Rising from Dust

Zarafa was dressed and ready to go early the next morning, a bag of her belongings lightly packed and slung over one shoulder. Her hands were uncovered, thanks to Dexter’s instruction on how to use the spell to hide the insignia she had received. It took a minimal amount of magic to keep it going, and could be maintained without a thought. She would just need to drop the spell and put it back up after being contacted through the Eye. Though Dexter informed her that while it linked her to Dravyn, she was more likely to be contacted by someone else within the Higher Power with an insignia. Dexter had two since he was so high among their ranks, and Astrid had four; two on the backs of her hands, and two on the palms. The man who was sitting beside Gabrielle during the insignia ceremony was Alvin, who had two Eyes as well. Gabrielle had three and was his superior, while Astrid was hers. Apparently, Gabrielle was so angsty because she had recently bypassed Astrid and went to Dravyn and begged to be his second-in-command instead of Astrid. Obviously, she was denied, and was extremely upset about it.

Looking over at Dexter, who was wearing a sharp grey suit, she gave him a smile. They had stayed up most of the night discussing Zilferia and what was expected of her while she was there. Her position was a little hard to understand, since she was more or less Zeke’s equal, yet she wasn’t going to be leading the Dragon Hunters; she was managing him mostly. She was to be his superior, while also being his equal. What a fun line she’d have to try and find.

She was just thankful that Dexter was coming with her, even if it was only until she got her feet under her. While she had been vying hard for this position, she was still a little overwhelmed with everything involved in becoming a member of the Higher Power. The Insignia, the complicated line of leadership positions reaching back to Dravyn... even Zilferia itself was giving her a bit of a headache. The realm had huge dragons, two moons, and two continents. Though one was strangely ignored by... like, everyone, which only made her curiosity grow concerning it. Zilferia also had werewolves, mermaids, Zyloffs, and a bounty of other creatures she was struggling to wrap her mind around. Dexter, while having been to every one of the seven realms, seemed to have an effortless grasp on the complexity of Zilferia, even down to the singing trees and the blades of grass that reached up to gently wrap around people, as though they were lonely and required a hug.

What an odd realm. Though then again, Lii was probably stranger than Zilferia; she had simply grown more accustomed to it over the year that she had been training here with Dexter. She would likely adjust to this new realm even quicker than she had with Lii, especially with Dexter by her side. She only wished he could stay there with her longer.

“Come, Zarafa, it’s time,” Dexter prodded, waving for her to exit the room ahead of him.

“Of course,” she replied, shaking herself out of her musings. She’d hardly been able to sleep the night before thanks to her rumbling thoughts, making her grateful once more that vampires hardly required any. The one hour she’d been able to secure to slip into deep sleep was going to be plenty to carry her through the developments of the day. My first assignment, she thought, bubbling inside with excitement, despite her early reservations about working with the Dragon Hunters. She walked with a slight bounce in her step as she led the way to the arranged meeting place, where Astrid would be sending her, Dexter, and Zeke to Zilferia.

I better do a good job- no, better than just ‘good.’ I want to show Astrid, Dravyn, Dexter... all of them, how powerful and capable I truly am. It won’t be long before I move to more important jobs than managing those Zilferian ruffians.

Smiling as she thought of the bright future ahead of her, she almost marched straight past the appointed area among the crystal fields, only stopping when she registered that Dexter had stopped behind her. Face burning in embarrassment, she hurried back to his side, grateful that they were the first ones there.

Turning her focus to her surroundings, she drank in the vibrant colors, knowing it could be her last time in Lii, at least for a while. Holding the image before her in her mind, she focused on the trees and their fuzzy pink trunks, standing proudly before the orange sky and the blue grass that covered the ground like a blanket. Finally, she stooped to admire the crystal fields one final time. They grew mostly as long blades, swirling into intricate designs at the top. They were hard and smooth to touch, and as she looked at them, she couldn’t help but wonder at how they appeared so clear, as though the light from the sun went right through them. Dexter had informed her soon after they’d arrived that most of the housing was provided by harvesting these small flowers. They grew to be a few feet high, where they tapered out. It only took a week for them to reach that point, and they would then be harvested.

After a minute or two, she noticed two figures walking toward them, easily recognizing Astrid’s long, confident stride, and the teenager’s scrambling steps to keep up with her. Drawing in a few deep breaths, Zarafa once again shoved back her emotions to not only appear calm and collected on the inside, but to be able to show it to the mind-reading Astrid once she arrived as well. She may have gotten her insignia, but she would never be done reaching upward through the ranks, always striving to climb higher. Who knew, perhaps one day, she’d even make it to Dravyn’s number two once Astrid had passed. As a vampire, she was practically immortal now, after all. She and Dravyn could rule side-by-side for centuries. She wasn’t sure how he had achieved immortality without being a vampire, but she knew it was simply another testament to his power and wisdom. That’s when she remembered that Astrid was much older than she appeared as well, despite being human. Perhaps Dravyn had transferred some of his magical immortality to her.

Maybe Zarafa wouldn’t have the opportunity to replace her after all.

“Greetings, Dexter, Zarafa,” Astrid said, her voice ringing clearly over the crystal fields. Zeke lagged behind her, hands shoved into his pockets.

“Good morning, Astrid,” Dexter swiftly replied with a neat bow. “How are you this fine day?”

“Oh, you know, lots to do,” she replied with a smile. It was clear she had a soft spot for him. “Dravyn’s seen that it’s time to begin preparing for the final days before his ultimate victory over the realms. We have to get everything ready before the Key is born.” Zarafa watched their interchange curiously, but held her tongue. She’d have time to ask Dexter about it later. Zeke, meanwhile, stared obstinately at the ground, completely uninterested as he shambled up beside her.

“Born? There’s a singular person who is key to his victory?” Dexter repeated in surprise.

“Supposedly,” she replied, coming to a stop before them, Zeke joining them moments later, looking tired. “She hasn’t been born yet, but this will all take place in just one or two decades.”

“That’s not much time to prepare,” he remarked with a slight, concerned frown. “Please let me know if you need assistance in any of the delegated tasks.”

“Of course, Dexter,” she replied, looking pleased. “For now, your task remains the same. Your place is in Zilferia. It’s central to everything that is going to happen. This is no light task we have set upon your shoulders, Zarafa,” she continued, turning to the vampire with a hard, serious look in her eyes. “Please understand the critical nature of your position, and treat it with the utmost importance. We cannot afford to let Zilferia slip from our grasp, least of all now.”

“I understand,” Zarafa replied, forcing her voice not to crack. She had no idea she was so crucial to Dravyn’s plans. She began to sweat lightly, something that hadn’t happened since her transition. Was she really the best person for this?

“You’ll do great,” Astrid replied soothingly, giving her an understanding smile. “Dravyn hasn’t changed the plans, so it seems you are unlikely to throw anything off. Just give your decisions the utmost care, and I’m sure everything will work out.”

“Yeah, great,” Zeke finally spoke, lifting his head. His hands were stuffed deep into his pockets, making his position look a little awkward. “Can we just get going now, please? I don’t really have a second-in-command at the moment to help run things while I’m gone. I don’t want to leave the Dragon Hunters for long.”

“Of course,” Astrid replied with a slight huff. Waving one arm, she summoned a portal, which was nearly invisible, even to Zarafa’s magically enhanced eyes. To humans, it was completely invisible, but to her, the light dimmed in the center of the portal and glittered slightly at the edges. “There,” Astrid continued. “Best wishes to all of you. Do remember to keep in touch and stay up-to-date on your reports.” Inclining her head to Zarafa, then Dexter, she turned and walked a few feet away before stopping to wait for them to go so she could close down the portal behind them.

“Ready?” Dexter asked once Zeke quickly strode through the portal to be whisked away.

“Of course,” Zarafa replied with an unintended scoff, gripping her bag tightly and plunging through the portal. The realm where she’d finally felt she belonged disappeared behind her in an instant.

The trip through the shimmering white portal was quick, which she was grateful for. Rubbing her hands over her arms, she tried her best to wipe away the lingering feeling from the portal. Dexter arrived seconds after her and heaved a happy sigh, lifting his face toward the blue sky as though simply being there boosted his feeling of peace. I wonder if I’ll ever get to learn about his past, Zarafa thought, looking down at the grass that had begun to rub up against her leg affectionately.

The ‘song’ the trees sang were wordless notes created as the wind slipped through their branches, creating a quiet, relaxing atmosphere. No wonder Dexter loves it here, she thought, a small smile creeping onto her own face.

That’s when she noticed how quiet the realm actually sounded to her. The constant buzzing of the magic she’d grown accustomed to in Lii was nearly silent here. Lii, in comparison, made her feel almost deaf from the constant noise. Gratitude flooded her heart as she followed Dexter and Zeke as they led the way to the Dragon Hunters. She never thought she would consider a realm as comfortable, but that was the only word that was coming to mind as she thought about how peaceful Zilferia made her feel. Ponorama had been exceedingly harsh, Lii was intense in both magic and color, but in Zilferia… everything felt balanced. The amount of magic in the realm was plenty without being deafening to her vampiric senses, the colors were rich but not so vibrant it gave her a headache, and everything else about it seemed to be geared to be relaxing. Even down to its thirty-six hour days rather than Ponorama’s twenty-eight, Lii and Zelon’s thirty, or the other realms’ twenty-four.

Zarafa stopped suddenly, looking around curiously. “Why are the trees less green here? And not as tall? There’s a distinct line,” she pointed out.

Zeke didn’t look back as he responded. “There are spells around the castle. Keeps us from being detected by the King’s Villagers and dragons. So, it doesn’t let outside magic in. Hence the trees being less-than-vibrant.”

“So there’s no magic inside this… bubble?” She hesitated to cross into the territory, anxiety clawing at her chest. Over the past year, she’d become accustomed to always having magic around her.

“No, you can still use magic, you just can’t pull it from the realm. You have to pull from your own magic reserves,” Zeke sighed, continuing on. Noticing her hesitation, Dexter gave her a look as if to say progressing was non-negotiable. Gulping, she scrambled to follow them. Everything fell silent as she entered, and she frowned, feeling deeply uncomfortable. Maybe this assignment would be harder on her than she’d expected.

*****

She adjusted better than she’d feared she would over the next few days at the Dragon Hunters’ castle, for which she was relieved. She still had access to her magic, and she’d been practicing pulling from her own reserves like Zeke had suggested. She knew everyone had a certain amount of their own magic, but she was still new to the challenge of finding and accessing it herself. With the thick magic in Lii’s atmosphere, it was easiest to pull from there. And before that, she hadn’t had the ability to use magic at all.

She was, honestly, grateful for the opportunity to strengthen herself and her skillset. After all, she wasn’t going to remain in Lii during her entire service in the Higher Power. The sooner she learned to be more independent, regardless of realm, the better off she’d be, and more invaluable to the Higher Power.

Her days mostly consisted of more training with Dexter, which she quickly realized that despite their grueling nature, she would likely miss before long. Dexter was the closest person to her, and she didn’t feel prepared to lose him just yet and suddenly face not only the realms and her new part to play in the Higher Power, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to face herself. What if she wasn’t as strong as she thought she was now? She couldn’t go back to her previous life. She would take any action necessary to avoid ever stooping that low again. She couldn’t be a beggar again... Or find out that that’s all she could be without Dexter.

She tried her best to ignore these doubts clawing at her during the day, but at night, she was alone in the quiet castle with her thoughts while everyone else slept. She often went for a run during the long, eerily silent nights, and didn’t come back until shortly before the sun came up.

It didn’t take long before she decided she hated Zilferia’s longer days. It was quickly growing lonely and frustrating. She wasn’t sure if she’d survive the one-to-two decade-long wait for ‘the Key’ to be born. Not while cooped up among the Dragon Hunters.

A week into her Zilferian experience, Dexter recommended they go on a hunt with the Dragon Hunters. She perked up considerably at this. If there was one thing she knew she was good at, it was fighting. She was nervous about facing down a huge, scaly, fire-breathing beast, but she figured if these simpletons could do it, she could do it better.

The Dragon Hunters were less than happy that she’d be accompanying them. Since she couldn’t go into direct sunlight without bursting into flames, they’d have to do the hunt at dusk and into the night, which was obviously less than ideal. Still, no one voiced their dissatisfaction, fully aware that she was their superior and it would be dangerous for them to do so.

The nerves that clawed at her chest were now familiar and almost a comfort after the stinging loneliness that filled her nights and the aching boredom during the day. She much preferred the nerves and adrenaline that accompanied adventure than the emotional pain she’d had to endure since arriving in Zilferia.

Shifting her feet as she reclined against the wall of the castle, she watched the sun’s slow descent once more. She smiled when it confirmed her suspicions- it was finally time. Pushing off from the wall, she turned to Dexter and Zeke as they approached. Zeke looked happier and happier the longer he was back from Lii, and Zarafa was glad to see it. His sour mood only brought hers down further. It seemed he was happy to go hunting tonight, in spite of the fact she was the reason they were hunting in the dark, where the dragon would have an advantage over them. It was already going to be slick from the rainstorm that had just ended.

“The men are waiting,” was all he said to her as he strode past, his black cloak billowing in the wind as he tore open the door and slipped outside. Dexter didn’t say anything to her, but waited for her to follow Zeke before resuming his unhurried steps behind her. Zarafa’s heart beat in excitement as she took in the troops before them, lined up on the field. The higher ranking soldiers had outfits made of dragon skin- likely to protect them from the dragons’ flames. Zarafa looked down at her own armor set, the same one she’d worn for her trial, and frowned. She’d need to avoid any flames, or she’d be baked in the sturdy metal.

“Alright, let’s go,” Zeke instructed, turning and leading the way into the woods. Zarafa and Dexter followed close behind him, with the rest of the troops marching behind them, crushing the undergrowth with their heavy boots.

They marched for a few hours, Zarafa’s excitement dissipating gradually as they trudged onward. By the time they reached the cave scouts had discovered a few days prior, she felt outright grumpy. I cannot believe that took so long to get here. I could have run here in an hour alone. With the whole group, it took most of the night. ...This fight better be quick, or I’ll need to run back to the castle alone to avoid burning in the morning sun.

The soldiers around her began climbing trees and hiding in bushes, so she quickly did the same, momentarily forgetting her irritation as her breath caught in excitement. Finally, it was almost time for action. She waited, breathless, her eyes trained on the cave.

She’d just begun to shift her position to be more comfortable when she noticed movement at the cave’s mouth. Opening her mouth to alert the others, she stopped when she realized the form shuffling from the maw of the cave was much smaller than she’d expected… and definitely shaped like a human.

“Who in their right mind-” Zeke began to swear before cutting off suddenly and taking a calming breath before continuing in a loud whisper. “Whoever he is, that guy may just ruin our hunt. He better know what’s good for him and get out of there before the dragon gets back.”

Everyone seemed to hold their breath as they watched the stranger start toward the rocky slope leading back down into the treeline. A heavy thumping began to pulse through the air, and Zarafa instinctively knew it was from the approach of a large dragon. Fighting to keep her breathing steady, she waited as the man slipped on the rocks leading toward the trees, falling again and again as he tried to pick up his pace and escape the dragon.

“Dragonfire,” Zeke cursed, tensing from his position to the right of her. “He’s going to leave a trail of blood. If he gets much closer, he’ll lead the dragon right to us.”

“Should we flee?” one of his commanders asked, his voice hoarse.

Zeke hesitated, then shook his head. “Giusto will be occupied by the man. He’ll likely paralyze him with DragonFear, and he’ll be vulnerable. Stay put,” he ordered, turning back to the man who had unwittingly put himself up as bait. Sure enough, he came nearly straight for the trap the Dragon Hunters had laid for Giusto. As Zeke predicted, as soon as the huge black dragon landed at the mouth of the cave, he picked up the blood trail and quickly followed the stranger, pinning him with his gaze mere feet away from the waiting Dragon Hunters.

Everyone watched Zeke for the signal to attack. Zarafa’s grip on the hilt of her sword ached, but she didn’t relax her hand. Still, Zeke didn’t move until the dragon’s head dipped toward the man’s, its mouth opening wide to snap him up. Finally, he nodded his head. The instant he did, a volley of arrows flew from those perched in the trees, piercing the dragon’s huge golden eyes. Zarafa couldn’t help but wince in sympathy as it flinched back and roared, though it almost sounded like a scream. As it flailed, trying to find its attackers, spears began flying at his scales, some managing to slip between two scales, piercing its hide. It screamed again, and Zarafa forced herself to move, seeing the claws flying toward the man’s face. He tried to back away, but was too slow. One massive claw caught his face, near his left eye, and he spun to the ground.

Zarafa, moving quickly, her sword abandoned, rushed in and grabbed him. Grunting from his weight, she pulled him to safety just before the dragon’s foot landed where his body had just been. Dropping the unconscious man a safe enough distance away, she sped back and retrieved her sword. The dragon, though blind in one eye, had managed to find the group, and was beginning to tear through them.

Growling, she leapt without thinking, landing on the creature’s back. There were arrows lodged in his wings, but he would still be able to fly. Twisting, she forced the sword through the wings, a loud tearing sound rewarding her efforts. As scalding hot blood gushed from the wounds, the dragon screamed again and bucked her off. She landed on her back and just managed to scramble out of the way of the foot that came to stomp her into the ground. As the dragon lifted its head, a sulphurous smell began to envelop the area. Realizing he was about to cook her with his flames, she jumped to her feet, her sword still clenched in one hand, and rushed the beast. She had no idea if its heart would be in the same area of the chest as a human, but she definitely didn’t have time to ask. Pulling magic into her limbs, she shoved the sword into the dragon’s chest.

After one final, choking roar, the dragon collapsed, nearly burying Zarafa beneath the heap of black scales. Panting, she realized her vision swam. Collapsing onto the ground, she sat back hard on her butt, letting her sword fall from her hand beside her. After a moment, a hand appeared in front of her face. Blinking away the lingering haziness in her vision, she looked up at the person offering her a hand.

It was Zeke. He was giving her a proud smile. Smiling in return, she accepted the extended hand, allowing him to pull her up. “That was amazing, Zarafa. Most of my soldiers would have never rushed a dragon like that, let alone pulled it off. ...But I’m afraid the sun will be up soon. You need to go,” he finished urgently.

Dexter then stepped up beside Zeke. “This man is also heavily wounded- do you think you could take him back to the castle with you?” Zarafa hardly hesitated before nodding. She’d mostly recovered from the intense battle, and knew with a little magic, she’d hardly be slowed down by the fallen stranger. “Good. Go, then. We’ll see you in a few hours when the rest of us get back.”

Zarafa nodded and lifted the man onto her shoulders, avoiding looking at his profusely bleeding face. With one last nod of farewell to Dexter and Zeke, she took off, zipping past the trees. As she ran, her heart began to feel heavy in concern. She was fast, but the man’s wound was bleeding heavily.

He may not make it.