Survive The Night (Part 6)

They ran for their lives from the second they landed on the ground. From behind they could hear the eerie howls of the faolan in the distance. Above them they could hear the pounding of Bredret's wings as he descended to the ground. No time could be wasted on thinking things through in such a situation. Running was all they could do.

Heat stuck to them as if they were trapped within an oven. Trees crackled and collapsed all around as the dragon's flames ate up the land. It was a sea of flames across the land. Ash wafted in the air as the wind blew.

A deafening roar came from above as the ground rumbled. Bredret's flame swallowed up the land from behind them as they ran. Cries from a few of the faolan could be heard. Bredret's fiery breath was not lenient on what it burned. Regardless of faolan or themselves it was willing to swallow up anything that it captured.

They found a crevice between some boulders and hid behind it quickly. The fire swept passed them as the dragon flew by. It was rising back into the sky in order to turn back around again.

"Is there any way to snap him out of it?" Prince Leo asked hoping that someone would have a solution for Bredret.

"There is no way to snap him out of it as long as the god is in control. We can only make it out of here alive and hope that eventually Chynir just lets him go." Johan answered him with a tired expression.

"Do you think he will relinquish control once we're no longer around?" Daryl scoffed at the idea.

"Probably not. Would you so easily let go of something that could be that useful if you were in his position? He would most likely hold onto Bredret until he feels like the dragon is no longer useful." Johan could not lye to them. In Chynir's position he had just obtained a useful pawn he could use against them at will. It was unlikely that the god would so easily toss Bredret aside. Even if Chynir did toss Bredret aside later it would most likely be that Chynir would kill him so that he could not do anything against him in the future.

-----

"Has he lost his mind?!"

"He's ruining what it means to be a god of this realm!"

"This is going to cause further problems with the mortals!"

"...." Iemis was silent as he stood a bit further from the others and listened to the words spoken.

News of what was happening in the mortal realm was already spreading. When it came to the gods nothing that happened in the mortal realm could easily be overlooked. There were always gods watching over the twelve kingdoms. Chynir's display of is power was not something small enough to be contained for long. Naturally those who had their eyes cast on Theapan noticed his appearance in the territory. Some of them watched out of interest while others watched his abuse of power with disgust.

"H-Hey! Where are you going?!" Shides noticed Iemis going off on his own again.

Since Shides had decided to get himself involved among the lives of the mortals he had realized there was much that he lacked the ability to do much for them. As a god he could help guide them in his own ways but his capabilities were still lacking. Shides could move amongst the mortals. However he was still holding himself back because he knew getting too involved like Chynir could cause more damage. He also knew he was not as talented as Chynir to face him head on. His aid could be considered minuscule on one hand but on the other hand he felt content helping even if it was in minor ways.

"Invalid." Iemis spoke a single word as his body flashed and disappeared before Shides and the other gods.

"W-Wait for me!" Shides panicked and vanished along with him while the other gods looked at the empty place they had just been with strange expressions.

-----

In the God's Realm.

"How much further to the temple from here?" Prince Leo asked Johan Lovette as Zoe struggled to keep a barrier up to hold off the fire. He could see that the girl's condition was not good. Daryl was helping hold her stable on her feet. Everyone was covered in sweat from the heat of the flames.

"We should be there soon if we keep moving." Johan answered while sending gusts of wind from the top of his umbrella in an attempt to fan the flames back. He was doing what he could to fan the flames off so that less of them was able to burn against Zoe's barrier.

"We gotta get out of here before we are cooked alive." Leo muttered.

Th-Thud! Boom!

The ground shook beneath them as they glanced outside the boulders. On the ground the dragon gazed at them from where it had landed. It's pearly white teeth displayed as if it was contemplating burning them again from where it stood.

Quickly and with caution they made their way out from the boulders and began to run. Bredret's steps were large and covered a distance that felt terrifying. The last one to make it out of the boulders and run was Ashley. A piece of rock from the boulders swiping past him caught the side of his cheek slicing it. He could feel a faint coldness where the wound briefly was as it quickly healed. His body was not one that could be easily damaged as long as he was not starved.

Ashley felt the warmth of the dragon's breath as it chomped down on the pile of boulders. The dragon's teeth had shattered the boulders as if they were a simple snack.

"This lizard is trying to take me as a snack!" Ashley felt baffled at the fact that Bredret had just tried to eat them. The lack of reaction from Bredret was enough for anyone who knew him to realize that the dragon had lost his mind under Chynir's authority to control him. Dragons hated being compared to insignificant beings they felt were below them. Normally Bredret would have become furious to hear such words.

Swinging his blood scythe in the air Ashley wounded a faolan that had tried to sneak up on him from the side. Rushing forward in order to keep himself paced behind the others. Without Bredret he was the only one that could protect the group from the rear as they ran.

They could feel the heat as another sea of flame was sent from Bredret at them from behind. In front of them they could see the temple coming into view. It was a temple of black stone and gold. There were not a lot of people who worked at the temple but those who did were all talented in their fields of work and mana control.

As soon as the people of the temple saw their pope, Johan Lovette, and the group being chased by a dragon and faolan they immediately got themselves into position along the temple's walls. The temple was the home to those who served at the temple under Johan. They were trained in order to protect Johan and the temple. At the sight of Johan and the temple coming under attack there was no reason for Johan to blurt out an order for the temple to protect them. Action was something they took up instinctively to protect what they were supposed to so they took position and raised their hands towards the incoming threats.

Lights from various types of mana filled the black and gold temple as if an aurora had landed upon the temple grounds.