Eternal Fire

Chapter 40

Hell and the fire started an argument, to which Hell should easily win as Air continued to help the young adult breathe. Air's eyes looked over the fire dragon as they murmured things to her, their eyes hovered over the dragon's ripped wings. They would have to wait for a bit. The green fire snarled as Hell growled back before the god wrestled the fire down with some of his own.

"Too many of my children have died, and she isn't going to die whilst I can help it!" The god snarled, batting the fire with his paw. "One to a water dragon, one to this disease, and another by mind control!" The father swiped at the fire again. "You will do what I, and Ember, ask, or you will be punished. We control you, let me remind you that I made you. So when I let you go, help her to live. You got that?"

The fire looked at the god before lowering its eyes, it didn't really have eyes, Air just felt like it submitted to the red and orange dragon's orders. Hell must have sensed this too, as he released the green fire and let it return.

"We need to start finishing, or there will be consequences." Time said, Air glanced over, the dragon was looking normal, but Air knew of the risks that the Master of Time meant.

"Mind, quickly make her body heal her wings, and tell it how to fight this disease off." Air said, standing up as they continued to help the dragon breathe. The fire dragon was watching the four deities, her eyes a little brighter, but still dull, now that her fire had returned.

"She'll still need a healer, but as long as that happens, she'll be fine." Mind said after a few moments. The three deities walked away before pausing, the god had stayed behind, and was now murmuring to his daughter, before nudging her head with his and walking away, towards the other three deities.

"Time going back to normal." Time said, and moments later, the dragons were now moving at the normal rate. They were watching the sick dragon on the stone, who'd turned back to her original position, watching the rising orange sun. Her eyes were a little brighter than they were before, and Air continued to reduce their help with the dragon's breathing. The foursome walked back down the hill and away from the four dragons.

"Have you been doing things like that for the past few millennia?" Hell said, turning to the three other deities.

"Similar. Normally just the rare dragons, or those that are quick and simple to help." Air said, watching as Ember started to recover. "Seems that her fire was making things a lot worse than they would usually be." Air murmured. "Let's go." A strong swirl of air and heat lasted for a few short moments before disappearing, and the four immortals were gone.

* * *

Waking up to a pair of green and gold eyes was unexpected. Ember blinked repeatedly as she made out the details in the eye, each individual speck of shining gold, before looking at the female in front of her.

"Take it slowly, Amluse got a dragon to knock you out for five days whilst you battled the disease." Tsavolite said quietly, rubbing her head against Ember's. "I nearly lost you, I don't want you to go." The dragon nearly sobbed into Ember's neck.

"I'm here, and I'm here to stay." Ember said rubbing her head against Tsavolite. Shuffling, Ember stood up on weak legs and looked over her shoulder at her wings, which were now nearly healed. "Where's the food?" She grumbled as she leant on Tsavolite, who walked over to the far side of the cave and pulled a deer over.

"I can't tell you how close I was to eating that. Take your time, don't make yourself sick." Tsavolite said, licking her lips of the blood which had come from dragging the chunk of meat over. Glancing around, Ember surveyed her surroundings, her eyes looking into the darkest areas of the cave, and at the two fire pits that gave off the light. She tore the deer open, savouring every bite.

After Ember had finished, she gave a little bit to Tsavolite to gulp down, she'd been watching the meat vanish, so it only seemed fair. With food in her stomach, the pair walked through the caves as Tsavolite updated the fire dragon on events that had happened - not a lot.

They paused to let their eyes adjust to the midday sunlight when they reached the large cavern, where three Humanyos dragons were rolling around, two were rolling around, and the eldest one watched. Having grown used to there being an imposter, Ember watched her two friends fight each other, but it was a friendly scuffle. Ember lowered her mental defences to Tsavolite, who entered her mind as they sat down, tails entwined, to watch the pair tussle.

   What do you think about hatchlings? Ember murmured gently, as Dando pinned Fenn, who whacked Dando over the head with his tail.

'I think they'd be cute. I know where you're going with this. You want some.'

You said that there were dragons who could make a dragon have some, even if they didn't have a mate, or if their mate was the same gender. Ember turned her head to look at Tsavolite in the eyes.

'There are, I know there is at least one in this pack. How many were you thinking?'

How does four sound? Two fire dragons and two Humanyos dragons. Not as powerful as I am, I don't want to give them that trouble.

'I think that sounds wonderful. I was going to ask when you got back, but you've beaten me to the subject. Come.' Tsavolite stood up and looked down at Ember, who rubbed her head when she stood up too. They walked out of the cavern, close enough that their wings rubbed each other, both thinking about their futures as parents. She knew she wouldn't see the future dragons grow into adults, but she would try her best, a small part of her hoped that she could persuade her fire to visit her children when it took over.

- - - Four Years Later - - -

Ember watched her four youngsters squabble over a piece of meat, two red, two green. Spark and Garnet, the two red dragons, both had fire, but not as powerful as Ember's. That she had wanted to make sure of, but they rolled around the grey floors of the cavern whilst their two green siblings, Jade and Epidote - Epi for shirt - raced around, nearly bumping into Dando and Fenn, who were watching their own young hatchlings, much younger than Ember and Tsavolite's. They were happy.

Her fire rolled around inside her, a reminder that her time was coming to a close. Ember and Tsavolite journeyed the continent, trying to find Amluse and a way to keep Ember's fire at bay whilst helping other dragons.

'I think I may have found him.' Tsavolite said, Ember glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, still tired from her previous journey.

I will get him, bring him back, update him on everything. I have got a bit more time until I go. Ember rubbed Tsavolite's head with her own, glancing at the imposter.

'No. Stay here, enjoy your time with our children. I will go. Besides, your siblings are coming here for a meeting soon, you'll see them here. Besides, I think that he is dead. He never left Humanyos, Ember.' Tsavolite lent against Ember before talking out loud. "Let's just enjoy what we have," her voice quieted before continuing, "leave the Queen and Amluse to me. You can trust me." Ember agreed and looked out to the setting sun, watching the golden light send long shadows over the smooth stone.

- - -

   "Are you having the same feeling that I am?" Air said, glancing at Time and Mind, watching the sun set over the mountains in the distance, their shadowed peaks slicing into the golden sky. "That I should choose another mortal?"

   "I feel the same." Time said as Mind agreed on Air's other side. "I wonder why?" Time added from Air's left. "Who are you thinking?"

   "I'm going to keep it in Ember's family, they are a good bunch. Maybe Ash or Spark." Air tapped their claws against the stone. "Spark, she cares for others..."

   Mind was the next who answered. "A poison dragon, I think I would choose one of them."

   "I think a healing dragon, maybe from the Haven, they understand what is at risk and the healers here are some of the best. Plus they are very useful." Time said as Air watched the last sliver of the sun disappear over the mountains, plummeting the mountainside in darkness.