Sky City Chronicles

Chapter 5: Parting

Parting

I woke up with Razor's arms still wrapped around me, his body curved around mine with his wing lying across my side. I smiled as I shifted slightly, looking over my shoulder at his still face, his lips drawn in his own smile as he rolled over, letting me go as he did so.

I climbed out of the bed and walked over to his face, whispering, "Morning sweetheart." I rubbed the back of one of my claws over his cheek, and he mumbled slightly but didn't wake up. I chuckled slightly and turned out of the room, mumbling, "Silly dragon." under my breath as I found my way to Ironscale's residence just down the hall.

He looked up from his ever-present book as I entered, "You're up early for having such a fun time last night." I snapped a look at him and he shrugged, "I may be old, but I'm not deaf."

I blushed as his I realized that was exactly what I had been thinking, and turned away before I could say something foolish. I ran my claw down the bookshelf, titles and authors popping out in my vision as I made my way to the floor and then up again in the next row.

"I might be able to help you look if you ask nicely." The Sage said smugly from his position behind me.

"I'm just perusing your collection." I said over my shoulder, not bothering to look at him, "Keep your scales on, I'm not going to hurt anything."

"It's not the books I'm worried about." he mumbled under his breath as I passed him.

I looked over at him but his gaze was buried in the words before him. I went back to the books in front of me, but I was distracted by a thought that continued to bother me for several moments. It was when I had read the same title three times that I finally gave in to my feeling and asked over my shoulder, "There was something that we saw on the way here that I've been wondering about for a while." I turned around and saw he had put down the book and looked over the back of the couch as he listened. "Well, we were flying on the flats just beyond your forest, on our way here from Sky City, and I saw a pile of rubble that looked like a good place to hole up until the patrols cooled off enough for us to get here without as much risk." I shuffled my left hand on the floor absentmindedly, "I thought it was a great idea, but when Razor saw what I had spotted he turned almost white in terror." I looked back to Ironscale to see him nodding at my words, "Do you know why he seemed so scared of that place? I want to know so that way I can understand him better."

"Understanding between lovers is a wonderful wish," he said as he locked his green eyes with my blue, "but that story is one I do not find pleasant to tell, given I have some feelings wrapped up in it as well."

"Then I'm sorry I asked," I said, turning back to the bookshelf, "forget I mentioned it." I tried to find my spot on the shelf again, but stopped as I felt his hand on my shoulder.

I looked at him and he sighed, "I may not like telling you this, but it is something you do need to know." He motioned for me to follow him, "Come. Sit down so these old bones have something soft to lie on as I tell my tale." I sat down opposite him as he took in a breath, seeming to steady himself as much as gather air for speaking.

"That od ruin you saw on the way here," he paused as I watched with rapt attention, "that was Razor's home before he came to be my student." My eyes widened I shock as I put two and two together. He nodded as he understood my look, "Yes, that pile of rubble is all that is left of his house, and if you went digging through the piles of rock and timber, you would find two skeletons buried together in the debris, holding hands even in death." He placed his hand on mine, stilling shakes I had not known were making my body tremble. "Now you know why that place frightened him so much." I looked into his eyes to see pity softening them as he looked at me, "For him that place will always hold the ghosts of his childhood, and those of his parents, who gave their lives in the defense of their home."

I took my hand back and curled it against my chest, pain ravaging my heart as I imagine the firestorm that must have swept through the farmhouse, the rafters splintering in the explosions and stone flying in deadly arcs as seams were burst apart. Fire and screams filled my mind, until I couldn't take it anymore and I grabbed to Ironscale's chest, my breathing fast and short as he tenderly wrapped his arms around me.

"There, there young one." he said soothingly, "The past is in the past. The pain of our memories is all that prevents us from moving forward in life." He pushed me away to look me in the eyes, "Now that you know what caused his pain, what are you going to do about it?"

I stilled my fluttering heart with an effort, and pushed back up into a sitting position as I took a couple deep breaths to calm my nerves. I looked around me, my gaze seeing the walls of Razor's old home, not the stone of the Sage school around me, and I looked back at Ironscale with determination in my eyes, "I'm going to make a burial mark for his parents, and then I'm going back to Sky City to take out Igneous and his group." I smiled smugly, "After all, I'm one of his top generals, so it should be fairly easy to get to him."

The Sage nodded his head, but lifted a hand as I turned to leave, "Caution will be your guide in this journey. Do not trust your position as safe while under the roof of Igneous' stronghold."

I looked back at him and nodded, "Don't worry about me. Now that I can fly, I can get out of trouble should I find it."

With that I walked out of the room, not paying attention as I went, therefore missing his parting comment, "We don't usually find trouble. It usually finds us when we are looking the other way."

I made my way back to the chamber I shared with Razor, knowing that I had to see him one more time before I left. I entered the room to see he was still out cold, and I couldn't help but laugh as I walked over to his head, his eyes still closed and the dreamy look still plastered over his face. I bent down and kissed him on the cheek, then on the forehead as he mumbled once and then rolled over. I looked at his sleeping form and had a sudden feeling that this would be the last I saw of him. I shook the thought from my mind and then ran my claw down his wing bases, savoring this moment I had with him before I left on a mission I knew would be dangerous.

"I wish you could come with me," I whispered to him, "but this is something I must do alone." I turned and walked out of the room, finding my way up and out of the school and into daylight for the first time in days.

I took one last glance behind me, wishing for the entire world I could stay here forever, and leapt into the sky, my wing beats strong as I flew into the rising sun. I just hoped it would not be the last I ever saw.