SKATH: The Awakening Of Power

Chapter 16

Skath kept walking along the path, his heart still heavy from the argument with Lyra. The tree branches swayed gently above him, but their beauty couldn't distract him from the inner turmoil that weighed him down. His steps were automatic, aimless, until he reached a clearing. Here, the light grew more intense, as if the sky had suddenly opened.

At the center of the clearing sat a figure on a smooth stone. An old man, head bowed, with a long white beard brushing his chest. Beside him, a gnarled staff that seemed to be part of the earth itself. Skath stopped, drawn to the aura of wisdom surrounding the being.

"Were you expecting me?" Skath asked, not even knowing why those words had come out of his mouth.

The man slowly lifted his head, revealing pale blue eyes, almost unnatural. "Perhaps it wasn't I who was expecting you, but someone had to find you," he replied in a deep, almost echoing voice. "Sit, young Skath. There is much you have yet to understand."

Skath hesitated only a moment before obeying. He sat before the old man, feeling the weight of ancient truths filling the air.

"The last time someone spoke of the dragon Thalorin and the Peryton Elara," the old man said, "the stars were different, and the world was younger. Those two were not just powerful, they were bound by a connection that transcended time and matter. Do you know who they were?"

The name Elara triggered something in Skath’s mind. He had heard that name before, in his dreams, in his fragmented memories.

"They were my... parents," he murmured hesitantly, as if the words were foreign to him.

The old man nodded slowly. "Yes. Thalorin and Elara left you a legacy, and a mission. You, Skath, are the child of two worlds. But you will not be alone."

Skath’s heart began to race. "And T-FOW? The masked Peryton... is it him?"

"It is," the man confirmed. "Your protector, the guide who will watch over you in your darkest moments. But you, Skath, must choose to accept who you truly are. The antlers you bear are not just a sign of power, but of what has been passed down through you."

The old man stood with a slowness that betrayed his age, but not his wisdom. "When the time is right, you will know what to do. But remember: darkness already has its eyes on you, and it’s not just Malakar who threatens you. Someone you thought a friend is playing with fate."

Skath remained silent, trying to piece together the mystery. Jonah. Was it him the man was referring to? The memory of his childhood friend clashed with the reality of what Jonah had become. And now Lyra was in danger too.

The old man began to fade, as if dissolved by the same light that had revealed him. Before disappearing completely, he spoke one last thing: "Follow the call of blood, Skath. The fate of many rests in your hands."

Skath was left alone in the clearing, the wind now silent. He felt the weight of his legacy like never before. He needed to find Lyra, but he also needed to prepare for what was to come.

Skath remained seated in the clearing, trying to process what he had just learned. The old man, with his ancient wisdom, had shed light on an important piece of the puzzle, but there was still so much he didn’t understand. The wind seemed to carry the man’s final words, like a distant echo resonating in his mind.

As he rose, a faint rustle came from the trees around him. He turned, expecting to see nothing, but his eyes caught a movement. A familiar, veiled shadow moved among the branches, and he immediately knew who it was.

"T-FOW..." he whispered.

The masked figure emerged from the shadow of the trees, with the Peryton antlers prominently visible and the eagle-bone mask covering its face. The winged creature, which he had once only watched from afar, now stood before him, but something was different. There was a more human quality to its movements, its gestures. Skath felt a deep connection, stronger than he had ever imagined.

Skath stiffened. "Who are you, really?"

The creature stopped in front of him, its large wings folded on its back. T-FOW slowly removed the mask, revealing a familiar face he never expected to see in this context. Beneath the mask was a young woman, her eyes glowing with the same pale blue light Skath remembered. She seemed younger than him, yet carried an aura of ancient wisdom.

"Skath," the woman said in a gentle but firm voice. "It's me... your sister."

Skath's breath caught in his throat. "My... sister? But how? Why don’t I remember anything?"

"It’s not your fault," she replied, stepping closer. "When you were sent to Earth, your memories of your mission and family were erased to protect you. I, however, was sent here with one purpose: to watch over you and ensure that you would be ready when the time came."

Her words — his sister's words — struck Skath with overwhelming force. Everything began to make sense. She wasn’t just a protector, but a blood tie, the only connection to their homeworld, Hearth.

"Why didn’t you tell me before?" Skath asked, still reeling.

"I couldn’t," his sister replied. "It was necessary for you to discover who you are on your own. But now, with the threats drawing near, I can no longer hide in the shadows. You must know everything, Skath. You must be ready."

Skath lowered his gaze, struggling to find the strength to accept this revelation. The weight of his mission seemed to grow heavier with each new piece of the puzzle. He looked back into his sister’s eyes.

"Will you help me?"

She nodded slowly. "Always. We’re family, and we’ll face everything together."

The relief Skath felt at seeing his sister again quickly began to fade. Something in her demeanor seemed off. Her eyes, which had shone with brotherly warmth, now turned cold, almost empty.

"Why... do you seem different?" Skath asked, scrutinizing T-FOW's face, trying to grasp what had changed. Suspicion overwhelmed him, but before he could act, his sister smiled in a way that made his blood run cold.

"I’m not the same as before, Skath," she replied, her voice slightly distorted. "It’s not time for you to understand everything. But there’s someone who wants to speak with you."

From her belt, T-FOW pulled out an object Skath immediately recognized: one of Jonah’s bone masks. The serpent mask, the symbol of control, gleamed sinisterly in the sunlight. Skath's heart skipped a beat. He instantly understood what was happening.

"Jonah...!" he murmured in horror. "He’s controlling you."

His sister nodded, her face impassive. "It no longer matters who controls whom. Your mission, brother, is futile. You cannot escape the destiny that awaits you. Jonah has already won."

Skath stood up abruptly, blood pounding in his temples. "Let her go, Jonah! She has nothing to do with your plans!"

An echo rose from T-FOW’s mouth, but it was no longer her voice. "Skath, old friend... Don’t you realize that all of this was inevitable? Lyra, T-FOW, even you. You’re all pawns in my game."

His sister’s body trembled for a moment, then moved forward with the same grace as before, but with a coldness that wasn’t hers. "She’s mine now," Jonah’s voice said through her. "And there’s nothing you can do to change that."

Skath felt his heart shatter, but something within him — a strength he didn’t know he had — awoke. His antlers seemed to pulse with ancient energy. Clenching his fists, he knew he had to face not only Jonah but the monster he had become.