Hey guys, so I know I have not posted in a while, but work and studies along with the new group I joined took a bit of my time. If you guys get a chance please check out Scribble in my signature. Also I got an awesome cover for my book and he did it all for free without asking anything so please give him a few rep points! Cover courtesy of Shimitsu
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35
Old enemies.
Slyfer’s consciousness perceives lights upon lights. Some sense him and draw back instantly preparing for an onslaught that would never come. He pushes it out further until his mind meets one even more ancient than most that are in his mind. Like a great leviathan the consciousness stirs and turns to focus on him.
Slyfer feels like a bug pinned to a wall, as it closes in on him pinning him down with sheer force of its will. The dragons inside him remain quiet, not yet willing to let their presence be known. The consciousness would recognize most of them….. The consciousness stops and a woman's voice fills his mind, it’s clear and filled with strength, ageless and above all else... powerful.
“Strange creature, what is your business here?” Slyfer banks to the left and tries to gain a bit of distance between him and the army, before answering. “I am no enemy, but no friend either.” The consciousness gives of a feeling of surprise. “You are young yet so, powerful? Tell me, what are you and why have you come here?” A bit of fear has entered her voice but mixed into it is a sense of determination.
“I was simply taking a midnight…. Stroll, when I saw the army and wanted to investigate.”
The voice is quiet for a while before it replies. “What is your name creature?”
Slyfer snorts, the action lets a plume of smoke rise from his nostrils. “My name is Sironicum Este un Vlas.” The dragons start to laugh.
The female voice replies, this time a bit irritated. “Telling me it’s none of my business in the ancient language won’t make me trust you.” Slyfer is a bit surprised, but if Aldowin knows it why won’t another high elf, especially one as old as this one.
“My aim is not to gain your trust your people has already lost the right to that privilege…. Be informed the Dunmer army is nearby and we will meet in two days.”
The consciousness is at first confused, but at hearing the word Dunmer it grows cautions and alert. “The dark elves are nearby? I received wor-“
Slyfer interrupts not able to keep back his curiosity. “Elyna and Trisha has reached you safely then?” The consciousness once again becomes irritated.
“Yes, they have.” Slyfer feels complicated when he thinks of Trisha, but he can’t help but feel happy that she is safe. The voice interrupts his musing. “I sense relief from you at hearing the news. Why is that?” Slyfer smiles and beats his wings toward the camp leaving high elf army behind quickly.
Somewhere inside one the tents, Vanlanthiriel frowns as she feels the speed of him leaving. Even on a mount such speed is uncanny and impossible. “What is he?” the last reply she gets makes her clench her jaw for the third time. Like a sound drifting over a vast expanse it faintly reaches her mind.
“Sironicum Este un Vlas.”
She balls her fists on her knees. Her legs are tucked in under her, it’s the usual way she sits when meditating. Words escape her mouth loudly without her actually intending to speak out. “None of my business?” A deathly smile creeps onto her features.
The guard standing outside enters upon hearing her voice and bows before speaking. “My Queen, did you need something?”
The Queen’s all-knowing purple gaze turns to him. “No, I was simply speaking aloud about someone that is going to regret ever meeting me.” The guard breaks out in a sweat. He knows better than anyone how angry this ancient Queen can get. In fact she was not even supposed to be here. Upon hearing what happened with the legendary, Lord Aldowin she had rushed over with a small contingent of guards on tamed giant eagles. The repercussions of the Princess’s actions were huge and even now the Princess is paying for it!
Whoever this person is, is in for a world of hurt! The Queen’s voice makes the guard startled and pulls him back to the real world. “We must prepare for a feast or…. A slaughter, the Dunmer are nearby and we will probably meet them in two days.”
The guard clenches his fist briefly before answering. “Yes my lady.”
She looks at the guard, not missing the change of atmosphere around the man. “You may go now.” He turns and leaves as quickly as he came. She sighs. “Years of war cannot be so easily forgotten, especially between two races as long lived as us.” Her brow furrows even more. “Why did the white dragon make us agree to such a ridiculous tradition?” She goes back to her previous state intending to meditate, but thoughts of the ball she needs to prepare, keeps her from a “silent” state of mind.
The promise she made with the ridiculous dragon plays through her mind.
Both races had promised to throw a ball in honour of their peace every time they met. This is also where they made the promise that the one would lick the boots of the other if one of their races betrayed their kind and turned to the other. She sighs again as those thoughts draws her mind to Aldowin. “Our race cannot afford to lose one such as him.” Her fists clench again, as she thinks of how her daughter failed in her task and even pushed one of their greatest warriors away.
On top of that Trisha has become withdrawn, one who she sees as one of her daughters, has completely changed! Everything seems to go wrong around this boy called Slyfer. Her nose cringes at the name. The one who carried it before gave her no rest for almost four thousand years, until she had given in to his demands and made peace. Now these very enemies she will meet tomorrow along with this….Slyfer boy.
She grunts in dissatisfaction the only reply she gets are various noises that accompany the night.
When Slyfer reaches camp, Vinx is there to meet him in the air. She starts to complain as soon as she reaches him, where he landed. “Why did you leave without me?” Slyfer doesn’t answer, too deep in thought to do so. He only responds once she pulls on his ear.
“Ooow! You were asleep and I did not want to disturb you.” She huffs and crosses her little arms flicking in and out of his vision making it difficult to see where he is going in the dark.“Hold still, will you?” She finally lands on his shoulder and takes up the usual space in the crook of his neck. She sits arms crossed, obviously still peeved at him. He doesn’t really care at the moment. They need to send someone to tell the main army the high elves are nearby. Then it hits him. One of the fairies had stayed behind, why did he not just send a message through them instead of sending some of his men?! He stops for a second as he mentally swears at himself.
“Vinx, I need you to send a message to the fairy that is with Old Sun.” She finally stops talking his ear of, most of which he had not even paid attention to. “Tell Old Sun we will be running into the High Elves’ army in two days, they need to be prepared.” Vinx is quiet for a whole thirty seconds before the questioning starts.
Before he even gets to camp a gratified smile creeps onto his face. The screams of the human commander can clearly be heard.
Vinx sees his smile and huffs again. “He has been screaming all night, no one can get a wink of sleep because of it. Fira even tried to go and calm him down, but after two seconds inside his mind she ran out of the tent and started throwing up. What scenes did you plant inside?” Slyfer shrugs. “I only gave him what I feel he deserves after torturing all those women.”
“Still, the troops need to rest so maybe give him a break-“ Slyfer rounds on her, his eyes glowing red.
“No, there will be no rest only suffering for that dog!” Vinx flies back and her light dims at his angry voice. He stands staring at her for a while before he blinks a few times and shakes of the anger. “Sorry, but no rest for him…. Have the fairies made any progress with the strange creature we found.”
Her light is still dim, but at his question it lights up even brighter than before. She twirls around happily in the sky. Slyfer can’t help but think: “Fairies.”
“We have made progress actually; the thing can think and talk like we do. It seems it’s an experiment, or the result of an experiment.” Her light dims again casting an eerie glow over the surroundings. “The thing was once human…. A human with magic that they altered and it turned out this way.”
Slyfer’s jaw clenches and he feels a sudden urge to feed the commander to it, his thoughts changes as he hears another blood curdling scream. “Death by Bassisk, or whatever they called it is too good for that waste of sperm.”
The next morning Slyfer finds out that the soldiers he has sent out to report have returned along with their own message. Slyfer quickly gets dressed after a quick wash, he gives his armour a quick glance and then disregards the idea of wearing it again. It still smells like death.
Slyfer makes his way out to find Aldowin already up and waiting outside the elf looks older, Slyfer can’t decide if it is because he gave the sword master the news of the high elves or because he couldn’t sleep there is also the matter of the pain his master must be in. Slyfer inspects the crutch as he greets the High Elf “Good morning master, did you sleep well?” As if to mock the question another scream rips through the air.
Aldowin glares at his student. “What do you think?” Slyfer only smiles and turns to look at his men approaching.
“I slept like a baby; today is going to be a good day!”
The warriors come to a standstill in front of him and bow. “No need for that, stand up.” They hurriedly get up, not one meets his gaze. “They must fear me because of what I did?”
Aldowin chimes in with an order.
“Well don’t just stand there staring at the ground like a bird looking for a worm to eat. What is the news?” They stand up taller hearing his voice.
“Sir the King and Old sun sends word that they will be here before it is dark, we are to wait here until their arrival.” The warrior turns to Slyfer and his gaze once again drifts to the ground. “Ol… Old Sun sends his appreciation for saving his daughter.”
Slyfer snorts at the “words of appreciation” if they had listened to him from the beginning, none of this would have happened, but then again he would not have his plaything that is screaming even now.
“Did they say anything regarding the arrival of the High Elves?” Askes Aldowin irritated by the fear the men have of Slyfer, sure even he felt fear yesterday, but the anger and mercilessness was not without reason, what upsets him is the fact that Slyfer still has not killed the squealing pig and it disgusts him.
“There is one last thing Sir.” Aldowin raises an eyebrow, his face questioning. “The King made me promise to stress over the importance of this message and made me promise to say the next sentence word for word.” Aldowin and Slyfer both lean in, curiosity getting the best of them.
The warrior shuffles around on his feet tongue tied and embarrassed. Aldowin is the first to break down. “Speak idiot! What is so important.” The warrior grumbles something under his breath; Slyfer could just make out the last few words. “Mother if you are in the afterlife please protect me now.” The warrior finally looks up at Slyfer . “The King said: Tell that Slyfer if he even thinks of touching my daughter, I will snap his neck! Also tell them all to learn how to dance! I can take having to look at the faces of the high elves once every hundred years, but what I won’t take, is if those tree huggers dance better than my warriors!”
Aldowin and Slyfer both clench their fists as they look at the sorry messenger, he quickly scampers backwards as sweat starts to bead his brow. Slyfer is the first to speak. “Damn King, I will enjoy making your head explode in anger.”
Aldowin only mutters two words over and over, anger growing every time he says it. “Tree-huggers? Tree-huggers? Tree-huggers?! I will show him a damn tree-hugger when I tie him to a tree and leave him for dead!”
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All the warriors cringe when hearing the two. Slyfer stops thinking of how he is going to tease the King and his eyes grow wide in worry. “Master, I don’t know how to dance!”
Aldowin’s face turns serious as he looks at Slyfer. The two stare at each other deeply, Aldowin puts his hand on Slyfer’s shoulder and turns his gaze to the horizon and starts to speak sadly. “My student there comes a time in every man’s life, when he has to make the most difficult decision of his life. Once you hear what I have to say and get asked this question by the unlucky bastard that will be your student one day, I hope you will remember what I said…..There is absolutely no way I am teaching you how to dance, forget it!”
Aldowin turns around and makes a speedy retreat while Slyfer is still too shocked to do or say anything. Once he does eventually recover, he turns to the other warriors…. but no one is there. “Where did everyone go?! Bastards, I will get my revenge.” Slyfer walks through camp searching for a teacher, but most turn away or shake their heads gravely. “How can word that I need a dance instructor travel so fast?!” Slyfer doesn’t get, if they are refusing to teach him or just saying they can’t dance as well, but the message is quite clear.
Slyfer gets an Idea and heads toward his tent and very last hope. He pokes the little fairy gently that is still fast asleep on his pillow. “Vinx…. Vinx…”
She rolls around and giggles. “Stop it Slyfer, you are so naughty early in the morning.”
He jumps back as if hit with something. “What is she dreaming, or thinking?” That plan being a bust, he sits down disheartened and wallowing in despair. “Fine I simply won’t go! Who needs to dance I am dragon…. A dragon that can’t dance..” Sigh. “Old ones, how does one dance?” Silence….. “Hello? Oh come on, not you guys too!” Nothing is the reply, he senses them there, but none deem to say anything. “Why is it such an issue to teach someone how to dance?” Slyfer nearly falls over as the multitude of voices all speak up at once. “Wait! I can’t hear you all at once. Moreover, now you deem to say something?”
Silence…..
A familiar female dragon voice comes to his rescue. “It is taboo to teach someone like you how to dance.” Slyfer exasperatedly starts to speak to them aloud. “Why, why is it taboo?” Slyfer can almost imagine them whispering together. Then she finally replies. “It is taboo to say why it is taboo.”
Slyfer: “…..”
Dragons: “……”
Slyfer: “…..”
Dragons: “…….”
“That makes no sense at all, how did anyone ever learn how to dance then?”
The dragons whisper again….. then replies. “We have no idea.”
It is almost impossible, but Slyfer sinks further into the chair. The female dragon’s voice gives him the answer he has been trying so hard to find out. “It is considered taboo because the one that teaches you is supposed to be your betrothed. It is a custom that is common among all the races. Only those that have been designated as wedding planners are allowed to teach dancing.”
“It still makes no sense, Aldowin told me the high elves do not really believe in the concept of marriage because they are long lived and the same goes for the fairies, however I doubt that the fairies will be able to teach me any form of dancing that would not involve me requiring wings!”
The female dragon’s voice can't hide its amusement when it replies. “Aldowin left because he simply did not want to teach you, as for the fairies…. you are probably right they won’t be much help.” Slyfer turns his consciousness to her hope clearly blossoming inside it.
The female laughs and says. “Can you imagine a dragon dancing?”
The hope withers, dies and then burns away and finally a wind picks up the ashes and scatters it forever. “Then I simply won't dance.” A feeling that had finally fit his age soon disappears. A feeling of curiosity, excitement and youthful naivety that made him feel the way someone his age is supposed to feel. Now it is replaced with a feeling so morbid the atmosphere of depression is almost tangible around him.
“I guess war, strife and suffering has become the stuff of which I am made.” Slyfe thinks back to Fira and what he had said the previous night and then finally Trisha and how she had left. He walks over and falls onto the bed feeling frustrated and hurt. The two combine and form a feeling beyond irritation.
A person Slyfer does not expect steps into the tent. He does not even bother to turn around simply just staring at the floor, his head half hanging from the bed. He knows who it is without looking. “Jade, I am really not in the mood to be scolded right now.” The bed sinks next to him as she sits down next to him.
His step sister sighs. “I did not come to scold you but to find out if you need help?”
Slyfer’s ears perk up, but he soon sinks back into despair and gloominess. “I never tell anyone this, but I am a certified wedding planner.”
In his mind, Slyfer is wishing she would just leave, he still has not forgotten how she looked at him with fear yesterday. He does not want to see it again….”Wait did she just say wedding planner?”
Slyfer jumps up and grabs her shoulders making Jade almost scream and run with freight at his actions. “You, you can teach me how to dance!” She flinches and seeing her reaction he quickly lets go. “Sorry, it's fine you don't have to.” Slyfer turns away from her and gets up to pour himself some water. “I was right, she does fear me. Can’t blame her, can only blame myself, my nature.”
He hears her exit the tent without a word and then the strangest thing happens. Something he has never heard before starts to sound out. His memories gained from Malgrobin tells him it's music. He turns around slowly as a deep beat of a drum starts to resonate with his heart. Jade is back inside the tent smiling at him. He smiles back and a lute starts to play falling in with the beating drum. The sound it makes, makes the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He can’t help it and his foot starts to tap along with the drum.
Jade steps towards him and starts to explain. “First you bow” She does and her green hair falls forward. Her hands extending to her sides. A man's voice starts to ring out along with the instruments and it increases the feeling of pleasure in Slyfer’s heart. He follows Jade’s bow his eyes not leaving hers. Instead of going to the sides his hands lift up in front of him in the traditional greeting.
She smiles and nods at it.
Two hours later, Fira is standing in her tent and can still hear the music and as she does her hair goes purple. Her face creases in worry when it happens. She quickly exits and runs towards Slyfer’s tent. She turns a corner and comes to a standstill. In Front of her is Slyfer dancing closely with Jade. She searches herself and quickly finds the place inside herself that is connected to him. “It's not lust, but something else.” Slyfers eyes are closed as he and Jade hook arms and walk in opposite directions, making a full circle.
Jade’s eyes don't leave him, her cheeks are red with the exertion of dancing. The drum beats grow faster and so does the dance. They unhook and Jade turns, her back hits his stomach, she closes her eyes as he fluidly picks her up, his hands placed on her hips. She arches her back and curls backwards.
Slyfer turns and the wind ruffles his hair, Jade’s green hair dances with it in the air as she balances herself above him in an arc while he slowly brings her down. Her lower back touches his shoulder first and she straightens her legs and slides down his body. Until her toes softly touch the ground. The music stops and she can only hear her breathing and fast racing heart.
Slyfer’s voice interrupts her moment. “Do you want to dance again?” Her face goes pale. “Do you want to dance me to death? Look at the men, they are almost keeling over from exhaustion!” Slyfer looks at them and then back at her. “Do you want to dance again in half an hour?”
The answer is her stomping off somewhere. Slyfer looks at the musicians and their sorry states. He nods giving them permission to leave and get some well needed rest. Slyfer smiles again as he thinks about the dancing he will experience tomorrow. He never thought dancing would be so exciting and fun!
Fira’s voice draws his attention. “It seems you are a fast learner.” He nods. “Jade is a good teacher it also helps that I am different…. physically among other things.” She smiles, dazzling Slyfer’s senses and mumbles. “Among other things indeed.”
Her hair turns purple again along with his eyes. She takes a strand and inspects it closely. “Tomorrow I will show you how to really dance.”
Intrigued Slyfer can't help, but ask playfully and how is to really dance?
Her eyes looks into his from the strand of hair. “It’s like a need that can't be sated. Like your very being can’t go without it. That's what the song is about that you just danced to, you know?”
Slyfer scratches his head in embarrassment. “I was paying more attention to the music to be honest.”
She smiles and turns around the wind picks up rustling her purple hair and carries her sweet scent to Slyfer’s nostrils. She looks up into the sky and thinks of how Slyfer always stares at it. Like his heart is pining for it. “I wish he would look at me like that.”
She looks over her shoulder at him to find his gaze is locked on her. “I can sing it to you if you want?”
Slyfer steps forward. “Please do.”
Her voice fills the air and anyone near enough to hear stops whatever they were doing and steps closer.
The wolves howl and the hell gates growl and I watch as the ashes fall on my beloved’s hall
he does not know, no he does not know
My love for him has grown, but I fear for it to be shown
It hurts to love and not be loved back, but what hurts even more is my lack of courage that holds me back.
he does not know, no he does not know
My love for him has grown, but I fear for it to be shown
Time has passed, but my love still lasts my heart’s in pain, a pain I can no longer contain
He will know, yes he will know
My love for him has grown and my courage must now be hard as stone.
I tell him how i fell, but his reply makes the final destination hell.
He now knows, yes he now knows
My love for him has grown, but he has a love of his own.
Time has been my enemy, my lack in courage will make the pain in my heart last for eternity
I now know, yes I now know
I lost this love because i had no courage for it to be shown, the blame belongs to no-one and can only be my own
Her voice stops and Slyfer get goosebumps. “Such a sad song.”
She turns around and looks at him. “It is indeed, no one really knows where the song came from, but its sang at most occasions to remind us how easily you can lose someone.
Slyfer sees the sadness in her face and nearly takes her in his arms, but the memory from last night pops up just as he is about to move. “Is it fair to put her through that?”
He looks at her, forcing his body to remain still. She sees the action and nods unconsciously. For a second it looks like she wants to cry, but she straightens her shoulders and lifts her chin. “Well then I should return to my tent, good luck with your dancing lessons.”
Her change of tone and attitude bothers him, but he can’t do anything. He watches as she disappears around a tent. “Is this love?”
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Alright guys I hope you enjoyed the chap I have changed a bit to my writing style since a lot of guys have told me its not always easy to understand who is talking. Please let me know if this a bit easier compared to how it usually was.
Also please dont forget to rate, follow or like. Reviews are always welcome!!!!!!