The next day, we finally reached Dragonspine, and it surely lived up to its name. The whole city was built under a giant hull of a dragon. Just looking from a distance, it seemed like the spine of the dragon stretched for kilometres. The rib's length is maybe 5 kilometres each. When we reached the city, there was shockingly no security. We could just walk in without a problem. With so little security, you would think its crime rate would be over the roof, but when we got in. People welcomed us cheerfully, people were minding their business without any care for danger. No one seemed scared, the shops were more lively than in Mondlicht.
Steve helped to get Aylin off the carriage and placed her onto my back, Alicia then covered Aylin with a piece of cloth to shield her from the sun.
"This is where we path ways, Vivshi! It was nice meeting you," Alicia said while respectfully lowering her head.
I thanked them for the ride and set off on foot towards the bustling streets of Dragonspine. I heard a grunt behind me and saw Steve holding up his hammer.
He yelled out while pointing his hammer at me.
Steve raised his hammer in a final salute, his voice low but steady. He grinned, the weight of his words lingering as I turned away, hiding my smile
"For glory we fight, Vivshi. For our loved ones, we die."
I disappeared into the crowd and they didn't see me anymore.
"Such a man he was, I wonder who is he?" Alicia asked her dad.
"A very, very dedicated man."
Walking through the city, made my body feel uneasy. Something was radiating from the bones of the dragon, it had some effect on my body and made it tingly. I think it made Aylin also feel uneasy because she started to squirm around on my back as if it was making her uncomfortable.
Was the remains of the dragon affecting Aeons? I rubbed my cheek, but it seemed like the flower wasn't there. Had my Aeon been locked away? Aylin slowly opened her eyes and asked me where we were. She wrapped her arms around my neck and rubbed my head with her own.
"We are in Dragonspine now."
Aylin was relieved that we had finally arrived at our destination. She then suddenly asked why she didn't feel the need to recharge her Aeon of Desire. It seemed like something was interfering with our Aeons. This place might be an anti-Aeon zone! Aylin stayed on my back for a little longer before asking to be let down to walk on her own.
"I want to test something, can you wish for an apple?"
"Sure."
She wished for an apple but the mark on her cheek didn't appear, the wish wasn't fulfilled.
"It is just as I thought. The bones of the dragon are intercepting our Aeons."
"So that means that Aeons don't have any special powers here?"
"Something like that."
Is this perhaps the reason why people are so comfortable even without any security?
Without the ability to sense Emovi, I couldn't find her anymore, so now it was all up to data gathering about her whereabouts. But knowing Devina… sigh… it is gonna be impossible to find her. Although… there may be a plothole in her hiding spots.
Aylin and I rented an inn and stayed in it until nighttime. After the clock hit 23:00 I stepped out of the inn for a quick visit to the bar. The only bar in Dragonspine. And just as I expected, I found a drunken Sekito, drinking champagne at one of the tables. Even though her disguise was very good, probably prepared by Devina, she was too lazy to fix it up to look proper. She had changed hair colour, eye colour, clothes, and face shape, but strands of her silver hair were not hidden under the wig and her clothes were mismatched.
I knew that Devina had probably already thought this scenario out but Sekito is bound to make simple mistakes due to her carefree nature.
Because of Dragonspine's nature, Aeons can't use their abilities, which would mean, Sekito no longer had the power to restrain us with her unbreakable chains. It was nearing 1 am, and Sekito sluggishly tumbled forward as she was trying to approach the exit.
I was covered head to toe, wearing a black hood over my head and a mask covering my identity.
As Sekito struggled to walk, she tripped and fell, laughing drunkenly, before closing her eyes.
"Miss, you can't sleep inside the establishment!"
"Don't worry, I got her."
It was a soft calming but deep voice that sounded like a gentle dragon.
I slowly peered in and saw a man in a white robe, with silver hair just like Sekito's. His clothes were decorated in gold and silver accessories with rope around his waist, that held up another shirt wrapped around it. His eyes were bright, almost like you couldn't see his eye colour… wait… on closer inspection, I couldn't see his eye colour, it was just… completely blank, not white not black, just blank.
On his left side, he had a sheathed sword that seemed to be made out of silver.
The man seemed oddly familiar, that silver hair, that robe, was it the same man from the desert who inserted the silver pin into me? I didn't know for sure, but the man was very similar. I wanted to make sure it was him, but my heart told me to save Emovi first and ask questions later so I ignored the possibility it actually was the mysterious man from the desert.
He picked Sekito up by her arm and let her hang off his body. Sekito sluggishly took steps with the man. Her eyes were completely closed and relying on this man to help her out, so typical of Sekito.
I was here just for her. I was here to kidnap her for Zerstörer, I am supposed to put this collar around her neck and bring her back. Then I can return here and find Emovi, knowing that she is completely safe. I waited for them to head out of the entrance, I planned to nab Sekito the second they let their guard down.
Hiding behind a building, I saw them slowly walk down the street. I cautiously followed them making sure they didn't notice me. They finally reached a building, a hotel.
"Is this the place you are staying at Sekito?"
"Mhmm."
If Sekito was staying at this hotel, would that mean Devina and Emovi were possibly inside? But if I think critically, would Devina really keep Emovi inside a hotel where Sekito would return after her late-night drinks? Yeah no, that was impossible, so I will just focus on getting ahold of Sekito.
Sekito mumbled as the guy let her into the hotel, he waved goodbye as he saw the receptionist take care of her. Then he started walking back towards the bar. There was something odd about this man, he radiated the same type of energy as the remains of the dragon. After he had gone away, I quietly sneaked into the hotel and followed Sekito. She fiddled with the keys before dropping them, at that moment, I seized my opportunity and grabbed her by her waist, placing the collar around her neck, smashing into the wall, and jumping into the night sky with Sekito in my arms.
But as I leapt through the night sky under the moon, I felt a dragon's gaze upon me, and my heart stopped for a moment wondering what just found me. Ignoring the feeling of being observed I held onto Sekito deeper and went faster across the buildings.