The form shifted and rose to full height, a wild-haired shadow towering far above the young Apprentice.

SoYa sat bolt-upright in bed, a haze of sweat and fear clouding his eyes.

“Just a dream!” he gasped. “A dream! It couldn’t be real… it was all just a…”

His voice wavered, grew weak and faded.

“Dream…”

No. I’m still here.

He was sitting in the white-gray room… in the white-gray structure… in the city in the sky. His fists balled up the bed coverings as his body grew rigid. It took everything within him not to cry out.

It wasn’t a dream.

After AsaHi led him to his room, SoYa decided to lie down for a few minutes to try and calm himself. Somewhere during that time, he must have closed his eyes… which led him directly into an exhausted sleep. He didn’t know how long slept. But there was no comfort to be found even in the realm of dreams.

It wasn’t a dream…

With a low moan, SoYa rocked forward, dropping his forehead against the cool white sheets. His face was flushed, trickled with near-fever, breath ragged in his lungs. Memory flashed behind his eyes, pain growing sharper and sharper within his chest.  The image that he could not shake — the dead expression that had met his own when he had looked into his brother’s eyes.

Tsu… what happened to you?

Weakly, he pushed himself up on his feet.

I’ve got to find him. I have to know what’s going on.

Padding quickly across the room, SoYa reached a hand out towards the door. It seemed little more than an outline upon the wall.

How did this thing work for AsaHi?

His fingertips met with the smooth surface, brushing over it lightly. He could feel the shift in energies in a soft hum. Like a ripple upon water, the wall wavered until finally an opening to the outer hall appeared within its surface.

Okay… now that’s really odd.

He eyed the opening suspiciously. It remained unmoving. Cautiously he stuck one toe over the door frame. When nothing happened, he dodged quickly through. Looking behind him, SoYa watched as it calmly closed.

Obstacle one down. Now…

Now he was left in the long expanse of hallway.

The walls were iridescent white and curved slightly inward, as if the building was constructed in a circular manner. The architecture was unlike any he had ever seen before — though he knew it was all very simple, it registered as extremely complex to his mind’s eye. It felt as if he was walking through a living optical illusion.

Each time his foot fell no sound could be heard. The air was comfortably cool and self-important. Everywhere he looked returned an echo of comfort… which only led him to feel quite the opposite.

Just as he approached a wall, it would suddenly fade back into another hall, leading in another direction. Only the swaying red and gold silks that hung upon the walls gave him any sense of time or place. Otherwise, every hall looked very much like the last. And most of the time he couldn’t even tell where the doors were.

SoYa had no idea how long he had wandered before frustration set in. He eyed the nearest wall hanging with a somber face. The rearing gold dragon upon the cloth was familiar. Too familiar.

I’ve gone in a circle? How can that be?

So far, he had not seen another person the whole time he had been walking. Otherwise he might have asked for directions.

TsuYa… where are you?

His hopes were sinking.

And even if I did find my way through here… I still have no idea where they actually took you.

He slumped with his back against the wall, a discouraged look on his face. Without even thinking about it, he muttered the plead-phrase that was so common to despairing young Apprentices.

“Lord Zemi, help me.”

The world suddenly jolted, twisting around him. SoYa gave a sharp gasp. He stumbled backwards on his heels as he found the wall that he was leaning against was no longer there. Very unceremoniously, he ended up sprawled out on the cold white floor.

“Uhhhnn…? What happened?” the Apprentice peered up, blinking with surprise.

At first he thought maybe he had leaned back against a door and had not known it. But as his eyes darted to take in his surroundings, he realized that it was not simply a room he had fallen into. It was a whole different part of the building. The way the walls sloped was different here. Something within the air pushed away the façade of comfort for the truth of reality. There was a deepening gray in the color of the structure where the floor met the walls.

At the end of the chamber, there was a single door.

SoYa looked at the door for a very long time. Something tickled the back of his mind — a pulse of warning. Though soft and evasive, it was enough to quicken his heartbeat in apprehension. After all, he didn’t know where he was nor really how he had gotten there.

Either I stay here… or I go in. And staying here isn’t going to get me back to my room much less help me figure out where Tsu is.

Pushing himself up on his palms, SoYa got to his feet.

I should have just waited for someone to come to my room so I could have asked them about it. Now I’m in over my head for sure…

His footsteps were eerily quiet as his feet met the floor. A hazy, upside-down reflection of himself stared at the far wall, twinning his own expression. One hand reached out to touch the surface of the door.

It opened with a quiet hum. Just as the other door had before.

It was such a stark contrast on the other side that SoYa nearly backed out at once. Darkness. Darkness so thick that it choked the air to breathe. It crawled up the walls, clung to what had once been furniture, oozed against the window portal as if trying to claw its way out of the room.

Oh… hedd-ynad! I shouldn’t be here!

The door closed behind him.

What!?

SoYa spun around. He hadn’t remembered taking a step into the room, much less crossing the portal barrier. His throat constricted as fingers flung demandingly against the door. It did not respond. His palms slammed against it, demanding stronger. Sill yet, the door remained solid.

Nooo… nooo… let me out of here!

He began to scrabble at the wall frantically. The last thing he wanted was to be there… with all the…

Darkness!

SoYa peered down. The Darkness was gone.

What… what is…

Pressing his palms further against the wall, the Apprentice levered himself around to face the room behind him. A rasping breath choked his throat as a tiny cry escaped his lips. All color drained from his face as his eyes focused upon the figure in the center of the room.

“Tsu…?”

It almost didn’t look like him. It was so hard to pick out facial features that were recognizable. But it was him. Even in such a state, SoYa knew his own brother.

TsuYa lay, suspended in mid air, hovering off the ground about at chest height. His arms and legs were extended straight and still from his body, hair swaying lightly as if to a breeze that touched nothing else within the room.

Hundreds of long, thin tendrils of multicolored light spun across the room, meeting in a vortex of energy. Each strand was embedded into various places on TsuYa’s body. His flesh was so white it seemed to glow in frozen transparency. Patterned runes of light and shadow spun and capered like living creatures just under the surface of his skin. His eyes were open and unseeing, only a hollow darkness churning where his soul had once shown.

“No!” SoYa felt his insides retch up, as one hand shot up to cover his mouth. His other hand reached forward, stretching towards his brother’s form.

Maybe I can… maybe I can do… do… something…

“Do not touch him.”

SoYa jerked back at the sound of the voice. He had not seen anyone else in the room before that moment… nor had he heard the door behind him open.

“O-okay?” Running his tongue nervously over his lips, he slowly lowered his hand.

“The darkness that you saw is real. And actively searching for a new host.”

“New host?”

“It doesn’t like being confined.”

“Confinement? Is that what you call this?” SoYa’s voice quavered as he slowly turned to face the direction in which the voice was coming. He froze as his eyes met the gaze of the creature that was perched in the corner of the room.

Hedd-ynad!

Pure pulsar energy radiated visibly from the core of the being. His eyes burned so brightly in contrast to the darkness that SoYa was afraid of shriveling away to nothing within the power of their light. It was like challenging the sun to a staring contest. The Apprentice flinched away instantly, panic written ten different ways upon his face. Something about this creature was terribly familiar. His mind shrank back from attempting to comprehend, as if knowing the truth was far worse than leaving the questions unanswered.

“SoYa, son of ZenToYa…” the light behind the slitted eyes intensified.

A pale whimper broke between the Apprentices lips.

“You asked to see this. Now what do you plan to do about it?”

“Me? Plan… to… do?”

“Yes. He is your brother, correct? What do you plan to do about it?”

“You… know who I am?”

The light subsided slightly, outline of his face and sharp eyes more easily visible. “Of course I know, SoYa. How many years have you been my Apprentice?”

SoYa couldn’t have looked more shocked if someone had yanked the ground out from underneath his feet. His hands began to shake as a trickle of sweat instantly sprung to his brow. His eyes dilated with fear as he fought to simply keep his feet.

“L-Lord… Z-Zemi?”

The form shifted and rose to full height, a wild-haired shadow towering far above the young Apprentice. As the last of the light finally swept away, the Arweinydd’s full features were revealed. His face reflected a calm, almost concerned expression.

“Now, then… don’t be alarmed.”

SoYa could only squeak, much to his dismay. Wide-eyed he clamped a hand over his mouth before he could do something to worsen his already mortifying situation.

Great… just… totally embarrass yourself in front of Zemi Dreigiau!

Zemi’s mouth curved up, a single sharp fang showing at the corner. A deep, warm chuckle rippled through the room, the very air shifting in response. One large hand reached over and dropped on SoYa’s curly head.

“Just as I thought… you are indeed your father’s son.”

The Apprentice opened his mouth, peering up at the Dreigiau and scrabbling for something sophisticated to say. Unfortunately, his mind had totally jumped ship on him five minutes ago.

“Is that a good thing… or a bad thing?”

“Depends on how you look at it,” Zemi grinned impishly.

SoYa just stared up at him, staggered.

“Well?” the Arweinydd tilted his head.

“Uh! Uh… Lord Zemi… I…” SoYa began to bow lowly, realizing that was probably what the Dreigiau was waiting for.

“Woah… woah… hold up, now!” his husky voice chortled. “I’ve seen you do that far enough back at the Host Gate. Can’t we get past that?”

Wha… what does that mean?

Zemi stuck out a friendly hand towards the Apprentice.

Uh…

SoYa stared at it in disbelief.

I’m going to die… aren’t I?

Very carefully, he reached out and took the Arweinydd’s hand.

“I’ve wanted to meet you… all of you for a very long time,” the Dreigiau peered down with a quiet look.

“You have?” SoYa blinked back. “Why? I mean… we’re just… and you are…”

“Why not?” Zemi grinned. “You certainly lead interesting lives.”

“I… suppose… so?” the Apprentice turned his head slowly, eyes falling on the form of TsuYa once again. “You brought me here, didn’t you?”

“You asked me to help you, yes-no?”

“Ah…” SoYa coughed for a moment, thinking back to the quiet swear-plea he had uttered in the hall. “That… wasn’t exactly supposed to be taken literally…”

“Well, it was.”

“I… I noticed.”

“Besides. You weren’t going to find TsuYa looking where you were. He was in a whole different building,” the Arweinydd nodded.

“I kinda figured,” the Apprentice peered at the lines of energy that streaked in every direction out from his brother’s body. “What are you doing to him?”

“I’m trying to save him, SoYa.”

The voice was so grave. So grim. It set his teeth on edge.

“Save him? What’s wrong with Tsu, Lord Zemi?”

“There is something that has taken root within his body… and it is very hard to get it out.”

“The darkness?”

Zemi glanced down at the Apprentice with what almost seemed like a tired face. “Yes. The darkness.”

“You can fix him, can’t you?”

“I don’t know.”

SoYa’s head jerked up, staring at the Arweinydd in astonishment, “What do you mean?”

“It was a dark seed planted within him by another of my kind. It is very powerful… very potent… and done in such a way that to remove it directly would kill him.”

“No..!” Desperation barked out in the single word. A terrible fear began to grow within his heart as he turned a pleading eye upon the Arweinydd. “No… don’t let him die. Please Lord Zemi! Not Tsu!”

The Dreigiau lifted his hands, palming at SoYa to coax him back to silence. “As you can see, I am doing all that I can to siphon it out of him. But no matter what I do, my power being so similar in nature to Zerom’s, I cannot overcome this alone.”

“Zerom…” The name seemed familiar. Something that Aunt SaRa had mentioned once before.

“He is the one that has done this to your brother.”

“Why?”

Zemi looked down quietly. “I’ve yet to discover that for myself.”

An overwhelming heaviness choked SoYa’s breath.

This can’t be happening…

“SoYa,” Zemi’s words broke through his train of thought gently. “I did not bring you here to tell you that the situation is hopeless.”

“What can I do? I’m… I’m just an Athrylith,” the Apprentice’s lower lip quivered as he admitted it. And for the first time, it seemed so pale and useless for the situation at hand. “And my healing skills aren’t strong enough to touch something like this.”

“It is not healing skills that your brother needs now.”

“Then… what?”

“He needs someone who will fight for him.”

SoYa’s mouth opened slightly as he fought to make sense of the words. “What do you mean?”

“I can’t describe all the details at this moment, SoYa. I will just tell you that I can only sustain him like this for so long before I have to release him. And when I do that, it will only be a matter of time before the darkness begins to take him again,” Zemi’s voice was very grave. “We need to find a permanent cure.”

“Is there one?”

“I don’t know.”

SoYa stared down at the floor for a long moment.

“But I also cannot say that there isn’t,” the Arweinydd added quietly.

The Apprentice’s eyes grew slowly sharp and knowing. “I… understand. What do you need me to do?”

“Zento and I were hoping you’d say that.” Zemi’s face reflected down at him with what seemed to be relief. With a nod he strode towards the door. “Come with me.”

SoYa took a long, slow breath. Peering one last time at his brother’s form, he attempted to gain what was left of his composure. His mind was still swimming in drunken spirals as he followed the Arweinydd out of the room.

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“I am KudakoRe. I am one of Lord Zemi’s Dragon Servants.”

The blue rift-glow had returned. AsaHi watched it with a distant frown pasted on her face. She had been perched upon a rock next to a waterfall, watching it for some time.

She found herself returning to this place more and more often. It was nice to dip her feet in the pool and relax under the shade of the trees. This had become the most secure and comfortable spot for her to retreat to as of late. Especially since she had been left on her own.

Something was going on. Something important and most likely dangerous. She had hardly seen a familiar face in the past few days. And it bothered her.

ZenToYa and Kaze — it was still too strange to think of him as Lord Zemi — were nowhere to be seen. TsuYa had been taken away to be tended almost immediately and no further word had been spoken of his condition since. Aunt SaRa had spent most of her waking time taking care of the young wounded girl that had arrived with her and SoYa. And SoYa… well…

I can’t talk to him… not right now. And I don’t even know why.

A prickling hum rose through the air. Instantly, it called her attention to the patterned circle on the ground. Blue lights were a troublesome thing. Especially this sort of blue light.

Isn’t that what Zento called the Wayrift? The place where the winged people transport down to the ground and back up again?

AsaHi slipped cautiously off of the rock and made her way closer to the heart of the strange radiance. Bare feet padded on the grass, which quickly faded into cold stone. Everything around her was silent, as if the air itself was holding its breath.

I wonder if someone is trying to transport up here. Maybe they’re having trouble? Should I go and let Zento know?

She frowned.

If I could even find him.

One foot stepped slowly into the ring of light. The shimmers between her toes were warm and tickling. AsaHi smiled absently, staring down at the patterns. Only a few weeks ago, something like this would have been absolutely terrifying to her… if she could have believed it could exist at all.

It’s actually really pretty…

Kneeling down, she attempted to get a better look at the scrawling runes on the stone.

I wonder what sort of language it’s written in. I wonder if it means anything…

As her fingers met with the warmth of the light she felt a strange sensation. Her stomach suddenly lurched as her whole body jerked in a downward motion — a momentary feeling of being everywhere but nowhere at all. AsaHi fell back off her heels, splayed out on the rock.

What happened?

Green eyes darted around, taking in her surroundings. The cloud-swept grass was gone. The trees and waterfall were gone. In their place stood the craggy stone line and the huge dragon statues that reared far over her head. AsaHi recognized it at once.

I’m… I’m on the ground?

She pushed herself to her feet, brushing off the back of her robe with one hand.

Of course. This is a transporter. If it was activated, it would take me back down on the ground. But I wonder what active–

A rumbling growl echoed sharply from the stone outcroppings all around her. First one… then another… and another… until the whole hollow filled with the wild, alien sound. AsaHi’s gaze swept around from statue to statue. There was nothing to be seen. Nothing at all. But she could feel… something… just as one could feel the presence of another person nearby.

“Who’s there?” she stuttered, staggering back towards the center of the circle.

The growling only grew louder in response to her voice. It swelled, surrounding her from all sides. Breath coming in quiet gasps, her feet scratched along the dry surface of the stone. AsaHi could feel the dust rise up between her toes.

The blue light was gone and she wished it would return. She knew the blue light was the only thing that could take her back up to the city. And at that moment, she would give just about anything to be back in the safety of her shady waterfall pool.

At first she thought that her eyes were playing tricks on her as her mind attempted to make sense of the events as they unfolded. It was all so ghastly, so unreal, she didn’t want to believe it could be true.

The shadows began to stretch, reaching out from the base of the dragon statues. No light source fed their darkness as they oozed across the ground toward where she stood. Like five sickly fingers reaching for her, they traced long tainted rivulets in the dirt. Spreading apart, each began growing larger in mass, rising up into flowing forms that towered tall above her head.

“Ka… KAZE!?” AsaHi’s scream rang out weakly to her ears. It was as if silence itself was commanded by the shadow creatures, eating away at all living sound.

A low, hissing laugh rose from the darkness. “Aaaaasssaaaahiiii…”

She froze.

It knows my name?

As she stared, the shadows began to take form. Liquid darkness melded into a swirling ripple of sickly grey flesh.

They had faces that were much like her own — except for the symbols that were burned into their skin, black and oozing like freshly open wounds. Long, ragged ears pointed through streams of flat black hair. Sharp animalistic fangs shown gleaming, long dagger-like claws hooked and ready to strike.

The most disturbing thing about them was their eyes — large and pure black, with no trace of color at all. So deep and silent, they were devoid of any life.

What are they!?

AsaHi choked, one hand rising to cover her mouth. A terrible chilling prickle ran over her entire body.

No..!

Each one of the creatures was dressed in tattered, yet recognizable robes. Robes that were only worn by the Dragon Apprentices of Nefol.

“Aaassaaahiii….”

Can they be… are these creatures really people from back home?

“Nooo! Don’t come near me!” her voice rose an octave in pure fear. She scrambled away from them only to find her back meeting with a slick stone wall four times her height.

What do I do? What do I do? There’s no way to get back to Ceiswyr! No one even knows I’m gone!

In a very deliberate manner, the creatures began to ring around her in a half circle. Their dead, black eyes reflected her terrified face as claws lifted, reaching out for her.

Lord Zemi, help me!

AsaHi clamped her eyes shut. She had never called out for help to an Arweinydd before. She had never believed that something like that could exist, much less would care to spend its precious time and energies helping the small, weak people like herself.

Please!

The creatures’ hissing suddenly changed tone. What had been a low-pitched, predatory growl now rose up in a screech of stark alarm. AsaHi’s eyes flipped open, the sound chilling her to the bone. One of the creatures buckled over, struggling and shrieking, ripping long black gashes through its own chest. The others instantly turned away from AsaHi.

The girl could only stare in puzzled amazement at the creature that was obviously in great pain. The beast buckled backwards, its chest bulging outwards, flesh and robes ripping away as a shaft of golden light burst straight through it. The creature howled and writhed, then finally exploded into a pool of smoking, black ooze.

Leaping on top of a smaller rock, AsaHi scrambled to get out of the way. She wasn’t really sure if it was dead, but she did know that she didn’t want any of the ooze to touch her.

A tremendous war cry rose up in the hollow. The remaining four creatures had rounded in rage, forgetting their advance on AsaHi. All eyes were upon the new figure that stood determined and unchallenged in the center of the runic circle.

“Kaze?” the girl gave a hopeful cry.

His eyes flickered to her for only a second. They were keen, bright… and gold.

No, that’s not… Kaze!

She watched in horror as the creatures leapt at him, motion fluid with unearthly speed. AsaHi had never seen anything that could move so fast, nothing except Kaze himself. She wanted to shout out to the stranger, to warn him about what he was facing.

That’s when she saw that he, too, bore fangs… dark hair… and long pointed ears.

Another one!

The girl pressed her back against the stone, frozen in disbelief.

Only, this one has a weapon!

The golden shaft of light that she had seen moments ago was not magic at all. It was the fighting staff that the creature held between his hands.

But, why is he fighting against the other shadow creatures if he’s one of them?

The staff became a blur of gold as he danced straight into their advance. A perfect display of balance and speed, measured direction and force… he struck like the wind, cutting through their attack and scattering their force with ease. His dodges were flawless. His weapon never missed a stroke. His feet hardly seemed to touch the ground. Only moments into the battle, he had already taken command.

One by one the creatures fell, splattering away to the same fate as the first had. Finally, he was the only one left standing. He… and AsaHi.

Oh no… oh no… he’s worse than the five of them all together!

As much as she tried to avoid it, AsaHi knew she was visibly shaking. Her eyes never left the creature as he slowly straightened and turned his attention on her.

“Well, at least you had enough sense not to let the blood touch you.”

AsaHi’s mouth went dry. Her face must have reflected her amazement because the creature gave a low grunt and began to walk towards her. Straight through the black ooze. It didn’t even seem to touch him.

“What in the name of the Seven Universes are you doing down here on your own? It’s obviously not safe.”

“Uh…” she coughed. “But… but…”

“‘But’ is not an answer,” he frowned.

“You’re one of them aren’t you!?” she pointed with a shaking finger.

One eyebrow arched, “Excuse me?”

“I mean… you have the… the…” the girl indicated his ears.

“We are not the same,” he growled.

AsaHi straightened. Now that she had a moment to think, her mind began to pick out the obvious differences. “N-no… I… didn’t mean that. Please forgive m–”

He interrupted before she could finish her apology, “Don’t worry about it.”

She fell silent, staring down at the last remains of the black pools as they trickled away over the stone.

“You were not hurt?” his voice was softer now.

AsaHi blinked up, realizing she hadn’t even shown any gratitude to the strange creature. “I… I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Good,” his response was quick. One hand stretched out to her. “Come with me.”

“Where?”

“Back to Ceiswyr.”

She perked up, “You can get there?”

“Of course,” he blew a stray lock of blue hair out of his face with a patient look.

“How?”

“Well, you simply walk over to the circle an–” he motioned toward the stone circle in explanation.

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

He paused and leaned forward, “Then say what you mean.”

AsaHi ran her tongue over her lips, “You’re not one of the winged people.”

“That is correct,” he replied expectantly.

“Then why do they let you into Ceiswyr?”

“Ah. So you don’t know,” he gave her a long, meaningful look.

“Um, no. I’m sorry. I don’t,” she was feeling more and more dim-witted by the moment.

He must have sensed it because his tone shifted once more. This time it was a bit more accommodating, “Forgive me for not introducing myself. I am KudakoRe. I am one of Lord Zemi’s Dragon Servants.”

“Dra…gon Servant?”

“Yes. Dragon Servant,” he nodded slowly. For the first time, she recognized that his ears were fin-shaped, like a Dragon’s.

“Are… are you… a… a….” she stammered.

“Dragon,” Kudako offered.

AsaHi nodded mutely. She was just as afraid of meeting a Dragon as she was another one of the shadow creatures.

“Somewhat,” he told her in a mysterious tone.

“Somewhat? How can someone be somewhat a Dragon?”

“Long story,” Kudako frowned slowly. “And not one that would be wise to tell here. It’s not safe on the ground anymore.”

“What were those things?” she swallowed, mind shrinking from the thoughts of the Nefol robes.

“Marked of some sort,” he answered with a lip curled in disgust.

“Marked?”

“It is what I call them.” His golden eyes were grave as he continued, “They had an owning Mark, not too different from the one I have serving under Lord Zemi’s hand.”

“Then, you’re saying, they’re under some sort of control?” she tilted her head.

“More than that. Those things were completely devoid of their own will.”

“What could do something like that?”

“I’m not sure. But that’s what I’m here to find out,” Kudako nodded, motioning for her to come to the center of the Wayrift.

She looked at the Dragon, face strained with apprehension. He seemed honest enough, and he had saved her life. But still, servant of Zemi or not, he said he was a Dragon. And they were creatures that were supposed to be treated with utmost respect and honor.

“Are you coming?” he peered at her quizzically.

“I… I…” AsaHi finally nodded and scurried over to stand next to him.

“We must report this to Lord Zemi. He can tell us more about the trouble that’s brewing down here.”

Kudako lifted one hand slowly, the circle glowing in a warm golden light beneath their feet. When AsaHi looked around next, they were once again standing in Ceiswyr.

Report to Lord Zemi. That means I have to… face Kaze.

The one thing she had been avoiding for days. AsaHi suddenly didn’t feel very brave.

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The Dreigiau sat in the midst of the color and light.

“Well, well. Look what the Dragon dragged in.”

At the sound of the voice, both AsaHi and Kudako turned around — straight into the face of ZenToYa.

“If it isn’t the Prince of Scamps himself,” Kudako growled softly.

“Who let your Dragon-breath self in the city? I would have shut the gates if I had known you were coming,” the winged man smirked back.

They… know each other?

AsaHi blinked between the two. Their voices were dead serious. Cold. Almost threatening. But their faces showed otherwise.

In a flurry of feathers and light, Zento sprang forward. One fist swung out in blurring speed, straight for the Dragon’s chest. His brows were lowered in determination, teeth bared, lips peeled back in a fierce snarl.

AsaHi heard herself give an audible gasp of surprise.

Just as quickly, Kudako answered. His own hand flew up, catching the smaller man’s advance with a sternly cupped palm. For a long moment the two stood in complete frozen silence. Zento’s arm was stretched full length, as Kudako’s block held fast. Their eyes locked in upon each other in a vast state of stalemate.

AsaHi’s breath came ragged and frightened. She took a step back, uncertain of what to do.

A slow smirk flickered over Kudako’s face. “Still not fast enough.”

“Close,” Zento grumbled.

“Close is ne–”

“-Never close enough. I know… I know…” Zento finished, pulling his fist down.

Kudako lowered his hand as well. AsaHi’s face must have shown her alarm because his eyes slid over to consider her. “The girl.”

Zento peered over as well, giving a weak laugh, “Oh ehh, AsaHi?”

“What’s going on, Zento?” she swallowed.

Zento peered over at Kudako, then back at the girl with a little laugh, “Ohhhhh this? Well…”

“Those two boys are always like that. Don’t let it bother you.”

AsaHi turned. To her surprise, the quiet form of SaRaYa stood outlined in the arched doorframe. The winged woman slowly took one step. Then another. Her approach led her directly to where the Dragon stood.

Kudako’s face stiffened slightly, eyes peering down upon the small woman.

SaRa met his gaze strongly. Then she reached her arms out and wrapped him in a friendly hug.

“KudakoRe… yours is a face that I never thought to see again.”

“Morh-SaRa,” he spoke the word in a polite half-purr. “It has been far too long.”

AsaHi watched as Kudako’s sternness faded into what could only be nervousness. She found it amusing to watch a creature that was obviously such a well-disciplined fighter fall uncertain at the contact of a woman. SaRa’s laugh was warm and low. There was a mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she released her hold on the Dragon.

“You can deface Kudako later, Sis,” Zento huffed softly while rolling his eyes.

“It’s more than you can seem to do even on your best days,” SaRa smirked at her brother. It was strange moments like this that the two of them were quite obviously siblings.

Kudako cleared his throat softly.

Zento just crossed his arms.

“So, what brings you to Ceiswyr, Master Kudako?” SaRa turned back to the Dragon, her face growing more serious.

“I think you have a good idea.”

“You know me. I’m nosey. Give me some details.”

“Of… course…” he answered quietly. “I’ve been summoned by Lord Zemi. And I really shouldn’t keep him waiting.”

“Certainly not,” SaRa nodded in return. Then she grinned, “You can tell us about it along the way.”

They began to walk down the hall. Too uncomfortable to join the group, she followed behind the three of them, leaving them to their serious talk. Snatches of phrases drifted back. Talk of Dragons. Of the Marked Creatures. Of troubles and terrible disease crossing the people of the Inner Realms.

She couldn’t understand it all. But it seemed very scary. Very serious. And it left her feeling very small and helpless.

Kaze… … … Lord Zemi…

AsaHi watched her reflection peer back up at her from the floor beneath her feet. A new concern began to trickle into her thoughts.

What am I supposed to say to him? How am I supposed to act around him now? What am I supposed to do?

She had always been a curious girl. Seeking the truth. Seeking after answers. For once in her life… she suddenly wished that she didn’t know. That she had never found out about the Dreigiau. Or about the city in the sky.

Now SoYa is here. I think he’s in trouble, but I don’t know for sure. Something terrible seems to have happened. And it’s probably because of me. Because I had to find out the truth…

They stopped before a tall portal door. The wall around it was inlaid with runes and decorations that had been placed with great care. A strange sprawling language was scripted into the frame of the large arch. Two silken banners depicting rearing white dragons hung down on either side.

Dreigiau…

The place gave AsaHi chills just to look at it. Just to think about it.

Kaze… Why? Why did you have to be…

The door opened slowly, a vast magical hum filling her ears with soft vibrations. AsaHi felt the floor shiver under her feet. Peering shyly from behind Zento’s wing, her eyes could make out a long, warmly lit corridor beyond. Curiously, it seemed to be a conglomeration of chamber and garden.

The walls were draped with soft golds and greens — draping ivy-like vines covered nearly every inch of the walls and spiraling columns. A small stream trickled in through an open area in the roof, splashing down across an earthy trench in the center of the room. A small wooden bridge led across to the other side where flowers of every imaginable color rose up to touch the sunlight.

AsaHi could not decide if the structure at the far end was a tall white throne… or a garden gazebo. It seemed to be a bit of both. Either way, the man who occupied the seat was instantly familiar to her.

Lord… Zemi…

The Dreigiau sat in the midst of the color and light. He seemed quite content, voice soft as he spoke, his eyes fixed on the figure sitting next to him on the arm of the throne. It was a little girl. And something was terribly wrong about her. The feeling was enough to make AsaHi stop right there in the doorway.

She almost feels like… those Marked creatures.

Indeed, as AsaHi looked closer, she could make out the similarities. The girl’s hair, though cropped very short in ragged streams, was purest black in color. Where a pair of wings once rose from her shoulders, only the slightest hint of feather tufts grew from the slender arcs. These, too, were absolutely black.

The most unnerving thing was her eyes. They were concealed behind a tie of white cloth. Somehow the white on black contrasted in an eerie manner. The cloth didn’t seem to block her vision however. For the moment that the group began to approach, she turned her head, following their motion across the room as if she was watching them.

Who is she? And why is she there next to Lord Zemi?

SoYa was standing silently on the other side of the throne. He didn’t so much as glace up at the sound of their arrival. His face was lost to his own thoughts, just has he had had been every time AsaHi had seen him as of late.

Normally, she would have gladly come to sit next to him. But something made her pause back outside the white, ivy-laced structure.

Instantly, Kudako approached the throne and lowered himself to one knee. His voice was raspy and shaken with surprise. “Lord Zemi? What… what have you done to yourself?”

“Well hello to you too, ‘Dako,” the Dreigiau tilted his head, peering down at his servant.

“You… you’ve taken Earthian form?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“But why?” the Dragon blinked up, trying to make sense out of the situation.

“Why not? I’m having fun.”

“Fun…”

“Yeah. Fun. You know what fun is right?” Zemi smirked brightly. “Though, considering who I’m talking to… maybe you don’t?”

Kudako gave a little grunt, head still bowed low.

“Oh, come on, ‘Dako. Lighten up a bit?”

The Dragon lifted his head, face very grim. “Master… you didn’t summon me all the way here just for fun. I’m pretty sure of it.”

“I suppose not,” Zemi leaned back with a thoughtful look on his face.

The little black-haired girl tugged on his sleeve quietly. When the Arweinydd turned to her, she pointed out into the garden.

With a soft smile, Zemi nodded, “I don’t see why not. Just make sure you don’t get wet, yes-no? We still have to find you a proper change of clothes.”

The little girl nodded back as she slipped down from her perch to the ground. She darted off into the garden and began happily chasing after one of the pale pink butterflies that skittered from flower to flower.

“Who is she?” AsaHi found her question finally voiced aloud.

SaRa turned over one shoulder, face grim. “She was the little girl that we brought here for healing.”

“Her? But I thought… wasn’t her hair white?”

“Yes. But something seems to have happened,” SaRa was watching the child distantly.

“Why are her eyes covered? Can’t she see?” AsaHi blinked.

“She says that bright light hurts her eyes. As far as we know, her vision is normal even while wearing the cloth,” Zemi’s deep voice rumbled over into the conversation.

AsaHi froze, suddenly quite afraid and not knowing exactly why. Her eyes flickered up to peer at the Dreigiau.

She began to stammer, “Lor–”

“Zemi,” he interrupted with one raised hand.

“Uh?”

“Just call me Zemi, yeah?”

“I…”

“AsaHi… now… come on. We spent all that time out on the road together and you’re gonna suddenly get all formal on me here?” there was a pleading tone to his voice.

“But that’s before I knew that you were…”

He shrugged. “What difference does it make?”

Her mouth fell open. “What difference does it make if you’re Zemi Dreigiau? It makes a BIG difference!”

“I am no different than I was when you first met me,” Zemi reasoned quietly. “The only thing that has changed is what you know.”

AsaHi peered down at her feet. She could feel her face flushing between fear and rising anger.

Zento leaned away from her, expression concerned.

“Why!?” the girl finally demanded, eyes flickering straight at the Dreigiau on his throne. “Why didn’t you just tell me the truth!?”

SoYa stared at her. His face plainly spoke that he thought she was absolutely mad.

Maybe I am. Who am I to challenge the authority of an Arweinydd? But I don’t care! He lied to me and I want to know why!

“I tried to tell you?” Zemi tilted his head.

“You did not! You let me believe that you were this Kaze person… you never a once told me that you were Zemi Dreigiau!” the words poured out of her mouth in agitation.

The Arweinydd rose instantly, towering over her even at that far a distance. His eyes flickered deeply, the feeling of the cosmos passing behind them growing more and more acute within AsaHi’s mind.

She took a step back, covering her mouth.

“And tell me what would you have done had you known who I was from the start?” he pursed his lips. For once the fang was concealed.

“I…” AsaHi swallowed. Then she looked down. “I… don’t know…”

“Run away in terror?” he prodded. “Or grovel, sniveling at my feet?”

“I don’t know…” she repeated honestly, voice wavering and weak.

Zemi took a slow step towards her. Somehow he seemed even larger than before. His husky voice was soft, reassuring, “Do you think I would have enjoyed that very much?”

AsaHi squinted up at him in confusion, “Enjoyed?”

“Yeah? That’s not much fun… when the person you want to meet just runs away or starts trying to treat you like some object of worship.”

AsaHi pointed to herself. “Me?”

The Dreigiau nodded slowly. “Yes… I wanted to meet you.”

“W-why?” the word came out with so much disbelief that it even stunned her to hear it.

“Because something about you called to me. You broke the barrier that kept me out of this world. In an essence, you freed me,” Zemi peered down at her, voice very level.

“I… did that? How?”

“At the Host Gate.”

“You mean… you’re not angry at me for…”

He gave a little laugh. “I know you well enough to realize you were just doing what you were going to do.”

“What do you mean?”

Zemi leaned down close. So close she could smell the strange scent that always accompanied him. She had always thought it was pleasant. Right now, it seemed rather soothing. “I can’t help but respect an Earthian-Child that would face me to find out the Truth.”

Her mouth grew small and round, a stricken expression trickling across her features.

“You have been… and will continue to be… under the protection and care of Zemi Dreigiau,” he placed a large hand on top of her head. “So please, don’t be afraid.”

With those simple words, AsaHi could feel the uncertainty within her simply fade away. Peering up into Zemi’s face, the girl found herself able to smile at him again.

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Seeing Father come sit next to where Kudako was still kneeling... just the image of the two of them side by side... was like an impossibility that had come true.

Because something about you called to me.

Lord Zemi’s words to AsaHi echoed and reechoed in SoYa’s mind. He pondered them. Scoured them for their true meaning. Try as he might, he just couldn’t figure out why a single statement could make him feel so downright uncomfortable.

That and the fact that Lord Zemi had let AsaHi scold him in such a manner.

He was struggling. His whole concept of Zemi Dreigiau had been set by the School in Nefol long ago. Lord Zemi had turned out to be nothing at all like what he had been taught.

SoYa had reasoned… trying to convince himself that it was a good thing. Lord Zemi seemed openly friendly and curious towards the Earthians. He had even admitted to taking on Earthian form simply because he was interested in being among them. Though intimidating on first sight, the Dreigiau also tended to have an easy-going way of handling people which made him quick to warm up to.

As if one could actually like an Arweinydd.

I mean, it’s not like you can be friends with something like Zemi Dreigiau. He’s supposed to be… I dunno… served, respected and honored. As affable as he wants to come off, Earthians weren’t meant to be on close friend-like terms with Arweinydd.

SoYa ran his fingers through his curly hair watching as the rest of the group file under the wide arc of Dof-Ystafell. That was the name of this strange garden-like place. He had overheard the term when his father and Lord Zemi had spoken about it at length.

Master Kudako.

The Apprentice’s eyes fell upon the blue-haired man. The Dragon Servant of Lord Zemi.

KudakoRe was a name that had gone down into legend as the most dangerous man that had ever walked the Inner Realms. Yet, after giving his allegiance to Zemi Dreigiau, something had altered within him. Not only had his appearance changed to reflect his new essence, but his whole nature had shifted from the inside out.

SoYa didn’t know a whole lot about him. Though Kudako had known him since SoYa was a child, and he always been distantly kind… Kudako had rarely spoken openly or at length to the Apprentice. Not too many people knew exactly who the blue-haired man was in his previous life. Nor did they know that now he was a real, live Dragon. A Dragon in Earthian form.

Well… mostly.

I haven’t seen Kudako since… Father disappeared.

It was all very strange. SoYa still had not approached his father on everything that had come to pass. On why he was still alive. Of what he was doing there. Of why he had left the School and never returned. Why he allowed them to believe he had died.

Seeing Father come sit next to where Kudako was still kneeling… just the image of the two of them side by side… was like an impossibility that had come true. And as much as SoYa wanted to be happy about it — after all, why shouldn’t he be happy to know his father was alive — his confusion and discomfort wiped all efforts of joy from his heart.

Especially after the darkened image of TsuYa had been burned into his mind.

We don’t have much time…

To his utter surprise, his words were echoed by Lord Zemi’s husky voice.

“We don’t have much time,” the Dreigiau nodded firmly. “So let’s get on with this, yes-no?”

Aunt SaRa walked forward and sat placidly on the other side of Kudako, nudging him in the side. “Come on… you’re going to hurt your back doing all that kneeling.”

Kudako grunted softly.

“You’re not as young as you used to be,” she prodded cheerfully.

The Dragon scowled slowly, “And it shows?”

“Just a little.”

Of course, it didn’t really. He was a Dragon. And Dragons never aged in appearance. But the wide smirk on Aunt SaRa’s face was enough to keep SoYa from saying so. It was obvious that she was quite happy at seeing Kudako again…

SoYa tried to hide the thoughtful expression that rose on his face as Kudako placidly lowered himself to a cross-legged sitting style.

AsaHi had been inching her way up the steps one at a time throughout the whole exchange. It seemed from the way she spoke to Lord Zemi that the two of them had spent a significant amount of time together. And from what SoYa could decipher, she had no idea who the Dreigiau was during that time.

That would be enough to blow her top for sure.

She seemed a bit more relaxed now that she had made her say at the Arweinydd. Finally reaching the top of the steps, she watched the three who were already sitting there.

“Well?” the Dreigiau peered at her with a good natured grin. “Are you going to join us?”

AsaHi wrung her hands behind her back, looking uncertain. “I… don’t know. There’s not a lot I can do to be of help.”

“You’d be surprised,” he answered curtly.

The girl sucked on her bottom lip in thought. Her eyes traced over the expression on the Arweinydd’s face for a long time before she continued her approach. Without a further word, she sat down next to Father, folding her hands in her lap attentively.

Then the Dreigiau turned to SoYa.

The Apprentice felt a shiver ripple through his whole body.

“What about you? Are you going to join us, too?”

SoYa swallowed, trying to put forth a brave face. “That’s… what I came here for, My Lord.”

“Good. Glad to hear it,” Lord Zemi waved a hand slowly out to the group before him. “Why not take a seat, eh?”

Getting to his feet, the Apprentice complied. His head was still woozy from the impossibility of the situation. It felt as if at any moment he should wake up from the strange, intangible dream that he was living in.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he sat down next to Aunt SaRa and peered up at the Arweinydd with a quiet look.

“There now. We’re all together. Who would have thunk it?” Lord Zemi grinned quickly.

Silence passed over them. Thoughts, questions and curiosities whirled over their faces as they sat waiting what was to come next. But the Arweinydd remained silent, leaning back with a pensive gaze at the birds that were winging lazily overhead. Finally, after some time, his gravelly voice rose around them in a slow, measured cadence. And it stared unlike anything SoYa would have expected.

“Once upon a time, there was an accident.”

The Apprentice peered up. Along with everyone else. Their eyes fixed upon the Arweinydd in curiosity.

Seeing that he had their attention, Lord Zemi continued, “Not just any accident, mind you. It was a Mistake. Mistake with a capital ‘M’.”

Father scrunched up his nose, “Hrm.”

“Yeah. It was that bad.”

SoYa wrinkled his brow. He had loosely heard about the origins of the Arweinydd having been tied into some sort of disastrous mistake. But it was the first time that anyone had spoken about it beyond flighty speculation.

“Newsflash here. I’m only gonna say this once, so listen up,” the Dreigiau’s eyes alighted upon each of them in turn. The weight of his words fell heavy upon their mind. “This current existence is made up of Seven Universes. Can’t count them all on one hand, but you can count them on two. Seven. Complete. Whole. Perfect. So it was. Until the Mistake. That was when one of the Seven died.”

“The death of a whole Universe? What… what sort of Mistake could have caused that?” Naturally, AsaHi was the first to speak up.

“That isn’t exactly something I can answer, I’m afraid. I was there but not there to know it. I can only speculate,” he tilted his head slowly in thought. “It was pride, perhaps? Ignorance even? Yeah… Those That Came Before could be ignorant, just like Earthians. Even moreso, I think.”

Kudako’s mouth became a thin, firm line.

“Moreso because they should have known better. Because they existed,” the Arweinydd’s voice began to rumble, growing in agitation. His hands lifted before them, gesturing widely at the immensity of the concept. “They produced. They destroyed. They swayed to the flow of Chaos and Creation in a way that was theirs and theirs alone. They… should have known better.”

“What… exactly did they do?” Father asked quietly. His face was solemn and calculating.

“Something horrible,” Lord Zemi suddenly looked regretful. “It has many names amongst my kind, but I like to keep it simple and call it the Mistake. It was a funny thing, that Mistake. A work of mass Chaos that was Created. Irony is such a cruel thing, yes?”

SoYa’s mind reeled with the thought. He wondered if he was the only one struggling to make sense of the story that was beginning to unfold. A story that no other Earthian had ever been gifted to know. Especially not from the mouth of an Arweinydd himself.

“And what came after that Mistake was nothing. It was a universe that no longer held its spirit,” the Dreigiau frowned, trying to explain further in the best way he knew how. “The motion of life and growth had died along with the Mistake. Those That Came Before no longer were. But what they did not know was Those That Were Yet To Be had survived.”

“You’re speaking in circles again, Zemi,” Aunt SaRa chided him softly.

“Maybe. But for good reason. I want you all to understand where I come from. Who I am… and what you’re up against. And the only way to do that is to start at the beginning,” he gave her a soft look. “Don’t you agree?”

“If you say so.”

“But,” AsaHi’s voice was strained. “What does that have to do with you? If you weren’t there during the Mistake… if everything should have died then… why are we here? Why are you here? I don’t understand?”

“Ah… me?” Lord Zemi lifted a finger with a soft grin. “I almost did not exist. I do know that. For upon the destruction of Those That Came Before, there was a place where Those That Were Yet To Be waited. We slept.”

AsaHi tilted her head curiously.

“Our light was dim. Our awareness did not yet exist. We lay dormant, shrouded and unmoving. Unliving. Ungrowing.”

“So how did you get here if you were asleep?” she pondered.

“It was only by what I’d like to think was beyond chance that something did happened. It might have been a leftover ripple from the final aftermath of the Mistake. A good deal of power was given off at that moment. I do not know exactly how it happened,” his face was also pondering as he chose his words. “But the Light That Was Me was cast away, thrown off from the place in which we were left to sleep. Far away from the rest of Those That Were Yet To Be.”

“So poetic,” Father rolled his eyes.

“Naturally,” the Dreigiau gave a fangy grin.

“Then what happened?” AsaHi was leaning forward. Her face was a picture of absolute interest. Her eyes never left Lord Zemi’s face.

He peered at her with his own tilted head, seeming somewhat surprised at the warmth of the reception of his story. Then he continued, still grasping to find the right words to explain the unexplainable.

“Well, the Light That Was Me drifted,” he stated simply. “It drifted for time without measure. It drifted unknowing until the day that the fringes of Light touched something. It was the first something that it ever knew. That something was a Living World. Or, at least, it had been.”

“Our world?” Her knuckles had grown white, grasping her knees tightly.

“Yes,” the Dreigiau replied. “It was a world that held the potential to live again — as it once had before the Mistake came. The Light That Was Me was drawn to the Living World. Side by side, something began to happen. And after much time, the world breathed. When the world breathed, I Awoke.”

SoYa swallowed, thoughts shying away from grasping this last statement. It was obvious that Lord Zemi was a powerful being… but the fact that the essence of life on their world was linked to his own being was something too unnerving to consider.

Even AsaHi had fallen silent.

Either Lord Zemi did not recognize their reaction or he did not care. His words continued on, the story unfolding further.

“When I Awoke, I found myself alone. I did not know about Those That Were Yet To Be. I did not know about Those That Came Before. I only knew of myself and of the Living World. And because it was warm, and I was alone…” A soft smile flickered over his face, “I chose to watch it.”

“If that’s what you call it?” Father grunted quickly. “Let’s not even go into the sort of benefits you scored by simply being here, eh?”

“I did not know that Arweinydd grow in power and change based upon their connections to Living Worlds,” Lord Zemi spread his hands with an innocent expression. “That was not a concept that I learned, in fact, until I discovered the secrets of ‘Esgor-ar. I did not know that it was because I spent time watching the Living World that I had begun to transform myself.”

AsaHi’s cheeks had grown more and more pale.

“I was Me by then,” Lord Zemi grinned, thumbing a finger back at his own chest. “No longer simply a Light without awareness. I had become what is now known as an Arweinydd.”

“So there are more like yourself?” Aunt SaRa leaned back on her palms, crossing her ankles in front of her. “What happened to them?”

“Now… we’re getting into the point I am wanting to make,” the Dreigiau nodded. “I don’t know when it was that I discovered the sleeping place of Those That Were Yet To Be. They were nothing but Lights then. Lights without awareness. But the moment I came to them, much to my surprise, it was as if my own being Woke them. They began to know. They began to stir.”

SoYa’s mouth became a little ‘o’ shape. “They are alive as well? How come we never see them?”

“I tried to tell them about the wonderful Living Worlds that I had found. But they did not want to listen,” Lord Zemi turned his eyes upon the Apprentice. He wrinkled his nose in distaste. “They did not wish to search for you. They were not interested in the Living World and the people who existed there. No matter what I said to them, they only wanted to remain as they were.”

SoYa peered up into the Dreigiau’s eyes somberly. Somehow there was pain within those words that he could not quite touch. As if it was a struggle that was long born upon the Arweinydd’s shoulders.

“So eventually I left them.”

“You left them? Why?” AsaHi’s face lifted again. There was sadness behind her eyes as she watched.

Lord Zemi’s expression softened as well, meeting the girl’s gaze with his own. “My soul longed for the Earthian peoples and creatures — the ones that yearned to grow and learn. The ones that were more like me than even the Arweinydd were.”

She blinked up at him in silence.

“The more that they grew, the more that I became. Until one day… understanding came to me unlike any other. I discovered the secret of Making.”

“‘Esgor-ar…” Kudako hissed softly, looking at his own hands. “The Making of the Dragons? Like myself.”

“Yes, ‘Esgor-ar…” the Dreigiau nodded slowly. “I united my spirit with the creatures of the Living World through this. For the first time, I was more than aware. I was Feeling.”

AsaHi was still staring at Lord Zemi, her face absolutely captivated.

SoYa could feel the shivers still rippling down his spine.

Father peered up. “But the Others of your kind. They do not feel?”

“For the most part. No.” Lord Zemi stated, “That is why it is dangerous that we are up against one.”

Kudako blanched. “We are up against what?”

“Another Arweinydd,” Zento frowned.

AsaHi squeaked, “What? Why?”

“I have yet to figure out the why. But I know it to be true,” Lord Zemi lowered his eyes again. “Of the other Arweinydd I have spent time with, there were three that I chose to call my siblings. Of course… they aren’t really my siblings since my kind cannot be related by blood. I simply thought it was an interesting concept of the Earthian people and chose to adopt it.”

“And what of these siblings of yours?” Kudako’s face was hard.

“There are my two sisters… Zazo and little Zeni. And there is my brother, Zerom.”

SoYa jerked his head upwards, mind shifting back to the encounter he had at the Host Gate with the Sparrow.

Then that was true! She really was Lord Zemi’s sister!

“When AsaHi came to the Host Gate and performed the ritual…” he dropped his gaze on AsaHi. She began to squirm. “Something happened that was not supposed to. I reached out to protect her from the backlash of energy that was produced in the summoning. And a tear in the Gate appeared… allowing me to reach through to the other side in full form.”

“I…” AsaHi covered her mouth. “I didn’t know.”

“I know you didn’t. Don’t stress yourself over what’s been and done,” the Dreigiau purred softly. “There were good things that happened because of that. For one… I could take on a physical form unlike I’ve ever been able to.”

“But there were bad things too?” SoYa felt his voice creak.

Lord Zemi leveled his gaze on the Apprentice. “Zerom. My brother.”

“He was the one that took TsuYa.” Aunt SaRa’s face was sharp.

The Apprentice drew in a hissing breath. His mind flickered back to the image of his brother floating in the rage of darkness.

“And the Marked Creatures that attacked us on the ground… that would be his power as well?” Kudako pressed his lips together even more tightly.

“You are correct,” the Dreigiau nodded. He lifted one hand to indicate the tiny dark-haired girl that was still playing in the flowers, “And young Suzume as well. Luckily for her… not enough of the taint embedded itself into her body before I was able to remove most of it.”

“And TsuYa?” AsaHi’s voice was breathless.

“He… was not so lucky.”

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A teenage boy stood all alone. He was facing the window, staring out at the gray, rain-swept lawns.

It was a smudge.

It turned into a blot. That turned into a spot. That turned into a Mark. That turned into a puddle. That turned into a pool. That turned into his reflection on the still inky darkness.

He was standing on it, staring at the world upside down. It passed him by, never seeming to notice or care. He reached out a hand and pressed. Pressed against the surface. It was liquid. And solid. And liquid. And solid. Then gas.

He fell.

His mouth tore open as his body arched back. The darkness streamed into his lungs, filling them, choking him, sending a stream of shadow behind him. Black wings. The smudge shifted into black wings.

Wings spread, cupping the air.

Glide.

He glided. One never knew they were capable of gliding until it came to pass.

The world reflected above him. It was grey, hazy, faded out. Not at all the world that he used to know.

There were voices. They came to him every now and then. They rose and fell upon the winds. Some of them he knew.

SoYa.

Aunt SaRa.

Father…

Father?

But Father is dead.

He was there.

No, he’s dead. They said he was dead.

They were wrong.

Is that possible? He left us. He went away.

-shift-

A teenage boy stood all alone. He was facing the window, staring out at the gray, rain-swept lawns. He was dressed in a long black robe. His face was hazy, undecipherable. There were streaks of tear-tracks upon his cheeks.

“Tsu?”

He turned around. His brother was there. His big brother, SoYa.

Strange to think… he’s ten years older than I am…

SoYa had been bigger than TsuYa back then. But he was still gentle. Always gentle.

-weak-

No! Not weak! Gentle.

A shadow of a handprint. On his shoulder. SoYa squeezed it firmly.

He was trying to help. He was always like that.

But now Father was dead.

Everything for Father. Father’s name. Father’s praise. Father’s happiness.

-power-

No — love!

-power-

Power…

-power-

I miss him.

“Tsu. Are you going to be okay?” SoYa’s voice was quiet. He, too, had been crying.

He was always such a crybaby. I used to have to stick up for him… he could never defend himself.

But it was okay to cry now. Everyone had said that.

But he didn’t cry. He didn’t cry until he was alone. Alone in the darkness of the back room. The dim sunlight streaming in.

It didn’t matter if the sun ever shone again.

Father was gone.

“I’ll be fine.”

-sszzt-

The words were distorted. As if hearing them through miles of static.

-sszzt-

What could he say?

My world has fallen apart?

He couldn’t admit to weakness.

Father was never weak.

It was all gone.

There is nothing left for me here anymore.

“I know what you’re thinking,” SoYa’s words were trying to be comforting.

Laughable. You couldn’t know. You don’t understand anything.

SoYa had known Mother. He grew up knowing Father… though the two had never been all that close.

-weak-

No… just different. He was always different.

-frightened-

Hiding. He was hiding. I never knew until now.

-weak-

Just afraid. Afraid that everyone would hate him if they knew the truth.

-frightened-

Just like me.

“We must uphold the School. That’s what you’re thinking, right?”

It wasn’t.

“Yeah,” his voice was distant static. Again.

-sszzt-

“It’s a big job… but that’s what Father would have wanted from us. You know that right?”

“I know.”

-sszzt-

“Don’t be afraid, Tsu…” The words were meant to be encouraging. Even so, SoYa was only speaking them to encourage himself.

SoYa wrapped his arms around his brother. There wasn’t comfort. Just hollow. Hollow nothing.

SoYa wasn’t Father. Father was dead.

A tear streaked down his cheek…

…dropping off the pained edge of his face to…

…ripple in the dark pool that stretched beneath him.

His reflection shifted.

The memory faded.

He was left with himself. And the darkness.

Streams of color spiderwebbed from his form. He was lying deathly still. His arms and legs were stretched out.

Something is sitting on my chest.

-darkness-

So hard to breathe.

-mine-

No…

-you are mine-

No… no… I am not!

-no choice-

Take it back!

-power-

I don’t want it anymore!

-too late-

I want –

“Tsu?”

That voice?

It called his name.

“Tsu… can you hear me?”

It can’t be…

“I am… so sorry Tsu…”

Warmth. A hand.

My hand?

His hand. Was being pressed. It was warm. Warm, unlike the bands of liquid color that spread through his vision.

“We… we aren’t giving up on you yet… I promise you. We will fight.”

Fight?

“You’ve got to fight, too… please… please Tsu…”

Another pressure on his hand. Something wet.

Crying.

Someone was crying…

-shift-

A teenage boy stood all alone.

“Tsu… you can’t leave me. Not now. Not after I’ve finally gotten to see you again!”

He was facing the window, staring out at the gray, rain-swept lawns.

“There’s so much I want to show you in this world… the city… the possibilities! All the things I’ve learned!”

He was dressed in a long black robe.

“I swear… I swear I’ll fight the one that did this to you! Arweinydd or not!”

His face was hazy, undecipherable.

“Tsu…”

There were streaks of tear-tracks upon his cheeks.

Choking sobs. Absolute sorrow. Someone was crying. Crying his name.

A welling. Sorrow rising to meet sorrow. A sound vibrated through him, spilling from his throat. One word. A distant static buzz.

“Fa…ther…?”

The black wings melted.

There was stunned silence. Then.

“Tsu!?”

He was falling… falling towards the darkness of the pool below him. His reflection. It grew. It grew and shifted the closer he fell. Dark eyes burned out at him. Dark hair. Marked face. It was him… but it was not…

“Father… help me!”

His hand — he could feel it! A warm, stern grip.

The pool of darkness fanned out below him. It did not seem to be able to touch him. It was pushed away.

“Tsu! Tsu, keep talking to me!”

A touch on the cheek!

He coughed. He could feel the pain of a thousand pin pricks through his body. His lungs convulsed… thick liquid ran from between his lips.

The lines of color and light spun more frantically.

“Zemi!” a hoarse cry. “Zemi! Help me! Tsu — something is happening to him!”

Another set of hands — they burn! Touches of fire upon his forehead. His chest. His shoulders. His arms.

He could feel the entirety of his body. Pale. Cold. But there.

The pain!

Blood struggled to move again. It fought against the bands of light and color. More liquid choked up from between his lips.

“Turn him over, quickly!”

Someone turned him on his side.

It dripped. It dripped. It dripped away. A murky taste. Murky — like the pressure of darkness that had filled his breath.

“Tsu… hang in there! Stay with me, now!”

His voice.

Yes, Father…

He had never said ‘no’ to Father before. He would not do so now.

“Speak to me!”

A gurgling cry. It sounded so weak. So pitiful.

-is this what you’ve become-

I don’t care!

A screech!

Fire!

His body broiled! The darkness didn’t want to leave him.

“What’s wrong with him!?”

Panic!

Father was upset.

No… I’m sorry..! I’ll do better!

But the screech continued. Inhuman. It should not have come out of his mouth.

I promise! Don’t be upset!

Black eyes reflected up at him from the pool.

No!

-you are mine-

No! That is not me!

A gushing warmth from within. It emptied itself through his mouth. Liquid sound from below.

“SoYa… get me a bucket of water! Quickly now!”

“O-okay!”

Footsteps scurrying. And vanishing away.

Clawed fingers reached up from the pool below. They did not touch him. They could not.

The spires of light and color drove them away.

“Here’s the water!”

“Bring it over here, quick… good!”

Coolness. Water. On his skin.

-hiss-

The water sizzled on his skin.

Steam? Can steam rise from a living body?

-do you still believe you are what you once were-

A moan. Even that was static. Animalistic.

Horrible.

“What’s happening to him?!”

“The Shadow of Zerom is taking him. He’s becoming like the Marked…”

“No…”

No?

“NOOOOO!”

No?!

“TSU NO! You have got to fight this!”

…fight this…

-you cannot-

..it is Father’s will…

-he cannot save you now-

…I must… I can’t!

His body began to break apart. He could feel every inch shatter. His fingers tightened, clawlike. His mind reeled and screeched. His whole body arched forward. His shoulders burned for wings. The darkness pulsed through his form.

“ZEMI!” a shriek.

~Nachar waith fynd iddrs ty fynhad sydd wedi’i gloiny!~

-no!-

Convulse!

-you cannot!-

A terrible howl flung outward. It shifted, changing sounds. Until it became a scream.

-you are mine!-

“FAAAAATHER!” His scream ripped out of him. Air filled his lungs. He gasped.

He reached. Fought. Hands were upon him again. They held him down. His body was still on fire… though a fire of a different kind.

Sobbing.

It was his own. Or someone else’s. He did not know.

His mind was so clear. Yet so fuzzy. So twisted. The weight rose from off of his chest. His body began to shiver, growing cooler.

“He’s coming out of it. Where’s SaRa?”

“I’m right here… oh… oh Light… Tsu… he looks horrible!”

“SaRa… we need you to–”

“I know… give me some room.”

Icy cold. Two points of light behind his eyes. He felt the undulation. It was small at first… then it spread over his whole being. A coolness that was not all too uncomfortable.

Not after the pain of the heat.

“Come on, Tsu… speak to me! We can’t lose you!”

“Calm down, Zento. Move over and let the woman do her work!”

Cool… then warm… rivulets… alternating. Revitalizing. He could feel the life seeping back through his limbs. They became heavy. He was sinking.

The floor touched his back. It was cold and slick.

Many pairs of hands reached for him. Voices overlapped each other. He fought to make sense of what they were saying.

One rose above all the others.

“Tsu? Do you hear me? Can you speak?”

A soft groan issued from his lips. His nose itched but his hand was too weak to scratch it. His throat was parched and raw. But his breath was regular… the blood had begun to flow through his body once again.

“Father…” he breathed softly. “I hear you…”

“Oh… thank the Light!”

A soft touch on his face. TsuYa’s eyes opened.

They were now a very dark shade of green.

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Zemi was standing over her, very tall, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

“Is it really true?”

Zemi turned his attention from the open window to peer down at AsaHi. The girl tromped up next to the Dreigiau with a you-will-answer-my-question determination in her eyes.

“Is what really true?” his gravely voice murmured. For the moment, the Arweinydd looked as close to exhausted as she had ever seen him come.

“Did Tsu almost turn into a…” she swallowed, not wanting to think of the terrible possibility. “You know — one of them?”

The Dreigiau’s face was quiet as he flopped down into a sitting position. Right there on the floor, leaning with his back against the wall.

So much for high and mighty elegance.

“It was close,” the Dreigiau admitted. “Closer than I would have wanted it to be. But he should be okay as long as he remains here in this city. Beyond that… I cannot say what will happen. Zento and I are working on it.”

“How?” She positioned herself so that the two of them were face to face.

“Hrm?” He did not seem to want to meet her eyes.

“How did something like this happen?”

“Zerom.”

“Zerom? Isn’t that… your–?” AsaHi tilted her head while sucking on her bottom lip.

“Yeah. Though, I don’t know if you can call someone who does things like this to the people you care about much of a ‘brother.’ What do you think?” His teal eyes flickered over to the girl in a questioning manner.

“I… don’t know? Sometimes brothers do things they regret. But… nothing like this.”

“That’s kinda what I thought, too.”

“The Marked…” she shuddered at the very word. “They were regular people once, right?”

Memories of the black hair… grey skin… dead eyes… the claws and fangs and hissing death… rose up in her mind. To think that TsuYa, one of the boys she had grown up with, had almost become like those creatures… was terrible beyond measure.

“Yes. They came from Nefol,” Zemi answered lightly, waving one hand as if in dismissal. “Zerom would strike at them first because they are the most advanced Earthians — due to the magic that I introduced to them, of course. No doubt he wants to add them to his little collection.”

“Collection?” AsaHi frowned. The offhand manner that the Dreigiau spoke in struck a raw chord in her mind.

How can you talk as if people are nothing more than chips in a pile?

“Zerom has seen the power… he’s jealous of what I have gained through associating with this living world,” he grunted. “Perhaps he thinks that taking their spirit by force will lead him to the power that he wants. But… this only seems to harm the very creatures he seeks to gain strength from. It transforms them into ones Marked by his hand.”

She grumbled balefully, “As if we are nothing more than pawns on a chessboard…”

Zemi tilted his head slowly. One hand reached up to grasp AsaHi under the chin.

“As far apart as you believe us to be… I have discovered it is not so,” his eyes were very deep as they gazed upon her face. “Your kind and my kind have a natural bond. A connection, if you will. One that goes deeper than anything that even I can fathom. And it is through this connection that your kind and my kind grow stronger.”

“Even for Zerom?”

Gently, he released her. “Very likely. But he’s going about it all wrong.”

AsaHi frowned. Her irritation was plainly showing now. “As if there is a right way to do something like this?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Zemi huffed softly.

The girl pursed her lips, “Both of you…”

He peered up, one finger touching the tip of his chin.

“Both of you are… just… just… playing games with our lives…” Her voice cracked as her fists balled tight by her sides.

The Dreigiau watched her with a growing surprise.

“Just because you have the power to do things, doesn’t mean that you should!”

“You talk like it’s my fault that Zerom is meddling where he shouldn’t be. I have nothing to do with his little charade,” he shrugged.

“Is that all you have to say?” AsaHi grated, lifting her hands in the air at his display of indifference. “So what’s going to happen now? He makes you angry. You make him angry. Then the two of you go at it, right? You and your winged people against him and his Marked!”

“AsaHi…”

“Did you ever stop to think that maybe we don’t want to be a part of this? That we just want to live simple, normal lives?”

“Meaning?” he pressed his lips together. One fang showed clearly in the dim light.

“Meaning… Meaning that we could be happy without any of this!” AsaHi’s hands lifted above her head, indicating everything around them. Everything that the Dreigiau had made. Everything material and immaterial. Every winged soul upon the floating island. And in that one motion, she rendered it all meaningless.

Zemi’s face paled. It was a strange thing to watch. Maybe it was a reaction of anger — hopefully it was of shame. “How… could you say something like that?”

“Is it worth it?” she retorted, face heating.

“Worth it?” the Dreigiau eyed her sharply as he echoed.

“Is it worth it if it’s only going to bring people pain?”

“Pain? I brought these very people – your people — from the brink of death… and into a civilization that they could have never even begun to imagine on their own!” his palms pressed against the floor.

“At the expense of what? Our happiness?”

“Your happiness?”

“We would be happy! Without the School. Without the Dragon Apprentices. Without your magic! Without Awakening!”

Zemi’s mouth open, but no words followed. His cheeks flushed the color of dragon’s anger.

Now that AsaHi was heated, the spiteful words just poured out of her with little thought, “You and your irresponsible games – messing with things without even thinking about the consequences… shredding the lives and happiness of others! It makes you no better than Zerom is!”

“I am not my brother!” Zemi sprang to his feet with a draconic half-roar. There was a wild, feral expression in his eyes, his fingers hooked in a claw-like manner. His fangs were bared in a way that she had only seen during battle.

AsaHi stumbled backwards, realizing she had pushed her luck way too far. Her back met with the wall, knees growing watery at the intensity of the roar. Her breath had grown cold.

“Who are you to judge my motives?!” he demanded, his voice crackling with power. It hardly sounded anything like Zemi at all. “You know nothing about what I’ve done for your people! Nothing! So don’t talk to me as if you do!”

She didn’t even dare to look at him. A soft whimper escaped her lips. Her arms were folded protectively over her head as if she expected him to strike.

I won’t apologize! I just won’t… not when I know I’m right!

“AsaHi,” his voice growled in irritation. “Stop it. I’m not going to hurt you.”

She opened one frightened green eye.

Zemi was standing over her, very tall, his arms crossed in front of his chest. The wildness to his features had subsided somewhat. But there was still anger. Anger and hurt.

“How… how do I know that you wouldn’t?” her teeth were chattering but impertinence still got the best of her. She lowered her arms very slowly, ready to draw them back up for what meager protection they might offer if he was to make any sudden move.

“Because,” the Dreigiau grumbled, “That’s just not how I work.”

“Then tell me – how do you work?” she fought to regain her composure, though her back was still pressed against the wall. “Tell me how you’re any different from your brother.”

“You couldn’t begin to understand…” As the anger drained from his features, it looked as if a great weight had dropped onto the Dreigiau’s shoulders.

“That’s not good enough.”

Zemi peered up. “What did you say?”

“That’s not good enough!” her voice grew stronger. “Whether I understand anything or nothing at all… it still comes down to the fact that you started this. You and your magic and your Dragon Apprentices and your School. By the Light, you better take responsibility for what you made!”

The Arweinydd blinked down at her, a disturbed expression rising over his face.

“Don’t play games with the lives of others, Zemi Dreigiau… or you’re just like Zerom is!”

Zemi ran his tongue over his lips. “You’re… right…”

The girl finally fell silent. Anger she expected. But agreement she did not.

“I came here… thinking I could do some good for you people.” His eyes reflected in sorrow, “I never would have believed it could come to something like this.”

The girl peered down at her feet. As the heat of anger left her face, she began to feel a bit guilty.

Maybe… maybe I was too hard on him. But… but he has to understand…

“I do understand.”

AsaHi blinked up with a start. It always unnerved her when he listened to her thoughts.

“I do understand. And I agree.” There was a troubled sound to his voice, “And you’re right…”

She could see flickers of thoughts flash behind his eyes. AsaHi began to regret the whole conversation even more.

“What are you going to do?”

A shifting darkness rose to his face. Darkness that bordered on vengeance. A wild, terrible anger. All contained within.

“Zemi…” she was so concerned she didn’t even think to use his title. “Zemi… what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to do as you said… I’m going to take responsibility for this,” his voice grated. “I’m going to stop Zerom.”

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