by T Ariyanna
Cy’s eyes narrowed. “When was that?”
Jayr hesitated. “Last night. I was with Kaliyah, and I told her. I'm afraid my decision had set her off and caused the second attack on your life, Kaitlyn. That is why I am more determined than ever to help you in any way that I can.”
Cy’s face contorted so suddenly that the metal bent under pressure. The smooth edges of the indivual plates twisted into each other, forming sharp edges. He balled his hands into fists so tight that his fingers tore through his palms like paper. “Theresa was here last night! And she didn't bother to check up on us, or tell us herself what to do next? That bitch! I swear I'm gonna…” Cy stomped his foot with enough force to buckle the metal at his knee. Kaitlyn was sure that the only thing keeping him from going into a full rampage was his body crumpling with each move.
“Cyllorian,” Kaitlyn said, cutting him off. She glared at him, though she could feel the hint of fear that shone through her strict demeanor. Cy took a deep breath, then shut his mouth tight. Whatever else it was he had planned to say, he locked away in his mind. He set himself to prying his hands apart, his metal groaning in protest at his abuse.
“It doesn't matter now, does it? We have a destination. Vyekrin will carry Kaitlyn and the Droll, and the demon and I will ride on Wayonn,” Jayr said. He turned on his heel to mount Wayonn.
“Don’t you think I should ride with Kaitlyn?” Cy asked. He glared at Jayr, but the Draken paid him no notice.
“You really expect me to ride with him?” Gil retorted, disgusted. He had draped his arms protectively around Kaitlyn’s shoulders and was resting his chin against her head. Vyekrin was laying obediently on the ground behind them.
Kaitlyn felt guilty at the relief that ran through her knowing she didn’t have to ride with Cy. She couldn’t bear to be with him right after finding out he had kept something so drastic from her. How could he just decide on his own to hide that from her, let alone force everyone else to stay silent? Even if he said it was for her own protection, how could she believe him now?
“I’ll be fine with Gil, Cy. Besides, we don’t want them to fight.” Kaitlyn wiggled out of Gil’s grasp. Without waiting for Cy’s response, she climbed onto Vyekrin’s neck, taking his horns into her hands, and Gil sat behind her. She did her best to stop her shaking, knowing it would only worry Gil.
“You don’t even know how to fly! What if you can’t hold on?” Cy argued.
“I don’t need to know. Vyekrin can do it on his own. He won’t let anything happen to me. It’ll be alright, Cy, I promise. We need to get moving, don’t we?” Kaitlyn argued. Vyekrin raised himself. Kaitlyn could almost touch the ceiling.
“Now or never, demon. Get on,” Jayr snapped. Wayonn had snuck beside Cy, his scales scraping against Cy’s metal.
With a groan, Cy hoisted himself onto the scorpion dragon, putting a few inches between him and Jayr. He crossed his arms over his chest defiantly, but the magic in him was stuttering. The metal plates chattered together as though he were shaking.
Before Kaitlyn could ask if he would be okay, Wayonn took to the exit of the cave. Vyekrin darted after him, and Kaitlyn let out a sharp yelp at the sudden movement. She held her body close to Vyekrin’s, closing her eyes as the two dragons began to scale the side of the mountain. Gil clung to her tight enough to restrict her breathing.
Vyekrin jumped off the cliff side, and Kaitlyn’s eyes shot open. The dragons dived toward the ground, leaning this way and that. They pulled up suddenly and rolled midair until they righted themselves, gliding effortlessly through the sky. They climbed higher with large beats of their wings until they were level with the mountain being left behind them.
It was easier now that Kaitlyn couldn’t tell how high they were, but she didn’t dare look down. Wayonn was ahead of them, and she watched the way the odd dragon moved.
He had his six legs curled under him, and his arms bent over him to hold Cy and Jayr in place on his wide back. Wayonn’s four wings were long and thin, like a dragonfly’s, and they reflected the light into a rainbow of colors around him. His tail was coiled carefully behind him, clearly ready to strike if necessary.
Gil loosened his grip as well, though Kaitlyn could still feel his face buried in her shoulder. She shakily let go of Vyekrin with one hand to pat his head, and Gil hugged her tighter. “Cy’s gonna kill me,” she heard him grumble.
Kaitlyn wanted to ask what he meant, but she couldn’t find her voice at the elevation. The air was nearly too thin to breathe, and she wanted Vyekrin to fly lower, but they couldn’t lose the others no matter what.
Kaitlyn sat silently as Vyekrin flew, watching Lontorra appear around the mountain. She could see so much of the land, but it never seemed to end. And beyond Lontorra was the sea, sparkling under the sun. Kaliyah came from across the sea. I want to know what’s there. I want to go for myself!
Kaitlyn’s excitement replaced her fear. With Vyekrin, she could go wherever she pleased, making her own adventures and learning about the world. I don’t even know everything about this land, though. Not even close.
Finding it easier to breathe, Kaitlyn turned to Gil. “What are Kindling?” she asked over the rushing wind in her ears.
Gil shook his head against her back. “The best way to explain it is they’re nature’s advocates. They care for the natural world, and hate those that disturb it. They have a lot of influence and magic, including special healing rituals. If we can get their help, great, but if not…I just hope we can make it out. They don’t take too kindly to strangers.”
“Cyllorian called it the Lost Soul Woods before. Is it really that bad?”
“Once you enter, you can’t leave without the help of a Kindling. The magic of the forest won’t allow it. Many people have died in there just because they wandered in without realizing, or they were lured in. The Kindling can be cruel when they want to be.”
“Why would Theresa send us there without being sure they would help? It has to be safe, right?” Kaitlyn’s stomach was doing flips after hearing Gil’s words. He didn’t answer, and she felt him slump against her in defeat.
She wanted to yell out to Wayonn, to stop Jayr. If it was so dangerous, they didn’t need to go. With the dragons, it would be all too easy to find their way back to the castle. She glanced below her, hoping to catch sight of it.
Her chest felt as though a vice had caught her, and she lost her voice again. The ground was so far away, and she knew that a drop from this height would kill her instantly. Her breathing was labored, and she tried screaming. She didn’t want to fly anymore. She just wanted to land, to get out of the air.
Almost as though Vyekrin had heard her thoughts, the dragon turned his nose towards the ground. It came at them with great speed, and Kaitlyn felt her hands slipping from Vyekrin’s horns. She dug her heels into his sides desperately, knowing that if she were to fall, Gil would die as well. In a last attempt, Kaitlyn released the horns altogether and flung herself onto Vyekrin’s neck. She winced as her claws chipped his scales, but she couldn’t let go. She held on with all of her strength until Vyekrin jolted underneath her, and came to a halt.
Gil was off Vyekrin instantly, collapsing onto the ground and gasping. Kaitlyn pried her claws from Vyekrin’s neck guiltily and slid off his neck. Her legs felt hollow, and she fell to her knees. Cy was already at her side, and he caught her shoulder, keeping her upright. She grabbed onto his arm for support. She felt her claws pierce into his metal, and she loosened her grip, though Cy didn’t seem to notice.
Vyekrin wrapped his tail around Kaitlyn and Gil, pulling the four of them into a huddle. His warmth was comforting, and Kaitlyn found herself soothing easily. She reached out to Gil. He was breathing deeply through his mouth, and his shaking had stopped. She rubbed his back with her shaking hands. He reached behind him to squeeze her hands, letting out one final, rattling breath before he calmed completely.
Kaitlyn pulled herself up onto Vyekrin, examining the area around them. The trees were twic
e Vyekrin's size and stretched to the horizon in either direction. There was no way around them. Their bark was dark in color, with prickly spines on the branches instead of leaves. Vibrant yellow-green moss was scattered along the ground, climbing up the trunks of the trees to overrun them.
On the other side of the woods, the great walls of Centric could be seen. They seemed so close, as though there was no distance between the group and the Mages. It seemed impossible for there to be enough woods for a civilization to reside in.
“We have more to get done today, don’t we?” Jayr scoffed from Wayonn’s side.
“Does it look like they can keep going? They never flew before, give them a minute!” Cy yelled, stepping out from the circle of Vyekrin’s tail.
“Fine, but we can’t just lay here in the open forever.”
“We should make camp,” Gil said sheepishly.
Kaitlyn shook her head at him, but found that no one else objected. “We just started for the day. We’ll be fine without rest until later.” She didn’t want to give herself the chance to think, didn’t want to guess at what was next. She didn’t want to worry about Arion, or about how she was changing. She just wanted to fix the problem as quickly as possible.
“We don't have a plan, Kaitlyn. No one knows how big these woods really are, or where to even begin looking for the Kindlings. Our best bet is to camp and set up a plan while we can still see.”
Jayr and Gil nodded in unison, but stopped in a hurry when they noticed they were moving in sync. Gil let out an annoyed huff and turned away from Jayr while he smirked at the Droll.
“Vyekrin?” Kaitlyn turned to her dragon, desperate for support.
“I will not fit within those woods. The trees have grown too close to each other. The longer I can remain in my true form, the happier I will be.” The great dragon lowered his head to the ground, guilty at betraying his master. His large eyes begged her for forgiveness, and she was reminded of a puppy.
Kaitlyn's shoulders slumped, as she was outnumbered. She sat on the ground, near enough to the trees to be shaded. Her scales were still present, and it was unbearably hot compared to the cruel snow storms of the mountain. While she had accepted being magical at first, she had secretly hoped she would go back to normal once they had left the Draken. She didn’t know how to fit into this world, and she feared it was too late to learn.
“Fine. We make camp. We leave as soon as the sun rises,” she grumbled finally, her internal irritation slipping into her voice.
She fell backwards slowly, and Vyekrin slid behind her for her to rest on. Though it was still early, she had yet to recover from the events of the night before.
The others bickered around her, and she waved her hand to shut them up. “Wake me when it's time to go. You magical people can figure out how to find the fairies.”
Magical people? I’m like them, now, aren’t I? Kaitlyn pulled her legs to her chest, forcing her mind to go blank.
Vyekrin used his wing as a blanket to cover her, and the darkness made her fall asleep instantly.
She slept fitfully, dreams of wandering throughout the Kindling Woods filling her mind. In her dreams, he was lost and alone, caught under the malicious gaze of unknown threats.
Kaitlyn jolted awake. Gil was leaning over her, his face scarily pale in the shadows that surrounded them. She sat up and looked around, willing the grogginess from her mind.
She was no longer laying on Vyekrin. She felt his small tail wrapped around her neck, and a light weight on her shoulders that told her he was in his lizard form. The trees around them were clustered close together, giving them barely any room to breathe, let alone stay together. Jayr stood a foot away, standing over Cy who was laying on the ground. Jayr was yelling and kicking at him. Kaitlyn looked back to Gil, a question in her gaze, and the fear that contorted his face had Kaitlyn alert in an instant. She shot herself from the ground and bolted for Cy, her suspicions from just a few hours earlier entirely forgotten.
“Cy. Cy, wake up!” Kaitlyn screamed as she shook Cy. The light in his eyes was gone, though a faint spark of magic could still be seen in his chest. The others were standing around her, though none were inclined to help.
Jayr was glaring at Cy's body, looking like he was ready to kick it again. “Damn demon! I knew we shouldn’t have trusted him.”
Gil was concerned, though he looked helpless in the situation. He was more worried that they had been swallowed by the Kindling Woods while they had slept.
Vyekrin was pacing across Kaitlyn's shoulders. They were all so on edge, yet she couldn’t grasp the situation. They were in the Kindling Woods? Why, and how did they all get in here. She looked to Gil first for answers, but it seemed he had been stunned into silence.
Jayr was roiling at her side. “It’s all your fault we’re in this mess, demon. Get up and take responsibility!” he burst, fists ready at his sides.
“Enough!” Kaitlyn snapped. She whirled on him and abruptly shoved his legs. He stumbled away from Cy, falling to the ground as he was caught off guard. His wide eyes shot to Kaitlyn, and it took everything she had not to sneer at him. A few hours isn’t long enough to judge him, she reminded herself.
Shaking her head at the others, Kaitlyn quickly opened the clasp on Cy's chest. The metal heart inside was just as stunning as ever, filled with the glow of Arion's magic. Wary of the silver claw that still tipped her finger, she tapped the heart. Sliding her talon along the clasp, the heart fell open, and the magic burst from within. It filled Cy's body, and he came to life with a start.
“Glad you finally decided to wake up,” Jayr snorted, spitting in Cy's direction. Though he was as snide as before, he had put as much distance between him and Kaitlyn as he could in the cramped space. Cy put a hand to his head and stared at the Draken curiously.
Kaitlyn glared at him, a short hiss escaping her lips. “I told you that's enough, Jayr. This isn't anyone's fault, so just shut up.”
“He was supposed to be keeping watch over us last night, and he went and fell asleep. Now look where we are.”
Kaitlyn resolved to staring the Draken down, but she couldn't argue. She had fallen asleep long before them, and had no idea what had taken place after. Whatever it was, it had stewed up resentment in Jayr.
Cy looked around them, not breathing. Kaitlyn looked with him, wondering what he could be thinking. “We’ve been invited inside,” he breathed, pure terror in his voice. “I figured they would be expecting us, but I never thought they’d be so eager.”
Cy had found something menacing about the forest, but Kaitlyn only saw beauty here. Even though it was the middle of the night, the leaves around were glowing. The ground barely held any grass, most of it covered with bright flowers, weeds, and berry bushes. The trees were amazingly tall, and smelled wonderful. There was a chorus of animals in the forest surrounding them, playing a song in perfect harmony with one another.
Cy stood abruptly and turned to face away from the group, closing up his chest. He took a long, ragged breath that shook his frame. The rattling of the air through his body rang throughout the trees, quieting the creatures that chattered around them. His arms fell to his sides, knocking against something in his pocket, searching through them and gathering the interest of everyone. He pulled out another crystal ball, this one filled with a dim pink light. He shook it angrily, but the image never changed.
“Was Theresa here?” Jayr asked dutifully.
“Hell if I know. You think she actually ever tells me anything?”
“Would she have done something like this? Thrown us in here if we didn't want to go?” Gil asked, stepping forward. He was wringing his hands nervously, avoiding looking at the light within the ball.
“I wouldn't put it past her, honestly. She's probably pissed we've taken this long already. I swear, she's gone as soon as we get back. She's been nothing but trouble.”
“How can you say that?” Jayr hissed. He stepped forward, a fire alight within him. “She is a great Mage, and teache
r.”
“How? You really wanna know how? Maybe because she never cared about me, or anyone for that matter. She was supposedly dead for sixteen years, until she shows up on my doorstep and ruins everything! What I want to know is how you can be so damn loyal to her?” Cy burst, his hands curling into fists. He sneered at Jayr, clearly fighting to keep himself in control.
Wayonn had appeared on Jayr's shoulder as Cy yelled. His smaller form was that of a scorpion with gnarled wings, its stinger more bulbous than should be possible.
“I am loyal because of her devotion to us. She has spent many nights with us, healing our injured and teaching us of the rest of the world. She is a welcomed member of Deidrich, and a great ally to a cause we share,” Jayr argued.
“Theresa taught us, too. We're not very good, but she taught us how to fight without relying on ranged weapons,” Gil said quietly. “But is that really important right now? We’ve got bigger problems, our bags-” Gil started, but Cy cut him off with his ranting.
“She spent more time with you guys than she did with us. Unbelievable. Just great.” Cy stepped back, losing his will to fight. Though he’d calmed, Kaitlyn could see it was just the beginning. Anything would set him off now.
“Cy,” she said softly, taking a step toward him. He raised a hand to ward her off, and she saw how badly he was shaking. Vyekrin was stiff on her shoulder, feeling the tension in the air.
“Why would someone like Theresa ever care about something like you? As if a demon could ever be worth her time,” Jayr spat, a triumphant grin on his face.
At the remark, Cy completely froze, not even the gears scattered over his body dared to spin. With a savage yell, he lunged for Jayr. He smacked the dragon from the boy's shoulder and tackled him into a tree. Cy lifted him a foot from the ground, his talons digging into Jayr's throat. Jayr's eyes were wide as he searched the ground for his dragon, but Wayonn was stunned from hitting a tree.
