Dragon Aster Trilogy

19: BEDTIME STORY



Loki looked around Sybl’s room, not in the mood to take any more chances with the phelan. “I didn’t know it was customary for humans to give others a gift on their birthday—when they aren’t family or a Bond?”

“What’s wrong with doing that?” Sybl asked, and sat down on her bed.

“Well, if you were my Bond for starters, I’d be rather mad and jealous of that griffin giving you a toy. Especially as you aren’t a child.”

Sybl laughed. “You don’t have to give me something to compete, Loki. It’s just an Earth thing.”

“Well, I respect Earth’s differences. Particularly their women.”

Sybl pulled on the toy owl’s wings. “What was my mother like?”

Loki looked at her, surprised by her question. “She was just like you. A bit more fragile and gentle, and she didn’t like fighting at all. Simera would curl up into a defensive ball when she found a wound on him. It was the only time he would appear weak. She was hard to get angry, but then nothing could save you when she did.”

“It’s so strange… To wake up one day and find that your entire life was a lie, and that you aren’t who you always thought you were. It almost feels as if I’m watching myself from afar.” She let her gaze drift to the brown carpet.

“Well, I’m here for you. You have friends and family here, and while this place,” Loki continued as he looked around, “is an awkward palace for a Princess, at least its not a godless one. One day I will bring you to your true castle. I think that is the only gift I can conjure in my mind that would be worthy for giving to you.”

“I want you to be a Prince because I believe you should be, not to impress me—or anyone for that matter.”

“Is this because of something you saw of the future?” Loki asked in concern.

“I can’t see the future. I can only see what has happened to make us who and what we are.”

“But in theory, you can see the future. Fay are supposed to be able to use both energies.”

“I don’t know if I want to see the future. If it’s horrible and I lose all hope, then I could end up being no different from Damek.”

Loki settled to a sit against her door as he fell into thought on the topic of Toria’s true Prince. “When I was in Mer City, I saw their Tech images. Right after you were born, they sent you through the Gate to Earth, and Nafury—I mean Damek, back to the surface with Serena for Simera to find. Lintrance said something about binding your memories to a kyrie as well. I’m going to guess it was the one that tried to kick down my castle.”

“Sial,” Sybl said.

“But the question is why? If Vanir wanted the caels all dead, why didn’t he just have you killed then?”

“He didn’t have the intention to kill me in Mer City, either. Likely because I would just reincarnate again and he would have to start all over with finding me. Tenu is working for him. I don’t think he, or anyone for that matter, was aware that Nafury was Damek. It’s possible that Tenu wanted to save me, and never told him what she saw.”

“So is he gone forever?” Loki asked.

“The Nafury you knew, yes, I think so. I saw Damek when I was dead-like, and he was nothing like the memories you and Cirrus have of him. I can only assume that Cael’s immortal memories and character win out in the end.”

“Are you scared that the same will happen to you? What happened to Nafury?”

“I was not a good person in my past, Loki.”

“You were the Caelestis of War. I mean, you can only be so ‘good’ and get anything done at the same time.”

“I mean, I didn’t care,” Sybl replied. “I didn’t feel much of anything.”

“You just needed more who loved you,” Loki said assuringly. “Sylvan return the feelings you give them, maybe even more than humans do. If the Texts are right, Solar had turned everyone against you. Much like she is now.”

“Maybe.”

“So are you good for a bedtime story?”

“Weren’t you just complaining about Gwa treating me like a child?”

Loki smiled. “Well, as long as you are still willing to play, I know I have you as Sybl and not a Caelestis of War. And there’s one I know, but until you appeared, no one knew just how accurate it was.”

“Alright, let’s hear it,” Sybl said, and tucked herself under the covers of her bed.

“Once upon a time there was a beautiful world where everyone was born as twins,” Loki started. “No one was ever born alone or without someone to love. They called the firstborn the Mei, and the second to be born, the Aliyr. The Mei was considered the shield into the world, and the Aliyr the sword. As such, the female was almost always the shield and the male, the sword.

“But there were exceptions. Asteria was unlike all the others of her kind, and was born alone. They called her a Sylph, which were considered to be gods as they were able to survive entirely alone. She wielded great power and wisdom despite that. As she made the world flourish in prosperity and peace, they named it after her; Aster. But this did not mean she wished to be alone, so when a Sentry of Earth fell in love with her, she agreed to be his wife.

“Daath gave her a beautiful Unicorn on her wedding night, in which he Threaded the names of all 3000 Eminor loyal to him in its horn. From its horn that was also a curved, bladed staff called a festra, she could command the dark army as she pleased. He in turn, would have her to please him. But the army’s primary purpose on Aster was to devour and destroy any nightmares to come near her. They became known as ‘Nightmare Eaters.’

“But it was a world of peace, so the Eminor lived alongside the Asterians like their Ancients did, aiding them with their powers in exchange for their life energies. When they were unneeded, they would sleep peacefully entertained by the Asterian’s few nightmares.

“There was no hunger, suffering, pain or disease as the Asterians could wield the spirits like magic. They could cure and build almost everything, limited only by their imaginations. Every once in a while, they would stir up Earth’s humans for inspiration by influencing their love for each other and war. There was no need for their own kind to wage war, for they had the power of psi, where they could see into the minds and feelings of those around them. Where a dispute lay, it was quickly settled by the power of their own spirits.

“The most powerful Dreamer would always intimidate the other to yield, and the conflict would be settled. Or the opposition’s spirits would be devoured, and the host exiled to continue their pursuit of misery on Earth. Many became or returned to being Sentries.

“Asteria and Daath had a baby girl and boy, twins which they named Asil and Erebus. Unlike most twins, Asil was born as the Aliyr, and Erebus the Mei. They lived happy for a time, as there was nothing that existed that could match Asil’s beauty or Erebus’ strength. The people took their love for one another as an example to live their own lives in balance. They were the first Fay; fairy immortals composed of two worlds.

“But the happiness was not to last, as the Sentries from Earth formed together to take Daath back, and the army that he had fled Earth with. They feared that the child Prince and Princess would amass a force against them, and as such their very existence was a threat. But the Asterians were masters of the energies of life and death, aeri and estus alike. So they had to create a weapon capable of wielding and defending against both.

“So they drowned all the evil and good from their world of Earth, and fused both energies together by doing so. Of the storm that erupted over the flood waters was born the Dragon Moon.

“They unleashed the dragon’s rage on Aster, and it destroyed everything its shadow passed over. Asteria’s and Daath’s combined energies were not enough to stop the monster. Before they died, they were able to tear the wings from the Dragon Moon.

“So Erebus and Asil fell from the highest heavens in the universe. The Dragon Moon pursued them, slowed by its loss of wings, yet determined to destroy what was the last of the existence of Aster. He caught Erebus and devoured him. He caught up to Asil as well, but before he could attack her, she unravelled the Threads that were on her mother’s festra. Then she sung the names of the Eminor within.

“The Eminor were immune to the death that the Dragon Moon brought on Aster, and combined around her. They created a dragon even larger than the Dragon Moon. It could bend the folds of space into black holes like a whirlpool in an ocean. Aragmoth attacked and consumed the Dragon Moon, fueled by Asil’s rage and sadness. It hurled its soul back to Earth, taking the estus energy from the Dragon Moon into itself. Of the titan’s bones, Aragmoth left them to forever float in space near the Earth. A testament and warning of his power should the Sentries ever try and cross him again.”

When Loki’s story was over, Sybl felt as if she had relived her past, and all of its sufferings. The part of her mind that had banished the pain into the furthest reaches of her memory, refused to take it back. She stood up from her bed, and went over to her dresser to pick up his silver mask. She kneeled in front of Loki, tilting the light it reflected at his face. But the silver mask did not show her the stars of his eyes, it revealed only the door.

“Did I get it all right?”

“Loki…”

He turned his head to the side. “It was the only way I could save you. After my brother sided with Yri, Tenu and the Phoenix brought all of Mer City down in their fight. I couldn’t make it to the surface in time and drowned.”

Sybl gave him back the mask, and her hands trembled.

“I’m sorry. I know it is wrong, but sometimes you have to do what is wrong to get a better right done.”

“There is no telling whose side the Sentry you took is on.”

“There is, because I can feel it. Like a constant voice in my head always talking to me. It’s not the only one here, and I think they want to help. Damek isn’t just a threat to Aster, but Earth as well,” Loki said.

“And if we manage to deal with Damek, then what?”

Loki touched her face, fearing she would cry. “I won’t hurt you. I’m on your side, first and foremost. I promise.”

She couldn’t hold her tears back.

“I used to think that if I were strong enough when death took me, that I could protect my family in the realm of death. But all this has proven just how weak I still am. I can’t face them again, not yet. Please tell me you understand.” She nodded, and he wiped the tears off of her face. “Now get some sleep.”

Sybl got up and went back to her bed, then lay down and closed her eyes.