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Chapter 45: A simpler flight in the lands of nothing

Finishing a break he is not the only one to think he deserves, the young seer serenely reaches the end of his bed and steps on the ground, reacting slightly shocked when his paws touch the rigid and colder floor. Casting one last glance at the desk where lay the gem and the feather gifted to him, Darkstalker focuses elsewhere when he hears a kind voice.

- "Lieju uthu feshur zikos jykon toijyl?"

Moving his gaze a little, the little hybrid looks into Akhanta's eyes, the dragoness being centred on him with her massive and graceful form circling his space, her dark blue wings partially unfolded and covering all of his surroundings. Understanding such question, he nods in response with quite a lot of vivacity.

Satisfied of seeing his approving and energetic reaction, the great dragoness turns back, followed by Darkstalker as she seeks her kins in the fairly big, but especially long room. Since she had cast a glance at each of them before, it is not surprising when her sight spots Ayirn and Kraydirn together at the middle of the room, near some open shelves and talking with a few scrolls in their paws.

"Yl toijyl surh lihotu." Says simply the great dragoness as she approaches her kins, her voice resonating in the whole room.

Turning to her, the pair of dragons puts down their scrolls and stands up, beginning to follow the dark blue dragoness without complains, each kin glancing at the young one to check on him…

Exiting the room after a last moment of gazing at its colourful drawings, the nightwing appears to be more determined, both because of his rest and because of what he saw in the mind of others. If the sight he got from them was accurate enough, they have planed to reach the top of the house for a flight around the lands, probably to train and test him a bit in that domain. And that, makes the little seer grins.

My body is changing, but my wings were enough to support me recently. I should have no problem doing what any dragon can and love to do. Beside, that world may be empty, but what they built and created does radiate in the darkness. So all should be good, that is, if they don't decide to venture farther in nothingness…

.

Arriving near the top of the pyramid, the last step left is to climb their way up, and the great ones do it effortlessly, while Darkstalker, kept in his guardian's talon, does not have to try such a test unadapted for his size.

Feeling the power coming from above as they enter in the pale light of their created moon, and the bright light of the beacon occupying like royalty the center of the place, the draconic giants walk peacefully but imposingly on the highest of floors, the sounds of their steps being sent into vast but absolutely dark world that surrounds them... And travelling to the edge with his undisturbed peers, the young seer sees Ayirn eyeing the celestial sphere above her, her mind occupied by the radiant orb that she longs to grow…

Halting, it is Kraydirn who extends his wing to stop the others, while he still looks straight in front of him, gazing upon the horizon with a mind containing many feelings, first sadness tainted by residual andger, but such things diminish as hope burns brighter and pride appears as the feathered dragon remembers all the work he has done with his kins, with some of their creation still shining in the dark, and the miraculous coming of the little one.

- "Lieju almuyl surh lihotu… iti lieju aftomer okutes sif surh zaptoe?" Asks the dragon of black and ice, with a louder and unmistakable voice.

With the two dragonesses being thoughtful about their kin's words, it is Akhanta who answers first, her voice a confident and trusting one.

- "Ko, yl toijyl pyteya gynhim ythe surh tsekat sif ifyat yihe tho muka u tozakar aljtreisim prita tho, kes iole tho tunis tyron prita ifyat, oje yth enyder yth eiuf jernup sim tho." Says the dragoness as she glances at the young seer while still being on the same level as the others, the stance her mind takes being very reassuring, even if he does not understand everything.

Rolling her eyes slightly at her kin's little speech until the great dragoness finishes and unfolds her wings with a step taken toward the edge, Ayirn decides to speak while still staring at Kraydirn, her tone surprising the little seer as it is now personal.

- "tosmyl yth surh heia yl sulmy oem fosturun temylkos, abesun sylis almu yl mylmyl iole hute veneil estid ythetias tumok surh ryneia, yth enyder yth eiuf ghyt ythias sulmy sif foldurh Darkstalker yihe tho surh zait qorist."

Fully focused on her, the nightwing sees from the grand and magical dragoness a will to watch over him, even if he does not evoke a majority of feelings that are good in her.

Satisfied and silently proud of Ayirn, the feathered kin exchanges a few words before deploying his black wings and jumping, starting his flight around the titanic house. Watching him, the blue and green dragoness does not stay on ground any longer and jump, alongside Akhanta.

Seeing his giant guardian still looking partially at him despite getting farther and faerther from his place, the young one does not deceive her, and stepping as close as he can to the final floor's edge, decides to fly, the power of his essences answering his call in an instant, throwing him in the air by a way that feels so natural, and yet, never once in Pyrrhia did he soar in a manner similar to this one…

Flapping of his wings to remain free in the black skies, Darkstalker quickly catches up to the great dragons, or at least to the dark blue since the two others are flying further than her, though their gazes show they do not forget to look around and check for him.

- "Lieju uthu feshur zikos masne toijyl?" Ask Akhanta as she sees the young one approaching, her blue eyes examining him seriously though not without kindness.

- "Ko" Answers the nightwing, feeling no part of his body being problematic as he flies fluidly, his breathing steady and even pleasant.

- "Aquj Ankonalmirh surh nestoq ythe…" replies the dragoness as her face relaxes, looking once again in front of her.

- "Ankonalmirh?"

The great dragoness blinks, utterly confused for a second before she gets Darkstalker's question, and answers naturally, her mind certain.

- "Yl alkara ythe hute kara sim uthu soumhute muka jiake tosrez omus uthutias ueris, jivun yihe ythe hute moneos sif smena." Says Akhanta, the memories of the young one infused with their essences, wounded, or burnt, or stressed, or simply unconscious flashing in her mind.

Seeing that, the nightwing frows instinctively, his face changing as stress is applied to his mind, drawing the worried gaze of his guardian.

"Aftomer ajek rysim? Yth… gynhim ofemyl, nelkemu prita heij uthu hute moxon zait ythias kumista toijyl."

Hearing the honest words of the dark blue dragoness, Darkstalker stares back at her, his gaze crossing her own in an attempt to reassure her, and that little stress of her quickly leaves.

Continuing the flight normally, the young one gazes once again at the sky, the horizon… and the lands below him. It all feels terribly dull, lifeless, cold, and destabilizing in a way. Unlike the aggressive colours of blood, the screams or shaky breaths of the ones whose life is on the verge of ending, that "world" feels like nothing for the nightwing, and his mind can imagine far too well how helpless he would be in such lands, with time having no meaning anymore has it passes endlessly and the little hybrid realizes little by little there is nothing left to do, that he might as well be… no more?

Darkstalker snaps back to reality, his gaze stumbling upon the pair of great ones before, then focus on his closest guardian, such sight and feelings evoked by draconic presences making the bleakness of his mind vanish.

How fortunate I was to encounter others on such a realm, how fortunate…

.

It has been more than half an hour the dragons have been flying, and to the young seer's reassurance, the path they have chosen makes it so they always have more than a few towers in sight, as well as the beam of the Pyramid's beacon, and the "moon" is of course radiant enough to support them with its evoking existence... While the wings of the nightwing begins to ache a little, such a thing is to be expected, as for the great ones, they do not seem to be tired, perhaps bored or annoyed, but not at all disturbed in their graceful movements…

Feeling the cold wind of this world rubbing his scales, the little seer continues to silently follow the group, watching before him but listening to their mind as time passes, as he hears the slow but steady flaps of the majestic wings, and feels those of the dark blue giant, a dragoness who he has slowly but surely approached lately, if only to be closer to her mind, even if she is more focused on her kins most of the time, talking to them in a tone that often sounds mundane but personal, and sometimes a bit too emotional…

Minutes passes, and despite the hybrid being a seer, listening to others' thoughts may not be what he wants now, so imagining the sounds of droplets falling from the dark and cloudy skies of his mind, Darkstalker puts the many thoughts around him into that background noise.

Clearsight, Fathom, why did you do this to me, and when, where did you got such an idea?

And fate, why did you give up on me? Why did the moons give up on me? Why did everything fall? Why has my life been reduced to nothing?

I just want answers… so I can learn from my mistakes and correct everything…

Absolutely thoughtful, the little dragon nonetheless looks around him, from below to above, from the lands of grey and black rocks to the horizon illuminated by small lights, coming not from stars nor life, but fires at the top of empty towers.

It just doesn't make sense… How can there be another world, yet when I am brought to it, I see nothing but ruins, a lifeless realm condemned to eternal darkness if not for five survivors of incredible power?

How… can a world die?

Is there even something in Pyrrhia's history that could… destroy it? Throw it in ruins possibly forever?

I suppose there is the scorching, but that was only my kind overthrowing scavengers, with no lasting damage, and maybe things only buried deeply three thousands years later…

Magic is a possibility, but the strongest spells I know of are the one bearing my name and killing the enemy tribe, the one of the great ice cliff, and the many enchantment put on the palace of the icewing kingdom. Hardly something that could reduce everything until the horizon and more to cold stones and dust...

Finally fully rising his head, Darkstalker gazes upon the skies, and turning back, he can watch the shape of the artificial moon well above the great ones' house.

Whatever the case, I must not give up. These five dragons survived the end of the world, and they put faith in me? I can do it, even if their intent is far from being a good one, I will not deceive them…

Seeing the group getting closer to the ground as they approach a tower and its bright fire, the young one does not have to wait for long as Kraydirn first lands at its side, quickly followed by Ayirn.

- "Lieju lihotu sif gretij toijyl?"

Nodding at Akhanta's words, the little seer alongside his guardian get gradually closer to the ground, only gliding to adjust his path for a long moment of focus, before rising at the last moment, making his fully unfolded wings facing against his front, stopping him in seconds and allowing him to step on the ground without problems.

Walking a little closer, Darkstalker finds himself near to the old tower, close to his giant caretaker while she and her kins discusses almost mundanely, images and ideas concerning the concept of flying under many angles in the minds of all. But after a few minutes, the discussion ends, and the great ones now have their eyes on the nightwing.

- "Toijyl, oij alest uthu zikos uthutias olmukara?" Asks the feathered giant, his voice deep as his piercing blue eyes watch over the seer's very being.

Facing Kraydirn feeling a little uneasy, the young one perceives from his mind the explicit interest he has for his essences, and as an answer, decides to muster them. A moment is all it takes for Darkstalker to manifest a crude orb of blue light just over his risen talon.

Recoiling his head and turning it, his gaze no longer centred on the little seer, the feathered one lets his kins voice what they think.

- "Heia rysim, kes akeju oje u efebri." Says Ayirn, her gaze fully focused on the little hybrid's talon and orb, while she remembers many dragons far younger than her training in a dedicated temple, manifesting their essences in the most simple of manner.

- "Yth pyteya iole ajek jteos veliaf…" Utters Akhanta in a lower voice, mildly surprised by the one she took care of.

- "Lieju ythe soumvu yenuv ruzti yl toijyl?" Asks the feathered one to his kins, such question concluding on their little observation.

Taking a simple step back, the magical dragoness utters an answer in one of her most relaxed tone, catching the young seer off guard.

- "Ghyt oje uthu axumoi."

Kraydirn only raises an eyebrow before Akhanta steps up and give her words on the matter, her voice more serious but not stressed at all.

- "Ythe tunis ghyt iole. Heij uthu hefum Darkstalker?"

Being now at the center of his guardian's gaze and her questioning mind, the little watcher sees enough images from the others' minds, and decides to nod in response.

A bit of training my mag- my new powers should do me some good, especially since you are at my side…

Following the dark blue dragoness as she walks to distance herself from the old tower, the young hybrid is prepared when she halts and faces him on the land of nothingness, marking the beginning of his "challenge" as the others kins watch from behind, exchanging a few glances.

- "Muvol ashek uthumej." Says simply the nightwing's guardian, her voice and mind staying supportive as she unfolds partially her wings, taking on a more appropriate stance.

Taking a short breath to focus, Darkstalker sees the great dragoness raising a talon and standing up, rising her entire body that adds to her grandness, almost reaching for what is higher as a beam of bright and colourful essences starts to emanate from her claws.

"Iole… ajek aftomer heia oje furstige oje heij uthu linf moxon toijyl, ikul th ajek efton acetofen yihe uthu hute surh jukinen…" Says the dark blue giant as her own beam which ends up going a bit higher than the burning tower they are close to, her voice and attitude reminiscent of a kind teacher if the nightwing wants to compare it to anything.

"Kes ofemyl, uthu eiuf moneos sif ghyt aftomer owhur."

Having the eyes of the dragoness on him, and that of her kins in the background, the young seer begins by standing up and rising his talon like her, and as he wished, his own essences radiate from his claws. But that is not enough, so closing his eyes, Darkstalker lets his power guide him, and feeling his heart beating while his sun shines, he reduces any opposition in himself and frees the energy toward the sky.

A fire appears in the little hybrid's paw, and soon, it is bright and vivid, but also violent as the mass of power soon extends chaotically on all sides, reaching for potentially anything that could be close to it, like his talon, which begins to hurt.

"Toijyl, lieju uthu surh oqim?"

Seeing the young one continuing to struggle, Akhanta lets her talon fall, freeing it for what she may have to do as her eyes gaze upon him and his frowning face attentively…

I can do it, I can control my powers, I can succeed, Others count on me, I am made to succeed, I want to succeed, I…

Not enough of a soul?

Feeling the essences in Darkstalker ready to burst, the great dragoness suddenly extends her talon to him, immediately creating a link and commanding his very powers. With a vivid twitching of her claws, Akhanta frees all the energy that accumulated in the little one's talon and absorbs it in a harmless way despite the flashiness of the transfer.

"Konles toijyl, th surh myleia." Declares the dragoness, her voice firm while her mind feels relief.

Standing down, then catching his breath before finally sating on the crude ground, the nightwing looks at his guardian in the eyes, unsure and bothered by what exactly happened, but also being thankful for her intervention. And grinning slightly at his reaction, the great dragoness stands down and now leans a talon to his own. In an instant, a pale light radiates and the somewhat burnt part of his body begins to heal, the sensation of such power being sometimes very strong but overall reassuring and even relaxing.

- "Yl onuif ust u alkara prita u toijyl… Ikul uyl iole linf surh aljalest prita tho sif esmov ylfuz." Utters Kraydirn as he approaches the two dragons, his voice clear and his gaze sharp as he was spectator of the young one's failure and healing, while his mind becomes even more thoughtful.

- "Uthu surh smena, ythe almu ziko kes moxon th… Kes yth kenib ust yl kyvury iole ajturn zait yl toijyl kalup peuj uthue." Says Ayirn as she partially follows the group, keeping her distance and an air of politeness while her gaze is ever watchful, and her mind is speculating more intensely about both his essences and health.

Remaining on his little spot, the young seer watches the feathered dragon getting closer, his presence bringing a fresh atmosphere that is not unwelcome, while his eyes appear to be both analytic and caring.

- "Kraydirn" Whispers the nightwing in anticipation.

- "Yutive uthu zaptoe ythias tekel." Whispers the feathered kin in return before facing the dragoness, having quite a lot of thoughts concerning the otherworldly one.

Staring at his paw, the one he used to unleash essences a moment before, the little seer remains calm and almost relaxed as he hears words of a tongue foreign to him being exchanged and the speakers' mind. As expected, the great dragons all think of him and his powers, but also his health, though going deeper, Darkstalker gets glimpses of concept he saw before, as if they were their plan, but this time…

So you link my being and essences with Ikarh quite strongly? That makes sense. But why do you Ayirn, link me and… her with a moon as glorious as-

- "Toijyl, esimte yth uthutias quires."

Surprised of hearing Akhanta and getting her attention, the young hybrid blinks in shock, before staring back at her. Realizing after a few seconds she looks at his paw, the little seer cast a quick glance at it before presenting it to her, a bit worried.

Despite being a tad too serious for Darkstalker's liking, the great dragoness has no doubt in her mind, and after inspecting that part of his body, her expression soften and carefully touches him with two of her fingers, her soft skin gently rubbing his and connecting with the flow of his essences.

"Yth zikos neiatome rysim…" Says Akhanta as she continues to inspect the young one.

Letting his guardian do her task, the nightwing waits for a minute, using that time to look at the two other great ones. And while the feathered one is quieter, more refined and in the end, supportive of him, his magical kin is… utterly focused on him, observing his very being to bring some sort of conclusion, or at least getting closer to it…

- "Pratus heia usilm ust u qurak litysar omus uthutias ueris, uthu tunis surh yutive toijyl." Says the dark blue dragoness as she finishes her inspection of the one she has under her wing, retrieving her talon with relief and pride coursing through her mind.

Standing up, Akhanta turns to face her kins who heard her words as well, both being happier in some way even if the sign are not always visible, while the young seer walks at her side, a decision he took on his own.

- "Cuxt lieju ythe soumvu yenuv ienum sif gystis thotias olmukara oje ythe hute sefrye?" Asks the dragon of winter, more than a little pensive as he gazes at the dragoness but do not forget her little companion.

- "Aqerh heia, ikul ythe soumvu yenuv gystis yl toijyl wein u leaqis telast…" Answers the Akhanta with a hesitant voice, still wanting to do something with the young seer but knowing they have to change things.

- "Kes uthu, utnay Ayirn, heij uthu hefum ust iole? Astu dusmil uthu holcu oje tysnu sif vecik azeiw?" Says Kraydirn in a more casual tone, asking this time to the dragoness behind him as he looks at her quite curiously.

Hearing her kin's word, the magical dragoness finally decides to take a few steps forward, bringing her green and blue form closer to everyone, while her gaze remains focused on him. Being as thoughtful as ever, the grand dragoness thinks again about their aim and all that has happened recently concerning the seer, the memories of the many treatments they have done to him while he was unconscious coursing through her mind, making the center of the subject frow despite his efforts...

- "Uthu surh heia eruliten sif hefum prita velt oltem ythias ryna."

Ayirn's finned ears twitches as she hears the words, her eyes fully turn to Akhanta and for a split second, show annoyance.

- "Hie, eltyan th ajek u opeit yth iztop sulma peuj heia ghyt th." Explains the green and blue dragoness, defending her way of thinking.

Understanding her choice, the dark blue kin simply waits politely for her magical kin while the young watcher remains at her talon's side, and Kraydirn would stays perfectly quiet if not for the sound of his tail swinging, the feathers covering it rubbing the crude stone below…

"Akhanta, lieju uthu tunis lumu yl toijyl omus uthutias uiqout?" Asks Ayirn as she cast a quick glance at the little one.

The great dragoness was about to reply, but understanding and accepting her kin's word, she turns to Darkstalker, lowering her gaze to diminish the ominous presence she may evoke to him, not that he really minded her being so grand after trusting and remaining at her side for more than a moment… And before Akhanta can speak to him, the young seer is already putting himself against her long and finned tail, climbing it almost eagerly as he saw what she wanted of him.

Walking on her dark blue scale, the nightwing ends up on her back, between her two gigantic and majestic wings, where below beats a slow but powerful heart that sustains the flows of a sea of essences, the aura and radiance of a greater being.

- "Thotias ekyzu surh eximn usteln sim Zu ofemyl… Ankonalmirh surh pemku feshur vikym ythe, kes uthu yl alke." Declares the dragon of ice and snow in a more hopeful voice, his face brightening as he watches his kin and their little companion settling on her back, the mind of both feeling better.

Turning partially to Ayirn with a curious thought, Kraydirn sees her stance and gaze almost unchanged, remaining thought and analytic, though the feathered one spots her wings and tail gently extending, while her breathing varies in rhythm, a smile finally appears on his face as she what the presence of the otherworldly one in a kin's scales could give.

The watched kin suddenly stares back, and despite doing her best to not change her attitude, her silent gaze is demanding of an answer, before she snorts as she understands.

"Feshur aulofy heij uthutias oxon muka ysil the?" Asks the dragon of black feathers, his voice somewhat deep but relaxed while his little smile can not be missed.

- "Yth qaztehen aulofy heij yth hute moxon kes heij yth moxon, vawrie mulfine eximn emruti olka zait ythias ekyzu, ikul ghyt heia velgar iole… pelyle." Replies the dragoness with a far more personal voice, her attitude now in way soft to the little gazer's surprise.

Wings fully unfolding can be heard echoing in the lifeless lands, reaching the kins' ears with an intensity that matches the glorious aura of its owner, followed by the more demanding voice and gaze of the dark blue dragoness.

- "Yl olcunata ust uthu uh feshur vulnek oem yl leaqis surh ulfin, ikul aqerh ythe soumvu tunis felot yl esdikun prita Darkstalker?"

With the pair nodding in agreement, though Kraydirn lets out a deep and blunt laugh while Ayirn frows in annoyance, Akhanta soars into the black skies, bringing herself and the young hybrid higher in the air with the beat of her magnificent wings helped by the immense power of her essences.

Ascending to her level and following in flight soon after, the two other kins catch up to her more vividly, almost eager course over the dull lands with her, while the seer's guardian remains steady in her movement's rhythm, feeling better with his very presence on her back giving a sensation that might grown and even make her far more vivid than anyone else...