Lidia - Chapter IV - Approaching Storm Part II

Lidia - Chapter IV

 

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The conclusion to Chapter IV

 

 

Lidia: ...

Somonul: I don't even see any smoke anymore.

Lidia: Yeah, me neither.

 

Investigating further, Somonul suddenly spots an oddly shaped tree.

 

Somonul: Lidia, look!

 

 

Lidia: Whoa.

Somonul: Well, that definitely wasn't a normal monster.

Lidia: No... It wasn't. A simpleton couldn't hurl a tree upon another tree like that.

Somonul: A demon lose on the prime?!

Lidia: Possibly...

Somonul: You don't seem too convinced.

Lidia: Nope.

 

The two continue further up the hill. Finally reaching its summit. The rain begins to turn into light drizzles.

A light mist of gray smokes clears, as they're greeted by the sight of charred and splintered trees dress the landscape.

 

 

Lidia: Well now, this is interesting.

Somonul: Wow, what a battle. Looks like a pretty good one, did some of these trees just explode? Splintered wood all over.

Lidia: Yeah, just look at these cut marks to on some of the fallen trees.

Somonul: And these explosion patterns. Some of these trunks are still electrically charged too!

Lidia: These ones over here are charred. Burnt to the core.

 

Lidia touches one of the trunks, which begins to crumble to ashes.

 

Somonul: Must have been quite an intense blaze.

Lidia: Because it was so confined.

Somonul: Hmm...

 

Lidia and Somonul begin to investigate the scene further.

 

 

Lidia: Look over here, Somonul!

Somonul: These trees were cut in half like butter.

Lidia: More of the same cut marks, too.

Somonul: Right in half! Electrically charged too.

Lidia: Yes, I've seen these type of cuts before.

Somonul: Oh?

Lidia: Yeah, long ago. I'm pretty sure of it.

Somonul: What about these fires? Someone that can manipulate both electricity and fire?

Lidia: Seems to be the main arsenal in this battle. Elemental wind may have been a factor in those trees back there, too.

 

 

Both Lidia and Somonul appear to be lost in thought, theorizing possibilities of what transpired at the scene. The rain finally completely lets up.

 

Somonul: Claw marks, Lidia! And big ones at that!

Lidia: Where?!

Somonul: Over on this trunk.

 

Lidia examines the claw marks.

 

Lidia: ... impossible, but it's the only thing that makes sense...

Somonul: You think it was a dragon that was here Lidia?

Lidia: It would appear so... I was thinking the same.

Somonul: ...

Lidia: Ash...

Somonul: Ash?

Lidia: Dark Dragon Princess Ash... She fought beside me several millennial cycles ago. I'd recognize her sword anywhere, too. There can be no doubt. These electrical disturbances were from her.

Somonul: Dark Dragon... one of Lady Sayla's sisters?

Lidia: That would be correct. The big question is what she was fighting. She clearly was forced to use her real form in this battle. That's something she wouldn't do, especially on a primitive world like this. It must have been very serious.

Somonul: ...

 

 

Lidia: Lady Ash can command basic fundamentals of electrical elements. Nifelion was clearly utilized here...

Somonul: So Ash is here? On this world?

Lidia: It would seem so, though I don't detect her presence at all.

Somonul: Neither do I... at least no dragon.

Lidia: Perhaps there was a gate in... But I'm not even sure about that... she may have been forced to escape through that though..?

*Lidia seems confused and deeply in thought*

Somonul: Who--or what--was she fighting? The fire could have come from her opponent.

Lidia: Perhaps, since Ash has no command over fire of any kind.

 

 

Somonul: Fire, it must have been abyssal. No tracks; it's as if they vanished from here out.

Lidia: Yeah...

 

 

Lidia and Somonul look around further.

Lidia: Somonul, I found something. Draconic glyphs etched into this partially-charred log.

Somonul: are...those world coordinates?

Lidia: Correct! Get your camera and take a photo; their power is fading.

Somonul: Right!

 

Somonul takes a photo of the glyphs.

 

Lidia: When we get back home we'll input the coordinates and see what we get. These glyphs seem incomplete, though.

Somonul: Great, just our luck.

 

 

Lidia: Ash most likely fled the battlefield, Somonul. If she couldn't handle it, I doubt it was a Baalur. Even the dreaded Baalur lords that reside on the 2nd level of the abyss quaked in fear of Ash.

Somonul: Oh? What else could use fire like this, then?

Lidia: ...

Somonul: Lidia? You don't look to well...and I'm starting to get an unsettling hunch.

 

Lidia seems lost in thought.

 

Lidia: Let's head back, we have some stuff to look into.

Somonul: At least downhill is easy!

Lidia laughs.

Lidia: Don't forget, we have to climb back up out of that ravine!

Somonul Laughs.

 

 

Lidia: A rather interesting outing once again, Somonul?

Somonul: Yeah! A near-encounter with another dragon princess, and a mysterious fire-using entity.

Lidia: Hah! Rather bizarre. I didn't think she was still alive.

Somonul: She must have been searching for you. Why else wind up on this backwards planet?

Lidia: ... it's possible. She's a force to be reckoned with, that's for sure.

Somonul: Hopefully she's alright.

Lidia: A forced escape isn't her style... nor is her dragon form.

 

Lidia and Somonul make their way back to Rose. Taking a short breather and a quick snack...

 

 

Lidia: Well, we made it back. Time to get out of here.

Somonul: Yeah, kind of sad we couldn't really enjoy it up here.

Lidia: Yeah... maybe the next big storm we can come back up here for a lunch in the woods or something fun.

Somonul: Assuming there’s no more explosions.

*The two begin to laugh hysterically*

Somonul: You think today’s event was linked with that mystery gate-in on our last adventure?

Lidia: You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if it did. We never did figure out what exactly happened that day.

Somonul: Yeah…

 

Heading off back home, an hour into the ride back Lidia signals to pull over.

 

 

Lidia: Looks to be an amazing sunset!

Somonul: Wow, yeah.

Lidia: Might as well enjoy something out of the day, right?

Somonul: I agree Lidia.

Lidia: Hrist keeps missing out on all the fun.

Somonul: Hah-ha yeah, she does.

 

Lidia and Somonul sit down a top of a small hill on the side of the highway road.

 

Lidia seemingly lost in thought still, as a strong breeze rolls over the two.

 

Somonul: Sure got gusty all of a sudden.

Lidia: It did.

 

 

Lidia pauses, again in thought and begins to mumble to herself.

 

Lidia: You've always been one with a dramatic flair...

Mystery voice: When the time comes, seek me out in the ruins if you dare to save your old dragon friend.

Lidia: *Pfft, I've crushed you before, do you expect me to step to your pathetic level?*

Mystery voice: Hah-ha-ha, arrogance always was your style.

Lidia: ...

Mystery voice: We'll settle things sooner or later...

 

The wind dissipates suddenly.

 

Lidia: Well Somonul, would you just look at the brilliance of colors in the sky tonight!

Somonul: Nothing like a sunset after a stormy day.

Lidia: Yeah, spectacular.

 

To Be Continued...

I love the last two photos as it makes everything look like its 'to scale'. Great work overall!