The Silver Reckoning

Prologue

O'hen watched as time unfolded before him. He watched as Sky Mountain and A.O.D.H fought a bloody battle, ending in the loss of almost one thousand dragons. He watched as the silver dragon and the invincible hunter fought, and how it ended in the hunter's death. And he watched as Silver was forced to let herself be captured for the sake of her human friends, the people that meant so much to her.

Taking a shuddering breath he turned away from the timeline that was unfolding. One that he feared. Other futures had fallen away now, and while time was still an endless web, this point was slowly converging. He didn't know what to expect, which he was extremely annoyed about. As time, he should be able to have at least an inkling of what was going to happen, but he didn't. The future could easily go one way, or the other. Destruction and chaos, or peace. A peace that could last a hundred years.

"O'hen," the worried voice of his favourite dragoness washed over him, "What's wrong?"

The time drake sighed, looking at the time line again, "I'm uncertain, Serel."

"Uncertain?" Serel tilted her head, her light green scales sparkling softly in the starlight.

"Yes," he replied, sitting down on his haunches, his silver tail slowly moving back and forth behind him as he thought, "For the first time in a long time, I am unsure. Completely unsure. Maybe as more unfolds I will be able to tell what will happen, but at the moment... it could be anything."

The life dragon watched him for a moment, a little unfamiliar with this side of him, "Maybe that's a good thing."

"No, no its not," he growled, standing back up. He began to pace, backwards and forwards, "What I have seen... it's all so convoluted. Everything is mixed up with everything. It's like I'm fighting against myself here. Layers upon layers upon layers. I meddle with one string, and the rest falls apart. I can't help here."

"Did you mean to?"

"No... maybe," he sighed again, "I feel that if I don't, no, I see that if I don't, everything will be wiped out. In this future, the world is devoid, nothing left but a few lucky insects buried deep in the ground. In this future, you... have to.... leave me. I see you returning to your own time."

"Well... I'm sure that won't come to pass," Serel shivered slightly at the thought.

He looked at her, nearly mournfully, "The problem is, this future is the most likely. The most probable one."

Her eyes widen slightly, "Is there anything you can do... that I can do."

"Yes," he sighed, closing his eyes, "But do I go for a harder future, where peace is achieved? Or do I go for an easier one, where many will die but the world will hold. This one I'm certain I will be able to achieve, but the other requires the sacrifice of a great dragon, who, if lived, would affect the world for the better."

She hesitated, looking toward him, "Do which one is right."

He nodded slightly, "You realise if I do this... if I meddle with time like I haven't before, then everything could just end up how I don't want it to."

"But if you don't it will probably end up like that anyway," she replied.

"Exactly," he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "I guess I'm going to be returning to time for a while."

She smiled slightly, "Just make sure that you... never mind."

He looked at her with a small frown. Slowly he walked forward, and wrapped his wings around her. She froze, blinking in surprise. O'hen had never displayed this much affection for her, they barely did anything more then touch wings, but in the end, she allowed herself to relax into him, purring softly.

"I swore I would never let anything happen to you," he whispered softly, "You remember that?"

She nodded slightly, her heart thudding in her chest.

"Good. I will not go back on that promise now," the time dragon then stood back from her and glanced at the white spider web of energy covering the wall. His form began to shine and dissipate, becoming that energy and melding into the wall. Returning into time.

"I love you O'hen," she muttered softly, watching him go.