When K'nor and I reach the house, there are still some embers from the fire I started earlier.
"Ah, shit. I forgot the captain's dagger at Vodun. Oh, well, I wouldn't have needed it anyway."
I inject Angas into the bracelet I took from Colrad, and everything that inside comes out: a great axe, a staff, Selene's armor, Excafol's robe… Everything they had. Even the seasoning she always used when cooking, inside a small closed bowl, came out.
The armor has blood traces on it, the robe is rugged, the greataxe has chips everywhere. How..
"Just how long did you guys fight?" While I was here, like a little shit. "If-if only I could bring back the time."
I take the armor, the robe, the staff, and the great axe and put them on the side. I will bury them with the bodies. Then I take the shovel that came out with the rest. We used it when we started the field. I dig two holes right next to the field and place their bodies inside. Then I put their belongings with them.
When I take Selene's armor, I look at my reflection on it, I am crying again, which doesn't surprise me, but the weird thing is that my hair and my eyes have turned black. I can't see it properly because the armor is not clean, but still, silver would never look like black, nor would red. What happened to me?
I put the armor on the tomb and burn everything with a Firestorm: their bodies, their equipment, everything. I sit there and watch. As that fire is burning, I feel like all our memories here are also burning. The fire stops, and I close the two tombs.
***
"Selene, Excafol, I was not the best person you could have deserved to know. Because of me, you got into trouble and suffered, and yet, you haven't even once said that I was useless. I can't live the life you wanted me to live, whichever one it could have been. But I swear on my name as Dragonroad that those responsible will pay, all of them."
"I just hope you won't let your rage consumes you."
"W-what?!" I look around me, searching for the origin of the voice I just heard. It was the World's roar. But there is nobody, only K'nor. I look at him a bit, but he only looks back, wagging his tail.
"Have you finished mourning the dead? Then come, and we shall speak as you have requested." Come? Where? Ah, the white space.
I sit down and focus a bit. When I open my eyes, there is now a forest in front of me. Wait, I am still in reality? No, there are two tree stumps I have never seen before; in front of a fire. On one of them, there is a woman sitting, wearing a beautiful and well-designed red and black dress. She has a black tone skin, a bit darker than mine, a small beautiful nose, beautiful brown lips… long ears? Her ears are long and pointy, and on her forehead, two pairs of three horns. Wait, Horns? HORNS? I am so surprised by what I see I stop walking. Who is that?
"Come now, why do you stop? Join me."
"Who are you?" I ask her after sitting down on another tree stump that appeared out of thin air.
"I believe you know already. Though the name you use is not weird." The woman stands up, and I see a scaly tail waving a bit behind her.
"The world's roar? But you don't look human." She has snake eyes. Her eyes look just like a snake, but they are red, just like mine. It is a bit scary, though she is emitting a warm and reassuring aura, so not that much.
"I am not. I do not know why it was the name you heard. My name is 'world's roar'." This world? Tongue?
"Please, explain to me slowly what exactly is going on. Also, I didn't understand the name you just gave."
"You didn't understand. Hmm…Is it not how it should be pronounced? Perhaps an explanation will be more helpful then. I am one of the origins of dragons."
"Dragons are a myth. They don't really exist."
"In this world maybe. But in other worlds, we certainly do. Our world, the world of dragons, was also attacked by Longinus, and we have managed to defeat them."
"Wait. You mean there are other worlds out there?"
"Of course, Shcamerin is just a tiny world in a big universe threaten by Longinus. You are in the corner of the universe where the war is not even perceptible."
"How do you know all that? You said you were an origin. What does that mean?"
"As the origin of dragons, I partake their history up until the day I am extracted. To obtain a dragon's origin, an Archdragon, which has reached the god's realm, must burn his life energy, purify and condense it until he dies. So, of course, even his memories will be condensed too. That's why I know what I know."
"I see. But how did you end up in my body?"
"I was to be gifted. To a god who helped us during the war. I don't remember his name, but I do know that he must be the one who fused our soul." So, it was a god who put her on me. But why? For what purpose?
"Defeating Longinus must be harder than I thought."
"It is indeed. Even for us, a third of our people died during the war, even though gods were fighting with us. The way your goddess is handling things here must be why I was sent. But, sadly for you, my bearer, there are some problems."
"Problems?"
"Yes. As you know already, up until now, I couldn't speak to you. That was mostly because your body didn't have all the necessary requirements to awake our soul. But now that you have mastered all the elements present in this world, I can use them to convert my energy and let you use the draconic power to some extent."
"I am not sure I understand."
"Draconic energy cannot be used without an equivalent. And the only possible equivalent here was all of the elements of this world combined."
"Do you mean that I can use all elements? But I have never been able to use darkness. And what about the times before?"
"You have been using darkness Angas for the last two hours or so. The previous time was because you were in danger. But you have seen the result by yourself."
"Really? I didn't know. But it is not the only problem, right?" she said problem-S after all.
"The other problem is that I don't remember everything. I only remember two techniques used by my people: STAMPEDE and ROAR OF DRAGONS. They are both strong techniques, but I think there is a last one that I should remember."
"Dragons only used three techniques to fight? That's lame."
"A mountain build through time will always be harder than rocks assembled together in a hurry. Knowing a lot of things is good, but it reduces what you can truly master and therefore makes you weak compared to those who have master even a single technique."
***
I talk for a long time with the origin of dragons. We talk about dragons, their battles against the Longinus, the necessity to fight them, etc.
"From what I can feel, there are only two dragons in this world. Though one of them seems to be weak, it would be good to find them both."
"Wait, dragons are not a myth? Like big lizards that existed before?"
"Do I look like a lizard to you? Also, my name. I wish to be named again."
"Before that, I have two last questions for you: you called me Dragonroad. Why? And second, I think I remember you calling me pathetic, if it was you, why?"
"Ah, that day… so you heard my voice after all. Well, I was ashamed of how humans are weak compared to us."
"And you think differently now?"
"Not really. But I must admit that you have changed if only a little."
"Well, at least you do not mince your words."
"My pride forbids me to. Dragonroad is the name given to those who received dragon's origin because they will carry the memories of a dragon and his power, they are therefore considered as part of our legacy and future, thus the name."
"I see… Well, you explain it better than a certain somebody, at least." Two's explanation was way too fantastic.
"I see. Well, I will call you CISSA. My mom told me once that I was the name of a great historian who recorded all the battles which happened in this world for over a century."
"CISSA… Then Cissa it shall be. Let's work together in making you strong then."
"I will try to, at least."
"Also, please. Do not let your thirst for revenge dominates you. You are…We are a road for others to follow. Our fight is noble and our goal further ahead than anything normal people could understand."
"I…I am sorry. But no matter what, I will make them pay, whoever it is."
"Just don't overdo it. That's all I am asking."
"I... I understand."