Chapter 27 - When Giants fall

 Music Inspiration

Chapter 27

When Giants fall

Marianne stood silently on deck of the ASCANDAR.
Ascendary stood next to her and looked into the distance as well.
She stroked his feathers.
Duke stepped beside her.
"A kingdom for your thoughts, Marianne," he said.
She shook her head and looked at the RISING HOPE flying next to the ASCANDAR.
So much has happened in the last few days.
She looked at Ascendary.
Lysander and Sedalia joined in.
Marianne turned around and looked at Lysander helplessly, almost pleadingly.
She had turned to him after the "dream", because she felt that he felt exactly like her.
One piece of the puzzle fell into the next and the picture slowly took shape.
Lysander had then touched her forehead and Ascendary's and made an indescribable connection.
He knew what she was hoping for. But he couldn't.
Sedalia took Marianne in her arms comfortingly.

Dexter, Cecile and Danny joined in.
Everyone stood around Marianne in silence.
Suddenly, a strong jolt went through the ship, followed by an explosion on the side.
The flying ship slumped to the side, causing everyone to slide over the deck.
Astaroth slammed his claws into the deck, which prevented him from slipping.
Glenervan held on to him.
Some sailors were less fortunate and fell over the Rehling into the depths.
Lysander transformed into a wyvern and pushed against the ship, which brought it back into balance.
A huge explosion occurred on the RISING HOPE and tore down the huge sail masts.
A second explosion tore open the side of the RISING HOPE, with which she finally lost.
The ship crashed burning into the depths and hit a forest, where she completly exploded.
The third ship, the ASCENSION, turned away.

Lysander pressed against the shipwreck of the ASCANDAR.
It quickly became clear that only Lysander stood between them and the crash of the ASCANDAR.
Then Marianne saw the cause of the explosions.
5 more airships had appeared on the side and they were not alone. A huge red dragon, bigger than Astaroth, flanked by 2 smaller dragons, flew towards the last 2 ships.
The main royal force had found them.
Alexander Alcazar looked at the fleet in shock.
"Save ... you...." roared Lysander in pain.
"What about you?" Sedalia cried desperately.
"GO!" he roared. "I can't keep it up much longer.... GO!"

The first Manticore left the burning ASCANDAR. They could carry up to 3 people with great effort.
They followed the retreating ASCENSION and landed on the deck.
Marianne and Duke swung onto Ascendary, who immediately rose and grabbed the desperate Sedalia with his claws.
Astaroth looked at the Lysander Wyvern with great respect, and Glenervan slammed his fist on his chest as a token of appreciation. Then Astaroth rose with Glenervan, Cecile, and Danny. Cecile looked around in surprise.
Where was Dexter?
Dexter ran across the deck. He knew only too well that these dragons would catch up with the ASCENSION. So he has to do something.
Astaroth moved away from ASCANDAR.
"Dexter!" cried Cecile.
He reached the steering wheel, which had been abandoned in the meantime, and tore it around.
Lysander looked at Dexter and guessed what he was up to.
He nodded to Dexter and so the wyvern pushed against the ship with all his might.
A huge fireball missed the turning ASCANDAR.
In the meantime, all Manticore had reached the ASCENSION. But none of them could save all of them, as the ASCANDAR was larger than the ASCENSION.
A few magicians who stayed behind casted a protective shield around the ASCANDAR.
2 smaller fireballs hit the protective shield and one of the mages went to the ground bleeding.
The ASCANDAR had reached its final position.
It was now flying directly towards the enemy fleet.
The big red dragon understood what Dexter was up to and thrust forward with his claws when he realized that fire didn't work.
Dexter clamped the rudder and ran inside the ship.
2 remaining sailors accompanied him and led him to the only room of the ship that could still be dangerous to the enemy fleet
could.

The powder chamber!

To save many, sometimes the sacrifice of less is needed.
The red dragon pressed on the protective shield with all its might and tried to break it. He was supported by the two little dragons.
Another mage collapsed due to the pressure.
Of the 5 ships, the second seemed to understand what was coming.
They turned the wheel in the hope of escaping, but they rammed the first ship.
The ASCANDAR had almost reached the fleet.
The Lysander Wyvern cried out again in pain, then his strength left him.
The ship tilted to the side, the mages fell, and the protective shield dissolved.
Below deck, Dexter smiled and lit a torch.

The ASCENSION was now out of sight of the action.
A huge explosion occurred in the distance, followed by more explosions.
Then... Silence.

Deadly silence.

Chapter 26 - Who we are

 Music Inspiration

Chapter 26

Who we are

Marianne was lying on a comfortable bed in a cabin. This was located in the largest of Alexander Alcazar's three airships.
The rightful king.
It sounded so strange.
The three ships were hidden in a safe zone behind mountains.
Everyone was on the ships. Also Glenervan and Astaroth, who lay on deck and slept, recovering from his injuries.
Betrayal hurt. He had felt that.
They were all resting. The next day, Alexander wanted to talk to everyone.
Marianne sighed.
She saw the sun slowly setting on the horizon through the small window.
She sobbed. It was all too much. Why her, why?
What had she done to be hunted?
Most of the time she had always been alone. Cautious and reserved.
Just as she had come to know it with the Aranasera.
Tiredness won out in the end.

When she opened her eyes, she was standing on a large wide meadow.
Rays of sunlight tickled her face and butterflies flew all around her.
Marianne smiled.
It felt so great, so free.
She stretched out her arms and turned in circles.
She was a bit cocky and stumbled.
She fell ... and was caught.
She looked into a friendly face.
More than that. It seemed familiar. Very familiar.
Slowly he carefully put her back on her feet.
He pointed in one direction.
Marianne looked.

2 children, a boy and a girl, ran laughing across the meadow.
They romped together, let themselves fall on the grass and laughed happily.
A smile flitted across Marianne's face.
She looked at the man again.
He pointed in a different direction.
There Marianne saw 2 teenagers. They sat on a large cloth and nibbled on a cake.
It was the 2 children, only older.
She turned again and saw the two of them again.
The two had become a little older again.
She sat weeping on a rock and held her knee.
It was bleeding.

The young man put a bandage on her.
Then he stroked her cheek comfortingly.
She pressed herself against him.
Marianne turned again.
This time she faced him again.
She looked at him gently.
His smile warmed her heart.
This familiarity, this absolute familiarity.
Slowly she touched his cheek and stroked it.
"Whoever ... are... You?" she whispered.
He took her hand from his cheek and squeezed it gently.
"I am your past."
Marianne put his hand to her cheek.
"What do you mean?"

He stroked her cheek.

"I am also your presence."
She enjoyed the touch.
"I don't understand."
He loosened his hand.
"I am also a part of your future."
He took a step back.
"And I am close to you."
He began to transform.
Marianne's eyes widened.
When the transformation was complete, Ascendary stood in front of her.

Marianne jumped up from her bed.
"Quiet, everything's fine," said a woman's voice.
"Athena?" Marianne looked at her Aranasera instructor.
"Yes, it's me." Athena and Marianne fell into each other's arms.
"How come you're here?" Marianne looked at Athena in amazement.
"I accompany Alexander Alcazar. The ship is my home now," Athena smiled.
Marianne was happy and then held her head.
"I had a strange dream."
Athena shook her head.
"Not a dream. The truth."
Marianne was confused.
"What do you mean?"
Athena took Marianne's hands.
"I gave you what you saw as a dream. A truth. Your past, present and future.
The man was very familiar to you, wasn't he?"
Marianne nodded.

Athena took a breath.
"He was very close to you. You were inseparable. But then fate decided differently and he left us. That had hit you so hard,
that we decided to take away your memory for your protection and give it back to you when you feel better."
Marianne shook her head.
"What do you mean?"
Athena held Marianne's hands.
"When he left, he didn't leave completely. A part stayed here to help you. The moment he left, his soul went into a body that was just born." Athena smiled and pointed to Ascendary, who was standing quietly in the room the whole time, looking at both of them.
Marianne felt how slowly memories came back.
Wonderful memories of wonderful moments.
Times that both had gone through thick and thin.
2 people, one unit.
Marianne got out of bed and tears ran down her cheek, because she felt his soul in Ascendary.
She pressed herself tightly against him.

"Brother."