Rebellion by J. D. Netto Read Free Book Online Page A

followed by Nathan’s agonizing screams.
    “Nathan!” I attempted to run through the obscurity of the cave.
    The screams were followed by the sound of massive rocks falling to the ground. In a matter of seconds, a dust cloud that lingered in the air invaded my nostrils.
    Once again my ears were stung by Xylia’s cries for help. I rested my body against the moist walls of the cave as weakness crawled into my heart.
    The sudden sound of wings flapping through the darkness stirred me with hope. I pushed my body away from the walls of the cave, narrowing my eyes in an attempt to see whatever approached me.
    “Fly toward the light, Isaac!” Nathan’s voice boomed from the blackness. A strong wind blew as I heard him fly above me. With my wings spread to their full length, I followed him.
    Is he holding Xylia? I kept thinking while I headed to the light.
    The light shone from a gap in the walls of the cave. Once I flew through it, I found myself staring at an open space that sat high above the ocean. The sound of crashing waves merged with the howling of the wind.
    I landed next to Nathan, losing my breath once I caught sight of Xylia lying on the ground, unconscious. Most of her nails had broken off of her fingers. Her face was covered in scratches and wounds.
    “How are you feeling?” I asked, relieved to see them.
    “I will be fine,” Nathan responded with a whimpering voice, looking at the gashing wound on his arm. The cut was deep, and the skin on his shoulder and forearm dangled, revealing his muscle tissue.
    “We must go back.” I narrowed my eyes, disturbed at the sight of his wound. “We cannot carry on like this.”
    The smell of burnt charcoal entered my nose. From the corner of my left eye, I saw a shimmering cloud of silver smoke flowing through the cracks in the wall of the cave. Piercing shrieks and growls echoed from the other side.
    Nathan rose to his feet, staring at the rising smoke.
    A sudden thud created a long gap in the wall’s surface.
    In an attempt to better hear what was taking place on the other side, I pressed my face against the cold wall. Amidst the growls and roars was the sound of the distant agonizing screams of men.
    My eyebrows came together. “There are men on the other side. I believe the Capios are attacking them.”
    “We must help them,” Nathan said.
    The muffled screams pained me as, in my mind, memories of the Wastelands once again tried to take over.
    I tightened my grasp on my sword as I stood in front of the wall. How would we break it? How would we help the men on the other side?
    “Isaac,” Xylia mumbled in a broken voice, raising her head from the ground.
    “Xylia!” I rushed my way to her. “How are you feeling?”
    “I have seen better days.”
    I extended my hand, helping her stand on her feet. She sank her eyes into mine. “Where is Sathees? Do you think he is…”
    Her voice trailed off as the ground beneath us started to tremble.
    “What is going on?” Nathan asked.
    I turned my eyes to the wall. Cracks continued to appear throughout its surface as a cloud of dust arose, merging with the silver smoke that lingered. The trembling of the ground intensified at a great speed. It was not long until the wall was turned into scattered rocks.
    The growls were now louder; the smell of decayed flesh burned my nostrils. The afflicted cries of the men were almost as loud as the roars.
    Once the cloud of dust had settled, I walked through the crater that was now in front of me. A shiver shot down my spine as my eyes absorbed the sight of a dead soldier lying on the ground. His face was deformed, his jaw dislocated. His torso was exposed—wounded with burn marks. I approached the body only to find that his right arm was missing.
    The ground in front of me disappeared, falling into a massive crater. Inside, white dragons were chained to the walls, fighting the unseen creatures that tortured them. Their snouts smoked as bright blue flames gashed from their mouths.