Dragon Kin - Resurrection

A Dragons Roar

Wading through a blanket of snow so deep that it met his knees, Vin pushed on despite the white cloud he formed with his breath, and the stony sensation in his toes. As he circled the long extinguished town fire pit, a particularly strong, sharp wind blew, halting him in his tracks. Bracing against the cold with hunched shoulders and his head ducking into his pelts, he cursed into his chest.

A warm shaft of light stretched across the icy landscape falling over Vin's frozen figure. He lifted his head to find a familiar form waiting in the doorway of the Pyrite hut. The boys mouth moved but no sound could pierce the wind to reach the old guards ears.

With a huff, Vin forged ahead with renewed speed, encouraged by the warmth of the boy and his home.

'Honestly Vin, are you trying to freeze to death?' Cas chuckled as the old guard stomped snow off his boots in the doorway.

'This blasted weather,' Vin grumbled, 'will it never cease!'

The fireplace crackled and spat with life but there was no kindling to burn, instead, a small boy sat in the hearth with his eyes closed and a serene smile upon his lips.

'I'm still taken aback every time I see that,' Vin mumbled, shaking his head as he sat down in a nearby armchair. He lowered himself slowly, carefully, and sighed with relief once his muscles were able to relax.

'You really are doing too much Vin,' Cas complained sitting opposite the old guard, 'I wish you would delegate a little more-'

'And go stir crazy, I don't think so. It's good for a man to stay active.' Vin replied, jutting his chin into the air while rubbing the cold ache from his old muscles. 

Cas watched him, raking his eyes over his friends weathered skin, ageing muscles and tired eyes. A knot formed in his chest. Vada had been gone a long time now, and Dani's essence was so weak now, that she may as well not exist at all. Vin was all the family Cas had left. As a sharp pain spread through his chest and his heart began to quiver with panic, Cas jumped up out of his seat, scrubbing a hand through his dishevelled hair trying to quell the dark emotions that threatened to take over him. 

Racing to the kitchen, Cas busied himself preparing herbal tea, and so Vin turned to watch the flaming boy crackle in the hearth, asleep but burning still. The fire kin were all too happy to climb into a vacant fireplace and exercise their abilities, as explosive as they were it was not good to contain their power for long periods of time.

At first they had melted the snow, sizzling so strongly that it became vapour that rose to the clouds but the blizzards were relentless in their fury and very soon their efforts became futile. So instead, they heated homes and long houses, shielding the Pyrite clan from the cold of the outdoors.  

Handing the old man a steaming mug, Cas sat himself in his sisters old armchair, it still carried her familiar scent. Some days he ran to it, longing for the reminder, others he could barely stand to be in the same room. Once, he almost set it on fire. Such was his grief. 'Out with your news old man,' Cas grumbled before taking a large gulp of the scalding herbal tea. 

Feeling the heat against his skin, Vin blew gently on the surface of his drink, watching his breath create ripples. 'We have heard word coming out of the desert lands,' he began, pausing to blow on his drink again, 'word of a dragon bound in chains, and a Kin Slayer pit against him.' 

He spoke so casually that Cas almost thought he had misheard. But no, he had not. 

'KIN SLAYER!' He bellowed, bursting into bright blue flame. He seethed, panting hard, his eyes bulging. 

Vin sat placid and still, moving only to sip his slightly cooled drink.

He waited.

Cas said no more but he burned brightly for several long minutes, every breath laboured and heavy, his eyes bulging and his hands curled into tight, white knuckled fists. But then, strangely suddenly, his flames were no more. 

Cas held a hand over his eyes, blocking the tears that threatened to fall as opposing emotions battled within him.

'You're getting much better at controlling your temper,' Vin noted, taking another small sip of his tea without looking up at the boy. 

A pained whisper replied, 'Every fibre of my being wants to chase after the stories we hear until I find the sliver of truth that will lead me to him-'

'And then what will you do?' Vin asked, his voice soft but weary. 

'I would . . . I would . . .' Cas spluttered, whipping his hand away from his red rimmed eyes to glare at the floor, his mind working up all kinds of vicious imaginings. But his heart betrayed him, deflating in his chest. Truly, were he to meet Bram again, he didn't know what he would do.

'We seek Aegar, not vengeance.' Vin replied, voice soft, afraid that any edge would shatter the boys resolve and send him reeling into the depths of his grief. 

_

Upon hearing her name, the Shinsei Chief grunted, 'prove it.'

Vada's jaw went slack and the room fell deathly silent. This wasn't a situation she had ever found herself in before. Usually, people would simply take her word for it. Then again, she reasoned, most people had seen her move mountains, summon dragons and defeat battalions of grasslanders with little help.

The chief bashed his gnarled cane on the floor, his expression souring, 'I'm waiting!' he boomed, still surprising Vada with his unusual vitality.

With a glare, Vada dropped her blanket and took one swift step forward. Someone had dressed her in a fine silk dress during her slumber, it seemed to whisper as she moved. Beneath, she could feel a tight band wrapped around her midsection. She placed a hand on it, expecting pain at the touch as thoughts of the wound beneath flashed through her mind. But the pain did not come. Instead, a wave of hollow, all consuming heartache washed over her as memories of the man that had inflicted her wound sprang to the forefront of her thoughts.

The earth shook with an almighty rage.

Dust began to fall from the caverns ceiling.

Despite the use of a cane, the Chief stood perfectly balanced, his face relaxed, his dull grey eyes trained on Vada. His entourage, however, scuttled towards the caverns exit, fearing it's collapse.

Minutes felt like hours, and then days, as the Chief and Chieftess fought a silent battle with steely stares and the earth shook around them. 

Finally the Chief bowed his head, ever so slightly. 

The rumbling of the earths roar settled.

'Welcome, Chieftess of the Dragon Kin,' the Chief grunted, his face twisted in a grimace. His entourage and the guards of her resting place, however, doubled over in a deep, reverential bows.

Feeling suddenly awkward, Vada cleared her throat, clutched her fur blanket even tighter and said  'I am grateful for your care and attention these many months, I am honoured to be a guest here.'

Behind the chief, in the dark doorway, a man appeared. He was tall, his face young but well defined, and his dark hair long enough to pull back and tie with a leather cord. The thing that caught Vada's attention the most, however, was a scar that ran from his hair line to his chin, barely skipping, and thus saving, his right eye.

Following her line of sight the chief turned, 'Ah, Drak, word was correct, the dragons have returned.'

The man stepped forth and inclined his head, all the while keeping his gaze fixed on Vada's own. He then spoke in a tone so husky that it sent shivers down Vada's spine, 'Welcome Dragon Chieftess.' 

Heart racing and heat rising in her cheeks, she mumbled her thanks and dropped her eyes, unable to stand his penetrating gaze any longer. 

The Chief cocked his head, a small scowl appeared on his wrinkled lips. With a sharp rap of his cane the spell was broken and Drak looked away, lifting a large calloused hand to rub at the back of his neck.

'Rae, escort the Chieftess to a more comfortable chamber. We will hold a feast in honour of our most esteemed guest-'

'Wait, please, I have to return to my village immediately —' Vada cut in, longing for home and the familiar faces of her family and friends.

'My apologies Chieftess, blizzards grip the mountains, travel is perilous even for a being of your power.' Drak responded, looking side long at the gnarled old chief.

Vada's heart thudded and froze, as though it too were caught by the blizzard. 'Worry not,' the  chief grunted, 'we will see the end of it soon.'