Dargonfire: Age of Legend

by LJ Davies

  "One day, I'd really like to know why everyone is so willing to put their faith into only one thing," I replied, and as the Cartographer opened his muzzle to respond, I raised a forepaw to stop him.

  "Please don't give me any philosophical explanation, I've heard enough today."

  "Very well, Guardian," he acknowledged.

  We made our way through corridors, dungeons and crafting rooms until we finally found ourselves in the empty training cave, the one in which I'd unknowingly discovered what made me different. Memories of battling Thunder flashed through my mind, along with the laughably distant lack of trust toward my friends.

  If there's one thing that's not changed since then, it's the fact I'd stand against everything the universe can throw at me for them.

  Nonetheless, we moved swiftly through, emerging into the empty halls of the Elders’ temple. It was certainly in a sorry state, toppled braziers spilled coals and cracked pillars leaned precariously, while the black soot of flames masked the decorative wall carvings, and a barricade covered the main entrance.

  Just how much fighting happened here after I left? I began to wonder about the true scale of the Sovereign's accusations against the Elders.

  Singed and torn, the tapestries had fallen from their hangers. While, scratches and dents marred the points where someone had tried to force the great golden door open. For an instant, I wondered if the gold came from the stars, like my armour. It wasn't hard to believe, and as I looked upon it again, it filled me with hope.

  If that's true, no wonder they couldn't force it open.

  "Come, we must be swift before any demons can discover our whereabouts," the Cartographer instructed as he made his way to the golden door.

  "How marvellous, this mechanism is reminiscent of the most ancient drakaran architecture. It truly is a sight to behold," Apollo observed as he eagerly hovered over in a hurried effort to consume every detail.

  Meanwhile, cogs and gears began to whirl, just as they'd done that first day, as the large locking mechanisms spun and twisted, animating the door’s murals. The large bar in the centre clicked forwards and parted, before sinking away into the walls on either side. With a final great whine, the metal slabs pulled apart to reveal the darkened Elder chamber.

  The Cartographer walked through with little concern as braziers exploded into life either side of him, illuminating the long walkway toward the empty pedestals upon which the Elders had sat. Apollo hovered to the far end of the room, circling about the space like a firefly, taking particular interest in the ancient carvings that adorned the cave’s natural ceiling.

  The last time I'd looked at such things, I'd seen nothing but scribbles in the stone. It all looked so different now; after everything I'd witnessed. I now understood the meanings behind many of them, most of which were darker than I could have imagined. Even so, I was distracted by the gasp of awe as the rest of my friends entered behind me, and I glanced back to see them staring.

  "Haven’t you ever seen this place before?" I asked, their stunned faces telling me otherwise.

  "Never for real. It’s rare for any dragon to receive the honour," Risha replied, and I looked back to the pathway.

  No dragon other than me. I thought sourly. Given my true nature, I guessed the Elders’ reputation hasn't gone untarnished in that regard.

  "What's wrong?" Risha asked.

  I had to fight to look at her.

  "I should have found the truth the day I first came here. Then none of this would have happened," I answered, not entirely sure that was true, even now.

  "You can’t think about how things might have been," Risha admitted, as she hurried her pace to my side.

  "I know," I uttered.

  "Do not despair, we doubt many who enter these halls know all they are destined to be, not even we. For there are a great many secrets here," the Cartographer called back, as he reached the rounded platform at the path's end, surrounded by a deep pit on all sides.

  "The vaults of gold flame," his second personality announced respectfully, as he gazed up at the Elders’ pedestals.

  My eyes followed, flashing back to the day they'd told me to give up on all I cared for.

  And it was all part of their test? Why did I ever trust them?

  Regardless, the Cartographer raised his staff and placed the jewels about his neck, muttering strange incantations, before tapping the wooden stick on the platform. Apollo watched with great curiosity as the old dragon ushered us all to stand close behind him, before placing one forepaw flat on the stone.

  The whole room began to radiate a faint hum, and the markings that covered the surface beneath our paws began to glow with an ethereal blue hue.

  "Hey, does this thing remind anyone of...?" Boltock began suspiciously, right before the floor gave a loud jolt and cut his sentence short.

  It's like one of the lifts in Taldran! I steadied myself, when the same realisation struck me.

  The platform gave another firm shudder before sinking steadily from the chamber. Darkness rapidly encroached, and as we descended, the grinding stone and the rumble of ancient mechanisms echoed through the halls until we began to slow.

  The light of Apollo's eyes and the dull flicker of green from the Cartographer’s staff were the only things to illuminate the cylindrical walls about us, until the platform lowered into a vast chamber. Braziers burst into life at our presence, and with a final, heavy thud, we came to a halt.

  A cold chill hung in the air, and even the roar of battle didn't penetrate so deep into the earth. That was both welcome and unsettling, but thankfully, the chamber wasn't completely devoid of sound. At first, I struggled to make it out, but as I listened, I noticed there was a faint chime emanating from a long corridor.

  Down here, the rock flowed to form towering arches, similar to the magnificent golden archways of the drakaran sanctum. Small, rounded grooves decorated the stone on either side, each one holding gleaming treasures or long-forgotten artefacts.

  So much for the idea that dragons don't like hoarding gold. I thought as we stepped from the platform and began walking down the corridor.

  The Cartographer seemed somewhat bemused and impressed by what he saw, and for once, Apollo appeared baffled by the fact that he'd no idea what he was seeing. The same surprise filled the eyes of my friends as we passed the plethora of ancient items.

  "You've kept all of this down here, all this time?" Risha asked, edging closer to the Cartographer.

  The elderly dragon glanced at her, tossing back his hood with a flick of his head.

  "Indeed, the treasures stored here are older than many care to recall, a testament to our past and our ancestors," he explained proudly.

  I inspected several of the grooves, filled with piles of gold and beset with gemstones that dwarfed even a full-grown dragon. Other artefacts that seemed almost out of place sat among the glistening piles, and I realised that to warrant a place down here, their importance must be greater than their appearance belied.

  One such oddity was a towering pillar of black rock, taking on the shape of a great fang. Its tip almost touched the ceiling, and glowing veins of red magma covered its gnarled base. At first, I thought it to be the elemental pillar, but the Cartographer passed it without concern.

  Another out of place relic took the form of several worn pieces of parchment, displayed upon a stone pedestal. Whatever they'd been ripped from was long gone, and by the looks of the pages, such a thing had been taken millennia previously. All that remained upon them were ruinous anagrams and demonic-looking scribbles. It had a deeply sinister look to it, an evil I failed to recognise, and so I swiftly diverted my gaze.

  What I saw next did nothing to ease my tension. Like a ghost, hidden within the shadows of its archway, was a suit of black armour, similar in design to that belonging to the princess. Crafted blades of reddened silver underpinned by a blood-red trim tipped the tail and wings. It was another thing I sought to divert my attention from, and upon looking away, another groo
ve housing a set of golden attire stole my focus.

  It was almost as regal and complex as my own. However, the belts and straps holding it together suggested it was far from the arcane metal that adorned my scales. Nevertheless, that didn't detract from its magnificence, as fiery red gems accentuated its surface and its horns were a seamless mix of gold and starlight silver, as were the decorative shoulder spines, hips and back. The Cartographer looked upon it with more respect than anything else we had passed; in fact, the armour seemed to demand everyone do the same.

  What some of us would not give to know everything about what's down here. I thought, glancing at Risha and her brother.

  Nevertheless, the corridor opened into a larger chamber, almost identical to those of the drakaran sanctum, if slightly less noble. A set of golden arms were visible in the gloom above. Hanging limply, they resembled a gigantic spider, while strange glass lenses tipped the end of each, their sparkling rims crafted to resemble beams of sunlight. A large, golden core, scarred by deep etchings and fiery red runes, marked its centre and a large red crystal hovered perfectly beneath, while smaller gems orbited slowly about its girth.

  A similar golden formation reached up from beneath it, forming a smooth spire resembling a neat stalagmite. The whole thing looked like one of the strange arcane contraptions I'd seen in the Arcanum. Yet instead of a magical pool of glowing blue liquid within its centre, there was another of the rune-covered platforms.

  Does that mean we have to ride it deeper? I began to wonder. How far down do these tunnels extend?

  The idea strengthened when I looked about and saw nothing that struck me as the almighty elemental pillar. Yet amidst the mounds of treasure, a golden structure at the far side caught my eye.

  The latter I recognised as something similar to the gateway Apollo had sent me through, although, if it was such a thing, it was completely dead. Its curved edges crawled with ravenous black stone, which seemed to have scuttled its way through from the other side. Though it wasn't upon the sight of the dormant portal, that my heart froze.

  Levitating above a stone pillar, surrounded by a flickering blue field of magic, a small golden chain twisted and warped about a glowing star of gold, flowing like some kind of small eel. The gleaming white gem at its heart shone with a heavenly light, and hummed, almost as if it were calling to me. The amulet, the eight-pointed star, the perfect shape to fill the empty socket in my armour.

  Is it really our last salvation or Mordrakk's last hope of victory?

  I stopped before the pillar, staring into the core of the glowing gem, gripped by a feeling of completion. Now I knew it was more a part of me than I could ever imagine, and yet I hated it. Even so, I reached out a forepaw, slowly sliding it through the weak magical barrier and placed it upon the amulet. The sound of paws and the tap of a wooden staff drew away my attention. The Cartographer stepped up beside me, lazily resting his head upon his staff as he peered at the gem.

  "You know what happens if I take this?" I asked.

  I take it and Mordrakk's just one more step closer to winning. The desire to turn away and leave it there for good was stronger than ever.

  "Indeed, we do..." he answered with a nod, "but do you?"

  I looked past him and at the four dragons who had followed me without question. Memories surfaced of all the others: Tarwin and the village, Zephyra, the Elders and all of Dardien, Neera and the griffins, even Apollo. Was I about to let all of that end and take back the part of myself I'd lost? Or was I finally going to use it for what it was made for and fight for what I knew was right? I finally glanced at the Cartographer, the old dragon clearly waiting for my decision, and mine alone. Apollo hovered above him, and for the first time since I'd known him, the arcane hawk said nothing.

  I'm not like them. I'm not their slave, weapon, creation or salvation.

  I looked back at the amulet, fixing my eyes on the lustrous white gem and the ghostly starlight projecting from its core. Now I knew that it was the light of a million souls, all committed to making me what I was, a sacrifice that led to this moment. The only thing I knew for sure was that I wasn't going to fail anyone again.

  I seized and pulled it to me with one swift stroke. Its weight returned as it left the pillar and fell into my forepaw, the chain falling loosely over my claws. I stared at it for a second, before lifting it to my armour. The loose chain vanished in a stream of white light as the amulet sprang into the air. Hovering before me, it turned, and in a burst of speed, flew into the empty socket, fusing itself to the metal with a triumphant hiss. I felt a wave of power rush over me, followed by a clarity I'd not felt in an age. It brought control, determination and reasoning to everything.

  It's the truth for which I've been searching, no matter how I feel about it.

  Apollo's expression lit up with glee while I stared down at the glowing gem, waiting for some kind of unholy assault that would see me fulfil Mordrakk's plan. To my surprise, no such event occurred, nor did the dark fiend appear to torment me.

  "Guardian," Apollo acknowledged with a subtle tilt of his head.

  "Nicely done," the Cartographer congratulated with a tap on my shoulder, before he turned and moved back toward the centre of the room.

  I motioned for Apollo to hold back on the formalities as I followed the old dragon.

  "You look... good," Risha complimented.

  "Yeah, but I think I’ll feel better when this is all over," I responded, brushing an uneasy paw over the amulet.

  Mordrakk knows – he has to know – what's he up to?

  "The Guardian is right; even with this power, we do not have the strength to repel the servants of the Great Master indefinitely," the Cartographer advised as he approached a small dent in the central structure, placing his staff on it.

  While he muttered some magical incantations, the royal gems about his neck began to glow. I spent a moment looking up at the crystal, waiting for something amazing to happen.

  "Guardian, the altar awaits one of worthy blood. Please come," he called, and with a slight hesitation, I stepped over.

  A surge of cleansing relief washed over me upon contact with the altar, as a fiery-red light glowed through my outstretched forepaw. It felt like something I'd once experienced in a dream, a pleasant feeling, which almost allowed me to forget all about what was going on about me. The Cartographer looked down at my paw, his second personality laughing with a joy it hadn't had the luxury of experiencing for such a long time. I pulled back sharply as the whole thing gave an almighty shunt, accompanied by the sounds of buckling metal and grinding stone.

  Okay, so what now? A magical vortex like the last shard I opened? My eyes shot upwards, but there was still no sign of movement.

  "You will find nothing up there, for that is not the pillar of fire," the Cartographer's wilder voice cackled amidst jovial laughter.

  As I considered his words, the centre of the structure opened in a flash of flames and a roar of ancient machinery. A great light filled the room, exposing a pool of bubbling magma. We all staggered back, almost tripping as a great shard of fiery-red crystal slowly rose from the lava, hovering graciously while its surface radiated a potent glow.

  Smaller crystal fragments orbited about it, settling as the whole thing came to a stop and the fiery doorway beneath it slowly closed. Its uneven surface was a deep, swirling orange, flickering and pulsating as if it were liquid. Once again, it reminded me of the sphere, only this shard was larger and more majestic. A surging hope replaced the darkness and despair I'd once seen in one of its kind, lapping over us in refreshing waves of rejuvenation as we all marvelled in its radiance.

  The golden arms began to descend, encircling the pillar until they found seemingly random positions and stopped. Three pointed at the empty gateway across the chamber, each one positioned before the other, with the largest lens at the rear and smallest at the front.

  It’s similar to what the Cartographer wore in the archive, a magnifying lens?

  In a crescen
do of noise, the crystal above burst into flames and a beam of red light shot down into the pillar’s jagged peak. The crystal twisted and pulsated as if it were alive, projecting a second beam directly at the first lens, before bouncing to the next until a virtual web of red light danced about it, finally striking the trio aimed at the gateway.

  The three of them glowed, focusing the beam to a fine point, perfectly striking the dormant portal, where it bloomed into a swirling shroud of flame. Opening the doorway into the realm of fire. We all stood in awe at the sight. Even Apollo was speechless as the Cartographer laughed with joy.

  "We have not seen such a feat in this lifetime," he cheered, before his joy faded and he fell back into a stern, respectful tone.

  "Come, we should not keep the Elemental Queen waiting," he proposed, walking over to the stairs at the gateway’s base.

  Elemental Queen? I wondered, looking back at my slightly uneasy friends.

  Despite their nervousness, they looked as ready to follow me as they ever were. I dared not break that determination with any of my selfish doubts, and without another word, I led them toward the portal. The Cartographer nodded as I reached his side and slipped through the gateway without hesitation, his tail disappearing into the swirling flame before he vanished. Apollo zipped through after him, like an eager moth to the brightest of flames. Meanwhile, I swallowed my fear, trying not to recall the sickening experience of the last time I'd been through such a portal.

  Come on, you’ve been through far worse than that. I assured myself, and firmly placing my paw into the flames, I stepped forward, giving myself no time to hesitate before moving through into the unknown.

  *

  It felt as if the world had fallen away about me, leaving nothing but a swirling abyss. The roar of fire and swirling light danced in my blurred vision, while bolts of crimson lightning illuminated a long tunnel of ethereal energy. Then, suddenly and unexpectedly, I stopped, my paws landing firmly on solid ground.

  The light faded behind me, and as I staggered forward, the sensation of falling abruptly vanished. An intense heat washed over my scales and there was a moment in which I refused to open my eyes. Even so, through the darkness of my eyelids, I could see a flickering light.