Decided to rewrite this since as it's been two years, and my style has changed somewhat. Doing the same with Whirlpool, and it is complete as well. Just going to make this short and sweet as I have homework to get to. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and those of you who read this before thanks for dropping by again. Fire Emblem is one of my favorite games story wise, and I actually like writing this more so than my other stories. There is just so much going on with all the character's that it's mad the game really enjoyable. Anyway, enjoy the show.
The Exodus
According to most of the historical texts, the Scouring ended when the eight heroes of man had gathered together; wielding weapons that could counter the dragon's vast magical powers. I find this hard to believe, since the dragons themselves were said that they were blessed by the gods. How could man have accumulated such massive power, transfer said power into such small devices without the aid of the dragons? Another question this scholar has, is why didn't the dragons act sooner, or rather, if the dragons had such power, why did they not end the war in one swift stroke at the very beginning?
Journal of Vorzdel Fenen, Royal historian of the Etrurian court, Year 342 A.S (After the Scouring)
On any other day, the beauty and serenity of the ancient temple would have been comforting for the green garbed man. Having grown up within these walls, he was familiar with the old scriptures carved on the surfaces; how the gods and goddesses came together to sculpt the earth, breathe life into the land, and granted powers to the race of dragons. Down the halls it depicted when the humans arrived from the sea with the dragons welcoming them with open arms; the two races lived peacefully for many millennia.
Those days of harmony have long past.
The young man was currently leaning against a column, fingering the sleeves of his green robes. He had recently gotten a new one, as his previous set had become too worn out to wear anymore. Out of all the acolytes of the temple, he was the least experienced. Compared to other dragons, he was still be considered a child. He aged faster than the other acolytes, as he was only a half blood; his father being the former oracle to the east and mother, a human who died centuries ago. He was picked up and brought to this temple by traveling earth dragons when he was thirty summers; though he was only a toddler at the time. The human villagers feared him, only watching after him because his birth mother had protected the village with her magic.
He walked over to a nearby well, cupping some water in his hands and began to rinse his face. When he finished, he stared at his reflection in a trance. His hair was an earthly brown, and long enough that his bangs were pushed to the side of his face so that they would not get in the way of his eye sight. His skin was slightly tan, since he had been traveling around the continent recently. He could blend perfectly into a human crowd except for the fact that his eyes were a striking amethyst. He had gotten that particular trait from his father. He let out a light sigh, and began walking back to the pillar where he stood before, drying his face in the process with the sleeve of his robe.
Currently, there was a gathering of the elders and oracles within the sanctum. No one was allowed inside until the discussion was adjourned; even the acolytes of the high priests of the temple were barred entrance. He had been waiting for several hours now, eager to see his companion inside. He had begun to fidget slightly when the clap of footsteps echoed throughout the halls, snapping him out of his trance. He straightened himself up as a woman approached from one of the corridors. She was a tall, slender woman, dressed in a white silk sleeveless dress. Her skin was pale, but not so that she looked sickly. The most notable of her features were her hair and eyes; the color of her hair was a light teal, long enough to drape to the back of her knees. Her eyes were a deeper red than most flawless rubies; she looked no older than thirty summers, but one could see the thousands of years of wisdom that lay within the depths of those orbs. When she noticed the man, she smiled sympathetically towards him.
"I'm sorry Mark, but it looks like the others are content to keep talking in order to delay the inevitable." He met her halfway, matching her expression.
"You don't need to apologize for anything Nini. Besides, I don't think anyone is that anxious to leave yet." He offered his arm to her and she accepted. The two then began walking through the temple together.
As they made their way through the various corridors, they began to pass by various families resting inside the temple. The women quietly held back their tears in front of the children, so not to worry them. The men kept their expressions neutral, but the slight slump in their posture revealed their apprehension. Mark noticed that the younger children seemed to be unaffected, as several of them crowded around the two in awe. Nini slowed to a stop, smiling at the group, mussing up their hair affectionately. A sudden shout from behind caused the group to scatter in a fit of giggles, and the duo continued their walk
"It's not everyday that they can see the Oracle." Mark commented.
"Yes…it looks as though everyone is preserving their energy for the journey ahead."
"As should you." When they got to a more secluded area, Nini broke away from Mark's arm.
"I am the only one able to perform this feat. With your father and the others gone…" She paused, shaking her head to clear those dark thoughts from her mind. "I have to make sure that everything is running smoothly."
Mark turned his head away in shame, running a hand through his hair.
"I'm sorry." Nini stepped back into his line of vision, concern etched on her face.
"For what?"
"If I were stronger, or full blooded I could help you; even do it alone." She reached for his hand and squeezed it gently.
"No one here is holding that against you." He pulled away from her, throwing up his arms in anger.
"But I should be able to do something! My father was one of the powerful Divine! I may not be able to transform but I can still hold my own against a dragon." He let out a frustrating sigh. "But in this dire time I can't do a thing? It's just…It's not fair."
Before he could walk off Nini reached out, grabbing a hold of his cheek with her thumb and forefinger. A soft hiss escaped his lips as he winced in pain.
"Can you do me a favor?" She asked him with a smile. He nodded quickly, holding back his tears.
"If it will stop you from this torture then anything." He pleaded, causing her to smirk. A light chuckle escaped from her lips
"Oh hush. Find my children. I need to speak with the elders one last time." She let go of his cheek, and he pulled away trying to rub away the stinging sensation.
"Regulating me to babysitting duty, eh?" She smiled, patting his shoulder fondly.
"I'll return in awhile." She said jovially, and then began walking back towards the inner sanctum. "Try to stay out of trouble Mark." She called over her shoulder.
He glared at her retreating form, before letting out a huff and headed for the temple entrance. As he arrived, he was greeted by more dragons, some in their true forms out in the courtyard. He inclined his head in the traditional greeting with the priests. He made his way down the steps, glancing at the others scattered about the stairs. 'All these people…and every single one of them one of the Divine…'
At the beginning of the Scouring, dragons had the advantage due to their vast strength and powerful magic. But as the years continued by, they found themselves outnumbered by the humans; due to their quick reproduction rate. A century had passed, and the dragons were desperate for a change in their favor. Resorting to the ancient texts, they had found their solution. They sought aid from the divine, as they were the only ones who could put their plans in motion. When we were informed of our brethrens plot we immediately turned them away, knowing the consequences of such drastic actions. But our brothers would not be spurned so easily…
Memoirs of Ramon, High priest of the temple of the gods.
Passing through various statues in the courtyard, Mark's concern turned back to the eastern temple on the mainland. 'I only hope that Idoun can make it out safely before it's too late.' He was brought out of his musings when he caught a glimpse of teal out of the corner of his eye. Underneath one of the large dragon statues sat two children; the elder child being a girl looked to be eight summers, the younger, a boy appeared to be four. Both children had the same color eyes and hair as Nini. The boy was leaning against his sister's shoulder, soundly asleep. The girl held her brother's hand in comfort, as she kept her eyes to the ground.
Happy to see that they were doing well on their own, Mark made his way over to them. The girl noticed him coming, and nudged here brother awake. He looked like he was going to protest, but when he saw Mark, his eyes lit up.
"Ninian, Nils. How are you two doing?"
"We're fine brother. But where is mother? Is she alright?" Ninian had asked, before Nils could say anything. Mark went down to his knees, so that he was eye level with the siblings.
"She still has to deal with those crazy old men. But other than that she's doing fine. In fact, she sent me to fetch the both of you." Nils grinned and jumped into Mark's arms, catching him off guard. He quickly maneuvered himself up on his shoulders before Mark could stop him. Mark rolled his eyes at the boy, before offering his hand to Ninian. "Shall we?" he asked with a slight smirk on his face. Ninian giggled, before accepting his hand, and the three of them made their way back towards the temple.
As they walked, the young siblings took in their surroundings in awe.
"This place is different from the other temples." Ninian had commented, staring at a group of dragons praying in front of the statue of Arnalem, god of peace and truth.
"Yeah, it feels different." Nils added in.
"This is the oldest temple that the dragons built, and the only one that was not carved within a mountain. This island is a holy place to us, it's said this is where the gods granted the power of magic to the dragon race to protect the earth. Unlike the other temples, this one has many shrine keepers and acolytes that are dedicated to maintaining this temple, and the numerous shrines scattered on the island.
"By praying to the main Alter, the acolytes and keepers send their essence throughout the island. It's for that reason the island remains the paradise it is." At this point, the three of them had made it to the bottom of the temple steps. They gazed in silence at the massive entrance. The children stared in awe and wonder at the temple. Mark took in a deep breath, feeling pride swelling up in his chest. This was his home; he knew every nook and cranny in this temple as he had gotten into a lot of mischief as a child. Old memories flashed through his mind, causing him to smile to himself.
"What's going to happen here when the keepers leave?" Nils question jolted him back to reality, turning his smile to a grim one. He began his trek up the stairs, holding Ninian's hand with his left, and making sure that Nils stayed balanced on his shoulders with the other. He turned his head sideways, glancing behind at the forest beyond the temple walls out of the corner of his eye.
"The temple and shrines on the island will begin to deteriorate in time, and plant life on the island will grow out of control." The trio had reached the top of the temple stairs; waiting there several feet away was Nini.
Ninian and Nils immediately brightened up as they saw their mother. As soon as Mark set Nils down, the two children rushed into Nini's arms. She kneeled down to their level, smiling as she held them close.
"Mama!"
"Mother!"
"How are you both doing?" Ninian pulled away from her mothers embrace.
"We're fine mother." She replied.
"Mark didn't cause any trouble for the two of you now did he?" Mark let out a light huff, rolling his eyes as the siblings giggled at their mother's remark. Nini scooped Nils up into her arms, smiling at him. "I'll take that as a no. Alright, it's almost time to for us to go." Mark walked up to Ninian and took her hand once more, and they followed Nini and Nils inside.
"Why do we have to leave?" Nils had asked, leaning his head on her shoulder in comfort.
"Because it isn't safe for us to stay here anymore love. But don't worry, we'll find a new home. A place where we can live in peace." Nils hands clenched tightly onto his mother's clothing, his mouth turning into a frown.
"It's because of the humans, isn't it?" he said bitterly. Not liking his tone, Nini gave him a hard look. Embarrassed, he mumbled a small apology to her.
"It's alright Nils…Everyone feels some resentment towards the humans ever since the war began." Mark had spoken up, catching Nils's attention. "But you should never hate them. They fear us because of the powers that we posses. Though not all the blame lies with them…" Mark had trailed off his sentence silently.
"It's us, isn't it?" Ninian voiced her opinion. There was an awkward silence between the adults and two children. It wasn't until they begun climbing the stairs to the main Alter that Mark began speaking again.
"Not us in particular…but as a whole, we are responsible for what has come to pass. If we had paid more attention mankind's fears, we could have done something to help them, and in turn could have prevented this war. But now our brothers will not rest until the humans are gone, and they are willing to go to extreme measures to do so. Which is why we have to leave, otherwise something horrible may happen…"
"There's Ramon and the other elders." Nini had spoken up, wanting to change the subject.
They had reached the top of the stairs into main Alter. The room was square in shape, but rather large. It could house at least a dozen dragons in their true forms. On the walls were more paintings of history, each era separated by a decorative column. The only wall that was not painted was on the opposite side on the group. Instead of murals, the wall was bare save for two ornate columns on each end of the side, with a simple architrave and cornice resting atop. At the center of the cornice rested a large, circular gem. It was a sapphire, the most valuable in the entire realm. It wasn't monetary value that made it priceless, but the magical energies that swirled within it. The precious gems shine would give way once in awhile, when the magic would swirl about inside.
Gathered at the center of the room were the elders having another discussion amongst themselves. One man dressed in a similar garb to Mark noticed the four at the top of the stairs, and made his way over towards them. The man was tall, and rather muscular, giving off an intimidating air. But his kind features on his face took away any fear that one would get when gazing at him. His closely shaved hair was mostly a silvery gray, with some brown near the top of his head, showing that he had been around for a very long time. When he saw Mark, he smiled widely, holding out his arms.
"Mark, I'm glad to see you doing well. I hope your last trip was a safe one." Mark set Ninian down on her feet so that he could give the man a hug.
"I'm fine elder Ramon. I was able to escort everyone here safely." After a pat on the back, the two parted, Ramon turning his attention to Nini.
"Are you ready to do this?" He asked her seriously, his expression dark. Nini had set Nils down next to Ninian and faced the elder.
"I am ready. Even if the outcome is not…pleasant." This had caught Marks attention.
"'Not pleasant?' What are you trying to say Nini?"
Nini had let out a long sigh, and looked at Ramon apologetically.
"I'm sorry to ask this Ramon, but could you look after my children for a moment?"
"Of course lady oracle. Come along you two." He led the two kids away, looking on in worry at Ninian and Mark. Ninian smiled at her children as they walked away, reassuring them. When they were out of earshot, her smile disappeared as she focused her attention back on Mark.
"Opening a gate to another world is no easy task. The entire process will most likely drain me of my energy." She said softly. Mark's brow furrowed in anger.
"So you'll die?" he spat out
"Possibly. If there's a chance that I do survive, I won't live long afterwards." Mark looked around the room, seeing Ninian and Nils talking pleasantly with Ramon. He grabbed Nini's arm and dragged her to a secluded area, behind one of the pillars.
"Isn't there some other way? One that doesn't involve you dying?" The frustration was evident in his voice as he laid his hands on her shoulders. She gave him a sympathetic look.
"Mark please..." She implored him, but his grip had tightened slightly.
"What about Ninian and Nils?! What are they going to do if you die?!" She glared at him, sympathy giving way to irritability.
"That's enough." She had warned him, but he ignored her and continued on his tirade, his voice getting louder every second.
"They already lost their father, how do you think they will feel when they find out their mother is dead as well!!"
"Mark that's enough!!" She had shouted out, her voice echoing throughout the temple. An awkward silence settled between them.
Mark looked away lividly, not wanting to make eye contact with her. He noticed the others looking their way, including the children, who were worried. He glanced at Nini out of the corner of his eye, seeing her head bowed towards the ground and her shoulders were slightly quivering. He let out a long sigh, quickly running a hand through his hair. He then faced her once again, reaching out for her hand, holding it gently within his own.
"I'm-I'm sorry Nini. That was uncalled for. It's just…It's just not fair. For you or for them." He said quietly. She squeezed his hand, a sign that she had already forgiven his outburst.
"I know Mark…I don't want to leave them on their own either. But if sacrificing my life means that they can live in a world without fear, then I'm willing to give it." She looked up, smiling at him. "Thank you. Hearing you say those words made me happy."
"My family is gone. You and the runts are all that I have left." She smacked his arm playfully, laughing lightly.
"Those "runts" are older than you are. And if I recall correctly, there was a time you were smaller than they are." He grinned widely, already feeling his ego grow.
"Yes, but I grew. I guess there is some good from being a half-born." He quickly sobered up when he saw her cheerless expression. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"Mark I…the portal-"
"Is too powerful for me to travel through. The only way to pass through is to be in the true forms. I know Nini." He had finished for her. He found out days before, one of the acolytes had told him when he had accidentally overheard one the many discussions between the elders. She let out a sob, wiping away the tears that had begun running down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry. I promised your father that I would look after you…If I could only find a way to-" He laid his hands on hers, giving them a light squeeze, interrupting her. He let a wolfish grin spread across his face, reminding her of the small child that would always cause trouble for the elders.
"I am an adult now, I think I can take care of myself." He said with an egotistical flair, complimented by his boyish charm. She let out a watery laugh as she wiped away more of her tears.
"Of course, how could I forget with you constantly reminding me for the past century." She replied in sarcasm. He would always argue with her when he was a child. After his father died, he wanted to be more involved in the affairs of the war, even though he was as tall as Ninian at the time. Because of his blood, he aged slower than humans, but faster than dragons; every decade for him would be the equivalent of one year for humans, while it would be every century for dragons.
"I wanted to thank you." He said suddenly, bringing her out of her thoughts. His cocky grin had turned into a soft smile. "My mother died when I was too young to remember…I do appreciate what Ramon and the other acolytes did for me, but I still remembered seeing the children back at my birth place with their mothers. I always envied them because I never had that. But when I met you…" He trailed off, letting off a soft laugh, recalling old memories. "Well, I just think…I now know what it's like to have a mother, and I couldn't have asked for anyone better than you."
She let out another sob, and pulled him into a tight embrace, which he returned just as eagerly. They were content to stay that way for several minutes, knowing that this maybe one of the last embraces they will have. "I will never forget the kindness you have given to me." He murmured into her shoulder. When they finally did separate, Nini's eyes shone with pride as she wiped away the last of her tears.
"I'm proud of you, and I know your parents are too. You grew up into a fine man Mark." His cocky grin returned.
"I hope so, otherwise I don't think you would have had anything to do with me." The two shared another laugh, before Nini held out her hand.
"Shall we head back?"
He knew that she was walking to her grave, and by accepting her hand he accepted that cold fact. He reached out and took it, smiling at her. She smiled back, and the two headed back towards Ramon and the others. In reality, he wanted to scream and curse every living thing on the land.
It wasn't right; how an entire race had to run from their place of birth because of the ignorance of two warring factions. No one had any claim over the land; it was a gift, one that had to be shared with others. Now their petty squabbling resorted to the moving of hundreds of families and the death of thousands. It wasn't fair that because of their mistakes one woman must now give up her life with her children to save their race from destruction. All because of the selfishness of the few caused the suffering of many. But because this is what she wanted, he would not argue with her anymore. He didn't want their last memories to unpleasant ones. So he decided to go along with her wishes.
Ramon saw the two returning from around the pillar. Nini had broken from Mark's grip, summoning forth an air of authority. She had given the elder a curt nod, and he understood its meaning.
"My friends, it's time. Gather the others around the sanctuary." The elders filed out silently, turning into their true forms effortlessly. When the elders were out of sight, it was only the five of them remaining in the main Alter. Ramon turned to Mark, and the young man could see the grave look in his elders eyes.
"I'm sure that Nini has informed you about the situation involving the portal." Mark bowed his head in respect towards him.
"I already knew beforehand. I accept my fate Elder." Mark raised his head, seeing Ramon placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, a sullen look upon his face.
"I'm sorry…None of us want it to be this way." He said apologetically, Mark graced the man with a smile, though it wasn't as cheerful as his previous ones.
"It's nobody's fault Ramon. As you say, "It is the will of the gods"."
"What's the will of the gods?"
The three adults turned their attention to Nils; both he and Ninian had gazed up in confusion at the adults in question. There was an uncomfortable silence between the age groups, and Nils asked the question again just incase no one had heard him. Before Ramon or Nini could say a word, Mark had knelt down to the siblings level.
"Well, I'm afraid I have to stay. The gods have something for me to do here." The two children's eyes widened in shock, and they had begun to panic.
"You can't!"
"Mama said that we were all going!"
"Brother you have to come with us! Please!"
"You promised!"
"Oi, that's enough! There's no need to shout." Mark said sternly. They immediately went silent, save for the occasional hiccup and sob from the both of them. Ninian took in a breath to steady herself and asked
"Why? Why can't you come with us?" she asked in a soft voice.
Mark let out a weary sigh, scratching the back of his head.
'If I tell them I'm not strong enough cross the gate, then they won't have the courage to go through with it themselves.' He thought back to their last conversation, back at the temple courtyard and temple steps. He placed a hand on each of the kids shoulders, showing them a gentle smile.
"Do you remember what I said? Back at the courtyard?" they nodded, "The elders are leaving, so this place will become desolate. I was chosen to stay behind and care for the island." He raised a hand to, quelling any protest they were going to bring up. "This is my mission, and I will see it through." He patted their heads affectionately. "I'm afraid nothing you say will change that."
Ninian and Nils both looked to the ground, trying to hide their tears. "Now don't give me that…" Mark pleaded desperately. If there was anything that he didn't like, it was to see these two crying. Then, a thought struck him. 'I had completely forgot about it until now…I'm such a fool!' he began reaching into his pockets, grinning widely. "But I still have something for the both of you."
The siblings heads snapped up, and their gloomy expressions were gone, replaced looks of anticipation. Mark chuckled as he pulled out a box, and handed it to Ninian. Nils leaned in close to his sister's shoulder as she opened the box. Inside were about a dozen gold rectangle jewelry pieces. Embedded at each end of the gold pieces were small ruby stones, and at the center was an emerald piece. In a separate slot within the box, were more gems, light blue opals, each cut to the shape of a cylinder. Attached to the top of the cylinders were golden rings, so that you could loop thread through it; which was what rested in the final slot, was a thin, silk thread.
She pulled out a single opal, seeing the stone glow with an eerie light.
"This is from home…" she said mostly to herself.
"That's right. I've put a protective ward in each stone, so that nothing will come to harm you. But as for the pieces themselves, it's for making a loose fitting, decorative belt; so that you can wear it when you are performing your dances." Mark replied "I've made it so that you can adjust the size as you grow older, which is why there are so many pieces."
Mark then turned his attention to Nils, who waited eagerly. "I know that I promised to teach you how to play the flute, but unfortunately I can't keep that promise. For that, I am sorry. But I can give you this." He reached into his robes and pulled out a small Ivory flute, causing Nils gasp in shock. The instrument did not stand out in any way; in fact it was just a regular flute. "My father gave this to me as a present many years ago. It was made from one of his horns, when he had broken it when he was a child. He carved it into a flute for me when I became friends with a traveling musician at his temple." He hand the flute to Nils, who gingerly held it in his small hands. "I want you to have it." Mark finished. Nils suddenly looked like a frightened rabbit.
"But it was your fathers present!"
"And I want you to take care of it for me. I'll be busy looking after the temple, so I won't have a lot of time to play." Mark smiled, patting his head. "I want you to practice and play for your sister when she dances. When we meet again, we'll play together," He turned to Ninian, patting her head as well "and you can dance to our music."
Mark was suddenly shoved on his backside as he was rushed by the siblings in a fierce hug. He heard their muffled sobbing in his robes, he rubbed their back in comfort. "Listen, we're family. Which means no matter how far apart we are…" he pulled himself apart from them and lightly cuffed his fist over his heart. "We'll always be together here. Besides…" His smile turned into a smirk, causing the children to smile. "I have a feeling we will see each other again." leaning forward to each of them, he kissed their foreheads, the custom for long partings within families.
He got back up to his feet, nodding to smiling Nini and Ramon letting them know that he was finished.
"Alright. Children it is time for you to take your true forms now." The elder said to them. Mark took several steps away from the group, giving them their space.
The two children glowed brightly, as their forms began to shift from a human and into a four legged beast. They grew several feet high, Ninian stopped at around fifteen feet, Nils at twelve. Their bodies were sleek and wingless; this would often confuse humans as ice dragons looked similar to water dragons. The differences were in colors. An ice dragon's skin color was teal, rather than the beep blue that the water dragons were. The ice dragon had a more "regal" look to them, as the water dragon was more fitted to the depths of the sea, rather than the endless skies.
Ninian's and Nil's eyes remained the same ruby red as they were, though they stood out even more so than before, as the color greatly contrasted from their skin. Nini had motioned for the children to stay where they were, as she and Ramon made their way over to Mark, still in their human forms.
"What will you do now? You don't have to remain here for the rest of your days." Ramon had asked when he was at speaking distance.
"I'm going back to the mainland. When the war is over, I'll return here." Ramon let out a sad sigh, shaking his head.
"Still set on finding him?" Mark nodded. "It's been over one hundred years since anyone saw him."
"That's not going to stop my search." Ramon let out another sigh, staring intently at Mark
"Very well…I too, have been looking for him, so I sent some of the other acolytes to the mainland months ago. I found out that he was last seen with the seven generals of the human army."
"He can be with whoever he wants to be with. I just want to find him and make sure he is alright. But before that I want to find Idoun." Mark crossed his arms, frowning while doing so. "I haven't heard from her since the last gathering, and I'm worried."
"She's been trying to ease the tensions within our race. But with the way the last gathering ended, I fear the worst." The elder ran his hand through his short hair, his face showing just how tired he really was. "Our brothers grow increasingly desperate. It has gotten to the point where I think they will do anything in order to defeat the humans." Mark uncrossed his arms as his features went from worry to determination.
"I know. Which is all the more reason for me to go and look for her." he noticed the concerned glance from Nini. "I'm not going to do anything drastic. I won't get involved in any of the fighting; I just want to find my friends."
Ramon let out another sigh as he crossed his arms in slight frustration.
"The high priestess of your father's temple, and one of the most powerful of the divine since our races infancy…both missing." He gave Mark a grave look "The task you give yourself won't be easy." Mark let a grim smile grace his features.
"I will see this through. When I'm done, I'll return here and guard the secrets of this island." The elder's brow rose up in confusion
"How will you do that? This island isn't small like those in the west."
"I'm going to use the Alter. I'll be able magnify my power through it, and cover the island in a dense fog. The only area the will not be affected will be the land surrounding the temple. I hope it will be enough to deter man away from here."
Ramon reached out and grabbed his arm, his fist tight around Mark's wrist.
"Are you mad? A spell of that caliber would sap all of your strength!" Mark pried the elders hand from his arm calmly.
"It won't kill me, but I would have to regain my strength over time. I will put myself into a deep sleep. The spirits will alert me to anything that happens, so if there are unwanted visitors I can take care of them." He saw the disapproving looks of his teacher and the woman he considered his mother. "I'm not going to kill anyone. I'll just knock them unconscious and take them back to the mainland. So please stop looking at me like that, it's unnerving."
"That sleep spell…it extends your lifespan by a significant amount." Ramon spoke.
"It's so that I can watch over the island. And…" Mark looked intently at the gate behind them, his eyes seem to could over for a second before he gazed back at Ramon. "I hope that one day there will be a time where man and dragon can live with one another, like in the days of old." He smiled gently. "So I will wait here…until that day comes and I can welcome you all home with open arms."
Nini and Ramon both smiled as well, and the elder reach out to grasp Mark's shoulder.
"I will never forget you young one." The man chuckled lightly "You know that I had such high hopes for you when you first came here. Instead you caused nothing but grief for the acolytes and myself. Though I will admit you made things livelier in these ancient halls…" He pulled Mark into a rough hug. "I wish you good fortune on the journey ahead of you Mark." Mark wrapped his arms around him.
"Thank you for everything Ramon." After one last pat on the back from Ramon, the two separated, and the elder made his way back to the children.
"Mark."
"Yes?" Nini reached out, bringing his head down to her own so that she could kiss his forehead. Afterwards she unhooked her necklace, and redid it around his neck. Before she let the stone rest on his chest, she turned it around to the back, her hand glowing a light blue. Soon the metal backing had his name inscribed on it, and she let it fall on his chest. Mark brought his hand up and cupped the stone in his hand, getting lost in the blue and green colors of the opal gem. He redirected his gaze at her, seeing her smiling at him.
"For luck…Take care of yourself alright?" she said softly. He tucked the stone safely away in his robes, and brought Nini into a gentle embrace without a word. "I love you…" she tried to say softly, but it came out as a sob.
"I love you too mother…" with one final squeeze, the two broke apart, wiping away their tears.
"Nini, it's time…" the familiar voice a Ramon boomed out through out the temple walls.
Ramon had turned to his true form while the two were talking. Unlike the ice dragons, the earth dragons were massive beings; the largest out of the entire race, their muscles were their most prominent feature. Their scales did not shine; instead, they had the dull appearance of gravel from the ground. His wings were enormous, allowing him a quick take off. Two horns curved out at the side of his head, useful for ramming, but he never had a reason to use them.
The earth dragons were not as hungry for battle as the fire dragons, but they could be just as fierce as their fiery brothers. Instead, they took on the appearance of humans, and would help those who were in need of it. As frightening as Ramon looked in his true form, his sapphire eyes shone with the kindness that Mark was familiar with.
"I understand Ramon." Nini squeezed Mark's hands one last time before she made her way towards the gate. Her body glowed brightly, beginning her transformation. She continued to radiate light even after her transfiguration. She walked towards the Alter, stopping several feet away. She craned out her neck, stretching out so that the tip of her nose lightly touched the gem at the center of the cornice. The stone instantly came to life, blinding everyone in the room. The blinding light remained for half a minute before dissipating; the wall between the two columns now glowed brightly, opening up to a new realm.
Nini remained in her true form, though she was panting from exhaustion. She composed herself, and then turned to face the group.
"I'm alright. The portal will remain open until I close it from the other side." Her voice called out, her mouth not moving. Just as she finished her sentence, more dragons began ascending over the stairway. They too, were in their true forms; they waited patiently for Ramon or Nini to give them the signal.
"Maybe I should enter first…for safety precautions." Ramon had stepped forward, his gaze focused on the gate.
"It's fine. I felt the spirits answer my call on the other side. We'll be able to pass through with their blessings. I need to remain here until the last one passes through the gate."
"Very well…"
"Will you accompany my children Ramon?"
"Of course. Ninian, Nils, when you are ready."
The children walked up to their mother, who lowered herself down to kiss the top of their heads.
"Be safe, stay strong. I will see you on the other side." She said in a soft, gentle voice to reassure them. The kids leaned against her in comfort.
"Yes mother…" They said in unison. They backed away from Nini, and gave Mark one last look.
"We'll meet again. I know we will." Mark spoke with conviction, smiling widely. He saw the two nodding in agreement, and followed Ramon into the gate.
Once the three entered the gate, the rest of the dragons began to file through the gate two at a time. The other elders that walked by acknowledged Mark with a simple nod, and the acolytes would bow their heads low, so that Mark could touch their foreheads; a short, but friendlier way of saying goodbye. The acolytes also helped with his up bringing, and it was with heavy hearts that they said goodbye to him.
The entire process took about an hour, until the last dragon went through. The only ones left were Nini and Mark. Taking several strides to the gate, Mark peered inside, watching the last of the dragons slowly disappear from sight. He heard Nini's steps echoing in the temple as she stood beside him. He saw her lower her head out of the corner of his eyes, so he turned to face her. He could feel the aura of grief around her, so he gave her his usual boyish grin to try and make her feel better.
"Be safe, be strong. We'll meet again someday." She could be her voice echo in laughter within his head, and he felt some of his own grief being lifted from his chest.
"I should be the one saying that…Be safe, be strong, find your friends and live your life out peacefully for the rest of your days." He raised his hand up, and Nini leaned into him for comfort . Mark took this opportunity and quickly began to transfer some of his energy over to her. She realized this and tired to pull away, but the pleading look in his eyes caused her to pause. He raised his other hand to the other side of her face so that he held her head in his hands gently.
"You may think I'm wasting my efforts, but with this you will get to spend the last of your days with Ninian and Nils. The three of you deserve that much at the very least."
"Mark…"
He continued with the transfer until he was almost out of strength himself, and would have continued until he passed out if Nini had not pulled away. He panted lightly from exhaustion as he took several steps back from her. He straightened himself out to show that he was fine, and grinned for an added effect. She reached forward one last time, lightly touching his forehead with her snout. She then walked through the gate without a word, afraid that if she said something that they would both break down in tears.
Mark watched her slowly getting smaller with the gate, and once she disappeared form view, the glow around the gate let out one final flash, blinding Mark, before going dark. When he regained his sight, he was greeted by the temple wall from before. He walked up to the wall and reached out with his arm, touching it softly. The surface was hard and smooth, cool to the touch; just as before. He glanced behind him to look at the massive room. The lively atmosphere from before was dead and dull. He reached out to the spirits, and felt their grief, which amplified his own; this was the first time he felt spirits call out with this amount of power. His fist clenched against the wall as he held back his tears
'Even the spirits think this is wrong…'
After several more minutes he pivoted his feet, quickly making his way out of the temple. His grief was replaced with grim determination. 'I can't dwell on these thoughts anymore… I have to find Idoun and Brimimond before it's too late.'
…I can't comprehend how the dragons found the reinforcements this far into the war. Word through out the army is that these are not like the dragons we've fought before; these creatures are more vile than their brethren and evil seems to bleed out and rise into the air. Some of the other men in the army claim that this dark cloud could only be purified by the Saint herself…The worst part about these rumors is that there are far more of these creatures than anyone had ever seen. Had the dragons been holding back against us this entire time? If this is the beginning of their onslaught, then I do not think that we, humanity, can win this war. May god preserve us…
...I could hardly believe my eyes! When my comrades and I thought all was lost, the generals came and did what could only call a miracle. They slew all the dragons attacking the town of Ormast with a single blow! I knew that lord Hartmut would keep his word. Now we have a chance at ending the war once and for all. We all have been ordered pack up our supplies. We head to the eastern mountains to take the fight to those monsters!...
...This may be the last time I write in this journal…The war with the dragons has ended. But at what cost? I have been traveling with Lord Hartmut since the beginning, and I have not had a qualm while I lent him my sword. But the final battle with the dragons...I don't know what exactly happened when the general's engaged with the true dragons and not their filthy brethren, but what started as a hot day in the summer season had quickly turned to a blistering cold. The snow still falls, even days after the battle. But the most atrocious thing that had happened was on our part. For some reason, the dragons lost their powers after the drastic weather change. They reverted to their human forms…and the men went into a blood lust. They may have been our sworn enemy, but even they did not deserve the fate they fell to. I feel ashamed to have taken part in that slaughter as well. If it weren't for the actions of lord Brimimond and the other who was with him…I don't know what would have happened...I've been summoned by Lord Hartmut. It seems he and the other general's have decided on the next course of action. Whatever it may be, I will follow him. I must atone for my sins. Even if the others don't feel the same as I do, I feel we were in the wrong. By the gods…What have we done…
Remains of the journal of Deluss Ormund, Ancestor of Taban Ormund, Year unknown
Nearly a millennium has passed since the scouring…
Mark awoke with a gasp, sucking in the stale air of the temple. He choked, and coughed harshly several times. When he was able to regain his composure, he sat up from his position on the alter, taking in his surroundings. He began to think to himself as he slowly regained his senses.
'I'm still in the temple…The spirits must have woken me from my sleep.' As he stood on his feet, he felt his bones pop and his muscles pull as he started stretching out his limbs. 'Someone must be on the island…I wonder how long it has been since someone has trespassed here.' His musings stopped when he jerked towards the direction of the main alter. 'They're inside the temple already?! What power…I haven't felt power like this since I last saw…'
He glanced down at his hands, flexing them a couple times. 'I still haven't regained all of my powers yet. But I can't let someone like that remain here any longer. With his mind made up, Mark quickly made his way towards the shrine, though he made sure to be silent. Ten minutes later, Mark was hiding behind one of the many columns, observing the intruders in front of him.
There were two figures standing in front of the non active gate. The first was a very pale woman, dressed in a skin tight black dressed. Her hair matched the color of her dress, and trailed down her back. But the strangest thing that Mark felt was her aura. 'She is human…but she doesn't feel…whole.' When she turned to the side, Mark was able to catch a glimpse of her face. 'Were her eyes yellow? They look just as lifeless as her.' but it was when the woman's companion turned to face her that Mark felt his blood chill.
The man in question was dressed in a black robe, wearing an elaborate red scarf around his shoulders. On his head rested a black turban that slopped down to cover his right eye. 'His aura reeks of death and despair…' Mark continued to study the bearded man, unknown to the third presence that slowly crept up to him. But right as the figure went to make his strike, Mark jumped away from him, out into the open, stunning his assailant with a binding spell. Knowing that this man wasn't going anywhere, he turned his attention to the remaining two.
The cloaked man looked Mark over with an appraising eye.
"I'm impressed. There are very few people in this world who could do that, let alone to Jaffar. Who are you boy?" Mark straightened his back, narrowing his eyes at the intruder.
"You are trespassing on sacred down. Leave now and I won't have to do anything that I might regret." A smile slowly formed on the mans face, his curiosity peek even more now.
"Ahh…so you know about the secrets of this place then do you? Then perhaps you can tell me more about this gate?" He gestured with his arm to the wall behind him. Mark's glare intensified; he raised his arm towards the man, hand glowing with what little magic he had.
"Last chance. Leave or suffer the consequences." Mark gave his final warning
The cloaked man sighed too dramatically for Mark's taste, before he grinned.
"Oh well. I guess we will have to do this the hard way then won't we boy?"
"That's too bad." Mark replied in mock sympathy, letting lose a stream of lightening. The man seemed to fade in and out of existence while avoiding the bolt. The woman pulled out a book, chanting in a flat tone of voice. The book lit up in her hands, and when she finished chanting, she let loose a flurry of icicles. Mark pointed to the ground in front of him, his hand still glowing from the previous spell. A wall of fire shot up from the ground, melting and dissolving the ice.
Before Mark could retaliate, black tendrils came from behind, wrapping tightly around his arms and legs. He struggled fiercely against his bonds, but he quickly felt his strength leave him, his energy being sucked away through the tendrils. The binding spell he placed on the first man disappeared, and said man landed on the ground without a sound. 'Damn! This spell…it is only known to dragons. How does he know it?' The bearded man came up from behind him, his smirk still plastered on his face.
"Don't look so surprised. Did you actually think you could beat me boy? I have been alive far longer than you could imagine." Mark couldn't help but snort at the remark "You find that amusing? Interesting…well you must know something about this place. So…" The man reached out with his hand, placing his index finger on Mark's forehead. "Show me the secrets to the dragon's gate."
Searing hot pain shot through the inside of Mark's head. He could feel the man's dark aura penetrate his mind and sort through all of his memories. From the moment he first came to the temple as a child, to the time he put himself into a deep sleep. Mark screamed out in agony, summoning forth what was left of his strength to shove the man out of his head. Gasping for air, Mark weakly raised his head, trying to get a look at the cloaked man. The smirk he wore earlier was gone, and instead was replaced with shock, awe, and fascination. "Amazing…A half breed from the scouring…to have lived this long…" The man began chuckling, then laughed outright. "If you had your full power then the outcome of our battle would have been vastly different. Limestella and Jaffar would have been nothing, and I would have been drained of my strength." The grin returned once more. "You've certainly enlightened me to the importance of this place half breed…and for that you have my thanks. I may not be able to open the gate, but I know who can and I have the means to contact them." His grin seemed to take a more sinister feel as his face turned to the side. "I'm sure there are two children who miss their older brother so very much…"
Anger tore throughout Mark's body at the comment, and he found newfound strength. He fought against his bonds once more, reaching out for the man's throat.
"I won't let you!!!" He snarled out venomously. The man seemed to be amused by Mark's action, and he chuckled again.
"I'm afraid that you don't have a choice in the matter. Now," The dark tendrils tightened around Mark's arms, and he was violently pulled away from the man. "What should I do with you, hmmm?" He slowly circled Mark, examining him like he was a rug hanging in the market place. "I could kill you, but helped shape history-No! You are history! I can't kill someone like you. But I can not let you run around either. You'll only cause me unnecessary trouble." The man mused quietly to himself, ignoring Mark. Suddenly his eyes lit up as he snapped his fingers. "Ah! I know what I can do!" He quickly moved behind Mark, beginning an ominous chant in a low voice and an unfamiliar tongue. Unable to see what he was doing, Mark could only helplessly wait for him to complete his spell.
The man slammed his palm to the back of Mark's neck, and icy chill poured into his body. Then, he felt the man's aura pierce the back of his skull, momentarily stunning him. The chill he felt earlier gave way to numbness, and Mark's body went limp. The man came around back into Mark's vision. "The numbing will go away in a couple hours. I learned that spell in a small village in the Nabata desert. It was one of the forbidden ones; what it does is it seals away ones magical power. You can still to mediocre things, but you will no longer have the power you once possessed. Now…" he reached out, cupping his hand under Mark's chin so that he could look him in the eyes. "As I said earlier , I am grateful to the information you have provided me. As thanks I will give you two things. The first: I am going to wipe your memories of every event up to this moment. My second gift is that I am going to send you to the mainland. With no memory of who you are, you can start a new life. Not having to worry about anyone or anything except for yourself." He then patted the side of Mark's face gently. "Doesn't that sound wonderful?" He said in a sickly sweet tone.
"Go…to hell…you bastard!" Mark managed to breathe out in exhaustion. the man shook his head disapprovingly.
"Now that wasn't very nice. I'm doing you a favor here Mark." He laughed to himself. "Well since I know your name I will give you mine. After all it is the proper thing to do." His palm began to darken, and he placed it on Mark's forehead. "My name is Nergal. And for your sake I hope you don't remember it." The darkness consume Mark's vision, and the searing pain from before returned in full force. Mark let out a feral like scream, ignoring the numbness of his body and thrashed about as he felt his memories being torn from his mind. He knew he could do nothing against the spell, but he still continued to fight with all of his might, hoping that something would happen to prevent him from losing all of his precious memories. After several minutes he couldn't even remember why he was fighting anymore, and he slumped forward in exhaustion. The black tendrils holding him in place consume his body, and he disappeared into the ground without a sound.
"We found him in a village in the east. According to the villagers, his mother died well over thirty years ago."
"But he's still a child…not even older than three summers."
"I know, we think that he may be a half-blood…"
My name is Nini, and I'm a friend of your fathers…Would you like to meet him?"
"I am going to try end this conflict before things get out of hand…if something happens to me, Nini is going to look after you alright? Take care of your self son."
"Can you play for me brother? I want to try the new dance mother taught me!"
"I want to play the flute as well as you do brother! Can you teach me?"
"I'm sorry…I did something terrible…something that can't be reversed…"
"You did what you thought was right… that's what the old man kept telling us anyway…I'm just glad you're alright…"
"…you can start a new life, with no worries about anything. Doesn't that sound wonderful?"
Five years later…
He awoke in a cold sweat, breathing shallowly. He couldn't see anything with his blurry vision, and the pounding headache would not have helped things either. A low moan rumbled from his throat as he tried to say something, instead he ended up in a coughing fit. He knew he shouldn't have traveled. He hadn't been feeling well for the last couple days, but he at least wanted to get to the city of Bulgar before he would rest. So he had been traveling the Sacaen plains by himself for the last week. If his master had seen him now, he would have never heard the end of it.
Five years ago an old man had found him unconscious in the woods. When the old man had asked him where he had come from, he couldn't remember. The only things on his person were the clothes on his back and a very peculiar necklace, with a name inscribed on the back of the stone. The old man figured it to be his name, and he decided to go along with him, as it just made things easier. The old man said that he could stay until he felt well enough for travel. But on the second day, he found out something very disturbing with his house guest; The young man called Mark had stumbled onto one of his many maps of the land of Elibe, and he had no recollection of any of the cities listed on there. Mark seemed to be educated, and he figured him to be a traveling priest from his clothing; though they were ancient and dirty. When Mark begun asking about how the cities were being run, the old man knew that his memory loss did not stop with the boys past.
He was a retired tutor. He traveled for years, teaching young nobles in the ways of strategy and warfare; though he never did stay long enough to implement of all his teachings on any of his students. He would constantly move to new places, offering his services when they were needed. Traveling from the heart of the Bernese territory to the edges of Caledonia and the tip of Fibernia he had seen the world for its worth. To see this boy not having any knowledge of the major powers of the land was shocking. Even commoners knew this common knowledge.
The boy intrigued him, so he decided to let him stay as long as he needed. Mark was a quick learner, the fastest out of all of his students. And when he began teaching basic mathematics he tore through the problems with ease. When he pulled out his old chess board for the fun of it, Mark had lost the first round. He had asked for a rematch, and the old man obliged, feeling guilty that he defeated him too quickly. But Mark won the second match; then the third and fourth. The old man couldn't win against him again.
Taking a chance, the man pulled out all of his history books; mostly about wars and the tactics used. Mark quickly became fascinated, devouring the contents within. When he was finished the two would have long debates about the old battles between the countries. The old man was delighted; finding a student of this caliber was very rare. Mark even went as far as to question the motives of the eight heroes of the Scouring.
This boy made his blood rush with excitement; he had finally found a worthy successor. After all these years of teaching spoiled noble boys, he had found the one that would be his protégé. From there on he taught Mark everything his knew; from the complex theories of the three schools of magic, to ballroom dancing. But unfortunately, old age had finally caught up him, and he grew gravely ill about a year ago. His master's final words of wisdom were to see the world. Knowledge may be gained by books, but real experience is the true way to learn:
"The majority of the subjects and examples I used to teach you were taught to me from experience from my travels, and that of my own master's travels. I have taken his teachings to heart, and I do not regret the life I had led. And I think that if you too, leave this place you may have a greater chance of finding out who you really are. I've kept you here long enough, I'm sure your family is worried about you. Go, leave this place, learn from your travels, and discover your roots."
He had died the next morning. Mark took special care when burying him, going as far as carving out a tombstone for his master. He saw the man as a father, and he deserved the best he could get. Several days later, Mark had left, going from one town to another, following in his master's footsteps.
This had eventually led him to Sacae. That is until he collapsed in the middle of the plains from exhaustion.
'Where exactly am I?" He then went into another coughing fit, his throat burned from each fit.
He felt soft, warm hands lift his head up gently, and a cool object pressed against his lips. A cold liquid ran down his throat, and he felt slightly relieved. He tried to get a good look at the one helping him, but he couldn't make out any shapes in his current condition.
"Be still. You have a high fever, and you have to regain your strength." A soothing voice quietly said to him. He moaned softly, trying to respond, but this throat wasn't making it easy for him.
"…name…" He managed to mumble out.
"I'm sorry, what?" He reached out with his hand, trying to find the speaker.
"Your…name…what is it?" He felt two hands grasp his own gently. They were calloused, but they were warm and comforting to him.
"My name is Lyn…Lyn of the Lorca. You're safe now so please, rest."