Permanent Scars

"When Vulden faces its greatest fear. When the planet can no longer survive. When the unforgivable is done. This is when He will come. Descending from the sky like a great bird, He shall rest until the day He is needed. And then, when such a thing is done, a deadly silence will ring throughout the land, for they know. He is to help, for now is the time of great despair."

Xano closed the book, sighing as the dust sprawled out of the pages. Perhaps so. His brain still steamed with anger, but nothing would get done under such a terrible influence. He recited the lines over and over. Maybe now he could find help. His brother had wanted to see Him, and maybe if he had, it would have been fine. Frevonite would be alive. Alas, that is not the case. The time of great despair. Xano was not sure about despair. All he saw was confusion. He would go to Him. It was the only way forward.

Xano took a knee before Dernen. It was customary, and even if it wasn't, Xano would have. He felt pitiful and worthless.

"Ah. You've come." Xano nodded. His voice was old and weary, but it knew. It knew many things.

"I don't have a choice." He stood up. "When the unforgivable is done," he quoted. "I don't know if it's what Fraiden did, or what I've done. It does not matter now."

"If it will settle your mind, it was not your fault. Your brother was good." Xano smiled. It was good to hear that.

"But I suppose he wasn't 'fit for rule' as they said. I don't understand why they think i am."

"You aren't," Xano looked up. "You're brash and impulsive. You aren't biased, no, but you have a tendency to be stubborn. It is nothing personal, but you could not rule this planet for more than a year." Xano scowled. "But," he said, "you're the only one that can give the people what they want."

"What do you mean? What do they want?"

"Frankly, you're brother was never courageous enough to do the things you will do. He would not take action where it's required. But you would. Under your rule, the Changelings will be no more. You will exterminate them."

"Is that...is that what I really want to do? I had plans to invade yes, but mass genocide was not part of the plan." Dernen smiled.

"You will be surprised how fickle you are. It will be spontaneous. And before you can take it back, they will be gone." That was terrifying. He couldn't be brought to do that, right?

But the old dragon was right. Xano was incredibly spontaneous. Fraiden's death would not have happened had it been executed by one with a greater foresight. Xano did not, however, and his rage would only be quelled through violence. He sighed. Maybe He's right. I don't want to do what I'm told I will do. But that's Fate, isn't it?

"It's inevitable, I imagine." Dernen nodded. "Then I imagine that I am left with no choice?"

"War is war. Fate will take its course." Xano nodded.

"Thank you. I will see to it that I speed that up." He took off, ascending up the staircase he had come from, landing on the first level of the palace floor. He left with consolation in his heart, fear on his brain, and the future blood of changelings on his hands.

400 years of preparation had still not given Dernen the heart to tell Xano. He had actually been surprised when he had come to see the old dragon. All three statements had yet to be fulfilled, and that was the thing Xano did not know. When Vulden faces its greatest fear. That had been done. The changeling invasion was horrifying, and it was the worst thing the planet had seen. When the unspeakable is done. Alas, this was not Frevonite's brutal murder. It was yet to come. The mass genocide. It would be the second of the three parts, and it would not go unnoticed. When the planet can no longer survive. Dernen saw many things, but even this was something he could not see. As the book was written by a dragon far older than Dernen, it was clear that this dragon had seen something that He had not. Dernen began to fall asleep once more while thoughts churned in his brain. If the planet can no longer survive, he thought. How am I supposed to save it?