Fan Fiction ❯ Stolen Prayer ❯ Deningrad Must Die ( Chapter 4 )

A/N: On we go…

Stolen Prayer

Chapter Four- - Deningrad Must Die

An army of nameless creatures tore themselves from within the ground, falling in countless numbers that extended as far as the eye could see. Whistling perked up Nicholai's ears and he changed his direction in flight, evading a collision with another winged beast.

"A gargoyle…" Nicholai observed as the beasts multiplied by number and flocked together in a massive assembly. Then they dissipated into smaller groups, each following Nicholai's movements. "I never heard of their existence falling into any species or sub-species…" Then a thought occurred to him. "Could they be activated by magic?"

Then another affair caught his attention. They were nearing Deningrad.

"The Kashua Glaciers have been completely demolished by this new army…" Nicholai turned his head to the militia behind him. "Perhaps I was the one who underestimated this enemy." He couldn't let them near Deningrad; Faust's assault was with him, not the people of the city. But looks were deceiving, as Faust had indeed commanded his new army to attack the divine city.

Nicholai cursed. The city was finished, that was inevitable, however…Nicholai only hoped that he could minimize the damage received.

"I'll take the blame this once," Nicholai sighed as he withdrew his lengthy sword and lowered his altitude.

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The underground eruption had not escaped Deningrad's watchful eye. It was based on hypothetical reasoning that this was no natural disaster. In the throne room, Queen Theresa had already begun to give orders to her knights and the Sacred Sisters.

Miranda was beyond panic and had interrupted the Queen to hand out commands herself.

The knights scattered in every which way, alarmed.

"You brainless idiots!" Miranda roared. "Stop playing around and defend the castle and townsfolk!"

"Miranda!" Theresa reprimanded, standing up from her throne. "These intemperate outbursts of yours will have to cease! Everyone is distressed at the moment, but you CAN'T lose your self-control. Do you understand me?"

Miranda nodded, but her odium for the imprudent knights did not diminish.

"We must encourage them and give them astounding adulation no matter what." Theresa remained standing and stepped off of her high perch from the throne. She stared at Miranda intently. "They cannot be the focal point of your fury, Miranda. You have to help them. You are a Dragoon as well. Please, do as I ask."

Miranda concurred silently.

"We can't let Deningrad fall to extermination." Setie told her sisters. "We have to protect it."

"You are only a novice," Miranda told her. "Besides, you have to protect the Queen and Luanna and find Wink. Get them out of here and to somewhere safe." Miranda boldly looked back up at her Queen. "We can not resuscitate those lost to us. Therefore it is better for everyone to cooperate. Forgive me for my earlier actions." Miranda grasped her Dragoon Spirit with her hand. "I will go to fight." Miranda turned, giving everyone one last smile before departing.

No one spoke for a long time as they digested what was happening. This was virtual bedlam and genocide.

"We will just have to believe that Miranda and our knights will wield us to the most efficacious victory. We cannot falter." Luanna's meek voice came first.

"We are entering the gist of the battle. We can't afford to lose." Setie looked sadly at her Queen. "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

"Do as Miranda said," The Queen responded, her voice unwavering. "Take Luanna with you and find Wink. I will remain here and help rescue any stragglers."

Setie and Luanna gasped. "Your Majesty you must evacuate the castle!" They both protested.

"What if something happens to the castle?" Setie asked, fearfully.

"I cannot promise you that nothing will happen to me. All that I ask is that you trust me. I will not leave my people behind." Queen Theresa turned away from them. "Now go."

"Queen Theres--" Setie was interrupted.

"GO. That is an order."

Setie's hand dropped in midair as she grabbed Luanna's arm and led her out of the throne room.

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For the first time that week, Wink came alive. She turned her head slightly, aware of the stiffness in her body and listened as murderous wails fell about the city. They were under attack? Again? Who were the reprobates this time?

Wink sloughed her sedentary demeanor and quickly stood, taking action as flashbacks flooded her mind of before with the Divine Dragon, the Dragoons, and…

"Lloyd…" She murmured sorrowfully. She felt that her actions towards the hostile situation in the castle and Flanvel Tower were censurable. There had to have been another way to resolve the hatred that had been directed towards Lloyd from the Dragoons and the people of Deningrad. She knew she was entirely responsible. And perhaps for his death as well.

She almost sunk back upon her bed, but halted unwillingly. She had to stop whatever it was that had directed its anger upon the city. She did not want to be the peacemaker nor the vigilante, but it was her duty as a Sacred Sister to restore order. She had to. Wink was contingent of this upon the war's outcome, unless it took a turn for the worst.

She ignored her dowdy appearance and shuffled to the door. Then she fell upon it as the castle thundered from attack. With one hand she groped for the handle and with the other she shielded her face. The room about her collapsed as pictures, furniture, and anything else that was loose tumbled to the floor.

Wink shrieked as the vibration intensified and her fear for the Queen and her sisters turned her fear into nausea. Then the tremors disseminated from the castle to the rest of the city, like a wave from the ocean. Once the pulsation subsided, Wink pulled out of her gauche position from the floor and heaved the door open, fleeing down the stairs.

No one was in sight. Even the guards that had usually stood watch by the castle doors had vanished. Wink only halted temporarily before resuming outside into the streets. She nearly stumbled on the irregular pathway and she looked up momentarily to the ominous sky.

The city had fallen to ashes as a brilliant inferno devoured Deningrad. Buildings were weak upon their knees, trembling as the throbbing commenced from the angry planet. An army that she could not distinguish flowed upon the city like bees to their hive. They were not resilient. They only proceeded to conquer more, as though what they had was not enough.

Shrills from above deafened Wink's ears and she fell to the ground, her hands protecting her fragile ears. Once the stringent cries dwindled, she found the strength to open her eyes. A luminous shadow haunted her from above and proliferated by the second. They were grotesque creatures with rough skin and illuminant eyes, questing for its prey.

Wink could not move even if she wanted to. She was paralyzed to the ground.

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"Pathetic!" Nicholai swooped underneath the belly of a gargoyle and spliced his stomach open like a surgeon to a patient. The monster collapsed as its innards rained down upon the enflamed city. But with every kill, Nicholai could feel his attempts in vain.

"It's all in the form of heresy," He muttered as he watched the gargoyle he had just slain regenerate before him. It was like that every time he claimed a life. "But these monsters are formed upon magic. Nothing can stop them unless their master is eradicated." Without a doubt, Deningrad was on its last bout, ready to fall to the ground like a sinking ship upon the stormy waters.

Nicholai withdrew his wings, plunging at incredible celerity to the ground. Then he draped them along his back in the split second before he hit the ground, soaring through the streets once again. His chest was only inches from the land, and the heat intoxicated him. If he dropped an inch lower, his body would be singed from the crash and rapidity in which he was traveling.

The monsters were hot on his trail. He could feel the very stink of their breath down his neck, the perspiration rising. Their teeth were almost palpable upon him. He couldn't stop for anything. But his perceptive eyes could not blot out the slaughtered upon the streets or the well-defined body of Bishop Dille, the man who had helped him earlier.

Nicholai frowned. He had never surmised that his actions would have such pernicious repercussions. Dodging a salient while spiraling around the corner, Nicholai gained speed, satiation overwhelming him as he convinced himself that he might have finally lost his adversaries in the flames.

Then he looked up, nearly searing his body against a protruding railing, as he caught sight of a woman in the middle of the road. He had to be quick. His immeasurable speed would not allow him to just halt. If he took the chance, he would risk his own life and the life of the woman before him. There was no time to weigh the options. Instead he gathered the woman up into his arms and took high into the air. There was nothing more he could do for the ashes of Deningrad.

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"Where could she be!?" Setie shrieked as she surveyed Wink's empty room. She immediately turned to Luanna. "Is she dead!? Did one of those monsters grab her!?"

Luanna paused and shook her head absently. "I do not detect any signs of death. She must still be alive."

Setie took the reasoning to heart and grabbed Luanna's hand. "Then we must search outside! Maybe Miranda has already found her."

Luanna was caught off balance. She resisted tripping down the stairs and let Setie drag her through the hall. The castle gates approached seconds thereafter and Setie beamed.

"We're almost there, Luanna," Setie told her sister. "Just…Just hold on…!"

Concurrently, the clangor of the city erupted violently, as if making its last moments known. The two Sacred Sisters stumbled outside of the castle walls, contiguously crashing into the streets of the city. Luanna pushed herself off of Setie and looked up, although she could see nothing. The cupidity of these monsters had caused Deningrad's demise, but now they wanted no more. for the castle fell to rubble seconds after.

Setie's hands rose to her gaping mouth, as though her jaw was going to detach itself from her face. The mighty castle fell into the fiery hells of the broken city. Setie threw herself upon Luanna, pushing her to the ground, and hoping to extenuate the injuries of the blind Sacred Sister. After all, it was her duty to protect the people of the city, just as Miranda had told her.

The fall of the castle resulted in a scintillating end to an era and a people. And then the rain came.

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A Foresight Into Episode Five:

"That's not true," He told her. "You are lucky to have survived."

"And for that, I thank you," But they were only words. It was an inauspicious turn of events that she did not perish with her loved ones. Nicholai found himself nonplussed with her attitude.

"Why would you want to trade your life for death?" He asked. Wink turned around, sullenly, until she caught sight of her rescuer. Her eyes widened, not in horror, but in bewilderment.

"L-Lloyd!?" She gasped, looking at the man in black.

"What?" Nicholai fretted as Wink wrapped her arms around his neck, blinding him. "H-Hey! Don't do that! We're going to crash!" It was at that opportune moment that Nicholai lost his balance in the air, causing the two of them to topple down towards the Evergreen Forest. And the rain was just icing to the cake.

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And the repetition continues with the death of Deningrad. Poor city. I actually feel sorry for it…Like…almost every story I read has something bad happening to Deningrad…Yeesh…

The chapter was probably tedious to read because of all the vocab and the constant descriptive details and lack of dialogue. I apologize for that. Still, if you liked the story or wish to part with me your CONSTRUCTIVE criticism (No, promises of murder are NOT constructive), please leave a review.

Kat