Fall of the East: Chapter 6
The Temple of Alto
Korasi retreated to her sleeping quarters, having to be on reconnaissance for a few days definitely was something she was not use to. Being stealthy and gathering information on just two dragons within a large city was an achievement considering the fact that Alto has never taught her stealth yet. None-the-less Alto seemed to be satisfied with his information and a brief nap was in order. Because she was from royalty in the eastern lands, hygiene was a crucial factor in her life and was told to wash and bathe before sleeping.
She went to the nearby pool of water and was about to enter it but was stopped by her own reflection; It has been a while since she saw her own visage. The two spikes that came out of the sides of her head, respectfully, were straight and were usually white as ivory if dirt did not stain in. Four smaller spikes the size of talons were on the back of her head, two on the left side and two on the right and to beak for the mouth to finish her facial appearance. Treating her reflection as if it was new for she has not seen her visage for a while plus she felt she was a different dragon since Rem and his friend, attacked her home. Alto told her strictly that they were traitors to the eastern land and there was no reason to not believe him, he did save her after all. It was a shame he couldn't save the rest of her family that she loved dearly, but there is no time to mourn for the dead and only time to seek revenge on the traitors.
"I'm different now." She told herself and sank into the water.
Alto stood near a Scrying pool. He was staring in and trying to focus since scrying was a difficult task to do since it both drains physical and magical energy.
He was looking at the partially burning city of Warfang.
"They are just making it easy for me." Alto said in disbelief but inside he was still quite happy.
The more the dragons destroy the cities defenses, the easier it will be. However he did make it more difficult for himself as destroying the Eastern Lands only made them flee causing him to destroy an entire culture of dragons just to let his target run into one of the heavily defended city of the Western Lands. He broke off the connection between himself and the scrying pool, his energy was faltering. Alto thought a little more about the strengths between the Western Lands and Eastern Lands.
If two Eastern dragons were capable of gaining access to a Western capitol and were able to decimate nearly half of it, then what can a whole army of Western dragons do? Alto released a groan at the thought of how powerful an army of Eastern Dragons could have been. Regret and guilt was shown across his face, the killing was wrong but if he was to secure a new realm for his master's Abysmal Legions then he would have to do everything in his power to do so. His home realm was faltering through nuclear erosion and this realm seemed to be capable of containing Abysmal creatures for a few millenniums.
His thoughts again made him clench his fist in frustration, he needed Rem's White Power as soon as possible! The Abysmal realm would falter in a few months. It's a shame the Abysmal Realm can only send only one 'Tribute' at a time, unless he gets the White Power to make the Abysmal Realm more stable.
What can he do? He was only one dragon.
"No… I have Korasi." He retaliated to himself. "I will need to teach her so many things…and soon " Alto let out a frustrated sigh. He has been pushing Korasi's skills and learning pace to the limit the past few weeks, but he could not avoid the fact that time was running out. But with her help and once they both get the White Power, he can summon a Destructive Golem and open a portal between this realm and the Abysmal realm.
But as of now, he would have to wait and let the two Eastern Dragons destroy as much as possible in the city of Warfang before he should attacked the city himself.
"With what army though..?" Alto asked himself and rolled out a region map. He scanned the other civilizations. He could ask for assistance from the Southern Dragons and lie to them as he lied to Korasi and motivate them to go after Rem and his friend. Not a bad idea.
Alto finally decided he would have to train Korasi in her Fear element soon so they can both manipulate the Southern Dragons, not to mention she also needs to train a little more with close quarters combat anyways. Korasi is resting he guessed and decided to organize a training session with her for later.
"I only have months left, it's time to make it count." he told himself.
The Estate
Phobius dropped the book he was reading to the ground and got to his feet, eyes wide with fear and shock. He froze only for a moment however, before he placed a hand on Rem's shoulder and guided him back inside. "You must take the others and hide, there is not a moment to lose, if you are discovered my betrayal will have proof and I will be executed, along with you, and Crow." He said quickly and opened the door to Crows room. The four friends had been chatting quietly, but the smiles on their faces disappeared as Phobius and Rem burst into the room. "You must come with me, now." said the Fear Guardian seriously and the twins leapt to their feet while Reya helped Crow get out of bed. 'Why? What's going on?" she asked in confusions, but everyone looked up to the ceiling in surprise as a heavy thud resounded through the estate. "They're here!" hissed Phobius and rushed out of the room, the others running behind him. The Guardian came to a sudden stop and pulled down on a carved piece of wood in the shape of an eagle that rested on the side of the wall, revealing a hidden door that opened up into the wall. Beyond lay a stone passage that led down into the ground below. "Inside, quickly!" hissed Phobius, and started to shut the door as a loud banging resounded from the front door. However, Crow stopped and turned around, placing a paw on the door "Wait...Phobius, please don't do this, come with us!" he said desperately, but the Fear Guardian shook his head, and placed a paw on the young dragons shoulder. "I'm sorry for what I did, Crow. Perhaps this way I will be able to make up for my sins." he said quietly, and tears started to form in the young dragons eyes at his words. The banging grew louder and Phobius tried to smile encouragingly "Reya, look after him, the passage leads down into the ground and outside into the forest. Don't come back here unless you are sure it's safe." he said seriously and Reya gently led Crow away "Come on Crow, it's going to be alright..." she said and they vanished into the gloom.
The Fear Guardian looked down the dark hallway one last time before he closed the secret passage, the door melding seamlessly with the wall as the carving slid back into place, and not a moment too soon. With a crash, the main doorway was blown to pieces and at least a dozen dragons stormed the estate. Phobius quickly moved away from the entrance into the main hall, where he was immediately arrested. Infernus and Reuel stood over him, smug grins on their faces as he was chained and forced to the ground. "At long last." hissed Infurnus "I always knew you couldn't be trusted, Phobius, and now we have you. Search the estate! I want every room checked, we are not leaving this place without them, if we have to burn it to the ground to ensure the death of the Easterlings so be it!" he growled and the other dragons instantly split up. Phobius was silent as he knelt of the ground, his paws and wings tied together. "You won't find them." he said quietly, but Reuel slapped him across the face "I wouldn't say anything if I were you" he hissed as blood dripped from the Fear Guardians mouth "You've already proved yourself to be treacherous before, and anything you say will be used against you in your trial." spat the Air Guardian, while Infernus looked on with malice.
After a while, one of the dragons returned "We've searched the entire estate, but there was no sign of them...however, we did find this..." and the dragon held up some bandages that were stained with blood. Infurnus grabbed them and held them up to the light. "Odd that you would be sporting such an object when you bear no wounds yourself. You have been harbouring the Easterlings here, Phobius, there is no mistake about that. We will find them, no matter what it takes." he said bluntly and stored the bloody cloth away, before leaning towards the Fear Dragon "But you do not have to pay for your crimes, Phobius..." and held up a paw before Reuel could interrupt him. The Fear Guardian did not look up from the ground; he knew what was coming next. "Tell us where they are, and I will ensure that your life is spared. Surely the lives of two foreigners do not mean that much to you...?" spoke the Fire Guardian, his voice quiet, but a fierce snarl came from Phobius as he looked up to him "I would rather die a thousand deaths, than have those children fall into your hands." he growled and spat at the Fire Guardian, hitting him in the eye. Infernus snarled and backed away "I'll teach you to treat me with such disrespect!" he roared and punched the Fear Guardian in the face, sending him spiraling away and slamming into the wall behind him. Infurnus continued to breath heavily, and Reuel had to hold him back "Stop it Infurnus, you're giving him what he wants! We'll never get their location if he dies." he hissed in his ear, and the Fire Dragon calmed down. "Very well. Take the traitor outside, I'll finish up in here." he said quietly and glared at Phobius as the Fear Guardian was dragged out of the front entrance. The last thing Phobius saw before he blacked out was Infernus igniting the entire estate, and sending it up in flames.
Rem watched silently as the small group made their way through the dark tunnel, but did not enter himself. Instead he slipped into the rafters and sat in quiet wait for the guards to sweep through. His black scales allowed him to blend into the shadows easily and when they left, listened to the conversation between the two guardians. As he watched the fire guardian strike his mentor, Rem's anger flashed once more and his eyes glowed a slight white. The anger and bloodlust he had felt earlier started to rise in him, but this time he seemed to have more control.. Feeling the elemental powers of the elder fire dragon starting to rise, Rem allowed his power to take over and crouched. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." growled the black scaled dragon as he watched the guardian open his maw. The elder spun around in shock and confusion at the distorted voice and before he knew what hit him, Rem shot from the rafters and plowed him into the floor. Standing in a defensive stance, the white power infused dragon allowed the elder to stand before charging and knocked him back to the floor. As Rem charged a third time, the elder stood and smashed the flat of his tail blade into the smaller dragon and launched him into and through one of the wood walls. As Infernus looked through the hole in the wall, he smiled as he spotted the younger eastern dragon lying motionless under a pile of debris. And from his jaws poured a blaze of fire, that instantly caught onto the broken wood and set the estate ablaze.
The crimson flames licked against the rubble that buried Rem, and he winced in pain as he awoke to find himself In an inferno, across from him, he saw the vanishing figure of Infernus, leaving the estate to burn to the ground. Although he was a fire dragon, and the blaze didn't hurt him, the smoke was beginning to overwhelm the black scaled dragon, and with a growl he kicked the rubble that trapped him to the ground away and limped out of the estate and into the forest. Stalking through the woods, Rem could see the Guardians, talking amongst themselves "The other Easterling must have escaped into the forest, spread out and find him, I want him alive, so that this traitor can watch him die." Hissed the Fire Guardian as he held his side, which was sporting a wound Rem had inflicted earlier. Without another word, the dragons split up, leaving Phobius with one of the guards. Once it was clear, Rem attacked from behind and quietly took down the dragon without a sound. He then proceeded to cut the adult free and the two flew off, circling around the valley and landing unseen in the clearing where the tunnel let out. The night had now fully taken over the sky and the clouds blocked out the light of the moon. With a keen eye, Rem looked around the edge of the clearing. "What now?" he whispered as shouts echoed through the forest.
As Ty hurried down the dark passage way, Reya and Lee helped Crow limp towards the exit. Every step felt like knives were slicing his nerves apart, but the young dragon tried everything he could to stop himself from gasping out in pain. His torment, however, was apparent to the others and Reya and Lee tried their best to help him. As they continued through the stone passageway however, Crow suddenly realized they were missing one of their party members. Driving his heels into the ground, he fell away from his friends.
"Wait! We've got to go back, Rem didn't come with us!" he said his eyes wide with fear as he tried to crawl back towards the estate. "He probably just couldn't get through in time, I'm sure he got out another way, come on Crow, we don't have time for this!" said Reya firmly and helped Crow back to his feet, while Lee and Ty waited patiently for the two to catch up, looking up towards the ceiling in concern as dust fell from the beams supporting it as something big crashed around above them. "What on earth is going on up there?" whispered Reya in fear as they started back down towards the exit. "It's Rem, he's fighting against the Guardians, we must go back, I've got to help him!" moaned Crow but he almost blacked out as another spasm shot through his shoulder, and he slumped to the side. "We need to get Crow far away from this place." said Lee quietly, and Ty looked to the ground with a snarl on his face as the sound of his brother's voice, but nodded and helped the others carry Crow. Soon enough, they reached the end of the tunnel and the twins managed to open the rusty door, which led out into the forest. Reya gently placed Crow against one of the pine trees, where he could sit up, and then looked back towards the estate. "Oh my..." she whispered as she spotted flames and ash rising up from Phobius's home. "You don't think...they killed Rem and Phobius, do you?" she whispered to Lee, who shook his head slowly. "They got away, I'm sure of it." he said confidently. At the sound of wing beats however, the wolves slunk back into the forest while Reya crouched down beside Crow, who was having trouble staying awake.
When she realized it was Rem, carrying Phobius however, her eyes narrowed and she strode forward to meet him. As soon as he touched down and placed the unconscious guardian down, she slapped him across the face. "What in God's name do you think you were doing? Trying to be some sort of hero?" She snarled, and lowered her voice "You scared Crow half to death, and don't you realize what sort of situation you've put us in now? Before, the Fear Guardian might have been proven innocent, but now, the Guardians have solid proof that he helped you and Crow! Not to mention they'll be looking for us now, before we might have actually had a chance of escaping, but do you really think that they won't comb this entire forest looking for us now?" she hissed and the twins glared at him from within the darkness.
Rem growled and tackled the younger dragoness as she yelled at him. His eyes grew to a bright white as wisps started to appear around his body. "They found one of the used bandages anyways." he snarled in her face, gnashing his teeth, "They had proof to begin with. So I did what was right!" Reya screamed in fright as she was shoved down to the ground, but before she could leap back up, Rem had taken off. "Psh, typical." she said with a grimace as Ty and Lee helped her to her feet. "Where do you suppose he's gone?" asked Lee as he watched the vanishing figure of the Fire Dragon move farther and farther away. "I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. He's a loose cannon, way too unpredictable and completely without control of his anger." she hissed and Lee looked at her with a slight grin. "What?" she snapped.
"You act like that too sometimes you know. Like what you did earlier, slapping the dragon that had just taken out a large portion of Warfang." he added with a low laugh, while Ty rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Well, what are we going to do now anyways?" said Lee on a more serious tone, and Reya looked towards the ground, deep in thought. "We need to get out of here, we are far too close to the estate to stay anywhere near this passage door...but both Crow...and now Phobius...are unconscious and in need of medical attention, damn that Rem for running off, we could use him right now!" she sighed in frustration. They waited about an hour for him to return, but after they heard voices in the distance, Lee got to his feet. "We need to go, now." he whispered, his eyes wide with fear. Reya looked over towards the Guardian "But what about him? We can't just leave-" she stopped as Lee leaned down to pick up Crow "We have no choice, I won't see Crow taken away from us." he said quietly and Ty glanced nervously from his brother towards Reya. Lee looked over towards her from across the clearing and started to walk away "Wait!" cried Reya, before cursing herself for yelling, and quickly lowered her voice "If we do this, Crow will never forgive us, leaving both Phobius, and Rem behind? It's madness, we owe it to him to stay..." she said desperately but Lee would not be swayed.
"We've already done the unthinkable to him, and that was for his own good, If we do nothing now, and he is captured, I'll never be able to forgive myself. Reya...please." he said, his voice equally as desperate, but his eyes did not meet hers. Ty said nothing, and hung his head as he waited for Reya to speak. At last she got to her feet.
"I understand why we can't take Phobius with us, but what about Rem-"
"What do you care about him?" snapped Lee suddenly, placing Crow down gently before rounding on the fire dragoness. "You were ready to just blast him through a tree about an hour ago, why so keen to stay and wait, for someone who may not even come back!" he snapped, a low growl emitting from his throat, and Reya stared at him in shock, she had never seen Lee act this way before, and it scared her a little. Was all of this changing them for the worst?
"Alright, alright. But where will we go? Back to Warfang? To live out our happy little lives just like before? They know Crow's face now, every guard and citizen alike will be looking for him...for vengeance." she said stepping forward. Lee backed up a bit and glanced towards Crow again "No one will know him, he isn't marked anymore."
"Oh, Lee...listen to yourself, we had the chance to free Crow from his curse, but now it's too late, even after what we did to him...don't you see? He won't ever be safe in Warfang!" she said quietly, her voice breaking slightly as tears started to form in her eyes, she had long known this truth in her heart, but only now was she admitting it to herself, they had tortured Crow for nothing, not even now could he live as a western citizen, free from the torment of the people of Warfang.
Lee grimaced as he combed his mind for ideas "It was Rem's fault! If he hadn't interfered..." he wrung his hands in anguish "Then none of this would have ever happened! We would all be back home, where we belong…" he trailed off and Reya suddenly started laughing, a cruel, mocking laugh.
"You really think living in the gutters is where we belong? We are the dregs of society, worthless, rotting, foul creatures! What hope do we have, most of our kind die before we reach adulthood, and you want to take us back into that madness? Lee...this is our chance to free, for all of us to be free. We could go to one of the smaller villages to the north, I'm almost old enough to start working...we don't need to live in Warfang anymore." she added, her voice turning soft, but Lee stared at her in misbelief.
"Warfang is our home, how could you possibly ask me to leave the only home I've ever known?" he said, a growl resonating in his voice once more. "Lee, I know that you and Ty are both very attached to that city, but only death awaits us there. If you really cared about Crow, you would take him far away, where it is safe, we could be a family again-"
"As if YOU know anything about family!" Lee suddenly snarled, and Reya winced "At least you have parents, but they weren't good enough for you so you ran away! I KNOW Reya, I know that you were once a nobleman's daughter, but apparently riches and family weren't good enough for you, so you left and decided to become the self-appointed leader of our little 'family'. You don't know...what's like, to grow up without parents, to live every day, not knowing if it was your last..." Lee grew quiet and stared at the ground for a moment, shifting the dust under his paw. "After Crow came, things got better, it started to feel like the entire city was just our playground, and we were the kings of it. I...I don't want to lose that feeling...I don't want to lose any of you..." he whispered, looking to all of them, including Crow who now lay unconscious on the ground. "Lee..." said Ty softly and stepped forward, placing his paw on his brother's shoulder. Lee's eyes widened in shock as his brother spoke "It's time we moved on. We've been living in silence all these years...but I've finally realized you were right to leave that pact behind. It's time that we made our voices heard. Let's do what Reya says and go north, we will be alright." he whispered, his voice soft. Lee's eyes started to water, and he pulled his brother into a tight hug. "I'm sorry...for breaking the pact..." he said quietly and Ty merely smiled and hugged Lee back. "It's okay, you were right to do so."
Reya sighed with relief and walked over to the two, smiling slightly. "Are we...okay, now?" she asked and the two stepped away and nodded. "Alright, well then...let's go." she said and with one last look towards the sky, Reya stooped down and helped pick Crow up and carry him away from the fire, and voices that shouted through the tree's in the distance.
After Rem had finally calmed down, he decided it was time to return to the clearing, it had been wrong of him to leave them, and he could still some of the guardians moving through the woods beneath him, and was glad for his black scales. However, as he landed in the clearing near the tunnel entrance, his eyes widened in shock to realize that they were gone, only Phobius remained, his eyes blinking slowly as he woke up. "Rem…what happened? Where are the others? Did they escape?" he asked quietly and the young apprentice kneeled down beside him, cursing Reya and the wolves, it was pointless to try and follow them now, not with his Master in such a state. "Yes, they've moved on, although where I do not know, probably North." He said quietly and helped Phobius to his feet. "We must leave this place, it won't be long before the Guardians realize you are missing." He said urgently and Phobius nodded and the two took off into the air, as they soared above the clouds, the stars shining down upon them, Phobius glanced over towards his pupil "You're quiet, what troubles you?" he asked and Rem frowned slightly "I know that I owe it to you to stay, but I feel that I must return to the east, Crow is lost to me now…Reya has made sure of that, but I want to know if anyone has survived. I don't know if I will ever return." He said quietly and the Fear Guardian nodded in understanding, before touching down on the tip of a mountain, Rem following suit. The sun began to rise over the horizon, illuminating the valley around them, the mountains to the north, and the faint outline of Warfang to the West. "Here…if you ever see Crow again, could you give these to him?" asked Rem as he broke off a few scales, and wrapped them in a cloth. The Guardian took them with a nod and tucked them away silently. "Tell Crow that if he is ever in trouble however, to breathe his element on these scales and I will come, no matter where I am…If I may, where will you go?" asked Rem and Phobius sighed as he looked towards the rising sun.
"North, somewhere in the wilds where it will be safe, until the time comes when I am needed…may the winds be fair to you, I hope to see you again one day, my student" said the Guardian with a slight bow that Rem returned, before the two took off again and parted ways, Phobius heading north, while Rem flew towards the Eastern Sea, towards home.
Miles below, Reya, Ty, Lee and Crow spotted a tiny village, Ridgewood, which was bustling with activity as the sun rose over the horizon. With a determined look, the group marched straight into the little town, ready to start their new life.