Dawn of Retribution

by Aya Knight

  “How did it end?” Neelan questioned with a wide, violet-eyed stare.

  “During the beginning of the war, I discovered that my body was changing.” Zasha delicately touched Kale’s cheek. “I was going to have our first egg. This would have been a most joyous occasion for Morrow and I … but during such a time, it quickly became our worst fear. Garox would surely have crushed, or eaten the egg if he had come upon it. Or worse—he may have tried to hatch it himself and mold the hatchling into his greatest pupil, set out to execute his own evil desires. This egg of course, was you, my Firehart. We could not bear the thought of losing you …” She quickly cleared her throat to distract from the pain swelling inside. “You were not the only one however. Another female dragon laid three eggs—an unusually high amount for our kind. We were to group together and find sanctuary for our unborn hatchlings. We waited for days—but she never arrived, nor was she heard from again. There was no further time to lose, and we had to assume she met a fatal end, along with the eggs.

  “Soon, a realization swept us all—you now were the last. If we should all fall in battle, all hope to restore the world would depend upon your will to fight for what is good. As a mother however, I cared not for such things at that time. I wanted no more than your well-being and safety.

  “The others wanted me to keep you preserved within your shell, safe within this plane.” She motioned around them. “Here in the temple of Pan. They had planned an enchantment to hatch you from your shell in a time of need, but I could not agree. Despite the dangers within the world, I wanted you to truly live life. I could not bear you in a lifeless state for so long—and the thought of the enchantment not working after we were all gone, was unacceptable.

  “I left one night with you tucked safely within my grasp and brought you to the forest you knew as home. On that same night, I gave you life. I can still remember it so clearly—my beautiful little one. You were so small, and you nestled your little head beneath my wing. We slept together until morning. The sun rose and you looked so peaceful; I did not have the heart to wake you … or the will to say goodbye. I think that if you had looked at me, even just once, with those big silver eyes, I wouldn’t have left. But my heart knew I needed to. It was the only way to help ensure your safety in the end. I brought you plenty of carcasses to feast upon until you learned the instinctual ability to hunt on your own. I then mustered all of my emotional strength to leave. I made a vow that day to find my way back to you again somehow. It took years of training, but eventually I was able to project myself nearly anywhere, while physically not leaving here. You see, soon after my return, I was chosen to be the next Keeper. This was the repercussions of my disobedience for fleeing with you, and the only way I was able to get them to agree to leave you in peace. To be selected as Keeper, to some is an honor—but it is also a great curse, for I cannot leave this world until another is chosen to take my place. Not just anyone can become a keeper either … I only wish it were so simple. The person must be noble and willing—chosen by the onyx stone within this temple.”

  Kale knelt to the floor and hung his head. Too many emotions swarmed him, making it nearly unbearable to breathe as his body tightened.

  “It wasn’t easy, little one—my choice to leave you. But I had to aid the others and put an end to Garox, once and for all. Your father took it the worst you know … this won’t make things any easier, but I must tell you. He wanted to see you just before the battle, but I refused him. I convinced Morrow it was far too dangerous to risk revealing your location if any of Garox’s minions were near. He unhappily agreed to wait until the war was over to meet his only offspring.” A tear rolled down Zasha’s cheek. “Because of my request, he never had that chance.

  “Just before the confrontation with Garox himself, Oran placed an enchantment of protection upon the tower in which you entered. It was—it is the only way to reach the temple of Pan. This temple holds great power which presented us with aid in the war. Oran made this his home and devoted his final days to preserving his knowledge here. He was to return after we won the war and release me from my duty so that I could be with you.

  “When the time came to battle, The Guardians gathered. I spent my last moments with Morrow before they left to war. My heart ached as they disappeared from sight. I knew for many of them, that night would mark their final breath.

  “On that very day, the dragons fought valiantly upon the continent of Sundra. After great bloodshed—we won.”

  “How?” Illadar and Neelan spoke simultaneously; gripped by every word.

  “Garox was weakened by our attacks. A plan had been devised for Morrow to strike him down from the sky. And he did—receiving a fatal wound in the process …” Zasha exhaled heavily. “Garox’s wing had been severely damaged and he plummeted into a deep, frozen crater Oran had created—the same crater Morrow, your father, had fallen into only moments before. Without the ability to fly, Garox used his mighty claws to climb the icy walls.

  “Combining their strength, Oran and our brethren collapsed the crater upon him. Though magic could not directly affect him, it could be used upon the earth against him. Oran sealed the frosty soil atop Garox. A powerful enchantment was then cast to keep Garox locked below. The mighty dragon had finally been vanquished.

  “I waited days for word on the battle. Within the tower at that time, I had no way of knowing what the status was. I was specifically instructed not to use my ability to look into the minds of The Guardians. Any such contact might allow Garox a link back to the tower, which was unacceptable.

  “Finally, the dragon’s arrived. Sylicia, Zandol, Xelanthos, Darial, and the twins, Yirados and Yandalar. They were the only ones to survive. My heart shattered, knowing my dearest Morrow would never walk by my side again. Many had fallen with honor in their hearts—Oran was amongst them. He was a loyal friend to our kind and was greatly mourned. Because of his demise, I was forced to live confined, within this world. Though peaceful as it is, I wanted no more than to be by your side. My duty, however, was to remain as the Keeper if there was to be any sanctuary left for our kind.

  “Oran left all of his knowledge within this temple in preparation for his return. Many relics and powerfully enchanted items had been collected and stored.”

  “Wait a moment … My apologies for interruptin’, but why is it that I’ve never heard a word of this event. Somethin’ of such importance in our history would surely have been spoken of.” Illadar cupped his chin within a palm as he eyed Zasha; awaiting answers.

  “As said previously, we took many precautions to withhold knowledge of the event from human-kind. We did not wish to strike fear into their hearts and draw out any unnecessary hatred toward our kind. After the war we equally agreed that, while we would live peacefully alongside of humans, we would no longer meddle in their affairs.” Zasha straightened her posture. “When the dragons returned, they were tired, wounded, and worn—and so began the dawn of our brethren parting ways. There were so few of us left, that it was nearly impossible to find compatibility between any two, aside from the twins. Sylicia could not bear the heat, whereas Zandol thrived from it. Xelanthos could only remain away from the water for brief periods, Darial returned to his home at the cliffs of Borovia, and the twins went back to the free land that connects us to the lower continent of Alcatair.

  “In time, many of the humans who had discovered the war, or encountered the wrath of Garox’s minions, passed away. As the years drifted by, the Great War became no more than lore. The only loose ties we had left were from the royal families who knew what had happened. Kings and Queens had been alerted of the dangers involving Garox so they could properly protect their people and establish a plan in case an attack should occur.

  “Once I was able to take human form, I mastered the ability to project my body anywhere across Revaxis. I then took it upon myself to retrieve and destroy all documentation left behi
nd from our war. History has an unfortunate way of repeating itself and I could not allow something so vile to occur again. After accomplishing this task, the only knowledge of what had happened came from stories passed down to generations. Soon, it was no more than an elaborated child’s tale—rarely told and hardly believed.”

  “Wouldn’t the humans see you as saviors for protecting them from certain death? I don’t understand why you went through such ends in order to conceal the truth,” Neelan spoke.

  “Some humans would have, yes. But others may have seen it as our kind being untrustworthy, with the potential for a single dragon to turn upon and destroy their villages. We feared that if Garox could so easily lose all hope, so could the humans. You see, many humans mean well, though they fear that which is unknown, or those they feel weak against,” Zasha replied while stretching her arms above her untamed red hair. “There will be more time for stories later—and yes, Firehart, I will answer more then. I know you are not nearly finished.” She chuckled while looking at Kale’s half-opened mouth. “I now have something to show you—something extraordinary.”

  Chapter 19: The Temple

  Zasha moved toward a stone door. “Rise.” She spoke in a commanding tone.

  The stone rumbled and rose in response to her voice. As the door ascended, a stream of light could be seen, creeping forward as the opening enlarged.

  Kale’s eyes locked to the center of the room where he could see the three eggs stationed upon a bizarre device. Suctions had been placed upon the outer shell, attached by tubes which were connected to a loudly clicking contraption. Each egg appeared to have a transparency, unlike before. Instead of a vibrant outer shell, Kale could see inside to the bobbling fluids. He moved closer and focused on the subtle movements from within the eggs.

  “What have you done to them?” Kale questioned as he lowered himself to better inspect the eggs.

  “I assure you, they are safe. The device you see is called an incubator; it simulates their mother’s warmth.” Zasha replied.

  “Can you not help them? Your collar—I’ve seen you remove it before. It’s what keeps you in this form, is it not?” Kale pointed to the knit scarf around Zasha’s neck.

  Zasha’s fingers slid up and began to unravel the cloth. It slid to the floor, revealing a metal ring around her neck. “I suppose there is no need to wear concealment while amongst friends.” She smiled. “Sadly, I cannot assist these young ones on my own. When a female dragon nears delivery of her egg, her body will develop natural warmth that swells beneath her scales. After laying the egg, we are able to shift the small scales from our underbellies. This in turn releases the heat as we care for our unborn.”

  “Can you not use fire to do the same?” Kale asked; even more confused than before.

  “No, little one. A dragon egg requires a very precise balance of warmth, otherwise they will not hatch. It has taken me decades to form a contraption which will simulate just that. Even still, I am unsure of how this will result, though the eggs appear to be reacting.”

  “Simply brilliant,” Thomas added while admiring the device. “All of these years, I’ve thought you to be a crazy old witch. It’s truly amusing how things turn out in life.” He chuckled. “I am still fascinated by how you were able to appear in our world while still bound to this realm. I have seen you on two occasions with my own eyes—nothing about your physical appearance would have let on that you were no more than an apparition of your true form. I would greatly enjoy hearing further details of your methods.”

  “In time, Thomas, in time. We shall meet, after supper—I have something to share that I believe you’ll find to be of interest. For now,” Zasha looked to Kale, “you must excuse me while I reacquaint with my son.” She smiled and walked toward the eggs.

  “Are you certain they are safe?” Kale wondered in concern.

  “Yes, little one; because of you, they will have a chance at life.” Zasha’s face grew solemn. “I can only hope they will grow to know a beautiful world, as I once did.” Her eyes were wide as she continued, “I have sensed a great danger, my son—it seeks your demise, yet I cannot understand why this darkness has yet to strike. If I am correct, their power is unmatched. It is the strongest source of energy I have felt since Oran walked the soil. For a while, I thought I was close to discovering the identity and location of whomever is behind this overwhelming energy. However, recently I have lost the trail. If my assumptions are accurate, this individual has either lost their power—which I do not believe is the likely answer—or, they could sense me closing in and have masked themselves. Only someone with superior abilities could veil themselves from my sight. Whoever this is—you must tread forth with the greatest caution. It is likely that at this time, they would triumph. I do not know their reason for remaining dormant, though I do know their intentions are foul.”

  “Do you know if this power comes from a human?” Thomas questioned with great concern.

  “I do not … though, I will continue to seek answers.” Zasha gripped Kale’s hand in hers. “I will do all in my power to protect you, little one.”

  A loud clang of metal distracted the group. It echoed off the stone walls in every direction.

  “What was that?” Neelan inquired while glancing in both directions.

  “The bell has rung—I must pay daily tribute to Pan. Please join me.” Zasha pulled the hood of her cloak upon her fiery hair.

  She walked up many steps to the surface and led the group along a stone path which ran beside a narrow stream. The water flowed clear and many species of fish swam against the gentle current.

  Illadar nearly leapt back as a ruby-colored fish poked its head above the surface. It had a single, large round eye which peered up and scanned the group as they moved along.

  “Would you look at that thing? Gives me the chills.” Illadar raised the side of his lip in distaste.

  “Do not judge by her appearance. She is a nurturing mother—there is no need to fear her,” Zasha spoke while keeping her back to the group.

  They watched as the fish submerged and swam protectively to a school of much smaller creatures. The tiny beings brushed against her scales as they slowly swam downstream together.

  “Sometimes those with a rough exterior are truly the most beautiful when you look beyond sight.” Zasha smiled over a shoulder. “I recall sensing a young dragon who once was disgusted by the mere thought of a human.” She laughed.

  “I do hope you weren’t always prying into my life.” Kale shook his head.

  Neelan glanced away bashfully at the thought of their intimate moments being watched.

  “I did not look into every moment.” Zasha winked. “You haven’t to worry.”

  They passed beneath a stone archway which had been magnificently carved in the appearance of two massive dragons, touching at their snouts. Spiraling pillars towered above, lining a marble path which glistened from the two suns centered above in the sky. As they neared a wide opening, sheer red ribbons fluttered gently atop steel rods. A gaping entrance led to a wide room with thick, green vines covering each wall. The group entered to the center of the room behind Zasha. A light shone through a square opening in the ceiling, allowing them to view their surroundings.

  A stone pillar was before them, scattered with flower petals that appeared soft and fresh. The scent was potent, yet sweet.

  “It is time to pray to the god of dragons, Pan. The others may enjoy the outside scenery if they wish, however I think it would be nice for you to join me, Kale.” Zasha brushed her draping cloak back from each shoulder.

  Kale stared in silence; his blank expression revealing confusion.

  “It is simple, little one. Just follow my example—we kneel, pray, and then you may give silent thanks as you see fit. He is the source of our power, and for that, we owe our gratitude.”

 
Zasha approached the stone and fell to a knee.

  “May we join?” Thomas spoke as he, Neelan, and Illadar took a step forward. “Though we are not of dragon blood, we give thanks for our dear friend Kale.”

  Zasha grinned. “You may. Pan welcomes all within our world.” She intertwined her fingers until her hands were cupped snugly together. “For he who gives us breath and strength, our faith with you remains. For he who grants us longevity and strong-will, we send our prayers to thee.” Zasha placed her smallest finger to her lips and closed her eyes in silence.

  Though uncertain of the reasoning behind such a gesture, the others shadowed her movement.

  Hundreds of metallic, golden butterflies fluttered in through the square opening. The many tiny wings formed a barrel that spiraled down to the altar.

  “The time has come for prayer. Close your eyes, and speak to Pan from your heart. He will listen to your thoughts and hear your silent words.” Zasha cupped her hands once again and lowered her eyelids.

  “I suppose it couldn’t hurt …” Kale sighed, more interested in returning to the eggs.

  He felt a sudden jab to his rib cage and peered from the corner of one eye to see Thomas scowling. Kale huffed, knowing the old sorcerer was warning him to show more respect.

  All right, I’ll give thanks; though if you’re listening Pan, I have a feeling you care not for prayer—but for action. You know I am grateful for all you have provided to us, though sadly, I know only of your existence from my dearest friend Thomas—the old man to my right. Kale chuckled to himself. It’s quite hilarious that I had to learn of you, the god of dragons, from a human. I think—”