20. Kyeria

CHAPTER 20

Kyeria

M oonlight draped through the grand windows of Kellian's chambers, painting the room in silvery hues. Deep into the night, she awoke, her skin alight with a whisper of magic and a heightened sense of awareness. Reaching out with her mind, she sought any anomaly in the shadows. A soft, familiar laugh rippled through her thoughts, a gentle reminder of her dragon, Ameline. She felt her essence drifting, like a spectral presence, soaring just beyond their castle's embrace.

"You should be asleep," Ameline spoke in her mind lightly.

"So should you," Kyeria responded.

"I am a dragon, I do as I will." Ameline's tone, while light, held a small annoyance like she was reaching the attitude a human might have when they were thirteen years of age. Kyeria smiled to herself. Soft blankets covered her and a weight around her waist alerted her to Kellian. He was stretched out on the bed, one arm slung lazily over her waist, keeping her in arms reach.

"What is bothering you?" Kyeria asked Ameline. She could feel the unease of the dragon through the wind and the clouds and the bristling of the trees. The land felt uneasy.

"The ground is awake. I do not like it," Ameline replied low and a growl shot through her mind. Kyeria slipped out of Kellian's arm, doing her best to not wake him. She looked back at his sleeping form, so handsome and still and regretfully turned. Slipping on her riding pants and boots and tucking in her tunic to bare off the chill. She spotted her wool cloak along on the back of Kellian's desk chair and swooped it up before slipping through the open windowed door and down the steps into the gardens. The stone faced guard only nodded at her in acknowledgment. She smiled all the same to the unknown soldier and went on her way.

"Fancy a flight?" Kyeria asked. It took a few moments for Ameline to answer this time. But she heard the loud flap of her wings in the wind before she heard Ameline's reply in her mind.

"Why do you think I am here?" Kyeria could feel the attitude through her tone. She assumed the dragon was rolling her eyes in an annoyed manner.

"So sorry to keep you waiting," Kyeria teased back.,

" It's too early for sarcasm." The dragon's tone was thick with annoyance now.

" I agree ." Kyeria fixed her with a look as she landed. Her brows raised, and arms crossed, leaning against a boulder in the clearing.

"Tell me what happened." Kyeria stood tall, her voice firm. She knew Ameline, despite her attitude, respected her and would go into every event sharing her full knowledge with Kyeria to help them be prepared. They had only been able to fly together recently. Ameline's growth had seemingly doubled over the last week. She was much larger than Kyeria, and climbing up her wing or leg to get to the rider's seat was more of a daunting task at present. Ameline's scales had turned darker, only in the direct light could one see flecks of purple and red. In the darkness of night she appeared rather menacing and as dark as a shadow itself.

" The Hel beast is too close. I can sense it and it's awful death filled reek. I cannot sleep because of the wretched thing," Ameline snarled. Her claws dug into the earth making it shutter and her teeth bared in the direction of the trees to the east.

"We plan to use the Merstone as early as tomorrow," Kyeria informed her dragon. "The testing went well."

"Yes, Aura visited me in the caves."

"She did?" Kyeria was filled with slight shock rocking through her. While Aura seemed curious, she usually stayed at a bit of a distance from the dragons. An inner battle lay thick in her, as the one passed by the dragon blessing.

" I asked to see her light. She is unlike any I have known or heard of. A light bringer who was fated to be dragon blessed but is not." Ameline shook her head, scales gleaming in the catching moonlight ever so slightly.

"Her light power, do you recognize which god it comes from?" Kyeria asked.

" Long ago there was a god of the sky's that loved the goddess Luna, he granted magic on those in the good graces of Luna who were not chosen as a show of favor. The god of the skies was also the god of light. His name was Ari. Few were blessed with so much light they were called light bringers. They are rare, I do not know of a time this land last saw a light bringer," Ameline explained to Kyeria and as she stood next to her, Ameline reached out her head nudging Kyeria.

"She is unsure of her own power and her place here. She may not say it out in the open but I can sense it as might you," Ameline added. Kyeria tilted her head at Ameline. She was rather observant, almost as observant as she was herself. Though, that ought to make sense as they were bound to each other and alike in many ways.

"I am glad she came to you." She meant it deeply, she hoped Aura came to see her worth as they all saw her. Kyeria's thoughts were cut deep as the forest rumbled out a nightmarish scream.

Ameline perked up, standing tall, triple the height of Kyeria when standing. Kyeria cast out her magic like a net, gathering herself into the earth and seeping into the soil along a path towards the trees' cry. She found death. Dark and looming, sucking the life from the very earth itself. The shadow beast had found a crack in the earth, and a small sliver of Hel itself was peeking through and trying to gain strength from these lands. Kyeria turned to send out a message through the bond to Kellian but she could see him, linen tunic flowing in the wind, dressed with a sword strapped across his back and a steeled gaze past her to the trees. While he may not possess the powers Kyeria did, connecting her to the earth, this was his land, his home. And nothing happened without his knowledge. His gaze reached her, through the mist gardens to the field where she stood.

" I have sent for Aura." His voice was drenched in sleep, low and gravel toned. She felt her body reach to him, felt the chill run down her spine.

" There is a crack. Past the forest edge to the east, we can banish him back to Hel with Aura's light and the stone," Kyeria replied back. She felt the grunt Kellian sent down the bond instead of a worded reply and Kyeria couldn't help the smile tug at her lips at him.

" Let's go." Ameline cut through the cold air, her voice deep, breaking through the silent night. Kyeria bristled at her speaking aloud, so unlike her to do so. She eyed the Dragon, taking in her unease as she stretched out her front leg for Kyeria to climb. She held onto the leather hand holds of the riders seat and tapped her foot to alert Ameline she was ready. Ameline muttered a "Hold on," in Kyeria's mind before taking off into the sky. The feeling was new but still exhilarating. They burst past the misty clouds that hung low and into the night sky. The stars were blinding above the clouds. Soon the clouds parted again and a glimmering white dragon broke through them. The cloud shifted apart, as if bowing to him. She felt the wind on his tail, pushing him along.

" Hello, love," his voice down the bond was sickly sweet, like honey. She smirked at his dragon form, the same glowing golden eyes staring back at her she knew so well.

"Let's go catch us a Helian Beast," Kyeria said, voice laden with determination. She peered down, the castle was small but she saw the two horses, bounding at full speed out of the castle walls and down the eastern path. Cloaked in the night their forms were dark but the long white hair of Aura was a tell tale sign, with her ever following shadow of a man on her heels.

It was time.

Kyeria, Kellian, and Ameline arrived first landing on the far edge out of sight from where Kyeria could feel the beast. Kyeria turned to Ameline.

" Go home," she said sternly, not wanting the young dragon to get hurt and knowing Dragonfire was of no use for them.

" No," Ameline countered, her voice firm and unmoving. She clawed her feet, barred into the soil.

Kyeria shook her head. "I cannot look out for you. Take to the skies if you need, your wings are still fragile and not fully developed." Kyeria tried to keep her voice firm but soft, not wanting to offend the Dragon but also needed her to stay safe; she was too young and too important.

" A dragon, let alone a Venille, as I am, can not be taken down by a mere Helian beast of shadow," she snarled back . "Do not insult me so."

Kyeria dismounted, pulling her dragon-scaled corset tightly around her and adjusting her armor.

"Do not get hurt." Kyeria stood her ground, then her eyes softened as she looked back at the dragon. "I could not bare it." The last part was barely a whisper even in her mind. Ameline's head tilted at Kyeria, taking her in. Kyeria could sense her mind churning but was interrupted by the sound of pounding hooves. As she turned, Kellian shifted into his human form again and Aura was dismounting, shoving a sword into her brother's hands and stomping towards Kyeria.

"Do you have it?" she asked. Aura was poised and ready, her white hair pulled back half-braided away from her face. She was wearing form-fitted silver metal armor, her own Guardiansword clasped in her hand. She looked as though she was not woken in the middle of the night to fight a beast but like she had been waiting and ready. Nox dismounted his own horse, tying the two to a nearby tree before joining them. He nodded at Kellian who responded with a low grunt.

"What's the plan?" Nox asked the group.

"From what I can tell, the shadow beast is against a cliff side within the dense forest edge just beyond this break here." Kyeria took her finger in the dirt and began drawing a map, raising her hand to point at the break in trees just beyond them.

"Nox and I can flank in on the west, distracting the beast, then you and Aura use the stone, direct it at the beast near the crack into Hel,'' Kellian continued before looking to Kyeria, "Can you close the crack in the earth?"

"That's unheard of, Kel," Aura cut him off, shaking her head. But Kyeria closed her eyes, felt her magic—it was overflowing in the well. She had been gaining strength after much training, but most of all being in this land, her magic swelled at the freeness here. She had been Goddess-blessed, she could feel the magic tickling her fingertips as she faced Kellian with a firm glance.

"I can do it," Kyeria said. Ameline bristled behind her in assurance or maybe pride, and they all nodded to each other. Kellian and Nox confirmed their plan on how to position the beast and back him into where the earth fell into the depths of Hel. Kyeria confirmed it, the trees whispering to her in assurance as well.

Quickly.

Quickly.

The wind howled. Kyeria and Aura moved into position glancing at the men as they moved in the opposite direction. Nox was dressed in dark training gear, his royal armor in place, so dark next to Kellian's shining armor. Kyeria saw Nox watching Aura as she looked on to the forest. She noticed his eyes clouded over and sent him a reassuring smile, before shifting to see Kellian's eyes already on her.

" Be safe," she whispered down the bond.

" For you?" A smirk tilted his lips. " Always."

Aura and Kyeria walked quickly, Kyeria did her best to soften the soil under their footsteps, making them nearly silent. They slid from tree to tree until the overwhelming sense of death and decay filled the air. Aura held the disgust clearly on her face.

Kyeria focused her mind on that of their surroundings instead. Taking in the wind, the trees and the land, she could feel the earth shutter under his feet, leaving decay there. It was then she saw a gleam of the crack in the earth. Like a black hole was under it, smoke and shadow gathered above it, tendrils slithering out and meeting with the beast, his shadowy form growing larger by the minute, leaving a stuttering eerie feeling in the air, like the rotten core of the beast was leaking into the air itself.

" We need to move quickly, it's getting bigger somehow, pulling from Hel," Kyeria rushed down the bond to Kellian. Within a blink, a stir from across the way, followed by a battle cry and Nox, like a soldier of the night flew forward, charging at the beast. Kyeria eyes caught on the sword. It was glowing, gleaming, shining even in the night. She gasped silently and looked at Aura who glowed with pride.

"What?" Aura whispered with a smirk. "I just enchanted the sword with my light with Esmeralda's help of course." She shrugged and Kyeria bit down on her lip to hold in a laugh. Goddess above, Aura was something else.

"Ready?" Kyeria asked her snow-haired friend. Aura nodded, eyes glowing on the corners and light began seeping from her skin and twisting around her hands.

"Ready," she confirmed. Kyeria pulled the stone from around her neck, muttered the spell, and pushed it into Aura's open hand. Kyeria pulled deep into herself, dragging the magic up. It was waiting for her, eager and ready to be used. Kyeria let the vines wrap around her own arms, cutting them off from the earth and controlling them with the water inside of them alone. Ready to use them like spears, she held her ground, ready to fight as she flanked Aura. She charged forward, held out her palm, then grasped her other hand around the wrist holding the Merstone and she let out a scream.

White light burst from her, all the slithering tendrils collecting into spears of light that shot through the beast, who let out a blood curdling scream. It began to shrink away and Kyeria turned, pulling up roots and vines to trap the beast where they needed to, Aura sending bolts of light, stinging it when it tried to move out of the space they needed him, caging it entirely.

"Push it down!" Kellian shouted over the chaos. The beast turned at the sound and a shadowy hand lashed out at Kellian. His Guardiansword swung trying to block the hit. And while the slice of the metal through the smoke made the beast pull back, the hit landed.

Kellian went down.

Kyeria felt the air knocked out of her as it did to him, and she staggered. The beast whirled on Kyeria and broke apart the vines, the leaves withering into black, then nothing. Kyeria cringed at the feeling, the overwhelming death and decay that swept over her as he killed the living things she brought up from the earth.

"Goddess protect us," she muttered, sending a prayer up out into the world, hoping it reached Luna. If she was Goddess-blessed, then now was the time to call in her favor, to use her magic in all its power. She held out her hands and magic burst from her. The well was draining too fast, and she pulled back, trying to harness her restraint. Magic was such a fickle thing to call on, especially since she had essentially taught herself as her magic matured, without the guidance of a council or her people after the war.

Kyeria felt the magic crashing like a tidal wave out of her fingers, as if directly defying her command to slow. At the same time, Aura positioned her light. It was dimmer than it had been before but she screamed into the night, her battle cry echoing through the empty forest edge, bouncing off the rocks and around them. The beast let out a bone-chilling screech. Aura and Kyeria moved into position, flanking the right side, Nox on the left next to Kellian. The boys had their swords at the ready, slashing at the beast pushing it just enough back, towards the deep menacing crack in the soil and up into the rock. Aura was charging, Kyeria at her side throwing out her magic, calling on the wind and the blessing of Goddess Luna. The shadowy tendrils on the beast whipped out, slashing at Aura, she staggered back but held her ground. They pushed on towards the edge of the rock, towards the gate into the underworld; a sliver of Hel.

The shadow beast was shrinking back and back and with one final push of magic, a seemingly unphased flow of light from Aura, the beast fell back. Shadows detaching and disintegrating into the air with the Guardian Swords now both glowing with the same light that burst from Aura. Her hands were split, one powering up Kellian's sword and the other on the beast. Kyeria pushed further and further, tumbling, barreling towards the end of her well; the earth was sucking the beast into it, banishing it to the underworld.

The trees chanted; the wind howled. The earth itself, every living being on this side, pushed and pushed and the crack in the earth began to heal itself. The rock cracked back into place, the soil filled. Kyeria pushed her magic deeper, closing off the earth as far as she could until there was no decay, no hint of death the creature had possessed and any bit of Hel that was leaking into their world was banished.

The Beast was gone.

With a huff, Kyeria sulked back, her legs weak under her, her breath ragged. But a thump pulled her out of her exhaustion. She looked to her left and Aura had collapsed. Then the wind whirled past them and she could sense Ameline flying closer, landing in the opening between the trees—her smaller size letting her fit—and she walked, clawed feet thumping into the ground past them all to Aura who lay unmoving on the ground. Nox was running, Kellian was running, and Kyeria was on her knees already, next to her. Hands already reaching out for her friend.

" Stop," Ameline commanded. They all paused at the Dragons' command. They surround Aura's petite form that lay crumbled on the forest floor.

"Give her a moment," Ameline insisted.

The wind stilled, the trees went silent and they waited, not a breath was taken until Aura's eyes fluttered open and clouded golden eyes stared back at them.

"Goddess above, why are you all hovering?" Her voice was weak and cracking but a smirk was still playing at her lips, and Kyeria let out a heavy sigh of relief. Nox's eyes were so clouded and dark, Kyeria couldn't make out the emotions there, but Kellian was painted with relief. He helped her stand and they all took in the surroundings. The land looked haggard but Kyeria's magic had seeped so deep into the soul that grass was sprouting up around them, flowers blooming, and broken branches fixing themselves. The golden light of morning broke through the tree line, low and welcoming. As if signaling the end and the beginning.

They had rid the land of the shadow beast who had plagued it, who had been eating away at the magical borders that kept this hidden kingdom safe, the land filled with magic, and a safe haven for the Dragons and the people of the hollow alike.

Kyeria felt a sense of calm wash over her. While exhaustion gnawed, it could not negate the feeling of calm. They had done it, they had finally done it. Aura was limp on the ground as Nox lifted her into his arms, but a proud smile was evident on her. The mask was off, and her real true emotion shone through. Kellian reached for Kyeria, his hand sweeping over her lower back and pulling her to him.

"Everytime I see you fight it is like watching art," he whispered into her hair. She couldn't help but smile up at him, burying her face into him. He kissed her hair and squeezed a hand around her waist before letting her go.

Aura was fussing, arguing with Nox to put her down while he insisted she could not ride back to the castle on a horse let alone stand. It was Ameline that spoke up.

" I will take her back. Kyeria go with your soulbound." Her voice was sure and certain in their minds. They nodded and Aura shockingly did not fight the idea. Nox helped her up into the riders seat and Aura shoved him off showing her strength was back enough to hold onto the dragon for a short ride home. Nox took the horses back alone and Kyeria rode Kellian's dragon.

Kellian, in his true dragon form, chose the longer path, guiding them through the clouds as dawn broke over the horizon. They soared amidst the swirling hues of pink and orange, where the night surrendered to the light of day. The stars had vanished, yet the moon remained—a rare celestial witness to the morning sky.

Kyeria released her grip from the scaled horns on Kellian's back, her fingers tracing the curve of his powerful form. She tightened her hold around his torso with her legs, then slowly extended her arms, tilting her head back to embrace the rush of the cool morning air.

"Don't fall off, " Kellian's voice rumbled through their bond, a playful warning. She responded with a radiant smile, her joy mingling with the wind, and after a heartbeat, she sent a single thought through their connection:

"You'll catch me."