Wings of Destruction and Duty

29.1 || Aurnia

It seemed that Agrona's penchant for experimentation and theatrics had remained keenly active throughout the years. The minute Aurnia stepped through the portal it had roared shut behind her, but the thought of confinement was quickly forgotten when she saw the land of ruin and wonder that lay before her.

The aching silence she'd left behind had been replaced with a slow, steady thud like a heartbeat from the ancient dragons that the First Mother had supposedly tamed. The sound rattled deep within Aurnia's heart and eyes widening, she slowly advanced towards the edge of the crumbling precipice the portal had deposited her on.

Broken stones of all sizes whirled unsteadily through the air circling a crumbling tower up above, and a yawning void below. Some stones collided before crumbling into clouds of glittering dust while others simply clashed with a dull, hollow thud before fracturing and tumbling into the chasm. A sudden scream resonated through the air and Aurnia ducked to avoid the shadow of gleaming claws as something hurled itself into the space where her head had been.

Without thinking, Aurnia hissed and swiped cruelly in the air. Moments later, a stunted creature woven from nightmares and the borrowed wings of a beetle slammed onto the dusty ground. Its skin felt strange, both sticky yet smooth and as it writhed beneath her claw Aurnia watched it yowl and spit fiercely in her face. She tightened her grip and snarled and at the sight of her teeth, the creature let out a yelp and wiggled from her grasp before taking to the air with its rat-like tail writhing behind it.

Koa whimpered and she felt her bag shift as he buried his head deep within.

"Why are there so many of them?"

Aurnia didn't need to peer through her mind's eye to taste the fear lingering on the edges of his mind. She wished she had a comforting answer to dampen his worries, but the only answer that sprung to mind was a half-apology and the explanation that for some intangible reason, Death had always sought to create a creature that could rival the supposed might of the human race. But these creatures whirling through the sky were neither human nor animal, their eyes were empty and their souls confused.

She turned to Koa, stroked his head and whispered "I do not know why these critters have taken to the skies, but perhaps Death felt lonely and needed a few friends."

"I do not like it here."

Koa's paws flashed, illuminating the depths of her bag with frost and fear and Aurnia sighed.

"I don't like it either but I assure you that no harm will come to you. We will have to be brave together and besides, Mastria–no, Agrona isn't the type to kill without reason."

The words were stones in her mouth. Agrona hadn't been the type to kill without reason, but a lot could change in sixteen years. Truth be told, Aurnia had no idea what Agrona had gotten up to after shutting herself away. But not wanting to prolong the inevitable, she turned, tongue flicking and tasting the air for traces of magic. The scent was mild, wild but fresh and Aurnia's heart skipped a beat.

Agrona was close.

The glittering blue trail of magic and power arched through the air and within her mind's eye, Aurnia was stunned to see that every being, stone and even stray wind, carried specks of Agrona's power. It seemed that Death had only grown stronger and Aurnia could not help but think of the rot sweeping through the kingdom.

A slithering thought, an accusation of treachery, darted through her mind and Aurnia quickly stifled it. It wasn't possible. Aefither had been rotting long before Lily's spell and Agrona was a staunch follower of the natural rules set in place by the First Mother. To violate those principles and tip the scales in her favour meant making a mockery of the position she had been given, and Death loved their mother far too much to do that.