Chapter 25: The Prophecy

More or less a bonding moment for Emmet and Umbris, and something more ^_^

Chapter 25

A Prophecy

The night was peaceful, and quiet. Esther snuggled against her bother, feeling safe for once under Umbris’ wing. Though she dreamed of home. She missed her mother, and her cooking, and she missed playing with Emmet in the fields and riding Granite. She just missed her home… Before things went crazy that fateful night, when the moon went red. 

Crash!

Esther yelped at the sound of the deafening thunder. The sound woke everyone. The ship was rocking violently and the wind was howling around them. Umbris stood best he could and looked outside. It was a full blown storm. The black dragon growled up at the storm as rain pattered against his scarred face and green lightning tore through the skies. This wasn’t a natural storm…

He looked back inside, his Amethyst eyes bright as fire. “We need to go! Now!” He said.

“It’s a storm!” Theo called, having to shout over a boom of thunder. “It’ll blow over!”

“This is no simple storm!” Umbris snarled. “Everyone mount up! Hurry!”

“What about the crew?” Esther asked as Emmet almost scrambled to get his sister up onto Umbris’ back. 

“The water Dragons will protect them!” Umbris called, already climbing out of the hull.

“Umbris!” Gale called, already on her feet with Jade and Theo climbing up. The Sail Wing scooped Alchos up and held him close to her chest. Alchos whimpered slightly, but curled up in her large paws as they moved outside the cabin. The rain pounded against the group, soaking their clothes and wings nearly instantly. The wind howled around them as the captain shouted orders to his men. 

Captain Brown looked at the two dragons before waving them down and rushing over. “You’re abandoning ship?!” He asked, his eyes looking as angry as the storm. 

“Afraid we have to!” Umbris answered, eyes fiery. “We need to lighten the weight for Hydran and Glacia! We’ll fly to shore and send out a search crew to check on you!”

The captain bit his lip, but another green flash of lightning split the skies. Emmet and Esther hunkered down close to Umbris’ back, the black dragon snarling up at the darkened skies. The captain looked at them, his eyes looking hard against the night. “Best you stay below!” He shouted, turning to command his crew. “flying in this will give you all chicken wings extra crispy! Get back bellow!”

“We have to leave!” Umbris shouted, eyes not leaving the skies. 

“You do that and you’ll get struck!” The captain shouted. 

“Again!” Emmet added. “Umbris! We can’t leave!”

Umbris growled, his chest rumbling under Emmet and Esther as his claws dug into the wood beneath him. The memory of the storm than landed him in the siblings lives flashing in his mind with every flash of lightning. Emmet could feel a flutter along his own spine, as if wings of his own wanted to open and escape the storm as well. The clavis in his shirt pulsed quickly, like a racing heart. “Esther, climb off.” Emmet ordered. “Stand by Gale, stay under her wings with Al.” 

Esther shivered but gave a nod as she slid off of Umbris and hurried to Gale’s side, the dragoness wrapping a wing over her to ward off the rain and cold. He leaned down over Umbris’ neck, the dragon quivering under the boy’s body  as Emmet pressed his forehead against the dark scales. “It’s okay Umbris.” Emmet told him, his hand gently petting him. “We’ll be okay… We’re safe on this boat. We’ll be targets in the air… Better to be here, and not up there…”

Slowly Emmet could feel Umbris relax under his touch, though he still shivered and his eyes were still on the skies. Emmet carefully climbed off of Umbris’ back, keeping a palm on the dark scales as he moved towards the head. Umbris silently responded by lowering his head and neck, letting Emmet’s hand move up closer to him. He still looked upwards, and his eyes were fiery Amethyst. 

“What is he doing?” Theo asked, his tone anxious as he saw the dragons fiery gaze. “He’s rilled! A rilled dragon might as well be feral!”

“Shh!” Esther hissed. “Dad did this with young dragons. Contact and soft voices for a dragon is comforting. Emmet says that dad told him dragons usually live in prides, and this is how they comforted each other.” 

Jade watched the boy move closer to Umbris’ head, the rain making the dark dragon’s scales look polished and darker than normal. “Has Emmet done this before?” She asked.

Alchos squirmed in Gales’ grip and looked at Jade. “He did for me.” He answered with a chirp. “When I was little, I didn’t like storms. I still don’t, but he helped me sleep during nights like this.”

Emmet paid no attention to the voices around him. he was standing in front of Umbris’ head, hands pressed against the scaly cheeks as he touched his forehead to Umbris’. It was an old practice, one that came from Kresea. But Emmet’s father always told him that the Old practices were there for a reason. If they Worked then, then they’ll work now. The idea was for the dragon to feel a stability in the rider, like a trust exercise. And Emmet could feel something. Like a muddy purple with sparking bursts of violet. Emmet get his own muscles tighten with every burst, but he breathed, focusing on a calm flowing blue, like the sea around them on a nice day. 

Umbris winced as another flash of lightning lit the sky, but Emmet remained where he was. He continued to pet the dragon’s cheeks and continued to speak softly. Slowly, he tool a step back towards the cabin. Just as slowly, Umbris mirrored his movement. 

“Step aside.” Esther told Theo and Jade, stepping out of the way as Emmet carefully lead the frightened shadow dragon inside out of the rain. 

Theo watched with interest. He recognized this technique from Shiveryn. It was used by Riders with young dragons, as well as trainers from the Kresea Kingdom. He didn’t know much about it, but he recognized the look of it. As Emmet walked past him, he did noticed the clavis pulsing dully from under the boy’s shirt. Almost like a heartbeat. 

Emmet could feel it pulsing against his chest, feeling like it was timing itself to his own heartbeat. But he kept the focus on Umbris until they were inside. He lead Umbris back to where they had been sleeping before, Emmet’s clothes clinging to his body heavily and his shoes squishing with every step. Umbris’s shivering as subsided, and his eyes had lost the flame behind them. He closed his eyes and slowly pressed his forehead back into Emmet’s. He huffed long breaths, boy and beast feeling a comfort. In a quick flash of Violet, Emmet caught a glimpse of a man with a clavis around his neck. In another flash Emmet saw him under his clawed foot, and Emmet could feel himself snarl at him, taking the clavis before swatting him aside and taking flight into a storm like this. 

Umbris had a similar experience. In small flashes he saw an older looking Emmet riding Granite through the forests, a small boy in front of him in the saddle. In another flash he saw the man using the same technique as Emmet to a Plains Runner. The last flash was a storm like this, green lightning and all. He saw he man and Granite trying to get young dragons out of a barn that had been struck by lightning and burning, and the barn falling on the man. 

Emmet a knot hardening in his throat, but swallowed them back. Eventually the purple he felt from Umbris soothed into the sea of blue, and the dragon stopped shivering. His long soft breathes warming Emmet’s chest. Emmet opened his eyes, not realizing he had closed them. Umbris was looking at him as the other filed in out of the rain. 

“How’s your stomach?” Theo asked. 

Jade elbowed him in the gut, the question having ruined the feel in the cabin. Theo grunted and side stepped away from her. “What??” He gasped.

“Still queasy…” Emmet answered. “But better.” he looked at Umbris. “You okay?” 

Umbris looked back at the boy with an odd curiosity. He had never had that happen to him before… not even with Phantom. He didn’t know what it was, but it gave him the feeling of security somehow. He felt settled, the lightning outside no longer bothering him. He eventually nodded. “I am.” He answered. “Thank you.”

Emmet gave a nod. “Good…” He said, taking a breath, relaxing himself best he could. 

Esther walked over to him and hugged her brother. She hadn’t seen him settle a dragon in a long time, and she was glad that Emmet was able to calm Umbris. Theo looked out at the storm and the crashing waves, he put his hands on his hips and sighed. “Well, we should sleep.” He said. “Or at least try to.” 

“Promise to not panic like that again?” Gale asked, a hint of distain in her voice as she looked at Umbris. 

Umbris gave a huff, looking up at her as she settled back into her own place. But he didn’t respond. Together the group settled back down for sleep, Umbris curling slightly tighter around Emmet and his sister as Alchos joined them. 

*~*~*

“That was quite a storm.” Shaman Faijika said as he opened the shutters on his home. The old man was thin with his dark hair and beard now white with age, and though his eyes were starting to cloud, his mind was clear. Though it was filled with what his student had told him the previous night. A vision, one of the clearest she  had yet. She was a little nervous about it, but then again who wouldn’t be after getting a glimpse of two possible futures? One of which being a future with a very dark outcome. He was glad that she had made it home safely, the storm had shaken his home to the foundation. 

Faijika took a breath before gathering his basket and heading to the harbor. The ground was soppy under his feet, but the rain had washed the scenery and brightened the greens and browns around him. He could slow smoke some fish for supper. Or some crab for a stew. He smiled at the thought as he walked. The harbor was busy that morning as Faijika passed through. It didn’t truly surprise him though, knowing that the Water dragons and Atlantic Strongshells would need rest after such a storm had certainly rilled them. As he walked to where the docks, he paused and hummed, spotting a large school of marine dragons were dunning themselves on the beach, members of their crews aiding in first aid or cleaning and simply comforting. 

“Must have nearly washed them all on shore…” Faijika muttered as he walked to the fishery. The way to the Fishery was busy with the clopping of hooves, and the chatter and laughter of people. Though Faijika could hear the crashing of waves against the ships in the docks. The shop itself smelled of low tide, and all around him were barrels of fish chilling to remain fresh. In the back of the shop behind a butchers counter, a man was filleting a fish to sell at a higher price. 

Thankfully it didn’t take long for Fijiaka to finish in the shop, and he had to keep himself from running out of it. He paused outside, taking a breath of air to clear his nostrils, when his ears caught a new sound rising above the waves. And a crowd was gathering to his left. Curious, the old Shaman followed the group to see a circle had been made with the people around a girl with bright red hair, playing an ocarina. She danced as she played, a violet Siberian Psychic leaping and dancing with her as she played. 

Around her, people had gathered instruments such as drums to add to her joyful and playful song. Behind her was a rag-tag of a group for certain. Three more dragons and three more people stood back and watched as the girl danced with her dragon. There were two young men, one with a straggled beard, the other looking close to manhood. The Woman with them hung back with a large Saharan Sail wing, a young red Picasso sitting by them and watching the performance eagerly. But it was the other dragon that had caught his attention. A Shadow Dragon. It stood contently behind the younger of the men and watched the girls performance with amethyst eyes. 

Fijiaka curiously looked the dragon over from where he stood, listening as the people cheered and the girl performance ended. It took him only a moment to spot the scar-like symbol in the dragons’ breast plates, just barely visible under his breast collar. To anyone, the symbol looked like an odd shape in the breast plates ridges. Faijika knew better though; He hadn’t seen many Slayers, but he’s seen enough to know a Bound Symbol when he saw one. But the boy didn’t seem to be a Slayer, unless the Slayers were enlisting boys now.

Esther bowed with Nym landing on her shoulders as people tossed scales and leafs into a cloak rolled up to make a basket. As the crowds dispersed, Esther and Emmet looked into the cloak basket and counted out the earnings. £175. It was enough for a decent breakfast for everyone. Theo looked at the goods and smiled. “Nice work Esther.” He said. “Now to decide where to eat.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve been in Aupurin.” Jade said. “I’m not even sure where to begin with food.”

“Perhaps I can aid with that?” 

Emmet and Esther looked up as an old thin man approached them. His hair and beard were silver with age, and he had two silver bushes for eyebrows. He smiled at the group as Theo stood again. “How’d you mean?” He asked. “You know a good restaurant or inn?”

Both Emmet and Esther looked up at him. After the last time they were in an inn, they weren’t too keen on going to another. Even Umbris seemed a bit uneasy about this idea. But the old man laughed and shook his head. “No no. I was just gathering some things for my meals for the day. I’d be more than happy to offer food and shelter for traveling performers.”

Theo paused and looked at the others. Gale and Jade seemed okay with the idea, but the rest of the company seemed uneasy at the mans offer. He thought about it, rubbing his scraggly beard. “Well, it’s kind of you to offer sir.” He finally said. “But I think we’ll make due with what we have. A recommendation would be very welcome though.”

The old man looked at the Fields, Alchos and Umbris with a look that Emmet could only read as suppressed. What ever the emotion he was suppressing, it made him look deep in thought. Umbris nosed Emmet. “Come, we should find something to eat.” He said, keeping an eye on the old man. Emmet gave him a nod and the group started moving.

“You’re brother and sister, correct?” The Old man called. 

Both Emmet and Esther paused and looked at the old man, then at each other. Their reaction was enough for the old man to nod in understanding. “Then I think you all should join me for breakfast.” he said. “I believe I have information that you all need to hear.”