Malefor Rising: Origins
Chapter 2: The Young Flame
Days turned to months and months turned to years. Five years was a relatively short time for the average dragon but by the year 1872 of the Third Age, the hatchling had grown into a young purple dragon of seemingly unlimited stamina. Down the marketplace he ran as fast as his legs could carry him while not letting his attention stray from his target. It was a Dartball, a magical toy shaped like a ball that could fly very fast. The Dartball was a popular toy among young dragons and provided them something to spend their energy on instead of torching the furniture. The young dragon ran past several customers and bumped into a guard. Despite being shouted at, it did not stop him. He was so close to capturing it. The Dartball made a left turn at the end of the market into a dark and wet alley and still the young dragon kept chasing it. He stepped on puddles and made great splashes that wetted not only his body but also the clothes that were left to hang there by the residents. Still he kept his eyes on the target.
After a good five-minute chase, the young dragon had the toy cornered at defensive walls. With nowhere else to go, it was pounced on by the dragon like a predator pouncing on a prey. Immediately, the wispy aura that engulfed the toy dissipated, leaving behind only a black-coloured ball with conduit lines running across its body horizontally. But the dragon was unsatisfied so it bit on the ball and wrestled with it while making happy grunts. When he was about to pounce on the ball again, he heard someone behind him call his name.
"Malefor, what are you doing here?"
The young dragon stopped what he was doing and turned his head around. He saw a dragon guard in plated armour looking at him with a displeased expression. It was Soltharis, Xarnas's brother-in-law. Compared to Xarnas, Soltharis was bigger in size and his armour made him even more intimidating. His horned helmet made him look even spikier than he already was. During his free time, he would sometimes bring Malefor to the nearby War Academy for a tour. It was no secret that they were gearing him to take the Art of War given Malefor's endless energy reserve and disinterest in studies. When given books and scrolls, he did not read it but tore them to pieces instead and jumping on the paper pieces.
"I was playing with the Dartball," said Malefor. "Want to play, uncle?" he asked and held up the ball at him.
"Perhaps after I finish guard duty. Where's your father?" Soltharis asked as he approached the young dragon to pick him up.
"Dad's at the marketplace buying something," answered Malefor.
"Does that dragon ever have the sense to put you in a chamber instead of letting you run free? You should be at home learning how to discover your element," Soltharis said while Malefor sat on his back.
"It's boring," Malefor pouted. "Why do I have to sit in a room looking at a spirit gem? It's so much more fun playing outside."
"Getting to know and awaken your element defines a dragon, young one. It makes who you are. The gem is there for you to get in touch with your inner life force. Perhaps if you spend more time concentrating and less time fooling around, you'll find your power easily," Soltharis answered with a smile.
"Why can't it just come to me?"
"Because good things in life don't come easy. Let's get you to the marketplace before your father gets too worried. Mithralis knows how he'll react when he realises you've gone missing."
Soltharis was rather surprised at how far Malefor had run. He ran all the way from the eastern marketplace to the western wall. It was about a kilometre and a half in total and he was not even scared of getting lost. This was not the first time Malefor went missing. The last time it happened, the young purple dragon was found killing rats in a nearby sewer system. Coincidentally, he found a stash of treasure that was hidden there by some thieves. The guard captain even allowed him to keep a treasure and he chose to keep an exquisite emerald cobra bracer. All this happened after a playing a game of hide-and-seek with some neighbourhood friends. Fearless and energetic, that was how everyone saw Malefor. Soltharis had to concur with the rest of the family that the Art of War suited him the best and he would one day make a fine warrior. But even the finest warriors have a lot of things to learn in life. If only they could make him sit down for an hour to read some books and scrolls and concentrate on unlocking his element.
The two reached the marketplace only to find a crowd gathering around something. Soltharis pushed past them and saw that they were looking at Xarnas searching around the place like a mad dragon. There was no doubt that he was worried sick but to see him act like that was a little amusing. He was overturning crates and looking behind stalls while calling out Malefor's name loudly. Soltharis frowned and called out Xarnas's name. The fire dragon stopped and saw his brother-in-law standing nearby with little Malefor sitting on his back and playing with the inactive Dartball. With a sigh of relief, he approached the two and malefor leapt off Soltharis's back and onto Xarnas's.
"You ought to keep both eyes on him, red," said Soltharis. "He has a habit of running off."
"Where did he go this time?" Xarnas asked while turning his head in an attempt to look at Malefor.
"I found him at the western end of the city. You're lucky I didn't find him in the sewers or the Cave of Spirits. One trespass was enough," the older dragon remarked in an annoyed tone.
"I swear this hatchling disappears whenever you're not looking. Thanks for finding him," Xarnas said and bowed his head in thanks.
Soltharis waved his paw dismissively. "Think nothing of it though I suggest you pay more attention to him. For Mithralis's sake, don't give him a toy when you're outside, especially a Dartball."
Xarnas did not want to but he still gave Malefor something to play with anyway because if he was bored, he would launch a barrage of questions about the littlest of things he can set his eyes on. He could hardly get things done without the young dragon constantly interrupting his thoughts and conversations by asking him regarding why the sky was blue or how were hatchlings made. Sometimes, Xarnas wondered that if Malefor was so inquisitive, why could he not sit for at least half an hour in front of a spirit gem and ask questions about himself. Dragons were taught to meditate in front of spirit gems at a young age to unlock their element and if Malefor could not discover his element before being enrolled into the Academy next month, he would have to keep on meditating until the element is unlocked. By then, he might be left behind.
That would be problematic. After Xarnas finished buying some fresh meat from the market for dinner, he made a mental note to spend more time with Malefor and help him meditate. His mother did it with him when he was younger and there was nothing like a little parental guidance to help unlock his first fire breath. Xarnas could remember the first time a jet of flames rushed from his mouth. It was hot and exhilarating at the same time and it felt like a rush of energy. Of course, he nearly toasted his mother's favourite pot of Snowcone Lilies but it didn't matter much because there was nothing more rewarding in life than to unlock one's power. The colour of a dragon corresponds to the element he or she possesses. Dragons with shades of red possessed the element of fire, dragons with shades of cyan possessed the element of ice, dragons with shades of yellow possessed the power of lightning, dragons with shades of green possessed earth powers, and dragons with shades grey possessed wind powers. Very rarely does a dragon possess a colour that does not correspond with his or her element.
But Malefor was a different story. He was a purple dragon and he belonged to a colour group that was not defined by the Elder Council. No dragon in recorded history had purple colour or any colour within the shades of purple. Some scholars theorised that purple dragons were omni-elemental, meaning they could theoretically master more than one element. Such a theory could never be proven because no one had seen a purple dragon before, nor were they recorded. Now that Malefor's here, they could put the theory to the test. Several of Xarnas's siblings had taken an interest in studying the young dragon and Malefor seemed to revel in the attention given to him. The only problem was that Malefor still has not discovered his element. He could possess any element and everyone was eager to find out what it was.
Xarnas's home was located on the second level of the city, a tier where the middle class residential areas were. The house was a single-storey terrace house of red bricks and mortar and coated by a layer of white paint. To the right of the door was a statue of Lumina, the goddess of the celestial moons Alta and Meridian. It was customary for Xarnas and Malefor to place a red gem on the offering plate that the statue was holding, a sign of thanksgiving for an eventful and safe day. While Xarnas saw nothing out of the ordinary about it, Malefor could see the energy within the gem being absorbed by the statue as if Lumina herself was present and had accepted the offering. Occasionally, Malefor swore he saw Lumina's statue smile at him and even waved a paw at him. Though the young dragon was confused, he told no one about it because the statue always made a shushing gesture. He thought it would be wise to obey the gods lest he gets struck by lightning.
After placing the offering, Xarnas opened the door and Malefor was the first to rush in. The inside of the house was modestly decorated with only a few essential furniture, some potted plants, and a few cupboards. It was all Xarnas could afford with a meagre pay but never once had he complained about being poor. There was a medium piece of green spirit gem on a shelf by the dinner table. He retrieved it and led young Malefor into an empty room (save for a few decorations) where he placed the gem down in the middle of the room. After he put down his groceries, he beckoned Malefor to come to him.
"Come, Malefor, sit with me. I shall guide you," Xarnas said softly while petting the floor.
"Can't we do this later? I wanna go out and play," Malefor pouted.
"No, you're not playing any games until you do your meditation. I will guide you like how my mother did for me. When I was young, I was very much like you. Compared to the rest of my siblings, I found my power at the age of 8 while the rest found them at the age of 5. That's quite late but it never stopped me," Xarnas said kindly.
Sighing in frustration, Malefor sat beside his foster father and stared hard at the spirit gem. It was not his first time meditating but not one of those times had any significant results. He could feel power emanating from the gem, as if it was trying to reach out to him. Other than the tingly sensation caused by the emitting power, nothing out of the ordinary happened. There was no way this session would be any different, he just knew it. But out of respect for his Xarnas, Malefor obliged.
"What do you feel, Malefor?" Xarnas asked.
"I feel," he muttered. "I feel the usual tingling sensation, like the gem is calling out to me, wants to be one with me."
His foster father smiled. "And that is always the first step to unlocking your power. Now, close your eyes and clear your mind. Take in the sensation and know that it is the power of the entire dragon race calling out to you."
Malefor did as his father said and closed his eyes. He steadied his breathing and took in deep breaths through his nostrils and exhaled through his mouth. While Xarnas continued to provide instructions to perfect the breathing technique, unknown to him, Malefor had experienced something different. In his mind, he could see only a sea of nothingness except for the outline of the green spirit gem. It was odd because he had never experienced something like that before. There was no way for him to break free from this trance so Malefor approached the gem outline gingerly. He could hear whispers around him.
"This is the one to change the world," one whisper said in a soft and kind voice.
"This is the one to tempt fate," said another whisper, this one deeper and more serious.
"This is the one to first bring light," said another male voice but a softer one.
"Then to bring the world of hate," the last voice, a female one, said with a tinge of fear in it.
As Malefor approached the gem, the dark void lit up and he was temporarily blinded. When his vision cleared, he found himself standing in front of a green gem cluster located in the middle of what seemed like a circular great hall. Twelve titanic thrones formed a circle behind a decorated wooden barrier engraved with the carvings of dragons standing proud and tall. Malefor noticed one of the dragon carvings was defaced but he did not understand what it meant. Twelve dragons in decorative armour sat on the thrones, their eyes glowed blue and their faces were stern. All eyes were on the young dragon and they stared so intently at him that the young dragon thought he was going to burst into flames by their soul-piercing stares. The dragons conveyed a sense of power greater than even the mightiest dragon in Dragon Realms but yet, they had a look of compassion and understanding too.
"Is he the one?" one of them asked.
"Only time will tell. The wheels of fate are turning and the time will come when he shall show his potential to be a hero," another said.
"Or descend into darkness," someone else added. "A path that many have taken out of temptation."
The stares and somewhat monotonous and airy voices made Malefor rather uneasy but he made an effort to suppress his fear. He stood his ground and put on a resilient face and he continued doing so even when a dragoness approached him. The cyan dragoness towered over Malefor like a giant staring down on a mole and if she decided to swipe him with her tail, the attack could easily shatter his bones. Not that she would do it but her size conveyed her physical strength and it would be folly to anger her, whoever this dragoness was. The dragoness's icy blue eyes looked at Malefor's and the young purple dragon felt a sense of judgement coming from her. Her robes of white and aquamarine made her look untouchable and ethereal.
"You stand your ground even as I approach you. Will you not back down?" she asked in a soft and airy voice.
"I do not back down from anyone," Malefor said calmly.
"Perhaps you don't, young one, but learning how to back down is a virtue," the dragoness remarked. "Especially when you don't know what you're up against."
"I thought the dragon code of honour is to never retreat from a fight. Do you stand for this?" Malefor asked.
The dragoness gave a weak smiled. "You're right, we never retreat from a fight. But retreating is an act of cowardice while backing down is a tacit act."
"There is a limit to how much a dragon can do before they cross the taboo threshold. Confronting darkness means knowing how to back away from its tempting promises of power," a black dragon from the circle said.
"Why are you telling me this? Who are you all?"
"In due time, you'll find out who we are. As for why we're telling you this, it is both an encouragement and a warning for you. Know your limits and do not be tempted by the prospects of power. Remember that you are still mortal and your greatest goal in life is to be a shining example of what a true hero should be. The distant past has been marred by our own kin and in this new age, we hope to prevent it from happening again," the dragoness answered cryptically.
"What power can I wield when I have none? You say that to all dragons, don't you?"
"Do not mistake me for a common preacher whose words are empty of meaning. You will find your powers one day and this is your first step. For now, we have nothing to bestow upon you but our blessings. It will shield you from the coming darkness but be warned, you will have to fend for yourself once you come of age. By then, we hope that you can see the path of virtue. Otherwise...there will be consequences," the dragoness said.
She closed her eyes and spread her wings and the other dragons followed her lead. Malefor saw wisps of energy emitting from them and they coalesced into a single bright beam that shot straight at him. His vision was engulfed by a blinding light and suddenly, he found himself being dragged backwards as if being sucked by vacuum. His consciousness returned to his body and the force was so powerful that it threw Malefor backwards. Xarnas let out a gasp of surprise and at the same time, the green gem glowed brightly for a moment before shattering into dozens of smaller gem pieces.
"Ye gods!" Xarnas exclaimed in a panicky voice. "Malefor, are you alright?!"
Malefor groaned in pain as his father helped him up. For a while, he seemed dazed but he was quick to recover from it. When he snapped out of his dazed state, Malefor realised that he had broken Xarnas's favourite vase. It was a ceramic tall vase made in Kazan City and while it was not a particularly rare vase, it meant a lot to Xarnas because it was a gift to him from his favourite cousin. Malefor never had the chance to meet Valkaric for he had disappeared a long time ago. Valkaric gave the vase to Xarnas before he left on a military expedition to the eastern continent of Toria. Nobody knew what happened to him but Xarnas once told him that he had wept for days after learning about his disappearance. But right now, the vase was the least of Xarnas's concern.
"Malefor, what happened?" Xarnas asked while wiping away some blood on Malefor's back.
"I...I don't know," Malefor answered truthfully. "I saw dragons, very large dragons...and they shot a beam of light at me."
Xarnas frowned and shook his head. "What're you talking about, boy? That impact must've knocked you silly."
"Dad, I swear I'm telling the truth," Malefor insisted. "They never said who they were but they said that they would bestow me their blessings."
"If that was supposed to be a blessing, I don't want to know how their prayers are like," Xarnas muttered. "I saw some energies coming off from the gem and engulfing you. That means you've successfully connected with the life force within it. But I don't recall it ever having the ability to repel dragons and exploding on its own. I...think we'll stop for now until I can get another gem cluster."
Xarnas decided to end the session there and allowed Malefor to go out and play while he prepared dinner. Soltharis and his sister Tamira had planned to visit him tonight and he wanted no distractions while he prepared dinner. The last time Xarnas allowed Malefor into the kitchen, the young dragon nearly made him burn the grilled mutton he spent quite a while to prepare and broke a few fine plates he bought from human traders at the Foreign Embassy. Since Malefor was outside playing, he could finally cook in peace. He took a glance at the clock in the kitchen. It was 5 in the evening and he had another hour to prepare. Good. They're going to love what he has prepared.
Meanwhile, Malefor had made his way to the nearby park where he met his neighbour and good friend, the olive earth dragon Valakand. He and Malefor were about the same height and size but his horns curved outwards while Malefor's curved in. They first met each other in the very same park a year ago and nobody thought that a fight at the toy fort could forge a friendship. When Malefor reached the park, his eyes immediately sought for his friend. It didn't take him long to spot Valakand playing alone at the swings. He was smiling wide as if he was happy with something. With a grin, Malefor ran towards his friend. Valakand saw him and grinned back before somersaulting off the still moving swing and spread his wings. He flapped his wings to slow his descent and landed in front of his friend gracefully.
"Where'd you learn to do that?" Malefor asked, awed by his friend's action.
"I learnt from the best. My dad's a flight instructor at the Imperial Academy after all," Valakand answered with a smug look.
"Could you teach me how to do that? I wanna try that too," Malefor said with an excited tone.
Valakand chuckled. "Sure, Mal, follow me. I know a place where I can teach you how to glide and land safely. It's my secret spot," he said and waved a paw to beckon Malefor.
Not too far from the park was the southern border of Archaea City. Beyond the protective walls, the Archaean Forest stretched for miles towards the southern horizons and beyond the Valley of Avalar. The forest floor was home to a wide variety of strange and unusual creatures, creatures some thought were impossible. Explorers and adventurers that ventured into the heart of the forest reported seeing the rare but majestic Archaen Garu, the agile and twitchy sail lizard, and the aggressive and territorial bombardier flies. It was a treasure trove for scholars who take interest in cataloguing various non-sentient species that inhabit the realm but few would venture far. There were many aggressive creatures that lurk within the darkest parts of the Archaen Forest, namely the forest dreadwing and shadow anglers. But even they could not stop two intrepid young dragons from exploring mostly uncharted territory.
The citizens of the imperial city were usually barred from venturing into the forest without permission from the city's guard captains but for Malefor and Valakand, a hole in the wall did not have the ability to ask for a permit. It was hidden behind a pile of abandoned crates and the guards were none the wiser. They were so focused on guarding the ramparts and streets that they overlooked the minor breach. But Valakand stumbled upon it not too long ago and every once in a while, he would sneak out of the city and venture into the forest. He shared the secret with no one else and now, he had a companion who was equally eager in exploring beyond the great walls of Archaea City. Nobody saw the two dragons disappear behind the crates and the thick trees outside of the city walls prevented the guards on the ramparts and sky patrols from seeing the two.
"See, that was easy, wasn't it?" Valakand said with a grin. "I always sneak out this way."
"How'd that hole get there though?" Malefor wondered while looking back at the hole in the wall.
His friend shrugged and said, "I don't know but it's a way out of that boring city. C'mon, let me show you that secret place I was talking about."
Venturing deeper and deeper into the forest, Malefor felt more and more uncomfortable as the last beams of light were stopped by the dense treetops that clustered together like a natural shade. Valakand had led him into dangerous territory where creatures of darkness lurked and the hungry eyes of predators followed their every step. They were but two young dragons, easy pickings due to their softer scales and lesser strength. But what young dragons lacked in strength and defence, they made up in speed. Their smaller and lighter bodies allowed them to outrun enemies on the ground and when cornered, young dragons could fight back with tooth and claw. Malefor reckoned that his earth dragon friend had been outside the city walls for quite a few times because he led the way without a pause for a thought or to recall the exact path to be taken. Through thick undergrowth, thorny bushes, and massive boulder, Valakand led the purple dragon to very large opening in the middle of the forest.
It was a miracle that they foolishly walked right into danger and come out unscathed but the rewards for braving the danger made Malefor open his eyes wide and his jaw drop. Before him was a great lake that had a rough circle shape and the surface of the lake was thirty meters below the surface and probably two kilometres in diameter. The edge of the cliff was surrounded by trees whose vines hung above the lake precariously. Two rivers cascaded into the lake in the form of two powerful waterfalls and by the edge of the lake were several sandy islands big enough to accommodate five adult dragons. There were groups of sail lizards sunbathing on the sand islands, sharing them with flocks of macaws and kingfishers. Some of the lizards clung onto the edge of the cliff to sunbath, their sharp claws hanging onto the rough and rocky surface and vines that crept from the forest floor. Malefor noticed one of the islands had a small makeshift platform with a simple roof. It had to be Valakand's doing. The water had a green tinge to the otherwise pure blue lake and it was so crystal clear that he could almost see the bottom.
"I call this Lake Valakand. This is my little secret," Valakand said with a grin to an awestruck Malefor.
"I wouldn't call that little...but...how can the aerial scouts not see this?" Malefor asked.
"My dad told me that no scout ever patrolled the southern regions of the Archaean Forest. Nobody knows why except the guard captains. Whatever the case, it's better for us because this means that we can come here anytime without scouts seeing us having fun," Valakand answered.
"Have you ever been attacked by wild creatures? I mean, there were a lot of eyes staring at us back there," Malefor muttered while he turned his head around to look back at the yawning darkness that led back into the forest. He dreaded the idea of going back the same way they came and dozens of worst case scenarios swam in his mind. "I feel like they're waiting to attack us when it gets dark."
But Valakand waved a paw dismissively. "They won't attack," he said with confidence. "Not when I'm around. You see, nobody messes with Val and gets away with it. I can blow them away with my breath."
Malefor was immediately crestfallen. First, the daughter of Xarnas's friend mastered her element. Then, another neighbour's son mastered his element. Now, even his close friend had mastered his element. The purple dragon felt left out, thinking he was the only one in the entire city that has yet to discover his power. He had seen young dragons get into elemental sparring with each other and as much as he wanted to join in, he could not produce anything. In fact, he had no idea what his element was. Unlike the other dragons whose scale colours could accurately predict the element they bore, his purple scales were so unusual that nobody knew what element he belonged to. This made him a laughing stock of the playground and the one that teased (or more accurately, bullied) him the most was that miserable dragoness Arciel. Whenever they met, she would laugh at him. It annoyed him to the point where there were times when Malefor almost made gashes in her face.
Valakand noticed his friend's head was hanging low so he immediately changed the topic. He invited Malefor to leap off the cliff and spread his wings but he was reluctant to do so. Malefor gingerly peeked down at the lake and immediately shrunk back. Valakand rolled his eyes and demonstrated to Malefor how to glide down safely into the water. Without a thought, he ran and leapt off the cliff. Seconds later, his wings deployed and he slowly spiralled downwards until he reached the lake's surface. His touchdown created a fairly large splash and Valakand was giggling happily as he swam in circles.
"The water's fine, Mal! C'mon down!" Valakand cried out a waved a hand at his friend who was standing at the edge. "Just open your wings and you'll glide down naturally!"
Malefor scowled. He tried gliding before and each time ended in failure. The moment he spread open his wings, gravity decided to make fun of him by pulling him straight down to the ground. Even if he could glide, he had yet to learn how to swim. Being by a large body of water had always made him uneasy. His father could not even bring him for a stroll by the lake in the middle of the imperial city. Valakand called out to Malefor again, this time his voice was laced with annoyance and his face bore a light frown. He eagerly wanted his friend to join him in the lake but Malefor refused to take the leap.
"Are you a dragon or a lizard?!" Valakand asked aloud. "I didn't bring you here to cower!"
"I can't swim!" Malefor retorted while hugging close to the edge of the cliff.
"Then just glide to one of the sand islands!"
"I can't glide either! Last time I tried, I fell straight down!"
"Listen, you can do this! When you spread your wings, don't resist the winds! Be part of it, feel it carry you! That's what dad always taught me!"
Malefor thought of backing away but he knew his friend would probably call him a lizard if he did not make the jump. He didn't like it. With that in mind, Malefor took a few deep breaths, took several steps back, and charged as fast as he could. As soon as his feet left the edge of the cliff, Malefor's heart skipped a beat and his eyes widened as if he just realised he did something stupid. When he felt gravity pull him down, he instinctively opened his wings and prayed to the gods that he wouldn't smack the surface of the lake. To his pleasant surprise, his wings actually slowed his decent. Malefor flapped them slowly so he could slowly hover down but the problem of being unable to swim loomed in his mind. Luckily for him though, his friend pushed a makeshift raft from a nearby island to catch him. Malefor landed on the raft and grinned at his friend.
"I did it!" he exclaimed happily.
"That's just the first part, Mal," Valakand said while returning the grin. "It'll be better when you learn how to swim. Because when I do this." Valakand rocked the raft, causing Malefor to scream in fear.
"Val, don't do that!" Malefor said angrily. "You'll drown me."
"Sorry," Valakand said while stifling a chuckle.
"We better get home soon. It's close to nightfall and I don't think our parents will be happy with us coming home late. You almost got us grounded once," Malefor reminded.
"Yeah, we probably should," Valakand said with a sigh but almost immediately, he was beaming again. "But let's meet in the park earlier tomorrow so we can have more time to spend here. We can build a sand castle over at the central island."
"Um...sure," Malefor said though he felt uncertain about that idea.
Valakand pushed the raft to the edge of a cliff where there were vines growing by the side. The two grabbed onto the vines and started climbing to the top. Their endurance and strength allowed them to climb to the top without stopping for a breath and they even had the energy to compete with each other to see who could reach the top first. In the end, Malefor was the first to reach but there was no time to gloat. As soon as Valakand reached the top of the cliff, they started sprinting as fast as they could back into the forest. The setting sun made the forest even darker than it was and many times, Valakand and Malefor had to pause and retrace their steps because they took a wrong turn. But one wrong turn near a gnarled tree saw the two lost in a seemingly endless undergrowth of thorns.
"Didn't we pass by that tree a couple of times already?" Malefor asked when they passed by a tree that seemed to have a face of a demon.
"Maybe they just look the same...right?" Valakand said with a quiver in his otherwise calm and confident voice.
"W-we're lost," Malefor whispered while hugging close to his friend.
"We're not lost, you idiot! We just need to find our bearings," Valakand hissed. Before he could suggest what to do next, he heard some crunching sounds coming from a bush next to them. "What was that?" he asked in a low voice.
Then, something burst out from the bushes and attacked them. It happened so fast that the two young dragons did not manage to scream when a pair of orange-red eyes appeared in front of them.
Xarnas had both a worried and angry look on his face. The sky had already turned from reddish orange to bluish black and still his son had yet to return home. Soltharis and Tamira would be arriving soon and if they noticed that Malefor isn't around, there would be a lot to answer for. Around that time, the bells of the Cathedral of Unity began ringing. Their loud and low drones echoed throughout the city, a signal to evening religious services and to herald the coming of night. The cathedral had many bells but four colossal bells dominated the call of the night. Each great bell had its own bell tower, located on each of the four corners of the cathedral. The bells were named Zannak, Ciro, Saffron, and Zephira respectively and each had a unique tone. Zannak's tone was a low and solemn drone while Ciro's had a higher pitch to it. Saffron's tone sounded similar to a regular monastery bell albeit louder while Zephira's was soft but firm. When they rang in unison, they played a song of harmony that reverberated throughout Archaea City and miles beyond its walls. But even the chorus of the bells could not calm an anxious Xarnas.
"Where is that kid," Xarnas muttered.
He thought that Malefor would be at Valakand's home but when he went over to look for him, Valakand's mother, the lightning dragoness Ilthilia, greeted him. Unlike her usual calm and cheerful demeanour, she looked like as if her house was on fire and her expression was filled with worry. Apparently, even her son was missing and his father had formed a search party not too long ago and had set out to look for him. Xarnas wondered if the two had went somewhere together but there was no other place in the city that would appeal to young dragons other than the Carnival of Fools. But there was no way they could enter the carnival without paying for entry.
"Usually they can't but Valakand had snuck in there a few times before," Ilthilia said. "But his father could not find him there so I'm worried that he and your son could've gone somewhere else instead."
"But where else could they go? Surely they can't be at the imperial palace," said Xarnas as he turned his head around to glance at the palace that was seated on Archaea Mons. "Heavens forbid that they are outside the walls," he added.
"Do you think they can sneak out of the city without being seen by the guards or the sky patrol?" Ilthilia asked.
"I'd like to think that they can't but...I have a gut feeling I can't explain," Xarnas answered softly. "I'll see if I can get extra help."
While he ran back to his home, he bumped into Soltharis and his sister at the partition of the Old City. They were surprised to see him out in the streets by himself but before they could ask him what he was doing outside, Xarnas quickly told them about Malefor going missing. Tamira was visibly horrified but her husband merely shook his head and frowned at him. Soltharis fired question after question at his brother-in-law pertaining to how the young purple dragon disappeared and when he was last seen.
Soltharis narrowed his eyes. "You let him out of your sight again?" he hissed.
"I was busy preparing dinner and never once did Malefor disappear from the park. Even if he did, he would always be at his friend's house," Xarnas retorted.
"Maybe they found something a little more interesting to do," Tamira suggested. "The Carnival of Fools seems like a good start."
Xarnas shook his head and said, "No, Captain Ciraxis has searched the place not too long ago and they're not there."
Soltharis turned his head to look at the city's southern walls and said, "Xarnas, take Tamira back to your home. I'll see if I can find Malefor and his friend by starting with the forest."
"Are you sure about that? I mean, how is it possible that two young dragons can get out of the city without being seen?" Xarnas asked.
"That is a big 'if'," Soltharis answered in a low tone. "We can't neglect searching in places we think that are impossible to reach. After all, young dragons will always be young dragons. They'll find ways to get lost or get themselves hurt."
With that said, Soltharis spread his wings and with a might flap, he took to the skies. He circled around the city once before flying outside the city walls. He let out a roar to signal the guards to allow him passage. Meanwhile, Malefor and Valakand ran helter-skelter from a large forest dreadwing that stood in their way a few minutes earlier. The beast snapped its jaw at them like a hungry predator determined to tear its prey apart. Valakand tried fighting back by shooting earth blasts at it but his powers were too weak to deal any noticeable damage. The much larger forest dreadwing merely shrugged off the blasts by blocking its body with its wings. Undeterred, Valakand tried again and again but every time, the dreadwing blocked his attacks. Malefor broke away from his friend and tried to flank the creature but it saw him coming and pushed back the purple dragon with a flick of its wing.
Malefor rolled backwards and knocked into a boulder. For some reason, the dreadwing seemed more interested in hunting Valakand instead. No matter how many times Malefor tried to stand between it and his friend, the dreadwing would just knock him aside without even giving him so much as a glance. Valakand screamed in fear as the dreadwing lunged at him and pinned him to the ground. It tried to bite him but the earth dragon kept moving his body to distract it. Malefor ran up to it again after picking up a thick stick in his mouth. He leapt into the air and dove down onto its back with the sharp end of the stick pointed at it. The stick made contact with the dreadwing's back and it let out a cry of pain as it writhed and squirmed in an attempt to shake Malefor off.
It did not penetrate deep enough to hurt its spin but the stick did make the dreadwing bleed. Blood oozed from its wound, making it hard Malefor to grab onto it. He tried to claw it but the dreadwing stood on its hind legs and shrugged him off. While it was distracted, Valakand ran up to its belly and let loose another earth blast. The blast sent the creature tumbling backwards but it also made him lethargic. He had run out of energy and Valakand was panting hard from exhaustion. There were no gems nearby to replenish his energy so he had to rely on melee attacks. While the dreadwing was down, Malefor rushed back to his friend's side and the two stood ready in case of another round of attacks. The two dragons spread their wings in an attempt to make themselves look bigger but the forest dreadwing was anything but intimidated by them. It got back up and screeched loudly at them and the two responded with angry snarls and stomped their front paws on the ground.
"I sure wish you have your elements now, Mal," Valakand muttered.
"Drop it," Malefor snapped. "We can still beat it without elements but we can't attack it directly," he said as the dreadwing slowly approached them. "It seems interested in you. Keep it distracted while I go find more sticks. We'll stab it to death if we have to."
"You want me to play turkey?" his friend asked with a tone of disbelief.
"Unless you got a better plan," Malefor responded.
There was no other choice so Valakand gave in to his friend's plan. After all, he had more combat experience than him thanks to the incident in the city's sewers. Malefor broke off and at the same time, Valakand picked up a small stone and hurled it at the dreadwing. The stone bounced off its face. Angered, it screeched loudly and charged at the earth dragon. It tried to pin him down again but Valakand rolled sideways and took a swipe at the dreadwing with his tail blade when it landed. While he kept the dreadwing busy, Malefor went about collecting big sticks and sharpening their tips with his claws. He had about five sharp sticks and he turned his attention towards the dreadwing. It seemed rather odd that the dreadwing always seemed to ignore him and while it gave Malefor the advantage, it also put his friend in a lot of danger.
Not wanting to see his friend hurt, he started throwing the sharp sticks into the dreadwing while circling around it, first through the back, then through its wings and chest. One throw missed the dreadwing's head. They thought they had succeeded as the dreadwing was slowing its attack as it bled profusely from the wounds inflicted by Malefor. But when Valakand accidentally crossed its path, the dreadwing used one of its wings to pin him down hard. Without hesitating, it bit Valakand's front paw, causing the earth dragon to cry out in pain. It shook him about, threatening to tear off the poor dragon's arm. His friend's desperate cries for help and screams of pain horrified Malefor. Tactlessly, he charged at the dreadwing with a sense of hotness welling up within him. Thinking it was just anger, Malefor tried to let out a roar but to his awe and surprise, a jet of flames shot out of his mouth and scorched the beast. Now he got its attention. The dreadwing stopped shaking a now unconscious and bleeding Valakand and turned to look at Malefor. The young dragon was terrified by its looks but for the sake of his friend, he stood his ground. He tried breathing fire again but when he opened his mouth, only a puff of smoke left his open maw.
"W-what? I thought I could," he stuttered.
Malefor ran as the dreadwing chased him but he dared not run too far from his injured friend. When he ran by a dry tree, it gave him an idea. If he could breathe fire again, he could set the tree on fire and the flames would be intense and bright enough to alert the sky patrol. Biding his time, Malefor did quick engagements with the dreadwing while his mind went to work on how to utilise his fire breath again. He forced himself to calm his mind and focus on accumulating energy within him. Somehow, it felt like it was the natural thing to do. A familiar burning sensation built up as he ran and fought. When Malefor felt that it was hot enough, he sidestepped his opponent, opened his maw, and let out a jet of flames towards the dry tree. The tree went up in flames and as the fire grew more intense, the darkness of the forest dissipated and was replaced by a warm glow from the burning tree.
"Now I'll make you pay for hurting Val," Malefor growled.
But before he could engage, a loud and angry roar came from the skies. It was Soltharis and the guard dragon landed between Malefor and the dreadwing. The dreadwing was unusually big but Soltharis was twice its size. It screeched a challenge at him and Soltharis replied it by rearing back his head and unleashing a deafening roar. So powerful was his roar that the earth around him shook and the trees in front of him swayed as if blown by a gust of wind. Frightened by the roar, the forest dreadwing fled into the dark forest. Soltharis snorted and turned his head around. His glare scared Malefor and the anger in his eyes felt like it could burn him alive. But his angry gaze softened when he saw Valakand lying on the ground with blood pooling around him.
"Get him on my back. I need to bring him to a hospital," Soltharis said in a calm voice. Malefor nodded and quickly heaved his friend onto his uncle's back. After ensuring that Valakand was secure, he hopped on and Soltharis flew up into the sky.
While they were on their way back to the city, Malefor said, "Uncle, I – "
"You're in a lot of trouble, young dragon. Do you realise how dangerous it is beyond the walls, especially when it's night time?" Soltharis asked angrily.
"But Valakand said he wanted to show me something and – "
"And you had to listen to him. Malefor, I thought you knew better than that. Your father was worried sick and you put us through a lot of trouble looking for you two. If your father doesn't ground you for this, I will. You may be a young dragon but you should be more mature than this," Soltharis chided. "Still, I'd like to know, did you set that tree on fire?" he asked in a softer tone laced with curiosity.
Malefor nodded his head but he did not smile. "I did," he answered.
"Well, that is indeed a welcoming surprise. Maybe you are a fire dragon after all. I'm proud of you, Malefor, I really am. But that does not nullify what you have done. When we get home, I want you to explain everything to your father and apologise to him, got it?"
"Yes uncle," Malefor muttered.
This is but a first step towards fulfilling your destiny but many trials and tribulations lie ahead. You are like the empire, a grand representation of heroic ideals and peace. But how much can you stand against the forces that seek to bring you down from the outside and within? Like many kingdoms and empires throughout history, you will eventually crumble as you desperately try to salvage what is left of your sanity and those ideals you hold so dearly. Yet the walls continue to tear themselves down and your bastions collapse. One. By. One.
Encyclopaedia
Archaea City: Archaea City (spelled arkay-ah) has been around since the establishment of the First Dragon Empire. Originally a small mining community, Archos-Minaltar (Archaea City's original name meaning Golden Arch in Ancient Draconic due to its signature golden archway at the town's entrance) attracted more and more people to the area. Archos-Minaltar grew in size and population rapidly and its importance made it a valuable trading stop. Centuries later, its size and area of influence rivalled the then capital city Krion. During the First Empire's waning years, Archaea City was constantly besieged by rebel kingdoms to the south, Most of the time, it held back assaults thanks to a large regiment of dragon legions stationed there but dwindling resources eventually took a toll on them. In the year 1780 of the First Age, Archaea City was breached during the Battle of Targachus. Led by the vicious dragon king Liachor-tal-Radath (Liachor the Conqueror), he took over the city as the city's defenders fled north to the capital. His family would hold it for a few thousand years until it was eventually reconquered by King Farazek. Since he was once a native of the city, Farazek made it the new capital of the new Empire. Archaea City was built on flatlands save for two hills, Archaea Mons and Zharak Mons. Between the two hills, an artificial lake was built for recreational purposes. Massive orichalion walls surrounded the city with guard towers lining the walls 100 metres apart from each other. The city is divided into the Old City and New City. The Old City is the section where buildings and roads from the First Empire are located while the New City is a more recent extension. Both sections are divided by a wall.
Cathedral of Unity: It is one of the largest places of worship in the empire and it is dedicated to the pantheon of gods. It has been around since the golden years of the First Empire. The cathedral is a massive Gothic building with a grand atrium at the front wing and a cloister in the middle of the cathedral. A bell tower sits at the corners of the cathedral and each tower housed a bell named after two heroes and two heroines. During the Fall of the Empire, the Cathedral of Unity served as a sanctuary for refugees and it also doubled as a fortress. The gargoyle heads that lined the cathedral walls have channels which the defenders could use to dump molten steel or boiling oil on attackers. When the city came under attack, the cathedral took a beating from enemy siege engines. Ciro's tower was completely destroyed while Zephira's tower took a beating to its upper half. A stone launched by one of Liachor's trebuchets smashed the great brass bell, rendering it useless for good. Despite the city being taken over, the cathedral continued serving the needy and providing sanctuary. The damaged towers were eventually rebuilt. The cathedral was built on Archaea Mons and a great bridge connected the east wing of the cathedral to the west wing of the imperial palace on Zharak Mons.
Valakand: Perhaps there is no dragon more brave, proud, and foolhardy than young Valakand. His father, Ciraxis Tala-Qan (Ciraxis Raging-Earth), was a flight instructor in the Imperial Academy and a well-respected figure among his peers. Valakand is about as brash as a bull garu and constantly gets into trouble with his father. He has many friends but his closest friend is still Malefor whom he shares many toys and secrets with.
Soltharis: His full name is Soltharis Kal-Niras (Soltharis Fire-Strike), a guard sergeant who was a native of Elon's Bastion in Windbridge Province. Soltharis comes off as a rather strict dragon that follows the warrior's code but many who serve under him know that he cares a lot about his subordinates. He looks after Malefor during his free time and is rather close to him as if he was his father. Soltharis is married to Xarnas's sister, Tamira Shul-Aviir (Tamira Air-Guider), a teacher in Advanced Wind Techniques.
Dartball: What is more fun than a magic-powered toy that flies around as if alive? It provides a way for energetic youngsters (and adults) to burn off excess energy. It normally costs a few hundred gold pieces but Crystal Dartballs cost more than 3000 each. Aside from aesthetic differences, Crystal Dartballs and regular dartballs work the same. Some dragons collect Crystal Dartballs and Valakand was one such dragon.
Forest Dreadwing: A forest-dwelling variant of the dreadwing species that live mostly in the dark parts of the Archaean Forest and the Enchanted Forest of Avalar. They look similar to the common dreadwing but have a leafy-looking body instead. Despite their leafy appearance, forest dreadwings are feared carnivores that feed on just about any creature, including dragons. Alpha forest dreadwings are half the size of an adult dragon and a successful alpha can lead a pack to take down several dragons in an attack. Their large presence in the Archaean Forest is the main reason that keeps explorers from going too deep into it, especially the southern area.
Archaean Garu: Garus resemble reindeers but both male and female garus have great horns. They can be differentiated by their body size as males have stockier bodies while females are slenderer. Male garus also have a furry collar. Their meat is very much sought after by humans and a slab of garu meat can cost up to a thousand gold pieces (excluding teleportation taxes). The Archaean Garu feed primarily on berries, grass, leaves, and tree barks. Garus are hunted by dragons, cheetahs, and dreadwings.
Sail Lizard: It's basically a lizard with a long membrane sail that stretches from its head to its tail. Contrary to popular belief, sail lizards can't glide but they can leap very high and jump very far in relation to its size. Like many other lizards, they feed on insects and small mammals.
Bombardier Fly: Suicidal fly-like insects that contain acid in their abdomen. The acid isn't strong enough to cause permanent damage but it sure as the Nine Hells hurt like a thousand bee stings. When in a swarm, they rain down on intruders like bombs. Dragons call it Barachtkhil, or Bombardier Rain.
Shadow Angler: I'll let you suggest this one :)
A/N: Man, I'be broken my personal record. Never have I written a chapter that has nearly 10000 words. It's been a while since I posted the last chapter and I would like to thank the reviewers for their reviews. By all means, critique if you wish, I welcome them but keep them constructive. I would like to give a big thanks to Riverstyxx for allowing me to use the names of some of his characters. To those who read his story Residual Darkness, you'll notice some familiar names. It's a great story so for those who have not read it, go check it out. I would like to once again thank djax80, htffan951, DragonBreeder123, and thefanficverdict for their reviews. I appreciate it. I know there will be errors, be it spelling, grammar, or plot errors so I apologise for it in advance. This is what I get for always attempting to write a story late at night. Other than that, thank you for reading and I hope to get the next chapter up soon. Keep the reviews and suggestions coming.