Dragon Aster Trilogy

30: WRAITHS IN THE PARK



Sybl looked at the trees that lined the park’s path as she swore she saw a shadow move beside one of them. “So was your Sentry popular around here before it found you?”

“I was just another of the soldier-like ones,” Xirel replied.

“What made you come to Aster?”

Xirel watched the last of the sun vanish over the horizon, then looked back at her. “It was a chance for me to expand my horizons.” He held out his arm for her to take and Sybl tucked the festra behind her and through her sash, before taking his arm. “Many, many years ago, there was a little farm girl I met.”

“In your Sentry form?”

“Yes. She must have been only eight, but what made her special was her ability to see me. Every day we would have a game where she would find me in her apple orchard. And every day she would win.”

“What’s the Sentry protocol for that?”

“With children, the rules tend to be less strict,” Xirel explained. “Because no one believed in her ‘imaginary friend.’ Years went by, and her visits became less and less often. After she hadn’t returned for some years, she suddenly reappeared again and with what emotion I had at the time, I excitingly ran to greet her. But she had grown older.” Xirel paused. “Her smile lasted only half a minute before Hino used me to snuff out her life. She died right in front of me, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.”

Sybl stopped walking with him. “I’m sorry.”

“I suppose that’s why I value your friendship in a special way, Sybl,” Xirel said and caught her eyes. “Because I know that no matter what happens in the future, neither I or any of the Sentry can take you like that girl was taken from me. Even if you die, I know your soul will always come back. Aragmoth has already proven that several times. Only now I feel as helpless as I did with that little girl in being able to help him.”

She nodded in understanding. “Well if Damek kills me, that puts all the Sentry against him, right? But I’m not so scared of the possibility anymore.”

“Oh?”

“Because you found me in the middle of downtown, in broad daylight, as a stag. And let’s not forget the realm of death that you so easily kicked me out of... You can only have a tracking signal on me.”

Xirel laughed. “In my defense I nudged you out, and kicked your dragon. And yes, you do have a tracking signal. Your Sylvan energy is easily visible for miles.”

“So much for hiding anywhere,” Sybl replied.

“Why hide?” Xirel asked. “Earth has its beauty to explore, too. And your light will not bother anyone here as long as we shine it in peace.”

“Pacifist,” Sybl said, nudging his arm with her own.

“It has its places of usefulness.” His smile was cut short then as he turned around on sensing something. Xirel unsheathed his blade as his eyes saw the shadows move behind the trees. “There should not be wraiths in the trees here.”

“Wraiths?” Sybl asked in worry, remembering the ones she had seen in the realm of death.

“Damek’s presence has made a gap of opportunity for them, as there are not as many Sentry around as there should be to keep them in the shadows.”

Sybl pulled free her festra and held it at the ready.

“Be careful, they are very fast.”

The first wraith emerged from the shadows, and as fast as the wind it came for her. Xirel cut it in two with his sword, as Sybl spun around in time to behead another. “Holy cheese, you aren’t kidding. Will a Nova help for this?”

“Yes, and we could use a few Sentry to come back,” Xirel said as another wraith cut his leg. He retaliated by cutting the solid shadow’s arm off, and then kicked it away from them.

Sybl regained her focus as she remembered her song of death. She began to hum and then sang, and the dark creatures screamed in pain as if her voice were acid burning them from the inside-out. The blades of her festra danced in tune with her voice against their attackers, until the demons retreated to the larger shadows they had come from. She let out a breath of relief at that.

Xirel sheathed his blade once he was certain that they were gone, and looked at Sybl. “You remind me of how I saw you on the battlefield in your past life.”

“Huh?” Sybl didn’t remember a thing until now. She was simply defending herself. “Maybe those memories just needed the right circumstances to heal.”

“I am happy that we can dance in battle together now, instead of against one another,” Xirel added. “But how positively rude of them to ruin our walk through the park.”

Sybl smiled as she caught the rest of her breath, grateful that she didn’t have to take on the wraiths alone. They sat down on the grass together then and waited for Luna to return.