Dragon Aster Trilogy

29: FLESH AND PETALS



Before the teeth and claws of the White Death could reach Sybl, Kas and Jru, two shadows came out of nowhere and collided on either side of the dragon. The phelan tore down the white dragon by his wings and limbs.

Cirrus lashed out violently at them, hurling one of the phelan across the Shrine and into a pillar, crumbling it almost enough to make it collapse. The dragon then grabbed the other phelan by its face and smashed it into the ground, erupting a flurry of flowers.

Sybl screamed at him to stop, but everything had become a deafening sound from Cirrus’ infuriated cry. She tore free of Kas’ grip on her and ran to him. Either he would be killed, or he would end up killing half the Custos of the Sanctus, and all because of her if she didn’t stop him.

The White Death made a sudden, violent spin, tripping out the two phelan that had joined the fight, before slashing them across the grass with his blood-spattered claws into a tumble. He turned suddenly, raising his claws into the air to strike down the next attacker from behind, but instead of a phelan, his claws dropped on Sybl.

Her scream was cut off as she couldn’t move or breathe from his force. Somehow, her energy tried to fend off his weight. Wake up, Cirrus! It’s me! Then her strength gave out, and his claws crushed her.

Jru’s phelan form collided with the dragon then, catching Cirrus’ neck.

“Sybl! Sybl!” Kas cried, as he dragged her away from the fight. He hugged her, and forced his aeri into her body. “No, you are not going to die! Sybl!”

Loki ran into the Shrine, and on seeing Cirrus, he somned and helped the phelans’ efforts to contain the dragon. The combined weight with his own dragon form was finally enough, and Loki fell back and to his side. A dozen chains were wrapped around his cousin, until Cirrus could do little more than breathe.

Loki unsomned then, and hauled Kas off of Sybl enough to try and do something to help. He felt her chest, trying to figure out which rib to put back first, as somehow her heart was still in one piece. One by one, he set them back in place, not caring to how much of his energy drained. If Kas hadn’t held onto her soul, there might have been no hope of saving her at all.

Three more ribs, then four, and she finally gasped for air. Doing so caused her to scream out in even more agony.

Loki collapsed from exhaustion, but Kas refused to let her go, even as his own energy loss threatened to hurl him unconscious.

An ayame Sano came and finished healing her wounds, and her internal bleeding stopped. Kas’ body shuddered. He had felt everything Sybl had, without being the one physically enduring it. Kas looked at Loki as his illusion weave faded, revealing the true form of an Awl. His blood boiled at the sight, as the dragoon had been too good at hiding the demon he had chosen to become. Across the garden, the White Death now lay motionless. His Custos didn’t kill the dragon, likely fearing that the Aeger would only make Cirrus into something more terrifying that they couldn’t deal with when dead.

Kas tried to get to his feet, only to end up falling to his knees in his extreme weakness. He tried again, and once upright, he walked closer to where the phelan had stretched out the White Death for his judgement. They assumed he was the only one who could kill this Aeger dragon and not bring on the wrath of Aragmoth on them all. Kas pulled his blade free from its sheath behind him, and took a shaky aim at Cirrus. “You will die for this!”

The White Death didn’t say anything or put up a struggle, as awareness had returned to his light blue eyes. The Sylvan energy from Sybl had cured the Aeger from the dragon. Now he looked to wake as if from some unfathomable nightmare, into a reality he could not accept.

Kas didn’t care for the part of his training and upbringing that demanded mercy. Cirrus had to pay for what he did. He brought his sword up, and the dragon closed its eyes, accepting the Fate that awaited it. But before he could bring his blade down, Loki had regained consciousness and tackled the Priest to the ground.

The blade fell from Kas’ hand, and they both collapsed like limp dolls amongst the blood-spattered stone and torn flowers. Quietly, the smell of lavender faded from the air.