The Child of Feiradyr Series: Episode 5 – The Clash of Titans

I would welcome you back, child of Feiradyr, but even you can hear the splintering of our reality. The sounds of the world being ripped apart. You can smell the thick acrid smoke. You can see the flames licking across the vast swaths of forest. You can hear the shifting and crumbling of Draknass as he buckles beneath the weight of the great power. You too, sense the end growing near.

But listen, child. Listen closely. Can you hear her singing? She’s here to save us…

Lady Freigeye prepared to enter Draknass’ atmosphere, to destroy her son and save her other children. Draxu grew angry and forbade her from the act, but when Cormag, Feg, Rangor, and Algor, the remaining Sun Stallarins sided with the Mother Stallarin, he was forced to relent, at least for the moment.

Lady Freigeye entered the planet, and Draxu turned his fury on his brothers.

In lashing out, he discovered the ancient truth that no power, no energy, no essence could truly disappear. He’d absorbed their life forces, growing more powerful and rejuvenating his previously waning strength.

He realized then how Lady Freigeye could create so much life without being spent. The energy of her perished siblings at the battle between the groups had gone into her, making her more powerful than any Stallarin could comprehend.

Lady Freigeye shrieked in anger at the realization of what Draxu had done. She sent her power in a great arc towards him, and sent him hurtling across the cosmos.

Distracted, she was slashed across the chest by the great power invading her son. Blood in the form of water flowed freely from her wound, flooding the oceans and rivers and lakes. She cried out to her Worldkeepers, and they sprung into action. The great serpent in a swell and whoosh and gurgle of the oceans launched himself from the bottom of the sea, lowering the water as it threatened to drown out the continents on Draknass’ surface. The firebird’s flames burned white hot and bright, evaporating layers of liquid from the oceans in great plumes of steam. The rock golem stood atop the mountains of Draknass, roaring with power as he forced the rock to expand and shift and grow free from the water. The shaggy four legged beast shook its great head, yowling and forcing the seasons to change to winter, freezing the oceans solid, stopping them from expanding. They groaned and quaked in their frigid prison.

But the blood poured still from the Mother Stallarin’s wound. The Worldkeepers willed their strength to hold. The serpent wound its way around Draknass’ gigantic leg, sinking its fangs into his thigh and clutching him with its great muscled coils. The firebird scorched across the surface of his eyes, blinding him. The rock golem threw great chunks of earth and mountaintops, breaking off pieces of the monster. The great shaggy beast leapt at his throat, biting and scratching in fury.

But their power was not enough. The ice broke free from the oceans. They swelled to quell the firebird’s flames. The waves crashed over the mountain tops. Velve’s people screamed and wailed as the water swept them from their villages. It swirled and sucked them down as if it were angry. The Mother Stallarin reached out with her power, using some of her vast strength to bind those taken by the water with sea life.

Their bodies twisted and undulated and formed into sea creatures. Tails, fins, sleek bodies and scales covered them. They thrashed for a moment, then obeyed their Mother telling them to dive deep, take cover in the dark, cold water at the very bottom of the oceans.

The shaggy beast clawed through Draknass’ hard exterior until the pounding, molten core of his heart was exposed. He leapt from Draknass, gathering up all of Velve’s people he could fit on his back and charging for the highest peak he could reach. He cleared the bulk of it in one jump, then sunk his dagger-like claws into the rock and earth, climbing doggedly towards the top and hanging on with a grip like graphene.

With her children out of the way, Lady Freigeye struck out at her son, knocking him to his knees with a monumental blow to his head. The planet quaked with the power of it. Great shockwaves billowed across the land, across the water. The planet threatened to be torn asunder. A sound like a mighty explosion rent the air.

The rock golem jumped towards the shaggy beast, and called the other Worldkeepers into his embrace. The sea serpent released its grip on Draknass and sank into the depths, swirling and coiling his body around the newly born merfolk. The rock golem expanded and grew, forming a wall of impenetrable force around the other Worldkeepers and the people they’d managed to save. A few still clung to the planet, crying out, but it was too late. The Mother Stallarin’s eyes were dimming.

She raised up into a mighty power, and sent herself soaring through the heart of her son’s core.

A great vibrating hum cascaded over the planet. It grew to a cacophony as it slammed into the continents again and again, grinding all in its path to rubble. Great chunks of land flew into the air, hovering for a moment, the screeches of their inhabitants buried beneath the sounds of a world ending. But as the Mother Stallarin wheeled around, she stretched out her power, willing it to hold the sky islands in place. Draknass crashed to the ground with an earth shattering scream. His planetary body threatened to implode around him.

But Lady Freigeye was still there, and with a cavernous yell, she stitched the planet back together as it broke with her very essence. Each quaking continent settled. The ocean calmed. The mountains seemed to sigh with relief. And with her work complete, she collapsed onto the surface of the planet, her new body revealed, facing her son as they both gasped their last shuddering breaths.

The Aftermath

Velve and his people emerged onto a wasteland. Dark volcanic rock replaced what was once lush forests and rolling grasslands. More of the planet was covered in deep blue water that stretched on for miles. Before them was Freigeye, most of her body obscured by ocean due to her sheer size. Her remaining children ran to her. Her great star-filled eyes studied them, and a smile filled her lips.

“This new body will be of great use to you, my children. It can be used to bring this planet back to life, to its full fruition. Be free, and fill this planet with life and beauty.”

And with a final sigh, the Mother Stallarin faded away, and in place of her head, an oasis formed. Her life essence spread through the planet, willing rich soil and green grass and flowers onto it. Velve and his people would survive in the oasis, and soon, the Mother Stallarin would make herself known in other ways. But of course, so would Draknass. For no power, no energy, no essence can truly disappear…