There was no sleep that night for Alexx. His mind replayed the image of every man and woman screaming in pain before they died, over and over. The bodies off near the woods, where he helped move them, stayed in his view. Erym was taken inside the ship for some time and brought back out with he proper rune craefting on his body. He awoke an hour later, and was quick to join Alexx and tell him what he missed. Apart from the details of the ship which Alexx didn’t find interesting, Erym explained why the Child of Prophecy joined sides.
“Well it’s rather embarrassing but, I’m not the Child of Prophecy. I thought I was, but when I attacked Senkazital, I couldn’t touch him. I was in denial but after going after him with everything that I had, I slowly realized that I had been living a lie. I was sure that he was going to kill me –we all did– and no one else bothered to try and strike him. But that all changed when he reached down and picked me up. He told me there was a much greater purpose for me. The way he spoke changed all of my sadness inside me, like a miracle. I can’t believe I would ever become a dragon!”
“Yeah…” Alexx only cared that Erym couldn’t kill Senkazital, so the nightmare would be over. “It’s weird of you to suddenly be acting so friendly towards me.” Alexx added.
“I know!” Erym shouted, “Hours ago we were waiting to hand you in, but now you and I are joining together! We’re going to leave this place for a new life!”
“So you believe what he says about this being a part of a bigger world?”
“Yes! If you went into the ship you would believe it too. It looks like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”
“But you lived here your whole life, does that amount to much?”
“I’ve been to Sirius during festivals and I’ve watched military ships sailing on the horizon. I’m telling you it looks nothing like what we’ve seen, it has to be from another world! You just need to trust him!”
Senkazital approached them as their conversation concluded. He asked Alexx to stand back and watch as he worked with the Kagral, and Erym. Alexx stood far enough back that he could sigh without being heard, and couldn’t hear them planning. Beneath the torturing thoughts of people dying lay a tumultuous tide of doubt and unanswered questions. Secret worlds, dragons, lies, and truth were all tossing about, and there seemed to be nothing to hold on to. Was any of it real? If it was all a huge lie, how did he convince a whole village to follow him? Where did the ship come from? Where did all the crystals come from? How does Senkazital know all about the Moon’s Heart, unless he truly was an immortal being locked in a cage for thousands of years.
There wasn’t enough time to think as Senkazital approached him.
“I asked that you stay with us a day,” he started out, “you’ve been with us all through the night, and now most of the day. With it almost being the time for you to decide, I have one thing I would like you to do.”
“What is it?” Alexx replied, his usual demeanor gone.
“Come fly with us for a mission. We are going to find your lost brother, the “naked man”. He is fleeing from us, but he has not run far. He still cannot control the dragon within him. He is lost and confused, and needs his brothers, you and Erym. Please go and talk to him. After that is done, you may walk free, or join us.”
“You still think I’ll not join you?” Alexx remarked.
“It’s written all over your face. You are scarred by the events of last night, and the night prior. I don’t expect everyone to have the same resolve and admiration as Erym. That is why I think this is something you should join us for. I ask that you talk to him, to gain his side of the story. And if you both walk away, then so be it.”
“I don’t understand why you’re so casual about letting me go.”
“Because I am fair,” Senkazital smiled softly, “I will not force anyone to join me. Even though the time will come when no one has a choice but to.”
Alexx couldn’t understand what he meant, but following him seemed safe, and would get his mind off of things for a while, so he nodded and followed them to the ship. When given the choice whether to ride inside the ship or out, he chose the latter. Whatever was mesmerizing Erym and the now gone villagers, it was inside.
The wind on his face reminded him of his sea home, and for a moment, he smiled. This moment in the air gave him a chance to see the land. The ocean, the mountains, and the depth of the forest stretched all around. The ship moved without shaking or rocking. The air didn’t affect it, nor did changing directions. It traveled north, at a slow speed. Erym emerged from a hatch and stood by Alexx.
“Have you ever been apart of something so great like this before?” Erym asked.
Alexx sighed, he didn’t want to talk to Erym, but he felt as if he had no other choice. “Being a pirate felt a lot like this,” he began, “There were the legends who came before us like Strong, but there are some who’ve made a decent name, like the Bretheren, and Dunsoul.”
“Do you think they’ll survive being turned into dragons?”
Alexx winced at the thought. He didn’t want to watch anyone go through that transformation.
“I suppose Dunsoul,” Alexx said reluctantly, “But, I don’t really know how anyone survives that process.”
“Good point!” Erym smiled innocently, “Maybe none of them will, do you think it’s based on purity? Like, say someone who is pure of heart becomes a dragon, and anyone else with evil doesn’t make it? Oh, that would mean my entire village, including my best friend, and my parents had evil in their heart. That’s… so sad… oh well!”
Erym’s drastic swing of emotions bothered Alexx. But he raised a good question. Though he had no desire to find an answer. He felt like pulling away again, just like at the Labyrinth. But without a good way of escaping, Senkazital is just going to find him again. Though he said he would let him leave, there wasn’t a full assurance he would be left alone. For all of Senkazital’s kindness there loomed a dark underbelly of deception. And then it occurred to him, Senkazital told Alexx his plan of making dragons just before he annihilated an entire village. Why did he do that? What was with that wicked grin?
Just as it seemed it was time to get the answers, Senkazital emerged from the ship. Erym smiled happily and joined his master's side. The two of them approached the edge of the ship where Alexx waited. Senkazital looked him up and down.
“Something has changed within you.” Senkazital frowned.
“Why did you tell me what you were going to do to the villagers?” Alexx asked in strange boldness he didn’t expect.
“Why would I hide secrets from my Archon?” Senkazital replied.
“But I never agreed to that position yet. And you haven’t tried to put a stone in me yet. You could have trapped me a thousand times already.”
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“Oh, I could? But Alexx, you’re so elusive.”
“Don’t play dumb!” Alexx suddenly raised his voice, “You’ve got Kagral following your every command, you turned Erym into a mindless follower without so much as waving your hand, and you’ve got this ship which is apparently from another world. You talk of leaving, taking everyone with you, but how can you do that if they all die from not becoming a dragon?”
Senkazital stood without moving, staring at Alexx. Erym wasn’t smiling anymore, but was confused and looked at Senkazital for the answer to Alexx’s question. Finally the tall man walked over to Alexx, and knelt down to look at him eye to eye.
“I am going to tell you something that very few people have actually heard from me.”
Alexx swallowed, “What is that?”
“The truth.”
“From the moment you released me,” Senkaital said calmly, “I knew what you were. A liar. A thief. A little boy playing with toys. You are just like me.”
Alexx shuffled his feet, and took a tiny breath.
“I took everything the same way you did, through cunning and deceit. And that’s just what I’m going to keep doing. Yes, I’m getting out of this rotten, despicable prison you call a world, and I’m going to kill and take anything necessary to do it!”
The sudden change in his voice sounded like hissing.
“Nothing is going to stand in my way, and I care so little about your putrid lives.”
“You’re not making any sense!” Alexx replied, “You’ve said nothing for all the three days that I’ve known you!”
Senkazital stood up, “Then I’ll make this clear: It's true that this world is just a partial one. It was taken apart to imprison me. But I’m fooling everyone into believing I’m their savior, and promising them that they will get to leave with me. Everyone will most likely die, and I could care less.”
Alexx stood baffled, no longer confused by his words, but now from sheer amazement, and a little impressed. “Is that truly what you intend to do?”
“It is,” Senkazital replied, “That is why I said no one will have a choice in the end.”
“You’re going to turn me too?”
“Eventually. I have a special plan for you.”
“So why are you telling me, of all people, the truth?”
Senkazital turned to leave and left these last words for Alexx, “Because no one will believe you.”
*
Erym stood atop the ship as it was reported that the escaped man with a dragon stone was located. They spotted him, late in the evening, running full sprint, still without clothes. Alexx looked out with Erym looking to see the man as well. Initially, he wasn’t interested in finding him because Senkazital wanted him to. But with the new light on everything, Alexx had to know why the man was running away even though he was already a dragon.
The ship descended into the trees, destroying them in its path. It came to a stop, and Erym jumped off, using the debris to stop his fall. Alexx put on the mask and did the same.
“This way!” Erym pointed and ran north in the direction he saw his target. Alexx quickly followed. The forest was on level ground, so spotting a man with pale skin was easy. Erym broke off and managed to keep the chase from veering left or right. Chasing after him took some time. The forest did not slow him down, or the ones pursuing him. But it was obvious which one had been running longer and getting tired. Instead of running anymore, he eventually stopped and waited for Alexx and Erym to catch up.
The sun was setting, and light was waning. Alexx knew this would be an awful time to lose him, and so he had to speak with him first. But Erym had beat him to the punch.
“Brother!” He cried out, “Why do you run? Our Senkazital wants you back in his arms!”
The man looked at Erym with a fierce gaze, “I am not your brother.”
“Yes! We are bound by the transformation we both survived!”
“You mean this abomination in my chest? If it didn’t kill me, I would have removed it already. It’s a curse, and a ploy.”
“It is a gift!” Erym lost his sense of happiness as he shouted, “Senkazital is going to save us all; we owe him!”
“The only thing he’s owed is death. Now leave before you die also.”
“Alexx,” Erym groaned, “It’s not working, help me! Say something!”
Alexx looked at the man, who looked back at him, still breathing heavily, but in a fighting stance.
“What’s your name?” Alexx asked.
“I have a few,” he said, his tone unchanging, “But I don’t have to tell you any of them.”
Alexx huffed, “Okay tough guy, we’ll my name is Alexx Junder.”
“Junder…” the man looked up in contemplation, “You have a ship called the Night Reaver?”
Surprised Alexx excitedly replied. “Yeah! You’ve heard of me?”
“Yes, you’re the mythical treasure hunter.”
“Wow, that’s right, honestly that’s the best title any stranger knows me by.”
“It’s in your folder,” he said looking at him again, “Along with the amount for your disposal.”
“My folder? Disposal, you have a folder of me and an amount?”
“Most people that I see on the bounty board do. Although, you’ve been on the board for a while, and the amount is too low for anyone to really take it seriously.”
“Wait, but I–” Alexx paused to let his words sink in, “You’re an assassin.”
“Ex-assassin.”
“Still keeping tabs on bounties even after quitting?”
“Old habits,” he replied, “I was trying to start living an honest life. And then–“ he looked down at his chest at the glowing orange crystal, “I was kidnapped some time ago.”
“You were rescued for a glorious purpose!” Erym intervened.
“Stop talking,” the ex-assassin said to Erym. Begrudgingly, Erym closed his lips.
“Why are you running even though this has happened to you?” Alexx asked him.
“Why? Isn’t it obvious? This is bad, I’ve been turned into a monster against my will. There were others with me and they all died. There are likely other places also making dragon henchmen for him. This Senkazital character, who they’re all working for, has concocted a devious plan. He’s spilling blood, and needs to be stopped.”
Alexx was impressed. He chuckled at the righteousness coming from an ex-assassin. “You’ve had quite the turn around for your life.”
“This has nothing to do with killing people for a living. This is mass genocide and an evil tyrant.”
“Senkazital is not an evil tyrant!” Erym shouted, “You take that back!”
“And I told you to stop talking. You’re a brainwashed idiot who needs serious help.”
“Alexx!” Erym said in a whining tone, “I’ve had enough, we have to bring this guy back now! What do we do?”
Alexx didn’t reply. Here again he found himself stuck at a crossroad. Someone defying Senkazital, and someone worshipping Senkazital, and his answer determined what was going to happen next. Not just where he was going, but whether Senkazital would get what he asked for, not. He chased after an ex-assassin for answers, and found a reformed killer defying the odds.
“Are you going to keep running?” Alexx asked him.
“I’ll keep running until death.”
“Why?” Alexx asked.
“Because that’s my conviction.”
Alexx remembered hearing that phrase. Someone from his past said that to him long before this happened. Someone precious. As if in a trance, he walked away from Erym’s side and away towards the assassin.
“Alexx, what are you doing?”
“I’m leaving. Tell Senkazital I’ve made up my mind.”
“But what about the glorious plan he has for you?”
“It’s all a lie, Erym. He’s just using you for his own plans.”
“It’s not a lie! Everything else is! The sun and moon temples, the military, the governments, they are the liars! Making us all feel poor and unworthy– of what? Senkazital gave me power when nothing else did!”
“Hey–” Alexx did not see it when the half-naked man was suddenly near Erym, hitting him in the side of the neck with the side of his hand, “I said to stop talking already.”
Erym collapsed on the ground with a thud. The assassin walked on, rubbing his hand. The young white haired man was in a deep state of unconsciousness. Alexx looked around, and after satisfied that he saw no one else, walked north.
