a secret passageway. Behind him stood Prince Horuth, who was staring at him in horror.

King Raynor pulled his son back, standing between Prince Horuth and Ashlard.

"Please don't hurt my son, take me instead." The King plead.

Ashlard surged again, twisting back to a more human appearance. "All I ever wanted was to live with peace... You took everything from me..."

"What about Runë?" King Raynor spat, "do you think she would agree with killing my son?"

"DON'T YOU BRING HER INTO THIS!" Ashlard roared, "Runë would be safe with her family if not for you. My sister found aid with the Knurlig's after your attack... You have brought about your own doom..."

Ashlard rushed forward, grabbing the King and pushing him aside. Ashlard grasped Prince Horuth and pulled him close.

"P-p-please... I didn't know anything... I didn't know."

Ashlard's eye's narrowed, he thought for a moment. He had to be sure...

Sinking his teeth into Horuth's throat, Ashlard tore through the most recent memories, digging for what he needed to find...

FLASH

"I don't know about this father..."

"Don't worry my son... If we can't capture one alive, we'll still be doing a favour. They are the last of their kind, the war will finally end, one way or another."

"I hope they catch the girl at least... I could do with a new pet."

FLASH

Ashlard snarled, shoving the prince away. He was hyperventilating... The stress of what he had just witnessed drove him almost to madness... Turning to face the Royal family, he could see their fear... Their disgust... Their awful legacy of pain and betrayal...

"It will always be your choice," said a voice in the back of Ashlard's mind...

This was it... The defining moment... Would he choose to succumb to his anger... Or something else? What would Runë do?... That made him smile... Runë wouldn't succumb to the rage... She'd do something unexpected.

Ashlard surged with energy, returning to a more human physique. He retracted his scales, took a deep breath, and plunged his claws into his own chest. Pushing the bladed talons through his rib cage, he found his beating heart easy to locate. Ashlard ignored the agony of what he was doing, right up until he gripped the beating organ in his hand. With a snarl, Ashlard closed his eyes... And yanked his hand free.

It was a strange feeling... Ashlard expected agony... Reality was far more relaxing. He sat in comfort, his eyesight going red with his tears. He watched in odd silence as Prince Horuth collapsed in his parents arms. Dropping to his knees, he smiled weekly as the King and Queen fled in terror... An impact knocked him to the floor... Runë... She was so beautiful... Why was she here? She was crying... Tears falling from her eyes, but she made no sound... His great legacy...

He watched as she stepped out of vision for a few moments... That made him sad... He didn't have long... But he wanted to spend his last moments looking at the woman he loved... He closed his eyes to rest, maybe Runë would come back?... Something dripped on him... Opening his eyes, Runë was back... She was stained with gore... Holding a knife... And a heart... Ashlard realised with dread, it was the Prince's heart. He knew what she wanted... Ashlard shook his head.

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Runë knew he would say no... That wasn't an answer she could accept. Blain couldn't stop her, he was hunting down the King and Queen... She had time... Straddling Ashlard, she lifted the knife so he could see it. He eyed her cautiously as she placed the tip above her heart. She placed the Princes heart on Ashlard's chest and pressed his own back into the gaping wound. His eyes begged that she stop, but her eyes begged him to act. Plunging the knife into her own chest wasn't nearly as painful as the thought of raising her children alone... Pulling the blade across to make a large hole, wasn't as painful as watching Ashlard thrash beneath her.

Reaching out Runë grasped his hand. Lifting it to the wound in her chest, she pressed the tips of his claws into the opening, ignoring the pain... It was nothing without Ashlard... But she could still see the doubt in his eyes...

"P... P-lease?"