Ori stood atop the castle, his gaze fixed on the dark figures across the burning city. He tried to steady his breath as he took in the chaos below. Leaping in without a plan was potentially suicide—he needed a way to push them back, to break their ranks. But he couldn't shake the grim possibilities, the lives at stake if he miscalculated. The wind whipped across the battlements, coarse and hot with the scent of smoke and scorched wood, while flames licked through the city like a fever, distorting the air into dizzying waves.
On the far wall, the three ominous strangers watched him, their expressions cold and calculating. At the center, Urah's twisted grin stretched across his face, the malice in his eyes unmistakable. His posture was crooked, bent forward, almost as if he were trying to lean into Ori's soul. "What's the matter, little bird?" he sneered, his voice seeping from his lips like a taunt. He raised one hand, shrouded in a dark, swirling aura. "If you won't take the leap on your own… I'll make you!"
The aura around Urah's hand twisted into a tight, spiraling vortex before erupting in a flash of blinding light. Instantly, the colossus closest to the castle stirred, its movements slow but relentless. Its head turned toward the Hall of Kings, the same dark aura coiling around its massive stone brow. Ori's pulse quickened as he watched it shift its gaze downward, where citizens were scattering like ants under its shadow. Its single, blazing eye began to swell with crackling energy, aimed directly at the hall and all the lives within it.
Ori felt his fists clench. He knew the enemy was baiting him, pushing him to act recklessly, but he couldn't abandon his people. Not now. His body tensed as he raised one arm, feeling the mantle stir within him, a golden warmth spreading through his limbs like a surge of fire.
Remain steady.
The golden light flared out, enveloping him. In an instant, a shockwave burst from his form, rippling across the castle and city below, sending fierce winds crashing through the streets. The capital quaked under the force of it. Now, Ori stood high above the chaos, his silhouette blazing like a star over his kingdom.
"Hold fast, Ori," he murmured, feeling his fear give way to a fierce resolve. "The mantle will answer you."
The colossus shifted its gaze, sensing the surge of power from above. Its stone features creaked as it turned to face Ori, who stood poised, energy crackling around him. With a sudden burst of godlike strength, Ori leapt from the rooftop, the stone splintering beneath him in a shower of debris. He shot forward, a blazing comet of golden light cutting through the sky.
The colossus unleashed a beam of dark energy, raw and searing, aimed directly at him. Ori summoned his blade mid-air, its gleam catching the storm of energy. He needed more strength to fend off the attack, and as the thought flashed through his mind, he could feel the mantle responding. It was like a secret conversation was being held between the mantle and Ori's body, one he need not be a part of. He simply needed to act. With a precise slash, he split the beam in two, deflecting its power as he surged onward. Below, Urah and the others watched in awe, eyes wide as golden and silver flares lit the sky in a dazzling collision.
Ori's lunge carried him with blistering speed straight into the colossus's enormous eye. The giant's roar was cut short, the eye erupting in a storm of brilliant light before shattering, spewing a strange, viscous fluid in all directions. Ori dropped, landing with a thud on the colossus's stone neck as the creature froze, its glyphs dimming and fading to black.
No time to celebrate. The second colossus was already primed, dark energy pulsing at its core.
"Shit!"
Ori's gaze flicked to the aqueduct spanning from the mountains to the far wall of the kingdom—a towering bridge-like structure high above the city. He sprang toward it just as the colossus unleashed its attack. The blast carved through the defeated giant like a knife through silk, splitting its body in two as Ori sprinted along the aqueduct.
The colossus shifted, monumental and deliberate, its shadow swallowing streets below. It raised a massive arm, aiming to demolish Ori's path. Stone trembled underfoot as Ori dashed, the air thick with dust and the echo of stone crumbling.
The colossal hand crashed down, shattering the aqueduct just before him. Ori vaulted over the wreckage, twisting mid-air to avoid the cascading debris, and landed on the colossus's arm. The rumble of movement surged beneath his feet as dark soldiers materialized on the stony limb, eyes gleaming with malice.
He didn't break stride. Each step was a blur as he cut through the enemies in a relentless rhythm, climbing ever higher toward the head.
From the corner of his eye, a shadow loomed—winged, swift, and closing in fast. "I was wondering when you'd move your ass." He muttered while smirking, steadily making his way up the the shoulder.
Ori's blade shimmered brighter, a radiant beacon as he hurled himself at the colossus's eye. In a rapid series of blinding flashes, he sliced through the massive organ, tearing through its core and emerging on the other side. For a fleeting moment, he hung suspended in the air, the rush of wind carrying him as he scanned the city below for his next target. He could feel the mantle humming within his body—ready to respond to his will's command. It felt liberating. This was his first time using it to this extent, yet it felt like he'd done this all his life. A surge of confidence rippled through him now that he knew the mantle's strength.
The third colossus loomed in the distance, but more pressing was the sight of townspeople still moving about in panic through the streets.
"Down there, Helix!" he shouted, stretching out his arm as he began to descend.
In a sudden, sweeping motion, Helix dove from above, wings slicing through the air as he caught Ori mid-fall. The two barreled toward the city streets, a streak of gold against the darkened sky.
They noticed the streets were teaming with dark soldiers; rampaging and attacking the citizens. Some were attacking with blade and spear, others casting spells that ravaged the nearby buildings. It was destruction and around every corner for anyone caught in the chaos.
Helix flung open his wings just as they reached the ground, shifting his angle and thrusting forward through an open street. Though young, he had already mastered manipulating the wind to his will. Below, chaos reigned as dark soldiers surged through alleyways, scattering terrified citizens. Ori leapt from Helix's back with practiced ease.
He landed in a crouch, the stone street splintering beneath his feet. "You know what to do!" he commanded, voice resolute. Helix answered with an adherent screech followed by a swift dive, a silver blur streaking through the city as his sharp eyes scanned for those in peril.
Ori's sword blazed with fierce light as he charged, cutting through oncoming soldiers with lethal precision. Each strike left golden afterimages, shimmering in the air before fading like the dying embers of a fire. The soldiers crumbled into dark wisps before they even touched the ground.
A sharp cry pierced through the din—a child, stranded in the open as three dark soldiers closed in. With an urgent glint in his eye, Helix's wings snapped open, sending him hurtling toward the child with incredible speed. He reached them just in time, grasping the back of their shirt gently in his beak and lifting them skyward as dark blades hissed past, missing by inches. Twisting mid-air, Helix banked sharply into the narrow alleyways, debris shattering around him as he dodged between buildings to shake his pursuers.
The streets turned into a maze of dangers, dark soldiers appearing around every corner, weapons glinting under the hazy sky. Helix stayed low, claws skimming the stone as he pivoted sharply to avoid a soldier's swing, leaving them stumbling in his wake. His flight was interrupted by the sudden crash of an axe blade slamming into the ground in front of him. He was caught off guard but still reacted in time. With a snap of his wings, Helix launched himself over the weapon, but the sudden jolt loosened his grip on the child, sending them tumbling in mid-air.
Eyes narrowed with urgency, Helix looped back in a tight arc and caught the child by their shirt just before they fell into harm's reach. He soared past the soldier, wings pumping with finality as he found cover and placed the child behind a shattered cart. The child stared up at him, eyes wide with awe and fear, before Helix returned to the chaos with a mighty push of his wings.
Meanwhile, Ori's path was blocked by a massive figure—fifteen feet of dark, gleaming armor wielding a sword as long as a carriage. The giant knight's red eyes glowed with malevolence as it raised its weapon, shadow enveloping the street.
Ori met its gaze, smirking. "What the hell even are you?"
The knight's only response was a guttural growl as it brought the massive blade down with a force that shook the earth. Ori sidestepped in a blur, the blade shattering stone behind him. He spun into action, his sword a whirl of golden light, striking with such speed that afterimages trailed his every movement. The knight froze, glowing cracks running along its armor before it crumbled, disintegrating into nothingness along with its minions.
Ori exhaled, turning just as Helix landed beside him, wings folding neatly. They exchanged a nod, silent understanding passing between them. In the distance, the third colossus loomed, but for now, the street was theirs.
They both heard fighting on the bridges above. Quickly Ori mounted Helix, and with a swift crack of his wings they were off. They arrived on the bridge about to see five men on horseback, fighting off the dark soldiers as they made their way. Ori and Helix swiftly joined the frey. A man with long red hair flowing from his helmet called out.
"My lord! We wondered where you'd run off to." He said, cutting his enemy down with ease.
"Forgive me," Ori responded. "My feet simply moved without my brain's order. I'm here now."
Another soldier responded jokingly. "Figures. We'd have watched you fall from the skies had Helix not been there to catch you. Ever jumping before looking I see."
Ori smiled in embarrassment. The five men were among Girus' strongest, and trained closely with Ori during his youth. They knew him well, and were not surprised when he forgot about summoning them. There were a few more dark soldiers along the bridge in front of them. Ori looked on ahead, sword ready. "You can chide me later when this is over. For now let us make our way to the far wall." And with that order, they continued down the bridge, swiping away the soldiers in their path with Ori taking point.
Ori's chest heaved as he cut down the last of the dark soldiers near him, golden light flickering like fire around his blade. The silence that followed was eerie, punctuated only by the distant cries of the wounded and the crackle of burning buildings. He and the five men continued along the high bridge, eyes scanning the battered streets, and then he saw it—the colossal, hulking shape of another army assembling just beyond the shattered city wall.
His heart sank. The horizon was a shifting mass of dark soldiers, their ranks stretching far beyond what he could comprehend. Among them, several more colossi loomed, their massive forms casting long, jagged shadows over the cityscape. The sheer magnitude of the approaching force stole the breath from his lungs.
The soldiers nearest him paused, eyes wide and filled with uncertainty as they looked to their leader. "Their number,…its far more than we can hold. What are your orders, my lord?" The soldier asked urgently. "My lord?!"
Ori opened his mouth to speak, to rally them, but no words came. His throat constricted, the weight of hopelessness pressing down on him like a vice. The silence deepened, suffocating.
A sudden movement caught his attention, and before he could react, a shadow swept over him. Before Ori could look up, he could feel a dark pressure engulfing the area around them. It felt like death was materializing before them. Then came a voice from the shadow above. "I tire of this heroic fallacy." He mumbled, hovering above them all. " Urah thinks you to be destined for something great. I didn't know he thought so highly about the heel of my boot."
Zealot descended from above, a towering figure clad in dark, chitinous armor that pulsed with a menacing red glow. Ori could not shake this ominous feeling. He stood ready to fight, but something in him—a voice of caution maybe, urged him to stay away. As the man charged in. Ori barely raised his blade before a gauntleted hand shot out, clamping around his throat and lifting him from the ground as if he were weightless. He struggled to free himself but soon felt the hopelessness of fighting it. How could someone be this powerful? Was he in over his head all along? Thoughts raced through his mind as the grip around his neck tightened. The force cracked the edges of his mantle, golden sparks flying out as it cracked under pressure.
Helix reacted immediately—flinging himself at Zealot to save Ori. Zealot raised his other hand. Suddenly Helix was engulfed in a red aura that forced him to a halt, and leaving him suspended in the air. Helix was unable to fight it. It was as if Zealot was holding him with an invisible hand. His wings were unable to spread, his voice unheard. Zealot smiled as the griffin lingered in the air, held by the force emitting from his arm.
"Pitiful creature." He said, slowly turning his hand—seemingly turning Helix with it. With a mere push, he sent Helix flying back—crashing into a nearby building. The five men on horses looked on hopelessly as their king dangled in the sky above.
Zealot's eyes burned with cold amusement as he tightened his grip. "So this is the champion they send?" His voice was deep, resonant, and filled with scorn.
Ori's vision blurred, the blood pounding in his ears. He struggled, kicking out, but Zealot's iron grip didn't budge. With a grunt of disdain, Zealot hurled him like a broken doll.
Ori's body skidded across the blood-slicked battlefield, his mantle cracked and sparking with erratic flashes of golden energy. His helmet rolled away from him, leaving his flowing hair to fall to the dirt. Pain coursed through him, but he forced himself to his feet, shaking off the dizziness that threatened to pull him under. Ahead, Baros stood with Girus, fighting of the main horde with their men as another hole was blasted in the wall. The ground trembled as more colossi lumbered forward, their towering forms casting the kingdom in shadow.
Baros turned as Ori staggered to his feet, the fire in his eyes mingling with fear and desperation. "Ori, you're done. You have to leave now."
Ori wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, eyes blazing with defiance. "I will not abandon my people, not while there's still breath in my body. This is my fight—my duty."
Baros clenched his jaw, frustration twisting his features. "Your duty is to survive! Look around you, Ori. This is beyond what we can handle. Your mantle is broken, and if you stay, you'll die. And for what? A kingdom already lost?"
"It's not lost!" Ori's voice cracked, the weight of hopelessness and desperation threatening to drown him. He took a step forward, glaring at his father. "If we give up now, then we surrender everything. What sort of king would I be to seek refuge while my kingdom burns? The soldiers need to see that we fight until the end!"
Baros stepped closer, voice low and fierce. "This isn't about pride, Ori. It's about survival. If you fall, hope dies with you. I won't let that happen."
Ori clenched his fists, trembling with rage and exhaustion. "I don't need your protection. I need to fight. I will fight—"
A sudden, sharp pain exploded in his jaw as Baros struck him with the hilt of his sword. The world spun, the strength draining from Ori's limbs as darkness crept into the edges of his vision. He felt himself crumple, his father's arms catching him before he hit the ground.
Baros's eyes were shadowed with regret as he laid his son down gently. "Forgive me, my son. You may think me weak for this, but I will not watch you fall here, not today."
He stood, turning to Girus. "Get him out of here, now. That's an order."
Girus nodded, lifting Ori's limp form over his shoulder. "Yes, sir."
Baros watched as Girus carried Ori away, the shouts of soldiers and the monstrous groans of the colossi filling the air. He tightened his grip on his sword and exhaled, a final breath of resolve before facing the oncoming storm alone.
Above him hovered Urah. His arms stretched our wide as his weapon floated behind him. "There you are!" He yelled, casting his gaze upon Baros. "I had begun to worry you weren't going to show old man. You know we have unfinished business, don't you?"
Baros didn't respond. He simply threw his great sword over his shoulder and took his place in front of his army of men. His cape flailed in the wind as his soldiers braced themselves for a final stand. He could now fight without the worry for his children. He was ready. He gave one last look at his men before turning up at Urah.
"I suppose you're right, demon." He said, lowering his stance. "Come! Let's get on with it then."
Chapter end—