by LJ Davies
The three of us lifted to our paws. Apollo darting to my side as the ebon wing perched upon one of the ruined arches. Once more it was as if we were nothing more than meddlesome insects to him as he raked a claw along the rock.
"No matter, I’ll deal with all of you if I must," he added, leaping forward with outstretched claws.
I coiled up ready to blast him, but before the flames left my muzzle a gleaming bolt of silver struck his underside, pulling him upwards in a flurry of wing beats. Boltock and Neera jumped forward, while the new dragon and the ebon wing tussled in the sky – claws, wings and blades ringing out as silver armour struck corrupted metal. Bursts of fire sprang from both sides before Sceptre gave an angry hiss and withdrew.
"Don't think this is over!" he called, snaking off into the night, the remaining vulpomancers retreating with him.
The moment they vanished, the silver dragon twisted gracefully in the air, before gliding down to us. The others didn't seem too concerned, but I watched him warily.
I know him, we've met before. My eyes narrowed. He was Pyro's friend.
"Soaren?" I asked sceptically, recalling the air elemental’s face from the Season of Fire Celebration.
The larger grey dragon regarded me with the same surprised relief as the others. Not to mention he boasted the same air order armour.
"Guardian, it’s good to see you again," he offered, stepping toward me before prostrating himself in a regal bow.
I shook my head at the gesture, waving it off with a forepaw.
"Likewise, I suppose," I replied, unsure of my feelings.
"Blaze, isn't it?" he asked as he lifted his head.
"Yes, but that name hardly matters anymore." As true as it was, the confession sent an emotional jab through me.
Why would he care, he's like Pyro? Ambitious, prideful? How can I trust him?
I didn't want to repeat the mistakes that had led to Pyro's corruption, but Soaren seemed puzzled by my response.
What am I saying, they all seem confused? I don't have time for guessing games, I need explanations.
"How did you get here, why are you here? Who else came with you?"
With the threats gone, questions flowed from my muzzle like a river. Even so, they all looked slightly stunned by the verbal barrage and remained silent, until one voice broke through.
"Why do you think?" It was the most wonderful, yet most intimidating sound I'd heard in a long time.
I became as stiff as a statue, forcing myself to turn, and the moment I did, I was wrapped in a tight embrace.
"You're alive, you're alive!" Risha's voice was filled with desperate relief as she buried her head into my shoulder.
Initially, I tensed, feeling as cold as the ice in which I'd lingered for months. That was until the intensity of our reunion hit me, my heart thawed and I returned her embrace without thought. The moment was over far too quickly, and as she leaned back; our eyes met.
I can’t tell that she was wounded at all, Apollo did a great job!
Like her brother, she was wearing a set of sleek, silver armour that fitted her slender body far more snugly.
I didn't ponder on her new look for too long, however, as slowly the logical dread within me drowned out the warm feelings. I glanced away, recalling the Cartographer's words about my emotions compared to the creators.
So what if they can't feel like this? Why does it make me any stronger?
It was in that moment that reality seemed to hit her as well, and her smile wavered slightly.
"Where were you?" she asked firmly.
Despondency flowed back into me with the force of a tsunami, and I shied away once again as I muttered.
"I couldn't come back."
It seemed to take her a moment to process that, I could see the internal conflict behind her eyes, as if anticipation had been building ever since I'd left.
She's angry at me, even if she won't admit it, I can see it on her face.
"By the skies, what happened to your shoulder?" she demanded abruptly, and I realised she'd caught sight of my scars.
I shifted my wings, covering the wounds as I forced myself to look at her.
"It's fine, I'm fine, I just couldn't... I…" My response died in my throat.
"What do you mean?" she asked quietly, stepping back as I tried again.
"It's not what you think it is, any of this, I can't…"
What can I tell her? That I'm just as much a part of the monster as I am the creators?
I didn't want to believe that truth, I didn't want to admit that Mordrakk had been right about why I'd failed to return. She glanced away, and the memory of the last thing I'd told her began to eat away at me.
"You promised," she mumbled.
God or not, I couldn't stand the glare that followed. I could hear the illusion’s disparaging voice in my mind, his distant words cast amidst a sea of whispers and slithering hisses. Then, as if at his whim, I felt a hint of bitterness, which I leapt upon like a life raft amidst the growing ocean of sorrow.
Everything I've done, I did it all to keep them safe. All because I care for them more than anything. Do they doubt that I'll do absolutely anything for them, no matter the cost?
At that notion, a small island of reason appeared on the horizon of my conflict, its shores desperately calling me. What had I done by abandoning what I stood for? I knew why they looked up to me. I'd been their leader, braved the unknown with them at my side.
"Things changed, Risha," I admitted in a whisper so shameful I almost hoped she'd fail to hear.
She glanced away, her beautiful, sapphire-blue eyes falling to the mud at her paws.
"Yeah, looks like they did," she admitted tersely.
I had to fight to keep remorse from dragging my conscience off its mental raft as I turned to Apollo. His golden frame was forced into what looked like a frown as he finally spoke.
"I trust the reactivation of your location talisman didn't prove too difficult?" he asked.
"My what?" I responded.
Once again, I was given that patronising look, no matter how fake it appeared upon his metallic face.
"Your armour's location talisman; it reactivated not too long ago and I was able to track it," he explained, jabbing a wing tip at my chest plate.
"It's how we found you, some ancient, magical nonsense," Neera interrupted, earning a deeper frown from Apollo.
I thought back to only a day ago, a nagging feeling that I'd not been the one to activate the talisman; in fact, everything going on now seemed to lead back to the Cartographer.
"After your disappearance, your companions were quite concerned," Apollo continued, looking over each of the others in turn.
"I will admit, after failing to detect your beacon at the location to which the gateway was set, even I had my doubts, and yet, it seems your abilities are far greater than anticipated," he added.
I silenced him with a stern look, driven by a fear that he'd unknowingly divulge a portion of the truth about Mordrakk and I.
He's wrong, I wasn't powerful enough. If I was Mordrakk would be gone and they'd all be safe.
"You shouldn't have come here, it's too dangerous," I stated, earning only puzzled looks from most of my friends.
"And that's a reason for you to be here, is it?" Risha swiftly challenged.
I shivered as she rounded on me, with a look similar to one a parent would give a chick that had continually disobeyed them. Yet there was a small quiver of pain in her expression and the sight broke me as I sighed.
"No, but it’s better me being in danger than anyone else." She almost looked ready to beat that idea out of me, or at least to voice a firm retort, but her opportunity was stolen.
"He's right, the traitor may have scattered, but he will soon return with greater numbers," Soaren suggested sensibly, looking to the sky.
"Traitor?" I questioned, hiding how I truly felt about the minds Mordrakk had already broken.
"Marshals of demons, wherever they go
, those awful things swarm in greater numbers," Soaren replied.
He talks about them like they're already dead? I noted, only to pause. They don't know, do they? About Pyro?
"Not dragons?" I asked, but he appeared almost insulted.
"They forfeited that name when they abandoned their allegiance," he replied sternly. "Now come, we must return to cover before they have a chance to track us down," he commanded, leading off into the air.
"I would advise that you follow this descendant’s example, Guardian. He has proved to be quite an adequate leader in your absence," Apollo suggested.
"Thanks for the tip, Goldy," Neera grumbled, while she approached.
"Are you really okay?" she asked.
I fought against the urge to snap at her for doubting me, but the only emotion that tempered my underlying rage was fear.
"Y–Yeah... I mean you're all back, so why wouldn't I be?" I stuttered.
She's like Risha, she knows when I'm lying. I'd no doubt about that as her long ears flicked back, but she didn't press any further.
"Well, I suppose we should follow our ‘oh so great and powerful’ leader," she finished in a somewhat mocking tone, before taking off after Soaren.
Apollo accompanied her with a sharp hum and a flash of his segmented wings. Even so, I stood still for a second, before Risha finally passed me, her eyes turned away.
"It is good to see you again," she whispered quietly, almost as if she were seeing a ghost.
I glanced her way, only to see her in a light I wished I'd never have to witness again, saddened and pained because of my actions.
All I want to do is keep her and the others safe. The dangers are all things I've brought upon them, it's my fault.
"You too," was my simple response, as my heart ached.
"She's right, you know," Boltock observed, as his sister took off.
"Is it just the five of you?" I asked, not wishing harm to befall anyone else for my sake.
There was at least one other dragon I knew who may have come after me, and part of me was still anticipating Ember to drop out of the night sky. Boltock gave a sigh and nodded, cancelling out my suspicions and drawing my curiosity.
Has something happened, does she know about Pyro? All this time they've thought he's dead, right? I was caught trying to decide which fate was better: death or the truth. What do I tell them?
Not wishing to dwell on such thoughts, Boltock moved to my side, a truly glad expression replacing his sorrowed look.
"Hey, even if I have said some dumb stuff, I still wouldn't give up on a friend. Not that my sister would let anyone doubt you were still alive anyway," he assured.
"Thanks," I responded.
He nodded, then fell back into the stern and obedient state of mind I'd once seen Ember adopt. I didn't want to think about why he was like that, not after seeing where such an attitude had gotten Pyro. Nor did I wish to speculate on what would happen if I told them about the dark ringleader of the ebon wings.
"Anyway, come on. We really don't want to be out here in the dark," he suggested.
I nodded as he headed up the hill, glancing back as I lingered behind a moment longer.
"Oh, and welcome back to the wing," he called with a warm smile.
I nodded again, looking down at my gleaming, golden gauntlets in the wet, snowy mud as he disappeared into the air. That's when I caught the sight of Mordrakk’s sinister figure sitting upon a ruined pillar to my left, his flaming eyes narrowed and mouth flickering. He didn't say a word; he didn't have to for me to know exactly what he was thinking. He simply coiled back within his shadowy wings and clasped two sharp stones in his forepaws, smiling as he peered up in the direction of my friends.
No, I'll never let him. I spread my wings and leapt up. I'll never let him lay a claw on them!
*
"If you need a fire, make it brief. One is seldom out of sight in these forests," Soaren advised as I reached the cave in which the others had been hiding.
Nestled between two cliffs and shielded by a waterfall, it had only been a short flight from the ridge ruins.
Seems everyone that's not orkin or ebon wing are doing their utmost to remain hidden. I noted, considering they had a better hiding spot then I did.
Traversing the water-stained rocks, I peered inside to see a more habitable setting. Neera had constructed a fire, on which I assumed she intended to cook some squirrels and birds she had strapped to her improvised armour.
It's been far too long since I've slept by a decent fire. I thought, appreciating the warmth offered by the grey and red flame.
"You'll have to make several more hunting trips before we reach Talon's Rest," Soaren proposed, glancing to Neera.
His expression suggested that this topic was the only reason he accepted her presence.
Even with all that's going on, some dragons still don't trust her? I thought, recalling what Pyro had once said about faldrons being elemental thieves.
It seemed Neera knew of that underlying mistrust all too well, yet seemed to take pride in it.
"Don't you worry – as long as I'm around, you won't go hungry," she replied, looking over one of her outstretched paws casually as she did so.
The larger dragon snorted, and I was reminded of a similar atmosphere I'd rather not recall. I shook the memory from my mind, locking it away with countless others.
"Wait, you needed to hunt? Exactly how long have you been out here?" I asked, and everyone looked at me.
"Almost a whole season," one particularly frustrated voice responded.
I didn't look at Risha as she watched me; I could feel the conflict still raging behind her gloomy expression. Everyone else shied away from the two of us, all appearing to understand and yet not having the nerve to speak to me as she did.
"Well, it doesn't matter now. We've found him, so we are to meet the others at Talon's Rest as planned," Soaren swiftly interjected.
His authoritative tone didn't sit well with me, nor did the idea that my friends were only here because of some 'strict orders'.
The last dragon following strict orders I trusted has tried to kill me multiple times.
I pushed the mistrust from my mind and tried to avoid Risha's glare. Every moment she was angry with me seemed to hurt her, which only made me want to tell her that everything would be okay.
But if I tell her the truth, it will destroy her. I know how she feels about me.
"Talon's Rest?" I questioned, latching on to the few of Soaren's words that didn't involve doom and gloom.
"Yes, it's a small griffin settlement on the east Shadow Fen border. We are to meet another New Order wing there before returning to the overlook together," he confirmed, removing his helmet.
"You mean Midnight Watch?" I replied.
"It's a ruined keep at the southern end of the Storm Mountains, not too far west of Dardien. Though few call it by that name anymore," he responded sceptically, as if such information was not privy to all.
I guess he's not had a crazy dragon following him around, passing on all the information then? I recognised, considering what the Cartographer had told me more so.
I stared down at the flickering flames, as if expecting more images to appear in the fiery blend of colours. Images of Valcador's great army flashed through my mind, Balgore and his vast legions bearing the mark of the Brazen Horde. There was no way just one order's worth of dragons could face them.
Even so, as Neera constructed a roasting spit from branches, I notice Soaren was still looking at me, as if awaiting a response he wasn’t sure I'd offer.
They're looking at me like I'm supposed to be in charge now, but what's that worth, I'm not a leader?
"I've seen Valcador's army; they left no more than a few days ago." The immediate look of concern on his face did little to encourage me to press on as I reluctantly added. "The ice fire forges are empty, tens of thousands are marching south, together with the ebon wings."
Soaren’s eyes slowly drifted to the
fire, the dancing flames reflecting in them like a mirror. Despite his sorrow, his expression gradually hardened.
"So it’s true; those traitors have fallen so far as to side with orkin?" he muttered, spitting out the latter words as if they were poison.
In the back of my mind, I heard the distant tapping of rocks accompanied by the thunderous orkin war chant, the roar of their drums and the ungodly howl of their horns. I saw flashes of Pyro's mangled and mutilated corpse on the ice at my paws.
How can I condemn them anymore than I do myself? We're not so different. Just two sides of the same coin.
"They weren't always like that," I muttered weakly.
"All the more reason to hunt every last one of them down," he quickly snapped.
"Not everyone has a choice in the matter of what the gods make them," I challenged, earning a few puzzled looks.
Sympathy melted from Risha's glare for a moment, as if she were tired of hearing such things. I knew she was outraged by what it was doing to me, but neither of us said anything. Soaren, however, seemed to battle his pride as he considered my words.
"Then the best we can do is end their suffering swiftly," he stated, his eyes fixing on the fire.
"I wouldn't be so ready to take the life of one of my own," I advised, while he shook his head.
Meanwhile, Mordrakk’s voice sniggered, reminding me that I wasn't a true dragon either.
"All we can do is what's necessary, and that's all the more reason to return to the order master as soon as possible," Soaren instructed.
"And yet you still think you can beat them with what you have? You'll be sending hundreds to their deaths," I added, knowing most of us were doomed no matter what.
He gave me the same look Pyro had on the night he'd abandoned us.
"You're right," Risha finally interrupted, standing up and moving by my side.
"But the Elders have a plan. Only, to make it work, we need you, and they all thought you were dead," she snapped.
I fought not to break under the pressure of her hurtful look, all too aware that she'd every right to be angry with me.
"I did what I had to do, to ensure hundreds didn't die," I countered, and she seemed slightly taken aback.
