SciFi and Fantasy Stories: Estara - Chapter 03 - Destruction

Estara – d – Kin – Destruction

One Year Later

Michael winked at is friend, Charlie, and nodded at the black haired girl who had just entered the ballroom. Charlie grinned and moved into the crowds, almost disappearing. The black haired girl looked straight at Michael for just a moment and then turned away to be introduced to a young gentleman.

Michael felt ridiculous here, uncomftable in the tail coat and top hat, he felt a fool. The black haired girl was very pretty, and judging by the attention she was receiving, everyone else thought so too. She was one of the youngest there, but she was trying hard not to act it, even her ball gown showed a certain maturity, the choice of white was particularly effective in a room where most women were wearing red. Michael twitched his nose, trying to judge if she was the one for certain; Charlie would find out for sure once he got close.

Charlie moved through the crowd effortlessly, flashing dark, hypnotic eyes at the young, peach fleshed women he brushed past. He caught a glimpse of Michael out of the corner of his eye, standing awkwardly in the formal attire. Charlie looked away; Michael, Charlie felt, was too serious. Michael never had any fun on these types of jobs; Charlie wondered if he ever had any fun.

Carefully, he made his way over to the dark haired girl and, standing without looking at her, spoke in a voice only she could hear.

“Silvana? You might not realise this but…”

She turned; her dark eyes wide, “How do you know my name?”

He moved a step closer and dropped the lids of his eyes, parting his lips just a little. She moved to speak, but no sound left her full, curved lips. Charlie smiled,

“Take my hand and follow me. I can promise you a whole new world, just take my hand.”

The slim fingers reached for and Charlie gave Michael the nod. Catching her hand in his Charlie dashed for the edge of the hall as the chandelier above sailed soundlessly towards the floor. A woman screamed and suddenly panic broke out; people dashed for safety, knocking into one and another.

Charlie pushed his way through them all, dragging Silvana behind him. They slipped away, the only evidence a strip of white fabric that had caught on the doorway.

Michael joined them outside just as Silvana pushed Charlie away from herself. “Just who are you?”

Michael sighed and fought to roman as the cool, seductive man he needed to be. “We are Kin, Silvana. We are here to help, whereas that man on the other side of the wall is trying to kill you.”

He pushed her head down, leaping into the air, coat tails flying, to land on the wall perfectly like a cat. The man looked up, holding his crossbow in shaking hands, “How did you…?”

Michael kicked the crossbow away and then delivered a powerful blow to the man’s face, sending him reeling backwards, blood pouring from his mouth and nose. Michael looked down at him in contempt, “Amateur.”

Dusting his hands he jumped down and smiled at Silvana who stood gaping at him.

“Now then, it is two minutes until the hour of eleven and we have very little time. In precisely three minutes you will become seventeen, and at that moment your blood’s true nature will show through; you will, as we did, become fully mature Kin dragons. This would be so much easier if we had more time. You will have to listen very carefully because we haven’t time for delays. Understand.”

Silvana simply stood there. Michael opened his mouth to continue and then staggered backwards, clutching at his head. He shook it out; it was that boy again. Damn, he’d have to check up on him.

“Good. Charlie, take over, I have to go and deal with that boy.”

Charlie nodded; far too serious he though, far too serious. Michael gave Charlie a sharp look and moved through the dark foliage. He didn’t like leaving such a valuable girl with Charlie, he was likely to try something when she was vulnerable; Michael would have to try and get back as soon as possible.

Coming to a wall he scaled it quickly and easily. He sniffed the air cautiously. He could smell Silvana strongly and it was blocking his senses. He growled slightly, revealing for the first time two large, pointed canines, and tried again.

There he was. Michael growled again, why did he always have to run away? Especially right now when Michael was trying to keep an eye on the boy. There was that smell again from the boy, he smelt like a maturing adult. Or was that Silvana again?

He shook his head and let his body meld into a hawk, one of his favourite forms, and took off. The boy needed checking up on.

Back in the gardens Silvana rolled her eyes, clutching her head. She groaned and pushed past Charlie, staggering towards the archway. Her heart pounded in her ears and she struggled to remain upright. She turned, struggling to focus on Charlie who was running towards her. He grabbed her as she slipped down the stone wall,

“Focus, Silvana! Focus!”

She growled. “Don’t touch me!” She tried to push him away but pain sliced through her head and she slid downwards again, falling amongst the flowers. Charlie jumped backwards slightly and then knelt beside her.

“Silvana!”

She stared back without seeing, her eyes clouding over slightly. Charlie panicked; he’d never helped anyone through a maturing on his own before. Her mouth opened slightly and Charlie saw people moving in her eyes, dust surrounding them.

Silvana gasped internally as voices crowded into her mind, voices she had never heard before, in ragged breaths and pained screams. Pictures rolled past her eyes: a man clutching his head where a large shard protruded, the blood trickling down his face. Silvana recoiled backwards, shutting her eyes, yet the visions stayed where they were, image after image appearing; man after man and woman after woman, full of pain and suffering, blood flowing freely.

Her eyes unclouded and her lips curled back. Charlie instantly recoiled at the long, curved fangs of her canines; he’d never seen anyone with fangs that large before. Her gaze met his and she pushed herself up from the ground,

“What was that?”

He stepped closer and helped her to her feet. “A maturing. You are now a full Kin dragon, and nothing can change that.”

She stood silent for a moment, fingertips brushing across the crumbling earth on her white dress. Her dark eyes turned to Charlie, “I… What happened in the ballroom?”

“The chandelier fell, no one was killed.”

“How do you know?”

“I’m a Kin dragon. If you don’t believe me, try it yourself. Close your eyes and think of someone you knew in the ballroom, concentrate on them and then…”

“My god,” she whispered, eyes opening again, a vacant expression settling on her face, “there were so many there. I… there’s someone upstairs, their hurt, Lord… Lord Byron.”

“You knew him?”

She shook her head and Charlie frowned, this was getting strange. Silvana studied his face carefully, “I can’t go back, can I?”

“No, I’m sorry. We didn’t have time to warn you, we only had time to keep you safe through the maturing.”

Silvana turned her face to the grand house past the trees. She looked down at her dress, the expensive silk was stained with mud and at her waist was a small drop of blood. Her hair when she touched it had fallen from its fastenings. Her fingers travelled down her face, coming to rest on the long fangs in her mouth. She realised that her past life was over.

She looked back at the house and thought of her father. What would he think if she didn’t go back?

“You thinking about your family?”

“Yes. I’m the only family my father has now, I… can’t I stay, pretend you never saw me, let me stay.”

Charlie smiled sadly and held out a hand for her to take. “I’m sorry, there are people hunting you… us. It’s too dangerous.”

Silvana took his hand and let him lead her through the gardens. She felt better to be walking, her arm held loosely in Charlie’s. She felt a sense of normality; she had often gone walking at night with young men, yet now there was that bitter sweet feeling that she would never do so again.

“So what do I do now?”

Charlie shrugged, smiling slightly, “Explore your abilities. Find me Michael, the other man who was here.”

She closed her eyes again, “He’s North of here, maybe three leagues. He’s with someone else…”

Her eyes opened wide, focusing perfectly on Charlie,

“It’s Eridor.”

#

Eridor sat down on the bed, shaking all over. He ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes, trying to control his breathing. What was happening to him?

He looked at his hands as they trembled, feeling sick inside himself at the images he had seen the night before. Michael had told him afterwards that it was normal to see things, but Eridor had felt that his experience had been different.

“To young.” He heard the voice in his head say, an echo of the meeting he had just had with the elders. They had asked him if he was sure of his age, was he sure that there couldn’t be mistake? Eridor had felt as if he was under interrogation.

Someone tapped softly on his door and it opened slowly. Eridor didn’t want to look up, but he didn’t have the strength to tell them to go away.

“Eridor?”

His ears pricked up, he knew that voice.

“You are Eridor, aren’t you?”

He raised his head, smiling, no longer trembling. “Yes.”

The young woman smiled, twisting her black hair in her fingers, “Have you forgotten me.”

“How could I forget you Silvana?”

“I would hope it would be impossible.” She closed the door behind herself and sat down next to him. Their eyes met and Silvana almost took his hands in hers, and then remembered the time they had been apart. “How long has it been?”

Eridor let his eyes traverse over her face and body, noticing with a man’s eye her dark eyes, full lips, long, wavy black hair that fell about in glistening water falls over her shoulders and breasts. He licked his lips and answered in a low whisper,

“Two years. You were fifteen.”

Her eyes moved away from his. “Actually that’s what I came to talk to you about. You see, in my memory, you were nearly fourteen, which would make you only just sixteen, so I don’t understand… unless you lied to me.”

“I didn’t lie!” He snapped, moving across to the other side of the room. He sighed, putting his hands on the wall to try and quell the magic inside of him. He was starting to sound like his brother with those outbursts. Brother… not that Eridor could ever claim a family again. He sighed and shook his head; it was all such a mess. Turning back to Silvana he saw the look on her face that his brother had always put there.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have snapped. The elders don’t understand either. It shouldn’t have matured yet, but somehow I have, and they say…”

“That you’re not right?”

He looked up, surprised, “Yes, but how did you know?”

She blushed deeply, “Come and sit back down. They said I wasn’t right. I can tell where anyone is, even if I’ve never met them. Apparently it’s unnatural.”

“I have too much magic, but… well the thing is… I can’t control it.”

Silvana looked at him carefully, her dark eyes roving his face. “You look… you look older.”

He grinned, “They say I’m twenty-one as a dragon.”

“Nineteen. Strange that now you’re the older one.”

“Why? You were always so naïve.”

Silvana pushed him playfully, blushing, “I was not naïve.”

Eridor caught her wrist, pulling her close, “You so were.”

She kissed him once, quickly. He stared at her and let her wrist go, “You’re not afraid of my magic? You’ve seen my temper.”

“No, I know you won’t hurt me.”

He kissed her back. “Is this naivety or ignorance?”

“Experience.” She whispered in answer, her mouth barely apart from his.

#

Four Years Later

A hand slipped onto her waist and mouth pressed against her ear.

“I’ve missed you, Sil.”

Silvana laughed, turning to face Eridor. He pulled her close and covered her mouth with his. Silvana pushed him away gently,

“You have to go and see the elders, there’s been a transfer.”

His ears pricked up, blue eyes sparkling. “Magic?”

“I don’t know, no one knows.”

He kissed her again, “I’ll be back as quickly as I can, I promise.”

He moved away down the corridor as Arsanth approached from the other direction. She looked at Silvana with half pity and half envy. Silvana was young and beautiful in Arsanth’s eyes, and most importantly she had a young man who loved her unconditionally. Yet Silvana was not strong on her magic, and Arsanth believed it was the magic that made a Kin dragon, not the dragon skills.

“Silvana?”

She turned, but didn’t smile. “Yes?”

“Come upstairs please, I need to talk to you.”

Seated in Arsanth’s reception room Silvana felt ignorant again, the way she had felt under the scrutiny of the elders. Silvana had always felt that Arsanth had had something against her, something that had never been jealousy but wasn’t far off. Arsanth smiled as best she could,

“You’ve been here four years now Silvana, and not once have you volunteered to do a retrieval.”

Silvana dropped her dark eyes. That was sore point for her; Eridor had been on scores of recovery operations and she had wanted to go, but when she had spoken to the elders that had told her not to even try.

“The elders…”

“Silvana. Are you saying you never volunteered because the elders said you didn’t have enough magic?”

“Well… yes.”

Arsanth smiled genuinely now, leaning forward to rest her elbows on the desk, “Silvana, you would be the most useful person to do a retrieval. Your natural talent for locating others… You probably don’t realise just how many retrievals have ended in nothing because we were on the wrong road. Would you like to volunteer?”

“Yes, I always have wanted to, I was just afraid that… What was that?”

The floor shook underneath them, the glass of water on the desk tipping over. They watched the water on its hypnotic course, almost unable to break away from it. A drop landed in Silvana’s hand and she watched with horror as it turned a deep scarlet.

Down below Eridor looked at the pale boy who was sulking whilst leaning against the wall and raised his eyebrows. The boy scowled back, blue eyes cast into shadow. They stared at each other and suddenly Eridor broke out into a wide grin.

“Let me guess, you’re here because you’re under fifthteen, right?”

The boy stopped scowling, “That’s what they said but… I can do things they can’t.”

Eridor twisted his wrist around and a blue snake appeared, wrapping itself around his arm. The boy stared,

“I can’t do that.”

Eridor shrugged and flicked his wrist again, the snake disappeared. “You’ll be able to do it one day; at least you have some control at the moment, I didn’t until quite a while after I matured. Why don’t you sit down, it’s much more comftable than standing.”

They took their places at one of the tables in the large dining hall. Eridor smiled warmly, “You probably don’t think so right at the moment, but things get better, and once you mature then you’ll understand how we all work.”

“When do you mature?”

“Err… usually seventeen, but with me it was earlier. Your name?”

“Hunter. Don’t… don’t say anything about it.”

“Hunter’s a good name, considering what you are. I’m Eridor; I doubt you’ve ever heard it before. You’ve probably never heard Arsanth before either considering you’re from Martiarch.”

“That’s a name?”

“Yes, she’s one of our best here. The best thing for you to do now is to relax and try to settle down. I’d practice that magic as well.”

Eridor stood and left the room. Magic, someone with fully fledged magic; he had eventually found someone he could pass on his knowledge to. Eridor felt relieved that he wasn’t the only one to have been found before he was fifteen, though it was going to give the Kin a problem.

Entering the reception hall he saw that Silvana had gone; he grinned inwardly and ran up the stairs to their room. The door was locked; strange, they never locked it. He opened it quickly and searched the room; what he needed right now was Silvana now for finding anyone hidden.

Satisfied there was no one around, he lay down on the bed; he could wait for Silvana. He was happy to be home again, back with other Kin dragons instead of out there, always having to watch his back incase someone noticed he wasn’t human. Here, in the House on the Hill, he could relax and be himself, practice his magic and be as dragon as he wanted.

His eyes narrowed, there was a dark patch on ceiling; it looked almost like water. A drop sailed through the air and landed on his nose, he twitched his nose irritably; great, just what they needed, a leak.

His eyes went cross-eyed as he tried to see if what he though had just happened, had. Don’t be silly, he told himself, that’s impossible… yet it was true. A drop of blood was on his nose, yet a moment it before it had been water.

He looked up, the patch on ceiling was deep red; his eyes went wide. He leapt from the bed, stumbling as he did so and bringing the covers with him. It dripped steadily onto the mattress, a dull splashing sound every time it did so. Eridor stared; where was the blood coming from? He scratched his head as he tried to remember who had the room above them. Or was it only an office?

Arsanth.

He struggled from the floor and grabbed the handle of the door; locked. He rattled it in vain and then fumbled for his keys. Someone walked past the door outside and he thought he heard a voice.

“Hello? Is someone there?”

The footsteps came to the door, “Eridor? What are you doing?”

“Sil! The door’s locked. Get me out of here!”

“But… ouch…” There was a thud from outside.

“Sil? What happened?”

“The handle’s too hot to touch…”

Eridor stopped listening as he heard claws scrape against the floorboards behind him. Turning, he was faced with a large, male lion. It bared its teeth, snarling deep inside its throat; it was like nothing he had heard before, with the depth and tone of thunder mixed with the raw power of lightning it oozed magic.

“Eridor? What’s going on in there?”

The lion stalked forwards, paws padding softly whilst the claws scraped against the wood. Eridor knew he should be using magic, his dragon skills, doing something; but he was frozen there, unable to unlock his gaze from the big, dark brown eyes that seemed to search his soul.

“Eridor!” She pounded on the door from the other side and Eridor jumped forwards. The lion swiped at him, paw narrowly missing his face and he switched direction as quickly as he could.

He stumbled, falling against the bed. The lion growled menacingly and shook its head. It leapt into the air, pinning Eridor down as it landed; it put its muzzle close to his face, bathing his face in warm, rotten breath.

“I’m so sorry, Eridor,” it said softly and Eridor stared.

“Charlie!”

“Exactly. That wasn’t Silvana, by the way, just my magic; Silvana is still upstairs, lying in a pool of blood, desperately trying to reach the door. I’ll leave you here to suffer with that knowledge.”

“Why?”

“I hate you all, being a dragon destroyed my life, and Destroyer offered me such a lucrative deal. I’ll bid you good day.” Charlie pushed a claw through Eridor’s shoulder and he screamed in pain, arching his back. Charlie put a paw over his mouth, muffling the sound,

“Now, now, we don’t want to alert anyone else, do we? This is only the beginning of my fun.”

Charlie stepped back, realising Eridor and the young man fell back, gasping for breath, hardly noticing when Charlie left. His hand clutched at his shoulder and when it came away it was slick with hot, fresh blood.

The house shook beneath him and he struggled to his knees. Blood dripped to the floor and he fell forwards, feeling faint at the sight. The lids of his eyes dropped and he struggled to keep them open. The house shook again and a crack ran up the wall opposite him; dust fell from the ceiling and somewhere in the house he heard the roof collapse inwards. The ceiling above him groaned and bowed as if under some great weight; yet Eridor could do nothing but stare.

His eyes closed again, and this time they did not open.