Ok, so here is the seventh chapter! I honestly didn't like this one. It didn't give off the same vibe as the others, but I hope you enjoy!
Silas paused to catch his breath, leaning on his knees for support. The man panted in a slow rhythm as he looked from whence he came, the path that he had traveled now completely submerged in fog again. It was strange. It was almost as if the forest wanted him to get lost. The forest had been completely clear of fog when the sun was high in the sky.
Steadying himself, Silas forced his body to push forward. The young man's abdomen throbbed in a constant stabbing pain, Silas' breath hitching as his progress became poor. Any upper movement in his trunk was stiff and painful. Silas breathed through his clenched jaw as he almost lost his balance and fell, the pain becoming too great as he fell to his knees.
A coughing fit suddenly racked the knight's body, Silas coughing into his hands as blogs of blood coated his hands and knees. The liquid had even slipped through his fingers and fallen onto the hardened ground. Silas paused to catch his breath, struggling to breath as he wiped his chin, smelling blood in his nostrils.
"This is not good..." Silas muttered, spitting blood onto the ground as he struggled to get up. Silas grunted as he attempted to rise, the knight failing as he fell roughly on his knee.
In defeat, Silas shook his head, unable to move and at the mercy of whatever creature caught the scent of his blood. He had nothing left to give.
Gasping for breath, Silas looked up into the clouded sky, the faint light reflecting in his eyes. Seeing that there was nothing left, the man folded his hands together, bowed his head, and prayed.
The man's lips moved slowly, the knight in silent prayer as his eyes closed tightly and his breathing calmed. After a few minutes in prayer had passed, Silas opened his eyes, the young man refocused and at ease. If he died today then it was God's Will, and he was happy with that.
Spirited fueled, Silas looked forward and spotted what looked like the mouth of a cave up ahead. His heart quickened in fear at the thought of the cave belonging to a bear. If he had to encounter such a beast, his chances of survival would be slim.
Silas slowly unsheathed his blade, impaling the earth as he struggled to fully stand. Nodding in victory, Silas leaned on his blade, trying his best to keep his trunk still as he hobbled up the mountain slope.
As Silas hobbled closer to the open mouth of the cave, he couldn't help but have his heart beat swiftly in terror. The creature that may be hiding in the darkness was his enemy now, not a corrupt King.
The knight paused at the mouth of the cave, scraping his boot along the mouth as several loose rocks fell into the cave's depths. Judging by the sound of the rocks falling, the cave wasn't very deep, and he heard no movement within the cave. Cautious, Silas stayed completely still, holding his breath as he teeth began to chatter.
Upon hearing nothing, Silas released a slow, shaky breath, his sword arm quivering. Putting his free arm on the side of the cave's wall, Silas allowed the wall to guide him, noting how flat the cave seemed to be. There was no way this particular cave was made by man. It was too smooth, as if something constantly rubbed against the wall.
Unable to see anything, Silas stopped in his tracks and allowed his eyes to slowly adjust to the shadows. The young man focused on keeping his breathing under control, a hidden terror rising within his very being.
Walking farther into the cave, Silas had spotted what looked like a faint light source just around the bend. Bewildered, the knight approached cautiously, the small flame reflecting in Silas' eyes.
As Silas approached the flame, he noticed something move as he rounded the corner. The flame illuminated the beast's movements as the knight's eyes widened in fear.
Terrified, Silas gasped and slipped backwards on the slick rock, releasing a labored breath as his side felt like it was being stabbed. Fighting through the pain, Silas rose to feet, quickly grabbing his sword. The man's whole body trembled as he looked at the beast before him. It was a dragon.
The dragon flinched away from the human, releasing a weak hiss as it outstretched it's wings.
"Back, beast! Back I say!" Silas hissed, voice hoarse.
Silas approached, unsteady as the dragon shrank in on itself. It was then Silas lowered his sword cautiously and sighed. This dragon was no threat to him. It was terrified of him.
Silas held his hands up to show the beast he meant no harm before sheathing his sword.
"I cannot harm you, dragon. I do not have the heart to slay a creature that is of no threat to me." Silas spoke, watching the dragon intently for any sign of aggression.
Upon finding none, Silas slowly sat down, leaning against the stone wall.
Silas studied the dragon, entering another coughing fit as he coughed softly. The dragon appeared to be more full in size than the black dragon Silas had encountered earlier. Looking around, the knight noticed that there were no bones from its prey scattered around the cave. Silas pierced his lips together and nodded at the realization.
"You are stricken with plague, or do my eyes lie?" Silas asked, the dragon covered in dark blotches, as if ill.
"Feast on my corpse, if you wish to live. My hope is gone. And if you do not feed so shall yours." Silas spoke, the dragon staring at the knight with horror.
The dragon rose on all fours, walking toward the knight curiously. The beast sniffed, hesitant and fearful of treachery.
Silas moved his head to the side to avoid the dragon's rancid breath. He could feel the creature sniff his hair and nape. It's breath reminded him of the Necromancer. Both smelled the same.
Silas exhaled slowly, heart steeled as he awaited his death patiently.
"Please, dragon, send mercy unto me. Allow me to claim my love in death that I never could in life!" Silas cried, sorrow filling his heart as the dragon paused.
"Why do you falter? Do not delay my fate! My lady beckons me! Let me answer!" Silas whaled, the dragon looking at the young man with sadness, its eyes softening.
"Do you really want to die?" Silas' head snapped towards the dragon as he heard a soft voice speak, his body beginning to tremble.
"N...No! No! No, begone with your vile words! Begone with this torture, restless spirit! You would not speak to me before yet now you speak to me with mockery!" Silas cried, covering his eyes as he smacked his forehead roughly. She was there. Anaya was sitting just on the other side of the small fire, looking sullenly at her dear friend.
The dragon looked at the knight with worry, watching him cower in terror and agony. The dragon looked at the area the man had glanced at, but had found nothing there.
"I never intended to mock you..." The dragon replied, almost sadly. The dragon couldn't help but feel guilty about upsetting the human.
"Lies! Cruel beast! Cruel demon you are! You are not she, not my beloved, you foul beast that spews lies from Hell! You may wear her face, demon, but you do not possess her pure soul!" Silas cried in despair, violent coughs racking his body as blood fell onto the stone floor.
Silas looked up across the fire, seeing the woman sitting there. She seemed...crushed. Like his very words had cut through her heart.
"Why do you look at me so?" Silas asked, shaking. "Do not look at me! Begone from whence you came! I cannot take your looks of heartbreak!" Silas cried, curling into a small ball of shame. The sound of his struggled breathes and coughs made the dragon cringe.
"But there is no one there..." The dragon spoke, heartbroken at the sight of the human. The dragon got no response from the young man. The only thing it could hear was the weak prayers the human was reciting along with his sobs and occasional cough.
The dragon waited for several minutes as the human remained in that horrified state, his sobs and prayers eventually subsiding as he quieted. Silas slowly opened his eyes, his senses refocusing as he exhaled deeply. Slowly, almost painfully, the knight unravelled himself from his ball, sitting up.
"She...She is gone." Silas spoke, looking around. There was no sign of Anaya.
"Who is gone? There was no one here." The dragon spoke, Silas jumping slightly, startled.
"By God-! You-You can speak?! Impossible!" Silas cried.
"How? Why is it impossible for dragons to speak?" The dragon asked, Silas swallowing.
"I...apologize if I offended you, I...did not know..." Silas struggled, voice trembling.
"No. It's okay! Truthfully, I was more terrified of you!" The dragon spoke, laughing almost nervously, causing Silas to look at the creature in amazement.
"Truly? Then why did you not kill me when I was at my most vulnerable? That would have ended your threat and hunger." Silas asked, the dragon downcast, eyes drifting toward the flame.
"Because I just...couldn't. I don't like to kill my own prey." The dragon admitted.
"I see. You do not have the heart to kill just as I do not have the heart to kill you. You are killing yourself, you know that, yes?" Silas asked as the dragon nodded-and to Silas' amazement, produced a small tear that ran down its snout.
"Yes. I know. I don't want to die, but I can't leave to hunt." The dragon spoke.
"And why is that, may I ask?" Silas asked, the dragon hesitant before showing the human the horrid blotches on its scales. It was obvious that this dragon was sick with plague, just as the knight thought.
"Because I am ill. This disease is...is..." The dragon broke off, Silas looking on in pity. "It is growing under my scales. It hurts too much to move, therefor I can't hunt. It's...killing me."
"May I have a look?" Silas asked, the dragon nodding as Silas stiffly got up and approached the dragon. Silas inspected the blotches, the black substance surrounding the very base of the scales and spreading to others.
"W-What are you doing?" The dragon asked, fearful as Silas took out a small hunted dagger. The dragon began to flinch and move away in nervousness.
"I am ridding you of this ailment." Silas stated, eyes narrowed as the steel illuminated in the fire's light.
"No! L-Leave me be!" The dragon cried, panicking.
"Do you wish to die? Is that what you wish?! I cannot bear to watch another die while I stand idle! All I see is death! Death and lies! Death and blood! Death and betrayal! No more! No more shall death leave a trail of damnation lest it be my own!"
The dragon fell silent, quivering in terror at the human's wrath.
"I shall not let you die. You shall live. Will you allow me to aid you?" Silas asked.
"How will you cure me?"
"I am no healer, by far. However, I intend to cut the infected scales out. Please, stay still as much as you can. I will not cut deep. I promise."
The dragon whimpered as the cool blade touched its scales, the dragon soon crying as the blade cut into the infected pus and underneath the blackened scales. Silas was alarmed by how easily the scales peeled off once the blade slid under the flesh. The infection was loosening the scales and tearing it apart from the flesh.
"Are you well?" Silas asked, the dragon crying from the pain. It obviously couldn't take pain well.
"No..." The dragon admitted, sobbing as Silas cut off any individual scale that may have been at risk of infection. In a sick way, this reminded Silas of when he gutted a stag. The experience of skinning his quarry had made him able to swiftly cut the flesh from scales. However, he knew it was painful for the dragon, and tried to be as quick and precise as possible.
The black scales fell to the ground in heaps as blood dripped onto the floor. Silas frowned upon seeing the tender and bleeding flesh tainted with the infection.
"When did this start?"
"About two weeks ago." The dragon answered, fear and worry in its voice as it stumbled in place.
"Do you want to lay down? There is not much left." Silas asked, the dragon laying down slowly.
"It hurts..."
"I know. I apologize. You are lucky these infections are small." Silas spoke, reaching down on his belt to pull out a scarf and doe skinned canteen, the sack filled with water. Wordlessly, Silas soaked the scarf and dabbed the dragons' tender flesh with the damp cloth.
The dragon whimpered, uncomfortable as the human cleaned its wounds, the water running down its scales and cleaning the blood.
Silas continued to cut and clean the scales around the dragon's body, constantly apologizing for causing discomfort. The more pain the dragon was in, the more difficult it was for the knight to work. Though at times annoyed, Silas never once raised his voice at the dragon.
"There. I am finished." Silas spoke, tired as he looked down at the bloody scarf in his hand and frowned. The dragon sighed in relief, forcing itself to smile.
"Thank you. Thank you so much. I never thought a human would ever do that for me." The dragon spoke, Silas clearing his throat as he blinked the mist from his eyes at the memories.
"I...You are welcome. I apologize for my actions. Though they may have been uncalled for I...I did not want another to die."
"Don't be sorry. You saved me life! I could never thank you enough." The dragon spoke softly, and for the first time, Silas noticed the dragon had pink scales.
Silas sighed as he sat down slowly, nodding almost numbly as he stared at the cloth in his hands.
"Yes, well...my mother died from plague when I was young. I never knew her. All I ever knew about her was her name and that she was once a slave from Rome. The plague killed many others as well. My cousin had lost both of his parents. I just...could not stand to see another die from plague. Even if that other is a dragon."
"Ohhh! I'm sorry! That cloth, was that from your mother? I'm so sorry! I ruined it!" The dragon cried in dismay and guilt, Silas shaking his head as he laughed sadly.
"Oh, no. This scarf I bought while visiting Rome. I was...on a pilgrimage and I was always curious to see where my mother came from." Silas answered, struggling to rinse the blood off of the green scarf. The golden embroidery sparkled in the fire's light.
"Ohh, I see. My parents...well...they were killed by hunters when I was young. I don't know what happened to my siblings either." The dragon spoke, Silas nodding.
"I am sorry. I cannot imagine what life would be like with both parents dead. I apologize for my fellow's behalf."
"It's alright. You get used to it, you know? But, that scarf...it's pretty! Well minus the blood on it!" The dragon laughed nervously, Silas raising an eyebrow at it's behavior. It was almost acting like...a woman.
"Yes, it is."
"It...looks like a girl's scarf though. Do you wear it a lot?" The dragon asked, Silas hesitating, embarrassed.
"N...No. It is a...woman's...scarf." Silas mumbled, the dragon straining its hearing to listen to the human speak.
"Ohhh, so you have a mate?" The dragon asked, Silas shaking his head swiftly.
"Heavens, no! I...bought it...because I planned to give it to a woman...but I never did. I was too...scared."
"Scared? You weren't scared of bandits or me but you were scared of a girl?" The dragon asked, eyes wide in disbelief. Silas hesitated.
"Yes." Silas spoke. "She...was of higher blood than me. How long have you been living here?" Silas asked, wishing to change the subject.
"Too long. I was scared to leave because of hunters in the area. And...because I can't hunt. What are you doing here?"
"I was ordered by a local lord to slay a dragon that was slaying his flock." Silas admitted, the dragon's eyes widening in terror.
"Slay a dragon?" The dragon questioned, visibly shaking. "Did you ever...murder them?"
"No. When I found the dragon...it was already dead by mercenaries."
"So...you've never killed a dragon?"
"Never." Silas answered, the dragon on edge, its panic rising.
"Are the mercenaries still hunting? W-What if they come for me?"
"They will not come for you. You are of no threat to anyone therefore you have no price on your head." Silas answered, the dragon calming some.
"The dragon...what did they look like?" The dragon's voice faltered.
"Did you know them?"
"I'm not sure."
"Black. Black and red. A vicious dragon it was, judging by the blood spilt." Silas answered, the dragon completely freezing, a silent tear falling down its snout.
"I am sorry."
"I knew her. I knew her! By the Ancestors, they killed Cynder!" The dragon whaled, suddenly sobbing at the lose of its kin.
Guilt ripped at Silas' heart, unmerciful as the knight watched the dragon sob. Looking at the scarf in his hands, Silas sighed.
"I am sorry. I truly am." Silas spoke sullenly, placing his hand on the dragon's shoulder. The physical contact caused the beast to pause, its eyes shining. "They will not harm you."
"You speak as if you can make your words true."
"Because I know the words I speak are true. I apologize for acting so savage earlier. The memory of my failure still haunts me. But it give me resolve to not fail again. And if I must defend you from harm then so be it. I refuse to fail again." Silas spoke, pausing to cough slightly.
"I...I...thank you." The dragon spoke, shocked by the human's vow.
"May I have the name of the one whom I am defending?" Silas asked, the dragon nodding.
"I'm Ember." The dragon answered, smiling at the man.
"I thought you were a woman." Silas replied, laughing slightly before hacking. The coughs slowly subsided. "I am Silas Adler, m'lady. At your service."
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If any of you were confused with Silas yelling at Ember it was because when he saw Anaya he believed it was her speaking to him, mocking him. And in this story I will not portray Ember as a slut or being overly annoying. The dragons are at least young adults in this story (and are about the size of a horse) and therefor are more mature and have simmered down. If any of you are interested on how Silas obtained that scarf and what he planned to do with it in detail, I may put it in a backflash. I had that scene written up a long time ago. Also, Spyro will appear once again, but I have no idea what will happen. Please review and give me your input! I would like to thank everyone who reviewed! Thank you!