Once Forgotten 3.4

Rya surveyed the damage around her with sorrow. There had been many casualties that night. Several had perished when the tavern collapsed. Many more had died in the cyclone, or had it been her own attack? She shook her head, clearing away such thoughts. Four days later, and the damage was still being assessed. It was fortunate that it was limited to only a small portion of the city.

Her attention went back to the letter she held. It had come last evening, and what it said filled her heart with both joy and sorrow:

“My dearest sister,
How are you faring? Many unusual tales have reached my ears, and I must say that you are certainly building both a name and reputation for yourself. And is it true that you have grown wings?! I cannot help but think of the old story mother used to tell us. Of a girl with wings who would bring about a new era, a new age. Sar…I suppose I should call you Rya, now…I cannot help but wonder whether there was, perhaps, more truth to all those wives’ tales than we gave them credit! Things could never have been both better, and yet, worse for us.

Roylen and I were wed not twelve days ago. Oh, Rya, how I wished you could’ve been here! The ceremony was perfect, absolutely perfect! And my new husband is absolutely wonderful! The whole of Jastire rejoiced with us; the great bells were wrung and all throughout the land, people feasted in our honor.

And now it grieves me to give you the gravest of news: Calima has declared war on us. There was some sort of trouble just the other night. A group of Calima Elites were found wandering on our border with no memory of how they got there, but many of them were battered and bruised. We fear that there is some new evil at work. Some horrendous demon has been unleashed, and Flamian himself has confirmed it. He refused to say much, but he came to us with a warning.

Rya, please, be careful and on your guard! I know that you have already slain a Demon Lord (how I nearly burst with pride for you!), but do not let it go to your head! Flamian was genuinely shaken when he told us of this news. Calima is insisting that we had something to do with the state of their soldiers; hence the declaration of war. But do not fear for us, my sister. They will find that though I prefer peace, the blood of our ancestors still flows within me! They will find that Salcarr is still strong!
Again, be careful, my sister. I fear that a demon like none other is on the loose.
Your loving sister
For Eternity,
Kurel “

“Are you going to answer?” Brint asked from beside her. She smiled and let him kiss her, savoring his embrace.

“I suppose I shall. Yet I haven’t an idea as to what to say!” She answered once he released her.

He caressed her feathers as he again looked the letter over. “You certainly have made a believer out of me.” He put an arm about her waist, just below her right wing. “I can’t really explain it, but something…it was like I was awaking for the first time in my life. I mean, truly awake. Everything…it’s all so different, yet nothing’s changed…”

Rya leaned into him. “I know that feeling. I felt the same way after I grew wings.” She softly kissed his lips. “And is it really so surprising? You did come back to life.”

“I suppose it’s not that surprising. It’s just that…I feel so much stronger! In tune with things. I can feel every heartbeat of everyone near me.” Brint held her for a while, before returning back to the letter. “The war is bad enough, but to hear of a demon that has Flamian trembling…I can’t help but wonder at what horror has been unleashed.”

“I know. That, perhaps, could be the most troubling part. And what of the Mauler? We have heard nothing on him. No tales; no signs. I had expected something from him long ago.” Rya sighed as she turned back to the destruction around them.

A female sigh came from beside them. “You really must stop blaming yourself, no? There was no preventing this.” Alda said, shaking her head in sorrow. “Casualties must be expected, yes, in this…war of ours. But it is sad.” She hung her head as the sounds of a weeping woman reached them. “Very sad, yes.”

“What should we do? We can’t just leave them like this!” Rya exclaimed.

Brint and Alda exchanged glances. The Katar turned to her. “With your permission, many of your soldiers have volunteered to be stationed here, but they will send updates. Will this suffice, yes?”

Rya nodded, satisfied with that response. “Yes. I just wish there was more that I could do for them!”

“You’ve already done enough. You managed to stop Samask from razing this place to the bare dirt!” Brint said. “We need to regroup with the others. We came, we saw, you fought; our mission here is done. Now we must return and see the other’s results. And consult with Flamian and Dylan on this new threat.”
She was silent for a moment. “Alright. We go back. Samask won’t be back. Whatever it was that I hit him with, it wounded him pretty good.”

“Yes, that was most…interesting indeed.” The Katar looked at her with new interest, a strange expression in her eyes. “Very interesting, yes.”
****************************************************************************

Dylan was sitting in her garden, listening to Lirand and Gartrand recount their mission. Flamian was pacing nervously, and Dylan couldn’t help but worry about him. The other two became concerned as well after he had not moved from the same spot for over two hours. Finally, he shook his head and began pacing again.

“Alright, what’s got you so worked up?” Dylan asked.

Flamian shook his head. “Nostraeli. Ever since that encounter, I have been searching every memory recorded in the Collective.”

“And is there anything?” Gartrand asked.

Flamian was silent. He seemed to shake himself and turned to them. “There is something. Images mostly. It’s something that happened long ago, before the first Golden Age. Something…happened, but…it was after the Demon War. More than that, I don’t know. There were two…I think. Blood…so much blood…” He broke off, saying no more.

His three friends turned to each other, fear showing on their faces. Gartrand pointed a shaky hand at the draigon. “Let me just say, I have never seen a draigon act like that. Ever!”

Dylan nodded slowly, trembling slightly. “You didn’t see this thing…I...it…it was like it was something neither living nor dead. It…reeked like…a thousand rotting corpses…” She shuddered.

Lirand and Gartrand both exchanged glances. “You don’t think…?” Lirand began. “Most likely.” Gartrand responded. Lirand cursed and sank onto a bench, head in his hands. “Alphairria help us!”

Something in their tone brought Flamian back to reality. “You…dispersed another M’rachtkenta?” They nodded. Flamian cursed. “Dammit! That’s what he meant! ‘He has turned his sights to more favorable targets’! He’s gone after more essence!!” The draigon shook with rage, fire playing around his fists. A cascade of water washed over him with a hiss.

“Don’t you dare go all mad and enraged on me now!” Dylan yelled. “We need you calm and sane! Remember what happens when you get angry?”

“Yeah, yeah, I remember.” Flamian waved her off and went to stand in the fountain. Lirand and Gartrand raised their eyebrows.

Dylan sighed. “He still struggles with his…other self.”

“Other self?” Lirand asked, puzzled.

Dylan nodded. “It happened when his soul was shattered several years ago.”

“So it’s true? He was stripped of his dragon half?” Lirand asked.

Dylan nodded. “He managed to hold onto part of it, trapping him forever in the form he is in now. He can’t ever appear fully human. Not anymore. As a result of this, he developed a mirror ‘self’, Flarris. Flarris is cold hearted, gaining pleasure from cruelty, death, and he despises all that is good. Flamian has him contained, but it gets hard for him when he’s angry.”

Gartrand pulled at his beard in thought. He wore a grave expression. “I hate saying this…”

“NO!” Dylan cried. “NO! Not again! I swore I would never do that to him! Flarris was free once; it was how we managed to defeat Calrius! The effort…” She choked and blinked back tears. “It nearly killed him to regain control. And…you don’t know what it was like. His eyes…his eyes burned with an undying hatred and malice. Please…don’t do that to him.”

Gartrand nodded slowly. “I won’t.”

“It may be our only chance.” Flamian said, turning to them. Dylan whirled on him.

“But…!” Flamian cut her off. “It may be the only chance we have, but I’ll only agree to it as a last resort.”

Lirand nodded. “That’s wise. Let’s try to avoid unleashing anymore demons. Even if necessary.”

“I think that we all need a break of such talk. Come, let’s eat. My cooks should have a sufficient meal prepared, if I am sure of the time.” Dylan said.

Flamian glanced at the sky. “It’s the correct time. I’m famished.” He led the way inside, appearing calm while waging an internal war.