Echos of Chaos

I stared hard into my foe's cold, yellow eyes. It has always been said that one's eyes mirror one's spirit, and I saw it all in there. His eyes reflected to me pain...misery...cruelty beyond belief. They showed me all the suffering, the hardships, the guilt, and the hurt I had been forced to endure, all condensed into a single moment. It seemed to last a lifetime.

I knew exactly what I had to do. Not just for myself, not just for petty vengeance. For the good of all. Ever since I first flew to Nigeri's shores, I had been lied to, betrayed. I was led to believe that this dragon was a good and fair king, that I could trust him, that...that I could take him as my brother. Only to be abandoned and have my heart torn to shreds when I needed a brother, a friend. That's how he lived. Making me trust him, believe him, follow him...yes, perhaps even worship him, only so it would make his betrayal all the more painful.

That moment seemed to last a lifetime. All I wanted to do was wrap my teeth around his neck and tear it out, just to give him a taste of the pain he had forced me through. Sink my talons deep into his chest and tear his heart asunder as he had torn mine. I wanted to destroy him, loose every weapon in my arsenal on him, rip him to shreds and slice his scales, and still he would not have suffered enough.

Synacra nudged me, and with a roar of fury, I leapt at Ahgjan.

My blood felt frozen as I plummeted toward the black beast.  Scared stiff, as though I could shatter on impact like a porcelain doll, I gained speed fast.  I suddenly spun myself around in the air and extended a hind leg - claws out - to try to rake out some of his scales as I passed.

It didn't work.

I felt jaws close around my leg and before I could pull it away, the head holding it flung me off course.  I spun and righted myself, but before I had gotten my bearings I felt claws dig into my back and the same jaws opening around my neck.  I twisted violently, pulling away just before the jaws closed, and tearing myself out of his claws.  There was a wave of pain, but I didn't stop, I rammed the black monster with my head, trying to claw its ashen underscales open.

Only to have a wing chomped in the process.  Desperately I clawed at the creature for a grip, scraping along scales, trying to bite it's legs to hold on, but I couldn't do more than scratch the surface of his scales.

I plummeted without control, spinning tightly toward the battlefield below.

I grinned a wild, wicked grin. He was always the intellectual. I was the fighter. It was time for him to learn that scholars aren't the only ones to feel mental pain, and he would learn that by learning that warriors aren't the only ones to feel physical pain. He scrabbled and scratched at my sides and my legs, but the fire had done more to my scales than blacken and curl them. It had also hardened them to a better degree than any human-made armour, even greater than any dragon's natural scales.

As he spiraled down to the bloody scene far below, I zoomed in and rammed him with my horns, sending him flying to the side even as he dropped. Before I joined with the good and honourable Synacra, I made myself a vow - the pain I caused Ahgjan would equal that which he caused me. And I wasn't even half finished yet. I darted above him and kicked down on his chest with my rear legs, causing him to plummet down even more swiftly. I still hovered in the air when I heard a crash and his satisfying scream of agony.

I alighted next to him, cracking him in the temple with a forepaw, sending him flying. The ground was sprayed with his blood as I whipped around with my tail and battered him in the ribs before he even landed.

And still it wasn't enough. I could burn the scale from his flesh and the flesh from his bones, and it would still not be enough. No, his death now would not satisfy me. Not until he truly knew my pain. I lowered my head and charged, barging full into his side with my horns. In one fluid and graceful motion I leapt over his lying body and kicked out with my hind legs, digging the claws into his flesh even as I kicked him in the ribs. Whipping around, I battered his shoulder with my tail before bringing it crashing down on his back, snapping his wings like twigs.

Destruction. Ahgjan would not die - he would be destroyed. I would make sure of it - I would beat him within an inch of his life before tearing him from limb to limb. He had destroyed my soul, and I would destroy his body in kind. And then I would take the fight into the world of the spirits and obliterate him from memory - he would die, and none would mourn.

I heard his wretchedly laboured breathing as I slowly padded up to him, ready to put an end to him once and for all. It was time - the unworthy Rathi of dragons would die. He would be destroyed by my claws, and a noble and true Rathi would take his place as he should have many years ago.

I glared down at the miserable dragon and narrowed my eyes. "I'm the warrior. Always remember that."

I could barely feel my body.  I was going to die here alone, fail my people, fail my bloodline.  Stinging blood from a wound on my head clouded my vision and the pain from my wings nearly blinded me, but it all seemed to go away as I looked back into the eyes of my opponant.  Eyes and a voice I should have recognized right away....

      "You have duties to her.  You took her as a mate and you're going to keep her."  "Ahgjan, I can't have a mate...you of all dragons should understand my decision.  If I take her back it will be the worst for all of us!"  "No, Arix." I shouted, "I have to keep an image to keep if this rebellion is going to succeed, and the last thing I need is for the Rathi's brother to leave his mate!  You will go back to her and you will live a happy life with her!"  he growled in responce.  "Its MY personal life, NOT YOURS!" he roared.  "Rathi or not you have NO RIGHT to order me such!"   I growled while sighing.  "Then I hereby banish you from my sight and my lands.  Get out and don't come back unless you've decided to take your mate back!"

     The news of his banishment hit Siena almost as hard as Arix deciding to leave her, but I assured her he'd come back to her in a few days after he had gotten some time to think of how wrong he was to selfishly leave her because things weren't working out in his life.  After two weeks had passed however, I was getting worried myself and sent out a search party to try to find where he had gotten to.  It was two months before a group of the searchers I had sent returned with a box.

     "M'lord"  a human who had traveled with the party stepped forward.  "Horns, ashes, and scales that appear to be all that remains of your brother...."  My heart was torn out at that line, and the rest of his explination muted, as I felt myself glued to the ground.  Arix was dead and it was my fault.  I hadn't wanted to lose him, I just wanted him to pay more attention to his own needs and those of his mate than my needs.  I didn't have the energy to dismiss the searchers, as my body trembled as though the ground under it was quaking.  I collapsed to my knees and let out a mourning roar as I began weeping in front of all those present.  I had killed my only brother, my best friend, the most loyal dragon I had ever had the pleasure to befriend.  I was tempted then to spill my own blood, but I knew it would do him no good - if we beat Synacra I would rename a city after him if only to ease my guilt a fraction of its streingth.

     I held the grandest funeral for him that I could manage, after spending a week in seclusion of course.  A number of the women and females tried their best to keep Siena as occupied as they could to keep her mind off of the pain, but it didn't work too well.  He was buried on the top of a seaside mountain.  A mountain I visited nearly every day....

"A-Arix?  What happened to you?  Your dead!"  "Quiet wretch!" he sneered back "You back stabbing liar!  I don't see why I ever trusted you!"  He raised his tail to strike.  I closed my eyes tight, bracing for his final blow as I pleaded with my brother.  "I'm sorry Arix.  I'm sorry for banishing you.  I expected you to come back, I searched for you when you didn't.  When I was told you were dead I mourned you for months.....

"Dead?" I chuckled. "Arix has been dead for months, Ahgjan. You should know that, you killed him yourself." His eyes filled with a satisfying fright, and I smirked at him. "My name is Iraciac Urrarum. You could call me Arix reincarnate. For you see, he'll not die. Not before you. Not until you feel his pain, not until you are utterly destroyed by my flame and claw."
I saw a tear in Ahgjan's eye. "Br-brother...no..."
"You are NO BROTHER OF MINE!" I roared in his face. "Brothers argue, brothers quarrel. But brothers do not abandon each other in times of need. They do not pile salt on open wounds. Brothers do not kick brothers when they are down." I dragged my tail along his chest, drawing blood. "Sound familiar, Ahgjan? Like something you might have done in recent times?"

I knew I had hurt Siena. It hurt me as well. But it couldn't go on. Long, long ago, I had vowed to myself that I could never take a mate, and for good reason. For it was families of dragons that were most vulnerable. Losing family hurt more than I could ever imagine, and I didn't see the sense in making myself open to that sort of agony again. And so I promised to never do such a thing.

But when I had met Siena...it was not only her beauty, but her kindness, her innocence. She represented everything I wanted. And she loved me back. To the underworld with old vows, I thought. I was a silly little whelp, I thought. And so I took her, and she took me. We were family.

And then it happened. The very second we had announced our love to each other, our intention to raise a family, we got the message. Humans had declared war on us. We were forced to fight and die daily. Oh, but the war resolved itself...by Synacra's return, and Ahgjan's defeat. We were all forced into slavery under the black dragon's rule. We finally escaped, and fled to a free land...where we were immediately overrun with plague. Again, death reigned supreme among us. Only narrowly had we managed to save enough lives that we might have a fighting chance at defeating the black dragon.

But what would be next? Synacra would master mind control and seize us, forcing us to serve him? All sources of food and water would shrivel and dry, resulting in slow death from starvation and dehydration? The very earth itself would shake and explode beneath our paws? I couldn't risk it. Only bad things had happened since I took Siena as my mate. I had always been in tune with the spirits, and I knew they were punishing me for breaking my oath.

And so I ended it, painful though it was. But I knew I could count on one dragon to offer comfort, guidance, and support during my darkest of hours. My brother.

"And what did you do, Odragc?" I held my blade tight against his throat. "Did you offer me comfort? Did you guide me to a better life? Support me, assuring me all would be well, that I had done the right thing? No. You banished me. The time in which I felt my heart was ready to burst through my chest, you exiled me."
"B...b-but..." he sputtered.

Far from the reign of the cruel and dark Odragc, I gathered wood, both kindling and long-burning fuel, and set it alight. Then, I stepped into the fire. It licked and burned my scales. Even when it burnt past my threshold for pain, my natural defences against the element, I stayed in the fire. It blackened my scales to darker than charcoal. Staying in there long enough, my scales begun to curl up and in on themselves, each one pointing up and out like tiny teeth covering my body. I stepped out of the fire and checked my reflection, and already I looked different.

Different, but recognisable.

Arix Odragc was dead. I bashed my head against the rocky wall, knocking off two horns, then rammed the remaining ones against it, resulting in a threatening curl of horns pointed straight forward, my eyes now an aiming sight as to wear my horns would stick. I looked again at my reflection, and smiled. Now not even my own broth...no. I had no brother. Not any more.

Arix Odragc was no more. My new name - Iraciac Urrarum, meaning "second chance" or "new life" in an ancient tongue. Still smiling, I looked towards the palace of Synacra. He was right all along. Right to bring destrauction to the empire of a vicious beast. He was pure, good. Purging the land of evil and malevolence. My morals hadn't changed. But something else had. Still with a smile on my face, I headed off, towards the black dragon's new empire. To make sure it remained in the paws of those worthy, those noble and good.

"You made a lethal mistake, Odragc," I whispered as I pressed my blade tighter. He let out a whimper, and I smiled softly. "Never assume a foe is dead, until you have seen a corpse..."

The pain was begining to overwhelm me, I knew it wouldn't be long until the end, until the evil plague would wipe me out as it had apparently done to the soul of my brother, and continue on to wipe out what little was left of the empire I had fought for.  My voice was overlapped by a gurgle as wounds on my head drained into my throat when I spoke. 

"Then it is true...Arix is buried on the mountainside of the Geishra Mountains..."  tears were mixing with the blood in my eyes giving the world around me a strange appearance.  "You may not have cared much for him, but he recieved a hero's funeral, most of the rebelion there to see him off.  A day of mouring among them all followed.  Perhaps it would have been better for us all if I had bashed myself against the rocks that day as I had wanted to."

He was standing over me, snarling.  "Stop stalling, worm!" he growled.  "Say goodbye to your existance"  I looked him in the eyes, trying to search for any emotion in them.  "Then truly Siena's clutch has no father...If you are no longer Arix, you don't care that his mate will be executed by Synacra in a matter of days for fighting with me, and the clutch that Arix sired, the clutch Siena stayed behind to tend to even though her heart was set to fight here in Arix's name, will be taken as Synacra's slaves.  Or will you adopt his young, Iraciac?  Teach them that their father was an evil creature that left their dam and killed himself instead of returning to them?  I know my brother is still there somewhere.  I know I wronged him, and if I deserve to die so be it...but Synacra will bring destruction to everything Arix loved if he dosn't help...  Go ahead and kill me here, but think about them as you destroy the last army to come against that dragon, the black dragon who has betrayed his kind many times over in his hunt for power.  Will you remain Iraciac, bringer of Synacra's darkness, or once again be the warrior hero Arix who turned the tide of war and rescued the peace loving empire his sire had sent him away even before his hatching to protect?

"I have nothing more to say" I continued, "but that I forgave Arix the moment he left my sight, and I gave him all the honor I could when he was buried.  I came to this battle intending to name the victory itself in his honor so his name would last forever.  I will now die here with a clean concious."  And with that I looked up, the world going so very slow around me, as I watched his tail prepare for the final blow.

Honour...what was honour?

Common sense a warrior's instinct would call a large part of honour keeping a pledge that you had made. But what if that pledge itself was dishonourable? I made a pledge to Synacra, who brought death, destruction, and despair to those I once loved. I made a pledge to Ahgjan, who caused me a greater pain than I ever thought he or anyone could. Honour could be preferring to lose the good fight rather than not fight it. To become a true warrior hero.

But what was a hero?

If Ahgjan slew both me and Synacra here today, he would be called a great hero in his empire, in legends from now and forevermore. If I were to destroy Ahgjan here, I would be called a hero in Synacra's new empire. But whoever would win the battle and become a hero, there would be legends calling them a villain, a demon, a spawn from the darkest, most hellish depths of the underworld. Either way, the victor is both a hero and a villain, the loser a martyr and a fallen evil.

Siena to be killed. Her clutch - my clutch - to be sold into slavery. For what crime? Fighting for what they believed honour was. It was a simple epiphany that suddenly caused my spirit to float from my body and gaze down at who I was, who I had become.

A defeated enemy who fought for what they thought was good - even if you saw it as evil - should be esteemed, not mocked.

It was thanks to this one, simple thought that I discovered which of the two sides was the honourable one.

Ahgjan had caused me pain. Agony. Suffering beyond that which I had ever felt. He aimed to destroy Synacra's empire once and for all. And yet...I had always known that, dark and cruel though he was, Synacra was always held in high regard in my brother's mind. Ahgjan held a steadfast belief that even the cruellest of foes should always be paid respects.

Synacra on the other hand planned one thing for anyone who survived his wrath - torture. Torture through slavery, torture through pain, torture through watching loved ones suffer.  When Ahgjan was destroyed, any of his followers who still lived would suffer. The black dragon would make sure of that. How could such a foe be called honourable?

"B-brother..." I lifted my tail from his neck, trembling. "I...I cannot be forgiven. I can not be redeemed. It is far too late for me to escape my condemnation now. But...I still believe in honour. I always have. I believed fighting by Synacra's side was the honourable thing. I see otherwise now." My eyes softened, and for once, the fierce exterior of black, dagger-like scales and curved death-point horns seemed somehow unthreatening. "Although I may be resigned to a fate of eternal damnation, I may at least resolve to live the rest of my life...like my brother. Righteous and true. For no reward - it's too late for that now - but simply to be righteous and true. Black torment is all that lies beyond death for me...but brother, I have decided." I stepped away and reared up on my hind legs, wings spread and tail lashing. "I am once again the warrior Arix Odragc. And I fight by your side, Rathi."

I felt my heart jump as I listened to him, the anger in his voice was gone but replaced with sorrow.  I didn't know what had caused the sudden change in him, but whatever it was it had saved my life.  I tried to speak but felt frozen.  Half blinded but staring into the eyes of my brother for an eternity.  Silence surrounded us as I studied what physically remained of my brother.  Only a few glimpses of his former color were exposed through the ash black he had become, but it was still him.  The only other living Ordragc by blood.  I could still see him there, although perminantly scarred by a defeat that I knew I had caused.  I had lied to him, my concience wasn't clean.  No matter how long either of us lived, I would live with the guilt of what I had done to him for the rest of my life.  But to see him there, a new hope in his voice...that eased the torture of knowing what I had done.  After so many months of mourning his death, my brother was here with me, alive again.

But then everything around us erupted into action again.

I struggled to my claws, blood still dripping from nearly every part of my body, but the wounds already scabbing.  "Just for that, I say whatever dieties there may be to decide our condemnation should take my word for it and give you a golden palace.  That old fool of a black dragon has a way with manipulating minds, so you can't hold yourself responsible.  I fell for it once myself to Arcanys before he became possessed by his traitorous ancestor.  In your lifetime you've done more for me than this disgression could counter, so lets put the past behind us and look to the now.  The old black dragon has haunted our family for generations.  Let us end it before the sun sets today.  If we take him out his army falls.  I wouldn't be able to get near him myself unless I dove at him, but he trusts you, and is mind is too busy with the battle.  You can get close before he realizes you no longer are under his deception....

-----------

I had spattered some blood over Arix, and we  had coated his blade with blood from a number of Synacra's solders.  In the end, he looked like he had shredded me to tiny bits by the time I saw him off to rejoin with Synacra.  I stayed low and followed far behind, finding a rock outcropping to hide under just within earshot of my enemy and my brother.

"...little worried Iraciac.  I was starting to think I had underestimated the thief, but it seems you were simply enjoying his torture.  Good job lad."  Synacra placed a wing over Arix, an almost fatherly gesture.  A fatal gesture.  "Your next duty is t...."  he was cut short by his own muffled roar of pain as Arix scuffled away, blood coming down the Synacra's side and wing were Arix had severed his wing membrane and nearly severed his wing.  Even if he lived past this battle not even magic could ever heal that crippling wound.

"My next duty is to my Rathi and my Brother.  To slay you and return Nigeri to him."  Arix snarled, rushing the aging black dragon for another attack.

I watched the battle between the two black dragons from the corner of my eye as I rushed the solders coming to Synacra's aid.  Arix had a chance, but only if I could keep the fight between only synacra and himself.  I did not try to make wounds quick or painless here.  I needed to protect my brother, so many of my opponants lived, but limped and crawled or rolled away missing limbs or with deep gashes.  Some would later come to me thanking me for the wounds because they had opened their eyes just as my mention of honor had to Arix.

When the solders were afraid to approach, only then could I help my brother more than I was now.  I couldn't let him fall.

I didn't take my eyes off my enemy. But I caught a flash of green from my peripheral vision. "Stay away, brother," I snarled. "I know this is your fight as much as mine, but it is my duty to protect you. Stay away." I leapt to the side as Synacra lunged, his claws scraping my side. I ignored the sting and whipped around with my tail, cracking him in the side of the face. I bellowed and fell to his side before I rammed him in the ribs, my horns impaling him before knocking him away.

He stood and growled. "I always knew you would turn traitorous. I was careful - but it appears I need to hire new assassins." He lowered his head and dashed at me. I lowered mine in turn and locked horns with him, trying to wrestle him to the ground.
"I was blinded by your promises, swayed by lies and false memories," I grunted as I tried to push him further down. "I do not fear the eternal darkness that awaits me after death - as long as I die in honourable battle."

Synacra unlocked his horns and stepped back, causing me to stumble before he cracked me in the jaw with his paw. I yelped in pain and fell back. "Ha! Honour," he spat. "Where has honour ever gotten anyone? Your brother strived to be an honourable Rathi, and look where he is now. You appear to be the honourable warrior..." He turned and kicked me in the chest with his rear legs. I gritted my teeth through the pain and stood, the force feeling like it would make my heart burst. "...and look at you."

I growled and rushed at him, lunging with my claws outspread. He sidestepped away...falling for my feint. I quickly whipped around, slashing at his chest with my rear claws. His eyes opened wide, and I reared and stomped his open chest wounds with my forelegs before he was able to react. As he stumbled backwards, I rammed his underbelly and he fell onto his back. I was quickly on him, and placed a paw hard on his chest.

He snarled and spat at me. "You call yourself an honourable warrior, Odragc?"
"I have more honour than you will ever know, whelp."
His mouth formed a twisted smile, and I felt like tearing him to shreds. "Yes...you are honourable, Arix. Look at what you've done. You have betrayed both sides you fought for. Beat your old Rathi nearly to death, and now about to slay your new one. Remember your brother's mate, Rejanix?"
I faltered with a gasp.
"It was our rogues who caught her. It was our jailers who imprisoned her. It was myself who sentenced her...but who carried out the execution?" He stared into my eyes, a long, soul-draining stare. "It was you, Arix. You slew your brother's mate, and left your own saddened, alone, and your clutch fatherless."

I lifted the paw lightly off his chest, shaken by his words - these were not silver-tongued lies designed to break the fighting spirit of a foe. They were truths. How could I speak to him of honour after what I had done?

It was that fatal mistake that finished me.

He rolled out from under my paw and struck me in the face with a roar of fury. I snarled and bit back, but he dodged swiftly. I spread my wings and took to the air, planning to dive bomb straight into his spine, even if I ended up splattered on the rocks - but as it turned out, I never got that far.

He opened his maw and unleashed upon me a breath weapon such as I had never before seen. It appeared as a shadowy cloud, like those one may see covering the moon at night. It engulfed me in the air, and I screeched in agony as I felt it slice through my scales and my flesh, draining my energy and my life away. Above the battlefield, it was witnessed by all as the assault continued, and I roared in pain. It seemed two lifetimes before the shadows fell away. Drained entirely of energy, I fell to the ground, and watched the black dragon approach to squeeze whatever little life I had remaining out of my body.

Synacra had defeated me. Defeated the "warrior hero" Arix Odragc. And it was time for me to pay for my defeat with my life.

I had fought back the solders, they knew it wasn't their fight but after seeing Synacra defeating a perfectly healthy and strong dragon that fast, they knew he needed no help.  I had heard my mate's fate, and it stung more than any of my wounds.  But I had time to mourn later.  I had to fight for my brother's life now and hope there would be only one royal funeral in the coming days. 

As Synacra approached Arix, I came up between them.  Something about facing the enemy that had found his way into the very fabric of the empire's history gave me a streingth I had never felt before and never would again.  One firm step at a time, I approached.  Whether it was rage, foolishness, or blind faith that his powerful weapon was a one time attack I never would be able to figure out, but I approached him nonetheless.

"You, Synacra Deilak have on your record one count of treason that has had a sentance previously made and recorded.  Added to that you are accused of two counts of returning to this land against your banishment, inumerable counts of murder and slaughter including the death of your own kin Arcanys Deilak, two more counts of treason, one count of working with the forbidden black arts, and one count of warmongering.  Your presence here on this battlefield stands as incontrovertable evidence to your guilt and thus I, Ahgjan Ordragc, as Rathi of this land and all dragons under it's sun, and in the witness of my brother the chief advisor Arix Ordragc and whatever dieties there may be watching over this battle in amusement or interest, sentance you to death and wish you no less than eternal damnation for your dishonorable crimes here and in the past.  May your name forever bring up bile in the throats of those who survive this battle."

He stood in shock for a moment.  Why I don't know, maybe because of the fact that I knew his history of crimes past and present, or maybe because I was approaching him after what he had done to Arix.  I didn't care.  With a dash faster than any I had ever managed I lowered my head and caught him in the neck, my horns both digging in to each side and tearing down in under his ribcage.  I twisted my head before pulling them out.  Cracking half of my left horn off in the process, but tearing his arteries and throat in the process.  He fell, and I stood over him panting.  He looked at me, trying to gasp for air but only making a gurgleing sound as he looked at me, fear in his eyes for the first - and last time as they went blank.