Dragon and Prophesy

by Nathan Chidlow

  "Flecto ablazo!" Cyclux screamed and stretched his hands in the direction of the werewolves and cats, closing up on him. The fire from the fireplace whizzed past Cyclux, he could feel the heat very closely, going past his ear; the next thing he saw were the werewolves and werecats burning and shrieking, running blindly or rolling on the floor. Cyclux ran outside, the helm beneath his robe, Ethan had just thrust his sword into a werewolf from behind, he fell, lifeless. Werewolves and werecats started fleeing, they had lost too many, they fled from their camp into the thick woods, in to the dark forest. Cyrus was ready to follow them into the forest- despite the disadvantage -he was ready to kill every single one of them until they release the helm they stole. The werewolves had killed some of them too, mages and elves, comrades and friends.

  "Cowards! They fled their own home. We will pursue them into the forest and kill them all!" Cyrus shrieked, his body soaked in sweat and blood. The warriors shouted war cries, and started moving quickly towards the gate but were interrupted by another shout from behind.

  "I have the helm! I've got the helm!" Cyclux held the helm high, well above his head. He walked down, slowly towards Ethan and wore it on him, it fitted well.

  Cyrus was satisfied with what he saw, at the turn of event, "we will return home and leave this battle till another time!" He said. They made sure they left with the remains of every warrior who fell in battle that night and helped the several injured ones.

  Ethan removed his armor and returned them into the pollen sack, his sword remains sheathed in the old ragged cloth Jonathan gave him, which makes it invisible, except when he is fighting with it. The armor and weapons felt unusually light on him, like he was just wearing another robe, like an extension of his body. They were a part of him but it was still like a dream to him, the war and how much blood he drew from the enemy. His face, his hands, his armor, his weapons, his boots... All covered in blood, he has never seen so much blood, it made him shudder. It also earned him respect, like the warriors at the fort had not seen anyone fight like he did. They looked at him the same way the knights at the rock palace looked at him- with honor. It was past mid-night now; it looked like a new day will soon be ushered in. Ethan sat down in the cozy room they were given in the fort; he removed the blood stains from the armor and weapons, one after the other until they were clean. He had taken that much time in the shower too.

  Cyclux popped his head through the door, "Ethan, Linda is awake..."

  "Alright... I'll be right there."

  Linda was feeling better; she was eating her meal and covered in fur, when Ethan came in. "Linda... How are you feeling now?"

  "Very much better, the fever has stopped." She raised her bandaged arm. "The witch doctor was wonderful, the medicine he gave me relieved me of the pain."

  "She said you healed quickly, it's one of the privileges of an Ebron witch. The injured warriors that were beaten by werecats, will not be able to attend the Halloween celebrations." Cyclux said, he was sitting with her on the bed. Cyclux had left for her room, immediately he got the blood stains from his body off and the serving goblins collected his robe for laundry. He was still in shock, he had suffered nightmares since he was a teenager, since he learnt werewolves killed his father, but he had to face them first-hand. A part of him felt fulfilled, like his father had been avenged, but he could not shake off what had happened from his mind; how he narrowly escaped death, how the old elf was killed right before him, when he was telling him something very important. Cyclux did not understand whatever he meant, what does he mean by he is not an ordinary mage?"

  "Cyclux, you used my wand... didn't you?" Linda said, looking up at Cyclux curiously. Everything that happened just came like a flash, she could only remember Cyclux collecting her wand and raising it, and then everything went black.

  "Yes... I'm sorry, I didn't know I was not supposed to... you were unconscious and-"

  "No Cyclux, it's not that... Only Ebron witches can wield a wand and no two witches can wield the same wand. No ordinary mage can wield an Ebron witch's wand or any wand at all."

  "I don't understand... That was the same thing that old elf said before... before he was killed." Cyclux stood up and paced.

  "You should visit the mystic falls, you will find answers there."

  "Grandaf said the same thing to me, what is that place?" Ethan said, looking searchingly at Linda.

  "Where the living can meet the dead and find answers about the past for the future." Ethan had no idea what she really met, but he understood that meeting his mother was finally possible.

  "Mystic falls... we will need a witch." Cyclux said, as though he just fully apprehended what Linda said.

  "I will go with you."

  "But don't you need to get back to the ice cave. Isaiah should be expecting you by now." Ethan said, he was now standing by her bedside.

  "It's fine Ethan. Isaiah knows I can take care of myself, I wasn't going to escort you here... I was going to escort you to the dragon's island."

  "The dragon's island…?"

  "Yes, Cryptmaw and his evil mage, Migol raided our small town. Several Ebon witches were murdered in cold blood. My parents were murdered that night, our home was burnt, but my parents made sure we were safe, they sent us away on a broomstick, my sister and I. They were friends of Isaiah, he received us warmly when we got to the ice cave. My sister later left for the sand castle, the sand castle is more commercial-based than the ice cave. She thinks her confectionaries will sell better there, that is what she wants to use her magic for... only. She says that's her way of giving back to the world, her way of releasing her grief... her thirst for vengeance. She believes the Prophesy will be fulfilled." Linda recounted, looking into space and smiling.

  Cyclux sat down again, his brow furrowed, "Branda...?"

  "Yes, Branda is my elder sister."

  "Really...? I save for weeks to purchase her candies when I was younger." Cyclux grinned.

  Ethan gave him a quick glance, wandering what he meant by 'when I was younger'. "We visited her place first, on getting to the sand castle and we purchased some chocolate with the money Cyclux had been saving for weeks." Ethan said, he looked over at Cyclux and made a wry expression. Cyclux responded with a brash look. Linda laughed and nudged him in the arm.

  "We do have a common enemy apart from Cryptmaw." Cyclux quickly changed the topic.

  "Migol...? Did he do this to you?" Linda gestured to his face.

  "Yes... How did you know?"

  "I saw your reflection in the tray I served you with, though blur, but I could still see that your old age was a work of magic."

  "We should leave you now, so that you can get some rest." Ethan said, Linda had finished her meal.

  "And what have I been doing since I got here? But it's fine, you guys need to get some rest, but I'm okay." She said. "We will leave for mystic falls in the morning." She quickly added, as Ethan and Cyclux were going to step out of the door.

  The morning breeze was cool and relaxing. The first ray of dawn was just spreading over the plains. Cyclux could see the fairly bright lining in the horizon from an open window in their room. He could not sleep, his nightmares had increased, he kept turning in his bed, his mind was searching for answers, answers he could only find in mystic falls.

  "Cy-clux... you did not sleep?" Ethan had just woken up too, they had slept in separate beds. Ethan thought he had overslept, but the morning was still young, it was unusual for Cyclux to wake up that early. Ethan thinks he has been different since their encounter with the werecats. "Is something wrong...?"

  "I couldn't sleep..." Cyclux replied, without facing Ethan, he kept his gaze on the horizon and watched the morning unfold.

  "Werewolves...?" Ethan asked.

  Cyclux looked at him this time, his face palely lit by the morning ray. "I don't know what is happening to me, Ethan. I had terrible nightmares but I can't remember any of them except one... one in particular." He said, looking intently at Ethan and biting his lower lip. "I s
tood at the bank of a river, it looked like I was in mystic falls, and I started changing... changing into a dragon."

  "It's okay Cyclux, we will find answers at mystic falls, I'm sure we will." Ethan assured him.

  The sky was already blue and patches of white clouds were evident. The plain was now brightly lit by the sun. Ethan and Cyclux could hear noise from the great hall- the hall directly beneath Cyrus's outer chamber, adjacent the room they slept in. Several people were talking at the same time and there was a row of laughter punctuating it.

  "I guess they've started Halloween." Ethan said.

  "I don't think so, Halloween celebrations do not start until the moon is out." They descended the stairs, in what looked like a steep corridor. They were soon in the great hall, the noise and murmurs became a round of applause, as Ethan and Cyclux were ushered towards their seats, very close to Cyrus's. Cyrus stood up, there was a platform attached to his chair. He raised his right hand, gesturing to the assembly to be silent and the room fell silent.

  "These are the men we owe a debt of appreciation, a debt we might never pay completely in our time! They fought valiantly yesternight, and today I know Cryptmaw should be preparing for his last days already!" Applause mixed with shouts of war filled the air, but fell silent again as Cyrus lifted his hand again. "We have put this banquet together to honor them and to celebrate our comrades and friends who lost their lives, we lost nine of our own and not less than fifteen of us are in this fort, but unable to join in the celebration, not even in the evening... because of their various injuries. But the physician has assured us that they will be fine." The room was completely silent as Cyrus spoke. He scanned the room and then raised his goblet, "to men who gave their lives for their land!" Most people echoed the same and raised their goblets. "And we also make a toast... To the defeat of the ashen dragon…!"

  "TO THE DEFEAT OF THE ASHEN DRAGON…!"

  There was so much to eat and drink, but it was the first time Ethan saw Cyclux loose his appetite. He barely touched his food at first, but Linda seemed to help lighten up his mood a bit.

  The elves were very warm and welcoming and so were the handful of mages among them. After the banquet, Ethan packed their robes, well laundered by the serving goblins, into the pollen sack. Some food supplies were added too, Ethan had to leave out some so that the sack will not be too heavy to bear. Linda and Cyrus, with dozen others, were already outside the fort, when Ethan and Cyclux got there. They left amidst applause and shouts, in one of the vehicles, the ones that transported them to war. There were two elves with them, a driver and one of the escort. The vehicle moved very fast as usual but Cyclux was undeterred. He was unusually calm and looked away to the lines of blurry images that formed as the vehicle sped across the countryside.

  THE MYSTIC FALLS

  Ethan felt it took more time to descend the stairs in the fort than when you move from one place to another outside the fort. Lexis had announced that they must have left the woodlands and she could feel the falls very closely. After a barely long drive, the vehicle came to an abrupt stop- it screeched as it did so. There was a huge, thick cluster of leaves and branches- it looked like a forest, but there was no tree in view -cutting off the road. They had driven a very long distance and it looked like they've come to a dead end.

  "The mystic falls lies behind this wall." Linda announced, as she came down from the vehicle and walked towards the cluster.

  Ethan sized up the leaves and branches, clutched together before them. They were reaching as high as the wall of flames. "This does not look like a wall, it looks like a forest of leaves and branches, with no way to get into it."

  "...with no visible way to get into it," said Linda.

  "Only the witch that can summon the spirit of the dead can find the passage way." Cyclux said, speaking for the first time, since they left the fort.

  "The wall is the guardian of the falls..." One of the elves added; from inside the vehicle.

  Linda walked up close to the wall of leaves and said in a loud voice, "venossa venossa openosa!" A small opening appeared immediately, in the middle of the cluster, forming a passageway. The elves decided to stay back in the vehicle, while Linda, Ethan and Cyclux went in. There were several leaves and branches sticking out on both sides as they went through the passageway. What Ethan saw next was mind-blowing... Spectacular! A rich well-cultivated region laid before them, very vast, there were very huge trees in the distance, several lustrous plants spread through the expanse, beautiful and colorful flowers with lots of butterflies hovering around them, there were lots of herbs and vegetables too. Different sizes and colors of birds were singing at almost every corner and a community of fairies whizzed past them- once every minute, as they walked through a shiny path and headed for the falls itself. It was very bright in the distance, very gorgeous and majestic, it was a steep descent of water over the side of a large cliff, it was very wide in diameter. It was a cataract. They walked through the embrace of fresh, natural air, spiced with the fragrance of different flowers. They stopped at the bank of a stream, the aftermath of the waterfall. Lexis turned to Cyclux. "I and Ethan will stand over there (she pointed to the far end of the stream), I will summon the spirit of whoever you wish to speak with. Then, you will do so here at the middle. Who do you wish to speak with?"

  "My father..."

  "What's his name?"

  "Hanclux."

  Lexis and Ethan moved away, leaving only Cyclux. Lexis raised her wand and then stretched it to the stream as soon as they were some distance away. She started speaking in a foreign language, the wind started picking up as she did so, the once peaceful stream broke into torrential wave, splashing and clashing continuously. Ethan stepped back quickly, he looked back at Cyclux, his mouth was moving and he was gesturing. He walked back and forth and then stopped and started talking again, it looked as though he was speaking with someone... someone real but there was nobody there, it was just him. Cyclux glanced at Linda, who put down her wand, and then the stream became calm again, then Cyclux started walking back, towards them.

  "Mr. Ethan do you wish to find your answers now…?"

  Ethan hesitated, then he said, "yes, my mother... I wish to speak with my mother."

  "Did she die in Lonus? I can only summon people whose spirits were buried here in Lonus."

  "I don't know much about her, I can't say if she died here or not but I doubt she did."

  "I heard your father died here in Lonus, I can summon the two of them. If your mother died here too, then you will be able to see her."

  Ethan hesitated again and bit on his lips, "okay... but my father wasn't buried here."

  "His body was not, if he died here, then the mystic falls will find his spirit. What's your mother's name?"

  "Suzan... Suzan Alger and my father's- Henry Alger..." Ethan replied.

  Cyclux joined them; he looked at Ethan and smiled- a weak smile. Ethan moved towards the middle of the stream- at the bank. He could hear the stream splashing again; he could see goose pimples spread over his hands. He stopped at the bank of the stream, where Cyclux had stood, facing the majestic falls, the brightness made squint but it started to dim. Then he saw his father appear from within the waterfall, he glided through the stream from end to end. Ethan’s stomach dropped and his heartbeat quickened. He did not speak with his father for a long time until his death and he wasn't sure he wants to yet. More than anything else, he wanted to speak with his mother, a woman he has never spoken to, all he knows about her was all the family album could show him, even his grandparents do not know much about her. He doesn't think he will ever be able to meet her, he doesn't think she had anything to do with Lonus or even know about its existence. While he was thinking about this, his father stopped right before him, he was beaming with a broad smile, he looked like an older reflection of Ethan; like when Cyclux looked into a mirror- but Cyclux was older than what he saw in the mirror. In that minute, a woman appeared from within the waterfall too and also glided through th
e stream, she was so beautiful. Ethan could see the woman he had only seen in photo albums, she was so real and more gorgeous too, yet it felt like she was a mist that could evaporate at any minute. He saw her eyes, her nose, her hair, exact features as his. He looked like his father, but he had his mother's eyes, her hair color, her nose and mouth shape. It was obvious; he was the product of their union.

  "Did you die in Lonus?" That was the first thing a stunned Ethan could utter, after hankering to meet the woman that gave birth to him and to have a chance to speak with her... that was the first thing he asked her.

  "I was born here and I died here." She said, her voice was calm, tranquil like the mystic falls before Linda disturbed the stream. Somehow, her voice was soothing; dissolving his fears, but what she said next almost took him off balance. "I'm a witch. I belong to the league of witches. My family was not so significant in the league, but the Prophesy chose me... even before I met your father." She recounted, her eyes glowing and her voice calm still. Henry was silent, like it had been pre-planned that she would do the talking. "My name was Suzan Jaydefire before I met Henry Alger. My father was a cousin of the leader of the cult of lava. He wanted me to study in one of the universities on planet earth. He was obsessed with using magic the way non-mages use technology. Like many mages in the Jaydefire clan, he couldn't cast a charm but he could harness magic for other purposes."