Ash stayed silent for a few moments, taking in all that the mage had just told him. He could hear the warning tone in the old man’s voice. He didn’t want Ash to go. Didn’t want him to risk his life. Yet he had answered all he had asked. Ash could only suppose that Oburas knew he wouldn’t be able to stop him so figured that he had best tell him the truth, to at least prepare him for what he would meet on his journey.
Ash watched as something flickered in the old mage’s eyes. He started to ask what it was but was stopped as Oburas spoke. “There is one other way you could travel. It is baron land and one that no other dragon I know of has travelled over. Take that path. It will be safer than going through the land of the necromancers.”
Ash nodded slightly, sweeping his gaze over the room he was in, taking in all the old artifacts and books before fixing his violet eyes with the mage’s grey ones. Holding them steadily, as he spoke. “Tell me the name of this land that I must seek.”
Chapter 8
“So just remind me again what exactly I have just agreed to.” Blaze questioned.
Ash let out a frustrated growl at his friend, not turning to look at him as he paced the floor of his study. A study he rarely used, in fact he hadn’t used it since he had stopped needing his lessons from Oburas.
He had sought Blaze out after he had left the mage. Deciding he would be a fool to travel alone, and having no one else he could trust, he had told Blaze of his plan, and that they would be leaving immediately. Only his best friend was not making it as easy as it was meant to be.
“You know damn well what it is you have agreed to, Blaze. I am not repeating myself,” Ash snapped, finally turning to face him.
The look of uncertainty in the red dragon’s eyes only angered him more. He had thought he could count on Blaze. But clearly he had been mistaken. Was his best friend, his brother, for all intents and purposes, really going to let him down when he needed him the most?
“Ash, we don’t know anything about Caspa. No one does, because no one bothers with the hybrids. You have heard the stories. Horrors that were told to us when were children about those beasts. We know nothing certain of their race. And the fact that the dragons tried to wipe them out all those decades ago. I can only assume we will not be welcomed with open arms into their world,” Blaze pointed out.
Ash dropped down on the large wooden chair behind his desk, watching his friend as he stood propped against the door frame. Blaze was right, of course he was. Always the reasoning behind Ash’s crazy ideas. But that didn’t matter. Something very dark was happening and his father was in the midst of it. Oburas had agreed with him, and that alone was enough to convince him that he had to go and find the hybrids.
“Not only that, but we have no idea what exactly we are looking for. Or why we are even planning on going to Caspa. So the old man agreed with your speculation of the fae king and your father. But that doesn’t really mean anything. Oburas is old and mad, everyone knows that. We are trusting him and going blind into the unknown.”
“I am so flattered by your faith in me, Blaze. And for the record I trust Oburas. He sees things that we don’t. He has ears everywhere…”
“Ears that have brought us nothing,” Blaze interrupted.
Ash let out a snarl standing as he did so, slamming his palms down on the desk. “If you have so much doubt, forget I asked you. I will go alone. If you cannot support me on this, then leave. I am not stopping you.”
“I am not letting you do this alone, Ash. It is a suicide mission and your temper will get you killed before you even get half way. I’m just making you aware how I feel about all this. And that I think you should wait to find out more information on all of this, before we rush into anything,” Blaze replied, seemingly unbothered by Ash’s outburst.
His friend was right once more. Taking a deep breath, forcing his temper to settle before speaking. “Thank you for sharing your thoughts on all this, Blaze. They are noted. But it could be too late if we wait around. And besides, on our travels we may well hear things that are going on, find out more on the fae. We just have to ask the right questions without being too obvious. That is why I need you with me. That is your skill. I wish we could take Oburas too, but father will suspect if he leaves. I will gather as much information as I can from him before we leave tomorrow night. I think it best we travel at night and hide in the day. That way we can fly should we need to and not be seen. The night will hide us.”
“The night will hide me. You show as bright as the moon with your white skin, what will you do?” Blaze pointed out.
Ash simply shrugged in response. He couldn’t answer that question. It was his curse. He would just have to be extra careful and hope that no one would look up. “We are only going to fly should we need to, Blaze. Most of the time we will be on foot.”
“Fine. I need to go and prepare for this, I will meet you at the gates at nightfall. I just hope you are sure about this,” Blaze muttered, pushing himself off from the door frame, and leaving before Ash could respond.
Ash sighed deeply sinking down into his chair once more. Finding himself wondering if in fact he was sure about this venture.
The moon danced off the slate walls of Ustrina’s castle. Ash leaned lazily against it as he waited for Blaze to meet him. They had decided to sneak out of the back, no questions would be asked and no watchman bothered to guard the doors of the servants. Blaze was late, and Ash began to wonder if he had bailed on him. He wouldn’t be completely surprised if he had, after the protest he had put up the previous day. Yet the more trusting side of him believed that his best friend wouldn’t let him down. As if reading his mind, the red dragon came running into view. Ash chuckled at the look on his face.
“I’m so sorry I am late. I bet you were starting to think I had bailed on you, didn’t you?” he gasped, causing Ash to raise his eyebrows slightly at how accurate Blaze’s assumption was.
“Are you sure you can’t read minds?” he questioned him as the two of them turned away from the castle and started to make their way towards the woodlands that would lead them to the great wall that separated Ustrina from the wild.
“No, but that would be a pretty cool party trick if I could. Did you get all you needed from the old man? Was he able to give us any more information on what exactly we are doing?”
Ash shook his head slightly in answer to Blaze’s question. He had hoped when he had visited with Oburas early that morning that the mage would have more information for him. To his dismay he didn’t, all he had was a map to help them reach Caspa the safest way without having to past through Temero, much to Ash’s relief. He hadn’t been too keen on having to pass through the land of the necromancers. He also handed him a translation of the pages he had shown Ash the previous day. Pages that held the horrors of the hybrids and the truth of what the dragons did to them. Ash had started to read what Oburas had given him, but had found himself needing to stop. Not ready to admit that his people had done this, that his father had been the head of the army that had gone round destroying the homes of the hybrids and killing them. It made him hate the king more, and made him start to think that his father was not in a debt to the fae, but in fact was involved in whatever evil was coming their way.
“Did you even hear what I just said?” Blaze’s voice broke through his musings.
Ash sent his friend an apologetic look causing Blaze to growl slightly before repeating his words. “I asked what the old mage gave you. Then you seemed to just leave me hanging. Where did you go?”
Ash didn’t answer at first, he was unsure if he should tell Blaze what he had read so far, he wasn’t sure how he would take it, but then he was with him on this journey into the unknown. He deserved to know that whole truth. “Oburas gave me the truth of our history with the hybrids, Blaze. Something I hadn’t learnt. And you wouldn’t have either. I didn’t read much, I had to stop because I was not sure if I was ready to believe it all…”
“Believe what?” Blaze interrupted him, forcing
Ash to stop too. A call of a wild bird shattered the silence that had fallen over the two dragons. The great black wall looming just ahead of them. They would have to change to fly over it, and they had agreed that they would fly the first night to get them a good distance from Ustrina. They would rest in the first settlement they found that could offer them a bed and not ask any questions.
“Ash, what did you find?” Blaze demanded.
Ash ran a hand through his shoulder length white hair, it glowed almost silver in the moonlight. Taking a deep breath before answering. “My father was the leader of the army that destroyed so many lands. They were sent to wipe out the hybrids. I don’t know why, I don’t want to know why. Nothing justifies killing innocents just because they are different. Why should people not love who they want to? I stopped reading, so I don’t actually know anything more. I guess maybe when we find shelter come dawn we can go through it together. But now I’m certain we are not going to be welcome in Capsa. Not as soon as they realise that we are dragons. We have a trust we must build with the people there. This is going to be much harder than I first though.” Ash admitted, saying no more.
Not waiting for Blaze to answer, he allowed his dragon free, spreading his large wings. Sensing Blaze doing the same, they took flight into the night sky, and left behind a land Ash no longer wanted to be part of, not if it meant killing those that were simply different.
Chapter 9
Ember knew why Morgan felt he had to do this, had to leave and travel to the elves. He clearly thought her dreams meant something. But it didn’t make her any happier in letting him go. He had not left her side in the nine decades they had been together and she didn’t feel complete with him gone. It hadn’t even been a day since he had left them, and as Ember stared into the burning fire of the night she knew that the other two felt his absence also.
“You heard what he said. He will be back in a week. Morgan isn’t one to break his word,” Obe pipped up, nudging her slightly as he came to sit next to her.
Jaxe sat opposite them, poking at the fire with his usual sullen look. He would never admit it, but Ember knew that he missed the elf hybrid. Watching the Basilisk closely, she wondered not for the first time, what the truth was about Jaxe. Ember and the others knew what they needed to know about him, what he willingly shared. But she knew there was so much more to learn, and just as she did with Obe she wondered if she would ever learn his truth. Maybe it was because with Morgan there were no secrets. They knew everything about each other. She supposed she just expected the same to be had with the other two.
“Ember, are you with us? Has Jaxe caught your eye tonight? I know he is much better built then I am, but come on, I am so much more fun in all senses,” Obe teased, ignoring the glare coming from Jaxe.
“How do you know this, hellhound? You have never had me in your bed. Nor has the little firebird,” Jaxe fired back, causing Ember to laugh slightly.
It was true she had never slept with Jaxe. Not that they hadn’t been close, hell she had been close to sleeping with all of them at one point. With Jaxe and Morgan it didn’t feel right to progress past a passionate kiss, but Obe. Obe was different and Ember knew she had found her mate.
“I wouldn’t want you in my bed, Jaxe. You are most certainly not my type. But you do need to get laid soon. It would cheer you up, I’m sure. You should check out the new females that have just arrived…” Obe trailed off thanks to a sharp dig to his side from Ember.
“How dare you speak of the females like that. We are not pieces of meat that line up ready for the taking. Have a little respect,” Ember snapped, pleased to see a look of remorse settle on her love’s features.
“Forgive me, Ember, you are right that wasn’t fair,” Obe apologised.
Ember ignored him focusing once more on Jaxe. “And for the record, Jaxe, I am sure you would more than satisfy me in bed,” she said, flashing him a gentle smile shocked when she received a shadow of one back.
Letting her mind wonder once more to Morgan, wondering if his trip would reward him with the knowledge he hoped to find. “Do you think that Morgan will find out what these dreams mean?” Ember questioned her two friends.
Jaxe shrugged silently.
It was Obe that answered her. “I think he will. The Elves know so much and they have a vast library and people that are older than anyone I know alive. They will be able to help him, and in return help us. We are lucky that the two sides of him are peaceful.”
Ember didn’t reply, she too was grateful. The other two had a side of darkness to them. Jaxe more so than Obe. It was why Morgan was their balance. Ember a phoenix and angel combined, she also had peace within her. The four of them were perfect, and if the balance of light and dark were disturbed, Ember feared a little of what could happen should the camp come under threat. She had faith in her boys that they would be able to hold it together and not slip to the evil, but darkness was not forgiving. She prayed Morgan would hurry back sooner than a week.
Chapter 10
It’d been so long since Morgan had travelled alone. The last time he had been solo had been just before he had found Ember. He couldn’t really remember why he had chosen to leave his home. He was one of the lucky hybrids. His background more of peace and light, instead of darkness and pain. He could only assume he had chosen to travel alone to remove the danger of what he was from his people. He did remember his father protesting, telling him he was always accepted within their home. His mother had been an elf, and she had lost her life when Morgan had been born. His father, a Pegasus shifter, had sworn to look after him.
A sadness settled over him as he entered a small settlement hoping to seek shelter for the night. He wished he could remember his father more. Wish he had met his mother. Maybe his would visit the kingdom of the flying horse. He knew that he and his friends would always be welcomed there. His mind wondered to where he was heading. He had never visited the elves. He knew them to be peaceful, and they had helped the forgotten greatly whenever word had been sent for supplies. But no elf had set foot in Caspa and no hybrid had set foot in Doterrian.
Morgan stopped for a moment taking in the silent street in front of him. A slight sense of unease flooded his senses, maybe it was because it had been so long since he had been outside of Caspa, or maybe it was the eerie silence that surrounded him. Either way, he didn’t feel like this village was the place to stop. As he continued to walk down the deserted street he could have sworn that he felt eyes watching him, and once when he dared a glance at one of the darkened huts he was sure he saw red slits watching his every move. Opening his senses more, he realised he was in a settlement of mongrels. Wildlings that lived beyond the lands. They were an elusive race that didn’t mix with others. Morgan had never seen one in person but he had heard about them from many of the hybrids that had joined them recently. It didn’t sound like these creatures were very welcoming or forgiving should you stay too long in their home. A cold blast of wind caused Morgan to shiver slightly, and a rustle nearby was enough for him to hurry through the rest of the village and out into the woodland that surrounded it.
The moonlight bounced through the trees lighting up the path of leaves that littered the way for Morgan, he could feel the temperature dropping. Winter was certainly on its way. Knowing that there was no other settlement close enough to make by foot that night, Morgan decided to shift into the flying horse that made up his other half. If he found nothing once he had flown for a while, then he would stay in the form of a Pegasus and seek shelter in the comfort of the trees. Nature had always been his friend, and he knew he would be protected should any danger come his way.
As he took flight, he made a decision that for the rest of his journey to the elves he would travel as the Pegasus. Something in the back of his mind told him that he needed to be back in Caspa sooner rather than later. That a change was coming, and he wasn’t so sure it would be a good one.
As he flew silently over the lands, the night shadowing him from any eyes that
would happen to look up to the skies, he allowed himself to marvel at the beauty of places he had yet to visit. His mind was a curious one, always desperate to learn about the other races. There were some that he wasn’t so sure he wanted to know about, some that were so riddled and tainted with evil that he dared not delve into them.
The one race that did fascinate him was the necromancers. Yes, they were of the darkest of magics. They could manipulate the dead and that was a dangerous power to have, yet he longed to know just how they did it. Morgan wanted so badly to watch a necromancer work their power. Not only that but should a war ever break out and they were to come up against King Kelak and his army, he would at least be able to prepare the hybrids for what it was they were about to face. The thought of learning of such evil was both exciting and terrifying, he wondered what Ember would say about it if he was to approach her about his latest idea of study. He figured that would be something he would speak with her about when he returned home.
A shiver ran down his spine as a sense of unease settled over him once more. He picked up speed, not wanting to spend any longer than he needed to in the air that night. He wasn’t entirely sure which land he was currently over, but it was not a land of light. It didn’t take him long to shift the unease and he felt his body relax as he came into a quiet settlement that was filled with love and warmth. He landed gracefully just before it he shifted back into elf form. Elves were seen as peaceful and powerful beings, he would be better accepted by anyone he passed, as an elf. Taking a deep breath he smelt food making him realise just how hungry he was. Pulling his cloak tighter round himself he made his way towards the houses hoping that he would get a good meal and a decent bed to rest on before he continued to Doterrian come dawn.
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