The Celestial Way

Chapter 10.5 - Guardians of the Way

Glawlrhain led Airo, Kiana, Zuckeroff, and Veralla out of the command room. Stamat, Tehalix, and Lung followed them. Airo paused mid-stride, completely surprised when the small, sinuous dragon reared upright and began to walk on his hindlegs. Glawlrhain's height in this position became considerably more impressive, and Airo thought at first the stunted beast wanted to conceal some insecurity.

Yet the dragon strode without forced confidence, and Airo disregarded the idea. He checked the power armor's rearview sensors discreetly. The considerably larger dragon, Lung, had also assumed a bipedal stance, her perceived stature shifting to immense proportions, her horns almost reaching the high vaulted ceiling at times.

Glawlrhain paused at a hallway intersection. "I'll accommodate our guests," he said to the other Knights. "You three can go and rest."

"Will you be coming afterwards?" Stamat asked, his expression odd.

"Unfortunately, no," Glawlrhain rumbled low, lowering himself again on all fours. "The ramifications of Vorzii's latest patrol will keep me up until late with Elder Lylana and Mentoria. And we also need to understand where Magus Dei stands, given his overall history with our Order."

"I see," Stamat said. The large Knight stepped forward, and gently laid a hand on Glawlrhain's snout. "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise," the dragon replied quietly. "I'm glad you have returned safely. Go with the others now. We'll catch up with each other later, I promise."

"C'mon, Stamat," Tehalix said. "Me and Lung are gonna make a short rec flight 'round the base. You can join if you like."

The younger Radiant Knights went on their way. Glawlrhain then guided Airo and his team along more passageways of the stronghold complex, arriving at an area which looked like living quarters. The small dragon gave Kiana and Zuckeroff their own rooms. Then he turned and asked Veralla, "Would you like to have a separate chamber?"

Airo started to agree, yet the dragonet was faster. "No, I want to be with Airo," she said, flapping her wings insistently.

"Very well," Glawlrhain said, giving Airo a look. "Follow me, then." He led them to another part of the secret base, several levels above where Kiana and Zuckeroff had been left. Here, the area was divided in vast, cavern-like sections, each designed to house a human and a dragon, Glawlrhain explained. Airo made a face, yet said nothing.

Glawlrhain pointed Airo and Veralla to one of the circular chambers. The primary space was made large enough to house dragons of impressive sizes, with one curving alcove along the wall which held human-sized amenities. Once they settled, Airo took off the power armor, made his way to the bed, and lay down on it. Veralla immediately went to him.

"Why do you not want to stay?" the dragonet asked earnestly. "You do not like dragons?"

"No, I do not," Airo said, staring at the ceiling, hands behind his head.

"But you like me, do you not?" she asked.

He sighed in irritation. "Let me just say I learned to... to make the best out of our interactions."

Veralla hrrr–ed in a meaningful way. Deus, how these winged beasts can be so expressive without words?Airo thought.

"So you could learn to accept other dragons," she said.

He frowned. "I will not."

"But why?" she pressed.

"Conversation is over," he snapped.

Veralla didn't stop pestering him, of course. They had a short, mostly one-sided discussion as she pleaded for him to stay while he replied with taciturn dismissals or cold silence. In the end, the dragonet was still a fledgling; weariness finally overcame her, and she went to sleep unhappily.

Airo turned off the chamber's lighting, and tried to get some rest too. Yet sleep wouldn't come. He lay on the bed in darkness, thoughts swirling in his head like a turbulent sea. Old memories haunted his consciousness, his desire for vengeance at the forefront like a leader before an army, while more recent experiences hung on the dark walls of his psyche, waiting to be analyzed with cold, logical detachment. Airo recalled his encounter with Ferrtau. Even when he had shot his archenemy at point-blank range with a veronite blaster, he still hadn't been able to escape from him. And if it hadn't been for the combined help from Magus Dei and the Radiant Knights, Ferrtau would have killed him, without effort. Airo's lips twisted into a silent snarl. If only he could control his time-shifting ability...

Why did he not give Veralla away?

The thought rose unbidden in his mind. He was confused. Why indeed had he withheld the dragonet from his archenemy? Hatred, of course. He harbored nothing but deep-seated scorn and loathing for Ferrtau, and used them to kindle the blazing fury which had supplanted his empty heart. He withheld Veralla merely to spite his archenemy. Yet some different, minuscule spark inside Airo told him things weren't so simple. There was more to it than that.

What else? he hissed silently in his mind. Nothing answered him.

He turned to the side. There was a long, narrow window on the wall of the alcove. The night was moonless, and the snow-laden mountains reflected ghostly werelight into the chamber. White tendrils tore away from the ridges, carried by unseen winds. Airo gazed sullenly at the fractal wilderness outside. His original assessment he had made so many uncountable days ago held true. He could not take Ferrtau by himself. The question was with whom to ally himself.

The Consortium had already shown they didn't take him seriously. Even if he somehow managed to wrest control from whatever incompetents were in command of the local forces, their military probably wouldn't be much better equipped for dealing with the Revenant than the inhabitants of Dragon Retreat. At best, Airo could expect the Consortium to have limited caches of veronite weaponry, which would be inadequate to wage a full-scale war; and full-scale it was, this conflict, judging by how many monsters Ferrtau was able to call at a moment's notice.

The Union was an unknown quantity, and Airo had no influence over them whatsoever. Which left only one other option: the Order of the Radiant Knights. They barely had a fighting force left, true; and yet, if anyone was prepared to deal with a former member of their own, it would be them. What Airo couldn't stomach was the fact the Knights partnered themselves with dragons. He despised the giant winged reptiles with the entirety of his remaining soul. Yet he couldn't deny the fact the beasts possessed great power. Power which, if used properly, could turn even the worst of tides. And dragons were able to harm the Revenant.

He gritted his teeth. It wasn't really a choice: his rational course of action was to take over the Radiant Order to act as a spearhead, then use them as leverage to take control of the Consortium's logistical infrastructure. The only problem was he was going to be on the same side as the dragons.

Great Cosmos, bloody stars, and deusforsaken depths of the black void.

Airo rose out of the bed, and donned the power armor. He left the chamber and tried to find his way back to the stronghold's command room. It took almost an hour of wandering, yet he finally arrived before the vast apertured threshold which led to the heart of the stronghold. He strode through the great irised door, and entered the room.

Magus, Mentoria, and Lylana were still present. Glawlrhain was there, too. The four of them lifted their heads as Airo came by the circular table and stood across from them. He kept a straight face, showing no emotion as he regarded the leaders of the Radiant Knights.

"I have reconsidered my intentions," he said evenly. "I will not be departing for Kryoon City. Instead, I offer you the following deal: do everything I ask, put every resource and every Knight your Order has under my command, and in exchange I will kill Tungust Ferrtau."

His words were followed by stunned silence. After a full minute of quiet, the towering Scorchlander Knight, Lylana, shifted her hulking frame. "And what makes you think you are able to stop the Lightbringer?" she asked, her bright amber eyes full of disbelief and challenge.

"Because," Airo said, "I am the Dragonslayer."