The Night Rider

Chapter 55 - August

"Go, Odi."

"No!"

"Odiphilis."

"Please. Protect him for me. Like a Guardian should."

Hawkins wanted to scream out in pain, in rage, in agony but the hazy water forced him to focus on the dark shape only a few metres below him. He clamped his eyes shut to avoid the brick dust in his eyes, the floating debris still buoyant thanks to Axis' latent Charger Craft stored within it. He couldn't hold on for much longer.

"Rushling, my nephew. Give me strength though undeserving."

He could hear his mentor pray to an Agar he'd never met, the collar on his shirt being dragged back by a sharp pain nipping at his neck. Odi. He fought her away, the tension in the water began to change, Hawkins' focus drifted from sheer exhaustion and lack of air but he couldn't, he wouldn't give up. He knew what was coming. He knew what Hack intended to do. He knew if he let it happen Hack wouldn't survive it.

"Anirri, my Fatekeeper. Burn away this sight. For your compass asks of you. One last time."

Hawkins' vision snapped open wide, a wordless cry burning his throat as the surface of the water rippled like a thousand eyes watching him. But although the judging gaze seemed to set its sights beyond the murky brink of this damp prison it was the amber hue of a power he could name but didn't recognise that made him weep for what came next.

"Ignite."

"Hack!"

Hawkins fell into weightlessness. Wrapped in scales he never asked for. An embrace that wasn't what he wanted. That was too perfect. Too sharp. No water held him now. Just empty air, bracing and cold without the warmth of the Hanging Sun or the embrace he needed most. He broke away from Odi's attempts to keep himself, ignoring the stinging gravel scouring his knees without a droplet of moisture in sight.

"No, no, no. Where...where is he? What...where is he?" He demanded, scrabbling at the ground as if attempting to piece together a puzzle in the pitch black.

"Hawky..."

The Smoke Traited flinched at the warm ground, ignoring the Scale Shrieker calling for him.

"Don't you dare. Don't you dare call me that. Only he can call me that." He said savagely, the dragon finally free from her cage only to be yelled at.

She towered over him, keeping a watchful eye on the clearing still strewn with broken rubble but there was no trace of any rainfall that had continuously bucketed down. No one else was in sight, no injuries covering her dirt-covered scales and even her wings seemed to be in working order. But after everything they had gone through to get her back the sinking feeling in his chest made him realise. He didn't care.

"Jeremiah."

Hawkins whipped around, his fury directed towards the voice as the glow of his desperate Fire Trait burnt the very stones beneath him. The dull amber light flickered out and let out a whisper of smoke enough to make the figure cough. The Sand Wraith was hunched up against a broken wall, still crumbling between his claws as he let the dust fall harmlessly against the familiar sight of his grimoire.

"It didn't work. Why...why didn't it work?"

Hawkins had never seen him like this. His anger lessened just a touch to approach him slowly, the broken Sand Wraith drew his knees up to his chest and kept his grimoire tight under the crook of his arm. Hawkins peered at his mentor, his haunted eyes far more startling than he had ever seen them. His grimoire surrounded by chains. The Lockbind.

"You..."

Hawkins failed to find the words.

"I was ready and willing. I gave my all to the Timekeeper but-"