The Rebirth

Phara's Fate.

The throne room was magnificent. The walls, floors, and ceiling were of polished obsidian stone. Although black in color, they refracted and reflected the dim light of the hanging torches. The entire room glittered in a spectrum of colors, creating a relaxed atmosphere to all those who entered. Huge pillars with ornate carvings of flames held up the vaulted ceiling in several powerful rows. The carvings were filled with a unique stone that glowed, giving the flames life. Standing proudly between every other pillar were life sized statues of former kings and queens. With the kings on the right and the queens on the left, they stared down the long hall to the thrones. Within them were their remains; buried where they spent a life time ruling. Between the other pillars were shallow pits of strange stones. It was long believed that they focused spiritual energy. Dragons believed that the stones could call upon a spirit for guidance. The statues were the Royal Ghost Council. Only a select few have witnessed this; Gargoyle was one of them only he was forbidden to ever speak of it outside of the throne room.

The thrones were just as magnificent. They were ebony; muscled legs and talon arms carved into the living stone. Wings which represented the many previous emperors and empresses unfurled from the back of the throne in a widening embrace, the larger enfolding the smaller. When the dragon king sat on his throne, his wings merged with them, his head becoming the throne's focal point, making them both appear as one. The thrones were held up by stone statues of four humans; representing the four races of man on Gaia. They had lived but were not considered below them. Dragons and humans alike were respected by the royal family, honoring an ancient prophecy; ‘War among man and dragon will lead only to mutual extinction’.

Gargoyle and Crystal paused as the door closed with a thud behind them, canceling all noise from the hall. They noticed two workers mounting a new statue against the wall. Gargoyle’s eyes widened then filled with tears as he saw it was a statue of his mentor and lifelong friend, Abyss. Those who had honored the kingdom with a lifetime of brave and loyal servitude were sealed inside a statue of their likeness while in their prime. They were then mounted in a place along the outer wall of the throne room. These statues were the ‘forever guard’ each with a pit of spirit stones next to them. Those selected were not permitted to enter the throne room as they would see the statue and know death was close at hand. No one deserved to be told they were soon going to die. This was an honor to the families of those chosen; one Gargoyle truly felt Abyss had well earned.

Composing themselves, Gargoyle and Crystal walked slowly down a multi colored carpet that matched the hue of colors from the refracted light. They kept their eyes forward, locked upon the rulers of their land who patiently waited for them to approach. Scilock, the king, was black scaled with piercing green eyes. His long neck uncurled, turning his crocodile like head towards his visitors. He unfolded his black wings slightly, revealing a number of haunting eyes. These were not markings, they were real and they followed Gargoyle’s every move.

Scilock was a psionic dragon; he breathed a fire of mental screams that could drive the strongest of minds into madness. His roar sent the ice of fear into the hearts of the bravest of dragons and humans alike. On the same token, his voice brought courage to the frightened and strength to the weak. He could read the minds of anyone who stood before him but only when his wings were spread. He knew the emotional state of his kingdom at all times; Gargoyle and Crystal’s arrival caused great concern.

A steamy hot sigh escaped his lips in the form of a hiss before he spoke in a soft, almost sympathetic tone. “I sense a great deal on your mind, old friend. What brings you here with such a strange mixture of pain and pleasure?”

Epoxy, the queen, was marble white with red eyes. She too uncurled her long neck, turning her snake like head towards the approaching visitors. She unfolded her white feathered wings slightly with her life mate. It was the formal way of greeting another among dragons. Epoxy was an elemental dragon whose fire embraced those it hit in a second skin of stone. This stone was elemental; it allowed air to seep through and provided nutrients to the one trapped inside. Also, the stone crumbled off after a time but it was enough to stop an attacker. The heavier she layered her fire, the longer it lasted. Epoxy did not have the power to read minds like her life mate but she had strong instincts and intuition. Scilock decreed all laws that affected the male population while Epoxy ruled over all decisions that concerned the female population. Any decisions that affected both genders, they discussed and decided together.

Like Scilock, she sighed in the form of a hiss before stating, “You seem rather pleased; yet your life mate seems deeply concerned. Care to explain?”

“Your highness, my mind is open to you.” Gargoyle’s voice was strong and steady. “It will take less time if you see the events unfold for yourself.”

Scilock raised a single eyebrow. “For you to open your mind to reveal all it must be dire news indeed.”

Crystal blushed brightly and unfolded her wings to reveal her fertility to Epoxy who gasped slightly and spoke in a guarded tone. “I know of the illness that left you sterile; it was thought that there was no cure. What brought this miracle?”

The answers to both their questions came forth is a coo from Phara as she again peeked out from Crystal’s robes. Blushing, Crystal gently pulled the infant out of the pocket and held her up for the rulers to see. Scilock rose from his throne, his powerful jaw dropping in shock. Epoxy rose to her feet as well, tears swelling in her eyes. Finally, Scilock found his voice; it shook the room with his demand. “What are you doing here with a human child?!”

It was both a gift and a curse. As a psionic dragon, Scilock could not stop his emotions from affecting everyone within a certain radius. The sculptors inside the throne room abruptly stopped their work, falling to their knees. They knew that they had nothing to fear, their king’s annoyance was not directed towards them. Yet, they were very afraid. Their king’s emotions flooded their minds, overwhelming them. There was no hiding how he felt. Crystal also fell to her knees, crumbling under the power of Scilock’s concern for the infant’s welfare. She knew that her king was at least considering ordering Phara to be returned to the humans. Her bond with Phara was already very strong and, although she was shaking in terror, she held Phara in a death grip defensive embrace. Gargoyle alone remained standing though he too was trembling.

“My mind is open to you, your highness.” His voice quivered but was clear. “Please reserve judgment until you know the truth.”

Epoxy raised a single eyebrow, seeing Crystal’s move to protect the human infant then turned to Scilock. His expression had softened slightly; changing to a deep curiosity. “How unusual; the human child does not seem to be afraid.”

Epoxy then spoke in a soft but commanding tone. “Gargoyle has opened his mind to you, my Lord. Surely if he had anything to hide, he would not invite you to enter his mind so willingly.”

Scilock grunted, turning to Gargoyle. “Look deep into my eyes, Gargoyle Igneous.”

He then fully opened his wings, revealing the dozens of eyes on the inner folds of the thick leather. They each used worm like appendages to rub the sleep from them before they all locked onto Gargoyle. It was a fearful sight that would have forced even the bravest of souls to flee for their lives. Gargoyle was no exception but he stood his ground and kept his eyes locked upon the eyes of the king. All the events of the day slowly replayed within his mind and, within moments, Scilock folded his wings in silence. There was a deep sadness in his expression; one that seemed to add years to his age. He took a step towards his life mate; looking deeply into her eyes. “You must share in this experience, my queen.” Everyone could feel Scilock’s sadness. Epoxy’s lower lip trembled slightly as she nodded.

Again, Scilock opened his wings. Epoxy gasped, he eyes moving rapidly as if she were dreaming with her eyes open. Rivers of tears streamed down her face, turning pale with a deep sadness.
“No… Please no!” Epoxy had to grip her life mate’s shoulder to remain steady on her feet.

Scilock grimly shook his head. “It is the truth of the matter, Epoxy ye Phara. Your savior, Katrina of the Wiccan is no longer among the living; this is her offspring’s child.”

Shaken and grieving, Epoxy approached Crystal who slowly rose to greet her. With Scilock at her side, the queen held her hands out to the infant; her eyes begging. Crystal was reluctant at first but soon handed Phara over to Epoxy. Crying, Epoxy looked into the infant’s grey eyes and remembered…

Epoxy’s mother had called humans ‘Imps’. She called them this as she viewed them as impatient, impulsive, impractical, and impossible creatures. She warned young Epoxy never to fly to the lowlands of humans; she would take the risk of never returning.
Epoxy did not believe her mother’s stories. How could any race of creatures that make such beautiful, grand monuments be evil or dangerous? She decided to go against her mother’s warnings and flew down to the lowlands of the humans. She came across what she later learned was a traveling circus. There, to her horror, she discovered various odd animals and even odd humans locked in cages. She was confused and annoyed to see how weak and despaired they all were. On a good hearted impulse, she made an effort to free them. Unfortunately, she was found and caught. The ring leader decided her fate in an instant; the workers threw her into a small cage of her own.

For the next several weeks, she was kept imprisoned; used as an attraction in the circus freak show. Humans who came to the circus paid to stare at her in wonder. She was treated just as cruelly as the other animals and odd humans. Any attempt to escape brought her a beating with a strange rope that stung each time it touched her. She cried most nights, cursing herself for not heeding her mother’s warnings and prayed for a miracle.

That miracle came at the beginning of the second month of her ordeal. A young girl in all black approached her cage. She was small, doll like. She had fair skin, long flowing auburn hair, a button nose, and deep gentle grey eyes. She looked at Epoxy with genuine concern before whispering to her mind. “I am Katrina of the Wicca. You do not belong here, do you?”

Epoxy began to sob, shaking her head as her mental reply came with misery and despair. “Help me… please!”

The girl gave her a gentle smile. “I will be back tonight; you will know what to do when the screaming starts.”

She then vanished into the crowds. That night, an unnatural roar filled the sky. Workers and the cruel ring master screamed in terror as fire streamed down from everywhere above. Epoxy tried to see what was happening only to scream herself as the top of her cage was ripped off and thrown a distance. She looked up at her rescuer to find a frightening sight, a mechanical dragon! Its metallic head came down, locking its petruding crystal eyes upon her. Epoxy gulped, fearing she would become a meal but breathed a sigh of relief as the eye rolled back revealing a pilot, Katrina of the Wicca! “I am here to take you home! Quickly, no, get in!”

Weak from her ordeal, Epoxy climbed into the seat under the second eye as quickly as she could. The metallic dragon then took to the sky, roaring in a sense of victory. Epoxy looked back through the crystal eye to see the animals and odd humans making short work of their once torturous masters. She would never doubt her mother’s words again. “Humans are evil! I should never have come to their lands!”

Katerina merely gave her a sad smile. “There is good and evil in all creatures. You were merely unfortunate to meet those who give humans a bad name.”

This was of little comfort to Epoxy. “Can all humans see and talk to dragons?”

Katrina giggled. “Only those who possess magic, like the Wicca, even know of dragons and the Mystery islands. They only saw you as an odd human.” She gave a dreamy sigh. “I have always wanted to visit the Mystery Islands but father warned me that those who live there do not like uninvited guests.”

Epoxy giggled back. “My home is called Mysteria. To thank you for saving my life, I invite you to visit my world. Our king and queen would want to thank you for your gallant deed…”

Returning her mind the present, Epoxy looked into the gentle grey eyes of the infant. She fell into hysterical tears, holding the child close to her heart. Scilock pulled her into a loving embrace that Epoxy returned. It was not just with their arms but with their wings as well. The two intertwined their long necks, letting out a long roar filled with mourning.

Everyone within the throne room, overwhelmed by the power of their emotions, roared with them. Phara fell into tears, adding her wails to the chorus of roars, literally shaking the room. When a dragon roared in mourning, it was not just a feeling of loss; it was a warning to the heavens that a powerful dragon was about to appear.

The emotion behind their roars brought the spirit stones to life; glowing with an eerie ocean green light. A green fire erupted from the all the stone pits at once with a hollow boom. The room was filled with its light as the stones moved on their own becoming a likeness of the former kings and queens. They all stood within the soft green light of the flames; staring at both Scilock and Epoxy. There was an awkward silence before one of the former kings spoke. “You cry out as if your entire world had crumbled beneath your feet. What is it that brings such grief the royal ghost council is summoned in haste to your aid?”

Though frightened, Crystal spoke. “My queen, you know this child?”

Sighing, Scilock and Epoxy broke their embrace. Epoxy then held up the human infant for the royal ghost council to see. “Katrina of the Wicca had returned.” Her declaration filled with grief. “It grieves me to state that she passed on before receiving the gift of the rebirth she had been promised. This is the child of her offspring.”

Gasps and mumbles were heard among the ghost council before a queen spoke. She was Epoxy’s mother and the last ruling queen, Pyra of Inferno. “I remember giving this promise.” Her voice was filled with sad remorse. “I had hoped to live long enough to see her reborn.”

Beams of eerie green light shot out from each king and queen of the ghost council to a center point. From there, the lights shot out to everyone in the room. All could feel each of them within their minds at once. When the lights vanished, Pyra spoke once again with a firm kindness. “The council has made its decision. The infant has chosen Crystal ye Igneous as her foster mother. Therefore, she will be raised as her own.”

Epoxy spoke with concern. “What of the rite of rebirth, council? This child certainly deserves to be raised by her own kind.”

Pyra smiled, though sadly. “The infant is too young; she would not survive the transition. The rite of the rebirth shall be bestowed upon her on the morn of her thirteenth year when her body and mind will be strong enough to make the journey from human to dragon kind… If she so wishes.”

Reluctantly, Epoxy handed Para back to Crystal. “Raise her well, Crystal ye Igneous. Fate has placed her in your loving hands rather than mine.”

Crystal smiled, blushing. “I shall be honored to consider you my child’s mentor, my queen.”

Epoxy smiled. “That pleases me.”

Then the members of the council declared in one voice, “This council has performed its service! We return to our rest!”

The lights went dark and the stones slowly fell back into their positions within their pits while the calming rainbow colors returned to the room.

With the ghost council’s decision made, Scilock released a ghostly cold sigh. He turned to Gargoyle with his ears perked up and a curious open mouthed smile forming. Everyone could feel his bemusement and relaxed a little. “You are a legend in certain circles and now you bring a legend to life.” He shook his head. “I feel trapped between feeling pride and envy.”

Gargoyle fought the urge to smile at his king’s comment as he did not wish to provoke him. “I shall endeavor to make you proud, my king. Phara will grow strong and make the transition with honor.”

Crystal did not hide her smile, grateful to keep her little one. “It certainly will be a challenge to raise a fragile creature like a human girl.” She frowned, her ears falling back slightly showing her concern. “I fear we are not prepared.”

Scilock let out a series of clicks that resembled a low chuckle. Epoxy chirped in the same manner before she gently placed a hand onto Crystal’s shoulder. “No one, human or dragon is prepared to raise their first child.” Her voice was calm and comforting. “As Phara’s mentor, I will help you through these times.” Her mouth opened in a kind smile. “Prepare yourself for many sleepless nights, Crystal ye Igneous. Human or dragon, infants are very demanding creatures.”