Dragon Aster Trilogy

38: BREATHLESS



Cirrus sat in the room where they had found Nafury’s body months before. It was empty for the most part now, as if the spirit of the Prince’s ghost haunted it empty. He had failed him. He had failed to protect Serena’s daughter, and now he was left with nothing. No home to return to. No miracle. Not so much as a prayer of hope for a future.

“Cirrus, we have to go,” Loki said as he entered the room they had been backed into by the mer soldiers. He stopped and wiped the sweat off of his forehead with a hand. “We can’t hold them back forever.”

“Just let them come.”

“Dying won’t bring her back.”

“Neither will fighting.”

“She is still alive! I’m sure Aleste, with some time, can help with a Gate.”

“And then what Loki?” Cirrus snapped back. “We can’t rescue her on Earth without its sun turning us to ashes!”

“You coward,” Lintrance said from the other side of the room. “Listen to yourself. If Dyaus were here and your mother was—”

“I’m not my father. And you have some nerve to call me a coward after you let Vanir take her a second time!”

“What would you have had me do? By the time I came out of shock on seeing Aleste, he had already taken Sybl as his hostage.”

“It is possible for a dragon to exist on Earth,” Aleste said and joined the discussion in hopes it wouldn’t ignite further. Another explosion struck the wall of fire that Loki’s somn had made to slow their attackers, and the dragoon buckled in pain. “But you would only have a matter of minutes before the radiation killed you, or a Sentry.”

“Let me guess. I would be hunted down by a faint resemblance to what Nafury came back looking as?” Cirrus asked.

“That didn’t stop you from being his friend before,” Lintrance said.

“No, it didn’t. Even when his body was possessed by a demon who is now responsible for all this!” Cirrus hit the ground with an angry fist, before getting to his feet. He didn’t care if he lost his mind now. It was the right place and time to tear everything around him apart.

Loki looked back as his somn caught the attention of someone or something making a lot of commotion.

Cirrus and Lintrance tried to see what he did, and it proved to be a mermaid taking out the other end of the fight in the hallway.

“Aleste?” Lintrance asked.

“It is Nyx. Vanir’s High Caller.”

“Why is she killing his soldiers then?” Loki asked confused, before heading out of the room.

“Because she isn’t alone,” Aleste said, and followed him into the hallway.

The dragoons helped the mermaid to take out the soldiers, even though she was having little trouble handling the situation. She had killed half of the mer before they confirmed she was a traitor and acknowledged that they should fight back.

Cirrus took front against the mermaid, very curious to know what her deal was. She lifted her blood-soaked katana-like blade and pointed it at him as if he were next.

“If you want the Caelestis back, you will come with me,” Nyx said.

“Just who are you?” Cirrus asked.

“I am Nyx, the sea caelestis you know as Tenu.”

Cirrus was short of words to reply with, and looked back to where Aleste seemed to confirm the fact with her saddened eyes. He looked back at Nyx. “What exactly did you have planned?”

“My plan is simple. Give me him,” Nyx said as she pointed her blade to Lintrance, “and I will lead you to Asil.”

“What do you want with me?” Lintrance asked in concern.

“Your life, for killing my son.”

Cirrus went a deathly pale and looked at Lintrance. They had found the mermaid of Moon’s bloodline, and the mother of Fevre and Trista. Trying to stay calm, he looked back at her empty eyes. “You can’t have him.”

“Then as the Caelestis is assassinated by Vanir’s Earthly minions, you will die here.”

Aleste held tighter onto Lintrance’s arm as the underwater compound began to shake.

Cirrus had heard stories of the sea caelestis’ somn, but all of them failed to grasp just how big it was.

“If it tears down Mer City it will take out the last of the Gates too,” Lintrance stated.

“Then let’s go,” Cirrus said as he led the way out to stop it.

“No, we can’t fight her.” Lintrance looked to Nyx. “My life is yours. On the condition that I don’t die unless Cirrus brings Sybl safely back.”

“What—no!” Cirrus shouted at his cousin as Aleste began to cry.

“It’s my fault she was taken to Earth both times. If she had remained here, our Prince and Queen would still be alive,” Lintrance said.

“We don’t know that.” The compound shook harder, and they all looked out from the glass hallway to the massive, black sea snake that passed overhead. Cirrus’ eyes shot to the side when one of the metal braces that held the glass walls together cracked.

“I agree to your terms,” Lintrance said in surrender.

Nyx looked at Cirrus and then led the way out of Mer City.

Cirrus couldn’t move.

“You have to go. Save Sybl and bring her back here. I am already a dead dragoon. There’s no point in dragging my life out when it can be used to save someone I care about.”

“Aleste, stop him. This is insane!” Cirrus exclaimed.

“She will still have to get through me,” Aleste said as she wiped the tears from her dark eyes, “and I do not fear from her snake.”

“And me,” Loki added.

Cirrus looked to Lintrance as if for the last time.

Lintrance unsheathed his sword from behind him and handed it to Cirrus. Then he took off its sheathe and strap and tied it to his back. “If it threatens her, kill it with this.”

Cirrus sheathed the blade behind him. Unable to find anything else to say, he followed after the mermaid.