The Elements of Zion: the Vine, the Branch, and the Thorn

descent

With a grimace, I stared at the dragons. The pain from my injuries paled in comparison to the rage that surged through me at their lies. "Free of fear? Is that what you're promising?" I spat, my voice laced with a bitter laugh. "You are the reason everything is scared around here! You slithering excuses for wings talk about my daughter's future?" My hand, though shaking, gripped the Flame of Zion tighter. "Yeah, her world will be free of fear, alright. But that won't be thanks to you, you hear me? It'll be despite you. I swear on everything that matters."

The dragons, their voices blending into a monstrous harmony, began to speak. "Ah, Issac, such misguided bravery," sneered the first one. "Your feeble attempt to resist Briah reveals your vulnerability. We simply seek your assistance," the second one continued, its tone deceptively gentle. "Yes, just this once," they said in unison, their eyes gleaming with an evil glint. "Remember, we ask only once," the first one concluded, a sinister smile dancing on its draconic countenance.

Briah reveals your vulnerability.  Those words echoed in my mind, stirring up a whirlpool of old pains and regrets. The past, a deep chasm I had since sealed, threatened to open again. My breath hitched in my chest as I remembered standing on that precipice, the darkness clawing at my soul. I had stared into the abyss, ready to embrace it. The memory of my weakness, my desperation... it was a sour taste in my mouth. The dragons' words were a punch right into those old wounds. My grip tightened on the Flame of Zion, the sword's warmth was my only solace against the chilling ghosts of my past.

"No." I said. 

"So unwise..." the first dragon snarled. With a scream, it released a blast of fire straight at me. I could feel the heat, and smell the sulfur, as I stood my ground, my heart pounding in my chest. The fiery blaze from the dragon met the fire from the Flame of Zion halfway, resulting in a dazzling display of power, a collision of light and darkness that lit up the night sky.

I stepped into it, "Ain't stupid enough to fall for your tricks," with a swift motion, I raised the Flame of Zion, its brilliant light cutting through the darkness. "And you can forget about scaring me. I ain't backing down."

Suddenly, the second dragon reared its head, a harsh growl rumbling deep within its throat. Without warning, it unleashed a blast of fire even fiercer than the first. The force sent me reeling backward, my grip on the Flame of Zion faltering. I could feel my strength ebbing away, my vision beginning to blur as the fire singed the bark on my body. Just as the world started to darken, a flash of brilliant light filled my gaze. Trose swooped down, his normally pristine, white feathers blackened by the dragons' fire. His celestial countenance was marred by soot and his armor bore the scars of the fierce battle. However, his eyes burned with an unyielding spirit, and he stood tall, his wings flaring wide as he landed between me and the dragons. His sword, glowing with a divine light, was still firmly grasped in his hand. "Isaac!" He rasped my name, voice steady despite its roughness. "Get out of here, now!" His urgent gaze locked with mine. He braced himself, ready to face the dragons and buy me time to escape.

Before my very eyes, Trose's form underwent a magnificent transformation, taking on the appearance of his colossal figure. his wings spread wide as the mighty titan loomed over the battleground, its colossal presence commanding attention. His sword, now a massive gleaming blade of heavenly light, clashed fiercely against the fiery teeth and talons of the dragons. The air shook with the sound of their conflict, the sky echoing with roars and cries of battle. My heart hurt when I saw it, urging me to join the fight, to stand with my guardian, my friend.

Ignoring the searing pain coursing through every fiber of my body, I summoned every ounce of strength and determination. With a sudden burst of energy, I propelled myself forward, only to be swiftly thwarted by the powerful swing of a dragon's tail. The lightning-fast movement sent me hurtling backward with an irresistible force. The world spun around me as I was thrown off the cliff. The ground beneath me disappeared and I found myself plummeting down, the wind whistling in my ears and the night sky retreating from my view.