Juni and Cole raced through the palace’s main training arena for the knights, they both could feel the immense pressure of darkness hurtling towards them and crashing into the ground.

  It was him again, the Black Dragonborn. The one who had attacked Serene Village.

  His yellow eyes wide with joy and smiling widely.

  “You won’t make it. You couldn’t take me not that long ago, I doubt you can now. Not without consequences. But I will show you no mercy.” Braagon proclaimed.

  The moon was turning a dark shade of violet, the spell crystalizing in the stratosphere and spreading outward. It wouldn’t be long before it began taking effect and pulling people into their dream worlds.

  “We don’t have time for this!” Cole said irritated, drawing his sword from his back.

  “Then how about we make time?” Samantha asked, her hand resting on his wrist that held the blade.

  Both Juni and Cole in a state of utter shock seeing Samantha here with Tanner.

  “Would’ve gotten here sooner, but you know the old saying about a hydra’s head.” Tanner joked, smirking a little at this.

  “You two sure you’ll be able make a quick getaway?” Juni asked, still serious about everything that had been happening and knowing that them being here would lead to many questions.

  “Relax kid, I got a plan.” Tanner said, joining Samantha now “Just like your father, I’ve been dragging my feet on a little reunion of my own. If he can make peace, then I don’t see why I can’t.” He explained, Juni looking on at him with pure shock.

  “Cole, you need to go. Don’t worry about us, Tanner has shelter for us in mind. For now we’ll deal with this one, you have your own affairs to attend to. Go!” Samantha said sternly, her eye momentarily turned back to lock on Cole.

  “I promise, I’ll end this fast! He won’t get away with this again!” Cole promised, before taking Juni’s hand and taking off again.

  Braagon watched them leave, before returning his gaze to Sam and Tanner.

  “You two aren’t worth my time, both still snapping pups compared to me. Neither of you have faced anything real, the Hydra’s my master unleashed are but mere imitations of the true Hydra. Just spawnling’s carved off the carcass of a legendary creature and let loose.” Braagon explained, talking down to both of them.

  “Think yourself a big man because you got more scales and have wings like our ancestors.” Tanner retorted, earning a glare from Braagon.

  “You, the reckloose. A myth and rumor, you have never slept in the same place twice. You claim noble intentions with hunting dark sorcerers and rogue mages, but you are a wanderer with no faith.” Braagon commented to Tanner. “And you, a hermit, who wasted her time being angry. Never leaving the borders of your little town, and you call yourself its protector but you are anything but that, it’s merely your keep. Admit it, you care nothing for your ‘villagers’ only so long as they feed you.” He added, further goading Samantha.

  Samantha could feel anger boiling inside her, but seemed to keep it in check with a smile and soft chuckle.

  “If anyone’s the monster as the people depict us, it’s you. A dark beast, a true monster who dwells in the mountains of darkness. A beast that only harms innocent people on the beck and call of a master. You would collar yourself to him, and dare to judge us?” Samantha counter argued now, standing her ground against his claims.

  “Seems I struck a nerve then.” Braagon said softly, keeping his arms crossed behind his back.

  “I’ve got a grandfather who needs to meet his future granddaughter in-law, and you’re cutting into our time out. So we are going to keep talking, or get down to business?” Tanner chimed in, taking a step forward.

  “It makes little difference. Neither of you will see the morning sunrise. Even if we are stronger than most and can see through such illusion spells. I will not let the likes of two runts like you get past, and I will kill you both if I must.” Braagon said, outstretching his hand as it was engulfed with a black sphere that licked with the outline of flames.

  Tanner raised his own fist as it was engulfed with pale blue flames.

  “We’re in this together, right?” Tanner whispered, momentarily shocking Sam but making her smile all the same.

  “Whatever you say, loverboy.” She teased, readying herself as well.

  She drew out water from the atmosphere, superheating it and boiling it, turning it into a gel-like liquid now. Keeping this amorphous gel floating and between her hands.

  Tanner charged first, a blaze of pale blue flames as he collided against Braagon, clashing against an invisible force field as blue flames exploded outward in all directions.

  Tanner momentarily stunned before he was instantly being sucked to the ground and could feel the familiar pain of burning. Slamming his fist down, the void barrier that was holding him down burnt away with his Cryokenesis.

  Samantha immediately lobbing chunks of the gel at Braagon in rapid succession. The black Dragonborn maneuvering his arms and making more of his void-flames to absorb and burn away the gel she hurled at him.

  Tanner charged in again, both his fists coated in the pale blue flames as he met Braagon head on. Braagon matching him blow for blow, his void-flames canceling out and absorbing Tanner’s Cryokenesis with every punch that he threw.

  Tanner’s grin gave it away, before instantly moving out the way.

  The sky had been charged up with storm clouds by Samantha and she had used them to focus and charge up her main attack. A blinding beam of light erupted forward and instantly connecting with Braagon.

  The black Dragonborn cried out in frustration by the suddenness of this attack, and struggling to combat this hyper beam, especially struggling to cast more of his void-flame. This energy beam momentarily burning and searing him before fully absorbing it with enough void-flame.

  Panting hard as looked at his arms, feeling the burning pain still lingering, these two were proving to be far more trouble than they were worth. But the thought of slaying his kin was never pleasant, yet they clearly could not be persuaded. Both were resolved to defend themselves and by proxy the people of this kingdom.

  “So be it…” Braagon murmured to himself, locking his gaze on them both, his aura radiating from him absorbing the cery darkness within the area, all shadows and shadows and shades of black. Bending them to his will.

  “Together?” Tanner smiled some, offering his hand.

  “If you insist.” Samantha joked, rolling her but taking his hand regardless, and taking hold of him as they looked forward.

  Both their auras growing and clashing momentarily. But rapidly found harmony, the cold winds of his soul finding peace and melting away with the depths of her own soul and a gentle song of the deep.

  The storm above them was even more intense and churning even harder. Braagon only continued to absorb even darkness and shadows, glutting himself on it, almost like he was becoming a black hole himself.

  Together they focused, the very training arena rumbling from the sheer amount of aura they were generating. The storm clouds exploded and striking them both, but catching its power and absorbing it.

  The light they generated illuminated the entire northern half of the palace, letting loose this almost divine level of power, a beam of bright energy and Tanner’s blue flames rocketed forward.

  Her hyper beam pierced and shattered the orb that was forming around him, while his pale blue flames rapidly burnt the fragmented pieces.

  Braagon fell to one knee now, severally burnt from the two forms of bizarre fire that they each possessed.

  “You want to keep going? Are you truly that resolved to kill us?” Samantha asked, looking down at him.

  But Braagon merely smiled and laughed as he looked up at the sky.

  “It doesn’t matter, my master wins. No way they’ll make it to him now.” Braagon smiled.

  “Don’t bet on it just yet…” Tanner commented, looking at the crystalizing growing and expanding in the night sky. “Do what you want, keep yourself chained or be free to make your own decisions. But we’re not going to be your executioners.” He explained as well, Sam looking to him with some shock.

  “Then you are a fool if you let me go. If you do not kill me now, I will only be a problem later. What makes you think I won’t come to your little village?” Braagon chuckled.

  “It’s like she said, you’ve collared yourself. Unless you decide to take off the chains you put on. Will you disobey your master?” Tanner goaded inturn, this making Braagon smile once more.

  “You’re both good, I’ll give you that. Very well then, it seems you called my bluff. I suppose I can’t bring myself to kill my kin. So consider yourselves lucky for now, if we should meet again, I will have to kill you both… and I don’t think any of want that.” He explained to them both.

  With this, his wings flapped and rose. Causing him to take the skies and disappear into the clouds and stars.

  Sam and Tanner both sighed, it all depended on Cole and Juni now.

  “I promised you I take you the capital sometime, and you have yet to meet my grandfather.” Tanner smiled some, making her roll her eyes.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  “Always picking the best times to be romantic.” She joked, but taking his hand nonetheless.

  “No better time than the end times.” He retorted, making Sam groan in defeat but chuckle all the same. Allowing him to lead the way to his Grandfather’s estate…

  ———————————

  Cole and Juni had made it to the interior of the palace. Now in the grand garden, with a large glass dome roof and stained glass windows depicting great scenes of the gods. They were very similar to the ones he knew from his village’s church. The violet moon showing down on all and spreading to all to ensnare them away and deliver them off to their own land of all they could ever dream.

  Looking down again his hand was being taken by someone else and they were pulling somewhere else completely.

  *It was Saeko…

  “Cmon silly! The others are waiting!” She said smiling, even giggling still at his utter shock.

  But she took him anyway, took over to what he truly had not ever thought or expected to see again. The Sakura blossom from school, and they were all here.

  Taiga talking Aaron’s ear off, as he listened with the patience of a boulder and watched her with an intense curiosity. He wanted to know everything she had to say.

  Mai was once more correcting Ace’s homework for his lack of showing his work and just giving the answers because he knew them off the rip. But still impressed by the fact he got almost all of them right and he was listening to her instruction.

  Haru and Haruka were resting on the hood of his car and holding onto one another, silently smiling and trading kisses.

  And there she was, the class president. Her focus from her study turned up to him with some mild disapproval.

  “You’re late. Saeko has been going on and on about you getting here. Sit down, we have a lot to catch up on.” Reina said, turning attention back to her notes and writing in a notebook.

  Saeko pulling him down to sit between herself and Reina. The sun was out and the faint humming of cicadas was the only sound around. It was days like these he looked forward to most.

  His friends catching up with him, and he told them about his travels, and properly introduced Saeko. Everything was perfect…

  “It only gets better.” Saeko smiled, as she was standing again and offering her hand.

  Everyone had gone down to the beach and was having a blast. The other each made a team and we’re building a sand castle. Saeko laughing as she joined the girls, Cole joining the boys as they made theirs large and the girls put in intricate detail. Neither able to decide which had done better and all had a good laugh.

  The day carried on as they all had fun, Saeko purposely making sure he was alone with Reina a few times.

  As the day wore on they were all gathered around a bonfire.

  “I can’t remember the last time I had a day like this…” Cole murmured to himself.

  “Every day can be like this.” Saeko said, snapping it out of his thoughts, looking at her with bewilderment. “Every day can perfect like it was, the fun never ends, everything you want.” She added enthusiastically.

  Cole looked at her still, with an expression of longing. He wanted this to be true, he wanted this world to go on. But he couldn’t stay…

  “You know that isnt true, you’re not from where I come from Saeko.” Cole said, feeling the pain of truth stab in chest.

  “I know.” She said looking up at the violet moon. Making him once more confused, none of his friends were paying attention as they were in a conversation of their own. “But is it so wrong to just have five minutes to yourself?” She asked as well, making his breath hitch.

  He didn’t know how to respond, only knowing he didn’t want to go…*

  Meanwhile…

  “Wake up dammit! Cmon Cole! You just gotta open your eyes, just open your eyes for me.” Juni begged repeatedly, as she had been trying to get him wake up for the last almost twenty minutes, having dragged him out from directly under the moonlight.

  But it wasn’t working, he was still asleep. His breathing normal, but his eyes would not open. He would not move or respond to anything she did or said. She didn’t understand how she wasn’t effected, yet a feeling lingering in the back of her mind was telling her she knew exactly why, even if she wouldn’t admit to herself or say it out loud.

  Her eyes fell on the sword fastened to his back still. She gulped hard at the sight of it, it felt so anathema to her. She despised this sword and the nature of its spirit. Such a weapon had slain or injured many of the great snakes, or done battle against him in different incarnations.

  Drawing a breath and letting it go she gripped its hilt and pulled it free from Cole’s back, immediately crying out in pain as it burnt her hands.

  It’s spirit lashing and writhing at her presence, let alone being held. She could hear the echoes and screams every bit of life it had taken. The silhouettes of previous bearers and their own pain, the overwhelming sense of loneliness that threatened to drown her and drive her insane.

  But she refused to let go, she would not allow Cole’s flame to go out. She would keep it kindled, she would carry on and stop the one behind this all.

  The burning having reduced to a minor but still noticeable stinging.

  “Come back to me Cole, find your way back to me.” She whispered one last time, looking directly at him in some vain hope that he might hear her at last and stir awake.

  Steeling herself one last time she rushed off to try and find the old man and stop him. She had no idea how she would, she had no clue what she would say when she met him face to face again. Yet she didn’t need to wonder where he was, the trail of Salazar was strong within these halls and staircases. She was getting close, the distorting feeling of his toxic aura getting more pungent. The sword still stung in her hands, but she would not give up not now.

  ————————————

  At last she reached the place he made his stand. The astronomy tower of the palace, he stood in the shadows, the echo of the great basilisk taking form once more.

  “This is unexpected, even by my calculations.” The old man hissed, truly perplexed by this.

  “I’m ready to meet my maker.” Juni said, tasting the irony of her words and wanting to smile.

  Now holding the great sword up and pointed out at him, her hands still burning from its resisting nature. It still refused her, even for all her aura she generated, it did not like her, but it liked the old man even less.

  ‘Please… work with me, I am a friend of Cole’s. I care for him, I would not harm him. I do not want to see his bonfire of dreams be blown out by the void.’ Juni thought to herself, hoping this weapon would hear her plea and heed her.

  The burning of the hilt seemed to recede at her thoughts. It listened to her, but she could still feel its seething rage of being held by her.

  “To be honest, I hadn’t noticed you disappear from your cell until about the tournament was announced. It when I heard of a girl with green eyes who used sand. I couldn’t believe it, I never had much faith Krayt would live very long or leave behind some kind of legacy.” The old man said nonchalant, his own green eyes uncaring and unimpressed by her presence.

  “Well then you’d only be half right. But what he left behind was indeed a legacy worth remembering and taking up. I add my own memories to that legacy, and I know it will continue on.” She said inturn, making him roll his eyes in frustration. “All things return in time, in their altered and changed form. Whether it’s new skin or rising from the ashes, change arrives all the same, for everyone.” She added speaking more to the truths they both knew.

  “A legacy is only as lasting as those that remember its ideals, and all things erode with time. But I will be everlasting, I will not be forgotten, and I will not be alone.” He hissed as well, producing a long thin bonelike stick, clearly meant to function as his sword.

  “We’ll just have to wait and see won’t we?” She countered, knowing words would take her no further.

  The old man moved like a shadow, immediately slithering across the room in an instant and swinging his blade at her. The blade and her reacting just barely in time, as the black sword still did not like either of them. Yet it seemed to tolerate Juni ever so slightly more, willing to defend her and allow her to block.

  The old man was proving to be far better and faster and more practiced hand with a blade than Juni was. Juni never having even picked up a practice weapon in the academy, she was completely outmatched and doing her best to just keep the sword in her grip.

  With each rapid strike of his blade he disappeared and reappeared in and out of the shadows. Juni’s own eyes the only thing that allowed her reaction time to keep up and defend.

  “You’re too slow! Predictable!” The old man hissed, rapidly delivering a kick to her midsection.

  This sent her flying across the astronomy room, the sword flying from her grip and away from her. Her body in searing pain and felt heavy, every limb refusing to respond as she lay on the floor her head turned to the side. She could see him slowly approaching, her vision beginning to grow dark and her glasses having broken when she collided into the wall.

  “All that and nothing to show for it, couldn’t even swing that damn sword. You are pathetic my child, a waste of my time. I should’ve gotten rid of you sooner rather than let my curiosity wander to what I could perfect.” He explained to her, his thin pale hand gripped her jaw and lifted her to meet his eyes, his long nails scratching against her skin.

  The face she saw was one of sunken features and skin far too old, thin white strands of hair. But she recognized those sickly green eyes, they were her eyes. The first thing he implanted when he took her in.

  “But no matter, no matter. You have provided invaluable information in research and development.” He said as well, with a faint smile. The least I can do for you is offer you my mercy, the fact you have lived as long as you have is a miracle, but it’s better this way. One less of my failures running around.” He explained as well, more so musing to himself.

  Juni could barely focus on anything he’d said, his aura was suffocating and so viscous. His stare alone threatened to unravel her very existence. As she could feel everything fading away, just out of corner of her darkening vision. She saw a gleam of silver off in the distance soaring high in the sky.

  “Cole..” she choked out, the old man’s gaze whipping around to see the spear inching closer to the dome of the great illusion spell he’d cast off the moon.

  ————————————

  Down in the garden Cole had forced himself awake and summoned his spear, having hurled it through the glass dome of the garden roof. But it wasn’t going to make it on this single throw or its momentum alone.

  Dragging himself up and forcing him to rise to his knees, his bow in hand. He was panting hard from the amount of energy and aura that had been drained from him while he was dreaming, his vision still not fully clear yet. But he had just enough strength left to fire one last flame arrow.

  He could feel them all fading away. Iris, Faye, Tigress, Taiga, Aaron, Eugene. Everyone was going to be absorbed if he did not end this now.

  “HAAAAAAAH!!” He cried out, pulling the string back as the entire bow was engulfed in flames of his making.

  Letting go and letting the ash arrow fly, it burst in a spectacular explosion as it collided with the end of the spear. Propelling it further upward and sending it bursting through the crystalline barrier and shattering it. This was the last thing Cole saw before his vision faded to black and fell back to the ground.

  “Your victory is denied. You lose.” Juni grunted, still struggling to breathe but worth it to her to spite him.

  “You fool of a child. You have no idea what you have done. You can’t take out the ink that has been written!” He said infuriated, his grip tightening around her neck.

  “Kill me then, I’ll give you that satisfaction.” Juni wheezed, but still smiling faintly through the pain.

  The old man looked at her even more crazed and confused, bringing her closer he inspected her for something she did not see or understand. He then casually let her go and crumble to the floor.

  “You think yourself clever do you girl? Psychology won’t work on me.” He said, moving away from her as she violently coughed and was in pain from the fall. “You have caused a ripple in events, things that should not have repeated have, and now you must live to see the repercussions. Killing you would only further complicate what has been changed by your intervention.” He mused further, talking to himself mostly, but finally looked back at her. “Why must children be so insolent and not listen?” He asked softly as he sighed gently, Juni looking at him with only confusion.

  He now produced another bone like dagger and stabbed himself in the chest, Juni could only react by looking away, the robes he wore fluttered to the ground. She could no longer feel his aura near or at all for that matter. But she no longer had the strength to think or hold herself up, at last collapsing from sheer exhaustion.

  “It’s over.. it’s over..” she kept mumbling, hearing the rapid approaching of footsteps and worried voices…