Chapter 24

Nephilim

Nephilim stood in front of a large dragon. His eyes were locked onto her as she smiled. The dragon brought his head down to her level and smiled as well.

"Nephilim? It's good to see you." his old voice creaked.

"You as well, grandfather." she replied.

"What brings you here?" he asked her.

"I wanted to see you. Also, it's Matrix." Nephilim looked down.

"What has happened?" his voice grew worried.

"He doesn't have long. Maybe a year. I've tried all the spells you've told me but nothing is working." she looked up at him.

He gave a long sad sigh. "That is what this sickness does. Your great uncle had this. He had turned 23 that year. It progressed quickly, taking over his body faster than anything. I don't know much about this illness. I do know it will randomly appear at any age."

"So there's no way to save him." Nephilim answered.

"I'm sorry. Live life with him as long as he has. Make yourself the best mother he could ask for." he placed a talon next to her.

Her great great grandfather swung his head up fast, making her jump. "What's wrong?"

"Someones here." he growled. He stared at the darkness and it grew brighter. It was as if the cave was open to the sun. It was so bright. Nephilim blinked at the sudden change in light.

"Who's there?" Pyrite growled louder, making her ears ring a little.

Nephilim looked over to the tunnel entrance and saw black scales and pale yellow scales. "Moon?" she asked.

Moon was covering her face with a wing at the light, as was Qibli who was standing behind her.

"What are you two doing here? You're supposed to be by the others." Nephilim snorted at them.

Moon lowered her wing and squinted. "I heard you leave. I thought something was wrong."

"I'm obviously fine." she told her. She sighed and put a talon over her eyes. "You need to leave."

"Oh. Ok." Moon looked disappointed.

"Wait." Pyrite said calmly. "You." he pointed to Moon. "You are a Nightwing, yes?"

Moon gave a blank stare. "Y… Yes."

"I haven't seen one in years." he replied.

"You know of Pyrrhia?" Nephilim asked him.

"Yes. I had traveled there a few times before I became. Well. This." he sighed the last part. "Met an animus there. He was a Nightwing as well."

Moon walked out on the tunnel and let Qibli through. "I'm Moon. This is Qibli."

"Greetings. I am Pyrite." he bowed his head.

Moon looked at Nephilim. "Your great great great grandfather?"

"Heh." Pyrite laughed. "Please. Call me Pyrite. Saying all that makes me sound old."

"You are that old." Nephilim said to him.

"I don't feel it." he shook out his wings.

"How is he still alive?" Qibli asked her.

"I enchanted myself to be immortal. Great spell I know." he said sarcastically. "The Nightwing I met had done the same. Oh what was his name?"

Nephilim saw Qibli and Moon share looks. "Darkstalker?" Moon asked.

"Ah yes. He was a good dragonet. I left 2 years before he had grown. I had hoped his life would be good. He was rather smart." Pyrite laid back down, keeping his head up.

Nephilim could see the faces of Moon and Qibli. Terror. Moons wings began to tremble. "He… He had killed his father. And a bunch of other Icewings. Clearsight stopped him, but she couldn't kill him. She put him in a deep slumber that lasted a little over 2,000 years. Last year we defeated him."

"He. He became a killer?" Pyrite looked at Moon. "When I met him he was driven. Loved Clearsight with all his heart. Is he dead?"

Moon shifted on her talons. "Sort of."

Pyrite tilted his head. "How sort of?"

"Well he had created a scroll to hold all of his magic." Moon started.

"I was the one who gave him that idea." Pyrite gave a small smile.

"It survived all the years he was asleep. We used a piece of it to turn him back into a dragonet." Moon looked up at Pyrite.

"Because an immortal dragon cannot die nor can the spell be reversed." he nodded. "One of the biggest drawbacks of this enchantment."

"I hope you don't mind, but how old are you?" Qibli asked Pyrite.

Pyrite barked out in laughter. "Oh. I haven't kept track of all these years. Close to 5,000 I believe. I was here for the Crystalwing massacre."

"That was over 5,000 years ago, grandfather." Nephilim gave him a loving look.

He puffed out a puff of smoke. "How am I supposed to know how long ago it was, down here?"

Nephilim rolled her eyes. "You can always come up to the top."

"I'm old and stiff. I don't think I could take it." he grumbled,

"I guess I should tell you what's been happening up on top." Nephilim sat down.

"The last time I saw you you had said your employer made you take over a raid. What has happened since then?" Pyrite set his talons in front of him.

"Well. I'm still working for her, yes, but more has been Silverwings have been attacking the other kingdoms. The Crystalwings are actually in hiding at the moment. I'm surprised Queen Topaz hasn't come and told you." Nephilim told him.

"Who is their king again?" he asked.

"Alistair." she answered

"Ah. King Conifers son. Yes. I remember him. His father was a good king. Lilith was supposed to take the throne, was she not?" He looked at Nephilim.

"Yes she was. He had taken it soon after her coronation." Nephilim nodded.

"Right… Blade was killed by him." Pyrite growled. "How bad is it up there?"

"Bad." Nephilim rubbed her arm. "Queen Azule has called a council of the Queens."

"Then it is bad." Pyrites eyes were shadowed. "No one has called a council of the queens in a thousand years."

"Yes." Nephilim nodded. "We have princess Asha. Maybe she can take the throne from Alistair."

Pyrite nodded. "Then I must help."

"Wait. What?" Nephilim took a step back as Pyrite started to get up.

"You will need animus magic to help. More than one." he stretched out his wings touching either side of the cave. He moved over to a pile of trinkets that spilled down as he stepped closer to it. He pulled out a red crystal and held it. His large wings and tail shrunk down with the rest of his body. He looked like any other Stonewing.

Nephilim took a step back. "What?"

"I enchanted this a while ago. Never used it before though." he pulled over a sachet and slipped the gem into it and pulled it over his neck.

"Woah." Qibli gasped from behind her.

"Let's go." Pyrite stood in front of them.