Dragon Frost Page 4

  Nafury smiled and nodded. "You will see it, I promise."

  "That should prove interesting," Xirel added. "Are you going to try and take it by force?"

  "Toria is rightfully mine now. I killed Simera, and I am still his Queen's son."

  "Alexia killed Simera," Xirel corrected. "And while you may be Serena's son, to the dragons, you killed your sister who was their Caelestis."

  "While I was possessed," Nafury added.

  "The dragons do not care about such details. Sybl was important to them as well."

  Nafury let out a long sigh. "Kenshe hasn't announced his failed takeover of the Efereal Mountains to the masses yet, so the Order won't be looking for us. With some luck, we might be able to get to Toria and have our say on the matter before the rumours reach it."

  "There is no luck, Fallen Prince, only Fate." Xirel left the room at that.

  Nafury looked back at Ubi who was still wide awake.

  "Is that true? That Fate rules Aster?" Ubi asked.

  "I can't agree with everything the Great Dragon does, but most of the time it's for the better. The Animus Thread is his weaving. He holds all the strings, guards all the doors, rotates the Aurs, cycles all the living and dead, changes all the weather. Aster is very different from Earth. On Earth, everything is more chaotic."

  "When I was in your shift, I saw a blond-haired man. He seemed important to you," Ubi said.

  "He was my best friend, and Sybl's Bond in this life. Do you hate him for that?"

  "No," Ubi said as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "It looked like he cared about you a lot. I think he would have been good to my mother, too."

  Nafury pulled his white cloak off and wrapped it around her to add to the warmth of the blanket on her already. "He loved me, but to him, Sybl was everything. They both loved me enough to do the impossible and lose their lives to tear Daath from me. They should have just left me to Hino's wrath."

  Ubi scanned his eyes, trying to understand the entirety of what he seemed unable to explain all in words. "It must be nice to have those who care about you that much. I wish I had family and friends like that."

  "I don't know of your life on Earth, but you will never have to worry about that again. Xirel and I will always watch out for you."

  "Promise?"

  "Promise," Nafury said. "Besides, you're like a niece to me in this life which is rather neat. Family sticks together."

  Ubi giggled as she pondered the idea of having an uncle. "I want to see more of your friend, Cirrus. If he was important to you, then I want him to be important to me as well. Maybe it will help draw my mom's spirit closer, if anything."

  Nafury nodded and reached out a hand to touch her face. He closed his eyes, as she gave no resistance to letting him merge his thoughts with her own. He lay down next to her as they fell into deep sleep, where he could Dream them both into the past.

  NINE

  There were too many memories of Cirrus that Nafury had to choose from. It was hard for him to pick one on the spot as something that would make Ubi see Cirrus the same way he had. He thought back into his past, to a time before he was controlled by Daath. He looked up and ahead to find himself leaning against the Fay Wall. He didn't know what he was thinking about back then, other than the only thing he wanted. A miracle. An answer. Something. But nothing had come to him in his Visions. The Novaists whose beautiful voices echoed from inside the Fay Wall gave little comfort. Nafury didn't see in the past that Cirrus was standing at the end of the Halls of Aragmoth watching him. He only saw him now. His friend was a piece of the miracle that he needed. Ubi stood near him, examining the memory with interest. She saw Cirrus moments after he did.

  "That's him?" Ubi asked.

  "Yes," Nafury replied.

  "He's beautiful," Ubi thought aloud. Everything in this Dream of the past would be heard from her thoughts either way.

  Cirrus had helped Nafury obtain his shift at the bottom of the Eternal Waters. It was a horribly deformed and a wretched form of a brownish-black dragon. It hurt Nafury to see his best friend shift out of his beautiful, human-like appearance and into his white dragon form. He tried to will Cirrus to not shift without saying it to him as their eyes met. It seemed to work. Cirrus' Curse of being trapped since birth in the form of a dragon was broken. It saddened Nafury that he only knew now that it had never been a Curse, but Alexia containing him. Years later to date of this memory, Cirrus was still catching up on all the cues and human habits that came with being a dragoon. But it was the untamed form of him that was his truth, and the one Nafury preferred to look at. The dragon and not the human-like dragoon he was trying so hard to be.

  Today Cirrus seemed to try even harder, as he straightened up and withdrew his staring at the Prince. Maybe he had seen something that Nafury couldn't. This was just a memory, as it was impossible to change it to make it possible for Cirrus to see Ubi as he could. All he could do is re-enact it all in hopes of seeing something that he missed before. He feared the hidden hate that Ubi likely held for Cirrus, and he wanted it resolved now. While there was still time. She blamed Cirrus for taking her mother from Kas' side, and he had to change that. Cirrus was dead now, but how he was remembered also mattered the world to Nafury. "Can you see it?"

  "See what?" Cirrus asked as he walked closer.

  "Our kind has struggled for centuries to gain the blessing of Aragmoth, yet he has done nothing but ignore our prayers. Even his wing tries to fold its touch away from us."

  "You're tired and need to rest," Cirrus replied.

  "If we brought the Asterian Caelestis here, he would not be able to ignore us any longer. This can be the only reason why I was made to look like this. It's all a test."

  "You are still beautiful, Nafury. Stop talking like you're different."

  "I am not beautiful, and you can hide your soul within your shift all you want. You insult me by thinking I can't see your intent to try and make me feel better."

  "That's not true," Cirrus replied.

  "We are all beautiful in the eyes of those who love us, and I can feel your love for me more than anyone else's. But if I had her love, then there would be no need for anyone to pity me. I would have everything I could ever need. Only fools look down on those blessed by Aragmoth, and she can set me free. Help me bring her here, Cirrus."

  "The only way to her is the Gate in Mer City and she would die from the pressure."

  "Not if inside one of our shifts. But she would never see past this deformed monstrosity I have been made into to give my love for her a chance. I can't do it alone," Nafury pleaded.

  "Nafury, just stop! It's too dangerous, and I can't--I won't do this."

  "Then you are no different from the rest of them!" Nafury snapped angrily back at him. He brought his teeth together in a clash of unevenness and pain. It angered him that this memory was not the perfect one he needed now. "You claim to love and care for me, yet you hide under the shadow of doubt my father casts over everyone! You are nothing but a lie!" It was then that Nafury lost control of his body in his rage and charged straight at him. He struck Cirrus with his dragon claws hard enough to shatter his body against a pillar.

  Nafury had completely forgotten for that critical moment that he was in his dragon form in this memory. When Cirrus fell to the ground, Nafury fell with him and out of his shift, praying that he hadn't killed him. Nafury remembered not understanding how he had been able to hit him at all. The Laws of Aragmoth didn't allow shifts to attack souls. Not unless they were an immediate threat.

  Nafury lifted Cirrus head from the pillar. Several pieces of white stone fell to the ground near them. Blood stained Cirrus' long, blond hair and now Nafury's hand. Cirrus started to come around and immediately pulled Nafury against his chest. He was alive, and just as broken and confused. "Cirrus, I'm sorry--!"

  "This is just a mistake. I must have been too angry or something."

  Nafury knew that he should have been the one paralyzed in pain. That was the minor punishmen
t for doing something like this. But he couldn't feel Aragmoth's wrath. He knew then that he was not like Cirrus. He was something else entirely. He just didn't know then that he was a half human, half demon capable of turning Aster into a frozen wasteland.

  "Are you alright?" Cirrus asked.

  Nafury shuddered at the question. Cirrus was worried about him when he had nearly killed him. "Just a mistake." Nafury shuddered again, before the realization that the back of his shirt was wet. The wounds that Nafury's father had whipped into his back had reopened and now bled.

  Cirrus used his aeri to heal them as he had dozens of times before. It was as if Cirrus blamed himself for every wound on Nafury, many of which opened without warning. Dreamwalking was dangerous and deadly. The Sentry of Earth took no prisoners from the souls from Aster who dared to walk across their world. But it was the only way Nafury could see the Caelestis, and he didn't care what it cost. Except every time that Cirrus touched him. Nafury had paid for his Dreamwalking by means of Simera's punishment more times than he could remember. The scars on his back never completely healed. Nafury pulled away from Cirrus and got to his feet. "I'll be at the wind tunnels."

  "I'll escort you back," Cirrus said and got up.

  He needs to be remembered, Nafury thought as he waited until Cirrus was gone. He looked then to where Ubi continued to watch in silence. "That's not a memory I wanted you to see." He lowered his head then in shame. He couldn't tell what she was thinking with his own thoughts everywhere.

  "No memory is perfect," she replied, and looked away from Nafury and to the floor. She walked over to him and set a hand on his back. The wounds from the whip Simera had inflicted on him still hurt. "I suppose I should be grateful he never hit me."

  Nafury looked away from her and to where Cirrus had left down the hall. "He thought of Cirrus as a second son, when all along he was the real one. I can't help but wonder if Simera knew."

  Ubi looked to where Nafury did and pondered on it with him. "He never mentioned him. Yet he never mentioned anyone on Aster. It didn't take a genius to tell that Simera was an alien. Despite that, he was content to keep the existence of Aster a secret from me entirely."

  Nafury felt a dark shadow drift past the Threads between them and looked back at her. She was a good liar, but she wasn't perfect. "How far does your hate stretch on this world?"

  Ubi looked up at him as his unexpected change in tone frightened her. "What do you mean?"

  "You were cast out of the first Aster. Theoretically, you should hate this one just as much."

  Ubi lowered her gaze to the stone floor. "I hate a lot of things. I regret even more. What Xirel said is right but he's also wrong about one important thing."

  Nafury waited for her to continue.

  "I already remember everything. I remember every time the Sentry killed me all the way back to my father bringing me to Earth and leaving me there."

  "Do you deceive Xirel and me then?"

  Ubi shook her head. "It's all so exhausting. Holding onto all that hate and fear all the time. But with you and Xirel, I'm less scared. I don't know if I can ever belong on this world, but I want to stay with you. If only to see what life can be like when you're not going through it alone. I can't guarantee that I will always be like this. I might even become some vengeful destroyer of a monster one day, but it won't be today."

  Nafury kissed her forehead, then brushed some of her dark bangs from her eyes. "I definitely have to recommend avoiding the monster route. Destroying the world can leave you rather lonely."

  Ubi shook her head as he tried to cheer her up by making fun of it. "I can feel your love for Cirrus, even though none of it belongs to me," she said and pressed her fists to her chest. She rested her head against him, trying to decipher the code from his heartbeat. "Do you think Cirrus would have liked me?"

  "Heh," Nafury said and rested his chin on her head. "I think you both would have gotten along well. Both of you are completely unruly."

  Ubi smiled and then looked around as their surroundings suddenly faded and changed. They were on a field of flowers now. Only the petals were soaked in blood. The field was covered with the bodies of plumas and dragoons who had taken back to their human form. Dozens on dozens of spirits stayed by their souls, unable to do anything more for them.

  Nafury hadn't conjured this memory. He looked at Ubi who didn't have any idea how it appeared, either. "Alexia must be messing with us."

  "What is this memory?" Ubi asked in concern of the death that surrounded them. It was a complete nightmare of a sight.

  They both looked to where a silver-armored man stood on the edge of the canyon. From his long, blond hair, Nafury thought it might be Cirrus. He walked over to him and the man turned to face him.

  "You will keep her from me no longer!" the man threatened. Then the knight unsheathed his blade and lashed out at Nafury with it.

  TEN

  Nafury woke with a start and immediately looked for Ubi. He found her, still locked in a restless sleep. He gently shook her until she opened her eyes and was free of the nightmare.

  "What was that all about?" Ubi asked as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

  "I don't know. I do know that Cirrus never raised a weapon to me, ever."

  "Scary," Ubi said as she tried to figure out the nightmare's hidden message.

  "Fay are supposed to be able to see into the future as well as the past. Maybe we drew his angry spirit too close to us instead of your mother's."

  "Maybe," Ubi theorized. "He did mention a 'her.' Whatever the meaning of it is, I want to go see if Xirel is alright. I had enough sleep for now."

  Nafury followed after her. After some minutes, they tracked down Xirel to a small conference-like room. If he hadn't the ability to sense the Awl's Threads, they might have roamed the massive mountain forever. The chimera Awl was speaking with another when they entered. He couldn't help but stare at the newcomer's light green hair. It can't be...

  "Hello," the Awl said politely and turned to face them. "Prince Nafury. And this must be our newest Fay. It's an honour," he continued and looked to Ubi, before finishing his greeting with a short bow.

  Nafury hadn't been called a Prince for so long, he almost didn't recognize his former title. He was frozen in shock to see Loki. The last time he had seen the Awl dragoon was on Earth, right after Sybl's fall. The only thing that kept Loki from strangling him with his bare hands back then was likely Hino and the once-Sentry's inability to hurt a human. Whatever Loki was thinking at that moment remained hidden under his silver mask that covered his eyes.

  "I am Loki," the orange-eyed Awl added. "At your service."

  "Loki is the leader of the Eastern Tribes," Xirel elaborated. "I contacted him with our desire to head over to the Torian Continent. He has a ship that can take us over. It has the added security of several Awls should the dragons prove to be less hospitable than usual."

  "Where have you been all this time?" Nafury asked and took a step forward.

  Loki looked to the side for a moment before looking back at him. "I swore that I would never forgive you after what happened to Sybl. That was until I finally came to realize that I was just as much at fault as you."

  "How so?" Nafury asked.

  "I swore to her that I would protect her, and I wasn't there when she needed me the most. But when I look at her," Loki said nodding towards Ubi, "I see a second chance."

  "I must thank you then. Especially as my plan is still a work in progress."

  Loki returned a fleeting smile. "If a war can be adverted, then it is worth a try. We cannot leave any negotiations to the Atrum. The dragons will not care what burns should they make the trip over to this Continent. You and I both know this. I can sense Sybl's spirit close to us, so this journey will fair well."

  "You can sense her?" Nafury asked, intrigued. "Even though she's in the realm of death?"

  Loki's smile grew and he looked at Xirel as they quietly guarded the secret between them.

  "Is there a reas
on we can't be brought in on the secret?" Ubi asked, not enjoying being left out of the loop.

  "First you must master Thread before you can understand, Princess. Please understand that we only hold from you what you are not yet able to comprehend," Loki said.

  Ubi crossed her arms before her, not pleased with his answer.

  "Okay then..." Nafury said and gently ushered Ubi out of the room before she could lose her cool on Loki. He called in question back as they left, "When do we leave?"

  "Whenever you are ready," Xirel replied and got up from the chair he sat in.

  Nafury pulled Ubi towards the exit. He quickly distracted her with how she would love the Harbor's shopping. Outside, he was surprised to find Sial waiting for them. "Oh joy, my spirit guide is back. That can only mean that I'm due to get a life-threatening situation soon."

  "It's a unicorn," Ubi said as she looked Sial over again. The kyrie didn't so much as flinch as she touched him. "She's rather smart for an animal."

  "He comes like that," Nafury replied.

  Ubi looked into Sial's purple eyes. She quickly lost the staring contest. "That's creepy when I think about it. An animal that is as intelligent as a human, Eminor or Ancient?"

  "He is very old. His Thread tornado isn't something anyone can learn in a single lifetime," Nafury said and walked over to Sial. He stopped when Ubi brought her hand to her chin in thought. "What is it?"

  "Well, it's just that you keep saying 'him' and Sial is clearly a girl."

  Nafury laughed at her like she were mad. "Sial has never been or ever will be a girl."

  "Seriously? You had this kyrie close to you how long and you can't tell its gender?"

  Nafury's intelligence took a direct hit, so he took a few steps back to confirm that Sial was a male. Only, the kyrie was indeed lacking certain parts. Now he was creeped out. "Um, Sial, are you feeling okay?"

  "You are unbelievable," Ubi said.

  Nafury hesitated to follow, as he felt Loki come out to join them. "Loki, is Sial a male or female?"