The Ashen Keeper

Chapter 23

[Firekeeper POV]

She woke up in the middle of the circle. The ancient one was nowhere to be found. She had left a wisp of energy that allows her to locate the ancient one.

After all, the ancient one was a busy person. Maybe another month had gone by in the outside world. She could sense that the Ancient One was not even in this dimension at the moment.

She was now free to do whatever she wish. She now had near unlimited power. She could live for thousands of years after burning the soul of the Celestial.

'What do thou wish to do, my dear Alduin?" Her reply came in the form of a reprimand.

"Do not ask me keeper. You are only yourself. I can't decide what you should do. The sorcerer from before cannot decide and your 'Avengers' cannot decide either.

You have always been worried about the lack of care your dear Ashen One had for himself, yet now we are the ones worrying for the lack of care you have yourself.

Learn to be selfish my dear keeper. Selfish doesn't always mean bad things. Do as you wish, keeper, do whatever you want."

It seems Alduin had placed himself in the form of an elder. It was a bit frustrating after not knowing what to do but this was refreshing in its own way too.

"Show us the food!", a voice cried out of nowhere. The voice so deep yet childlike.

"Shut it, Falkor! Show us the cities.", another female yet mature voice commanded.

"But food is better than some boring constructs."

"Idiot", admonished the 'female', "architecture is the very foundation of a civilization."

"Food can show us culture too!", reply to the voice that belong to the one named Falkor.

"Shut up, you two!", came a roar from Alduin. They did so with aggrieved feelings that she did not know what to think about.

She could somehow imagine Alduin slapping the back of their heads.

"Forgive me little one, but those two are what you would call my secretaries. They are excellent in every part except for their obsession with civilization."

"You can call me Falkar!", said the childlike, male voice.

"You may address me as Selph.", replied the female tone in a noble and ethereal voice as if she wasn't arguing with the 'child' earlier.

It seems that Alduin did not want to be a participant of the following conversation. She could now see the two 'children'.

Everlasting dragons have many different types of dragons, it seems.

They could probably scare a child to tears with their appearance. After all, an everlasting dragon was as scary as it gets.

"Tell me, what do you think can define a civilization?", demanded Selph out of nowhere. She was baffled by the question.

"I am not sure I understand what thou intend for me?"

"Oh, she meant how we can see a civilization best from. Food or buildings. I personally, think that food is the most important aspect in seeing how a civilization functions. But she thinks that dusty buildings represent the most important part of the civilization."

"It's architecture, not dusty buildings and your food will rot while architecture stand stills even after centuries."

"Whatever", Falkar seemingly ignored the statement.

"I remember the food back before Gwyn's reign. They were pretty bad. I want to see how food is here. She has already seen the architecture from your soul, but we can't taste the food you eat. So, let us see all the food in this world. After all, Selph has already seen the buildings."

"I prefer the transport ...", she said in a small voice. It was strange at first, but she had grown to love 'Lola' as it was her first transport. The two dragons proceeded to stare straight at her from her soul causing her to be flustered with not knowing what to do.

'Ahhh!!' She should have kept her silence.

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[Alduin]

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This was good. It seems that throwing those two idiots to her was a good decision. Those two were outliers even among the everlasting dragons.

They were both victims of the witch of Izalith who burned down our home. Their grieving for the loss of their home turn into an obsession with civilization later on.

Eternal, they may be but, this does not exempt them from trauma. Now, they were bringing the keeper back from her isolation. She may enjoy being beside the Ashen One, but it is not a good idea for her to keep longing for him.

She has grown too accustomed to the silence when waiting for his death to see him once again. It is not a healthy habit.

He hopes that Falkar and Selph would help regain the firekeeper back her childish self before she became a firekeeper.

No doubt, being responsible for something that keeps the world going will cause some mental problems.

She spent her entire life in darkness sensing things without her eyes before coming here. She has grown too used to the darkness to the point she did not take off her metal blindfold even after she could see perfectly fine.

He would not forbid her from anything she desires, but he will always want the best for the keeper of his world.

Their home had been burned once before. It shall not burn again.

She was no longer the same keeper of that pitiful flame.

After all, she was now the keeper of the world of the everlasting dragons and the keeper of their world shall always get what she desires.

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[Firekeeper POV]

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They were both staring at her as time passes. She was panicking not knowing what to do. her savior arrives in the form of stronger dragon.

"Alduin", she acknowledged him. She looked as calm as ever but inside, she was spinning around in joy. Alduin smiled for some reason and gave them his suggestion.

"Why not try visiting the Avengers, that are your comrades in this world."

She hesitated at this. No offence to the Avengers but, she would rather spend her time with the everlasting dragons.

There were thousands of them, and she had only known three of them. Alduin sensed her reluctance.

"We live in your soul, and you are our world, but the outside world is your actual world. Do not restrict yourself to your soul." She could not argue with that.

"I shall abide by thy decision and meet them at once." She could then sense his emotions bursting once again. It wasn't long before she realized her mistake.

"Pardon me, I shall abide by my own terms and see them once again." He seems satisfied with this.

She then teleported over to Stark. But what she saw made her wonder if she moved to another world once again.

"Is this the architecture of this world? It is something I cannot even imagine. It feels impossible", remarked Selph.

Falkor was too stunned to come back with a scathing remark. She too, was staring in confusion.

Because in the sky, a city was floating.