Touched By A Dragon

Chapter 20: Brothers To A Fault

The shadowed figure came forward with a playful smirk dancing across his blood-red lips, showing gleaming teeth and skin as pale as snow. But he was no princess. He was exactly the opposite.
“Hello brother, come to enjoy the final trial?” It teased. “Now when I told you I would be sticking to the code trials, well I’ve changed my mind, besides those things won’t be very useful where you’re going, and as you said before. Watching you run from holograms wouldn’t be very entertaining. So I’ve decided to keep it fresh as you would say.”
“So what will I be entertaining you with brother?” Mike asked uncertainly.
Mikes dark side smirked.
“I think this will be interesting, you have been thinking a lot about your precious knight’s school and home. Now I think you are aware of my powers?”
“Powers, what powers?” Asked Mike confused.
“My, my, Mother and Father have kept a whole lot from you. Well, I have the ability to summon the dead or near dead into my domain, and I think you will be quite interested with my recent additions.” He grinned.
“N-no, they’re fine. You’re LYING it’s what you always do.” He said in a mix of tones and volumes.
“Oh brother, is that how you really see me? I might be evil, but lying, that’s below even me, and I would never lie, at least not to you.” He said with truth in his eyes.
Mike already knew that he was telling the truth, but he didn’t want to admit it.
“Ah, good, I can feel their soles coming to me. Wait for it, wait for it, ah there it is.” Mikes brother grinned.
Mikes eyes started to water as the room filled with icy smoke, it was as if deathly cold fingers were coming from every direction, reaching out for him. They slid out from behind and started suffocating him.
“Now, now my pretty ones, this one is to be kept alive, well for now anyway.” His brother smirked.
The icy smoke backed away from him and created a small circle around his feet. Then it fell to the ground and coated the floor in thick, white smoke. Only a little bit remained in the air, the smoke in the air then came together to form four people shaped clouds. Then it was as if a projection of some people was being shown on the clouds.
“Ghosts, they’re ghosts!” Mike whispered, shocked.
 “Well hello captain obvious, so nice of you so join us.” His brother grinned while clapping his hands sarcastically.
His slow claps echoed around the walls as the ghosts gained more and more detail. Mike saw who they were and started crying, huge wet streams of tears. 
“Why, brother?” He gasped in between sobs.
“Oh, I thought you would happy with some company from the long-deceased Queen Eliza, the soon to be dead Phoenix, with his rider Destany and of course the near-dead Princess, Lillianna.” He taunted. “Which shall we watch die first? Well, you’ve already had to kill your Queen twice to I won’t make you watch it as well.”
With a wave of his hand, Queen Eliza's ghost turned into wispy smoke and got thinner and thinner until nothing was there. Mike, shocked and shaking, turned his attention back to his brother.
“Phoenix isn’t really your dragons so why should you shed real, streaming tears? So it’s a toss-up of Lillianna and Destany. Oh, who am I kidding, it’s so going to be Lillianna.” Mikes brother smiled.
He walked over to Mike, his steps echoing around the cave-like room. He stood behind Mike and reached over his shoulder, he then waved his hand as if cleaning a window and a screen appeared. Then he wrapped his hand around Mike’s neck and forced him to look at the screen. 
“Finish watch your Princess and your friend die then you will live.” Hissed Mike’s brother.
“No, I, if don’t then only my body, will die, if I do then my heart, mind and soul will turn into ashes and only my body will remain.” Mike breathed, defeated.
“You know what? I like the sound of that! I think I will save her death for last so I can enjoy the moment, we will start with your friend.” His brother laughed, as he wiped the screen with his other hand. There was a flash of blinding white light. Mike squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened his eyes he saw the small group of knights, he was walking alongside Peter. Mike looked at him and waved his hand in front of Peter's face. Nothing happened. Mike then turned his attention to the path that they were taking. 
The small group of ridders and the dragon had followed a trail of boot prints imprinted onto the wet grass. They lead to the centre of the island. Peter was anxiously looking around for any signs of Destany. There were only two hours left. The riders weren’t sure if they would find her in time, then they heard a small groaning noise and looked down.
 “Ph.…Phoenix….I’m…so…sorry. The voice breathed.
“Oh my gods, Destany?” Peter gasped.
Mike followed Peters gaze, there below them, was a shaking figure, covered in wet grass and mud, as though she had tripped and slid down a huge hill, beneath that he could see burses and burns, just likes Phoenixes.
Peter leapt into action, recovering from his shock almost instantly and barking orders to the rest of the knights. Mike couldn’t hear what he was saying; he couldn’t consecrate on anything, just the half-dead girl in front of him. All he could do was staring at her with wide eyes and a racing heart. For the first time in his life, he was frozen stiff, completely powerless, unable to help at all.  Two knights came and carefully picked her up, placed her on the back of a dragon and stood on either side of the beast as it carefully carried her back to where the others where. Mike just stood there, completely frozen in shock.
“No Brother, you don’t get off that easily, you have to watch them try to save her.” A voice whispered in his head. “Now, move!”
Mike was powerless against his brother, his will was gone. Mike dragged his feet, one step at a time, mindlessly following the trail that the dragon had left.
Pater was impatiently pacing the small area between the jungle path and the clearing, his hands squeezed into tight fists and beads of sweat on his forehead because Emerald told him that his restless spirit was making the process harder. Mike walked through a branch and saw Peter. He walked straight past him, not even trying to get his attention. Mike then entered the clearing, Jewel, Comet, Justice, Ruby, Star, Hunter, Fierce, Tanipha and Spirt where all clouded around a huge blanket with Emerald at the top of the circle. All of the dragons had their eyes firmly shut in concentration and their heads bowed as if a heavy weight had been placed on them. Mikes gaze turned towards to blanket and tears formed in his hollow eyes and slowly crept down his emotionless face as he saw Destany lying next to Phoenix, curled up next to him with her hand reaching out for something unseen. All of a sudden Emeralds neck jerked up and her eyes slid open, her pupils narrowing on in Mike. Mike felt her cold stare on him and looked away. Emerald opened her mouth and hurled a column of green fire straight through him. Pearl stood up at look at where the fire was aimed, but it was obvious that she could see him. 
“What’s the wrong girl?” She asked worriedly.
“Mike’s spirit is here. Tell him to wait outside.” Emerald replied, toneless, fed up with all the intruders.
Pearl stood, open-mouthed and stared at the spot where Mike stood, a thousand thoughts rushing through her head. A cough brought her confused mind back into the moment; she raised a shaking hand, cleared her voice and spoke.
“Um, Mike, could you please go and wait with Peter,” she stuttered, quietly.  
Mike sighed and tried to move back but his feet wouldn’t move like his shoes were held to the ground with super glue. He looked at Emerald who let out a sharp exhale of air, annoyed, and turned back to Phoenix and Destany. She then narrowed her deep red eyes on Phoenix’s still body and gently blew bright yellow smoke around her feathered face. Phoenix breathed it all in one deep breath then exhaled and the smoke hung in the air above Destany. The silence was defining; it was as if the entire world held its breath, waiting.