Thousands of dragons gathered on massive glaciers.
The frozen fields below Thoravive, now torn apart by the falling mountains, were covered with an uncountable number of dragons.
All around for miles, any surface that could hold them was packed with the mourning beasts.
A few brave souls ventured out to the rim of a great hole in the ice, where most of the debris fell. Chunks of the mountains continued to fall through the hole, making huge waves as they sank into the freezing waters below.
Most of the dragons sat on fields of snow, crying bitterly while they watched their holy land sink. Others simply laid motionless as if they'd become one with the frozen landscape.
This place was a cursed land unlike the others. Here, rather than corruption and cursed beasts, it was ice that devoured everything. The fields, forever frozen in bitter frost, were home to many treacherous creatures. Below the ice were secrets yet unknown, but these frozen waters would forever hold the ruins of Thoravive, hiding them away where only gods could reach.
Lumia flew low over the fields until she found her father sitting together with several golden dragons.
Seeing our approach these dragons flew away, mixing in among their brethren. Lumia dropped Lila and I before landing near the High Lord, not speaking at all as she approached.
I followed closely behind, taking note how his nostrils flared releasing plumes of smoke. His eyes were both focused and distant as he looked through us, paying no mind to his daughters or me.
As we came close, his baritone voice shook my bones.
"So you succeeded in obtaining the gem. Have you come to report your accomplishment?"
His words were clearly directed at me which I found strange considering he hadn't yet addressed Lila or Lumia.
I wasn't sure why Lumia sought her father, but I was only here because she brought me.
Lila began to speak first. "Father, we—"
"Silence," Andrhei roared. "You have disgraced me."
"You are as cold and heartless as these fields," Lumia growled back. "What happened was not her fault, and Borin was thoroughly punished for his sin by my bond. It can be said then that the punishment was dealt by my hand so your honor remains unblemished."
Lowering his gaze toward me, Lord Andrhei spoke slowly through his great teeth.
"Holding the dragon gem is no feat. It proves nothing."
"Father!" Lumia shouted.
"How many can say they have held the dragon gem?" Lifting his neck high above us, Lord Andrhei looked over the snowfields. "Until the gem is placed on the sacred altar, possessing it means nothing. Even if one loses the gem a step from the altar, it is the one who places it that wins honor."
"You can't be serious!" Lumia cried. "Thoravive is destroyed. The altar is gone. You would deny all those who participated this year, simply to avoid recognizing Silvon? What more must he do to prove himself to you?"
Ignoring Lumia, Lord Andrhei turned his attention to Lila.
"You will serve as envoy to the humans in Seraphina. Reflect on your mistakes and do not disappoint me again."
Lila nodded, accepting her fate.
I could feel rage building inside Lumia. Her jaw tightened and she growled deep within her throat.
Then she snapped.
Without hesitation, Lumia spread her wings wide. She rose high into the sky and soared upward with incredible speed, circling once before diving downward toward Andrhei.
"You're still too young and reckless..." He roared without flinching.
When Lumia reached striking distance, he stood and spun in place, whipping her out of the air with his tail.
Lumia slammed against an ice castle with such force that it sent shock waves across the ice field.
"…and you are no longer my daughter."
The High Lords words projected with such force that they rolled across the fields for all the dragons to hear.
They lingered in the air as he sat back on his haunches and Lumia struggled to her feet.
I gritted my teeth and fought the urge to use Zolmann's spell on the dragon lord. The spell had limits though, and while it could certainly help me defeat a more powerful foe, I was sure that Lord Andrhei a well of mana deeper than I could fathom. Even without magic, he was a fully grown and experienced dragon. At best he'd whip me to hell with his tail, in the worst case I'd be overwhelmed by his mana, my core destroyed by my own spell.
Instead I went to Lumia, placing my hands gently on her shoulders and trying to comfort her. I couldn't say I understood her actions, but I could understand her pain. My anger grew when I saw the deep gash across her back where her father's tail struck.
"Let's go, Lumia…your father is beyond reason."
She stood firm glaring at the High Lord, her emotions flaring wildly. I wasn't sure she would listen to me, but after a moment she turned and walked away. I followed closely behind.
No dragon dared look at us as we made our way across the field. Even those who'd sat motionless like statues, craned their necks to avoid looking directly at us as we passed by them.
In the pit of my stomach I felt some emotion building. It wasn't regret, I felt that too. I should've listened to Lumia. It was clear now that no matter what I did, it would never have made any difference.
It wasn't disappointment either, although I was certainly disappointed with how things turned out.
I was angry with the High Lord's stubborn hypocrisy, sad that Lumia was being shunned, and bitter that I was powerless to do anything about it.
Still, the emotion was something else… something new, but I couldn't quite identify it yet.
***
The gash on Lumia's back healed before we reached the end of the ice fields, though the other dragons were long behind us by then. The biting cold was unbearable and having been subjected to the frost for so long, my joints were locking up.
As we traveled, I kept an eye out for a good spot to rest, but there was little shelter in the tundra. After a few hours of travel, I finally spotted a cave hidden in the side of a glacial mountain.
Tapping Lumia, I pointed toward the glacier. She nodded and started toward the opening. It wasn't far, maybe a hundred yards or so, but progress through the thick snow was slow. We pushed forward, walking single file with Lumia leading the way.
At last we entered the mouth of the cave and fell beside each other. I must've lost consciousness but when I woke, Lumia was curled around me, keeping a fire going nearby.
There was nothing but snow to burn, so I knew she must be using magic, though I didn't know how much time passed since she began or what she still had in reserve.
I lay next to her staring at the flickering flames as I pondered over what could possibly have brought down the dragons holy land.
"When you're warm enough, we'll go back to Faerelle." Lumia whispered, her breath forming clouds in front of her face as she exhaled.
I moved closer to the fire, feeling warmth spread throughout my body. Though it was a welcome relief, I worried about Lumia. She kept telling me she didn't care, but we were bonded and I felt the swirl of regret and sorrow spinning inside her.
I was sure she'd talk about it once she was ready, but I wished there was something I could do to help. I started to wonder if I should've rejected her father's proposal outright. If I had never participated in the proving would things have gone differently?
"I'm sorry, Limia. I should've listened to you."
She shook her head. "None of this is your fault. I think if you had listened, or even if you had been able to complete the proving, my father would still have found some way to claim your victory invalid."
I frowned at the thought, wondering why Lord Andrhei was so set against our bond. Setting the thought aside, I focused on circulating mana through my body to help me warm up faster.
In just a few minutes I felt warmer, but Lumia was still shivering.
Still, she stood and said, "Let's go home, Silv."
Nodding I climbed on her back. She rushed out of the cave then spread her wings and took off.
***
The forests of Faerelle were calm, blissfully unaware of the destruction of Thoravive. It's inhabitants continued their daily lives oblivious to the tragedy playing out to the north.
It seemed that way at least, although as we flew further, the rolling fog—ever present through the woods—was denser than usual, blocking all sight of the ground.
Not even the treetops could be seen through the thick mist.
Under normal conditions, it would've been no problem to fly all the way to Avantia, but we were forced to land in hope that visibility might be better on the ground. Even if it wasn't, the fog would lead me home while steering non elves away; Lumia wouldn't be affected as long as we held hands.
We landed near a narrow stream where two edowen's were drinking. AsLumia's shadow covered them, they fled into the woods.
It was my fist time seeing the six legged creatures. Their frame, thin and limber, gave them a delicate appearance, but these beast were actually quite fierce and the preferred mount of soldiers wealthy enough to afford one or skilled enough to catch and tame one.
I slid down from Lumia's back and examined the area for anything familiar. I realized quickly that the fog was too dense for any landmarks to be useful; I would have to depend on its effects to lead me home.
As soon as Lumia transformed, I took her hand and pulled her into the mist. A nagging feeling urged me to hurry along, but Lumia pulled me to a stop.
"Slow down," she said exasperated.
Her voice echoed through the trees, causing several birds to take flight.
I slowed, but something wasn't right and after a few paces we were back at a full sprint. I couldn't stop myself from running.
I smelled the city before we reached it—not really the city, but the heavy scent of fresh blood—and heard the noises of battle.
Lumia transformed again and flung me up onto her back. Following the sounds, she hurried toward Avantia. A tide of eleven soldiers in royal armor fled past us. Then we burst free of the fog. We were behind the royal academy of magic, near the Kalestin's house.
Both buildings were on fire and many bodies laid slain in the grass. Judging by their uniforms, most were students and teachers, thankfully I didn't see my family among them.
We passed four piles of ash where combat platforms should have been. One side of the bronze gate was crushed and falling in. We climbed over it. As we came out onto the path I looked left to see Taryn in two parts, one on either side of the bridge she protected.
Across the river, a hand full of elite guardsmen covered the civilians escape. The enemy they fought was a ragtag force of what looked like elves—but also not like elves, and humans.
They wore black armor marked with the symbol of curses. It was a closed eye with a hole burned through the eyelid, so that it could never truly be closed.
One of the elves—wielding the strange branch thing whose name I still hadn't learned—poured mana into his weapon and it came alive. Lashing toward the nearest cursed soldier, it went up over the top of his cuirass, then burrowed between it and his flesh. Before the soldier could react he was lifted into the air.
Blood poured out of his armor and dripped from the corners of his mouth. His dead eyes frozen in panic.
With a violent twitch, the vine tossed him into the distance and shrank back to its original form.
Two of the cursed soldiers broke off from the back of the group, running after the dead man. The elven guardsmen rushed forward and the conflict became a brawl with spells firing rapidly in close quarters.
I turned away from the scene and Lumia continued up the path toward the castle gate.