Malroth slowly slinked up onto the shore of another island, he could hear Lily snoring softly on his back. He looked around, seeing more molt and monsters around them. He scanned the island, trying to find somewhere safe to curl up with Lily. He didn't think anything would actually happen, but he'd rather be safe than sorry. He began to tear into the ground, making a cavern that he could slip into easily. Once he got the opening wide enough, he dug down deeper until the hole was just big enough to hold his large body.
The snake headed tail kept an eye on the area around them, glancing at Lily to make sure she slept soundly. Malroth paused, the fins on his head flickered when he heard voices. He clamped his jaw shut to keep the snarl back when he heard an all too familiar voice. He slid down into the hole, easily plucking Lily from his back and cradling her in his clawed hand.
"My Lord…"
"Shut up. Why would you attack? I told you all to stay your weapons. I need her. I have to have her!" Arusu snapped. "She's the final piece. With her power… "
Their voices were fading, Malroth carefully tucked Lily into the corner of the hole he made before poking his head out. If Arusu was telling the truth and he had in fact killed Malroth before, then he couldn't do anything stupid. What did Arusu need Lily for? He lifted his head, sniffing the air to see where they went when he felt someone watching him. He turned, seeing it was just a slime staring up at him. He glanced between the slime and the hole, growling when the slime started to go in. He paused when he saw a small horde of them. He couldn't leave Lily without protection while she slept. But he wouldn't risk taking her with him, if Arusu could take him down…
Lily stretched some, a small noise leaving her as she rolled over, snuggling into the warm scales that protected her. She paused, realizing they weren't in the water anymore. "Mal?"
Malroth shifted so he could look at her in the cramped space, a sigh leaving him. He grabbed her when she started to crawl out of the hole, shaking his head. He had managed to hide the entrance with broken tree trunks and molt. He kept her close as he reached up, pushing everything out of the way. He looked around once again, not seeing any enemies nearby. Arusu was here. I heard him talking to his sorcerer. They need you for something. They need your power.
"Did you hear what for?"
No. I didn't want to risk taking you with me to follow them or leave you behind with so many monsters nearby. Malroth shook himself, flinging dirt and debris as he did. His wings spread out, giving a few test flaps before he jumped up and started his ascent. A noise had the two of them looking down, seeing Arusu and the sorcerer gawking up at them with a few soldiers sitting on the shore near their three small boats. How long until you think you can get that teleportal up and going?
"I'm going to try to move as quickly as I possibly can, Mal… but I'm not sure. It's busted up pretty good." Lily whispered as she clung to the hand that held onto her. "Why didn't you wake me up? We could have followed them together-"
They want you, Lils. I'm not about to damn near hand you over to the fucking guy. Malroth snarled, pressing Lily against his chest more as he dove into the clouds, hiding their path from the knight beneath them. I won't lose you again.
Lily leaned against his chest, gently kissing the hard scales. "I won't leave your side, Mal. I promise."
Rose and Dracken looked up when a large shadow flew over them. "They're back sooner than I expected. I know they're on a tight timeline, but I figured they would take a few days to themselves." Rose smirked and gave Dracken a playful nudge.
"I won't lie, I thought the same thing." Dracken frowned as Malroth landed up near the stone tablet in the Scarlet Sands. "I suppose we should go down there and see what's happening." He started to leave the temple, he saw the telltale signs of someone about to warp to the area just in front of them, the sparkles and sparks of electricity in the air. He paused, watching as Lily appeared in front of them. "Lily."
"Dracken, what is Arusu up to? You said you were a part of their ranks, do you remember anything?" Lily kept her head down, looking at him through her thick lashes. "We saw him on one of the islands we were on, Malroth overheard him saying he needed my power for something."
Dracken touched the chin of his mask, letting a out small 'hmph' as he thought. "No, that was such a long time ago, I'm afraid." He started to pace though, clearly trying to remember his time with them. "Honestly, I saw your mother with them and she was so intent on trusting me that I simply focused on her and her needs. When I looked at her… I felt like I had to protect her."
Lily and Rose frowned at Dracken, Rose started to step towards him when she froze, her pale blue eyes going wide in surprise when a memory struck her.
Rose sat next to the tomb that held her mother, a soft whimper leaving her. "I haven't seen father in almost a month. He swore he wouldn't leave me by myself… Pippa has been bringing me food, but…" She shot up, her eyes bloodshot from tears when the old gate creaked open. She dove behind the old tomb, not wanting to be found, Pippa was driving her up a wall. So was Rollo. They both had good intentions but she could look after herself. She was grown now. Seventeen, almost eighteen, she didn't need anyone.
But she wanted her father. She wanted to hear the stories of her mother and fathers journey once again. Just one more time.
"An old tomb…" A voice grumbled, their steps were soft as they came down into the tomb. "I have only foggy memories… but I know that you… you are my light… I made… a promise…"
Rose risked peaking around the stone bed that her mother laid in, seeing nothing but dark robes swishing around the being. She narrowed her eyes, only to press herself quietly back against the hard surface. It was a monster. A priest. Was he a priest of the Dragonlord? She thought her mother and father had driven them all out.
"A promise…" The monster whispered as he reached out, carefully touching the cold stone. A moment of clarity snapped into his clouded mind. "Daisy… I made you a promise…"
Rose let out a soft chuckle that turned into sobbing laughter. "You had to protect her; she was in the middle of danger. You made a promise."
Lily and Dracken turned to look at Rose. She could feel him studying her despite the mask blocking his eyes. "What? I made a promise?"
"You promised mother." She reached out, taking his gloved hand in her own. "How could I not see it sooner?" She looked at Lily, seeing she was just as confused. "You read those journals, did you not? Your great-grandfathers name was Draven." She waited to see if it clicked for either of them, letting out an irritated sigh when they both seemed to still be confused. "Draven… Dracken." Rose rolled her hands, waiting for the puzzle pieces to click. "Oh, Goddess bless you two with a brain. Dracken, I saw you come to my mothers tomb many times when I was growing up. It was you that delivered Lily to me. Do you even know why you brought her to me?"
"No… I-I didn't deliver Lily to you. I was trying to get a plan together to get Calla out of that castle…" Dracken pulled away from the two of them, pain in his voice as he recoiled. "I couldn't have…"
Lily frowned at her grandmother. "Dracken… is Draven? You… knew what was lying dormant inside of me… because it was the same power my great-grandmother had within her… and-"
"No." Dracken snapped, thrusting a hand towards Lily, magic gathered on his fingertips. The beast froze though, seeing Lily glaring at him through the magic. "No. That's not… it's not possible."
"Nyenda called you Draven. She recognizes you-"
"If she can recognize me, then… then make her come out and explain it all! I-" Dracken gripped his head, gasping from the pain that wracked his body. "What's happening…"
Rose moved to him, pulling him against her. "I'm sorry I didn't realize sooner, papa."
Dracken meekly tried to push Rose off of him. "I'm not… I'm not your father… I can't be…"
Malroth was suddenly looming over Dracken, his golden eyes wide on the monster that was curled up against Rose. What's happening to him? His power is fluctuating.
"That's my fault, Malroth… I realized that he's my father-"
What the fuck? Malroth snapped his attention to Lily, giving her a coy look. Monster lover runs in the family, huh?
"Sh-Shut up! Don't make this inappropriate!" Lily laughed and threw a small rock at Malroth, hitting him in the shoulder. "I don't know what's happening to Dracken…"
He's cursed. Break the curse.
Malroth and Lily froze when they heard the deep rumbling voice echoing around them. "Sounds quite-quite-quite serious!" Hermit appeared next to Lily, eyeing her and pointing his hammer at Dracken. "Go-Go-Go on!"
Lily scrambled forward, carefully placing a hand on him. She closed her eyes, breathing in deep as she let her magic flow around her. A soft breath out, she could feel his quickened heartbeat beneath her fingers.
Breathe in.
She could feel his pain, she ripped her hand away, feeling her arm tensing up from it. "I-I don't think I can-"
Of course she can't. Destroy the curse.
Malroth paused at hearing his alters voice. Won't that destroy Dracken? When his alter didn't respond, Malroth shifted, wrapping a clawed hand around Dracken. He frowned at how the priest thrashed around in pain. He focused on the priest, seeing the dark smoke rolling off of the monster. He studied the smaller monster for a moment before noticing that the dark smoke was coming off what looked like inky black thread wrapped around a dull spark. If he broke the curse, Dracken would cease to exist. He lifted a claw to the simple white mask, they needed Dracken for just a while longer, he knew that much. We can ask Al if he knows how to destroy the curse without killing Dracken. For now… leave him be, don't bring it up again. Not until Arusu has been taken care of.
Lily watched as Malroth flapped his wings carefully, making sure to not blow the three beneath him away before taking off with Dracken in his claws. "Gram… what made you say-"
"His mannerisms. I know my father, I know. He would always tap his chin like that when he was thinking of a solution. He loved cranberry cookies with his tea. He gets teared up when I reminisce on my youth, and he comes out of his way to see me every day. He takes care of you and teaches you things like you're something special to him. He doesn't do that with the others. You can't tell me that he does." Rose watched Malroth flying away towards the safety of the temple. "My father was that way. He only trusted family, he told me I would be wise to do the same." She paused for a moment before smiling at Lily. "We have enough on our plates for now, we'll worry about Arusu and getting Malroth to his full power before we start playing around with Dracken's life."
Lily sat in front of the teleportal, frowning at it as she returned to her book, scribbling things down before looking back up at the large slab of stone. She tapped her quill against her lip, if she could just power it somehow.
Malroth walked down the beach with Al next to him, he rolled his shoulders, glad to be back to normal. "I need to figure out how I can control going between forms, I can't stay stuck like that all of the time." He let out an annoyed huff when Al only chuckled. "Seriously! I have to be careful where I step, I almost stepped on Arisplotle this time."
"The little slime is a metal slime; he would have been a tack in your foot had you actually stepped on him." Al turned his attention to where Lily was sitting on the edge of the teleportal, his whole body going rigid. Malroth's attention snapped to her as well, eyes narrowing some. "Is she pulling on our magic?"
"I think she's pulling on the islands magic-" Mal started, gasping when lightning split the sky and went right through the stone cliff above Lily's head. "Lily!" He took off in a sprint, arm reached out as if to grab her and protect her.
The stone fell around Lily, bouncing off a small barrier of magic as Lily looked up, golden magic shimmering in her eyes. "Mal! I got it to work!" She jumped up, running into his open arms, not noticing the shock on his face. "I just needed to power it with magic! It had to be the islands magic, I couldn't power it and you couldn't power it because it wouldn't have been us returning to us, it's us returning to the island! I can't believe it took me so long to realize it!"
Al leaned around them, another chuckle leaving him. "Brilliant as ever, Lily."
"We can go get you your power now!" Lily's lips brushed softly over Malroth's yanking him out of his stupor. "Aren't you excited?"
Malroth gently put his hands on her hips, smiling at her as he kissed her back. "Well, duh! I can finally kick that assholes ass!" He pointed to Al, his toothy grin spreading more. "Go get Rose! We're heading out!"
"Shouldn't you test that theory of yours? Make sure you'll actually end up where you want to go? And in one piece?"
"The only other place I can think of that has a teleportal is whatever island Arusu is on." Lily turned to Al, tapping her chin as she thought. "As long as the three of us are thinking of Cantlin when we get on the teleportal then we should make it there just fine."
Al let out a gruff noise before shaking his head. "Alright, fine. Let us go retrieve Rose and I will see the three of you off."
Rose stood to the side as Lily strapped armor to herself, a sparkling blade attached to her hip. "Are we preparing for a battle that I don't know about?"
"We have to be prepared for anything. Dracken is still out from Malroth calming him but if we can, we'll get his physical form as well-"
"Worry not about finding Dracken, he should be close to the Master." Al dipped his head when Lily and Malroth looked to him. "Travel safe. Lady Rose, it was a pleasure meeting you."
"It was a pleasure meeting you as well, Pastor. When my granddaughter returns, take care of her." Rose shook Al's hand, giving him a warm smile before turning and going up the small steps of the teleportal.
Malroth and Lily waved to Al before joining Rose on the teleportal. "No one think of anything or anyone except Cantlin." Malroth growled softly before stepping to the middle of the portal.
Rose joined him, pausing when Lily breathed in and then out, calming herself before joining the two of them. The stones glowed and light engulfed them, twisting and knotting Lily's stomach, making her feel ill as she struggled to stay on her feet as the light swallowed them.
When Lily opened her eyes, she swallowed hard. "Shit."
Malroth stared at the guard in front of them, his red eyes narrowing. "I can feel Him, Lils."
"Pick Gram up." Lily slowly backed away from the guard as realization struck him. "I'll worry about fighting; you worry about getting Gram to safety."
"Got it." Malroth let out a growl as he scooped Rose up, tossing her onto his back before turning and running out of the chamber they were in.
"In the name of the Queen! Stop!" The guard started to run after them when Lily threw her hand out, a wall of stone erupting in front of the Moonbrooke guard, cutting him off.
Lily turned on her heel and ran after Malroth, following him through the twisting corridors as they ran. "Do you even know where you're going?!"
"No! I've never been here before, Lils!" Malroth risked glancing back at her when his eyes locked onto someone he never wanted to see again. He came skidding to a halt as Lily started to pass him. "Run!"
Lily gave Malroth a confused look as she passed him. "What are-" She risked looking over her shoulder when she saw Arusu. "How?!"
"My sorcerer felt you leave. I was curious as to where you thought you were going." Arusu grinned as he pulled his sword out, pointing it at Malroth. "First, I'll kill you. Then, I'll kill the old woman." His dark eyes moved to Lily, looking her up and down. "And then… you and I have a lot of catching up to do."
Lily grabbed Malroth's arm, yanking him along with her. "C'mon! We can't fight him, not here." She led the way through the winding hallways, her fear threatening to choke her as they whipped around a corner, skidding to a halt when the sorcerer blocked their path. "This way!" She bolted to the left, guiding Malroth down a branching hallway. "Mal! Promise me you'll get her to safety!"
"I'll get all of us to safety, Lily. All of us!"
"Promise me, Malroth!"
Mal nearly tripped, his eyes wide on Lily. She never said his full name. Never. "Lily-"
Lily was panting as they stopped running, her bottom lip trembled as she locked him in with her wild eyes. "Promise."
"I swear I will get her to safety, Lily. But we're all getting out of here, I promise you that."
"You two need to quit talking and start running!" Rose harped from Malroth's back, twisting so she could see the Moonbrooke guards coming up the long hallway behind them.
Malroth twisted so he could see them as well, he let out a growl and threw his arm out, feeling a spark of dark magic collecting at his fingertips only for it to fizzle out. "What…?"
"Did you think we wouldn't come prepared to block out your magic?" Arusu purred as he rounded the corner, leaning against it with a smug grin on his lips.
Lily looked down at her hands then back up at Arusu. She wanted to know how, but that didn't matter in that moment. She glanced to Malroth, seeing a door down the hall creek open and two more guards stepped out, their swords at the ready. Malroth put himself between Arusu and Lily, but the man made no move. He was having fun with the chase. Mal's eyes narrowed on Arusu as he reached over, touching Lily's arm to get her to move with him. The trio slipped passed Arusu who was only grinning at them. "Don't worry. We can play cat and mouse for a little bit longer."
Lily took off running as soon as they rounded the corner, Malroth's longer legs easily put him in front of Lily as they turned another corner in this endless maze. But there it was, freedom in the form of a window. "C'mon, Lily!"
Lily was gasping for air as she pushed herself into a sprint, the fire in her lungs caused tears to form in her eyes as she pushed harder. A shimmer on the wall had Lily slowing down a hair, her eyes shot wide as a portal opened up and the sorcerer stepped out in front of her. Lily let out a scream as she collided with the man, the two of them rolled from the force of the hit.
Malroth had pushed the window open, turning when Lily cried out. "Lils!" He started to run towards her when she threw a hand up at him.
"You promised!"
Malroth froze, his body going slack at her words. Rose felt heavier on his back in that moment. He could drop her; he could get Lily. He could get her to safety. But the sorcerer was already back on his feet and standing between them. "I won't let them take you."
Arusu sauntered up behind Lily, grabbing her by a pigtail and wrapping the long blond strands around his fist. "You have no magic. You have muscle… but you also have an old bat to protect."
"Put me down. Save her, Malroth." Rose hissed as she pushed to slide off his back. "Put me down." She struggled against him when his arms tightened on her legs. "Save her!"
Malroth could see a portal open up next to him, he could see the sorcerer surrounding him on either side. Magic. He hated sorcerers. Despite that his eyes were locked on Lily's, anger burned in those brilliant blue eyes of hers. "Lily."
Lily reached back to her hip, grabbing the hilt of her sword. "I love you."
Malroth lunged forward when Arusu rammed his knee into Lily's face when she pulled her sword out. "Lily!"
Lily spit blood onto Arusu's boots, her eyes still locked on Malroth. Malroth could feel the heat of flames coming from the sorcerer, daring him to save Lily. He closed his eyes, a shaky breath leaving him as he reached into the endless pool of his power, but it felt… wrong. Like it was frozen over or locked away. He couldn't summon it, couldn't create those dark orbs, couldn't bring the monstrous form to the surface.
Lily watched as Malroth struggled with himself. "I'll be fine! Please, Mal!"
Arusu gave the sorcerer a nod when the man glanced back at him. "He's not going to attack. He knows he's too weak."
Malroth's eyes snapped open when his power flooded through his veins and he threw his hand out, a dark orb appearing in front of where the sorcerer should have been, but the portal they disappeared into was already snapping shut. He started to move forward when Rose slammed her fists into his shoulders. "I'm sorry." His voice was barely a whisper as he turned to the window and jumped out, leaving the guards to yell after them.
Rose started to cry out when wings ripped free from Malroth's back and the wind whipped around them. "My baby…"
"Where's that cave?"
Rose stared at the back of Malroth's head, a mix of anger and fear spearing through her. His voice was soft but strained. He was struggling to hold onto his sanity. He was going to kill that man. She could feel his intent, could feel his anger and hatred. "North… the cave is north…"
Rose didn't argue with him as he landed in the forest just outside of Cantlin. She refused to look at him as he set her down. "I'll see you when you get back."
"I'm not coming back. I won't have to use the teleportal."
Rose gawked at him; her brows furrowed in confusion. "Then how do you plan on getting back?"
"I won't destroy your home, Rose." Malroth slid his hands into his pockets, his wings twitched behind him as he finally looked at her, his face unreadable. "I don't need one of those silly little things. I'm a God."
Rose felt her body go slack as Malroth flapped his wings and took off. "I would not want to be Arusu right now."
Malroth carefully landed at the mouth of the cave, he could feel it. His power. Hidden carefully away in this cave were his bones. He licked his lips as he strolled forward, his eyes adjusting to the darkness as he moved deeper. He paused in front of the bones, half covered in muscle and tendons. He reached out, his fingers spreading out over the large forehead.
He breathed in deep as power rushed over him and through him. He could feel it soaking into his skin, changing him. Making him stronger. He opened his eyes, the bones were gone, leaving behind the limp form of Dracken. "Sup, Priest." He scooped the limp body up, keeping the monster tucked against him as he lashed out, a large cut appearing in the air in front of him. He could see the Isle below him. He glanced back, unable to see the mouth of the cave before stepping through the portal he created. Of all the things he dreaded, explaining Lily's absence to the others was one of the things highest on that list.
