Dragon Aster Trilogy

2: DAMEK



Sybl opened her eyes to the sound of something striking wood. She pulled her face off of the ground and looked around for its source, as the drumming continued both in the background and from the pain her head was in.

“There be wraiths in the trees, you would be safer not leaning against any.”

She glanced back. Then she looked up to the massive deer staring down at her with solid purple, glowing eyes. Either she had shrunk to the size of a tiny fairy, or it was just that huge. Sybl froze in place as it lifted its impressive sharp antlers, appearing as if it carried the world tree on its head. The deer’s coat was a dull grey that might have been a beautiful silver once.

“The trees are not safe.”

She got to her feet and looked at the tree and then up into its higher branches. The deer was not lying as its antlers struck something that gave a deafening screech. It sent Sybl falling back to her knees in pain. The stag quickly entangled the black shadow of a wraith into its sharp antlers, before whipping it to the ground. Then it trampled the creature into the Keol in several pieces with its sharp hooves. When the spinning in her head stopped enough to let her see straight again, Sybl looked back to the deer. It had returned to watching her.

“The trees are not safe.”

“I caught that part…” She looked to the black pool of water left by the wraith as the Rift slowly disappeared. “Where am I?” Sybl looked around as a distant drumming continued, likely from more of the same deer-like creatures.

The stag began to paw the ground with its cloven front hoof, till it had rustled together enough dying leaves. Then they began to move across the ground. “Aragmoth leads you that way.”

Aragmoth? Does this mean I’m dead? She touched her shoulder, not remembering where the last bullet had struck. With her wounds gone, things became even more confusing as she looked down to see that she was wearing an elegant blue dress.

“Death is but the other side of life. Fay are the equilibrium, and are able to exist between both.”

Sybl decided to take that as a yes. “Where is that way?”

“All paths are clouded now. There be wraiths in the trees.”

She followed after the dying leaves. They decayed into dust as they moved in their drifting procession through the woods.

The stag turned away from her and went over to another tree, before beginning to strike it as it had with the one before.

Snow-like dust floated down from the dark canopy overhead, visible only in the beams of light that were able to break through it. Everything looked as if half of all the colors in existence had vanished from the world. Sybl continued to follow the leaves, until they scattered away on reaching a pond.

On top of the still, dark-blue water, was a man who looked to be practicing with a long sword. Dressed in golden armor and a horned helmet that concealed most of his face, he sparkled like the stars. As he moved, the water stayed as still as solid glass under his feet. But as beautiful as he was, his reflection was not, as it showed the truth to his real self; the Eminor Daath. The reflection was equally alive, as it followed Damek’s movements like a shadow, but kept its green eyes on her.

Should he release it, I will return, Sybl could remember from Daath’s words on Earth, before the soul-separated Eminor left her where she would be killed moments later. And here is darkness from which only light can escape.

The stillness wasn’t to last, as someone else charged the scene of serenity and collided with their large blade against Damek’s. They locked weapons for a moment, before the attacker forced Damek down and struck him across the ice. Her heart froze when the blond hair of the attacker settled back down to reveal their face.

“You had that one coming,” Cirrus laughed, as he kicked up Damek’s blade from the surface of the ice and into his hand. “Now get up, your Highness, before your mother thinks I’m not beating enough lessons into you.”

Sybl blinked a few times and looked around for Serena, as she was the only one he could have been referring to. But there was no one else.

Cirrus’ expression changed moments after, to match his new clarity on having referred to her by the wrong name. “My apologies. Your footsteps sounded so much like someone else’s.”

Sybl didn’t understand, as Cirrus was acting like he didn’t recognize her. She looked at Damek who was back on his feet. But everything was wrong, as despite her memory knowing the ‘Prince’ as Damek, Cirrus knew him only as Nafury. Damek was now playing his cards just right to get something he wanted from her, with Cirrus set between them. Sybl could only guess that she had some part to play in the riddle of releasing Damek’s soul from this place. But she only wanted to get out with Cirrus.

“You’re scaring her,” Damek said, pulling off his golden helmet to wipe the blood from his nose into his white sleeve. “It is not wise to frighten the Asterian Caelestis if you wish to remain in favor of Aragmoth.”

Cirrus looked at his Prince.

“This is the reincarnation of Asil,” Damek further explained.

Cirrus completely focused on her now, as his light blue eyes glowed.

Sybl stepped back, fearing he might somn into his dragon form in self-defense.