Chapter 57: HellRaiser
"What are you waiting for, hm?" Cloudjumper asked. Even when I had motioned for her to attack me first, she still questioned. Rude. Improper dare I say.
"The Chancellor hyped you up quite a lot, but it looks like you’ve barely done anything. Are you even a dragon?" She would add-on.
I shrug. I clenched and unclenched my hands to feel the tightness of my muscles. Then, raised both hands in a stance. Threw three quick jabs and a hook with such speed and precision I don’t think I’ve ever done before.
"Yeah, I am actually." I return.
"A Dark Silver Dragonoid, but I guess you already knew that."
She scoffed, "You don’t act like one." Cloudjumper admitted, looking back at the city of Royalia, more so the mountain edges and the numerous of estates that were built there.
"Your mana is spiking, considerably, but even for a Dark Dragon I assumed you would be—"
"Chaotic?" I chime in.
She doesn’t say anything.
"Evil, narcissistic, greedy, a lot of things, really. I don’t know exactly why I’m not apart of it, though." I say, but deep down within my heart I truly know the answer to that statement. Cloudjumper’s identifying was not based on false stereotypes.
Dark Dragons of all kinds, just simply are.
But I refocus my eyes back to her.
"Let truth be told, maybe alongside my restraining...I’ve been also holding back those urges." I say. I’m not sure on how true that entirely is.
But after a conversation with The Dawn.
And all of this power rushing through me.
Even my own moral compass feels warped.
She snickers, then laughs entirely. "Holding back got you nothing but a major ass beating. I would like to see what you do now."
I nod, slowly.
Then, I see the estate in my view.
"Yeah...Blackfire Missiles."
I wasted no time chanting. A casual voice and tone used for such even caught me off guard.
I raised my arm quickly, and black projectiles, five of them, shot out, and past Cloudjumper. She slightly winced, but when none made contact, she later realized where they were heading.
She turned, and flew quickly and accelerated fast enough to keep up with the projectiles. Trying to use her own [Fire] magic to snuff it out made no difference. They still persisted.
It wasn’t until she decided to redirect them away with some magic. She held out her hands, and they all averted in different directions, exploding within the air.
She panted, and then quickly looked for me. As soon as she realized I was no longer there, and in front of her, her head snapped behind her.
And there, she saw me.
With her momentum she threw a jab with leaning weight, I dodged to the side and caught her next punch before throwing her own fist back to her.
She continued her onslaught, punches and kicks over the estate we floated above. Each blow harder than the last, but now it was nothing I couldn’t either dodge, block, or parry outright.
Cloudjumper dared to use magic, and with mana weaving and coming to life between her fingers, she jumped over me and pressed a hand to my face.
Orange light begin to emit, [Fire] magic again. But it’s useless. I nullify it outright. And this time?
I’m not even letting her get it off.
"Pyrotechnic—!"
My tail coiled onto her wrist, with such a tightening grip that the casting of the magic itself never had time to breathe. I ragdolled her around before throwing her away into the open sky.
I gave chase, and cocked back my fist as it perfectly came into contact with her armour. A cracking boom could be heard throughout the skies as she was only sent further away from me.
It wasn’t until she stabilized herself mid-air that our forearms connected, clashing. Both of us floated back, our eyes meeting, studying the other.
Then, with her giant wings beating in a controlled rhythm. She looked behind her. Then, back to me. Cloudjumper must’ve got an idea, because she slowly started flying backwards.
Then, turning completely she sped off. I sighed. If this was supposed to be a duck duck goose chase, then I would have no choice but to play as well.
I flew right after her, Cloudjumper’s high speeds and acceleration made it almost impossible. Almost. And naturally, impossible is broken up into I’m possible.
We flew over Royalia, and more cracking booms could be heard even though we weren’t fighting. We were flying fast. Then we break past the sound barrier?
I could barely hear sound now. All that I’m chasing her over the central island. Weaving through multiple buildings, making sure not to break a singel one of them or even accidentally fly into them. That would cause unnecessary casualties that I can’t afford.
Cloudjumper dived down and below a bridge, I follow right after. The waters splitting from our raw speed. I think I seen a boat tumble over because of it.
She flew towards the streets, her raw speed blowing everything back after her. People fell over from the sound, glass broke, and more importantly carriages and metal crates shot up in the air.
I halted. Can’t go through there, but if there’s anything I think she’s trying to do...it’s maybe to lose me. Retreat, perhaps?
I don’t think so.
Flying upwards, I scanned for her mana signature. It was fast, hard to track. Almost as if I was trying to catch a bug in the dark with my hand, but then, I locked onto her.
There, got it.
I turned backwards, right to where we came, back under the bridge. She realized she was faster than me, yeah, and possibly thought she could outsmart me while she was at it too.
No...no. Not the case here Cloudjumper. This isn’t my first rodeo, you know?
Before I knew it, I flew so fast I was right back at the estate, seeing a red blur, I sped up further and intentionally crashed into her. Knocking her off-course. We were heading further past Royalia, and moreso towards the mountain side.
Cloudjumper stabilized herself, but not before I swooped in and led a knee to her abdomen. That alone must’ve taken all the breath out of her, because I then clenched my left fist and connected it to her cheek.
A massive shockwave emitted, and she was sent back right into the mountain. Crashing into a estate that was built right into there.
I slowly descended into it, and seeing the rich house that would soon be devastated by us two, because we are dragons and that’s what dragons do...apparently. Be...reckless, I guess. I don’t know this is my first time ever fighting a dragon, really.
I shake my head, and retrain my focus on Cloudjumper. If there’s anything I know, she’s not going down without a fight.