The Dragons' Will

Chapter 10 - A Wish Fulfilled

When the others found him, Darkus had quite a story to tell. If not for the three dragon corpses and his new bow, he wondered if the captain would've believed him. He sat with the healers for some time, thankful the captain had taken the initiative to bring aethermancers from Britikis—their magic was able to repair his bones in a less painful way than surgery. The healers urged Darkus not to walk yet, but he'd insisted on making a quick trip to Aurum Lake.

The overlord took a pair of horses west, one for him to ride, the other to bear the frozen Minara. He rode the smaller of the pair, knowing the block of ice was not only heavy, but uncomfortable too. Regardless, the aches from his healing bones made him more uncomfortable than the burdened horses. Even when healthy, he wasn't a very good rider.

It took a few hours for Darkus to ride from Nixx Wood to Aurum Lake. The opposite end of the huge round lake, its top flaked with frost and snow, couldn't be seen, and not because of the fog, but because of its vastness.

Darkus tied the two horses to a nearby tree, before finally taking Minara down from the larger one, which was relieved to be free of the burden. Laying down the block of ice, Darkus spent a moment looking upon Minara's face once more. He hadn't heard her voice since she'd spoken of the Dragons' Will—he didn't even know if she was still alive.

"We're here, Minara," Darkus muttered.

He paused a moment, hoping to hear her voice, but heard only the whistling of wind and the horses shuffling in the snow. Wanting to return to Britikis and finally get some rest, Darkus moved on.

He looked upon the thin layer of ice coating Aurum Lake, and slowly pushed the large block out over the water. It slid easily on the snow, the ice atop the lake collapsing almost immediately. Minara's remains sank inside the lake, never to be seen again.

"Farewell, Minara," he muttered. "I'm sorry I was unable to save your Order."

Darkus wasn't a very religious man, but he felt compelled to take a knee and utter a short prayer for the safe passage of Minara's soul.

"Angel of Death, I pray to you this day for this departed soul. Guide her to paradise, for she has served the Creator well. She was a priestess of great generosity. I was unable to help her in life, and so in death, I ask only that she be allowed to find peace."

Darkus stood, expecting only to hear the whistling wind and the horses shuffling in the snow. Instead, he heard a voice.

"Thank you, Overlord."

Darkus gaped. Floating above the lake was the ghostly yet divine form of Minara, both hands holding an object glowing with a golden light. Darkus's heart almost stopped, and he slowly backed away.

"You needn't fear me, Overlord," Minara continued. "This is simply part of my magic."

Darkus calmed himself. Minara's voice wasn't echoing in his head like before; the ghost was actually speaking.

"Now would be the right time for me to tell you what my spirit wish is," Minara said. "Whenever someone worthy of receiving Judicii Annis comes to pray at this lake, I shall appear to them, as I have you, and grant them its effects."

Darkus sighed. "I told you before. I've never been interested in living for over three-hundred years. Why are you so intent on performing this ritual on people anyway?"

The ghost's head lowered. "I never knew when I first received it myself, how sad it would be to watch so many friends, family and people I knew wither away and die long before I gained a single wrinkle. Although I had friends within the Order of Iudicium, there were other genuine honourable people outside Nixx Wood, and I felt that if they were worthy of receiving Judicii Annis, then it was our duty to grant it.

"Unfortunately, I never reached a position of high enough power within my Order to change our ways. Rather than wait for people to come to us seeking Judicii Annis, I desired to roam Slyke, and even other lands, seeking these people and offering them our gift."

Darkus paused a moment, wondering whether or not to tell her.

"No one else from your Order survived," he finally said.

"I know," Minara replied. "The black dragon came here solely to destroy the Crystal Monolith and those who could grant Judicii Annis. He may have fallen, but in truth, the victory is his. However, I've done the one thing I could to keep my hope alive. The dragons cannot stop my spirit wish, lest one of them make one of their own and likewise be cast in this lake. It is for that reason I want my spirit wish to remain a secret."

"Not a problem, but I must ask ... how are people meant to find this place and make their prayer if they do not know of it?"

Minara's ghost smiled. "I would rather keep alive the hope of the worthy gaining Judicii Annis through legend, rather than let the truth spread and have a dragon come to extinguish its existence completely. My wish in life may have been to seek the worthy rather than wait for them, but that cannot be achieved now. Instead, I've made a new wish in death. I shall defy the black dragons their complete victory by enabling our gift to continue."

Darkus nodded, finally understanding. He looked toward the horse he'd ridden; his new crystalline bow was strapped to its saddle. He thought about Slyke's current state. There were still a great many who despised the system Thraydus had created, preferring the ways of the Slykan Empire. Before, Darkus believed the only way for Slyke to finally see true peace was to eliminate these individuals. He now realised this only created more hatred, maybe even changing his supporters' minds about the new system. Darkus always believed that restoring the Slykan people's faith in the new ways would go beyond his lifetime. Although he preferred it that way, he wanted to honour Minara's last wish.

"All right, Minara," he said. "I shall accept the Years of Judgement."

The beautiful ghost smiled, then held out the glowing object. Darkus gazed upon the gold chalice.

"The ritual cannot be performed by a ghost," Minara said. "But a spirit wish carries strong magic, enabling the ritual to appear alongside my spirit. Drink from this, and the gift of longer life shall be yours."

Slowly, Darkus reached out and touched the light. He'd expected his hands to pass through it, but the chalice, unlike Minara herself, was solid to the touch. Darkus would've normally been shocked, but nothing regarding Minara surprised him any more.

He raised the golden chalice to his mouth. The water inside sparkled just like the Crystal Monolith itself. There was only a tiny bit inside, which he swallowed in one gulp.

In a single moment, Darkus felt a strong wind hit him. He could still feel the cold against his flesh, the touch of his clothing, and the snowdrops resting upon his head and shoulders, but something was absent. It took him a few moments to realise what it was. Time no longer took effect on his body, and would never do so for the next three-hundred years, if he managed to live that long.

The chalice he held glowed once more. The light blinded Darkus, causing him to drop it, wincing.

He'd expected to hear it plough against the snow, but there was no sound.

When Darkus rubbed his eyes, the chalice, and Minara's ghost, were nowhere to be seen.

Darkus gazed over the vast lake before him, takingin its emptiness. "Thank you, Minara," he muttered, "and farewell."