Sentari: ICE

by Trevor Booth

  The flames grew brighter, so bright that they turned blue, then they stopped. The fire went completely out and Sky was left standing there, naked yet unhurt. She wondered what had just happened. She felt different, but she couldn’t describe how. She turned and walked towards the doors and, with confidence, she swung one open, closed her eyes, and walked through. The door slammed shut behind her.

  Sky kept her eyes closed. She could feel a warm breeze on her face and the sound of a crackling fire in the background. She slowly opened her eyes. She was fully dressed, standing in the middle of a forest, but all the trees were burnt and dead. The ground was hard and cracked but still warm from the fire. The sky up above was a hazy orange colour. The sun was high and obscured by the haze, but its heat belted down like the hottest of summer days.

  She walked through the forest slowly. There was no sound, no sign of life anywhere. Up ahead, the forest ended at the edge of an old lake bed. The lake had obviously been massive once but now it was just a large expanse of dry, cracked ground.

  Sky looked out at the desolate landscape ahead. There was nothing but dead, dry land. It was like another world. Something glistening in the middle of the lake got her attention. She couldn’t quite make out what it was. She walked out onto the lake bed towards it with every step she took, it felt like the object was getting further away. She pushed on, determined to find out what it was.

  When she finally reached the object, she leaned down and picked it up. It was a small, silver pendant. The silver was all dirty and scratched. She rubbed the dirt off and revealed a faint outline of a butterfly. It was the exact same pendant she had found in the ruins of Ardeya, only it was a lot older.

  She sat down on the ground and stared at the pendant. Many hours passed by and she did not move. She could not work out why she had been brought to this desolate place. She looked out in every direction, but all she could see was heat haze.

  “You’re mother loved that pendant,” a voice said, startling Sky. She turned around to see her father sitting next to her.

  “Dad, is that really you?” gasped Sky, with a lump in her throat. Damon looked at his daughter and just smiled. “I don’t understand. Where are we?” she asked.

  “You walked through that doorway, remember? It was a doorway that was never meant for you,” said Damon.

  “Am I dead?” asked Sky.

  “Yes and no. In this place you are dead, yet here you sit before me,” said Damon.

  “You’re not really my father, are you?” said Sky.

  “I knew your father very well. He never stopped thinking about you. Every day, he would pray for you,” said Damon.

  “You’re the Phoenix aren’t you?” asked Sky.

  Damon looked back at her, rather taken aback by how perceptive she was.

  “Yes, I am,” replied Damon. “Does that frighten you?”

  “Yes,” replied Sky. She recalled all the stories Oonuk had told her about the Phoenix, about his great compassion, but also his great evil.

  “What happened here?” asked Sky.

  “This is what happens when anger goes unchecked – when the influence of the strong far outweighs the influence of the weak,” replied Damon.

  “Why did you leave?” asked Sky.

  “My children refused to grow up,” replied Damon.

  Suddenly, water bubbled up from the surface of the lake bed, slowly creating a pool around Sky. She stood up as more and more water poured in. Damon did not move; he simply smiled at Sky.

  “What’s going on?” asked Sky.

  “So many questions. There isn’t much time,” said Damon.

  “How do I stop the world from becoming like this?” asked Sky.

  “I think you already know the answer to that question. I am sorry for the path you must take but, for there to be balance, it is necessary,” replied Damon.

  The water flowed more rapidly, so deep that it was nearly up to Sky’s knees, yet Damon did not move. It rose up and up until Damon was almost engulfed. Sky cried as he smiled back at her. “Why did you not come back for me?” pleaded Sky.

  “I love you” said Damon, with a gentle kindness in his voice, as the water completely consumed him.

  The water continued to rise up Sky’s body. She closed her eyes as the water covered her. The world went silent. She could hear nothing, not even the sound of the water. She opened her eyes. Everything around her was gone. She was floating in beautiful blue water that seemed to stretch on forever in every direction.

  Sky swam up and up until she reached the surface of the water. She burst out and gasped for air. She composed herself as she treaded water. All around her was ocean. Up above, wispy clouds covered the sun. A gentle summer breeze blew past, separating the clouds. Sky squinted her eyes as the sun beamed out its warm rays of light into her eyes. She covered her eyes with her hands and, as she did, seven dragons flew past above, in a v formation, blocking out the sun. Directly behind them were thousands of small dragons, stretched out into the distance. The lead dragon let out a mighty roar, breathing fire at the same time. The rest of the dragons screamed out in a unified, deafening echo. Sky instinctively covered her ears. As she did, she dropped under the water.

  Kicking her legs hard, Sky swam back up to the surface, but the dragons were gone. The water had turned exceptionally cold. She was back treading water, in between the massive chunks of ice that hugged the coastline.

  Light snow rained down from above. Sky dragged herself up onto a familiar surface, ice. ‘Where do I start?’ she thought with conviction, as she shivered in the cold.

  “Hope is the hardest thing to destroy. Even in the darkest night, there is always a light inside – despite how hard we try to crush it.”

  Chapter 21

  Waking the Beast

  Antastus stood over the lifeless body of Denius. Remains took a long time to wither in that cold world. Antastus leaned down and opened his huge mouth; fire gently flowed out, burning Denius.

  He stepped back and watched Denius burn. “You were the mightiest dragon I have ever known. You will be avenged,” said Antastus, as he leapt into the air and flew away. He looked back at the smoking carcass, more determined than ever not to suffer the same fate.

  For seven straight days Antastus flew east as fast he could, across vast seas and unknown lands, barely stopping by night for rest – his destination was the temple at Lone Rock.

  A long time ago there were creatures, known as Kentaru, who rivalled the power of the dragons. They also had a different name, but it was so hard to pronounce that only the Kentaru themselves could say it.

  For hundreds of years, a war raged between the Kentaru and the dragons, each believing they had the right to rule in the absence of the Phoenix. The battle was fierce; the dragons were slightly stronger, but the Kentaru vastly outnumbered them.

  While the two species fought it out, the rest of the creatures of Sentari were forced to watch on in fear, always having to make sure that they did not get caught in the crossfire.

  It was a terrible time for Sentari and, unfortunately, it didn’t get any better when the dragons prevailed. Antastus was only young when the war was raging but, at the end of the war, he was tasked with a very important mission. Antastus was ordered to build a temple fit for a king. This temple was to be placed upon the steepest mountain in all of Sentari. High above the clouds, this temple would sit as a reminder for all dragons to come of the sacrifice their ancestors made. Inside this temple would be the ultimate reminder, the last surviving Kentaru was to live there for eternity, never able to leave.

  As Antastus approached the temple, he could not help but cast his mind back to when he was first there. He was not told the purpose of the temple at first. He was only told that it must be constructed of the highest quality. It took many years and countless human lives to create, but they achieved something spectacular.

  The years had not lessened the beauty of the temple. Simple by design, four giant stone pillars wrapped with glimmeri
ng gold leaf held the structure in place. Solid granite bricks, each hand crafted, formed the walls of the temple. The roof was made from the most beautifully polished white stones. The stones reflected the light upwards so that only the dragons above could look down on its beauty.

  At the front of the temple was a huge stone bridge that protruded from the mountainside and hung over the landscape below. It was built for one purpose and one purpose alone: a landing area for the dragons. Antastus flapped his wings hard, trying to land as gently as he could on the stone. The doors to the temple were closed. He hesitated as he walked towards the archway. It had been a very long time since he had been in the presence of a creature that rivalled his own power.

  The doorway was enormous, as was the entire temple. It was built to house the smaller Kentaru, but it needed to be big enough for the dragons to enter.

  Antastus approached. The doors recognised him and, with a slow creak, they opened. Antastus stepped inside. The temple was stunning. Massive stone baths were filled with flowing, warm water, giant dining tables that could fit a hundred guests lined the walls and massive leather couches surrounded a huge fireplace.

  “I haven’t had to light this fire in a very long time,” said Kaven, the last king of the Kentaru, as he placed wood on the fireplace. “I always know when you are coming. The cold spreads across the land like a virus.” Kaven turned around to face Antastus. He was very old, the oldest of the Kentaru, but the creatures were blessed with very long lives, even longer than those of the dragons.

  The Kentaru were almost human-like in shape, except they were much taller and wider. Their skins were covered in fine scales, but they could not be seen through the thick fur that covered them. The fur kept them warm and the scales made for the strongest of armours.

  Their heads were similar to that of a lion and they had long, flowing manes and sharp, vicious teeth.

  “Tell me Antastus, King of the Dragons, what brings you to my lonely perch?” asked Kaven.

  “Much has changed since we last spoke. Denius is dead,” replied Antastus.

  “Yes. I have felt a change in the air,” said Kaven.

  “There is more to it. Drake is also gone. Their powers have been passed onto humans,” said Antastus, almost choking on the words.

  “And you come seeking my council? What makes you think I want to help you?” asked Kaven.

  “I do not seek your council! Nor do I need your help,” snapped Antastus. “I merely come to warn you. While the dragons have sworn an oath to never harm you, the same cannot be said about the humans,” continued Antastus.

  “Do not take me for a fool, boy. You want to know what effect the humans are going to have on your petty little empire,” said Kaven. Antastus turned his head and walked towards the door. “The cold was your undoing,” said Kaven. Antastus stopped, but did not turn to face him. “The humans have hope in their hearts. For you to retain your empire, you must reignite the fire in your own heart, and then kill them all. Only then, will you rule unchallenged,” continued Kaven. Antastus walked out the door and flapped his mighty wings. “I do enjoy our conversations. Don’t be a stranger,” said Kaven, as Antastus flew away as fast as he could.

  Antastus took his time on the journey home. He looked down on the icy cold world below, the world that he had helped create. There was only one thing that Antastus enjoyed more than the cold, and that was his power over all. For that power to remain, the cold would have to wait. For now he had a purpose again. He must destroy Te’oma and Sky and then, once again, the dragons could rule alone.

  But first he had to get all his pieces together. He did not fear the humans’ power, but the power of the dragons had never been bestowed on one before – let alone two. The results could be unpredictable.

  Antastus flew for three more nights, before landing gently upon the snow-covered fields of Angel Island. The island had changed remarkably since the days when the Shadow was living there. The snow had fallen for so long, that the rolling hills had flattened out. Although it was no smaller, Antastus could see from one side of the island to the other.

  When he was young, Antastus had heard stories of the Shadow and his curse. He thought it was fitting that he should use this place to find the fire in his heart once more.

  He spent many days walking the island, thinking of nothing but his desire for power. Slowly but surely, the anger in him began to rise. At the end of each day, he would stand in the middle of the island and try to melt the snow with his fiery breath. At first the fire was barely strong enough to make it to the snow, but eventually the snow did begin to melt.

  It had been nearly three weeks since Antastus had arrived at Angel Island and today was going to be the day. Antastus started walking the island like he had done in the days before. This time though, he tried something different. He didn’t just walk, he ran as fast as he could. He ran and ran until, eventually, he was leaping into the air. He hovered just above the ground and whipped around the island, around and around. He was moving so fast that he became like a blur, spurred on by the growing anger in his heart. He was angry at Drake and Denius for passing on their power to humans, angry that he was not the dragon he wanted to be – for all his power he wanted more.

  The emotions built up inside him, churning around in his stomach, fuelling his rage, until finally he snapped. He screamed out with a deafening roar and fire burst out of his mouth – a flame so large that it would burn down an entire house in an instant.

  Antastus slowed down and landed in the middle of the island. He had a very content smile on his face. He leaned back and lifted his head in the air. He stretched his wings out wide and roared. He looked down at the snow below and blew a fierce burst of fire at it. The snow turned to steam in a heartbeat, revealing the dry ground below. He sat down on the ground, closed his eyes and waited.

  For nearly three hours, he waited with his eyes closed – not asleep, just waiting. Out of nowhere, the Shadow appeared in front of him. Antastus opened his eyes. “Welcome,” he said.

  The Shadow was startled. There hadn’t been another soul on Angel Island for thousands of years. “What are you doing here?” asked the Shadow.

  “I’m here to make you an offer,” replied Antastus.

  “Well, you’ll excuse me if I’m not interested. The last time I made a deal with a dragon it didn’t turn out so well,” said the Shadow.

  “I know all about your arrangement with Plantus,” said Antastus.

  “My arrangement. That’s an interesting way to put it,” replied the Shadow.

  “What would you say if I told you I could free you from this responsibility?” asked Antastus.

  “I’d say, what’s the catch?” replied the Shadow.

  Antastus stood up and looked at the sky. The clouds were starting to dissipate. The sun’s heat almost felt warm. “Things are changing. We both have a problem and, like it or not, we share a common solution,” said Antastus.

  “And what solution is that?” asked the Shadow.

  “Simple. You bring me the boy and I’ll release you from your contract,” said Antastus, as he walked around the Shadow, revealing the hole in the ground behind him.

  The Shadow looked down at the ground. Antastus did not randomly choose this place on the island. Sticking out of the ground were tiny pieces of metal. “And what about my son? Can you bring him back?” asked the Shadow.

  “It may be within the scope of my power, once my enemies are eliminated,” replied Antastus.

  “And how do I know you won’t just kill me once it’s done?” asked the Shadow.

  Antastus looked down at him with a devilish smile. “I’ll tell you what, as a sign of good faith I will let you keep your powers even after you are freed,” said Antastus. The Shadow pondered Antastus’s offer. He had a strong poker face. He did not give anything away. “So, do we have a deal?” asked Antastus impatiently.

  “Where do I sign?” asked the Shadow.

  “No need to sign. Your word is good enough
for me,” said Antastus.

  The Shadow disappeared. Antastus smiled. The first part of the plan was underway. He roared with delight, then leapt into the air and flew away. He headed straight to the city of Palaneer.

  Once there, Antastus hovered high above the city, looking down at his loyal subjects below. He had been gone for weeks, yet the city still functioned fine without him. He collapsed his wings and dropped down towards the ground at super speed. Just before the ground, he spread his wings out wide and roared. Flames burst out of his mouth in all directions. The ice and snow that entombed the city quickly melted. The frozen waterfall began to roar once more.

  Antastus landed in the centre of the city. Hoards of men, women, hybrids and death hounds converged around Antastus, as if drawn to him. “My friends, a new dawn is coming – one of prosperity for all,” said Antastus, as the crowd cheered. “But, unfortunately, there are those who would see this prosperity crushed. So prepare yourselves for, soon, we go to war!” said Antastus.

  “Greed is a vicious thirst, one only quenched by love and humility.”

  Chapter 22

  The Ties That Bind

  Xerxes hung, chained to a wall of ice high up in the mountains, his hands bloodied and scarred. His beard had grown long and the clothes on his body were ragged and torn. He had been hanging there for a long time.

  The sunlight broke through a small gap in the clouds and lit up Xerxes’ face. He opened his eyes and smiled. His lips were cracked and dry. The only water he had been able to drink was the tiny drops that melted from the wall he was chained to. He was resigned to the fact that this would probably be his final resting place. He wanted desperately to help Te’oma, but a big part of him was excited to be reunited with his wife.