Kingdoms of Ohm: The Lonely Dragon #1 ✓

Secrets and Shadows

Shedding my golden armor off was both a blessing and a nightmare, dear reader.

The broken metal skin of king Xikori's last gift to me rubbed to and fro upon the flesh, turning the blue scales tender and raw. From crash-landings, attacks, and small inconveniences along the way, this armor had gone through more chaos in a month than the centuries I spent as a guard. I was surprised to see them endure so much.

But mortified by how little they saved me.

I took off the armor casually, watching the spinal region binding the spikes to my underbelly and tail slide off, unveiling more blue to the hidden world of Jorryn. It felt good to feel the cold breeze brush against my hide once more. It was relieving, to be frank. Relaxing. Peaceful.

And then the misery struck.

Staring at the emptied helmet and body of my former life, I couldn't help but force out a silent whimper. I knew they were gone, my family and friends, my king and queen. Looking upon the armor was like seeing a reflection of yourself and believing you weren't the last of your kind. Thinking you were strong, and noble, following every attribute said and done until your dying days. The strongest. The kindest. The one born of a sincerely nimble heart.

And then realizing it was all a lie.

I bowed my head. What good would armor do me now? I had nothing to deserve such praise. Such honor. Death follows in my wake, not just because of a prophecy. Why did I deserve to live over all others? Why did Kantar spare me?

I began nudging the helmet to the side of a tree branch bordering the werewolf clearing, before spotting the slight slither of an albino wolf's tail swishing into the night. Luna. Still grieving over Ullok's fall. My scales rippled; she and Lykaios had recently put all their anger on me. Enough to avoid my presence entirely. Keeping quiet would do nothing but continue this unholy trend. So, upon hiding my armor away, I decided to follow after her.

It was midnight when I finally found the female feline. Luna had managed to sneak deep into the undergrowths of Jorryn's shadows, far enough to dissipate the idle sounds of werewolves in the night. Now she sat in her lonesome, her chest hovering inches over a damaged pouch still splayed out in ruin from the prior attack. A bushy tail was laid to rest upon the earth, both eyelids folded shut, and ears lowered. Instinct forced one to raise upon my arrival, catching the heavy breaths of an apologetic dragon, but she didn't dare change position. Luna continued to keep her back facing the sound, and slowly started pushing remnants of her belongings into the torn pouch.

"Luna?"

There was no response.

"Luna, I am sorry."

The wolf remained quiet. My ear fins lowered, a desperate sigh trailing from my parched tongue. I didn't notice that the shadow of Az'hark hovered above us both, the mighty mountain still the same silent shadow pointing to the heavens above. I took a few more steps forward, forcing my eyes from the dead kingdom until my own shadow casted above hers.

"I am not asking you to forgive me," I whispered. "But I wish for you to look upon me."

Luna's jaws went agape, struggling to hide her tears. I couldn't blame her for reacting as such -- it was my fault for robbing her kind of the Sight. And, with the death of their deputy, I knew no werewolf would ever come close to forgiving the one most responsible.

Even if it wasn't my claws that took his life.

The growing anger within my core almost forced the Sight to return, flooding my speckled eyes of a bright yellow hue that glistened across the trunks of every tree. I shuddered once, directing my burning eyes away quickly before Luna could see, and growled.