Memories of Gaia: Seeking Shadows in the Storm
Chapter 25 the death of a dragon

"Enough!" Princess Aurory shouted, her tiny voice reverberating off the bare castle walls. Her face was twistd in pure hate as she stomped towards the Queen, smacking the gems out of her greedy hands.

"All you have ever cared about are those stupid, hideous tumors that they call crystals! You are such a fool!" Princess Auroy shouted, ignoring Thanos as he stepped up to defend the Queen.

"How dare you!" Queen Maylee shouted as she scrambled to collect the fallen gems. "You have always been such a terrible brat!"

Valeena's eyes flicked from Queen Maylee to Princess Aurory, her jaw hanging open like a fish out of water. She had never known Princess Aurory to raise her voice in this manner towards her mother. Even Thanos appeared startled by her sudden angry and held his staff tighter.

"You have spent years obsessing over the crystals! Have you not realized what you have become?" Princess Aurory said, kicking the fire crystal as her mother grabbed for it.

Valeena spotted several maids and guards peering cautisouly around corners, not daring to say a word. They were determined to watch the scene unfolding before them. It was not often the Queen was on the receiving end of her own cruelity.

"I am a saint!" Queen Maylee barked as she climbed to her feet, using Thanos as leverage. She nearly took the thin man down with her has she pulled on his sleeve.

"Ha!" King Caspian's bout of laughter interrupted the family feud. He strolled over towards his sister and niece, a look of disgust painted on his round face.

"A saint you say?" He asked, laughing once more before continuing, "You destroyed nearly every city on Gaia, turned your own family against you and have become nothing more than a cruel, heartless, demon."

Queen Maylee reared back and slapped her brother violently across his cheek, causing him to stumble back several paces from the sheer force of it. King Caspian gingerly touched the blood that had seeped out of the fresh cut on his bottom lip, shaking his head.

"Guards, arrest him!" Queen Maylee shouted forcefully, spit flying out of her angry mouth. A few of the guards glanced around at each other, sensing a change in power. But fear was a terrible weapon and one of the timid souls moved cautiously forward, swallowing hard.

"Y-yo-you are, you are under, under arrest." The shake in his voice barely allowed his mouth to speak those words as he faced King Caspian, a look of panic on his young face.

Thanos sighed and with a single wave of his hand, he conjured several Shaowlings to take form in the castle. He pointed the tip of his staff at King Caspian, speaking in a language no one understood.

"Now!"

The secret door burst open as soldiers bearing the Caspian crest poured in, swords draw. Rowan, Akari, Aira, Elden, Nyles and Fenrir followed behind them, each holding their weapons in front of them, save for Fenrir.

Queen Maylee took several steps back as the soldiers attacked the shadowlings, their swords slicing through them like knives in a fog. Some of the Star soldiers who had remained loyal to their queen, flowed out of their quarters, charging at the Caspian soldiers.

Flames danced along the floor, licking at the feet of the Star soldiers as they attacked what they saw as the enemy. The water from the fountain continued to spill out onto the polished surface of the floor, creating a slipping battleground.

Valeena saw Nyles using his spear to stab the backs of the Star Soldiers uniforms, carrying them away like a fisherman who had speared a fish. Akari was deadly with her sai, almost appearing to be dancing as she ducked and twirled.

Queen Maylee was back to throwing chunks of debris, screaming madly as she did so. She nearly struck Thanos, who was blocking an attack from King Caspian.

Fenrir was doing his part as well, taking out Star soldiers one by one with his deadly teeth. Valeena gagged as the bright red blood of his latest victim spilled out of the hole in his neck Fenrir had created.

Elden appeared by Valeena's side, handing her the heavy blade she had been given and returning to the battle scene.

She felt a cold chill dance through her veins as a shadowling advanced on her, its ghostly mouth open, screaming. Valeena swung hard, her blade cutting through the creatures head, causing it to dissipate like smoke.

Valeena had watched the Caspian soldiers attempt the same thing, but their swords were not as effective as hers. She wasted no time as she rushed across the floor, nearly being hit by a stray arrow, and landing a perfect blow on another shadowling.

The Caspian soldier mumbled a quick thanks as he reentered the battle, locking swords with a Star soldier. Valeena saw a third shadowling advancing on Rowan as he struggled to fend off two Star soldiers, the fire he had created flicking in and out.

Valeena raced towards him, using a chair to spring her body off of and cutting through the ghost-like creature as she made her way back towards the ground. She glanced up to check on Rowan, spying Queen Maylee racing up the double stairs on all fours like a dog.

Valeena saw King Caspian was still battling Thanos, his crown no where in sight. Princess Aurory was standing in the shadows, watching the battle with a look of disinterest on her face. Her book was back in her hand, the other still forming beads of light.

Valeena had never known the spoiled Princess to be able to preform magic before and could not help but wonder when that had happened. Queen Maylee had teased Princess Aurory before, saying that if she did gain magic powers, all Princess Aurory would do is make food appear. The child had laughed, but the look of hurt could not be missed.

Valeena walked beside Queen Malyee as she scrambled up the stairs, speaking in broken sentences that did not make any sense. Her eyes were wide and she seemed to be unable to focus on anything.

"Where are you going?" Valeena asked her as she reached the landing, pausing in her hasty retreat. Queen Maylee let out a strange sound as she faced Valeena, pointing to her head.

"You've got your crystal back! But how?" Queen Maylee opened her fist and six different sized rocks spilled out. She stared in disbelief at the objects, her mouth hanging wide. Valeena felt a jolt in her heart as the Queen pulled herslf to her feet, rounding on Valeena.

"You tricked me! I let you live here, raised you as my own and this is the thanks I get? A dirty trick?" Queen Maylee snapped, grabbing a Star Soldier by the arm as he ran past her and yanking the sword from his fingers.

She swung madly at Valeena, the tip of the blade slicing her upper arm, blood beading out of the wound. Valeena leaned back as the Queen swung again, nearly taking her head off in the process.

"You are not worth the trouble you have put me through! I tried to keep you safe, but you insisted on being so stupid!" This time her sword was met with resistance as Valeena swung hers, sparks flying as the two metals hit.

"Safe?" Valeena repeated, twisting her body as she ready another attack, the Queen blocking it smoothly.

"You made my life miserable! Locking me in my room for days, never allowing me to visit the library or the ocean!" Valeena stumbled back as the Queen kicked her in the leg, her sword slicing into her calf.

Valeena ignored the sting of the second cut and swung her own sword, cutting off the stupid bun the Queen was wearing. Her hair fell across her face in thick chunks while others stayed stick up, giving her the appearance of a rooster.

"Oh, boo-hoo!" Queen Maylee rubbed a fist under her eye, mimicking Valeena as though she were crying. She cried out, however as the blade of Valeena's sword cut through her arm, blood spilling out.

Valeena was too angry to feel repulsed by the blood and landed another hit on the Queen, this time slicing the side of her dress. Queen Maylee seemed to enter some type of berserk after her eyes saw the damage done to her garment. She swung madly, hitting the wall and Valeena's blade. Valeena was forced to swing just as madly, doing her best to meet the Queen's pace as she rounded on her once more.

Valeena twisted sideways as the Queen lounged for her, stumbled forward and losing her balance. She fell hard onto the stone floor, her sword skidding to a half inches from her fingertips.

Valeena stood over her mother, her heart beating loudly in her chest. Sweat dripped down from her forehead as her blue eyes watched the woman slowly roll over, her nose bleeding.

Valeena pointed the tip of blade at the bloated woman as she eyed her sword, her fingers flexing. She narrowed her eyes, feeling nothing by hate for the woman before her.

"Where did you find this strength?" Queen Maylee asked, her tone mocking. Valeena opened her mouth to speak, but was struck in the arm by a ball of energy.

Princess Aurory was glaring at Valeena, her hand holding a second attack. She was shaking with anger as she approached her mother, helping her to her feet.

"Why don't you just go and stop bothering us?" Princess Aurory demanded, but she was shoved aside as the Queen swung her sword once more at Valeena, who blocked it just in time.

Princess Aurory shouts for them to stop were drowned out by the clanging of metal as Valeena and Maylee continued to fight. Valeena was surprised by the stamina and strength the Queen possessed. She had not anticipated her to be such a worthy opponent.

Valeena was struck with another lightning both, as she swung once more at the Queen. She shoved Princess Aurory hard, nearly sending her toppling down the stairs as she countered yet another attack.

Valeena caught a glimpse of the scene below as she let another attack fly. Nyles had allowed Aira to sit on his back, and he flew about the battle grounds with her raining arrows upon the Star Soldiers. The last of the shadowlings had vanished without a trace, leaving King Caspian to battle Thanos alone.

Fenrir took down another soldier as Akari threw one of her fans, slicing open the front of one of the soldiers shirts with dead precision. Rowan sparked the fire back to life, the flames catching the silky banners on fire, smoke billowing from them.

Elden was standing on the body of the Blum, his sword striking the sword of a Star soldier. Behind him, Valeena could see maids cowering in the door frames, doing their best to stay safe. But they were nosy, and not to witness the battle was taking place before them. Valeena could not blame them for she would be doing same if not for her fighting her mother.

Valeena bumped Princess Aurory by mistake as she jerked her arm upwards to defend herself from the blade of the Queen. The child stumbled back, windmilling her arms as she teetered on the edge of the stairs.

Valeena reached for her hand as she fell, tugging her forward. Queen Maylee had not paused in her attack and nearly struck her daughter as Valeena moved aside, releasing the Princess's hand.

An arrow pierced the Queen in her left shoulder, forcing her to cry out. Queen Maylee grabbed the arrow and ripped it from her skin as Princess Aurory shot a ball of energy towards the flying elf. The orb his Nyles in his wing, causing him to losing control and crash into King Caspian and Thanos.

Princess Aurory closed her eyes as Valeena dodged yet another swing of the Queen's blade, but nothing happened. Valeena sensed that the Princess was trying to cast a spell and had failed.

The fight below was thinning out as more and more soldiers lost their lives or fled. Valeena was unable to see Akari or King Caspian as she struck the Queen's blade again, hating how evenly matched they were. Valeena had no practice with the blade and sensed the Queen was new at this as well.

Princess Aurory cried out and aimed an attack at something behind Valeena and Queen Maylee on the stairs leading to the third floor. Valeena had barely registered her horror as the blade from King Caspian's sword struck Queen Maylee in the back, killing the mighty Queen.

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