Chronicles From the End of an Age

To Fly the Storm - 27Yrs BTA

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Lightning ruptured the sky like a crack in reality. Cyclonic winds tore through sheets of rain spinning together in knots of air. Dark mountainous clouds loomed over the land below. Hail fell like shards of stone, smashing anything in their path. The trees below were stripped of branches and leaves. Streams of water turned into rushing floods. The creatures below ran for their lives. Some managed to find caves for shelter. Others were taken by the water or hail before they had the chance. It was as though the land itself was at the mercy of the sky.

Only one creature dared fight it. A lone dragon, being tossed and buffeted by the winds and rain. Every flap of his wings sent him twisting and turning in a direction he did not intend. Every careful twist of the tail in order to provide balance only twisted his sideways and upside down. It was like he was trying to fly through the ocean, with waves upon waves of wind trying to tear him apart. Every action he made only ended in the opposite and every effort he made to right himself ended in another dizzying twirl of disorientation.

The balls of hail felt like tiny shocks of splinters that shattered against his matted blue and green scales. His large wings seemed to only act as a greater purchase for the storm's wind to pull him apart. Each roaring cry descended further into hoarse whimpers. His limbs felt as though they were on fire. Each flap required the effort to move twice his weight. Each time he thought he made progress he was only thrown back to the centre.

With one last hoarse cry, the dragon gave in, unable to continue any longer. His wings buckled, and he was ripped through the sky in dizzying spins. He felt weightless. But the pain and exhaustion were too much to be bare. As he was thrown around again and again he felt himself fall into a pit of darkness where everything was no longer painful.

* * *

Much later the dragon woke with a gasp, life-giving energy flooding him in droves. A rumble of relief escaped him as he lay down his head where he had fallen, enjoying the sensation for a moment before allowing himself to look up. To his side stood a life dragon, with luminescent green scales shining as though polished to perfection. Around the life dragon stood several other dragons, though these more resembled the injured dragon. They were all a mixture of sizes and ages, with the same mixed green and blue colouring of their scales and spikes running down their backs to the end of their long tails. Storm dragons.

"He's awake!" a dragoness cried out in relief, "Ru'ak's awake!"

A murmur of relief ran through the group. Ru'ak let out a sigh, laying his head back down as he felt embarrassment flow through him. He had failed. Where many before him had succeeded he had failed.

"Ru'ak, are you alright?" the biggest dragon of the group had stepped forward as the green healing energy of the life dragon stopped.

For a moment the younger storm drake didn't answer, "I am now... I guess."

"What happened?"

"I... I... don't know. I just lost control... I panicked."

The older drake sighed, "Come on young one, get up. Be thankful that Vergo here was able to save you. Many others weren't so lucky."

Ru'ak forced himself to his feet. Despite the healing energy of a life dragon, his limbs felt incredibly shaky and unresponsive. But more injured than that was his pride. As he looked at his fellow storm dragons he felt the embarrassment all the more keenly. Many of them had already passed the test. They were able to stay afloat within the storm. They had been able to control their bodies and movements. They weren't ripped apart by the very thing that defined their nature. He could see the surprise and pity on their faces.