The Seven Seals: Dragon Crusade

A low howl broke the ominous silence. A guttural scream of agony followed it.

Kate opened her eyes.

There, at the circle of cultists, stood a white wolf, boring its fangs into its fallen human prey. The other cultists reacted quickly and drew daggers. But the wolf was swifter. The beast immediately lunged towards another, easily taking the cultist down.

The leader, who was holding Kate’s hand, cursed from under his mask. “Damned creature— it’s a messenger of the Creator! Kill it!” he barked.

Kate felt a strong familiarity with this creature. It looked exactly like the one she had seen outside her window. She wasn’t sure if this wolf was something to be feared, but it did give her a perfect opportunity to escape.

Feeling a new strength brew in her, Kate tried to yank her hand out of the leader’s grasp. But he held fast.

The leader of the cultist whipped his back towards her. “Oh no you don’t, Phoenix!” He again held the crystal close to her hand again.

Kate felt the crystal’s power draining away her energy ever so slowly. No! I have to push through! she thought. Kate grabbed his wrist, digging her nails into his leather gauntlet. A tingly sensation spread across her hand and to the tips of her fingers. The tingly intensified until her whole hand erupted into flames. The flames immediately caught onto the leader’s arm.

He yanked his arm away, screaming in pain while trying to douse the flames. The leader immediately dropped the crystal as the undying fire crawled up his arm.

Kate’s eyes widened. Did she do that? And how did the flames not affect her? There was no time to think, she had to escape.

Finding a perfect path away from the chaos, Kate ran for it with what she had.

“DON’T LET HER ESCAPE!” the leader roared from behind.

Kate looked back to see three of the cultists chasing after her, tongues of a mysterious darkness rapping around their arms and down to their open palms. The wolf immediately turned its attention towards the three and chased after them, its white fur stained in blood.

Kate turned her gaze back ahead. Don’t look back, don’t look back! she thought. Kate turned a corner around and made a dead stop.

Two of the cultists were already coming her way on the other side. “For the Abyss!” a feminine one yelled.

Kate cursed and immediately turned left down a straight lane of booths. She could hear them so close behind her now.

Everything around Kate began to grow dark. The sky above grew an inky black as a fog began to accumulate. Rampant animal like forms of shadows ran along side her, looking at her menacingly, taunting her and debating when to pounce.

Through the growing fog, Kate lost her footing and fell into the gravel. Rocks punctured her tender skin as she let out a yelp of pain. Kate looked back to see all of them coming right for her. Her heart pounded violently in her chest. They were so close now! Right before one of them could come in arms distance, a flash of light appeared above her legs. Taking form quickly, the wolf from before stood over her protectively.

Kate’s eyes widened in shock. Was this creature really on her side? The stance it took made it in such a way that this was what it wanted.

The cultists stopped in their tracks. “STUPID MUTT!” one of them growled, the dark matter growing quickly in their palms.

The wolf glanced back at Kate with vibrant blue eyes and nodded. Something about those eyes was so familiar.

Still not quite understanding what was going on, Kate took it this was her chance to flee. She quickly scrambled to her feet and continued to run, not caring exactly where she went. Kate just had to get out of there and fast.

Behind her, she could hear the fighting between the cultists and the wolf ensue. Tears crept into her eyes. What was going on? Where was her family? Why was she the only one completely ignorant to all that was happening? Kate continued to run through the endless fog aimlessly when she caught sight of a tree line. Her legs burned from the entire run and she felt her lungs beginning to ache. I’ll lose them in here— and I’ll just use call the police when further enough away! Kate thought.

Running into the woods, she climbed over a log and dodged trees. Twigs and branches slapped her as Kate tried to keep her footing. She wanted so badly to stop and rest, but what if they had finished off the wolf and were back on their pursuit? Looking back wasn’t an option.

Suddenly, an echoed laughter came from behind, much more frightening then those to which belonged to the cultists. More began to join in, coming from all around. It was a cacophony of insane laughter. Kate smacked her hands over her ears, trying to block out the sound. But that did nothing to help. She suddenly lost her strength to take another step and tripped over a root. Falling head first, Kate plummeted to the ground.

But she didn’t touch the ground at all.

Expecting to have her head crash against the earth, Kate forced her eyes open.

Complete darkness was surrounding her as she continued to fall. Several things happened with a flash of a second; light appeared before her within a blink and she tumbled through it, landing on cold stone.

Kate rolled across the stone before coming to a complete stop. She let out a soft moan and clutched her abdomen. She opened her eyes again. The floor around her glowed with strange markings engraved on it. Walls made of stone surrounded her from where she could see. This most certainly wasn’t the forest she was in.

“By the spirits and the Creator, it worked!” an aged male voice came.

Kate blinked. What? She weakly used her arms to upright herself and looked around.

There, standing close to the circular elevated area where Kate was, stood several figures...but they all looked quite odd. An old man with a long grey beard and long robes looked upon Kate in surprise. “Never in all my years has such a powerful summoning spell worked! Brilliant!”

One of them chuckled, this one with long angular ears that stuck out of his long ebony hair, adorned in a full set of armor. “It’s just a girl!” he laughed, his voice rich with an eastern accent.

Kate didn’t even know what to say. These people didn’t look like they were from the twenty-first century at all. More like characters out of a medieval storybook. And that one with the weird ears is an...elf? Kate thought. I have to be dreaming right now. Or this is some stupid act.

The elf man stepped onto the elevated platform, his high cheekbones and green eyes more visible under the light above. A larger, darker skinned man climbed up with him as they approached Kate.

“Not just any girl, you fools!” another voice came from the dimness.

The elf grabbed Kate by the arm and yanked her up onto her feet.

“Ow!” Kate protested.

“And what kind of apparel is this?” The elf asked, pinching Kate’s jacket. “Otherlanders have quite the taste.”

“Be careful with her!” the old wizard hissed. “We don’t know how much different the human body is over in those lands!”

“She’s a Seal, I doubt she would be anywhere near weak,” another man’s voice came. He came closer and his features became visible. With a small crown on his head and elegant clothing upon him, he looked to be a typical king. The man stepped onto the elevation and came towards them. “Where’s her Seal? Search her now!”

The larger man furrowed his brow and looked to his king. “King Braumon...you don’t suggest we search the girl’s body do you?”

Kate’s jaw dropped and looked at them in shock. “W-what?!?”

“That would be quite the journey,” the elf said, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

“Check her hand, you mongrels!” A tall woman with a nasty scowl said.

Braumon grabbed Kate’s right hand and inspected it. His dark brown eyes flashed with success. “Good, very good. Only four to go.” He looked up at the two men. “Take her to the carriages.”

Carriages? What was going on now?

The elf gripped her forearm tighter. “With pleasure, Your Majesty,” he said with a sly grin.

The other also took her by the other arm as they led her off the stone pedestal and towards a doorway, practically carrying her. The others present watched her leave.

Kate was too bewildered, too fearful to protest. What on earth was going on? Where was she? Had she possibly gone back in time? But there was no such thing as magic and elves, there couldn’t be. And time travel was completely fiction.

As they passed through into a cobweb filled hall, the light of torches on the wall danced across the stone. The elf let out a soft chuckle. “That old court wizard is quite a knowledgeable one, isn’t he, Thuumas?” he remarked.

Thuumas continued to look straight ahead. “Indeed. Regardless, Earidon, the Demonlord will be pleased.”

“PAH! That sorcerer was enough power to take down a city! I don’t understand why that blasted heathen would need more magic than what he has now.” Earidon shook his head.

“Would you keep it down? You can’t just talk like that freely.”

Earidon sighed. “So what if he is listening, I’m not afraid to speak the truth.”

After making their way into an ancient hall and out a pair of wooden doors, they reached the night-set outdoors. Kate was never fascinated by the night sky at all, but never had she seen such a clear sky before her. What looked to be two moons sat in the starlit sky, one much larger then the other. A blue nebula filled with twinkling stars stretched across the endless blackness. Kate felt in complete awe of the sight. She nearly tripped over her feet while walking.

Earidon glanced down at Kate and cocked an eyebrow before following her gaze to the stars. “Ah yes, Tellarian night skies, a glory to hermits but a simple every-night-sight to the rest. By the look on your face I suspect your skies aren’t as clear as ours.”

Kate only nodded slightly.

They pulled Kate along to a gathering of carriages. Bringing her to one, which was practically a tall wooden box with a small peephole on its door, Earidon opened it. “Such a shame we have to do this to you little girl— or if you prefer Seal. I do apologize for the mistreatment,” he said. Earidon grabbed the back of Kate’s collar and tossed her inside.

Kate yelped as her back smacked against the wall. She was just about to rise when the door slammed shut. The sound of chains jingling and a loud snap could be heard, signaling that the door was locked from the outside. Thanks to her fear, she was now prisoner to whoever these people were.

Kate scooted into a corner and hugged her knees, burying her face into her arms. I just want to go home. Just wake up from this stupid dream! she thought.

“You’ve been rather quiet, prisoner,” Earidon spoke up. “You didn’t even put up a fight! I was expecting more from a Seal.” It sounded like he was right next to her.

Kate glanced up to see a small barred window. She could just barely see Earidon through it. He must’ve been sitting in the front of the carriage for her to see him. Kate let out a nervous sigh. “I...I don’t understand what’s happening to me. Minutes ago I was with my family in a circus then the next...I came here,” she replied hesitantly.

Earidon furrowed his brow. “We separated you from your family?” He sounded quite concerned at this.

Kate shook her head. “No…that was my doing…how selfish of me. This is all just a terrible dream and I’m going to wake up from it soon.”

The elven man laughed heartily. “Yes, this is a dream, and I just happen to be a wicked goblin king stealing you away!”

Kate furrowed her brow and frowned. “T-this isn’t funny! I lost my family!”

Earidon’s laughter settled before he let out a relaxed sigh. “Miss, this is as real as it’s going to get. Don’t believe me, go to sleep and see where you end up next.” He turned to face forward in his seat.

Kate blinked and came closer to the bars. “H-hey wait- where is this exactly?” she asked.

Earidon looked back once more. “Hthorean ruins, ancient temple, you see,” he said. “Of course that is no matter to you, Outlander. This is Tellaria, major continent in the world Teannan.”

Kate sat back, her brow knitted in confusion. Tellaria? Was that even a continent? Had she gone to a whole other universe entirely?

A woman’s voice spoke up from far beyond, “Ready the carriages!” From inside the box, Kate could hear the restless horses begin to move. The wooden container began to rattle with the movement, sending her in a bit of a jolt. Kate again hugged her knees tightly. I swear, this has to be a dream! she pondered. But it felt real, too real. Was a dream like this even possible? Kate shut her eyes, feeling emotions begin to sprout forth in her. If it was real, how would she find her way back home? A single tear trickled down from one of her eyes. Please just let it be a dream...I want to go home. The fatigue of all that happened slowly caught up to Kate as she began to fall fast asleep.