Sirius saw a man, a black-clad man with an invisible face. He was smiling at him; the boy could somehow tell for some reason. He was standing on an old wooden jetty. And behind him, there was a boat, a boat that was ready to set sail in the immense foggy dark sea.
Dragon Tribe’s village: Dragon Village
"Welcome, little boy. Do you have the coin?" A rasping eerie voice suddenly sounded. A voice that couldn't belong to a living person, a voice that was like it came out from the fog. Yet, it w
It was a full moon tonight, beautiful and breathtaking, yet so much hateful. I hate the moon, the stars, and that dark sky. I hate them with all my heart, yet I am doomed to never escape from the night. And there were also these burning torches surrounding me, torches which their intense flames seemed like they were about to devour me. But no matter how much I hated all of them, they didn't hurt me. They couldn't. Not like these dozens of contemptuous gazes around me."Do you have anything to say for your defense?"Was I supposed to say something? Would they hear me out if I shouted that I was maltreated? Would they give me an answer if I asked them why I was not any more welcome here?"This is the only chance you'll be given to redeem yourself. Are you sure you want to remain silent... You dare to laugh?"How could I not laugh? They had condemned me even though I hadn't committed any crime, treating me like I was some kind of sinn
He saw the fiery blue flames approaching him; the raging fire was about to devour him, yet, Apollyon never tried to move. The boy stood still, determined, his face expressionless. Apollyon opened his arms, extending them as much more as he could, indicating that he wasn't afraid of the imminent catastrophe that was about to find him. He looked like he welcomed it, instead.And as if they wanted to grant his request, the flames also covered him rapidly. The boy's figure disappeared inside the vast fire. And while everything seemed to turn into ash and disappear, the fire's bright light ironically revealed the hidden by the darkness's veil majestic cave the dragon resided in."How did you know?" A deep, loud voice sounded. A voice that seemed like it was intentioned as a mutter, yet its volume rocked the cave's walls. But the giant blue dragon that was supervising the area with its sharp gaze didn't seem to care about the blunder it had almost caused. It was carryi
The dragon looked with amusement at the boy whose face was filled with happiness and pride. Simultaneously, its opinion of him also somewhat rose compared to its initial evaluation of him. Dragons had always been arrogant creatures that looked down on the other races. Still, they were also beings that admired individuals with wisdom and intelligence unconditionally of their background or identity."Not bad, boy. Your answer is correct. However, your test isn't over yet. If you rest on your laurels now, your future might become foreboding. Don't forget you took part in a trial in which you might lose your life at any moment. Although you have done well until now, you are not in a position where you have the ease to feel cocky. Since you raised my expectations a little, don't disappoint me now.""I am sincerely grateful for your advice," Apollyon answered politely while lowering his head in respect. The broad hidden smile on the boy's face, though, didn't pas
"You want to destroy the paths? I don't understand what you mean," the dragon remarked while looking at the boy with a strange expression."I mean, exactly what I say. I want to destroy these paths I was supposed to choose between them. No, if I have to be more specific, I want to destroy this whole illusion in which I am trapped.""Have you gone mad from the anguish you suffered?""Not only am I confident about my words, I even feel stupid for not realizing sooner in what kind of situation I was in for so long. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense now," Apollyon replied with a sigh while shaking his head awkwardly."What a fool I was for even believing you might have wanted to help me. You even pointed it out to me, but I didn't take your words seriously. My naivety almost cost my life. Although you clearly said that there was no way you would ever care about my well being. Yet, you suddenly told me that the answer t
"Welcome, boy, to my humble accommodation, the place in which the trial of blood and fire will be held. Among the one hundred seventy-three people who have taken part in this trial, you are the third person who had managed to pass my test and arrive here," the dragon declared while its expression started to become serious. As the trial was about to begin, the creature had to show the appropriate respect towards the trial's sacredness, the holy pact between the four godly beasts of the Divine Realm."Your goal is simple, yet, the hurdles will seem unapproachable," Stormbreaker added and then fell silent as bright white light, appearing out of nowhere, started to pour on a specific spot on the other side of the room, the place where a small altar dedicated to the Four Gods was located. A small object seemed to form upon the altar, its shape resembling that of a cup. And while the light began fading, the object's features became clearer and clearer until its appearance was
What an incredible sight! Apollyon thought as he witnessed the miraculous spectacle of the lush vegetation filling almost the whole room. His eyes wandered excitedly around the appetizing familiar vegetables that were growing unperturbed from their natural enemies, as well as the bizarre, colorful flowers that their pleasant scent was wafting inside the room. And while he continued to explore the place, at some moments, he would stop to try out some of the delectable vivid red tomatoes which were growing inside the surprisingly well-kept soil, and at others, he would pick up any strange looking flower that caught his eye and sniff at it.He kept on examining his surroundings in this way until his leg touched some kind of solid substance hidden under the thick greenery of the plants, making him turn his attention towards the ground.A human figure was lying down on the dirt, a skeleton that had been abandoned for who knows of how many years in this room. See
"I don't blame neither of them, though. Nor do I look down on them. Even if I was in their position, I doubt I could fair better with the trial. I would probably have given up," the dragon remarked while shaking its head. Even for a creature like itself that had experienced almost everything this world had to offer, lacked the wisdom and the intelligence to find the answer to the trial that its God assigned to it with its charge. It often wondered that maybe the Gods created the trial only because they just wanted to pull pranks on the mortals. To teach them about despair, about the helplessness when acting against fate."Even my age-long life can't exist forever. Noone can't trick death forever, even if it's me. So as my end is finally coming closer, I hope I can witness a one of a kind miracle before I close my eyes for the last time."That was the deepest and only wish of the creature that had spent the biggest part of its life playing the guard's role i
"For you right now, the present is the most important thing to you. Emotions have the biggest priority regarding the process of your actions. Acting true to your heart is not necessarily bad, but it is not necessarily a good thing either. The most important thing you should bear in mind if you survive this place is always to be aware of the consequences. You might think you are invincible because of your young age, but a person who can't restrain his rage is not strong. He is a fragile person instead."Apollyon pretended to listen to the creature's advice carefully. Its words, though, went in his one ear and out the other. He couldn't help it, though. The dragon's babbling seemed nothing more than lecturing to the boy."I was once like you," the dragon suddenly said, having realized that the boy was not paying attention to it."You? No way!" Apollyon, whose interest was sparked, shouted, surprised, not believing what he had just heard.