The Last Draken

The Last Draken

BY: Aaron Effinger

Chapter 1

"Caged"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darkness is all around; morning light flooding in from two slants, shut eyes. The time of day has come once more. A prisoner, I will awaken to be for another day. My eyes ease open slowly to dim the pain of first prone eyes to the new day. All around the smell of rotten food filled the air. The damp floor radiated the smell of soaked wood not dried for several months. As I open my eyes the room began to come into focus. Once again I looked at the chains hung from the ceiling, the barrels of supplies beyond my cell. And the door still shut.

The sounds of the guards are still herd beyond the door to the storage room were I'm held. "So, when we reaching Sadie?" one of the guards said. "At lest another day or so." Another replied.

"I'm getting sick of this, every day, guarding this room, as if supplies were that valuable." One guard spoke, "and not to mention this god damn ship! I hate the ocean and I'm stuck to this! The Empire could have afforded much better accommodations! But no, they have to spend all this money on the war efforts! The Empire is hiding something, and I know that what ever is beyond this door must be a new weapon of some sort."

"Well you know we could always take a peak? The caption wont be by to inspect our duties tell another hour."

There was silence for a moment, then the sound of squeaking hinges. That sound made me cringe every time I herd it. The door opened slightly and thru the dim morning light, a pair of eyes peaked thru.

"What do you see?" one guard whispered.

"I don't know it's a little dark"

"Well go in."

then there was but the sound of a carefully opening door, as if caution was needed from the dark. A foot stepped slowly into the door. I stood still as to not frighten them and get an unwelcome reaction.

The guard stepped into the room, and as he did the other looked carefully in from behind him. With every slow foot step closer my muscles tightened, and I became a little more ready to protect myself. There is nothing more reckless and destructive than a scared human. In knowing this I stilled. They drew closer, slowly with swords drawn and ready for any sudden attack upon them. The floor creaked under them as they walked by barrel after barrel, looking for anything of curiosity. Then they stopped and peered at my cage.

"What's that?" on guard said as quietly as he could.

"Looks like a cage." He paused "but why would there be a …"

Just then a man's voice yelled out, "Privates!"

The guards jumped at the sound of his voice, "shit!" they both said at the same time as the ships captain walked in the room.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" he snapped, "You have strict orders not to enter this room!" just as he finished speaking four guards came into the room. "Take them to the deck men; I'll deal with you two momentarily"

"Yes sir…" the guards said with a sight hint of fear in their voices. With that the men were escorted out of the room.

 

The captain walked slowly to my cell, his medals glistened from the light sneaking in from the cracks of the poorly made ships hull. "So, you thought you could just lure my men in here and some how escape did you?" I didn't answer him; I just stared into his eyes with a blank face "still not talking I see. Well in due time, it won't mater. We're seven miles off shore from Sadie harbor. You know what that means?" before I could even answer he replied for me, "That means your going with the Empire. Your lucky ass is going to be a member of the Empires army."

"I will never work for scum like you! The Empire will pay for this treason, and I personally will see to it that he pays for what he has done to my people!" I yelled, thru red eyes and an agree face. "Well, well, you do speak. Those are pretty strong words coming from a prisoner. How do you think you'll achieve this?" the captain chuckled "you can't even get yourself out of this cage, how do you plan to escape the many wizards and warriors of the Empire?"

The captain stood staring with a serious face, and after a moment of silence he said, "Exactly. You couldn't even hope to match the powers of the Empire." He paused and took in a breath, "you're just another abomination, a toy, a mere pet of the Empire, and that's all you'll ever be. So get these notions of fighting against the supreme power of the land out of your head. I own you as long as you're on this ship, and I'd hate to have to deliver a, battered carcass in place of you, but it would be all worth the sacrifice of a few gold coins to see you suffer."

The captain turned and walked from the room with the since of control and utter pleaser written on his face. The door slammed behind him as he exited the room. A sense of power bestowed me from his pathetic speech. A mortal could never hope to over-power a Draken, and this allusion of his, that humans are supreme, in the end, will be short lived. Drakens have ruled this land for more centuries than could be counted, and only recently have humans been able to weald the powers of Magiki. The wizards of the Empire would be no match for an experienced Draken. Although I am but 50 years old, I know enough to subside the ambition of the Empire, and with a little practice to sharpen my skills, I would take the Empire and all others that oppose me down in a mere 20 years.

 

The day was long, every minute seeming like hours. Confined in my box, no much luster within iron bars to make time useful. So I spent the day in a deep meditation. I stay concentrated on the sound of the waves, the smells of the foul and putrid room, and the sounds of all but silent rats' scurrying across the floor mixed with the basal of busy crewmen and guards outside. The light dimmed as the day presided. Then after about noon brightened again to a management light show displayed on the walls across from the stained glass windows. After a few hours the light ceased and the windows grown dim once more. All the day brings to me these days is the calming of mind and the readying myself for my escape. I am not to stay here much longer, not as long as I know the fate of my future should I stay. Although strong and experienced in the likes of magic, there was one truth in the captain's words. He was right; I could not escape the confines of my iron box.

About a half hour after the light was completely gone, the door opened as it always did at this time. The door creaked as to give an alarm of the unwelcome man about to pass through, to bring me my daily rations. But today was different. Instead of the captain stepping through, a young woman of about 20 stepped thru instead. She stepped with a fear of what awaited her in the room, as if the darkness would attack suddenly should she give her guard down. The door was left open as to let the light of the torches in the hallway flood dimly amongst the floorboards of the storage room.

"Hello?" the young lady asked cautiously, "I was sent to deliver your supper. The chief told me… that…. ", Thinking she would her no reply, she silenced.

A moments passed were she had not spoken before I finally said something. But she was not expecting a reply. "Yes, I'm here…" I said finally. "Over here, in the corner."

She walked slowly towards the dark corner of the room, watching each step. She moved closer and closer gathering more and more fear. Many humans fear what they don't understand, and this was the case this time. When she finally got close she said quietly. "S… sorry for the w…wait…" She then opened the small door on the bottom of my cell and slipped the food in. "I hope you enjoy it, it's supposed to be his f… finest." She backed away and trembled as she quickly closed the door to my cell. She then stood waiting for me to move or make an action or something. Then she turned and started to walk away.

"Thank you very much miss", I said kindly, as my words reached her she stopped and looked back. "Your w…welcome", she said with a smile. "No ones ever told me thank you before" she said sort of lifted of her fears. "Sleep well" and she walked out, closing the door on her way out. The door closed with a gentle trembling squeak this time, unlike the constant slamming of the guards as they occasionally entered to make sure I was still here.

 

The night came as a relief to the bright daylight. As the ship rocked back and forth I imagined what I would do once I reached Sadie Harbor, what fate I would be given, and what chance for escape would come to me. The quiet of the night grew more and more reckless. My days were about to be worse when I arrived in Sadie and I knew this. No good could come from humans. they all seem to think that they're destined by their gods to do what they do, in the good of their lord, when all that was destined of them was to destroy in order to build destructive means of destroying more. It sickened me to know I would be their newest means of destruction. The thought that I, a noble Draken, was to be forced to do what I have sworn to stop sickened me. Work for the Empire to kill the innocent. They will never make me go against my beliefs. The Draken code of honor will be my undoing and my bliss.

I sat down in the straw and looked across the room. The moon that now shined through the windows faded the darkness. The ship was quiet; the bustle of the guards has stopped and was replaced with a faint squeak of the floorboards shifting with the ocean below. The lights under the door danced as they often did when there was enough darkness to see them. Suddenly a foot's shadow hid the dancing and the door slowly opened, this time not a sound came from it as a dark figure closed the door behind them. "Shh…" a woman's voice panted quietly. "They're about to reach land." she said and walked close to my cell. It was she, the woman who brought me my dinner. She had come back. Why would she risk getting killed for me, was it because she felt pity for me? I quickly realized her intent once she got close, in one hand she held a dagger, and in the other a key. Why was she going to save me, when all but hours ago she was trembling in fear at the sight of me? The thought ran through my head and confrontation struck me, a human was about to set me free. This is nothing I could have ever suspected of such a creature, to help a Draken, to be terrified of me one moment and kind to me the next.

 

She slid the key in the keyhole carefully and turned it slowly as to not make noise, all the time looking at me with a half scared, and half smiling face. The door came loose and swung slightly towards her. "You should be getting out of here… a fine demon as yourself, so kind to one so unworthy should not be locked in a cage. The Empire will only take your heart and make it a cold as stone." "Why are you helping me?" I asked gratefully yet curios of her reasoning for freeing me. I must seem as a beast to her, and yet she shows me kindness? But she answered quickly, "Because you are the first to appreciate my services. I've never heard the words thank you directed at me… it was a nice surprise." "I do so appreciate this, thank you again." I said swiftly.

 

Just then a noise rang through the storage room, an echo of voices outside the door. The captain was approaching, and there was not enough time to run. "Hide!" I demanded quietly. "You'll be killed if you're caught in here." As quickly as she could she ducked away from my cage and crouched behind a crate in the back of the room. As a reflex I grabbed the key from the cell door and grasped one bar on the door and one near the opened cage and pulled the cell door closed. Just as it shut a sound rang out through the room, the unmistakable sound of the door the storage room swung open and in walked the captain. Two guards followed him; they walked close behind him, swords ready, yet leisure in their steps. They fell out behind the captain and took a position on either side of the door. They were dressed in gold and silver armor and I immediately noticed they were not the same guards that wondered the ship.

"We have arrived." The captain said as he walked towards me. "Today is the day you make me rich, you should be honored." But I said nothing looking in the direction of the girl; checking to see if she could be seen.

He grinned in my direction and said carefully, "Do you still think you will escape the Empire's grasp?" he chuckled for a moment then continued in an anger tone. "No one escapes the Empire! No one!"

"Until today..." I replied in a normal tone. The captain didn't like this reply. He had expected me to give up. All the time in this cage had only raised my ambition. I need to get out and whether he likes it or not, I was going to before it was all said and done. "FOOL!" he shouted, "You honestly think you can fight the Empire alone? Well, we'll see. You will find soon enough your hope is in vain."

He disgusted me, the more I was around him; the more I wanted to rip his throat out. The time was near, I was going to escape, and with the key still in my hand I slipped it into my back pocket. Slowly looking up at them, I gave a smirk, "We will see." I said in a rather pleasured voice, but this only pissed him off more. He got close to the cage, face right at the bars, and stared into my eyes. The seriousness on his face was intense. Sweat ran down his face, and his temple throbbed. It was the first time I got a good look at his face, and I was to remember it. I made a mental note and concentrated once more on his pupils.

"I don't know who you think you are, but this attitude of yours WILL NOT be tolerated!" he screamed, saliva leaving his lips and raining on my face. His expression got more intense. He went to go on and further insult my attitude but from behind him rained the voices of the already inpatient guards. "If you don't mind captain, the emperor would like his cargo today and as soon as possible. Now I'm sure the Empire can train him in the ways of a loyal servant without your guidance!" the captain's face filled with rage once more as he looked at me. "Now move out of our way, you can collect your pay from the docking station!"

The guards stepped forward pushing him out of their way and walked to either side of the cage and pulled it forward to the center of the room. All the while I stared anxiously at the barrel were the young lady was hiding now, hoping she didn't make a move to escape, hoping that once I was in the custody of the Empire that she would come out of hiding and continue the day as if nothing had happened. I had no intention of one so kind getting involved in the monstrosity of events that, until tonight, led me to a life of embarrassment. But that was not to say I was not grateful for her attempt at rescuing me. I merely had not wanted her to suffer for my freedom should she be so kind a human. With all of this running through my head as the guards attached chains hanging from the ceiling to my cage. They were strung through small holes in the ceiling onto the outside. Once the guards had finished they walked back to the door and one shouted out the door. "Ready, open the doors!" the ceiling gave a squeak as it parted down the middle reveling the night's sky. I looked up at the moon lost in a daze. I had not seen the sky in months, and it was a relief to know it still existed beyond this monstrosity of hell the humans called a ship. Slowly it opened to show a crane hovering above us, the chains attached to my cage were attached to the crane. A loud noise preceded the doors opening, and the cage lifted slowly, effortlessly off the ground. The vibrations from the chains descended upon my prison shaking it as each locking link passed through the crane. I was levitating above the ship and as the cage reached the level of the doors I saw the town of Sadie for the first time. A brightly lighted splendor in the night, the docks were almost empty and what people were standing around on the dock, were guards of the Empire, all dressed the in the same manner as the ones below me in the storage room.

As the cage lifted past the ship and began to swing towards sure I heard a shriek below me, the girl! I thought I have to do something! I looked around quickly and panicked. My dancing around in my cage made it sway violently and soon it was hard to stand. I sat and thought for a moment. The key! I reached into my back pocket and grabbed the key. Grabbing the bars for support I fished the key into the cell door and started to turn it, but the swaying of my cell threw me backwards into the bars increasing the motion of the already out of control cage. I lunged forward and grabbed the bars with both hands on either side of the door and reached for the key. I turned it swiftly and without hesitation as the girl let out another scream. They had her now and didn't notice the struggle above. But the guards ashore had and rushed up the crane to the cage. I swung open the door and was thrown once more to the side, but as it swayed again I was thrown out. Falling seemed like a momentary lose of time. The world seemed to slow in this moment of weightlessness and I was falling eagerly to the sea. My eyes flew open and I realized quickly that I was falling to the water. Without hesitation I spread my wings and glided towards the ship cargo doors that were now closing.

I had them in my sight and was not about to mess this up. Quickly I landed beside the guards and they instantly reacted with swords drawn. "Clever demon!" one guard shouted as he readied himself for battle. The other soon fallowed in his action. "So, you think you can escape the Empire now do ye'!" he snapped and drew closer to me. "Well, we'll just have to teach you a lesson about what happens to those that resist the Empire now wont we?"

I said nothing as rage struck me all at once and I charged. Wings drawn back, my arm soon fallowed. I got close as the guard stuck at me with his sword and with my left hand I levied myself over him, off the blade of his sword, twisting in the air I struck him in the back with my foot. The other guard immediately jabbed at me with his weapon. I grabbed his hand and pulled him close to me guiding his sword into the other guards back, who lie on the ground starting to get up. Then with a swift motion of my arm I elbowed him in the side of his face sending him hurling effortlessly to the ground. "Come, we haven't much time!" I yelled at the girl. I grabbed her hand and brought her close to me, then spread my wings and looked up only to find the doors almost closed. "We can make it," the girl said softly as if I would get angry at her speaking. "T...trust me." we darted into the air and just passed the doors as they shut. The sound and intensity of them slamming impaired my flight pattern for a moment then I gained control once more.

 

It felt so good flying again, in the air, wind passing through my hair, the ground lights so dim with the altitude. It was as if I was alive again; waken from a sleep that seemed to last forever. Memories flooded back, memories of times I've been happy just flying; free to float above the ground the sky without a care in the world. I remembered the time I first was able to take off. And how at that moment I wanted everything from life. The feelings that a day wasn't long enough as long as I was above the earth. And I missed those days, being with my family, attending my father's classes, and oh how I loved school. The knowledge I learned, the heritage of the Draken. It all seemed so clear in this moment, life was worth living again. But this moment was short lived. For the girl whom I carried spoke, "We have to find a place to stay. I know of a place, the people are nice and will great you with open arms," her words snapped me back to reality. I was a wanted man, and the Empire would stop at nothing to have me under their control. My life to them was but a means of killing. "I thank you for all you've done for me; you are truly a good person." I said quietly, "but I cannot stay in a town, word will spread of my arrival...and" my words slowed to a deep depressing tone "I cannot have them find me."

We flew for a good hour before we reached a small town off the shore of the ocean, an island town, secluded from the world, as it seemed upon first look. The town was not lit and a thin smoke rose from the chimneys of a few houses almost invisible in the night. I examined the little island, passing over it a few times before I swept in to land. By this time the girl was asleep. Exhausted from the night, I chose a clearing in the shallow forest to the right of the town to land. We fell graciously and slowly to the ground. I landed on my feet with no more impact than a dove upon a clothesline. Laying the girl down on the soft grass, I stepped back and retracted my wings, pulling them back into my body. Drakens, with practice and dedication, can almost completely hide what they are from the humans. With enough concentration, a Draken can retract all but their horns on their head and the fur around their wrists. That's what I aimed to do, make myself as one of them. Hide myself from questioning and fright of the humans. So I sat down on the stump, legs crossed, and mind open, I meditated for a moment. It takes extreme concentration to pull off such magic as shape shifting. Once prepared, I began. I started to retract my scaled, forgetting the pain of it. Screams filled the night as I slowly became more and more human like. My scrams woke the girl and I had not notice until she ran to me in a panic and grabbed me, "what's wrong!" she shrieked, but I did not answer, I could not break my concentration now, I was to close to finishing my metamorphosis to draw back now. Scales grinded and let out a low scrape drowned out almost entirely by my screams, below that was the sound of scales moving almost like rocks moving into a swamp, slowly descending, and leaving behind only a slithering sound as they sank in mud. It was over, and I was once again trapped in my worst enemy's skin. The skin of the most ruthless and selfish creature ever conceived. And yet, sitting next to me was an exception. A human, that without orders saved me out of pity for my condition. Even though scared, a simple thank you brought me in her eyes from a monster to a nice creature such as a dog or cat you've had for years. I don't know what I was to her, but to me, she was the sign of hope, hope that one day, I could know a human and not be their enemy. She was the future to me, an angel amongst devils.

"Are you OK?" she shrieked as my screams died down. "I am fine" I replied in an exhausted tone. "Now, we will go into town, you said you know of a place we can stay did you not?"

She looked at me for a moment in confusion, but did not dear ask what had happened. Luckily the night had hidden my transformation and I didn't know if she noticed the difference in appearance or not. The real of it was I think she was to frighten to ask many questions. This was a good thing. Had I might had to explain to her what I had don, she may have left scared and helpless into the night. For magic is not known to be a good thing amongst the humans as it is amongst the Drakens.

"Y...Yes" she answered as shy and scared as she had before on the ship. She was scared, frightened that I may turn to be a monster after all. I could not convince her otherwise unless showing not to be a monster, and that was what I was to do. Prove to her and all of the humans that Drakens are nothing more than gentle, noble beings a people like their own. But to do so, I must first convince one of such ideas. I must convince her that I am no monster.

"It's just up there, in town, no more than a few minuets walk." She insisted quietly, shyly, as if it were but a whisper. "I ashore you I am not lying…" she said in a low tone.

"I don't doubt you miss, I don't believe you would lie to me. You are truly pure of heart." I turned and faced her now. Looking into her eyes I saw little trust from her to me. She's scared of me, why? I thought to myself for a moment. Then without further hesitation replied, "I'm sorry… in this abrupt series of events I've lost my manors, I have yet to give a proper introduction and for this I am sorry. I am Spike, of Obsidian." Her face lit up in fear as she backed away slowly. "Obsidian! That means," she hesitated "your one of those monsters! You're a … a…" she looked as thou she could collapse tripping over rocks and rubbish on the ground as she backed away. "You're a Draken!"

Calmly I looked at her and stayed were I was. Looking into her eyes I was confused, only moments before, she was scared but not in such a panic as now. How could she be scared of Drakens when we were the victims of the humans? Lost in this notion that humans where evil and bent on our destruction I realized swiftly the truth. They followed one mans order and did not act upon violence to my kind over their own will, but feared us, feared us so much they wanted to destroy us. They thought of us as the enemy, simply because they did not understand us. In this I could say only one thing, "Yes… I am a Draken, but I am no different from you. I feel just as you do, I am only different in my appearance. This world has given us a bad name, but we are no different. For, before I was caught, I thought the same of humans. I feared them, after all the stories you probably heard of my kind, I suppose none of them included a beast such as me, one that would risk their life to save a human. I'm sure you are able to see, that I am not evil. I am merely different from you, and in this, you fear what you do not understand."

My brief speech seemed to calm her a little; she no longer drew back and stood stable on her feet once more. "I…I'm sorry…" she lowered her head in what seemed to be a shameful gesture. "My…My name is Clair…" she moved closer to me now. "Clair of Kohan." She kept walking closer until she finally passed me. "This way" she said in a low voice.

We walked into town, with the night's cover there were few out on the streets. The night air was calming and subtle, Filled with all the emotion of a sleepless town. Party's raged on in little town houses and buildings that appeared to be pubs and restraints. The new atmosphere was warming. We kept walking down the streets and alleys of this wondrous town. Never before had I known people to be so joyous under the rule of the Empire. And these people seemed to not know of its evil, nor acknowledge that the Empire was controlling them. I could tell this from the little I heard walking down the lighted streets. It was intoxicating. The excitement of all the people in the buildings brought hope.

We reached a small inn about twenty minuets after entering the town. It was silent compared to the other houses and businesses on the way, but still not without its own appeal. Stepping in you could hear the faint sound of a piano playing a cheerful melody in the distance. A sound of joy faded over a slow and peaceful beat that rang through your head for days after hearing its melody. The inn was quite old and it showed through every piece of furniture and every picture on the walls. The main lobby was small, in the center of the room was the front desk, a half oval that seemed to be part of the far wall strait ahead, on side was the sitting section with a fur couch and two recliner like chairs. In the center of that lay a solid oak coffee table with stump legs; it looked as if it was just a cut section of a great tree. And to the right of the desk were stairs next to a hallway.

We walked up to the desk were a young lady was sitting, righting something in a journal. Clair spoke, "Hey Mandy, long time no see."

"Oh my god, it's been so long. How are you?" Mandy replied looking up from her journal with a smile across her face. They talked for while and I walked away to the couch and sat down. The candles and lamps where spread across the room, on desks and inn tables. A candlestick was sitting in the center of the coffee table with a medal plate under it. The wax that ran down looked as if the candle had been burning for days. There were a few small books lying on the table without titles. After a few minuets Clair walked over and said lowly, "come, we have a room."

I fallowed Clair up the stairs and down the hallway, there were many rooms and judging by the space in-between each one, I could tell they were probably not that big. There seemed to be artwork in-between each door. The pictures depicted splendidly painted scene of nature and animals. At the end of the hall was our room, Clair opened the door and we walked in. it was a small room, no bigger than the lobby rest area and it had splendidly crafted furniture, carved from wood of some sort. All varnished a splendid reddish black color. The beds were close together at the far end of the room with just enough walk space in-between each bed to walk thru, and in the middle of that space there was an end table with a candle on it. The room was long, and on both sides of the room in front of the beds were desks. One a women's desk with a mirror and a lot of small drawer, the other a plain desk with a drawer on either side on top and a lager drawer on the left side of the sitting space.

The night and the candlelight combined to make such an atmosphere that the room seemed to be a holy sanctuary. It was far from the atmosphere of the storage room, and not being anywhere but that dreadful place for so long made anywhere seem like a prestige place to be. Clair sat on one bed and stared dazed at the candles. "So, what now?" She said with a sigh and folded her legs. "We've escaped, but how long can we run? How long before were caught and brought to the will of the Empire?"

I stopped her from continuing any further. "I'm very grateful for what you have done for me, but I cannot let you continue with me. I'm sorry, but my problems are no longer for yours." I walked over to the bed across from her and looked into her eyes as what I had just said sank in and showed the abandonment on her face. "I'm sorry…" I started "but you cannot journey with me. I have a very dangerous quest before me. I cannot have you getting hurt because of my deeds. You are by far the kindest human I have ever met, and before I did not know such kindness could come from a human. No, you will not be killed for my cauls." I sat back slightly content that she understood that she could not come with me.

"No! I risked my life for you, and you give me this. If I were not willing to risk myself, I would not have freed you. No… I am coming with you, I have no place else to go." She sat back with the same content that she has convinced me to change my thoughts.

"This is not a mater of debate. I thank you dearly for your help but you cannot come. I wont allow it!" I raised my voice and as I did she instantly rose to her feet. "What do you expect to do? Follow me in my quest and do what? What could you be but a liability?" I paused for a moment. "I wont be responsible for your life as well as my own."

The room grew silent and she sat back on the bed with a sort for understanding mixed with sadness stretched upon her face. She didn't say much more after that. The night gave way to silence, a calming rest of the mind. All my worries, fears, and thoughts were gone in this moment and replaced with a soothing feeling that I once again had a life to live, the freedom to live without imprisonment. The night faded away into a dream and the dream, as quickly as it came faded back to the room. Sleep didn't come easy this night, worries fell upon me with tremendous weight and the world was as it should be. Life seemed more and more of a dream and my dreams were too short to make any since except that I was no longer dreaming from the cage. Glimpses of my life flashed in each dream, a moment I was happy, and as quick as I realized it was there it was gone.

Every time I awoke in the night, I saw Clair, sitting at the desk, and righting in what seemed to be a journal. The first few times I glanced upon her, she shoved the journal back into a drawer and stared at me as I looked away and turned to go back into my dreams, but after awhile she just ignored the peeking eyes and continued righting.

The piano still played off in the distance, a mesmerizing tone of steady, slow, and harmonic music. The melody played over and over like a loop of a beating heart. Its beat was something similar to a steady taping of a foot. The sound echoed throughout the inn, slowly losing tone as the darkness of a coming sleep took over all senses and perception. The darkness filled my restless mind and the music faded to nothingness. My body was now limp with comfort and well deserving of the sleep that would follow.

Chapter 2

"Dreamer"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The darkness faded back again to reveal the landscape of the forest outside Obsidian. Cold mouton air rushed past me as I soared through the air. Below was the desecration newly formed on the land and above me was the way to heaven. In the air, flying above the earth you become one with yourself and with all the clouds and things around you. As the wind rushes it whispers the constant reminder that you are alone, and you are free. The world seems almost to not exist as long as you are miles above all your cares and doubts. The sky was my home. Everyday I took the rush of the wind as I plummeted helplessly towards the ground only to pull up at the base of the mountain. The thrill was turned into a routine to my daily life and a ritual for the others to watch.

That day I remember flying over the humans village, my mind plagued with the prejudice of my clan for the humans and the truths I had seen with my own eyes. The village around obsidian was growing. The forest burned and flames rose in places around the town. Buildings gave home to the humans and death to the creatures that once lived in the once lush forest. In the center of the town was an immense plateau rising up hundreds of feet into the air, and on top laid a castle, a mere fortress. At the gate to the entrance steppes were carved the length of the plateau leading to a road that winded around the town, coming in contact with all the meager structures.

I flew over this town every day, and as I did, I forgot the peace and tranquility of my flight; I forgot I was alone, and freedom was in the very back of my mind. I hated the humans for coming so close to our clan. And I hated them more because of the stories and folk tore of the Drakens. They were murderers and they were close to my home.

I flew, passing the fortress and that dreadful town, heading west, on my way to a newly formed clan called Hagith. This clan was yet to establish its own law or any form of anything. They were as every new Draken clan would be, sex driven children. They were to party all night and indulge in the luxury of themselves by day. A newly formed Draken clan they truly were with only the guidance instilled in them from their birth to there 20^th years of life. They were but children, destined to become powerful by experience, destined to make their own way of life, their own thoughts, ideas and their own culture. For this is the way all Draken clans start.

They had stopped sending messages of their progressions. And this was not uncommon, for the Drakens, when forming a new clan, become lazy at first. So it was no big deal that they had not notified Obsidian in days, but it was irresponsible and I was to make it a big deal upon my arrival. This was a grave responsibility and I had no clue how to be assertive and harsh to anyone. I merely knew my studies and what little I knew never prepared me to be any form of a leader. And that's what I was to be today. It is a philosophy of the Draken that, if you do not know how to act in a situation, the only way to learn that way of acting is to confront it face on and learn from doing it without guidance or direction. For the only mistake ever made is not trying because you think you can't. This philosophy today was important to me, I had never been put in this type of scenario and I was anxious to find out if I could handle it.

I soared for hours it seemed like, coming close to the cave of the clan Hagith. I watched, as the forest below me became thinner and thinner turning to desert at the base of their mountain. It slowly inclined to a snow-covered cap on top and a river ran down the front changing to waterfalls at the entrance to the coven. All that reflected the clan of Hagith was displayed magnificently outside the confines of their cave, the beautiful scenery only visible at the entrance. Magiki was the source of this splendorous scenery. The stones outside stained blue with the water, blending the crystal like exterior of the waterfall, parted right in the middle of the cave, The trees and flowers grown in the soul purpose of marvels amongst the Drakens entering this coven. And with its entire splendor, lay a hidden horror within soon to be discovered.

I touched down on the edge of the cave and upon first glance one would not suspect the tremendous sorrow you would gain upon entering the chaotic mess. A line of body's lay stiff and silently whispering to you to leave as you entered. The words, although silent, were clear. Escape this. Leave and live. Find help. That was all I thought as I entered. The suggestion that the entire cave was worse off with me discovering it compelled me to halt and turn around, to leave. I was to report why they had stopped sending messages and now, with the knowledge, I was not prepared to reveal the tragedy to my higher authority. This travesty was one of few things that were expected and now I was to tell them the worst had come over Hagith.

My mind was overcome with the possibility that there may be survivors. So I cautiously walked into the cave a little deeper. My fellow brethren looked at me through shut eyes; in death they still spoke to me, pleading me to disband and go back. I kept going, walking aimlessly into the dark, looking for a clue as to what had happened. I walked through a doorway were there were many bodies, laying over tables, still sitting on the benches they were to eat at. Died in the course of a meal before they knew what was happening they had fallen. There were no marks on anyone of them. They looked as if in a deep sleep, that they were, but in a slumber they could not wake from. Their body's were hardened from death and gave the smell of the lifeless. They were without a doubt deceased and without hope of the aid of Magiki.

I walked deeper, discovering more bodies around each corner. Lifeless faces concealing a once brilliant mind, gazing at me as I passed. If I was not tormented by the tragedy bestowed upon these Drakens, I probably would not have imagined them looking, eyes following me, whispering silently to turn my attention towards them, but with a turn of the head I soon realized that they had not moved. Still as they were, they tempted me to suspicions of their conditions with, what seemed to be wondering eyes and changing of expressions as my vision drew away from them. Proceeding they still watched in the back of my mind, as they passed from my vision until I reached the main quarters. Within, the same as outside appeared before me. The bodies became more and more acute as I found myself walking round and round the cave. Everywhere I went was the same. All of the rooms had a secret position of the bodies that now rested in them.

A shiver shot down my spine as I entered what seemed to be a nursery. The babies all lay silent. The parents all lined against one wall, the cribs stayed still in a horror of motionless silence. All that was heard was the dripping of the cavern and the flow of water somewhere abouts the cave. Stone mixing from the floor to the ceiling starts to spine in a dismal depiction of a horrific nightmare. I stopped and looked upon the victims of this room and all stood still. The lights once brightening the room now faded away as the room began to spin. The colors mixed together in a blur as my mind swam with the possibilities and the hurt of seeing such a sight. I dropped to my knees. All these Drakens once happy living their normal lives suddenly drop in an instant of terror to their deaths. This image played through my head over and over as I envisioned the event and how it would have happened. Curling up in a ball I soon realized that I was not as courageous, or as brave or strong as I had thought of myself. I had for so long thought of myself as a wondrous being of power and strength, capable of enduring any situation. I was a leader, and now I was nothing. The world seemed to cold to this truth, to lay this way of thinking in such a cruel display of my brethren.

I stood now, the only thought in my head was that I should have listened to the signs, the warnings. All the bodies that cluttered the grounds outside this room warned me, silently whispered not to enter any further and I blew it off because I thought I could help… my Draken senses I had ignored. And now I would come to realize that I was as ignorant as they come. I was no leader, nor could I help anyone. And in this moment I cried, for the first time I could remember, the strength that held me together was gone, and I was left the realization that I was weak…

I walked out of the room, befuddled to comprehend what I was to do. This sudden hysteria of my mind was almost too much to bare alone and I knew now that I must return and let the officials deal with this mess. I walked slowly down the corridor, the bodies no longer followed me as I stepped. The world was non-existent to me and I was walking nowhere. I knew not from were I entered, my mind to lost in a dismal cloud to think. The corridor was getting longer and longer as it seemed I was walking for hours, not aware of my direction. I stumbled upon an open door and looked in wearily to find a library. Still in my daze I saw none of the books, none of the bodies, only a room. My mind blocked all existence but this and myself was, for the time, a relief upon my horror. Before I realized it, I was sitting, holding my head, slouching in a chair that was empty. I sat for several moments thinking of nothing, numbed from all that was about me. And soon I was so numb I felt I could not move. The world no longer existed and the walls were black in the lighted room, the books and shelve that harness them began to become black and come closer. The room disappeared in a moments notice, and although numb I still felt that I was sitting. And without warning, I was in another room, in my thoughts I was no longer amongst the travesties.

I stood before an altar, the room filled with Drakens, mingling and chattering all in a way that filled the room with a hushed tangle of voices making a sympathy of useless noise. I was not in this room, yet my vision of it was clear and I could see all that was concealed within it. They were all moving about the room, some sitting but they were few. The room was illuminated by the altar along with few candles placed on the walls of the room. The room was large and without an echo due to the many paintings of dragons and vampires and other depictions of the Draken heritage, all brightly colored and glorified from the actual happenings of our past. It was as if religious yet not. For this was no religious room, the chandeliers, that gave little light to the room, were of silver and crystal, the walls a maroon color and the carpet that stretched under the stalls and many rows of seats, carved in wood, all reflected nothing of religion, but of a town meeting hall. It was a formal setting. A cloth that cascaded down the front revealing the symbol of the clan and the heart of the Drakens feelings decorated the altar. It was merely the symbol of a dragonhead bent down and it showed only to its neck. A star made the border, encasing the symbol in a red and black mirror of two stars, one flipped upside down in the back of the first. Candlesticks shot upward from their silver holsters. Many rows lined the top of the altar, and the light was a magnificent glow, that had you not seen it before it would have captivated you into viewing upon it for many moments before realizing you were even lost in its gaze.

The room grew silent; all that cluttered the room began to be seated. All the Drakens that lined the ills of the room separated to either side in a seemingly military faction. All their attention was now directed towards the altar as an eerie felling fell over the room. The feeling you would get the first time attending the ceremony of a sort of cult. Behind the altar was a series of curtness on either side with a bear wall in-between. Once the room was completely silent and without atmosphere out from the curtains stepped a women, dressed in a jet-black cloak with a goldish red trim with the simple from the altar on the back, it was much larger and took up most of the cape. Her arms were folded and she looked as if no emotion had past her face in years. The smoothness of her face and the bright green slits that were her eyes gave her age away. She was of about 40 or 50, older than the 20-year-old Drakens before her in the audience. She walked to the alter and open a book that lay before her carefully looking it over as to evaluate its meanings, Then finally she spoke.

"It seems as though everything is in order" her voice was heavenly, not as plain as her face insinuated. "It would seem as though things around her are coming to order" she smiled as she finished her sentence. "Although it looks as though the food supplies are a little low, can anyone tell me why this is?" her question was calm and peaceful, unlike any leader or ruler that I had ever seen or heard of. I was assuming, of course, that she lead the Drakens here.

A man stood and replied after a few moments passed to bring the weight of the question down. "Well, you see… the animal life in these parts is scares because of the humans and…" he hesitated, scared, as if she might dislike his answer and punish him for it. "… We just can't cache enough with them around, I'm really sorry" he sighed and stuck out his right arm, hand extended as to shake and bowed as it is customary to show respect amongst the Drakens this way, to show your apologies and to except forgiveness when it is present.

She looked at him for a moment and then said softly, "Yes, I see they seem to be becoming a nuisance around her. Well we can't let them over run us, we'll have to set up a barrier between them and us then wont we. Who is in charge of defense around here?"

A man stood, his clothes as old as he might have looked if he were human. He was a peasant of sorts. He stood strait at attention. "I am mama, my name is Carter, but that's not important, what do you need my lady?" he had sort of an over active or hyper personality, the kind you would find in a sports player.

His question seemed to stimulate the atmosphere, it seemed as though, with him standing, the room was more at ease, but still not without tension. She stared at him with a blank serious face. "I want a petrol around the outskirts of the mountain, no one gets in to our hunting ground unless they have papers of a direct order to be in that aria. We don't need to go hungry for toughs scum. And we certainly will not tolerate their misconception of us." She paused for a moment, her face showing her hesitation to act upon the words she was about to say, but then they were suddenly relived. "Kill any human that wonders a stray into our territory, if they have papers, or orders to speak with us… take them prisoner and inform of their arrival immediately."

The room went silent, and then suddenly burst into applause as she let out a low sigh. Her face showed the truth behind her decision, she did not like the humans, but she was not about killing, her decision was what she felt had to be done, and the crowd respected only that they were to kill the humans, and not that she was a person of peace and did not want to harm them, Only I in that room felt her remorse. And then the crowd went silent and Carter sat down.

She looked up and the room fell back into order. They all looked at her anticipating her next orders. "Well, that's all I have to say for today, thank you all of attending today. I will expect to see you all here next sermon." She closed the logbook in front of her and stepped away from the altar and back behind the curtains. The room then stood and all the Drakens left casually. Then as quick as the room had appeared before me, it dissipated and faded into black.

 

In an instant it seemed I was now in another room. Apparently some time had passed, and I was in an office like room now. The furnishings were all of new, freshly carved wood and the dragon that had appeared on the altar now lay before me on a curtain strung behind a desk on the wall. At the desk sat the young leader, her eyes fixed in a book and mind lost by its luster. The desk was cluttered with papers and the carpet in the room looked as to have never been swept. This was still a new clan and I figured that all the operations of daily life, such as cleaning, had not yet been addressed. Through the hall, you could hear the whistling of a bores in the hall of the cave. It was to say, and uncanny place to be, compared to the wonders of Obsidian. But the room was peaceful. Quiet. It was almost as if no one was out amongst the cave corridors.

The silence was a nice relief from my riles mind, lost in questioning of this place and how I had come to acquire this position, without a body, and vision clear upon the workings of this clan in past splendor. I was eager to understand what had happened to them, and some how I new that eventually, I would come to acquire this knowledge.

The sound of footsteps rained down the hall followed by a knock on the door and echoed throughout the room. The silence was broken, and the peace that hovered about the room was now gone.

"Yes?" said the young women looking away from the book, disconnecting the thought that was being pored into the righting. She looked at the door in wait, and as the murmuring from the other side got a little louder, it frustrated her and she slammed the book shut and said irritated, "Come in!"

In walked Carter, he was panting, breathing hard, it showed he had obviously ran from were ever to here. His face, although faint from the run he had over, had a sigh of worry about it. He looked as if he were in trouble. "We caught one!" he finally said breaking away from his e
exhaustion and then continuing to ketch his breath.

She stood up instantaneously, "What!"

"a human, we caught one!" he had almost came to terms with his lungs then chocked as he finished what he was saying. "You said to inform you, so here I am… he's in the prison. The others are waiting for you to get their before taking any further action, my orders."

"Show me!"

"Right this way"

I found myself walking, if that's what you would call it, out the door and down the corridor. I followed then, not a word was said as we walked, but the expression on her face was enough to tell you that she didn't like the fact that they had actually captured a human. The tension was building to a point you could feel it in the air around her, she was angry, angry that the human was their and even more angry that they were probably to kill it. Death was not her way, and the Drakens couldn't see as she did. It showed so plainly on her face, yet it was so oblivious to all the others.

The corridors ended and shifted to a staircase, and then back to another long hallway. The halls were filled with all kinds of art, engraved in the cave walls. Magnificent designs of snacks and jewels and animals glorified in the likes of reptiles, but mostly, the art consisted of symbols, weather or not they had meaning was not of my knowledge. The lavish chairs and couches shifted into dirty benches and the art changed to bars as we walked faster towards the dungeon. It became apparent to me why Carter had been existed, he must have ran the entire way to her office as soon as he got the news. Now he was once again walking back, growing more and more tired as they went. And I, nonexistent to them, followed and watched as the final staircase lead us to a cell were finally we stopped and waited.

"This is him?" she asked as if they kept humans in these cells on a regular basis. "Who are you?" she asked the prisoner in a sot of hostile tone. The prisoner just looked aimlessly around the cell, ignoring all the Drakens standing outside his cell as if he were completely alone. He was an older man, but no to old to have lost hearing. This was apparent to everyone and his voice would surly come back in screams if not in words now. Their glairing eyes confirmed this without need of their lips.

But then he spoke "What do you want of me?" his voice was crackly and tormented by age, and it rang through the prison as but a weary whisper. The man stood now and turned towards the cell door. "I've lived here many a year now, and this is the first I've had contact with ones such as you. What do you bests want with me! Answer me!" he stepped closer now with an angry face, he looked as if he were going to explode with the stress that was building in him.

The woman looked at him with a now serious face, as to say, this is my job and I wont tolerate your temper. "What were you doing in out hunting grounds?" she just stared and waited for his answer.

He was baffled for a moment at this accusation and began to speak but stuttered in frustration. "I've hunted these grounds for years! Who are you to say they are yours! They belong to the empire!"

"They belong to me, and I've had it with your kind. You will not take what is ours." She spoke calmly, and without the slightest sign of irritation. Then turned to walk out.

"You'll be having none of that land! You'll see! " He ranted as she left the room. All that followed her were the constant swearing from the prisoner that slowly faded as she walked back to her quarters, Carter at side.

"Do away with him. We can't have this, and if it takes their deaths to understand this is our land, so be it." He looked at her curiously.

"But mama…"

"No buts, this is war if they have it that way. Our survival will be threatened any more… if these fools think they can take on the might of the Drakens so be it…"

For a long moment carter looked to be in shock, his face was almost to ask, "what has gotten into you" and he followed once more in silence now.

They walked into her office and she sat behind the great desk in her chair wail Carter stood at the door. "Should I issue the order of his execution then mama?"

She was quiet for a few moments as she thought it through. Her expression faded to nothingness as she just stared at him. The room seemed to disappear with only the sight of her and Carters gaze upon each other left, and finally she spoke. "…We will keep him her for a day or so…" she paused and sighed, "and I will decide from their our actions to stop this… we will not have blood shed unless it is required… but we will also not tolerate this any longer."

Carter seemed to smile and energetically with the same attitude he had at the meeting days before this. It showed that he was not worried at the humans, but merely worried that the woman before him had lost herself. She didn't seem the same to him, and I saw all this from is expression. He left courteously, leaving her with a bowed.

 

The days seemed to pass in moments and I found myself back in the meeting chambers, with the altar and the howl magnificent that was Draken scattered about the room in art and stained glass windows. They were all seated as they were before and the curtains shifted swiftly as their attention was once again drawn to the altar.

The woman stepped out as she had before, and the crowd rose and gave their sings of greeting then sat casually back into their seats. She opened the book in front of her, and it felt just as it had before, the feeling of the room engulfed me and I was apart of it once more.

After a brief moment scanning the open pages of the book she sighed. The room stayed still, quiet as she looked up from the book and stared aimlessly into the crowed.

"The time has come," she said in a saddened tone. "The humans are many, and me have captured many. The cells are now lined with them, hunters, gatherers, and guards."

The crowd waited patently for her next words, but she seemed to stall, to lose her thought in an instant that left the room hallow and empty. "Today we liberate one of them, let them go to worn the leader of them to not take action, of we will shortly strike them down."

The crowd was still silent with the slight sings of a mutter so low it wasn't heard from anyone other than myself.

"Carter" she said loudly.

He stood and looked at her, "yes mama?"

"You will communes this, set on prisoner of the highest quality dressings free to report this knowledge, and pass with him a letter. Let them know we mean not to harm them, just to persuade them to leave us be."

The crowd was shocked at the kindness she was showing towards them, they no more wanted them to live as they did set one free. The rooms degust in her rose, as did the tension of the rising conversations. This was the fist of rudeness id seen them pass against her yet. She let the conversation continue for a moment and them struck her fist on the altar. The candles shook with the force of the impact and she stared now at the many faces in the audience.

"This is the only was you save our lives and theirs. I am sorry to disappoint you in this action, but you must see that if we attack them, we will lose lives as well. I see it in our best interest to request assistance in this decision with Obsidian, then and only then will we take action against them." She sighed and looked down at the book not acknowledging the fact it had words nor that is was even there at all.

"The time will come for a war…" her voice was soft now, without authority. "And when that day comes…"

The room was silent once more; the attention now lingered upon her sorrow. "…We will fight."

She looked up, and into the eyes of her brethren. A slight feeling of sadness passed over the room as her emotions seemed to transfer from the altar to the Drakens. They were all looking into her eyes now, nothing breaking their stair, and not even if a bomb had went off next to them would they have looked away.

"We mustn't be the savage beasts they wont us to be. They are different yes, but they are living beings as are we. If we wish to overcome them, we will overcome them with this method. We will show them we mean no harm to them, and expect them to listen to our requests."

She gained a little courage back as she spoke, and the crowd listened contently to her words.

"We will not be responsible for repeating the actions of Lilly. Our past has given us a bad name in their eyes, and the same has happened here, to us. We think them beasts when they are not. And we cannot do them as they have done us; we can't hold them responsible for one of their actions. Lilly may have been just acting on her nature, but the Drakens were young yet, and she was not as we are. The vampire's blood was to strong with the first few Drakens, but hers the strongest with her first breaths being the Drakens first. With her mistakes, we will overcome their hatred for us, and as will we for them. We are no longer slaves to our thirst, let us let them know this of us, and let us give them and ourselves a chance to live in peace as the clans do."

The room now hated the fact that she had said what she had, bringing the Drakens history into what seemed to be a simple matter of destruction. But they were not without understanding of her means. The hatred for the humans was strong, but so was their faith in their leader. And with a stand and a bough they left the room in silence.

 

The prisoner was set free as she had requested, and in a few days, the tension slowed to a calming regularity in the clan. The humans were no longer being captured and the ones that had been were slowly being set free. It seemed as though the humans had been understanding and left the hunting grounds. All was peaceful again, the food was great, and the clan built its lost strengths. The vision cared on for what seemed like hours as days passed and time was meaningless. The clan scattered in an out of rooms in a blur of nothingness. As if gousts to my vision.

The prisoners were all but gone now, and the clan was happy once more, not only to have gotten ride of the humans that were locked in the dungeon cells but also for the talk of them to fade away from conversations that hade engulfed the clans gossip for the past few months of this incident.

 

A few weeks had passed evidently, and no more meetings were called to order. The days were all to pleasant in their silence to me and I grew weary that this was all I was going to see for the end of my days. To see only the life's of others, and never feel the wake of my body back to my mind. A timid feeling of hopelessness was about me, and all I knew was that I had witnessed this clan through a hardship, and recover. I had witnessed their leader become strong and their ways begin to prosper. But something came back to me, a vague conception of how I became to be at this state of being now. I sudently remembered the cave, filled with the body's that now stand before me animated to their daily lives. My minds eye was now in the library, and before me, I saw the corpses beyond the living, and slowly my thoughts relived me from my vision and I was once again sitting in that chair. The library before me was as it was. Not 30 minuets had passed as it seemed and I sat still, lifeless and limp in that chair as I began to feel the full power of the pain I had felt before.

Tears rolled down my face and I was helpless. My thoughts were no longer mien, they were of nothing and all I felt was pain. My heart aced to make this feeling pass, and to gain the strength to move, but I was numb. The lives of the ones before me were wasted and still I knew not why, or how, and I didn't care. The only thought I had now was the humans. They must have been the ones to do this, and my pain was subdued by my anger, for a moment I screamed intently gaining my strength back in my furry.

Once I stood, my hate was too much. I smashed everything I saw, throwing chairs and kicking over bookcases. Smashing my fist into all I could in my path as I started out of the room. The dark hall was none existent in my rage, all I saw before me was nothing, and I started out of the place with no thought but kill, kill the filthy humans and all they stand for!

As I walked, the tears came back, but not as they did before, I was different in this moment, nothing could have fazed me! Not pain, not the world if it were to act against me. But suddenly, a woman stood before me as I turned the corner to the main hall. She appeared out of nowhere, nothing in her place one moment and then she was before me. Looking at me with weary eyes, her expression brought me from my rage back to myself and I sprinted to her the few steps that were between us, I stretched my arms and went to grab her, to hold her. The only one in the cave that still lived, and I was overcome with happiness knowing at lest on Draken had lived. But as soon as I had her, I did not have her at all. I came crashing to the ground behind her, confused and lost that I has just imagined her I feared I was insane.

I looked behind me, and there she was still. Standing in the same place, and unaffected by my touch. She turned and looked at me, and I realized, this was the same woman that was leader here, and had I not just passed through her, id of stood and grasped her. She looked at me, and with a sigh, she started to cry. It overwhelmed me so, that I forgot what had just happened and stood instantly to comfort her. But before I realized, I was touching but air in front of me, and my hands were not on her, but inside something that seemed to hold her figure. I pulled back my hand and took a step back. She was not their, yet she was, and I knew at once that no one had survived, and all of the Drakens, if I saw another, would be as she was.

She looked at me once more, looking deep in my soul, and she was the one that brought me the visions, the one that showed me what id seen and wanted me to help her. She told me all this without speaking a signal word, then slowly laid her hand on my shoulder. All I felt of this was a cold sensation; a tingling that seemed to grow. It spread from my shoulder down my arm and into my chest. I felt as if I was freezing. Numbness was all that I felt as my head shifted backwards, revealing the sight of the ceiling, a huge howl and the moon shining trough it. All was fading way from my senses as I gazed at the moon.

I was almost falling from the limpness that had became my body, the feeling was so relaxing I could not resist but giving in to it, but the feeling was leaving, and being replaced with a pulling, I felt the tugging at my soul as it was being drawn slowly towards the numbness. And then, suddenly lightning was shooting trough me, a pain so sharp it was electrifying. My body convolged against it as my head flung back forward. The lady was gone, in her place was a ghoul like figure, its black eyes staring deep at me, lost in some trance like state. The pain came again stronger and more powerfully and I could not help but cry out in agony. In an instant reaction my wings spread and flapped one gust blowing me hard against the wall behind me leaving me on one knee gasping to regain my breath. The pain subsided in an instant leaving me weak and the pain in my back was my only comfort, knowing I had left from that numbing.

I stood as quickly as I could, letting out a moan of pain that made me limp. I looked again at the creature across the room and realized as fast as I lay eyes on it I must run! Get out of here before it gets to me again. I darted for the entrance as it darted after me almost matching my speed if not exceeding it. The entrance was before me, but something was wrong, I looked back and saw that I was not going to make it if I didn't run faster. I looked forward once more and came to a halt, another stood before me now, and I quickly darted back the other way, right back towards the first. But it was now three, on chasing me with the others blocking my path.

For a moment I gazed stupidly at them, dumfounded that I was dead, that I was not going to make it out of this. Then it struck me, the ceiling! I must get to the skies! A smirk must have passed over my face as I ran fearsly back down the tunnel the main hall. It was close now, I wasn't going to make it. I came close and as it was about to collide with me I shifted left, the thing was quick to react, but I even quicker shifted right and ran up the side of the wall taking flight down the hall as I barely passed the thing, I was at the end in moments and the other two stood their waiting. Without thinking I flew over them scraping my back on the ceiling and fell in the hall, quickly standing and taking flight once more to the haul that was in the main hall, exiting that dreadful place.

 

I was in the air now, the pain of my body scraping the rock was immense, but I blocked it out. I was safe, and thoughes things would not claim another soul this night.

The flight did not comfort me this night as it had every flight before. It was as natural as running, nothing splendorous or free about it. I was safe, but I was soon reminded of the souls I couldn't save. The vision I had endured, and the puzzle of their deaths was still without solutions as to why it happened. What had the humans to do with this? Why did thoughs creatures attack? My mind was swimming with confusion, but one thing was certain to me. The humans had in some way caused their deaths.

Before I realized it, the path of my flight was leading me towards the humans. My anger was guiding me blindly, and I knew there was nothing I could do. But I was going to do it anyway. They would pay, and I was to see to it they would.

A roar let lose from me as my speed increased and my eyes slanted from the stinging wind colliding with my face. With hands drawn to side I was an arrow through the air, and I felt nothing but rage. The forest passed under me as it had never done before, and every memory was lost to me. Only their revenge was in my mind, and only their defeat, their deaths would bring me peace.

In the distance smoke roes from chimneys and lighted lanterns in the streets gave out a beacon. The sight somewhat enlightened me and caused me to smile. I was not myself, for tonight, I was a demon! For this night, I was death itself and I would kill thoughtlessly, convicting them all of the same crime. No one was going to stop me!

 

I spread my wings wide and gave one last gust sending me upward and decreasing my speed to an almost stop before I shifted forward and dove towards the ground. Something in me needed the speed, the fears find beating against me as I dove, and I thrived on it for a moment as a cat would thrive on the lung for a mouse. The feeling of it all was exhilarating, and in a moment I lost myself to the complete and utter silence as my speed negated all sound. The trees

The trees were getting closer and closer as I lunged myself upright at the last minuet putting my feet under me once more. I spread my wings and to no prevail, I kept falling at the same speed, my wings shot back against me in the gust of my inertia. I was not afraid; in fact I was thrilled that I was almost going to be a puddle in the forest floor. But I did not long for destruction, merely the feeling of an extreme effort to save myself. I shot my wings strait back behind me once more and gave a great push upward as I passed the tops of the trees.

I feel with such force I was on my knees, craters were where there would have been a footprint. I landed on the outskirts of the town with a devilish smile on my fast as I walked with a motion that id never felt I could walk with before. There was evil in my steps, in the movement of my body and if I could see myself as they did, I would have cowered in fear at just a gaze. The plusher in this feeling was indescribable. I was for a moment, my enemy, murderous and without care of anything beside revenge.

 

A massive wall stood before me on the outskirts of the forest, I had landed behind their fortress, and the structure before me was not light like the front or any other position around the massive castle. This was my way in around the guards. I was to enter un-noticed, and take them all by surprise. There was but one guard in the town above, but he was watching the castle, and had yet to notice my arrival. Soon enough, I was running at the wall, pondering the structural integrity and then fixed my sights on a cravats just below the outpost tower. A single spot of imbedded mortar in the wall was to be my leverage. As I got close I jumped and landed just before the wall, but at the moment of landing I leaped strait up so that the impact only increased my height, but I knew it wasn't going to be enough. I spread my wings as I lifted off the ground and as my foot left the ground, my winged shot back behind me towards the ground furthering my speed upward. The spot I had been fixed upon cam close and I extended my fingers and short claws strait out before me and hurled them into the crevice giving me a firm grip in the hard mortar. Without hesitation I used the last of my momentum to fling myself upside down and pushed off landing on the back of the guard's skull and throwing him off the ledge. Before he knew what was happening, it was to lat and he was on the ground with hardly a scream in agony before he was unconscious.

Beside me lay a sword and bow, I grabbed them quickly and jumped aiming for the guards spine. The impact made blood spout forth out of his mouth and nostrils, spraying all over the ground some 5 feet in front of me as he gasped the last breath of his existence. I was empowered, the guard was not a trophy to me, nor was he a sorrow, but only a numb passion of impulsiveness.

Tonight I was the demon they had been, the murderers they were, and I would kill them tell I could not go on, or had no one else to obliterate. This feeling was coursing through me like fire, and I was enticed by it so that I felt nothing, I was nothing, and they were nothing. I was to kill them, and I was to not even acknowledge that I was doing anything at all but what was natural.

 

I drew the sword as soon as I stepped off the corps, the streets were dimly lit with the lanterns I had seen from the sky, candles burning behind over used, blackened glass. The buildings looked as if they were made by some artist without style, and the comparison to the culture of the Draken was non-existent. Not much was ever seen from the sky, and now I knew for shore there was nothing to be seen. I was in a bland alien world, and I was almost not effected. I8 walked forward, looking into the windows of shops, silent and pitch-black in the night. The buildings seemed to all be the same; no extravagance to their structure, no time or effort in their construction. A mere coat of paint on some, but mostly bear wood covered in mortar and mud. Straw shooting aimlessly from some patched integrities. It was a desert of brick and wood.

A light was on in a far off building, the candle placed in the window seal carelessly and almost without wick. At first sight I pulled an arrow from the quiver I had picked up off the outpost floor, and pulled it tight in the bow with my thumb and middle finger. Without so much as a thought, I let the string loose sending the arrow flying through the air with the low sound of a wisp as it collided with the seal above the candle. I missed. I reached for the quiver once more for another arrow, but realized the goal had been achieved. The arrow light on fire and the flam crept towards the feathers. They light sending a flame upward and the arrow snapped from the flam devouring it, landing on the straw canopy under the window.

I smiled as the flames engulfed the house and soon spread to the one next to it. Soon there would be chaos and what a perfect time to kill in the midst of confusion. I crept my way to a near by ally way and walked its length. At the other end, people were starting to relies themselves from their houses to find the source of the flames and smoke. Soon the air was filled with voices. People rushed around for water and miners used shovels to scoop the dirt from the ground to their wheal barrels.

The streets were now filled with the sleepy, half conches people of the town. They stumbled around stupidly in their wake and were as they seemed easy targets to my demise. I picked them off as they came close. A few passers-by I pulled quickly to the ally and with a clean cut across their thoughts, they were silent. But then, a woman passed and I, the same as the rest, grabbed her and pulled her in to me. She let out a sheik that grabbed the attention of the others. I was in panic for a moment and didn't bother silencing her, I jabbed the sword through her and quickly bolted down the alleyway leaping from the end to the top of a building next to me.

There I stayed for a moment of thought and darted across rooftops away from the fire to a place not yet in panic of the fire. But to my surprise I was quickly stopped. An arrow shot by me leaving a buzzing in my ears. Soon following it another whizzed by me. I stopped for a moment and looked in the direction of the arrows. With a quick glance I saw her; a woman crouched in a nearby tower in the wall. Her bow was readied and in notice of it, I continued running. My eyes never left her as I ran across the roof tops. But they were soon to be none to leap to. The wall was coming up and I was not ready to make my leave.

At the end of the last building, I stopped and waited for her to fire. The arrow came flying at me, but I was above it in seconds, soaring towards her. This was my mistake, the town looked up and the sound of wings gusting in the shallow distance between them and the ground. The sound echoed in the streets below and I was found. But I continued towards her with as much speed as I could will from myself.

She loaded the bow once more and fired, the distance between up was too little and the arrow glanced past my shoulder leaving a sharp pain in my arm. I cringed and my anger built even more. I flipped myself upright and with terrible force I kicked her in the chest. She flew against the wall of the tower and screamed in pain. Her pain exited me, she was immobilized. I can't describe the feeling I felt at that moment, the purest form of satisfaction as I grabbed her own dagger into her arm. She was helpless and I was in glee of it. I grabbed her by her hair and held her to her feet. Her head bowed back and she whimpered. She was not pleading for her life, yet she was with unspoken words. And then, suddenly, my anger, my satisfaction melted as I looked at her. The time seemed not to pass for a moment. I was staring into her eyes as a bean and not as pray. A sorrow filled me, and I let her go gently. I was not the one to wreak vengeance. I was taught that long ago, that all creatures deserve mercy.

This night, I had betrayed my clan. All that I stood for was gone in the instant I gathered back my thought. I looked at her as she looked at me. Fear was all I saw from her, the cold tension of malaise. And I was the enemy. These people where being wreaked the revenge of another's fait. And I was the tool of evil. But no more, I grabbed her up and pulled the dagger from her shoulder. She screamed as I struggled against the pressure on the blade. Then, I used it to cut a section of my tunic and wrapped it tight around her arm. I looked at her with sorrow in my eyes as she looked back not only confused but with the same sorrow. I turned to the towers edge and went to make my leave. But as soon as I turned my back and leaped, I was met coldly in my back with the steal tip of and arrow.

I don't remember falling; only waking up to the cold steal that was my prison. And the whispers of my fait from within a cold moving room. I was on the ship. And the fait of the town was my own demise.

Chapter 3

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