Undying #Wattys2015

Chapter 28: For you

Through the eyes of Bane Allensworth:

Flashback:

            Why did you hesitate? I did it for you... I did it for you.

As I dreamed, the darkness pulled me through my thoughts, throwing me into my past. The image of a recent time appeared, materializing itself from dust and ash. A forest formed from cinders and an amber fire swayed with the blowing wind. Two figures stamped onto the drawing; their beings burned onto the paper of my thoughts. Suddenly, dark colors filled the image and the dusk filled the sky with purpling hues, as the trees moved with the breeze. The two young men watched the fire with eyes filled with red.  I saw myself look into the fire, wishing for blood. I saw him look into the fire, feeling dread. His brown tangled bangs spread across his forehead, and he was holding his left wrist with his right hand. He was agitated, and I had noticed.

The fire beamed down on us, flickering light shadows across our bodies. He asked with a weak voice, "How do I become a Wayward?"

The darkness filled the forest; its shadows reached for our hearts as we watched the dancing flame. I groaned, "I already told you," and I turned away to grab more kindling for the flame.

We were silent as I fed the fire with the dry, broken branches. The fire crackled and embers shot into the air and drifted under the tall trees until its glowing orange flame disappeared into nothingness. Silent ash rained down around us. Aiden shifted his feet and commented, "I know, I have to kill the last dragon."

I nodded, though I was not paying much mind to his remark. I was busy with the fire. It pulled my gaze with a mysterious force. After, I stood up and stretched my back before returning to sit at my original position - a fallen, rotting tree trunk. Aiden struggled to pull out the gift I had given him earlier, placing it softly on his lap. As he unwrapped the leather around it, his innocent eyes shined at the sight of the sword.  The blade was rusted and dull, yet he was amazed by it.  He mouthed, "The Aeverian Sword."

"Yes," I replied, and his eyes shot up, watching me carefully. I asked, "How does it feel?"

"It's heavy. I don't think I can wield it," he admitted, scratching his head meekly.

I sighed, "Aiden, you need that sword to slay the Guardian. Only those of its kind can pierce the hide." With that, he lowered his head and touched the blade with trembling fingers.

"I don't think I can do it Bane," he admitted.

My eyes sharpened with those words, and I glared at him, "What do you mean? I thought you wanted to be a Wayward."

"I do," he added, "But-"

"But what?" I demanded, "You have no choice! You have to kill the dragon in order to become a Wayward. There is no way around it."

He pulled his fingers away from the sword, placing it down on the ground, and retracted into himself. With terrified eyes, he looked away and stayed quiet. I sat down, realizing I had stood up when I was explaining. The fire crackled and swayed and burned and sizzled. Ash fell.

With a scared voice, Aiden asked, "Once I kill the dragon, what happens? Do I get its powers automatically? Or do I have to take something from it?"

What do I say? If I tell him the truth, he might hesitate. He might leave. My voice struggled, and I decided to say, "You'll know when it happens."

Aiden stood up in defiance and demanded, "Tell me!"

My lightning eyes sparked, and I grimaced, "You have to take the dragon's heart for your own."

His eyes filled with horror, and within his eyes, the fire's light reflected a bright gleam. With a hanging mouth, he looked on emptily. I continued to glare at him until he slowly and surely sat back down. The forest creaked, and the sky had filled up entirely with black ink. Our only light was the fire.

Struggling to find words, he searched and searched to speak. I noted with a deep voice, "You hesitated."

He grabbed at the rotting wood with his fingernails, and I could feel his shaking. After a few minutes of silence, he managed to pick himself up and wandered away from me. He explained, "I need to have time to think. Good night Bane."

I replied, "Night."

It was then that I knew what I had to do. The fire's light dimmed and sunk into the earth; the embers were fading into dust. All the light had vanished. There was no moon. As he slept, I went over to the fallen Aeverian Blade near where he once sat. I took it by the handle, letting the leather drop from its sides. It was going to be a long night. For you.