Discovering Reality
by RikugouStandard Disclaimer: No part of this story may be reproduced anywhere else but here. The characters, plot, language, names and spells belong to the author. This is an original story people. All of the characters are MINE!
Notes: Thanks for some of the 'spells' Kit!
Chapter 6"It's those bandits!" Alexius snarled. He unsheathed his sword and stayed at Myterinth's side, ready to sacrifice his own life if need be for the prince. He growled silently when he recognized them as the people from the enemy kingdom, Shiriden.
Yris, the only mare in their unicorn entourage, neighed loudly in challenge. Five black creatures appeared out of the mass of people. They seemed to be a negative of the pure white mystical beings they rode on. Black as night with short stubby silver horns. In terms of mass, they were easily two or three times bigger and more muscular than the white unicorns.
:So if it isn't Cyris,: sneered one of them.
:Asenai,: the mentioned one said curtly.
:We wouldn't want to mess up your flawless record. Give the prince over to us and we promise that we will leave you alone,: another said.
"You bastards. You don't know who you're dealing with," Alexius muttered under his breath. And hopefully, we will win because of that underestimation.
He dismounted from Syrval. The others did the same and immediately took an inconspicuous formation around Myterinth to protect him.
"What's happening?" the prince whispered.
"I'll tell you later," he said in an equally low voice.
As if following some unseen signal, all of the unicorns went into their two-legged form. :You were banished from Feryngale over a hundred years ago. I can call sy'tet against you,: Cyris said.
Alexius saw Myterinth frown. Sy'tet was one of the words that they had not encountered in his education.
"You can't if the ban was lifted. The kings themselves did so, claiming that he wants no more animosity between us," Asenai said matter-of-factly. He nodded to one of his companions who took out a flute and blew a quick melody on it. The image of one of soldiers in the front seemed to waver to be replaced by one with sandy blonde hair and light blue eyes.
He growled when he recognized the person to be the very familiar Jasen. He, himself, had not met the boy in person but had seen him enough in the memories of his charge.
"Jasen!" Myterinth shouted before he could help himself.
"And so we meet again Terry," he said. "Mother had been getting on my case to induct you as a Elf Hunter but I refused. My instincts were correct after all. I don't care how you managed to delay the reactions of the poison but get in my way and you will be killed."
"I should have known you were a Hunter. Your eyes were too empty to be a normal human," Alexius spat. "You were not surprised when I spoke your tongue. Only Elf Hunters would stoop so low as to poison their friends."
"Elves are no friends of mine," Jasen growled. "And don't even dare try to use your magick against me. I am immune to your kind of sorcery," he said when he saw Spartye move his hand. "As my subordinate said, give us Prince Myterinth of Feryngale and you will go freely. It's your choice. Refuse and suffer the consequences," the Hunter said in a low voice. He reached behind him for the staff that was strapped to his back.
It was made of some black metal with runes carved into its body. A claw like structure at the top held a menacingly glowing orb that pulsed like a heartbeat. Jasen slammed the end of it into the ground, both hands still holding the staff. The sphere began to flicker chaotically, throwing pinpoints of light in the shadows of the forest. It settled to a bright, evil looking glow just as a thundering roar echoed throughout the forest.
"It's the Staff of Iglan!" Syrval cried with terror. His metallic silver eyes widened in horror as he looked up.
"No, Goddess no," Alexius said over and over again when he saw rapidly approaching shapes in the sky.
"What are those things?" Myterinth asked in worry.
"Those, my friend, are the Shiaran Dragons and your death should you refuse to comply with our commands," Jasen smirked.
---
He doesn't know who I am. If I surrender myself, I would most likely be killed. But if I don't, Alexius and the others might get hurt, he thought to himself.
:Don't even think about it,: Alexius growled into his mind.
Myterinth looked up in surprise.
:You tend to leak when you get worried. We WILL find some other way to deal with this. Bear in mind that you are talking to a master strategist,: Alexius said cockily.
"Well?" Jasen asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You can't kill us," Alexius said with a smirk.
"W-WHAT?!" the Hunter stuttered, eyes wide in anger and a bit of shock.
"I doubt Jespheras would want the prince dead. He wants the joy of killing the future ruler himself, does he not? No one has ever seen the actual heir, not even a baby painting is available so therefore you have no idea who in Ashia's name you are to apprehend," Alexius said matter-of-factly. "Kill us all and you will never find the prince."
"I can just as easily kill and capture all of you," Jasen growled. He knew when his fear inducement plan failed.
"Then be prepared to lose many of your men," Spartye said, unsheathing his sword. As one, the unicorns reverted back to their true forms now that it seemed that there would be no head on head confrontation with the Dark Ones. He vaulted onto Lesth and charged straight into the fray.
Alexius quickly jumped on Syrval and followed with a loud war cry. Brendon grabbed Myterinth and let the other two unicorns fight on the own.
"Climb before it's too late. I am no use in a short-range battle without higher ground and none of us can afford to lose you through a well-placed stab," Brendon said.
Using the special clawed gloves that Alexius had equipped them all with the day before, Myterinth began to quickly climb up. Brendon followed not too soon afterwards. Stringing his bow quickly, he pulled an arrow from the quiver on his back and began to launch a volley of arrows to the furthest ranks.
"This would be the best time to practice those offensive magicks that Spartye and Alexius taught you," Brendon said, not once losing his concentration.
Breathing in deeply, Myterinth centered himself, a bit of a task since he was in a tree but he managed to accomplish it.
"Goddess of the Sun and Light,
Lend to me your incredible might.
Arctic winds and howling wolves,
Lend thy hands, by my will unfold!"Buffeting gales of air began to appear in the midst of the battleground in the shape of wolves. A mental command from Myterinth sent them tearing through soldiers like they were rag dolls. But still, it did not seem enough. Though they were strong, they were too outnumbered. A fight with the odds of eight to fifty was not a fair fight under any circumstances.
:He's sending down the dragons!: came the urgent mental call.
"Damn them!" Brendon growled. Then came a string of curse words a mile long.
:Is it possible to defeat the dragons with a spell of some kind?: Myterinth asked his friends.
:Only dragons can defeat dragons,: came the reply.
"Even if we take that staff that the Hunter possesses, it would not put the dragons under our power. Its power stems from the Dark Goddess and only her followers can use her instruments," Brendon said as he looked warily up at the same time he was letting loose his arrow.
"So in a word, we're cooked."
"Essentially, yes," he said with a heavy sigh.
"I'm going down there. My magick is still not too powerful but I can put on a simple physical shield. They need me!" Myterinth said before jumping off the tree with an acrobatic twist. He slowed his fall down with a brief summon of air and took off at a run the moment his feet touched the ground, ignoring Brendon calling him back.
He unsheathed his sword and steeled himself against what would be his first battle that involved the taking of a life.
---
:Your hardheaded prince just went into the battle!: came Brendon's message as it slammed into his mind with the force of a truck. Wincing, he sent back a remark.
:I am his protector. Don't worry, I'll find him,: he assured his brother. Spinning on his heel, he blocked the overhead swing behind him and lashed out with a foot to take out the one next to him. His current opponent was trying to force him down with powerful slashes of the sword, while at the same time, he was leaving himself painfully vulnerable. Smirking, he cut him down with one stroke.
Looking around, he tried to spot a flash of red hair but there was just too much interference. He looked up for a moment at the sky, which might as well saved his life. A dragon was trying to snatch him off the ground but because of its large size, it had to crash through trees as well, crushing any unknowing fighter under the trees.
Alexius dropped to the ground, seeing the powerful claws rake past him. He immediately went to his feet and attempted to locate the prince with his mind. When physical methods did not work, the supernatural usually did. Getting a general direction, he began to run, careful to keep an eye in all directions, including the sky.
"Terry!" he shouted. Where was that boy? he thoughts angered. What happened to obedient little children back in the days?
He kicked a soldier in a delicate place, leaving him groaning pitifully on the forest ground. Alexius felt the Bond strengthen as he got closer to the prince but still could not see him. He had to fight at least five other warriors that got in his way until he finally found him.
The sight brought a painful pang to his heart as guilt pounded at him. The long braid of the prince had started to unravel from the ragged ends of the braid. Six inches of the glorious braid was on the ground, being stomped from the soldiers who were trying to capture him. Fortunately, the warriors were not fighting to kill but the sheer number of them was to the prince's disadvantage. Alexius Saw his aura begin to turn black due to fatigue from obvious physical, mental and magickal reasons. The burnt, wounded and dying laid in heaps around the quickly tiring prince.
A red haze descended over his vision and he vaguely heard himself shouting the shrill war cry of his clan while he threw himself within the circle of fighters. He viciously unhanded a soldier and speared him while pulling it out to gut another. Alexius used his greater strength and speed to his advantage against the weaker Shiridenian warriors.
Not one of the fighters possessed an ounce of the Mage-Gift so it was easy to decimate the numbers by throwing a mage conjured fireball in the face of one and chucking a levin bolt at another. Now, they stood back to back.
"Are you alright?"
"I'll be fine once I catch my breath," Myterinth said in a weak whisper, green eyes warily accessing the circling soldiers..
"I doubt we can ask for a break," Alexius grunted as he parried an especially heavy-handed strike.
All of a sudden, all of them backed off, leaving him and the prince alone. The silver haired Elf looked up to see if the dragons were getting ready to attack but they were still circling high above like vultures.
Jasen's voice rang through the silent forest. "I have the Healer. Surrender yourselves and he will live. Resist and--"
The sound would forever be imprinted into Alexius' mind. A high pitched screech of pain and loss was torn from his brother's unwilling throat. It reverberated in his mind, creating an intense agony that seemed to never stop. The Hunter had cut his Life Bond.
Everyone in their motley group of bodyguards froze in place as they looked on in horror.
"Brendon!" he vaguely heard the prince shout.
"Do you surrender?"
Alexius collapsed to his knees, feeling nothing in the place where his brother's mind, unconscious or conscious, would normally reside. Brendon was either dead or dying, that he knew for there was no creature in Feryngale that could survive very long after having a Life Bond cut. Spartye was most likely in the same condition as well.
"Oops, forgot what that link meant," Jasen smirked, unrepentant for his actions. "You no longer have an advantage over me. I am well aware of who the prince is. Ignir received a message from a friend you might know about. Lysren I believe his name was."
---
Lysren. He should have known. Did he actually think that they would be able to escape from the greed filled Elf? Myterinth clenched his hands.
"All you have to do is hand yourself to us, Terry, and your friends will immediately be Healed from any wounds they are suffering from," Jasen singsonged.
Something about the Healing part was nagging at him. The red haired Elf chewed on his lip nervously. Alexius was obviously in no condition to defend him, he thought to himself as he glanced over to see a half collapsed, huddling ball instead of the tall, strong Elf he had come to know.
Then, a sudden memory slammed into him like a freight train. He remembered his basic lessons as a Healer, how Brendon enthusiastically explained the concept of healing one's spirit and soul. Somewhere along the line, they began talking about Lifebonds and what the discovered aspects were.
//"One of the few things that a simple Healer cannot do is to Heal a broken Lifebond. No one bothers to even try when they are called to take care of half of a Bonded pair. It is close to impossible to repair their soul unless you are a very powerful Healer. I have never tried it before nor do I want to encounter it. If you're very lucky, you will not be confronted with it as well. Theoretically, I could probably Heal a soul as shattered as a broken Bond but it would take a lot of energy and maybe even my life energy which is down right dangerous.
"However, no Healer has ever Healed a broken Lifebonded pair in all of history because it simply cannot be done without the penalty of risking your own life as well. We Healers are few in number and killing ourselves off through recklessness does not help that at all so, you might as well get the thought of trying to Heal the world out of your head because it just cannot occur. There is no medicine or plant on this planet that can Heal anything like a severed Lifebond. Now, let me tell you about the Disaplsy Virus. It is a rather peculiar little..."//
White noise enveloped his senses as the statement 'no Healer has ever Healed a broken Lifebonded pair in all of history because it simply cannot be done' rang over and over in his head.
No.
He had asked Alexius on that same day about the history of Lifebonds and had been told that when the Bond was severed, it either automatically killed both with the backlash of indescribable pain or left them dying with no possible way to Heal them. Either way, when the link was cut, both of them died. That meant that there would no longer be a teacher to educate him about the qualities of Elven swords or how to cure the rare diseases found in the Elven World. But most of all, he had just lost two of the most important people thus far in his life.
NO!
---
"Terry, I don't have all day," Jasen grunted. His face then shifted to a more genial expression. "What say you to going back to being old buddies? I'll even tolerate those pointed ears and weird eyes. I know how Jespheras is and how strict his ways are. I won't bring you to him if that's what you want."
Alexius by then had snapped out of his self-induced trance. He narrowed his eyes at the Elf Hunter and cautiously brushed his mind against the other. Immediately he recoiled at the darkness that permeated his very essence. His words were as false as his amiable attitude. Steeling himself, he gripped the hilt of his sword with one hand while the other sank nails into the palm of his hand. The pain helpd clear his mind. He would not submit to the human. He refused to lose another to the malicious boy.
The silver haired Elf rose to his feet, as graceful as any dancer and hefted his sword with renewed vitality. He interposed himself between the prince and the legion of warriors between Jasen and themselves.
:Run, amosí! Cyris knows the way. Do not use Brendon and Spartye's lives in vain! You must get to Narsis!: he shouted as he charged at the soldiers.
:But--: His mental speech was cut off as the aforementioned unicorn managed to get Myterinth onto his back. ":ALEXIUS!:" screeched the red haired Elf as he tried to break free from Cyris' hold on his mind.
:You are the prince while I am merely your teacher. Ashia Êlõstri màgÿin tašil. May Ashia Shine upon you always.:
He called upon the five elements to assist him, using more power than he ever dared in order to save his prince. I could have gotten fame and fortune with the level of magicks that I can control and yet I did not work to my full potential when I took my Adept-test but I would gladly call upon the very gods for an elfling, he thought to himself wryly. How love can strike you blind sometimes. Too bad I will never be able to bask in it.
Black clouds suddenly appeared as thunder rumbled in the distance. Shiridenians looked up in fear as Alexius smirked at them. He could barely hear the Elf Hunter shout for the dragons to capture the prince and stop him from completing whatever he had in mind.
Lightning unexpectedly struck the ground, nearly electrocuting one of the soldiers standing only a foot away. The silver haired Warrior-Mage gave them a dark grin before willing more of the thunderbolts to rain down upon the lackeys of Jespheras. One by one, the bodies fell. He devoted his mind solely to the group surrounding him. He must not be captured. Any Elf, Warrior-Mage or no, could stand torture, especially the torture that someone of Jespheras' ilk had in mind.
Alexius shivered as he recalled a memory dating back nearly sixty-five years ago.
//He stayed on the ground, lying on his stomach with his Wings covering some of his body for warmth and obscuration. The camp in front of him was alive with energy. Soldiers were laughing and drinking happily with some amateur musicians playing in the background.
It was almost like a village celebrating the Eve of Beltaine. The image was completely shattered by the muffled screams of pain coming from the tents and near the campfires. One in particular he recognized. A chill ran through his body as he ground his teeth. There was no help for it. He could not possibly take down all of the soldiers by himself without his fellow warriors. He had to wait for the signal.
Another scream rang through the air and the enemy soldiers continued their celebration over the minor victory against the soldiers in Slayte.
Alexius slowed his breathing to the point that one wondered whether or not he was still alive when a Shiridenian soldier walked too close to his hiding place for comfort. A wordless murmur in the back of his mind alerted him and before he knew it, he rose out of the tall grass with sword in hand.
The soldier who walked by him did not have a slim chance of surviving. All around, his people swarmed around the camp, killing those who stood in their way. Alexius made for one tent in particular, the largest one in the encampment. He gutted the ones in his path with a cold detachment and went on.
When no others stood in his way, he continued towards the tent, occasionally stepping over a dead body. His people were nothing if not meticulous about decimating all who sided with the enemy kingdom of Shiriden unlike the soldiers barracked in the half destroyed city of Slayte.
He ignored the glazed over eyes of a few familiar comrades and pushed aside the tent flap. A high ranked Shiridenian soldier, obviously the commander, with disheveled clothing stood over a blood splattered figure. He turned when Alexius walked in. His eyes gleamed with what the silver haired Elf could only label as indescribable lust.
The commander stepped away from the prone body lying on the cot. A bruise covered face appeared and he knew for certain that it would be forever imprinted in his mind, fodder for his nightmares for the coming years. Although he was rather boisterous and gregarious, popular with many, Alexius did not make friends easily, especially the friends that would stick with him through thick and thin.
Evaxie was one of them. He was also the one lying in a steadily growing puddle of blood in a Shiridenian commander's cot. The bruises would be gone within the day and the various cuts would be nothing but a faint white line the next morning. However, the emotional and mental wounds would most likely stay for a long time.
"Coerls von entiskto, priwlst eh?" the soldier said. /Too pretty to hold a sword, are you not?/
Alexius glared at him. Another wordless murmur in his mind told him that the camp was now in the hands of the clansmen of Syntet.
"Priwlst coeruls von praciwos swomb?" he growled in the same gutteral language. He was granted a second of surprise flashing over the commander's face at the fact that he could use the Shirish tongue before turning red in anger at his words. /Are you not too ugly to be a swordsman?/
The soldier leapt at him and Alexius dropped to his back, using the Shiridenian's momentum to throw him out of the tent. He calmly walked out to witness the commander's capture in the waiting hands of the Elves. Nodding to his leader, Alexius walked back inside and cupped Evaxie's face with a gentle hand.
Long lashes fluttered open at his touch as pain glazed jewel tone eyes looked up at him in fear before calming down when they registered the presence as a friend. "Lex," Evaxie whispered hoarsely. His luxurious mahogany locks laid in a wild and tangled disarray about him.
"Shh, you're alright now. Syntet has regained this territory. You are in the hands of friends," he said soothingly.
Evaxie gave him a tremulous smile and fell into a comfortable sleep he had not been able to have in a week. He was not aware of when he had pulled his friend to his chest until he growled threateningly at whoever laid a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see his brother and immediately apologized.
"He should not suffer any longer than he has to. If you shall link with me, I will be able to Heal all of his wounds," Brendon said.
Alexius nodded, his mind numb. He did not notice himself falling into a Healing trance with his brother or see Evaxie's wounds disappear as if they had not existed at all. He also did not realize that Brendon was putting him under as well.
When he finally awoke, it was in his own chambers in the Castle of Healing with a headache the size of a full-grown dragon. A silver bottle with a long neck stood on his nighttable along with a tea cup, a note was attached. He automatically recognized it as his older brother's elegant script.
'Alexius--
You poured a bit too much of your energy into the Healing trance, hence your obviously dreadful headache. Made an extra special batch of shimthew tea for you! I almost succeeded in fully masking the slightly bitter taste! Make sure you drink all of it.
--Brendon
P.S. Evaxie is in the South Wing. The room with the dragon carvings.'Smiling in thanks for a brother as great as Brendon, he poured the tea into the cup and managing not to grimace too much when it went down his throat. Finishing the vile potion, he kicked off the covers. Going into his closet to find a new pair of black leather breaches and loose white shirt, he grabbed a brush to tame his unruly hair. Rummaging for a rubber band, he tied off his hair and pulled on his boots, ready to visit his best friend now that he was somewhat presentable. There was nothing that could be done to mask the dark bags under his eyes.
He walked down the halls, greeting whatever officials that he met with a slightly forced smile and a cheerful 'hello'. Reaching the south wing, he walked straight to the room which housed Evaxie. Exhaling deeply, he opened the door and saw the brunette was still sleeping. Alexius sighed in relief that he appeared to be alright. Closing the door behind him, he settled himself down in the chair next to the Elf.
As soon as he sat down, a pair of eyes slowly opened. Evaxie smiled and took out a hand from beneath the covers and put it over the other Elf's. "Thank you, Lex," he said in a weak voice. Speed-Healing took as much energy if not more from the patient than the Healer himself.
"It was my fault that you were captured," Alexius stated, head bowed in shame.
"You are not to blame. If anyone is to blame, it is the Commander of the Shiriden Fourth," he assured his friend.
"But--"
The sapphire eyed Elf placed a gentle finger on his lips. "Did you not hear me the first time? It was not your fault, amosì," Evaxie murmured. A pained expression appeared on his face for a moment.
"What's wrong?" Alexius asked worriedly.
"Nothing, nothing," he answered. His fingers went to the base of the blue eyed Elf's neck and pulled the rubber band off. Silky argent locks spilled around an almost delicate face. Running his hands through them for a moment like a child who had just been given candy, Evaxie looked at him with an unknown expression. "Do you know what I wish for that I would give away all of my powers for?"
"A beautiful male faery performing one of the Dances of Ishgrom?" he said slowly. The Dances of Ishgrom were a set of traditional dances done in front of one's LifeBonded during the handfasting ceremony.
"I would have preferred a beautiful male Warrior-Mage with silver hair to do so for me," he said, his message clear.
Alexius' eyes widened in shock and surprise. "What?"
"Are you not aware of your beauty, amosì?" Evaxie said with a small grin. "I have always wanted you to be my LifeBonded but no matter how long I waited, the connection would not appear. Although we have shared each other's bed several times, you have not felt any affection for me besides brotherly and comeradie." He cupped Alexius' face in his hands.
"I-I don't know w-what to say," the Elf stuttered, silver-blue eyes wide with shock.
"Say that you will kiss me now just for my sake," he whispered, voice getting weaker with what Alexius supposed was fatigue.
"I will always oblige your wishes, Evaxie. Although we are not LifeBonded, I still and will hold a tender fondness for you," Alexius said, face tilting towards his friends. His eyes closed as his lips encountered a pair of petal soft ones beneath his own.
For a few moments, there seemed to be no one in the world but them but sadly, the moment had to end. They parted and the silver haired Warrior-Mage could see tears gathering in the sapphire orbs.
"Thank you, my beloved Alexius," he murmured before closing his eyes. It was not until Alexius noticed that the pulse beneath his fingertips was getting weaker that something was terribly wrong with his friend. He shouted hysterically for the Healers.
Brendon and two of his apprentices ran in with two other full Healers. They immediately surrounded the too still body. His brother did not bother trying to bring the Elf back from the brink of death. For on the nightstand, there was an almost innocent small blue bottle with the remnants of Thalax Venom, a slow acting poison that let the victim fall into a deep sleep in which he would never wake.
The teal haired Elf showed the bottle to Alexius, the label written in Evaxie's own hand peering up at him.//
Alexius cursed as he forcefully shoved his attention back to the battle before him and not the past. Obscurely, he felt another presence behind him but he took no heed of it because the spell demanded his full attention. He did not realize it was a dragon until it was already upon him.An unexpected darkness came over his mind as he was knocked unconscious. His last thought was of the prince, hoping that Cyris had brought the elfling far, far away from the battlefield.
---
:Let me GO!: Myterinth shouted, struggling from the hold Cyris had over his mind.
:I promised Alexius that I would bring you to Narsis and bring you there I will even if I have to sacrifice myself to get you there! You are the last hope for this kingdom and losing you also means that I lose my herd as well,: the unicorn snarled.
Myterinth stopped his struggles for a moment, surprised by the vehemence in the usually peaceful creature's mind-voice. A sudden unexplainable pain reached him, robbing him of any breath left in his lungs. Instinctively, he knew that it was Alexius, how he was able to feel the other's feelings was beyond him.
His vision wavered as the ground beneath him lurched when he realized that he could do nothing for his friend. I have to help him! Feryngale or no, Alexius risked his life to save me, he thought desperately. Ashia, anybody help me! Help him!
The emerald on his coronet flared, lighting the dark forest around them in a green luminescence for a moment. Cyris stopped, unsure of where the illumination was coming from, unaware it was from the rider on his back.
A roar erupted from above them and a contingent of silver dragons appeared.
:What in Ashia's name? Th-Those are Ferynth dragons but they all live in the far edges of the Yse! H-How in the Goddess' name did they get here?: Cyris stuttered.
The red haired prince tilted his head towards the dragons with a distinctly serene expression. The grip on his mind had loosened during Cyris' anxiety so he seized the moment to jump off the unicorn's back. Spining in the direction of the fight, he began to run.
However, all of the dragons landed gracefully on the ground with scarcely a sound or vibration straight in his path. The biggest one had one wing lowered like a ramp, gesturing with wordless invitation for him to get on his back.
Myterinth looked back to see Cyris staring at him in a mixture of awe, fear and confusion. Turning back to the large reptilian creature, a voice inside of him told him the words that would cement the relationship between the dragon and himself. "I am Prince Myterinth ê Hyrule Batryl Seraph of Feryngale, Mage of the Five Elements and Adept-potential Healer. I hereby accept the title as the Summoner of the Fenryth Dragons in order to protect this kingdom from destruction."
The large dragon nodded and the others roared, launching golden red flames into the air. He shivered in remembrance of a similar scene in a dream despite the comforting warmth around him. Myterinth gingerly walked up the wing and settled himself behind a long tuft of fur. Catching the unicorn's eye, he smiled reassuringly as great gusts of wind from the strong wingstrokes of the dragons picked up the dust and leaves in the surrounding area.
They broke through the thick foliage of the trees. In the distance, he could see the dark shapes of the Shiaran dragons. Smirking darkly to himself, he tightened his legs around the dragon and held securely to the tuft of fur. It would not do to fall to his death in such an important battle.
Imagine that, my epitaph saying how I died a valiant death attempting to save a friend but fell off a dragon before doing so, he thought with sardonic humor. "Ashia, give me the ability to save Alexius, he means too much to me for me to lose him to my enemies."
As if answering his prayers, the setting sun brightened in luminescence for a moment so fleeting that Myterinth wondered about its existence. Taking it as an omen that his plea was acknowledged by the goddess, he narrowed his focus down to one objective: To save Alexius.
-To be Continued-