20.2
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Velerion.
Fissures and fragments swarmed before the space of reality, fading in and out of existence as it swiveled and transformed erratically.
The scene of a ruined world spanned before the view, a world just as unstable and chaotic as the fragments lingered in this dimension.
Levitating grounds crumbled at the slightest blow of wind, Soil, trees and stones, have become scattered throughout like particles of dust, floating about in the empty space unrestricted by gravity.
This was a world that was devoid of life.
The aftermath of an impeding doom that no world escaped from. The foretold end, the decay that sought to consume all that is. For not even the brightest of minds or the most powerful of entities knew what to do with it.
This was the inevitable end to all of existence.
All that remained in this realm was nearing their end. From the tethering reality to the degradation that consumed this space, everything that ever was peeled and frayed away at this impeccable force.
The decay of all that is in existence, something that far preceded the concept of time, life and death, or even life itself.
Entropy.
That was its given name.
Dubbed long ago by civilizations foreign to this dying world.
A world that his ancestors only had knowledge of, a place where his forefathers had fought their way out of.
Something not even his father, the well respected Lord Kharston who partaken in the Great Demon War had control of.
Something not even his mother, Lady Synthia who had the foresight of the future could accurately pinpoint how this immutable end would come for them all.
This phenomena had consumed countless worlds, countless universes that were far more advanced, far more intelligent that the one he was in. Yet, like many others that came before it, all of it shall be erased upon entropy’s touch.
This was something that swallowed and erased the ancestors of the dragons, leaving Elder Dragons that came before to only the knowledge of the horror and insanity that would soon follow.
However, there just might be one way to keep such monstrosities at bay, to even have the slightest chance at warding off such phenomena. To prevent the insanities that would inadvertently seep and spread in to his very own world.
“Velerion, the world rests on your shoulders.”
His mother’s voice echoed in his mind as this repressed memory of his became undone.
The reason behind his incessant obsession to become the ruler of all dragon kind. From his fervent ambition to uphold his power, to his strict enforcement of the natural order onto others. Everything in his life that he ever achieved and desired, was because of this calamity that would come for the all.
Velerion was the chosen one.
Why now...why remind me this now, mother!?
This vision of the ultimate decay of the world was the first thing that permeated his mind before he ever gained conscious. The horrible visions that he never got out of his mind of a world that would come undone, erased from existence.
Like many things his parents taught him, Velerion never truly understood, be it the non-interference policy imposed by his father to the values of coexistence with different races. Velerion had learned all of them in earnest and understood them intellectually.
With his hundred years of living, Velerion had been sure that those were simply lessons his parents gave him to be a competent leader.
He could not be more wrong.
Each of the teachings his parents had taught him, were tools and skills they gifted him for the sake of his true ambition. His true ambition that stemmed past the simplistic desires of being the leader of all dragon kind.
“The world threads on the balance between three ideologies. Stability, unity, and liberty, this triad is what binds people together or separate them”
His father, Kharston’s voice appeared to him, speaking of an an archaic concept that Velerion came across in his studies of ancient history.
“This triad that is most commonly mistaken by the contrast between good and evil. Those who seek stability deem unity and liberty as an obstruction to their ultimate rule. Those who value unity, see stability and liberty as opposition to their community. Those who desire liberty think that stability and unity constricts their freedom to live.”
This archaic had gradually faded since the dawn of the ages, now vaguely passing on as version of known to be the three raisons.
Will, power, responsibility.
If the triad explained the mechanics behind the perpetuity of of any world, the three raisons was the key to allow one surpass their upmost potential.
Just like the three raisons, the relation between stability, unity, liberty relied on each other to maintain the natural order of existence.
For stability is not achieved without the accord of people and their willingness to partake in the system. Unity would mean nothing if there is no structure or the desire to come together. And liberty holds no value in a world without reason or love.
“A wise ruler you shall be. But to reach your ambitions, to amass the power to go against the inevitable end of all that is, takes more than one, Velerion.”
His mother’s soft voice spoke.
Though serving as a gentle warning, a horrible sensation pulsated in his temples. His skull felt like a watermelon that had been gorged of its flesh, leaving nothing but the husk in its place while his brain was no where to be found.
Even after countless decades, the lessons that his parents had given him meant more than ever.
“Humility comes from pride. To be defeated means your future victories shall be more meaningful.”
“This will be our final lesson to you, the rest, I trust, you will achieve it with your abilities, Velerion.”
“Let your first and final defeat in your life, guide you, my son. Never forget, if you ever feel you are alone, we shall watch you with pride from the heavens. And he who consigned your defeat shall be the one who realizes your true ambitions.”
Kharston and Synthia’s voices disappeared, and the dystopian ruined world disappeared before him.
Replaced by a clear sky that wavered between daylight and nightfall.
Velerion felt the same cool breeze around as his deep red wings flapped arrogantly with his head raised to the skies.
This was the exact scene he saw from moments ago—
No, it was what he would have seen had he not underestimate the human boy and turned his head away in disinterest.
Boom!!!
Far faster and vicious than anything that he ever seen, a black blur split the skies in a roar, striking straight in his direction, tearing apart not only the sound barrier but through the beam that Velerion frantically fired.
In a fraction of a second, a cracked mythril blade came at Velerion, instantly striking the Elder Dragon down as he felt his flesh exploding at the relentless strength along with the weapon.
It was his failure.
For his arrogance and his obsession to prove his worth in the eyes of his own kind, he lost sight of what truly was important, he had forgotten the reason for his ambition. For all that entailed, Velerion was the only one that understood the calamity that would come for his world.
Then…
As though a monk who had spend his whole life in a monastery to seek enlightenment to no avail, the moment said monk stepped out of the monastery itself…
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
A sense of realization hit him. Enlightening him and opened up his eyes to the realities that had transpired thus far.
At that moment, at that precise moment that brought John Sarvod his victory, he could sense the conviction, the strength and the duty that bound him.
Velerion’s eyes jolted open.
Only one of two eyes allowed him to see, the other, surged an indomitable pain from the wound John had delivered unto him.
“ARGHHHH!!!”
His body writhed, the earth around him trembled at the pained cries, wrecking havoc to the room around him as various medical utensil and chemicals alike flew from where they were.
Bitting his lip, he suppressed his senses, focusing himself on getting to his feet.
He could feel bodies scrambling into his direction as he staggered on his two feet.
With one hand clutched tightly at his right eye socket where his eye used to be, Velerion moved, forcing his weakened body to move.
There is no time to waste!!!
“Lord Velerion, y-you need to stay still, your injuries, we are still on the verge of healing—”
“Where is he!!!”
Velerion grabbed the dragonborn—half-human, half-dragon looking people—by his collar and stared sharply with his yellow eyes, forcing the dragonborn to answer him.
“I-I have n-no idea w-who you are talking…”
“The one who gave me this!!!” Velerion removed his hand from his blinded eye.
“L-Lord S-Sarvod h-has been a-absent with L-Lady E-Ephinelyth since d-days a-ago—”
Shroom!!!
Velerion waited no more for the dragonborn to speak, taking flight at lightspeed, charging for the only place where he knew John and Ephinelyth would be.
He made route to the southern mountains at the border of Courzer, where the other dragons dared not travel to.
This was where the Silver Maiden of Judgement was known to frequent.
A scenic view of nature surrounded him as he floated in the air where he believed to his sister’s territory.
“John Sarvod!!!”
His voice made through the valleys and peaks, making his presence known to all living beings present.
Like the other dragons, he had no knowledge of the exact location where Ephinelyth’s living space was in this vast area for many found themselves lost or even returned to their starting point should they traverse her territory.
But even then, his urgency was far more pressing.
“Velerion, if you decide to interfere with my matters once more, I will use this—” Ephinelyth’s voice responded not a minute sooner but quickly halted herself when John appeared beside her with a hand on her shoulder to the clearing atop a mountain where Ephinelyth was.
“It’s alright Evie… He has the right to be angry—”
Thud!
From the skies, Velerion landed before John, right knee on the ground as he lowered his head as he assumed a submissive stance.
“My Lord.”
John looked to Evie, his eyes wide as hers.
“What is he doing?” John spoke to Evie in his mind, taking a step backwards from Velerion who had yet to lift his head.
“I presume this is the outcome of the duel? I don’t know what came over him I can read his mind to...”
“Don’t bother. He looks like he is about to explain himself— Oh what the fuck, is that…”
John leaned backwards when he caught glimpse of the sinew and flesh in the Elder Dragon’s right eye socket.
“Is your eye...?”
Averted his gaze from Velerion he made a face to Evie, confused to why Velerion was here.
Neither the two of them had a clue nor cared about why Velerion was here kneeling himself before John.
In fact, John and Evie had spent their first night together consummating their love, that they have forgotten their prior exhaustion and slept through the next day only to have awaken moments ago.
John still had yet to fully spend his time with Evie.
If anything Velerion’s gesture irritated him. His time was precious, and if he was not doing what he wanted—in this case, left alone with Evie—he was wasting it.
“Yes, Lord Sarvod.”
John gritted his teeth and made an unpleasant face when Velerion replied.
It was by sheer dumb luck, or even his willful conviction that he managed to win against Velerion during their duel. He absolutely, and most certainly did not fight to gain the Magma Dragon’s servitude, much less any power of Velerion like what the other dragons boldly asserted.
All he had in mind at the time was to end the encounter with the Magma Dragon as quickly as he could, so Ephinelyth would be by his side.
John was a simple man.
Evie is all I need.
“Hmm?” John’s body softened when he felt a warm embrace around his waist, the gentle tough to his side was enough to bring him back to reality.
Being in synchronization with his thoughts, Evie had morphed and used her tail to hold him by his waist.
“And I will always be for you, my love.”
“Ah…thank you, Evie. You’re my good girl.”
“Ufufu, and so I am, John.”
He had nothing to fear. The moment he decided to stand for himself and faced Velerion, was the moment he discarded the lesser thoughts of being ruled by his fear, of being indecisive, of reluctance.
He had lost everything.
But through it, he learned that, he had every reason to live his life to the fullest.
The losses that he carried with him will no longer haunt him. And when he faced someone like Velerion he would not quiver, like his own fate, John would become the master of it. All he had to do was to grasp his fate with his two hands and make them according to his own wishes.
“Why?”
He commanded, words carrying the same weight as he had when he fought Velerion, Prishine the succubus, the vampires…
“Why, are you kneeling before me when what we agreed on was fulfilled? Zondrac’s family is left alone, and Ephinelyth mine, you don’t owe me anything.”
John had no need for power. He understood the purpose of power, that it was to fulfill his will, to enact his responsibility towards those that he deemed to worth his care for.
But for purposes outside of that…
He was but a simple boy who wished to live his life in peace.
It was his desire as a child when he was with Kahnira, it was what he wished for back in A’vetheas. And it remained the same now that he was an adult who had taken Ephinelyth as his lover.
A quiet atmosphere brushed over the trio as Velerion took a deep breath, raised his head in his knelt position. The Magma Dragon looked to John with the upmost determination and sincerity.
“My Lord—”
“Enough with the ‘Lord’ calling, Velerion! Answer me!!!”
“My Consignor.”
John’s expression agitation abated, his face scrunched into a bitter expression.
“He who bares the power to consign the fate of this world. Yet, have no desire to do so. He who is capable of both cruelty and compassion. He who sees the balance between the fool and wise, the disparity between good and evil, the one who shall lead with a selfish yet, alturistic motives. Hated by many, yet, loved by more than he will ever know.
“He. Whose, will, power and responsibility are in unison. I, Velerion, shall heed all your commands and enact your will as you wish. I beg of you to accept this selfish request of mine, Consignor.”
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…
“P-please leave me be...f-for now.”
“Yes, right away. I will be ready whenever you need me,” without further instructions, Velerion made himself scarce at John’s words with a quiet but audible woosh.
Watching the blue sky as the words from Velerion imprinted upon his memories, John closed his eyes as he left out a long breath, shaking his head as clenched his right fist.
This is too tiring.
He felt like his knees were to buckle and he would fall into yet another spiral at the expectations that Velerion placed on him.
Is it still not enough?
He had tried so hard, yet, for reasons unexplained to him, he seem to never be able to escape this inevitable cycle where others place their expectations on him.
Like many of the strange occurrences he encountered during his time in Meastes, he was given the respect and title of Consignor by people who he never knew or had done anything for.
When Velerion or anyone regarded him as someone is akin to a legendary noble man, John can’t help but think they have mistaken him for someone else.
He understood the dynamics between will, power and responsibility. But the responsibility thrust upon him was something he had not desire to take on, and if his conviction was lacking, he could not care even if he was given all the power in the world.
Just because it was forced on him, it did not mean John will blindly appease their desires. If anything, he felt like doing the opposite just because none asked for his opinion nor his consent prior.
He was the dictator of his own actions and none could tell him otherwise.
Evie’s arms wrapped themselves around him from behind, he felt her soft cheeks gently rubbing against his back as she soothed his troubled mind.
“I only know vaguely of what Velerion was speaking of. In some way, he thinks you are tied to his ambition. A destiny if you so put it.”
“Destiny?” John placed his hand to hers slowly unfurling her grip on his chest and interlock them with his own fingers. “I don’t care for fate, all I want is to spend my time with you.”
“Ufufufu, look how attached to me you have become in such a short time,” Evie continued to nuzzle her face against his back, making sure that his scent bathed on her. “I wholeheartedly agree…”
“But…?”
“My mother’s foresight was never wrong. For decades, Velerion clung to her words of his ambition like gospel. She was partly responsible for his obsession to become the leader of dragon kind. And of course, mother spoke of the shared love between you and me. By giving us glimpses of our future is what she deemed as her parting gift to me and Velerion.”
Evie’s white tail around his waist wriggled as it squeezed John gently.
“Evie…” John placed her head to his chest, giving her forehead a peck with his lips.
“I wish to hold you more,” she boldly claimed, tail moving from his waist to John’s head, holding him close as he did to her.
“Not so shy about your desires now huh?”
“I am simply following your suit. I, on the other hand enjoyed your very tight embrace this morning when I woke up. It seems that your hands love touching me whenever they can.”
“You are my soft live sized pillow. I will hug you however I wish.”
“Ufufu…so it is.”
“What else did your mother foresee…?”
Returning to the conversation, John asked as he stroked Evie’s tail.
“After I was able to control my powers, tried probing her mind but I could never read anything beyond those she permitted me to see…”
“Permitted you to see?” John repeated after her, seemingly taken aback at Lady Synthia’s mastery of her own visions and mental space. “Does she shut off her powers or placed mental barriers… Wait no...you could just tear through those easily. It doesn’t make sense...”
Evie chuckled softly at John’s confusion, “It’s hard to explain myself too, my telepathic abilities may be strong but perhaps I am not suited to see the future and guard the secrets they hold myself.”
“Ah...it’s like magic affinity in a way. You can see her mind but can’t make sense of what you see.”
Evie nodded, “Perhaps I am never meant to know the future. I am certain it I can with you sooner even if it is for one day, I would make it so.”
“Without a doubt.” John grinned, “I recall you were in Purefold Town that day, it kind of makes sense now that I understand you this well. Though Evie, in hindsight, that was very...stalker-ish of you,” John spoke with a grin.
Evie had her blushed face averted from John, but her hands still wrapped tightly around him.
“I-It took me a while to finally sense y-your presence, o-of course I had to come s-see you in haste! T-the last time I-I...went to see you, after you left Courzer that night. The Sarvod Residence’s was left in ruins, I was too late to be by your side before you vanished.”
“The Elven Tribe…” John recalled ending up in A’vetheas sometime after Kahnira’s death. “Did you know I was with the elves?”
“I was informed by my mother very late after your exile, she...however did know for the longest time and kept it from me. I presume, for my own good.”
John blinked and shook his head, “Hold up, your mother informed you after my exile? After? Not before? B-but I thought she…died many years ago? Even that Celian Agnes hero said something like that.”
“Not exactly…” Evie shook her head. “I communicate with her through a book… It’s a medium that allows me to write to her in real time as though she was alive and her replying to me instantly.”
Blink, blink, blink...
“To be exact, I am writing to her past self whenever I ink the pages with words, and it is also her past self that replies to me. I… even I am unsure of the mechanics behind it, this was something she and father came up with to speak with me...”
“Does this mean she is alive in some sense inside that book?” John squinted his eyes, baffled and puzzled.
“As of now, my mother is in the heavens with my father, in that sense, they are still alive. The one I speak to on a daily basis, however, it is not my mother who has ascended to the heavens as of this moment, but her past self that is actively communicating with me.”
John placed a hand to his head to rub his temples, “Oh boy… Velerion’s behavior is one thing, but you are saying when she gave birth to you, she’s already had written all the responses to your questions?”
He understood what Evie was saying, but to wrap his mind around how past Synthia was able to communicate with present day Evie with just her abilities to look into the future simply bedazzled him.
“That’s the gist of it. Perhaps it would do you better if you spoke to my parents yourself, it isn’t that complicated once you experienced it.”
“Y-your parents!?”
Of course, Ephinelyth’s mother had planned for this—or if one is being technical, everything had already happened in the late Lady Synthia’s eyes.
No doubt, the Ephinelyth’s parents were aware of John being a part of their precious daughter’s future. To the point where they must have approved of him it before she was even born—else, he would have not been here or permitted to speak to Evie seven years ago.
It almost seemed like everything had been planned out from the beginning.
Was everything in his life playing out like a predetermined script? Or was it all coincidences? Pertaining elder dragons had powers equal to gods alike, was John just a pawn to some larger scaled game in the realm of existence?
It was not that John minded it, in fact, he was thankful to have met Evie.
But knowing there are factors larger than what he could put in words playing off in the background was no doubt mind boggling, upsetting even.
Was the suffering he experienced so far a part of a greater play? Or was it because it was written in his fate? Could everything turned out differently if he did not go through the horrors and sorrows that brought him here today?
An uncomfortable smile appeared on his face.
Whatever the case was, there was only one way for him to ascertain the truth.
“If you are nervous, you can speak to them some other time, I am certain my mother has accounted for everything.”
And that is, to confront Evie’s parents.
“Let’s do it.”
He discarded his nonsensical fears, holding Evie’s hands firmly in his own.
No longer will he cower at the unknowns of the world, be it gods, demons, or elder dragons, John shall face each and everything with all that he has.
For each moment he was alive, for each breath that he took, for each beat his heart gave, everything in his life shall be deemed to serve him, and him alone.
“I want to know if I am destined to the whims of destiny or am I, the consignor of my own very own fate.”
This was his conviction, his duty, and his strength.
It was what he owed himself.