Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

H elheim

Aria

My heart lurched as I watched the two dragons lunge at each other up high in the sky.

They collided with a force that shook the very ground beneath me. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air, and I could feel the power of their clash deep in my bones. The sky lit up with violent energy, sparks of light and shadow dancing across the heavens like a deadly firework display, and I held my breath.

Hades struck first, his dark flames roaring out of his mouth and engulfing the Sun King in a torrent of searing heat. But then the Sun King countered with a blast of his own fiery breath, a brilliant beam of light that cut through the darkness, meeting Hades' flames head-on. The two titans collided in midair, creating an explosion of fire and shadow that sent ripples of energy cascading through the sky.

They broke apart, circling around each other. Hades twisted in the air, his massive wings propelling him upward with terrifying speed. He dove down at the Sun King with a vicious snarl, his claws extended with the sole aim to tear through those gleaming golden scales.

But the Sun King was ready for him. With a powerful beat of his wings, he shot upward, avoiding the attack and countering with a swift turn of his body. His tail, glowing with the heat of a thousand suns, lashed out, striking Hades across the side with a force that sent him reeling.

Hades roared in fury, righting himself in the air, his eyes blazing. He charged again, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye, and their massive bodies collided once more, claws and teeth tearing at scales, wings beating furiously as they grappled in midair.

Hades snapped at the Sun King's neck, his jaws closing around one of the sun dragon's wings. He bit down hard, and I saw blood, dark against the golden light, spill from the wound.

The Sun King retaliated with a burst of searing light, his flames scorching the air around them. The heat was so intense I could feel it from the ground, and I had to shield my eyes from the blinding glow. Hades released his grip, pulling back to avoid the worst of the attack, but I could see the burn marks on his scales.

He'd been hurt.

They separated again, each dragon taking a moment to assess the other, their breaths coming in heavy, smoke-filled bursts.

Then, with a roar, they charged at each other once again. Hades' dark form moved like a shadow, swift and lethal, while the Sun King blazed with the intensity of a supernova. They collided in a brutal clash, their bodies tangled together as they tumbled through the sky. The more I watched, the more I saw a writhing mass of scales, claws, and teeth.

It was utterly terrifying.

The ground beneath me trembled as their battle raged on above me, and my heart pounded in my chest. I could hardly breathe as I watched them fight.

"Hades," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the roar of the flames. "You have to win. You have to."

I couldn't just stand there and watch though. Not when the battle on the ground was just beginning too.

In an instant, I was swept up into the middle of it, my heart pounding as I dodged the swing of a blade one moment and narrowly avoided being trampled by a charging soldier the next.

Suddenly, a massive shape loomed beside me, and I whipped around, expecting to face another enemy. But it wasn't a man or a beast of Sungard that had approached me—it was a hellhound. The creature's blazing eyes met mine, and for a moment, I hesitated, unsure of whether or not it was going to kill me.

It was enormous, its body covered in dark, matted fur, with flames licking at the edges of its mouth. But instead of attacking, the beast lowered its huge form to the ground, its eyes locking onto mine with an almost expectant look.

I didn't have time to think. Instinct took over me, and I scrambled onto the hellhound's back, gripping the thick fur at its neck for balance. With a powerful surge, the beast rose to its full height, and I felt a jolt of adrenaline as I clung to its back. The world seemed to blur around me as the hellhound bounded forward, its powerful legs propelling us through the chaos of the battlefield.

From my new vantage point, I could see the battle unfolding in all its brutal intensity. The Dark King's men fought desperately, their swords clashing with those of the Sun King's soldiers in a deadly dance of steel, sweat, and blood.

The hellhound carried me swiftly through the chaos, weaving between the warring soldiers and leaping over fallen bodies with ease. I gripped its fur tighter, my heart pounding in my chest as I steeled myself for what was to come.

I was part of this war now, whether I wanted to be or not.

One of the Sun King's soldiers came at me, his sword arcing through the air toward my leg. I barely had time to react, ducking low and slashing upward with the dagger. The blade found its mark, slicing through the gap in his armor and sending him stumbling back, blood spurting from the wound. He fell to the ground, his sword clattering beside him, but there was no time to celebrate the victory because another soldier was already closing in.

The hellhound snarled and lunged at him, its jaws snapping shut around his arm. The soldier screamed, his weapon falling from his grasp as the beast shook him like a ragdoll, tossing him aside as though he was no heavier than a bag of feathers. I barely had time to catch my breath before a third soldier charged, his eyes locked onto me with murderous intent.

I braced myself, the dagger gripped tightly in my hand. As he swung his sword, I twisted out of the way, the blade missing me by mere inches. I struck back with my weapon, aiming for his exposed throat, but he was fast—he blocked my attack with his forearm, the force of the impact jolting up my arm.

With a grunt of effort, I wrenched the dagger free and slashed at him again, this time catching him across the face. He cried out in pain, blood streaming from the wound, but he didn't even falter. Instead, he lashed out with a backhanded blow that sent me sprawling to the ground all while knocking the air from my lungs.

I gasped for breath, the world spinning around me. Then the soldier loomed over me, raising his sword for the killing blow. Panic surged through me, my mind racing for a way out, but there was no time. He was going to kill me—I could see it in his eyes.

Before he could strike me, the hellhound barreled into him, its gigantic body crashing into the soldier with the force of a freight train. The man was thrown to the ground, his sword flying from his grasp as the hellhound's jaws closed around his throat. There was a sickening crunch, and the soldier went limp, his body falling lifeless to the ground.

I scrambled to my feet, my heart hammering in my chest.

Another soldier charged at me, his sword slicing through the air. I sidestepped his attack, the blade missing me by a hair's breadth, and drove the dagger into his side. He gasped, his eyes wide with shock as he staggered backwards, clutching at the wound. I didn't wait for him to recover—I pulled the dagger free and slashed at his throat, ending the fight in a single, savage stroke.

The soldier fell to the ground, his blood staining the dark earth beneath him. I stood over him, my breath coming in ragged gasps, my hands trembling with the adrenaline coursing through me. I had survived—barely—but the battle was far from over.

I turned, ready to face the next threat, but what I saw made my blood run cold. A group of Sungard soldiers had surrounded the hellhound, their weapons raised as they closed in on the beast. The hellhound snarled, snapping at them with its fiery jaws, but it was outnumbered, and they were closing in fast.

I couldn't let them kill it. Not after everything it had done for me.

Without thinking, I charged at the nearest soldier, the dagger clutched tightly in my hand. He saw me coming and turned to face me, his sword swinging in a wide arc. I ducked low, dodging the attack, and drove the dagger into his stomach. He grunted in pain, doubling over, and I pulled the blade free, slashing at his throat to finish the job.

But as the soldier fell, another one was already upon me. He swung his sword at me, and I barely managed to block the blow with the dagger. The force of the impact sent me stumbling back, my arms aching from the strain. The soldier pressed his advantage, raining down blows with relentless speed, and I could feel my strength waning.

I dodged, parried, and struck back whenever I could, but he was stronger and faster than me. His sword slashed across my arm, a searing pain shooting through me as the blade bit into my flesh. I cried out, but there was no time to recover—he was already coming at me again, his eyes filled with the intent to kill.

My back hit something solid—a tree, or maybe a rock—and I knew I was trapped. The soldier's sword came down in a deadly arc, and I raised the dagger in a desperate attempt to block it. The blades clashed, sparks flying from the impact, but the force of his blow sent the dagger flying from my hand, the blade spinning away into the darkness.

I was defenseless.

The soldier grinned, his victory assured, and raised his sword for the final blow. I braced myself, knowing there was no escape, but just as the blade began to fall, a giant shape barreled into the soldier, knocking him to the ground.

The hellhound.

It had broken free of the soldiers and come to my rescue once again. The beast snarled, its jaws closing around the man's throat with a bone-crunching force. The soldier's scream was cut short, and his body went limp in the hellhound's grip.

The hellhound dropped the soldier's body and turned to me. I stumbled forward, clutching my wounded arm, and reached out to steady myself against the beast's massive form. The battle still raged around us, but for a moment, all I could do was catch my breath.

But there was no time to rest. I retrieved the dagger from where it had fallen, the blade still slickened with blood, and steeled myself for the fight ahead. I wasn't out of the woods yet, but I had survived this far, and I wasn't about to give up now.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice trembling. The hellhound nuzzled me gently, its warm breath a comfort in the midst of the turmoil.

The hellhound nudged me again, as if sensing my exhaustion and the growing danger surrounding us. Despite the chaos, it lowered to the ground, bowing its head and allowing me to climb onto its back once more. I didn't hesitate this time. Gripping the thick, matted fur at its neck, I hauled myself up, my injured arm throbbing with every movement.

Once I was securely on its back, the hellhound rose to its full height with a powerful surge. Without warning, it took off, its strong legs carrying us away from the thick of the battle. The sudden speed left me clinging tightly to its fur, trying to keep my balance as it leaped over bodies, ducked under branches, and weaved through the warring soldiers.

Finally, the hellhound slowed, coming to a stop at the crest of a high ridge.

The hellhound settled beneath me, its body warm and steady as it huffed a breath, seemingly content that we were temporarily out of harm's way. I released my grip on its fur, my hands trembling from the rush of adrenaline and the pain in my arm. The wound throbbed, but I pushed the discomfort aside, my eyes drawn to the battle unfolding below.

From this higher vantage point, I could see the scale of the conflict in all its terrifying detail. The Sun King's soldiers, shining bright like beacons in their golden armor, were pushing against the Dark King's forces, but Hades' men were holding their ground.

Above it all, the two dragons still fought, circling each other in the sky. I watched, my heart in my throat as they lunged at each other, claws tearing through scales, teeth snapping with bone-crushing force.

I couldn't tear my eyes away, even as the battle raged on below, even as the bloodshed and violence continued unabated.

The hellhound beneath me shifted, sensing my tension. It let out a low, comforting growl, and I patted its side, grateful for its presence. It had chosen to protect me, and in that moment, it felt like I wasn't entirely alone.

I couldn't shake the gnawing dread that filled my chest, though. Hades was strong and insanely powerful, but the Sun King was no less formidable, and the forces of Sungard seemed endless in their fight.

As I watched the two dragons battle, Hades let out a roar and dove toward the Sun King with terrifying speed, his jaws snapping at his throat. The Sun King twisted in the air, avoiding the strike and countering with a blast of searing light that sent Hades reeling. My heart lurched as I saw him falter, the Dark King's mighty form thrown back by the force of the attack.

"Hades," I whispered, my voice lost in the wind.

I couldn't help him from here. All I could do was hope and pray that the darkness that had become so familiar to me would prevail against the blinding light.