Avondale: The Golden Door

Tārc Victor

I was in shock. My mind was racing at a million miles an hour, but calm at the same time. My thoughts were clear and coherent. I couldn't feel anything, no pain, no panic. I realized that my body was running on adrenaline and my brain was clever enough to block out reality for the moment. I also knew that soon, very soon, reality would come crashing on my adrenaline soaked nerves and I wouldn't be able to function for a minute.

This was not that minute.

I ran down the stairs that led to the dungeon, skipping steps and almost jumping instead of stepping. Suruli and Nisvārtha were hot on my heels, my wings slightly opened and lifted so they didn't hit the stairs. My wings fell down to about my ankles, they had ripped through my shirt and tunic, but I wasn't prepared to deal with that right now.

We reached the bottom of the stairs and I kept running, my bare feet pounding on the stone floor. I called out for my friends, shouting their names into the dark, torchlit dungeon lined with cells. The air smelt of sweat, urine, and blood, but underneath I could smell the salty ocean scent of Havala, the smoky scent of Śarat, and the comforting forest scent of Sanna.

"Kendra!"

I ran to the door from which the voice came from and I shoved the key in the lock, turning it faster than I imagined I could, and forcing the door open with a screech. Finally, I was enveloped in Sanna's arms, my face buried in his bare chest and my arms clutching him to me like a lifeline.

A chuckle rumbled in his chest, "Hello, Sūrya, did you miss me?"

"Shut your gob, you bloody idiot," I muttered and held him tighter. "I just saved your life."

"Okay, okay," he said. "Would someone explain why Kendra has wings?" he asked in a hushed voice.

I felt the muscles in my back twitch and heard the rustle of feathers. "It is a very long story and I do not have an answer to that yet," answered Suruli. The creak and groan of cell doors opening reached my ears but I could only hold tight to Sanna.

The damn broke. Reality was here. My body started to shake and now Sanna was holding me up as I sobbed and and struggled to breathe.

I had wings. A pair of feathered wings just tore themselves out of my body. I could move them. They were a part of me. They had come from inside me. Golden, just like the gold that had poured from my papercut six days ago and dragged me to this place where everything was changing. This place was breaking me, hitting me over and over with things I couldn't handle. Every hit was another crack, and with each new fracture the old ones grew bigger, building up to right then when I shattered into a million sobbing pieces, clutching a man I barely knew, in a dungeon, with wings growing from my back.

"Shhh," Sanna smoothed my hair and held me close. "It is alright, Sūrya," he murmured.

I frowned and pulled away. "Are you mad?" I stepped back to look at the big wyvern. "I have wings, Sanna! Wings with bloody feathers, and look!" I lifted my wings off my back, stretching them out to demonstrate. "They're not fake, they work. Six days ago I was a normal human, now I have wings growing out of my back! So don't you dare tell me everything's alright. Nothing about this situation is alright. I'm not okay, I'm scared, I'm running on an adrenaline high, and the moment I can breathe again, I'm going to cry and scream and curse at anyone who is daft enough to tell me I'm going to be okay." I folded my wings against my back and looked at the rest of the group. All of them were staring at me with different expressions. Shock, surprise, pity....Nisvārtha wasn't even looking at me but I didn't care.

I took a deep breath and rubbed at my eyes, I took the key from Nisvārtha and met their gazes. "Let's just....get out of here before Warlord Chicken-shit finds his balls and sends an army after us." I muttered and turned to leave.

"Oh, do not leave yet, Dāvāgni," a voice chuckled from a nearby cell. "Things were just getting interesting."

I stopped and looked at the cell, it was the same as all the others, crossed bars made of reinforced iron. Inside was a tall man, thick muscles defining his arms and bare chest, his loose pants were worn and filthy, and his face was the exact copy of a man I never wanted to see again.

I glared at the prisoner. "And who are you?"

He smirked. "Tārc Victor. Son of Warlord Chicken-shit."

I barked a laugh. "Wow, I think that's the fastest I've ever hated someone, well done." And I moved to leave.

"Wait!"

A large copper hand shot out of a cell and gripped my arm with iron strength, I froze as his song rang clear and true in my head. Instantly I was reminded of home, the fiddle playing fast with the pan flute while the drums made my heart dance.

Sanna snarled and ripped Tārc's hand off me. "Keep your hands off her."

I ignored Sanna's display of testosterone and stared into those light green eyes, feeling a moment of clarity. Violin, pan flute, drums. Trustworthy, wyrm, courage.

"I am not my father." He pleaded, his eyes searching mine.

I let out a shaky breath. "I believe you." And I was quickly jamming the key in the door and unlocking his cell.

A hand on my arm stopped me, filling my head with a symphony. "Kendra, what are you doing?" Nisvārtha demanded.

I glared at him, "What does it look like you daft idiot?"

He frowned, his eyes hard. "It looks like you are doing something impulsive and potentially foolish." He answered.

Still holding his violet gaze I opened my wings in agitation, his gaze flicked to my wings and I watched his complexion pale. His hand left my arm and he backed away.

Tārc chuckled from inside his cell, "Only a fool tampers with a wildfire, brother," he taunted. "I would let her be."

I snorted and glared at him. "Course you would, you cheeky bastard." I opened the door and glared up at Tārc. "I have two questions for you, lad. Answer quick and answer honest cause I have no patience for liars."

He grinned. "Fire when ready, Dāvāgni."

I scowled at the cheeky arse. "Why are you down here?"

He sighed and looked at the floor. "You have met my father, and seen him for the coward he is." He met my eyes again. "Ten years ago, my father became paranoid. He believed I was plotting to overthrow him and threw me in here to rot. I had held no thoughts of mutiny against my father, but after being here, forgotten by all but my dear sister who snuck down here with food and water, I have made it my goal to rid this city of Warlord Kappu Victor."

I stared at him for a long moment. He was telling Truth, I could feel it.

"What is the other question, Dāvāgni?" he asked with a charming smile.

I rolled my eyes, "Not a question, a warning." I stepped closer so that I was toe to toe with Tārc. "You are the son of a coward, Tārc Victor, a coward who damned this city before it was even built. Toss the man from his precious throne, I don't care, but heed my warning....Do better."

He smirked and took my hand, falling to his knee and bowing over my hand. "I swear to honor your mercy Kendra Dāvāgni, I will do everything in my power to make this city great and be a better dragon than my father." He lifted his eyes to mine and kissed my hand.

Sanna shouldered in with a grunt and pushed Tārc away from me, sending him to the floor. "That is not her name, Pukkalin," he growled, wrapping an arm around my waist.

Tārc laughed and stood. "Any woman, wyrm or not, with the fire in her blood deserves a name to honor it." He turned to me again, "Your spirit is Dāvāgni, a wildfire, and I consider myself a lucky man to have been subject to your fiery words."

I rolled my eyes tried not to laugh, "Does that charm of yours work on all women?"

He waggled his eyebrows, "That depends, did it work on you?"

Now I did laugh, cheeky bastard.