We had spotted the lake about an hour ago. It had taken Ryne mere seconds to create a locator charm with the water. He opined that it would have been easier had they not been searching for a powerful god with heavy mystical defences.
The horse took flight as soon as the gleaming bubble-like charm was up in the air. We had been following it ever since. Even though I knew that we were on a dangerous, almost impossible quest, I couldn't help but feel drowsy. I struggled to stay awake as we flew in a rhythmic motion in the darkening sky.
Ryne's grip on my waist tightened, jolting me awake for a second before he whispered, "Sleep, I'm here."
I leaned against his chest, held his arm and drowned in his comforting scent.
***
I woke up to suffocating smog. Everything was dark and my eyes took a moment to adjust to it. I couldn't believe that all the stories I had read about the realm of gods were real. Liremia was real and the land of night was real. While we had always believed in higher entities, we, mortals, had gone a long time without any contact with them. Somewhere along the way, truth became legends and legends became stories. Which was why no ancestor of mine had ever searched beyond the expanse of the Earth. If not for Ryne, neither would I. Lord Dragomitus was right. In the end, I needed him after all.
"We're here," Ryne said softly.
I nodded. We were close, I could feel it. Somewhere ahead, powerful energy was radiating in all directions. Powerful, but familiar energy.
"Do you feel that?" I asked him as the horse galloped through the dark mist.
"Something huge," he replied.
"It's him. I know."
"No light spells work in the land of night. My powers will be useless unless I resort to dark magic," he said, "And that is only if the situation demands it. So I guess I am under your protection now."
"How do you know all of this?" I asked him. He seemed so sure of himself as if he had been personally acquainted with this realm.
"I was born from the celestial grace of Hecate. In gratitude, my parents offered my life to her. She is my adoptive mother, my tutor and my protector. I lived in Liremia in her court for a long time," he said casually as if we were talking about dinner.
"You... you're Hecate's son?" I asked, my eyes wide. All this while I had been hating on his mother?
Before he could respond, the horse neighed loudly and began flapping its wings in a wild manner.
"He's a creature of divinity, he can't go any further," Ryne said before patting the horse's neck softly. It let out a loud groan before descending. It soon landed softly onto the hard ground. Ryne dismounted and helped me down. He thanked the horse by brushing its mane with his fingers. It let out another neigh before disappearing into thin air.
Dense grey fog removed what little visibility we had. There were no stars in the sky, and no moons. I couldn't make out where the land ended and the sky started. It was one huge plane of darkness.
Ryne took a step forward and stumbled. I grabbed his hand and steadied him. Closing my eyes, I shot my energy out. When it echoed back to me, a map of all obstructions in our path got drawn in my head. I put both his hands on my waist.
"What-"
"Trust me," I said as I led the path. My heart fluttered when he gripped me tighter and followed me.
I understood how difficult it must have been for him to walk completely blind and put all his faith on a person who constantly made his life difficult. The more time I spent with him, the more I realized that he was far from how evil he seemed in my head in the beginning. I really was stupid to have assumed his personality based on the conflict between our clans.
The energy of the great dragon was getting more and more powerful. We were very close. Ryne held my waist firmly to keep me from toppling down as the winds began to gain might and blew more forcefully, as if powered by the energy itself. My hair began to flail wildly.
I opened my eyes to a huge, thrumming prison of pure energy. The great dragon, about ten feet tall, lay slumbering inside a transparent egg-like chamber filled with what seemed to be white-hot liquid. Around the surface of the chamber multiple chains that looked like lightning bolts were fastened.
Lord Dragomitus was a splash of crimson amidst all the blinding white energy. His mighty dragon form was awe-inducing. His entire body was covered with scales that glimmered a fluorescent coral tint. His bulky muscles rippled inside the watery chamber.
"My Lord!" I cried out. We had found him. We had done it!
The great god spoke in our heads, "Welcome, children! You have done so well. I am proud of you both. Thank you for putting aside your differences and trusting your gut. Thank you for choosing to love despite the long-standing hatred between your clans."
Choosing to love? I looked up at Ryne wondering what the god meant. The white light emanating from the prison made him slightly visible to me. He looked down at me and smiled mysteriously. I didn't understand what that signified, but I was overcome with happiness. I couldn't help but smile back.
"What you see in front of you is my core essence. I have no physical form which is why unlike others, I cannot break out of here myself," he said and paused as if implying something.
Ryne took a step towards the energy cell. "I see. One of us has to go in," he said grimly.
"Are you crazy? No!" I yelled as I pulled him back. My heart beat wildly for the fear of his safety.
"Meredith, it can be dangerous. You see that liquid? It's not just white, it's white-hot. You'll be scalded," he said and began walking again.
"And so will you, Ryne!" I said, as I hugged him from behind, afraid he was going to run head-long like a fool. "You have a mortal body too. I will never be able to face myself if I let something happen to you after you helped me so much."
"Trust me, I'll be fine," he said, turning to caress my cheek.
I don't know where I got the confidence from, but I stood on my toes and held his face in my palms, "Listen, this is my quest. I have already received so much from you. This is my chance to shine, don't take that away from me, okay?"
We stood there staring at each other until he sighed. Gently bending down, he placed a ghost of a kiss on my lips, "Come back safe, dragon."
I froze as my lips began to quiver. Closing my eyes, I remembered the task at hand and steadied my heart. I nodded at him and turned towards the prison. Every step I took forward was a battle against gale force winds. But I kept at it, left foot, right foot. The more determined I was, the more powerful the resistance I received. Calling forth all my energy into myself, I took three large steps until I was right in front of the chamber. I put my hand forward and it went in like knife slicing through butter. I didn't feel anything although my hand came in contact with the molten liquid. Using that moment of numbness, I pushed through until I was completely inside. When I saw the shimmering form of the great god, the pain began. First just slight heat, then the feeling of touching hot coal except, I was immersed in it. I don't remember screaming, but I probably did. If I could describe hell, this was it.
My eyes watered, I think. I didn't have much sense of what was going on. But I knew enough to reach out. Just as my hand passed through the essence of the god all my pain vanished. The sudden numbness had my brain fizzling out of awareness. I closed my eyes and felt the great god merge with me - his immortal essence and power with my frail, mortal body. It was too much to contain. Just as the essence reached my heart, it began to grow and grow until my body wasn't enough. With a flash, I erupted out of the chamber and stood tall. I looked down at Ryne, not understanding why he seemed so tiny. Not until I peered at myself and found white scales illuminating muscular limbs. I beat my powerful wings once, twice, and then shot up into the sky. If I could let out a gleeful laugh, I would have. I was finally in my dragon-form!
Before I could fully appreciate my body, a thunderous roar shook the surface and, I saw Ryne fall down, bang his head on a rock and collapse. From underneath the chamber, a monstrous creature emerged. It was as big as me, green and scaly with two slicing fangs at the front of its huge mouth. A forked tongue dripping yellow foaming liquid slithered out of its mouth. Its long snake-like body had four wings attached to it that helped it fly right up to me.
I swerved from its path using crazy reflexes I didn't know I had. It tried to come at me two more times and I continued to avoid it. Realizing that I was a tougher enemy to beat, it changed its course and dove straight towards Ryne.
"No!" I yelled and followed it, beating my wings as fast as I could as my heart threatened to explode. Just as it was about to attack his unconscious self, I slammed into it. It obviously wasn't as strong as I was. The huge reptile hissed loudly and glared at me with slit eyes. Before it could regain its strength, I dove down and nuzzled Ryne's body until he was above me. Saying a small prayer to the god within me to keep him safely mounted on my dragon-form, I shot up into the sky. I flapped my wings with as much strength as I could muster to put some distance between the monster and us.
When the darkness began to clear and the air became lighter, I slowed down, realizing that we had come out of the land of night. I soared in the sky for a few more minutes before landing in the middle of a clearing. Two beautiful moons shone in the sky, I was in my dragon form, Ryne snored lightly, the god was within me and for once, my heart was at true peace.
I dropped Ryne gently on the ground before closing my eyes and imagining my human form. I felt the change as energy coursed through my body, splitting the essence of the god from me. I felt a little dizzy when the god completely left me and shimmered a light crimson in front of me. Before I could speak, he did.
"Do you feel lighter, child?"
"I... do," I said, realizing that for once, I did not have a heavy weight pressing on my heart.
"No curse can remain in a body that has contained divine energy," he said and I swear I could see his dragon mouth lift up on the sides.
"Are you saying that I am no longer cursed?" I asked. I wanted it to be true, so much. But I was afraid of hoping.
"You are no longer cursed," he confirmed and I let out a loud squeal. I jumped forward to hug him but tumbled down as he did not have a physical body. He only chuckled.
"I'll send you both back now. Remember, if you ever find yourself in doubt, just look into yourself, you'll find me there." Saying so, he opened his mouth wide and the portal from before rose out.
I grabbed Ryne's arm and placed it around my shoulder. It wasn't easy to heave his unconscious body up. But I managed to do it. Just as the portal began sucking us in, I hugged Ryne tightly knowing full well that once we got into the passage, I wouldn't be able to see or hear him. After everything that happened today, the thought of being alone in the dark scared me even more than before. I knew that if I didn't feel him beside me, the image of the giant snake would haunt me until we reached Earth.
The passage was just as eerie as I had predicted. However, time wasn't meaningless this time around. I could feel it passing and the joy of having succeeded kept my spirits high. The feel of Ryne's body pressed against mine reminded me of how he had kissed me. That thought kept me preoccupied until I felt solid ground under my feet. Ryne was still slumped against me, his face buried in my shoulder. But he was breathing and so was I. All was good in the world.
"Your Majesty!" I heard a familiar voice and turned around to find Arlan, Gyrod and a young boy from my clan waiting close by. When they saw us, they stood up hurriedly and walked up to us.
"What happened to him?" Arlan asked.
"He hit his head. Could you please take him to the infirmary?" I requested. Arlan nodded and took Ryne from my arms. Gyrod soon supported him and they both began walking away from me. I smiled as I realized that I missed him already. The quest had definitely changed how I felt about him. Or maybe it had only enlightened me to my own feelings. I suddenly remembered the young dragon boy and looked at him.
He seemed to be hesitating. I nodded at him to speak.
"My queen, I come with terrible news," he said.
I frowned not expecting that, "Go on."
"Your father is dying. So is the rest of the clan," he said as he fell onto his knees, weeping.
The weight pressed onto my heart again and I blinked, unable to comprehend what he said.