Charred

Aurelia
The city went quiet. Not a single sound could be heard from the streets below. I stopped breathing and listened as intently as I could. Kairios’ breathing was the only sound in the room. Again a roar sounded, though this time it sounded more like a high pitched screech.
I scanned the sky line. There was no way that it could be. I closed my eyes and focused. There, above the cloud line, I could hear the sounds of wings. How could this be? I was so focused on the sounds of powerful wings that I didn’t notice the body heat that came to stand next to me. A quick look to my side as an arm brushed my own. Zephyrus was watching the clouds as well.
Similar to the sight of lightning, the clouds started to light up with reds and yellows. The clouds parted from the heat to reveal an impossibly large dragon. Her powerful wings folded closer to her body as she angled down and dropped towards the city.
I was too shocked to say anything. How could this be? Last I saw her, she was so small. Now she was as large as me and when I looked closer she had a rider on her back. Shock echoed through the room, it was so thick that I could feel it on my skin.
This had to be a dream.
“How lovely.” The voice next to me said and started to draw me back to reality.
The look on his face ignited a fire that burned hotter than I had ever felt. All I could see was red and that look of longing in his evil eyes. My feet started to work on their own. I found myself slightly behind him. He didn’t notice that I had shifted my stance. I checked the magical tether and found that I was free of it.
I tried to change, to let the shift take over, but nothing came. My power was depleted. I looked out over the city once more and saw that Vesta rained fire down at random. I still could not believe that she was here. But as I watched her a sense of awe and wonder washed over me. Already her power was a match for my own.
Zephyrus was entranced by her as well, not caring about the damage that she caused to his city. I had to make my move now. I tried once more to call the fire. But all that changed was the nails of my fingers elongated and sharpened. With no other hope I moved to stand right at his back and wrapped my clawed hand around his throat.
“Now you die.” I whispered into his ear as I tightened my hand.
His head slowly turned to me and where I expected to see shock and fear, I saw adoration. He was truly insane.
“You can not kill me in such a way, my dear.”
He raised his hand to cover my own and started to stroke it, tender as a lovers kiss. My claws started to recede and turn back to their original chipped nails. My chance had come and passed like nothing I did mattered. I loosened my hand and started to pull back from him.
“It would seem that I have another beauty to add to my collection.”
“Keep your hands and thoughts away from her!”
Closer than before a stream of fire crashed into the castle walls. All I wanted to do was to shout at her to stay away. But the second of distraction was a second to long. He now held me with my arms behind my back facing the burning city.
“Aurelia!” Saira shouted. “Let her go!”
He turned us enough that he could see Saira bent over Kairios with glowing silver eyes.
“Sister, I had forgotten that you were here. Remain quiet in the corner. Do as you have been told and learn your place.” He said then turned back towards the burning city.
Silver light exploded from behind us. Energy lashed out from her and crashed into Zephyrus. No damaged was caused as he had put a protective barrier in place. All the while I couldn’t stop watching my daughter come closer and closer while I was helpless.
“Please, stop.” I bagged any one who would listen.
The fight continued on behind me while the flames attacking the city grew and grew. I was cast to the floor so he could use both hands in the fight against his sister. Silver clashed with black over and over as they tried to find a weak spot to land a fatal blow.
Exhaustion pulled at every corner of my mind and my limbs started to tingle. Saira could do it, she could finish this for us. The amount of power that I saw her wielding was phenomenal. I honestly did not know she had such magic within her.
My eyes started to blur and my lids grew heavier and heavier. I shut them hoping that a moment would bring back the clarity I needed to see them. Some time later a large crash jolted me awake. Saira was still standing but looked like she was about at the end of her power as well. Zephyrus had a small trickle of blood on his lip. She had landed some form of blow on him.
Neither however were the source of the jolt that woke me. Gripping the edge of the floor, half in the room and half out, was Vesta. Her snout was just above me and large golden eyes with flecks of green looked down upon me. Climbing down from her back was the most beautiful boy that I had ever seen.
Green eyes burned as they took in my forsaken body. He rushed to me as a low growl started to form in Vesta’s chest.
“Mother.” The boy said as he came to my side.
I was shocked into silence. Inigo was here? And he was near the same age as when I first started to see his father in my dreams. They looked so similar my mind had a hard time recognising him as Inigo and not Kairios.
“How?” I was able to crock out.
“It matters not. Right now you have to get up. You have to stop this.”
He reached out a hand to me. It took more strength than I would liked to have to admit to reach his own. When our hands finally connected a sense of knowing and power started to flow into me. My arm in a way started to burn. He pulled me to my feet and helped to stabilize me when it looked like I would fall over once more.
“We came to help.” Said a familiar voice that I had not expected to hear in this place.
“Miranda?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yes, my queen. We have come to see this fight done.” She said with a radiant smile on her face.
I walked to my daughter and lifted my hand to her snout. Her skin was scaly and soft and warm. “Beautiful.” I whispered as my hand ran along her jaw. Her eyes closed slightly and I swore I saw the hint of a smile.
The sound of an explosion drew all of our attention to the fight that was going on behind us. Kairios was crawling across the floor, trying to make his way to where we all stood.
“Help your father.” I directed to Inigo. He moved without hesitation and with speed and grace.
When he bent over to pick up his father I found myself in awe at the sight of them. Inigo was strong enough that he was able to pick Kairios off the floor and swing him up and over his shoulder before rushing back to us.
“Vesta, use your fire and end this.”
She knew what I meant and instantly turned her head towards Zephyrus. Heat and smoke started to billow out through her sharp fangs. The heat was astonishing. My instincts told me to look away from her, to move to stand back next to Miranda, but I refused to miss this.
She arched her head back and let lose. The heat started to burn away my eye lashes but I still kept them open and watched as the flames got closer and closer to Zephyrus. At the last moment he spun, weaved a simple symbol with his hands and redirected the blast out over the city.
Disbelief washed through me as I watched them. She kept the fire flowing, only to have him send it out over the city. I had to do something. I had to help her. The flames stopped and Zephyrus started to laugh like a maniac.
“Once more on my signal.” I told her a low as I could.
I turned to Inigo and saw that he had a sword at his waist.
“Now.” I whispered to her and as soon as the smoke and heat started to flow through her teeth once more.
I turned to my son and grabbed the sword. “Keep his eyes on the both of you.” I said to him before turning to the edge of the room. If I could make it around and get behind him while his attention was taken, then I might be able to end this with a blade.
I crouched and moved behind her, hoping that Zephyrus was so focused on Vesta and his defense that he would not notice me skulking around. I kept my eyes on him as I got closer and closer. I had to act now, I could tell that she was almost at the end of her breath.
I stood behind a column and waited a second longer. At the same time that the flames started to dissipate, I made my move. I charged him from behind.
Both hands on the sword handle I lifted my elbows, pulled back then thrust as hard as I could forward. The sword went through like a hot knife through butter. In that moment I was proud of my son for having his blade so sharp.

A strange gurgle escaped his mouth as he looked down to see the silver blade sticking out from his chest. I had ran him through.
“This…” He coughed, “this cant stop me.”
“It has, you are done.” I forced the blade to start to turn so the blade was flat.
His scream echoed through the open room.
“Again!” I shouted at Vesta.
She reared up and smoke started to flow. Suddenly the sword was ripped from my hand and I was cast over the edge. The last thing I saw was the sight of flames engulfing his back. His burning body flew over the side and followed me to doom as the ground that surely claimed Galorian rushed behind us.
I would go to my death knowing that this monster was dead and that was good enough for me.