FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Memoirs of Dragora

Chapter 15: Evanescence Into Elation

The ship was down to cruising through the chilling waters, with not even a breeze in the air at all to be harnessed. Farresetia was shivering while manning the helm, her muzzle having collected a little snow and her whiskers seemingly frozen. Midnight was jogging around trying to warm up, as opposed to Nij who was sitting calmly on the bow, now used to the rocking and sway of the ship. Slypnir and Zerion were below deck, monitoring Dragora, who was laying in bed and flapping his wings constantly from flying in his dreams. Luxi was trying to remember a fire spell the warmed the caster up, all the while shivering beside S'kria who was largely used to the hot fields in the Twilight Plains. Orrik, who had slept a large portion of the trip, was now up and about, almost as immune to the cold as Nij, making Midnight wonder if he used to live in Dawn.

"H-How can y-you t-two n-not be f-freezing!?" Midnight asked the ophidian and draconian, who were just looking forward into the blizzard.

"We're used to it." The two replied in sync, leaving the panther to continue jogging around before finally going below deck.

"L-Liquor will w-warm me up..." Midnight stuttered to himself, heading toward the store of alcohol in the lower hold past the sleeping quarters.

"Where are you going!?" Zerion half-yelled to the panther walking by hastily.

"Warming up!" Midnight snapped, putting his hand on the back of Zerion's neck and watching him cringe, "That's why!"

"At least ask Dragora first..." Zerion retorted grumpily, rubbing his neck to warm it up.

Midnight walked in the room gently to see large flapping wings, catching him off-guard as he almost ran into them before looking forward from his head looking toward Zerion. The frost covered panther grabbed a blanket from one of the beds and sat in an empty chair, trying to warm up that way while waiting for Dragora's restless joints continued working subconsciously.

"Did you want something?" Slypnir asked gently behind him, petting Dragora's head softly.

"I was going to ask if I could open a keg..." Midnight replied in a better tone, not being as cold as earlier.

"Well you never opened that spiced rum keg that he gave you permission to earlier..." Slypnir stated, now turned toward the visitors and looking at the still-shivering panther.

"You're right... I'll save a tankard for him, be right back..." Midnight retorted, recalling that he didn't open a keg.

Midnight rolled out a small blackened iron keg of spiced rum, eagerly setting the tap and pouring half a tankard to try it. He downed the drink, quickly regretting his decision as he became flushed and the strong spices taking away his breath. After regaining his respiration, he poured a full tankard for Dragora just like he promised and began rolling the small barrel back toward the room Slypnir and Zerion were in. Giving it a shove down the hall, he walked after it, picking back up his refilled stoup in the process. The barrel slowed down toward the designated room, with Zerion coming out and halting it with his large foot, picking it up and setting it on a table in the quarters, systematically dodging Dragora's flapping that picked up again as Slypnir once more rubbed his companion's head between the horns. Zerion tried to set the keg on the table as quietly as he could, but his left hand on top of the keg slipped and he moved his right one out quickly to prevent it from getting crushed. Dragora flinched from the loud sound and opened his eyes slowly to let them adjust to the lamp light.

"What was that? Did Farresetia hit land or something?" Dragora asked drowsily, the pain reliever still clearly working as he maneuvered to turn his head toward the center of the room, "Why does my back feel funny...?"

"You stay just where you were, you aren't moving just yet, after the pain reliever wears off I'll let you up to stretch, possibly have a your cup of rum, but that's it." Slypnir directed firmly, helping the tired draconian back into his previous position, "Now go back to sleep, or just rest, whichever."

"Okay, but why does my back feel funny? And I smell my anniversary rum..." Dragora replied sleepily, his eyelids struggling to keep his eyes open as his wings cramped a little from the vigorous workout.

"Because you have wings you're not used to yet, and we'll save two more glasses of the rum then for later." Slypnir replied gently, motioning his hand for Zerion to pour two more tankards so the trio could drink together later.

"So how did you know where to pet Dragora to get his wings to flap in his sleep?" Midnight asked curiously, finally getting used to the kick of the potent drink and was now feeling completely warm.

"There was a couple of times in our years of growing up that hinted this was his favorite spot. For example, there was the time he bumped his head when we were little, and I wasn't as conscious to others' pain so I held up his head by the spot he bumped. The thing is though, when I finally realized where my hand was he was letting out a delighted growl in his throat." Slypnir explained thoroughly, beginning to rub Dragora's head again to get his wings going again.

"What about the other time?" Zerion asked, enthralled about learning more about Dragora's favorite spots and his past.

"It was a test while we were around our pre-teens, I'd rub this spot when he had trouble sleeping and he'd fall asleep in a matter of minutes compared to hours. Ever since then I'd rub this spot when he got insomnia or had trouble staying asleep." Slypnir retorted gently, still stroking the spot, "It seems though that I might have to lay off a little considering I don't want his wings to overwork..."

"Maybe now we'll actually be able to take to the skies after he's fully recovered, take him to the sky city-"

"What sky city? You don't mean show him the outer lands do you?" Slypnir asked bluntly, interrupting Zerion's winding up for a speech.

"Why not? He wants to see the world doesn't he? Why not show him exotic places and people, he himself has said he doesn't know from where demons originate nor do I think he's ever laid eyes on a sky-born vessel..." Zerion continued, unfazed by Slypnir's interruption.

"Some things are better left unseen, and in case you forgot he's one for action, if he sees the birth place of demons he'll most likely act on it. Airships are fine, I can even encourage that, but I say we avoid... Pneuschorn..." Slypnir stated as firmly as when Dragora was upset, making Zerion recoil slightly instead of replying immediately.

"Actually that's not true, When we were mercenaries we had a good many demons in our unit, 4 of which he was good acquaintances with. Not all of them are malicious, in fact very few are, but it's those few that created the stereotype they live under, go ahead and ask him when he wakes up if you don't believe me." Midnight pointed out almost instantly, piquing both of the draconians' curiosities.

"He never mentioned anything about knowing any of them, and he was a very quiet and timid person..." Slypnir retorted in confusion, trying to make sense of the newly discovered part of his friend's personality.

"He wasn't always like that, I've seen his other side in battle and in camps, in fact he replaced one of the commanders before retiring to Aerinia, He was the first person rise to to such a status in less than a year. I know because he looked over my unit and trained everyone hard, and he had a very specific rule that went out to everyone. Anyone who-"

"Harms an innocent will be executed, anyone attempting to hinder a civilian's escape will be executed. Any harm intentionally done to a civilian's belongings will receive a hundred lashes... it was his code he suggested to the king in times of war shortly after his return. It was this that founded the Royal Sentinels in the first place." Zerion finished, looking toward Midnight for reassurance.

"I... I don't understand... we never kept secrets from each other but since we've gone on this journey I've found out so much about his past I feel like he hasn't told me anything..." Slypnir breathed heavily, having stopped petting Dragora's head and sunk down onto the bunk below his companion's.

"It's okay, it's not really a past to be proud of, that's probably why he didn't tell you. He didn't want you to judge who he is now by what was in his past." Zerion said gently, coming over and hugging Slypnir consolingly.

"I just need time to think, that's all... I've only left his side when he was a mercenary for two years. I thought I'd know everything about him because we've spent almost literally all of our lives together, but it seems within those two years so much has happened in his life that I feel like I haven't been there at anytime." Slypnir explained letting a tear fall out of his welling eyes.

"Come on, you know more about him than any of us, in fact all of us combined. I've known him since a year before he left to become a mercenary, Midnight has only known him for a year, Farrestia apparently has only known him for half a year, Nij was only there at his birth, Luxi never even knew him before now, S'kria has only seen him for a week combining both visits... and right now he needs you more than ever, only you knew how to get him to work out his wings in his sleep, only you know his deeper thoughts." Zerion explained to Slypnir sternly, placing his large hands on the rather lithe draconian's shoulders.

"You're right, I shouldn't abandon him in his time of need, it's my time to be strong and support him." Slypnir replied softly, wiping the tears from his eyes and standing up, hugging Zerion, "Thank you, I needed it..."

Midnight proceeded to down the tankard of spiced liquor in hopes that it would keep him warm as he went up the stairs to the frigid air above. Slypnir took his tankard and downed half of it, surprising Zerion as he saw his friend be unaffected by the alcohol. Dragora was flapping on his own, within minutes Zerion and Slypnir both gently holding him down as his wings picked up pace then slowed down. Above deck, the ship was approaching the broken dock slowly, with Farresetia not wanting to charge through the ice in order to not awake the original captain below. Orrik and Nij were in mid-conversation while they heard the door to below open and saw the panther calmly walk out, unfazed as they were by the below-freezing temperatures. Luxi and S'kria were both warmly inside their aura that they summoned, making the starboard side untouched by ice. When they finally reached the shore, Farresetia called to below deck through her frozen whiskers that they arrived.

"Zerion, could you get the tankards? We might as well down them now and let Dragora have his before we set out." Slypnir asked, Seeing his friend pick up the cups and bring them over willingly.

"You sure it's a good idea for him to drink while on that stuff? I mean it'll keep him warm, but he already has trouble standing on his own two feet." Zerion retorted after handing Slypnir's tankard to him.

"Actually, it should be wearing off right... about..." Slypnir answered, nodding his head in cue to Dragora shooting up energetically and then shaking his head a little to get rid of the blood rush.

"Where am I!? Why am I below deck? Why does my back feel funny, and why is my anniversary keg out?" Dragora asked consecutively, making Zerion hide his tankard behind his back in embarrassment.

"We're at the dock in front of Dauntae's Freezer, You were out cold from the medicine, you have wings, and Midnight didn't know it was a special keg." Slypnir answered in order, handing a tankard to Dragora, "We kept one glass for you when you woke up."

"I have wings? ...ouch, I guess I do... how am I supposed to get out of bed?" Dragora asked, calming down and cringing from maneuvering the wrong way and feeling his wing catch on the frame.

"Well, that's what we're here for, just gimme a sec' to free my hands and help you down." Zerion replied, setting his half full tankard down and going over to help Dragora out of bed.

After some maneuvering and adjusting, Dragora was above deck stretching widely and then shivering, the cold air finally catching up to his bare torso. Slypnir hastily handed Dragora the tankard of spiced rum they saved for him and watched him down it, already starting to cease shivering.

"How are the wings working?" Nij asked in awe, seeing wings larger than his own on his son and watching Dragora walk around deck without a shirt despite the icy and snowing conditions.

"I dunno, haven't flied with them yet, but they do ache..." Dragora replied curtly, rolling his shoulders in an attempt to ease the cramp.

"I was petting his head in his favorite spot while he was asleep to get him to work out his wings, I guess I didn't keep track of how long I was doing it..." Slypnir whispered to Nij, seeing him nod in understanding as to why Dragora's wings pained.

"Does he know?" Nij asked quietly, seeing Dragora walk around and stretch.

"No, it's a subconscious thing he's always had since we were in the orphanage. He has knowledge that I know where it is, but as to doing it in his sleep, he has no clue..." Slypnir explained out of earshot of his companion.

"So if you work his wings out in his sleep, he won't need to do anything consciously? Where is this spot anyway, is it right here?" Nij asked pointing toward the back of his head between the horns.

"Yeah, it's exactly there, how do you know?" Slypnir asked inquisitively wondering if that spot just ran through the family.

"His mother had the same spot, I don't know if Herfrund has it though..." Nij replied reminiscently, with fond memories returning to his mind.

The group decided it was best to just leave the caravan where it was, as the wheels had collected a bit of snow drift that had turned to ice which kept the vehicle anchored. Zerion looked somewhat distraught by the decision but finally agreed and walked with the rest of the group toward the dark gray masonry. Farresetia seemed unfazed by the endeavor despite her whiskers being frozen and her fur matted with freezing water, as opposed to Midnight who was starting to shiver and become as grumpy as Zerion was about the cold since the rum was wearing off. Luxi, S'kria, and Slypnir were shivering beside each other, all trying to think of a spell they could perform to warm up on the go. Dragora, who was jumping and flapping his wings avidly to stay warm, finally picked up a few sticks and handed them out, lighting his first then going around and catching everyone else's ablaze. Orrik and Nij were still unconquered by the cold, the both of them forging on ahead while the rest of the group were kindling torches. They were proceeding through the main courtyard when Dragora started hearing creaking noises to the sides and along the edges of the frozen garden.

"Everyone hold on! Get your weapons out and heat them up with the torches, I don't like the look of this..." He ordered firmly, summoning a lance and putting the blade to the fire.

"Okay, I thought I was the only one hearing those sounds, let's proceed with caution shall we? Everyone stay together." S'kria projected over the howling winds, moving in closer toward Dragora and seeing everyone else start coming over.

The group proceeded forward, huddled together with weapons drawn and looking every direction for a foe. The group relaxed a little when the creaking stopped, and they remained close to one another for protection. Luxi started proceeding further forward with his torch into the thick blizzard against everyone's objections and quickly came back toward the group and continuing the other direction.

"Hey! What's wrong?" Dragora yelled out to him, only to see him point toward where they were going.

The blizzard suddenly cleared, revealing a rather large undead cavalry unit, who started reeling up their horses to get ready to charge. The group scattered effectively, with everyone dodging the charge by laying atop the icy ground, with Dragora and Midnight being the only 2 out of the bunch armed with lances. Upon seeing a horse charge in his peripheral vision, Dragora swung around and dug his lance into the ice, bracing against the pike as the horse charged into it, leaving it's body completely pierced through and skewing the rider as well. He twisted the lance to confirm the kill and unsummoned it, calling forth a halberd into his grasp as he turned around to unhorse the rider charging behind him. Midnight jumped onto the horse that Dragora left unscathed and jousted toward an unsuspecting rider, impaling him off his mount into the already splintered oaken wall. Nijraketo got up and mounted that steed, charging toward another cavalry soldier with the scythe-sword ready. Midnight dismounted, pulling his lance out of the wall and letting the corpse hit the debris below. Dragora was finishing off the last horseman when a second unit came out of the large barracks door.

"I... can't... keep fighting... like this!" Nij shouted out, unhorsing another rider and rolling out of the way of another's charge.

"That's... it!" Dragora shouted out over the galloping and shuffling, driving his weapon into the ground in anger.

Slypnir immediately shot up and ran off toward the nearby cover, being followed by everyone but Dragora, who was gathering a charge in the air. Farresetia looked in amazement outside the small window with everyone else, watching the cavalry back up in caution as the area where snow stopped falling grew larger. Slypnir gazed in worry that his friend would overdo himself, while Zerion sensed his concern and came over to him in comfort. Finally there was no snow falling in the courtyard and the horsemen had retreated into a corner they thought was out of the draconian's range, but had made a grave mistake. Dragora released the charge and the courtyard instantly lit up in white-yellow arcs of lightning, the entire ground except for where he was standing was reacting to the snow as it turned to liquid in the presence of the massive concentration of energy. The cavalry collected the charge intensely, being clad in iron and copper armor, and they shot off the horses who were acting like a conduit connecting them to the ground. Dragora fell to his knees and flapped his wings in exhaustion, with Slypnir running out from the cover after the snow began to fall again.

"Why do you continue to push yourself like this? Every time you push yourself you faint, just relax a little, please..." Slypnir whispered into Dragora's ear, hugging him close.

"I push... myself to protect... you..." Dragora heaved out, leaning to the side against his companion's chest.

"But every time you do it you worry me that much more, whatever pain you feel I feel remember?" Slypnir said to Dragora and holding him closer, his eyes brimming with tears."

"The only pain I feel... is when you shed your tears over me... please don't weep for me..." Dragora sighed out, finally passing out from fatigue.

"Alright... if that is your wish I shall oblige." Slypnir whispered into Dragora's ear, his friend hearing it subconsciously.

"Is he alright? I've never seen such power, especially from someone so young..." Nij asked concernedly, walking over to the couple ahead of everyone else.

"He'll be fine... hand me a couple of leather straps will you? I can't carry him with his wings out like this." Slypnir replied gently, holding Dragora's head against his chest and choking back his tears.

"I need to stretch mine anyway... here you go. I hope he isn't going to have another one of those dreams, this seems to always happen after he has them." Zerion stated softly, handing Slypnir the straps he used to hold down his now strongly flexing wings, "ahh that feels nice..."

"...What was that spell he used? I haven't seen anything like it on the field or in the kingdom library, unless that spell is a high arcane magic I would have known about it." Farresetia questioned to Slypnir in an awestricken voice.

"It's high arcane, in fact very high arcane, I'm sure you've heard the legend about... Ynqrul? I see this name is familiar to you, so I need not explain..." Slypnir replied bluntly, seeing a flash in the cheetah's eyes.

"T-That's not possible, the age of myst is past, magic doesn't flow as thickly anymore!" Luxicitius blurted out in shock, not believing his eyes or his ears.

"Yes it does... in the Twilight Plains there are areas that still have that kind of abundance. In the Middle World, Dawn is inaccessible due to the abundance of magic, maybe these dreams are a foreshadow, and he taps into the arcane power to cast these devastating spells." S'kria suggested knowledgeably, recalling the areas that were uninhabitable in that plane of reality.

"There are spots like this all over the world you say? ... I'm guessing it was also very abundant where Krjn is isn't it?" Slypnir asked cautiously, seeing S'kria catch onto why he was asking.

"Yes, but it wasn't Dragora that tapped into that font, it was the sword he soul-forged with. It might have had a lasting side-affect though, giving him access to the myst in the Middle World and tap into it freely. If that is so, then he has access to a spell of any proportion in areas such as Dawn, Krjn, and mysteriously myst has gathered around where Lothgrenier is." S'kria explained thoroughly, sending the platypus and cheetah into amazement and Slypnir into curiosity.

"Lothgrenier... a lot of ominous things have been happening there of late, and we don't want Dragora losing his temper there like here. If he can access mist freely, then he might be tempted into casting meteo-"

"Don't say such things! That spell has a nasty reputation of turning the caster into a martyr in seconds, it would be better if he merely drowned it than sacrifice himself..." Slypnir snapped viciously at Farresetia and interrupted her before she could finish even saying the spell, silencing her thoughts on the matter.

"Alright, alright, no need to get so worked up over a future that probably won't happen. Now Slypnir, secure those wings and let us move forward toward the castle." Zerion blurted out to break his companion's malicious glare at the cheetah.

Slypnir reluctantly did what he was told, breaking eye contact with Farresetia who was frozen in place by fear that gripped her at that moment. Breathing heavily and accidentally letting a lone tear fall onto Dragora's back, he secured his friend's wings and picked him up easily with the help of adrenaline from the anger of the cheetah even mentioning the idea. Nij was walking in front of Farresetia from that point onward while Slypnir walked ahead of the pack in the same pace that Dragora usually walked at. Orrik went to his natural pace to keep up with the teary-eyed draconian as he saw him sweep down the halls in ire. Seeing his two friends disappear into the blizzard that was blowing through the largely absent roof, Zerion started jogging to catch up with everyone following suit.

"Sslypnir, what'ss wrong? Sso what if Farressetia ssaid ssomething negative, don't let it get to you. . ." Orrik stated out to Slypnir, who seemed to just be picking up pace as they went forward.

"It's not true! It won't happen! I won't let it happen. . . Why, why did we have to go on this journey!? I want to go home with you and Zerion and just live our lives like we did. . ." Slypnir cried out suddenly, letting his tears finally flow down his face before stopping them again, ". . . No! I promised him I wouldn't cry. . . I won't let my tears fall, not now. . ."

"What promisse? Sslypnir, pleasse, let your mind land on your tongue sso I may know what'ss going on!" Orrik exclaimed at last, seeing Slypnir slow down suddenly.

"The only pain he feels is when I cry, I will not shed a tear willingly until this is all over. I will not lose my head during the time he needs me most, I'm not going to give up on him like the others." Slypnir explained in an aggressive tone, making sure he wouldn't have to repeat himself.

"No one has given up on him nor should you hold in your feelings." Zerion stated, having caught up the Slypnir finally.

"Anger is the enemy, I must endure. . ." Slypnir breathed over his shoulder as he continued moving forward again, just loudly enough to be within earshot of Zerion.

"Slypnir! Stop!" Zerion yelled firmly, walking over to his companion, "I know all of this has been hard on you, it's been hard on me to, seeing him collapse like this, but please don't let it get to you, just because he can't see or sense your agony doesn't mean no one can. . ."

"You. . . you're right, I'm sorry. I feel like he's just slipping away with each faint, each event that brings up more of his past I don't know about-"

"Pull yourself together! I've always hated seeing you like this, please, if you can't for me then do it for him." Zerion stated firmly, slapping his friend across the muzzle and then pulling him into a tight hug, "He isn't the only one that needs you. . ."

"Wha. . .? I'm so stupid, we got into this as a trio yet now I see I've neglected you. . . I'm so sorry," Slypnir whimpered out onto Zerion's shoulder his tears flowing once more, "I was oblivious to your attempts to get closer, I've been obsessed with trying to understand his past that I haven't seen what's going on around me."

"It's fine, all you needed was a reminder that you're not in this alone, we're all in this, now could we let the others catch up before we lose them completely in the blizzard?" Zerion pointed out, trying to lighten Slypnir's mood.

"Alright." Slypnir replied, giving his mate a smile to ease Zerion's mind and blinking back his tears.

After everyone caught up, they continued down the hall decided to camp behind the doors at the end, seeing only solid white flurries and ground on the other side. Slypnir unlatched Dragora's wings, letting them stretch on their own and flap to his subconscious mind. S'kria was already at work making a thick and heavy shirt to fit Dragora, as he was the only one who knew how to weave and sow. Farresetia sat away from the group on her own, still in fear from seeing such hatred in Slypnir's eyes. Midnight occasionally went over and asked if she wanted anything or company, but she politely turned him down.

"Slypnir... could you please apologize to her? You've got her caught up in her own mind with fear." Nij asked quietly to Slypnir, looking over her way in concern and looking back to the guilty looking draconian who nodded in compliance and started walking over to her.

"Farresetia, I'm sorry for earlier, it's just that seeing him collapse like that is hard on me and I've known him all my life..." Slypnir stated apologetically to the cheetah and sitting down next to her, seeing her starting to relax considerably.

"It's fine, I know I went too far when I said that earlier, I shouldn't have even suggested such a thing, I've only known him for half a year." Farresetia replied gently, looking into Slypnir's eyes and seeing the calm draconian she was used to and relaxing all the way.

"You'd be surprised at how much has happened in the two years he left Aerinia compared to when we were growing up, You probably know more about him than I do really." Slypnir admitted to the cheetah, catching her off guard with the remark.

"I barely know a thing about his personality, only his actions. So you weren't there for a few events he most likely didn't want you to see, like this one innocent that finally pushed him over the edge, it doesn't mean that you don't know what's going on inside his mind. I can guarantee you that if he were awake right now, you'd be able to look into his eyes and know what he's thinking, or at least have a better indication of it than anyone else." Farresetia explained to Slypnir, seeing him lift his muzzle in realization and his eyes brighten.

"Alright, you're right, I've known him long enough to know his deeper thoughts, those won't change no matter what he goes through..." Slypnir replied optimistically, standing back up to his feet and holding a hand out to help Farresetia, "Now come on, let's get around the fire, it's warmer and everyone's worried about you."

"Okay, maybe I'll give midnight a chance. . ." Farresetia giggled out, taking Slypnir's hand and being hoisted up onto her own feet.

They went over to the fire and sat down around it along with everyone else, with Farresetia sitting down next to Midnight and Slypnir taking a seat near Zerion and Dragora. After a couple of hours, Farresetia was cuddling with Midnight, Slypnir with Zerion, Orrik with S'kria, and with Nij and Luxi already being asleep in their own tents. As the fire started dying down from lack of fresh wood, the couples retreated to the tents in pairs, leaving a couple empty in which Slypnir used one to pitch over Dragora before he and Zerion went to share a tent.

Dragora looked around in his dream, seeing himself being surrounded by an impenetrable wall of soldiers, and his friends laying dead. He roared in fury and his scales on his arms turned black, with the claws going ablaze. He lunged in a berserk rage, tearing up one side of the army with his now bloody claws and fangs. The more he killed the more scales turned black, spreading quickly up his body to his neck, where he finally started feeling different.

"Only when all seems lost will you release your rage, only when backed into a corner will you see your folly." A voice echoed in his head as the scales continued changing colors slowly.

"What's happening!? Why am I changing?" Dragora thought to himself, directed towards the voice that rang in his mind.

"Give into blood lust, give into darkness and submit your will."

"What are you talking about? I'm not going to let myself die to let some manifestation take me over!" Dragora yelled out, making the approaching soldiers back up in caution.

"You have no choice, if you fight you will become enveloped in darkness, if you fall you'll be enveloped in darkness! Close your eyes and let me take over. . ."

"No! There is always a choice. . . If I'm going to lose my will over this body then I shall crush it with the rest of these soldiers!" Dragora ordered out, silencing the voice in his mind which was replaced with an incantation.

He looked around his feet, seeing all his friends dead. He started to recite the words and the sky darkened and reddened. A maelstrom formed in the clouds, revealing a lucid view of the stars in the center. Suddenly the view was blocked by what seemed an eclipse, but the celestial body grew larger, starting to glow as it came closer. The soldiers looked up and scattered the best the could, only to panic as the object grew larger and came closer. Dragora stopped the incantation suddenly, halting the meteor, seeing Slypnir at his feet.

"Please. . . don't. . . just give in we'll be together in the Middle World. . ." Slypnir whimpered out before collapsing onto his mate's shoes.

"If that is your wish, then it will be done." Dragora whispered to himself, closing his eyes and letting his tears fall.

He woke up suddenly, screaming into the air that was faintly lit by a dying fire. He saw everyone looking over him in fright, feeling his face traced with tears and Slypnir kneeling beside him. Zerion was rekindling the fire while Orrik came back with more wood, walking over after dropping the bundle to see what the commotion was. Farresetia was running out the doors to see if anything happened while S'kria was on the other side, petting his wings to comfort him.

"The moon's. . . definitely closer. . ." Farresetia stated in awe, sitting back down around the fire.

"Dragora. . . are you okay? First you were talking in your sleep, the scales on your hands turned black, and you started crying followed by reciting the beginning to the. . . meteor spell. . ." Slypnir asked and explained in concern, now frightened by his companion's dreams.

"My hands? Meteor spell? . . .No! It was real. . ." Dragora cried out, seeing the scales and skin on his hands being jet black and fading back to green at the wrists.

"What was real? Why are your hands so dark? What's going on here?" Nij asked tiredly, opening up his eyes wide when he saw his son's hands were darkly colored and the claws being toothed as if for ripping and tearing, "You. . . You've been marked. . . We have to hurry to the castle, now! There's no time to waste!"

"M-Marked by what? What's happening!?" Dragora asked in confusion and worry, getting up hastily and accidentally catching the tent with his wings.

"Your hands, they are the symbol of darkness. I'm guessing all of your dreams have been from it instead of different things, trying to manipulate you, use you for it's own purposes." S'kria explained, getting the tent off of Dragora's wings and packing it up, doing the same for the other empty tents, as only Luxi was still asleep in his cover still.

Nij hastily went over and woke Luxicitius up, shooing him out of the canvas and packing it quickly, all the while the platypus was rubbing his eyes sleepily and yawning, unaware of what was going on. Orrik smothered the fire, putting it out and leaving them to move about in the shrouded moonlight in which S'kria cast a light spell to illuminate the area. Slypnir and Zerion grabbed Dragora's hands carefully and guided him out to the faintly reflective snow outside as the rest of the group packed up quickly and followed the trio.

"All this time. . . I've been led on by a false guide, blindly listening to it despite the damage I've caused. . ." Dragora muttered out, trying his best to hold back his tears in the flurry of snow.

"There is no damage you are responsible for, now come on, we'll beat this thing back to it's source in no time." Zerion stated, trying to help cheer up Dragora while his free hand clenched in anger of the element trying to take his companion away.

"Do we know which direction we're heading? This blizzard's probably got us all turned around." S'kria shouted over the winds the howled while carrying the bitter flakes.

Dragora stopped, tugging slightly to get Slypnir and Zerion to do the same while everyone behind was linking hands to tails as to not get separated. He hung his head for a few seconds and hummed a straight note and listening for an echo. His head shot up in response to the faint tone that the group was oblivious to and he proceeded toward the direction, making everybody maneuver to the right. Slypnir merely shrugged to Zerion as they continued holding Dragora's hands and lending their tails for the others to grab onto as guides, all the while the snow felt warmer on everyone's frozen faces. Everyone but Dragora looked up in awe as the shadow of the castle became visible, and the snow dying down as they came closer to the large silhouette that started penetrating the blanket of white into their views for them to be greeted by crystalline towers and parapets.

Nij went forward in front of the rest toward the doors and touched them gently, with the massive, finely chiseled threshold opening slowly. The group proceeded inside to be greeted by warm air and a solid roof, letting them know they could shake off the snow that had built up on them without it being in vain. Orrik was enthralled in the architecture, running to the sides of the hall to feel the smooth surface of the columns and pillars while admiring the antique suits of armor that decorated the sides as well. Farresetia walked alongside Nij, both being flooded with memories that had been sealed away by the closed doors. Slypnir accidentally pricked his finger on Dragora's claws unknowingly until his finger felt wet, in which Dragora saw the blood and looked at his hands in disappointment. Zerion had already let go and was looking at the suits of armor eagerly, unbothered by lagging behind and not noticing the interaction between his two companions.

"Sorry. . ." Dragora muttered out, his head hung down in regret.

"Come on, we'll get rid of this soon enough, now brighten up a little! This is your kingdom, your people, you must be strong for them. . . and for me." Slypnir replied, giving Dragora a kiss on the cheek and holding the other side in his hands, using his thumb to wipe away the tear that had welled up in Dragora's eye.

"What's going on? What happened to your hand?" Zerion asked, catching up to the both of them from examining one of the more intricate suits, "Do you have a file? I have an idea for those claws. . ."

Slypnir handed Zerion a file and he got to work on his companion's claws. Slowly but surely they began to smooth and dull, until where Zerion could rub the palm of his hand along them and not get a scratch. Seeing the manicure worked, Dragora perked up in joy and hugged his two partners happily.

"By the way, who crafted those suits of armor? It's damn near impossible to etch onto tyralthium plate mail with anything other than diamond, especially that intricately." Zerion asked curiously, intrigued by how ornate and embossed the armor was.

"It was my father, his grandfather, that was one of the first to work with tyralthium, he was famed for his detailing and designs, and even left his tools here in the workshop for those who want to pick up where he left off. But there is a catch, you must finish his last suit of armor before the tools will let you move on, he passed away before his latest was ever finished." Nij explained behind him, waving toward the room to his right as they passed, "None have tried because none have had the confidence."

"I'll give it a try if we have the time after this, the armor I made was etched for nobles, and with the right tools I'm sure I could etch tyralthium as well." Zerion retorted, peeking through the heavy door to see everything frozen in time.

"Steel and gold are nothing compared to etching tyralthium, an ornate cuirass takes at least a year minimum." Nij replied steadily, making sure that Zerion knew what he was wanting to get into.

Zerion pondered this for a moment while everyone continued to walk forward toward the end of the hall, set with two large doors that a full-bred dragon could fit through with ease. Dragora stepped forward ahead of the group and opened the doors wide, ducking under a spear and slamming it down onto the ground with a snap, his foot having pushed the pole-arm down at an angle and the aged wood easily giving way. He proceeded forward knowing there were at least a dozen similar partizans pointed toward him as he stepped toward the throne with his hands held upward as a signal of good will. Slypnir and Zerion followed closely, also raising their hands but staying close to their companion. Nij and Farresetia just waited at the entrance like everyone else, all of which were afraid of a pike being swung in the dark like at Dragora.

"Auberlinz, you can light the halls, I have my eyes as proof of my heritage and standing." Dragora stated firmly, feeling the air break in front of him and sensing a weapon pointed at his chest.

The torches were lit quickly, revealing a thin gathering of multiple races, from canine to feline, equine and reptilian. The short, stout draconian dropped his weapon in surprise as his eyes met with Dragora's entrancing, vibrant purple eyes. Zerion cringed at the weapon dropping harshly, seeing the engraved hilt and gemmed fuller bouncing off the stone. Slypnir dropped his hands in relief and looked around, seeing everyone look in awe and the soldiers kneeling.

"Nij! I'll assume this is your youngest, he's almost an exact mirror image of your youth aside from the scathes. . ." Auberlinz exclaimed out behind Dragora to the draconian that was already halfway up to the throne.

"Yes, this is Dragora. I'm afraid you'll have to remain in office a bit longer unless he wants me to stay." Nijraketo replied, looking to Dragora for an answer, seeing him blush a little from being put on the spot.

"It's up to you, your mind is your own. However, I think we should get to the harp before we start having someone continue sitting on that chair." Dragora retorted quickly, being caught off guard by the sudden attention.

"If you want me to stay and watch over the kingdom I understand, I know I prodded into your mind a little when we were on the ship. . ." Nij whispered to his son comprehensively, not wanting to upset him again.

"You can come, it was fine really. You were just trying to understand my reasoning and my actions." Dragora breathed back toward his father, still feeling guilty for snapping at him.

"Alright. Auberlinz, you'll still have to run the kingdom for a while if that's fine with you. But in the meanwhile we need to see about tending to Dragora's hands." Nij stated hastily, seeing Auberlinz's eyes already agape at the discoloration from the wrists down.

"How-"

"The dreams he's had. Apparently this last one decided to finally show itself and try to manifest in him." S'kria explained, already knowing what the question Auberlinz was going to ask.

"Alright, then we'll want to head over to the font room, hopefully that will erase these effects." Auberlinz responded confidently, already making his way toward the hallway to the group's right.

The group followed him easily as his short legs shuffled across the floor tiles quietly, only the sound of his talons ringing on the stone. Dragora felt weakened as they approached the pearl adorned arch that led to a grand fountain who's waters were still running. When they stepped in the room he was being helped walking by Zerion and Slypnir, who caught him as he almost fell from the lack of energy. S'kria examined him closely to make sure nothing was wrong and also help him to the side of the fountain, where he sat down wearily.

"Why do I feel so drained. . ." Dragora asked airily, having trouble staying awake.

"You must have had the darkness running through your blood for a long time if the presence of this room has that affect on you." Auberlinz replied worriedly, taking Dragora's hand and dipping it into the water gently.

"Ouch! What are you doing!?" Dragora gasped out suddenly, the smaller draconian having taken a small knife and cut Dragora's palm underwater.

"He's draining the source, as you can see it's like snake venom, but instead of poison it's tainted power." S'kria explained gently, scooping up a little water in a flask and handing it to Dragora, "Here, drink this, it will help cleanse the manifestation."

"Argh, it burns!" Dragora cried out, doubling over in agony as he felt the drink go throughout his system.

"It must have run deep indeed. . ." Farresetia breathed out, seeing Dragora hold his chest and grit his teeth in anguish, his wings flapping almost enough to lift him.

"What'ss happening to him?" Orrik asked softly, only being heard by Midnight and Luxi who had also taken to the back of the crowd.

"The darkness is running through his very blood, and it's being purified. It hurts because the power that was given to him is being neutralized, thus draining him of his strength." Luxi explained knowledgeably, having seen the same thing happen on the field.

"He'll be purged of the darkness, but also be purged of his strength. It may take a while for his natural strength to come around, so he'll be unable to fight. . ." Midnight stated after Luxicitius finished, looking toward the fountain again, "His wings were untouched by the darkness, which is why the can continue to flap despite the rest of his body."

"Sso how long would he have to be expossed to darknesss for it to run through hiss blood?" Orrik asked curiously, intrigued by the process.

"Years. He had nothing wrong, nothing disturbed before he left to become a mercenary, which piques my curiosity as to what happened to take away the better part of his personality." Slypnir retorted, looking to Midnight for answers.

"The only thing I can think of that could have changed him was when he was called out by the general and the next day he got a large promotion, as well as the previous person in the standing disappearing, never to be seen again." Midnight suggested, seeing Slypnir look to him with mixed feelings, "Maybe something happened that night that changed him."

"It's almost done. Just a little more and you'll be as good as new." Auberlinz stated comfortingly, seeing Dragora grope at his chest with his other black hand which was slowly fading back to green.

As the last finger faded back to it's original color, Dragora let go of his chest and panted heavily, gasping for air that he growled and rumbled away, closing his eyes in exhaustion and just letting his wings flap calmly. Slypnir rushed over and hugged him, seeing a glimmer in his companion's eyes he hadn't seen since before he was a mercenary. Zerion saw the glimmer as well, sitting down next to his familiars hugging them both with his broad arms.