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Chapter 35: Three kins and a little one starting a journey in the lands of nothing
The celestial orb shines in the pitch black sky, its pale light greater than before blessing the mountain of a pyramid just below it and the lifeless lands all around, in complete silence…
Soon, some periodic noises can be heard from the titanic cage of stones that building is. First barely perceptible amongst the distant sounds coming from many towers circling the area, each bearing a bright and lasting flame at its top, such noises become gradually louder until their creators step out of their house, putting their talons on the floor of its final stage, where their eyes can gaze upon everything hidden by the ancient walls of the Pyramid moments before.
Halting shortly after seeing the sky, the three draconic giants settle on the cold ground marked by what they wrote so long ago, though they have changed the vast picture so many times to reflect what they wanted to…
Staring at the glowing sphere of essences, Darkstalker doesn't let himself be too distracted by it, keeping an eyes on the blue and green giant, as well as her feathered kin to a lesser extent, listening to their thoughts as he still doesn't trust them enough to ignore their mind, with the dragoness being too eager about some things that concern him, and Kraydirn's last question for him birthing a new doubt in his mind.
You were right to ask me that. I should not let my lonely heart blind me or letting myself be too arrogant, I am still a complete stranger to these great dragons, and except maybe for Akhanta, all of them have deeper interests that they may act upon at any time, sacrificing me if they need to…
Deep in thoughts, the young nightwing remembers once again the moment when he was put on the great altar, as the sacrifice for their ritual to give him power… Ayirn struck him with pure and violent essences without second thoughts nor remorse, sending unimaginable pain to him…
Such moment of my life can't be forgotten… It can not and I'll make sure of it…
- "Darkstalker?" Says a soft and lower voice so close to him, while her mind starts to worry a little.
Snapping back to reality, the dark hybrid tries to answer the best way he can.
- "I… Yth zikos… masne."
- "Uthu zikos masne? Toijyl…" Having difficulties believing that all is well for him, Akhanta sighs before her giant wing moves closer to the nightwing, the "hand" articulating the vast dark blue membrane almost touching his scales...
Turning back to her kins, the great dragoness refines her stance to prepare herself as they do the same. Following them until the edge of the floor, where she stops as the two jump in front of her and flap their giant wings to leave the ground and plunge in the air…
"Darkstalker, lieju uthu surh lihotu?" Asks the grand dragoness as her kins begin their flight.
To that simple question, the young nightwing looks out there, thinking… Before he realizes there is no need to make his mind work that much, since the only thing that answers the question is if he is in good enough shape, and the answer is obvious.
- "Ko."
Unfolding her enormous back talons, Akhanta leaps in the air, jumping away from the cold floor and deploying fully her majestic wings, which she immediately starts to beat with the strength only a great dragon like her can possess, all the while the small hybrid holds tightly on her back, struggling during her soaring but being more at ease when she stabilizes her flight…
Now flying like her kins, the great dragoness catches up to them easily, erasing their doubt a short moment after they had turned back to watch over her and the little one.
- "Cuxt heij oknyt ust yl trufenz ghyt uthu kasarh prita yl toijyl sif moxon sazne?" Asks the green and blue dragoness, her tone casual while she has in mind many images of more specific places, though they all seem to be desolate.
Taking a moment to think, Akhanta lets some time for the young nightwing to grasp the context of situation, using his mind-reading power on the three great ones' mind…
They all have in mind a similar set of destinations as expected, but if I want to know more…
Choosing to focus first on the most eager one, Ayirn, the seer quickly ignores her thoughts unrelated to his questions, then her far more personal ones, then the ones he can't understand, until he finds himself solely analysing images of the few peculiar places and the feelings strongly associated with them...
Not caring much if at all about what the great ones say, the dark hybrid continues his act, starting by gazing upon the pictures of a grand tower whose greater flame illuminates farther than anything in these dark lands, evoking a sense of pride and certainty for the magical dragoness despite such a building not being something she finds very refined.
Finishing to see that picture, Darkstalker turns his attention to that of a crater so big it seems like an element coming straight from a fantasy scroll, an epic tale or a song glorifying the beauty of such a land and the power of nature which had shaped the whole place… But with that said, the crater appears to not be something remotely pretty from what the nightwing can make out of the great one's mind.
Shifting his focus to the images depicting ancient remains of a forgotten civilization, the seer's exploration of it is cut short by Akhanta's answer, making the great dragons be set on a definitive direction… Snapping out of his thoughts, the small hybrid watches over the horizon, searching hints about where they go, but his eyes only see a pitch black sky above the lands of dark grey rocks with the light of numerous towers all around, with none appearing to be different from the others…
- "Uthu bastot azeiw ythetias efegur?" Asks the great dragoness, her body receiving almost no more stress despite talking while maintaining flight by flapping her gigantic wings.
Taking a moment to decipher her thoughts, the concept of himself probably being associated with the act of thinking, all the while Akhanta has in mind the imposing tower he saw in their mind before, the seer shyly replies, reflecting his failure at understanding the question.
- "Yth… yth… huko."
Silent for a short time, the dark blue one speaks again with a softer and more personal voice, her mind thinking about him being confused, and remembering of a time when some younglings were lost, being told too little, often due to a lack of time…
- "Th ajek okim yihe uthu huko. Muvol oulnav omus heij uthu jyker, heij ajek buei…"
Even if the words that have been spoken are not known to him, Darkstalker gets from the dragoness' voice and mind a feeling of reassurance and of not being alone, and that is enough for him to calm down some doubtful thoughts and uncertainties, allowing him to rest undisturbed as they travel over lands of almost nothing...
.
It has been some time since the four dragons travelled, leaving their Pyramid whose beacon became no more than any other light near the horizon to venture first into a larger tower.
It has been some time since the cold air embraced him and the great dragons continuously talked to each others, making their mind quickly shift many times with thoughts about completely different subjects, often more casual or personal, all the while nothing moves, nothing sings, nothing has its own light in this empty shell of a realm expect for the fire of towers whose purpose seems to be just existing…
But now something has changed, with a distinct shape appearing in the distance, holding a light that seems to be more intense than the others being hold by simple towers which are all around them, even if they are less numerous than before...
Approaching steadily the distant structure, Darkstalker can see from the three great dragons' mind that such a thing is the great building they had in mind, and that it is their destination if he still wasn't sure about it.
Flying over the last mile without a single thing to stop or even be worthy of sight to them, the great dragons and their little one finally arrive at the important building, their eyes now able to see the many details of what they remember creating so long ago, all the while they land on the lifeless and silent surface.
Laying down her enormous form and extending her dark blue wing until its fingertips touch the dark grey rocks, Akhanta allows the far smaller nightwing to leave her back and set paws on the colder surface reflecting some of the titanic tower's light… Curling her head to watch upon him, the great dragoness only needs a short moment and no word to check him and learn from his content attitude that he is in good shape, before turning back to her kin.
- "Tho surh masne, ythe tunis ienum." Says the dark blue kin, informing the feathered dragon and the magical dragoness, both growing a little more eager as they have in mind that the young hybrid is good and well.
Walking at Akhanta's side toward the more than impressive building acting as a lighthouse, Darkstalker gazes upon it with watchful eyes, his curiosity growing as he begins to analyse the object of their destination that he knew nothing about.
From the numerous but small stones bearing scars and fractures, sometimes on the verge of shattering, all being surrounded by so many more tenacious ones, to the thin cage of metals whose parts do not seem to rust though some might somewhat bend due to the immense weight of the structure, the small nightwing has now the proof that such a building has been created a long time ago, and that it has been maintained. And from these facts alone, he gets some things to think about.
If that tower is maintained, then it means the great dragons must have gone to it a few times, which makes sense considering the place it has in their mind and its uniqueness.
But if it was built a long time ago, but the lands were still desolate, then how much time has passed since this world's end?
To that question, the young dragon doesn't have the time to speculate as the great dragons settle near the tower's closed door. Investing some strength in her act, it is Ayirn who opens the entrance with her massive talon, having in mind to check their creation like her two kins…
Now that the loud opening noises are over, the green and blue dragoness enters into the room she has revealed, quickly followed by the other great ones and Darkstalker, who discovers what the "lighthouse" has to offer inside.
Large sized maps cover the circular wall of the rather spacious place with nothing in the middle to stop its habitant, only a grand pool of water if one wants to lay inside with comfort, while the many shelves it possesses are in contact with its edge, all under numerous metallic beams of varying height that starts somewhere above a great dragon's head. And a single look above oneself is enough to realize there is nothing of interest but what constitute the tower's backbone.
- "Cuxt iole alveka ajek uje ythe eiuf teneij sif?" Asks the magical dragoness, her tone suggesting like her mind that she waits for a confirmation, while she points at the biggest map that might as well be as large as her wingspan.
- "Ko." Answer Kraydirn and Akhanta one after the other, both picturing in their head a giant crater despite the first being more focused on it and the map than the second who still thinks strongly about the young hybrid, wondering about his needs.
- "Aquj ythe tunis lumu ythetias iseni dezmyl ysil ythe litysen..." Says Ayirn to everyone in the room, including herself as she lays down her giant body on the water, letting her majestic wings fall and rest even if she isn't that much tired.
Watching her, the feathered great dragon does the same, letting many more of his black feathers go through the clear liquid near the green and blue kin, his curled tail and colder breathing being felt by her and making some feelings get far more apparent, all the while the little nightwing finds himself circled by a dark blue tail, with its owner being drawn to him as she stays somewhat close to her kins.
- "Darkstalker, lieju uthu surh masne? Uthu okutes aftomer? Aqerh ofuge…" Says Akhanta, her mind confirming that her eyes look for any sign that would tell he needs something, like the nutritious gemstones she imagines.
Grasping the meaning of such questions, the seer thinks for a moment if he really wants to eat some precious stones, remembering all that he tried to consume since he came to this world…
- "Yth tunis ifyat yihe uthu kasarh." Says Ayirn as she breaks from her small talk to turn to her other kin, her tone casual while her thought shift to dust and crystal she and her kins are used to eat.
- "Uthu tunis. Yth surh misyt yl toijyl eiuf jyker yl ijopt moneist heia feshur jyker uthu." Replies the great dragoness with a tone even more casual, chuckling a little as she finishes her sentence and suggests the young one's sour attitude with her kin.
To such a reply, the blue and green dragoness cast a quick glance at that little one, checking him and feeling relieved when she sees he behaves quite well despite being in the same room as her.
- "Ayirn, don't get this kind of idea." Declares the small nightwing as he looks straight into her eyes, his confident face bearing a false grin while his words have surprised everyone in the room.
"Don't think I'll ever for-"
Before he can finish however, Akhanta puts a claw on his snout while her face and mind say it all.
- "Uthu surh heia eruliten sif asfemy tho, yth tunis ebiven sif thotias ifultu kes foco surh akutme azeiw the." Says Ayirn, a bit disappointed the little one didn't get to say his full speech, even if she does not understand any of his words but her name.
- "Lieju uthu eximn hefum iole?" Asks Akhanta, finding difficult to believe her kin would really want to hear the otherworldly dragon's words.
Against such a face reflecting her kin's feeling, the magical dragoness nods, then takes a step forward, bringing herself closer to both dragons while Kraydirn watches the scene, seeming almost amused...
- "Ayirn, yth kenib yl toijyl ajek alkary, kes iole uthutias cunatune vecik foco kalup ust Zotias alkaryte, ikul yth surh geska thotias ifultu ajek heia tysnu sif surh fushoz prita ofemyl." Says the feathered great one, telling of his opinion concerning the situation and Darkstalker's words.
After a short moment of reflection, the great dragoness unmakes her step, giving up on her idea under the watch of a still suspicious little nightwing and two of her kins.
- "Uthu surh… udeif, yth soumvu yenuv ofperu ythias ekiunte. Ikul th ajek asmofun sif ignum ythias akutmehit jyin yth moxon yl toijyl…" Replies the magical dragoness, her reflecting thoughts on her desires concerning the small hybrid passing while she talks in a way reminiscent of one explaining oneself.
Having finished her sentence, and with the eyes of everyone still on her, the blue and green dragoness decides to turn away, her attention shifting to one specific shelf in the room as if she could ignore others. Walking to it, Ayirn grabs one of the many stones presented on the large layer, and staring at it for a few seconds, she then comes back with it, her mind now focused on these shining rocks.
"Cuxt murkunilt ythe olmu yl toijyl?" Says the dragoness holding a dark purple stone, her tone and face shifting to a slightly ridiculous one when she says the three last words.
Now bearing a little smile, Akhanta stands up and steps forward before replying with a lack of seriousness.
- "Olmu ajek u toij aljalest… Murkunilt ythe muvol ivestu Zo nestoq u mopesa?"
- "Heij u artufoan..." Adds Kraydirn, forcing his voice and rolling his eyes in such way both things are mocked.
Standing up as well, the dragon of black feathers walks to the same shelf his kin came to, and once there, takes in his sharp claws a pale green crystal without care before going to the closest of the other shelves. Grabbing a round plate and a bowl, the dragon of winter turns back.
"Lieju ythias ifyat ajek veafulp ythias utnay rynaz?" Forces himself to ask Kraydirn with an attitude so polite he must have an ulterior motive.
- "Astemilu uthutias ifyat surh kotufen, ujaie soumeiuf uthu hefum leaqisanu?" Answers Akhanta before her kin can, her expression more serious but her tone betrays the game she plays into.
To such an answer, the dragon of black and ice puts aside what he grabbed before, leaning forward with his imposing form, his blue eyes fixating on her as he approaches with more grace than what his recent attitude suggested...
- "Yth ghyt hefum leaqisanu, ikul heia zait yl telast uthu hefum…" Tells the great dragon with a refined stance as if he suddenly wanted to win Akhanta's heart.
- "Kes heia zait yl telast uthu think ythias utnay ryna." Adds Ayirn stepping forward, her voice and gaze marking her intent to reveal the truth of his mind.
In growing surprise, the little nightwing watches the magical dragoness approaching the feathered dragon, until her eyes hint at some deeper passion and she connects to him, extending her magnificent wing and bringing his paw to be put on her chest with her own talon...
"Th surh sulma jyin yl zikosenu surh tikumuen ythias utnay." Tells the green and blue dragoness, her snout almost touching his, and her voice getting lower and genuinely personal.
Letting her cover his colder body and enjoy the moment for some time, Kraydirn finally ceases her embrace, retrieving his talon from the mystical dragoness' scale and leaving her beautiful wing with nothing under the watch of a stunned little hybrid and a dark blue kin seeming pleased by what she saw…
Picking the plate and the crystal he left, the feathered one approaches his other kin casually before laying down the plate with the stone on it near the pool's edge, closer to Darkstalker who he casts a quick glance to before speaking to both.
- "Uthu hute zaptoe yl toijyl okutes ofuge, yth surh nelkemu prita yl distum..."
While the feathered kin starts to prepare the pale green gemstone like food, Ayirn comes back to them, the flame of her last passion dimming until her mind is no longer occupied by it when she arrives near the three dragons… Laying down her magnificent body, the dragoness makes sure to not be too close to the little nightwing before turning to face Akhanta, the dark purple gem still in her paw.
- "Yth surh omku nelkemu prita opeitun nestoq ythias ekyzu… Yth hute zaptoe yth tunis ifyat uthu, yth eiuf." Declares the magical dragoness, her thoughts coming back to the simpler matter of infused minerals to satisfy the young one's needs.
Nodding in return, the dark blue kin watches with the bluish nightwing the two kins using a bit of their powers, transforming their precious stone into elements worthy of feeding one's being, if these weren't doing it very well that is…
Despite all that happened and his dislike of the magical dragoness returning now that his surprise fades away, Darkstalker can't help but be captivated by how she drastically changes the object in her claws, manipulating the metamorphosing matter and seeming to decides its fate with ease, with distinctly more ease and deeper effect than the dragon of black and snow at her side.
Not even entirely focused on her craft, Ayirn nonetheless fluidly converts it into a rods that gets gradually thinner and longer, all before curling the result into itself more than a few times, marking the end of her task while Kraydirn still isn't near the end with a mass far more rigid between his claws.
Standing up, the green and blue giant makes a single step before laying down, lowering her body to be closer to the young hybrid's level when she presents him the spiralling, crystalline product…
After a moment of silence and inaction on his part, Darkstalker takes the precious object bigger than his whole paw, his face neutral like the one of his giver, before looking down as he puts the shining product. But before he truly starts to examine it, the young nightwing rises his head to look into the great dragoness eyes, and after catching his breath, he utters a few words.
- "Thank you Ayirn." Says the small night dragon, his voice partially shaking as his mind is divided by fear, disdain and an ounce of gratitude and admiration for the magical one.
Relieved to see another conflict hasn't come from the very close encounter between these two dragons, Akhanta can give some of her attention on Ayirn's creation. And after a moment of analysing it like the one sticking close to her talons, she has a compliment to give.
- "Eiotof, uthu hute igos vaieb loperu kes iqolmiru u mopesa qezom kes masne."
- "Th ajek aeisto yth surh yl alke ojinuaten, ikul uthu tunis almunh rejtu uthutias tuntetu, almu ust ythe tunis." Answers the magical kin, refusing to let others think they there is a constant gap between them and her skills that can not be reduced.
Getting the message behind her words, the dark blue dragoness nods before turning to her feathered kin, having heard a cracking noise. As her eyes set on him and what his claws hold, her thoughts about why Kraydirn is disappointed in himself are confirmed, his reforming crystal has broken.
Leaning her head closer to him, Ayirn's eyes face him as well before gazing upon a cracked light green gem, its shaped reminiscent of a star split into two major parts and one smaller. Walking to him, the great dragoness is presented with the unfinished object soon after extending a talon in a helpful manner, the dragon of winter trusting her to repair his creation.
Seeing the transforming gem reforming under the will of her two kins, both being far more invested than she thought into what was just a little project to fulfil the little nightwing's needs, Akhanta goes closer to them, her interest drawn to the greater power giving result.
- "Lieju yth linf ifyat uthue?" Asks the dark blue giant as the infused is almost finished, proposing to participate in their act.
Looking at her without losing focus, the pair of great ones accepts, marking the coming of new essences in the creation process. But as the gem is on the verge of being complete, Akhanta turns to the young one, her expression and thoughts surely asking for a bit of help on his part. Accepting, Darkstalker steps closer to the precious stone, and after a moment of staring solely on the flow of its essences, he frees some of his own to be integrated into the great ones' little creation…
As the light of the powers at play dims out, the result is revealed, a dark stone of blue and green, transparent like glass and radiating with a cold but pure aura. Watching the stone be put on the ground by the draconic giants, the curious young one does as expected and touches the freshly made gem, discovering it is smooth and really akin to glass, its rounded overall shape hinting at its nature of being a melted crystal.
"Iole mopesa ajek wulen prita uthu, pylt yth oxemin uthu omus thias acetou…" Tells the closest dragoness as she lays down and puts one claw of her very large paw on their creation, casting a quick glance at Darkstalker before drawing some of its essences with focus.
Retrieving her her talon, she watches the little one imitating her act, absorbing the power within easily as its vessel is filled to the brim, even if it still little compared to the great entities surrounding them… Finishing to restore himself with the pretty stone, the young dragon watches the great ones concluding and already thinking of starting the second part of their travel, of flying to a crater still mysterious for him.
While she was about to leave the room, Akhanta's mind gets an idea, and after drastically changing direction, she takes out a kind of enormous cyan scarf, then another, and puts the first on her chest and the second at the end of her tail, all before turning to the small one, inciting him to follow her. But seeing the two shining gem he holds restrain his movements, the great dragoness takes them and puts them in the piece of fabric she again tightly attaches to her tail.
Bringing him outside of the unique tower alongside her kins, the dark blue giant lowers her head and utters a few words as she curls her massive tail.
- "Toijyl, eusho omus ythias uiqout."
Grasping the concepts behind her words easily, Darkstalker climbs on the dragoness' giant form, starting by her tail and settling on the beginning of her neck, where she bears her first scarf.
Seeing that, Ayirn can not stop herself to comment on the event.
- "Yth pyteya zaptoe, uthu ghyt ezdum jykon nestoq yl toijyl omus uthutias uiqout. Muvol oje Zutias iute ueris..." Says the magical dragoness with a pleased voice, soaring with a tremendous beat of her wings and essences as she ends her first sentence, the wind she created halting her kins in their act.
Turning to Akhanta before she can think of her past due that compliment, Kraydirn stares at her for a moment, saying no word as his fixation on his kin and his more passionate eyes hint at how he sees her now, how he remembers her life before…, what he saw and still sees in her, and what he will do with her on their desolate world...
Nodding in return, the dark blue dragoness unfolds her massive talons and beats her powerful wings to strip herself from the ground, forcing the little nightwing to hold the cyan fabric tightly in his talons. Now that everyone is flying under the lifeless sky, except for the light of the towers and the silver one of the "moon", so distant it appears equal to any other flame, the three giants and the nightwing can begin their flight in this empty realm, leaving behind the great tower…
Resting still on the great dragoness' back, the steady beating of her majestic wings and her fluid movements reducing any disturbance, Darkstalker remains thoughtful about what their little trip revealed about these great dragons, not having anything better to focus on.
So Kraydirn and Akhanta have feeling of… relative importance between them, but Ayirn seems to really be drawn to him by her own heart and he let her do her act, and then Kraydirn looked at her so thoughtfully…
Is that a sort of love triangle?
The young hybrid recoils instinctively at the idea, having read more than a few engaging scrolls that squandered their plot and characters with cliches and over the top relationships that all form a "triangle". But thinking again about it, the nightwing realizes quickly these dragons will likely never obey such a specific concept.
I should wait and watch them more before making that kind of conclusion, but even with what little I saw, I can discard such an answer to their behaviour. Beside, what dragon ever followed such a pattern?
That's right, none. Reality, and dragons, are far more complex than one can imagine, so if one does little to no effort to learn and portray something.
Yes, that's it! These "love triangles" are just the result of lazy authors and writers who think they can fool their readers with cheap sentimental nonsense and raw symbols being here more to evoke simple feelings than anything deep. And from these vices, it seems no tribe is safe, not even the most advanced one in Pyrrhia...
It's such a wonder why these cliches are still used without change if they are the sign of poor quality. I mean, even near the night palace, where nobles and high ranking dragons walk, there are a few scroll-stores that still have crap in their shelves, how?
Despite all the events that happened to him, the young nightwing remembers surprisingly well some less significant parts of his life, like the many times he wandered through the streets of the city of night, giving more or less attention to the minds of passing strangers depending on what could be the roll of a dice, though if he had to wait, it was impossible for the seer to ignore the minds around him, his curiosity always winning in due time...
Since the night hybrid sometimes passed too much time in places full of scrolls compared to the free time he had, he got some ideas on what dragons came, what they sought, and what they wanted…
Thinking to fast makes me forget obvious answers. Dragons consumes these low quality… things because it meets enough of their criteria, because they don't have the time, don't know better than these…
.
Snapping out of his thoughts like he did a few times before during the flight, Darkstalker spots nothing new in the dark lands of grey and black, or rather, he spots far less lights over this similar but new territory.
How great, a few less lights to gaze upon in this world of nothing. It's like a night with fewer stars, how interesting…
I hope our destination is worth it, because to go through all of these lifeless lands…
The nightwing's mind becomes close to silent for a moment as he stares at the world below him, at the sea of dark stones. The more the young one eyes focuses on that abyss, the more he begins to feel what its absolute lack of interest means, to grasp what a place similar to a void really is…, and that, it shakes him to his very core.
Hopefully I have encountered these great dragons, despite all of their flaws… If I had stayed here all alone… What would I have done? What would I become?
I…
Snapping out of his focus by turning his head with such speed he might as well be in panic, the night dragon catches his breath, taking a moment to calm down before drawing his attention on the great dragoness he is on, listening to her mind and being attentive enough about her being to hear all the nuances of her giant heart beating.
- "Darkstalker, lieju uthu surh jykon?" Asks Akhanta with an evident worry in her voice she tries to repress.
- "I- Yth… Ko!"
Getting from his answer further proof of his unwell state, the great dragoness finds herself somewhat stuck in her situation, unable to turn her head to look at him or else her flight becomes unstable. Sighing, she utters a few words, her voice containing some desperation.
- "Darkstalker, ebiven sif yth… Oulnav omus yth, omus ythias kumista yihe uthu tunis fushoz th."
Stopping himself from replying, the young seer concentrate on Akhanta's mind as she seems to advise him. First seeing thoughts about his less than alright state, linking it to other concepts like fear, resurging memories that shock the mind, or even one's essences behaving chaotically and wounds that were not healed enough to support a growing power, all of that is pushed back to make place for memories that comes from the great one's old life…
Many positives feeling colours the dragoness' mind as she remembers herself living in her temple, taking care with others of the numerous younglings during the long time they passed here, watching over parts of their life, being ready to help and intervene under all circumstances… Despite the many tasks always piling up, the dark blue one always had the will to endure even as the rest of the world, so far but decaying caught up to her city.
But dragonets were not the only ones she worked and interacted with, she of course had to talk with their parents or the ones in charge of them. But what was most surprising was the fact independent dragons, free from a lot of responsibility and sometimes even being new to the place, came here and stayed for a time longer than expected, with some settling close to the temple…
And how could Akhanta forgot the many times the eyes of charmed ones followed her, then their owner would come and she would gladly come closer to them, taking the time to feed each other's passion… A few even got to mate with the dragoness, marking the birth of many that she managed masterfully, not letting anything tarnishing her reputation as the guardian of her people, first during youth and second at adulthood shall fate be merciful.
Watching all of these memories unfold, Darkstalker has calmed down, the feelings he got from trying to grasp darkness and nothingness being no more in his mind. Now bearing a faint smile as he lays relaxed on the dark blue scales of a draconic giant, the nightwing continues his travel with Akhanta satisfied by the feeling of his slower breath and heartbeat…
.
Watching the vague shape of what might be their destination growing and gaining in details, Darkstalker realizes they are getting close to the crater. Focusing more on the great ones' mind to notice any shift that might happen, the young seer does spot new thoughts taking importance in each mind.
The three giants shares a common anticipation of what they will once they arrive at such a place devoid of life and history like the rest of the lands, of far more complex uses of their powers, of spells and rituals triggered by symbols written on the inert stone.
But where Ayirn thinks more about all that she can do with her essences, obscuring the memories this place evokes, Kraydirn's calculation about the future acts is matched in his mind by the past of that crater, not just the event of its creation which included bright flashes of light and a fire far too powerful, but also the long discussion between his kins before the final decision was taken…
As for Akhanta, she seems to hope greatly that whatever they can do in that desolate area, the little nightwing will understand enough and be interested, or else they will have to pass to the next part of their travel that remains quite long compared to the last…
.
Three giants land near the edge of a curved area of lighter grey stone in a way that evokes its creator might be a violent and burning one of some sort, though time seems to have rendered smooth and forgettable any details that was once engraved on the hard surface.
- "Veafulp sif uyl ust ythetias aluh olmiryz toijyl..." Says the dragon of black and snow, his eyes not fully looking at the little hybrid and his voice keeping this sober tone.
Taking a first step before anyone else, Kraydirn seems to paradoxically have the least will to continue with his his imposing stance eroding little by little as his mind lowers and his eyes look down, his mind full of thoughts that converges into a staring at the absence of life, light and history, an attempt to grasp the almost complete nothingness before him…
- "Kraydirn" Call out the pair of great dragoness with little to no delay between them, both stepping forward to support their fellow kin.
Snapping out of his trance, the feathered great one strengthen his stance, his body tensing in anger before calming down. Rising his head, the being of black and snow gazes upon the crater they travelled so far to come to, and after a short moment, he speaks again.
- "Alkanyl, ignum yth." Declares Kraydirn with a stronger voice before going forward, stepping steadily over the grey stone of lighter shade, his massive talons crushing anything beneath him...
Following closely behind, the two dragoness glance at each other, their mind thinking in somewhat different ways about the situation, but both know they have to be here for their kin, as they remember very well the many time the feathered dragon fell to the sight of their ruined world, his fear, terror and sorrow having pierced his heart enough that anger and hate mixed with ambition and shattered pride came out to shatter everything...
Walking alongside silent but thoughtful great dragons, Darkstalker remains like them, his quicker steps to compensate his size seeming to have no effect on how deep in thoughts he really is, in the middle of grasping the nature of the ground he runs on, of watching the mind of a contained black beast, of listening to his kins' thoughts, of trying to grasp what is really happening and what it is revealing...