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Chapter 39: A return to home
It is has been hours since the dark blue dragoness has been flying over the nothing lands of their world, alone in the quasi darkness as she took a straightforward path to her home, one that requires to stay distant enough from towers that one must have a keen eye to spot lights that do not come from a larger version, at least for most of the travel.
With the shape of the mythical structure appearing clearly in sight, along with the beam of its beacon, and the pale glimmer of the moon above, Akhanta's flapping rhythm remains steady and fluid, her magnificent form softening any harsh movement she might do, keeping the little one she holds from being disturbed.
Casting a quick glance at him, the dragoness sights in relief as he is still sleeping and well despite all the time that has passed and the spell she cast. Indeed, the great one thought casting such a spell in flight and with him against her chest would be messy, and it was. The essences she freed to envelop him were in greater quantity to be certain of success, and the shock Darkstalker suffered was something. But in the end, the result was worth it, and that is what matters…
Slowing down as she approaches the top and its beacon, far above her two kins building a strange and infused pillar, the dark blue giant descends to rise just after, landing gracefully at the end of her manoeuvrer, while still holding the one she has to protect. Laying him down carefully, Akhanta recoils with her giant body and begins to awake the nightwing, surrounding him with a bit of her essences that call him out deep inside.
After a few seconds, the young one starts to twitch his tail, then his wings, then his talons, then his neck and head, until he finally opens his blue eyes…
- "Lieju uthu zikos masne toij Darkstalker?" Asks the dragoness, her voice far quieter and kind as she gazes upon the awakening little one, her mind as serene as it can be.
Standing up and shaking his own head to come back to his senses, the nightwing faces the dark blue giant calmly, his eyes gazing upon her partially as if he expected and welcomed her presence. Then looking around and discovering where they are with all the essences surrounding them, the nightwing asks himself what happened before, and suddenly remembers the last events.
- "You put me to sleep?"
Seeing the young one confused and a bit shocked, Akhanta leans her head slightly, trying to understand what disturbs him, until she recoils, finding the probable reason that her last spell was.
Seeing in her mind the way the dragoness had taken him and made him unconscious, the young one frows, angry at her for a short moment before calming down. Watching his last emotion dimming, the great one starts her march, before stopping after a few steps to look straight above her, making the curious other do the same. As their eyes gaze upon the moon in the celestial veil of absolute darkness, both realizes how strong such an entity has become, with almost thrice as much essences as the first time it was created.
Lowering his gaze, Darkstalker's focus shifts over the dark blue dragoness, getting from her mind that she is moderately surprised by the her kins' creation, as well as the stability of it all. For some reason, Akhanta did not expect the object to fully remain true to the decided form, even if she does not have to do much to spot its flaws with such sharp senses.
- "Uthu pyteya gynhim, iole sif uniel aljaln olmukara zait yl yukyu zait vawrie u fraze ajek pemku heia u molia namai, jivun prita eurise oje ythe." Says the dragoness as she lowers her head, the memories of the efforts they had to make to create such a thing appearing in her mind.
Somewhat getting what she said, Darkstalker looks back at the sky before the coming of a presence draws his attention and that of the dragoness. With yellow all over the body and formal thoughts running in its mind despite stronger feelings returning as it approaches them, such an entity can only be Xamirh...
Wasting no time, the great dragon lands on the floor not without shaking it, his face hinting at surprise and even worry, further proved by the tone of his voice as he speaks first.
- "Ythias ryna, lieju uthu surh masne? Ujaie uthu khutey jernup nestoq zult yl toijyl? Uje surh Ayirn kes Kraydirn?" Says the yellow dragon with a faster voice, his tail twitching involuntarily as he thinks about his two others kins, and of the little nightwing.
- "Yth surh masne oje yl toijyl. Yth hute cerux sif jernup sim ultomshy dueti yth hute kasarh sif litysen Ayirn, yl kehusit ajek… iole ythe muka jteos tozakar zait ythetias xeltyni eltoaman…" Answers Akhanta, the thoughts about Ayirn's frustration not wanting to leave her mind, making her appear doubtful and worried against her wish.
- "..."
"Lieju yl toijyl ajek yl ulgil ust heij itulre uthue?" Replies Xamirh, his yellow eyes casting a quick glance at the little one while he remembers the friction between the two dragonesses recently.
To his words, the dark blue kin nods, her silence amplifying her expression before she speaks again, having in mind the last time she saw the ones she travelled with.
- "Ayirn kes Kraydirn surh ylamuk tey tsekat, zait ythetias desne jienum. Yth ghyt heia kenib jyin thee eiuf jernup, thee heia ignum yth oje yth hute litysen yl egado."
Hearing her words, the yellow dragon seems regretful, and disappointed at the three kins who never told him or Azykan about the journey they would do, before regaining his stance and refocusing on the present, his eyes looking once again straight into Akhanta's own.
- "Dueti uthue uh surh tsekat, yth volkef iole uthue ignum yth. Yth muka jteos tomerz sif esimte." Says the great dragon before stepping to the edge of the Pyramid's top, inviting others to follow.
Walking alongside the dragoness, the Darkstalker keeps focus on Xamirh, watching more attentively his mind thinking back to all the things he worked on since the nightwing was gone, and even before. Of course, some great concepts are familiar, but it seems progress has been made in all of them.
The more concrete idea of a moon is no more that of a crude accumulation of essences, the idea of the young one in the present is less that of a miraculous being fully ignorant of its power, but that of a dragon growing and evolving with his power, even if there seems to be a plan in case his power becomes to big…
- "Toijyl?"
Turning to the dragoness and her suspicious mind, Darkstalker steps forward and climbs on her tail to end on the back of her gigantic form, then makes sign to her he is ready. Aware of that, the great dragoness prepares to leap after she saw the yellow kins beat his majestic wings, and after casting a quick glance at her little one, she jumps and beats her wings as well…
After a little flight to arrive at the Pyramid's feet, the pair of great ones reaches Azykan, who awaited them almost eagerly, but not too much as he kept his focus on the pillar bigger than him he built, which now that Darkstalker is closer, appears for him to be far more complex than he expected.
Climbing down from Akhanta, the young nightwing watches the draconic giants making a few steps toward their kin, kin who does not hesitate to face them. Having his feelings resurging and being far less restrained than the others, it is the red and orange one that begins to speak with a warm voice.
- "Th ajek u ohuln sif moxon uthu vaieb ythias ryna, kes uthu toijyl." Declares Azykan, appearing happy as he gazes upon Akhanta and the little one at her side, as if he missed them.
- "U ohuln sif moxon uthu okarn Azykan." Replies the dark blue one, surprising the nightwing with the tone of her voice that gets warmer at the end.
Showing surprise for a split second, the great one regains his confident and eager stance before speaking again.
- "Cuxt yth kes Xamirh khutey veiliak estid uthue hute litysan ythe, kes yth pyteya zaptoe, yl kalup ythe ezdum oem iolez temnyl olmukara, yl kalup ythe surh eiotifum." Says Azykan, his mind still wondering about the essences the otherworldly one brought and the moon they created.
Turning back, the great dragon takes a step toward his creation, inviting others to gaze upon it, especially the ones that do not know of it... Encaged by beams of bronze and grey is a transparent recipient filled with pure essences, its content supposedly only able to go up where a crowned opening is for guidance.
Is it a sort of beacon… or a canon?
Realizing orange eyes are on him, the nightwing turns his gaze to Azykan, an ounce of hostility and fear returning before Akhanta makes a step with her giant talon, her mind curious but still doubtful about what she sees… Casting a quick glance at her kins, the great dragoness walks forward then around the pillar, scrutinizing it like the nightwing with her focused eyes, watching over the shining alloys, the recipient and the peculiar essences it contains, all the while her two kins let her discover their work in silence, with Azykan grinning more than his yellow kin…
- "Oje uthu moxon, ythe surh lioshesen oij sif acetof iolez temnyl olmukara. Heij uthu moxon ajek uyl ust yl estenuz ythe eiuf acetof sif olmiru u leaqis yfushka." Says Xamirh, his voice informal but hitting at some eagerness as he thinks of how marvellous the otherworldly essences of silver are.
Thinking actions are better than words, the great dragon approaches the machine as the dragoness finishes her watchful act. Putting his paw over the metallic surface, the yellow giant moves it along his creation, checking if there is any blatant flaw… Finding none, the dragon steps back under the watch everyone.
Rising a talon, Xamirh begins to influence the powerful liquid in its core, making the little hybrid wonder while Azykan stays confident and Akhanta wonders as well, but has a closer idea to what is going to happen…
A vertical beam of power appears, starting from the mechanical pillar and ending in the sky, touching nothing but the pitch black void. To such a sight, the dark blue dragoness look back to the craft, then to her kins, flapping her wings hesitantly, still doubtful of the machine's usefulness.
- "Yth kenib yl estenu ghyt thias uceixt smenahan, ikul lieju th ajek wulen prita heij ythe okutes?" Asks the dragoness, unsure as her eyes stares at the beam of light going to nowhere.
Making a single step and moving a part of the machine, the yellow dragon seals it, ending the beam of essences before turning back to the dragoness whose young one stays somewhat close to her talon.
- "Aluh ust the ymiltu soumvu yenuv ajek wulen." Says Xamirh with a formal voice, having in mind multiple machines like this one being used at the same time, before heading back to the entrance of the mythic Pyramid.
A bit confused, Darkstalker nonetheless follows the great dragoness as the three kins return inside their house, with the red and orange one speaking on the way...
Always staying close to the one still tasked to take care of him, the nightwing walks once again alongside great dragons, on the somewhat moist floor and surrounded by walls so gigantic it becomes almost ominous. But hopefully, polished crystals bounded to varying metals always brings light to the otherwise obscure place, making the young one feel a bit safer even if partially running to match the walking of giants is already a good distraction.
Continuing through corridor he walked in not enough times to remember of a single way for this maze of a house, the little hybrid does find himself to be more familiar with the place, though that feeling is not what he focuses on for now, the minds of others are.
Judging by all the new memories linked to the use of his essences, the more numerous thoughts about projects and the rough estimation of how much they experimented, things seems to go very well for them.
At that speed, I wonder how much time I'll have to wait before something very interesting happens. Not that such a thing did not happen before but… This time they may show me the results of their work…
And Darkstalker is right, with how the great dragons are progressing, the few times they had shown to him their creations, and with how their minds seem to be heading toward something or many things of importance, the not so distant future will likely be interesting…
.
Descending a last but long set of stairs, the group arrives at the doors of the Laboratory, with Akhanta casting a quick glance at the young one to check if all is right… Stepping first, it is Xamirh who stands up and puts his paws on the giant doors, employing all his strength to open them in no time.
Entering in the spacious first room, the nightwing and his great caretaker discover a place that has changed quite a bit since the last time they came to it. Aside from the numerous scrolls and tablets that have not been entirely put back in their shelves, a few instruments are laying around, closer to the farther half, but present in the room along with some containers and recipients filled with something so glowy it is obviously essences, in important quantity.
Walking on the far more decorated ground and passing through the large pool of water, except for the little nightwing who avoids it, the group takes its time to reach the next door, with Azykan turning his head more than a few times to look at the piece he remembers reading and writing on, Xamirh having this behaviour to a lesser extent, and Akhanta keeping herself close to the otherworldly one, watchful of him just in case…
Arriving at the room's end, the yellow dragon leading everyone goes to the left and enters into the absurdly long corridor, with Azykan following closely behind, having similar things in mind even if his feelings and attitude are very different, though the young one can spot a formal, methodical mindset that the red and orange kin can have, like in the times he worked with Xamirh.
As Darkstalker begins to walk into that place, as his eyes starts to gaze upon the different environment and he feels the atmosphere shifting progressively, something clicks in the nightwing's mind. Standing straight by instinct into the far, far end of the gigantic tunnel, the seer finds himself totally focused on the source the great power that pulsates, his head unflinching and his eyes unblinking as he progresses alongside giants.
- "Darkstalker?"
Suddenly, the little hybrid snaps out of his trance, becoming disturbed in his movement before slowing down and regaining balance, all the while Akhanta halts for him, her blue eyes hinting at her cautiousness. Staring into her for a second, the nightwing looks away for a moment before gazing again at his giant guardian, his mind full of doubts.
- "Lieju yl kumista ust yl toijyl mylfus feshur lopenv?" Says a voice only slightly tainted by worry.
Turning back and approaching his dark blue kin, Xamirh turns his head a bit, his yellow eyes switching back and forth between the little one and his dragoness for a moment before his thoughtful mind arrives at a conclusion.
"Heia aljaln, ikul ythe soumvu yenuv heia pylt thotias surhauk jiakere."
Under the silent and distant gaze of Azykan, the yellow great one turns his head to one of the closest room, and starts to walk to its entrance, quietly suggesting for others to follow… Opening a door as unique and simple as the others, the dragon enters into a somewhat mundane place, filled with ordinary shelves and scrolls, and even some colourful crystals laying on a large desk.
Running close to the dark blue giant, Darkstalker enters as well under the yellow eyes of a kin, staying near his protector when she settles on the still spacious room... Entering last, the red and orange kin remains silent, restraining himself as they have more serious matters for now…
"Cuxt ythe peloa yl toijyl tsekat? Kes yth olden uthu kovtur nestoq tho Akhanta." Says Xamirh, his gaze being on the dragoness as he thinks of leaving her and the little one due to his condition.
- "Ko, yth surh yl alke multny sif olvumt ust tho." Answers the dark blue kin, having in mind to not let the little one down.
Hearing these words, the great dragon turns his head and walks back to the entrance, followed shortly after by Azykan as both think of continuing their work, though the otherworldly one's presence has been added in the equation.
Staring at the open door for a moment, Darkstalker finally turns his head when Azykan fully turns back like his kin, looking back at his giant caretaker with moderately suspicious eyes. To his reaction, the great dragoness lowers the second half of her body, then her head.
"Uthu bastot… Yth surh tsekat sif olvumt ust uthu tosmyl uthu kovtur tsekat. Iole ajek heij elyvarq." Says Akhanta, her voice softer for him as her eyes reflect the important task of assuring his well being that she has in mind.
Slowly patting the young's one neck and head with a claw, the great dragoness retrieve her talon and turns to seek a blank sheet, having in mind to answer his doubtful mind… Coming back with an empty scroll, Akhanta unrolls it before the focused little one. Extending a talon, she readies herself to write.
"Uthu qaztenis zikos yl yfushka…" Says the dragoness as she turns to face a wall, where one can feel and see the presence of an immense power emanating from it, even if the stone weakens the feelings given by such an aura.
Seeing the draconic giant standing against it, the seer realizes why she stares at the cold surface for longer than expected. The thoughts about the two kins she left resurging in her mind, slowly but surely taking place until they overcome her current drive… Turning back, Akhanta settles down and start to draw on the sheet, her gaze now slightly tired as she tries to focus on what she wants to tell to the little hybrid.
Staying right in front of her giant form, Darkstalker can not stop himself from listening to her thoughts while she tries to put her ideas into image. As her claw moves and rubs over the thin fabric, words and feeling between her and her kins pop in mind, and from these half resurging memory, doubt, frustration and shame all attempt to colour her mind once again.
- "Akhanta…"
The head of the giant rises itself, its blue eyes staring into the nightwing while the movement of the dragoness' claw is interrupted.
- "Nelkemu yihe ythias kumista mesita uthu toijyl..."
Having said these words, the great dragoness shifts her body entirely, surprising the young one as she partially turns toward the entrance. Staring at it for a moment, the ancient one wonders about the two kins who she left, the desire to join them being rekindled with such thoughts… Turning back, Akhanta lowers her body, the simple desire to be close to the nightwing retaking its place in her mind.
Without resistance, Darkstalker allows his giant protector to lean into him and circle him with her very long tail, not surprised nor really able to say no to her, even if her coming does make him instinctively flinch. Feeling the heat and essences emanating for the great dragoness, the nightwing rests there, calm and quiet, not really looking at anything while Akhanta's mind slowly gets coloured with joy and pleasant memories of her far younger self.
How much do you miss being a guardian at the temple, watching over young ones and being a guide for everyone both young and old?
Are you really so desperate you would see me as one of your little ones? You do not understand my tongue, you do not know of my history, do you even know who I am, what I have done?
A sudden thought makes the little hybrid freeze, that of a loving mother learning her child shed blood and had a soul damaged like him.
Why am I even fearful of that? I'm not a child anymore, a dragonet ignorant of the complexity of the words… My heart can be tainted, as long as my bad deeds are justified. It's only a matter of finding the right words so they can understand…
Right? Sister, what were you saying? What where you thinking... when you were in that crowd of dragons that devolved into chaos… How can things return to what they were before? And how can I best speak to you after that?
No, I have to completely let go of this foolish hope, things have turned for the worst, I must take things in charge now. Sacrifices must be made, a burning path needs to be walked over, and I shall bear that burden so-
"Darkstalker?"
The great dragoness' snout is right before him, slowly but surely blowing air as worried eyes looks upon the nightwing with worry and a shred of pity. But before letting him really react, Akhanta recoils her massive neck, shocking the young one before fully unfolding her talons, having in mind to move out.
"Ignum yth toijyl."
With these words, the dark blue giant goes to the entrance, followed in no time by the nightwing and his unsure mind... Suddenly feeling a bit more uneasy, the little one walks fast and steadily, staying close to the one he trusts the most and doing his best to ignore the pulsating power at the end of the longest corridor…
Going through the old entrance, Akhanta and the young one enters into the welcoming room full of knowledge, the atmosphere being a pleasant one as the latter's mind is no longer pressured enough to feel uneasy… Learning from her quick glance that Darkstalker's state is a better one, the great dragoness continues to walk a little more in the spacious and impressive room, before halting as her paws feel the water.
In a fluid and somewhat long movement, the dark blue one settles on her spot, folding her four talons and curling her long tail before relaxing, letting out a stronger breath at the end… Having watched her attentively, the nightwing looks into her blue eyes, his face reflecting the lasting questioning of her drive he has in mind.
"Uthu pemku mesita azeiw yth, uthu pemku surh pemku aserpun azeiw yth…" Whispers the dragoness to herself, staring at the young one from the corner of her eyes.
Are you… starting to… laugh?
Taking on a moderately amused expression caged by sadness, Akhanta gradually lowers her head until she looks pitiful. And after a few the seconds, she speaks again, her voice tainted by heavy feelings.
"Yth hute eximn eiagyst..."
Hearing her voice again, alongside the sight of her mind remembering the life she had before, surrounded by her kind who counted on her, before all disappeared, Darkstalker overcomes his hesitance and steps closer, having in mind to lift the weight that brings her down… Climbing the edge of the pool and entering, the nightwing is followed by the great one's eye, her expression still one of sorrow as he swims into her…
- "Akhanta… don't think like that. I may not have lived in your time, but all is not lost, and looking at you and at what you have done… you are far better than you think of yourself now…"
Hearing his words in a genuine tone and feeling his paw touching her scales, the great dragoness rises her head and turns it to face Darkstalker, with the water around the both of them washing against their scales as their gazes cross… Surprise leaves the ancient mind for nostalgic memories to spread once again, though this time the sadness, the regret that taint them seems to weaken.
- "Darkstalker… oij alest uthu gynhim yth?" Asks the dragoness with no more sorrow in her voice, her wider eyes hinting at her mind being impressed by his actions.
Moving to her long and finned tail, the little hybrid partially climbs on it, getting more in contact with her while still staring into her eyes, bearing a faint grin as he hopes his guardian can continue to recover.
"Lieju uthu… feshur ostof oem yth?" Says the great dragoness as she focuses on the nightwing's expression, ignoring the rest of what she sees for a moment.
Blinking, Akhanta slightly recoils before becoming thoughtful, paying no attention to anything around her as she reminds herself of all the times she saw the young one from first to last, the emotions and feelings, the conflicts that were…
Climbing fully on the dark blue back of her tail, Darkstalker takes a few steps to end on her back and shift her mind, ending up above her giant and powerful heart that sustains the slow but vast flows of her essences. No longer grinning, but still being hopeful, the nightwing speaks in a fitting tone.
- "Akhanta, ignum yth."
To his words being of her tongue despite the approximate pronunciation, the great dragoness is a little shocked, especially as she watches the speaker return to the water and swim toward the edge, climbing out of the pool after a short moment…
Turning back to face his great protector, the young one gazes upon the indecisive one, with only the slow swing of her tail as movement before she shakes her speculating mind and speaks again.
- "Uthu eximn kasarh yth sif ignum..."
Breaking the calm with a fast rise of her massive talons to leave the pool of clear water, the dragoness brings her giant body to the other side of the edge, moving water alongside her scales and forcing the nightwing to take a step to the side, and with curious eyes, she stares at him...
Refining his stance and starting to stretches his limbs, Darkstalker throws the great one in confusion, freezing her during the short time he needs to end his whole act with a jump.
"Darkstalker, uthu-"
- "Yth, uthu." Says the young one as he puts a paw on his chest before pointing it at the dragoness.
Taking a single step forward, the dark blue giant presents more of herself, making her doubtful expression even more explicit, but the hybrid does not recoil, and in response to that, he opens his mouth and lets out a little flame that starts off orange but becomes blue as it fades.
Blinking instinctively, fear passes through her mind for a split second before the guardian puts her claw on Darkstalker's mouth. And not caring of him flinching, the dragoness leans her long neck until her snout touches his. Moving back a little, Akhanta speaks again to the one she must raise, her voice one of authority but retaining kindness.
- "Darkstalker, uthu linf surh ezamt ofemyl, ikul pelym, otefron uthutias ylfede prita itzue."
Retrieving her paw, the great dragoness watches the nightwing calming himself and refocusing, his gaze one that invites her to follow, to do like him as he twitches some body parts again to spend the energy he has.
"Uthu kasarh sif nomirt kes sif acetof uthutias xefnuit… Zu toijyl." Says Akhanta both to him and herself before turning her massive form and heading to the exit, a little smile appearing on her face as old memories about excited and playful younglings appear in her mind.
Following her with slight hesitation, the little seer marches alongside his dark blue protector, doubtful about the future but trusting her enough to not fear anything. As for her mind, Darkstalker has not forgotten to dive into it as they pass the entrance and begin to ascend the stairs, and from the many thoughts, he can make out the image of a gigantic training he is getting familiar with, as well as chaotic glimpses of a room filled with water and symbols, drawings over all its walls.
A new peculiar place? How interesting… Maybe I'll get to visit it later, after we've trained and played like those dragonets you expect me to be like...
And so it is with happy feelings and memories that the great dragoness walks through her house, guiding the young one to the place most appropriate for what they will do together, and satisfy his desire to move and play...