Firestorm

Chapter 17

When he awoke, Flynn lay on a bed of seaweed. The heat of a fire spread across his skin. Flynn looked up toward the sky above him. It was still night, but for all he knew days could have passed. He tried to sit up but the stabbing pain in his side stopped him. He lay back panting in pain trying to slow his breathing once more.

"Getting up, is probably not the best idea right now. Almost all your ribs are broken and a couple more bones in your legs", said Nathair from the shadows. "Drink what's in the cup it will...help."

Flynn turned this head to the side and looked at the soupy liquid in the cup. It was dark blue in colour and smoke rose from its surface.

"What...is it?", Flynn asked weakly as he reached for the cup.

"Just drink it already! You are extremely close to dying right now and if you want to die you should have done it earlier. Before I decided you might be of use", growled Nathair.

Flynn weakly rolled his eyes and shakily brought the drink to his lips. As soon as it hit his tongue he began to splutter and gag.

"Don't get sick. You need to drink it if you want to live. Even I do not hold the ability of resurrection", snarled Nathair angrily.

Flynn caught his breath and relaxed a minute while looking disdainfully at the foul drink. In the end he knew what he had to do. He took a deep breath and quickly drank it in one. As it hit his stomach, it was like an explosion of heat erupted and spread throughout his body. His breath came easier and the pain in his body faded. He felt more alive than he had ever been before. It was as if he was being reborn. As the heat began to fade, Flynn came back to his senses. He sat up wide eyed, sweat glistening on his skin.

"What...was that?!", he half shouted, his body still tingling from the heat. Nathair smirked and shook his head.

"That was dragon blood. Mixed with a few other ingredients to make it non-toxic to humans of course." As Flynn was about to ask a million more question Nathair cut in.

"Ah! No, all that can wait. You need to be quiet, eat and listen now. You're about to get a history lesson... of sorts.", said Nathair as he tossed a couple of cooked fish to Flynn.

Flynn, too hungry to argue, began to eagerly devour them as Nathair his tale.

"Well...", Nathair said looking around the cave. "First of all, these 'freaky little statues' as you called them, are not some creepy hobbies I have. They are all here for a reason. They've all been chosen because of their souls. By your and my goddess, I might add."

Flynn stared at Nathair in confusion. He couldn't understand why the goddess would want this. Nathair sighed deeply.

"Okay, I guess I'll have to go way back for you to understand." "As you know there have been hundreds if not thousands of theories about how 'life' or, your universe began. Well, I'm about to tell you a secret. Try not to be too shocked. But basically.... It was me... and well the goddess too but I did most of the groundwork", he said smirking at Flynn's wide-eyed expression.

"What?! You? But...how?!", asked Flynn.

"Will you please. Just. Be. Quiet. Eat for goddess's sake. Can't you be quiet for more than a moment at a time? I'm about, to explain", the dragon paused waiting for Flynn to take a mouthful of the fish he'd provided. "Back then, I lived in the Lady's realm, your and Lilith's souls have been there before too, though not that you can remember. I was in spirit form of course. I protected the Lady and her realm. For a long time, it was just the Lady and me. But she became lonely. Eternity is a long time to spend alone, even then she and her sister were, "estranged" from one another. To put it lightly. She wanted more".