...In the gutters of Ashae lay more than just soaked gemstones, as there would usually be after a downfall. The drains ran a diluted red. Scattered was the debris of a fallen city. There were no tentative heads poking out of homes, for homes no longer existed in Ashae, and most had already fled. And failed.
...This was a downfall like the people of Tansla had never seen before. This was the downfall.
...The capital had been destroyed. By gems the size of small houses, raw, uncut, giant stones which rained down, crushing all in their path and cratering the streets. Then came the fists. Fists as big as the gem comets, but more precise and unforgiving in their sentience. Their owners, the Gemgiants, brought utter ruin.
...They came from the sky, emerging from the more elongated gems which were, in fact, chrysalises of an ethereal kind. Beasts, monsters, aliens. Humanoid; four limbed, bipedal, a torso and what seemed to be a head where two, glowing spheres imitated eyes, cascading their otherworldly light down upon Ashae. They emitted no sound. But they were heard in their crashing claim of the city.
...Hale Rian had borne witness to it all from his position on the palace balcony. They crushed in what seemed to be a mindless game; and there were so many. The rain stopped but the devastation did not. A symphony of panic washed over Ashae, he could hear it as he stood, frozen in his shocked stupor, as screams joined the sound of material wrecking. These monsters did not distinguish, or if they did, they felt no compassion, for humanity seemed no more than part of the city structure. And that, they seemed intent on bringing to the ground.
...Those within the palace had begun their retreat. The sky cleared. The sun shone, bringing glittering beauty to the terrible beasts. But the thunder of the downfall still sang below. Escape was surely impossible.
...The spindly scholar stayed. And no one cared to notice.
His mind was away, north. Or away - above.
Hale Rian knew.
Yet, the most important epiphany in the history of Tansla was overshadowed.
...A dark shape swooped over the ruined city of Ashae. A gust of wind seemed to come from nowhere, racing, billowing flags, twisting up dust, stirring the hair of the victims who lay, part of the damage, whose fate had been sealed as soon as the rain had started. Then, calm. Everything settled.
...Hale Rian drew in a breath. It sounded so loud. And his heartbeat, perhaps the last one remaining, beat crazily.
...The Gemgiants could find no more to destroy in the lower levels of Ashae. Their heads turned, all at once, as if controlled by one mind. And their glistening gaze fell on the palace. Their watch seemed greedy, hungry. They were soaking in the glitter of the palace, which stood the only proud remnant of the capital of Tansla. But it too would feel their wrath. The Gemgiants set to march.
...A roar. A deafening roar that shook what was left of Ashae came from above. But this roar did not unsettle Hale. For he recognised it. Another gust of wind whistled by before the palace took an almighty blow. And with that, he finally moved. Scrambling off the balcony and into the halls of crystal, feet betraying him and sliding everywhere. He ran for his life, making for the city gates in a flailing mess of robe and gangly limbs.
...Atop the crystal spire of the royal palace sat the true queen of Tansla. Her blue and silver scaled head regarded the approaching creatures with curiosity. She had lay claim to the gemstone palace as it had been abandoned. There was no way for her to harvest it, but she had coveted it for such a long time. And now it was hers. And now these alien creatures, these strange, senseless beings who knew nothing but apparent hatred and destruction sought to take it from her. She roared again, showing them her prowess. The Gemgiants gave her no recognition. And this enraged her.
...A hurricane was released as the Starphel dragon’s wings batted her back into the air. She cast her shadow upon her new dominion. Finally, in a whirl of claws and teeth and vengeance – she attacked.
