The One Who Was Chained

1

The tower was crumbling. And it wasn't my fault this time. It was the third one this week, and the rapidly deteriorating magic that kept the borders up couldn't take much more. Yes, the first tower had been my fault. Klika, my wyvern, had crashed into it. Or, at least that's what I told them. I could reminisce about the the real story later. Right now, I had to alert the Council. I snapped Klika's reins, and she took off into the sky, the remnants of the tower falling into the midnight abyss of the ocean. The sky shuddered, the magic screeching. It stopped after a moment, and I was free to hear the waves crashing again. I didn't dare to fly close to the water. Things ancient and far more dangerous than a wyvern dwelled there, with mouths that could swallow a ship whole. But that wasn't my problem. Mortals had long suspected this place to have some sort of magic to it. It's why no one who saw us ever came out alive. The Bermuda Triangle, as they called it, was our home. And the magic that held up the borders, that kept us out of sight and relatively out of mind, was failing. And no one knew why. Klika began to descend, and I had instinct enough to lower myself in the saddle. I had been thrown off her a few times by the sheer force of the wind alone. She landed, sloppily, her claws scraping deep into the rocks, but it was a landing. I leapt from her back, droves of people blocking the way. They scattered, and I ran. They all knew who I was. Mairen Orivel. The girl who was not to be trusted. Only one did not run. Alan.

"Well hello Mairen." His green cloak fluttered in the wind. It was barren without people around. Just the lighthouse behind him, and the sea's crash. "What have you done this time?" He narrowed his hazel eyes.

"I didn't do anything." I stepped forward. "Another tower fell." I saw the dismay in his bronze face.

"I knew it was inevitable. There is something making the towers fall. Even I don't know. The people are getting worried. When the Councilmen don't know how to solve the problem, anxiety runs rampant."

"But maybe I can." Alan gave me a strange look.

"And how will you do that? A girl and her wyvern cannot save the world alone."

"Maybe, maybe not. But to try is better than giving up. I won't let you down Alan. I'll get to the bottom of this." I sighed. "Somehow."

"You don't need to do this, Mairen." Alan took a breath, "You were not chosen. I highly doubt the people would even believe that you saved them, if you manage to."

"You're right," I began, "I wasn't chosen for this. But who else is there? Do you see anyone around here stepping up to save our world? I have my reasons. You have your reasons not to."

"Find what is destroying the towers, Mairen. Accept my blessing and my gift for your journey." Alan pulled a silver cuff from his pocket and handed it to me. "It will amplify your magic." I slipped it over my wrist, shocked by the power it gave me. I took it off. "Do not hesitate to kill any mortals you see. With the borders getting weaker by the day, many more will come. They cannot discover us. Not again."

"I will not let you down Alan. I will not let the people down." Alan nodded, turning away and sauntering back towards the marble lighthouse that rose into the sky. I whistled for Klika. She came at my call, bouncing with joy, her blue-grey scales dancing even in the dim sunlight.

"Come, Klika. We have a world to save." I mounted her and snapped the reins, and we were off into the foggy sky.