Chapter 60: The Shadow Made Clear
“Yes, I can, Danica. That and more. Did you really think I’m like the rest of my people? Sure, I am a Dragonling, but I’m also, much, MUCH more. I control all elements, even Light and the Darkness. I can see the flow of time, every ebb and waning flow detected. Now, it’s time, Danica. Time for you to see… your true destiny, and time for you learn… just what you’re fighting.”
He raises his hand and throws it back behind him, and for a moment, there is silence.
Then…
The sound of a great clock tower tolls, and a mysterious portal opens up behind him, the whole room shaking with the force of the energy of the portal.
“It’s time you saw what happened… over six million years ago.”
And with that, the whole room exploded into white.
What I see before me chills me to the bone. From the height we are at, we see all of Aladoria, BURNING with the most sinister of red fire. The land has blackened, and the seas are as red as blood. A giant red, boiling scar runs down the planet, and all I can think of is…
“Who… and what did this?” I choke out in terror,
Alexandi replies from behind me,
“Ramok. The Betrayer, the False Brother, ‘The Sun Devouring Shadow.’ Over six million years ago, he betrayed his kind, the Grandfather Dragons, better known as Dawn Dragons in the future. He was finally sealed away by his own brother, who sealed himself along with Ramok to stop him, once and for all. The Grandfather Dragon sacrificed everything to stop his younger brother, and now… his sacrifice may be in vain.”
I watch with fright as a terrifying draconic figure rises from the ruined planet, and roars at another dragon, which begins to fight with it.
“Come, it’s time to leave. But know this: if you fail Danica, all of the world will be destroyed. Just like now, what you see is what Aladoria will become, if you should lose.”
And with that, we teleported back to the present, and I couldn’t be more glad.
I take a moment to calm myself, and then look at Alexandi.
“But… how will I beat him? How will I save Alexander in time? And how…” Mom cuts me off.
“What happened to my son, Alexandi? If anyone would know where… he is, it would be you.” Alexandi looks away from her, and closes his eyes. I read his face like an open book.
Guilt. He knows something.
“I am sorry about Dameus, Elizabeth. I cannot, and I will not tell you where he rests. His time has long since passed. To answer all of your questions, Danica, I have only one solution.” He turns to me, his eyes suddenly blazing with some sort of emotion, and then just as suddenly, a great calm, peace, filled them.
“Danica Crown, Daughter of Elizabeth Crown, Champion of Irintis, I give you the only thing there is left to give. All of my power, so that you may prevail over the Dragon Ramok, and save those who are most dear to you.” He suddenly glows, a brilliant golden glow that dominates the throne room.
At first, I don’t understand what he is doing, but then it dawns on me, as he seems to begin to fade, and tendrils of energy begin to radiate from him.
“Stop it!” I yell, but it is too late, as his form explodes into many thousands of spirit particles, and the tendrils of energy enter my body by force.
“One last thing, Danica. Beware the Shadow that will now lurk behind you. Do not let it consume you, for you shall be transformed into what you dread most.”
“Beware the Shadow.”
And with that, he was gone. My mom looks at me with a concerned look.
“What is going on around here?!” I get a cold chill, and I shudder before replying,
“I don’t know Mom, but I don’t want to stay here any longer then we have to.”
I take one last quick glance behind me, at the broken throne of Alexandi, then we leave, hurrying to get out as fast as possible.
We get down the steps when…
“Hee… hee… hee…” A girl’s laugh rang out sharply from behind us.
I whirl around, to be faced with a shadow figure standing on the top of stairs. Red eyes glare down at me, it does not move an inch, just simply stares at me. I turn to leave, but it calls out in the girl’s voice:
“Leaving so soon?” Sweat breaks out on my skin, and I whisper frantically to Mom,
“Let’s get out of here, NOW.”
We start running, hurrying for the surface as quick as we can. I look behind us to see the Shadow watching from the streets, from what I can tell, it is laughing.
The scary thing is… it was using my own laugh, and my own voice.
What in the hells is going on?!
I really don’t want to find out.
YOU ARE READING
Dragon Tide Chronicles: Dawn Rising
FantasyThis book is co written by Blake D. Price (Me) and Kamari (On booksie). Around ten years ago, war ravaged the blessed world Aladoria. Fairys and Dragonlings engaged in a violent war that left a great portion of the continent desolate and barren. The...
