The Final Storm (Part 3)

Aidan Reunites with his Mother

“Stop,” Jaydon said, slowly, firmly.

            And the weird thing was, it did.

            Drake cowered in its translucent jaws, his cries dead in his throat. The dragon careful unlatched its mouth from around the vampire and reared its head back, its huge silver eyes focused on Jaydon.

            Jaydon stared back evenly. “What happened?” he asked.

            It blinked at him. Jaydon reached out his foot until the toe of his boot was caressed by the silver dragon’s glow. “What happened?” he repeated.

            The beautiful eyes widened and a scaly arm emerged, followed by another, the huge talons barring the way to the house. It’s head bent way down until it was inches from the dragon, vampire, and the horse and riders. The horse didn’t seem to see it, it stood calmly even when the dragon’s cool breath ruffled its mane. “The Felinus attacked before sunset. The family are all safe.” It chuckled, it’s deep voice rolling through the air. “I made sure of that.”

            “Wait, you’re Jaydon!” Drake squeaked, pointing a finger at its disheveled, scaly chest.

            “Of course I am!” both the silver creature and Jaydon said at once.

            “You are dismissed,” Jaydon addressed the silver creature before turning to the vampire, “You might want to close your eyes.”

            The silver dragon lifted its great head and roared to the stormy sky. With a great noise, it exploded, sending ribbons of light through the city like the swell of a great wave. Drake shielded his face with an arm, his teeth grit in pain. Jaydon swelled as the light swirled around his body, lingering for a second before plunging in his chest. Jaydon’s eyes bloomed with color for a second, his toes leaving the ground. Then it was gone, and he sank back to the ground with a sigh.

            Nothing stirred in the night. It was as if nothing had even happened. The tired old horse flicked its tail, Aidan and Arianna were still fast asleep on its back. Drake blinked in the deeper darkness, splotches of red and white drifting across his vision. He hissed in pain. Jaydon’s soft voice cut through the confusion like a knife. “Wait here a second, Drake. I need to talk-”

            The door flew open and a woman in a long white nightdress stomped out, her willowy form outlined by the candle light behind her. She held a heavy pan in her outstretched hands, her wild eyes searching the darkness. “Who goes there?” her voice came strong, but her pan was trembling in her hands. “If it’s you two again, I swear we’re not leaving this house! Just- leave us alone!”

            Jaydon stepped into view, holding his Rider as if he were a babe he were presenting to the mother. “Sarah- it’s just us. Don’t worry, the men are gone. Let us in, we are weary and need rest.”

            Sarah’s eyes widened and she leaned against the door. Her shock of black hair bobbed as she shook her head, backpedaling into the safety of the house. “Ralem? Is… is that really you?”

            “No. It’s me- Jaydon,” Jaydon took a step closer, “But Ralem is with me, he’s just.. hurt. Please-”

            “No!” Sarah’s voice was taught as she clawed her chest. “Stay away from us! Go, just go, please leave us alone!”

            Just before she could close the door, Jaydon snapped his wings open to their awesome extent. She froze, her eyes becoming wide as saucers. ”Woman, listen to me,” Jaydon snarled. “Your brother is hurt. Let us in so that we may rest.”

            Sarah stood there for a second, unmoving. Jaydon’s wings shook from exertion. “We have… Aidan,” he gasped.

            Her eyes lit up and she flew down the steps, brushing past Drake. When she caught sight of her boy, asleep on the saddle, she swept him up and hugged him close to her chest. “My boy, my little boy,” she cried, kissing him and fervently running her fingers through his hair. Tears fell from her glassy green eyes, mingling with the rain on his drenched jerkin as she shook with emotion. “Aidan…”

            Aidan blinked sleepily awake and Sarah cried even harder, cradling his face with her hands. “Mother?” Aidan murmmered. “MOTHER!” He threw his arms around her and melted into her embrace, his joyous cries mingling with her own.

            If it had been any other time, Jaydon would have enjoyed the reunion. But his mind was thinking of only one thing; rest. His weary feet trudged yet onwards, his surroundings blurring as he walked the path to Ralem’s room that he felt he had walked a thousand times before. Stumbling into the open door, he gently let his Rider onto the small bed nestled in the corner of the room before collapsing on the floor.

            He laid there, on the rough wood floor, just hearing himself breathe, not really believing he had made it. He could feel Ralem through his connection, reaching out, crying for him. He was dying. Jaydon’s hands pressed against the ground in a desperate attempt to reply to the call, but he was too weak to defy gravity. Jaydon… the call was evident, not on his mind, but on his heart. Jaydon tried harder, his whole being shaking with the effort before he sank into the ground once more. Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the whole room for a second before disappearing.

            Jaydon…

            Jaydon gnashed his teeth, his double dragon hearts pumping furiously. I can’t, Rider! I can’t! I have done all that I can! What more can you ask of me?

            Jaydon….

            Fragments of pictures in his mind, Ralem… falling from the sky. His face was a mask of terror, his hands outstretched as if trying to grab hold of him. Then a green tail flashed across his vision, crashing into the Rider with a sickening crunch. Ralem being tortured, metal spikes protruding from his chest and legs… Ralem, burning in front of his very eyes. His flesh, turning red, then black, those trusting eyes staring into his own. Ralem had trusted him. And he had failed. All Jaydon could see was the flames, red, blue, gold, such beautiful colors. He was vaguely aware that he was crawling towards it. I was supposed to protect him, Jaydon thought harshly, And now we will both die. I killed us both.

            He clawed into the fireplace, heaving his body to rest on the ash and stubble of wood, breathing in  the acrid smell. He curled himself into a tight ball, letting the flames wash over his body. The little of the clothes he had left were eaten by the flame, their black remains mixing with the wood and still Jaydon didn’t feel a thing. He felt nothing.

            Jaydon, please…

            I’m doing this for you! Jaydon called, his mind feverish. Why didn’t he just burn up? Everything I’ve ever done, it’s been for you! Don’t you understand, you stupid human?  He dug his head into the ash, inhaling the flecks into his molten lungs. I would burn for you, take away your pain! But… I have nothing left to give… nothing.  Jaydon let his eyes lower to his hand resting in the flame. The flames danced across it, its tendrils reaching up to tickle his face. But the skin was whole, the flesh untarnished.

            Jaydon, please help me.

            Jaydon curled up even tighter. And he cried.