Fyrthip[]
“We have to go back for him.” Voldemeire had regained his fire and was not going to back down. There was no reason to call him ‘Alex’ anymore, Deyall was gone. Nagathrean shook his head.
We can’t. The Spirits gave me orders, and I plan to carry them out. We must go to Marcos glade.
“Yes, you must.”
Well, I’m glad you can see- What? Oh no. No you don’t. I will take you with me.
“No.”
Say again?
“I said, no. I lied to him over and over, made excuses so that he would come into the Faron woods with me, and he got himself caught, on purpose, to allow me to escape. We both know that he knew he would be executed.”
“Who are you talking to?” A person said. Voldemeire looked around. It took him a while to discern the figure leaning against a tree casually. They were dressed in a cloak somehow colored green and black. Their face was painted in the same way. Along with their tunic and pants. The funny thing was, they were female. The girl stayed where she was, but it seemed she knew she had been seen.
“Uh, myself.”
“What an interesting one-sided conversation. With yourself. Let me guess, the sane part of your brain says stay here, and the side of your brain with any sense of adventure whatsoever, says to go save your friend.”
“Well, kind of. Wait, how did you know all that?”
“Easy. There was three of you just a little while ago, but one of you decided to jump on the back of a Wyrdraal and fly away so that your friend had to run by himself on the ground. Being someone who actually seems to care for the well being of others, he decided to stop so that he was caught and now you feel bad that he is a better person than you. So now you want to go save him. And yes, I know you weren’t talking yourself, I know what a Wyrdraal is.”
“Just one quick question, actually I have lots but first is, what is a Wyrdraal?”
She narrowed her eyes. “You are trying to tell me you don’t know what that is?” She asked, pointing to Nagathrean. “He knows what he is,” She turned to Nagathrean. “Why are you keeping your identity secret from them? If you truly are trying to help them. Maybe you are just a spy. I have heard, and read, that Wyrdraal are rather treacherous creatures.”
Nagathrean’s voice filled both of them. I never found need to tell them what I was. I am not a spy, just simply carrying out orders from my masters.
“And your masters are?”
Spirits.
“We shall see about that.” She turned to Voldemeire. “I’m the Wanderer, Nice to meet you. What’s your name?”
“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.”
“What is it? Fish guts? I doubt it could be worse than some of the names I’ve heard.”
“Nagathrean, should I tell her?”
I don’t see the harm in it.
“Very well, my name is Voldemeire.” He looked up, expecting her to burst out laughing. She didn’t.
“Hm. I will have to consult Madam Garzolous.”
“Who’s that?”
“Nobody.” The girl said swiftly. “Well, she’s my mentor. She is the Spirit of Life.”
Voldemeire stood considering this. It most likely wasn’t exactly true, but she had accepted his name, so he accepted her claim. He had never learned the names of the Spirits, he just did what they told him.
Why don’t we go meet this Spirit? Nagathrean said.
“I don’t have any objections.” The Wanderer said. “Let’s go.
She walked deeper into the woods. Her disguised clothes made her hard to pick out among the leaves. He tried to catch up. It took him awhile but he was finally walking side by side with her.
“So, why are you in Faron Woods?”
“I don’t really know. I woke up, not knowing who or where I was, and kinda got run into by Madam Garzolous. She has been flashing around ever since. She said she knew who I used to be, but that I would die if she told me. I think that’s silly, but she’s a Spirit, what am I supposed to think?”
“I guess you should believe her, I mean, unless you don’t think she really is a Spirit.”
“Well,” She looked around. “I believe her. I guess.”
“You sound very sure of yourself.”
“Well, you know what? Shut up.” The girl trotted ahead, leaving Voldemeire to walk alone.
He wanted to try to catch up with her, but she would just go further ahead. He thought about apologizing to her, but decided he had nothing to apologize for. He also decided he did not like this girl, she was a nuisance. Oh well. I’ll find a way to leave her behind as soon as possible. He thought, but for some reason it didn’t make him feel better.
You will do nothing of the kind. Nagathrean said. She is very likely important, if she has met the Spirits.
Not important to me, leave me alone!
Very well. Voldemeire could feel him withdraw. For some reason it made him feel empty.
He resigned himself to walking alone. The trees seemed old. He thought they were some kind of willow tree because the branches hung down, as far as his face on average. In some places they hung down to his knees, even though the trees were three times as tall as the average dragon. Whyever didn’t the dragons hide out here? He asked himself, at the same time he found the answer. Because they were most likely scared of the tales just like Deyall! He hadn’t really thought dragons felt fear before, but this made sense. Still, he felt disappointed the dragons wouldn’t be here. He glanced up to see that he was alone. He searched around for the girl, but even if she was around, he probably wouldn’t be able to find her. He decided to look for Nagathrean instead. No sign. The complete silence that had fallen over the woods frightened him. He wanted to call for them, but he was to scared. What would happen if he broke such an unbearable silence? He had survived six years alone, chased by the dogs that called themselves his owners, he could get through this with ease. Or at least he should. Something about this forest made him tremble. He tried to listen for the thought of nearby people. All he got was the thoughts of a squirrel. Apparently all it thought about went something like; nuts, nuts, nuts, oops human! Run! Well he learned something, squirrels think in his language. That doesn’t make sense! He thought. If they think like us, why don’t they speak like us?
Because, stupid, our mouths aren’t made to! Ever think that about a dragon? They think like all the rest of us, but can’t speak like you!
He looked around in alarm. The squirrel was sitting about ten feet away, staring at him with disdain. Well, I’ll admit I never thought about it that way before. Why have I never learned that people can speak to squirrels?
Because, humans usually are more interested in roasting us and stealing our nuts than talking to us. Stupid humans…
He was aware of it angrily scolding out loud. I’m not that type of person. He told it.
Oh really? Or are you just saying that you’ll stop now that you know we are intelligent.
Well, to be perfectly honest, I did eat squirrels, but never stole their nuts! Technically that is better because instead of causing them to starve I just killed them fast.
Oh, well that’s comforting. He could feel the sarcasm pouring off it.
What am I supposed to do? Become a vegetarian???
Whyever not?
B'ecause- because- I don’t want to!
Hmph.
Could you show me where Marcos Glade is?
Why would I do that? You could be after the Spirits! Oops, did I say Spirits? I meant nuts, yes nuts!
Look, I was going there with a girl that said she was called the Wanderer and a- a- a creature which I don’t remember what the type of creature was, but his name was Nagathrean.
When he had said the Wanderer, the squirrel straightened.
I do not know this Nagathrean, but I do know the Wanderer. If she thought enough of you to take you there, I suppose it won’t matter if I take you there. The only way you could know her title is if someone I trust told it to you. By the way, what might your name be?
Voldemeire. Yours?
I would think it was impossible, but I can tell you aren’t lying. Mine is Fyrthip.
Funny name. Can we go now?
It is not funny. And sure, let’s go.
The squirrel hopped away. He followed it as best he could, but it would randomly climb up trees, to leaving him to walk looking up, which was rather uncomfortable. It wound its way through the forest in a way that he figured was meant to keep him from memorizing it. The deeper they went, the thicker the branches were. The trees were bigger around. The forest was eerie. He began to hear strange echoes. He couldn’t tell what type of noise until a while later, when he eventually realized that the noises were screams. Sometimes the occasional ‘help’ was thrown into the mixture. The deeper they went, the louder the sounds got. The screaming was so horrible, that he couldn’t understand what could make their voices sound like that. Fyrthip didn’t seem to hear it. Finally he couldn’t stand it anymore, and slid to his knees. Putting his hands over his ears.
What are you doing, Chosen One? You must get up. Come to us. A voice he had never heard before said.
Who are you? He asked it.
I am a Link. One who completes the chain of elements.
So, a Spirit? If you are, why is your forest so full of suffering?
What you hear, is of no matter to you. Follow Fyrthip. She will take you where you need to go.
Are you torturing people?!
No!
Really?
Do not speak to me that way. The Spirit said warningly. You are not to meddle in affairs that are none of your business. Were you never taught manners? Here the Spirit seemed to think it was no longer being heard. I told Garzolous that he wasn’t a good choice. She was so sure...
So Garzolous really is a Spirit! Voldemeire thought. If only he had believed that girl. He wouldn’t be here right now. He felt slightly hurt that he wasn’t thought highly of by the Spirits. Am I a failure? He asked himself. Will I be unable to save us?
Fyrthip’s voice cut in. Are you coming? Hurry up! I don’t like to hang around in this part of the forest.
I’m coming.
He stood up. Tearing two pieces of cloth from the edge of his tunic, he stuffed a piece in either ear. He didn’t need to hear, as he communicated with his mind. For now, at least. This would drown out the horrible sounds echoing around anyway. It helped. He looked around. Fyrthip was sitting in the branches of a tree about nine feet in front of him, with a look of impatience on her little face. He walked until he was just underneath her. She hopped down onto his shoulder.
You wouldn’t mind if I made a nest in your hair would you? She asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Do that and I’ll wring your little neck.
How would you find your friends then?
Fine. You win.
Just to show my respects, Chosen One, I won’t build a nest in your hair. Now, just keep straight from here.
Straight in which direction.
You’re too clever for your own good. Straight the way you are facing.
Oh.
Thraddrull was angry. This dragon was nigh on impossible to do anything with! He would have killed it by now, but to be perfectly honest, he was kind of scared of it. Also, he was scared of his master, and his master would kill him slowly if did anything like that. Whenever he tried to do anything with the dragon, it just made smart remarks, and for some reason he couldn’t take it’s mind. Oh well, I will just have to get one of the stronger Trainers to take him. The Golden dragon lay on the floor. Watching him. It wasn’t very big. It couldn’t be more than three months old. That meant he only just learned to fly recently.
I do wish you would call me by name, instead of thinking of me as ‘it’. The dragon said.
I don’t have to do anything you want.
You just did.
How?
You spoke to me.
What?!
That was what I was going for. I can make you do anything. This statement was obviously meant to unsettle him. The dragon was actually kind of smart. Thraddrull hoped he would get this dragon. Everyone respected someone with a smart dragon. The sad thing was, the statement did unsettle him. The dragon knew how to undermine his confidence. He tried not to think of the lies he told the dragon, such as the one in which he said he had trained dragons before, so that the dragon would not realise that he was new to this. If he let the dragon know that, it would have more weapons to use against him. That couldn’t happen.
I’m leaving. Have fun living in the dark without me.
Now I’m making you leave. The dragon said, smug satisfaction in its voice.
No, I’m making me leave.
Don’t be too sure of that.
Thraddrull groaned. This dragon was impossible! He marched out of the room, slamming the heavy gate behind him. He would go talk to Hraadas. Maybe he was having more luck. He found him in the lunchroom. He didn’t quite get why it was called the lunchroom, because they ate everything there. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And random snacks, if they could sneak it past the cooks. They weren’t aloud to have more than the meals because it might make them unhealthy, but he and his friends all stole food between mealtimes.
Tsk tsk. Such bad children. The dragon said.
We are not children.
Right, I just thought so because most humans your age have girls. I just drew a small line, forgive me, I forgot how much everyone hates you.
Shut up.
Ooh, sore?
I said, shut up.
Yeah, I definitely hit a spot.
Thraddrull figured it would be wiser to keep quiet. Instead he slumped in a chair across from Hraadas.
“You don’t look to happy, what’s up?” Hraadas asked.
“Ugh.”
“How very communicative.”
“I have the worst dragon ever”
Is that an insult, or a compliment? Because it could be both you know…
“Really?”
“Yeah, he won’t listen to anything! Instead, he just makes smart remarks.”
I am very smart.
“My dragon just lies on the floor. She just looks like shes asleep. All day long. Whenever I talk to her, she just looks at me. I’m concerned for her.”
“Well, you have a seemingly dying dragon, and I have a smart aleck.”
“We are the luckiest, aren’t we?”
“Yeah well, you’ll be in huge amounts of trouble if your dragon dies.”
“Yeah. I was told my screams would be heard in the fabled dragon graveyard if she died.”
“Ouch. I think my dragon isn’t so bad now.”
See?
“Wanna swap?”
“Wouldn’t if I could. You know it’s against the rules.”
“Aww, c’mon, for a friend?” Hraadas pleaded.
“Nope.”
You selfish jerk. Saving me for yourself. It’s because I’m just that great, isn’t it?
“Shut up.” Thraddrull snarled. Out loud. He felt the dragon laughing.
“Say what?” Hraadas asked, obviously hurt.
“It was my dragon, he is being stupid.”
“He must be. To make you act like that.” He was worried, Thraddrull could tell.
“I’m fine.”
“No doubt here.”
“Don’t lie.”
“Well, I have to go check on Gabi. Uh, my dragon.”
“Right.”
“You know, I thought all dragons except the master were evil, but I like Gab- my dragon.”
“Hmm.”
Hraadas got up from the table. Heading for the doors.
How come he got a good dragon? Thraddrull asked himself.
She isn’t. You’ll see.
Oh be quiet.
Thraddrull walked for the dorms. He would sort this dragon out later.�