6. Hadeon

My muscles quaked, spasming as they tried to heal themselves from overuse in the field. Dirt from digging clung to my nail beds, and my palms were inflamed, where the skin had torn off from lifting stone blocks to build the new wing of the dragon temple. Bolts of pain sliced through me as I hauled myself back to the rotten hole I slept in. The chains at my ankles clacked against the stone floor as my feet dragged across their abrasive surface.

Thetorches of the temple cast shadows like ghosts upon the wall, their eyes following me. The hiss of the pitch was their laughter at the weak creature I had become. My pathetic refuge was carved in the back of the great stone dragon statue, hidden under his tail. It was fitting because I was worth less than the shit left behind by one of these monsters.

Aftermy village had burned down, raiders came through to claim anything that wasn't destroyed. I was one of those things. They tossed my burnt body in the back of the wagon, and the next thing I knew, I was sold to the priests at a nearby temple to the old gods, like some pathetic human child.

Imade my way behind the statue and collapsed from exhaustion. I barely felt the lice and fleas burrowing into my hair and flesh as sweet darkness took me.

Then, a rough hand was pulling me out of my alcove. The pads of his fingers seemed to find their way to the same bruises. There was nowhere I could go, nowhere that was safe, nowhere that was just mine.

"You're filthy, boy. Unfit for this holy place. Come with me." I knew what that meant.

Thepriest dragged me to the altar underneath that great stone dragon's maw. Bowls of tepid water sat out from the day's rituals, and he grabbed a stained rag, dragging its coarse fibers over my skin.

Hepulled off the scrap of fabric that was my clothes, so I stood naked in that great hall. The priest's eyes glazed over with hunger, and I knew it wouldn't be long now. ButI didn't fight him as the rag wrapped around me. He had left the pokers in the urns of embers on the altar, a reminder of the pain I had received over and over when I had fought him before. AndI was just so tired; my body was already broken. I just hoped it would be over soon.

Helaid me down on the frigid stone of that altar, and I floated away from my body. It wasn't me this was happening to. I let my mind drift anywhere else. Above me, the torchlight swayed over that great dragon statue, and he came alive. His eyes glowed ochre, and his tongue lashed. His deep, menacing growl struck into the deepest part of me, his hot, disgusting breath on my neck, my face, my lips. I felt his teeth bite into my skin over and over. That deep red flame surrounded me until I could see nothing but its endless depths. Beautiful boy, how I love to devour you.

The dark red flame followed me into my waking consciousness. It seeped through my closed eyelids and snapped them open. No, it wasn't me who was the prisoner anymore, but him. I had defeated him, and now his heart glowed; that deep, blood-red crimson trapped within the layers of enchantment bound him to me. My nails cut into the stone bench I lay upon. His power was mine; his life was mine. I was the GreatHero, the savior, but still, I felt I could hear his deep growl inside of me, and the hairs on the back of my neck rose. Lightning crackled over my skin, and I thought about reaching out and destroying us both.

"Ah, YourEminence, you've awakened!" Leather-clad feet approached, and I slowly raised my aching body off the stone slab.

"Plagis, why am I down here?" I grabbed my aching head and propped my elbows on my knees. The red light of the dragon's heart caused every exposed inch of my skin to itch.

"It seemed prudent to place you as close to the heart as possible to speed up your recovery."

Slowly, the memories came back to me. The girl sitting on my lap as I tempted Abraxas. He barely resisted the trap. It had all backfired on me as his army arrived at my borders. His magic clashed with mine with a strength I hadn't felt in centuries. It still hadn't been enough.

"Where is he now?"

WhenI first saw his true form, I couldn't believe it. The great empty pit of denial that comes when a tragedy too large for the mind to comprehend unfolds before your very eyes. Then the anger came. How had I not known? How many times had I looked into those emerald eyes over the centuries? The truth had been right in front of me, and I had not seen it.

"He was last seen flying north. Sources have him flying out into the Sea of Spirits."

Ishook out my limbs, still stiff from the recovery. DidAbraxas know how close he had come to overpowering me? Did he know I had laid under the fiery artifact, closer to death than I had come to since I first gained my powers? I stripped off the flimsy white robe I had been dressed in, surveying the large burns that ran over my chest. I'd used every healer I could find to rid myself of a similar scar after facing the WorldBreaker, but here it sat again, reignited. A fate I could never escape.

Thewound was still fresh enough that it stung as the surrounding skin pulled with my movement. I ran my fingers over the raw surface, savoring the pain that laced through me.

"YourEminence?" Plagis lingered behind me.

"Send every scout we have to the islands. I want him found immediately."

"Sir, with the DragonArmy's invasion, it would be prudent not to—"

Ilashed out and struck him across the face with both my hand and power. He crumpled to the floor immediately.

"I want him found. Now."

"Of course, sire." Plagis clutched his cheek as he rose from the ground. "I will see it done." He scampered from the room, and I was alone with the heart.

Iturned to face it. The dragon's heart floated in the center of the room, its fire still beating as if the magnificent beast merely slumbered. Glyphs danced along enchanted circles, glowing the same deep red as the magic and my blood. They orbited the heart in all directions, binding it to me.

Fora moment, the maroon flames flashed a vivid green in my mind. Abraxas, how I desired him and how he resisted me. But no longer. He would be bound to me, just like his father. He would be mine.