Dragon Aster Trilogy

38: SACRIFICES



Sybl felt like she would freeze to death, as she crossed the ice fields outside of the Efereal Mountains. The painful cold was proof that she was awake now. She followed the only voice she wanted to hear through the constant onslaught of bitter winds. Not Xirel or anyone was able to persuade her to stay put and do nothing.

Sybl understood now why the phelan somnus had their Trial of Somn on these fields, as every odd moment a True would appear over the snow, watching her. After some minutes, they became more in number, and she went in the direction they had come together.

It felt like her legs would freeze stiff before she could reach them, but she had found what they were all gathered around. The massive wolf-like creatures had circled around a huge, black Rift in the snow. On the other side of it was the voice she followed.

The ice around her began to crack, and she stepped back as something was coming up through the Rift. A set of claws appeared, but nowhere near the size she expected. It was Moon’s still-tiny hand.

She carefully went closer to him and pulled him out of the freezing Rift. “I don’t think I understand all of your plan.” Sybl nearly dropped him then, when the True collapsed all at once, creating an earthquake from their sizes.

Moon jumped down from her hands, and onto the first True who seemingly melted in estus energy. That energy he took into himself, before moving onto the next and doing the same. When he was done, all five True had contributed to his dragon-size that he now looked down at her from. “Asil. Will this suffice?”

She looked to where the True were no more, then up to where he towered over her.

“Conquest without sacrifice is meaningless. I understand this now.”

“Moon.”

“Show me where your dreams have told us to go next. There are no more nightmares that can stand in our way.”

Sybl grasped her necklace, as she could feel Cirrus’ psi calling to her.

“My soul has returned to Aster. Is that what you wish? For me to have a soul again? Even after what I did to you?”

“What happened was an accident, and it was partly my fault. I didn’t trust anyone, and in that distrust you simply reacted. I wasn’t fair. You should be forgiving me as much as I should be you.”

Moon set his claws over her, as if feeling for something that evaporated from her body. “So many emotions you hold now. This humanity has made you stronger.” He took his claws back. “When I have retrieved my soul, I will fully understand you. I know that I wish to start at forgiveness, just as you do.” Moon expanded his estus energy and pulled her into his somn. Then he opened a Rift and headed in the direction of his missing soul.