by SlyOkami
Erik glanced back at her, “If you think that is best, then you know where to find her. I will not interfere unless things get dangerous. Which, knowing the two of you, it won’t.”
Makaela smirked coldly, “How do you know? How do you know I wouldn’t just kill her like I did with her mother and be done with the issue?” She asked, her eyes turning barren as she met his inspecting gaze.
“Makaela, I like to think myself an expert on judging others, I am a Dragon after all.” Erik said as he turned to stare down the corridor, “And you might be a killer, you might be somewhat cruel, some would even say evil. But you’re not cold hearted, you’re not detached from emotion. If anything, your emotions rule over you, and you allow them to because you enjoy the rush they give you. You’re wicked, but you’re not one who would mercilessly kill someone they look up to.”
His words, delved deep into Makaela, as her cold gaze turned into an amused smile. “Yeah, I am cruel.” She said in elven, as she silently walked up to his turned back. Raising her right palm to barely touching him.
Makaela spoke softly,“I sometimes wish I was cold hearted though. Then I could take it all…take it all for myself and have no regrets. Have no guilt.” as she grabbed onto his shoulders and raised herself on her tip-toes. The closeness, filling Erik with that strange feeling he had felt before, once more.
Now noticing, Erik noticing that the feeling he felt, was fear.
Fear of growing close to someone, fear of letting anyone closer to his core, than he already had.
It filled him, cold and dreadful, as she knocked at his walls. Walls he had unconsciously built around his own heart.
As her cold lips met a patch of scaly-skin on his right cheek, “I choose my people, Erik. But I’m greedy, I want it all~” She whispered into his ear, as her breasts softly pushed onto his back. “And one day…I will make you mine too~” She said, as her entire form dissipated into shadow.
Leaving him alone with himself, alone with his turning and twisting thoughts.
Erik walked through the halls, picking out pieces of equipment to make up a full suit of white-blue armour alongside a set of magical accessories to go with. The pieces hovering in mid-air behind him as he walked.
Silently, he walked.
Alone until Ivyieth walked out of the Fae hall with a massive two-edged sword three times her own size. A blade of dark green wood etched with intersecting runes, a hilt of branches and leaves and a grip of coiling vines. The weapon was huge, yet she held it over her shoulder effortlessly.
“Elder brother I pick this!” She exclaimed in excitement, suddenly lowering the weapon down to the floor between them and shattering the paved ground with the sword’s great weight.
Erik’s expression twitched with confusion as he stared down at young Ivyieth, who smiled…but had an obvious expression of annoyance.
-
* * *
-
Three hours later, into the next day.
Morning.
Makaela stepped out of shadow form as she stood before the door, the entrance to where they were resting. Eyes closed as she took a deep breath, calming her nerves before pushing the door open. Finding herself in the kitchen, where Nerick sat at the table.
Silent, as his cold gaze turned to face her. The eyes of a beast within him, as the wyvern on the table woke to stare at her too. “So, you’re finally going to talk to them?” Nerick asked, an obvious tone of hostility about him.
(“He knows too…”) Makaela thought as she walked past his chair, “Yes.” She said simply.
As Nerick suddenly rose to stand in her way.
Makaela chuckled, “What is it? Have you finally grown a pair?” she mused.
But Nerick’s cold gaze was unaffected, “I did not like you before, I like you less now. I may trust Erik, and he and she might trust you. But I never have, I never will. She might forgive you, but I never will.” He warned her, then stepping out of her way. “Watch yourself, Xilfir, because I will be watching you.” He said as Ivara hopped onto his shoulder, the wyvern hissing at Makaela as she continued to walk past them.
“How reassuring.” Makaela sighed, “And here I thought you were just a wimp in armour. Power really does get to you Human’s heads.” She said with a smirk, glancing back at his still stoic expression.
“Enough, the both of you.” Thea suddenly said as she opened the door, each of them getting a peek of Kayle within, awake and sitting quietly on the bed. Thea stepped into the kitchen and closed the door behind her.
First, she looked at Nerick. “She asked for you.” Thea said, and Nerick’s previously cold eyes lit up. His appearance’s sense of strength turning fragile and nervous, as he walked over to the door. Swallowing hard, Nerick then opened the door and stepped inside.
Seeing Kayle as her gaze rose to look at him, weak eyes and pale skin, but a friendly smile nonetheless. “Who-Wait…Nerick?” Kayle guessed, as her eyes suddenly turned empty white, before returning to their normal form.
Nerick was confused by what had just occurred, but even more so by how quickly she recognised him…He was after all, nowhere the same human he used to be.
“Ah…haha…Sorry about that.” Kayle said, raising her right hand to cover her eyes, “It’s been happening ever since I…woke up. The stone thing, Dejal was it? Said that it’s a side effect of escaping Risera’s power…” then peeking from under her palm she took another look at him. “I guess…we’ve both changed a lot.” She said, still smiling warmly.
Nerick nodded nervously, he could see the pain in her eyes, he could see right through the smile she put up to cover it all. Clenching his fists, as he stared down at her with firm eyes. Ivara sensed his uneasiness, then leaping off his shoulder and onto the bed nearby Kayle, who was strangely unfazed by the terrifying creature approaching her.
Ivara prowled the sheets around Kayle as she watched the wyvern back, sensing the demonic energy that lay within Kayle cautiously Ivara kept her distance. But seeing how her master looked at Kayle, and feeling what he felt. The wyvern let its guard down, and approached the woman further.
No larger than a cat, Ivara sat next to Kayle, staring up at her with curious eyes.
Kayle smiled back at the wyvern, “Aren’t you…back then?…” Kayle mused as she slowly lowered her hand onto the wyvern’s head. Her eyes suddenly emptying of colour once more, “Ah, Ivara…I see.” She mused, petting the wyvern as her eyes turned back to normal.
Ivara did not complain, instead the wyvern happily nuzzled into her hand whilst purring loudly.
Seeing this, Nerick smiled for the first time today. (“It’s my turn,”) Nerick thought as he watched them, (“It’s my turn to be there for you. It’s my turn to protect you now.”) He promised himself, resolve filling him as he glanced back at Thea.
She smiled at him, “Take your time…we’ll be a while.” Thea said, closing the door behind him.
Thea stood where she was, still holding the door’s handle. Silent and unmoving, Thea just stood there, facing the door.
As Makaela stared at her back.
“What have we come to?” Thea then suddenly said in a whisper.
Makaela chuckled, “Fate is a cruel mistress alright.” Shifting awkwardly where she stood.
As Thea turned to face her, Makaela expected to see hate within her eyes.
Makaela wanted to see rage.
She wanted to see a murderous gaze within Thea’s eyes.
But instead, Thea looked at her with calm and friendly eyes. Filling Makaela with frustration. “Do you not hate me now?” Makaela asked her.
Thea shook her head, “I did, I hated you for a while…But that was the shock, that was before. I’m not my father, I will not make the mistakes he did. I will not let hate define who and what I am.”
Makaela’s eyes narrowed and turned cold, as her lips quivered with annoyance. “I killed your mother, Selene.” She stated coldly.
“You did, but the reasons define the means, Makaela
. You did it to save your sister, and I’m sure my mother did not resist. That’s just the kind of person she was.” Thea said softly, continuing to smile as her gaze fell. “It wasn’t your fault Makaela, Risera…No, Azkel orchestrated it al-”
“Shut up…” Makaela suddenly cut her off, Thea’s gaze rising to meet Makaela’s cold wide eyes.
(“Why? Why are you like this?”) Makaela thought, “Does it matter? In the end it was my blade, tearing through her skin, breaking through her bones and piercing her heart. Her blood, is on my hands!” Makaela exclaimed.
Thea’s smile faltered briefly, but quickly returned, as she approached Makaela. “You killed her, that is something you have to live with. And I’m sure, one day, you’ll redeem yourself in her eyes. I know you will Makaela.” She said calmly.
Makaela shook her head, (“Why? Why are you not furious?”) she thought. “How? How do you know I’ll ever do something so grand?” But again, she asked something else.
Thea stopped before her, “Because you’re something I’m not, you’re strong Makaela, you’re very strong.”
(“No…”) Makaela wanted to say, (“No I’m not strong…Power is nothing compared to…what you are…You’re the strong one dammit! If our…if our places were switched I…I would have hated and killed you without hesitation!”) Makaela thought, (“Dammit Thea…”)
Seeing a tear sneak its way down Makaela’s cheek as she tried her best to hold them in, Thea raised her hand and wiped it off. “We can’t be stuck on our past…would be something he would say. We have someone to save, and many to defeat. So let’s focus on that now, okay?” She said softly, and with that same friendly smile of hers, as she walked past Makaela.
Makaela’s eyes followed her, (“Your words may be stronger than mine…your heart vaster too…but…”) she thought as she watched Thea reach the living quarter’s exit, opening the door and revealing the large corridor beyond.
“I won’t lose.” Makaela suddenly said, causing her to stop in her steps.
Thea chuckled weakly at her words.
Glancing back at Makaela briefly, “Neither will I.” she then said with a wide grin, before leaving the room.
-
* * *
-
At the same time
Erik waited at the armoury’s entrance alongside Ivyieth and his three guardians. Each looking menacing at his side, as several dozen fighters approached from one end of the corridor with Ascal and Pyra at their lead.
He turned to face them as they reached him, Ivyieth almost knock Fierv aside with her massive blade as she turned too. The large ablaze hound having to duck under the weapon.
Pyra and Ascal stopped, and when they did, so did the rest behind them. A loose formation of rebels, and a few dreadblades among them. Erik opened his wings wide, and with a single powerful beat he soared up several feet off the ground. Continuing to beat his wings, Erik hovered over them as he inspected each warrior, ranger and mage.
The rebel’s expressions turning nervous and anxious under his scrutiny.
He recognised a few of them, mainly a few rebels he had singled out during the break out at Ai’sen. Erik regarded all of them as he spoke though, “You all have been chosen out of your many brothers and sisters, to serve a greater purpose than just foot soldiers. On the field, you have shown to be exceptional at your art, singled out by my captains or myself for the skill and experience you all possess. You all have been seen for the potential you have, I now offer you to unlock that potential and gain even greater power. Powers to use in the name of your people, in the name of this kingdom we shall build together.”
Silence filled the crowd of soldiers, each wondering what this Dragon was offering…or was about to do to them.
Erik flew over to the barred door, then rested his palm onto it. The metal bars again disappearing from sight as the doors opened for him. “Beyond this doorway, lies my vast collection of magical artefacts, weapons and armour I have collected over the ages…You each get…One.” He strained to say the words, “Select wisely, for each item beyond here holds both great power…and an even greater danger. For both your enemy, and yourselves.”
Tentatively the rebels crowded the entrance, each gazing down the dimly lit hallway riddled with eerie archways. Looking like the entrance to a dungeon of horrors to each of them.
Even so, still many stepped forth. Either too proud to be afraid, too experienced to care…or like Kailu, too filled with cold emotion to know that he should be. As he stepped through the doorway alongside many others, mainly surrounded by Tania, Jin and their lackeys himself.
“Is this…like…for real?” Tania whispered, “We get a picking at a Dragon’s treasury? Did we die? Are we in heaven?” she said anxiously, giving glances at Erik as he watched over them all with careful eyes, as did his guardians who flew about the armoury around them.
The rebels though had gathered at the centre of the corridor, as even the most fearless were faltering at the thought of being the first to step into one of the halls and choosing something.
Erik sighed at the sight, then suddenly beating his wings and soaring into one of the halls.
Into the Elven hall, before flying back out with a weapon in hand. Erik inspected the weapon briefly as he glided down to the ground before them. “This, is an Elven-made Woad Glaive called Kenveil’s Glaive. It is a magical weapon which absorbs the excess mana of all magical spells cast in its vicinity. When full the user can then unleash the gathered mana into either a shockwave of destructive flames, or a burst of healing energies.” Erik explained, before walking over to Tania who seemed the most reluctant.
He raised the glaive towards the ex-bandit, “It is yours now.” He said, his cold gaze upon her as Tania lay entrance by the beautiful weapon.
She dropped her spear aside, then took hold of the glaive’s grip. “Mine?…” she repeated in question, but when she pulled on it she found that Erik’s iron-grip on the weapon was unmoving…His expression twitching briefly before he finally let go.
Awkwardly, Tania took the weapon, running her fingers over the expertly carved wooden staff till she reached the gleaming green blade.
“And each of you get one, so what are you waiting for?” Erik said, raising his arms to either side of himself and gesturing at the armoury as a whole. “Your destiny awaits.” He said, “But it is you who has to grasp and grip onto it tightly.”
The rebels needed no further invitation, as each scrambled about the armoury, many excited and other trying to hide it as they searched the Dragon’s treasury for a weapon or artefact of choice. And as they did they found that the treasury’s contents each lay hovering in line, unguarded and seemingly awaiting a new master within them.
Kailu though, as many others, was unsure of where to start. The thought of gaining greater power intrigued him considerably, but unlike Jin who rushed into the closest Dwarven hall and came out piloting a massive humanoid mechanized suit, he wanted his one choice to be unmistakeable.
Kailu no longer wanted to be a foot soldier, and he was just given the opportunity of a life time. An opportunity he would not dare waste…
He stood there, watching the rest picking out and showing off their weapons, as guardians and a seemingly annoyed Erik explained their ability and use to them.
For several moments, Kailu silently stood there…
* * *
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOL_ehdWD8o
* * *
As the whispers suddenly began to hiss around him…
Forming no words, nothing he could comprehend as a language…but voices they were and whisper they did.
Glancing about, nobody else but him seemed to notice the voices, making him wonder if they were just in his head.
He did not understand what the voices were saying, but as he looked around they grew more agitated. Seemingly moving with his gaze, the sound then suddenly came from a singular direction.
As if leading him, as if telling him where to go…
And Kailu followed.
As the voices hissed and whispered, images from his past began to suddenly blur into Kailu’s sight.
Kailu followed the voices down the corridor, silently walking through the crowd of rebels as they ignored his entranced face as he passed them by. Kailu suddenly realised he couldn’t break off from his current path anymore, that he had completely lost control over his own body.
Unable to do anything but watch as images of his past played out, blurring in and out from the reality before him.
He continued to walk, remaining calm as his curiosity took over.
Seeing his entire village burning before him at one second.
Then the corridor’s last halls another second, finding himself turning into the eeriest one. Kailu stepped into the Dark Ages hall, finding himself surrounded by masses of cloth and chains. Objects that lay sealed and covered from sight, telling him just how dangerous each must be.
Anybody else would have turned away that instant, turned off by the sight itself.
But not just because Kailu was entranced and unable to control his body…He wanted to know, he needed to know as the voices grew clearer.
(“Nobody, will stand in your way again.”) The voices said, as he entered.
Then for a second seeing a dozen of his people being torched alive by a Sin Wyrm’s flames.
(“Nothing will hurt you ever again.”) They told him softly, as he approached one covered object.
For a moment, he saw the images of several mercenaries standing over him, kicking and beating him into submission.
(“No more pain, no more anger and hate.”) They offered him, as he stopped before a long black staff with something covered and chained at its top end. The staff itself wasn’t straight, it was bent strangely. Not by accident or seemingly made in a hurry, but seemingly bent with purpose as the carvings that riddled it showed too much skill to be by mistake…