"Edward... it is time."
The Grand Fire looked up from his claws, spying his brother staring at him. The Grand Light motioned for him to follow, and albeit slowly, the older of the two began walking. His steps were slow and meticulous. He wished only to spend as much time as he could with his young brother, knowing this would be the last day they would be in each other's company for quite a long time.
"You have your speech ready?" the hybrid dragon asked, looking to his younger brother with interest.
"You know I do", Solor stated softly. "I've been working on this for months. I've been dreading this day since last year."
"I don't see why", Edward calmly mused, as they stepped through the cave's opening. In the distance, they could see the destroyed remains of the Circle's volcano, and several lines of dragons in the sky. "We knew this day was coming. For centuries... even more than that."
"But... still." The Grand Light only sighed, shaking his head. "I know we are only honoring the promise that the previous Circle asked of us... but... we should still-"
"Filkiin... we already are pushing it. I've gone another five hundred years... I've used up all the extra time they've allotted me. It is time."
The younger brother only nodded, and in silence, the two flew through the air. The other dragons gave the Grands a wide berth, allowing them to pass, but soon following closely behind. Solor remembered, in his youth, how dragons flew among their own clans only. Now, behind them, he saw a rainbow of colors, mingling with each other in ways he didn't imagine. There was a large Earth dragon, who was hoisting several young whelps in his hands, and three on his head.
The two older dragons flew past the walls of the broken volcano, and took their positions. The Grand Light looked toward the others. He could see Yolget, the newer Grand Earth, much larger than when they were younger, staring down with a defeated stare. Raathlovas, the Grand Water, was coiled up tightly, clearly agitated by the job they had today. Grand Death lay on his perch, muttering something under his breath.
And that left the Grands of Life and Darkness, Vulonkiin and Maldriin. The mates of the Grand Light and Grand Fire, respectively. Vulonkiin, the second Grand Darkness in all of history, couldn't face her much older brother. Tears were threatening to fall from her crimson eyes, and while the notion that tears were a weakness was all but gone now, she refused to cry in front of her people just yet. Maldriin, meanwhile, was letting her tears flow freely, but she had a happy smile on her muzzle as she sniffled.
Solor cleared his throat, and soon roared, catching the audience's attention. It only took a moment for the crowd to become silent, and he could see all the melancholy gazes being directed at him.
"We are gathered here today... to celebrate the life of Kiinnum... the first Hybrid of Lair... as he has served as Grand Fire to the end", Solor stated. His lips wavered into a reluctant frown. "Normally, we would have a procession of those who knew him best in life... but since my brother could not decide who else to ask out of those he could choose from... he asked me, instead, to simply share my thoughts and emotions for all of Lair to see, as his final request."
Edward smiled at his little brother, nodding. With that confirmation given, Solor coughed a bit, feeling anxious and morose and a flurry of emotions.
Kreinyol, give me strength, the Grand Light thought to himself. "My brother... as many of you know... was born four thousand, seven hundred years ago. Compared to several of the dragons that served in Lair... you may think that is a very short life. But... his circumstances are unique. He is a hybrid... of all seven clans. It is for this purpose that he was stolen away from all of us... sent to live in a world much like ours... but one without the Circle's guidance. It was here that he grew... found love... found families... and watched, agelessly, as the world around him changed. It was here when, in my youth... I was flung unceremoniously into his life."
Solor let out a low, humorless chuckle. "I can't recall the true outcome of that match, as it was interrupted... but I know he would never let me live down the fact that I bit at his wings. Once my aggression had been spent... it was Edward's willingness to show grace to me that allowed me to learn more about myself... about how my heart works and feels. It is thanks to him that I survived that world... found my first love... and was able to return to continue my duties in Lair. And in the few short years after I returned... we both came to learn of our familial connection. As sons of Feylfil, we were bound in blood what we already knew in spirit. And even now... I know that, if we were never sired by the same male... we would still be brothers."
At this, he took a moment to breathe. The history had been set, but now it would be this part where he would probably break.
"Kiinnum... is the kindest, gentlest dragon I know. In his banishment... with his interactions with Xena and the Titans, and many others... he learned how to be human. Something that I picked up from him, and will always cherish. He helped me raise my daughters, Soskrein and Komi, into fine young women, and gave me the honor of being Godfather to his daughter, Callie Roth, daughter of Rachel 'Raven' Roth. And while Komi and Callie have passed long ago... I am certain they are looking at Edward with the proudest, happiest smiles ever, standing alongside their mothers... watching us all." The bronze-scaled behemoth had to pause, feeling a tear trail down his face. "But... they will have an honor that I, myself... will have to wait for. As this is his last day as Grand Fire... Kiinnum will sing his song for his Heir. And when his final note is sung... he will pass on into the arms of the First, and rejoin our family in death."
Solor looked to his brother, staring as his tears flowed freely. "My brother... are you prepared?"
Edward nodded. "I feel as though I have one last speech I could share... but I know you have worked hard on this, Grand Light. So... yes. I am prepared to take my place alongside the First."
The others chuckled a bit at his words, and Maldriin stepped along her perch, reaching over with her long neck. The two dragons nuzzled one last time, as she spoke. "Save a seat for me on the other side, my love."
"Only the best", Edward replied. It was at this point his young son, a green and red hybrid, took his place in the center of the circle. "Erick Barnes... Reythsil... are you prepared to take your place?"
"As Heir of Fire... I am prepared", the young adult said.
"Do you vow to honor your companions in the Circle... to heed their advice and judgement... to know when to speak against injustice and the teetering imbalance?"
"I do."
"Do you vow to keep the flames of passion, of love and righteousness burning in your heart til the day that your song is sung?"
"I feel them burn in my soul. I will not fail."
"Then listen, Heir of Fire... as my song leads you to your place. When the words fade into the wind... your place as Grand Fire is secured."
With that, Edward stretched his neck out, his lungs filling with air. In an instant, he lost control of himself, and he began to sing. The words came instantly, but he could not control how fast they were pouring out of him. He could feel his life fading away from his body, his inner fire slowly dying.
Then he saw them. Several hundred beings, as far as the eye could see. Most of them, he did not know - possible ancestors or friends, many he had touched the hearts of unknowingly - but there, in the front, were his wives and loves, his children and friends. Standing side by side were his father and mother, now looking much younger than they were before they had passed on, and they reached to him.
It is time, Kiinnum. Come home.
At that, his song faded from his throat, and with a final breath, Edward fell from his perch, his body wreathed in a bright orange flame. Before he hit the ground, his flesh and scales all burned away, until nothing but bone remained. The young Reythsil felt his own body glow with warmth and power, but he felt so weak, as his tears fell from his muzzle.
The other Grands, and the hundreds of dragons around them, all wept bitterly. But they also wept silently, as the job was not finished. Solor flew down first, collecting his brother's skull and spine, as the others flew down, aiding in the collection of bones. Once the remains had been recovered, a Tear was opened, and the dragons of Lair stepped through. Soon, the air and water around what used to be Titan's Island was teeming with dragons, and the people on the shore watched in somber silence as Edward was buried, the first Grand to be laid to rest outside of Lair.
Once his skull had been placed down, and the earth covered his remains, the dragons began their final song, and the hearts of all that knew him finally broke down and wept.
It was his time. And he will be sorely missed.
XxXxXxX
This short, final story is written in remembrance of the man behind Splinter1, Dan Trigona. He was discovered in his home on May 7th, 2019, in an unresponsive state. He was declared dead from a coronary event.
I did not know Dan in real life. He and I met as I was finishing Solor's first story on my profile, previously named KingofEmerald and now known as TimtheVocalist. He was a wonderful, kind man, and while our writing styles clashed, I still will go back to read the work we have written together with fond memories.
This is the last work that will be done on this page. It would feel like an insult to his memory to try and continue the story without him. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I apologize that this does not seem like fanfiction to you, but I could not possibly put this anywhere else.