Fury and Fire

by K T Quinn

  It was difficult to take it all in, it was beautiful and overwhelming all at once. It felt like home, warm and comforting. Still, I could feel the small tinge of danger that emanated from the room. It felt like the room was a living breathing entity, not just a room.

  "It's beautiful isn't it? I often forget what it's like to see this room for the first time," the man said looking at me kindly.

  “What is this place?" I asked.

  "This is my workshop," the man said with pride as he spread his arms out wide. "The better question might be, who am I?"

  "Who are you?" I asked.

  "Maybe I should be asking me you are?" He said with a smile. "Although I know who you are, you must be the Dragonkin that has the whole Academy abuzz with gossip." The man turned towards his work table picking up one of the test tubes examining the substance inside..

  "My name is Earl Nazar.”

  “Ummm, nice to meet you Mr. Nazar,” I said unsure of what else to say. I moved towards him stretching my hand out to shake his hand.

  “All my friends call me Zar, it is difficult to see you clearly. You may call me Zar if you are to be my friend?” He pushed his glasses back onto his nose, and looked at me with grey, questioning eyes.

  It was such an innocent question but was laced with a deep intention. It felt like the question itself was a test, after all the man was wearing glasses, and claimed that he couldn’t see me properly. Okay so it’s a test, or this dude needs a new pair of glasses.

  “Your intentions are just as unclear to me, sir, as mine must be to you. All I can say is that we are neither friend nor foe, but if your intentions ally close to mine then perhaps we may be allies.” I stood up just a little bit taller and squared my shoulders trying to look confident, which was a little difficult now that Wyrmie had decided to take a nap around my shoulders, since our snack-mission had taken another false turn.

  Nazar looked thoughtful for a moment as he placed the test tube he had been holding back on the table. “I like your honesty, lass. Most people would try to garner my favour immediately and claim to be my friend. Those whose auras I can read, I don’t mind so much. I can see their intentions before they themselves know what they are.” Nazar began sifting through some of the herbs on the table. “You however, are like a shadow. I don’t believe it’s because you were born in the Nightrealm, either” Nazar said answering my question before I could voice it.

  He smelled a small green herb that looked like it might be rosemary. Satisfied he threw it into the small cauldron on the table, and gave its contents a stir. The scent of meat and potatoes wafted through the air. It smelled delicious.

  “What potion are you making?” I asked. I wondered what kind of magic smelled like meat stew. I wondered if I would get to make potions like this in Skybjörn Academy. I would have to be sure to bring plenty of snacks in my pockets.

  “Lunch,” Nazar said as he ladled some into three large wooden bowls. He handed two of them to me. “Best to feed your Wyrm, there lass, before he decides to set fire to us all.”

  I set one wooden bowl down on the floor, and gently unwrapped Wyrmie from my neck. He grumbled sleepily as I placed him in front of the bowl, before waking up, and gobbling down the stew quicker than I could blink. “Finally someone who gets me,” Wyrmie sighed happily.

  “Hey! I get you” I sulked poking his now rounded belly.

  Wyrmie looked at me narrowing his eyes. A small puff of blue smoke wisped from his nose followed by a huff. He rolled over, and began to clean his blue dragon scales ignoring me.

  "Temperamental Dragon," I sulked before turning my attention back to Nazar. “Who are you really?”

  "I told you, I am Earl Nazar” he replied smiling at me between mouthfuls of stew.

  "I know you told me your name, but I would like to know who you actually are. What I mean is, I suppose, is what is your purpose here?" I cocked my head to the side trying to channel this emotion-feely power I received from my Ascension.

  Try not to look so constipated. Dragon pushed the thought to the front of my mind. I internally rolled my eyes at her. Just my luck, gain a sassy dragon spirit instead of just my Fury powers of awesome. I concentrated even harder trying to read something off of Nazar but got nothing.

  “If what you mean by here, I assume that you are asking what I am doing at the Academy?” replied Nazar.

  "I have heard about you from Gabriel and Titan. Is it true that you are the Oracle? Can you see everyone’s future - or the future of our world even? Can you see auras? Are you a teacher here? Why couldn’t you see me coming?” I fired question after question at Nazar without taking a breath.

  I had never met an Oracle before, I didn’t really think they existed. I had never had to think outside of the beings I interacted with every day on the Darkside.

  I began to think about home, about Mom and Bri and the twins. They must be worried sick about me. I began to feel like the worst person on Earth. I had been so far stuck inside my head that I had almost forgotten about my family. I wondered what they were doing right now, or what was happening right now.

  There had never been a case where someone did not get to choose on their Ascension Day. I hoped that Mom or even worse, the twins, weren’t being held responsible for that right now by the Shadow King. I tried to swallow back my fear at the thought.

  “Your family is fine right now. Your Mother, I believe, is currently going over battle plans to breach the divide to come and get you,” Nazar smiled. “Do not worry lass, she won’t get very far. Gabriel and the council are currently in conference with the Shadow King discussing the best course of action following the rebels attack on your Ascension Day,” he added seeing my concern. “Now back to your questions. The Oracle is quite a heavy burden to bear. It weighs on me greatly. I can often see the future of others, and of what may come to pass in our world. The future is a storm of different possibilities, each choice a person makes in turn affects the future of another. It is much like a ripple in a pond, each movement affecting the entire surface of the water. So yes, I see what may come to pass however your future is never set in stone. Your destiny is yours alone to influence and create. I can only hope to guide those who are willing to listen.”

  A large tree root next to Nazar began to move. It stretched out of the floor and reached up behind Nazar before resting behind him as a makeshift chair. Nazar sat down wearily, and gave the tree root a gentle pat of gratitude. “The trees can speak with each other.” He waved his arm in the direction of the tall trees surrounding us as they appeared to sway and move in agreement. “I’ll tell you a secret. This room, she has a mind of her own. If she likes you, she will become whatever you need her to be in a time of need.” Nazar leaned forward speaking quietly. “If she truly respects you, and chooses to fight for you, then you are truly blessed. Few speak to the lady of the house. She is present in every room of this academy, and I believe her power extends to the gates. It has been some time...”

  He leaned back on his makeshift tree-chair with a vacant expression on his face. His round glasses had fallen forward, and I was itching to push them back up on his face before they fell off. I waved my hand in front of Nazar’s face to see if he was still present in this moment in time. He must be in one of his oracle trances… do oracles even have trances? I looked at Wyrmie to see if he was paying attention, so I could ask him, but the little snack monster had curled up at my feet. Soft snores emanated from his body. I crept forward looking for signs of movement, and quickly pushed the glasses up on Nazar’s nose before they fell off. I quickly sat back down, trying my best to look innocent, and waited.

  Soft laughter floated through the breeze amongst the trees, it came from nowhere and everywhere. I shivered as goosebumps ran up my arms.

  “Man there better not be any ghosts in here,” I muttered to myself. The only ghosts I had experienced in the past on the Darkside, were hellish, and the stuff of nightmares. Mostly we avoided them whenever possible, but sometimes if you were u
nlucky, they would haunt you, until you eventually went crazy with fear and wound up in the loony bin.

  Actually, that pretty much summed up most creatures on my side of town.

  Nazar startled suddenly, and his eyes became clear and lucid.

  “You must choose both the light and the dark. Embrace both sides of your nature. This is your path. You cannot have life without death. You cannot have good without evil. Only you can find the answers to that which plagues us all. Only then can you unite us all, for if you fail… if you follow blindly what you are told, and ignore your heart, our world will burn. You will be the Destroyer of Worlds.” He grimaced as if he hadn’t wanted to speak the words out loud.

  He looked at me with a sad expression on his face, as the weight of his words settled over me like an iron blanket. “This lass, is why I want to focus on alchemy. The weight of the future is a soul breaking burden to bear, especially when the balance of our world is fated to one as young as you. You should be able to be free to enjoy yourself like the others your age in this world, learning your craft, settling down. Raising a family. I am sorry lass that this is not the future you will receive. Life can be an unfair mistress, and I fear you need all the help that you can get.”

  Nazar walked to his work table and began to shuffle things around looking for something. “Aha,” he muttered to himself as he pulled a small topaz stone from the table, and pushed it into my hand. “It is a gift for your dragon.” He stepped back looking at me with expectation. “Oh, and for you too, one cannot save the world without a little help from their friends,” he winked.

  I looked down at the gem in my hand. It was the most beautiful gold shiny thing I had seen. The gem shimmered, and felt warm to the touch. It slid across the palm of my hand, and lengthened, wrapping itself around my finger into a ring. The centrepiece of the ring looked like my dragon’s eye. I had never seen my dragon face to face, but I imagined that this is what her eyes would look like.

  Treasure! Dragon whispered into my mind as I voiced the word aloud. It looked like a treasure. I smiled to myself stroking the gem thinking of my dragon. A loud gasp snapped me back to reality. I glanced at Nazar realising that I hadn’t yet thanked him for the gift - nor had my dragon.

  “Your eyes,” Nazar said gesturing towards me. “One of your eyes are like a dragon’s, the other is like that of a Fury,” Nazar looked at me with wide eyes. “I did not think it was possible, all of the lore in the ancient tomes speak of being either dragon or man separately. Not being both at the same time - let alone adding Fury into the mix. ” he looked perplexed, gesturing at a pile of old worn books laying next to a sleeping Wyrmie, who had curled himself around them. On the cover of the book on top were pictures of fearsome looking dragons laying waste to the land. “This complicates things I fear,” Nazar scratched his head, and started to leaf through some of the old tomes.

  “Why does it complicate things? Is there something wrong with me?” I asked beginning to hyperventilate. Great! I mentally screamed. Not only did I not officially ascend into a side that I apparently can’t choose without destroying the world, I am now some sort of fury-dragon mutant!

  Nazar didn’t hear my question, or he had chosen to ignore me. Either way it took a very long time for him to answer. The room was silent but for the gentle whisper of wind through the trees.

  I began to pace the floor, and eyed the wall of trees, looking for the door that I had entered through, but couldn’t find one. I realised in that moment how silly, and trusting I had been to a total stranger.

  I mentally face palmed myself. I had been doing that a lot today. Throwing caution to the wind, and just following along with whatever plans the Bright-Siders were coming up with.

  For all I knew they could be leading me astray, and secretly planning to murder me, and dispose of my body. I looked in horror at Nazar who was still engrossed in whatever old tome he was leafing through. What if he’s an axe murderer?!

  I mentally slapped myself. Again. I was stuck inside a room full of creepy trees, and no door, with a shady character, who for all I know has escaped from the loony bin, and may or may not be planning to end me with an axe. I edged my way closer to Wyrmie so I would be able to pick him up, and run and hide if I needed to get away.

  Nazar chuckled to himself, and looked up from the old tome for a moment. It was a hearty chuckle. I imagined it was akin to that of a grandfather who would chuckle at the many antics his grandchildren would make, as he watched them play. Just like in all of the old movies that I have seen.

  I couldn’t remember my grandfather. He had passed long ago, in a skirmish that had broken out from this never ending war between the Nightrealm and the Brightrealm. “I’m not some secret shady axe murderer. You can let the old Wyrm sleep,” Nazar chuckled as he motioned to Wyrmie who was still curled around those dang books.

  Embarrassment flooded my face. I imagined I looked like a human version of a tomato right now.

  “You need to work on your poker face, lass. Your thoughts are written all over your face, and your energy is easy for anyone with magic to see.” Nazar smiled before putting the old tome he had been leafing through down, and picked up another one. He blew the cover, and dust filtered through the air. Looking satisfied he began to turn the pages of the old tome.

  I could hear my Dragon sigh internally. She had become tired of my inner monologue, and felt impatient from all of the waiting. She wanted action.

  I should have chosen a warrior, she moaned inside of my mind. I could almost picture her huffing, and turning her back on me. Impatient dragon. I pushed my thoughts towards the picture of her in my mind.

  A loud bang interrupted my thoughts as Nazar slammed the old book shut, sending dust flying through the air. “It is as I thought,” he said looking thoughtful. "When you ascended, your fury side fractured your connection with your Dragon. Instead of being at one with her, it is as if you are two. Two separate spirits trapped in the same body."

  He looked to me with concern in his eyes before continuing. "In the old tomes, it is said that once you are of age to ascend, your Dragon side should take over. You then belong to your dragon, your spirit is no more. It dies, and the spirit of the ancient one, the dragon, is the only spirit inside of you remaining. Well it was supposed to be.” Nazar placed the book carefully next to him, and stood up before continuing. “However you have very much retained your spirit without merging. In fact, I would say that you are in complete control of both yourself, and your dragon." Nazar stepped closer to me and looked me directly in my eyes as if he was searching for something in my soul. “This would make you very dangerous.”

  I looked at him with horror etched on my face. I felt sick to the stomach. “You mean that if I had of ascended correctly, I would have lost everything that makes me, me? I would have become Dragon, and only Dragon?” I felt like I had a starring role in that movie where alien parasites take over humans as secret camouflage to take over the world and destroy it.

  Silly girl, I am not a parasite. You may call me Alessia. Dragon whispered in my mind sympathetically. You are correct, I had not wanted to tell you for fear of you “freaking out” as you call it. When you ascended your spirit should have gone on to Valhalla as a reward for providing a Guardian with a vessel to fulfil our sacred mission - to protect the creatures of this Earth. To protect mankind. Alessia began to push images forward into my mind of many who had come before. Of teens ascending and filling with a bright light before being escorted by Valkyries to Valhalla where they spent the rest of eternity celebrating with the many warriors who filled it’s great halls. I don’t know why your spirit was stuck. When the time came for you to leave, so that I could fill this vessel completely, your spirit began to drift before the fire followed you in spirit and held on. I had to do something, I couldn’t let you burn, I put your suffering above that of the suffering of this world. I only hope that I have not destroyed us all by this act of mercy.

  A mixture of sorrow and fear rippled throug
h me. Alessia pushed images into my mind of my body ascending into the air above the stage, and being filled with light before turning into a human fireball. I could see the moment that I had begun to leave, escorted by a transparent exotic woman riding a horse with wings who shimmered in the light. I saw Alessia’s cat-like eyes looking in my direction as she smiled in thanks. I was at peace, laughing and smiling with the woman as we began to float away followed by a thin trail of fire. The flames licked at my feet before engulfing my spirit wrapping itself tightly around me. Pain echoed across my face as I screamed in silence, no one from the living could hear me. Alessia looked at me with panic and worry trying to find a way to ease my pain muttering quiet incantations under her breath as both my body, and my spirit burned from the outside in. My spirit began to drift closer to my body before snapping back inside as Alessia’s dragon eyes were replaced by those of my fury. Angry, red and merciless.

  "Yes that is correct. It is an honour to be chosen by the Dragonkin ancestors. Usually they pick the strongest of us, the Warriors,” Nazar said as he answered my question interrupting the internal conversation I had been having with Alessia.

  Nazar looked at me like I had pictured Alessia must have looked at me a thousand times today. I wasn’t exactly the perfect candidate for any kind of legion. I wasn’t overly strong, I was hopeless with weapons, and I hated confrontation. On a normal day I would rather hide from someone, rather than have a conversation. I was completely average. Average height, average weight, average clothes. My eyes were usually a very average brown. Even my test scores were average. The only thing that wasn’t average about me was my hair. It was a myriad of silver and purple shades. I had often been teased about it by some of the other kids but I didn’t care. I loved my hair. I imagined that it was like the colour of the moon, Mom always told me my hair was the colour of moondust. It was the only thing I really liked about myself.