09/07/337

Vasuki

The ground began to rumble, and shake, Vasuki fell to his stomach after losing his balance from the shaking of the earth under their feet.

“What the hell is going on?!” The guard asked, but no one could have known the answer. Screaming came from the city, people began to evacuate one of the most fortified cities on the continent. A western wind began to tear at the world around them, whipping at them like a brewing tornado. Vasuki looked up at the city, finally regaining his footing, and watched as Daemerall began to collapse, walls fell backwards, exposing the collapsing buildings within. The sick smell of rot and decay filled the air as cracks came from under it's walls. A powerful bang, sounded and a pillar of darkness shot upwards from the within the city.

It flowed like a waterfall, falling towards the sky, blackening it with ink. The clouds above them swirled overhead, and just like it had appeared the pillar quickly vanished. Everything was silent and Vasuki couldn’t take his eyes away from the sky above them.

“We need to leave…” Liz mumbled.

The first thing that appeared from the sky was a massive, black claw, bursting through as if it were climbing through an ocean of mud. The claw then began to pull whatever creature was within out of the sky. The next to appear was the monster’s giant maw.

After the dragon’s neck was out it pulled it’s other claw from the sky and with a burst of energy the serpent broke free. Black ooze dripped from it’s body and onto the buildings below. A single roar erupted from the serpents jaws, creating a shockwave through the area, destroying a bit of wall that remained. There were still countless people evacuating the city, and despite the guards best efforts it was clear they couldn’t keep things under control, in fact most had abandoned their post.

The serpent flew through the sky collecting an inky energy into it’s maws, a faint purple glow forming in it’s throat before it aimed directly below. A massive beam of black energy plummeted down, the magic built up before forming a sphere around the city, encasing them. Then without warning the energy began to collapse in on itself before finally vanishing. All that remained was the sickening smell of rot and decay, and a pile of rubble where Daemerall once stood. The creature descended into the rubble, no doubt to make itself at home.

Vasuki watched, helplessly, tears falling down his cheeks, as the black serpent vanished behind the destruction. He looked down at himself, as if coming to some kind of realization, he couldn’t stop his hands from shaking, his anger for Audra, Cabana, and Noelem began to fall in silent agony, as much rage as he had he couldn’t stop from worrying, if they had been in the city they’d be dead by now.

“My family...my children…” Vasuki looked to the guard, his face hardened from years of service, an unspeakable emptiness in his eyes.

“I-” Liz stopped as he held his hand up.

“I need to go join them, lunch should be ready by now.” He said as he calmly walked to the city. Vasuki walked over to him and put his hand on his shoulder.

“Stop, you’ll just get yourself killed.” Vasuki claimed.

“My family is all that’s ever mattered to me, without them I don’t want to be in this world anymore. Maybe I’ll join them in the next one. Now, I demand you let me go see my family.” The guard claimed.

“Let him go, Vasuki.” Liz said. Vasuki looked back at her like she was insane. “This is his path to choose, not yours.”

“Please respect my wishes to be with my family. I suggest you leave before the dragon decides to widen the area of it’s domain.” He pulled away from Vasuki’s grasp and began to make his way to the ruined city, that just a minute ago was one of the most fortified cities in Tristal.

Vasuki watched in confusion and horror before feeling a frail hand on his arm.

“Let’s go. There’s nothing more here for us.” Liz claimed, he turned and walked with her towards the forest, but his head was always turned towards the ruins, he could have sworn he met the dragon’s eyes more than a few times, but he wasn’t even sure what it’s eyes looked like.

They found themselves heading south, as per Vasuki’s request, to find his allies. By sundown they came to, a rather cleaned up, monastery in the middle of the forest. His nose had caught the scent of smoke and some kind of meat that was being cooked. He and Liz snuck around the corner and looked inside, he could hear her stomach growl in anticipation of the possible meal. He looked inside and recognized the fox variant sitting next to the fire, rotating a rabbit on a stick over it. He breathed a sigh of relief before they walked through the front door, which seemed to have been repaired, although very poorly.

Upon hearing the door creek open, Izenia went into hiding. He could smell Rahzel and Gord hiding deeper within the monastery. They were on edge, he didn’t blame them.

“We’re not armed, just here for some shelter.” Vasuki claimed. Izenia poked her head from behind the pew, her eyes went wide with shock.

“Well son of a bitch on a stick, you’re fuckin’ alive!” She claimed, “Rahzel, Gord, get your asses in here! Vasuki’s back, and he brought a cutie with him!”

After the group collected themselves they all sat around the fire and listened to Vasuki’s and Liz’s tale. How he had lost, terribly, to Felix, and how he was once again imprisoned. Then how the two escaped the cultists hideout before witnessing the dragon, though they left out the fact that Liz was waiting on her demon familiar to return to her.

“We also saw the dragon, it was so large, you said it wiped out Daemerall?” Gord asked.

“Completely gone. I’d wager there’s no one left.” Vasuki claimed.

“The western winds were really watching over you two.” Izenia said. Liz tilted her head at that.

“How so?” Liz asked.

“The western winds, have you not heard the poem either?” She asked, taking a sip of water from a waterskin.

“I’m very familiar with it, I don’t think you are, actually.” Liz pointed out.

“Is there something hidden about it that I don’t know? Besides the second verse, that is.”

“I learned a lot from my time on the...in a monastery, much like this one.” Liz pointed out, “The poem changes entirely in the second verse.” Vasuki eyed Liz intently.

“Go on. I’m interested in this.” Rahzel said. Liz inhaled and exhaled a shaky breath. Then she began to tell them the truth of the four winds.

“The Northern winds bring cold and fill your lungs with plague.

The Eastern winds bring despair and their warnings are vague.

The Southern winds bring fire, it's rage tearing the kingdom into.

But the Western winds will protect you, and reveal what is true.” Liz began to choke up but no one dared stop her, whatever memories that came with this poem had cut deep.

“Through time there are lies that even the ancients can't hide, let me tell you the truth, so their meaning you can't deny.

The Northern winds bring cold but power to your behest.

The Eastern winds are honest and do what they think is best.

The Southern winds bring fire, to burn away deceit.

But the Western winds bring lies and terror, and if you listen closely you may hear Zaurah's wings beat.” They all looked at her in a mixture of emotions, Vasuki’s was a bit of horror and confusion, though he wasn't sure he believed it.

“I...wish I had never learned the second part…” Izenia began, “I’ve been saying that western winds were a sign of good luck...no wonder my luck’s been shit.” She gave a sad chuckle as she spun the rabbit over the fire.

After a long silence Vasuki spoke up.

“Who caught the rabbit?” Gord beamed with pride.

“I did, one of my traps caught that thing.” He claimed.

“Not sure how, since it was set up wrong.” Rahzel commented.

“Well obviously mine were better than yours. Since I’m the one that caught it.”

“Now boys, we don’t have to fight over who caught the rab-” There was a light knocking on the door, quickly followed by scratching. Everyone got on edge, the last time someone entered Vasuki got his ass served to him on a silver platter. He sniffed the air, some kind of scent of a demon, but it was much different than the usual kind. It was completely covering up the underlying smell of something, or someone, else.

Vasuki called the ice to his hands and his black blade formed within his palm.

“Everyone get down.” Vasuki ordered. He didn’t look back to see if they were following his command, he could assume they were. He jumped when there were more knocks on the door.

Vasuki slowly grabbed the handle, turned it and pulled it open. He was met with Noelem standing in the doorway, hands in his pockets.

“Hey there, long time no-” Vasuki thrust his weapon at the man but was only met with disappointment and anger when Noelem blocked the weapon with his palm. He gave a high pitched whistle.

“Now this is bringing back some memories.” He smiled at Vasuki before letting the weapon go, “I’m not here for violence, I brought some food.” He claimed grabbing a dead deer that he had laid out of Vasuki's sight.

Vasuki gave in, knowing that he was less of a fight to Noelem than he was to Felix.

“Well, hey there good lookin.” Izenia claimed.

“Hello again Izenia.” Noelem greeted, “I’m surprised you didn’t head to Trudid, isn’t that where your gang is?” All eyes went to Izenia.

“Gang?” Vasuki asked. She looked around shyly.

“What? Didn’t know you were running around with a dangerous killer, and infamous thief?” Noelem asked. “We all have our baggage.” He then found his eyes on Liz and gave her a knowing look, he walked by and lightly slapped her shoulder. She smiled happily as he sat next to her then she mouthed a ‘Thank you’ to him.

As the group sat around the fire with both cooked rabbit and deer bones on empty plates Noelem began to speak.

“Audra and Cabana are at Trudid with Zadkiel.” Liz seemed to tense up, “I told them I’d look for you, on the off chance they didn’t catch you there. Though I didn’t expect this. We’re lucky to be alive.”

“And the fact that you gave me to the black market? Is that just going to go under the bridge? I don’t think so.” Vasuki claimed.

“You didn’t listen to Audra then. Not surprised. We were out looking for you. We’ve theorized that someone has some way to manipulate our senses so that we experience things differently. I happen to agree. But that damn dragon out there, sleeping in the ruins of Daemerall. That is no illusion unfortunately.”

“Then what is it exactly? You gonna tell us that’s your pet snake or something?” Vasuki asked. He sighed heavily.

“That is the lost Ancient dragon, Awls, who tried to help Zaurah send everything to the Rift before even the War of Dominion. I only know of this because of my own sources. They’re...in a sense, husband and wife. And the fact that she’s returned is not good news.”

“How do you know this? What are your sources? To us your a stranger that brought food, but we’re also aware that you’re part of the reason Vasuki was down there with us.” Rahzel pointed out.

“My source is Nashatal herself. The Ancient of Truth. Where Zaurah was stripped of his powers, Awls was hidden in a pocket of the Rift that only a few trusted Ancients had access to. Zerian, and Nashatal were two of them. I don’t know the full specifics of what happened. But, in any case, she’s returned and that’s a problem.”

“An Ancient Dragon, huh?” Gord said, rubbing the stubble on his chin, “Not a problem for the master trapper. I’ll handle her, no problem.”

“You dumbass, you’d die before you even threw a punch at her.” Izenia commented.

Gord continued boasting for a while before Vasuki spoke up.

“What’s our plan? We can’t stay this close to Awls.” Vasuki commented. “Who knows what she’s going to do to the area nearby.”

“I’m going to head to Nevenal, I hear it’s a paradise for variants.” Rahzel said. Vasuki almost leapt at the idea, but he couldn’t go back, Felix would go after him there, no doubt about it.

“It is, make sure to go to the Dragon’s Dinn, I’m sure my dad is looking for an extra hand there. Tell him you have my recommendation.” Vasuki claimed. Rahzel cracked a rare smile at that.

“Already getting a job offer? Meeting you was my lucky day.”

“I’ll probably head to the southern continent from Opio. Got some family there I’d like to see again. They probably all think I’m dead by now.” Gord mentioned.

“My gang has recently moved to Gushe, good thing we skipped Daemerall. So I’ll head there. What about you three?” Izenia asked. Noelem looked at Vasuki, questioningly.

“Yeah, what are you going to do?” he asked.

“I’ll head to Trudid, and settle this quarrel with you three. Even if it kills me. But I ask that you go ahead of us, I don’t think I can handle being around you for a second longer than I have to.” Vasuki said with more than just a bit of venom.

“I’d like to accompany you, I owe you for saving my sanity in that prison. And I think that our goals may be intertwined.” Liz claimed.

“I’ll travel ahead, as long as I have your word that you’ll actually go to Trudid. How do I know you won’t just run off?” Noelem asked.

“You have my word.”

“No...I need your word. Repeat after me, ilai i'au nil zass.” Noelem ordered. Vasuki balled his fist, if he made this oath breaking it would mean his painful demise.

“Ilai i’au nil zass.” He said, furrowing his brows. Noelem smiled.

“Good, now get some sleep, you all have a long journey ahead of you.” He said standing and leaving the monastery all of them still sitting around the fire.