Dargonfire: Age of Legend

by LJ Davies

I had to agree, especially when two more creatures snapped at me. One wrapped its claws over my head, slamming me to the floor before I could swing at a second. Nonetheless, I was still stronger than they were, and with a firm thrust of my legs, I burst upward, sending one flying as I struck the other with my tail.

  Free, I moved to assist Tarwin, only to have more materialise in my path. Occupied with shooting arrows, Tarwin couldn't see me; however, Meadow Hide had me in full view, and with an eagle-like call, she raked her talons through the beasts, cutting them down like weeds.

  Letting out a gruesome hiss another leapt toward her chest. I sprung up to meet it, but before I could, its claws ripped through her patterned armour, turning the feathers and flesh beneath into crackling purple flames and dust. With a final noble shriek, she reached out, her talons batting the dark fiend aside before the life left her eyes and she fell. I rolled to a halt as the vulpomancer skidded across the stone before me, a dull thud and rattle of metal sounding as the griffin and Tarwin hit the ground.

  I could see the sorrowful look in my companion's eyes as she realised what had happened, but a rasping laugh broke over the sound of the battle as the vulpomancer rose to its feet.

  "Foolisssh, girl, I'd have thought you would have learned from the lassst time," it hissed mockingly, coiling its tail as it rounded on her.

  Tarwin reached for her bow, but it had been thrown from her grip, leaving her with only her father's battle-axe. Grasping the finely-crafted handle, she narrowed her eyes. The monster lurched forward, as if believing such a nonchalant movement would be enough to steal her mortal soul. Tarwin moved quickly, ducking under its claws, drawing the axe up and cutting a deep gash in the outstretched limb. The creature recoiled, hissing like a snake before inspecting the wound.

  "I sssee you grow tired of gamesss. Very well," it mocked as its wounds regenerated.

  This time it wasn't holding back, and it leapt forward without hesitation as Tarwin raised the axe high.

  "Not this time!" I called, the rage of a hundred failures burning inside me as I leapt over its back, gripping its tattered wings with my molten claws.

  It hissed and writhed as my weight dragged it to the stone, when all of a sudden, its movement ceased and the axe landed firmly in the top of its head. It gave a final, drawn out hiss before fading away beneath me, leaving the axe to clatter to the floor amidst the crackling dust. I looked up at Tarwin as she panted, moving as close to her as I could manage.

  "Good job," she gasped, looking down over me before scooping up the axe and kicking aside the dusty remains.

  "You too," I responded, rolling onto my paws.

  "Consider this lesson learned," she added, addressing the dusty remnants of her adversary before glancing at Meadow's remains with a pained look.

  I felt another tally etched into my mind, taking its place among the many recently gained, and yet this one felt far more poignant.

  "Fall back to the palace, fall back!" several calls bellowed over the din of combat, and I looked to see a wall of soldiers breaking away toward the pillars.

  "Blaze! Blaze! Come on!" I heard another set of voices cry and realised with relief that my friends were still alive and very much in the middle of the fight.

  I didn't hesitate to fight my way to them, while Tarwin retrieved her bow and followed close behind as I cut down several more vulpomancers.

  "Into the palace, quickly now," Vulkaine warned as he and the other Elders took up positions at the front of the retreating group, their muzzles bursting with fire while powerful elemental magic coursed over their aged scales.

  I've never seen a dragon look like that! It was now clear that they'd become masters of their elements, especially when their jewels lit up like stars and began to pulsate with the same elemental flames.

  I was hesitant to leave any dragon behind, but the force of my friends pulled me behind one of the pillars as a great flash of colour exploded down the palace stairs. The pulsating wave of elemental magic washed over the vulpomancers, sending the swarm into a burning frenzy, scorching them back to the oblivion from which they'd crawled. I peeked moments later to see the steps burning red-hot as the Elders’ magic faded, leaving all four exhausted and gasping for breath as they fought to stand.

  I felt a strange sympathy for the ancient dragons. Their taxing assault had warded off our attackers, for now, but the vast field of dead bodies covering the palace plaza knocked me sick with guilt.

  How many more does there have to be before this is over? I wondered, as Mordrakk etched more tallies.

  The sight of my friends and the knowledge I'd saved Tarwin from the same fate was reassuring enough, urging me to stand as I looked over them.

  "Come, this slaughter has gone on long enough," Zephyra commanded, her voice reassuringly stoic as she turned to the throne room doors.

  I couldn't imagine how the sight of so much death was affecting her, but she marched on with more determination and commitment than that with which she'd flown into battle with.

  "She’s right, you must go, we will follow," Vulkaine advised as he and the other Elders moved to the cover of the pillars to recuperate while the Cartographer appeared beside us, ushering us along.

  "Now we shall see Aries' fault removed from our kingdom," he muttered.

  "Come on," I urged the others, as they recuperated their shaken, battered and battle-scarred bodies.

  Except for rattling armour, the inside of the hall was silent. The fires of the elemental braziers burned low, and tapestries fluttered in a light breeze. Zephyra marched ahead, Soaren and her guards by her side, while the Elders and the Cartographer moved up through the group to join them. Before long, they stood before the throne room’s firmly-closed doors, but I doubted any lock would keep them out.

  "How are you doing?" I asked, turning to the battered dragons that walked beside me

  "Well, we're not dead," Neera eventually answered with a hint of determination, ruffling her singed feathers.

  She's right, and I have to be grateful we've made it this far, at least.

  "What about you?" Risha asked, stepping close to my side.

  As always, she was able to care more than I ever could. She understood the feelings and emotions racing through my mind, and she knew exactly what to do with them.

  I just wish I could understand those things so clearly.

  Nervously, I ruffled my wings and glanced at the door, but before I could summon up an answer, the huge slabs of stone gave an almighty groan and a surge of green magic forced them open. The internal mechanisms creaked and groaned under the strain until finally they snapped to reveal the splendid light of the throne room, as pristine as the day I'd left.

  I diverted my eyes from a specific scorch mark in the marble, recalling polished stone melting under my paws as Aries told me what I really was.

  I could have killed him that day, though that would have only succeeded in proving him right.

  I wasn't the only one to notice the damage, although neither the princess nor the Elders paid it any heed. Nor did they acknowledge the cowering guards lingering amidst the pillars about us. I doubted any of them would follow an order from either side at this point, and the battle above was the only thing keeping them from fleeing the city.

  Irving stood next to the golden throne, looking down over us with a similar dread in his quivering eyes. To his left a very different pair of eyes observed our entry. Peering from under the helmet of his royal armour, they were like diamonds – hard silver spheres that felt as if they could cut steel with a single glare.

  "You have a great deal of courage coming back here, especially with such wayward beasts," Aries hissed, spite dripping from his words.

  A loud slam punctuated the tension as the door snapped closed behind us, but all attention remained focused on the brooding Sovereign. My eyes dared not meet his, and as he surveyed us, my gaze lingered on his golden neck brace and its encrusted gems.

  He's not worthy of that or any of this, why d
oes anyone here still follow him? Why do I care that such a wrong, deceptive snake called me the monster!?

  While my mind raced, it was clear that Zephyra wanted to step forward. Her paws shifted nervously, but her expression remained firm as Vulkaine finally stepped up.

  "It is over, Aries, Dardien is no longer yours, step down," he ordered.

  "You do not tell me what is to be done, traitor," Aries hissed, and for the first time, I saw true anger break from under his cool facade as he bared his gleaming white teeth.

  Vulkaine didn't flinch as the silver dragon uncoiled from the throne and flowed down the stairs like liquid silver.

  "You would dare speak of treachery, when it was you who betrayed Dardien with your selfish arrogance?" Vulkaine countered.

  Aries snarled, forcing smoke from his flared nostrils.

  "Do not speak to me of such things, or would you deny that the creators themselves chose me to rule?" he challenged.

  Vulkaine continued to stare as he'd done for the majority of the Sovereign’s rule, as if his former master were no more than a pouty hatchling.

  "An unfortunate turn of events you twisted to your favour, nothing more!" he responded finally, much to the Sovereign's distaste.

  Aries splayed his wings, allowing gleaming blades upon his regal attire to shimmer in the light.

  "If you still fail to see the truth, then all of you must be replaced, may your successors show more loyalty to their Sovereign!" he declared.

  As far as combat went, the royal dragon was clumsy, though his blades were sharp and finely crafted, leaving me with no doubt they could cut through dragon scale with ease. A number of us lurched forwards as his blades came down, but Vulkaine didn't budge. The resounding ring as another blade parried the Sovereign's confirmed the Elder knew exactly what he was doing.

  Zephyra forced herself between them, and her father froze as she shoved and sent him sprawling to the polished floor.

  "Enough!" she hissed, folding back her wings as she glared.

  Her father let out a deep growl, and for a moment, I truly believed she was right about how he saw her as nothing more than a statement of his succession.

  "My dearest daughter, are you still led astray by these fools?" he asked, glaring at the Elders.

  "The only fool here is you, Father. You have allowed this city to fall into despair and misery to ensure your own rule. I shall allow it no longer," she proclaimed.

  "And what will you do? Do you think you could do better than I? You are my blood; we are the same. You are no more a direct descendent of Aria than I am," he told her with a hint of satisfaction.

  Her stern expression shifted, and for a moment, I recognised her fear, the fear that she too would be unworthy of Dardien. Unlike her father, however; the princess’s doubt quickly faded and she stretched out a wing. The gleaming silver blade scraped against his jewelled neck brace with a distinct chime, and the whole room seemed to take an anxious breath.

  "It is not our blood line that makes us special. It is about worth and commitment. And you, Father, lack both," she confessed.

  "So what now, my daughter?" he spat in disgust. "Kill me and be done with it? Take the throne for yourself? See how long you can hold it against the darkness you have so foolishly brought to this kingdom," he challenged, as if begging her to deliver a blow, if only to destroy her ideals.

  She released a stream of smoke as she raised her wing high, slashing it down across his chest. The onlookers gasped as the blade fell with a clean strike, harmlessly glancing his scales but seeing his neck brace fall into her foreclaw.

  "No! No dragon's life is worth less than my own, even one such as yours."

  At that moment, I saw genuine fear cross his muzzle.

  "Consider yourself relieved, dear father," she finished, with a jet of clear flame, before pulling back and turning to the Elders.

  The ancient dragons nodded, and all of the draconic guards, griffins and hippogriffs about her bowed in respect.

  "All hail Zephyra, great Sovereign of Dardien," Vulkaine and the other Elders declared in union, everyone else in the room repeating the declaration, including my friends.

  I offered her a subtle nod, and it felt good to have someone to respect in such a way for a change. Even so, I hated being treated like that, and if there was a way I could spare her from its torment, as she'd once asked, I would do it.

  She's still my friend, more than she is a sovereign.

  Zephyra stood tall for the briefest instant, before she waved a dismissive forepaw, ushering everyone to stand.

  "Save your formalities, there is still a battle to be won," she proclaimed, approaching the Elders as I moved over to join them, motioning for my friends to follow.

  "You must get to the temple, I fear time is growing short," she instructed in a hushed tone, handing Aries’ neck brace to Vulkaine.

  The Elder nodded and stepped to the Cartographer’s side.

  "Take them, old friend. Your eyes deserve to gaze upon the halls of Goldfire once more before the end," he announced, handing the kooky dragon the neck brace.

  Accompanied by Apollo, the old dragon nodded and hobbled up to me with the aid of his staff.

  "As you wish. Now, you and your friends come with me," he commanded, looking over each of us in turn, his eyes lingering uncomfortably on Neera.

  I glanced to the battered faldron and her burns, and then something in my mind fell into place.

  I've no idea what the realm of fire is, but it has to be hot and, well, full of fire.

  "I think you'll have to stay here," I told her reluctantly, the order feeling as if it tore away a deep, essential part of me.

  She looked pained, and yet I knew she understood. She opened her muzzle to say something, but as she glanced at her burns, her words faded and she reluctantly nodded.

  "Don't you dare have too much fun without me," she finally joked, tapping at my shoulder with a feathered wing. "Good luck, and if I don't see you before this is all over." She paused and smiled, "thanks, for everything."

  "If anyone will be the last of us left, it'll be you," I assured her.

  "Indeed, it would seem that despite your barbaric nature and lack of scales, you are an admirable warrior. I am glad to have been acquainted with you," Apollo chimed, expressing what could only be interpreted as a smile across his golden beak.

  "You too, Goldy," she laughed as she raised a humbled paw to her chest.

  At that, more wishes of luck were exchanged before we finally departed, following the Cartographer and Apollo out of the palace toward the Elders’ temple.

  Chapter 15

  The Realm of Fire

  The tunnels were empty, only the occasional panicked dragon or rushing guard passed us, scurrying forms silhouetted by the light of glowmoss.

  The din of the battle raged on above, and I had no idea of the state of the conflict. I assumed neither the orkin nor the new order could stand against the dark swarm if its full might was unleashed. It was a sinister blessing that the vulpomancers hadn't overwhelmed the plains already.

  Even so, save for his constant tallies, Mordrakk had failed to talk to me since the battle began, as if he were focusing his attention elsewhere.

  They can't be one in the same, surely he'd have acted by now. Tricked me, manipulated me...

  It was a horrifying thought, but as much as I wanted to fight, the tunnels were about as far from the battle as I could be. The Cartographer walked at my side while the others strode behind and Apollo hovered above. The old dragon had the golden brace slung across his back, and as I looked at the gleaming gemstones, I began to think.

  "We suspect you see them in much greater light than most," he interrupted my contemplation, and it took a moment for me to lift my eyes away from the magical gems.

  "Something else I wasn't supposed to know about, I suppose?" I answered bitterly.

  "Really? And why would that be?" he asked.

  I sighed, looking at my own golden armour.


  "It's like the pillars, each one of those gems is a piece of one. That's how a sovereign can command all the elements," I elaborated my suspicions.

  "Your mind works swiftly, Guardian," he replied with a somewhat proud smile. "And yet that is not all," he continued.

  They're just part of that ancient heart, the same as the Sphere of Eternity, why is the world so engrained with things that can destroy it?

  Our guide seemed to know exactly what thoughts were spinning around my mind and swiftly began to correct them.

  "You see, unlike those you have witnessed, the elemental pillars do not trap the essence of monsters." His words reminded me of what Nakir had told me in the drakaran ruins.

  As if I need to recall how much I hated that conversation. Nakir did say what the heart was once used for.

  "They contain the souls of the dead, don't they?" I added, and he once again, gave a proud nod.

  "In simple terms, yes. When a dragon or any being bound to some form of elemental magic leaves this world, their soul is caught forever in a paradise that resides within the shard," he explained.

  "Sounds too good to be true," I responded glumly, and he frowned a little.

  "Many scholars have tried to uncover the truth of the elements, but they remain a power unknown to most. Even we do not fully understand them," he confessed.

  "And yet you still think they can save us?" I asked curtly.

  He glanced back over his shoulder.

  "Perhaps our hopes lie in a different form, and so they have for a long time," he admitted.

  "I've heard that one far too many times recently," I grumbled, but he smiled at my dissatisfaction.

  "Perhaps you have, and yet it has done nothing to deter you, has it?" he asked.

  Is he joking, he's lucky he could even drag me into this war? I opened my muzzle to voice that concern, but he continued.

  "Still, it matters not. We know you will do what is right – you will not allow more of the mortal realm to fall into shadow," he added, and for some reason I imagined a whole series of glorious paradises consumed by darkness.

  I looked about for Mordrakk's image, expecting him to have more than a little to add on the subject, but there was no sign of him.