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«Sire! The Babylonians attack us! Do we send our army?» another counselor asked.
«Yes, I’ll go with them!» he answered proudly.
Damian ran up a flight of stairs with a semicircular shape, came to the lower level and crossed the main door to the sides of which there were two Lamassus who had his head. He rushed to the square, where a white steed was waiting for him and Uruk’s army presented spearmen, archers, warriors with long swords and round bronze shields. They left from the huge silver-plated gate of the walled city, leaving the towers with archers who used burning darts and a small garrison of soldiers. At the head of the army and on the back of a brave steed, Damian undertook the battle against the Babylonian army, which unlike the Sumerians, owned a mighty cavalry and men armed with lances or bows. His blue eyes shone with their own light and his blond hair waved in the wind.
The Sumerian warriors were bare-chested, wore warrior skirts, a cone-shaped helmet and cloaks made from animal fur. It presented two hundred men and had few chariots, despite the fact that it was the Sumerians who invented the wheel. The Babylonian enemies had stolen their invention and set up more powerful wagons, capable of withstanding attacks longer. Their army had more than five hundred soldiers wearing gilded tunics, a breastplate of scales made of bronze, pointed iron helmets and swords, spears and round shields stronger than the Sumerian armament. The battle was so bloody as to upset Damian that he tried to work out a strategy based on lancers.
«Lancers! Stop and position yourself on two rows! Archers stay behind them and use the fiery darts! Warriors position yourself on the sides!» He gave his army orders and, after pronouncing those words, he found himself in a temple with silver-colored walls on which strange symbols were inscribed in stone. They also featured frescoes depicting gods, the Euphrates River, and scenes of the creation of the world. On the ceiling the stars and planets were depicted, while in the center of the room there was a small quadrangular altar with a golden color, placed between two Lamassus of the same color.
«The Book of Sumerian Kings is written in cuneiform on these walls. Here is also my name, King Gilgamesh, along with those of all the other rulers of the Sumerian people» the man explained.
«Where we are? And the battle? Tell me what’s going on!» Damian said angrily.
«I wanted to test your humanity, we returned to the times in which I lived in this city. I ruled for 120 years on Uruk, a Sumerian city that I fortified by myself and where I had this temple built on the top of the seven-story Ziqqurat, which was built by my ancestors. You refused riches, women, and everything a king could have. You fought for your people, while I have always been fascinated by human passions and I have not always defended my subjects. It was for this reason that the Anunnaki, the Sumerian deities, sent Enkidu to punish me» Gilgamesh explained as he touched the temple walls. He had a body made of flesh and bone, with a brown skin.
«Each of us makes mistakes, the important thing is knowing how to recognize and accept them. I’ve also done a lot of them and that’s why I have to learn to use my powers to do good and not evil!» Damian said with conviction.
«Touch the “White Hourglass of the Past” on my chest and go away» Gilgamesh said.
Damian touched the hourglass with the white sand drawn on the legendary king’s dress and in a moment they returned to the Room of Time and Memory.
«Now that I know that your humanity is whole, you will have to face your other essences in order to master your powers. You will first travel among the Dragons and then among the Demons. Take this blue hourglass» Gilgamesh said, placing a new hourglass with the blue colored sand that was ten centimeters tall.
«I still wear Uruk’s clothes, how strange! Where are we going now?» Damian asked curiously.
As soon as he touched the “Blue Hourglass of the Present” he found himself in a blue cave, dug into the depths of the earth, which presented frozen stalactites and stalagmites. A faint light illuminated his path in a familiar place.
«Who are you?» a thundering voice said in the Dragon Language.
«I’m Damian» he replied in the same language.
«You have returned, Ishtar’s son! This time why are you here?» the Black Dragon asked.
«I’m here to learn how to use the Power of the Dragon. Where are we?» Damian asked.
«You have come to the place where every dragon is welcome! Look at that blue sphere on that rocky pedestal, it is the Sacred Sphere that protects this place that we call Towafhotoq ijeq Iwaflòt or as humans say the Oracle of the Dragon. I am the guardian of this place, my name is Nagrhar. It amazes me to see you in the flesh, usually only the souls of dragons reach this place, when they are very far from our world» the Black Dragon explained.
Damian realized only now that this huge black dragon, twenty meters long and ten high, was not so bad. He had eyes with linear black pupils, sparkling teeth and his voice was not enemy. He looked a lot like the statue he always carried with him. With every breath he took, small black fumes came out of his nostrils. It stood erect on its four legs and had mighty wings closed on itself. He would never have thought he could talk to a dragon, in their own language. The first thing he wanted to ask the Black Dragon was something he had recently discovered.
«Do the dragons have hearts on the right?»
«Yes, and how I see this brings you together. However, know that your existence does not please everyone. Your mother Ishtar, “The Dragon of Time”, was a symbol for all of us. She created this place with her great powers. The souls of dragons come here from every world. There are those who come to ask for advice, but also those who come to rest forever. See for yourself» Nagrhar answered.
The Blue Sphere lit up and little by little the souls of dozens of dragons appeared, of various colors and sizes. There were those who laughed and those who barked, those who flew and those who walked. The cave lit up entirely with light blue and so it was possible to notice the presence of dragons in flesh and bone that lived inside it. The souls appeared of the original color of the dragon but showed themselves as if they were projections of the original that instead was in a deep sleep. Damian, among the living dragons, noticed the White Dragons, the most beautiful and the most royal, who ate the light, then saw Red Dragons, with three horns, which gritted their teeth against him. The Purple Dragons, on the other hand, had a long tail that ended in the shape of spades and were bathing in a poisonous swamp. The Brown Dragons, very fat, were eating the soil and ignored him. The Green Dragons, the smallest of all height, played among themselves and ate herbs growing between the rocks. The souls, on the other hand, were impassive, among them the Yellow Dragons watched Damian curiously. All the dragons had the eyes of the color of their scales, the greatest of all was the Black Dragon that ruled in that great cave with incommensurable measurements.
«You are so many!» Damian said with joy.
«We used to be» a Blue Dragon replied, slowly floating.
«Long Beard, my friend! Come here!» Nagrhar shouted.
«This power who I feel is familiar to me. Is he the Heir of Time?» Long Beard asked.
He was a Blue Dragon with a silver beard, ten meters long, which started from his chin and reached his tail. It was four meters high and seven meters long, had blue scales mixed with silver ones that had aged over time. What struck Damian was the scar on his right eye, now blind, while the other was all white. Looking at him he understood that he was a spirit rather than a dragon in the flesh.
«Yes, it’s him» Nagrhar answered.
«He’s still unable to use his power, as my eye says» Long Beard said.
«You’re a spirit, aren’t you?» Damian asked.
The Blue Dragon laughed. «I see you’re a careful boy! I have been resting in this place for a long time, as you can see my eye is all white and only the dead have this color. The other dragons you see are alive and well in other worlds and come here in the form of souls through the great bond that binds us to the Sacred Sphe
re. What is still unknown to me and the way you used to get here in the flesh, without using the portal of the World of Dragons» Long Beard replied.
«I came here through the Room of Time and Memory» Damian replied.
«I don’t know this place, but why did you come?» Nagrhar asked.
«I came to learn how to use my power. Teach me you, Great Dragons! I need this power to defeat the Devil!» Damian answered.
Nagrhar and Long Beard fretted their eyes.
«You have great ambitions young boy, but we feel it. Inside you there is darkness, a black vortex that rotates counter-clockwise in your left chest and tries to extend throughout your body. You are a man and your right half is of the Dragon, but the left half belongs to the Dark Lord» Nagrhar said.
«We Dragons have long fought against the Demons. Many of our people have fallen by their hand, the same fate has fallen to me. It was Evil himself who killed me!» Long Beard shouted.
«What does he want from you?» Damian asked.
«The power. The Gods gave the dragons long life and great powers. The Yellow Dragons can emit lightning from the mouth, instead the Green Dragons emit leaf storms, while the Black Dragons the black fire and the Red Dragons the red fire from the incommensurable power compared to the dragons of low rank and the gray color. The White Dragons emit rays of light, while the Violet Dragons a powerful poison. Brown Dragons shoot mud bogs from the mouth and Ice Dragons emit ice and snow storms. Finally, the Blue Dragons emit a blue fire more powerful than all the others. Pure energy of great power, the same that resides in you» Nagrhar explained.
«In me? I lost control several times and partly turned into a Blue Dragon, but I’ve never used this energy. Teach me to use it!» Damian asked.
«You are not a Dragon! Go away!» the Dragons who were in that place shouted. The Red Dragons were furious, the Blacks indignant, the Violets chased poison out of the mouth, only the Brown Dragons continued to eat mud with greed and no curiosity.
«Silence!» Long Beard thundered with a roar so strong that it shook the walls of the cave.
«Calm down, my friend!» Nagrhar intervened.
«I am a Blue Dragon, I could teach you. In return, what will you do for us? How can I trust you? What if I brought our power to the Devil and then destroyed everything? For twenty thousand years I protected the dragons and the balance of the world, as did my ancestors before me!» Long Beard said in an intimidating tone.
«I lost my family, I caused damage to people. I must use this power to overcome the Evil within me!» Damian replied proudly.
The Black Dragon smiled. «I hadn’t felt such a strong courage for more than two thousand years!» Nagrhar said.
«Two thousand? How old can a dragon live?» Damian asked.
«The longer he can live. I am seven thousand years old, I am one of the few elderly dragons left alive. As you can see Long Beard has been a spirit linked to this place for many centuries. He died at the hands of the Devil who wanted to steal his power. The Primordial Dragon, born before the birth of the Worlds, was Ishtar, the one who controlled the time and now that same power flows within you. Your existence alone allows the Worlds to live. Time regulates everything, both life and death. You can travel in every age and everywhere. For an event wanted by fate, you are also a Blue Dragon. Remember, time regulates the existence of everything. It is a burden that you will have to carry forever!» Nagrhar explained.
«Why me? How can I be me? Why did Ishtar give me this power?» Damian asked, even more astonished.
«Before she died, she realized that Evil would consume her. She also knew that with the destruction of time all things would be destroyed. She saved that woman’s life and gave you that power, trying to hide it from the Devil. It was your parents’ love that prompted her to make this last great gesture. Unfortunately, the darkness also infiltrated you» Long Beard explained.
«Destroying time be tantamount to destroy the world? And what would he gain? He would kill himself!» Damian said.
«Not one, but all the Worlds would be destroyed except his kingdom, because is outside time. Even deities live outside of time, since they have existed before time was born. He wants to destroy all the Worlds to take revenge on his enemy and recreate a new world in his image. Time does not exist, but it does so that everything exists. It was not Ishtar who created it, but it was the gods who gave it the task of controlling it. In time you will understand that altering a single moment can lead to major catastrophes. We Dragons will never be able to tell you anything about this power, since only Ishtar could control it. I’ll let you use blue fire, but you’ll have to do something in return» the Blue Dragon added.
Suddenly there was a beating of wings, a dragon-like being came to the Oracle of the Dragon. He was three meters tall and had a wingspan of five meters. He had only two legs, a very long tail, green scales and two gray horns.
«A Wyvern messenger!» Nagrhar said, surprised.
«We found the Red Dragon! He was locked up in the Moon of the Human World!» the Wyvern said and at hearing the news all the dragons present fell silent.
«What a great discovery! Nagrhar, we can bring our world back to life!» Long Beard said.
«You happened in the right moment boy! Promise to save the Red Dragon from the Moon in your world and we will give you power!» the Black Dragon proposed.
Damian was shocked. «I came here thanks to the Room of Time and Memory. I felt strange sensations from the beginning, but I didn’t think this deep connection with time existed. If I died, who would regulate it? Would everything die? Is the Red Dragon in the Moon? Who was there to shut him up?» he asked, bewildered by the dragons.
«Time regulates everything, someone needs to bring that power into himself. You will have to prevent the Dark Lord from obtaining it. He always wanted to control the dragons, never succeeding. His desire to steal our power increased when he discovered Ishtar and his Power of Time. Long Beard died just when he arrived at this place along with his Demons. We managed to defeat them, but they captured the Red Dragon. The Dragon Oracle has always been ruled by the “Three Guardian Dragons”, the most powerful dragons among all others. A Black Dragon, a Red Dragon and a Blue Dragon. Without them the World of Dragons would disappear. I am the only one left, Long Beard is a spirit and we have not seen other Blue Dragons for centuries, the Red Dragon is locked up. If I were to die this place would die with me. The spirits who rest here would disappear into thin air and all the Dragons would become extinct» Nagrhar explained.
«I accept the assignment! I’ll save the Red Dragon, I’ll become the Blue Dragon and save the Dragon World!» Damian shouted proudly, and all the dragons roared with joy, except the Red Dragons.
«Come here» Long Beard said.
Damian went to him and Long Beard put his right paw on Damian’s head. A blue energy pervaded him and localized throughout the right half of the body.
«Now your power will obey you. Don’t forget that the dark evil of your left half can destroy every part of you. To this day you have been protected by that dagger created with the claw of Ishtar. It will not last forever, you will have to tame the darkness that is in you. Now go back to where you came from!» Long Beard said, roaring at him.
«Guzotasaf Kotuwyzàs, Lintafasej Iwaflòt!»
«Good luck, young dragon!» the Dragons said in their language.
Damian instantly returned to the Room of Time and Memory. Gilgamesh was there waiting for him.
«What did the Dragons tell you?» he asked curiously.
«And how do you know?» Damian replied.
«Do you think I don’t know who you are? I was in the Hell and discovered everything about you. My goal was to lead you to them, because you freed Enkidu and you were worthy of being King. Since I heard about your existence, I decided that I would help you defeat the Devil. The Room of Time and Memory belongs to you, any human would already be dead. Only two hours have passed out of here, but it is as if 100 year
s had passed in this place» Gilgamesh replied.
«100 years? How is that possible?» Damian asked, shocked.
«An hour in the Room of Time is equivalent to fifty years of life. You used the White Hourglass of the Past to reach the alternative Uruk timeline, created by me thanks to the powers of the room. You have returned to the present and have used the Blue Hourglass of the Present to reach the World of Dragons, which is located outside of our world. Now in this last hour, before the room limit is reached, you will have to travel inside you. You will use the “Black Hourglass of Memory” because when we forget, everything becomes dark and for this you will have to remember. It will not be a journey through time, but it will be a journey into your memory. Face yourself and overcome your fears!» Gilgamesh encouraged him.
«I’m ready, even if I don’t start to understand anything anymore!» Damian said, then touched the little black hourglass that could be held in the palm of his hand.
In a moment he found himself in a familiar place.
«Keep my son, eat» Hercules said.
«Where we are? Where am I?» Damian asked, unable to utter concrete words.
“I returned to be a child. This is my old house and my father is there!” he thought.
He had a few months, his first memories began from there.
«You look a lot like your mother, your smile is the same. I miss her a lot, I don’t know what she would have done in my place. My days are coming to an end, you’ll have to do it by yourself from now on. You must be strong!» Hercules said, clutching him in his arms.
It was a moment of joy and sadness for Damian. Those emotions triggered the Black Hourglass which also awakened the memories of his mother and of Ishtar, dormant inside him, who showed him everything that happened before that last greeting. First, he saw the meeting of his father and his mother with the Dragon, then he saw his birth and the short time he lived with his father before the Evil plagiarized him to his wishes. Hercules cradled that boy with so much love, the animals brought all kinds of food for him. Goat milk was the principle food for its first years of life. Then he saw that one night his father left and disappeared forever. He relived the good moments with Dasmond and the animals of Mount Dragòr until he assumed the appearance of a five-year-old child just the day the Romans arrived at the Village of the Gods.
