My body ached.
Light came and went behind my closed eyes as if my mind was drifting in and out of consciousness, but the pain reminded me that I was still fully awake.
Art's arms burned on my icy skin as he carried me through the torch-lit cave. My body trembled despite the warm cloak covering me, and the warmth only seemed to worsen the pain in my arm.
The sound of heavy doors grinding against each other reached my ears before the light from the sun temporarily plagued my sensitive eyes.
Fresh air filled my weakened lungs.
I forced my eyes to open wide enough to glimpse the view that only a few individuals in this world would ever see.
No books described this place, and photography was strictly prohibited. It was a myth turning into truth before my eyes, and the vision was worth the agonizing sigh that escaped my smiling lips.
The City of the Templars was as grand as I'd envisioned, yet so much different.
The five mountains did indeed encircle the city, but not how I'd expected it.
Carved into the mountainsides were buildings of stone and wood. Some looked like regular buildings housing a family, while others consisted of pillars, platforms, and stairs leading to more rooms than I could count.
The city was probably larger than what the windows allowed me to see as well.
"Brace yourself, Willow. This won't feel good," Art said seconds before my stomach turned and my heart stopped.
He'd teleported us to one of the other mountains. I despised being teleported, but it was the only means of traveling between these mountains as they appeared to be connected solely by vines and brittle roots.
The sound of doors bursting open jolted me out of my self-pity.
"Coralyn, Raymond! What is the meaning of this?"
The old lady seated in the middle of a long table removed her glasses and stood up. Her mouth grew from a thin line to wide open when she saw Art with me in his arms.
"Arthur," she gasped. "What, in the name of the ancient spirits, is going on?"
"We've come to ask for your assistance, eldest Templar." Art lowered his head to acknowledge her power. "My apprentice has been—"
"Raatak is awake," Raymond said, cutting off Art as he closed the doors behind us.
Another gasp escaped the elder's lips, but the elderly man behind her surpassed her voice. "That can't be. Raatak isn't supposed to awaken before the end of next month."
Art was faster than Raymond this time.
"I took my apprentice to these mountains for her first lesson on the Caeli board. I warned her against approaching Raatak's mist, but something went wrong. Raatak awoke before his time. She escaped, but her arm was caught by the haze, and she was bitten by one of Raatak's Durrakals."
Art paused, and I heard his heart beating faster. He was nervous.
"We need Kaoru's help."
I'd never seen Art so frantic. He no longer looked like the calm, wise man I knew from the castle. Instead, I saw a boy hopelessly trying to convince others to believe a ridiculous tale.
Who would ever believe that the monster they've spent years—if not centuries—studying and fighting would stray from a lasting tradition without some kind of interference? If only I'd been fast enough to figure out where that scream came from.
Raymond snorted behind us.
"Do you have anything to add, Raymond?" the elderly woman asked as Art placed me in a chair.
"I'm not sure I believe Arthur's story," Raymond said, pushing himself away from the wall and moving closer to Art. "Raatak has never purposely awakened before his time unless he's been disturbed. So, is it possible that the young woman simply ignored Arthur's warning and got caught in a fire she started herself?"
Art looked ready to punch him, and if I hadn't been so weak, I would have planted my fist in his face already. Templar or not, someone needed to slap some proper manners into his arrogant mind.
"That is a serious accusation, Raymond," the elderly woman said. "What do you have to say in your defense, Arthur?"
Art's knuckles were as white as the blood he'd forced me to drink. "Highest Elder," Art said, trying to sound more composed than he was. "I have little proof of my claims, but Willow is smarter than that. She came to me with a burning desire to learn how to manage her powers, but-"
My mind drifted away from the conversation and into a peaceful void of darkness.
I'm not sure how long I was gone, but when I returned, my ears were ringing, and I could see Art staring sharply at Raymond. They were standing so close to each other that a frail human could barely separate them.
"That sounds like a bad excuse," Raymond snarled. "Admit it, Arthur. With you as her master, your apprentice will never reach her potential. She'll remain a spineless failure like you."
"That's stepping over the line, Raymond. Even for you," Elio said, placing a hand on Raymond's shoulder, but Raymond shook it off.
"What is she, Arthur? Twenty? She can't even teleport yet!"
I panted as I attempted to get out of my chair to knock some sense into the obnoxious man, but my body refused to listen to my commands.
"Shut up, Raymond," Art whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear.
"I'm sure you've been sloppy as usual. Poor girl. Or is it her that's the problem?"
"Shut up, Raymond!" Art shouted, his voice causing the entire mountain to tremble. "You know nothing of what my apprentice has gone through to get here. She's had to face more battles than you ever have in your privileged life, Ray, so don't come here and claim you know what she's capable of."
Art would have burned Raymond with his blazing wrath if Raymond had dared step any closer, but as fast as his anger had emerged, it vanished, replaced by an expression of grief and pain.
"What happened to you, Ray?" Art asked, placing his hands on Raymond's shoulders. "You used to be fun and considerate of others. Now you're a truthful copy of the old mugs we used to mock when we were younger."
The room was deafeningly quiet. Not even the elders dared to break the veil of silence despite the words their prince was using to describe them.
"How dare you, Arthur!" Raymond said, slapping away Art's hands. "You have no idea what's been going on here while you've been gone. Your brief visit earlier this year was so staged it was absurd! The new Templars are a ragtag group of knuckleheads. Someone had to take the initiative and make the difficult decisions, so I did."
"Raymond!" Coralyn hissed, but Raymond pushed her into Elio's arms.
"Kaoru is dying, Art!" Raymond exclaimed in a bitter laugh. "Her powers are dwindling day by day, and soon, she'll join her race in the spirit world!"
No one had yet bothered to disclose the identity of this Kaoru to me. She sounded less and less human the more they talked about her, but I certainly wasn't going to question it in this heat.
"Art," I said hoarsely.
I wanted to get on my feet, but my body wasn't strong enough.
"We'll find another way," I said with a lazy smile, "and if we can't, then—"
"Stay out of this, Willow," Art commanded, his voice cracking slightly. "I'm not letting you die because of some stubborn fool who can't seem to understand that the world isn't plainly black and white."
"Don't you realize the gravity of the situation, Arthur?" Raymond was growing as impatient as Art, but there was something else in his voice that I couldn't place. "If Kaoru dies, so does the ability of the healers."
What?
My lungs weren't strong enough to gasp as deeply as I would've liked. Every word spoken in this confusing debate left me with nothing but questions and no answers. I wasn't sure whether Raymond's words meant what I thought they did, but this Kaoru was no ordinary healer.
"We don't know that, Raymond," Art whispered. "It's only a theory. We have no proof."
"I refuse to hear more of this," Raymond said, turning toward the elders and the rest of the Templars. "We need someone to decide. Risk Kaoru's life to save this young girl or ensure that Kaoru lives another day and save the lives of thousands."
Raymond's words stung worse than the pain. Art meant a lot to me, and I apparently meant more to him than he'd ever cared to let me know. But my life was no more valuable than anyone else's.
My arm had turned nearly black, and the strange darkening had extended past my shoulder. It wouldn't take long for the poison to reach my heart, and none of them would have to make a choice.
I wanted to appear brave, but I was scared. I didn't want to die, but I didn't want to be the reason for someone else's death, either.
My train of thought was abruptly interrupted when Elio stepped forward, and I braced myself for the words that would be the end of me.
"I became a Templar for one reason," Elio said, his fiery curls bouncing with each step he took towards me. "I'd been told that the Ten Templars were the most powerful Iridises in all of Heliac—even more powerful than the Flare Warriors."
He winked at me, and a smile briefly appeared on his lips before he turned toward his fellow Templars.
My heart skipped a beat, which made my chest ache with uncertainty. I couldn't guess which thoughts were currently on Elio's mind.
"What good is all that power if we can't use it to save the people of Heliac? We've been hiding in these mountains for so long, trying to tame the Poisonous Haze throughout every season and protect Kaoru from any possible threats. It is time we stepped into the light. Yet, this is a decision none of us can make."
He held a break, studying the faces of the others.
"We've been standing by Kaoru's side for millennia, deciding everything for her to keep her safe, but maybe we shouldn't. Perhaps we shouldn't be the ones who decide this young woman's fate. For once, Kaoru should be allowed to make her own decisions."
Elio turned toward Art. "If she doesn't deem your apprentice worth the gift of life, will you be able to accept that?"
Art was hesitant but eventually nodded.
"Raymond?" Elio said, turning to the sulking man in the corner.
"You should know Kaoru's kind nature better than anybody, Elio," he said, crossing his arms. "She will choose to save this girl even if the cost is her life."
"If that is her choice, so be it."
Raymond's eyebrows lowered. "Even if everyone agrees with this outrageous idea, you can't do it without me. All ten templars must be present to summon her."
Raymond's face lit up with a mischievous grin. The selfish hope of life that had been steadily growing in me faded.
"Then I'll do it."
Art stepped forward.
"Ha!" Raymond exclaimed. "You're not even a Templar, so what makes you think you'll be worthy enough to summon her."
"I've spent almost as much time with her as most templars present today, Raymond," Art hissed. "Kaoru knows and trusts me. I know the summoning ritual the same as you."
Raymond went quiet as Elio turned his attention to the rest of the group. "What about the rest of you? Do you stand with Raymond or with us?"
No one moved. It was a difficult decision, and I couldn't expect anyone to support me when I was a complete stranger to them.
"I'm with you."
Coralyn stepped forward and pushed her way through the crowd. "I agree that Kaoru should make this decision. She understands the consequences better than any of us."
The person next to her nodded and stepped forward to join her. It didn't take long before the rest followed.
"Then let's go," Art said, wrapping his arms around me to carry me down the stairwell from which we came.
***
Everything I hated about teleporting was amplified tenfold in my injured state.
We reappeared in front of a massive cave. The floor was covered by drawings and scribbles I couldn't decipher, but they all followed the circular shape of the platform we were standing on.
Art walked towards the center, where he placed me, and left me to look into the cloudy sky.
My breathing had turned raspy and irregular. I was barely able to move. My heart had been beating at a rapid pace since Raymond disclosed the consequences of Kaoru's death, indicating that the poison was spreading faster.
"I need you to lay still, Willow," Art said, removing the cloak from my blackened arm. "No matter what you hear or see, lie still."
I swallowed the growing lump in my throat, fluttering my eyes to replace the nod that would've otherwise confirmed his request.
Art backed away from me, leaving me alone to hear my uneven heartbeat, desperately trying to keep my body from succumbing to the poison.
Voices began drowning out the sound of my struggling body. I wanted to turn my head and see the ritual, but I reminded myself of my promise.
The ground began rumbling, and a sudden wind washed over me, originating from the entrance to the cave.
I wouldn't have thought it possible, but my heart began beating faster.
Then a roar tore through the air, making goosebumps trail all over my body.
My eyes widened when I saw a white streak of a murky painting rip the emptiness above me. The long body reminded me of a snake, but it was covered in feathers and had four lion-like feet.
It roared again, but the sound no longer struck fear in me. This magnificent beast was proof that dragons weren't completely gone.
She flew around to let her eagle-like wings breathe before landing at my feet.
My body remained broken, but my mind was clear as day. If this were the time for me to die, I would be at peace with that.
My family's debt had been paid. Tristan was in school, and Dad was doing what he enjoyed. Caiden would eventually find the person he was supposed to spend his life with. I had no regrets left in this world.
Her eyes were staring at me — examining my features and assessing my worth, but I wasn't scared.
The glossy, blue gleam in her gaze was nothing like the horror I'd seen looking at me from the mist. It felt calming — as if I was floating in a giant sea of velvet.
I smiled, but not more than the pain allowed me.
My chest suddenly tightened, and my throat constricted in a painful action. I coughed to relieve the pressure.
A taste of iron filled my mouth before a thick, warm liquid trickled down my cheek. I couldn't see it, but judging from the feel and the burn in my lungs, it was most likely blood.
I didn't have long now.
Kaoru flinched and drew back at the sound of my dying breath.
She unfolded her wings and became airborne again.
I sighed heavily, trying to come to terms with my fate, when Raymond's voice tore the silence like an open wound.
"Don't do it, Kaoru!" he shouted. "You'll die!"
I opened my eyes and saw Kaoru circle above me. Her lengthy body caused her head and tail to meet in the air, and she flew so fast that all I saw was a white ring.
"Respect her decision, Ray!" Elio shouted, but I was so mesmerized by the dragon above me that I hardly took notice of their ongoing argument.
The wind blew up my hair, which had gotten loose from my braid. Then it got stronger, approaching the intensity of my uncontrollable hurricanes.
My hand lifted from the ground. My foot followed shortly after. When my entire body started floating, I wasn't sure whether I had fallen into a dream or if reality was simply as beautiful as this.
I couldn't see anyone. The strong wind had stirred up dust and dirt, creating an impenetrable sphere around us that I doubted the others could see through.
'This is not the time for you to die, Willow Aldwyn.'
I opened my eyes, but the source of the voice came from inside my head. Kaoru was still circling the air above me.
Suddenly, an immense pain emerged in my left arm.
I screamed. It was as if someone was cutting one long incision from my shoulder to the tip of my fingers — a cut deep enough to reach my bone.
The pain should've been enough for me to pass out, but I didn't. Instead, I looked down to see how heavy the bleeding was, but my skin was unbroken.
There was no cut.
Black drops instead seeped out from the pores of my skin, and my arm began returning to its normal color.
'The World still needs you.'
I lifted my eyes toward the sky, but Kaoru was no longer flying above me; she was heading directly toward me.
"Wait," I whispered before the enormous creature clashed with me.
My back was forced to the ground, and the air was knocked from my lungs, but I wasn't crushed.
A strange light came from my chest.
I looked down.
Kaoru wasn't touching me; my body was absorbing her.
It didn't hurt. In fact, I could feel a warmth spreading from my chest to every part of my body, like a warm breeze expelling every bitter chill of the passing winter.
I gasped as the last of her disappeared from my eyes.
Energy buzzed inside me. My fingertips burned with an intensifying feeling of power I'd never felt before. It was too much for me to control.
I let go, allowing the energy to leave my body in a powerful wave of wind that stirred up another cloud of dust.
"Willow!"
Art was calling for me. I couldn't see him, but then again, I could barely see a hand in front of me.
"Willow! Are you okay?"
A question that was hard to answer.
I felt better than I ever had before. My entire body was light as a feather, but I didn't dare to move, fearing that the movement would ground me again. I feared that the pain from before would return.
"Compose yourself, Raymond!"
Coralyn's voice was loud, but if I listened closely, I could hear someone else. A voice being drowned by the tears of sorrow.
Kaoru had sacrificed herself for me. She'd jeopardized the World by saving my life.
A tear fell from my cheek.
Every healer in the world could've lost their powers by now. Others might already have died because of it. And it would all have been my fault.
Then a memory struck me. The words I'd heard before Kaoru saved me.
'This is not the time for you to die, Willow Aldwyn. The World still needs you.'
Could it have been Kaoru? If so, what did she mean by that?
"Art?" I yelled, startling myself. My voice was loud and powerful. Nothing like it had been ten minutes ago.
I tried moving. Nothing hurt, but something was weighing on my chest.
A rumbling purr made my bones resonate concurrently with the sound. I looked down and found a white ball of feathers making itself comfortable on top of me.
I was stunned. If I hadn't seen Kaoru being absorbed by my body with my own eyes, I would've assumed she was lying on top of me — a very small version of her.
The creature yawned and turned its head toward me. The eyes on its drowsy face lit up as they saw me.
It was Kaoru, and I no longer doubted it.
I sat up and grabbed the dragon as if I was picking up a puppy. "What did you mean, Kaoru?" I asked, desperate for the creature of myths to explain herself. "What does the World need from me?"
She looked at me with wondering eyes. Then she smiled and flapped her tiny wings as if she thought I wanted to play.
I was about to ask again when I saw Art appear from the cloud of dust.
"There you are. Are you—"
Art stopped when he saw me holding the long body of the tiny dragon. "What, in the name of—"
Kaoru released herself from my grip and ran toward Art, who didn't seem able to comprehend whether his eyes were deceiving him.
"Kaoru?" he whispered.
The dragon nestled her head into the folds of Art's uniform. She was like a puppy — a very powerful puppy.
"She survived?" He shifted his gaze from the feathered creature to me. "You're not... dead?"
I nodded, enjoying how perplexed he looked. I couldn't explain to him how or why. I'd only just learned that dragons still existed so that Art would know more of their mysterious ways than I did.
An agonizing scream pierced the air and made Kaoru look up from her current nest.
Art sighed. "You can stop crying, Raymond," Art shouted before Kaoru jumped and disappeared into the dust cloud. "Kaoru is still alive."
"Kaoru..."
The broken cry of Raymond's voice was replaced by a loud wail of excitement followed by a joyful laugh.
I smiled.
Raymond may have been a selfish jerk, but he appeared to have been hiding a vulnerable soul beneath his arrogant exterior.
"How do you feel?" Art asked, forcing my attention back to him.
I lifted my arm, circling it in the air to check if the pain was anywhere to be found. "I feel better than ever, but—"
Art walked closer as I hesitated. "But what?"
"She spoke to me, Art. Why won't she do it again?" I asked, massaging my temples while I repeated her words in my head.
"Spoke?" Art said, looking at me with a crooked brow. "Kaoru doesn't speak. She communicates with us but not in words. You must've hallucinated quite severely."
If that were the case, I wouldn't be surprised. I'd been on the verge of death. The line between fantasy and reality had been blurred, but all that had happened had felt so real.
The dust cloud lifted, and a smile spread on Art's face as he looked back to find Raymond crying with Kaoru in his arms.
"Raymond has lived here since he was a child," Art suddenly said. "He was abandoned by his parents as an infant and left to die alone among the ruins of the Graveyard. The Templars found him and took him in, unaware that he was an Air Iridis until he reached the age of five. He and Kaoru share a special bond that I don't think many of us will ever find, so please forgive his rudeness."
"Was that why he was so afraid that if Kaoru healed me, she'd die?" I asked, inspecting my arm for any traces of the poison.
Art sighed. "That was most likely a factor, but what he said about the healers was not incorrect."
"So, that wasn't just something he said?" I stopped what I was doing to watch the sand drift across the floor beneath me. A feeling of guilt washed over me.
Every healer out there could've lost their powers because of me.
"We don't know for sure, but for as long as history allows us to remember, the Templars have been studying the past for clues regarding the dragons."
"What did they find?" I asked, too curious to stop myself.
Art smiled, but not in the way that comforted me.
"If every dragon had truly been killed back then, our abilities would've vanished with them."