FSE

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Chapter 25

Lyndis set the letter down, not believing quite what she’d read. Her brief optimism was soon dashed, true that Vishta was alive, but was she really? To have her mental faculties snatched away by the cruel mechanizations by Tiamat, the true her might as well be dead. By the letter’s description and excited tone, it was as if the kobold had gone under a complete personality shift, different than when Cordenth had demonstrated this power before. She stared off into the grass, hallow, drifting off into Infinity. The only solace she could hold onto, was that Lyyreth was still alive. True he was still in a dungeon, but at this point what dragon did she know that didn’t spend a deal of time in one?

She coiled on herself as a pain pierced through her skull, burrowing deep and radiating to every inch of her. Hissing, her legs flailed against the ground as she tried to shake off this un-natural force. Heat radiated all around her, sound was lost to her, all that remained was the dull sound of metal scraping against one another. It only lasted for a few moments before she was snapped back to herself, no pain, no heat, and just the sound of a gentle breeze washing over her, and the snoring of the green dragon beside her.

Groaning she sat up, eyes all watery from that ordeal. It must have been the healing she’d endured, she wasn’t fully back to normal. That certainly would put a kink into things, how was she supposed to rescue Lyyreth? If she could. The thought was chilling as she tried to stand on wobbly legs, she’d never left friends behind, why start now? When she tried to take her first step, legs buckled and rebelled, she would have collapsed right onto her face if not for catching herself on Revaramek’s scales. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment as the dragon opened a single lazy eye.

“Done with the story, are we?” Copper eyes traveled to her lingering hand, clearing his throat in a condescending way. “I don’t recall volunteering to act as your leaning post, would you kindly remove your paws?”

“Not going to make exceptions for woman that break their falls?” She replied, her tongue ever sharp.

The dragon clicked his tongue, “Do my scales say, in case of emergency, use to break fall?”

“No.”

“Then there you have it, now are you going to remove your paw or must I make you?”

She stared at him as though he had three heads, “You’re seriously going to keep on about this? Over a lady that’s been aching all day?”

His reply took the form of a harsh snort, his breath ruffling her hair. “I suppose I can make an exception when you put it that way.” He wiggled a wing before returning his gaze skyward in a most regal manner, “Let it not be said that I don’t let woman take advantage of me from time to time.”

“That was certainly not what was happening!”

“Are you certain?” He cocked his head, “Red faced, looking embarrassed, asking for a dragon to set aside his own pride for your own selfish gratification? All the signs do point towards taking advantage of me Lyndis.”

She wheeled around in a huff, cursing under her breath over draconic pride. Why must the one she be stuck with be so infuriating? Why would he even be this way? As she went to walk away and contemplate further, an idea brought her to a stop. When she turned around, he tried to pretend as though he was ignoring her.

“Oh, you’re still here?” He looked away with a thump of his tail, “I thought you were off to go practice your curses.”

“You showed me this to fly me there.” She gestured to the letter, “Do you get off in making me cross, or is it you want me to beg for your help or something?”

The dragon chuckled, “While amusing as that prospect is, I will be far more engrossed in vastly more important activities.” He laid back down his neck against the grass, shifting to get comfortable. “Ones that require a vast among of attention.”

“Important? You look like you’re just going to have a nap!”

He flicked a frill, “Perhaps to the untrained eye, such as yourself. Though in reality it’s a great responsibility, someone must do it.” He gave a pained cough, “Now don’t you get your bonnet in a fret about it, I’m just the right dragon for the job.”

She could almost scream. If only she could yank this dragon up and force him to act. “Revaramek. If you were not even going to dangle the offer of helping us, why even bother? You’ve given me all this information and no way to act upon it! This was an entire waste of everyone’s time!”

“I wouldn’t say waste of time Lyndis, did you not feel better knowing your friends still live? Plus, you now know where the Uniter is heading, you can ride off to go thwart it!”

“And what good does that do me, whilst I’m stuck in this swamp with a piss for brain dragon that won’t lift a bloody finger to help me!” She thrust the letter back into her pack, cursing like a sailor.

With a groan he rolled his eyes, “Must I spell things out for you my dear?” When she cast him a most scathing glance he wiggled a wing, “Was there not another dragon you could ask? One that isn’t as dreadfully busy as I am? One that might feel more emboldened to chase after her green lover?”

Infinity! Lyndis’ eyes lit up, how had she forgotten such a detail? She looked to the horizon, choking it up to nerves being far too extended these last few hours. She paused as the green dragon flopped to his back, softly scratching at his belly. “Is this to help us or just to get rid of Infinity?”

“Can it be both?” Groaned Revaramek, resting his head upon the grass. “Now can you leave? You’re squeaking is starting to give me a dragon sized headache.”

Leaving him, she tried her best to survey the countryside around her, finding that there was no sign of the black dragoness Infinity. She was forced to look high and low around the tree of Nutambar, wasting hours only to find that the same was true. Where was the Tomu? Not showing his snout that’s what. Weary and exhausted she dragged herself back to Revaramek’s paws. The dragon was still in his place, happily snoozing away, the air filled with his rumbling snores.

“You lied to me!” She shouted, “There isn’t a lick of evidence that she’s still here!”

“Lie? How did I lie?” He mumbled, eyes closed, “I said she was lingering about, not that she was waiting for you like a good little dog. She’s a dragon Lyndis, wings are her gift, not beholden to any one location.”

“You could have told me that before I went off, searching high and low!”

“And deprive you of all that fun?” He snickered at her blushed cheeks, “Better than just sitting about, waiting for her, no?”

“You do realize that my friends are all in danger, yes? That every second I waste here, they slip further and further from my grasp?”

“And how will it help them by wandering off on your own?” He replied calmly, “I can’t imagine you walk that fast on those two legs of yours.”

“When do you think she’ll be back?” She practically collapsed, her eyes narrowed and sharp upon his features, “Or must I engage in important dragon activities until she arrives?”

“I mean, if you ever so desire.” He replied with a snort, “But I think I’d be a rebound for you Lyndis…I mean, not that I’d mind the—” As the fire in her eyes threatened to ignite the air he backtracked with a laugh, “Come now, show a little more patience. Thought you’d get all that practice sitting on a throne!”

“Patience?” She stomped to Revaramek’s side, eyes aflame, “My love is currently being possessed on a flying ruddy castle, holding my friend captive and you have the gall to call me impatient? I think every moment I’m not threatening to stab your frills and force you to be a hero is a bloody miracle!”

“With an attitude like that, she’s not going to help you know.” He countered, rising to all fours with a growl, “And if you’re going to bicker and rant away while I’m trying to sleep, I think I’ve had my leave of you.” He strolled off with a swishing tail, warning her from following by almost swatting her away with it.

“You can’t just walk away from this.”

“I can, and will, just watch me. I’m quite fast upon these paws.” He rumbled, this time not waiting for her to catch up. In short order he was three strides away, four, soon there was no hope she’d ever get him. That’s when he turned, laughing as he did so. “See? Totally easy Lyndis! Now you stay there and rest, running around full of piss and vinegar is not going to do you any good!”

“You’re a bastard Revaramek! You hear me? A Ruddy Bastard!” She collapsed, her weary body giving up on her. She scowled as his scales bounced, insisting that he liked seeing her angry, reminding her of another girl he knew. She yearned to scream but couldn’t find the energy, the day had taken too much from her. Rolling to her back she searched the vast sky, trying to find the answer she so sought. With him refusing her call to adventure, that only left one option. She had to wait for Infinity to return.

** * * * * ** * *

Infinity didn’t return to her resting place until dark, a pressed down section of grass, the perfect shape of a curled-up dragon. Lyndis had not been entirely idle, returning to the Drenedar encampment a final time to pick clean what was left behind. She procured bits of weather gear, lined with furs, a compass, more daggers, and finally a pair of goggles. She grimaced how they’d fit over her eyes but would be perfect for flight.

As she traced the shadow like scales of the dragoness above, admiring the galaxy of stars in her wings, she couldn’t help but feel a nagging sense of dread. Sure, Lyyreth had trusted this dragoness, possibly loved her, but could she really trust her to help now? She knew practically nothing about her, would be asking her to put her life on the line. Would she listen? Down she crept with a tentative breath, trying to not appear too sneaky or spook her.

But of the two, was it her that was going to be spooked? The queen’s face recoiled at the sound of tearing flesh, revealing Infinity enjoying the grisly remains of a crocodile. The dragoness was slathered in copious amounts of gore, the grass practically crimson. Her bat like ears shot up as Lyndis gathered her courage to take another step. Emerald eyes narrowed, sharp and deadly, accompanied by a warning hiss and showing of teeth.

“Oh, it’s you.” Infinity remarked bluntly, recovering from her surprise, pressing down her spines. “I thought you’d still be out cold.”

“Change of plans were in order.” Lyndis spoke softly, gaging Infinity’s reaction with another step, “Turns out the beds were rather stiff, terrible for my back.”

“Jokes. Haha. Trying to hide the pain with them, are we?” She sunk her teeth into the crocodile’s corpse, tearing off a fresh piece with a shower of blood. Casually she chewed as if to put on a show, insisting that Lyndis leave her be. “Not many like watching a dragon eat.”

“I mean, its not in my top ten, but neither is this.” She winced as pain shot through her leg, forcing her to limp ever closer.

“That’s as far as you come.” Hissed Infinity, “You should turn around right now, march your little paws back to bed and rest like sleeping beauty. That’s what everyone wanted wasn’t it?”

At first, she didn’t say a word, hearing the hurt within her voice. She couldn’t walk away, she needed her. “Fine, don’t need to get closer anyway.” She collapsed onto her side, noting that Infinity made no move towards her. The dragoness returned to eating her meal, going out of her way to do it as vocal as possible. The queen would have vomited if it were up to her, but she hadn’t the luxury.

Finally, Infinity rose with a growl, stomping down a paw. “Clearly you don’t wish to be here, why remain? You’d honestly rather rest down here than in your comfy bed? They can’t possibly be that bad can they?” She gestured to the tree, “I know the unicorn was a jerk, but I don’t see why to you.”

“Was he cross with you?” She rose a brow, earning a harsh snort without an explanation. “Fine.” Lyndis crossed her arms, watching the clouds above. “Don’t tell me.”

“Wasn’t planning on it. And if you’re hungry, this is all mine. You can go get something yourself.”

“Why are you out here instead of by the tree? Is Revaramek that bothersome?”

“He tried to seduce me.” She hissed, flicking her spade tail. “Wasn’t even subtle about it. But he’s left me alone since I took a claw to his face.”

“That was rather harsh.”

Infinity shrugged, “That’s what he gets for not asking permission to touch. He’s just lucky it amounted to a warning tap.”

“You could do worse to someone you don’t know?”

“I’ve done worse.”

She laughed nervously at the bluntness of the words, “I bet you have, but honestly, I didn’t come here to talk about beds or jerky unicorns or dragons.”

“I figured.” Sighed Infinity, getting only up enough to crawl away from Lyndis before flopping back to grass and coiling upon herself. “So go ahead and speak. Whatever gets you out of here sooner.”

“Lyyreth is alive.” She pulled Vishta’s letter from her pack, brandishing it before the dragoness’ snout. “Got a letter from a friend, aboard the uniter. Says he’s shacked up in a cell-“

There was a brief spark of hope within her eyes, a light that perked her ears. But with a breath that died, eyes narrowed, ears pinned, a growl most dreadful left her throat as skepticism dripped from her scales. “You almost had me there little Queen. I’m sure that letter says whatever it is you need it to. I tire of others like you, using me for their plans or schemes. You saw what Cordenth did to you, left you brutalized and for dead, you think he’d hold back on his brother?” She rolled her eyes and turned away, “Lyyreth is dead, once you accept that you can move on.”

“But he’s not dead, I have proof!” Lyndis replied, “And that thing wasn’t Cordenth. That was Tiamat-“

“If you believe Ossai and her drivel.” Infinity growled, “It wouldn’t be the first time she’s lied, acted all nice. She wasn’t known to help anyone out of the kindness of her heart.”

“Look, she was a complete nob, but Vishta wasn’t! Alright, maybe she didn’t tell us the truth all the time, but she wouldn’t go lying now!”

“And you know her so well you came to this conclusion?”

There was a pause, “Alright, I’ve only known her for a few weeks, but we really sparked something in that time.”

“Yea, sure Lyndis. Go bother Revaramek, I’m sure he’d love the company of a fair maiden by his side. Really stroke that ego for him.” She extended her wings, forming a barricade of membrane.

“You think I’d walk all the way over here, leg hurting like hell, only to lie to you? You’d rather believe that I’m trying to manipulate you, rather than hope that Lyyreth is alive and well? Are you that dense, that you wouldn’t risk going to help him?” Lyndis scoffed, shaking her head, “And I thought you cared for him.”

Like a bolt of lightning struck, down came Infinity’s wing. Her snout snapped round in a flash of teeth, emerald flames in her eyes, “Of course I cared you little witch! Enough to leave him to his death and get your sorry ass to get healed. I’ve lived longer than your little life, lost more than you can possibly imagine. Have you ever been forced to kill your father Lyndis? Watched your son turn to dust in your paws?”

“I had my father-“

“I’ve tried countless times. Hoped beyond hope that there would be a time of peace in my life. But there was ever only a smattering of moments, cherished things that will haunt me forever. I can’t even die did you know that? My head simply regrows. Now I’m stuck with you, a useless, fragile little mouse, while the only things I cared about wither and die.”

She couldn’t move or say a word, hearing the pain in Infinity’s voice. How could she reach someone so lost? When Infinity asked her to leave, she of course refused.

“Did you hear me?” Infinity snarled, “Just because I agreed to help you, doesn’t mean I had to socialize. If you didn’t go and get hurt, maybe Lyyreth would still be here.”

“And if he was, he’d hate to see you in that state.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” She shifted away in a huff, “You don’t even have a proper snout.”

“Look, I know how you feel alright? That pain and misery inside, begging to get out.” Lyndis softly approached, holding her chest. “Infinity, my father was killed by that device, Cordenth taken from me by Tiamat. Gods, now we stand here bickering, and part of me wants you to not help me.”

“I don’t recall giving you my name.” Infinity curled back with a piercing gaze.

“Does it matter? That blight upon the sky now drifts to Struport, will bring death and destruction upon it. Usher in a new world order with that beast at its head, wearing Cordenth like a skinsuit. I have to stop it, stop him-“Her heart went cold, heavy and aching, “I loved him I think, more than I’ve loved anyone before…I was afraid to tell him, worried I’d just get hurt again. Now I’ll never get that chance to tell him…Tiamat has robbed me of that.”

“And the sooner you get over that the better you’ll be. If you linger it will haunt you, make you a shadow of what you were.”

“And you’re just content to accept that Lyyreth is dead? I thought you’d be thrilled he was alive, leaping at the opportunity to get him back. Don’t you want this to be all true?”

“Course I want this to be true!” Snarled Infinity, snapping at Lyndis with her jaws, “But things never work out, so why keep at it? Do you know how many times I thought my son’s death was a trick of the light? Wished it to not be so? How many nights I swear by the gods that I can still feel him? Know that he’s still out there, waiting for me to find him?” Tears were starting to well in her eyes as she shook, years of trauma and weariness manifesting themselves, “I’m just too tired to hope anymore Lyndis, its just too damned sad. I’ll just see a cliff and try to end myself again…And wake up whole.” She buried her snout into her paws, starting to sob. Up went her wing to spare her what remained of her dignity.

Lyndis leaned against the wing, only speaking in a hushed voice, wanting nothing more than to comfort this troubled soul. “Tell me about the son you lost.”

“I’m sure you don’t want to hear about it.”

“I do.” She assured her, “Sometimes its best to talk about those you lost. How they made you feel, how they’d want you to carry on.” Her gaze traveled to the clouds above, reminded of times she’d sat in such places with her father, dreaming to fly with the pegasai. “My father died recently, done in by that device. If only he could have seen me now, flying not with our pegasus, but a dragon.” At the thought of Cordenth her heart ached, a flash of gold crossing her mind.

“And what good is talking about it going to do?” Grumbled the dragon, shifting in the grass.

“Go on, try it. I won’t judge, but I imagine they wouldn’t want you to give up.”

Infinity labored a sigh, betting this half-elf would not leave her alone lest she talked. “Lucky you I’d rather sit here and gab away instead of fly around some more. He was small I suppose for his kind, hair the same color of my scales. He was brave in a way, foolishly so, tumbled into my prison. He saw a good-ness in me, a great dragon that even I didn’t think was…” She drooped her head as Lyndis rested a hand on her side.

“Hair? I didn’t know dragons had-“

“He wasn’t a dragon.” She replied, “But a human.”

“Human?”

“Yes, I adopted him. He had no mother left…After he lost his.”

Adopted human, dragoness mother? The rogue’s mind began to click into place. She’d heard a similar story once before, all the way back in Struport. As Infinity started to describe her time locked away in an evil wizard’s tower, she had to suddenly hush her.

“Well, that was rude, I was opening up to you.” She scowled with a hiss and flick of the tail.

“Your son, the one you adopted. What was his name?”

“Axton.” Her spines and ears drooped, “I think of him most days, at least once.”

This was her? Lyndis almost fell back out of shock, her heart skipping a beat. Of all the things, would fate actually give them a good thought such as this? She smiled, wide as her face.

“And now you smile at me?”

“I’ve seen that kid before.”

The dragoness huffed, eyes sharpening like blades. “Don’t play with me, of course you havn’t.” She growled, “I saw him die.”

“Then it must be quite a coincidence.” She continued, “He has black hair same as your scales, icy blue eyes. Carries a scale of you in his pocket, wears a brown jacket, black leggings, has a sad look about him, like he always needs a hug.”

The dragoness’ eyes went wide, as silence rested between them. She shot up to all fours, knocking Lyndis over in but a breath. Down went her snout, her lips peeling back into a snarl, “You’re lying to me for some reason. I don’t know why. I saw my son perish before my eyes, disintegrated into dust.”

Her heart was pounding, would she actually hurt her? She stammered out her reply, “I kid you not, hes there, safe as can be. His master was that nasty Lich Nigel, does that help?”

“You’re lying.” She slammed down a paw, her voice cracking as her eyes welled with tears. “Stop saying that he’s alive, cause he’s not!”

“He is al-“

The dragoness roared, emerald pools twisting with hurt and anger. “Is this Ossai that put you up to this? Another scheme to manipulate me to action? I should kill you for trying to hurt me this way!”

“Why can’t it be true? Should you not be happy? Axton is alive!” She warding the confused dragoness away with an open palm. Though if she pressed, she was in no shape to deny her.

Infinity’s head hung, tears cascading down her snout and dripping to the ground. She seemed to shrink, shuttering, the fierce dragoness defeated. “It can’t be, it can’t be.” She repeated softly to herself with a heart wrenching sob. “I would have known…It’s just another trick, not again.”

“Infinity, -“

In the blink of an eye, Infinity had her pushed to the ground, pinned under a forceful paw, “Swear to me it’s true!” She shouted, leaving her snout mere inches from Lyndis’ face. “Swear on something that matters.”

The look in her eyes, one battered and bruised by cruel fate’s sword. They were emerald seas of distrust, despair, desperation, and hope, all twisted together. Her breaths were shallow, clearly wanting to believe. Lyndis rested her hands upon her black paws, not fearing the claws that rested precariously upon her chest. She wouldn’t hurt her, she just needed someone to give her hope.

“Then I swear on him and Lyyreth. Everything they meant to you, still mean to you. I know you won’t let them down, either of them. Help me Infinity, help get you what you deserve. I may not know everything about you, but Lyyreth trusted you, and hell, that’s good enough for me.”

She shuttered, clutching tight her eyes, and collapsing gently upon Lyndis’ chest. She wined and whimpered as the queen stroked her cheeks, letting her get out every bit of despair she’d ever experienced.

“It’s ok.” She whispered as the dragoness curled around her, “He’s alive, everything will be ok.”

For minutes Infinity just shook and cried, taking long breaths of disbelief. Then came the silence and gentle purrs as the queen tenderly massaged her scales. She rose when it was done, and the need to see Axton again proved to great. She was almost bouncing on her paws, “What are we waiting for?” She turned to Lyndis after cantering around her.

“But shouldn’t we wait until morning?” She gestured to the parting sun, then to the dusk lined clouds. Infinity merely snorted at her, kneading the grass.

“I’ve waited years for what you’ve just said. I’m not waiting a second longer than I need to. I’ll pluck you with my jaws and fly you there if need be.” Her ears flicked back with a warning growl, “Don’t fight me on this…Please.”

Realizing she wasn’t going to win this little exchange, she approached as Infinity lowered herself and offered a position on her back. Her scales were warm to the touch, the spines moving down as to not skewer her. “Guess we have a flying castle to catch. Dragons to rescue…Others to slay.”

Infinity turned her neck and offered her a gentle, comforting lick. “Fate seems to have smiled on a dragon cursed as I. Perhaps you too will find miracles in the days ahead.”

** * * * * * * * * * * * * **

Revaramek sat in silence around the tree of Nutambar, his chest filled with delight at every breath. Eyes followed the black dragoness and her half-elven maiden across the sky, till they were just a tiny speck that one might miss. He rumbled at his clever ploy, rising to his paws and stretching from snout to tail. Oh what tales he would spin of this, no doubt of what they would of him. His mind dazzled with thoughts, almost to the point of masking the approach of Tomu.

“Trying to sneak upon me? You’ll have to try harder than that.” Rumbled the dragon, stretching his wings ever wide.

The unicorn padded around the dragon without a word, staring off where Infinity and Lyndis had departed. His nostrils flared, a look of longing twisted within his silverly pools. “If you were just going to have them fly off together, why be such a nuisance to the young lady?”

“Have you ever heard of heroic motivation?” The dragon replied without delay, curling around the equine with a grin, “The fire she had as she stomped off, in hatred of me, fueled this spark that will carry them till where they will go! Nothing in this world can match the determination of a maiden spurred on by her anger at dragon kind, trust me.” He laughed, shaking his haunches. “Besides, though I’d have loved to go on another heroic adventure befitting of a beast like me, this is their story. You can’t expect me to do everything whenever anyone demands it!” He sighed, brushing a paw off against his chest, “That’s how one lives to be as old as I am, you know when it’s someone else’s story!”

“Uh-huh.” Tomu replied, his tone dripping with skepticism. “And it had nothing to do with how you’re still recovering from your traumatic healing? That you couldn’t fly with them even if you wanted to?”

The dragon looked away with a harsh snort, not wishing to remember his time back with the siigonis. Already he could feel the slivers of cold reaching for his heart, threatening to ruin the good mood he found himself in. “Of course, it’s not that, definitely the first one. The one where I’m noble, wise, and spurring the younger races to make stories of their own.”

Sensing his friends reluctance, Tomu slid around him tapping the dragon’s forepaw with his head, “I guess that’s what were going with. But do tell me noble dragon, of all the time’s you’ve been struck by a fiery maiden’s boot, did you prefer it between the nostrils or the tail?”

The equine laughter was like claws upon a chalk board as Revaramek rose, grumbling and padding behind his hoofed companion. He went to nip at the ivory backside for good measure, but the clever beast was already a few strides ahead of him. Their eyes met, “Careful Tomu, I’m not like you’re other visitors, I can bite back.”

“Oh, I’m quite aware. Just don’t be surprised if some roots slam up under your tail. I know for a fact they hurt more than a dozen boots” Replied Tomu with a grin.

Rolling his eyes, the dragon paid one final glance to the horizon, not even catching a glimpse of the parting pair. As Tomu began another ghastly tale of embarrassment (this time about a family of leaches that decided to latch onto a poor dragon’s nether as he slept.), Revaramek bowed his head, and offered a silent prayer of protection to Infinity and Lyndis. For they would surely need it for the road ahead, it would be fraught with peril and pain, no doubt leaving a scar or two. “As is normal on the grand tales.” The dragon whispered, before slipping after his friend into the tree, and getting to work at showing a unicorn why he shouldn’t poke fun of a dragon’s pride.