A/N: Wow, I am so sorry guys. Life has been a complete bitch just recently. Not an excuse, I know. Without further ado, we begin to wrap things up. :)
I spun around, searching for my father. He stepped from the trees into the clearing, a scroll in his scaled hand. For the briefest of moments I wondered what my father looked it in his human form but that thought passed before I had time to dwell on it. "Okay, you first," I quipped, covering a shiver of trepidation at his tone.
"I'm glad you returned, and in good health it seems." A whisper of a smile tugged at his plated lips before a frown settled over his brow. "I assumed you found the witch?" I nodded a confirmation and his eyes narrowed. "Her decision?" he asked softly.
"She is with us to a degree. I'm guessing she won't involve herself with the battle, but she has given us the missing pieces of a puzzle we weren't aware of." Off his frown I gestured to Rachel to explain the mental time trip she experienced. Her naturally loquacious nature came to the fore as she launched into a lengthy description of the vision, including detailed descriptions of each scene. I watched on with an affectionate smile, dropping it only when Alggren 's sharp gaze found me.
"It was a Brazhyah?" His voice thundered around the small clearing. I was almost sure a wisp of steam trailed from his mouth before dispersing in the air. A terrified expression crossed Rachel's face as she glanced up from her hands; twisted against her stomach in regret. I stepped in front of her protectively.
"Yes. They lied to us, Father, but now is not the time. We need them for the moment. As soon as the imminent threat is dealt with, then we take this to them." Alggren's scrutiny washed over me, re-appraising me. I held his stare; firm in my conviction.
"You are right, my child. Our quarrel can wait. What else were you able to learn from the mage?" I held up the vial.
"We can reverse the spell they cast over the land. We need the mirror to pinpoint the area they cast the spell." My father nodded sagely, twirling the scroll once between his fingers. "What's that?" I asked brazenly. His brow rose slightly before he handed the parchment to me. I unrolled it and found myself looking at a crudely drawn map, the ink faded and cracked but still readable. I frowned at him.
"It's a safe house. One of the Elders will collect you when the war is over." I looked at him incredulously.
"You're joking?" I questioned, my tone a lot more harsh than I had intended. I recognised the resolve in his light green orbs and I knew it was reflected back in my own hazel eyes. "I'm not hiding away while others fight for this realm."
"She is her fathers' daughter, truly." I shot a side glare at Arthuur for his remark but quickly slid my gaze back to Alggren, my arms coming to cross over my chest, the map dangling forgotten from between my fingers.
"You need to be safe, child."
"I need to be fighting. I will not run from this, not after everything. Russell may not have been the best guardian, but he did teach me to be strong. I will fight for my world." Silence engulfed us as Rachel and Arthuur stood by awkwardly while I stared my father down, knowing full well that if he commanded me to take this map and my girlfriend and disappear I would have to. I couldn't disobey an order from an Elder, from my father. After an eternity he sighed and relented.
"Fine, but I will not have to you in the heat of battle." I nodded my consent and smiled gratefully, reaching out to take Rachel's soft hand in my own.
"We should make a start," I suggested, shaking the vial gently. Alggren lowered his head slightly then stepped aside to let us past. Rachel stepped in time with me and we headed for the winding trail that led from the clearing. As we reached the trees I heard a murmur behind me that sounded suspiciously like my father telling Arthuur to be quiet. I supressed a smile and strode through the dense wood; following the curves of my girlfriend. When we reached the small lush space that led to the Elders chambers, I was surprised to come upon Alysai. She was staring into the mirror, a grimace on her face. I pulled up short and waited for her to notice us. After a minute or so she stepped back, shaking her head lightly as she frowned at the emerald grass.
"Thank you for waiting," she purred quietly before slipping past us to disappear into the chamber room. I stared after her in confusion for a second until Rachel whispered from next to me.
"What the hell was that?" I shook my head wryly and gently tugged her with me to the mirror. The black obsidian gleamed tantalisingly at me; my reflection dancing drunkenly over the ebony crust with the slightest of movements. I pressed my palm to the glass and waited for the ripples to calm; anticipation raising the fine hairs on my arms. As the last tiny swell settled against the edge of the rock, I was thrust into a scene of war. I recognised the battle as the first vision I had been shown by the mirror, though the angles were different. Instead of following the path of destruction, I saw a glittering silver Bruzhyah; tiny scales covering his body, though he seemed to be wingless and didn't have the usual flat nose or jagged ears. He looked human for the most part. "Alex?" Rachel mumbled from beside me, wearing a frown of confusion.
"Who's Alex?" I asked carefully, not wanting the image surrounding us to be disturbed.
"He was the first half breed. The first Hunter." My gaze found him again, shock shooting through my core. It was obvious now, to look at him and see the distinct differences caused by the introduction of human blood into the dragon line; the silver setting him apart as Bruzhyah. I watched as he kept to the rear of the attack, ordering the lines forward. I briefly wondered how old the half breed must have been, for such an army to have been raised in his lifespan. My questions were answered when a loud call in the distance had him scrabbling for cover, shifting effortlessly back into his human form. "Wait," Rachel muttered, eyes narrowed in thought. "That's not Alex." The pale skinned man dashed behind an outcropping of rocks and settled in the lush jade bushes. I stepped forward, moving only through the vision and not the paradise garden I actually stood in, and parted the foliage. A shaky voice rose to greet me and I found myself staring into the sky blue eyes of a mage.
"He concealed himself, glamoured himself to look like Alex. But why?" I queried rhetorically. The sorcerer pulled a dagger from a bag hidden between two stones. The monologue in a foreign language continued, lilting and melodic in its inflection. With a quick swipe of the blade, scarlet welled up in a perfect line across his palm. He quickly smeared more blood across the flat of the blade then drove the knife into the hard ground. Thunder roared overhead for a second then dissipated rapidly. A smug grin tugged his lips up for a moment then he straightened and glanced over the rocks, taking in the carnage raging all around him. A regretful sigh whispered from his mouth before he shifted back to the half-dragon form of Alex and began chanting. A ripple of light tore through the air and a portal opened from nowhere. Slowly the Hunters began trickling back, retreating through the gateway until silence was all that remained. I looked around a final time to memorise the location then slipped from the vision quickly. I blinked and caught the motion in my reflection. "We have to go."
I stripped my shirt off, quickly followed by my loose combats before forcing the change. It only took a minute to shift and I stretched my muscles carefully. Rachel shot me a questioning half frown and I answered with a quick nod; I was fine, there was no residual pain or concern from the various injuries I had sustained on our journey. We wound along the path through the forest quickly and soon stumbled across my father, talking to a white-washed silver Bruzhyah. I recognised him as the Elder of the opposing clan and bowed my head slightly out of respect. He nodded an acceptance of the gesture then turned back to Alggren sharply.
"We are ready. Scouts have informed us of a breach in the North-East valley. They are investigating as we speak. We have moved to a holding location in case, and are prepared if it a true report." Alggren heaved a sigh.
"We will join you. Our scouts are on the Southern sides of the land. They have, so far, returned nothing." The Bruzhyah Elder gave a quick gesture of acknowledgement then turned and strode from the path. "Arthuur?" The faded, dusty pink Elder emerged from the trees, eerily quiet. "Send out half to the North-East valley. Hold a good position. The remainder will wait here for further instruction." Arthuur nodded once then disappeared in a flash. I glanced around uncertainly, mystified by what had just happened.
"That was strange," Rachel chimed from next to me. I scoffed a muted laugh but agreed with her.
"Where are you going?" My father's strong gaze pinned me to the spot.
"There is an outcropping of rocks, I think to the West. I'm guessing that is where the mage cast the spell." His green orbs turned troubled.
"Be safe, Quinn." A shy smile tugged at my lips but I smothered it, choosing to wrap my arms around him gently instead.
"I'll be back soon." With those parting words, I slipped away; Rachel following closely, until we reached the reinforced wooden gates. Two glittering pale orange Schian stood guard, opening the doors when I requested it. I heard the barriers thump down behind us as we stood on the dry, barren land beyond the wall. I took Rachel in my arms before jumping slightly, beating my wings hard as I took to the air. I veered West around the imposing structure that was the citadel of the Elders. I took the time to inspect it as I flew past.
One massive tower rose from the middle, surrounded by three shorter towers, connected by high, enclosed walkways. Sitting lower was a rectangular stone building that encompassed all four bases of the circular turrets. I knew to the rear you would see the enormous forest that housed the only surviving gardens left in the realm. Magic shielded the woods from the air but the stronghold itself was open. Tall stone walls rose around the grounds protectively. I pushed myself harder and we soared over the arid earth, several groupings of rocks prominent grey against the red dust. The gentle drag of Rachel's fingers over my arm drew me from my thoughts.
"You okay?" she asked softly, her head turned to press her forehead against my jaw. I nodded slowly, eyes fixed on our destination doggedly. "We'll be fine." My lips jerked up in an automatic smile; she believed it. The quiet inflection in her voice brokered no room for arguments and left me with no other option than to trust her words and her conviction. I turned a chaste kiss to her temple then swooped low over the ground, pulling up slightly short of a group of four large rocks, laid out similarly to the vision. A glance over my shoulder confirmed my thoughts as I sighted the castle at, seemingly, the right angle and distance.
"This is it," I mumbled. I stepped through the space in the stones and scoured the tiny dip in the dirt, trying to find the inch-long scar left so many years ago. Hidden under a scattering of moss, the cavity gaped; widened by time and the weather. Rachel handed me the vial and the ornate knife. Taking a long, deep breath, I set the glass vessel on the floor and pressed the blade to my palm. I gazed up into warm chocolate orbs and drew an infinite amount of strength from the love shining back at me. The steel glided over my scales, slipping deftly beneath them to slice the delicate skin below and eliciting a measured hiss from my lips. Scarlet blood spilled from the wound and I quickly directed it into the bottle, filling it to the neck. Rachel pressed a balled up rag into my hand, staunching the flow of liquid, with one hand while she held up the six-line stanza with the other. I took a breath before reciting the difficult words; twisting my tongue to accommodate the foreign pronunciation.
As my voice died down, electricity sparked through my bones; setting my teeth on edge and sending me to my knees. I dimly heard Rachel cry out but pushed my concern away for the moment, knowing I had to complete the ritual. With all my strength I slammed my hand down, smashing the thin glass vial against the hard ground. Watching the congealing blood seep into the scar left so long ago, peace settled inside me; in a place I recognised as associated with the soul. My head cleared; the mist fading quickly as my ears filled with a measured hissing. I snapped to attention, rising to my feet to take Rachel's hand gently. A slow smile spread across my face when I place the source of the noise before I turned my face to the heavens and waited. A long second later the cooling patter of raindrops swept over us, drenching us in moments. Laughter bubbled from my throat as I realised it had been years since rain had touched the scorched earth. I spun in a lazy circle, squinting through the sheets of water lashing the ground; my happiness draining away quickly as I filled with dread. Over the outcropping of rocks I saw the beginnings of a battle raging.