DESTRUCTIVE MYTH

Drathis woke to find his head in Sinira’s lap, as she stroked his forehead with a cloth, leaning over him. It was early morning and the sun had hardly lifted, not that they would see much of it today through the thick clouds rolling above. He felt a cold chill run through him that had nothing to do with the chilled winter’s morning.

“Are you ok?” Sinira asked softly wiping at his face again. Slightly confused Drathis slowly sat up, they had fallen asleep in each other’s arms near the fire, yet looking down at himself now; his shirt was drenched with sweat and dirt as if he had been in a fight.

“I feel fine, what happened?” He asked raising to his feet slowly feeling a stiffness run through him that hadn’t been there for a long time, he had almost forgotten what it had felt like to have pain.

“I’m not sure, I woke to you raging and realized you were still dreaming, I waited for you to calm but it got worse, you started shouting telling them to release you, they were coming.” She shook her head with concern, “I tried to wake you several times but you started to heat up with a high fever.”

“Ah, I see, no need to worry.” He nodded slowly recognizing it, this had happened to him before. He had thought that perhaps the nightmares had gone away since meeting her.

“What were your dreams about?” She asked as he lifted her to her feet.

“No idea, if I knew, I’d sort the nightmares out so I could rest easier.” He was about to give her a good morning kiss till he recalled his fever-soaked body.

* * *

Magic was a fascinating thing, he smiled melting the snow into a steaming puddle to bathe. After making his way back to the fire for the morning, he didn’t give her a chance to speak, something about his nightmare had left him with a sinking feeling he couldn’t understand, something felt so very wrong this day and he needed her nearby. Drawing her into his arms he kissed her so thoroughly, deeply, with all the desire and passion he felt for her.

“Wow.” She flushed straightening her top a bit unsteady. “What was that for?” She cleared her throat as he laced his fingers around her hips looking down into her eyes, his hair falling forward.

“I just lo…” He snapped his head to the left snapping his jaw shut, pulling back going rigid, “Lo, lost track of time, we need to get going, where is Galaxy? We need to pack and leave now.” He powered through that sentence so fast she was left blinking like an idiot, but she could have sworn she had nearly, actually caught a blush on his cheeks for the first time ever.

“Are you ok?” She asked watching him starting to pack things up in a hurry.

“Fine.” He snapped as he stomped around the camp in a mood. She covered her mouth to hide her giggle, she was no fool, he kissed her so deeply to tell her they had lost track of time? Oh, come on! Would he just say it already! She was dying to scream it back at him!

I love you!

* * *

A few hours later they finally made it, exiting a forest they found the only road traveling straight up towards the Titan Mountain range. They looked up at it with awe, it was impossible to be so massive, yet there they were casting the largest shadow possible over the valley they were about to enter; the dark storm clouds had not cleared yet anyone could see dominant shadows over the pit.

“Have you ever?” She breathed out, her jaw hanging open. He looked over his shoulder at her shocked face smiling down at her.

“Never, and we won’t much longer if you swallow them.” He winked tipping her chin up with a finger, wanting to lean in and bruise her lips with his.

She laughed nudging him with her shoulder, he winked at her unable to pull his gaze away smiling broadly at her laugh, it was deep and full of life, almost contagious.

“Your beautiful.” He breathed unable to hold the comment back. She stilled fidgeting with her hair braid hanging forward over her chest plate. “I’m sorry, I did not mean to drop that on you, but you are, I’m...” His heart begun to race as he tried to find the right words touching her cheek again, loving the redness on them, knowing each time he spotted it was the result of the effect he had on her. Leaning more to the side to see her completely he continued, “I’m addicted to you.” He whispered leaning in taking her breath away.

Galaxy snorted stomping her hooves, she had enough of them all over each other of late. They broke their kiss giggling at her protest. Drathis spun around in the saddle, rubbing Galaxies neck.

“Alright, let’s go.” Drathis chuckled placing one hand over hers as they returned around his waist.

They made their way down the hill leaving the shelter of the forest. As they edged nearer their eyes fell to the left side, in the Titans shadow, ran miles and miles worth of a bottomless pit. The sound the wind carried from it bouncing off the mountain’s face circled back down into the pit. It sounded like thousands of tortured souls howling constantly. The feeling of dread filled Drathis again as they neared the road, something felt so very wrong, his conscience was screaming for them to turn back, yet back was all they had been running from.

“I feel it to.” She tightened her grip around his waist in a reassuring squeeze feeling his tension, this section was morbid, the air thick and strong with a deadly cold chill to it. They stopped a few feet away from the road between the base of the mountains and the edge of the pit, watching again at the howling storm they were about to enter.

“Should we turn back? Wait for it to pass?” Sinira asked.

“I, I don’t think the weather plays by the rules in there.”

“Is there not another way? I don’t even see a road.” She whispered.

“This road is hardly traveled.” He said watching the powerful wind drag heavy sheets of snow and ice all over the road exposing very little of the way forward, the only indication one was on the right path was to stay away from the edge of the pit, a good many meters as its magnetic pull would have you falling in without knowing.

“Doubt anyone comes this far north, everyone knows Talgrim is impossible to enter, it is of course at the very end of the map.” She said looking all around them

“Indeed.” Drathis sighed nudging Galaxy forward. “We have to enter.”

They had spoken a lot lately on how they were going to enter Talgrim, they knew it was impossible. Yet hope was a powerful thing, they had to hope that revealing who they were to Talgrim, would gain them access, it was the only plan. But if they were denied and turned away, well then, then Drathis didn’t know.

They pushed forward taking a deep breath, there was such an uneasy feeling in the wind, Drathis wondered if Sinira was right, was this where all the Dwarfs had made their home? Were they passing through their territory? He had no idea what to expect, but the unease was almost too much to bear.

“Maybe we should turn back, try another day?” She asked again, he heard the nerves in her voice as their hair began to whip around their faces.

“I doubt it would help.” He shook his head as a shiver ran down his spine, “I think something is watching us.” He whispered as they carried on forward. The howling wind did nothing for their hearing, Drathis pulled out his sword carefully as Sinira drew her bow scanning the sharp edges of the mountain.

“Perhaps dwarfs?”

“Just keep an eye.” He patted Galaxies neck whispering into her ear, “We need to get through here faster.” She bounced her head down and up once, picking up her speed with caution as together they navigated forward.

The road was thankfully spacious enough to keep a great distance away from the pit, but became narrow at times leaving only enough space for one carriage to pass through. Causing Sinira to tense and grip him tightly with her thighs as she kept her bow close. It was the second time he had been near a pit and recalled the Gorgaknights he had sent down its whole to a screaming, never-ending death. Nope, he didn’t like this one bit.

“Spot anything yet?”

“Nothing, I see no movement but something is out there.” She called back through the wind keeping her eyes on the sky.

Confirming their suspicion, a mini avalanche sounded behind them, and they all whipped around to see it a few yards away, rushing down the mountain, off and over into the pit. The way back was blocked with a solid wall of rock, snow, and ice. More snow fell nearing them in random bursts and then Sinira spotted the cause.

“Up.” She nudged him pointing her arrow following a group of riders following them upon a ridge just out of sight. Drathis thinned his vision, but the snow still blew around them as the wind howled viciously whipping their hair about. Through it though, he finally caught sight of a group of riders in single file, all in black.

“Shit.” He looked behind them at the aftermath of the avalanche, there was really no way they could turn back.

“Do you think they blocked the way back purposely?”

“I wouldn’t put it past them.”

“Do we know who them is?” Sinira asked

Drathis looked up again as Sinira kept her arrow steady, they hadn’t attacked only seemed to be following, Galaxy had understood speeding up their process, the riders followed.

“I have a suspicion, but I can’t see them clear enough through the storm.” He grunted with frustration, there looked to be ten or so riders, one of which he could feel had magical abilities, still, no threat presented, yet Drathis gut twisted, the unease intensified ten-fold, his skin crawling with distaste.

“Stop.” He called to Galaxy, he couldn’t take it anymore, the dread was turning to panic, the riders causing three more avalanches forcing them forward. Drathis pulled Galaxy to a standstill looking back up at them, they stopped two, waiting.

“We mean no harm,” Drathis called out to the riders, he felt like a fool saying it aloud, but with Sinira he couldn’t just piss off the wrong group of people anymore. As much as she could handle her own, his heart demanded he protect her.

Looking up at them, there was no response, they remained perfectly still, not bulky enough to be dwarfs, but their uniforms still not fully visible.

“Could it really be the Black Maser’s?”

“They haven’t attacked so how could they be?” He nudged Galaxy again forward and she took off with outstanding speed. The riders behind following. Sinira lowered her bow watching them carefully looking for any sign of threat, they seemed to just shadow them why? The minutes seemed to drag by as she kept her eye on the riders, two more mini avalanches were set off by them before they finally slowed to a stop.

“They stopping.” Sinira called out in confusion.

“Huh?” Drathis looked behind them up onto the ridge, indeed they had. “What the...”

“Drathis.” Sinira breathed in terror, her eyes left the riders catching hers, he whipped around to the front as Galaxy reared to a halt.

They froze looking ahead.

There, in the haze stood a wall of men, the one in the center’s eyes were glowing, black, malevolent.

No not fully black, they had an intense dark, olive hue to them, piercing through the storm, straight into them.

“Galaleiath.” Drathis snarled, his lip pulling up in a distasteful sneer.

“How!” Sinira almost screeched, stunned they had been followed. She raised her aching arms still holding the bow and locked arrow, focusing it back on the riders, now coming down the mountain to frame a wall behind them. “What are we going to do?” She whispered lowering her bow and arrow as the ten behind them raised theirs.

In the blink of an eye, a warlock appeared behind them, hands fisted into fireballs, defense set.

Shit and double shit, she whipped around to see Drathis and Galaleiath’s eyes locked in a death stare, he was still a dark shadow in the distance, but the sensation she felt rolling off of him, left no doubt in her mind as to whom it was.

Encircled, Drathis counted roughly thirty men, two of which were warlocks, and one, a dark energy pulsing off of, his brother in all his deadly rage.

A million scenarios raced through his mind, a thousand escape plans, each ending in death. How was he to get them passed. Thanks to Sinira he had the extra strength of inner power to rely on, in all past situations it would have freed him. Yet now, here, against his own blood… What were the odds to be?

“You didn’t let me say goodbye.” Came a sarcastic smirk as Galaleiath and his men edged nearer on horses.

He had chosen his trap well; between them was an opening, a gap in the mountains, a field of white large enough to battle on. “Perhaps prison wasn’t the best family reunion, my apologies.” Another sarcastic comment.

Drathis jumped off Galaxy giving the reins to Sinira, never taking his eyes off his brother. The wind still howling between them, Drathis still caught every word.

“Drathis don’t, we must stick together.” Sinira pleaded reaching for him.

“No, Sinira, Galaxy will keep you safe.” He squeezed her hand releasing it to walk forward.

“Perhaps we need a second chance, do traitorous shits get a second go?” Galaleiath asked oblivious to their whispers in the wind climbing off his horse. Drathis held the sword close stepping nearer into the clearing, mirroring his brother's advances, his every skin cell on high alert.

“Nothing to say? You had stories upon stories to tell me in the dungeons.”

Drathis listened to the impatience in his voice, the anger. He knew this tactic, the old piss-them-off-to-get-arise-out-of-them. Attack first to die fast. He would not lose his cool, he had to remind himself to remain calm. Drathis could hear the breathing of Galaxy behind him, despite his best-efforts Galaxy and Sinira stuck behind him like glue.

Still mirroring his brother’s advances, they finally stopped, meters apart, Galaleiath and Drathis eyes never straying. The men flanking Galaleiath raising their bows, locking arrows all pointed at Drathis’s chest.

“Well?” Galaleiath barked in rage.

“What?!” Drathis shot

“Ah, so your tongue is not gone.”

“What do you want?”

“No hello?”

“I don’t play games; you want to kill me? Do it, if not let us pass.”

“Us?” Galaleiath asked intrigued, looking away for the first time to just behind his brother. “Yes, I had almost forgotten.” He smirked taking a step nearing looking from Galaxy to the women sitting atop. Drathis clenched his jaw trying to remain calm, refusing to look back to see if she was ok, raging inside at the look of lust suddenly shinning in his evil twin’s eyes. “Sinira.”

Drathis’s nostrils flared as Galaleiath said her name slowly. “Of all the ones I wanted, who would have thought you would be my queen.”

“Your queen? Please!” Sinira snorted in disgust folding her arms in protest.

“It’s your rightful place as the last elven female left.” Galaleiath teased pulling his gaze from her back to Drathis, “Think I didn’t know?”

Drathis remained still, his jaw screaming in protest as his muscles remained clenched refusing to answer in anger.

“How did you find out?” Sinira asked in disbelief.

“It's amazing what a book can tell you.” He smirked pulling the diary out of his breastplate. Sinira paled slightly, how could she have forgotten that there. “Why did you hide it? We could have shared so much more in our times together.” Galaleiath teased winking at her.

“Stop.” Drathis warned his brother as his nostrils flared, he was having a hard time getting his rage under control, he desperately needed logic, a clear mind. Yet his brother's wondering eyes, flirting, was having his heartbeat out of control demanding he protect his mate, defend her.

“Stop what? I haven’t even touched her.” He smiled looking from Drathis back to Sinira winking, “In a while.”

“What do you want Galaleiath!” Drathis snapped, he watched his brother's face darken at the call of his own name.

“For you to come back with me, tell the truth, and remain imprisoned till I decide a suitable death for you.”

“I do not plan on dying just yet.”

“Deny me and you might just now.” Galaleiath stretched his arms out showing off his men encircling them, arrows still pointed, the warlocks had appeared on either side of Galaleiath, ready.

“Do you have any idea how many times since my escape, I have been threatened with death? It's boring!” Drathis snapped stepping nearer, “Try a new tactic.” He growled.

Galaleiath laughed at the remark, and in the same breath released the grip on the hilt of his sword, fisting an olive smoke of power blasting it at Drathis.

“Drathis!” Sinira screamed, her and Galaxy racing after him as he flew through the air landing a few feet away. She jumped off Galaxy, falling beside him clutching his stomach. Without asking she grabbed him pulsing magic into him, not knowing what was wrong she willed her magic to just heal.

“Him? Really?”

Sinira looked up to see Galaleiath stalking towards them. She jumped to her feet standing over Drathis fisting her hands as snow around her raised into the air, a hundred iced spikes aimed at Galaleiath.

Galaleiath stopped looking at the threat, then passed her to Drathis standing back up, placing his sword in his sheath, his fists smothered in green flames reflecting off the iced spikes brilliantly. He watched his brother's arms alight, they whipped around in the wind threatening to burn out, but remained powerful radiating heat off of Drathis.

“Touch him again and you will be sorry.” Sinira hissed.

Galaleiath’s frown deepened in confusion and fury.

“HIM? You choose him? I have much more to offer than this homeless piece of shit! I am a king.” Galaleiath roared beating his chest at the end.

“He is more than you could ever be!” Sinira snapped, the iced spikes trembling with her fury.

“Sinira don’t!” Drathis warned hearing the slightest bit of madness in his brother’s voice, his eyes so dark they were beginning to blacken around the edges again.

“Or do, please, I’ve been dying to see what you can do.” He sneered as his eyes travelled the length of her body. Drathis knuckles went white hot with the comment, his flames climbing up his arms as Galaleiath smirked at the reaction he was getting from Drathis, “Does he know the time we had in the gallery at Zitex?”

“Nothing happened between us.” Sinira hissed.

“Even after I said give me one night with you?” Galaleiath teased biting his lower lip, looking from her to a fuming Drathis.

“Are you delusional that you actually think I slept with you?” She snapped taking a step nearer, her iced spikes following her “I don’t give myself around seeking attention, like you.” She snapped

Galaleiath back-handed Sinira across the face so fast Drathis hardly reacted in time. He caught her as she stumbled back steadying her on her feet, his flames going out instantly. Drathis looked from his brother to Sinira, looking at her bust lip starting to bleed, inflamed and cut cheek followed by a tear running down her face from the shock. But she shook her head, letting him know she was fine. Drathis released her stepping in front of her facing his brother, about to charge. Stopping, recalling the many arrows pointed at his head.

Drathis was at the point of hyperventilating with anger. “If you trying to turn me against her, it won’t work.”

“Why? don’t mind my sloppy second?”

“Nothing happened between you two.”

“Just going to believe her hey?”

“I know this as fact.”

“Being the last female, she is my property, as king it is my duty to make her my queen, so hand her over, brother.” Galaleiath spat the last word.

“She is not a prisoner.” Drathis growled stepping nearer, his flames returning. “Either way Sinira has chosen me, and not you.” Drathis winked with a broad, menacing smile as his emerald flames whipped around in the wind. Sinira watched the men’s eyes lock, if there was no wind, she would be able to smell the burning energy between them.

“We can make her choose again.” Galaleiath whispered stepping inches away from Drathis’s face.

“How about I choose none of you and no one dies?” Sinira screamed at them unable to remain quiet any longer, they had been moments away from ripping into each other. She knew Galaleiath, once touch from Drathis and those arrows would sink into them.

Both elves whipped around looking at her in question.

“Are you two seriously going to fight over me?” She snapped nearing them, “You two haven’t seen each other in over a decade, didn’t in fact know the other was still alive, yet I am to be the result of one of your deaths?” She stopped before them both. “Grow up, both of you. I will not be the result of one less of us.” Sinira stormed away climbing atop Galaxy refusing to look into Drathis’s eyes. “Sort your own shit out, I belong to no one.” With that, she kicked Galaxies' sides and took off through the mass of men, their aim following her looking to Galaleiath for a command.

“Let her go, we will catch her later.” Galaleiath called out then whistled to one of his warlocks nodding in her direction.

Drathis remained still, his fire white-hot with a lime green hue to it. He watched his heart leave on Galaxy and couldn’t for the life of him breathe. His mind denying it, calling her bluff.

“So, seems like all we will be needing to do, is just chain you up for your trip back home, then to catch my bride, and we all set.” Galaleiath smirked lighting his fists again. Drathis ignored him watching Galaxy race away, praying for a sign. Drathis refused to believe after all they had shared that was it, she wouldn’t leave him like this.

Galaleiath followed his gaze then looked his brother up and down in disgust.

“Did you actually love her?” He started to chuckle, “Well, now you know what it feels like.” Galaleiath raised his fists for an attack.

And there it was, Sinira finally looked back catching Drathis’s eye, giving him a nod, a simple trust-me nod. His breath slammed back into him turning just in time to duck from a blast of olive power burning the hair on his arm.

“No more talking? This is it then?”

“Yes, this is it.” Galaleiath snarled as they began to circle each other.