Omnixius
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4-23 Dragons of the past
🕑 Added 2019-12-28 03:06:38 +0000 UTC
The morning light brought with it new challenges as Lilly struggled to control the aura sight. Gersius took over the task of leading the acolytes in prayer and having them practice blessings. He spent extra time with the few who hadn't made the link yet, encouraging them to keep trying. He readdressed Lilly's condition and assured them she was fine and was busy working with Thayle this morning.
Afterward, he sat in a tense meeting with Lengwin and carefully explained Lilly's condition. Lengwin was understandably concerned and admitted that news of Lilly having a problem had reached him. To help Lilly cope, she would walk ahead of the column with Thayle and Gersius on her back. This way, she would appear to be fine while continuing to practice.
We are losing a lot of time with all these problems,” Lengwin said. “You were meant to fly out nearly every night, but you hardly manage three a week.”
“This is how a march always goes,” Gersius pointed out. “You start with a plan and do your best to adhere to it. Somehow, things always get in the way, and it is up to you to find a way around them.”
Lengwin nodded, but he didn't like that many of the towns ahead would not be contacted until they were nearly on top of them. This would give them minimal time to make decisions and prepare to join their cause.
Gersius understood his point of view, but this could not be helped. Like so many things before this, his hand was forced. He realized he would not even be on this march if he could have helped it.
Thankfully that day passed easily with Gersisus often walking in front so she could practice looking at him. Thayle stood on her back and instructed her the whole time, giving her encouragement when Lilly soured.
By nightfall, they had achieved a little progress. Lilly had managed to dismiss the sight for a short while. She became so excited that she brought it right back, but with Thayle’s help released it again for a short while. She was excused from dinner, which often involved her sitting in the meeting tent with Gersius, Thayle, and the various heads of the orders. Thayle assured him the glow of so many auras would make her sick, so Gersius allowed the two to hide in the private room.
He had to be there to ensure stability and put on a strong face. Lengwin informed him that there were whispers that Lilly was blind.
By the morning of the second day, Lilly had achieved a proper aura for a few minutes. Thayle was amazed at her progress, but Lilly struggled to hold it and would lose her temper when she did. Gersius took this time to practice as well. He could dismiss the sight at will now, but he had trouble using it properly. Mingfe stood in for some of these sessions, and in others, provided a woman sworn to secrecy.
When the camp marched on, Lilly was at the head again, grumbling in frustration.
“Lilly, you're doing well,” Thayle insisted.
“I still can't put it away properly,” Lilly lamented. “Every time I do, it is by accident.”
“You’re getting yourself worked up and making it all harder,” Thayle insisted.
“Maybe I won’t be able to do this,” Lilly suggested.
Gersius smiled when he felt how annoyed Thayle became by that statement.
“There are hundreds of women in this camp who can do this just fine. Are you going to tell me that you, as a dragon cannot?”
Lilly hung her head in frustration and let out a long breath. “No.”
“Then let's start again,” Thayle said. “Look at our husband and focus on seeing him, not the light. Once you can see through the light, it will only show the radiance around him.”
“I know, you keep telling me,” Lilly protested.
“Then focus and let’s make progress,” Thayle insisted.
Lilly tried for hours and managed to do it several times. Whenever she did, he could feel her straining as if she was fighting something. Thayle scolded her for having to work so hard. She said the sight was a natural thing and should require no effort to maintain.
By nightfall Lilly was miserable, and they made camp in a weedy field beside the road. Gersius couldn't stand to see her so unhappy, so he suggested they meditate together. Lilly would sit in his lap while Thayle sat in hers. This improved Lilly's spirits tremendously, and an hour later, she was leaning against him while cradling Thayle firmly. She felt relaxed and calm for the first time in two days.
They spoke a little about the road ahead and what they would do if the Father Abbot marched an army out to stop them. Gersius didn't think the Father Abbot could manage an army. The old empire states were already locked in a terrible war. None of them would agree to send men away to fight a second one. Still, the order had influence all through the surrounding lands. They could raise militias and small forces to harass them or block critical points.
“At least one good thing came out of this,” Lilly said silently over the bind.
“What was that?” he asked silently in return.
“I don’t have to practice with that silly sword,” she mused.
Gersius squeezed them both more firmly to him and thought about her training. She was well balanced with a weapon in each hand and could follow steps with only a few demonstrations. She would quickly become an excellent fighter if he could keep training her. It was thinking about her ability to observe the steps and mimic them that gave him an idea.
“Both of you look into my thoughts,” he said silently.
He gave them a second and closed his eyes while visualizing himself. “This is known as marlet, or marlet's dance,” he said in his thoughts as he visualized himself going through the moves correctly.
“This is so amazing,” Thayle said. “You can show us all the techniques just by thinking them.”
“You still have to practice them. Your body needs to learn muscle memory to use them in combat.”
“How do I use this with two swords?” Lilly asked.
Gersius changed the vision, and now he had two weapons. He went through the dance again so they could see it all.
“That’s beautiful,” Lilly said. “It looks so natural.”
“It is natural once you teach your body the moves,” he said. “You will reach a point where you do not have to think about it. You will simply react and complete the movements.”
“That’s how the aura sight should be for both of you,” Thayle said. “Perfectly natural, and as easy as breathing.”
Gersius had a thought, and he reached over the bind to Thayle. “Show us.”
“Show you what?”
“Visualize switching the sight for us so we can see and feel it.”
Thayle shrugged and fell into her mind as she repeatedly visualized going into and out of the sight.
“Wait, it isn’t a physical change?” Lilly said.
“No,” Thayle replied. “Whatever made you think it was physical?”
“Because it is for my dragon sight. I can reshape my pupil, and I feel that movement when I do it. It's why we have to blink to switch.”
Thayle broke her concentration to reach a hand up and touch around her eye. “I never realized it, your right, I feel it when I use it too. Have you been trying to feel something physical this whole time?”
“Of course I have,” Lilly said. “I didn’t know it was just a state of focus.”
“Actually, I have assumed it would be something I could physically do as well.”
“Oh, for Ulustrah's sake, you two are infuriating sometimes.”
“How were we supposed to know?” Lilly asked. “You never said anything.”
“I assumed you understood it was a focus,” Thayle began and then waved a hand in frustration. “You know what, it isn't important. We understand it now, so let's try again.”
“Show us with your mind again,” Gersius said.
Thayle let out a sigh and resumed her focus and went over the change a hundred times.
Gersius smiled as he watched and felt the change, over and over. He finally stopped watching and let his focus shift to himself. With ease, he brought the sight up and sent it away.
“I believe I have it now,” he said.
“You do?” Thayle asked.
“I think I do too,” Lilly said.
“I can’t believe we were confused about the nature of it all this time,” Thayle protested.
“Correcting that, and showing us how made it much easier,” he said.
“I want to test you both,” Thayle said, standing up. She went out of the private room and returned a minute later with a confused acolyte.
“Just stand by the door and keep quiet,” Thayle said.
Lilly looked up at acolyte Riandra and smiled at her. “You are helping us master the aura sight,” Lilly said. “Thank you for helping.”
“Of course high priestess,” The woman said nervously as Lilly and Gersius stood.
Thayle walked up to Gersius and took his hand.
“Now, I will look into your mind and see what you’re seeing. Look at her aura and show me you can access and dismiss it.”
He nodded and looked to the nervous woman. Thayle gasped as the aura came up perfectly and went away.”
“Do it again,” she insisted.
He complied and repeated it several times to make sure she was satisfied.
“It worked,” Thayle said in amazement. She looked up at him and smiled and nodded him off.
“Now, Lilly,” she said, holding her hand out.
Lilly took her hand and stood facing the acolyte.
“Show me,” Thayle said, and Lilly complied. Thayle groaned as Lilly quickly used the sight.
“I can’t believe it was this easy this whole time,” Thayle said in frustration.
“We had no reason to believe it could be done this way,” he pointed out.
“Does that really excuse it?” Thayle asked. “We have been bound together all this time, and none of us has thought to explore what that means. It wasn't until a few days ago that we even questioned what the light in our binding was.”
“Maybe we should have this conversation in private,” Lilly said silently over the bind.
Thayle and Gersius looked up suddenly at the woman standing by the door.
“You can go,” Thayle said. “Thank you for your help.”
The woman bowed and fled the tent in a rush.
“We are so stupid,” Thayle said as she put a hand to her forehead. “We should have focused on exploring this the moment we bound.”
“We have greater obligations that need our attention,” he said.
Thayle shook her head in frustration.
“The divines set us on this course and gave us the bind. They must have intended for the bind to aid us in our task. We should spend some effort to learn how to use that aid.”
Gersius nodded and pulled her into a hug. She was right, and there was no denying the truth of it. However, the divines must also have intended for them to discover the blessing in their own time. If it wasn't so, they would have told them, wouldn't they?
“Can we go to bed now?” Lilly asked. “We don't need to stay up all night practicing.”
“I suppose we don't,” Thayle said. “But, I would like you to show us a few more techniques,” she added as she turned to Gersius.
“We can lay in bed and do that,” he said. “Come, I miss having you two in my arms.”
“Oh no, you don’t get to lay still holding me until I am satisfied,” Lilly protested.
“Lilly!” Thayle said in alarm.
Gersius laughed and released Thayle to turn on Lilly.
“Come to bed, my wife. I will give you the love you need.”
Lilly giggled as he swept her up in his arms and carried her to bed. For the first night in many, he made love to them, and when they were warmly fulfilled, they kissed and loved one another. When the night was late, they settled to his chest and closed their gentle eyes. They were inches apart with arms over one another as they rose and fell with his breathing.
He wasn't sure if they were awake, but he visualized some of the combat techniques he knew until sleep claimed him as well. As he lay there, he was oblivious to the eyes of blue that opened in the night. They looked over to the nearby table, and the sword that lay there as a hunger filled a deep void.
The next morning Lilly sat with the acolytes and prayed. All was back to normal, and Gersius reported the change to Lengwin much to the man's relief. As the camp was broken down, he trained with Lilly and Thayle taking them through the techniques he showed them with the bind. It was clear they had a better understanding of them already, and he decided he would show them something every night.
He walked outside with his wives to either side to inspect the preparations. As they crossed the yard, a roar echoed in the air, and they looked up into the cloudy sky. A great blue shape descended from the clouds, and beside it came another. The second was red as a rose and even larger than the blue.
“Dragons!” Thayle said.
“This can’t be good,” Gersius said.
“We need to form the soldiers into a battle line,” Gersius said in a rush.
“What if the red is the one the Father Abbot has attacking some of the towns?” Thayle asked.
“Tell everybody to spread out. If they clump up, they will be attacked with the breaths!” Lilly yelled as she hurriedly began to discard her clothing. “Get the priests of Astikar to ready those wicked hammers they have. If they attack, smash them down!”
Gersius studied the beasts as they made a straight line for the camp. “Something isn’t right,” He said.
“Yes, we are being attacked by two dragons, nothing about that is right!” Lilly shouted.
“Exactly, two dragons working together? A red and a blue at that?”
Lilly grabbed the bottom of her dress to hurriedly pull it over her head but stopped blinking.
“That is odd. We dragons don't work together on anything. I can't even get Shadros to work with us.” She thought about it a moment more and pulled the garment off even as the white mist began to crawl over her skin. A flash of light pulsed out, and a much deeper voice answered.
“As strange as that is, we need to be prepared,” Lilly said, as her dragon form took to the sky.
Thayle ran across the camp and reached the tents of Ulustrah and ran straight to Mingfe and the priests. Shadros was standing beside her in his human form with a sulking look on his face.
“Are those dragons friends of yours?” Mingfe asked as Thayle arrived.
“We don’t think so. I need you to spread the followers out, behind the lines. They are to use their shields to help protect the priests of Astikar who will carry the bulk of the fighting if it comes to that.” She turned to face the frightened faces of the assembled servants of Ulustrah.
“You may be going into battle with two dragons. I expect you to keep your wits about you. Spread out do not give them a target where they can hit several of you at once with their breaths. Put your shields of protection to use, and let the priests of Astikar do the bulk of the fighting, but do not be afraid to attack if an opportunity presents itself!”
“What about him?” Mingfe asked, gesturing to Shadros.
“He is worthless to us, I can’t count on him to fight for us,” Thayle said.
Mingfe scowled. “You do not realize this yet, but your Lilly's words stung him the other day. He has done much thinking. Give him a chance to prove himself.”
Thayle looked at Mingfe and then at Shadros. She could feel nothing but anger across the bind with him. “No, he stays here,” she said and turned to run back. “Everyone follow me!”
Mingfe watched them go and turned to the tall man with dark skin who even now shook with rage.
“You are a strong and noble creature, but she is right; you have made it clear you hate her. Now is your chance to prove to them you are capable of more than hate.”
“How?” he asked.
“Stand by Lilly’s side and meet these dragons. Show them you want to know more, and you are ready to learn.”
He silently nodded again as he began to remove his clothes.
Thayle arrived at Gersius's side to see Lilly in dragon form moving away from the camp. Behind her, the priests of Astikar formed two well-spaced lines; no man was closer than ten feet to any other man.
“Spread out as they have behind them!” Thayle yelled. “Remember, use your shields, protect them as much as you can!”
The servants of Ulustrah haphazardly spread out, forming rough lines behind the priests of Astikar. The two dragons came racing in bearing down at Lilly.
A second roar echoed across the sky, and a great black form raced over their heads.
“Shadros?” Gersius said questioningly as the black dragon touched down firmly next to Lilly.
“What are you doing here?” Lilly barked.
“Did you plan to fight two larger dragons by yourself?” he barked back.
“I am not by myself; I have an army of priests and priestesses behind me!”
“How will they use their powers to fight when you are a tangled mass of claws and scales? They will be hitting you as much as they hit them, and the two of them will tear your wings from your hide again!”
Lilly's eyes narrowed, and she glared at the black dragon beside her. “Do not make me regret letting you stay, Shadros.”
He glared back at her. “I will fight by your side.”
They turned to face the two larger beasts that raced down. Just ahead of them, they pulled up, turning their great wings into the air and bringing themselves to a halt and dropping the last ten feet to the ground, shaking the earth under their feet.
Lilly struggled to blink through the cloud of dust and finally focused clearly on the blue dragon.
“Numidel?” Lilly said as she recognized the curled black horns on the wide blue face.
“Lady Lilly, it is good to see you again,” he said in a deep, powerful voice.
The red walked up to stand beside him. It had the long slender neck and narrow head of a female. She was several feet taller and twisted her head to the side regarding Lilly and Shadros.
“Are there no red dragons besides myself left in the world?” she asked.
Lilly and Shadros looked tiny in comparison to the larger dragons and had to lift their heads high to look up.
“Does your army plan to attack us?” Numidel asked, noting the lines of men moving up behind Lilly.
“What? Oh! One moment please,” Lilly said, turning her head to address the lines of priests. “Stop, these are friends!” she yelled. “Gersius, it's Numidel!”
She returned to looking at them both. “You are friends?”
“We are your friends. We have come to help you in your pending battles,” Numidel said.
Gersius and Thayle arrived and stood before Lilly, looking up at the two new awesomely powerful dragons.
“Good, now that you all are here, may I introduce you to the lady Sutherisa, the crimson drake,” Numidel said, turning his head to gesture to his companion.
“Crimson drake?” Lilly said, not familiar with the terms.
“It is an old use of words,” Sutherisa replied. “Red dragons who had exceptionally dark scales used to be called crimson instead of red. And drake is simply the old dialect for dragon.”
Lilly looked at the two of them. “I have never heard of that. Just how old are you two?”
The red dragon replied again. “We are many times older than you are, and I am older still than Numidel.”
“So, who is this new face?” Numidel said regarding the black dragon beside Lilly.
Lilly turned to look at him, and only then remembered he was even there. “Oh, this is Shadros, he is… helping us?” Lilly said, not sure if the answer was appropriate.
Shadros took a step back as they spoke of him.
“Is he now?” Numidel asked.
“He doesn’t seem very pleased to be here,” Sutherisa said.
“He is bound to Thayle. He has been difficult to work with, but I think he might finally be beginning to understand.” Lilly said, studying him.
Numidel glared at him a moment more before turning to look down at Gersius and Thayle.
“Greetings husband and consort of Lady Lilly,” he said to them.
Thayle blushed, and Gersius took her hand.
“Thayle is no longer a consort, she is now my wife alongside Lilly,” Gersius replied.
“My apologies, Lady Thayle. I am pleased to know you share in such a love.”
“I am pleased to be a part of it. It is good to see you again, Numidel,” Thayle replied.
Numidel lifted his head high and turned to the red beside him. “This is the one I told you of, the woman who was healing their hearts.”
The red looked down at Thayle with orange glowing eyes that danced with fire. “She is certainly a pretty one. I can sense her power too. She is strong with dragon gifts.”
Thayle blushed, and Gersius squeezed her hand.
“But the one beside her is a fire in the heavens. He draws power from both of them,” Sutherisa said.
“This is the lord Gersius, the great man who seeks to restore what was lost,” Numidel said, bowing his head slightly as he spoke Gersius's name.
“So this is the man who managed to open a dragon's heart and teach her to love,” Sutherisa said, leaning her head in closer.
Gersius was in awe of the size. She more than three times as large as Lilly and Lilly's head was already large enough to bite a man in two. Sutherisa could easily swallow one whole. He dipped his head back to them and spoke.
“I had a great deal of help teaching Lilly of Love. Thayle is the one who deserves true credit.”
“I admire his humility, too,” Sutherisa replied. “Quick to give others praise and taking none for himself.”
“He is a very just man, and his love for Lady Lilly is deeply touching,” Numidel said.
“I am honored to meet you two, and the dragons you have saved. You are all a light of hope to a long lost age,” Sutherisa said.
“Why are you here, Numidel? Balisha told me you were a prisoner.” Lilly asked.
He sat down and got comfortable before he replied.
“I was a prisoner, but Balisha freed me as part of her agreement with Astikar.”
“What agreement with Astikar?” Gersius replied.
“My lord Gersius, there is something you do not know,” Numidel said.
“Astikar told me that he was the one calling us, not Balisha. But you are the one who sent us to that nexus,” Gersius replied.
“And Balsiha told me there was only one dragon left in the whole world who worshiped her. She said it wasn’t you. So, is it you?” Lilly asked the red.
“I am afraid I do not worship Balisha,” Sutherisa answered.
“I wonder who it is then?” Lilly said.
“You had an arrangement with Astikar?” Gersius asked again.
“Not I per say,” Numidel said. “The divines do no more talking to us than they do to you. However, we know from ages past before they went silent what they intended. For sacrifices made, Balisha would use her power to free those of us who were kept to heal a distant age.”
“What does that mean?” Gersius asked.
Numidel turned to the red and gestured with his head. “Perhaps you are the one to show them.”
The red let out a deep laugh. “I have waited a long time for this moment.” She stalked to the side so she could more clearly see and be seen by the assembled priests and priestesses.
Lifting her head high, she began to make a long powerful tone then broke into a deep chant that moved the soul of everyone who heard it. The priests of Astikar fell to one knee, bowing their heads as a red light enveloped the dragon.
“I can’t believe it,” Gersius whispered.
“What is it?” Thayle asked.
“It is an impossibility,” Gersius said. “I cannot be seeing this.”
“Your eyes do not deceive you,” Numidel said.
“Gersius, what is wrong?” Thayle demanded.
“She is a priestess of Astikar!”
“What!” Thayle said, shocked.
Gersius shook his head. “She is communing so powerfully I wonder if I ever even knew how to do it.”
“We are both of Astikar,” Numidel said as they continued to watch Sutherisa glow with a brilliant red light.
Her chanting took up a higher tone, and a great power seemed to pulse out of her. The priests of Astikar began to echo her voice chanting with her as she led a ceremony of worship.
“Gersius, what are they doing?” Lilly asked.
“They are sharing in her connection to the divine. It is a powerful worship service of praise and humility. It is awesome to behold.”
“Can I do something like this with my followers?” Lilly asked.
“You can, but it takes some practice to act as a focus for divine power for others,” Gersius replied.
“My order does these for major festivals, but I have never seen one so powerful before,” Thayle said, gazing at the display in awe.
“It is because she is a dragon, and has a spark of the divine. She can use that to open a stronger connection,” Numidel said.
“How is she a priestess of Astikar?” Gersius asked.
“There is much you do not know about the past Gersius, but you should ask her. She was there to see it,” Numidel said.
“She is that old?” Lilly asked, surprised.
“She and I were there when the curse struck our kind. Be careful what you say to her, though. She suffered particularly hard from it.”
“What do you mean?” Thayle asked him.
“She had a mate, a great red dragon who shared her love for Astikar. She was strong enough to resist the curse because she was channeling Astikar's divine power. When it swept over her, she was shielded for a short time. Her mate, however, was not. When he turned on them, she was forced to battle her lover and ultimately slay him.”
“Oh, merciful Ulustrah,” Thayle said, turning to look at Gersius. “I could never do such a thing.”
He looked at her with troubled eyes. “You would if you had to do it. I know how strong you are, Thayle. You would do what you had to do.”
“No, Gersius, I couldn't do it,” she insisted, shaking her head.
“I can't even bear such a thought,” Lilly said.
“Then you understand how much she has suffered. Time has healed some of the pain, but she has hidden away for many long years.”
“How did you survive it, Numidel?” Gersius asked.
“I was lucky,” he said. “When the curse fell, I was overcome by it, but I was in the arms of my lover looking into her eyes. I felt a deep desire to kill her, but at that very moment, she smiled at me and said she loved me. In that instant, the curse broke but only for a time. I realized just how close I had come to doing something that would haunt me the rest of my years.”
“I would never forgive myself,” Gersius said.
“I was grateful that her love was strong enough to shield me, but the curse would not stop calling. I had to flee her side and flew off to that dragon temple to beg for help. Astikar and Balisha worked together to shield the temple from the temptations of the curse. So long as I remained inside, I would not hear its call in my heart. Sutherisa arrived days latter seeking the same protection. She was there sleeping in a deep chamber when you three visited.
“You had to leave your lover behind to save her?” Thayle asked.
“I did it because I loved her. She bought me some time of clarity, but I knew I would succumb eventually.”
They all went silent a moment until Gersius spoke. “A terrible tragedy for all of your kind.”
“Yes, especially the ones who did kill their lovers. I was not the only dragon who was where they could reach the ones they loved.”
“Stop, I do not wish to even think of this,” Lilly said, closing her eyes. “I would kill myself out of grief if I realized I had done such a thing.”
“Perhaps it is fortunate then that most dragons don’t even realize what they have done. The few that are left from that age anyways.” Numidel replied.
“How are you both free now?” Gersius asked.
Numidel lowered his head and looked him in the eyes.
“The faith of Balisha is spreading. Already a dozen call her goddess and are channeling power to her. She is using what you send her to shield us from the curse so that we might aid you. Without the power, you and your young ones are sending her; we would still be trapped in our lairs.”
Sutherisa stopped her chant and bowed her head to the assembled priests before returning to join the conversation.
“Has that answered your questions?” she asked them.
“More than answered it, but I don’t understand how you can be a servant of Astikar,” Gersius questioned.
“Much has been lost that once was. Many long years ago, there were priests and priestesses of Astikar. I do not know why the faith abandoned women; it happened after I went into hiding. The order now keeps many secrets. I suspect those secrets have had a terrible effect on you. I can feel you are no longer Astikars chosen.”
Gersius lowered his head. “No. I am not. I follow Balisha with Lilly.”
“Do not be crestfallen, Lord Gersius. I am delighted to know Balisha has faithful again. The world cannot heal unless she is restored to it.”
Numidel nodded and spoke next.
“Let us get back to the question you asked. We are servants of Astikar. He wanted you to rescue Balisha, so he instructed me to send you to a nexus so that your Lilly could reach her.”
“You do speak with him then?” Thayle asked.
“These instructions are many thousands of years old,” Numidel said. “Before the new laws that bind the divine were passed.”
“So, this was Astikar's plan?” Gersius asked.
Numidel lowered his head to look Gersius in the eyes. “This plan is not just Astikars. Ulustrah has also been working hard to see this done. She sent her champion to nourish the love between you two. It warms my heart to see she ultimately joined it.”
“Vellis and some of the others are playing their part as well,” Sutherisa said. “The divines have been tasked with putting what was broken right again.”
“Did he plan on me confronting him?” Gersius said.
“You confronted Astikar?” Sutherisa asked with a raised head.
Gersius nodded. “When we arrived at the nexus, I went before Astikar and demanded to know why he was allowing this to happen.”
“I see,” Sutherisa said. “I could not say if he planned for such an encounter, but he must have known it was possible.”
Numidel shook his head in agreement. “Astikar hasn't spoken to me in thousands of years. I do not know what his exact plan for you was. My heart tells me that he knew you would be tested beyond your limits. Thus he must have had a plan for you in the event that you broke.”
“That plan was clearly Ulustrah’s champion,” Sutherisa said. “You said she was the one keeping their hearts strong.”
Numidel nodded and looked back to Gersius. “What did Astikar tell you when you went before him?”
“He told me I was stolen from him by a dragon,” Gersius replied, glancing up at Lilly.
Sutherisa noticed the gesture and commented. “We do not know what his true plans for you were, but we do know you are the one chosen to bring order to his house. Despite who you choose to worship now, your task is set.”
“But Ulustrah told Thayle I was not his champion,” Gersius said.
Sutherisa nodded her slender head. “No, because I am his champion.”
“You are the champion?” Thayle said in shock.
“I am the most powerful servant of Lord Astikar in existence. I was chosen at this time to help restore his order by aiding the one sent to free Balisha.”
“Then, what am I?” Gersius asked.
Sutherisa lowered her head and looked him in the eyes. “You are the one chosen to gather the champions and lead them into battle. None of this could happen without Balisha's faith being reborn. I am told the dragon knight before you failed to start her faith and was killed before he completed her temple. Had he not wasted such time and begun, Numidel and I would have been set free to aid him.”
“So, my task here is done?” Gersius asked.
“Hardly,” Sutherisa said. “You have to finish what you started. Who you call your divine may have changed, but your destiny is still before you.”
Gersius nodded. “I will see the order of Astikar restored. The city of Calathen defended, and the dragon empire reborn.”
A great cry of cheers went out from the assembled priests behind him. He turned to see they had gathered in tightly and were now listening to the conversation.
“You are well on your way,” Numidel said as the cheers died down.
Gersius dismissed the gathered crowd and invited the two new dragons into the camp. Lilly explained her tent so they could change in privacy, and they agreed to take human form.
Shadros remained silent during the entire exchange and was grateful to be away from the two new dragons. He curled up on the grass outside the tents of Ulustrah and saw Mingfe approaching.
“You did well. I think Lilly noticed the change in you.”
He felt annoyed at the woman's presence. “There is no change in me. I am still a dragon.”
Mingfe stamped a foot. “Pah, you are a man is what you are, stubborn and arrogant. You know you see something in all this. You wanted to stay because you find some value in being here.”
He turned his head to look away from her.
“Hiding from me will not help you. I can order you to listen to me.”
“Do you intend to torment me for the rest of your life?” he said, turning to look at her again.
“I do not torment you. I am trying to befriend you,” she said.
“Befriend me, why?” he asked, lifting his head high and looking down at her.
“Because you need a friend.”
“I am a dragon; I need nobody. I can sleep for longer than you rodents live.”
“Yes, sleep for a hundred years and make your life even more meaningless,” she replied.
Shadros glared at her and lowered his head to meet hers.
“My life is not meaningless! We define meaning different than your kind does.”
“You can't lie to me; I can see the truth of your words. You have no idea what your life means or what you want to do with it. You only know your hoard and your lust to have it.”
“Yes, my hoard that is currently unprotected! One of you rodents could be stealing it even as we speak!”
“Your hoard is up in a cave on a mountainside that can only be reached by flying. Only another dragon could steal it,” she argued.
“And what if that happens?” he asked as his eyes narrow.
“How many dragons besides the ones here have you seen in your lifetime?” she demanded to know.
“I have seen some!” he defiantly said back.
“Pah! Lies! I can see it in your aura. You have not seen a single dragon have you?”
He went silent and lowered his head, looking away from her.
“Do you not feel empty from being alone for so long?” she asked. “You must be lonely.”
“I have never felt lonely. I am not even sure what being lonely is. I don't feel much of anything but a deep desire to be back with my gold.”
She saw the truth of his words and stepped closer to him. “This is what Lilly means when she says you are cursed. There are many more emotions you should be feeling. So much more to the world, you can't understand because you can't feel it.”
“How am I supposed to understand what I can’t feel?” he bellowed at her.
“They tell me Lilly learned to feel it across the binding link, but you are not getting the same benefit. I wonder if you need to be bound by the right person.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean perhaps Grand Priestess Thayle is not feeding you emotions because she does not spend enough time with you. You are assigned to me; you should be bound to me instead.”
“I have already been ordered to obey you, what will the binding resolve?”
“Yes, obey me, but you and I have no connection. I will ask her to tell me your true name and give me your bind.”
“She swore an oath not to reveal my true name!” he growled.
“Then she must keep her oath. You will tell me your name.”
“What? Why would I do that?”
“So we can see if maybe you need to be bound to somebody who cares for you,” Mingfe said.
“Cares for me?” he stammered, pulling his head away from her. “I do not need your rodent, bah, what was that word she used, infections?”
“Affection, and yes, you do!”
“No, I will not humiliate myself by allowing you rodents to bind me again and again.”
Mingfe stepped even closer, now only a single pace stood between them, and he had to twist his head to look at her.
“You do not desire to have a friend and a companion at all? To try and learn of these emotions that Lilly and the others have embraced?”
“I told you, I can't feel any of them. How can I desire something I know nothing about?”
She reached out slowly and put her hand to him. He tensed and shifted a little, but he did not move out from her touch.
“You are a great and mighty dragon. I come from a culture that admires strength and power. To me, you are a beautiful thing.”
“Why do you speak to me like this?” he said, his voice going soft.
“Why are you so blind?” she replied.
“I can see perfectly well!” he snarled as Mingfe began to stroke his arm.
“Tell me what your true name is, and I will ask Thayle to pass me your bind,” Mingfe said.
“I will never tell you!”
“I think you should tell her,” Thayle said as she walked up.
They both turned to look at her in her green robe with golden vines. She sauntered towards them with her hood back, and her eyes transfixed on his.
“I can feel you from across the compound,” she said as she arrived within a few paces of him. “The first true feelings of emotion, besides anger and hate.”
Mingfe smiled as Thayle looked directly at her, noting he light that traveled from Mingfe to Shadros.
“If you tell her your true name, I will pass the bind to her,” Thayle said, turning back to look at him.
“Why would I want this?” he questioned.
“I don’t know, why do you want it?” Thayle replied.
He lifted his head up and away from them both. “I do not!”
Thayle smiled. “I have played this game once before, let me save you the trouble and tell you plainly. You just lied. I can see your aura, and I can see the truth of your words. You want her to be the one who holds your bind.”
“I do not! I want to be rid of the bind all together!”
Thayle and Mingfe both smiled now.
“What is so funny?” he roared.
“You just lied about that too,” Thayle said. “So you want to remain bound, and in particular, you want to be bound to Mingfe.” Thayle laughed and began to pace around him, causing him to follow her movements with a narrow-eyed glare.
“Here, I thought you were unreachable. All it took was the touch of a woman to break that wall around your heart,” she said, turning to smile at Mingfe again.
“I am used to dealing with arrogant men. He is no different than the warriors of my people. He believes his strength is all he needs,” she said.
“You are not dealing with me!” he bellowed. “I am not some challenge to be overcome!”
Thayle laughed and shook her head. “No, you have already been overcome. You just refuse to admit it.”
He stood up and pulled away from Mingfe's touch. “You two are playing some game. You are trying to trap me somehow!”
Thayle turned to smile at him directly. “Silly dragon, you are already trapped. You already desire to be kept by her, why not just admit it?”
“I do not desire to be kept by her or you or any rodent!” he growled.
Mingfe and Thayle exchanged glances both smiling and turned back to him and said in unison. “You just lied.”
He growled and slammed a powerful fist into the ground. “Do not torment me with your games!”
Thayle became aware of just how loud he was becoming. If he hadn't drawn attention from the camp already, he soon would. She held up her arms and shushed him bringing him back under control.
“Shadros, there is no shame in admitting how you feel. It is the first step in regaining your emotions. You have to admit to yourself what you feel and what you want. Ignore what your instinct tells you and look to what you feel deep inside. That gnawing pressure that you don’t understand and are afraid to understand.”
He glared at her, not moving or saying a word.
“Come,” Thayle said, walking past him and away from the camp. “There are too many eyes here. Come with me both of you, and we will talk more privately.”
She walked with them for several minutes to put distance between her and the camp and to give him time to cool down. She felt the earth shake as he stalked along behind them and knew he was intentionally striking the ground hard. When she was as safe distance away, she turned to look up at him again.
“Do you want Mingfe to be the one who has you bound?” Thayle asked bluntly.
“No! I told you I do not wish to be bound at all!”
“Then tell her your true name, and I will pass the bind to her,” Thayle said, ignoring his lie.
“I just told you I did not want to be bound at all!” he roared.
“You just lied to me is what you did. I already know you want her to be the one who has your bind. Now stop making this hard and tell her your true name.”
“Please, mighty Shadros, share your name with me,” Mingfe said, sauntering to him and reaching a hand up as if to touch his face.
Thayle smiled at the woman’s use of words. Stroking his ego by reminding him he was powerful and asking for permission to know his name. She was a blunt warrior but was a skilled assassin of the ego.
“Why do you want to know my name?” he asked in his deep dual voice.
“So that I can share the bind with you and feel your power across it,” Mingfe replied.
“You want to share it with me?” he said, his voice going soft.
Thayle knew it was only a matter of time now. He was cracking, and Mingfe's roots were growing into the cracks like an ivy vine.
“How will you feel my power?” he asked.
Thayle answered the question for him. “It is a magic of the bind. I have been able to feel you across it since we met. It is why your anger makes us all so sick, but you should be feeling us as well. Since you don't, I have to assume that just being bound is not enough. You need us to feel a strong emotion for you. We can't do that for you, but she can.” Thayle said, pointing to Mingfe.
He took a deep breath as he locked his eyes on Mingfe.
“Let her have your bind. I will not force you to give it to her or tell her your true name. This choice is yours to make. If you want her to be the keeper of your heart, you must give her the key.”
He lowered his head to Mingfe's lifted arm. He winced as her hand came to the side of his face, and she began to stroke him.
“I have great respect for the power you hold. I would be honored to be the one to have your bind,” Mingfe said as she stroked his jaw.
“At least that would be better than being bound to a rodent who has no respect for me.”
Thayle chuckled as he started to try and justify what they all knew he was going to do.
“Then tell her, and I will pass the bind to her,” Thayle said, stepping back to give them both room.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “My name is Asaxerxies.”
“A strong name, it has the sound of great power to it,” Mingfe said.
“It is a strong name because I am strong!” he growled.
“Pah! You are arrogant and crude like all men, but I like arrogant men,” she said, stroking his head as she turned to Thayle.
Thayle nodded and looked up into his great face. “If I release you from the bind, do you promise to stay and let her bind you?”
He shook a moment, and his aura was suddenly in flux. It flashed violently as the decision weighed over his head.
“I will make a bargain with you, Shadros. If you promise not to harm any of us, I will release you here and now. Then I will walk away. If you want to be bound to her, you will stay and let her bind you. If not, you can fly away home, but you will never have a chance to learn of emotions again. You will never be able to know the secrets Lilly and the others know.”
He stood there silently and turned his head to look at Mingfe. “Do you promise to limit the bind to a year and a day?”
Mingfe nodded. “I will honor all the terms you made with her. I will limit your bind, and I too now swear to you on my Goddess never to reveal your true name.”
“So, you agree, then?” Thayle asked.
“I agree, I promise not to harm either of you or those in the camp if you release me.”
Thayle smiled as his aura pulsed white with the truth. “Lower your head so I can release you.”
He slowly brought his head down and winced when her hands came to him. She began the chant of release and called out his name with power tearing the chains of binding away from him and setting him free. When it was done, she took her hands away and nodded at him.
“Now make your choice,” she said and walked away.
She smiled when not fifty paces away she heard Mingfe’s voice open up in the chant of binding and knew the angry dragon was finally snared.
Comments
Thank you. Sorry my replies are so slow. I can't seem to find time to do much of anything these days.
Sam4005
i love the teasing xD
Sam4005
this is really good
