Dragon City 

The wind was scarce here. The humid sunlight battered down upon us as we stood outside the temple. Its red rock and cracked pillars shone against its ferocious brightness. There was enough wind that I could just barely feel against my face. The distant sound of birds and the skittering of small creatures could be heard as if I was standing next to them. I turned to the others and looked each one of them in the eye. Half scared, half wondering what would happen if they didn’t do anything to stop it. I took a deep breath and said to them, ‘you don’t have to come with me now. Any of you. You’ve done your duty, now live out your lives as you were meant to. I can’t ask you to risk your lives for me.’

‘Would they not be risking their lives for their families? Loved ones? Their homes?’ Kronôs said from behind me, his deep voice reverberated off the pillars and the stones around us.

Sif shook her head and scoffed, ‘I’m not going anywhere. My place is by your side now, I will see this done until the end,’ she took a step forward and rested her hand upon my arm, smiling, she then took several more steps before standing to my right.

‘Me too, I’m not good with all that mushy stuff,’ Keegan said.

‘Ash?’ I said gazing at him as he stood in the light of the sun.

He licked his lips before saying, ‘I’m in.’ He said flatly. His stare was hollow. But I could hardly blame him. There was no telling what he endured through Ulliun.

On one shared their stories. No one dared to even speak of it at all.

I swallowed deeply before turning to Kronos, ‘we’re ready. Let’s go.’

‘I cannot carry all of you for long. And before we leave this place, I must speak to the council and inform them of the situation. As my rider…you must come with me, the rest of you will stay,’ Kronôs said.

‘To Yelfr with that! I’m not staying here on this lump of rock any longer!’ Keegan suddenly said as he glared at Kronos.

‘Why can’t they come? Why must they stay here?’ I asked.

‘It is complicated and out of my hands. I am sorry, but they cannot come with us. They will be safe here, Tari. You have my word,’ Kronôs said reassuringly.

I sighed deeply and heard Keegan’s angry snort as I turned and approached Kronos.

‘Do not be afraid,’ Kronôs said as I edged closer to him.

‘I’m not afraid,’ I replied. Shifting my gaze from his eyes and then to his front right leg where he moved it into position be used as a ramp to climb atop his back. With a slow exhalation of breath, I climbed his leg and slowly maneuvered my way to the base of his neck. I grabbed hold of a spike in front of me to be used as if it was a saddle’s pommel. I gripped it tightly and looked out towards the others as they watched. Sif looked excited as she smiled at me, Keegan looked as terrified as when he first flew and Ash just looked hollow and blank. Distant. As if all life had faded from him.

My smile slowly faded as I said my temporary farewells. Kronos suddenly lurched forward, the others darted out of the way as fast as lightning, I gripped the spike more tightly as his wings drew themselves upward before beating down hard. We were airborne now. The little amount of wind there was suddenly rushed at me as we gained momentum and altitude.

A smile played upon my lips as I enjoyed the moment once more, outstretching my arms, I screamed in enjoyment and watched as birds flew alongside us, mimicking Kronôs’s moves. Kronôs’s thoughts suddenly cut across mine as I gripped the spike once more.

‘Many of my kin will be further into the mountains. Some of them will be afraid, the war still plagues their minds even though many of them weren’t in existence at the time, they gleamed those memories from the two slumbering dragon’s that were beside me.’

‘Why would they be afraid?’ I asked. ‘You’re dragon’s, you shouldn’t be afraid of anything.’

‘We are afraid of human nature. You’re brother understood that.’

I suddenly froze, ‘you know that-’

‘Yes,’ Kronôs cut in, ‘I knew as soon as you told me about Vai and my suspicious were solidified when you took the bond.’

‘If human nature so frightens you, why did you bond with them originally?’

‘Because we thought that they had changed. They thought they had changed. But when the war came about, it had put everything into perspective again. No doubt you know that some of my kin had taken Taurus’s side in the war.’

‘Yes,’ I answered him.

‘Then you know why so many of us are afraid to bond with a human again.’

‘And what about half Gods?’ I asked him with a sly smile.

He chuckled deeply, ‘You’re special. You past the test with ease, but your friend, Ash, he didn’t fair too well in Ûllûin. And I fear that something has…changed him.’

My brow creased in confusion, ‘what do you mean? Do you know what happened to him?’

‘Something that I fear your friends will find out soon enough, it is best that you not know; leave it as that, Tari.’

My breath caught in my throat at his words. My worriment of Ash now only intensified as we climbed over the mountains.

∞

Dragon City

‘Keegan, stop pacing!’ Sif said in a raised voice.

‘How can I stop pacing?’ He said directing his gaze at her, ‘with all that has happened!’ Keegan continued pacing, kicking stones along the ground as he did so.

Sif sighed deeply with one hand on her hip and the other over her brow which then brushed down the back of her head and down her hair. She quickly glanced at Ash who stood still, gazing at the ground as if it was about to swallow him up. She walked over to him, his face did not changed when she approached nor did he acknowledge her when she stood near him. ‘Ash?’ She said softly. He didn’t respond, turn his head or even flinched when she spoke, ‘Ash!’ She said more loudly to grab his attention.

Keegan stopped pacing and stood in front of them.

Ash blinked. His breathing became shallow and his gaze became ever more distant.

Sif stood in front of him now, grabbed both of his arms and shook him until his eyes met hers. ‘Ash snap out of it!’

He stared at her now. Her auburn hair hung low and clipped back over her shoulders, her yellow eyes pierced his as she looked at him in shock.

‘What’s wrong with him?’ Keegan asked.

‘I don’t know. Something must’ve happened back in Litu. I can’t help him unless he tells me what had happened to him.’ She replied. She looked closer into Ash’s eyes and noticed something that didn’t belong. His amber eyes betrayed small flecks of red in them. What the…something’s wrong.

Before she could confirm her thoughts, Ash suddenly pounced on her, knocking her gripped hands off his arms and pushed her away from him. She fell hard on the stony surface, nearly bouncing her head off the ground as she landed.

Keegan stared in astonishment and shock at what Ash had just done. ‘Ash, don’t make me hurt you!’ He shouted at him before he ran at Ash with the speed of a bull.

Ash suddenly grinned menacingly. Keegan tackled him but he didn’t manage to get him on the ground. Instead, Ash held Keegan, grabbed a handful of his hair before placing a few well-placed punches to his back and neck. Keegan gritted his teeth then gripped and pushed harder to get Ash onto the ground.

Sif rubbed her elbows and stared at Keegan and Ash tousling. Without thinking, she raised her hand and a medium sized rock hit Ash directly in the back of his head, allowing Keegan to shove Ash to the ground.

Dazed, Ash chuckled at them, ‘you can’t stop me.’ Ash said as he stared at Sif, ‘you’re too late, he’s consumed, you can’t save him.’

It was Ash’s voice but it wasn’t Ash and Sif knew it. ‘Like Yelfr I can’t,’ she stomped her foot onto his face, knocking him out.

‘What on Yelfr just happened!?’ Keegan roared in anger.

Sif swallowed deeply before replying, ‘he was possessed. Whatever happened in Litu, he didn’t…make it through.’

‘What are you saying! Is he dead! Is that what you are telling me?’ He asked with a pained look upon his face.

‘No. He is not dead. I must travel back there quickly before his body rejects him. Keep him unconscious until I return.’ Sif said before raising her left hand. A light, blue glowing rift erupted in from of her.

‘What, you’re just going to leave me here!’ he said before adding under his breath, ‘bloody mages!’

‘I heard that!’ she shouted behind her. ‘Just keep him here. I will return shortly!’

She ran into the portal before Keegan could say another word in protest.

∞

Dragon City

The craggy mountains were below us now. The sun was just beginning to dip behind them as I noticed the further we flew, the more dragons I saw, now starting to fill the skies. I looked past Kronôs’s beating wings below and saw a large cavern big enough to allow at least five of these creatures to fit in at once.

‘We are here now, the council will wish to speak to you when we arrive, this is our chance to report your story. We will not get another chance,’ Kronos said as he brushed up against my mind.

‘How will I know they will believe me?’ I replied.

‘You don’t. Whatever happens in there, we must convince them that they must join the fight, to fight as we once did before against the enemy. What Taurus did to the dragon who became his beast…’

‘What is it? What happened?’ I asked.

Silence enshrouded us until he suddenly spoke, ‘he poisoned her mind, turned her against us…that is why some of the Order turned against their own, they were his men. No doubt he will try it again…he can be predictable at times. I understand that you need my old rider’s sword…the Soulblade.’

‘Yes. I don’t have it but I know who does, it’s in safe hands for now,’ I reassured him.

‘Haro managed to beat Taurus before, but no one can truly kill a God, even one who has been cast down by the other Gods. If he has truly returned, than I fear that we will need more than just the Soulblade,’ Kronôs said as we slowly descended towards the large cavern ahead.

‘What do you mean? Are you saying that the Soulblade…might not be enough to…kill him?’

‘That is exactly what mean. If he has returned, ask yourself this, how? If the Soulblade truly worked the first time, he would not be able to return. He would be dead, if such a thing could happen. But it has taken him over three thousand years to be able to return with full strength, his agents are everywhere, spying on everyone. There is something that we had missed before…something both me and Haro had overlooked.’

‘We can’t exactly find that out unless we question his lieutenants or Taurus himself.’ I took a breath before adding, ‘I’m not quite sure if I’m to call him Taurus or…Gale,’ I clung tighter to Kronôs as we finally landed with gentle effortless movement, his wings tucked in beside him as we entered into the caverns’ entrance.

My emotions swept over me like a harsh wind, as if I was trapped in a storm. I breathed in deeply before exhaling and slowly climbing down Kronôs’s arm as he out-stretched it, like a ramp to climb to and from a ship stationed at port.

I couldn’t help but notice honem workmanship as I stepped further and further into the cavern. Torches lined the walls at regular intervals, large stalactites and stalagmites erupted from the ceilings and floors, there three corridors leading off from the main chamber, the walls seemed smooth, perhaps from years of erosion. I thought wearily to myself. My eyes began to adjust to the dark cavern. There were five other dragons up against the left wall, each of them lying down with their tails tucked underneath them. They looked older somehow, do dragons really age? I asked myself.

I quickly glanced to Kronos, to the council and then back to Kronôs again. He urged me on with a quick flick of his head as he followed behind me.

I turned back to the five dragons laying down in front of me. Each shone with a different colour to their scales, but it was difficult to tell in such darkened light. Only the numerous torches seemed to keep the shadows at bay.

As I stepped closer, the dragon positioned in the centre, lifted its head and began to speak, ‘so, you are the one that has awoken Kronôs to us.’ He said to me before addressing Kronôs, ‘it has been too long my brother.’

‘Yes. Too long, old friend. And I beg that you and the council hear what Tari and I have to say. I am saddened that I awaken only to bring grave news.’ Kronôs replied.

‘And what is this grave news?’ A slightly smaller dragon, almost shrunken, to my left said.

‘Our enemy has returned…Taurus is trying to claim Vanharlm once again. We cannot let it fall into his hands. I do not need to remind you of what he did to us, he turned our kin against us and we fled after it was over. I will not turn my back on Vanharlm again, Kí’rohk…I will not,’ Kronôs’s faltered slightly as his emotions overwhelmed me, nearly staggering me to the ground. He immediately blocked his emotions from me as I fought to regain my balance.

That name sounded familier. Kí’rohk. Where have I heard you before? A sudden realization struck me as I remembered, from the book! Of course! ‘You’re Kí’rohk? The one who formed the council all those years ago?’

‘Yes. How did you-.’

‘I’ve been digging into old books of what really happened. It’s almost as if nature is trying to block the past, never trying to reveal it,’ I queried.

‘It’s that part of our past that shouldn’t be revealed. If it was, people would become afraid as they did before, losing hope. Men can be weak…but they can also be strong.’ Ki’rokh answered.

‘The difference being,’ Kronôs said, ‘are we going to help them? Rebuild the Order as it once stood? Giving them a symbol in which to believe in again?’

‘They have forgotten us, Kronôs,’ Ki’rokh began, ‘our time in their realm is over, as it has been for thousands of years. You cannot expect us to suddenly arrive without men trying to hunt and kill us as they once did before? Afraid of great beasts coming to attack and kill them? No. We cannot…we will not show ourselves to them in my lifetime, or any other. If and when you leave, I will have the portal destroyed for good. No man, elf, dwarf or God will ever step foot here again. I will not have the events of the past repeat themselves. Vanharlm’s populace…is on its own. I am sorry.’

‘But Kí’rohk-,’ Kronôs started to speak.

‘I have made my decision. If you are to leave, you must do so before noon tomorrow. I am sorry, brother. I can do no less for our kin, you must understand.’

‘Yes, I understand. Farewell, old friend.’ Kronôs started to turn and walk back to the caverns’ entrance.

‘What! That’s it! You are just going to leave us to our fate! Does friendship and old alliances matter little to you?’ I asked angrily to Kí’rohk.

‘You will not address the high council in such a-’ one of the dragons’ from Kí’rohk’s left, said.

‘It’s alright, Thore.’ Kí’rohk turned to address me, ‘our alliance between man, elf and dragon has been dissolved thousands of years ago. What men do in your world is no longer our concern. You must understand…when the war was over, our kin were almost annihilated. I cannot have those events repeated because of man’s foolishness.’

‘It is not a mere man we are talking about! He is a God! And one that we cannot hope to defeat without the aid of the dragons. Please…help,’ I pleaded with him.

‘I am sorry…but if I am not mistaken, it was man who defeated him before. Perhaps you can do so again.’ Kí’rohk began to turn and started to walk down one of the passages behind him.

‘You would just leave us to die?’ I asked him as he turned his head back towards me. ‘I am truly sorry that you think mankind is no longer worth saving. But I will say this…I will fight this with every breath held in my body…I will die knowing that I fought against a wrathful God. What can you say?’ I turned and hurried out of the cavern.

Taking in a deep breath as the dimming sunlight casted arcs of yellows and oranges across the clear sky, I closed my eyes and immediately thought of Azreal. After that moment, I could not shake my thoughts of him; I could only stand there thinking of the many different ways in which I could talk to him. If only it was easy. I sighed deeply and opened my mind to the world. I concentrated on keeping Kronos’s mind from mine as I tried to reach Azreal. ‘Azreal, can you hear me?’ I know I hadn’t spoken to him in a while, with so much happening all at once, it was hard to keep track of everything, and everyone.

After a few seconds of silence, I thought to speak out again, until a tickle at the back of my mind alerted me that it was Azreal trying to talk. It was a whisper at first, but it slowly grew louder as Azreal learned to clear his mind and focused.

‘I’m here, I hear you. It’s been so long…I miss you.’ Azreal answered.

‘I know. I just wanted to hear your voice. Oh, how much I want to see you now. It pains me to know that you are not here with me…by my side.’

‘But I am, I’m always with you…In your heart…in your soul. As you are with me…always.’

His reply brought a smile upon my face. ‘I’ve done it. I’ve awoken Kronos. Now I just have to find out a way to kill Taurus…to kill…Gale.’ My voice faltered at the mention of his name, but I knew that deep down he died five years ago in that swamp. Where it had all began.

‘I won’t say that it will be easy, because it won’t be. When can I see you?’

‘I don’t know. It may be a while before I can see you again.’

‘Don’t be a stranger. Stay in touch. I wish to hear your voice as much as possible.’

‘Don’t worry, I will,’ I smiled and knew that he could feel the rush of my emotions crowed around him.

I felt a smile touch his lips as he replied, ‘we’ve made some progress here, but not much…yet. I will get in touch when I know something. Tari…stay safe…I Leàûil Yeào.’

‘I Leàûil Yeào,’ I replied before feeling him disappear from my thoughts.

Kronôs stood behind me. His large neck streamed past me as his head suddenly turned towards me, ‘you are becoming strong, Tari. Be mindful that you won’t kill yourself by using too much magic all at once. You were brave, and speaking up to the elders was no easy task.’

‘I didn’t see you try hard enough in there.’

‘I cannot overstep my boundaries, Tari. His decision is final; he will never change his mind. We are truly…on our own.’ Kronôs said as he lifted his head above me.

‘Those headaches and the nose bleeds-’

‘Are signs that you are using too much power all at the same time. Learn to space out your powers and also know when and where you use them. It is not a matter of you using you powers all the time, if it is not needed, don’t use it. Keep your skills with sword and bow up to your highest standards; they will still be very much important.’ Kronos said as he interrupted me.

‘But Ash uses his magic a lot. How can he-’

‘He has had more training than you. But do not make that an excuse to use your powers more because of him. You will find out that the cost of magic is high…and he will, if he hasn’t already, learn to use his gifts more…sparingly.’ He paused before adding, ‘he has used his magic wisely. But…his experience within Ulluin is…minimal. Any mage, who willingly travels into Ulluin, does so at their own risk. Some magisters have made it a point to study the realm, even to go as far as sleeping and eating in that place, all in the name of science and knowledge.’

‘We should get back to them. They have waited long enough,’ I replied shortly before I climbed upon Kronos’s back and he took flight over the mountains once more.

∞

Ûllûin

Sif stepped through the portal and became light headed and dizzy as she emerged onto the other side. She placed her hand on her head in an effort to stop the world from spinning.

With a few deep breaths, she began removing her hand from her forehead and took in her surroundings.

It took several moments for her eyes to adjust, but during that moment, she felt an unrelenting uneasiness. Something about this place made her want to turn back around, but she couldn’t, Ash’s life is in danger, pull yourself together! She quickly rebuked herself.

She sighed heavily and began to walk forwards. It was dark, but she managed to create a light source by creating a ball of flame within her hand, it hovered mere inches from it.

A cold shiver ran down her spine and goose bumps prickled at the base of her neck. Come on, you can do this.

She could hear the trickle of water and the falling of water droplets hitting a small body of water caught in a naturally made basin. It’s a cave, it’s always a cave! She placed her hand out to her left to feel the curvature of the cave wall. It was damp, smooth and rough at the same time and it began to curve around to her left. She followed it.

The only sounds she could hear, were the sounds of the trickling water and her own breathing.

The ground underneath her was solid, for now, she thought bitterly. Without warning, the tunnel suddenly opened up into a large cavern, but what she saw was about to be branded onto her memories forever.

It was like a massive graveyard, only the difference being that the dead were pierced through and hung on large stalactites that erupted from the ground and through the walls.

She trembled but caught her breath as she stared at the horrific site before her. She steadied herself by calmly taking in deep breaths.

Keep it together, Sif, keep it together. She looked up once more, up high on the ceiling, tables and chairs clung to the caverns’ wall as if gravity meant nothing here. Sacks and crates floated, food scattered everywhere and small pools of water dotted around the cavern’s floor.

Blood dripped down the stalactites from where the bodies hung and began to pool around them.

Sif pushed all of her fear away to the back of her mind. She walked through the Valley of the Dead and paying no heed to what lay around her.

A loud cackle began to echo around the large cavern. But it wasn’t an imitation of her voice, but that of something more…darker, she had no choice but to listen to it, ‘well, well. What do we have here? What are your fears, mortal?’

‘You will not get into my head demon! I have fought stronger things than you. I will kill you,’ Sif said with confidence as she walked under a small natural archway.

Laughter echoed all around her, ‘we will see about that,’ the voice said.

‘Sif? Sif?’ a voice rang out.

It sounded familiar to her, ‘Ash? Ash!’ she shouted out as she increased her pace.

‘Where are you? My foots’ caught!’ Ash responded.

‘Hold on! I’m coming!’ she replied. Sif tried her hardest to reach the back of the cavern with as much speed as she could muster.

‘Hurry! Something’s coming!’ Ash shouted.

She quickened her pace as she grew nearer to his voice. She heard clicking and the sounds of small rocks being pushed aside. She ran as hard as she could.

Ash gasping breath echoed as the noises grew closer to his position. Sif climbed up a steep incline and as soon as she had reached the top, she could see Ash with his foot stuck under a fallen stalactite.

She raced to him now, her lungs heaving like large bellows as she crossed the distance to him. ‘I can see you, hold on!’ she shouted.

Ash suddenly looked at her as soon as she spoke, ‘hurry, whatever they are, they are getting closer!’ He shouted in reply.

A large spider soon creeped around the large stalactite Ash was stuck under and began to descend upon him, until Sif shot a large fireball in its direction, flames leaped and exploded on impact as the spider suddenly disappeared from view, screeching as it went.

‘Oh, thank the Gods you arrived,’ Ash said as he squirmed under the weight of the stalactite.

‘Hold on,’ Sif said as she placed her hands on the stalactite and simply pushed against with a blast of force from her hands. ‘Why didn’t you do that yourself?’ Sif asked him as he sat caressing his aching foot.

‘Because this is my nightmare, and somehow, my counterpart has found a way to weaken my powers,’ Ash replied as he slowly stood up.

‘You do realize that a demon has taken control of your body, don’t you?’ Sif asked with her arms crossed.

‘I’ve been in here for that long? I hadn’t realized,’ he replied as he shot his look straight down to the caverns’ floor.

‘Look, let’s not beat around the bush, the demon needs to die in order for you to return. So let’s find the bastard!’ Sif said angrily as she stalked off.

Ash stood still for a moment…paralyzed. He shook his head vigorously and followed Sif.

‘You won’t succeed,’ the voice said.

‘I beg to differ,’ Sif muttered as she climbed back down the steep incline. She glanced back behind her to make sure Ash was following, satisfied, she waited at the bottom until he reached her.

‘I think he’s this way,’ Ash pointed and began moving in that direction.

‘How can you be sure?’ Sif asked.

‘I don’t know. Something tells me to head down there,’ he replied without turning around.

Sif sighed deeply and then followed Ash down a tunnel leading off from the main cavern.

More clicking and scrapping sounds came from behind them. ‘I don’t think we’re alone,’ Sif said as she quickened her pace.

Ash glanced back at the same time as she did, he grabbed Sif’s wrist and dragged her further down the tunnel.

‘Are you trying to wrench my arm off?’ Sif said dryly.

‘It beats being eaten by a bunch of giant spiders!’ Ash quickly replied.

Sif raised her hand to cast the light down the tunnel they ran down. Shadows immediately clung to the ceiling and down small pitfalls as they raced past them.

Several moments later they reached a smaller room that was roughly a quarter of the size of the large cavern they had exited from.

‘So…you wish to kill me,’ a dark shadowy figure said from the far side of the room, it was standing on a slight overhang above them.

It was a dead end room, no other way out except for the one they had just entered through.

Sif approached slowly, making sure Ash was behind her, ‘why don’t you come down here and we’ll talk about it!’ Sif said sarcastically.

The Shadow laughed and then suddenly jumped down to their level as if following her command, ‘Sif. Sif. Sif. Sif. I do hope that we can get along.’

‘Huh, only when your dead.’ Sif replied.

The Shadow laughed again and then took on Ash’s form.

Shit! Sif thought angrily.

Ash stepped around Sif, ‘you will never be me. You’re weak…pathetic insolent turd!’ Ash straightened himself as he spoke, ‘you don’t know me. You never will.’ He raised his hands as if to cast something.

The Shadow laughed loudly, ‘you’re powers are weak! You have nothing that can harm me!’

‘Oh, but I think I do!’ Ash suddenly blasted a huge shockwave rippling through the room that suddenly set off several cascading shockwaves throughout the cave.

The Shadow was repelled back with such force that it went through the rocky wall.

‘Time to go!’ Sif shouted over the noise of the cave collapsing.

Ash once again grabbed Sif’s wrist and dragged her back down the tunnel. They made sure to keep their eyes on the cavern’s ceiling to dodge stalagmites and rocks falling towards them whilst also keeping their eyes on the path ahead.

‘Where did you come in?’ Ash shouted over the noise.

‘This way,’ Sif took the lead and led him across the other side of the large cavern. As soon as they reached the portal, they simply just dived into it and Sif landed harshly on the rocky floor on the other side.

Keegan gasped at Sif’s dramatic entrance and doubly gasped as Ash awoken in front of him. ‘Stay there demon! I won’t let you take my friend-’

‘It’s alright, Keegan. It’s me, honestly,’ Ash said as he slowly picked himself up off the floor.

‘Sif, is it true?’ Keegan asked.

Sif coughed and replied, ‘yes,’ as she leaned up onto her knees.

Keegan laughed, ‘I’m so glad your back! Both of you,’ He said chuckling

Sif and Ash both glanced at each other before laughing with him.