Twin Souls

Chapter 3

Vul Sahkrii

In a mixed blur of vision and distorted sound, the clueless warrior awoke from his slumber. Looking around him, he noticed the landscape of the area was quite simple. White, endless, and seemingly spoke eternity. A strange sensation of emptiness clutched his heart, drowning it in sorrow. He felt his heart, breathing in slow, heavy takes. Yet, the longer he tried, the more it became noticeable to him. His heart was not beating.

His pace would have increased if there was such thing to begin with. He then remembered why he was here. The dragon, Void. Looking around once more, this time below him, he found himself atop a rocky formation of some sort. Processing the increased amount of information became difficult but he strove to find a way to understand. Using sheer wits, he managed to ignore the confusion, turning around slowly. His eyes shrank, as he stumbled to the ground.

Behold before him was the ancient himself, Void. Wrapping around the mountain, his gigantic size made Soul feel like a grain of sand before him. He had imagined dragons to be as big as a home, but this dragon was the size of three hundred castles. With a planetary size such as this, Soul felt weaker than ever before.

The dragon, presumably sleeping, snoozed away. His nose picked up a small scent, thrusting his eyes open. The massive black dragon had various cuts and wounds that seeped white flames which flung themselves around like solar flares on the sun. His monochrome colors were strange, even for a dragon.

“Papa...” He whispered, surprisingly not even audible to the ears of the human.

“Come closer, Sil." His voice echoed throughout the realm, reaching the ears of the human in frightening volume. “I am Wuthsulomsah...Or Void as your kind says.”

Soul barely managed to keep himself on his feet as he slowly approached the dying ancient. As he neared his maw, the dragon sniffed the air around him.

“That brat sent you, didn’t she? Does she not know this place is not for the living! She cannot run from me forever. I will not accept your soul...BEGONE!” He roared.

“I-I come to seek answers!” Soul yelled. The dragon pondered whether to let him speak or to send him back.

“I seek help for finding my existence! And she...” He gulped. “Says you can help by deciphering the enchantments on this armour!”

The dragons eye grew in surprise. “You...Come here seeking my help? What makes you think you are worthy of such an honor?” The dragon asked, clearly angered by the humans treachery.

“I...” Soul started, unable to finish his sentence. Who was he to ask a god for assistance? “What if I did something for you in return?”

Void mumbled various whispers to himself. “Your armour does indeed hold secrets, this much is true. And I am in need of some assistance...Listen closely creature. I was once a dragon of pure darkness. But even we, the ancients, age. The light of the mortal souls have rubbed off on me, weakening me.” Soul nodded, barely he managed to keep himself together. This dragon was scary!

Void closed his great eyes, sighing. “With the disappearance of Father, I am prolonged to die as well.”

Soul wondered who this...Father was, but was snapped back into attention when the dragon growled. “If you complete the task, I will consider not sending your soul to the pits of Tartarus.”

“W-What do you want me to do, my lord?” Soul asked, feeling extremely inferior to the demi-god. The dragon chuckled deeply. “Your kind has always been bound by honor and loyalty.” Soul opened his eyes. His kind...Bound my loyalty and honor. Not so bad. At this moment, Soul felt a sense of pride burn within him as he served his new master.

The dragon smiled. “Because of this, I will teach you something very important. A piece of information to aid you on your quest.” The dragon blew a small wave of fire toward Soul, slightly frightening him in the process. The fire instead engraved a strange language into the ground. Strange...But familiar. Soul found himself unconsciously reading it, as if he knew it by heart.

“There are few who know of our tongue. You were always an exception. To inherit the abilities of a dragon, some call them dragonborn. But you have not the soul of a dragon, but one of a race not of Nevra. I can tell you this much.”

“So then Kaal, what do the words say?” Void asked, smiling as his newest champion studied the hieroglyphics carved into the stone.

Soul moved his finger over the symbols over and over, barely spelling it out in his head, let alone his voice. After several tries he managed to get the first word.

“Vul...” Soul spoke slowly, his words flowing out like he was screaming. Shocked, but astonished at the sheer power of the word, he tried it again, but this time with another word.

“Vul...Feyn...” He said, a little louder this time. The air around him grew heavy, as a dark mist snaked around his arm before vanishing.

Soul looked back at the symbols, trying to decipher the last word. His mind was trapped, twisting and turning in confusion over the last word. The ancient spoke loud and true. “The last word is Paal, which means Foe in their tongue. It saddens me you do not fully remember our tongue, champion. As you have seen for yourself...You actually once spoke only Rotmulaagge.

“Though it saddens me deeper as the Rotmulaagge is all but near legend now. The dragons of Nevra, with the exceptions of the ancients, all speak their demonic, Draconic. But enough of that...Speak the final word my champion...” The dragon muttered.

“Witness the power I have given to you!”

Soul took a deep breath, shouting all the words at once.

“Vul...Feyn Paal!” He shouted, almost as loud as the cataclysmic ancient before him. The air around his arm blew intensely, as the mist returned. The mist slithered to his palm, forming into the shape of a devastatingly twisted sword.

“Tol los un zahkrii, Sil...” The dragon spoke. “Made from the darkest of souls, to the sharpest of tongues. Use it however you wish, but do so in my name!” Void snorted. Soul smiled, giving the twisted longsword a few swings.

“Werid, Sil! Zok werid!” The dragon smiled. Void then suddenly frowned as he noticed something was amiss.

“Tiid los oblaan’an, Qahnaarin...Paak.” The dragon sighed, focusing his gaze on Soul once more. “Time is short, Sil. There is one last thing I must tell you before you must leave. Your Qah, your armour, is linked to ancients in more ways than you can imagine. The Rotmulaagge blesses each piece, though each belongs to another. That hood of yours, does not belong to you. It was my brother’s, Vokunriiknahlot. The ancient of stealth and sneak. It will be a difficult task to find him.” The dragon closed his eyes in frustration. “Though with luck, you may be visited by him yourself. He knows of your search. I do not doubt.”

“Wait!” Soul called out. “What about my side of the agreement. You never told me what you wanted. My lord, I will do whatever is necessary to bring you to your former glory.”

“Krosis, Sil. I have already given you the items for the quest. Nevra is full of souls to be reaped. The darkest of them all with restore my state. Slay those who would dare harm the life of innocents, sending them to me, where I will judge them to an eternity in sorrow.” Soul discarded the feeling of guilt, realizing that this was his path. As long as he was getting rid of evil souls, it was righteous in his cause.

Soul felt uneasy as his vision distorted. “Rah rein, Qahnaarin. Krosis...” Soul could do no response as his body was snuffed out from the realm of souls like a candle. The ancient sighed, smiling as he rested his head back on the platform.

“Nos nu, Qahnaarin....” He gazed off into the empty abyss. “Draal...Horvutal viir.” He mumbled, falling back into a deep slumber, awaiting the next soul to appear.

End of ChapterTranslations:Sil - Soul

Nevra - Equivalent of Equis, or Earth.

Kaal - Champion

Vul Feyn...Paal! - Dark Bane Foe

Rotmulaagge - Word of Power

Tol los un sahkrii - This is my sword

Zok Werid! - Much praise!

Tiid los oblaan’an, Qahnaarin...Paak - Time is Ending, Vanquisher...Shame

Qah - Armour

Krosis - Apologies

Rah rein - Gods roar

Nos nu, Qahnaarin... - Strike now, Vanquisher

Draal...Horvutal viir - Pray...Trapped dying