Sometimes it’s hard to credit what your own eyes are showing you. Even, as now, when I knew I was dreaming. There was a dragon; a real live, breathing dragon straight out of the minstrel’s stories. It defied belief, such was its scale. Brilliantly emerald, it shone in the black as it sailed effortlessly through the cosmos. A pale, flickering fire danced around its giant frame. One word came to me as I viewed it, noting distantly its striking beauty, and it was loaded with terror.
Drakul.
I couldn’t fathom what it meant and I hadn’t the time to think of it, as just then, I saw its target. A starship; I gaped with awe as I caught sight, for the first time, of the true size of these vessels. It was, I realised, modelled closely on the dragon; tapering tip, bulky and ridged body set between flaring wings. Despite that, it was a poor imitation and although massive, still dwarfed by the giant creature. I could feel a rising sense of urgency and fear as the Drakul winged its way closer to the seemingly unaware ship. As though my thought was alert enough, lights flared within the ship, a silver burst of light far too powerful to be anything mundane.
The Drakul dipped to the left, exposing its belly to the blast. It seemed almost playful as it spun back around to face the dozens of little pods that had detached from the ship. The pods danced and flitted about firing strange arrows – bullets, I was corrected – that had no obvious effect save to irritate the beast. It bit and struck at the annoying flies and for a moment, the struggle continued, eerie for its silence as it’s maw gaped wide. A torrent of flame spewed forth, incinerating everything before it. The last thing I saw was that dreadful, deadly inferno.
**
I woke, laden with sweat. My bed sheets were twisted around my limbs, snakes that deadened and ensnared. The air was thick and stifling. I brought a hand up to my eyes, almost expecting it to be a blackened crisp but relieved to see my usual doughy flesh, though an odd glimmer seemed to cling to it. I swept back my drenched hair, thinking on the dream. It had been too real for my liking, almost a premonition, but it had also felt different. I knew things in the dream, names of things previously unknown and had felt emotions I instinctively knew weren’t my own.
– Come to me.
I jolted, struck by the physical need in the command.
– Quickly!
I got up, expecting the heat and my own leaden limbs to be a product of the dream that would fade; only it got worse. As I stepped toward the door, the imperative instilled in me by the command still strong, I stumbled and fell, landing on something bulky and squishy. I looked down, feeling dizzy and ill. I had fallen into someone. Disbelieving, I lifted hands covered in melted human. Bile rose and flushed out of my mouth, making even more of a mess. I scrambled away, but strands of bloody flesh clung to me still. Odd keening sounds reverberated as I frantically tried to scrub my hands clean on damp sheets.
Finally, I stood clear, back to the wall, staring at the remains on my floor. I didn’t need to be told who it was. I could faintly make out pink and blue silks. But what had he been doing in my room? I was still whimpering; I clamped my lips shut, but they trembled still. I looked away, noticing for the first time that the walls were warped and twisted as though from a great heat. I couldn’t hide from this horror though I shut my eyes and prayed frantically.
– Come! Hurry!
I didn’t need to be told twice, a dread certainty filling my heart. I fled the room, running through the halls. My feet were light on the cold floors and I was surprised and not a little concerned at the emptiness of the ship. All I could hear was my own harsh panting as I sprinted toward Starlight’s room. It took far less time than usual, but still seemed an age before I was climbing those familiar steps. I knocked, sparing a distressed thought on my appearance; sweaty, hair undone, wet and lank, dressed only in a nightshift. The door flew open and I stared at an equally distraught Star. Gone was the poised, regal Lady; in her place was a pale, shaking girl.
– Enter.
I walked in, closing the door as I did so. Star was pacing, a forgotten hand sliding across her head in an eerily human gesture. It wasn’t easy to notice at first glance, but I thought I saw dark circles beneath her eyes.
“Mistress…,” I said and hesitated.
Her eyes flew to mine, pleading but what they asked for, I couldn’t give.
“What’s wrong?”
– How can you ask that, having seen what I did? You were there! Riding in my dreams, though I know not how. You, with your simple look and simple manner; how, how….
“That was you’re dream?” I gasped. On some level, I had known this all along but to have it confirmed was another matter entirely. “So that was real? The dragon, the ship…Is it happening to us?”
Distractedly, she waved a hand.
– Drakul, she corrected, don’t bastardize it with your tongue.
My question, she left unanswered. Desperation made me bold and so I asked again.
“Was that our ship you dreamt of?”
I could still feel the raging heat of that inferno coursing through me as my heart beat to the pace of a thousand marching drums. She was silent for a long moment. When she finally spoke, I had to strain to hear the words, so softly did they fall into my mind.
– No. It was my…she seemed to grope for a word, trying to convey her meaning. It was my sister’s.
My knees sagged with a relief I couldn’t hide. “Oh. I’m so sorry for you’re loss.” She was keening now, blue tears spilling down her face. I could feel her pain as though it were my own, seeping into me as liquid unto a cloth. The void within her was vast, of far greater depth then I would have thought possible. Her barriers were crumpling, allowing me an insight greater than ever before. Each of these people – the V’ra, they called themselves – were connected from birth in thought and feeling, until such a time known as the Sundering. It marked the difference between child and adult and from that point forth any connection you made was of an intimate nature; in such ways were families created, even unto finding and bonding with new parents. It was easy to see this information, the bedrock on which all else was built but everything else was clouded with pain and sorrow. One word I was able to make out.
Illari.
I tried to probe toward it, but she retreated and I could feel her gently disentangling herself from me. Star wiped her eyes, sniffing. Her eyes were pools of pain and I couldn’t bear to hold their gaze.
– My sister is dead…Of the Illari, only I remain. And soon, even I will be dead. Such is the way of things – we reap what we sow.
With those words, I felt fear rise anew. “You mean to say –“
– Aye, even now the Drakul comes for us. Nor shall it be alone, this time. And I have failed, before the battle is even begun.
I didn’t know what to do, couldn’t deal with loss of this magnitude. More, I didn’t know how to react to the sudden flood of emotions and laxity of thought. One thing I knew for sure: I didn’t want to die.
“Why is it trying to kill you? What could drive it and its kind to the destruction of an entire people?” I asked, bewildered. Once more her eyes sought mine and this time I held them.
– We defied them. Defied the gods themselves. And now we suffer.
Starlight reached out to me, too weary for words and truly let loose the floodgates. I saw the beautiful, delicate towers and spires of glass rising into the sky; cities of unimaginable wonder and size, and above them the sky writhed with Drakul. There was never any true night, the fireworks of their play and the rapturous gleam of their scales kept the darkness at bay. Until such a time as the people grew restless, thought themselves better than those above and ceased to watch, wonder and pay homage to them. Twin sisters rose to power, using a balance of technology and the elements themselves, they struck with stealth. Moon and Star became the Illari, those destined to lead the V’ra into a new age of enlightenment.
So it was, but the destiny that awaited was far different than that imagined. The Drakul, repulsed by the initial surprise attack, struck back and the devastation was horrific to witness; whole cities were razed to the ground and the sky was lit with a different kind of flame. I reared back, assaulted by the images, the fear, sorrow and regret.
“It’s too much, stop, please,” I whispered. I opened blurry eyes and saw Starlight staring at me with wonder. I felt flushed, the heat from earlier returning with vengeance to pound through me once more. I was beset by tidal forces of emotion but this was not why Star glanced at me thus. Quite simply, I was glowing.
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