Wings and flames

Chapter 32

Sam : You're the old god. But you were born. So you didn't just...emerge? That's not what the legends said.

Aeck : The legends aren't always true water dragon.

Viri : I'm not sure. I don't remember anything from that time.

Aeck nodded in agreement.

Sam : You promised you could keep serpents and animals away that night. how?

Shapeshifter : You do realise who you're talking to right?

Viri laughed softly and explained.

"Fear is "my thing" as you call it. That means I can scare things off. People tend to avoid what they fear, they keep their distance."

Sam was confused, "but that serpent...it came at us. How?"

"I didn't scare it."

"Because you knew I wanted to see you fight?"

"Yes and no, you two needed to trust me. It was the easiest way."

The Aeck smiled. "You're the one who killed my serpent."

Viri didn't expect that. She didn't think the serpents were pets. "I'm sorry. I didn't know...didn't know they were yours."

Aeck seemed to be in shock that Viri had apologised. jade responded. "Well they aren't. Its a one way relationship. They were brought here for protection. Aeck just likes to befriend unlikely pets."

"Protection from what?" Viri asked.

Aeck seemed uncomfortable at that. Viri felt it, she responded quickly, "you don't have to answer that."

Sam followed with another question "your dragon form...three gods are white and the other three are black. Well you two are. Is that why you never changed infront of me?"

"Yes. I usually just summon the wings for work but nobody sees them. Nobody really dares to look up."

Sam was slowly starting to see the full picture. The people of Athoms have been living with a god for a long time now. None of them knew. Because their instincts kept them away from her. Sam was scared too but he was mesmerized more. He smiled at himself.

Viri and the shapeshifter were talking now.

Viri : You live in this cave...why?

Jade : I've been asked to protect Aeck my lord. Its my duty. I practically raised him.

Viri : I see. I assume nobody knows you're a shapeshifter then. Not even the earth dragons?

Jade : They're hard to convince. I've been stopped a lot of times. The jaguar works, it's the only one in the forest so they don't question it.

Viri : Interesting. Are there other shapeshifters? In Athoms?

Jade : Well most of my clan left after what happened at the palace my lord. I'd been...well kidnapped really. They consider us therapy dogs for young dragons. I was kept to sustain this one.

Viri smiled. "Well you seem to have done well shapeshifter."

Aeck was shocked to see Jade express so many emotions at once. The shapeshifter was shocked and then flushed in less than a minute. He was clearly ready to worship Viri. He couldn't blame him. His eyes returned to Viri. When he was told that the god of fear was real he didn't know what to feel. Part of him was threatened, another god would mean he'd have to live up to an expectation. Part of him was scared, the last one was the most powerful of the gods, definitely not the one he would have chosen to bond with. But something within him was relieved. Just to have someone similar to him around, gave him a sense of hope. Something he had been devoid of for 24 years.

Now that she was infront of him he couldn't believe any of it. He'd prepared the best meal he could. He'd worn his best clothes. He knew he had fucked up the first time. He was aware of the last one's presence but the unexpected water dragon behind her had scared the living hell out of him. He could try to trust a god but anybody else was plainly a threat. She'd lashed out that day, put him in his place, he deserved it. She didn't know why he had attacked. He'd attacked her friend. But tonight, this person, didn't look like a threat. She didn't seem to be out to hunt him or use him. She radiated this cold energy but he felt as if she was just as confused. He'd never met a kinder threat.  He decided to open up a little.

"We've lived in this cave. Jade and I. We have been, for 24 years, all my life."

Both Sam and Viri stopped chewing. They looked at the Aeck, the god of pain was starting to look a lot like a simple boy.