The Silver Reckoning

Chapter 38: A Final Meeting

Silver woke slowly, her eyes taking a moment to adjust to the light around her, or lack of it. She was in a cave, laying against the cool surface of a metal nest. She let out half a sigh, not wanting to wake up yet, just relaxing in comfort. She hadn't felt like this for a very long time, and she didn't want it to end. Her eyes closed shut again, but only for a moment.

Everything that had happened washed into her. The city. The chase. The fire. The pain. It all hit her at once. She let out a gasp, eyes snapping open and she shot up from her nest. A growl left her throat, followed by a cough and a wave of dizziness.

"Silver!" exclaimed a voice near her.

Something was instantly present at her side, managing to catch her before she fell over. She blinked, shaking her head and coughing again as the dizziness dissipated and her vision cleared. She turned to look at the dragon beside her to see Retrix, worry on his face. She quickly righted herself, getting steady on her feet once again.

"I... I'm alright," she grunted, "Just got up a little too fast."

The dragoness stepped out of the nest, looking around the cave. She recognised it instantly. It was her cave. Her old one, where she had grown up. It sent a shiver of nostalgia through her, which she quickly brushed away. She turned toward Retrix and smile, gently nuzzling his chin, before stepping back again.

"Wh... what happened?" she asked, "How did I end up back here?"

The last thing she remembered was facing Eldawin in the ruined building. She remembered attacking him, then feeling like she was trying to fight in water. She remembered being shoved to the ground and a pain unlike any other. But after that... there was nothing.

The void drake hesitated, glancing to the entrance of the cave. With a sigh he sat down on his haunches and looked at her, as if trying to think of a way to phrase his next sentence. Slowly he described what happened. He didn't mention how close she had come to killing him, but everything else he did. She was shocked enough.

"Oh my.... " she looked to her paws, shaking slightly, "I.... I'm sorry.... I'm sorry."

"There is no need for you to be," he replied, "It wasn't your fault."

She gulped, nodding her head in a way that suggested she didn't quite agree with him, "How... how long have I been asleep?"

"Two days," he replied.

"Two! What!?" she exclaimed, her head shooting up, "Has Eldawin...?"

"No. He hasn't finished his machine yet it seems. But he is very close."

She let out a sigh of relief and she relaxed slightly. They still had time.

"What have I missed?" she asked.

"We'll talk on our way to the river. Iraliene wanted me to bring you there as soon as you woke."

Silver nodded and together they exited the cave, lifting into the air. She immediately noticed the increase in the amount of dragons that were in the valley. It seemed that it had gone from the hundred or so that had originally come to well over a thousand. The numbers surprised her, and she guessed that Iraliene was beginning to prepare for a final confrontation.

"You've missed a lot these past couple of days," began Retrix, "Iraliene has called in the rest of the forces from Sky Mountain. Many have stayed behind of course. We still need to protect the mountain, but most of the stronger fighters have come here, a long with as many humans that were willing to fight as possible."