Worlds Apart Part 3
With shaking hands he took aim and waited for what he was sure would happen next. Seconds passed and still the creature remained in the foliage, all the while testing the air. 'Must be as concerned about me as I am of it,' he thought. Moving slowly back, away from the creature, he positioned himself behind the rocks and waited for some sign of its intentions.
Neither he nor the creature, seemed to want to make the first move. It was, for all intensive purposes, a standoff. Gathering his nerve, he tried calling to it, "Look, I wont hurt you, if you don't hurt me. Come on, let me see just what you are." It was then that he had an idea, reaching into the pack, he pulled out one of the candy bars that he seemed to be addicted to, a Baby Ruth. Pulling off the wrapper, he broke a small piece off and lobbed it onto the ground, about a foot from the twitching nose. Chuckling despite his fear, he added "Come on, I know it looks like a turd, but it really is good." That said he moved into the open, and making quite a show of it, took a bite himself.
The phantom nose poked out a little further, and carefully inspected its newly found prize. In a flash of teeth it grabbed it up and withdrew back into the bush. The sounds of chewing could be heard, followed by the always amusing smacking that comes with eating caramel. It was only then that the creature dared to emerge from the bush. Still licking its lips, the creature turned and stared at him. "Damn." Dirk thought, "that's got to be the biggest dog I've ever seen." Remaining as still as he could, he took in what he could see. It was snowy white in color, with some Grey mixed in, at least what Dirk could see of him was. Half in, half out of the bush it remained, looking at him with a look, he thought, that might just be amusement in its steel grey eyes.
Feeling relieved that it wasn't some huge beast that was looking for a quick meal, he lowered the gun and relaxed a bit. The dog, if that's what it was, lay down and seemed to be waiting for something. Tossing another piece of the Baby Ruth in his direction, Dirk holstered the gun and moved back to the rocks. When he turned back to where the dog had lain, it was gone, without a sound. Thinking that it had to be somewhere close by, he walked back to the bushes and looked in but there was no sign of it. Where it had stood, there were no tracks, the only sign that it was ever there at all, were the missing pieces of candy bar.
After a quick search of the area he decided to head onwards, after all, it was getting on in the day, and he still had a long way to go. 'Besides,' he thought "if it were going to attack, surely it wouldn't have come out into the opening.' Concluding that it didn't pose a threat to him, he gathered his things and kept going. Still unable to shake the feeling of being watched, he kept an eye out, just in case it showed itself again. As he walked he could only wonder what waited for him at the top, and for that matter, why he was walking at all. Arial was big enough that she should be able to carry him, otherwise, how would he have gotten here from the lake? Scanning the sky, he searched for any sign of her, but all he could see was the cloudless blue sky.
It was then that he saw what could have been her, directly overhead. Straining his eyes, he stopped and attempted to get a better look, it was just a speck in the sky, but it appeared to be getting closer. As he watched it spiral downwards though the air, it became clear to him that this was no dragon, but an ordinary bird. Shrugging inwardly he kept moving, hoping that this wasn't all a waste of time. It was almost sundown when he finally reached the summit. Standing at the edge of the cliff, he took in the view. Off to the east (or at least what he thought was the east) the sun was setting, casting its shadow across the land. In a brilliant display of colors, it slowly sank beneath the distant horizon. Standing there, taking in the view, he saw something in the distance. Whether it was the light playing tricks on his eyes, he wasn't sure, but he could have sworn that there was, off to the north what appeared to be a large city.
As she flew off and left him standing there, she couldn't help but wonder why her father wanted it that way. Though Dirk was in their valley, there was still danger to be found, and leaving him alone and unaware didn't seem to her to be a good idea. Arial had never directly disobeyed her father, however she had been known skirt around the edge from time to time. Using her second form, that of a sparrow, seemed to be the best way to watch over him without his knowledge. Waiting until she was out of sight, she changed forms and started to head back to where she had left him. She hadn't gotten far, however, when her fathers voice rang in her mind. "Leave him be." Was all he said, but it was enough, Brakus had his reasons for wanting it this way, and she wasn't going to disobey his wishes. Changing back to her natural form, she flew onward to the meeting place.
When she arrived, her father was there waiting. "Arial," he said, "You must let him find his own way, he needs time to think about where he is, as well as what he's doing." Confused by this, she frowned, "But father, as you have stated, he isn't prepared for what he may find. He needs to be protected, or all will be lost." Brakus just smiled, "He is more prepared than you may think my daughter, what he will find will not harm him, but help him to discover who and what he really is. When you entered his mind, what did you see?" Thinking back to that moment she tried to focus on his thoughts, "I saw his world, and the horrible place that it was, but most of all, I saw his pain, pain and guilt." Hanging her head, she added, "I didn't probe deeper than that, I was afraid." "What were you afraid of?" her father asked, "I know you have feelings for him, was it something you saw?" Looking up she replied, "Father, he has so much unrequited love, and so much loss in his life, I just, well I just connected to him. I don't understand it, I've never felt as close to anything, save you, as I do to him, and yet I cant even speak to him." She felt hopeless inside, and despite all her efforts against it, felt a tear fall from her eye. Turning her head in shame, she tried to hide it from her father, but he had seen it already. Moving to her side, he lifted her head and looked into her eyes. "Daughter, you feel love, it is no different than what I felt for your mother," Pulling her close, he wrapped her in his arms and wiped the tear away. "Its nothing to be ashamed of, in fact you should feel honored, not many can feel love as you do, and that's a very special thing. And as for not speaking to him, in time you'll learn his tongue, then you can talk to him till your hearts content." Seeing an opening , she decided to take it. "But you don't understand father, I do know it, I've known the old tongue for a hundred cycles at least." Brakus was taken aback by this, he knew of her interest in the old ways, but he never thought it was anything more than just idle curiosity. "How? How did you learn it? We never taught you." "Father, you know I would never disobey you, but all the stories you told, the legends? What was I to do? No you never taught me, and I think that there's more that you haven't taught me, but I needed to understand, I needed to know what the prophecy meant, so I listened, and learned. I have also been to the caves, and read the tombs." Brakus was silent for several minutes, when he finally spoke, it wasn't with the anger that she had expected, but with what seemed to be relief. "Arial, I have often made mistakes, in my decisions regarding you, in my eyes you'll never truly be mature, and therein lies the trouble. You see, I only wanted you to feel safe, and secure, to protect you as I failed to do for your mother." .write This time it was he who hung his head. "Arial, I'm sorry, but I love you with all my heart, and you have too much of your mother in you, I should have known that you would be able to teach yourself sooner or later, I guess I was hiding again." Smiling at him she nuzzled his cheek. "Its alright father, I've always known your love, that was never in doubt. You need not apologize for that." Shaking his head, he looked at his only daughter, his whole world, and said, "There's something you need to know." Those six words frightened her, the tone of his voice was not one she was used to hearing. Tilting her head, she waited for him to finish. Brakus knew this day would come. The arrival of the human into this world had started everything in motion, the prophecy was unfolding, and he was powerless to stop it. Standing upright on his back legs, he shifted, becoming for the second time in a thousand cycles, human.
Arial stood in shock, could this be true? Could she really take this form? "Father?" was all she could utter, in disbelief she couldn't think of what to say. The man looked up at her and reaching out with one hand, placed it upon her chest. "Arial, you too have the power to take this form, I had hoped that you would never have a use for it, for if you did then it meant that the prophecy was unfolding around us, and that the battle was beginning. Ours is the only bloodline in this world that can take this form, it was a gift that came from our alliance with Darian Black so many cycles ago."
"Yes Arial," he said, as if reading her mind, "it is within your power." "But father, how? I don't feel it, nor do I know how." She stammered, "I only know of the three forms, none other." Nodding, Brakus took her head in his hands and entered her mind, as he had done so long ago. In her mind she could hear her father telling her that he had put a block on her ability to take human form, and why. He finished removing the block, but didn't break the connection, his love for her flowing through every inch of her being, she understood, and accepted his reasons.
Breaking the connection, Brakus stepped back, and smiling with pride as well as love, he waited. "Go ahead, I know you long to be with him, now you truly can." Her fear raging through her, she concentrated on this new form, shimmered slightly and shifted. It was as if she had entered someone else's body, she was numb with fear, yet tingling with excitement at the same time. Unsteady at first, she almost fell, having to hold on the her father to stay upright. "Father, somethings not right!" Staggering, she tried to get some feeling in her new legs, but not only could she not feel, she couldn't see. Brakus leaped forward to catch her as she fell but the new form shifted before he could reach her, leaving her in her natural form once again. Lying prone upon the ground she saw the tears in her fathers eyes and knew something was very wrong. As she watched her father shifted to his dragon form.
Leaning down to comfort her, Brakus stroked her with a wing and slowly led her into the nearby caves. "In these caves, lies the truth behind our gifts, and the people who gave them to us." She had been in the caves before, but never here, this place was forbidden, even to her. "Here is where it all began, so long ago." As she slowly followed, unsure, and frightened, of what she might find within, she thought of Dirk, and how all of this must feel to him. About 50 yards into the cave, it opened into a huge cavern that had to be at least half of a mile across. Far above her head, the full moon shone in, through an opening in the roof of the cave, shedding its soft light into the cavern. Brakus turned and bade her to sit, "I had hoped, prayed even that this would never come to pass, but alas it is now clear to me that it is you whom the prophecy speaks of." Hot tears fell from her eyes as she listened to the details of her part in this struggle, and the sacrifice that would have to be made were they to succeed.
At the far end of the cavern, there was what appeared to be a door, too small for any dragon to fit through. Noting her gaze, her father explained, "The door was built by Darien Black, long before his people were exiled, the answers that we seek lie behind it. Not even I have been in that room, it has been sealed for over two thousand cycles. Tonight, it will be opened." Raising his head to the heavens, Brakus called out, the deep rumbling sound amplified by the natural amphitheater. "Soon we will be ready. Until then, you should rest, twill be a long night."
It had followed the strange creature since first catching its scent at the cliff's base, unsure of its origin, its curiosity took over. After being discovered, which wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been for the mouse, which had so temptingly peeked out of its hole, it decided that this creature posed no threat to itself or others. What did puzzle the creature was why it had never seen anything quite like it before. Shifting forms, it followed discretely, patiently waiting for the answer.
From its vantage point, it could clearly see the entire valley, the creature had stopped at the top of the cliff, and seemed to be waiting for something to happen, in its mind this wasn't a good idea, strange things were appearing in the night, and the sun was setting. Normally it wouldn't have given any thought to this, after all, the creature wasn't its concern, and yet it couldn't help but feel anxious about its safety. Confused by this, it decided to keep watch over this creature, and protect it if necessary, relying on instincts that had kept it alive for quite a long time.
When the sun had finally set, and the night moved in, Dirk decided it was time to find whatever it was that he was here for. Gathering his things, he continued on the path, using the light of the full moon as a guide. Soon the path faded into nothing more than a thin worn strip in the rock, eventually disappearing altogether. "Great!" he thought, "I'm stuck up here on the top of a cliff, with no path to follow, and no clue where I'm going." Looking around, he judged that the best way to go seemed to be along the edge of the cliff, and hope that he can find the trail again.
It was then that he heard, or rather felt the low pitched sound, it seemed to be coming from far off towards the other side of the mountain, yet at the same time, seemed to be coming from everywhere. Startled and a bit frightened by this, he choose to take his time and wait for a few moments before heading that way.
The creature high above also felt the cry, but it knew what it was, and what it was for. Searching with its keen eyes, it soon saw the first signs of the approaching beasts. Moving lower in the sky, so as to avoid what was coming, it watched, and waited.