Chapter 28

Lian activated Spell Breaker manually and touched the golden chains. He hissed through gritted teeth. It was burning his fingers but he needed to stay in contact in order to break the spell.

Around a minute later the chains shattered like glass.

Lian gasped and quickly pulled his hand away. He gently rubbed the tips his fingers, "Ow." He turned to leave.

Lian.

Lian froze. He slowly turned back to Jace. He swallowed uneasily, "Yes?"

I need help. But Seth'ius isn't going to like it. You don't have to agree if you don't want to. I'm not going to force you to help me.

Lian lowered his gaze, "Would-Would you be able to protect Ravnica if I help you?"

I will.

Lian nodded, his uncertainty gradually fading, "What about everyone else in the multiverse?"

I'll make sure Seth'ius can't hurt anyone again.

Lian nodded solemnly, "I'll do it. What do you need?"

I need you to weaken the other seals. I'm not going to have time when my seal breaks to get to them individually. I have to break the seals all at once but I can't do that the way the seals are now.

Lian looked around, "So...take Spell Breaker, and weaken the seals? But I'll have to find them first."

You have a couple of months at most.

Lian chewed his lower lip, "O-Okay. I can do it."

Once you weaken Chandra's seal you'll have to go to the other continent.

"Other continent?" Lian repeated, "But I thought...I thought there was just this one."

Right. There's another one. Go take care of Chandra's seal. I'll reach out to you once that's done.

Lian nodded, "Okay. She's in the mountain right?"

Yes. Flare can take you to her. Be sure to ask nicely.

"Ask nicely?" Lian chuckled, "Oh yeah. Dragon."

Thank you, Lian.

Lian's eyes widened in surprise. He stumbled over accepting Jace's gratitude but gave up on the third attempt. He lowered his head and turned away, embarrassed. The ocean swept him back up to the surface, and left him on the beach. Lian darted into the trees to the waterfall. He skidded to a halt at the edge of the pool and walked in.

"Flare! Do you-" Lian stopped dead when he saw the dragon.

Flare's human form was male now. He was lithely built and wearing the black leather jacket, unzipped, over a moderately tight ash colored shirt. His skinny jeans were black with bright red and orange flames running along the outsides of his legs. He wore loosely tied grey combat boots. He had a red beanie on. It looked as though his hair was made of individual strands of real gold. His eyes were a warm amber.

Lian's brain felt scrambled. After many failed attempts at talking he finally spit out, "Weren't you a girl last time?!"

Flare shrugged, "I like to change it up. Sometimes I'm a girl. Sometimes I'm a boy."

Lian nodded slowly, "Okay. Okay. That makes sense." He shook his head roughly, "Can-I just-Where's Vadanya?" He cocked his head to the side curiously, "Also...what do I refer to you as? If you're sometimes a boy and sometimes a girl? Is it just...they?"

Flare nodded, "They works." They smirked, "You can also just call me by my name." They jerked their head to the side, "Vadanya's over here."

Lian followed Flare silently. He kept his gaze focused on the ground, ignoring the fact his face felt hot and he was probably the most red he'd ever been.

"You're ears are red, Little Human," Flare commented as though they could read Lian's mind.

Lian squeaked and covered his face with his hands.

"Lian."

Lian looked up and smiled, "Vadanya!" He jogged over to where she sat with her paws tucked under her and sat down next to her.

"How'd it go?" Vadanya asked immediately.

"Your brother wants me to weaken the seals of the others so that he can break them without having to go to them individually," Lian explained.

"Did you agree?" Vadanya asked.

Lian nodded, "Yeah." He chewed his lower lip and picked at his fingers, "He said I had a couple months at most to do it. But I don't know where the seals are."

"One of them is in this mountain," Vadanya reminded him, "Which is a starting point."

"Oh yeah." Lian looked up at Flare, "Can I see Chandra's seal?"

Flare studied him silently long enough that he started to get uncomfortable.

Lian swallowed nervously.

Flare nodded, "You can." They turned and walked away.

Lian scrambled to his feet and trotted after them.

Flare smirked, "Try not to evaporate when we get down there." They waved their hand in front of a large boulder. The entire cavern shook as the rock rolled to the side.

"Is that a joke?" Lian asked in confusion.

Flare nodded, "Yes. It's a joke."

Lian was still confused, "Is it because I'm the God of the Sea?"

Flare nodded again, "Yes. Yes it is, Little Human."

Lian thought on it for a moment before he chuckled, "Okay. Got it. I get it."

Flare waved their hand again and the boulder returned to it's original position, trenching them in darkness. They led Lian and Vadanya down the tunnel. The tunnel had a noticeable downward slope. The loose pebbles strewn all over the ground made it dangerous.

The trio picked their way through the tunnel for what seemed like eternity. One side of the tunnel dropped off abruptly opening it to a chasm. The bottom of the chasm was visible only because it glowed red. Towering stalagmites rose like spires. Many went higher than the ledge that they stood on. The ledge wrapped around the edge of the cavern, spiraling down into the abyss below.

Lian gulped, "We have to walk along a ledge all the way down?"

Flare grinned, "You could jump onto my back and we could dive straight down if you would rather."

Lian stared at them like they'd lost their mind, "Um...no. I'm good. I'll walk on the ledge. Thanks." He carefully made his way further along the ledge, ignoring the disappointed sigh he got from the dragon.

The closer he got to the bottom of the cavern the warmer it got. The ledge got thinner until he was sliding along it, practically hugging the wall. Lian stubbornly refused to change his mind. He had decided on the ledge. He was taking it all the way down.

Lian jumped down from the ledge the last couple feet to the ground, a silly triumphant grin plastered on his face.

Vadanya and Flare landed next to him a moment later.

In front of them was a wall that would be invisible, were it not for the white streams that flowed through it. Lava pressed at the wall, desperately wanting freedom.

Lian activated Spell Breaker and walked up to the wall without hesitating.

"Lian be careful," Vadanya urged.

Lian nodded, "I will." He reached out and touched the wall.

In an instant a bright flaming seal appeared centered on his hand.

Chaotic images filled his mind. A light beam came towards him but a shadow passed between it and him. He couldn't make a sound but a scream echoed in his mind. Suddenly he was walking through a forest only to be approached by his mother. He smiled, "Moth-" She shrieked as she was consumed by flames. The shriek became chilling and he realized that hadn't really been his mother. The fire died. The creature was birdlike with wings instead of arms and long talons on it's feet. A blood curdling scream echoed through his head and the entire forest turned to ash in a blistering wave of flames. Guilt and fear and terrifyingly strong cold anger threatened to suffocate him.

Three words repeated in his head over and over again, in a woman's voice that he didn't recognize. Destroy them all. Destroy them all. Destroy them all.

Lian gasped and dropped to his knees.

Show no mercy. They will show me none.

"Lian," Vadanya bounded over to him, "Are you alright?"

Lian nodded, "Y-Yeah. I think so?" He looked up at the seal, it was still visible where he had touched the wall. But there were gaping holes in it. He turned to Vadanya, "Who's voice was that?"

"I didn't hear a voice," Vadanya admitted.

Lian swallowed audibly, "It-It was a woman's voice. She was...angry. Very angry."

Vadanya looked at Flare, "It might've been Chandra."

"Destroy them all," Lian whispered, "Show no mercy. They will show me none."

Vadanya's head whipped around so she was looking at him. She was instantly concerned, "What?"

"That's what she said. Thought? That's what I heard," Lian explained.

Vadanya and Flare exchanged glances.

Vadanya nudged his arm with her nose, "Can you stand?"

Lian nodded, "Yeah." He got unsteadily to his feet. He looked at the seal again, "It happened when I touched his. It's how I made it to Ravnica. I saw it when I touched your brother's seal."

"Did he say anything to you?" Vadanya asked.

"Not...really. Not like this. He told me to take my sister up to the beach when she freaked out," Lian explained.

Vadanya nodded, "She told me about that."

Flare picked Lian and Vadanya up, "We'll fly out. In this state you won't survive the ledge, Little Human." They leaped into the air without waiting for an agreement.

Lian yelped in surprise.

Flare landed on the ledge a few moments later and set their two companions down on the ground.

Vadanya shook herself out, "That was...unexpected."

Lian looked down into the chasm, "I...I hope she's alright." He turned and made his way back through the tunnel without waiting for a response. He had a feeling they would tell him she would be fine when this was all over. And he was sick of hearing that.