Hello, dear readers! Here is the next chapter, so please enjoy!
"Did you sleep well, Ember?" Spyro asked, the dragoness' moments sluggish as she stired.
"Hmmm? Oh...not really." Ember responded, the female sighing as she noticed both humans were up, trying to ignore the snapping dragon chicks at their heels.
"Why are those two up so early? Are they leaving?" Spyro asked, noticing that the men had been just standing around, as if waiting to say goodbye.
"They didn't tell you?" Ember asked, Spyro almost snorting in reply.
"No. They don't like me as much as you." Spyro replied, watching Arias chase a butterfly around the clearing, his jaws snapping at it with hostility. Seraphina just waddled behind the knight, following him like a tail.
"They are leaving for war, something about a power struggle I think. And don't be silly. They like you." Ember snapped slightly, Spyro rolling his eyes.
"Sure they do. You never told me what caused that smoke in the pasture. What took you so long?" Spyro observed, Ember sighing as she hesitated to answer.
"The...field was piled with bodies. Silas didn't want to leave, he...he felt honor bound to search the bodies." Ember replied, Spyro looking at her with slight pitty.
"I'm sorry you had to see that, Ember. But do you understand what I mean? All humans do is kill."
"Silas didn't kill. There were some that were alive, but...they were dying. You should have seen them, Spyro. Some looked so terrified, so hopeless. Silas...he helped ease them in their passing." Ember spoke, voice soft.
"Mark my words, Ember. Whether you admit it or not, Silas will eventually turn and kill, as well as the other one. I only pray to the Ancestors that you are not their next victim." Spyro spoke, Ember looking at the larger male, her eyes narrowing, as if offended.
"Oh, would you stop it! Silas wouldn't hurt a fly!" Ember growled, defending her friend as the adults turned to the human in question, the young knight playing with Seraphina as he wrestled her with his arms.
"And what of the other one?" Spyro asked, Ember rolling her eyes.
"What? You suspect Rorek too? Why?" Ember asked, the purple dragon looking at her in disbelief.
"Ancestors, Ember! Did you see that look in his eyes? It's dark, even for a human. Did you look at him lately? He looks like a walking corpse-very pale!"
"Rorek was always pale." Ember replied, sighing.
"Not that pale last time I checked. He seems shaken too." Spyro muttered, Ember looking at the Necromancer standing near a tree. It seemed to be his favorite. The man was always near it. Spyro was right. The man appeared almost sick, his skin a pasty white, sweat beading on his brow and eyes lined and red, as if he were suffering from a fever. His breathing appeared slow, and shallow, as if he were physically and mentally exhausted. Ember barely noticed the makeshift bandage on his wrist, the black cloth slightly darkened with a deep red. She couldn't tell if the blood was fresh or dried, but she saw the section that Rorek had torn his robe for the dressing.
"Oh, my! What happened to him?" Ember asked, the purple dragon shrugging.
"I don't know. He was like that when I got up." Spyro answered, Ember looking over at the man with worry.
"Oh, no. Poor Rorek." Ember replied, her head snapping to Silas as she heard him coo at the black drakeling that was reaching for his pouch.
"No, no, chicky, I have nothing for you." Silas replied, pushing Seraphina away as the chick began to whine.
"What? What do you want? I have nothing." Silas replied gently, showing his empty hands. Seraphina wiggled with anticipation. Sighing, Silas gave up.
"Fine." Silas muttered, reaching into his pouch to pull out dried venison, Seraphina chirping as she latched onto the meat, gnawing on it.
Arias turned his head, smelling the salted meat, a long butterfly wing sticking out of his mouth before the chick swiftly swallowed it. Eager for more food, the white drake stumbled toward his sibling before joining in the feast.
Silas smiled softly before sighing, his steel eyes moving from chick to chick.
"I never had the chance of meeting my mother. Nothing I say can ever make my actions right for taking yours away. I am sorry." Silas apologized softly, crossing his arms as he looked at Rorek, the man still under the tree. Rorek looked at him, both men knowing it was time.
Sighing slightly, Rorek moved towards the knight, Silas piercing his lips together upon seeing the horrible state the man seemed to be in, but kept quiet.
"Shall we say goodbye?" Silas asked, Rorek shrugging.
"If you wish." Rorek responded, voice weak and cracking.
"Very well." Silas muttered, walking toward the pair of adult dragons, Ember walking to meet him upon seeing the knight approach. Silas stopped and smiled at the dragoness, Ember producing a weak smile as she looked sullenly at the knight.
"You know you don't have to do this, Silas..." Ember faltered, thinking for some kind of logical argument to try and convince the man to stay without sounding childish, but could not.
"No, Ember. I started this, and by God, I am going to see it to the end even if it means my own death." Silas spoke, shaking his head as Rorek simply nodded, not in the mood to talk as he wiped the film of sweat from his forehead.
Ember opened her mouth to speak, but found herself at a loss for words. How could you convince someone you care about to stay safe when their heart was set on their death so passionately? And for what cause, Ember could only guess. She didn't understand human culture and society, and probably never will. It wasn't fair.
"I..." Ember struggled to speak, but felt like a lump had formed in her throat as her mouth suddenly dried, and tears began to well in her eyes. She could feel her heart lurch in pain and worry for her friends as she shook her head. She didn't understand. What sort of creature would willingly walk to their own death?
"I'm scared that you'll die." Ember admitted, her eyes glancing from both men back and forth, and she saw Rorek's glazed, half lidded eyes look at her with recognition and understanding as he emitted a breathless chuckle.
"No mortal soul has...ever been able to resist the beckon of Death." Rorek spoke, shaking himself slightly, as if to keep himself awake.
"He speaks the truth, Ember. We shall all die, and I do not that think that we need to fear death. Death's second self brings us pleasure, so why should we fear death when it is not an end, but a passage? Death may appear strong, and all powerful, but in reality Death is weak, and dying. In time, Death itself shall die, and should not be feared, but rather pitied." Silas spoke gently, Ember shaking her head as tears began to flow.
"No, I...I don't understand..." Ember cried, her body being racked with sorrow.
"When Death is upon you, you shall understand." Silas responded, looking on sadly at the pink dragon as he touched her snout and petted it, almost like a horse, and flinched when the dragon started sobbing uncontrollably in loud, slightly obnoxious gasps. Ember was worse than Anaya...not that he minded it much. At least Anaya's cries didn't hurt his ears. Silas guessed it was because dragons had stronger lungs.
Without warning, Ember picked up the man with her talons and pulled him into a hug, the poor knight once again being crushed against her creme chest scales. Silas grunted, feeling his back crack as he struggled against the dismayed dragon's grip before giving up, and went limp like a rag doll.
After several seconds of being trapped, Silas was put back down to the ground, the man taking in a deep breath, Ember looking at him, as if wanting to speak.
"I...I hope you come back, Silas. I'm glad that I can have humans for friends. Besides, you are my first human friend." Ember smiled sadly, Silas returning the gesture.
"I am proud to call you my friend, Ember." Silas responded, Rorek spitting onto the ground, looking like he was about to keel over.
"Why do I feel like I am being ignored in this conversation?" Rorek muttered quietly to himself, feeling a pair of eyes upon him as he looked. It was the sapphire eyes of the pink dragon.
"I'm going to miss you, too." Ember spoke, smiling as Rorek simply nodded.
"It...was a pleasure." Rorek responded, flinching as he saw Ember's talons move out to grab him, but the dragoness paused, not wanting to hurt the man. Instead, the pink dragoness lowered her head and nuzzled the human, feeling his sweat rub off onto her scales.
"I hope you get better, Rorek. Stay away from horrible, smelly things, okay?" Ember asked, licking his cheek, feeling his skin to be pasty and very cold as she looked at the human with worry.
"That I shall, dear. And do not worry about me, Ember, I shall be fine." Rorek replied, wiping the saliva away with his hand as he felt the spit connect his hand and cheek. Ember grinned sheepishly.
"Sorry."
"Farewell, Ember. I pray that this will not be the last time we meet." Silas spoke, Ember saying nothing as she nodded sadly, watching Silas walk towards Spyro. Rorek hesitated, but followed as he gave the dragoness a half wave in farewell.
"I feel disgusting...tired of being covered in sweat..." Rorek muttered, both men stopping in their strides as the purple man stared at them, his eyes skeptical.
"You two are leaving, right?" Spyro asked.
"That is correct." Silas responded, looking over to see Rorek wobbling in place, as if dizzy before slightly elbowing him.
"Oh!...and...we thank you for...your hospitality...or something..." Rorek muttered, obviously out of it as he shook his head, the man refocusing.
"You are welcome." Spyro replied, the tone of his voice not sounding interested in the least. Silas looked at the male, and took a shaky breath.
"I wish you well on raising your family, Spyro. I am sorry for what our kind has done to you. I understand what your children are going through, what they will go through. I...never knew my mother either." Silas stopped himself, flushing slightly as he realized he was speaking so much. Spyro only seeked to be half listening, as if he couldn't wait for the humans to leave.
"We should go now." Rorek stated, having an odd feeling form in the pit of his stomach.
"I mean...my mother died when I just a babe-ow!"
"Quiet!" Rorek hissed, suddenly alert as he roughly elbowed the man. Spyro raised an eye crest, curious on why the one was blabbing so much. Ember craned her neck to see what was happening, nosey.
"My mother...she was killed-not by another, oh, no-but by plague." Silas stuttered, a sudden wave a nervousness in his voice. Ember's scales began to drain, and Rorek began to drag the bumbling knight away before he said anything more stupid.
"Silas! Quiet!" Rorek hissed, Silas refusing to budge.
"No! If I die, I shall never be able to rest in peace. He has a right to know! I am tired of lying." Silas whispered back, the male dragon now looking at the pair with annoyance.
"Oh, Ancestors what are you trying to say?" Spyro hissed, fire bubbling underneath his scales, Silas breaking free of Rorek's grip.
"NO! Damned idiot!"
"I did it! I am the one that robbed you of your mate, robbed your children of their mother! Look upon this ill man, for I am ill with guilt. Lord, I killed Cynder!"
Poor Silas. He finally cracked under the guilt. I can't blame him though. honestly don't know how specifically Spyro will react to that. It might not end well. Also, I have started something called Dishonored: Extras which some of you may have read already. They just are scenes that I wanted to put into Dishonored, but felt like they didn't fit. Check them out if you get bored and please review. :)