Legacy

Furia's hopes only rest on getting back with her Rider. Looking for Patrick she reaches Miami and find Elvis and Pyro. Only for everything that had happened to be revealed to her...

Legacy

 

The first sunrays of the next morning felt amazingly great on my scales. I stood up and stretched my whole being, ending with a glorious yawn. I kept looking at the sunrise for a couple of minutes. Since I abandoned Patrick and found the cave, I was never outside or awaken to see the dawn. That sunrise looked beautiful, giving me extra energies for my mission and new hopes of succeeding it.

 

Once ready, I took off and continued my way to Miami. It took me fifteen minutes to reach Miami’s aerial space, and then I headed to Patrick’s hotel. That was his home, if he wasn’t there at the moment I arrived, then I would wait for him.

 

When I arrived to the hotel, I landed on the street. It was empty in exception of an occasional car driver. There were fewer drivers and more riders than what I remembered. I then roared as loud as I could, hoping Patrick would hear me and come out; if not him, then someone who could lead me to him.

 

The one who appeared was Elvis while Pyro landed behind me. I was so glad to see them. I just stood still without knowing who to greet first. In the end they both approached and I said…

 

I am so glad to see you guys! Where’s Patrick?

 

Then Pyro answered me…

 

It’s been a long time, Furia. Are you ok?

 

I am alright. Where’s Patrick?

 

I could see the sorrow in Elvis’s eyes while he spoke. He told me about what was done to Patrick; something about a Mind Poison. Elvis told me how Patrick had to go alone to defeat one so called Gedeon Domashevich, and how everything turned out afterwards…

 

 

A week earlier

 

Elvis and the group called Francesco with Elvis’s phone in loudspeaker in the moment they managed to secure Patrick back in the detention center, handcuffed and chained to a bed inside a cell, because that person wasn’t Patrick Darst anymore. All Patrick did was grunt, try to free himself, scream and laugh like a maniac, and the times he opened his mouth to speak, it was to say something about hurting people. Each of his friends and even his brother Elvis received threats from Patrick every time they came into his sight. A medic from the prison injected Patrick with a sedative; he needed to use three times the required dose to put him to sleep.

 

-Rider Elvis, was Patrick cured?    -Said Francesco at the moment he answered the call.

 

This was an important conversation in which rested Patrick’s sake. So only his brother would talk.

 

-Gedeon is dead and Patrick almost killed Alan, and Alena’s dragon, Sanjay. We have to use the backup plan.

 

Francesco sighed with deception and asked…

 

-How is he at the moment?

 

-Sedated, handcuffed and chained to a bed inside a cell.

 

-Alright, my son Alessio is on his way to Miami since we first talked about the Mind Poison back in the afternoon. He is going to arrive before dawn in our private plane.

 

-He’s the one who’s going to fix Patrick?

 

-Yes.

 

Elvis remained silent for a couple of seconds, readying in his mind the next questions he wanted to ask. It was difficult for him to articulate them, for they were the important ones.

 

-What’s he going to do exactly? Why couldn’t we afford to take this option? And… how did Gedeon accomplished the Mind Poisoning? Only your blood chain knew about it.

 

-Well, Rider Elvis, that’s a good set of questions you have assembled, but don’t worry, I’ll answer them. Gedeon could have discovered the ability by accident, if he had a strong mind. And judging by the strength and effectiveness of Patrick’s Mind Poison, he had a very strong one indeed. Alessio, alike Gedeon, isn’t that strong; since his dragon died, he has been doing experiments on the matter…

 

-Please tell me that doesn’t have to do…

 

-It has, Rider Elvis, and it’s actually why this was so risky since the beginning. What my son is going to do to your brother is a Counter Poisoning, he will try to reverse the purposes of the poison and make them neutral, saving Rider Patrick’s mind. But he doesn’t have the experience or the strength to deal with such a strong poison. While inside Rider Patrick’s mind, Alessio might commit mistakes, resulting into damages to his personality, coma, memory loss, mental illness or dysfunctions…

 

Elvis could only listen with horror to what could happen to his brother. A deep feeling of impotence crushed his mind and made him let out a tear.

 

-F**k… -Elvis said wiping his eye with his hand- What should we do while we wait for Alessio?

 

-Nothing else. My son will call you once he arrives to the airport.

 

-Alright. Will Patrick at least be my brother in the end?

 

-That only depends on you… Good luck, Riders.

 

-Thanks… and farewell, Rider Francesco.

 

Elvis proceeded to hang up the phone and put it back to his pocket. He looked around and met each of his friends’ eyes around him. Alan stepped forward and said…

 

-Patrick will get through this, Elvis…

 

Then Oliver added…

 

-That’s right; he is a Double Scarred after all.

 

But it was Alena the one to make reality get to everyone’s ears.

 

-It doesn’t matter how strong Patrick is, nor how many scars he has. This is all up to Francesco’s son. And all we can do now is to wait for him. Wake me up when Alessio calls, I’ll go pick him up. Open D-3!!

 

The cell next to the group opened, Alena entered and climbed to the top bed to ultimately sleep there. As for the rest of the group, Alan, Oliver and Elvis organized themselves to watch over Patrick and to hold Elvis’s phone in turned vigils. Elvis and Oliver went to sleep in another cell while Alan made the first vigil.

 

The three men kept cycling, watching for Patrick with impotence, hoping only for their friend/brother to get through this. Suddenly, around three to four a.m. Elvis’s phone rang. It was Oliver’s watch, so he answered the phone…

 

-Hello…

 

-Rider Elvis?

 

-Alessio?

 

-Yes, we’ll be landing in around twenty minutes.

 

-Alright, Alena Stanford will be waiting for you when you arrive.

 

-Perfect.

 

The call ended and Oliver woke up Alena, who quickly walked outside, saddled her dragon, Sanjay, and took off towards the airport. Meanwhile, Oliver woke up Alan and Elvis, and anxiously they waited for Alena and Alessio to arrive.

 

Half an hour later, Alena and Alessio walked into the cellblock. Alessio Silvestro, who wore a gray suit and a black tie, and whose face was adorned with a full mustache and a two days shadow beard, was amazed by the fact that such a significant task ended in his hands, especially when after the Battle of the Bermuda Triangle and the revelations about the truth of the world, he surrendered the charge to his father and founded The Daily Dragon Rider just to become a businessman and live unrelated to big matters.

 

Yet amazement wasn’t the only emotion Alessio was feeling, and Elvis was the one who discovered it when Alessio approached and saluted him along with Alan and Oliver. Elvis said…

 

-Thanks for coming, Alessio Silvestro.

 

Alessio then answered…

 

-Don’t thank me; I owe this to my father. Besides, this is all my fault… (He looked at Patrick and said…) I shouldn’t have sent men to the Bermuda Triangle; I should have listened to my father and let my son deal with the situation on his own. How long have Patrick been sleeping?

 

-Since evening…  -Answered Elvis.

 

-That’s around eight hours.  �"Detailed Alan.

 

Alessio was struck with surprise and said… -That’s weird, a Mind Poison so strong wouldn’t allow him to sleep not even fifteen minutes.

 

-He was overdosed with sedative.   �"Clarified Oliver.

 

-That sorts it out.   �"Said Alessio.-  And we can take it to our advantage.

 

-How?   -Asked Elvis.

 

-Your brother is dreaming, this way I can have a preliminary look at the Mind Poison.

 

-Why can’t you heal him now?

 

Alessio got lightly bothered by the question and said…

 

-This isn’t a surgery, where specific stuff is supposed to be in specific places. It’s the mind what we are dealing with right now. (Sigh) And to answer your question, Patrick’s mind is drifting like crazy right now, that’s what’s called dreaming. We need him fully awake, when his mind is completely clear.

 

Alessio then got closer to Patrick’s cell gate and stared in silence. No one made a sound; the four just stared at Alessio with expectative when suddenly Alessio retreated a couple of steps with a groan, taking his hands to his head.

 

-What happened!?   -Exclaimed Elvis.

 

-The Mind Poison defended itself… This is going to be harder than what I thought, and I was already expecting it to be hard.

 

Suddenly, Patrick began to twitch and to grunt. His activity gradually grew to its earlier state as he got more and more awaken. Patrick looked towards the gate and saw Alessio, then he said…

 

-Hey! I know you! Salute Saris from me! (He laughed out loud) want to hear an imitation of her screams and squeals of pain? (Patrick then screamed and squealed and laughed maniacally) Just let me go and I’ll send you to hell by her side!!

 

Alessio composed himself and said…

 

-You all already know the risks involved, right?

 

-We know…   -Said Elvis.

 

-Alright, then we are ready to pull this off. First I am going to create a window in Patrick’s mind, where the effects of the poison will be neutral. You are his brother; you’ll talk to him before we start, and the rest of you, you’ll remain silent the entire time.

 

I might hear Patrick’s last words right now.   Elvis thought.

 

-Open D-2!  -Yelled Alena.

 

When the cell gate slid open, Elvis stepped in while Alan, Oliver and Alena looked from behind Alessio. Elvis stood next to Patrick while he said…

 

-Awesome! Fresh meat! Come on; let me go so I can kill you! JUST LET ME… Elvis, you are alive… and Alan, Oliver and Alena, are they alright?

 

As soon as he heard his brother speaking, Elvis crouched closer to Patrick and said…

 

-They are ok, Patrick.

 

Patrick tried to move and felt the chains and cuffs restraining him. Then he looked at the gate and saw his friends behind Alessio. Patrick then tried to reach Furia with his mind, but didn’t manage to feel her. Patrick didn’t need to ask, he knew this was the end of the line, and that Elvis was there to hear his last words. Then he said…

 

-Will I die?

 

-Just your mind… you might lose your memory, perhaps your whole you.

 

That brought out a tear from Patrick. Death wouldn’t be as painful as it would be to live after losing what he valued the most. To think he wouldn’t remember Furia destroyed his mind; he couldn’t imagine a life without Furia, but, without even missing her, without remembering their good times and adventures… was on a different level of loss.

    

-Tell Furia… that…it wasn’t her fault, that it was Gedeon who made her abandon me… that I always kept looking for her… that I never doubted her, not even when she abandoned me… Tell her that I’ll always love her, no matter what I say or who I am in the future. F**k… (Patrick tried to hold his sobs and continued) Elvis, brother… even though it wasn’t your responsibility or duty, you came to this crazy trip… and went through it till the end… I can’t be prouder of you as a Rider and as a Brother. (He then looked at the gate, to his friends) Alan, Oliver; it has been a lot of adventures we have gone through, and you have always been there, watching my back… you are the best friends I could ever have. Alena… (Chuckles) I didn’t get to know you a lot, but… at least I did enough to say… It was awesome to work with you.

 

Alena answered with a nod. Then Alessio asked…

 

-Are you ready Patrick?

 

Elvis grabbed Patrick’s wrist while Patrick looked at him right in the eye. After a few seconds, Patrick answered…

 

-I am ready.

 

Suddenly, Patrick’s sight got lost to the wall and his body began to twitch. Elvis was surprised by that and looked at Alessio, who had a tranquil expression and his eyes shut; just as if he was sleeping while standing. Elvis then realized what was happening and looked back to Patrick, who was grunting and forcing against the chains and cuffs that restrained his movements.

 

Patrick began to scream as if he was receiving the cruelest of tortures while Elvis could just look at his brother, incapable of doing a thing, and thinking…

 

You are going to get out of this, little brother. You are stronger than this; you are going to make it…

 

It was like that for ten minutes. The longest ten minutes in their lives for seeing their friend under such suffering. Patrick was still; quiet like he was just sleeping while Alessio opened his eyes. Then Oliver was the one who asked…

 

-Is Patrick alright? Is he cured?

 

-He is cured…

 

Everyone sighed with relieve after hearing the great new. But Alessio continued talking…

 

-… for now.

 

Elvis stood up and approached Alessio in the act and said…

 

-What do you mean for now? The Mind Poison might come back?

 

-I cured Patrick from the Mind Poison, that’s a fact… What is unsure is if I committed any mistakes. That can be determined only once Patrick is awake.

 

Elvis looked down and sighed, when his sight rose up and met Alessio’s, he said…

 

-Can they be fixed, in case you did?

 

-Highly unlikely.

 

-I see… Thanks anyway.   �"Elvis then offered a handshake to Alessio.

 

-I already said you don’t have to thank me.

 

Elvis held his hand in position and with a solid tone he said…

 

-You came from Italy just to save my little brother… you are going to accept my gratitude.

 

Alessio shook Elvis’s hand with a smile and said…

 

-If your brother is just half as stubborn as you are, he’s going to be alright. I’ll leave immediately, there’s nothing more I can do right now.

 

Alena stepped forward and, along with Alessio, they walked towards the gate of the cellblock. Only Alena’s and Alessio’s footsteps could be heard as they walked. It wasn’t until they went out of sight, when Alan, Oliver and Elvis were alone, that Oliver said…

 

-I kind of thought Francesco would come…

 

-Me too… -Said Alan- He cares a lot for Patrick.

 

Without even turning to them, Elvis said…

 

-That’s why he didn’t come… Fancesco has the highest of hopes for Patrick to end well, to the level of sacrificing to hear Patrick’s last words.

 

Alan and Oliver stared at Elvis’s back for a few seconds, acknowledging the truth of his words with unspoken praise. Elvis then turned and entered his cell to ultimately sleep. Alan and Oliver copied the maneuver and went to their own cells. The rest of the night was silent… everyone went to sleep without saying a single word.

 

 

Actuality

-… That was a week ago… and Patrick is still unconscious.

 

Then I told Pyro…

 

Is he ever going to wake up?

 

Elvis received the message and walked towards me. Horrified, already knowing what was coming; I lowered my head and felt his hand on my side. After a couple of seconds, Elvis spoke…

 

-We talked with Alessio after the first five days and… he said that… if it takes him any more to wake up… then is a hundred percent sure that… mistakes were made... Patrick might not even wake up… I am sorry, Furia.

 

I lost him… I won’t see Patrick ever again… and it’s my fault… I left him alone when he needed me the most… I am sorry, Patrick… I am sorry!! I couldn’t hold the guilt and sorrow that born in my heart. I closed my eyes, raised my head, opened my wings, and aiming at the sky I ended with a long, loud roar… I made birds leave their home-trees. Elvis, who was right in front of me, grunted as it hurt his ears… and even Pyro took a step backwards.

 

My heart stopped… my respiration collapsed… I opened my eyes afterwards and felt that the sky would be the last thing I would ever see… that was my last roar.

 

In a crude way of seeing it, it was easy for me as a dragon. I was going to just die… I wasn’t going to miss him… I wasn’t going to live without him… just die.

 

But… for some reason I didn’t manage to understand… I didn’t die. What I did in that moment was to remember my mission: To find Patrick. I still hadn’t accomplished it, I was still ought to find him, and I wasn’t going to stop until getting finally back to him. After all, what Elvis said was: “he might not”, so as long as there was a “might” I was going to wait for Patrick to wake up.

 

Until that moment… a lot of suffering waited for me that would only be dissipated by Patrick’s touch in my mind… until that moment, all of my mornings would rise…

 

Without Sun.