Chapter 5: Sanity
'The smell of rotting flesh has left me, and that is a good thing.
'For three days it hounded me, pursued me, and gave myself away… made me stand apart of the shadows.
'That… that was the dragon's legacy. At least what was left of its death… because it was still very much alive.
'Within my veins.
'Such it is… but the smell… the smell I am glad to be rid of.
'It's funny in a way. The old me would have enjoyed it. Reveled in it. But that me is gone… has been gone… for at least a week.
'But does that cure me?
'I've silenced the voice, no, satiated it? But that never lasts… perhaps human blood, just doesn't have what a dragon's has in potency. Yes… perhaps that's the difference.
'Or perhaps… it knows that as I was I couldn't find an ally for the life of me… even when so desperately needed, I'd have more of an inclination to destroy such a traveling partner. Yes, that must be it.
'Heh heh heheh… But have I really achieved it? I've heard of it… it's been spoken around me, but does it actually exist? This thing called… sanity.
'If it does, I doubt I'll ever enjoy it fully… but at least I can wallow in the hopes of silence.
'Yet here I am… talking aloud, and though the shadows have fallen, as they must have been extensions of my inner soul… They are bound to return, so why bother changing how I am?
'Yes… it's good this way too.'
He paused a moment to look at the crimson sheen of his palm. It seemed to seal the evil within him.
'Yes, should I talk aloud; I'll know that the voice with which I speak is truly mine… and not his. But then again, I'm still talking in my head, for I'm not speaking… am I? But then again… I'm not completely silent.
'Jrrha, eh? A name that means 'nameless'… it works. Strangely enough. Actually, why am I worried? It isn't even a name… it's just a title. I can work with a title.'
He continued to laugh to himself as he took a moment to gaze down from the great forest, down from a knoll to the plains below… the great realm of the humans.
'Hmmm… Loath as I am to admit it, I have to go there… maybe not today… but soon.
'The former home of the elves in which I've spent my many years of pain is not where I'll be lucky to remain. Soon the greater threats will arise. Soon there'll be a time when not even my immature sense of the 'Gift' will save me. Not even my inner demon.
'Nothing will save me.
'Damn it to the hells… I do need them after all… I need ones like myself.
'My path only certifies this.'
He sighed and adjusted the dragon's head crest against his back and repositioned the axe as well so it would swing less. With a sigh, he left the dangers of the great forest to face the dangers of the great beyond.
It was not a welcome change.
'A week… it's been a week.
'I left the forest a week ago, but not out of desperation… but necessity. Heh… but apparently, my fame grows as the rumors grow. I don't know how they were alerted to it so quickly, but it seems as though everyone knows.
'A dragon has been slayed… one of the twisted mounts of Obscurity is dead.'
He started to chuckle.
'Stupid fools. If they only knew that I did this for them… but how could they know such? Still… it worries me.
'I know I'm not the most careful, but I've done my part to stay in the shadows… I haven't been seen, for it is obvious that they would notice the corpse components. I doubt that anyone would be stupidly ignorant of that fact at least…
'But yet… people less resemble sentient creatures and now more closely are akin to sheep. Pointless lives.
'Pointless indeed.'
He stopped a moment, for he had wandered the past four days… without rest. It was beyond the scope of the human within him… but it was also separate of the dark one… his second soul. For that hadn't revealed itself since the dragon. But then there was that fact as well… for the blood of a dragon doubled as his own.
It seemed as though nothing was his anymore.
The same thought seemed to cross his mind as he stared at the crimson title and the mark upon his palm.
'But that's fine. It is the will of this world… one that has no identity in itself that longs for companions of the same cut. If it is the world's will… then what objection have I, since it will surely be the one to carry me to the top?'
He let a small smile cross his lips at the thought. Surely… if not he, and ones like he, who would set the world right? For given the facts, it was only a matter of time before his race was the predominant one.
'After all… it's only a matter of time…'