Landing gently on his hind legs, Nor'ac drops to the grassy floor below him as Amia walks up, his body clothed in a flowing white cloak and pale brown tunic, a color that Nor'ac has never seen on his rider before until tonight.
You appear festive, Amia, Nor'ac comments gracefully as Amia halts before him, his cloak blowing around his pale white arms.
The same could be said for you Nor'ac, you know that.
Bowing his head, the white dragon agrees with his rider's statement. Laying down upon the grass and letting the thick stalks scratch against his armored belly, Nor'ac waits for Amia to speak first.
I assume you know why I have come, correct? The white dragon asks, blinking his red eye as he awaits a response.
That I have. You wish to discuss with me what Narssia taught you tonight, is that right?
A deep growl springs to Nor'ac's throat at the mention of Narssia but he quells his emotions before snapping out in anger, as he is so known for.
Perhaps I should further explain why I have opened my thoughts back up to you after less then a day. I realize that we cannot be apart and that we are one, Amia, we have always been.
Extending his neck towards his human partner, Nor'ac allows Amia to reach into his mind should his rider wish.
Go ahead, it will not pain me, the white dragon commands as he closes his eye and sighs.
Placing a hand on Nor'ac's neck to steady himself, Amia closes his own eyes and forces his consciousness toward that of his dragon's.
- - -
A fierce, bloodcurdling scream echoes through the air as Narssia thrashes about in pain, her mind feeling like it is being invaded by something foreign and yet powerful at the same time.
You thought we would be forgotten.
Opening her eyes in terror, Narssia swallows as she realizes just what is invading her consciousness, the very darkness that she once turned to when Dartz was still alive.
You thought you could run from what you truly are.
Narssia blinks as she replays her duel with Dartz, noting every detail as clear as the day when she did it.
I never . . . I never meant to do it, to hurt him. I never have forgiven myself for what I've done, Narssia moans as she sinks to the grassy floor beneath her.
You never have welded our might since that day, nineteen years ago to be precise.
Closing her eyes, Narssia tries to block out that which she hears. That magic is dead, it died with Dartz . . . or did it? Opening her eyes back up, Narssia speaks to that which has tormented her dreams for days on end recently.
What is it you wish from me? Narssia asks, holding her fear of the answer to the request out of her thoughts.
We wish for you to reawaken the darkness that thrives within your soul. We know you still possess it after all this time despite your careful control. When you lashed out at Nor'ac, did you not feel your anger rise? That is a sign of your coming judgment upon the lands. You are the final heir to our great power.
Narssia blinks as she slowly realizes that this is true, everything that is being spoken to her is true. Bowing her head, the black dragoness slowly nods, accepting that which is her role. A familiar current of blackened energy circles around her, tainting her eyes to a murky white. As Narssia feels the magic disperse she opens her eyes to the light of the coming day, having spent more time with her eyes closed then she had thought.
Forgive us for having taken so long, our lady. There was certain levels of our magic we had to draw upon to restore you to the form in which you were destined for.
It is of no trouble, I highly value what you have done for me. Tell me though, what of my rider? Is his magic fueling this, fueling my own dark powers? Narssia questions, focusing her thoughts on the dark magic that binds her to itself once again.
We have yet to draw upon his last reserves of strength, thus we thought it best to ask you before we call upon it, your highness.
Narssia blinks and her white eyes flicker out of focus for a moment before she answers, Do what you will. He has served his purpose and has done all he can given what little magic you bestowed upon his fragile form.
Straightening her back, the dragoness lifts her eyes to the lightening sky above, hoping to find comfort in that which has brought her strength and power at last.
See to it that I am not interrupted by one of my kind, understood? Narssia asks as she speaks to the magic directly, knowing full well of its limits as she turns and walks off as the field in which she just stood in bursts into black flames.
- - -
Amia rips his hand back as the fierce morning light streaks across the sky, struggling to catch his breath. Narssia . . . can it be true? Could she be the sole heir to the sacred power that rivals his own?
I take it you foresaw the web of events that spiral around Narssia, correct? This is her destiny and it is what my son saw as he went to the future before his death, Nor'ac calmly comments as his red eye flickers down to gaze upon the shocked face of his rider as he sits up to be comfortable after laying still all night long.
How could she? How could she use that magic after what nearly happened last time she used it? Amia mutters as he blinks in utter shock at the realization of what he saw.
Her heart knows only darkness, Amia, we cannot help but accept that fact, Nor'ac responses, knowing his rider's loss of words means that Amia is either speechless or in shock far greater then ever before in his life.
But she . . . can't she be helped? I mean we stopped Nira years ago and formed the Great Leviathan without knowing it but if there is just a small chance that we can . . .
Nor'ac shakes his head in despair. It is useless, she will never turn from the darkness for it is the only thing her heart knows. Her rider was the same and look what befell him, he died at the claws of a murderer!
Amia finds his hands quivering as the words of his dragon reach him. For Narssia there is no redemption, or so Nor'ac tells him. There has to be something though, someway to free her trapped soul from the darkness that enslaves it.
Might I read your thoughts again? Amia asks as he draws his hand back out it rest on Nor'ac's warm neck.
Very well, do as you wish, the white dragon responses, sighing as he does so.
- - -
The mid day sun washes over Narssia as she lays silently in the grass that lies on a hill top, her eyes closed and her thoughts drawn back to her duel with Dartz, the duel that nearly killed them both.
A rising blast of smoke drifts from across the field as Dartz falls to his knees, his life points having taken a massive hit from the creature that once served by his side. A thin smirk spreads across Narssia's features as she chuckles in pleasure at seeing her master now fight to save his very soul.
Your end is here Dartz for the very magic that once fueled your need for the cleansing of the un-pure world is going to be the very magic that locks your soul away forever! Narssia howls as she lifts a single card into the air, the wind gusting about her as the card shines brightly with a fierce green light. I play the Seal of Orichalcos!
The look of pure horror on her rider's face soon turns to sadness as Narssia embraces the dark powers of the magic that destroyed Atlantis. Roaring out in hatred, Narssia spread out her black wings as the beast that floats behind her twists in readiness for attack.
It is over Dartz. Everyone has thought of you as evil and why not? You did destroy our home after all. Wouldn't it be better if you just surrendered the duel and allowed the Orichalcos to take your soul? Narssia chants as she speaks dark words into her rider's mind to allow him to summit the duel and allow his soul to be consumed by the Seal.
Influenced by her words Dartz lifts his right hand and holds it over his duel disk, his entire frame trembling as he decides which to believe: the dragoness he once knew that served by his side without doubt or the very magic that allowed him to have another dragon in the first place.
Just give up, there's nothing left, Narssia whispers as her voice echoes through her rider's mind as Dartz lowers his head, still fighting against what his dragon requests of him to do. Sacred Seal, encircle him! Narssia roars as she decides it has been enough time.
The green Seal angrily flares up and advances toward its once master as Narssia silently chuckles to herself, knowing that in a matter of moments her rider won't be a problem anymore. A single tear flows down Dartz's cheek and the Seal halts, expanding back to original size.
What? How is this possible? The magic of the Seal is mine to command, not you! Narssia howls in fury, her eyes narrowing into tiny silts as the familiar red line through them by the dark magic of which she has played flickers angrily.
A sudden shake draws Narssia's attention as the beast that was created by the very forces that she now battles with roars as the Seal shatters and both dragon and rider are thrown backwards. Narssia squeezes her eyes shut as the loss of strength and fury leaves her feeling weak. She doesn't even feel it as her body slams into the side of a large rock formation, the impact shattering bones as the dragoness collapses onto the ground.
Jolting her eyes open, Narssia glances around, finding her environment perfectly normal as opposed to her nightmare. Drawing a shaky breath, Narssia surges to her feet, spreading out her wings as she overlooks the land below her.
I have no choice, Narssia decides as she gazes out over the land before her, I must destroy our race because of what it has done in the past and how they have treated both myself and my rider!
Lifting her head to the sky above, the black dragoness roars and lets loose a blast of black flames from her maw, setting the sky alight with an evil warning to all who dare to oppose her.
- - -
Amia jolts to attention as Nor'ac pulls away, the contact with everything else drifting away instantly as the white dragon draws his head back from his rider's touch.
You see now what evils our kind is drawn to. The black dragoness shall rise in Szara's place and rule us mercilessly as her rider did to your kind back in Atlantis, we are doomed.
Blinking heavily it takes Amia a moment to correct his beloved partner, You are incorrect Nor'ac, while Szara did rule over these lands so too did Dartz rule over both our races as king.Nor'ac howls, standing up and backing away from his rider as he shakes his head in disgust.
It makes no difference Amia! Both of our races will be destroyed because of her hatred and evil ways! We've seen it happen once before, with the same monster that became her rider!
Calm yourself Nor'ac, we can find a way to get through to her, make her see things differently, Amia suggests as his dragon breaths heavily, the male's muscular chest heaving with each powerful intake of breath.
Shaking his head, Nor'ac continues to disprove his rider's ideas, speaking of them as false and against everything that has been proven since the start of Narssia's existence.
This is wrong Amia, these plans won't do! Nor'ac howls, growling angrily as his tail swings from side to side as his eye flickers with hatred at this idea of trying to speak sense to a dragoness who is doomed to be a horrible ruler of their kind for over twenty years.
Amia sighs and closes his eyes, hoping to decide on another plan when a loud thump just seconds later forces him to reopen his eyes and see his own dragon scraping at the ground, his eyes closed and squeezed in pain.
Nor'ac, what is it? What ails you my friend? Amia shouts mentally, hoping to reach his friend's mind but finds it blocked by the very dragon he is bonded with.
When Amia finds his beloved partner's thoughts shielded from his own, he reaches out and places a hand on his partner's neck, hoping to calm his friend with touch. Nor'ac howls, the sound so mentally painful to Amia that he backs away and covers his ears, tears coming to his eyes.
Nor'ac please let me help, Amia pleads as tears begin to streak down his cheeks, Please let me help you my friend.
Crouching down to his knees, Amia keeps his hands over his ears as his dragon's painful howl continues to pierce the air with cries of misery and harm, harm that Amia cannot discover despite his wish to know about what holds his dragon in such pain.
Held in misery from his beloved dragon, Amia sits silently as day wears into night, hoping that Nor'ac will find the strength to overcome this, hoping that his dragon isn't lost for good in grief over his only son's death.