The day after the negotiations with the griffons ended, Avess left the Drakku sanctuary and flew east. In the skies, he felt the most alive. Darting in and out of clouds, soaring higher into the colder regions of the blue sky, he exhaled long streams of flame. The tension of the day before slowly dissipated as he let his mind drift to nothing but the present moment.

Below him, the green canopy was broken by small brown lines and pockmarked with random blue oblong circles. Mountains called to him far in the distance, snow capped and rugged.

It seemed like it had been years since he escaped the trappings of the Dragon Lord and just flew free without a care in the world.

His large wings flapped in the air, their rhythmic sound a welcome reminder of who he was and the days of his youth.

Avess lunged toward the ground, skimming above the treetops, scaring the birds inside. He banked to the left and rose higher in the sky, bursting through a fluffy white cloud with a mighty roar.

Yes, this was freedom. This was feeling alive.

He continued east, knowing exactly where he was going though refusing to dwell on why. Whenever he felt stressed and overwhelmed, he’d visit her. Nothing calmed him or brought him back to reality like visiting his wife, Serva.

It had been thirty years since her passing, but those years flew by. It seemed like not long ago he held her in his arms as she lay on the grass covered hillside with deep gashes along her abdomen and arrows piercing her wings.

The image conjured feelings of hate and anger. Avess remembered clearly the Magus who led four men, dragonslayers, to join with a rogue dragon from the Opal clan. They intended on killing him, but Serva found out about it and decided to act on it.

“Serva, come back!” he screamed when she darted after the usurper.

“I will protect you my love!”

Avess growled and tried to catch up. They turned to the north above the plains between the dragon lands and Tregaron, just before reaching the Dragonback Mountains. Before he caught her, arrows rose from a stand of trees and struck her, making her lose ground to the Opal. When the usurper understood she’d been struck, he turned back and let loose with streaks of lightning emitted from his mouth. They struck Serva and Avess howled in anger.

“Serva! No!”

Avess flew harder, hoping to catch the Opal before the situation grew worse. Another volley of arrows reached the sky, several striking Serva again. The combination of lightning and arrows forced her to fall to the ground, the Opal following closely behind.

Avess fired an intense burst of flame toward the Opal and though it struck cleanly on its back, it continued to hunt after Serva.

The Opal and Serva crashed to the plain in a tangle of fangs and claws. Serva exhaled flame while the Opal tried to strike her with lightning. They rolled on the grass field and tore at each other with their deadly claws. Avess flew at the Opal, striking it and knocking it off Serva.

“How dare you strike my wife! How dare you try and overthrow your rightful ruler!”

The Opal hissed back, its voice full of venom. “You are weak and will bring us to ruin! The Opal clan are wiser. We deserve to lead the Drakku!”

Avess clawed at the Opal’s chest, a bright crimson line crossing its white scales. It roared and struck back, digging his claws into Avess and slicing through him. Avess screamed in pain and the Opal struck harder, swiping with both claws and trying to bite down on his neck. The Opal’s dagger-like teeth penetrated his neck. He struggled to free himself while the Opal fought harder, digging into his chest with its claws and biting harder.

Serva saved him.

She breathed deadly flame on the Opal, distracting him. Then she lunged at him, digging her claws into his back, furiously attacking. Avess felt the fangs recede from his neck and he pushed the Opal off. Serva continued to assault him, ignoring the Opal’s attempts at freeing himself.

Arrows streaked across the field, plunging into both Serva and Avess. Serva swatted at the protruding arrows. Avess grabbed hold of one and ripped it from his hide in a blinding moment of rage. The Magus created a small ball of blue light that he sent toward the archers, no doubt a spell of protection.

Avess growled and turned back to the Opal dragon. Serva struggled, the Opal gaining the upper hand. Avess roared and blasted the Opal with flames, the white dragon howling in agony as his hide singed. Black char marks crossed his back. The Opal turned his head from Serva toward Avess, narrowing its large black eyes.

“You never deserved to lead,” it hissed.

Avess lunged at the Opal, attacking viciously. The Opal dared harm his wife and challenge his leadership!

A horrific fury overcame Avess and he ripped at the Opal. Long black claws tore through his hide. Avess bit down on his arm, snapping the bones inside and causing the Opal to howl. Avess bit harder, intending on ripping his arm off. The Opal exhaled lightning, catching Avess on the head. The bolt knocked him backwards, but he held firm to the arm and it came with him.

The Opal writhed in agony, clutching the bloody stump.

Avess’s mind felt foggy and the edges of his vision blurred. All he knew was to finish the Opal, end his treasonous ways, and save his wife.

Stumbling on his feet, he shambled toward the Opal, vaguely aware of Serva gasping on the ground. The sight of her struggling unleashed a torrent of anger and Avess channeled every bit of it toward the Opal.

He inhaled deep, deeper than ever before, and exhaled an inferno that engulfed the Opal. The white dragon screamed and howled, a sound so loud and piercing that it hurt Avess’s ears, but he would not give up. This dragon dared to harm his wife. None would do so and not face his wrath.

When the flames ended, Avess struck the Opal and ripped at his flesh with his claws, tearing the charred white hide into a bloody mess. The Opal feebly fought back, but Avess would not relent. He continued until he ripped through the Opal’s throat, blood splashed over his own face, and the last breath of the Opal escaped its traitorous lungs.

Avess stood over the bloodied Opal dragon and waited several moments while coming down from his frenzy.

An arrow struck the back of his leg and he calmly ripped it free, snapping the wooden shaft and tossing it to the ground. He turned toward the small stand of trees and blew flames at it, igniting the pines. Men screamed and Avess exhaled more flames until their voices grew silent. Beyond the trees he caught sight of the black robed Magus cowardly fleeing. He considering chasing after him when he heard Serva groaning.

“My love!”

He raced to her, his dear loyal wife, and clutched her in his arms.

“I tried. I wanted to help you.” Her words were weak. A distant gloss covered her eyes. Avess knew that look, and a flood of emotions overcame him.

“No, please! We can heal you! Don’t go, don’t die on me!” He held her tight to his chest feeling her heartbeat within her chest, but also feeling as it was slowing.

“Serva, oh dear Deavos, please save my love!”

“I tried Avess. I…I love you.”

“Stay with me. We can heal you! Let me take you back to the Dragon Lands.”

Her eyes fluttered.

“I love you Serva. I love you with all my heart.”

Inhaling deep, Serva held it a moment, then she gave up the fight. Air escaped her as her last breath warmed his chest.

“No!”

Avess screamed and howled, large tears running down his face. He extended his wings to cover them and he wailed as he clutched her lifeless body to his. It wasn’t fair that she would die in his place!

***

Where Avess was now headed was the place he buried her. No one but Etain knew where he decided to lay to rest the love of his life. He intended on keeping it a secret as it was the only place he’d find solace amidst the chaos of the Drakku.

Fighting back the memories, Avess finally found the small hill above the valley where he buried his wife. He placed three large boulders above her grave, one for each of his family. He dropped from the twilight sky and stood next to the boulders, resting a hand on one of them.

“My love, I’ve missed you.”

He crossed the boulders and rested against one of them, his favorite place to be when in her presence.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t think of you. I hope you know that.”

Avess closed his eyes and imagined her beautiful face and her loving smile. He imagined holding her again in his arms.

“If you were here by my side, my life would be complete.”

Quietly he sat, listening to the sounds of the day fade into the night. He needed this. He needed to be close to his love. Her calmness always comforted him, even in death.

“You should see Etain. She’s grown so much since you last saw her. You’d be proud of who she is, of who she’s becoming. She’ll replace me someday and I think might be better than me. At least I hope so.”

He ran his claws along the dirt and grass, the soft blades connecting him to the spot and…to her.

“I wish you were here. I need you. Something terrible comes. I can feel it within me. The Magus are concerned, and rightfully so. Gray-souls walk again. Someone has discovered the spell. The Drakku are in danger.”

Saying the words aloud made them all too real. Their implication was that evil was lurking in Rowyth, with the intent to harm the Drakku. The Magus would help him, but it was from among their ranks that the problem originated. The complications of being the Dragon Lord weighed on him, but he’d never want to let another face these problems. He had a duty to all Drakku, dragons, griffons, and halflings, to protect them and their legacy. He didn’t intend on failing.

“Serva, your counsel is much needed. How do I find this Magus? How do I stop what’s to come? How do I make a difference?”

The words hung in the air and he pondered them, hoping for inspiration to strike. When it didn’t, he emptied his mind of the thoughts and instead thought only of Serva. He let her love chase away the concerns he had about the Drakku and the gray-souls.

As darkness settled in, Avess sat in meditation. He focused his mind only on Serva. For hours he kept his focus, never wavering from her love. It calmed him in a way nothing else could. No mead or ale brought such comfort as being in her presence.

Avess sat unmoving throughout the night, watching as the sun rose in the morning. Birds called to the new day and storm clouds rolled in from the west.

“It is time to leave my dear. I will come again, I promise.”

Avess rose from the ground and stretched his wings wide, his bones creaking as he did. He gave a long look at her grave, wishing not for the first time to have traded places with her. The world was a better place with her in it. She never should have had to die for him.

“I will keep Etain safe from what’s to come. I fear the worst for the Drakku, but I will do what needs to be done to protect her. Good bye my love. Till next we meet.”

He turned from the grave and jumped into the air, flying toward the coming storm, unwavering in his resolve to save the Drakku. Deavos kept him alive for a reason, and this had to be it.