Through the Eyes of the Dragon

Chapter 21

Chapter 21 - Fire in the Sky

The night was cold, the rain pouring from the sky falling to the ground as ice and freezing everything it touched. On such cold days, the Aerosian people withdrew into their homes, bringing out the firewood from their underground storage and closing the doors to preserve heat.

It was on this very unusual evening that the fate of Sengoku changed.

“A-a fire... in the sky... I saw it!”

Nao was panicking, shooting upright in his sleeping futon and panting heavily as visions of fire and destruction invaded his mind.

“... Nao, what are you talking about it? The sun? That’s... fiery, I guess.” Shiyo sat up to glance at him, her voice lowered and her eyes concerned. Maybe it was because it was late at night that she sounded more feminine...

Shaking his head rapidly, Nao wrapped his arms around his knees and held them close to his chest, eyes crazed and fixated on something she would never be able to fathom. “Mountains... sharp, pointed mountains. Then... instead of night and stars, I saw an amber glow... there was smoke, tons of it... W-we have to go back! I think Aeros is in trouble!” he babbled, twitching a bit in his mild insanities.

Shiyo reached out to steady him, before poking her head outside and looking north. The mountains that loomed high above their heads... were simply covered by a thick mist from the rain and cold. “... Go back to sleep Nao. I’m sure it was just-”

“But you remember what happened last time!”

She fell silent at that, unable to argue. Yes, he did freak out like this once, didn’t he? Sighing, she slid back into their tent, feeling around for a scarf. “Fine. You go back to sleep. I’m going to find Nori,” she muttered before darting outside into the rain.

Nao stared at his feet, which were clothed by thick boots. A dragon, howling in agony, wracked his brain and nearly brought him to tears. It was burning and falling, down, down from its mighty throne in the sky...

~*~

He had only intended for it to take a minute. Just a moment. But just to make sure, he waited until all the others had gone to their chambers before slinking down the pagoda’s staircase to the dusty shrine at the back of the first room. He honestly never expected to ever use it. Ever. But tonight was a special case...

So, with a sharp breath, he lit the candles and sat in a cloud of incense, wrinkling his nose at how pungent the scent was. Did it always smell like this? He wasn’t too sure... His father was a really religious man, so he probably used the shrine a lot…

Something creaked overhead. Was it just his imagination? Maybe it was the rain. He began to pray anyway, bowing his head before the mantelpiece and muttering as much religious shit as he could remember. He was desperate, he was scared. And if this was his last resort, then so be it-

“... Masa...?”

Shit.

Snapping his eyes open, Masamune sat still for a while, as if waiting for his general to ridicule him. He got none. “... I really can’t escape you... can I?” he grumbled as Tatsuya moved a little closer, his dark blue gaze curiously examining the lit shrine.

“I... if you would like... I can come back later...? Or even tomorrow...?” his Left-eye murmured, looking insecure as always. Ah, Tatsu. He never changed.

Shaking his head, the Aerosian lord slowly began blowing out the candles, seeing as he was probably done for... forever. “No, it’s fine... It’s just, you probably think it’s weird, seeing me bowing and such at the shrine,” he sighed, whirling to face his friend. It seemed that he had just woken up, for his rather lengthy black hair was a mess around his shoulders and his blond roots were showing... Huh. So Daichi wasn’t the only one who dyed their hair... Then again, he probably learned from the bastard.