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Chapter 29: A long way to go through before eating together
Looking and thinking about the nightwing trying to hold and analyse the old pieces of equipment, Azykan gets an idea.
Opening a large marble shelf, the great dragon searches in what was stored there, old blades and all sorts of weapons being more decorative and symbolic than made for battle. Not that they are impractical, but as tools of war there are better and far less expansive things…
After a noisy moment of his giant claws displacing the many metallic objects, the imposing dragon's gaze stumbles upon something good enough. And after ungracefully taking it, he presents the weapon of his choice, a double bladed staff, whose edges shine like dark green obsidian, to the little one.
Staring at it, the nightwing remains confused as to why the great dragon would prefer to show him that craft more than any other one.
Do you need to remember that I know nothing of your culture? What are you expecting of me?
Its beautiful weapon, that's for sure. But all its symbols and-
Separating the staff in two equal parts, Azykan puts down one half and pushes it toward the young one.
- "Darkstalker, lumu th."
To his words, the nightwing looks at the dark weapon for a moment before slowly grabbing it, taking the time to feel the dark blade over his paw…
Closing his claws tightly, the little one is now holding the one bladed staff. It is, by its very size, a weapon made to be wielded with only one paw, but its size forces the nightwing to stand up and make its end touch the ground so his stance remains a good one. Should he ever want to use it, the smaller one would have to hold the warcraft with his two talons, a manner that has drawbacks, but is at least functional in battle.
Watching the smaller one evaluating his gift, Azykan truly likes the nightwing taking the more ceremonious weapon, as despite the fact a child is not fit to wield even half of the precious object, something about the young one in his dress holding the staff and its shining blade inspires the great dragon.
- "Yth kenib heij uthu surh feshur hefum, kes omku yth jyker iole ultuma. Muvol kion, yth eiuf omefi tho oje uyl tysnuite ust ythetias altmyl eltamekyt."
To such words, Azykan can only grin to the dragoness who shares his view for the one he watched over and gave to. But a question now appears in his mind.
- "Uthu hute peloa jteos altmyl eltamekyen abuneti atecuje zait uthutias uvenez?"
At her kin's question, Akhanta simply nods while the nightwing can do little but watch the two giants having their conversation.
"Eximn?"
Realizing her expression hasn't changed one bit, the great dragon chuckles a bit as he looks away for a moment, giving the seer some time to better understand what is being talked about.
"Aqerh yth soumvu yenuv ezdum aqouf uthutias tomerz kalup almylt, aquj yth eiuf geskame velkat ythetias muka u toij kalup zait ojtuhez peuj yth hute hefum."
- "Zult u toij? Uthu elkosur yth ythias utnay ryna." Replies the great dragoness as she displays an exaggerated disappointment, with her voice varying in tone far more than necessary.
- "Yth kovtur osheko, iole ajek almu." Says Azykan in return, with his wings suddenly folding and not being allowed to fall and relax some highly strained body parts.
Turning her head with a lasting grin, Akhanta focuses once again on the nightwing who has watched in silence all the scene. Seeing how he will not be able to carry the weapon without being slowed down, the dark blue giant presents her paw to him.
After a few seconds, Darkstalker gives her the precious blade, knowing that clinging to such an object won't bring him anything worth holding it, even if he now regrets seeing his paws empty.
I'll have to wait. But I'm sure they have plenty of old blades and staffs of my size somewhere in their stuff.
Though I shouldn't get too attached to it, as there aren't many activities here if at all that require of me to hold one…
- "Ikul eximn, ythe soumvu yenuv dweshi jteos ofuge, oje yth surh geska yl toijyl surh efton tegusen thomej." Says Azykan to his kin while eyeing the nightwing at his side, his mind centring around a familiar concept for the seer despite the image of crystals and glowy liquid being present as well.
- "Yth kones" Replies simply the great dragoness before turning to the young one while her kin seeks a few things in some jars.
Gazing upon his still growing and "healing" body, the dark blue giant takes a moment to look at the flows of his essences through every part of his flesh, eyes coloured like her scales analysing him with satisfaction, before switching view now that she wants to check the other sides of his being.
"Lieju uthu surh masne?" Says calmly the dragoness in a quieter tone, trying to not invade his personal space too much.
Darkstalker simply nods before taking a step forward, a desire to be closer to her in mind, then lays down, turning his head to look at the other great one, still confused about he seeks. And to that gesture, Akhanta utters a single word.
"Ofuge."
Maybe the future will prove him wrong, but for now the young one can't decide what is Azykan's complete intent as he take some precious stones and dust that he puts on a crude plate before coming back…
Pulling out the legs of the large metallic disc with his claws, the draconic giant lays it over the ground before speaking at the two dragons, staring at the both of them equally.
- "Yl ofuge surh ognut."
Being presented with all those colourful and shining minerals, the young one remembers the time Akhanta gave him a gemstone to eat. But still not familiar nor hungry enough to take one piece, he lets the two titans before him tasting some of their "meal" first.
Grabbing some of these crude gems, the great dragoness like her kin eat her chunk, chewing the raw material that doesn't seems to be that hard judging by the constant but not that loud cracking sounds. Still, the seer prefers to be sure and focuses on their mind to fully get their feelings about such food...
While Akhanta takes the time to process the rocks in her mouth, the nightwing can see she doesn't like them that much, but just goes along with it while there is essences remaining. As for Azykan, despite crushing the gems far harder into dust like a machine or someone who wants to finish his meal quickly, the great dragon really likes what is in his mouth, despite the strong taste he feels.
Realizing the large dragoness is looking at him, Darkstalker instantly grabs one of the smallest stone. Feeling it is softer than expected, the nightwing stretches the pink and white gem into smaller pieces before putting one in his mouth while the great dragoness stares at him with attentive eyes.
But in his hurry to be polite, the young is unlucky as feels his mouth drying the more his "food" is stewed and dissolved, as well as a strong saline taste along that of iron.
Barely keeping himself from spiting out the content of his mouth, the smaller one seeks on the plate some kind of water, but seeing no cocking tools or even a bare container, he freezes in panic before standing up to go to the pool.
Almost jumping in his haste to reach the water, the nightwing spits out the half-dissolved and crushed gemstone before drinking some water to spit out the rest of it with a harsh noise.
Taking a few steps to follow him, Akhanta plunges her huge paw in the water before presenting it to the little one. Thankful, Darkstalker leans her head and take a drink from between her claws, feeling better as his mouth is hydrated…
Having watched all the scene, Azykan drops his chunk and stands up, approaching his kin and the little one with a slightly regretful expression.
- "Nelkemu, yth soumvu yenuv hute surh kalup asrunte prita Darkstalker."
- "Ghyt heia surh Nelkemu, iole tozakar ajek u iseni uyl." Replies the dragoness, still having the young one close to her who now feels good enough.
- "Cuxt heij ythe ghyt?" Asks the great dragon while looking at the plate, a bit lost as his mind is marked by the nightwing's ugly reaction.
- "Yl toijyl pemku oleshi sif olmaf, ikul ythe okutes sif ashek zait u sulma egado nestoq kalup ouvelt." Answers Akhanta with the needs of the young one in mind.
Agreeing, Azykan goes to store back the plate and its content with his kin, putting back the dust and diverse crystals in their respective jars all bigger than the young one's full body...
Leaving the room in a somewhat clean state, the three dragons starts a pretty long journey considering their destination, a testament of their maze of a house, which is a huge and imposing one even for great dragons.
Walking through the immense corridors of marked and painted stone, the seer can only make out so much of where they go from the two giants' mind, even with all the time it takes for them to go from apparently one side of the Pyramid to another. So on the way, Darkstalker gets a moment to wonder and reflects about the emptiness of such a building…
One more time I go through these gigantic walls, and one more time it feels too silent and devoid of minds. I suppose they really are the five last ones of their kind, and if so it is a wonder why they aren't having children since they are surely planing to save their kind…
And how things were before my coming anyway? What was their plan?
They sure are happy of my presence, but not the point they would have been absolutely doomed without me. If it was, their minds would be strongly marked by that, far more than they are now.
Though if their plan to restore the lands was just very slow, wouldn't it be a problem as they could not live long enough to see it succeed?
The young one turns his eyes, switching his gaze between the two great dragons, analysing the glorious body of each and being attentive to their flows of essences. The more he looks at them, the more surprised and impressed the nightwing becomes.
From mundane senses alone, he can see how the grand beings are in their best shape, with no hints of decay nor scars nor weakness, be it on their polished scales of vivid colours, the strong and steady steps made by their enormous talons, their regular and fluid breathing, or even their slow but powerful heartbeats, one every few seconds that has stays like a constant.
As for watching the flows of their essences, the little one only gets more proof of the great ones' health, with the potent energy running in their blood harmoniously, spreading to each part of the body and feeding it. And under that sight, no flaw is to be seen either, with no coursing of power being denied nor any point where something is eroding or fracturing…
Well, it seems they are in too good health to really grow old and die, or maybe they just live very long lives, but they are dragons of magic more than anything else, so…
But I shouldn't be too surprised, as I enchanted myself to have eternal life. So why is it so hard to believe that?
…
Maybe being taught that "one day everybody die" plays a big role, but still, few if anyone at all reflects each day on that fact… So what?
Nobody can say he or her will live forever, but no one truly have in mind that they will die either? I saw so many minds... And all of them check both affirmations to varying degrees, always.
And by the moons, what a piece of confusing nonsense!
I guess against this problematic, better to stick to the simplest solution, just fight against death when you can as it is absolutely bad.
And if animated by foolishness, malice or depression, some dragon come to tell me fighting death is wrong, I'll "follow my heart" like they say and slap him!
What kind of king one that lets his subjects die is but a terrible one. They should really remember that one sentence before speaking...
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At last, the two giants and their little one arrive at the entrance of their destination, a grand and somewhat worthy one, especially for what the room contains. Stepping inside, Darkstalker discovers an extremely large round table, as wide as a great dragon in diameter.
Walking around as he follows Akhanta and Azykan, the nightwing finds it being circled by five evenly spaced pools of water big enough for a giant to lay half of their body in, with an elevated surface between each pool and the table.
Looking at the walls, he gazes upon many paintings and drawings hanging, depicting each of the five great dragons sometimes alone, often with another, and a few times all together...
Stopping in front of a pool, the great dragoness extends a talon to halt the nightwing near its stony and circular edge. Slowly and gently turning her big head, the dragoness tells him a few words in a more personal tone.
- "Lieju uthu tunis kovtur tsekat?"
- "Ko." Answers the young one, recognizing her last two words and not minding to wait in such a huge and new room.
Silently thankful, Akhanta turns away to catch with her kin who is already in another room, searching in some jars from what the smaller one can see. It takes a long moment for them to take what they need, but once it is done, they can start to make what they want of them, though not before coming back to the titanic table to lay over some crystal chunks…
Thinking while looking at the shining stones, Darkstalker knows he isn't that hungry, and that bad experience before cut in half what desire to eat he had. Of course, the fact they present to him gemstones as a meal doesn't help, it is almost a wonder how he could have eaten some the first time.
I… Are dust and pretty stones all they have to eat? Not even the slightest bit of meat, or even some plants?
Their world is desolate one, but to the point it has none of these resources at all… Couldn't they just breed some animals and plants in a protected and adapted place? Has that world really lost that much?
The nightwing growls, angry as he can't have some "real" food, missing all that he used to eat eagerly in the night kingdom, from freshly killed prey like elks, fishes, wolves… to the more refined and expensive dishes he received once he started to live in the night palace, and when he went at the many parties the queen made…
Coming almost surprisingly, Akhanta puts on the table something that his previous breakfast lacked, something important to every meal, a "bucket" of water, before returning to what is supposedly a kitchen at the end of the room.
Finally we have some water.
But more seriously, are they cooking out there, can you really cook with raw minerals and dust alone? Their situation must really be dire if they have learnt how to cook rocks...
Looking at the walls to pass the time, Darkstalker starts to feel a bad sensation the more he looks at the many paintings, like this one showing Azykan and Ayirn in the other's embrace, proud and happy.
It could be that seeing the ones that wronged him having good in their life frustrates him greatly, so he looks away, staring only at pictures devoid of the two great dragons, even if they all depict scenes and feelings that are worth remembering.
Or at least the great dragons thought so as the art pieces are shown there, in a room grand enough where anyone can see a lot of these drawings and painting, no matter where they are positioned…
But even if the nightwing's bad feeling fades away as he sees no more the ones he is angry at, the feeling comes back, bending things deep inside him, until his soul bleeds a little.
Confused and even shocked, the little one switches from painting to painting, trying to make that sensation stop, until he lowers his head to stare at the ground, far from anything that could infect his mind.
Lost in his thought, the young one finally decides to look up and gazes upon a large painting of the Five united and looking at each others, satisfied in their own way, standing together more like a family than a group of friends. And against that, Darkstalker sighs in understanding of the pain weighting over his heart.
It is the loneliness, doesn't it? The happy family I should have gotten but never had because fate cursed me with Arctic and the war!
Why can they get that fulfilled, when each of these great dragons are so different, and saw the end of their world?
They surely didn't choose who they would end up with, right? They were desperate, left with nothing and must have united to survive, and yet?
…
I truly am an idiot. I could have chosen my friends and saved family, but I let the brightest side of fate dictate that for me, like a slave…
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Sensing a strong and new presence, the little one turns his head to see the yellow scales of a draconic titan coming closer to him. Instinctively afraid, he regains his calm the moment he spots Xamirh's somewhat curious expression, with his mind occupied by the image of a little one, curled and looking down, his expressive body betraying his sad and angry mind.
Laying down the lower half of his body on the water near the nightwing, the giant doesn't stare straight into the little one who steps aside, but rather looks with his relaxed eyes around the room, focusing on the far end where his two kins resides while sometimes casting a glance at him.
After the moment it took him to realize what they are doing, Xamirh can't avoid the smaller one that much anymore, his proximity and questioning making it far easier to face the nightwing directly...
Slowly turning his neck, the giant evoking sand and sunlight finally gazes upon Darkstalker, his face a neutral one while his mind remains cautious, uncertain of how the little one who has partially turned his back will react.
First looking where he looks to see if it can help, the great dragon's eyes fall upon a colourful drawing of Kraydirn and Ayirn surrounded by symbols. In the scene, the two look at each other, standing on four talons, wings folded, with a paw lifted, holding a "flame" made of their respective powers.
Not sure about what to make of the nightwing's focus on that image, Xamirh knows he has to make a first contact, and so break the silence with his voice, a lower one and a bit more intimate than that of a cold and lifeless soul.
- "Darkstalker."
Facing the great dragon without delay, the seer is the one who decides to stare straight into him, his forced neutral expression one that he uses to hide any feeling and to act like nothing happened just before.
Seeing a mask he knows far too well, the gaze of the yellow giant morphs into one of genuine pity as he speculates into the potential reasons behind his behaviour. It is never a good sign when one looks away and try to really hide their feelings, and sooner or later their darker side free itself…
The sound of water being thrown out of its pool can be heard as Xamirh moves his tail to curl it around the young one. Now lowering the head of his giant body, he tries to get closer the nightwing's level, but the seer can see right away he is mostly imitating Akhanta's gestures from memories.
Not even flinching, and even being irritated at the great one's lack of experience, the smaller one stares at his giant form for a moment, trying to remain stoic before giving up.
- "Leave me alone Xamirh." Says the nightwing, no longer trying to hold back his frustration.
To these words, the yellow giant recoils his head slowly and silently. Finishing his act, he is rewarded by the little one turning his back, determined to ignore him. And to that, the great dragon looks away after staring at him for a while, thinking he will deal with that problem later…
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Coming back, Akhanta and Azykan bring with them a large plate each, full of refined gemstones and dust contained in various recipient of all sizes, making the yellow giant turn to them, his face now bearing a content expression while the nightwing just moves his eyes, not even wanting to turn his head as he keeps some distance with the great one.
Approaching with steady steps, the two great dragons lay their plate on the worthy table before each goes to a pool close to Xamirh's one...
Resting his body on the water, the red and orange giant appears happy as he stares at the table's content before before turning to the yellow dragon with a small grin. To that, the kin responds directly with welcoming words.
- "Woukoshei Azykan."
- "Ykane Xamirh, ikul-"
Interrupted by what he sees, he makes his kin's head turning into where he looks.
Gazing upon Akhanta and Darkstalker, the two kins watch the first looking over the second, her expression one of a dragon who tries to understand the young one, but it doesn't help the he chooses to evade bluntly her eyes, and continues that act further when two more pair of eyes points at him even if can't see them...
Realizing that action won't bear any fruit, the dark blue giant switches her gaze to the yellow kin, her mind hunted by the little one's behaviour.
- "Lieju aftomer rysim hute sitrilm sif Darkstalker?" Asks the dragoness, her voice a serious one hinting at her worry.
- "Jyin yth hute tsekat, yth hute moxon tho eshevunes omus thomej, ylfuz kes oje u menyu, olmykezu uyl." Answers the yellow kin, his words confirming Akhanta's worry and making it grow until she turns over to the little nightwing, stopping her kin from speaking more.
Lowering her head more and more, the great dragoness stares at the nightwing, sad for him as he doesn't really look back at her until she lays down her neck completely. Now that she is at his level, the seer is changing his attitude, no longer trying to avoid that her recent feelings are centred around him.
After a moment of facing the dark blue giant, of staring at what his isolation makes her feel, the young one approaches her, breaking his shame and shyness as he reminds himself that this act can only make things better, and she would protect him should the other great ones turn on him...
Now at her side, near the edge of the pool her second half is in, he can start to feel her contained breath, and even the beating of her heart, which by reasons unknown seems to be the same rhythm the water follows in the form of waves. But it doesn't matter, what matters is to reach the only one he can find himself to trust.
Close enough and hearing all of Akhanta's thoughts, Darkstalker decides to follow both his sun and heart, doing the closest thing he can to a hug by touching her snout with the left side of his body, fully putting an end to her worry and his isolation as he lets the thoughts and acts of the caring entity be truly received by his mind...
Watching the scene from a distance, the two great dragons do not move even an inch closer to their kin taking care of the young one, not daring to risk that moment which they know is important for him, no matter how they look at it.
Turning to his kin, Azykan speaks with a voice best described as mundane.
- "Cuxt, lieju ythetias sefrit veliaf masne?"
- "Ko, almu upez ythe hute somul surh u folgyt. Ythe muvol okutes u toij ust mylmyl kes yth eiuf surh umteyu sif feinat u Agefuil." Answers Xamirh with a more formal tone, his words making his kin satisfied.
Casting a glance behind his yellow kin, the great dragon spots the little nightwing standing beside Akhanta, now bearing a small smile and being presented with some more refined and watered dust by the dragoness. Seeing that, Azykan continues to relax himself, even taking a chunk of crude gemstones and eating it almost like a big nut, before replying to Xamirh with a tame voice.
- "Ovelmaten, yvelqes… Yth pemku tunis ioxient ythe surh ikus yl feia ust iole leguka ust Alzyneia."
- "Yth eiuf surh desfuq, yth almylt zikos iole omku, ikul yth pyteya kovtur oulnayen cuxt..." Says the yellow kin in a tone that become far more personal before starting to eat as well, deciding to grab a relatively small cyan crystal.
Nodding in understanding, the great dragon circles his kin with the red and orange scales of his tail, a gesture that isn't missed on the yellow giant who silently turns his gaze to look at him, and as Azykan bluntly makes his other paw coursing over his chin, not taking the intimate gesture that seriously, the faintest of smile appears on his face.
- "Pemku feshur muka iole ovykme, heia okutes sif bastot ujaie uthu elmij almu ust ythe opeit yl alke eianelmuten." Adds Xamirh, politely taking his talon and moving it away with hidden strength.
- "Iole surh zait ythetias syvrem, istek yth moxon uthu okutes sif ashek inzul sif ythe."
- "Yihe iole ajek heij uthu hefum..." Replies the yellow great one, his tone returning to a slightly lower and warmless one.
Letting his wings fall further, Azykan turns again to the table where stands the nourishing gems and salty waters. In silence, he resumes his eating with the yellow kin, taking more to feed himself than Xamirh does, but still looking at him and Akhanta from the corner of his eyes.
As for the yellow giant, he takes his meal in a simple manner, taking his time to consume what he wants to as he sometimes glance at each side to check everyone, especially on his right where the great dragoness encourages Darkstalker to take the right meal and have a good time here.
Seeing how the little nightwing still wearing that dress of his seems content, staying close to his kin's side, Xamirh refocuses on the table, no longer having to worry about him for now...