The Runaway's Hope (Part 4)

The adrenaline rush from her new understanding caused her heart to race. Shudders overwhelmed her. She wrapped her arms around herself to keep from shaking apart.
She struggled to get her breathing under control. Vola forced herself to stare deep into Suviklarg’s eyes. She focused only on the air entering and leaving her body. The trembling stopped. Free from Suviklarg’s influence, a new emotion ignited deep within. This indignation would give her the strength to survive.
When Vola opened her eyes, she saw that Suviklarg’s legs were brought in close to his extended abdomen, his body lowered and tail raised into a threatening pose. The hypnotic sway of his head no longer affected Vola.
“I want all of the magic. There are no other dragons left in this pathetic world. I alone am worthy of wielding the hidden powers of nature. You humans are not capable of harnessing magic. The familiars are driven by instinct leaving their magics untapped. They are mere beasts to be collected to keep me powerful.”
Twitches in Suviklarg’s swaying movements betrayed his threatening tone. The movements were sluggish. The serpent must be closer to death than either of them realised.
Hope sprang into Vola’s mind.
“As for you. There is one thing I want from you...”
Vola tensed and crouched. Both she and Suviklarg appeared ready to strike.
“...a meal.”
Vola darted forward as Suviklarg’s enormous mouth snapped at the air where she had stood. Her arms and legs splayed out on the dust-covered floor underneath Suviklarg.
Before her was the liver, the only organ he hadn’t searched. She knew it had to be the core.
“No!” Suviklarg’s psychic scream pounded Vola’s consciousness.
The serpent’s desperation solidified Vola’s desire to escape. She rolled toward the core as Suviklarg’s head struck the ground where she had been. She saw his blood dripping from his nostril as he recovered. grateful for his diminished agility.
Vola snatched the heavy core and sprinted toward the cave’s entrance. The brightening sky outside was her sole chance at freedom.
Suviklarg’s tail slammed down in front of her, blocking her escape. Crystalized scales broke off from the impact and showered the floor. Patches of wrinkled pale green skin appeared below the broken scales. Beads of blood emerged from his skin.
“You insignificant human. Your last moments on this earth will be rotting in my stomach.”
She dashed along the length of the tail along the wall as Suviklarg prepared for the next strike.
His tail attacked, hitting the side of her head. She fell and slid underneath the tail and smashed into the cavern wall. Her free hand grasped for holds as she struggled to stand, cursing at herself.
She stumbled along the outer wall and saw the small storage room archway. She threw herself against the door and crashed through. Suviklarg’s head smashed the archway as she tried to close it. The crumbled rock and splintered wood pummeled her to the floor. Suviklarg’s piercing shriek of pain filled the chamber as Vola slid to a stop at the base of the storage room shelves.
“You are trapped! There is no escape for you!”
Suviklarg’s projected words were muddled by the pain his mistimed attacks inflicted. Vola had expected to become his puppet at any time, forced to walk into his fang-lined maw. The influence never came. He must be too injured to conjure the required magic.
Vola’s limbs screamed in pain as she pushed the rubble off of her. She stretched out her left arm to make sure it wasn’t broken. The small shards of volcanic glass embedded in her clothing scratched as she moved. Heaving for breath, Vola struggled to think of what she could do.
Another crash at the entrance sent the door flying over her. Suviklarg’s tail withdrew from the broken rocks scattering across the floor. The angry eyes of death stared through the debris.
Vola stood and cradled the heavy core as best she could. She took a couple of uneasy steps towards the door. The core was not the ideal weapon for a human. For Vola’s plan, it was perfect.
As Suviklarg’s mouth opened to attack, Vola lept between the rows of the serpent’s teeth. In an instant, her world was plunged into darkness.