Of Judgement and Courage
A croaking sound escaped from the boy’s lungs as he forced himself forward as quickly as his injured body could carry him. Littlefoot felt his every part aching as he ran uphill towards the place where his dreams and hopes had been crushed finally and completely. It was the last place he wanted to see right now but he had to believe it had been the real Petrie he had seen earlier. The longneck almost wanted to believe he was chasing just another phantom but his heart told him that he was right. He simply had to be!
Suddenly, the male felt his legs failing under him and before he knew it, the poor longneck found himself lying among the ground sparkles, his chin hurting after hitting a rock sticking up from the ground. Littlefoot hardly noted that setback as they had been all he had known lately and even now, he would have wanted to simply stay still and not move a muscle but he simply couldn’t do that. He had to see if he had actually met the dinosaur he thought he had and he cursed deeply as he forced himself up from the ground, panting as he finally regained his footing.
It wasn’t long anymore to the edge of that place where he thought his destiny had lied and he certainly wouldn’t give up now. Only one thought lingered within Littlefoot’s broken mind as he continued to run forward: he would give his last breath to help any of his old friends if it only helped them live through whatever ordeal they were facing. His panting grew more forced but also more determined as the longneck continued his desperate charge.
Her heart beat in her ears as Ruby looked at the approaching flyers. The fastrunner cursed at what she was seeing but deep down, she still had to believe her foes hadn’t been able to actually spot her or Sireia just yet due to the absolute blackness covering the entire plateau. They had most likely heard something or seen some vague movement. The smell of decay hung over the battlefield too completely for the flyers to smell the hiding duo so Ruby knew she still had some chance to save the situation.
Trying to calm herself down, the omnivore listened to her surroundings and it wasn’t long before she heard some weak squeaking not far to her right. Knowing that whatever ground fuzzy had made that sound had saved her, Ruby started to quickly search for a small stone from the ground and without further hesitation, threw the rock towards the sound and to the girl’s ultimate joy, she heard a pained cry from the ground fuzzy as it ran away from further attacks. The omnivore noticed that the flyers immediately turned towards that new sound and Ruby wasted no time whispering to her companion.
“Let’s go, now! With any chance, thy won’t see us escaping!” She said as she crouched deeply and starting her slow but silent escape. Sireia immediately did as told and as seconds moved on slowly, they realized that they were saved. It would be extremely unlikely for the flyers to find their footsteps in this darkness and that fact was mirrored in Ruby’s voice.
“I… I think we made it. They won’t be able to find us anymore!” She said while looking at Sireia’s eyes. The older female looked nervously behind her, hearing her chasers arguing in the distance and it certainly didn’t seem like they were on their tail anymore. Sireia sighed deeply as she next spoke to her companion.
“You did well, Ruby, but we still aren’t safe!” We have to find some real shelter or they’ll find us soon enough!” She said nervously, making Ruby frown slightly. She was glad to still be alive but this hiding was getting on her nerves. She gulped before speaking again to the older female.
“You’re right, Sireia, right you are. That means we have to mov… Umm, it’s really silent, isn’t it?” She suddenly changed the subject, making Sireia’s expression to darken immediately. Her voice was a stern one as she started to give her answer.
“What about that? We have much better th… Oh… you’re right. The battle is over.” Sireia suddenly said extremely glumly as she looked at the skies. There were no more sounds of fighting and the few flyers still visible were only circling around slowly. Ruby felt her heart sinking as she saw a single tear falling from Sireia’s eye. Even now, she couldn’t help but feel bad for the flyer but it wasn’t long before she suddenly come up with an answer.
“Don’t be sad just yet, Sireia. Lenel lost but we don’t hear any cries of celebrations from Haste’s followers. You know what that means?” She asked, causing Sireia to look at her oddly. It was clear she was already dwelling in her own fears but it wasn’t long before she inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm down. She couldn’t disagree with Ruby’s implication and her voice was almost calm as she spoke next.
“Indeed, Ruby. He must still be alive. I just hope… that he returns to me before it is too late.” She said while crossing her hands, looking at the sky with a heavy heart. Ruby could easily see that her concern was genuine but deep down, a new, disgusting feeling started to form in the fastrunner’s heart. If Lenel had already lost, her deal with the pale flyer was already obsolete and with that, her chances of finding Arial. Now, only Haste could offer her such a blessing but… why would she ever help a fastrunner who had helped her worst enemy in the battle to deny her the prize she had craved for for many seasons?
Ortin gasped for air as he listened to the other flyer’s story. Every word that came out of his mouth seemed like a direct hit at the bluish boy’s face, his already dwindling hopes turning into outrage. He had no reason to distrust Petrie and even if he didn’t quite agree with him too often, he was more than ready to trust that Petrie had truly heard what he claimed. His voice trembled with cold hate as she spoke the other male.
“H… how could she? When I get my hands on that lying, murderous bastard I’ll…” He started but before he got further, Petrie decided to interrupt him in clear concern. He gulped slightly as he knew that another argument with Ortin seemed unavoidable.
“Petrie understand you angry, Ortin, and there nothing wrong with that. But you cannot go after Haste now! You’ll only get yourself killed!” He spoke, making Ortin simply roll his eyes. He could hardly contain his emotions as he spoke to the other flyer in a voice that didn’t sugarcoat his emotions any but still prevented it to be heard by any other flyers who might be nearby.
“And so what, Petrie? You weren’t there before that monster made her move! Haste has taken everything from me: my dad, my herd and my family! Lenel is still a slimeball of his own right but Haste…” Ortin stopped as he cringed his teeth together in outrage. Petrie realized that he had to be firm here even if it upset the other boy as this simply wasn’t a moment where anyone should take rash decisions.
“No, Petrie wasn’t there but listen: we not know if Haste know how to get the powers of this place and even if she do, me hope the spirits not give her the power. And if she not get it, you only make her job easier. Me not like about these things at all but… but you still Warekli’s relative.” Petrie said, making him inhale briefly as he said those words.
Ever since he had first arrived in the herd, he had hated the idea of someone family making them more important than others but no matter how he hated that, he couldn’t deny that family was more than important to flyers and there was no reason why he and his friends shouldn’t use that to their own advantage. Ortin narrowed his eyes as he answered in a dark voice.
“What about that, Petrie? That’s not news to anyone the last I checked!” He said sharply, making Petrie roll his eyes briefly. He took a short breath before giving his answer. It wasn’t something he had thought for a long time but right now, it was the only way forward Petrie could come up with.
“What Petrie mean is that you can still get your revenge on Haste later! You can gather your own herd and bring the fight to Haste when you older! If you die here, none of that possible anymore!” The boy’s words caused Ortin’s eyes to widen for a moment as he realized his friend’s point. That was something that made his heart beast faster the more he thought about it. He had never considered that realistic as he had grown up seeing himself as some kind of useless addition of the family who would never hold any position of power.
But now… now he was his family’s only surviving member and thus… he could lay claim to Peak’s old position among the flyers in the future! Of course that would have to wait until he was flyer but if he was cunning and strong enough, he could indeed do what Petrie had suggested. He didn’t forget the circumstances that enabled that chance for a moment
but Ortin couldn’t help but give Petrie a wide smile. However, that smile died down almost immediately as the bluish dinosaur suddenly spoke glumly.
“Though, what happens if Haste indeed gains Olres’ powers? At that point, whatever I do will be for nothing, Petrie!” He said, making Petrie gulp nervously. He didn’t want to think about that possibility and he had no answer to that question and his tone revealed that as he tried to reason with the other male.
“Umm… as Petrie said, me hope it will not happ…” He started but Ortin cut him short in clear annoyance.
“So you don’t know what we’ll do in that case. I’m not surprised.” He said dryly, finally causing Petrie’s calm to shatter. The stress of this fight had already stretched his nerves to the limit and Ortin’s arguing didn’t improve his mood any.
“So what? What you want to do, Ortin? Do you plan to attack Haste headlong and somehow take her out without the others joining the fight? Is that your plan?” He growled, causing Ortin to speak to him in a trembling, even threatening voice.
“Maybe it is, Petrie! How about you? Are you just planning to stay here and hope everything turns out well in the end? Is that what you flew all this way for?” Ortin asked, making Petrie’s expression to darken even further. He knew Ortin would hardly approve of his answer but he wasn’t in the mood to lie about such things right now.
“Petrie plan to find Ruby and tell her what happened! That the only way she will leave Lenel before it too late for her! That the best me can do without getting meself killed for nothing!” He said, making Ortin snort mockingly. He prepared to turn around but before he did so, he spoke to his friend one more time.
“Whatever. I hope you have fun reasoning with a baby killer! I at least try to do something about Haste before she gets the power to lead us all!” He said before disappearing into the darkness. Petrie looked after him in clear outrage but he could still remember that staying mad at Ortin wasn’t the best use of his time. He wasted no time heading towards the ground, praying that he’d find Ruby before it was too late.
Haste cursed deeply as she flew forward with her herd, the situation bothering her deeply. Yes, she had won but Lenel had managed to lose his chasers and even worse, she had no idea what to do now. Nobody stood between her and Olres’ powers but how in earth could she claim them? Lenel knew the answer to that question which made catching him ever more paramount. If this was how her victory would be robbed from her…
Suddenly, the female’s eyes caught the sight of something that made her narrow her eyes. The host of lights still lingered far below her, causing the victorious flyers’ expression lighten up immediately. They’d either give her the answers she was looking for or they’d regret their denial dearly! Immediately, she cried at her followers before plunging towards the ground.
“Continue the chase, everyone! I’ll join you shortly!” Haste yelled, not waiting for any kind of answer as she headed towards the group of lights shimmering in the middle of the endless darkness. As she stopped in front of them, she demanded them with a low and hate-filled voice.
“Well, now that I’ve beaten your new “guardian”, you better do as I say! Now, tell me how I will be able to claim Olres’ powers or I’ll turn this place upside down to find it!” She yelled, not worried in the slightest as the spirits started to approach her slowly. She stood still as she heard the answer within her head.
“Neither you or any other dinosaur may command us, flyer! If you want to have a chance, then you will prove your worth by using this victory to your best ability!” The ghosts said, making the female to tremble in frustration. She stepped forward and yelled loudly at the mysterious lights.
“Maybe you did not listen me closely enough! I own this place now and it is in my power to…” She started but before she got further, Haste found herself lying in the ground on her back, gasping heavily. She immediately looked around herself, seeing that the spirits were still not far in front of her, realizing that they had sent her flying into the ground
effortlessly. Grudgingly, she had to admit that she had no choice but to do as she was told. She cried at the spirits one more time, bitterness more than clear in her voice.
“Very well. I will play by your rules but I’ll make sure you’ll regret this once I’m done!” She yelled as she took off again, more determined than ever to find and kill the cursed flyer that was standing between her and victory.
“Get here, Sireia! We should be safe here!” Ruby whispered as she pointed at a large rock leaning against the mountainside. That rock left a narrow spot to hide under it and it would be nearly impossible to spot anyone hiding under it from the skies. The fastrunner looked as the flyer moved to safety but inside the girl could feel a massive storm forming inside her.
She had nothing to gain by guarding Sireia anymore. If anything, her presence only endangered her further and even if she was able to keep Lenel’s mate safe, the pale flyer himself had absolutely nothing to offer her anymore. Haste on the other hand… she could indeed still be able to save Arial.
However, those thoughts were more than distasteful for the fastrunner. She had started to somewhat like Sireia and despite her obvious faults, Ruby truly wanted her to get away from here alive. Sireia was a dinosaur who was worthy of her own word and she was far more honorable than the vast majority of leaders she had ever met. Besides, she had just started to truly earn the flyer’s trust and betraying her now would prove every word the older female had ever said about fastrunners and other halfteeth.
But even then, Ruby knew she had only one way to save Arial. Haste certainly wanted some proof that she was serious about allying herself with her and at this point, Ruby knew she had but one tribute that would prove that. The girl’s heart grew heavy as she looked at Sireia’s open back, knowing that this was the only way to move forward. It would come as a further blow to her self-esteem but Arial deserved better than to die in this sickening place. The fastrunner nearly twitched as the flyer spoke to her anxiously.
“You’ve done well, Ruby. I’ll tell Lenel that you’ve repaid your transgressions many times over.” She said while glancing at Ruby briefly. Those words made the omnivore feel even worse but she knew she couldn’t reveal her intentions now by letting her composure fail completely. Her voice was practically normal as she answered.
“I’m happy you think so, Sireia, as keeping you safe means keeping my sister at least somewhat safe and that the only thing I want right now!” She said, earning a long, unreadable glance from the flyer. Sireia’s eyes narrowed as she answered to the fastrunner.
“Yes, I know our goals are different but it’s good to see we can still work this well together. You know, I truly hope you’ll find your sister before long. I just pray that Lenel is still alive as well.” She said, looking at Ruby sadly. The omnivore gulped as she thought about what to say, her heart beating wickedly as she tried to keep herself calm.
“So do I. Even if he didn’t get the power he wanted, I still hope you two can find a new life together. You deserve as much, Sireia, as does Lenel.” She said, hoping that her expression stayed believable enough. The older female gave the girl a weak smile before turning around to look at the sky, crossing her hands as she waited for her mate’s arrival.
It was at this point that Ruby knew that her time had come. She’d hate herself for this honorless murder but sometimes a fastrunner had to do whatever they had to in order to protect themselves or their loved ones. Ruby took a few steps forward and after noticing that Sireia didn’t seem to react in any way, she suddenly dashed forward, clearly heading for the kill. The world seemed to slow around the omnivore as Sireia grew ever closer to her and her heart seemed to freeze still as the flyer’s head started to slowly turn at her, the flyer’s expression turning into that of horror and outrage. Ruby already thought she was on the verge of succeeding… until Sireia jumped to her side as quickly as she could.
The first few seconds were a complete mess within Ruby’s eyes. She could feel her claws tearing into the larger dinosaur’s flesh before she felt her leap coming to its end, followed by the inevitable impact into the ground. The fastrunner panted as she forced herself up from the ground, her expression darkening as she saw Sireia’s form in front of her. The omnivore looked at a new, long wound on Sireia’s side with some satisfaction, knowing that it would be a real hindrance to her opponent from now on. The older female panted heavily as she spoke to her former ally.
“So… you really were ready to do anything for your sister, weren’t you, Ruby?” She asked cryptically, causing Ruby to relax her muscles slightly. The resuming of the fight didn’t seem to be imminent and she could just as well explain herself to ease her own conscience.
“I truly was, Sireia. I hoped it didn’t have to come to this but Arial means more to me than you or Lenel or anything else in this life!” She yelled, the duo starting to circle each other slowly, knowing that blood would soon be spilled. The flyer spat into the ground, clearly disgusted by the sight in front of her.
“Spoken like a true fastrunner. You know, you really made me think someone of your kind might be different and what did I get as a reward? I’m just happy I kept my guard up as well as I did.” she said, causing Ruby’s mood to darken slightly. Her voice was a bothered one as she answered.
“You mean… you never trusted me completely?” She asked carefully, making Sireia roll her eyes. Her voice seethed with hate as she looked at her new foe.
“I already said it, Ruby. I believed you when you said you’d do anything for your sister.” She said, that revelation not really astonishing Ruby greatly. She was disappointed with herself for not seeing Sireia’s doubts before but on the other hand, the flyer had never been a stupid one. Ruby knew now that the time for words was over and that from now on, she’d simply have to utilize the early advantage she had received to her best ability.
“Well, I still intend to do that. I never wanted to hurt you but sometimes fate forces to do some things we never would have wanted!” Ruby cried as she dashed forward, able to land another blow against the injured flyer. The fastrunner knew she held the advantage as flyers were never meant to fight in the ground and besides, Sireia was already wounded. She would be victorious in this duel if she avoided making major blunders. However, she also could see that Sireia was far from a stranger to battles so despite her
inability to fly, she’d still have to be extremely careful with her opponent. Unfortunately for Ruby, her time was far more limited than she could have foreseen.
Lenel’s eyes scoured the darkness feverishly, knowing that one of Haste’s followers could appear from practically anywhere, cutting his escape short and ending his life before he could even move his finger. The male was more than devastated by the destruction of his group of followers, not only lamenting his own defeat but also the fact that he had led them to their deaths. Yes, he had been a disgrace ever since the start but even in this most sickening of moments, the pale flyer was able to remind himself that those thoughts could wait for a little longer. Right now, finding Sireia was the most important objective.
It had been a few minutes since he had disengaged from his duel with Haste and the former leader was growing slightly more optimistic about his chances. If he was merely trying to escape, he’d be already safe but alas, that wasn’t something he could do. Lenel cursed deeply for not telling his mate just where to go as that would have made this search far easier. Despite the distance he had made between himself and his chasers, Lenel knew very well that they were still in his tail. The longer he dwelled here, the more probable it’d be that…
Suddenly, the flyer heard a growl of pain from beneath himself, his eyes narrowing as he recognized that voice. It was clearly Ruby’s which meant... which meant that Sireia had to be there as well! But why was she crying in pain? Had Haste’s followers already found them? The male’s mind was suddenly filled with fear and concern as he plunged downwards, more than ready to fight until his last breath if it would help Sireia survive whatever battle she was engaged in.
The entire situation felt like one from a sleep story to Ducky as she walked forward with Orchid, still not being able to understand just what had happened. After all this time, she had finally reunited with another one of her old friends… only for him to leave her immediately! That meeting had been one of the most joyful moments the swimmer could remember but she was more than hurt by Petrie’s departure. She had a hard time wondering about what Petrie had been talking about but she wanted to believe it was of great importance.
However, Petrie’s parting words also lingered within the girl’s mind heavily. Was Littlefoot truly alive? After everything that had happened, could it truly be that two more of her friends were still in this world? That seemed like an impossible dream come true for the swimmer but even then, Petrie was still risking his life for some cause she knew nothing of and without the flyer, she had no way of finding Littlefoot, meaning that that piece of news could turn out to be useless for her! The swimmer tried to ignore those thoughts as Orchid spoke to her again.
“The battle is over, Ruby. I just wonder if the side Petrie is on won.” He said fearfully. Even if he had never met the flyer before, he had come to trust Ruby’s friends tremendously and Petrie seemed as nice and trustworthy as the rest of them. The young fastrunner prayed in his mind that the flyer hadn’t met his end here as he wanted more dinosaurs near him he could trust in this bleakest of situations.
Orchid’s words caused an even more fearful expression appear on Ducky’s face as she hadn’t noticed that before. But it was true, there was no more fighting in the sky which meant… that the other group had either been slaughtered or they had surrendered. To her immense frustration, Ducky had no idea whether it was Petrie’s side or his enemies that had prevailed and her uncertainty was mirrored in her next remark.
“Do not imply such things, Orchid. Surely Petrie won but… but in that case, he should return to us soon.” She said, feeling the chill creep to her heart as she realized that every passing second decreased the chances of Petrie returning to her alive. Orchid, however, wasn’t nearly as negative as his companion, remembering just how complex the situation was for everyone involved. He was far from convinced by his own words but they were the only one he could come up with right now.
“I’m not sure about that, Ducky. Even if he survived, he might try to find the new friends he mentioned or Ruby before us. I don’t know what he’s up to but we cannot wait for him! We have to find Ruby ourselves!” He said, earning a bothered expression from the girl. She couldn’t help but respect Orchid’s observations about his environment which were usually much more than could be expected from someone his age. The young boy would grow up to be a resourceful fastrunner one day but that didn’t answer the swimmer’s biggest question right now.
“But even if you are right, how do we find her? Tell me how, Orchid!” She said pleadingly, slowly starting to get ever more desperate as the seconds moved on. The boy was preparing to rebuke the swimmer’s increasingly desperate antics when he suddenly stopped still, staring into the distance with wide eyes. Ducky looked at him oddly, frustrated by the fact that Orchid’s senses were superior to hers in almost every way. In a morbid realization, she slowly started to understand just why her own kind had such a hard time in the Mysterious Beyond. It wasn’t long before Orchid waved his hand and spoke to his companion in a sharp voice.
“I think I heard something! Try to keep up, Ducky!” He said before sprinting into the distance. Ducky wasted no time doing as she was told, praying that Orchid hadn’t misheard whatever the two were now chasing.
The flyer took one step back as she prepared for another round of the fight. She could feel herself growing weaker from her injuries and only now she started to appreciate the omnivore’s abilities as a fighter. Her speed and quick attacks were making Sireia’s situation increasingly dire and genuine fear started to appear on the older female’s mind. She had thought she’d be able to withstand any attacks from the halftooth and if she had been able to fly, she certainly would have. But now… now she was forced to really face the prospect that she’d get killed here and now. But she’d certainly not go down without a fight no matter what!
Ruby looked at her opponent closely, trying to come up with the best way to move forward. Sireia was seriously injured but she still hadn’t won. Sireia’s vital arteries were still intact and she hadn’t been able to deliver any other decisive blows either. That would have to change soon or the entire battle could turn against her within a blink of an eye. The girl was just about to charge at Sireia again when she heard a voice that made her blood run cold.
“Sireia! Are you there? Please answer to m…” Lenel’s voice called before it was suddenly cut short. Ruby knew immediately why as she glanced at the skies above herself, seeing a dark silhouette of a flyer forming against the night sky. Ruby knew that she couldn’t afford to waste anymore time and she immediately dashed towards Sireia, knowing that this was her last opportunity to claim her victory.
Lenel’s breathing nearly stopped as he saw her mate preparing to withstand another attack from her former ally. He was happy to see that she was still alive but even that relief was quickly overwhelmed by pure, blind rage. To think that the dinosaur who he had accepted as his ally and who he had promised everything she had asked for had betrayed his dear mate like this… this betrayal would not go unpunished! Even Haste’s treachery was almost wiped from his mind as Ruby’s backstabbing was far more personal than anything
the female flyer had done. The fastrunner would pray she had never taken this step before the end!
That reaction wasn’t a secret to Ruby as she tried to break Sireia’s defense. The omnivore inflicted a new, bleeding wound on the older female’s thigh but to her surprise, the flyer started a counterattack in order to buy herself a few more precious seconds. She leaped closer to Ruby and hit her in the chest with all her power, causing the girl to gasp for air. Sireia didn’t hesitate to use her momentum and she hit the girl in her face with a violent power, causing Ruby to fall into the ground, her nose bleeding from the hit. The fastrunner tried to recover her footing but she gave up those plans as Lenel landed next to his mate, looking at her first.
“Are you alright, my love? Did this bastard do any real harm to you?” He asked, able to see just how severely the female was bleeding but that wasn’t something that would keep the tan-colored flyer down for long. Sireia panted deeply, more than happy that Lenel was now here. Her voice reflected those emotions as she gave her answer.
“Yes… yes, I am, Lenel. I am now. But we must hurry as its only a matter of time before Haste finds us here!” She said, knowing that the reflections for the duo’s future would have to wait for now. Their followers were gone and Haste would make sure they’d never be able to rejoin their herd so from now on, it would only be her and Lenel, struggling to survive from day to day with their small joys and sorrows… inside, the female wasn’t as repulsed by that thought as she would have imagined only an hour ago. The male snorted at that answer and he stepped forward as she spoke to the dinosaur he hated more than any other in this world.
“Indeed we do, dear, but I have to make one clear point here. The first one is that I do not tolerate treachery and the second one is that no one assaults you and lives! From now on, I will never allow any honor to force me to do something my brain warns me about. Thank you for teaching me that, Ruby.” The flyer said as he approached the girl threateningly, making Ruby took one step back after another. She knew she’d never beat Lenel but what were the options? Fleeing still wasn’t an option and Sireia wasn’t wrong about the fact that Haste would find the trio soon enough. Maybe the sight of her fighting Lenel would be enough to convince the flyer about the fastrunner’s change of alliances. Her voice was steady and decisive as she spoke to the leader she had already grown to respect.
“I do not regret anything I’ve done, Lenel. I wish we could have stayed as allies but that simply wasn’t possible anymore. But I know well that we are past talking at this point.” She said, looking at the outraged expression on the flyer’s face. Lenel’s voice trembled as she spoke to the younger dinosaur.
“That’s the only true thing you’ve ever told me, you spineless backstabber! I’ll make sure you’ll never deceive another poor soul ever again!” He cried as he charged forward, knowing full well that Ruby would attempt to dodge it and attempt to launch a counterattack afterwards but the seasoned fighter could immediately tell which way Ruby was heading and he didn’t hesitate to turn his attack in that direction. Ruby’s eyes widened as he saw Lenel’s assault and instinctually, she leapt backwards in a force that landed her on her back. Yet, Lenel’s attack didn’t stop there.
The flyer dashed towards Ruby from the air and just before the girl could get up, he kicked her with both of his feet before landing. The omnivore was sent rolling into the ground and at point, the victor of that uneven duel was already clear. Ruby had lost and it would only be a matter of seconds until Lenel would deliver his judgement for the fastrunner’s treachery.
All the thoughts swirling in his mind made the boy’s head ache as he forced himself through the dark skies. He was still more than frustrated by Ortin’s words and his inability to see things rationally. The bluish flyer was usually clever and loyal but there were times when talking to him felt like talking to a damn rock! How many times would he have to be right for Ortin to finally trust in his judgement? Despite Petrie’s lingering annoyance with the other male’s decision, he had to try to keep his focus on the task at hand.
Right now, finding Ruby was the most important thing as it could be a question of mere moments before Haste or Lenel would turn against her and at that point, no force would be able to save her. The boy prayed that none of that would come to pass as he forced himself forward, full well knowing that he wasn’t safe either as Haste had made it very clear that she didn’t want to see him anymore. That only made finding the fastrunner all the more urgent.
Petrie narrowed his eyes as he looked at the sight below him, knowing he’d have to lose some altitude if he wanted to have a chance at spotting the omnivore from the air. The cold winds made him shiver heavily but he knew he could only push forward and find Ruby as soon as possible. After he had made sure she was safe, he’d be able to turn back and attempt to make Ortin see sense. With any luck, he and all his friends would…
“Is the scent getting stronger, Orchid? Please tell me we are going the right way!” The flyer twitched noticeably as he heard that voice, immediately able to tell whom it belonged to. His earlier meeting with Ducky still felt like a distant, happy sleep story and he was more than happy to hear her voice again. And considering their earlier discussion, the target of the duo’s wasn’t a big secret. Petrie nodded happily as he heard Orchid’s answer.
“It indeed is! We’ll find her within minutes if we keep this up!” He answered, prompting Petrie to suddenly dash towards the duo in clear expectation. A wide smile appeared on his face as the two dinosaurs appeared from the darkness, yelping at them as he slowed down his speed.
“You talking about Ruby? You mean she’s out there somewhere?” He asked, not willing to stay here for too long while Ruby was out there alone with Lenel’s pawns. Ducky crossed her hands in happiness as she glanced at the male, not expecting to meet him again right now. However, seeing that her old friend was still alive was a massive relief to her and
she didn’t hide that as she gave her answer.
“Yes we are, Petrie! Orchid believes he got her scent! And it is so good to see you are still alive! I was already starting to worry you were… on the losing side of that terrible fight, I was.” She said with a cringe, immediately able to see that the other dinosaur wasn’t happy with the fight’s result. The male’s voice was heavy as he spoke.
“Me wasn’t on any side, really, but it was Lenel who lost. But Haste not any better either! Petrie hate to say it but all flyers expect me friends are terrible!” He said while cringing deeply. Ducky could see the depth of his regret but she knew that the time for a full explanation about that battle would have to wait further. Orchid decided to join the conversation as one thing bothered him deeply.
“Who are these friends of yours, Petrie? We need to know in case we happen to meet them!” He asked, causing Petrie to inhale deeply. He gave a simple, brief answer before deciding that his time here was coming to an end as Ruby needed his help.
“Their names Ortin and Glide and they flyers about Petrie’s age! Tell them you friends with Petrie and they’ll understand if you ever see them! But now, me have to go help Ruby! Come after me as me afraid she in bad trouble!” He yelled as he headed into the darkness, causing Ducky to raise her hand in slight protest before realizing it was too late. She sighed as she regretted not being able to speak with Petrie for longer but that couldn’t be helped. She turned at Orchid and spoke to him silently.
“You heard him! Let us follow him and do whatever we can to help him and Ruby!”
The omnivore breathed deeply as she looked at the pale flyer towering above her, gulping as she saw the expression on his face. It was a mix of anger, desperation and outrage which was filled with more pain than she could remember seeing in a long time. It was clear that Lenel was more than ready to finish this once and for all and the omnivore knew she couldn’t stop it anymore. She closed her eyes and spoke to her former leader with moist eyes.
“I’m sorry it came to this, Lenel. Just make it quick.” She said, already regretting the fact that it would all end like this. She had already been ready to take her own life before and it felt like a travesty that she’d die here by Lenel’s hand. She said her prayers for Arial in her mind, regretting it deeply that she wasn’t able to save her.
The girl’s heartfelt words stopped Lenel for a few fleeting moments, her genuine sadness breaking his resolve to deliver the killing blow. No matter how much he wanted to believe otherwise, he knew that Ruby wasn’t a murderous monster yearning for the blood of his mate but a hurt child who wanted nothing else than to help her sister. That thought was a concerning one for the male and for a moment, he wondered whether he could finish the task at hand.
However, it wasn’t long until Lenel found the resolve to move forward. While the omnivore might have had an understandable motive, she had still committed the crime of attempting to take his beloved away from him, ridding him of the only thing he had left and that was something he absolutely could not forgive. Lenel bowed towards Ruby, his expression softening slightly but to the fastrunner’s horror, his determination also returned.
“I guess you deserve that much, Ruby. I do not know what you’ve been through or what you really believe but I still want to believe you could have been a valuable ally in other circumstances. But attacking my mate is something I simply cannot forgive.” He said, causing Ruby to nod weakly. There was nothing more to be said here and that much was apparent to both of the dinosaurs. Ruby managed to say one more thing before the coming end.
“That doesn’t matter. If you truly cannot let me go, stop the damn bragging and get on with it!” She said, growing angered by Lenel’s hesitation. The flyer realized the girl’s point and raised his hand to end the fastrunner’s struggles once and for all… but before could land his blow, he yelped in sharp pain. The male lost his focus utterly for a moment and to her shock, Ruby saw a large rock dropping from the flyer’s cheek after first crashing at it in violent force. Ruby couldn’t even start to wonder about what had happened before she
heard a loud voice calling from the sky.
“Get away from Ruby, Lenel! Petrie will not ask twice!”
The younger flyer couldn’t believe his luck. Had he been only a few seconds later, he would have been too late to stop Lenel from killing Ruby. The older dinosaur turned to look at the boy, narrowing his eyes as he saw his persistent foe. He cursed silently, able to tell that his window of opportunity was starting to close. His voice was sharp as he cried at the other male.
“You simply do not know when to give up, Petrie. But this time, you are too late! I’ll show you that even with persistence, you will not be able achieve anything!” He yelled as he prepared to deliver the killing blow to the halftooth but to his shock, Ruby managed to stop his attack, having managed to free her left arm after Petrie’s intervention. Lenel couldn’t believe this turn of events and he decided to get over this setback by sinking his claws into Ruby’s legs, making the female cry in intense pain. And that pain was enough to break her defense, allowing him to finally hit at the fastrunner’s exposed neck… or he would have been able to hadn’t another thing gone the way he hadn’t wanted.
Lenel gasped terribly as he felt a powerful impact in his back. His eyes widened to their absolute limit and the flyer screamed horribly as Petrie’s beak sank into his upper back, forcing him back to his feet while holding new wound. The male’s face was a mask of pain as tried to look at the injury, seeing the blood flowing down his back at alarming rates. The pale flyer looked at Petrie with wide eyes, more than astonished by the boy’s attack. He had known Petrie to be a brave dinosaur but this was something he hadn’t expected. Lenel cringed in agony as he spoke to Petrie.
“You truly are Pterano’s nephew. Few flyers I’ve met would have headed to battle that brashly and courageously.” He said, not really able to hide his admiration of Petrie’s spirit. The boy panted in shock, not used to having his beak painted red by the blood of other dinosaurs. He knew he looked like a sight from his own sleep stories but this wasn’t the time to get overwhelmed by his own deeds. He looked at the older male and spoke to him with a pleading voice.
“Lenel… me hate you for what you’ve done but Petrie heard what you spoke about with Haste and… and she much worse than you. Me never expected that but now me know that there far more evil flyers than you. Me would like to see you dead because of uncle Pterano but me learn that no leader think about one of their followers. You deserve worse but if you leave Ruby and Ortin alone forever, Petrie let you go and not tell Haste just where you went.” He said, not really even believing he was saying those words. He had come here to see Lenel’s downfall but here he was giving him a chance to escape with his life. Haste’s atrocities had changed the boy’s way of thinking, now truly understanding that the pale flyer wasn’t a monster when it came to power-hungry leaders.
Lenel, on the other hand, wasn’t sure whether to respect the other flyer or whether to burst into loud laughter. He couldn’t help but truly respect the younger dinosaur’s arrogance but the comic aspect of his words wasn’t lost on the former leader either. How could a child like Petrie imagine he’d never surrender to their demands? Lenel’s voice trembled with
grim threat as he gave his answer.
“Oh, Petrie, Petrie, Petrie. I may be beaten but if you think you can command me, there’s another thing coming! I have lost a lot but I still have a modicum of self-r…”
“Ruby? It really is you! Hold on a little longer!” A new voice called, making Lenel narrow his eyes as he looked into the dark distance. He could hear that the speaker was very young, even more so than Petrie and his thoughts were immediately cut short by the younger flyer’s answer.
“Come quick, Orchid and Ducky! We need help!”
Ruby could feel her heart freezing as she heard that call. She could recognize her brother’s voice anywhere but it didn’t fill her with joy. Far from it. Why hadn’t he merely taken the hint and stayed away? Now he was here, putting his life at risk despite her direct orders against it! Immediately, her hands turned into fists as she saw her brother, along with Ducky, getting ripped apart by Lenel or Haste’s followers, crying for her to help him with his final, pained screams. She had sent them away to avoid this and her voice hid none of her inner anguish and disappointment over this interruption.
“Get out from here, Orchid! I sent you away for a reason!” She cried in a loud voice, not receiving an immediate answer from her brother. Lenel quickly turned at his mate and spoke to her sharply.
“Keep those pipsqueaks at bay while I finish this crap once and for all. My patience is quickly running out!” He yelled as he quickly resumed his attack on Ruby he cursed internally that he had lost his decisive advantage because of the endless interruptions. But he knew very well that he would be the victor here. He had overwhelmed Ruby once before and he’d do so again.
Ducky frowned as she tried to see just what was happening before herself. She could see a female flyer and Petrie closer to her and the pink hue in the distance could only belong to Ruby. The swimmer gasped as she saw a light-colored flyer battering the girl’s defenses and even from here, the swimmer could see that the fastrunner was in a severe disadvantage. She needed immediate help and she knew she could get it only from someone whose attack would come as a secret. The swimmer already regretted what she’d have to do as she still hated hurting any living creature but if the flyer wasn’t going to leave Ruby alone, then she had no choice! Ducky quickly glanced at the young fastrunner and spoke to him sharply.
“Orchid, I hate to ask you this but… go help Petrie. I will try to get closer alone in order to surprise that mean flyer, I will. Ruby needs an opening to escape from that fight and I will give it to her.” The girl said, making a highly uncertain look rise to the boy’s face. It was clear Orchid wasn’t particularly fond about that plan but he also knew that there was no time to argue here. He nodded at his companion, praying her plan would work.
“Okay, Ducky. Show that bastard what happens when you attack my sister!” He said, earning a swift nod from Ducky. The male looked somewhat sadly as the older dinosaur disappeared into the darkness, chills running up his spine.
Ruby looked at her opponent in surprise, astonished by the fact that his injury didn’t seem to slow him down any. She could see blood still flowing from the deep wound in his upper back but at least Lenel managed to hide the apparent pain masterfully. Ruby knew that the outcome of this fight wouldn’t end any differently than their first round as Lenel was simply far too skilled and powerful for her to best. A somber feeling rose to her mind as she slowly came to accept that she truly wouldn’t survive this encounter.
However, that didn’t mean that she’d accept her role from the previous fight. She’d take this struggle to Lenel, showing that she wouldn’t sell her life easily. The fastrunner decided to make her move before Lenel even began his own assault and it was clear she took the flyer off-guard. Lenel couldn’t even blink before he felt a new sting of pain in his upper abdomen. However, he had been through too many fights to surrender to that pain and he immediately turned towards Ruby, knowing she couldn’t dodge his own hit after attacking that greedily. The flyer grinned as he saw blood spurting from Ruby’s neck even if those wounds weren’t lethal.
The omnivore gasped at the flyer’s quick rebuke, not having expected even Lenel to have such swift and precise reflexes. Even then, she wouldn’t cede the momentum to the pale flyer because of one setback and she didn’t waste one moment before resuming her own assault. She tried to break Lenel’s defenses by hitting right at him but again, Lenel was one step ahead of the female. He replicated the halftooth’s assault, knowing that his weight would make that collision a disaster for the fastrunner.
Her eyes widened as Ruby felt her flying into the ground with a heavy force, looking at the skies in shock. This fight was going absolutely nowhere. She’d never beat Lenel and the way she was getting beaten was shocking to the omnivore. Yes, Lenel was far older and more experienced but Ruby had never thought of herself as a puny or absolutely useless fighter. Her breaths only quickened as he heard Lenel’s voice speaking to her.
“With some more training, you would have become a very tough opponent to beat, Ruby. You have the speed, courage and precision needed but you simply do not foresee the moves that will ruin your plans. It’s a shame, really, but you will never have the time to learn those skills. Now, get out of my sight, brat!” He cried but before he could deliver the blow, he was interrupted by a sharp stroke of pain in his hand. Lenel cursed deeply as he glanced at the new interruption, gasping slightly as he saw a swimmer hanging from his hand.
Ducky’s heart beat violently in her chest as her eyes met those of Lenel’s. She felt more than vulnerable as those rage-filled eyes seemed to look directly into her soul. Ducky knew more than well that her chances of resisting Lenel were even more unlikely than Ruby’s but even then, she didn’t regret her decision. She had brought herself in danger before because of her friends and that was something she wasn’t going to stop even if the said friend didn’t want her help. She’d hold on to her friendships until the end, now and forever.
The flyer, on the other hand, could hardly even begin to think about how many brats were going to stand between him and Ruby but this was one of the most pathetic ones yet. He had seen swimmers very seldom and even in those instances, they had been barely an obstacle on his path. The flyer’s voice shuddered as he spoke to the younger dinosaur, his voice shuddering with hate and rage.
“First, Petrie and that cursed baby killer brat come to interrupt me and now some bigmouth thinks she is worthy of challenging me? I’ve… had… enough… OF THIS CRAP!” He cried as he suddenly started to shake his hand in an attempt to make the swimmer lose her grip but Ducky was going to hold on until the end as she could see that every moment she bought made Ruby’s survival more likely. The fastrunner looked at that sight with wide eyes, alarm starting to overwhelm her mind. She cried at her old friend with a loud voice, her eyes showing the depth of her fear.
“Ducky, why didn’t you stay away? Just let of AND GET AWAY FROM HERE!” She screamed, knowing just how severe the danger facing the other girl was. The duo’s eyes met for a fleeting moment and Ducky wasted no time giving her answer, the situation not lost on her either.
“You cannot tell me to go away and not care about you anymore, no, no, no! Even if you think we are no longer friends, I will never give up on you or any else of my friends! Now, get away fr…” She cried but Lenel had finally heard enough. With one, violent move he grabbed Ducky’s tail and pulled her away from his hand. Ruby could see the terror on the swimmer’s face as Lenel turned towards a nearby wall of stone before slowly pulling the small dinosaur backwards, his intentions more than clear.
It was in this moment that Ducky realized that she was done for. Those few seconds seemed to stretch on forever as her dearest memories flowed through her mind, from the moment of Spike’s birth, the endless days in the Great Valley and her reunion with Ruby only a few weeks before. She could hardly even begin to think about what was happening but one thing she knew: she had done her duty as Ruby’s friend by saving her from Lenel. Now, it was time for her to join her dear brother in the Great Beyond. She was just about to cry something to Ruby before she felt Lenel throwing her forward with all his might. In that moment, one single thought appeared in her mind.
Ruby, Petrie, Littlefoot… goodbye. I hope you live better lives than I did, I do.
The omnivore could feel her heart stopping the moment she saw Ducky heading towards the wall of rocks, her entire mind unable to form one single thought as her entire consciousness was overwhelmed by fear. The moment Ruby saw her dear friend hitting the wall was one when Ruby felt like her world was coming apart. That hit was accompanied by a loud crunch and large parts of the wall were painted red by the swimmer’s blood. Ruby’s eyes were completely wide as she fell to her knees, tears falling from her eyes as she looked at the lifeless form of her old friend.
That sight wasn’t lost on the other belligerents either. The struggle between the severely wounded Sireia and Petrie came to a halt the moment the splash marking the end of one of the kindest dinosaurs to have ever lived reached their ears. The sounds of battle turned into complete silence as Petrie looked fearfully towards the sight next to Lenel, the darkness almost hiding the gruesome sights from his eyes but… only almost. The flyer’s blood ran cold as he saw his dear friend slowly dropping into the ground, her spirit already having left her body.
Suddenly, the sight of Ducky looking at his eyes after him dropping into dark hole the day they first met and the moment she had cheered him up after he had finally accepted his uncle’s faults… not to even mention the faith she had put in him during his preparation for the Great Day of the Flyers. The boy simply stared forward, tears starting to flow down his cheeks as the weather seemed colder than ever before. The swimmer had cheered him up by simply being there on this day and now… now…
It simply couldn’t be! The flyer had accepted Ducky’s death once before so why was he forced to do it all over again? His spirit was on the verge of falling before he finally locked his eyes on Lenel. It was he who was responsible for all of this! That cursed monster had taken everything from Ortin and now he had stolen one of his oldest friends in one of the most profound displays of cowardice the boy had ever seen! Petrie’s inconsolable tears were soon mixed with deep trembling, the disdain he felt towards the pale flyer burning more powerful than the Bright Circle itself. The flyer cried at his other friend, his words nearly unintelligible due to the raw pain in his voice.
“COME ON, RUBY! LET US FINISH THIS MONSTER ONCE AND FOR ALL! LENEL, YOU DONE SO MANY BAD THINGS BUT THIS… THIS ME WILL NEVER FORGIVE! YOU’RE FOLLOWING HER HERE AND NOW!” He yelled but before he could move a muscle, another voice spoke to him and it would have shocked him deeply had the situation been any other.
“Yes, he will not see the light of morning but it will not be you who will do it. Gather next to that stone wall and do not make any extra movements until I give you the permission to do so!” Petrie immediately recognized Haste’s voice but right now, he was far from being in the mood to play her games. He immediately turned at the female and yelled at her in a tortured tone.
“Me no want to see you now, Haste! Petrie not have anything to say to other bad flyers or to them that ruin lives of my close friends and kill simply because they want power! Things already bad enough without you!” He cried, only afterwards realizing that he shouldn’t have said some of the things he had just said. It wasn’t long before his morbid thoughts were interrupted by the one dinosaur he hated more than anything.
“Follow me, Sireia! We have to get out of here now!” Lenel yelled, only now realizing his folly. He couldn’t care less about any swimmer but his petty quest for revenge had robbed him of the time he would have needed to get away from here before Haste made her appearance. If he had only ignored Ruby, he could be far away from here by now with Sireia. But now, he’d need a true miracle to save him and his mate and his mood only darkened further as he heard his mate’s beaten voice.
“I’m sorry, my love. I couldn’t run for one longneck length let alone all the way away from this cursed land.” She said, the implications of those words apparent in her voice. She was already mentally beaten, knowing that all of her dreams had been crushed in just one hour. She was still somewhat warmed by her mate’s clear concern for her and his willingness to make those who hurt her pay but it was all over now. It was clear by now what this night’s outcome would be.
The female’s answer seemed to stop Lenel’s world completely, not willing to accept what he had just heard. As long as he could remember, Sireia had never been one to give up no matter how bleak the situation was. To see her now accepting defeat… it also broke the male’s will as well. The pale flyer looked at the sight around himself, looking glumly as Haste’s remaining followers surrounded him and cut all of his possible escape routes. Lenel frowned deeply as Haste landed in front of him, the victorious flyer hiding her triumphalism rather well.
“This is the end of your escape, Lenel. though, I give it to you that you had a good run.” She said but Lenel wasn’t on the mood to argue with the traitor. He slowly raised his gaze at the female and after a few seconds of waiting, he cried at her in rage.
“Well, what are you waiting for?! Kill me and claim your victory! This time I have no possible tricks anymore, as you can see.” He said while spreading his hands, willing to escape this soul-crushing moment of defeat. He had went through many terrible moments in his life but this… being forced to wait for his own and his mate’s deaths… this was by far the worst.
Haste approached her own leader and cocked her head slightly. Yes, Lenel no longer had any hopes of escaping but he could still cause her more trouble if he killed himself before revealing the secret to unlocking Olres’ secret. The somewhat respecting tone in her voice wasn’t lost on Lenel.
“Even if I usually detest those who choose to fight unfairly and escape from a fair duel, I am willing to overlook all of that for the overall valorous fight you put up on this day, Lenel. I just have to find out one question and I’ll give you a quick death and I’ll even tell the herd that you died fighting for what you believed was right.” She said, making Lenel look at her with narrow eyes. He was far too sickened by this entire situation to even give the female’s words any thought and he merely asked the obvious question in the driest way possible.
“And what would that be, Haste? I have nothing more to lose.” He stated the fact that was clear to everyone and Haste frowned as she heard those words. She took another step towards Lenel and spoke almost threateningly as she gave her answer.
“Don’t act stupid, Lenel. We both know that I mean the key to receiving Olres’ powers. And don’t give me any “you are not worthy!“ answers anymore!” She stated sharply, making Lenel roll his eyes.
It all felt like some kind of joke. Lenel had already forgotten all about Olres despite him dedicating his entire life to becoming his successor. Only now did he realize the clear fact that had laid in front of him this entire time: he never needed his ancestor’s gift, he only needed what he had had for countless seasons. Lenel knew he’d give up his position and all claims to Olres’ legacy if he only could live up a quiet, simple life with Sireia… but it was too late now. In a way, the pale flyer was almost eager to reveal that secret to the female as maybe there was a chance that it could destroy her as it had destroyed him. He didn’t waste any time giving his answer.
“That answer is easy to give, Haste! You remember the pond near the spot we started the fight? Just drink from it and you’ll receive Olres’ powers.” He said, making Haste look at him oddly. She looked deep into his eyes, clearly not yet happy with Lenel’s words.
“Somehow, I have trouble believing you’d tell this to me after the first time I ask.” He said, making Lenel spit into the ground in disgust. His voice trembled with disdain at himself, his never-ending follies and the disaster his entire life had been. It was clear to everyone present that he spoke nothing but the truth as he gave his tense answer.
“As I said, I have no reason to hide any part of the answer, Haste! In case you didn’t notice it, I immediately headed towards it in order to claim that gift to myself! Your own followers can confirm that much to you!” He cried, looking at the two flyers still alive who had blocked his path to victory. One of them looked at Haste and spoke to her in a silent voice.
“He speaks the truth, Haste. He tried to desperately reach the pond before we stopped him.” He said, causing Haste to bring her hand to her chin, thinking about what she had just heard. She was hesitant to believe Lenel this easily but… why in earth would one of her own trusted allies lie to her? Besides, the pale flyer was right in saying that he wouldn’t win anything by lying to her at this point. Deep down, she was starting to believe that her natural suspicion no longer served any true purpose and after a few seconds of thinking, she made her decision. A victorious smile rose to her face as she looked at Lenel’s eyes, more than excited to get to action. Her voice, however, carried no hint of lingering hate towards the male and despite her apparent cheer, she acted more gracefully than Lenel had suspected.
“Very well. I believe you, Lenel. I can not take the risk that you might escape in my absence so your journey comes to an end here and now. But as I promised, your deaths will be quick! My followers, do it!”
Those words made Ruby’s head ache even more than before. On one hand, she was beyond happy that Lenel faced his end but she would have wanted to do it herself and she would have wanted to make her former leader suffer before his death! Usually Ruby would have just let that urge pass but she simply could not allow this to happen! She quickly ran towards Haste and yelled at her with teary eyes.
“You can’t let him go this easily! HE MURDERED DUCKY FOR ANCESTRORS’ SAKE! HE DESERVES, FAR, FAR W…” She yelled but she was quickly beaten into the ground by Haste’s followers. She tried to fight them off but it was all hopeless. She wouldn’t be able to prevent the coming execution.
Petrie wasn’t feeling any better and he looked in complete astonishment at Ruby and what the flyers were doing to her. He would have wanted nothing more than to join her in the protest but… but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Something within this entire debacle made him feel more powerless than he could remember feeling ever before. He hadn’t been able to save Ducky, he wouldn’t be able to bring Lenel the punishment he truly deserved… he wouldn’t be able to do anything. The boy fell to his knees, crying silently as he tried to prevent himself from collapsing into the ground completely.
Sireia looked at her mate warmly, grabbing his hand as Haste’s followers closed in upon them. She was surprisingly ready for this and she didn’t feel real panic as her last seconds passed on slowly. Yes, she and her mate had mate countless mistakes and ones that she couldn’t forgive even to herself. Yet, she knew that both she and her mate had done their best in all the situations of their lives and that was enough for her. As long as she stayed on the male’s side, she was happy with whatever fate came their way.
Her mate didn’t truly disagree. He was content to fall by Sireia’s side but… but his conscience wasn’t completely clear. Yes, he no longer even cared about Olres’ gift but the long path he had gone through to win the spirits’ approval… it had all been for nothing. After the terrible vision just before Stealth’s attack, Lenel thought he had been practically reborn as a new, more compassionate and more worthy leader but… but this fight had proven him wrong.
Not only had he been unable to convince Petrie and Ortin of his change but he had also tried to use deceit and lies against those he had hurt severely. He had been unable to save his followers and it had been his mistakes that had enabled Haste’s victory! And perhaps worst of all, he had given in to his inner rage towards Ruby for hurting Sireia and by doing so, doomed both himself and his beloved mate to this death. Finally, by killing the swimmer he had only made sure that his final legacy would be only more pain and suffering. His regret was mirrored in his whisper to the female.
“I’ve done nothing but failed time and time again, Sireia. But… but I couldn’t be more grateful to you for sticking with me all the way. You can never know just how much it has meant to me.” He said, nuzzling his beak with the other flyer. Sireia allowed a single tear flow down from her right eye as he embraced the male, speaking to him in a sad but warm voice.
“It was my pleasure, Lenel. I wouldn’t have wanted for it to be in any oth…” She said but before she could finish, Haste’s followers sliced both Lenel and Sireia’s throats open, the two flyers’ bodies collapsing into the ground side by side, leaving the two flyers in an eternal embrace with each other. The flyer who had relentlessly spent his entire life seeking a new golden age for the flyers and who had given up everything for that goal, as well as Ducky’s killer, was gone.
Petrie shivered deeply as he looked at that sight, mere emptiness filling his heart as he thought about it all. The monster who had taken Ducky away from him was gone but… so was Ducky. Ortin would be overjoyed to learn about Lenel’s passing and the pale flyer would never lead the flyers but… but none of that would bring his dear friend back. He turned around as he cried deeply, not wanting to see any of the other flyers right now.
As opposed to the flyer, Ruby sat down on a nearby rock, burying her head between her hands, looking before herself with wide eyes that were not really looking at anything. The exact thing she had feared had come to pass. She had sent Ducky away simply to ensure her safety but here she was, lying lifeless in the ground. Also, the fastrunner simply couldn’t believe that she had ever respected the beast who had dared to do that to the swimmer. It all seemed like a bad sleep story but there was no way around it: she had ruined Ducky’s life as well and she would be the next of her loved ones who was now dead because of her. Ruby’s head slowly dropped downwards, the girl not even finding the strength to keep it in the normal position.
However, the scene wasn’t one of utter sadness, at least not to one certain flyer. A smile crept to Haste’s face as she looked at Lenel’s corpse, hardly able to believe it. The flyer she had wanted to overthrow for so very long was dead within her feet and now she had something she had never even looked for: the key to Olres’ powers! However, there was one, small detail that had to be taken care of before she could claim her reward. The female slowly approached Petrie, not caring about his loss in the least. Her voice was a menacing one and it was immediately clear to the boy what this conversation was going to be about.
“Now, Petrie, what was it about me ruining the lives of your friends and me being a bad flyer? I truly hope you’re not speaking about Ortin, now are you?” She said, looking right the male’s eyes. Petrie was far too broken to immediately be able to hide his true thoughts. The male’s eyes radiated with disdain at the female and he realized his mistake only after he knew it was too late. He could see the determination within Haste’s eyes and the younger flyer realized that he couldn’t explain his way out of this mess anymore. He stepped forward and cried right at the other dinosaur.
“Me indeed was, Haste! You kill his father and Nimble and it your fault Lenel did what he did! YOU NOT WORTHY OF LEADING EVEN ONE FLYER!” He yelled, earning slightly confused looks from some of Haste’s followers. The female took a weak smile as she finally broke her eye contact with Petrie, knowing that this conversation was over once and for
all. She quickly turned around and cried at her host with a loud voice.
“Finish these brats once and for all! Petrie is willing to spread Lenel’s lies even after his death and Ruby fought for that bastard as well. I’m sure the younger egg stealer is in league with them as well but I am needed elsewhere. But do not worry, I will be back soon enough, my faithful followers, after I take the power Lenel never could!” She cried as she took off and the time seemed to stop around Petrie as the other flyers’ gazes locked upon him and his companions, signaling to the boy that he was running out of time.
An audible gulp could be heard as Ruby looked around herself, knowing this was it. The flyers would never disobey Haste’s command and there were too many of them for her to ever shake them off from her tail. To think her march of constant loss would end like this… Well, at the very least she had managed to avenge her parents but Arial would remain lost, perhaps forever. And to think Orchid would die here as well… The omnivore’s pain suddenly turned into blind fury as she realized just how wrong all of this truly was. She attacked one of the flyers nearest to her, kicking her into the ground and crushing her neck before anyone else could react to her sudden rampage. Her voice was that of endless pain and hurt as she moved to face another opponent.
“You will not take me or my brother easily, you damn killers! I’LL TAKE AS MANY OF YOU AS I DAMN SURE CAN!” She yelled, noticing that Petrie seemed to suddenly find newfound will to fight as well. However, then happened something she had never expected to see. The two flyers in front of her were suddenly rammed to the ground, revealing someone who had quite literally returned from the Great Beyond itself. The fastrunner raised her hands to her mouth in utter shock as she looked at the scarred but familiar face in front of herself. She hardly even heard his words in the midst of her surprise.
“I know what you think, Ruby, but there’s no time to speak now! Let’s get your brother before anything worse happens! Petrie, try to get out of here! I know you can do it!” Littlefoot yelled encouragingly, earning a haunted look from the flyer. Yes, he had known about the longneck’s survival but he hadn’t expected to see him here fighting this quickly. But after hearing his usual friendly and uplifting voice after all this time, Petrie knew he simply couldn’t let him down. He suddenly grabbed a stone from the ground and threw it right at one of the nearby flyers, the pain clearly making it difficult for him to concentrate for a short while. Petrie quickly rose into the air, hoping to get away from his foes as quickly as possible.
Yet, that plan seemed to fail when the boy suddenly felt one of his legs being grabbed by one of the other flyers and Petrie’s heart skipped a beat as he realized that if he was pulled back into the ground, he’d be a goner without a doubt. Instinctually, he impaled the other dinosaur’s hand with his beak, breaking free from his grasp but also plunging towards the ground in the process. For a fleeting moment, Petrie thought he’d be a goner… but not once did he forget all the tricks he had learned over the seasons. He quickly somersaulted in the air, only barely managing to avoid hitting the ground before he headed back towards the skies. Now, he’d have to lose his chasers which would be far from easy…
The longneck’s heart swelled as he and Ruby made their way towards Orchid. To think he had already given up when there were still many of them alive… Being proved wrong about that was more than he had ever dared to hope for and he couldn’t help but thank any benevolent force that had allowed him to be here just in time to save his friends from this terrible mess. He could never have believed that his mother came to him once more to guide him forward but here he was. He could feel the same surprised shock within Ruby but catching up would have to wait for a little longer. Though, there was some deep sorrow within the fastrunner whose source he couldn’t quite recognize just yet.
The flyers were clearly thrown out of guard as the longneck charged his way through them, stopping only in front of Orchid, knowing they didn’t have much time before the flyers would be able to regroup and finish this once and for all and that urgency was apparent in his voice as he spoke to the other boy.
“Get on my back, Orchid! We have to get away from here!” The longneck cried, the fastrunner looking at his battered form in slight fear. He didn’t know just who he was looking at as they had never met face-to-face and as far as he knew, Littlefoot was long gone. Besides, the many injuries and scars the longneck had received unnerved him but Ruby’s next words showed him that the time for hesitation had passed.
“That’s Littlefoot, Orchid! You can trust him and he’ll take you away from here! Don’t hesitate any more!” She commanded, knowing that her brother would have an easier time riding the longneck than her. The young omnivore nodded in surprise and quickly jumped on Littlefoot’s back, immediately prompting the latter to turn around and yell at his companions.
“Now, let’s get out of here! We have to lose the flyers if we want to live!”
Haste’s heart beat heavily as the small pond appeared below her, knowing that the time of her ascension was fast approaching. Now, no one and nothing stood between her and her goal and if there was any truth to Lenel’s claims, she wouldn’t only rule Lenel’s old herd but possibly all the flyers in this world! A wide smile appeared on her face as she prepared to land, speaking to herself triumphantly.
“Well, sister, would you finally admit that you always were the weaker one of us. Soon, I’ll wield power you never even dreamed of in your dumb, unambitious mind…” She said, the many Cold Times of her waiting for Nira to use her position to really achieve something great returning to her mind. She could only congratulate herself for finally gathering the strength to get rid of her foolish sibling and finally claim the respect she had destined to achieve.
The female hardly even noticed the cold as her feet sank into the ground sparkles, looking at the pond glimmering weakly in the darkness. That glimmer was slowly getting reinforced by the spirits that were starting to gather around the new leader, clearly willing to observe this momentous occasion. Haste looked at them briefly before spreading her arms and yelling at them while laughing almost hysterically.
“I bet you thought I’d never prove myself worthy of your powers, you fools! Watch now as I prove myself to be more capable to lead all the flyers than that fool Lenel was!” She yelled as she bowed towards the black waters, taking some of the liquid to her hands and gulping it down eagerly.
“Run a bit faster, Littlefoot and Ruby! They gaining on us!” Petrie yelled in fear, looking as the flyers dashed through the night. The head start he and his friends had received was quickly being undone and Haste’s followers were less than one longneck length away from the two landwalkers. It was getting clear for the boy that the tide was again turning against him and his friends.
That fact wasn’t lost on Ruby either. She could hardly even outrun Littlefoot with her legs half-buried in the ground sparkles and she was growing ever more desperate as the seconds dragged on. Again, things seemed completely hopeless and even if Littlefoot’s sudden appearance had created newfound hope within her, everything that had happened raised a new thought into her head. Here she had an opportunity to repay some of her debt to all of those who had lost their lives because of her. With a low growl, the fastrunner cried at the longneck on her left.
“Go on, Littlefoot, and take Orchid to safety! I’ll hold those flyers in bay for long enough for you to get away!” She cried as she turned around, more than prepared to giver her all to hold her chasers at bay as long as she could. The girl knew she could stop only a few of the flyers and hold those few at bay for only a few seconds buy maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to save her friends from this sickening end.
Orchid’s eyes widened as he turned to look at his sister, not really able to grasp just what he was seeing. Here his beloved sibling was about to sacrifice her life for him and she thought he’d simply watch it all happen? The boy looked at Littlefoot who was equally horrified by what was happening, crying at the longneck from the top of his lungs.
“Turn around, now! We’ve got to help Ruby!” He yelled to the other boy, causing Littlefoot to slow down slightly. He was more than shaken by this turn of events, not really knowing what to do. He knew that in any normal situation, he would have rushed to help the fastrunner without any second thoughts but… in that case, Orchid’s chances of survival would be close to zero as well. He didn’t want to lose any more of his old friends but…
“Just go, Littlefoot! If you don’t, we’ll all die for nothing!” She screamed, causing Littlefoot to nod weakly. Tears started to flow from his eyes as he yelled back at the girl.
“Farewell, Ruby, and thanks… thanks for everything! I’ll get Orchid away from here!” He cried, his heart beating in his chest as he moved on. He could hear the younger boy screaming something on his back but he no longer listened to what he had to say. This would turn out to be but a continuation to his life of endless tragedies.
Petrie cringed as he heard the three dinosaurs crying far below himself, not really able to recognize the words in the middle of the chase, forced to put every last bit of his concentration on using every breath of the wind to his advantage. However, he had no doubts that his friends wouldn’t shout at each other if there was anything good happening down there. Knowing well what it would most likely be about, the flyer headed towards the ground, willing to prove himself wrong. The boy gritted his teeth as he looked for his friends, seeing just what was happening after a few moments of searching.
The flyer had hoped he’d be wrong about what was going on but he now saw that was only wishful thinking. Ruby was getting surrounded and slowly overwhelmed by a group of other flyers, a sight that nearly made Petrie forget his own peril. He knew very well that Ruby was going to die in order to save her friends, a thought that made Petrie despair and somewhat relieved at the same time. He didn’t want to see another one of his old friends head into the Great Beyond but… it was good to see Ruby was still herself and not some other dinosaur he couldn’t recognize. The boy’s voice was filled with deep sorrow but also gratitude as he called at the omnivore.
“Thanks for doing this, Ruby! Me make sure me never forget you!” He yelled before starting to regain altitude, knowing that he had seen his dear friend for the very last time.
The dark-colored flyer listened to her heart beating wickedly as she rose to her full height, glancing at the sight around her as she felt the mysterious waters flowing down his throat. A deep smile rose to her face as she felt the newfound strength and determination flow to every part of her body and the fact that more and more of the spirits were gathering around her only proved her triumph. The female laughed as she yelled at the ghosts, not able to hide her excitement.
“I’ve done it! Now, I’m every bit as powerful as Olres was in his time and because of that, I order all of you to recognize me as your master! Hesitate and you w…” She started but before could finish, Haste could feel a choking pressure all around her neck, making it impossible for her to speak or breath. The female’s smile turned into a look of dread as the
voices started to suddenly rumble within her head, feeling as if they were tearing her entire mind apart.
“The day we bow to you will be the one the one flyers like you no longer exist! You are the exact kind of dinosaur we have been bound to protect this gift from!” They said, easing
their grip on the female slightly, just enough to allow her to answer.
“B… but I did everything you asked me to! And I sure am more worthy than Lenel and apparently you had decided he’d be able to claim his reward!” She cried, her fear intensifying as she felt the newfound powers leaving her body again. It was clear that the spirits weren’t planning to let her escape this mess alive. She started to shudder slightly as she heard the answer within her mind.
“We never meant to give you what you wanted but there was always a chance for you to claim Olres’ legacy. Yes, we already promised it to Lenel and we were about to make a terrible mistake with him. We already thought he was becoming the flyer that was ready to take up this task but his fight with you proved us wrong. He remained far too ready to give up to his inner rage and sacrifice anyone and anything to further his goals. But we allowed him to go on as we never want to interfere in the matters and struggles of the living.” They said, only deepening Haste’s fear. The female’s headache only deepened as he was slowly getting shrouded in the bright light. She hardly even understood the next words in the middle of all the turmoil going on within her.
“You, on the other hand, don’t even have that flicker of greatness Lenel did! You are just a shameless backstabber who would never do anything good for those following you nor to any other dinosaur! You ceded all the goodness within you the moment you betrayed Nira and manipulated Lenel to do your dirty work! You decided your fate when you drank from those sacred waters as no one can extract its powers from you and neither can we let you leave with them! May this serve as a punishment for every evil deed you’ve done, Haste!” The voices said, the confusion with the flyer starting to turn into physical pain.
For any outsider witnessing the sight, it would have looked like the flyer was turning into a pillar of brilliant light. It slowly engulfed the new leader completely, causing her to scream in utter agony as the mystical power disintegrated her body piece by piece. And in the middle of all that, there wasn’t one small thought of regret within the female, only bitterness and outrage. The pillar grew only more intense by the second… until it suddenly disappeared altogether… along with Haste who was never seen again.
The fastrunner’s breaths grew more forced by the second as she received more and more hits all around her. She knew she had only a few more moments until she’d fall under the flyers’ onslaught. Tears started to form within her mind as she thought about the misery of it all but at the very least, she’d soon be able to join Ducky in the Great Beyond and finally find some peace from all the terrible things that had happened because of her. Ruby locked eyes with one of the flyers, deciding that she’d attempt to take him at least with her. With a desperate sigh, she prepared for her final attack… until the night seemed to turn into a day within one, single second.
The battle seemed to stop immediately as off the combatants turned to look at the massive glow of brightness that illuminated the entire plain with its radiance. All of them looked at the sight in clear astonishment but it wasn’t long before the flyers seemed to suddenly become distressed by something. It was as if they were going some severe headache and when the glow suddenly stopped, one of the flyers yelled at the others in horror.
“Did you hear that as well? Let’s get away from here, NOW!” He yelled and none of the other flyers seemed to dispute those words. Ruby looked after them with wide eyes, not able to believe any of it. The girl had no idea what they had heard but one thing she did know was that the battle for the Land of the Dancing Waters was over. And she was still
alive.
Yes, there was a lot to take in in this chapter. With Haste and Lenel’s deaths, the power struggle is over at last as is the fight for Olres’ legacy. Where does this leave our heroes and after losing another of their dear friends, how will Littlefoot, Petrie and Ruby move forward from their most terrifying adventure thus far?
From now on, there are only one or more chapters coming for this story. It’s an odd feeling to finally have Separate Ways in a point where only the epilogue remains to be done but I’m more than happy to wrap this fic in the way it deserves. I hope that you found this chapter worthy of serving as this story’s climax as I understand I might have done controversial decisions in it as well. Anyway, see you next time and I hope you all have a great 2020!
Anagnos: It’s true that many of the characters would want nothing less than to fight each other but I had wanted to show that somehow confrontations like these are unavoidable. Especially Petrie and Ruby’s disagreements are very profound but luckily to them, Haste showed them a way forward without confronting each other as pure enemies. I just hope I continued that plotline well enough in this installment as well.
Also, I’m happy you found the revelation about Haste’s plot surprising as that was something I had planned for a long time. I had wanted to imply her to be a minor villain but in truth, a lot of Lenel’s worst actions had actually been done because of the events she had put forward. As for your comment about the focus, yes, I can see there would have been more potential for exploring the characters’ thoughts but the chapter was rather long as it is. I just hope this new installment is more to your liking but anyway, thanks for the review!
The Rhombus: Yep, as I said to Anagnos, the motivations were something I wanted to get right. Ruby’s motives certainly changed completely as did Petrie’s even if the former’s change of heart came for other reasons. I’m glad you found me splitting the chapter justified as together these two would have crossed nearly 30k words which would have too much. As for the ending, I can only hope it was a satisfactory one.
