"All conflict can be traced back to someone's feelings getting hurt, don't you think?"
― Liane Moriarty, Big Little Lies
***
When I opened my eyes again, we were back in the Howling Woods. Ryszard was laying down, his chin resting on his crossed arms.
His eyes slowly opened and gazed at me carefully.
"I assume Amalthea calmed your doubts and answered your questions."
"Yes, she did."
We continued to stare at each other while the others stayed silent not knowing what to do.
"You've seen something else, haven't you?" His sharp gaze pierced through my being.
The Guardians and Zephyr looked at me with confusion in their eyes.
"What?" Zephyr whispered in disbelief.
"The dead forest. Why would you create something like that?" I asked through gritted teeth, clenching my fists.
"What are you talking about, Silver?" Dawn questioned.
"Why would you do that? Answer me, Ryszard!" I yelled, my nails digging through the leather of my gloves but not hard enough to break the material.
Silence stretched between us until the Dragon God spoke, "It has to be done."
"Don't give me that bullshit! You sent your children, those who have committed crimes, into a dead forest; devoid of life. They can't gather energy but there's a darkness there, it eats away at their sanity, leaving them empty with only one goal in mind: to kill each other. Once that goal is reached they become dust."
The Guardians and Zephyr looked at Ryszard in shock; maybe even betrayal.
"F-father, tell me that is not true." The white dragon seemed like he was going to be sick.
"My lord..." Night had several emotions glimmering in his red eyes.
Dawn didn't say anything, or rather, she couldn't.
"It has to be—" Ryszard began.
I growled and placed my hand on Haze's handle, ready to draw the weapon.
"Silver, stop! Let him speak." Zephyr advised.
Ryszard continued to stare at me almost like he could see the Darkness Azazel was talking about.
"If I were to place every one of my children in the same place, good and evil, another war would break out, it could even bleed to your world and I know you do not want to see madness take hold of your village. They must be separated to prevent a tragedy from happening. I do not want such bloodshed to repeat again."
Why does he keep staring at me? Does he know?
"That Darkness inside you, there is no cure for such an ailment," His eyes narrowed, his gaze growing in intensity. "It will consume you. There is no escaping such a fate, but the process can be slowed."
"Father, what—"
"Silver is contaminated by a disease Azazel had. We call it Darkness. The only ones affected by it are those of the Dragon Race. It drives the host mad, wanting to kill. The illness can spread by having contact with the blood of the infected individual. How Azazel suddenly became the bearer of this disease is by killing your own brethren. I do not know how many of his siblings he had to get rid of before the shadows drove him mad." He sighed wearily. "I still do not fully understand the Darkness."
YOU ARE READING
The Story of Midnight
Fantasy"Who's out there?" One of the men yelled. Of course only silence met them. I remained quiet and waited for the group to start moving again. "Maybe it was just an animal." Someone whispered. The person, who I assumed was the captain of the small sq...
