Hello my dear readers !
And Happy New Year, I guess (we're still in January so technically I am not too late, am I?)
I know, it has been an eternity since last update... Is the fact that I was again sick and that real life got in the way a viable excuse?
Anyway, I will once again thank you all for bearing with me and this story. Thank you for reading, reviewing, favoriting! I love you all!
I noticed this story reached 100 reviews. THANK YOU! This is absolutely amazing!
And thank you to my Beta for correcting all this stuff!
Enjoy!
Chapter 23:
It was a while after his conversation with Alice that Merlin finally returned to his chambers. He had spent a long time in the castle's vault, cataloging the different magical artifacts there and determining which were really dangerous and which were in fact harmless tools that could be given back to their owners or the druids. Once more, it was a task he should have begun a long time ago but he hadn't had the time.
He had to admit that, despite the seemingly never ending work and underground dampness, it was a task that he actually enjoyed. He gave him the opportunity to discover many artifacts that he couldn't have even imagined. Even if some of those made his skin crawl with uneasiness at the dark magic in them.
With a contented sigh, he relaxed into the chair next to the fire to chase the remaining chill from the vaults. As his tired muscles slowly warmed, his mind wandered back to what Alice told him. Legends about human dragons. It was hard to wrap his mind about the fact that it could exist.
And yet he had seen it with his own eyes and Kilgarrah. It was more than a legend. It was reality.
He sat up straight from his slouched position as if struck by lightning. Human dragons were reality. They were a possible thing. Surely, at the time when dragonlords were common, they would have known how to transform the dragons. And what better way to hide them? To save them?
He barely let himself believe in the small spark of hope entering his heart but his previous sleepy state had definitely disappeared.
He jumped up and quickly found his cloak before heading out, ignoring the fact that the sun was already low in the sky.
A brisk walk later and he was in the dragon clearing waiting for the winged creatures he had called on his way there. He paced nervously back and forth until he heard the familiar flapping sound.
As usual, Aithusa was the first one to arrive and greeted him with enthusiastic nudges of her snout to his side.
"Hey. I'm happy to see you too." Merlin said as he watched the bigger dragon land with a gust of wind. "Kilgarrah."
A small bow acknowledged him.
"I wasn't expecting you to call so soon. Is anything the matter?"
"Not really." The warlock answered cryptically. "Someone made me think about… What happened last time we met."
The dragon's answer was a shift in his head. Merlin cleared his throat.
"When I turned you human…" He added uselessly.
"I do remember. What about it?"
"Could it be possible that there still are human dragons in hiding?"
No beating around the bush. Silence seemed to fall on the clearing as both dragons went very still. Kilgarrah stared at Merlin while Aithusa stared at her dragon counterpart with a questioning frown on her face. The warlock almost didn't dare to breathe as he waited for the answer to his question. A very long time passed.
"It is, theoretically, possible." The dragon finally said, sounding more unsure than Merlin had ever heard him.
"Could you find them?" Merlin's excitement was clearly audible in his voice. He supposed he could easily give them their true form back just as he had done with the old dragon.
Kilgarrah shook his head sadly.
"No. Once a dragon is in its human form its mind becomes unreachable to the others." He obviously tried to hide it but Merlin could hear the disappointment in the dragon's voice.
He began pacing the clearing again, hands rubbing his scalp.
"Is there really no way to contact them? Surely there must be a way?" He asked. It was frustrating for him to not have this knowledge.
Not for the first time since learning of his abilities, Merlin found himself annoyed at the fact that he had no other dragonlord to ask for advice. It was a terrible loss of many traditions.
Kilgharrah didn't answer but Merlin could feel he was hiding something. It looked like Aithusa could too because she approached her friend with an expectant look on her face.
"What are you not telling me?"
The dragon shook its scaly head.
"Do not make me order you." Merlin threatened, voice rising to a commanding tone.
That made the beast bristle, its wings extending in the large clearing as if it wanted to fly off but couldn't. Finally, he let out what Merlin interpreted as a sigh.
"Fine. In the older times, long before you were born, there existed many rituals performed by dragonlords that were also warlocks. Some of them were to help dragons find places to settle without harming anyone. Some, as you know, allowed them to turn dragons humans. Others, allowed them to call on dragon in whatever form they were in case they were in danger."
Merlin grinned. He had known things couldn't be that hopeless.
"Good!" He interrupted Kilgharrah's retelling, already planning to clear his schedule. "What do I need to do then?"
"Merlin, you don't understand!" The dragon growled, the use of its first name stopping the warlock's train of thought. "Those rituals cannot be performed alone. It requires more powerful magic that any one sorcerer possesses. They were always performed by several dragonlords joining their powers."
"And I am Emrys." Merlin answered after a beat. "Doesn't that mean that I am the most powerful warlock to ever walk this earth?"
He didn't like the title on any ordinary day, in fact he hated it with a passion, but now he was glad for this power.
The dragon shook its head.
"It doesn't work like that."
"Then what's the point to all this power if I cannot help my friends!"
Merlin clammed his mouth shut. The term had escaped him but he realised it was somewhat true. He didn't know exactly when it had happened, but he had truly begun to think of the large beast as a friend.
Both dragons stared at him before Aithusa came forward to nudge him once more.
"I appreciate your willingness young warlock but there is truly nothing you can do."
"And I don't believe you. Share the knowledge of the ritual with me and I will judge if I can do it or not."
The dragon began shaking his head in denial again but Merlin didn't let him.
"Do it Kilgharrah." His voice had taken the tone that the dragon couldn't refuse.
The beast bowed, looking distinctively crossed but unable to refuse Merlin's command. He took a deep breath in and released it on Merlin.
The warlock was ready for the heady feeling of knowledge infusing itself in his mind and Merlin blinked.
"Thank you." He said breathlessly.
"I warn you Merlin, you cannot succeed in a summoning ceremony alone."
"I won't be alone." The young man answered with a soft smile. "I'm counting on you both to help me."
Aithusa nodded enthusiastically at his side while Kilgharrah shook his head.
"I won't encourage you down in a path that will only lead to your demise young warlock. And I do hope that you won't force me to do so."
Merlin blushed at the hidden reproach. He hadn't truly wanted to command the dragon but he despairingly wanted to find out if there were any dragons left on this world.
"I understand."
"I would ask you to give this up but I know you won't listen to me. I just hope that you will understand the impossibility of your plan before it's too late."
And with those words the giant beast flew off, leaving Merlin and Aithusa alone.
The warlock kneeled down in front of the young dragon who was watching him worriedly.
"Don't worry." He said in his most reassuring voice, putting his hand on her warm white scales. "Everything will be alright, I promise."
The youth whined softly, clearly unhappy with Merlin and Kilgharrah being at odds.
"I'm sure he will come round eventually. Now I'd better go back to Camelot. I have a lot of work to do, have I not?"
The dragon nodded and bowed in farewell before taking off, leaving Merlin alone in the clearing.
It was only when he turned around that he noticed that night had fallen and that his path was now almost invisible in the moonlight. He shrugged and lit a nearby branch to use as a torch.
Can I mention (in case it wasn't obvious) that I totally LOVE writing Aithusa?
Leave a little review if you want, it'll make my day.
Oh and did I mention that the "Humans" soundtrack is a pure blessing to my writing process? Like really. Nothing better to write with.