Adventures of Paku the Dragon: The Shroud of Shadows

Chapter 32

Paku and Ziva wake up early the following morning, excited to explore the fortress. Patch wakes up, yawns, stretches, and watches the two dragons walking around the fortress.

"To think this place is carved out of ice." Ziva says marveling at the underground fortress. "This had to have taken quiet a bit of skill."

"I'm sure it did." Patch agrees. "But I wonder how old this place is? If the Sibo men made this, it might even predate the existence of dragons themself."

Bithor notices the three exploring around, and gives them a warm greeting. "Glad you slept well."

"Yes, thank you." Paku replies, giving the blue dragon a friendly gesture.

"It is good to know there are still dragons such as yourselves who care for others." Bithor explains. "Heroic traits seem to be more sparse now more than ever."

Bithor shows the three around the ice fortress, asking them questions about various things. "What brings you to the northern stronghold?"

"We're trying to find a way to defeat Cithior. We are too weak right now, but hope that we can be taught to be stronger." Paku states.

"Defeating him is no easy task." Bithor tells them. "Being as he is a two-headed beast, he possesses the ability to use two different elements at the same time, something no other dragon has done."

"Can't he be defeated somehow?" Ziva asks.

"We have tried." Bithor explains. "But each dragon who has fought him has been killed and their powers stolen. That is why we must remain hidden from his minions."

"You seem to know a lot about him. Why's that?"

Bithor looks long down the hall. "Because, I was the one who raised him."

"Raised him?" Ziva questions. "Why?"

Bithor looks back at Ziva. "He was just a hatchling when I found him."

Ziva looks surprised. "A hatchling?"

"Yes, he hatched from an the brood of the northern dragons nearly three decades ago. Seeing as he was deformed in the eyes of the parents due to his two heads, his real parents disowned him. I took him in, the fool I was."

"Fool? It's not your fault that he turned bad." Ziva exclaims.

"Sadly, that is only half true." Bithor sighs. "I raised him to the best of my ability. He was very strong, very powerful due to his special ability to control two different elements, that of ice and that of earth. The other dragons did not see Cithior the same as I, instead ridiculing him for his two heads, and his hot blooded nature."

Paku begins to feel bad for the vile dragon, now knowing there was some reasons behind the way the villain had acted.

"As he grew, Cithior wanted to change the world. He saw other beings as weak and not fit to co exist with dragons. I tried to warn him this train of thought was bad, but he didn't listen, his anger at always being the odd one out getting the best of him. There was still good in him, I tried to convince Cithior to not listen to the other dragons ridicule, and to just focus on being a protector of the realm."

"Then he turned bad and created evil monsters to kill us?" Patch guesses.

Bithor shakes his head. "No. Those monsters always existed, and Cithior happened to fall to their side. He turned the tide in our battle against evil, and started to kill his own species. Every dragon that Cithior killed, he stole their powers, and became stronger and stronger. No one could resist the forces of evil once Cithior fell, and once our last brood was all but wiped out, we dragons started to give up."

"Cithior is responsible for that?" Ziva gasps. "How many dragons have died because of him?"

Bithor sighs, looking away. "Many, but never mind that for now. What is important here is defeating Cithior before he destroys us all. The evil forces of the Molt threaten the existence of many, and if we can defeat Cithior, the Molt will fall too."

"That's good to hear." Paku smiles. "We'll help you defeat Cithior."

Ziva nods along with Paku. "Let's get started. Maybe after we beat him, we can stop the Molt too."

Bithor gives a sad smile, the weary dragon glad to see there was still a chance. "I will help you two out in the best ways I can. Come now, lets meet the other dragons and eat."