Chapter 47-Ghosts of Time
Ladetis and Attor landed on the brittle cliff-facing of one of the mountains bordering Tel-var's southern portion, the old dragon still not yet winded from the flight they had taken to get to the peak. The dragonet had to give the old one some credit for being able to travel so far and not be anymore tired than he seemed to be, trembling only faintly. Clawing past stray rocks, the white rider-less beast led the young fledgling up further along the narrow strip of stone they had stopped upon. Ladetis kept up well, finding it a challenge to steady his footsteps as the path grew shaky under their combined weight, several large chunks of rock breaking away and clattering down the entire length of the mountain.
Dodging one particular loose section, Ladetis glanced up to see a smaller path above them, its width barely half of their current trail. Fanning his wings out, he snarled softly and gave them a few flaps, only to have Attor halt and twitch the end of his tail, the tip wider than it should have been and marked with numerous scars and bite marks. Ladetis ignored the older dragon, taking a step forward and then leaping off the cliff, wings already beating frantically as soon as his foreclaws left the ground.
I wouldn't advise going the narrow path, young Ladetis, Attor hummed as Ladetis hovered in mid-air, turning around to see both sections before him. Many a fine hatchling have lost their lives on the breakable stone, thinking they could simply fly if it got too risky. Come back and join me on the safer ground.
Snorting his disinterest in the older dragon's words, Ladetis inched closer to the narrow trail. I make my own decisions, he retorted with a growl as his claws quickly found purchase on the loose rocks.
Be that may, you still are not seeing what I have wanted you to all afternoon. Why do you think I pulled you away from your rider with the promise of rest to instead make this journey possible? Ladetis cocked his head, digging his talons into the ground under him as his hind legs were more secure than his forelimbs.
Attor snorted, continuing, I called you out with me to show you not only the beauty of this place but also teach you about the true nature of balance in the life and mind of a dragon, one such individual I knew quite well long before you existed. He paused for a moment, glancing up at the fledgling as Ladetis stayed anchored as well as possible to the unstable stone and shale mixture that covered much of the mountains' higher elevation.
The dragon's name was Jhira, a well-honored sound dragon who never took a human rider, or so I was told. He spent much of his life hidden in the dense forests that surrounded most of the old royalty, of which Tamli Dragonsbane and my own rider, Nethial, became a part of. Arguably, Nethial was only part of it due to her father's status as being the high advisor of the king, while Tamli was adopted by the Nekita family, nobles in their own right. But anyway, Jhira never knew the good that came out of a helpful mind-link with a human, he supposedly witnessed one of his own kind ripping apart a young two-legged during his youth and the event turned his heart bitter towards even the thought of being paired with a weakling.
Couldn't he have been raised around others who had taken partners? Ladetis asked, curious now as to finding out more about the life of a dragon he had never met.
Attor growled softly. I suppose so, but he never wanted to and we never made much effort to seek him out. He was different from most of our kind, having smaller wings and frills around the back of his head, similar more to the water-serpents of ages long past than any resemblance to our modern-day scale-fliers. Yet his own race had nearly been lost when the Great Flood of the Old Realm had occurred . . . I believe Nethial told you much on that, correct?
Ladetis nodded, prompting Attor to continue. Good, good, it makes this next part easier then. As a sound dragon, he was able to influence the very air around him to become what he wanted. If, when startled, he was angry, the wind itself would howl in fury, thus giving him the nickname of the Siren Seer. It is quite possible that sound dragons could once see into the future, making them oracles as well, but most believe such is a lie, a mis-truth spread only to make the vibration-beasts more majestic in legacy.
What happened to make him turn darker? You mentioned a balance but I don't see it, Ladetis snorted, straining to keep his current hold on the rocks under his powerful taloned feet.
Ah yes, that. It came as the darkness of Corruption invaded our earthly paradise once the son of the king who had long-ago forged the treaty with us passed down the kingdom into what he thought was capable hands. How wrong he was to trust his own judgement for we dragons knew the peace we had lived in for nearly a hundred years would never last. Once the shadows descended over the land, many of our race took flight and abandoned the only home we knew, leaving those of us who remained to fight against an enemy we could not counter with claw nor flame. Weeks before the Battle of Corruption was waged, Jhira came to us, revealing important information but at the cost of nearly every sane dragon in our sacred halls.
The dragon paused for another minute, taking a deep breath. He had been infected with the same madness that consumed much of our once peaceful land. Claiming we were all fools for not embracing the freedom the evil had opened to our island home, he tried to brutally murder our most high dragon of light, the legendary Guardian Mirage. Enraged by the failed attempt at a near perfect kill, we rose to action, pledging our forces to help save the city. I, meanwhile, took it as a personal mission to find Jhira and make him pay for what he had done with him secretly killing off a few dragonets every now and then. Young and quickly angered, I took to the skies above our deteriorating society and, although Nethial had not ventured with me out in the open since the start of the decline, I flew to her and asked for her help. She had prevented much of the darkness from reaching her son, Raoul, and agreed to help me if I would keep him safe. Thinking quickly, I took him to our great Guardian chamber and let those there watch over him, deciding to act on pure instinct.
Well, did you find him? The dragonet growled impatiently as Attor shook his head.
Yes, and I regretted it. He turned her against me, spreading lies in her head that I figured must have already been growing. I did manage to rid him from the world, but not without a token of my reckless behavior. I assume you've seen my tail, how it is much shorter than it should be. Nethial caused that and then took what was left of my connection with her and shattered it when she died days later.
Releasing a choking sob that sounded closer to a snarl, he whispered in conclusion, A dragon's heart is never pure, young one. Taint it once with darkness and it soon learns to thrive in the shadows. You may be fine, you are young, but for Nethial I worry the most. Cambre may have fixed her mind and rebuilt her body, but there is still the subject of her heart and how she views those that left her following her death on the field of battle.
Ladetis snorted, sliding down the cliff facing slightly. You mentioned getting a personal revenge against Jhira. I assume from what you said that he must have killed a hatchling close to you . . .
My young sister, brought into the world as a wild dragon. He slaughtered her mercilessly as I watched in horror . . . only making my vengeance much more satisfying.
A soft growl rippled from his jaws as Ladetis nodded in agreement. He had wanted, once, to kill his own master for the deaths of his siblings by the short sword of the cloned hybrid. Having realized it was wrong, he now regretted his earlier thoughts and instead saw the pain Attor had gone through. Not only had the old-one been ripped from his rider, but also witnessed the death of his own sibling, a feeling Ladetis was all too familiar with.
Sliding down another half-inch, he glanced up at the sky to see the first stars come out over the darkening heavens. Attor snorted, glancing over at him as Ladetis gave his wings a flap and prepared to shove off from the unstable rocks under him. Lifting one foreleg away, the dragonet felt the tremble of loose debris break off and fall away, leaving a gaping hole where his talons had once pierced the stone.
I told you to be careful, Attor growled, smirking as Ladetis shoved himself away from the crumbling mountain-side.
Growling softly under his breath, the hatchling balanced himself on a steady air stream and glared down at the older scale-flier. This whole place is unstable, he hissed venomously, much to Attor's delight.
It reflects your soul, young Ladetis.
Ladetis floated back slightly, eyes narrowing. No. That's a lie!
Is it? Attor questioned, fanning out his massive wings and taking flight, coming up to a stop right in front of the poison-welder. Look closer at the fading beauty of the stone-side, dark one. Stare into its depths . . . and you will see what I have said to be true.
I refuse to believe it, Ladetis snarled, his attention shifting between Attor and the mountain, its majesty being lost quicker than the time it had taken for it to build up its mighty structure.
Very well, say what you will. I just hope you figure out what I meant before you turn on your own rider. With a sigh, Attor turned to fly off, hesitating long enough to see how Ladetis would react.
A low growl filled the silence between them before Ladetis hissed, eyes narrowing to tiny slits as he felt the acid of his element start to rise from within him. I would never do that to him, he spat, releasing a slight spray of venom accidently.
Attor snorted in amusement. You fail to see my point then. Losing control over your emotions is losing control over your element. For most dragons, this is not true, but because yours is a gift that directly ties into your body, the chance is far greater for something to happen and then spiral out of control.
Why tell me this? Ladetis growled as he struggled to calm himself back down and prevent a fight from brewing that he would most certainly be unable to win. I could have already attacked you with acid, yet you knew I wouldn't. Why trust me?
The former bonded dragon looked away for a moment, orange eyes softening as compassion flowed up from the depths of its soul. Because for every evil one in the world, there is one to right the wrongs done. It has been this way for many a moon; such is the balance of life as we know it. Attor's gaze returned to the hatchling. I trusted you for the same reason Nethial trusted you, something neither you nor your rider has figured out.
Ladetis snorted softly, appalled at how cryptic Attor had become in his answers. The words meant little to him, the understanding even less as he gave his wings a gentle flap to stay where he was in the air. He would never turn on Tanui, the man had been prevented from causing his own death after all.
Well, tell me then, he snarled.
I would, but there is a problem. Attor glanced around for a moment, finally growling deep in his throat. There is a cave network on the northern end of the island. Meet me there at first dawn and I will gladly speak.
Fine. Ladetis flared his wings, gliding away from the old dragon and deciding to head back to see his master and Nethial.
By the faintest shafts of light gleaming out from over the water, Ladetis took to the air and made his way to the cave system Attor had mentioned the day before. He had experienced a troubled sleep during the night, plagued by the dragon's words that seemed to linger in his mind. Ultimately, he had not rejoined with Tanui and Nethial, realizing once he touched his master's mind what they were doing and wanting no part of it.
Letting the warming updrafts soothe his uncertain mind, he settled into a steady rhythm, determined to keep from lingering on the very subject that had limited his rest throughout the pitch-black nightfall. Finally spotting the outer edge of the low-lying cliff range that signaled the cavern underneath, Ladetis dropped into a smooth dive and landed a few seconds later on finely powered dirt, letting his legs take the force of the impact.
I see you came, Attor chuckled, leaping down from a cliff near where he had landed, the sudden appearance of the dragon startling Ladetis who snarled softly at the aged scale-flier. This way, young dragon.
Attor led him into a large well-worn cave, taking care not to go too fast since Ladetis was unfamiliar with the area around him. Keeping close behind the old one, the white dragonet had time to glance around his surroundings, seeing little besides sandstone rock as they moved deeper from the surface. Gradually the path sloped downward, making Attor bend his neck slightly to compensate for the lower ceiling, where Ladetis did not have such a problem due to his smaller size.
Smooth rock under their claws quickly turned to magma-hardened flat stretches that suggested to Ladetis that they were going far deeper underground then he had imagined. Passing by a column of charred rock, he noticed the blackened stone and suppressed a shutter, preventing himself from thinking that this place could be the death of him.
Ah, here we are, Attor growled as he paused for a second before leading Ladetis into a large room, ghostly lit by its own source of heat.
The magma-flow here was not broken, allowing large sections of the internal fire of the planet to burn bright and give the chamber heat and light. Pieces of the magma walkway they had used for much of the latter trip seemed to collect together in the center of the room, letting the outer edges glow with the lava churning around them.
Making his way to the center of the chamber, Ladetis glanced around, amazed that such a place could exist on an island nearly void of life itself. He had met only two dragons since coming, something he thought couldn't be right since he suspected there had to be a few colonies of their kind if the dragon population wanted to remain as large as it was.
This place is beautiful, he remarked as he glanced back to see Attor lingering in the entrance to the lava-filled room.
Indeed it is, Attor commented with a soft growl, lifting a forepaw towards him. Move to the center of the magma-hardened stone, if you would.
Ladetis shifted his position, curling the tip of his tail around his left hind taloned leg, waiting to see what he would be asked to do next. A deep hum seemed to come into the area as he noticed a soft green light begin to pulse throughout the interior of the chamber, where he stood and where Attor lingered the focal points of the flickering illumination. Panic briefly stirred within him but he decided to see what the former rider's dragon would do before he chose to act on the instincts that were driving him to be cautious and ready to flee at a moment's notice.
I told you I'd talk, and I will. First, though, I have an offer you might like to take. Attor growled deep in his throat, his eyes narrowing to tiny slits as the pulsation grew stronger and more rapid. I can show you your future, if you'd like.
Ladetis snorted, tapping the ground with his tail as he tried to figure out how to respond. The idea pleased him since oracle dragons had been rare since the time of the first Guardians and their gifts had been revered and highly praised. It seemed like a perfect situation but then again his instincts warned him of danger, prompting a quiet shake of his head as he sorted out his feelings over whether to take advantage or not of the opportunity being presented to him.
Before he could announce that he would like to see what he might one day become, Ladetis hissed and took a step back as a spasm of pain ran through his mind. He snarled, narrowing his eyes as Attor stood calmly, watching him as the agony tore through him and he fought to keep his suffering from showing in front of the old dragon. Within a few seconds, the aguish died away, only to return stronger as it forced him to the ground and held him there as his growl darkened and he could feel the trail of acid burning up his throat.
What are you doing to me? He snarled, glaring at the calmly collected scale-flier standing before him.
Showing you the future.
Suddenly the pulsation stopped, fading away as a thick, heavy grey smoke filled the air, letting Attor slip out of view as Ladetis fought to keep himself focused on why he had come with the old dragon. Reluctantly rising from the ground, he glanced around to find that the wispy vapor lingered throughout the entire room, its thickness reminding him of the cool nightfall that filled his normal sleeping hours. He suppressed a growl at the sight of the endless greyness, wondering if his future was bleaker than he had expected it might be.
You could have saved him!
A screech tore through his mind, sending him reeling as the voice sounded oddly familiar, as if he had known it before his hatching. It couldn't be that he had let his master die, could it? No, he wouldn't have done that, he would have fought for Tanui.
This path was never yours to take, my son.
The voice was that of his father, he knew, but the painful realization of the words made him unsettled. Could it be that he was headed down a darker path? If that was the case then it would make sense that he would abandon Tanui in favor of the shadows. His master might be a clone of Tamli Dragonsbane but the memories and experiences of the original remained imbedded within each man's mind, something that he knew plagued the copied hybrid with worry.
You killed the one I loved! Monster . . . dark-spawn! You shouldn't be allowed to live.
Another familiar voice, almost sounding like Nethial but yet also different. Ladetis growled, shaking his head as he closed his eyes, fearing what he might hear next. He would kill others, lose his own rider, and follow down a darker path. Was that all the future held for him or was there more? He was scared to find out but he had to know, he had to change his fate.
You might want to open your eyes to see what comes next, young poison-welder, Attor hissed darkly in his mind, forcing him to again see the blank expanse around him.
Unable to close his eyes, Ladetis had no say in whether he wanted to see or not, suspecting the old one had worked its way into his mind and made him look and see what was to happen. From out of the mist, he saw the forms of two dragons, each horribly deformed in one way or another. The first was stripped of its wings, the second missing much of its tail and part of one horn. He silently knew that he was the cause of their injuries, yet seeing the outline of the beasts made him worried to see who the scale-fliers were.
Slowly the two made their way toward him and he took a step back in surprise as he glanced to his sides to see other outlines of dragons following their lead and making their way toward him. Holding back a snarl, he flared his wings, rising up onto his hind legs as the figures drew closer, slowly one by one making their identities known. The initial ones he had seen revealed themselves first, showing that they were his mother and his father, their wounds bleeding and their gaze angrily locked onto him. From the fog he saw other dragons that he knew, or at least had heard of prior to his bondage to Tanui. A shy brown female nursing a shattered forelimb . . . A proud, regal, red male gazing at him with a single blackened iris . . . Two separate groups of younglings nestled together, their eyes wide with terror and fear.
Crouching to the ground as the wounded dragons he would one day hurt drew ever closer to him, Ladetis snarled, twisting his head away in shame as he squeezed his eyes shut. No more, please. Isn't this enough?
Instead of a reply, he heard a bone-chilling growl echo from behind him, prompting him to turn his head to see if it was Attor. From within the mist, a large pure white dragon had arisen, the other ones apparently having vanished in the seconds Ladetis had closed his eyes for its murky yellow irises stared down at him with bloodlust and rage. Lifting its wings, the vapor beast snarled softly, showing off the pulsing blood red veins that adorned the inside of each leathery appendage. The poison-welding hatchling trembled, noticing that the new creature had blackened claws and possessed a single pitch-dark horn on each shoulder blade. Its spines were far larger than his, the tips stained with a faint green tinge that reminded him of his own element.
I don't want to see anything else! He hissed, forcing himself to his feet as the fog flickered uncertainly for a moment. Leave me be. Return me to where I was!
Oh, but we never left, Attor growled as the grey expanse slowly faded away into nothing, revealing to Ladetis that he was right where he had been before: in the middle of the lava-cooled stone walkway in the center of a magma-lit chamber in the underground of Tel-var with Nethial's demented former dragon to keep him company.
Ladetis quivered, unsure of the things he had seen with his own eyes. He was to become a monster, slaughtering and injuring many fellow dragons just for what? His gaze flickered to Attor and he snarled softly upon seeing the old white one start to move towards him.
Stay back, he snapped, retreating back a step as he desperately looked around for a way out that didn't involve either going past Attor or going into the lava. You showed me enough!
Did I? I believe you saw only what you wanted to, not all of what I showed you. Perhaps we should examine the future again?
No! I won't go through that again, Ladetis snarled, crouching down as Attor came to a stop right before him, the dragon's irises clouded by a faint layer of blue.
We shall see. I sense much conflict in you, youngling. You accept what you saw yet your concern for your rider is touching. Such emotions I never felt, not once in my life.
Snorting in confusion, Ladetis twitched the end of his tail as he thought over what he had just heard. Attor had been bonded to Nethial, had known the threat of losing her and had come through it. If that was the case then he wasn't talking to just Attor any longer . . .
Who are you? I know Attor had a rider, she's alive now and with me and my partner-of-mind. Since I understand that, you are obviously not him, so talk.
A deep growl rose from Attor's throat, the sound more menacing than Ladetis had expected. It seemed he was correct in realizing this was not the dragon that had taken them in and made it so Nethial could be whole again. He almost wished his master had come with him, but then again revealing the information he had seen would not be easy.
Perceptive young dragon, aren't you? You're correct though in guessing you aren't talking to that weak-minded fool anymore. His initial weakness made it easy to enter into his mind, giving me time to build my strength as he recovered from the blow of losing Nethial . . .
I understand that but who are you?
The dragon who had taken over Attor snorted in amusement, his eyes a darker blue as the coloration changed slowly from the neutral orange to a crisper aqua. Retreating a step, Ladetis felt the heat behind him warm his scales considerably and he realized he was perhaps closer to the edge than he had expected to be.
I am the one you learned about yesterday on the mountain. The Siren Seer, or so they call me. He snorted, raising his tail proudly as he took another step towards Ladetis, resulting in a low snarl from the white dragonet. Now, now, there's no need for such violence. I want to help you, and the broken one you came with . . .
You mean you want to kill her, Ladetis growled, eyes narrowing to tiny slits. Attor told me both him and his rider stopped you. With you taking over him, she's still out there and out of your grasp. He forced himself to relax slightly, brushing the end of his tail against the magma flow and wincing as his scaled appendage met living fire. So why not flee here and go find her? It seems odd that you would be busy trying to waste your time on me when one of the very creatures that killed you is still at-large.
Jhira snapped at him, barely missing by inches as Ladetis flicked the burning end of his tail towards the possessed dragon. Specks of lava whipped off his tail, singing the older dragon in the eyes as the white hatchling took the advantage and flared his wings, hoping the ceiling of the room was tall enough to allow him to bypass the distracted scale-flier and escape. Plunging himself into the air by the force of his wings, he listened intently as the aged beast snarled and screeched in aguish, the heated material-of-the-earth burning away its ability to see.
Swept upwards by a draft he had not expected, Ladetis discovered that there was little in the means of a ceiling to the room. It stretched high above, giving him plenty of room to wheel about and dive down to the room's opening, hoping the magma would deter Jhira just long enough to let him get a head start. The tips of his claws touched the cooled lava stone that signaled where one could walk and the hatchling immediately turned around, sensing the discomfort of the white one vanishing.
Creative attempt to distract me, hatchling. In fact, I have never seen one try that before. You must be very brave or completely mad either way to even try such a thing against me, Jhira remarked as he turned to face Ladetis, the faint layer of pride heard in his tone quickly overshadowed by the darker aspects that the dragonet had come to know as the voice of the disillusioned oracle scale-flier.
You still won't do it, Ladetis snorted, amused but also disappointed at the age-old dragon that stood before him. Let me make this clear for you then. Nethial is still alive, despite whatever dark fantasies roam in your head. I'm not quite sure about spirits but I think-
Letting out a roar, the battle-worn dragon leapt for him, knocking him down to the floor at the entrance to the magma room. With the old-one's weight on him, Ladetis had trouble getting his balance back but he finally found the strength to push Jhira away and stagger to his feet. For the briefest moment, he thought he saw a different facial structure flicker across the head of Attor: one of narrower size and frills covering the back much like the present-day's horns did.
Snarling under his breath, Ladetis anchored himself on the stone under him and let out a spray of acid, his mind briefly flashing back to seeing Nethial crouched before him, one leg just barely freed from the confines of a rotted branch. He had done wrong then, attacking her in her weakest moment. Tearing himself from the memory of the strike and her screams that followed it, he watched as the old dragon took the blast head on and then glared at him with blood trickling down the entire left side of its snout.
The attack had done little to Jhira, he realized slowly as the dragon walked over to him and lifted a foretaloned paw right at his heart. It didn't frighten him to stare death in the eye, he was used to such odds anyway with his rider having killed two of his fellow siblings while they hatched from their eggs, his spared only to then meet and partner with the man responsible for those innocent fatalities
I could kill you right now, Jhira hummed as his blue eyes met with an unwavering gaze from Ladetis, the white fledgling determined to fight until he died. But it would serve me no-
The old dragon twitched, barely able to compromise what had happened as Ladetis swung his tail around and lightly grazed a fine line across the white one's chest, only to then turn the contacted area into lethal pockets of venom that immediately began to burn through the unbalanced scale-flier. A low snort of weariness rose from Ladetis as he backed away, unable to take his eyes off the dying beast as it feebly tried to claw away at the bright green splashes on its body that spread like wildfire and soon consumed the entire creature, destroying him in a violent burst of acid.
Ladetis had no knowledge of the skill beforehand but he was afraid of it after seeing what it had done. He took a step back, understanding that there had come a loss of two dragons instead of one. Attor had died along with Jhira, a brutal sacrifice needed to keep Nethial out of the clutches of dark forces.
Swaying slightly as he felt emotionally drained from all he had seen and done, Ladetis took one last look at the room and then turned his back on it. With a heavy heart and a sorrowful mind, he began the trip back to the island's surface, intent on rejoining his master and reconnecting before the future he had seen could even start to be realized.