Elven Roses - Page 187/201

Receiving a full view of the front yard, all present realized that the mob had been much bolder than first given credit for, as more had returned, armed with heavier weapons like swords and caster rifles. But those foolish enough to have stayed soon regretted it, as Krako -now more dragon-like than human- laid into the crowd, scratching, ripping and tearing at clothes and flesh, throwing them into complete panic. While some frantically tried to fight back, others fled in terror.

The membrane that had grown upon his arms had now fully blossomed into lustrous red and black leather wings. Several in the crowd fired with rifles and bolt casters, but the bullets and death spells merely rang off of Krako's hide, serving only to fuel the baby dragon's rage. He emitted an ear-splitting screech, baring his gleaming white fangs while a group of desperate rioters fired machine gun rounds that bounced harmlessly off of him.

He snarled and barked at the assault, like an injured animal backed into a corner, but Krako was neither, as he grew steadily larger, his wings unfurling into their full ebon glory.

"Get back from the window," Aldrec said, his eyes still frozen on the scene before them. "Get back, now!"

Before a question could be asked, he tore his gaze away from the front yard, and began to physically push the entire family away from the window, inadvertently knocking Alaema down to the floor in the process.

"What was that about?" Alaema said, picking herself up from another, rather undignified position. "Are you trying to kill us?"

"Silence! All of you!" Aldrec whispered harshly, with a look so stern it practically burned into their CPUs, would that it could. "If you value your lives, you will not make a sound!"

And then, all their questions and protests were silenced as an inhuman scream rang out into the night. It sounded as if a ton of metal had scraped against the entire length of a forty-foot chalkboard. Curses and jeers gave way to terrified screaming.

They felt a sudden change of air pressure, and then the street lamps outside became blotted out by a massive form. There came a sharp hiss, like gas escaping a pipe, followed by a hot wind.

More screams ensued, combined with random gunshots and the shuffling of running feet, but those were quickly silenced with another deafening roar, and another intensely hot wind that blew through the damaged window. The light outside turned a dancing orange, and then shortly faded.

The sound went on for well over three hours afterwards. One by one, they heard the members of that mob that had once cornered them in their house in the utmost of confidence, become fearful, panicked individuals, scared out of their minds at one instant, and then transformed into lifeless ashes on the sidewalk in the next.