by Rains, Nina
“Your Highness,” Dratini called.
I sobbed hard when Saicin did not move. Dratini shed a tear and placed his forehead on Saicin.
“Ampharos,” Dratini uttered. He looked at Ampharos and said, “You can revive her.”
“B-but,” Ampharos hesitated. He looked at me and to his other brothers.
“Give it a try,” Renisham encouraged him.
Ampharos held Saicin’s hand. His eyes turned light brown and his body glowed. The ground shook and flowers began to spring on the walls of the castle. Ampharos’ light brown eyes slowly faded. His pupils almost vanished.
Renisham placed a hand on Ampharos’ shoulder. His palm turned into a golden flame. The color in Ampharos’ eyes slowly returned. Renisham quickly pulled him away.
“Ampharos,” I cried.
“He will be all right,” Latias comforted me. “He’s only tired.”
“Your Highness,” Dratini called Saicin again.
Saicin still did not move. Dratini looked at Ampharos. The youngest dragon lowered his shoulders. He also could not believe that he could not bring Saicin back. He almost poured all his life to her.
The balcony was filled with gasps of shock when Saicin slowly opened her eyes. I wanted to rush to her, but Latias stopped me. I smiled with crying eyes.
Saicin had her eyes only on Dratini. The black dragon’s eyes turned pink. The Queen’s beauty manifested on them.
Slowly, Dratini’s hair turned pitch black. I looked at Latias. Dratini looked like Latias when Latias wore his magic.
“It is really you,” Saicin said in a weak voice. “Did you come to take my heart?”
“No, my queen. I came to be with you,” Dratini spoke like a man in love.
I looked at my dragons. They looked back at me. I scowled at them. None of them had treated me the way Dratini treated my sister.
Renisham scared me by throwing me in the air. Latias used a magical power to make me forget my feelings for him. Ampharos kept on tricking me. I laughed a little. I would not try to change any of it even if I was given a chance. My dragons were special.
“The Queen is alive!” Eunisa announced.
The balcony rejoiced as Dratini helped my sister stand. Everyone clapped and celebrated except for Amara. I looked at her. She bowed and said, “Apollyeon ordered a full force attack. His army will cross the castle grounds at any moment.”
“Calm your fears, my friend,” I told her. “Apollyeon no longer has a dragon. We have four at our side.”
“But, Apollyeon is protected by evil. There is no certainty of what he can do,” Amara reminded me.
I nodded and ordered, “Order our warriors to slay them until no vampire is left. My dragons and I will follow…,”
My words got lost when I saw an arrow flying towards us. I pushed Amara away. The arrow dropped between us. When we looked up, hundreds of arrows flew towards us.
Dratini, Renisham, Latias and Ampharos quickly shifted into their dragon form. Latias blocked the arrows with an ice wall. Renisham blew fireballs against our enemies. Ampharos created a dome of vines over the balcony to cover us all. Dratini blew the arrows back to where they came from.
“Your Highness!” A maid shrieked when Saicin fell on the ground.
“Saicin,” I called as I ran next to her.
I lifted Saicin and placed her on my chest. My eyes widened when I felt something wet on her back. I lifted her higher. I was terrified when I found an arrow was stuck on her back.
“Saicin, no,” I cried.
“They are poisoned,” Sarisa cried.
I looked at Sarisa. She had Cynara in her hands, too. An arrow was stuck on her sister’s leg. No! I cried, but the shock barred my voice.
“The Queen! She is dead!” Another servant announced.
The strong wind stopped blowing. I looked up and saw Dratini. His eyes were wet with tears. He dropped on his knees and took Saicin from me.
“Your Highness,” Dratini whispered lovingly.
Saicin did not move. I stood up and grabbed Ampharos. “You have to bring her back again. Please, bring her back.”
Ampharos followed me, but Latias pulled him back. Ampharos shoved his brother away only to be pulled back by Renisham.
“What are you doing?” I questioned. “There is still time. He could still save Saicin.”
“It would kill him!” Renisham yelled furiously.
I stopped sobbing all of a sudden. I looked at Ampharos. Renisham told me that Ampharos almost died when he revived Saicin earlier. He might die if he had to do it again.
Ampharos wanted to argue, but Dratini’s growl silenced us all.
Dratini shifted into a large black dragon, with streaks of ash-gray lines. His eyes turned into dark red again. Strong wind passed through our legs and grew stronger as Dratini roared.
Chapter Twelve
Brother!” Renisham called.
Dratini did not hear him. He only grew bigger and fiercer. He gathered all the wind around him. Ampharos grabbed and covered me with his wings.
Sand appeared from the cracks of the ground. It started to cover all the Elastinians in the castle grounds. Latias summoned all the water he could and covered the people with a layer of ice to protect them from the wild wind and the sand. Renisham lifted all the gold from underneath the castle and layered it on to the ice cover to strengthen it.
Dratini blew hard winds that shredded Apollyeon’s men into pieces.
“No!” I could hear Apollyeon scream in fury. “I will have the demons kill you. You ungrateful dragon!”
Dratini roared louder. He blew even stronger winds. Ampharos struggled to cover me. I caught a glimpse of Amara, who was covered with gold next to me. Her cover cracked from Dratini’s wrath.
“We have to stop him,” I told Ampharos. “He could kill everyone.”
“Brother, stop this!” Ampharos called.
Dratini ignored him. I pushed Ampharos away. Latias grabbed me before the wind could take me.
“You cannot be with Saicin if you kill us all!” I yelled before Latias could freeze me.
The wind slowed down. Dratini looked at Saicin. His eyes turned pink again. He slowly shifted back to his human form and put an end to his wrath.
Latias unfroze me. My dragons gradually removed the shielding covers of the people in the kingdom. I ran next to Saicin.
“I’m sorry,” I cried as I held her hand. “I could not change your destiny.”
Dratini looked at me. His face lit up with a smile.
“Brother,” Renisham called.
Dratini looked at his brothers. He bowed at them before he asked for Eunisa’s sword. Eunisa looked at me. I nodded.
Dratini returned with Eunisa’s sword in his hands. He placed it next to me before taking Saicin from my hand. I looked at the sword. Somehow, I knew what he wanted me to do.
“I promised to take your sister’s heart with me,” Dratini told me. “I need her heart to find my place in heaven.”
I grabbed the handle of the sword. I looked at my dragons. Ampharos stepped forward to stop me, but Renisham pulled him back.
“You need to do what you were destined to,” Renisham told me.
I stood and pointed the sword to Dratini. The prophecy was true. I could only kill Dratini when I had the hearts of the three dragons.
I held the sword in both hands. Dratini straightened his shoulders and presented me his chest. I raised the sword and struck it towards his chest. I stopped before the sword reached him.
My sudden hesitation surprised the people in the balcony. I looked at my three dragons. I hesitated because of them. The prophecy said that when Dratini ascends to heaven, his brothers would also vanish and join him. I already lost my sister. I did not want to lose them.
“Do not fret, your highness,” Dratini said. And, as if he read my mind, he added, “Your true love for them has changed their destinies. They will not die as long as you have their hearts.”
My stubbornness made me he
sitant. I had too much to risk.
Dratini looked at Renisham and ordered, “Take a glimpse into the future, brother. Then, tell her how it will be fine.”
Renisham’s eyes turned gold for a moment. He looked at me. When he was about to speak, Ampharos stopped him.
“This is what I want Ampharos,” Dratini spoke. “Let me have my peace.”
I looked at Renisham. He nodded sadly. I gripped the sword again. Dratini bowed to me. Tears flowed down my cheeks. I closed my eyes and plunged the sword into his heart.
Gasps echoed around me. A bright light struck my eyes when I opened them. Dratini did not bleed. He only shone brightly. I let go of the sword, but it remained in his heart.
Dratini’s eyes turned dark red, just like when he was an evil dragon. We all panicked. I looked at my dragons. Latias and Ampharos were ready to shift, but Renisham stopped them.
Dratini trembled as the light continued to beam from his heart. His dark red eyes began to lighten, as he fought his evil urge. He stopped trembling when his eyes turned to light pink completely.
The sword fell from his chest. The light became brighter – unbearable to the human eyes.
Suddenly, the light vanished. When we opened our eyes again, we found Dratini’s human body lying next to Saicin. My pale sister looked different. Her face acquired some color. She regained the fresh beauty and the happy smile she once had.
I looked at my dragons. They had shifted to their dragon forms. They were in a bowing position. I looked up at the sky. Two lights shone brightly. A smaller light settled a few stars away from the Polaris.
“He did take him with her,” Latias spoke. He pointed the star that rested near the Polaris and added, “That is your sister. One of the stars above her is our brother.”
I looked at Latias and asked, “How do you know?”
“That long line of stars is called Draco,” Latias replied.
Latias explained that when good dragons die, they ascend to become one of those stars. It is an honor given to dragons with pure hearts.
“Take the Queen and the Prince,” Amara ordered. “Prepare them for a proper funeral.”
I knelt down to help the maids carry my sister. Amara prevented me. I wanted to shove her, but I halted when I saw her melancholic eyes. I was surprised when she suddenly knelt before me.
“Bow down to our new queen!” Amara announced.
The rest of the warriors and the maids bowed to me. Sarisa stood up and walked near the rails of the balcony.
“Bow down to our new queen!” Sarisa announced to the people in the castle grounds.
“Hail Queen Aurora!” One of the warriors on the ground yelled.
The people shouted their praises. My hands tightened when the people continued to hail me happily. They had forgotten that a queen just died.
“We will prepare for Queen Saicin’s funeral tomorrow, so you can take the throne after three days of mourning,” Amara explained.
I looked at Amara. She might not be a dragon, but she read my mind. She knew about my hesitation.
“You cannot refuse, your Highness. You are the only rightful heir,” Amara reminded me. “Elastin needs you. The people need you.”
I looked at the three dragons. They smiled and bowed to me.
“We will serve you as the queen, your Highness,” Renisham declared.
I looked at the star of Saicin. The star sparked and made me smile. The legend said that the queens of Elastin were taken to the stars of Cassiopeia. She changed her place in the sky. I could still change my place here.
“Your Highness, you cannot do this,” Amara pleaded as she bowed lower in front of me.
I looked at the castle halls. The elders were shocked by my decisions. The warriors had happy faces. The residents, who were granted to witness my appearance, clapped as they were instructed.
I looked at Sarisa. The former elite warrior carried the princess crown in her high priestess’ gown. I walked closer to Amara and ordered, “Rise, Princess Amara.”
“Your Highness, I am born to be only your servant,” Amara refused. “To make me your heir…”
Amara stopped talking when I donned the princess crown on her head. She looked at me filled with disbelief.
“Rise,” I whispered to her. “You deserve this, Amara.”
Amara rose slowly. When she had stood up, Sarisa announced, “Hail to Princess Amara. Heir to the throne of Elastin!”
The room resounded with the sound of clapping hands. Some elders, who objected my decision, did not clap. I laughed secretly. They could not stop me. I claimed the prophecy and changed my dragons’ destinies. I would not let a throne stop me from changing my own.
“This way, your Highness,” Sarisa said as she led Amara to her princess’ throne.
“Stop,” I ordered. The room turned silent.
“What is she doing now? Announce that she will marry one of the dragons and make him a king?” I heard an elder whisper.
I gave the elder a sharp look and showed a mocking smile. I pulled Amara near me and announced, “I hereby abdicate my throne to Princess Amara.”
Everyone in the palace hall gasped in astonishment. Amara was about to drop on her knees and plead again, but I stopped her. She shook her head while looking at me with pleading eyes.
I only smiled at her. That woman was the heavens' gift to Elastin. I remembered Renisham’s words about Amara. She was indeed a gift – not only to Elastin but also to me. Without her, I could not change my destiny.
“From this day henceforth, she will become the queen of Elastin,” I announced.
The room remained in cold silence. I took the crown from Amara’s head and replaced it with mine. I looked at Sarisa.
The new high priestess bowed to me and announced, “Hail to our new queen, Queen Amara!”
The throne room still remained silent. Eunisa pulled her sword and stamped the tip on the floor. She walked in front of Amara and bowed.
“I, General Eunisa of Adagio, pledge allegiance to the new queen of Elastin,” Eunisa declared.
The other elite warriors followed Eunisa. Soon, the whole room bowed to their new queen. Shadows of dragons darkened the room for a moment.
I looked at the balcony. My dragons had come to watch.
“You cannot do this, your Highness,” Amara insisted. “I cannot rule Elastin alone.”
“This is your destiny, my good friend,” I comforted her. I looked at my dragons again and said, “They need their heart. I cannot bear to lose them.”
“But, your Highness, what will happen to Elastin if you leave us?” Amara was worried.
I understood Amara. Apollyeon was still alive and still protected by evil. He was the lone survivor of the war. He might try to rebuild his vampire legions again, but I vowed to stop him as long as I breathed.
“Do not worry, your Highness. My dragons and I will always be on your side,” I told Amara. “We will come as soon as you call for our help.”
“B-but,”
“You will be a great queen, Amara,” I cut her. “Just as how great you are as a friend.”
Amara looked at me for a while. Then, she looked at my dragons. A genuine and happy smile ran across her face. She hugged me and whispered, “Be happy with them.”
“It will be a challenging adventure, but I know I’ll always be happy with them,” I told Amara. I kissed her on her forehead and turned to the people. “Hold a feast for the new queen. That is my last wish as your former queen.”
The whole room rejoiced. The band played the song of Elastin as they repeatedly cheered for Amara. I bowed to Amara for the last time and disappeared quietly from the room.
I walked out to the eye of the New East Mountain. The snow had covered the roofs and towers of the castle and all the houses of Elastin. A decade had passed since Amara’s reign, but the towers had never been lit.
I looked at the stars of Cassiopeia. The winter sky covered the shimmer of the star of Elastin. I turned my eyes to the north
sky. Saicin and Dratini’s star still shone brightly to Elastin.
“Aurora, aren’t you cold?” Ampharos asked when he found me.
It was winter, but the New East mountain was as hot as summer.
I shook my head and answered, “My Rennie made me my own summer again.”
“Then, should we explore the rest of the mountain again?” Ampharos asked.
I nodded. Ampharos smiled and quickly shifted to his dragon form. I climbed on his back.
“Hold tight, my love,” Ampharos said before he took off.
“Our love,” Latias added when he appeared next to us.
I laughed when the two younger brothers bickered about me again. It had been a long time and I had gotten used to it. Living with my three dragons had always been a happy adventure.
Ampharos caught sight of Renisham, who was enjoying the heat on top of the mountain. He descended near Renisham and let me climb down from his back.
“How do you like this summer?” Renisham asked.
“Always better than the last,” I answered while giving him a kiss.
The top of the mountain had a better view of Elastin. Renisham held my hand and offered, “Do you want to hear the new legend of Elastin again?”
I smiled and nodded. He hugged me from behind and told the story sweetly into my ear.
Over the years, Amara changed the history of Elastin. She told the people the truth about the first queen and honored Saicin for her sacrifice. She also wrote a story of a queen, who fell in love with a dragon. The queen’s life was so short that the dragon took her with him in the sky, so they could sustain their love. They became the stars that shone brightly over Elastin.
And of course, Amara spread a new legend – one that was based on truth.
The legend talked about a young, fearless princess, who tried to save Elastin from being ruined by an evil vampire king. Therefore, she searched for the dragon that guarded Elastin. The princess found not one, but three dragons.
The dragons truly loved her and gave half of their hearts to her. Unlike the first queen, the princess did not betray the dragons. She chose to return their hearts and stayed with them for the rest of her life. However, she vowed to watch over Elastin along with her dragons.