A Spark Of Hope

31: Revelations (Part 1)

I have been waiting a long time to meet you.

He had said something similar when he'd appeared in her dream a few nights ago. A dream in which he'd clearly warned her about the trials, and about both men that would inevitably betray her.

Friend, not foe.

Though the line between the two had become so blurred now, she couldn't tell the difference.

Her mind was like a storm; her thoughts constantly churned, crashing against her with more and more strength. She could feel herself beginning to succumb to the current, both due to the difficult journey she'd endured and the wounds inflicted by the Ashwood heirs. She didn't know what to think anymore. Fatigue held her hostage.

"You were in my dream," Aila murmured. "You helped me. You warned me not to trust..." she trailed off, unable to muster the dignity needed to finish the sentence.

"Yes," the man replied. He watched her reactions carefully, giving her time to process what she had just learnt. After a few seconds, he slowly said: "I'd appreciate your help with a task."

"Well," Aila braced her hands on the floor in front of her, struggling to get to her feet. "I'd love to help you, but I have a chalice to retrieve and a couple of royal backsides to kick."

A sheepish smile met the man's lips.

"The chalice is a myth." He spoke quietly, and yet his voice filled the space between them. His words knocked the air from Aila's lungs, and she collapsed to her knees again, the last resolve to stand and fight crumbling away with that revelation. "I had to meet you."

"Why? Who are you?"

"My name is Ember."

A puzzle began to form in Aila's mind, the pieces fitting into place like clockwork. Things started to make sense: his appearance in her dream, his unusual red eyes, the open air sky above them, the pattern on the marble ground beneath them, his name...

"Yes," Ember confirmed with a small smile, as if he could read the thoughts written on her face.

"You're a dragon," she breathed in awe.

"Yes," Ember confirmed again. "I have  no intention of hurting you," he began after a short pause. "You have a concussion. May I help you?"

Aila reflected on the spots dancing in her vision, the difficulty of keeping her eyes open and mind sharp. She nodded silently, wondering if she were dreaming about this or if she were  hallucinating from the hit to her head. She wanted to wake up from this soon and find Castor grinning down at her again, and Kaiden's worried eyes fixed on her.

Ember approached and knelt before her. His red eyes lightened as he watched her, holding kindness and wisdom within them. His hands hovered over her head, and she sighed in relief as her mind cleared and the pain subsided. She nodded gratefully to the dragon.

"Here, you need to eat." A plate of fresh fish, fruits and rice materialised before her, and Aila's stomach grumbled on cue.

"Thank you," she spoke, grasping the plate and beginning to eat. She released a soft groan at the feeling of fresh hot food entering her stomach. At the curious glance from Ember, she admitted with embarrassment that she was fed up of bread and cheese.

"You sent the challenge," Aila asked after a brief silence, but it came out as more of a statement than a question.

"I did." Ember replied. He didn't move away from Aila, and she registered just how close he was. Strangely enough, she didn't feel uncomfortable.

"I believe we both want the war to end." Ember's voice was tentative. "And I know how we can end it."

"What do you know about the war?" Aila raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident in her voice.

"More than you think," the dragon replied.

Aila's mind flashed back to when Kaiden had said the same thing to her, not even an hour ago. She shook the unwanted thought from her head and met Ember's earnest gaze.

"I'm listening."

"The humans once stole from the dragons many years ago. Once what was lost is returned to me, harmony will reign again."

"The war began over a century ago," Aila voiced her disbelief. "How could you possibly know this?"

"I'm older than I appear," Ember shrugged.

"How old?" She asked curiously.

"Two hundred and thirty four."

"Years?!" Aila exclaimed. As her jaw dropped, Ember chuckled and ran a hand through his red hair.

"For every decade a human ages, a dragon ages a century. Many of my species can live till a thousand healthily. I'm still considered young."

Aila did the maths in her head. He's considered twenty three. In his world, he wasn't much older than her.

"You were alive when the war began?" Aila asked in surprise, still finding it hard to comprehend just how long the seemingly youthful man in front of her had been alive.

"Yes," Ember confirmed. "And... I know more about the war than anyone."

Aila released a small sound that conveyed her doubt in his claim. "You can't possibly know that for sure."

"I do," Ember paused, as if hesitant to continue.

Aila observed as a kind of profound sadness entered his red eyes, creating a glassy sheen as if they carried many unshed tears. It appeared to be an emotion that he'd held deep within him for a long time, and her heart softened at the sight. He released a sigh and gazed into her eyes, with regret, despair, devastation shining within them.

"Because I caused the war."

Are we ready for some answersssss?

The chalice is a myth! Thoughts, feelings, random ideas?

The red dude finally has a name! What do we think of Ember? :)

~ MaddyWilson 💙