Chapter 32-Growing Turmoil

Dhran glanced over at Tamli's lifeless body as Makiar seemed to grow impatient. He suspected Finca was on her way back, but he couldn't verify that information until the white she-dragon entered the room and told of what she had experienced during her venture into the deserted ruins of a place that, from what he had heard, had left lasting scars on her. Despite the building having been the place where her mate had been slowly killed, the dragoness had nearly succumb to death by way of a dragon who was certain to make her life miserable.

Makiar snarled viciously and threw a glass container across the room in anger, breathing out a short stream of fire to add emphasis. He held back a chuckle, knowing what she might do if she discovered he was poking fun at her heated outrage over of lingering on the idea of Makiar's fury, Dhran turned his attention to Tamli, watching as the man's chest rose and fell shallowly. What had happened to him Airu was unaware of due to having been unconscious at the time but he suspected much from how the red she-dragon behaved as her eyes searched him frantically as if they were running out of time for something.

He braced a hand against the smooth metal behind him and lifted upward, forcing himself into a sitting position, only to be snarled at by Makiar as she begun to pace and send occasional objects hurtling through the air through telekinesis. She could care less for his safety, Airu realized as he narrowly avoided getting hit with a bottle of green liquid. Dhran caught the next item coming at him and clutched it tightly, shattering the fragile container and spilling its contents onto him.

"Makiar," he ordered, raising his voice to match the fury of her thoughts that reached his mind as she started to circle both tables, "stop!"

The change was immediate. She halted, gazing at him for a moment before lowering her head in shame. Dhran almost felt sorry for her, having to endure hundreds of different conversations daily while having only one real way to communicate with the humans she worked beside. He doubted she actually liked partnering with any of them and wondered if she might have ever been chosen as a human's partner during her years before being mentally shoved into Finca right after the white she-dragon's hatching.

Forgive me, Airu. Finca is furious and is straining herself to return while I have made no progress with communicating in any way to Tamli. I told her I would work on it while she was gone but I . . .

Dhran tuned the rest of her words out as he noticed a single finger on Tamli's left hand rise millimeters off the table and hang there for a second before falling back to the slab on which he wondered briefly if it was a signal that meant Finca was on her way back but he doubted it was true. If Makiar had been correct with what she had said then she couldn't locate the thoughts of the amnesiac former rider anyway so why would it be taken as a sign.

The wind screamed around her as Finca dropped into a speedy dive, nearly throwing Raoul off her back as her wings pressed tightly against her side. She had heard him! Tamli had reached out to her mind and brushed his thoughts against hers, yet how? He was still unconscious last she checked with Makiar so . . .

I swear you're trying to kill us! Raoul shrieked, breaking her concentration to the point where she did a barrel roll and almost flung the son of her mate from her frame.

Once she had recovered and made sure he was fine, which he insisted he wasn't, a low growl rippled from her jaws. Enjoy the flight, whelpling, or so help me I will throw you off and go myself to check on Tamli, understood?

The threat itself was enough to quiet Raoul and, for that, Finca was thankful. He irritated her far worse than his father ever had, but then again Tamli had never had to deal with the pressure that sought to consume her. Layers of stress were crushing her, making it harder each day to achieve what she needed. She briefly wondered if his return had started the downfall of her strong spirit. It made sense, given that Verdra had just been attacked at that moment in time and considering how the first two daughters she had by him had met their end all too soon.

I'm sorry, Raoul, she whispered softly, straining her muscular frame to free the cloud she had just drifted into. The amount of stress that has been placed on me is . . . too great to overcome.

So you need Father to help you, right? The child inquired.

Despite the situation she found herself in, Finca snorted in amusement. Certainly, little one, if he was at his best. Unfortunately . . .

Raoul stroked her shoulder calmly, trying his best to soothe her fears. If only he knew, Finca mused as the touch did cool down her heated thoughts slightly. A tremor ran down her spine, bring with it an tendril of thought that maybe Makiar had indeed found a way to seek out Tamli and bring him back to were he belonged: by her side.

Finca roared, snapping her wings out to their full length. Hold on, she shrilled as the wind whipped past her, helping to carry them farther than just by her own strength.

She faintly heard Raoul scream before she narrowed her eyes and folded her wings, dropping into a quick dive that sent wind gusts blasting behind her, some threatening to tear him off of her. Her mind focused solely on Tamli, shutting out anything else as the desire to rejoin him took control over her actions. A part of her reasoned that his son could be hurt but the tendril of worry was soon forgotten as Finca forced her wings open and leaned back, letting the drafts from above slow her down gently. If one person was hurt from this then what would it matter? One life in exchange for the return of her mate, a fitting decision.

The pull of her element called to her and she answered it, allowing the greyish vapor to mask her scales and make her nearly invisible. Again Raoul tried to get her attention but she ignored it, snarling deeply in rage. He knew not her desire to see Tamli, he would never understand the urge that gripped her and made her act as she did. It was her instincts that caused her actions, or at least she made herself think it was the reason behind her rash behavior.

I'm coming to you, love, she growled softly as air rocketed past her frame as she pushed herself to the edge of her strength and endurance to return to her mate as soon as she possibly could within the limitations of her body.

Sitedal? Verdra snorted, coming up beside him and nuzzling him before licking his cheek.What bothers you?

The lanky black dragon turned from where he had been under a tree and returned her show of affection with his own, trying to not show the fear that plagued his mind. Although they had gotten Ryta to watch the remaining eggs and Seraphina for them while they ventured outside to enjoy some quiet time as a pair, he was deeply distraught. Sitedal drew his head back to gaze at his mate, his purple eyes masked by layers of pain and sorrow from the years of serving Arxa and the power of Corruption.

I worry for the remaining little ones, love. Who they will choose as their Riders for there are few humans left who have not been selected by a dragon as their partner. He looked away, curling his tail around his left hind leg. My heart also aches for Narssia, if she can be returned I doubt she will be in the same condition she was seven years ago before all the madness begun.

I understand, Verdra nodded in sympathy as he returned his gaze to her. I also fear for Mother as it seems she has a lot of stress on her right now with Father's condition and her worries over the egg she gave to Rados. We should . . .

Sitedal snorted, nuzzling her under her maw. Should what?

She backed up, refusing to speak even as he pressed her more on the subject. Finally he stopped questioning Verdra and lapsed into silence, only then did she close her eyes and lower her head. The male snorted and quietly approached, resting his snout against hers.

I'm here, he whispered softly, closing his eyes as he breathed in her scent as it invaded his nostrils because of their closeness.

Slowly Verdra reopened her eyes and flinched upon realizing that Sitedal had come to rest his snout next to hers, symbolizing how far he would go to be with her. The gesture was nice but she drew back from it and walked away, coming to a stop under another tree not too far away. Sitedal immediately realized she wasn't next to him and opened his eyes, looking around frantically he saw that she had moved to sit under a tree. He went to join her, laying down behind her as she sat with her back to him.

I didn't come to make you move away again, Sitedal commented, but just to let you know that I am here for you, love, when you need me.

Verdra barely opened her eyes upon hearing him speak, yet the words struck a chord with her heart. She was treating him worse than she had intended, but he wouldn't be able to accept what was nagging at her soul. Finca had been brave to promise her that she would keep the eggs from Tamli until later, yet the knowledge she had gained from the depths of Dhran's mind after her mother had departed gave way to disappointment and despair toward both her father and Sitedal. How could she face him with this knowledge?

Sitedal, tell me the truth on this, please. Did Arxa have Jormundur go through time to attack my mother? What was so important that he make her lose the egg with me in it? Tell me! What was she trying to cover up? Verdra had started soft but by the end she was screeching in anger, threatening to roar in madness. Her abandonment had been fore planned, or at least Dhran thought so.

Sitedal hesitated before he growled softly, lifting his eyes to the hollow spot between her shoulder blades. She feared you were the chosen one, the one the Atlantean prophesy spoke of that would end an era of darkness. Arxa was certain the hatchling would come from the great line of Nor'ac, seeing as how the other crisis-savers have been a part of the legacy of the original white dragon. He paused. Jormundur was supposed to capture your egg and bring it back, thus leaving the choice to her whether you would live or not. If you had been captured then you would have been forced to obey the darkness of Corruption, becoming a slave to its magic like Jormundur, mother, and I are.

You're not a slave, she corrected, turning her head faintly to the side to better see him. What your brother lacks in will, you make up for in the loyalty you display towards Seraphina and me, and also to our eggs.

He sighed, resting his head on his forepaws. That's not true. I nearly killed you the night Seraphina chose Airu as her partner-of-mind. Had her frightened gaze not awoke my own fears of losing my mother to the darkness, I would have ended your life as easily as Arxa killed Raxmon many moons ago.

Verdra glanced behind her, watching as Sitedal snorted and closed his eyes as if he believed the discussion was over. She pitied him, not only for having to endure as much as he had since been conceived, but for the sheer amount of weight that must be on his shoulders with the disappearance of his brother and mother into thin air. Silently, she figured it was the same ability Jormundur had used to attack her mother even as he was barely hatched by the time of the assault. The craftiness of the grey dragon had almost caused her death also, so to say he had a skill powerful enough to go through time wasn't pure speculation.

Sitedal? Verdra snorted, sensing a peculiar feeling radiating throughout her body. Do you feel that?

If you mean the odd sensation of newness in the realm of living, then yes I also am experiencing it. Could it be that one of our eggs has begun to hatch? You told me of the feeling you got when Seraphina hatched, it does seem similar to what you mentioned.

She growled softly. I agree, it does resemble what Seraphina's hatching was like to me.

Why did I not feel her entry into the world? I was returning to you, yet the sensation I was not aware of. He paused. Any ideas, love?

Perhaps your emotions clouded your thoughts, thus preventing the newness of life from reaching you and signaling you that coming to my side was a must.

Sitedal thought over the words for a moment, taking in the meaning of each before giving a low growl of agreement. Verdra was right, he had been irritable when he had come to find her after Makiar's words of concern had turned his thoughts to how he could better hide his element from his mate. He prided Seraphina for drawing him out of his fury, a rage so deep he could have killed them both and not realized what had been done until it was completely over and he was left with blood on his claws.

We should hurry to greet our new little ones, should we not? Verdra growled as she stood, turned to face him as he sat up, and lowered her snout to nuzzle against his.

Indeed. I do not plan to miss their hatching as I did with Seraphina's. Come then. Sitedal let their contact hold for a moment longer before standing as well and leading her back toward the dark underground tunnels that held the only dragons who would dare oppose the power of Corruption and Arxa's might willingly.

As two of the clutch of Sitedal and Verdra's hatched, a cloaked man slipped in under Ryta's watch and went to examine the eggs. Clutching at the soft white material that shrouded his body from being seen with a scarred hand, the robed figure knelt down and ran his other hand over one of the eggshells, marveling at how the deed that was about to be done would disrupt the lives of two dragons who wanted nothing to do with the war around them. He pitied this self-centered mind-set but ignored his current thoughts as he reached into his cloak and brought out a small dagger with a jeweled pommel.

The initial crack on one of the eggs was the signal the man needed. He threw the dagger with perfect accuracy and watched as the metal went through the tiny opening in the egg and slaughtered the hatchling immediately. With one dead, the figure turned his attention to the one before him as it started to quiver, an early sign of the hatching to come. From where the dagger was, still imbedded in the brain of the youngling its deadly metal had killed, its owner called it back to his hand. Blood stained the floor as the weapon obeyed the call and jerked back the way it had come, only to be sent to destroy the whelpling before the man as he personally plunged the steel in the egg to slaughter the second dragonet.

As the man was about to kill the third, he heard the sound of approaching beings whose footfalls sounded like dragons with the steady click of each paw on the ground. The egg rocked, shell quivering as he stood and dropped the weapon, lowering the hood of his cloak as he felt warm air swirl into the room from just outside of it. It seemed the dragons had come early, well it made no difference to him but he would have liked to slaughter all three new dragonets as to make a point. His ruffled black hair was smoothed back with a bloodied hand as the figure turned his red eyes to the entrance of the chamber.

Welcome Sitedal and Verdra, I hope I was not being intrusive, he commented mentally as he stood back up and stepped into the shadows of the room, hoping to leave as soon as the two entered and discovered the gift he had left for them.

Tamli, this is surprising. Why did you visit us? Was the pull of new life strong within you as well? Sitedal remarked, mistaking the great rider for the clone of the same man that had just tried to slaughter the remainder of his family.

I visited for no particular reason, really. The hatching sense did not even affect me, seeming as it only calls out to those that readily answer its pull and open their minds to the odd feeling, Dragonsbane lied as he took the time to pull up his hood once more and leave the room, pausing to glance at the two dragons his actions had ultimately affected.

He was careful though as to not let them see his eyes or even his hair, only letting them see his form and hear his voice. It was similar enough to the man he had been copied from so Tamli would take the blame for actions that his clone had caused. The plan was genius, he had to give his late creator that much credit. Ruining Tamli's life would only make it easier for him to plant seeds of destruction into the amnesiac's mind so that he could take over where the original had once been, at the peak of power, while the memory-forsaken man was left to die under the burden of deaths that could be traced only back to him.

Leaving the two dragons to discover what awaited them, Dragonsbane slipped off into Finca's personal chamber, searching for the one object that would only add to the charges against the original who he sought to destroy one death at a time. With some searching, he found the broken sword where it lay in the center of the room, metal still gleaming brightly. He smirked and went over to it, placing a hand on each piece of the sword. As he poured his power into the weapon, he was also reconstructing what Finca had torn apart many years ago after Tamli's bodily death. With a flash of white light, the blade was made complete again and Dragonsbane picked it up and channeled his strength into the topaz jewel that adorned the pommel of the famous sword of the original who he was copied from.

Deciding the blade was indeed back in one piece, Dragonsbane used a combination of his powers to make an identical copy of the weapon, changing only the color of the pommel and replacing the topaz stone with a ruby, thus giving him a black-pommeled ruby-jewel adorned sword to fight against the blessed blade of Tamli. The time would eventually come when the two blades would meet for their first and final encounter. An event that would, ultimately, determine the fate of the remaining dragons as to whether they would lose the only home they knew for years or whether they would be allowed to continue to exist out of sight of the general human population.

A gesture of his hand as he left sparked a quickly growing fire where the sword lay, a message to both the dragoness and to Tamli that their troubles were far from over. Dragonsbane had lied when he told Tamli that he would fight against the power of Corruption when the time came. He was aiding its magic instead, having been promised the respect he no doubt needed after this horrible crime he had just caused.

He trailed a hand over the delicately carved walls as he left the underground tunnels, sparking greater fires and yet, at the same time, he whispered softly three words into the chilled pre-dawn air: "You may return."

A sense of calm descended over him as he felt Tamli's presence quickly return to its shell. The vial was a clever idea, useful for both healing wounds and for causing the original of a cloned person to vanish from the minds of others until the one who had given the medicine had deemed it long enough and brought the spirit back into being. Dragonsbane suspected that Amia had created the liquid for that purpose, intending the clones to use it to give them enough time to switch out bodies, thus letting one of their own take over the life Tamli had once held.