Chapter Forty-Four (Amaya)

I was exhausted, making sure the door was closed all the way and locked, I headed to my bed and crawled under the covers. Sleep eluded me, everything from the past few months circled in my head.

If I was in my own time, no one would believe the craziness my life has become or anything that had happened since I met Sin. Eventually my eyes grew heavy, and sleep finally came.

I was awoken a few hours later by an enormous crash outside the castle, bolting upright I stared at the curtains that blocked the large balcony that was attached to my room.

With a yawn I got up to investigate, pulling the curtains open I was greeted with large red eyes. I jumped back before realizing it was Leviathan, the beautiful gold and silver dragon I had met when the woman, Akuji, thought she led me into a trap.

“You scared me.” I scolded him.

His red eyes staring at me, his voice entered my mind, “Sorry was just wanting to visit, this is the first time in centuries our kind has been able to communicate to this extent with a ground person.”

“You mean communicating shouldn’t be this easy?”

He nodded his large scaly head, “Yes, and I wanted to continue our conversation from earlier. Why did you stop me from killing your kidnappers?”

I smiled, “They are and aren’t my kidnappers, they took me from my time, but I also care about them, I’m drawn to Sin and Lazarus and want to see what they mean to me. It might have started as a kidnapping, but they reunited me with my mother and help me learn who I really am.”

“Just be careful who you trust in the castle, demons are tricky creatures, centuries ago we had a truce with them, and they broke it, killing and taking things that did not belong to them, it's why they slowly are losing the ability to communicate with us.”

“Is that why they don’t go out in the open?”

He nodded, “My kind are seeking revenge. Our eggs were stolen and used in rituals and who knows what else.” His massive frame shuddered, “they took our children from us and tried to ride us like nightmares, they believed they had a right to enslave us. The audacity. Their ancestors treated us like gods and worshipped us, and now we are nothing but vermin to them.”

“We should fix that. You deserve respect, as the King of dragons, maybe I could speak to the King of Demons for you, and we can fix the mistakes of the past.”

“I don’t know about that small one.”

I nodded, understanding the pain and trauma his kind must’ve gone through. There had to be a way to fix it. “I’m glad I met you, this place is strange and overwhelming.”

“I feel an odd pull to protect you, what are you exactly?”

“According to my mother, I am a witch and a druid.”

“A druid, those are rare, I thought they were all but wiped out. That is why my kind no longer live on the earth plane, or at least very few of us do.”

“Why would that affect where you live?” I asked, curiously. "Is that why there are demonic and non demonic dragons here?" 

“That is correct. Druids have a special connection to dragons and in the human plane helped protect them in a way by acting as a translator to kings and when they started hunting us down, they helped hide us from humans and eventually joined the others in the hell plane running from the earth plane. Humans, although without magical abilities, have an uncanny habit of destroying anything they deem a nuisance, first it was us, then from what I can see in your mind nature itself as well as nature's creatures and even each other.”

“You are correct about that. Just thinking about the damage they are doing angers me.” I frowned. “If you are the King of Dragons, why are you wasting your time talking to me?”

“Like I said, I feel connected to you, I think you and I will fix things for both of our planes and it’s nice to talk to someone who is honest and not just saying what I want to hear. Other dragons are terrified of me because I am their king. It makes things lonely.” He chuckled.

He held out his talons, and on one of his claws was a ring.

I looked at him puzzled, “What’s this?”

“A druid gave it to my ancestor, and I was told if I found another druid to give them this, it will give you the ability to talk to me from long distances and if you ever find yourself needing an escape, I will sense it and come.”

I took the ring from him and looked at it; it had symbols carved into the sides with a ruby, sapphire, diamond, and emerald inlaid in the band. I could feel power emanating off the ring and looked at him curiously.

“They imbued the stones with the power of the elements.”

"Very perceptive, yes indeed, they are. The ring will help you to focus your abilities as well."

I looked up at him, “Thank you.” A thought had occurred to me. “Did you know my father? He was Druid Chief Ross.” I asked as I slipped the band onto my finger, it was a perfect fit. How odd.

“I did not, I have never left the hell plane, but my ancestors may have, I will find out for you.”

“I know it was a long shot, but I figured if the demons' time travelled when they travel to different planes, then maybe dragons do as well.”

“It is very possible; I just never had the urge to go to the human plane. I have plenty to do here.”

“Considering how the humans treated your kind, I can see why.”

“That is correct. I must be going; I will see you soon, small one.” And with that, he lifted his massive wings and took off into the sky.

Smiling, I went back into my room running right into Sin. “What are you doing in here?” I asked, annoyed. “The door was locked.”

He smirked at me and held up a key, "Came to wake you up but I guess your friend did that for me." he smiled.

“King Leviathan? He just wanted to talk and bring me this.” I replied, holding up my hand.

“A druid ring, which was nice of him.”

“Dragons and druids are friends, and he was told by an ancestor to give this to the next druid he meets.”

“I see. And what does Leviathan want from you?”

“Nothing why?”

“Nothing is free, little flame.”

“Just because you give nothing for free doesn’t mean he is the same way.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you jealous of a dragon?”

“No, I just don’t want you to put yourself at risk.”

“I’m in hell. What more risk can I be in?” I laughed.

“Plenty.”

“So, why are you in my room?” I asked, changing the subject.

“Like I said to wake you up, breakfast will be ready shortly.”

“Okay, I will get changed and head to breakfast with you.” I grabbed clothes from my dresser and headed to the bathroom to change.

I quickly changed into jeans and a t-shirt and walked out of the bathroom. Sin smiled and handed me a coffee before moving to the door and holding it open for me. I followed as he led us to the dining hall.

When the door to the hall opened, noise erupted into the hallway, everyone was in a panic.

“What’s going on?” Sin demanded.