Years passed by with Garyx growing older. Where there was once a child was now a young teen. A few of his appearances changed though he stayed the same. His black hair was longer now to where it reached down to the middle of his back. His eyes had become more define where it showed his dragon blood more. He couldn't help but be happier, though. Something wasn't right, though.
His father barely stayed awake or move. When he did it led to him coughing profusely. Onaga's face remained neutral even as he coughed, but Garyx could see it. His eyes held pain in them though he hid it well. He asked his father about it only to be brushed off to the side saying it was just a cough. His mother said the same thing when he talked to her about it as well only for to do the same thing. Was that sadness in her eyes?
'Something is wrong. But what?' Garyx thought as he sat in a lava pool that went up to his chest with his arms holding the edge while in human form.
It was so relaxing!
It still didn't keep his thoughts from wandering.
Letting out a long sigh he stood while stretching his neck to the left and right. He let out a moan of relief when he felt his neck pop. Turning he stepped out of the lava pool with a few drops of lava dripping off him like water.
'Probably should check on the folks.'
Glancing over to the side he began putting his armor on his body. He had finally grown into his armor. His parents didn't care for humans armor, but his father did say he was impressed by the helmet. That or he liked it only cause it was shaped like his face. He even joked about him being a dragon knight.
'Arrogant bastard.' Garyx thought as he chuckled as he placed his helmet upon his head.
Turning he began walking towards the cavern where his parents slept. He had to walk through the different passageways that zig-zagged throughout the mountain. He had learned that if you weren't careful, you could get lost in the tunnels. He discovered that the first time when he got lost. Now he knew them like they were the back of his hand.
Looking forward he could see a fiery orange that was no doubt caused by the lava pools where his parents slept. Walking closer only to stop when he heard them talking.
"We can't keep hiding this from him."
'Mom.'
"We have to."
"Don't you think we kept this hidden from him long enough?"
Garyx stood there confused. What were they hiding from him?
"He doesn't need to know."
Garyx heard his mother growled. "So he is not supposed to know that his father is dying?"
Garyx eyes shot wide open, and his mouth went agape as he stared in disbelief at what he heard. His face went slack, mouth slightly open, body unmoving, and color draining from his face as he stares wide-eyed at the entrance to his parent's cavern. He froze up to a point where he was hardly breathing. His skin turned pale while his whole body shook to the point he had to lean against the wall of the tunnel or risked falling over.
"He will get over it."
"That's funny coming from you especially when you worried just like me when he went to the village." Silvara retorted.
Garyx couldn't see it, but he was pretty sure his father deadpanned.
"This is different."
"Explain how this is different!"
"He's not weak."
There was absolute silence as if everything that was alive suddenly disappeared. The only sound was flowing lava from the mountain.
"Our son is not the same boy from before. He has grown stronger, but it is still much for him to learn," Onaga spoke only to stop has a series of coughs came from his throat and more blood bursting from his mouth with each hack while Silvara rushed to his side and pressing her body against his for comfort. After a few deep breaths, he continued. "I know you worry about him as a mother only could. But he will be able to handle it. After all...he is our son."
Garyx stayed leaning against the wall with his head facing towards the ground so his face couldn't be seen. The silence was interrupted as there was a drop followed by a sizzling sound. Dripping on the ground was water. Garyx brought his right hand to his face. He felt the tears dripping down his face. They poured from his eyes like a waterfall.
"Garyx?" His parents voiced out.
Not be able to take it he turned and ran. He ran from it all. He ignored his parents shouting his name. He didn't want to hear the truth. He refused to accept it. Reaching an exit, he busted into flames as he transformed and flew. He flew down towards the forest and landed there. He covered his face with his claws, and he lay there with a few sobs escaping from his mouth though he tried to prevent them.
He had no idea how long he lay there crying before passing out. He opened his eyes when he heard an explosion echoed throughout the forest. Glancing up towards the mountain he saw it had erupted. Fire spewed from its mount while ash had begun to rain down its slopes.
'What is happening?'
Flapping his wings, he flew towards his home as fast as he could. As he got closer, he could feel something was wrong. Not just by looking at the mountain that shouldn't have erupted but inside his heart. Walking into the tunnel, he saw it had claw marks all through it while there was also fire still burning in a few spots. There were craters all over the ground while walls had holes in them. It seemed like there was a battle was fought here. With that thought, his eyes widened.
'Mother! Father!' He thought in horror.
He sprinted through the tunnels not slowing down one bit. The tunnels even had the signs of battle, but he didn't pay attention to it as he was focused on getting to his parents. He reached the cavern only to stop in shock at what he was seeing. There were four dragons there. The first dragon was covered in sapphire scales and had a sleek and muscular body. His claws and horns were ivory in color, and his wings were dark azure at the tips and almost as black as midnight underneath. It was as big as his father. Looking Garyx saw it had a hole in its chest while blood was pouring out of the wound while its organs lay near the body.
Glancing at the other dragon he saw had a sinuous and snakelike body with huge leathery wings. From nose to tail it was almost one hundred feet in length and was covered in sleek black scales. It had red eyes, white claws, and white horns, and a mud-yellow belly, but was otherwise completely black. The only way he knew it was dead was that it half of its face sliced off causing its brain to slide out of its skull that was cut in two now.
The next thing he saw had his eyes widened.
"No no no no no no." He sprinted over towards the two bodies that lay next to each other.
Onaga had wounds all over his face though it was just deep scratches. The real injury was the hole in his abdomen where blood had begun to cover the ground while some of it poured over the side into the lava pool. Laying in front of him with her head laying against Onaga's head was Silvara. Her wings were ripped off while she had a hole in her abdomen as well. Garyx whole body shook while he collapsed by his parent's body before he slowly leaned forward and brushed his head against his parents.
"Mom. Dad. Please wake up."
Neither of them responded nor did it seem like they were breathing.
"Wake up!" Garyx yelled while tears formed in his eyes.
He kept pressing up against them only raising their heads just for them to fall lifelessly to the ground. Sorrow filled his body as he stared at the unmoving bodies of his parents. A great sob escaped him, and he covered his face with his shaking hands as a great tremor overtook him. He mumbled incoherent things denying it all that it was just a nightmare, and he would wake up with his parents smiling down at him.
Backing away he let out another tear drip down his face.
"Don't ever give up my son."
Garyx jumped out of fright while glancing all around him looking for the owner of the voice but didn't see anyone. Turning back towards his parents he stared. He eventually gathered fire into his throat and sprayed it on them. He kept up trying to burn their bodies to ashes. Easier said than done. He was panting after he was done. He would leave but he one more thing to do.
Flying around the mountain, he dropped ash and watched as the wind just carried it away. He knew his parents wouldn't want him to waste away in pity. Taking one long last look at his home, he turned and flew off. Not sure where he was going.
