The Dracones

After the dragon is out of sight my priorities change. I turn back inside the cave and run to Travon’s side. I set my bow next to his curled side. His knuckles are white as he clutches his stomach. “Trayvon?” I ask quickly as I roll him to his back. I gasp when I see a large amount of blood pouring out of his stomach. A red-handled knife sticks out of his stomach.

“Trayvon!” I yell, panic pouring out of me. I help apply pressure, cursing the fact that Miny is hiding in the corner and is terrified right now. “Alienis I need you now!” I yell in my head.

Trayvon opens his eyes at the sound of my voice. His dark eyes focus on my face while tense lines decorate his forehead. Why isn’t he healing? “Kit.” He gasps.

I put my hand on his face to hold him down when he tries to get up. “You’re going to be okay. Just stay still.”

He reaches for my face. “I-I can’t see your face. I need to apologize.”

“Later,” I say as I lock my eyes with him. They’re growing weaker. I grab his hand as he reaches for my mask. “You can see my face when you’re okay. I’d hate for you to miss my reaction when you utter that horrific phrase.”

He chuckles. “I’m not going to make it.”

I put my hand on his face and make damn sure he’s looking at me. “You’re going to be okay Trayvon. I’m sure as night not going to let you die. You’re not getting off that easy.”

“I can’t...heal. I need sleep for that. There is too much pain.” He grimaces. “If I sleep I’ll die. My blood is pouring too fast. There is nothing I can do.”

“Since when do you quit?” I demand, getting angry now. “You do as I say right now Trayvon. Heal yourself. Sing for all I care. Just don’t give up.”

Trayvon chuckles. “Sing?” His eyes fade out just then as they close.

My breath locks in my throat. I shake him, but nothing happening. “Trayvon!” I screech as I shake him, rare tears starting to form. “Don’t you dare do this to me!” I shout at him, anger in my body. I slam my fist on his chest, hoping that’ll wake him. “Don’t move on Tray!” I yell, sure as night aware that he’s in that world right now. “Fight. Come back!” I yell at him, hitting him one more time.

The ground shakes as Alienis lands. “Fight you stubborn jerk!” I yell. “Claim your life!”

“Kit...” Alienis starts in my head. “He’s gone.”

“Not yet he isn’t,” I snap at Alienis. “I swear by Dawn I’ll go to that world again and retrieve him myself; the gods will not be glad to see me.”

“You are stubborn,” Alienis chuckles.

Right, there is when Trayvon gasps, bringing my attention to him. Pain is holding my lungs captive as I try to find a pulse. I find one, but it’s faint. “You’re not leaving yet,” I tell him as I get my arms under him. I grunt under his weight, my body demanding for me to drop him. I shove it from my mind. Alienis lowers his wing and gives me a boost. I set him on Alienis’s back. I run into the cave and grab my things.

I grab Miny’s reins and lead her out of the cave. “Stay,” I order her. I climb on Alienis’s back and secure Trayvon. “Go!” I order when I’m on as best as I can manage. Alienis climbs and picks up Miny on the way up. He shoots off into the sky with so much speed, I have to cling onto Trayvon and grab a firm hold of a scale.

An hour later we reach Morningswood, thanks to Alienis flying full speed the whole way. It is morning when we reach Morningswood. “Freiah!” I yell as the townspeople surround me. Gracial has finally made it, but her wounds are severe. Miny is so scared stiff that she’s standing perfectly still between them. People have already run after her while two men climb on Alienis to help me.

Freiah arrives in a long white shirt, her hair pulled back. She takes Trayvon in the mens arms, my hand still on the knife to apply pressure. “What happened?”

“Adversantem attack.” I tell her as we start moving into the building.

“Kit?” Freiah asks as she moves, giving me a surprise sideways glance. “Is that you?”

“Surprised huh?” I chuckle. We move into the room Trayvon had stored me in when I had first arrived here.

“Set him on the bed.” She orders. “Kit, I’ll need your help.”

I nod. “What do you need?”

“Just do whatever I say.”

Two hours later I come out of the room with Freiah, my black-gloved hands covered in blood; and probably the rest of me as well. She looks me over. “What’s with the getup?”

I laugh as I touch my face mask. I forgot I had it on. “It’s what I wear on my stealth missions. Frankly, it’s the only thing that gave me a chance of getting ahead of the Adversantem. They’re like bloodhounds or something. They never sleep.”

She cocks her head. “Where have you been? Trayvon said you ran off while you were camping.”

I give a daringly dark chuckle. “I’ll kill him for that,” I tell her what happened. How he ditched me in Niphi City and what has happened up to this point. She just sits and listens, her face a canvas of emotions as she does. As I was talking, I realized how much anger had fueled my emotions and motives. I came back here not because I wanted answers, or because I missed the place. It was because I was genuinely angry with Trayvon, and I really wanted to know what he was thinking when he made those decisions; and get in a good punch. “And you know the rest.” I finish off.

Freiah shakes her head. “If one of us does not kill that man, he’ll end up doing it out of stupidity.”

“I know right?” I sigh as I slouch against the wall. “I just wish I knew what the ass was thinking sometimes. He’s distant and very rarely shows any emotion. I swear he could be a serial killer.”

Freiah smirks, “I can help you with that.”NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

I look at her, immediately giving her my attention. “That would be nice. I’m getting nothing from him.”

She looks me over. “I’ll talk while we get you changed.”

“Fair enough.”

We start walking and Freiah begins talking. “Everything started years ago before Trayvon was officially old enough to be chosen to be a Dracones. His situation was very unusual. Trayvon was prechosen, as I had already told you this; but along with the Gods, a Dracones had to find him worthy as well. Armani had officially chosen him when he was just three years old. He sensed power in Trayvon. A spirit that does not wane and a passion that does not die. He raised and trained Trayvon by himself. Everything he breathed was of the Dracones. Nothing was left alone.

“When Armani finally passed, Trayvon was predictably chosen to take his place. The only problem with Armani’s training is that it left him inexperienced with people. Trayvon met a man named Mikal when wounded in the forest after a brutal Adversantam attack. He took him back here to be treated and that started them on their way to becoming fast friends. They did everything together. Mikal would attend Trayvon’s training. Go on his patrols. Help with chores. He didn’t seem to mind Trayvon’s hectic schedule in the slightest. Mikal was getting closer to Trayvon, gaining his trust and confidence. That way he would get Gracial to trust him too.

“A little over a year later, after he gained Gracial’s confidence and trust, Mikal had tricked her one day. He claimed that Trayvon was injured when in reality Mikal had knocked him out with sleeping powder. He took her far and killed her. He was in the process of capturing her soul when Trayvon had woken. He was seeing what was going on through her eyes when he had finally gained consciousness.

“In his desperation, he did something terrible. He called on the Dracones Gods and made a deal. His soul for hers. He’ll become their warrior for all eternity if they would prevent her soul from being stolen. Because of the power radiating inside Trayvon, they made the deal. Only the other part is that another soul must be claimed to serve them as well, completing the original set. Because you are now a Dracones, he must make you swear your soul to them.”

I raise my eyebrow at Freiah and open my mouth to speak, but she quickly cuts me off. “Trayvon didn’t want to do this to you, Kit. He was only trying to spare you by distancing you from him. That was his only intent. He knew you could handle the Adversantem just fine. He never doubted you, Kit. Trayvon believes in you more than you know. He puts his faith in you and his life. That is rare for him to do, ever since Mikal.”

I think this over. This does make sense out of what Mikal was talking to Trayvon about. I’m still just confused as to why he wouldn’t talk to me about this. I decide to move on for now and just ask a different line of questioning. “Freiah, what is the Elder Dragon?”

She widens her eyes as I get into the shower butt naked. “Where did you hear that?”

Now I’m worried. “When Mikal was talking to Trayvon in the cave, he said my soul would heal him and his mind, and Trayvon’s blood would strengthen him.”

She nods and pulls the string, making me yelp as water comes pouring down. “The dragon’s name is Modain. He’s evil. He is the very being that makes up the Adversantem; and what makes them able to access powers only the Dracones should possess. He allows them to connect with a dragon’s soul and feed off their power. That is why they capture their souls. Modain feeds off most of them. That is why he’s so strong. He’s gorged himself on hundreds of their souls.

“His creation and involvement is terrifying in the least. Right now, he is weak and crippled, he’s slightly mad as well. How he came to be this way is a story from old times. The two Dracones at the time were immortal and they fought a battle with him for a year, both never sleeping, their insanity increasing every day. When near failure the two Dracones offered themselves to a dark spirit that now resides in Modain. Their immortality in turn for Modain’s destruction.

“Because of the deal the spirit destroyed and nearly killed Modain. In his weak state, Modain made a bargain with the Dracones Gods. Spare his life, and he’ll release the two Dracones’ souls from the beast. They made the deal and Modain used the rest of his power to kill the spirit, feeding off the spirit’s essence, and letting its power destroy him. The Dracones’ souls were released, but it destroyed the immortal set the Dracones Gods had created to protect the dragons. Thanks to this it created the mortal cycle of Dracones that you have now become a part of. However, there is a small bit of the dark spirit living inside Modain; since he has the original Dracones immortality.”

I think this through. “That doesn’t make much sense,” I tell her as I dry off.

She sighs. “Well, it’s the truth.”

I still have something being kept from me; I can feel it. “Well, if that’s the truth, I should swear my soul to the Dracones Gods. That should make Trayvon and I immortal. We could kill Modain and set things back in order.”

She shakes her head. “If you do that Modain will die, but another dark one will be created in his place, restoring balance.”

Why can’t things be simple? “Then why does he need my soul?” I’m losing ground fast here. I cannot keep up.

“The soul of a Dracones will release him. That will break the curse, and free him from the dark spirit. Since Trayvon’s powers are strong, it’ll restore Modain to full strength. But in order for him to take your soul it needs to be trapped first Kit. That is why they’ll never kill you until they have taken you to Modain.”

I groan. “Nothing is ever simple in this place. It’s all blood and gore here.” She laughs while I start thinking over what she has told me. “What would happen if he were to take my soul Freiah? Why is it necessary?”

She sighs. “It is necessary because a Dracones soul holds incredible amounts of power. If he harvests it correctly, while Mikal performs the releasing ceremony, then his injuries will be healed, and he’ll return to full strength. However, in order for this to happen, the Dracone’s soul needs to hold no obligations or loyalties. It must belong to the Dracones, no one else. If they find a soul like that they can attach it to Modain, creating the sealing part of the ritual.

“Before you ask, the reason why this has never happened before is due to the fact that there has never been a mortal Dracones that has sworn himself to the Dracones Gods. When he did this he became stronger, strengthening his blood. With Trayvon’s added power, he can restore Modain’s strength. The best part out of all this is that if he captures Trayvon’s soul as well, he can wipe out the Dracones forever.”

My reply is cut off by the sound of people screaming. I pull on some clean shorts and a belly shirt since I could not find anything bigger at the moment. Quick as a dash I run out the door, bow in hand. People run past me in hushed rushes. Some stop to tell me what is going on while some try to hold me back. I keep running and clear the door, closing the door to the building while I’m at it.

When the door shuts I look and see what lies before me. There are at least twenty Adversantem before me, and four dragons. Make that five. In the back is that white dragon that carried Mikal off, riding the white dragon is Mikal. Oh, come on.

Mikal chuckles. “It’s nice to see your pretty face with my own eyes Katarina. For once.”

“It’s hard to see your ugly mug back there Mikal. Come up here and I’ll fix it for you.” I answer while I try to think this through. “Alienis, where are you?”

“Gracial and I are taking care of some dragons. We can’t help you right now.”

I curse while Mikal chuckles. “Found out about our distractions now didn’t you? Now, why don’t you come quietly since Trayvon is already dead? There is no point in you fighting. We’ll just find the next Dracones and kill him as well.”

A small feral grin flashes through my face as I realize something. The white dragon shakes his head and speaks in a loud bass, making my head rumble. “The girl named Katarina spared his life. She saved him while between worlds. Her soul is white and blinding. Her blood is the essence of power.”

I shake my head to rid of the voice. It sounds sick and twisted and makes my skin crawl. “Modain, you need to leave,” I warn in a firm voice, though I know for a fact he’s not going anywhere.

“Ah, so you’ve heard the story.”

“Somewhat.” Come on Kit think.

“Are you coming quietly or not Kit?” Mikal demands. “Or do we have to do this the hard way and hurt you?”

I give him an even look as I ready my bow. “How’s your leg Mikal?” His eyes widen as I aim and fire. The arrow shoots between two dragon heads and lodges in Mikal’s throat. Every single dragon starts roaring and makes the Adversantem start their war cries.

And we’re off. I start running. I run past the entrance and race to the back, behind the building. They are at my heels and I’m firing behind me without even looking. It’s coming before me, and I just know this is going to hurt. I reach the edge of the dragons’ home and leap into the pit.

“Now!” I yell in my head. Dragons fly from their homes, creating a sea of colors in front of me. I grab hold of the nearest tail and flip myself onto the dragon’s back below. Screaming ensues from the Adversantem and a retreat order is given; they’re retreating out of concern for Mikal, instead of being worried about my dragons. I didn’t see it coming through all the chaos. A hard white wall of claws is the first thing I can make out, as they make an attempt to catch me. I roll off whichever dragon I was riding, but I wasn’t fast enough. Pain surrounds me as I fall, a world of blackness swallowing me whole.