Summary: After four years of travel, Kurogane and the others finally wind up in Nihon. To his horror, he finds that a lot has changed in his absence. From Tomoyo getting married, to a mysterious force infiltrating Nihon, getting Sakura's feather back isn't going to be easy. Especially when Kurogane is forced to come to grips with a startling revelation that will change his life forever...
Pairings: KuroganexTomoyo, SyaoranxSakura
Disclaimer: Do I even need to do this? You ought to know this already.
Note: This fan fic is based on the manga, with a few extra tidbits here and there from the anime. It was first published on July 28, 2005, therefore set before Chapitre 91. A lot of theories here will coincide with the actual events in TRC, either because I added them later (evident in latter chapters) or because of some good guessing (evident in the first chapters). I also decided to use the official spelling for Fay's name (and Fei Wang Reed's name).
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A/N: With the last chapter of the first part of this series, I decided to do a much-needed revamp concerning replacing a couple of phrases, some spelling mistakes, grammatical structures and misuses in punctuation, a phenomenon fairly evident in the first chapters, which are, in my honest opinion, horrible. They're short, crude, rough, and pretty boring. Thankfully, as time passed, my chapters became longer and much more elaborate in description. I still don't understand how the majority of my readers managed to stay interested enough to keep reading, but I'm grateful that they did. It was your encouragement that has made me what I am today!
It's been nearly two years since I started out as a fan fic writer and I can say without preamble that I've definitely matured. While writing my fan fic, I gained experience, so even though it was a laborious task rereading and editing it, I feel it was worth it so you could enjoy When Worlds Collide as it was meant to be. Constructive criticism is still greatly appreciated.
I hope you enjoy my fan fic!
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When Worlds Collide
Chapter 18 — Broken
By Mystic Dawn
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It was over. It was all over.
Syaoran wearily raised his head and looked around. His mind was stubbornly telling him that the place should be wrung with chaos in the light of all that had happened, and he was astonished to only find a burnt-out hole in a tapestry hanging on a battered wall and a few scorch-marks here and there on the floor. Sheathing his sword, he restlessly got to his feet. He had to move, to be active, to keep his mind preoccupied. If he remained immobile he would surely go mad with the inability to cope with what had just happened. His gaze traveled as he wandered around the vast chamber, and his throat involuntarily tightened when his eyes fell upon the tattered remnants of Kurogane's garments. He tore his gaze away and looked back over his shoulder.
Tomoyo was weeping uncontrollably, clinging desperately to Sakura, who was trying to calm her down with whispers of reassurance and comfort. She exchanged a worried look with Fay and the blond wizard nodded, indicating that she should continue trying to console the sobbing Tomoyo. Fay then looked up and locked eyes with Syaoran. He looked terribly shaken, his shock beyond words, and Syaoran understood that he was probably trying not to think back on what had happened, just like him.
"It seems almost pointless to express my sincere apologies at the pain you are all experiencing," the mage told Syaoran solemnly, standing a little way away from him.
Syaoran's head snapped around and he stared at the tall figure incredulously. "Pain?" he scoffed bitterly. "No..." he whispered, swallowing hard. "Pain is nothing compared to this... feeling. What we're experiencing is not pain. What we're experiencing can't be put into words." He extended his arm and pointed a trembling finger at the balcony. "What Tomoyo-hime is experiencing is beyond pain!"
"Do you think that I do not already know?" the mage asked him quietly.
"Then why did you do it?! Why did you do what you did to Kurogane-san?!" Syaoran demanded heatedly. He had honestly been trying to keep his anger in check, but the pressure was too much for him to bear and all of his emotions suddenly burst to the fore. "He didn't deserve it! He's been through hell and worse to come back to his home-country! He sacrificed four damn years of his life to a cause that shouldn't have mattered to him in the slightest, and yet, he still wanted to help us! And just when it was finally all over for him and he could finally be left in peace with Tomoyo-hime, you come out of nowhere and turn his whole world upside-down!"
"I had nothing to do with it," the mage explained calmly, as if Syaoran had not just lost his composure. "It had been foreordained that he would regain his true form when he came of age upon the full moon of this very night."
"What are you talking about?!" he demanded furiously, breathing heavily.
The mage did not reply. Instead, he turned to the balcony without another word and approached the others, his steps silent and his cloak swirling in the light breeze. Syaoran followed after a moment's hesitation.
Fay got to his feet warily as soon as the cloaked man was standing before them. "I suppose you're that mage he told us about, right?" he asked him in a neutral tone, his eyes calculating him carefully.
"You were always quite perceptive, Fay," the mage smiled.
Fay did not return the smile. It was apparent that he was just as angry as Syaoran—perhaps even more so—but unlike the adolescent, he could control his emotions when he had to. He crossed his arms and slanted a politely curious eyebrow. "You're giving me the impression that you know more than you're letting on," he said bluntly.
"Perhaps," he replied evasively. "But I'll let you be the judge of that." He looked down at Sakura. "How is she?" he asked her, referring to Tomoyo, and Syaoran was momentarily stunned to hear that his voice sounded concerned.
"How do you expect her to be after what you did?!" Sakura demanded in a tone that registered open hostility. Just like the others, she was confused and angry, and she wasn't afraid to show it. "She's devastated!"
"I can understand how you feel," the mage said, smoothing the front of his mantle, "but if you wish to help Kurogane, you must be willing to listen to me." He looked up at Fay and Syaoran. "I will tell you all that you wish to know. But please, hear me out before you condemn me. That is all I ask of you."
Fay and Syaoran exchanged dubious looks, as if asking the other his opinion on what would be the best course to follow. A long silence followed, broken only by Tomoyo's weak sobs of grief.
"I think we should hear what this mage has to say before we make any decisions," Fay finally decided. "It might do more harm than good if we act rashly without thinking things through first."
"You are ever-cautious, despite your seemingly frivolous nature," the mage approved with a small nod.
"Provided you answer our questions truthfully," Fay added, his eyes narrowing. "And believe me"—his eyes flitted momentarily to Sakura's face—"we'll be able to tell if you're lying or not."
The mage spread his hands. "Ask away," he smiled confidently, as if inviting them to share all of their troubles and concerns with him.
"Who are you?" Syaoran asked suspiciously. "And what do you have to do with Kurogane-san?"
The mage bowed his head. "Are you sure you really want to know my true identity?" he said, his whole bearing suddenly rigid, tense, as if he were an uncoiled snake preparing to lash out and strike at them.
"Yes," Syaoran said firmly after a moment's hesitation.
"Very well." The mage raised his hand and threw back his hood.
His skin was deathly pale, a shade almost as white as snow. His facial features were unearthly and beautiful, as if much better fined compared to mere mortals. His hair was long, drawn back, and black, as were his eyes, which gleamed like two black coals in the moonlight. He also had a band of silver around his forehead, embedded with a silver crescent moon. "My name," he said, now speaking properly with his mouth, "is Tsukuyomi No Mikoto."
There was a sharp intake of breath and Tomoyo raised her head, covering her mouth with her hand in astonishment. "What?" she croaked hoarsely. She was a sorry sight to behold. Her eyes were red from crying, her once-pale cheeks were blotched and tear-stained, and her eyes were still brimming with unshed tears. "But how...?"
"Do not jump to conclusions, Tomoyo-hime," Tsukuyomi said quickly before she could phrase her question. "I find it very flattering that you think of me as a god, but please, no embellishments are needed. Mythology has already laid an exaggerated emphasis on my various exploits throughout the centuries, and I do not need godhood to be one of them."
"Wait a minute," Tomoyo protested, dashing her tears away and holding up a trembling forefinger. "What exactly are you trying to say?" She quickly got to her feet, her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowing dangerously. "You came here all of a sudden, did what you did to Kurogane"—her voice broke, but she drew another breath and plodded on—"and now you tell us that you're the god I've been serving my whole life, but then you turn it around and say that you aren't? Who do you think you are to say such things?!"
"Tomoyo-chan," Fay said quietly, laying a hand on her shoulder warningly, "maybe you should calm down—"
"Stop it, Fay-kun!" Tomoyo said angrily, shrugging his hand away. "I'm through with being patient and understanding! I want answers and I want them now!"
Fay looked taken aback by her exclamation of protest, and slightly hurt.
Tomoyo's lower lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears again. "I'm sorry," she whispered meekly. She covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry, I just..." She wiped at her tears furiously. "Why?" she choked. "Why did he...?" She drew a shuddering gasp, her tears rolling down her cheeks. "It's no use." She looked up at them helplessly. "It's over. Everything's over." Her shoulders began to tremble and she fell into Fay's arms, burying her face in his chest. "I'll never see him again!" she wailed, clinging to him desperately. "I shouldn't have let him go!" She wept long and hard for a lost love, a lost love her heart yearned to be united with once more.
Fay sighed and gently stroked her hair. "Don't worry, Tomoyo-chan. We'll find a way to bring him back," he assured her. "Everything's going to be all right. Don't worry."
Syaoran nodded in agreement and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "We'll definitely bring him back," he promised.
Sakura bit on her lower lip and looked up at the mage. "We can bring Kurogane-san back to normal... can't we?" she asked timidly, as if dreading his answer.
"You can certainly try," Tsukuyomi offered, "but most of it will depend on him."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Kurogane will have to accomplish what he is destined to do in seven days... or else he will remain in his dragon form."
"What do you mean 'dragon form'?" Syaoran interjected. "How is it that Kurogane-san changed into a dragon, anyway? And what's he destined to do?"
"And what was all that stuff he was saying before about not being human?" Mokona piped up from his perch on Sakura's shoulder.
"And if you're not a god, then what are you?" Fay asked. "You're too powerful to be a simple mage."
"I will answer all of your questions in due time," Tsukuyomi said, holding up one hand, "but please, I cannot answer all of you at once. First of all, I believe it will be easier if I begin from the start." He regarded them seriously with his piercing gaze. "Are you willing to listen to me?"
It was Tomoyo who answered. She wiped away her tears and turned to face the tall being. "I'll do anything to bring him back," she said strongly. Her eyes burned with a flaming determination.
"So be it," Tsukuyomi said, joining his hands together. He did not speak for some time. "I suppose I should start with who I am," he decided. "Who the 'gods' are."
"But what does that have to do with Kurogane-san?" Syaoran asked him, curious despite himself.
"It has everything to do with him," he replied. "In ancient times, it was possible for those who studied arcane magic to become 'immortal' in a way. That did not necessarily mean that they would live forever, however," he added. "It simply meant that they would live for an exceptionally long time." He paused for a moment, his eyes looking at each of them in turn, finally resting upon Fay. "A number of magic-wielders of ancient times achieved this longevity. And I was one of them," Tsukuyomi added with a small smile. "We soon realized what had happened after a time when we did not age when we were supposed to, and so, we decided to use our powers for the good of mankind. In those times, man did not have the comforts he had today. There were no medicines, the land was being bled dry by the mindless squandering of its life-force, and there was no one who held even a semblance of authority to turn to... And so, Amaterasu and I helped the people of this part of the world, aided by our inferiors, to regain strength and flourish. Simple people saw us as saviors. And as simple people do, they elevated us all to godhood."
"Amaterasu...?" Sakura repeated. "Like in the myth with the Towers?"
"Amaterasu and I are indeed siblings," Tsukuyomi confirmed, "just like the myth says. And it is true that we are of somewhat different opinions. I did something to irritate her and she took it to extremes, that's all." He chuckled. "Very spirited, but as we are complete opposites, it is to be expected."
"So you are the lunar divinity. And she's the solar divinity, isn't she?"
"In a way," he smiled. "The Two Towers were built by our 'followers' as an exchange for all that we did for them. As Amaterasu aided them more on a practical basis than on an intellectual basis like myself, helping them grow their crops and prevent famine, they associated her with the sun."
"Because the sun symbolizes growth?" Syaoran guessed.
Tsukuyomi nodded in approval. "However," he continued, "I believe that I have said enough about myself, as I am irrelevant to what is of true importance in our discussion." He paused for a moment, as if wondering how he should phrase his next words. "There are not only humans who have achieved 'godhood' like me," he continued. "There is also one named Ryuujin. Yes," he inclined his head at their stunned looks, "a dragon. He has also mastered the arts of arcane magic, and is counted as a god among his kind."
"So, let me get this straight," Fay said, a puzzled furrow between his brows. "None of you are gods, right? You're all just mages who have managed to defy time?"
"Precisely."
Tomoyo was frowning darkly. "I don't understand," she muttered. "I can't understand." She looked up at him accusingly. "You're basically asking me to re-evaluate my faith. To give up what I believe in. What my people believe in." She drew a deep breath and shook her head weakly. "I don't think I can do that."
"I did not tell you all this to make you doubt yourself, Tomoyo-hime," he said sternly. "People need something to believe in. If you were to tell them the truth, they would be inclined to act, but they would act rashly, without thinking of the consequences their actions might have on both themselves and the land we strived to save. It is not right to shatter their dreams."
"But that's what you did to me," she shot back savagely, her lower lip trembling. "You shattered my dreams. Dreams I had been hoping beyond hope would come true once Kurogane and I learned of the love we felt for each other. And now..."
"That was... not meant to happen, Tomoyo-hime," Tsukuyomi said heavily. "Kurogane was not meant to fall in love. He has a task that he has to perform and he must not fail. Because of his love for you, I am not sure if he will accomplish it..."
"What task? What's so important that he was trying to... to push me away?" she demanded, trying her hardest not to start crying again.
"He does not know it yet, but he is the one destined to close the gap that exists between humans and dragons."
"You aren't making any sense!"
"Actually..." Fay said slowly. "...he is. Kurogane's told us himself that there's some sort of enmity between humans and dragons because humans turned on them years ago and started hunting them down."
"It was due to an unfortunate event that happened centuries ago," Tsukuyomi confirmed in a bleak tone. "Dragons are peaceful creatures, and cause no harm to anyone who does not openly provoke them. They are magnificent beings remarkably long-lived, able to live over a millennium at times. When one of their kind dies, they leave the body to be reclaimed by nature." He shook his head sadly. "It so happened that a man had been traveling in the same vicinity a few days after one such occurrence, and upon seeing the mighty dragon's carcass, he decided to take advantage of it."
"What did he do?" Mokona asked.
"The man worked long and hard, for many days and nights on end, to peel off the dragon's tough and scaly hide bit by bit to create an armor that would be harder than steel. When others saw him with this armor, he told a great lie about the fierceness of the dragon, claiming that she had attacked him while he was traveling, and that he had battled with her to the death. And since most of the hearts of humans are vengeful to begin with, so began the pointless blood feud that still has no end."
"So humans began to attack dragons," Syaoran said darkly, crossing his arms over his chest. "And the dragons had no choice but to fight back."
"How horrible," Sakura whispered. "How could he have told such a lie? Didn't he feel guilty because of it?"
"Alas, humans are subject to both good and evil, and the latter of the lot feel no remorse for the crimes they commit," Tsukuyomi said bitterly.
"And seeing how fierce dragons could be in battle, humans had no reason to disbelieve the man's words, I suppose?" Fay said wryly.
"But it's against the law to hunt down dragons," Tomoyo protested. "It can't still be happening, can it?"
"I'm afraid that doesn't discourage the most aggressive of the lot," Tsukuyomi said sadly. "Man's hatred goes deep, and because humans despise dragonkind, the last remaining hunters are relentless in their pursuit."
"My father made that law!" Tomoyo said indignantly. "He was one of the first to realize that it was a pointless war that would have no end!"
"But he could not be everywhere at once, could he?" Tsukuyomi said softly. "Families who had lost husbands and sons to that cause could not simply give up a lifetime's struggle for nothing."
Tomoyo lowered her eyes and exhaled in exasperation. She could find nothing to argue about that. "But why Kurogane?" she demanded. "Why was he 'chosen' to do this? Why him and not someone else?"
"Because it is in his blood. It is a part of who he is." Tsukuyomi looked at their uncomprehending expressions. "He is the son of Ryuujin," he explained. "Dragon is what he is. Who he is. He is as much dragon as he is human."
"Wait a minute..." Syaoran said slowly. "Are you saying that Kurogane-san's father is a dragon?!"
"Yes. His mother, a noblewoman named Yukiko Midori, conceived him when Ryuujin bathed her in the silver light of the moon. Kumaso and Aya Ito simply raised him as their own when I left him as a baby at their door."
"So you told Kurogane-san's parents that he's part-dragon?" Sakura said in surprise.
"You are wrong on both counts. I did not reveal myself to them, as I had disguised myself as a simple soothsayer at the time, therefore they have no knowledge of his true heritage. And Kurogane is not part-dragon. He is a dragon born as a human."
"So he's neither half-dragon nor half-human. He's a dragon in the form of a human," Fay mused. "So I guess he's not what's referred to as a hybrid, then."
"The concept is a little complicated, but in simple words, yes, that is the case."
"And he has to somehow make peace between humans and dragons again?"
"Yes. But because of the way he discovered the truth, I am afraid he has not accepted who he is and will not be able to do what is expected of him. There are too many things that shouldn't have happened to him..."
"You're... you're making it sound as if he's doomed to fail," Tomoyo said faintly.
"Because I am afraid that he will," Tsukuyomi confessed. "Ever since we had been accepted as gods, we had agreed not to interfere directly with mankind. But... the recent blood feud gave us no other choice. We had to do something. So, instead of setting things right ourselves, we decided that to create someone who would be both human and dragon would be the wiser course to follow. Kurogane has gained experience by living as a human for thirty years, and he will hopefully be able to convince the other dragons that not all humans are as evil as they think. Already, he has achieved this by befriending a few of them in his human form. Hopefully, as a dragon, more of them will be more inclined to hear him out."
Tomoyo said nothing for a time, her eyes deep in speculation and the line of her mouth drawn. "So... we have to help him somehow in his task?"
"No," Tsukuyomi said. "He must do it on his own. What you have to do is find him once he completes it, for he will be in danger of losing himself."
"What?" Tomoyo said in alarm.
"He will soon cease to think and act like a human, and become a full dragon once seven days have passed. And I am afraid that such an occurrence will not be for the better."
"What do you mean...?"
"Living as a dragon, he will begin to forget how he lived as a human, which is why he has a limited time to convince them. For..." For a moment, Tsukuyomi's mask of calm serenity faded, and another emotion flitted across his face. Dread? "...we did not intend for him to become human again."
"What?!" Syaoran exclaimed.
"That can't be!" Sakura gasped.
"Then there's no way to change him back?!" Fay demanded.
"So he'll stay a dragon forever?!" Mokona squeaked.
They had all spoken simultaneously, but Tomoyo was the only one who did not react vocally. Her complexion paled, and her eyes widened in horror. She could only stare at Tsukuyomi with her mouth hanging open in a silent scream.
He looked back at her, his eyes mirroring something akin to worry. "I fear that it will not be easy," he warned them in answer to Fay's question.
"But it's possible, isn't it?" Syaoran asked in a weak voice.
"Isn't it?" Sakura repeated, looking up at him imploringly in hopes of confirmation.
Tsukuyomi shook his head. "Alas, I do not know for sure. This was something we did not foresee."
Tomoyo closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. "That won't stop me from trying," she whispered determinedly. "As I said, I'll do anything to bring him back." Her violet eyes spoke volumes. "And I mean it."
"I hope, for your sake, that he will make it." A slow and mysterious smile crept upon Tsukuyomi's face. "Although none of us intended for him to fall in love, at least I, for one, believe that it is actually for the better. He is a better person because of you. And I am certain that you will agree with me when I tell you that a love that risks nothing is worth nothing."
Tomoyo nodded. "I understand." Though her expression was set, her voice wavered slightly.
Tsukuyomi raised one hand in farewell, and, with an enigmatic smile upon his lips, he dissolved into nothingness, disappearing without a trace.
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After flying along for hours on end, thrusting his huge bulk onward with sure and strong strokes, Kurogane finally spread his massive bat-like wings and began his descent, too exhausted to carry on flying without any apparent sense of direction. He settled down in a sheltered clearing with a small pool, which was surrounded by a dense forest of large fir trees, his landing far from graceful as he tripped on one of his forelegs and stumbled face-first into the ground. The earth rumbled with his fall, but he made no move to pick himself up. What was the use? He wouldn't even know where to start. He didn't even care. Everything was over.
He wanted to scream and rage at the sky. Who did the gods think they were, manipulating him in such a wretched fashion? Did they simply act as they pleased, with no regard for his feelings? Why were they making him suffer? Did he not have any rights? Kurogane snorted in disgust. Of course not. He was simply a pawn in their eyes, a creature the gods created to suit their sick purposes. What rights could he possibly have?
As his anger and frustration ebbed away, anguish and despair came to replace them. He wanted to raise his head and howl out his misery to the unkind world. The pain he felt was unbearable, a pain that gnawed at his insides and left him broken and defeated. He so yearned for everything to return to how they used to be, long before being forced to endure such a cruel ordeal. He wanted to go back to who he was. Not to the merciless killer, but to the humbled man he had been that night when he had confessed his love to Tomoyo...
Gods, he had treated her horribly. He had pushed her away from him without even giving her a proper explanation for his absurd behavior. He had hurt her, and hurt her deeply. All she had been trying to do was understand his feelings, and he had savagely forced her away from him. He felt disgusted with himself. There was no way he could justify his actions, not when he had seen the pain in her eyes... the pain that he had caused. What could she possibly think of him now?
A monster, a small voice in the back of his mind told him gloomily. Not only because I look the part, but because I acted the part, too.
Kurogane no longer doubted that Tomoyo surely hated him for what he did to her... and for what he turned out to be. Indeed, he felt that not even his friends, who had been so supportive of him beforehand—even when they had found out about his previous killing-obsession—would care much for him in his present state. What hope could he possibly have of being human again? He didn't even know how he turned into a dragon in the first place.
He was not someone to break down and cry, even though he had shed more tears in the last two days than he had over the last ten years of his life, but after all that had happened to him—the most still being incomprehensible to his befuddled senses—no one would blame him. He longed for this all to be a horrid nightmare that he would soon wake from, simultaneously cursing the weakness of his heart. He picked his massive form up from the ground, and, raising his head, shrieked in tormented agony, his tears surprisingly large and hot as they splashed down upon the ground around him. He longed for release, to be rid of this serpentine form he had been adorned with, to tear away the scaly, unfamiliar flesh confining his body. A powerful dragon crying his eyes out under the full moon is an astonishing sight and sound to behold, beyond human imagination.
At last, too tired to do anything else, Kurogane dragged himself to the edge of the pool and took a long drink. He hadn't even realized how thirsty he was. Then, his eyes unwittingly fell upon his reflection in the water. His reptilian visage met his blood-red gaze, and he choked back another cry of misery.
It was pointless to long for release, for he knew that it would never come. He was now a dragon, and a dragon he would remain forevermore. He was permanently cut off from the whole human race. To hope and long for otherwise was futile. After all, he reflected sardonically, sooner or later he would have had to embrace his father's side of the family. This thought was enough for another storm of tears to surface, but he refused to give into that weakness again.
So he was the son of Ryuujin? He had only heard about him a couple of times in his life, hardly enough times to call himself an expert. From what he could recall, Ryuujin was one of the numerous gods that existed, but the only one who did not appear in the form of a human. He was a dragon, reputed to live in an underwater palace made of coral in the depths of the ocean. At least, that was what Kurogane knew from myths and legends. Later on, he had eventually asked Evenstar about it, and she had only told him that as humankind honored and worshipped deities, so did dragonkind. She has left it unsaid that the dragons considered Ryuujin as their god.
Contemplating this, a number of startling possibilities suddenly became as clear as glass. His father was a god! He was not simply a dragon, but... a god! Then... what did that make him? He swallowed with some difficulty. He wasn't sure if he could cope with this new revelation. His life had changed so drastically in less than a day that to try his luck with more information might—or rather, would certainly—do more harm than good.
Kurogane's musings were suddenly interrupted by a faint noise on the wind, and a dark shadow passed overhead, momentarily obscuring the moon. He lifted his head cautiously, flexing his claws instinctively. The large shape overhead spread its wings, and the creature flared and touched down gently on the ground before him.
It was a dragon, but not just any dragon. Keen green eyes peered intently at Kurogane in the darkness, and it took a moment for him to recognize them.
"Firebolt!" he gasped in surprise. "I... uh..." He paused for a moment, struggling to express himself formally. "I find myself in shock at thy unexpected arrival..."
The female dragon made a peculiar noise, something between a snort of laughter and exasperation. "Don't try to speak formerly, Blacksteel," she said critically. "You're terrible at it."
Kurogane didn't bother asking how she recognized him. He supposed it had something to do with their keen sense of smell. At least he thought that must be the reason. His brow knitted. "I thought all dragons were supposed to talk formally... at least to each other," he said lamely.
Firebolt giggled. "Only if you're the puffed-up and self-important type. Or simply old."
Kurogane felt rather confused. Maybe he really didn't know as much about dragons as he thought he did.
"So..." Firebolt grinned at him smugly. "Finished feeling sorry for yourself?"
"What're you talking about?" he said quickly.
"Oh, please, I could hear you wailing for miles around. Why else do you think I came?"
Kurogane's jaw dropped open. If he had known that he would be alerting any dragons in the vicinity to his presence he would have never broken down and cried as he did in the first place.
"I guess it's going to take some getting used to, isn't it?" she conceded sympathetically.
Kurogane lowered his gaze. "...I don't think so," he said, more to himself than to Firebolt. "Everything happened so fast that I didn't even know what hit me when it did, and then, next thing I know, I'm a dragon." He looked at her helplessly. "Everything's still so new to me..."
"Are you trying to say that... that you don't know why this happened to you?!" she demanded incredulously.
"Well, I know that it has something to do with Ryuujin..." He forced a weak laugh, more to convince himself than Firebolt, that he wasn't delusional with what he was suggesting. "Considering that he's my father, he must've had some reason or other for this to happen to me, right?" He cursed himself silently for his wishful thinking. Who was he kidding? As if someone in his position would ever concern himself with the likes of him.
Firebolt's mouth was half-open in surprise. "Are you telling me that he didn't tell you what you have to do?!" she exclaimed.
Kurogane was slightly taken aback at her reaction. "Tell me what?" he said blankly.
"Ryuujin was supposed to tell you about your true heritage! And then he was supposed to prepare you for your task!"
"Well, obviously, I'm not that important to him since he didn't bother to fill me in," Kurogane said dryly, his voice dripping with irony.
"That's impossible," Firebolt snapped, frowning. "Something's gone terribly wrong..."
Kurogane could not help but feel more than a little apprehensive at her worry. He had never seen her look so distressed before. A terrible thought suddenly occurred to him at that moment. "Am I... a mistake?" he said quietly.
Firebolt shook her head and tried to smile. "No, Blacksteel. You're far from being a mistake. You're the hope of all dragonkind."
Now that was a surprise. "What do you mean by that?"
Firebolt sighed. "The truth is, I don't think I'm the right person to tell you. We were all forbidden to mention anything that would make you stray from your path..."
Stray from his path? Was this 'task' he was supposedly assigned to accomplish of such vital importance?
"...and now that you haven't been properly informed..." She left it hanging, slowly swishing her tail in thought. "I'm a lesser dragon," she said frankly. "I'm simply a member of the head family of the Fire Clan. I have no power in the Dragon Council, therefore I can't be of any use to you if it comes down to a trial. However... I think I'm going to have to try to convince Goldenridge and Silverthorn to call a meeting. It'll be the best way to reach a proper decision diplomatically."
"Silverthorn?" Kurogane said in surprise. "Are you telling me that Silverthorn is... the Silver Dragon?!"
"Yeah," Firebolt shrugged. "So? What...? You didn't know?"
"No!" he said indignantly. "I thought he was just an air dragon..."
"He was, until he was elected as the Silver Dragon seven hundred years ago. The Silver Dragon and the Golden Dragon aren't born into the roles they eventually assume. They're chosen when the previous one is near death. Though there's talk that Silverthorn hasn't chosen his successor, and time's running out on him."
Kurogane exhaled irritably, and he jumped back in surprise when flames jutted out of his nostrils. How would he ever get used to being a dragon?
Firebolt's eyes lit up excitedly. "Oh, wow! You're a fire dragon!" She grinned at him. "I knew you had it in you! That's so cool!"
"Er..." He wasn't quite sure what to say to Firebolt's sudden burst of enthusiasm. "I guess..."
"Well, let's get cracking!" She extended her wings to their fullest extent. "Come on, I'll take you to the others."
Kurogane froze. "The others? What others?"
Firebolt gave him a withering look of superiority. "Why, the other dragons, of course."
———————————————
Sakura delicately balanced the incandescent sphere containing her feather between her hands. It glowed with a pale pink light, which shone upon her face eerily.
"Go ahead," Syaoran said. "Take the feather."
"I'm not sure if I should," she admitted. "At least not yet."
It was a crisp and chill morning. They had spent the rest of the night in the Tower, as it had provided them with sufficient shelter from the bitter winter cold, and although they had unanimously agreed that they would get up at dawn to start... that was the problem. They didn't even know where to start looking for Kurogane. Sakura, Syaoran, Fay, and Mokona were determined not to move on to the next world without first helping their friend. They wouldn't have been able to live with themselves afterward if they did otherwise.
"You don't want to sleep on us once you absorb the feather, do you?" Fay guessed, retrieving his mount from the tree where they had been tethered the previous night.
"It's not only that," she confessed, flushing slightly. "I was thinking... maybe we could use it."
"Use it?" Syaoran asked, perplexed. "Use it for what?"
"Well... I was thinking about all of those times my feather was used by other people so they could achieve their ends..." She looked up at them nervously. "I was thinking that we could probably do the same thing... we could use my feather to bring Kurogane-san back to normal!"
Fay's eyes widened in surprise. "Of course..." he said softly. "With the enormous quantities of magic stored inside of each memory fragment, the concentrated energy should be enough to restore him to himself! Sakura-chan, you're brilliant!"
"You really think it'll work?" Sakura asked hopefully.
"I think so!"
"I don't like the sound of that 'should'," Syaoran said bluntly. "It gives me the impression that it's not a fully reliable means of bringing him back."
"Well, there are risks," Fay admitted carefully. "There's a danger of too much power being released—"
"Which will result in his death," Tomoyo interjected as she stepped down from where she had been standing in the entrance, her voice cold. She was holding Souhi—Kurogane's sword—in her arms, cradling it to her chest, perhaps even without realizing it. "And I'm not willing to risk his life in such an experiment!" She lifted her chin up defiantly, eyeing them with narrowed and determined eyes.
Fay frowned and chewed on his lower lip, a first, as far as they could tell. It was an obvious sign that he was quite agitated. "But what if it's the only way? You heard the mage. He won't turn back without our help."
"But what if our help kills him?" she demanded in a trembling voice. "What if he dies because of us?" She gasped and wiped furiously at rapidly forming tears. "It's bad enough that he's turned into a dragon... but if... if..."
"It's all right," Syaoran whispered, laying a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it reassuringly. "We'll find another way to bring him back. I'm sure of it."
His words conveyed total confidence, for which Tomoyo was grateful, but despite his reassurance, it was not enough to still her uneasy heart. Her lower lip quivered and the tears came unbidden once more. No, she thought furiously, no, I'm not going to break down and cry again. I have to be strong. She drew a deep breath and shot a cursory glance at the horses.
"Do you know how to ride a horse, Tomoyo-chan?" Fay asked as he adjusted the straps to one of the mounts, a beautiful black horse that seemed impatient and eager to get a move-on.
She nodded mutely and Fay handed her the reins of the horse. She reached up and smoothed its neck reassuringly. The horse nickered softly, then lowered its head and gently nudged her shoulder.
She smiled faintly, then hoisted herself up into the saddle. It was unusually stiff and of a peculiar style she was not used to, but she soon managed to find a somewhat comfortable position. She looked over at the packs strapped to the horse. "What's in these packs?" she asked. "Provisions?"
Sakura and Syaoran exchanged somewhat nervous glances before turning to Fay.
Fay hesitated slightly before answering. "My horse is carrying the provisions. I'm not sure what's in those packs. They're... his things."
"Oh..." Tomoyo did not say anything else. Her heartbeat wavered slightly, and her grip on his sword tightened. He had been sitting in this very saddle yesterday. Only yesterday! She thought she could still discern his familiar scent about the animal as she traced trembling fingertips along the edge of the harness. However, instead of causing her to burst into tears again as she had been expecting, she felt soothed at his unmistakable lingering presence. I can get through this, she told herself confidently. I have to be strong.
For Kurogane.
———————————————
Kurogane followed Firebolt's lead as they flew side by side, the sun having long since risen. He observed the minuscule adjustments her wing muscles made to prevent them from tiring too much from the strain of flying all night long, and he tried to mimic her. He didn't think he was getting the hang of it, but she assured him that it would come naturally to him the more often he flew. Kurogane wasn't exactly sure if he wanted to get so accustomed to flying. Unlike Firebolt, he was positive that he wasn't flying material.
"Relax," she advised him from her position a little way to his right, several feet above him. "Let the thermals guide you."
"The what?" he said blankly.
"The warm gusts of air pushing up beneath our wings," she explained. "By using the various air currents to our advantage, we don't tire ourselves out so easily when we fly long distances."
"And how do I use them?"
"Just relax and let your instincts guide you. It all comes naturally."
Easy for you to say, he thought indignantly. Nevertheless, he followed her advice. He ceased to flap his wings and held them still, gliding along in the air. And then, he felt it. A warm bubble of air rose up beneath him and he was lifted up effortlessly higher and higher into the air. "Now that was something," he said in surprise.
"Want to try a dive? It's amazing," Firebolt said, grinning eagerly.
Kurogane wasn't exactly sure that he wanted to try a dive so early in his flying career, but he didn't usually turn down a challenge. He pulled his dragonish lips back in a smirk. "Okay."
"Follow me." Firebolt bent her wings back and plummeted toward the ground with the air streaming past her.
Kurogane tucked his own wings back and followed after her. The ground was rushing up to meet him as he hurtled toward it, the air whooshing up past him as he continued to descend, all the time going faster and faster and faster. It was a terrifying experience, and yet, strangely exhilarating. He could feel his stomach tightening simultaneously with excitement and dread as the ground kept coming closer and closer. It was the most wonderful sensation ever!
A burst of fire shot out from Firebolt's mouth as she gave a dragon's cry of sheer pleasure, and just when Kurogane feared that she would soon meet the ground, she opened her wings slightly, and then she was heading upward again.
Kurogane spread his wings in a similar fashion, pulling up out of the dive, straining every muscle as he opened them and felt the shock of the wind resistance. Keeping them spread wide open, he tilted himself upward and felt the thermals lift him up effortlessly once more, and soon, both he and Firebolt were thousands of feet up in the air.
"That was wicked!" he exclaimed, giddy with excitement. "That was probably the scariest and coolest thing I've ever done!"
"You see?" Firebolt laughed. "Even someone as stuffy as you can have a great time flying!"
Kurogane hesitated slightly. Truth be told, he had enjoyed the breathtaking experience. The rush of excitement from the dive was having an intoxicating effect on him. He vaguely wondered how he had missed the pleasurable sensations of flying before.
"Don't worry, Blacksteel," she said cheerfully, misinterpreting his bemused expression. "I'll teach you everything there is to know about flying, and soon, you'll be an expert."
Kurogane frowned as he banked slightly to the left, following Firebolt's lead. The question was, did he want to learn everything there was about flying? Or everything there was about dragons, for the matter?
They must have been flying for another hour or so before Firebolt's wings shifted slightly. "This is where we start our descent," she called back to him over her shoulder. "We've finally reached the Valley."
They circled over the said valley, and for all of Firebolt's reassuring talk, Kurogane was unprepared for the number of creatures moving about below and around them in the sky. His heart pounded feverishly in his chest. Dragons! They were everywhere, and they were more than he could have ever imagined! Some of them lazed in the sun, preening themselves or swishing their tails sleepily. Others waded and splashed in the frost-tipped river below. Some of the younger ones were butting their heads together and romping around in the snow, similar in the way human boys would playfully fight together. There were numerous caves carved out into the mountains all around the valley, and, occasionally, a dragon would appear at the mouth of one and glide down on great wings to the valley floor.
A smaller dragon suddenly shot past them, a vivid metallic-looking blue color. "Hey, Firebolt!" he called her. "Watch this new move Starbreeze taught me!" He tucked his wings and plummeted down, spinning all the while around his axle like a miscalculated human spear thrown, or like a spinning arrowhead. As a smaller dragon in size, the feat was not lost upon them.
"Nice one, Lightningstreak!"
Lightningstreak? Kurogane thought dazedly. Yes, now that he looked at the smaller blue-colored dragon better, he recognized him as one of his old dragon friends. But didn't he still recognize him like Firebolt? Or was he simply pretending that he hadn't noticed him?
Lightningstreak flew up to greet them, his yellowish eyes glinting excitedly. "Starbreeze taught it to me yesterday afternoon," he informed Firebolt proudly, "and I've been waiting for you to get back from hunting to show you. What didja get, anyhow? I'm starving!"
Firebolt grew apprehensive. "I, uh... didn't exactly have time to hunt," she said hesitantly.
Lightningstreak looked at her disapprovingly. "You know how Moonbeam gets," he warned her in a low voice. "If we don't do our share for the community, the humans—"
"Lightningstreak," she hissed warningly, "we've got company, in case you haven't noticed!"
"Company?" he repeated blankly, looking around. His eyes then fell upon Kurogane. He drew back in alarm, flapping his wings more frequently than was necessary. "Er... Firebolt...?" he said slowly. "Is that who I think it is?"
"Who else would it be?! Honestly, Lightningstreak, you can't be that dense!"
Lightningstreak swallowed nervously. "Um..." he said slowly, looking at Kurogane timidly. "Could you just forget what I mentioned? I didn't mean any disrespect."
Kurogane couldn't help but let his jaw drop open. Honestly, this was the last reaction he had been expecting, especially from Lightningstreak. He looked positively terrified of him. "Er... Lightningstreak... are you sure you're not mistaken? I'm still the same person I was before."
Lightningstreak frowned in confusion. He looked to Firebolt for confirmation.
"Ryuujin hasn't told him about his task," she replied shortly. "He still doesn't know anything."
"He doesn't know... anything?" he repeated, aghast.
"Nothing whatsoever," Firebolt nodded.
Lightningstreak looked at Kurogane nervously. "Sorry," he apologized gruffly. "I just assumed..."
"There's no need to apologize," Kurogane assured him. He hesitated slightly. "We're still okay, aren't we?"
Lightningstreak did not reply for a moment. Then his face suddenly lit up. "You bet!" he grinned. "Welcome aboard, Blacksteel!"
Kurogane sighed silently in relief. He had been worried for a moment there that Lightningstreak would start treating him differently because of... his different appearance... and certainly because of some other reason he wasn't aware of yet. Kurogane didn't think that he would have been able to handle both human and dragon rejection.
The three of them soon landed smoothly (Kurogane admittedly not as smoothly as the other two) onto the crispy snow. Some of the other dragons, all unrecognizable to Kurogane, lifted their heads curiously, but he was unsure whether they knew who he was or simply chose not to acknowledge it.
Firebolt yawned hugely. "Man, I'm bushed," she said, stretching her forelegs before her, much in the way a cat would act when stretching. "Good thing they didn't realize who Blacksteel was," she muttered to Lightningstreak, but as dragon hearing was quite acute, Kurogane heard her voice, however low she tried to keep it. "The others won't be ready to accept him since he's ignorant about our plight."
Plight? Were the dragons in danger for some reason? Kurogane knew that there were humans who hunted them down, but they couldn't possibly be frightened of humans, could they? Or were they afraid of something else?
"We've gotta tell one of our superiors," Lightningstreak whispered back. "Who do you propose?"
"I'll tell Goldenridge and Silverthorn. They're the only ones who can do something about this."
"I hope so," he agreed. He looked at her, cocking his webbed ears worriedly. "But what about Moonbeam?"
"No!" Firebolt hissed. "No matter what, he mustn't find out before Goldenridge and Silverthorn!"
There was something about that name that made both Firebolt and Lightningstreak reek of fear, but whatever it was, Kurogane was at a loss to guess.
"Gotcha. I'll stay here with Blacksteel, then. You'd better hurry up and find them."
Firebolt nodded. "If any of the others approach you, make sure you're evasive about who he is. And under no circumstances are you to reveal to Moonbeam who he is!"
Lightningstreak nodded back. He clicked his tongue impatiently. "Hurry up, then, will ya?"
"All right, all right, don't have an egg about it," she huffed irritably.
"I won't," he assured her. "That's your department."
She looked at him in disgust. "Is that all you ever think about?" she demanded.
"Pretty much, yeah," he admitted, grinning hugely.
"Moron," she breathed, before turning her back on them and taking off, flying low over the valley.
"Spirited, isn't she?" Lightningstreak chuckled affectionately and turned to Kurogane with a speculative look.
Kurogane frowned. "Where'd Firebolt head off to?" he demanded.
"She's off to talk to Silverthorn and Goldenridge to see what becomes of you," he replied truthfully.
Kurogane was at least grateful that Lightningstreak was being honest with him.
"I'm sure they'll know what to do," he continued perkily, starting to head toward the river. "They're the wisest of us, after all. They've definitely had to deal with more difficult situations."
Although his words sounded confident, Kurogane could tell that he was more worried than he was prepared to admit. "Who's this Moonbeam you two kept talking about?" he asked him as they settled down against the frosty banks of the half-frozen river. "You both sounded as if he's pretty dangerous."
"Ah, well... maybe because he is dangerous?" he replied dryly. "He's pretty aggressive and quick to anger. He's got a foul temper."
"Sounds familiar," Kurogane muttered.
"Oh, no, he's nothing like you," Lightningstreak assured him. "You two're very different. Although you swear and curse and rage and shout at anyone who pisses you off, you'd never seriously hurt them without a reason. Moonbeam? He's, well... he's pretty violent. He acts without thinking things through first, and he's not afraid to spill blood to get a point across."
Despite Lightningstreak's words, Kurogane thought otherwise. Their characters sounded too similar for his liking. "So, what? Is he something like an unofficial bully?"
Lightningstreak hooted with laughter. "Now that's a novel observation to describe Moonbeam!"
"Just what exactly is this novel observation?" a deep voice suddenly said from behind them. "Don't be afraid, now, Lightningstreak. I'm dying to know."
Lightningstreak gaped at the newcomer in fear. He hastened to get to his feet. "Moonbeam!" he spluttered. "I, uh... well, imagine you here! I didn't expect you to get here for at least another hour or two!"
Kurogane could tell that Lightningstreak was trying to buy time for Firebolt, but he could sense the vindictive aura surrounding the dragon behind him, and he could tell that it was not a good sign for his frivolous friend.
"Quit blubbering and explain yourself." The voice came out in a dangerous hiss, dripping venom.
"Explain myself?" Lightningstreak chuckled. "Why, I don't recall ever saying anything that needed explaining."
There was a low snarl, a strange slashing noise, and a cry of pain.
Lightningstreak stumbled backward, whimpering, as he raised his left foreleg to his face to finger the deep gash running along the left side of his face. Large droplets of blood dripped from the wound, and they steamed when they made contact with the snow on the ground.
"I should've slit your throat for your cheek," Moonbeam spat in disgust. He towered above the smaller dragon, raising his claw for another strike. "Insolent adolescent! I'll show you how you're supposed to address your superiors!"
His claw came down for the strike, but it was blocked by another claw.
A much stronger and larger claw than Lightningstreak's.
"That's enough," Kurogane growled menacingly, his crimson eyes blazing. He pushed him away roughly and stood between them like a shield. "You've got some nerve picking on someone who's far younger and weaker than you."
Moonbeam drew back in outrage. "Who are you to tell me what I can or can't do?!"
Lightningstreak sped to Kurogane's side quickly and gripped at his foreleg with his claw. "Come on, don't pick a fight with him," he said nervously, trying to drag him away from the larger dragon. "Firebolt said he mustn't find out who—"
"Just what am I not supposed to find out?" Moonbeam demanded in a low and dangerous growl. He was quite a magnificent and fierce-looking dragon with large black wings. His scales were a deep purple, a lighter shade covering his soft underbelly, and he had a mane of black hair, quite unusual for a dragon, but not unheard of. His beetle-black eyes were cold and enraged, and his black claws were sharp and deadly-looking. "Who do you think you are to hide things from me?!"
By now, the other dragons had drawn around curiously to watch the commotion. Among them, Kurogane spotted two familiar faces, those of Thunderbell and Pewterstone, two of his oldest friends. He couldn't tell if they recognized him, however, it would be better in this case if they didn't. From what Firebolt and Lightningstreak had said, Moonbeam was indeed a dangerous dragon, all the more so because he was, without a doubt, completely mad.
"You're delusional," Kurogane snarled. "I've never seen such a wretched excuse for a dragon." He turned. "Come on," he murmured quietly to Lightningstreak. "Let's get the hell outta here before we cause a scene."
"I think it's too late for that," Lightningstreak whispered back. In another situation, his words would have sounded humorous.
"Why is it that you speak as if you are not one of us?" Moonbeam said slowly and carefully.
Kurogane winced. As mad as the dragon obviously was, he still had a sharp mind about him, and considering the fact that his pride had been wounded, he was obviously not going to let Kurogane leave quietly. "I'm not obliged to explain myself to the likes of you," Kurogane replied shortly, keeping his back to him.
"You speak as if you are the Dragon Lord."
Lightningstreak involuntarily gasped, and Kurogane froze in his tracks. He had only heard that title a few times, and he had been trying to push the possibility out of his mind when he had been puzzling out what the connection he shared with Ryuujin would make him. Most of the other dragons began to whisper among themselves excitedly, while others remained silent, including Pewterstone and Thunderbell.
"Interesting," Kurogane muttered, loud enough to be heard. "Tell me... do you always accuse other dragons of this when they don't obey your every whim?" For some reason, he was now feeling utterly and completely calm. Such a calm had taken him over when he had been facing the cutthroats in the dark and gloomy street of Sembia.
"Don't provoke him!" Lightningstreak pleaded as quietly as he could. "You don't know what he's capable of!"
"So I am correct," Moonbeam said smugly. "You are the Dragon Lord."
"How on earth did you reach that conclusion?" Kurogane commented lightly, flicking his ears in mock-astonishment. "And here I thought you were out of your mind."
"You are not answering my question," Moonbeam said, and this time he was not as successful as masking his impatience as before.
"I don't recall you asking one."
The dragons watching listened to their exchange with fascination. Some nodded in approval, while others frowned and shook their heads sadly. Others simply did not react at all.
"Clever," Moonbeam remarked, though it was obvious that he was not impressed. "Do you think I'll just let you walk away with a few clever words?"
"Of course you won't. You'll let me walk away only after I've finished telling you so." And with that, Kurogane made to leave.
"Blacksteel!" Lightningstreak exclaimed in horror.
Moonbeam had lunged at Kurogane's exposed back, his teeth bared and his claws extended. Kurogane whirled around to face the clumsy attack, his own dragonish lips pulled back to reveal his sharp fangs and his own claws ready for battle. They crashed into each other, their ferocious snarls and growls filling the still air.
Moonbeam tried to claw at him, but Kurogane held him at arm's length, forcing him away from him with all the strength he could muster. Kurogane wasn't exactly sure how to use his newfound form as a weapon, and cursed himself for his stupidity in getting involved in a fight. But he knew that if he did not have the will to fight, then he would not have the will to win, either.
Pushing Moonbeam back, he caused the dragon to stumble, ready to leap upon him and claw at his exposed underbelly where he knew was a dragon's weak spot, but Moonbeam was swift on his feet and whipped out at him with his long serpentine tail. Moonbeam's spiked tail succeeded in finding a mark; a deep gash now ran along Kurogane's left shoulder. Finding an opportunity in his opponent's momentary hesitation, Moonbeam parted his jaws and ejected a strange dark substance that splattered over Kurogane's chest.
"That was deliberate cheating!" one of the dragons exclaimed.
"In a one-on-one battle our Talent isn't allowed!" another agreed.
Kurogane screamed in pain as he felt his whole chest burning, as if on fire. But when he looked down at himself, he saw that it was not fire that had gotten him, but something akin to a toxic acid, as the fleshy scales over his chest began to sizzle and melt. Oh, how Kurogane hated it whenever someone thought he could sneak out of a battle by resorting to cowardly methods to dispose of him. It was obvious that Moonbeam did not simply want to humiliate him. He was determined to kill him!
Kurogane bared his fangs and screeched in fury as he lunged at Moonbeam, pulling back his claw to swipe at him. Moonbeam staggered and cried out in pain as three long gashes adorned his face. Snarling in fury, Moonbeam threw Kurogane down, falling over him in the process. He then stole the opportunity to jam his elbow into Kurogane's neck and apply pressure. Kurogane gasped and gagged, tearing at Moonbeam's scaly foreleg with his talons in hopes of release. But Moonbeam simply applied more pressure onto Kurogane's throat to avail his efforts of choking him to death.
No! Not again! Kurogane thought furiously, thrashing wildly beneath the heavier and more experienced dragon. He read his death in those soulless, pitiless black eyes, but he would not yield to it, not while he still had the strength to fight back. I'm not going to die like this!
I'm not going to die without seeing Tomoyo again...
Desperate to somehow strengthen the last of his resolve, his thoughts had involuntarily strayed to Tomoyo once more. Using up what little breath had remained in him, an instinctive burst of flame shot forth from his gaping jaws and enveloped Moonbeam's right side. Shrieking in pain, Moonbeam released him while Kurogane simultaneously lunged at him, a mindless frenzy taking over him as he opened his jaws wide and extended his claws. His fangs and talons sank deeply into soft, scaly flesh, and he felt a hot liquid spill into his mouth.
Moonbeam struggled weakly to escape from his grasp, but Kurogane simply tightened his claim on him, his talons and fangs sinking another few inches into the dying dragon's throat. Several tense moments passed in a heavy silence, but for Moonbeam's rapidly weakening struggles for salvation.
It seemed as if an eternity had passed until Kurogane finally released his hold on Moonbeam, the dragon's limp body falling to the ground. The mighty black dragon stood there, gasping for breath, as dark blood slowly dripped from his fangs and talons. His vertical pupils had dilated in the heat of the battle, but they slowly shrank back to normal, revealing the red of his eyes once more.
The red that was so similar to the red color of the blood staining his claws...
Wait a minute... He frowned momentarily in confusion. Is that... blood...? And then the stark reality of the unmistakable metallic taste in his mouth confirmed his fears. His heart began to beat wildly in his chest, pounding in his ears. What had just happened? What did he do? His frantic gaze traveled around him, and then, fell upon Moonbeam's lifeless body. Oh, no... it can't be... not again...
Kurogane flinched violently and shrank back from the bloody carcass. "What've I done?" he croaked, horrified, stumbling weakly from his shock and dismay. "What've I done?!" He drew great, rasping breaths, on the verge of hysterics. "I killed him... I killed him!"
Lightningstreak approached him slowly, but not as if he were afraid of him; on the contrary, his gaze portrayed his concern. "Blacksteel?" he whispered tentatively.
Kurogane's face twitched as he looked up at him. In contrast to Lightningstreak, his eyes were wide in terror. "I'm sorry..." he gasped. "I... I don't know what came over me... I didn't want it to end like this..."
"I know," he assured him. "But he attacked you. You had no choice in the matter." He paused. "He wouldn't have hesitated to kill you," he added quietly.
That was just Kurogane's problem. Ever since being freed from his curse, he had been forced to kill for survival. But who was he to decide who lived or who died? Who was he to resort to severing lives for the sake of his own? Who was he to continue living, when he killed others to achieve it? He wanted an answer, as much to explain himself as to understand his actions.
"A remarkable display. I would have expected no less from the son of Ryuujin."
Kurogane and Lightningstreak looked up at the sound of the new voice.
Firebolt and Silverthorn stood there, the younger fire dragon wearing a stunned-looking expression, whereas Silverthorn's expression was one of cool calculation. The two of them flanked a third dragon, the one who had spoken, and the most beautiful and awe-inspiring dragon Kurogane had clapped eyes on yet.
She was massive and regal-looking, her golden scales gleaming brightly in the sunlight. She had silvery spiraling horns on her head, and large elf-like ears, similar to his own in size and shape. She was around the same size as Silverthorn, and her massive silver bat-like wings were folded at her sides. If Kurogane were to describe her, he would say that she was Silverthorn's complete opposite. Where he was silver, she was golden, and where he was golden, she was silver. But instead of her eyes being ruby-red like his, they were a brilliant electric blue.
Lightningstreak hurriedly bowed his head to her in acknowledgement, and then to Silverthorn. The dragons that had gathered did likewise.
Kurogane simply looked down at his feet—claws, in this case—his talons and fangs still dripping blood. He did not know how to react in front of them. He considered it foolish to imitate the other dragons, as he still did not consider himself as one of them. And besides, he did not know how the dragons would react to the death of one of their own. Would they turn on him? He felt that at least some of the onlookers were sure to do so sooner or later.
"You appear to be troubled, Blacksteel," she observed in a deep and throaty voice. "Allow me to put your mind at ease. My name is Goldenridge. I am what my kind refers to as the Golden Dragon, and Silverthorn, whom you are already acquainted with, is likewise referred to as the Silver Dragon."
Kurogane did not reply as he continued to stare down at his claws.
"Do you not have anything to say?" she inquired quizzically.
What was there to say? That he had no idea why he turned into a dragon other than because his father was one? That he had killed one of their kind in self-defense, even if he had done it when he could have done otherwise? "I have nothing to say," he replied in a flat voice.
"Firebolt told us that you have no knowledge of your true heritage and of your task. Is this correct?"
Kurogane said nothing at first. "Yes," he finally admitted heavily.
Goldenridge nodded once. "Then we are obliged to inform you." She turned her back on him. "Follow us," she said as she started down the small hill.
"But what about—?" Kurogane began to protest, then stopped himself before finishing.
Goldenridge turned. "What about what?"
"The dragon..." Kurogane said faintly, shifting his gaze away from Moonbeam's still form.
"There is no need for you to concern yourself over him. I will explain," she added quickly at Kurogane's puzzled look, "but not here." She smiled softly and encouragingly. "I will explain everything you need to know."
Kurogane hesitated slightly. He felt as if he were reaching a crossroad in his life. He could choose either to follow Goldenridge in hopes of something better than his present misery, or to stay as he was, with no hope of ever going back or ever moving forward. A fleeting image of a laughing Tomoyo filled his mind. Would there ever be a chance he would see her again?
He squared his shoulders and took a step toward the dragon.
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To Be Continued
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A/N: Under no circumstances do I mean any disrespect by using certain aspects from Japanese mythology. I simply used the various myths and legends as a reference, but from then on I shaped and molded them in a way that would convey a relevant understanding to the era this fan fic is developing in. I apologize if I've offended anyone, but remember, this is all fiction. It's not meant to be taken seriously.
The term 'Talent' that one of the dragons mentioned (and something I plan to develop in the next chapter) is taken from somewhere else... In L.E. Modesitt Jr's Corean Chronicles, magic is referred to as 'Talent', because not many people can use magic. I thought it an appropriate term to refer to dragon magic with the same term instead of just calling it plain old magic. Sort of as a way to separate human magic from dragon magic, if you consider that a dragon breathing fire or acid or whatever is magical. So I didn't really copy, in the end. The word just sounded fancy to me. XD
You guys may think that I make Kurogane out of character... but I prefer to think of it as 'digging deeper'. By reading TRC, I've tried to uncover his psychology. He's obviously filled with tons of conflicting emotions, and he's certainly changed, at least partially, since his journey began. And unless you didn't notice it, I started playing with his killing-obsession from the start, when I made the others discover his unnatural thirst for blood. And then I tried—and still am trying—to develop on it, as he struggles to comprehend his own reasons for resorting to bloodshed. Yeah... I'm a philosopher at heart! And I make my heroes suffer! I am eviiiiiil! XP
Tell me if you like it or tell me if you hate it. Please review!