by Eric Vall
Her pale eyes stared at me for a moment, and she smiled softly.
“Perhaps he is.”
My magic reached out to the wraith, and I could feel the demonic presence deep inside her soul. I could also feel Miraya amplify my abilities with her own magic and together, we cleansed the spirit before me.
The woman gave a short gasp as the demonic essence inside her vanished. Then a look of horror crossed her face, and she looked between Ilya and myself.
“Thank you,” she muttered quietly, “I am finally free.”
Her body began to turn gray and crack, and she smiled softly as she slowly disintegrated into a pile of ash and was blown away by the night air.
The icy cold air around us vanished, and we were left alone in the forest as a peaceful silence settled around us.
I turned to Ilya, and he stared back at me with a look of fear and awe.
“Are you okay?” I asked him, and my healing magic flowed around him and healed his minor cuts and bruises.
Ilya nodded. “I’m fine. That lady was really nice before. I thought she wanted to be my friend. I didn’t know she was scary. I’m sorry I went with her.”
“It’s okay. I got rid of her, and that’s all that matters.” I shrugged. “Let’s get back to Hatra. I think there are some people who are very anxious for you to return home.”
We started back to the city, and Ilya walked quietly next to me, with his head hung low.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked him. “You seem quiet.”
“I’m fine,” Ilya whispered with a slow nod.
“Do you want to talk about what happened?” I nudged him with my shoulder.
Ilya shook his head, and I could sense his discomfort and sadness.
I hated to see the boy upset, even if he had us all worried, so I decided to wait until tomorrow before I questioned him about his actions. For now, we both needed to get home and get some rest. We’d had a long day, but he was safe now, so there was no reason the conversation couldn’t wait.
Suddenly, an idea popped into my head, and I knew how I could get the Asuran boy to smile again.
“Hey Ilya,” I said after some time had passed, and he looked up at me. “Have you ever ridden on a dragon before?”
His eyes widened, and he shook his head vigorously.
I grinned. “Well, you’re in for a treat tonight.”
I shifted into my dragon body and then stooped low to the ground so the boy could climb up my tail and settle along my spine. Then we flew over the forest and back toward Hatra, and Ilya perched on my back with his arms clenched tightly over my scales.
“I can see Hatra!” the boy called as he looked down over the city.
“I’m going to land, so hold on tight,” I roared back to him.
I could feel his small hands tighten along the scales of my spine, and I dove down toward the ground. Ilya giggled as the wind rushed past him, and I couldn’t help the chuckle that resounded deep in my chest.
Flying really was fucking awesome.
We landed outside the gates of Hatra, and I spread out my wings so Ilya could slide down to the ground before I shifted back into my human form.
“That was so cool!” Ilya gasped, and his voice trembled with excitement as he looked up at me with big eyes. “Can we do it again!?”
“Sure, Ilya,” I chuckled at his enthusiasm. “We can bring your sister next time, too.”
“Ilyushina will be so afraid to fly, she’s scared of everything!” He rolled his eyes and grinned. “But she will think it’s fun, too.”
Ilya and I entered through the gates of the city and walked back to his house. When we arrived, the first thing I noticed was the candles inside were still lit even at such a late hour. I knocked on the door, and I heard footsteps before Natayla appeared at the threshold.
“Lord Evan,” she curtsied to me, “I thought the search wouldn’t continue until the morning?”
“I don’t think we’ll need to continue the search after all,” I said with a smirk.
“What do you mean?” she asked with a worried frown, but then she opened the door wider and caught sight of Ilya. “Ilya!”
“Hello, Miss Natayla.” The boy ducked his head sheepishly and tried to hide behind my legs.
The blacksmith immediately dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around the boy. “Where have you been! Do not ever do that to me again, do you understand?”
Ilya clung to Natalya and mumbled apologies into her dress as he cried.
“Oh shhh, it’s alright.” She picked the small boy up, and his arms wrapped around her neck as the Asuran woman turned to me. “Where did you find him?”
“He was in the forest,” I replied. “I’ll tell you more about it later. For now, he should probably get some sleep. He’s had a lot of excitement for one night.”
“Thank you, Lord Evan,” Natalya bowed her head, “I don’t know how I will ever repay you for this.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said with a wave of my hand. “All of you are citizens of Hatra, and I am sworn to protect all of you. I was only doing what I should have.”
“I suppose I should put him to bed,” she replied with a watery smile as she adjusted her hold on the boy. “I will see you in the morning.”
“Of course.” I smiled. “Goodnight, Natalya.”
“Goodnight, my lord.”
The blacksmith closed the door softly, and I heard her soft footsteps as she made her way up the stairs.
I turned to head back home to the Lunar Palace, and the city was still quiet around me as I walked, since most of the people were still tucked away in bed. I could hear a few guards as they patrolled around the city, though, and a chilled wind blew through the streets. Before long, I reached the palace, passed through the gates, and jogged up the steps to get inside. I nodded to the guards on duty as I walked down toward my room and slipped inside. Then I made my way to the tapestries, pulled the first one back, and slipped through the door that would lead me to Laika’s room. I quickly climbed the stone staircase and pressed the corner of the door. It opened silently, and I slipped inside the room.
The wolf Demi-Human sat on the stool by her weapons and sharpened a sword with a whetstone. She looked up in surprise as I entered, but smiled when she noticed me.
“Hello, Lord Evan.” She stood from the stool and bowed. “Did you find Ilya?”
“I did,” I answered with a dry chuckle, “and you won’t believe what happened to us.”
I moved to sit in one of the chairs in her room, and she followed. Then she sat across from me as I quickly recapped the fight with the wraith.
When I finished the story, Laika stared at me with an unreadable expression.
“I guess I should tell everyone the search is canceled in the morning,” she said while she pressed a hand to her chest. A moment later, she continued. “I’ve heard of wraiths, and I know they are very common in cities attacked by demons, but I’ve never met one before. I can’t believe there has been one so close to the city all this time.”
“Hatra was nothing but ruins for a long time,” I reminded her. “Maybe that’s the reason all these rare creatures are here. They didn’t think anyone would try to rebuild the destroyed city and decided to hide out around here.”
“I’m sure that’s part of it,” Laika agreed with a furrowed brow. “Hatra was practically nothing before you came and restored her to her former glory. With all the death and destruction that happened here a thousand years ago, I’m sure dozens of monsters made their homes around here. Unfortunately, I don’t think the creatures here understand you’re not just a dragon, you’re the guardian of Hatra. You will do anything you need to do in order to keep the city safe.”
She gave me a sharp grin, and her tail wagged behind her.
“It’s my job as Hatra’s lord to ensure the safety of my people.” I shrugged before I smirked at her. “Though the Dragon Guardian does have a nice ring to it.”
“It does,�
� Laika laughed. “I’ve also heard you are as powerful as the gods, which leads many people to believe you are the sun god incarnate while Alyona is the moon goddess. The two lovers reunited on earth at last.”
My eyebrows raised in surprise. “Well, I definitely haven’t heard that one before.”
“I’ve also heard you are a new god, which is why you have come to Inati in a flesh body,” the wolf went on with a mischievous smile. “You are the dragon god Evan, and have come to judge the people of Rahma.”
I grinned. “The dragon god, huh? I kind of like the sound of that.”
Chapter 3
A knock on my door surprised me early the next morning, and I turned toward the sound with a frown.
“Who the hell could that be?” I muttered as I cautiously strode across my room.
For a moment, my flames itched below my skin, ready to be unleashed on a moment’s notice, but then I recognized the heartbeat of the person standing in the hallway, and her scent reached me an instant later.
I relaxed and opened the door wide with a smile.
Ravi grinned when she saw my face, and she carried a tray of bread, fruit, cheese, and a small pitcher of water.
“Good morning,” the phoenix chirped, “I know you were out late last night, so I brought you some breakfast.”
“I can see that, thank you,” I chuckled as I grabbed the tray from her and gestured behind me. “Would you like to join me?”
“I’d love to.” Ravi nodded, and a few stray feathers fluttered slowly to the floor.
“And I’d love to have such beautiful company.” I winked at the phoenix and ushered her in before I closed the door behind her.
“I heard the boy from yesterday was found,” Ravi said abruptly, but her cheeks were tinted pink from my compliment. “I wanted to make sure he was okay.”
“He’s fine,” I told her as I popped a grape into my mouth, and I walked backward further into my chambers, “a little scared, but otherwise fine. I actually wanted to go check up on him in a few minutes, so you’re more than welcome to join me if you’d like.”
We walked into my bedchamber, and Ravi sat down in a chair while I leaned against my bed and continued to eat.
“You don’t think he would mind?” the phoenix asked with a worried frown. “I’m sure he feels terrible about the panic he caused, I wouldn’t want to make it worse.”
“Actually, I think it might help him,” I mused while I chewed on a bite of bread. “I think he feels homesick and a little lost. He heard I planned on leaving Hatra and wanted to return home. He’s a kid, so he doesn’t fully understand what really happened to his people. He became upset and wanted to return somewhere safe and familiar.”
“I can understand that,” Ravi murmured as she dropped her blue eyes and stared at her lap. “The first week here in Hatra was hard for me, and I left my people by choice. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for the Asurans. They were forced from their homes and lost everything. Only four of them survived, and two of them are small children. That would be hard for anyone to come to terms with, especially the children. Their whole world changed, and there was nothing they could do about it. They had no choice but to adapt.”
“I know,” I sighed and shook my head, “I just don’t understand why Ilya didn’t talk to me. I’ve always been fond of him and his sister, from the moment we rescued them. If he came to me, I would have helped him. He didn’t have to run away.”
“He looks up to you,” Ravi said quietly. “Maybe he just didn’t want to show how upset he was in front of you.”
I sighed again, set my empty plate on an end table beside me, and crossed my arms behind my head. “The reason doesn’t matter. I still need to talk to him and make sure he doesn’t try anything like this again. Especially while I’m gone. I need to know he’ll be safe.”
“Then let’s go.” Ravi stood from the chair and nodded at me with determination. “We can go talk to him now. It might help you feel a bit more at ease. Your campaign will be here before you know it, and you shouldn’t spend your time worried about things out of your control.”
“I guess you’re right,” I chuckled and nodded my head. “Come, on. Let’s go find him.”
Ravi and I left my room and continued upward toward the main level of the palace. We exited through the main entrance and walked quickly out of the palace grounds and into the city. Then we strolled through the streets that slowly filled with the people of Hatra as they woke and began their day. The sun slowly rose into the sky and illuminated the city in a soft glow while Ravi and I weaved through the streets, and we waved whenever someone offered us a tired greeting.
Twenty minutes later, we reached Natayla’s smithy and knocked on the door of the house next to it. A few seconds passed before I heard the lock slide out from its place, and then the door slowly creaked open.
“Lord Evan?” Natyla rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she gestured for us to come inside. “Good morning. Is there something I can do for you?”
“Sorry it’s so early Natalya,” I replied with an apologetic smile, “I’m actually here to talk to Ilya. I know he had an eventful night last night, but I wanted to talk with him as soon as I could.”
“Of course.” Natayla nodded, and her expression grew more alert and serious. “He’s still in bed, but he should be up soon. Ilya and his sister both tend to rise with the sun.”
“I bet that was fun in the village,” I laughed. “I’m sure those two made sure everyone knew they were awake.”
“You have no idea.” Natayla smiled fondly. “They figured, if they were awake, the entire village should be awake. Those two were like tornadoes, no one could control them. Their parents even had men stationed along their bedrooms, just in case they could escape before anyone else was awake. But they have calmed down a lot since then, even if it’s only been a few short months. The demon attack on our people matured them quickly.”
The smile faded from the blacksmith’s face, but then there was a creak on the stairs, followed by the quiet sound of soft footprints along the floorboards.
Ilya and Ilyushina appeared at the top of the steps a moment later, and they dashed down toward us. Ilyushina was smiling from ear to ear, and she was the first to jump into my arms.
“Thank you!” The young girl buried her face in my neck, and her small voice was choked with tears. “You found Ilya! Ilyushina was scared he was gone forever!”
“Of course I did,” I assured the small Asuran as I hugged her tightly. “I promised I would protect both of you, so that’s what I’ll do.”
Ilya was unusually quiet, and I glanced over at him, but he refused to meet my eyes. He just stood against the wall, with his gaze downcast and his arms crossed.
Suddenly, Ilyushina caught a glimpse of Ravi behind me, and the girl gasped quietly in my arms.
“Hi,” Ravi greeted with a warm smile. “My name is Ravi, I don’t think we’ve met.”
“I am Ilyushina.” The Asuran girl squirmed up higher onto my shoulder to get a better look at the phoenix. “My brother is Ilya, he’s sad right now.”
“Oh, yeah?” Ravi’s blue eyes met mine as she spoke to the little girl. “Why is your brother sad?”
Ilya’s head snapped up to stare at the two girls, and he frowned, but before Ilyushina could reply, I knelt down to speak with her.
“Hey, Ilyushina,” I murmured as I set her on her feet, “Ravi and I need to talk to your brother. Do you think you could help Natalya with her morning chores?”
Ilyushina’s amber eyes widened before she turned to the blacksmith. “Miss Natayla, can Ilyushina light the forge?”
“Yes, of course you can,” Natayla laughed. “Come on, we should light it now. I have some commissions I need to work on.”
The older Asuran walked over and offered Ilyushina her hand, and the girl took it with a broad smile.
“Goodbye, Lord Dragon!” Ilyushina called over her shoulder as the two ladies left the room and vanished outside.
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“Bye,” I chuckled after her, and I could hear the crackle of a fresh fire a few moments later.
Then Ravi and I both turned to Ilya, who refused to meet our eyes.
“Good morning, Ilya,” I murmured. “We’re here to check up on you and make sure you’re okay. I know last night was pretty scary.”
“I’m fine,” he muttered, and stared at the floor.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” I replied as Ravi frowned beside me, “but we still need to talk. Why don’t we sit down?”
Ilya walked us to some chairs and sat down, but his legs were too short to reach the ground, so they just dangled in the air in front of him. Ravi and I sat opposite of him on a small couch, and then Ilya folded his hands in his lap and clenched his fingers together.
I frowned at seeing the boy so upset, but Ravi gave me an encouraging smile, so I took a deep breath.
“Do you want to talk about what happened yesterday?” I got straight to the point, since I didn’t want to make the kid more upset than he already was.
Ilya shrugged silently and started to kick his legs back and forth.
“Why don’t you tell me what happened?” I pressed gently. “I promise I won’t be mad. I just want to know … why did you leave Hatra? Don’t you like it here?”
“I wanted to go home,” Ilya answered in a small voice, but he still wouldn’t look up at me. “I miss my mom and dad and wanted to go home.”
“I know how you feel, Ilya,” Ravi sighed sadly. “I miss my father and my people very much, but you can’t just run away. You should have talked to someone before you ran into the woods.”
“Ravi’s right, Ilya,” I added. “You can’t run away. You had everyone here worried sick while you were missing. The only reason we found out where you went was because your sister finally broke down and told us. Do you realize how dangerous that was? If Ilyushina hadn’t told us, that spirit I fought off yesterday could have killed you.”
“I’m sorry.” Ilya’s voice cracked, and he finally looked up at me with tears brimming in his amber eyes. “I just wanted to go home.”