Striding down the long corridor that lead to the throne room, Ash let his eyes flick over the large dragon skulls that lined the walls. Each skull represented kings of the past. Ash could name them all, having been forced to learn them as a child. He wondered how many of the previous kings had welcomed the fae within the castle walls. None of them, he was sure. Reaching the large doors of the throne room, he glared dangerously at the guards as they made to block him from entering.
“Are you really going to refuse me entry?” Ash demanded.
“King Izzeris told us to let no-one past. Including you Prince Ashran,” the older of them spoke.
Ash snarled, ignoring his reply and pushing past the guards roughly. They went to bring their large golden spears towards him, stopping only when they saw his face change. His features taking shape of the dragon he was.
“I dare you to try and kill me,” he hissed, smirking as they lowered their weapons, stepping to the side of the doors. Ash placed his dragon back in his cage. “Good choice men,” he said, patting them both on the shoulder before flinging open the large iron doors that lead into the throne room.
Turning to Blaze, his tone commanding as he spoke. “Stay here. Father will allow me in, but not you.”
Not waiting to check that Blaze had listened, he closed the doors behind him. Never taking his eyes off the scene in front of him. His father was sat upon the throne. A throne that Ash would one day inherit. Not that he really wanted to. Maybe if the chair that he was expected to sit upon was a more handsome design he might be more willing. Despite the beauty of the onyx that had been crafted to make the main body of the large throne, the colours of the black and white making an almost marbled effect. The black being the most prominent of the two colours, it was ruined by the steel spears that made the back of the chair. The points making the throne look menacing and uninviting. Just like the man that sat upon it.
King Izzeris sat looking down upon the fae king with the hard look on his features, that Ash had become accustomed to. The lines that littered his face aging him greatly. Ash frowned slightly, he didn’t remember his father looking so old and worn. Glancing, the fae king, noting the glow of youth that surrounded King Axis, he wondered if he had drawn some of that energy from his father. The fae locked eyes with Ash, causing him to stiffen under the emerald gaze. The devil lurked within these creatures, they held no light in their souls, and Ash could feel the dark energy pulse through the throne room. Why could his father not sense it also? Had the fae King placed some form of dark magic over the dragon, so that he could not feel any change?
“I see you still haven’t learnt to take orders from your king,” his father snapped, forcing Ash from his thoughts to focus on the king.
“What I want to know is why your son was barred from this meeting. Especially when mother and you were both angered that I was not here to receive King Axis,” Ash fired back, matching his father’s glare with his own.
“Of course, Blaze was quick to fill you in on all that has happened, while you decided to leave your people. But this is not the place for us to talk. Leave us. We will continue this discussion later.”
It was a dismissal, Ash knew that. Yet everything within him was keeping him from leaving. The way the Fae King was watching him. That dangerous glint in those jewelled eyes, setting him on edge. The look on the creature’s face was calm, yet Ash knew that the mind of a fae was never one to underestimate. They were a smart race, cunning to match. He didn’t trust the king, and he dared not leave his father alone with him a moment longer.
“Ashran! You will hear your king’s orders and you will leave us. Do not force me to make you suffer for ignoring an order!”
Ash held the gaze of King Axis for a second longer before pulling his eyes from him and fixing it back on his father. Bowing in mock respect, he only just managed to keep a hold on his temper. His father had dared to use his full name, disregarded him as if he was nothing more than a guard. And all in front of the fae king. There was an evil within this room, and Ash suddenly didn’t want to be in its presence any longer, despite only moments ago wanting to stay. He could see his father would not hear his concerns, not now anyway, but he would hear him. Ash would be sure of it.
“As you wish, Your Majesty,” he muttered before turning on his heel, purposely showing no respect to the fae king
He stormed out the room being sure to slam the iron doors behind him. He knew he would suffer the consequences later that night. His father wouldn’t let him get away with the behaviour he had just shown. Stalking past Blaze, not speaking a word, his mind in overdrive at all that had just happened. Something was not right, something very wrong was going on within these walls, and Ash was certain his father was in the midst of it. Had he made some deal with Axis that he now could not back out of? Ash was certain, that despite the reputation his father had, that he would never take the side of an enemy that they had kept for centuries.
“What happened in there?” Blaze questioned him, once the doors of Ash’s quarters had closed behind them, and they were certain that no one could hear anything that was about to pass between the two friends.
Ash didn’t reply at first. Instead he found himself pacing back and forth trying to settle his emotions and make sense of the thoughts that were running through his mind before he dared answer Blaze. Blaze ever the patient one of the two waited, and Ash was grateful that he didn’t push him for an answer to his question. Ash wasn’t sure he could give him an exact one just yet. Stopping at the large window that looked out over his kingdom. He allowed his mind to settle just enough to finally reply.
“I don’t know. I can’t explain it, Blaze. But there was an evil, a darkness shrouding that room. The fae king…I don’t think it is the first time that he has visited my father,” Ash replied, turning to face his friend, seeing a look of concern cross Blaze’s face.
“What do you mean? We would know if the fae had been within these walls before. Their scent is foul, you can smell them before you see them.” Blaze pointed out.
Ash nodded slightly in response. His friend was right. The smell of death, of the devil himself followed the dark creatures wherever they went. A dragon could sense an enemy long before they showed themselves, and the fae had always been seen as an enemy. His friend’s point only made him feel more uneasy.
He felt a chill settle over him as he watched the light of the night creep over Ustrina, his eyes never leaving the city below as he spoke. “I don’t know, Blaze. There is something so wrong, so dark, so…I can’t even explain it. It’s on the horizon. I can sense it. I don’t know what it is, but I intend to find out!”
Chapter 2
The silence that had fallen was deafening. The slightest sound magnified to the ears of the hybrid that was watching her prey. A deer on the edge of the boarder of Caspa was going to be food for the day. The sun was not quite yet awake, the dawn scent working to Ember’s advantage, keeping hers hidden from the unsuspecting animal. She felt her stomach rumble and realised that she hadn’t eaten a decent meal in days. The food that she had been able to bring back to her small gathering of people had gone only to them, much to the annoyance of the three hybrids that seemed to be her guardians. She didn’t know what they were complaining about. She had made sure that they had been fed well, and she was getting tired of assuring them that she didn’t need looking after. But guardians they were, or so they had decided they were, and she wasn’t going to bruise their egos by stopping them doing what made them happy. Besides having the three of them willing to do anything for her was a huge advantage at times.
Thinking back on her friends, she knew she would be in for a lecture when she returned back to the settlement. Ember had been gone for a whole night and had chosen to mute her mental bond between the group. She could feel their frustration and anger nagging in her mind, but she had become skilled at ignoring the pain in the arse that the three boys had become.
Shaking her head slightly to rid herself of any thoughts tha
t would make her lose focus, she narrowed her eyes on the beast in front of her. If she was to take one more step, she would no longer be in Caspa, instead she would be treading the evil that was Temero. Knowing that she would be stealing from the dark necromancer Kelak and his people, only made the kill more exciting. The Temerons wouldn’t notice one little deer missing, not when the kill was so close to the border. This land was one that was owned by the race of Temero, but yet the actual city was lands away from Caspa. Ember didn’t understand why they needed to own something so close to Caspa. Kelak had no idea that there was a settlement in Caspa. There was a magic that surrounded the hybrids that kept them hidden from any other race. None of the forgotten had any interest in leaving the solitude and protection of Caspa. Not yet anyway. They weren’t ready too, but if the time was to come, and an invasion was to happen Ember would be sure to fight to the death for her people. The small gathering of rejects that had been her family since she could remember.
Taking a small step, she moved onto the forbidden land. The moment her body passed the border she felt the energy change, a shift of power within her. The earth and her energy here was so dark. It was pure evil. A deep-set darkness hidden in the dying trees and the black land that lay in front of her. It saddened her to see such suffering so close to her home and she longed to be able to heal the land.
Her phoenix stirred within, wanting to take the lead over the angel that was the other half of her. She understood why the fire bird had made herself known, she was the more powerful of Ember’s two halves and should anything happen, she would be stronger in a fight.
Ember spent much of the time in the mind of the angel. Finding her to be more calming and focused on keeping the balance within her. It wasn’t easy being a hybrid. Having to learn how to tame both sides of what you were. Ember was aware that she had it easier than some within her group. Especially compared to Morgan, Obe and Jaxe. Their mixes had more powerful energies, and a darkness that was harder to contain.
“You know I wouldn’t do that if I was you,” came a musical voice, one she knew so well, and one that caused an anger to flood through her as she watched her meal disappear into the woods.
Spinning round glaring at the intruder. The smug smile that graced the face of the creature in front of her only fuelled her rage more. “You shit, Morgan! That was my dinner, and you damn well know it!” Ember snarled, her phoenix screaming within to be let loose on the hybrid. Morgan continued to stand smugly, unfazed by Ember’s anger.
His features had taken the shape of the elf he was most of the time. Those teal blue eyes, that Ember found herself lost in so often, danced with their normal playful look. Long black hair pulled back into a loose plait only exaggerated the point of his ears. Skin as white as the clouds in the sky, glowed with a warmth that constantly surrounded Morgan. It was extremely impossible to stay angry at the elf half-bred. He oozed endless charm, and Ember always felt her emotions settle in his presence, and she knew that the others within the group felt it too. Crossing her arms over her chest, her own fire-red eyes narrowing dangerously at the elf as he continued to grin at her.
“You aren’t scaring me, Ember. I have been with you for too many decades for you to do that. Besides, the hellhound went hunting and has brought you back something much nicer than a tainted deer from the evil lands,” Morgan responded.
His answer caused Ember to relax her stance slightly, but she didn’t move to come back into Caspa, she wanted to see if Morgan would break the rules just once and step into the forbidden land.
“And I am not coming over to get you either. I don’t want to be plagued by the darkness that surrounds this woodland. Now get your sassy little self back into Caspa so that we can go and eat. You know that Obe and Jaxe are so pissed at you right now. Be glad that it is me that is here to retrieve you and not the Hellhound or the Basilisk,” Morgan replied to her unspoken question.
“How did you even know what I was thinking? Our bond is muted.” Ember asked him, once again he flashed her that smug smile of his.
“Elf magic knows no bounds, mix it with that of a Pegasus. My mind is a much more powerful place than yours will ever be little firecracker,” he replied.
Ember sighed deeply. Morgan was a great fighter, but his strength was his mind. Being an elf-Pegasus, and hailing from Ecus, the land of the flying horse, he was blessed with a scholar’s mind. His tactics and knowledge had kept them safe for nine decades.
Since he had found Ember when she first rose from the ashes, the pair had been inseparable. Morgan looked like a youngling, but he was over two centuries old. Ember would always be the closest to the elf, they had a bond the other two could not touch, and she was thankful they had never tried. Soul mates truly did exist, Ember had found hers in Morgan.
“I will come back over, on one condition.”
“What is that then?” Morgan questioned, the uncertainty in his tone brought great satisfaction to Ember. She had managed to wipe that smug look off his face, and she congratulated herself mentally for doing so.
“You let me ride you back to the settlement,” she stated simply, laughing at the glare that came her way, adding. “Don’t give me that look. You chose to come and find me, you can pay the price for scaring off my dinner and spoiling my fun. Besides, I haven’t ridden you for so long.”
“I have tried to get you to ride me, but you seem to prefer Obe.” Morgan pouted. Ember came up to him, brushing her lips to his.
“We have too much of a connection. A bond that neither of us can explain, Morgan. I don’t want to ruin that by sex. I love you too much to allow such an act to come between us,” Ember told him truthfully, holding his gaze steadily. She loved how his eyes saw through her own, right to the depths of her soul, a place that she only allowed him to see. He flashed her a slight smile.
“I am glad you feel that way firecracker.”
Ember smiled at his nickname for her, one that had stuck with the rest of the gang. “Now, stop stalling, I am hungry,” Ember demanded, stepping back to allow Morgan to shift.
She never got sick of watching her boys shift. Watching in awe as the elf was replaced by a beautiful black stallion, with wings that could easily match any dragon that still lived. His ebony coat shone in the dawn light, the long black mane now loose blowing lightly in the breeze. Bringing his head down to nuzzle her, Ember ran her hand over his velvet nose, as she looked deeply into his teal blue eyes.
“I forget how much I love you like this. You are truly magnificent, Morgan,” she whispered, before moving round to his side.
Morgan knelt down to allow her to mount him easily. Settling herself between his wings, grabbing on to a piece of mane, she gave his side a gentle nudge, letting him know she was ready to return back to the camp. Gripping tighter as the great beast took flight, closing her eyes she let her mind free to fly with the wind, allowing herself to enjoy the peace before she was to face the wrath of Obe and Jaxe when they landed.
“Where the hell have you been?”
Ember groaned loudly as Morgan landed just a few meters from the settlement. The question had been delivered in the gruff voice of Jaxe, and Ember was certain that when she was to face him, he would be battling to stop the snake of his from taking over his Demon and showing her just how pissed off he was at her recent adventure.
Sliding off Morgan’s back, giving him a gentle pat as a thank you, she stepped round the great horse fixing her attention on the Demon hybrid. Just as she had expected, the serpent within was fighting to be free. His crimson eyes were slits, and she was certain she had seen his fangs try to break through. Dropping her gaze, not daring to meet his, uncertain how much of the basilisk was showing itself, not wanting to risk dying by looking him straight in the eye.
“I was out hunting. I haven’t eaten for a few days, and I needed a bit of space,” Ember replied truthfully, sensing Obe come to stand next to Jaxe, while Morgan returned to her side.
“I found her across the border, hunting a deer
. A tainted deer of evil,” Morgan injected, yelping slightly as Ember slammed her foot down on his, shooting him a glare.
“Thank you, Morgan, for making this whole situation worse,” she snapped, before turning her attention on the other two.
“Yes, I was on Zelak’s land. But I wanted a little fun in my life, you know, I don’t really get much of it anymore.” Ember shrugged, daring a look at Jaxe she was relieved that his eyes had returned to their normal demon shape, though they still blazed an angry red.
“So, you went on a suicide mission? Alone, unarmed…”
“No never unarmed, you should know me better then to assume I am unarmed. The phoenix is always ready to fight should she need to,” Ember interrupted Jaxe. He was clearly about to fire back some smartass retort when Obe stepped in.
“Well, be glad nothing happened, and Morgan found you safe. I have actually got us some food, that we will be sharing with no one else tonight. You need to eat a proper meal for once Ember and stop looking after the others first” Obe told her, she went to protest but was silenced by a snarl from Jaxe. Rolling her eyes, she shot him her own deadly stare.
“Has anyone ever told you that you really need to learn to lighten up a little Jaxe. Take a leaf out of Morgan’s book and be a little less highly strung. It is most unattractive at times,” she fired at him, smirking at the look of disgust that fluttered across his face.
To call Jaxe unattractive was a huge insult, Ember knew that. It was also a lie. He was without a doubt the most handsome out of the men she was surrounded by, and the most unique looking. He was shorter than both Morgan and Obe, but where he lacked in height he most certainly made up everywhere else. Being a demon-basilisk hybrid, Jaxe was like nothing ever seen before. His eyes were crimson red, unless he was angry then they turned a dark blood red, that glowed so deadly that if you were to look into them you would die. Never look a basilisk in the eye. Luckily, they had all learnt pretty quickly when to avoid Jaxe and his temper. His shoulder length hair was black with flecks of green scattered through it, and his body was covered in scales, beautiful red and green scales, smooth like a skin of the snake that made up half of him. He was a deadly weapon within the group, the best fighter of the forgotten. Ember loved him as a brother, there was a deep respect between them that never developed into anything sexual. He was loyal to her always, she knew that, but that didn’t stop her from fearing him should the darkness that nestled not so far below the surface ever take hold.
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