Fire

Chapter 17. Uninvited Guests

The morning was quiet. After The Leader is gone people stopped believing in the bright future. No one trained to rise against The King. People lived as they've lived before. People were just living the way they lived before their house was taken over, but now this place has turned into a new Kingdom of Silence.

Hope and Eclip were watching it from the castle's window. The girl noticed that her new friend was worried about it, but she didn't dare to speak to him.

"You want to say something, but you're afraid again" he didn't look at her "I have no idea why are you afraid of us... Were afraid of us..."

"The Black Dragons destroyed my home... And I really wanted to know why..."

"Same thing over and over again" he sighed. "When will you and other people will differ True Dragons from those who call themselves them?"

Eclip moved away from the window and headed out into the street. Hope didn't know if what she said offended him or if he just saw something. 
Being outside he noticed that people here changed a lot. Like they weren't humans... They were... Shadows... They turned to the Black Dragon. Their lifeless eyes looked at him seeing his soul. They slowly surrounded him not giving him a chance to run away. Unfortunately he left his weapon in the castle, and magic didn't work at them at all. Then he heard someone's laughter.

"You thought you could run away from me with the book, foolish boy" Eclip recognized this voice

"Ahriman..." he whispered the name then he felt it hard to breathe. "But you said... You're not supposed to leave... Your castle... How..."

Eclip fell to the ground, unconscious. The shadows picked him up and carried him away in an unknown direction. Nobody even noticed what happened. Nobody but one... Except Hope

-----

My head... What happened...? Where am I? I slowly open my eyes... I have no idea what this place is... So dark and so silent. I can't even hear my breathing. Have I died? This silence drives me crazy... What is happening?

"You... You finally awake" I recognize this voice. This quiet worried voice. It belonged to the girl I've met. "Seems like, I messed up with something... But I saw what you've done. It's not your fault. Leave the rest to me... I'm coming to you... I am coming"

Wait! Don't leave me! Who are you?

-----

"Tyler... Tyler?" Hope wandering around the castle searching for the Scarlet Dragon "Hello? Is anyone alive here?"

"So the rumors are true..." she heard Henning's voice somewhere close "So the girl is survived. How interesting... I wonder how you could survive us"

"Henning, I..."

"SILENCE!" he shouted. He went to the girl. He doesn't look like a human anymore. He had really big monster claws, horns and big wings. "Glad to see you again, little girl"

"You... You're not Henning..." Hope whispered.

"No? Maybe yes? Or maybe The Curator will tell us who I am for real? I know you're watching us. Or is it you, Malphas? Or you, my dear Silent Watcher"

"What have you done to Henning?"

"Nothing. He's alive. Somewhere inside." the creature laughed "Tell me. If I offered you to go with me instead of being stuck here and waiting for the imminent death... Would you agree?"

"The imminent death? What are you talking about?"

"My Creator is here and He is ready to strike. The Curator can't save you now. The Сurator is captured by Malphas. The Сurator will die, and you with her.

The creature laughed loudly and then disappeared. Its laughter echoed in the quiet halls.

-----

Tyler ran through  The Forest. Breathing heavily, he hid behind one of the tree trunks. Someone was following him. 

"Don't even try to hide, young Dragon" somewhere nearby came the laughter of a creature.

Looking out from behind a tree, he saw the one who was chasing him. It looked like a human, but its red eyes shone in the darkness. It was the creature Hope told him about... It was Malphas. It slowly came closer to Tyler.

Seeing him, he tried to run away, but something grabbed his legs and he fell to the ground. The Scarlet Dragon realized he can't move at all.

"Now you can't run" Malphas sat at Tyler's back. "Listen, young Dragon, I have no plans on killing you. But if it needs, I'd gladly put a knife to your stomach"

"What do you want?"

"I need your help" it replied calmly. 

"What with?"

"With the one who wants to destroy these places. Listen, there's someone more dangerous than your King. And, if he's really here, you're doomed. Because..."

"Malphas..." someone's voice came from The Forest "This is so stupid of you to talk with the enemies. Just kill him"

Malphas obediently stood up from Tyler's back. He, feeling that he could move again, also stood to his feet and looked at the wanderer.

"Run..." it said barely hearable. It resisted the voice "Run, or you're dead..."

Realizing who the wanderer was talking about, Tyler ran away, but immediately ran into Hope.

"What are you doing here?" he asked quickly

"Looking for you" she replied and then she noticed wounds on his arms "And... What happened?"

"Long story. What happened?"

"They kidnapped Eclip. Something happened to the people in Crystal Enia. They became shadows... Henning was in our Castle. He didn't look like Henning we remember. Something changed him... Or someone... He said that The Creator is already here... Tyler, I'm scared" she was speaking fast changing topics from one to another, but Tyler took her hand trying to calm her down

"The Creator? Are you talking about Malphas?"

"Malphas is here too?" she was surprised "Looks like we're on to something more serious. We need to sort this out... And we need to find out what happened to the Black Dragon before it's too late"

-----

It became darker like they were in the room with no windows. Dragons couldn't use their magic to understand where they are... Something prevented them from using it. After some time they've seen the light where the silhouette came from.

"There's no need to be afraid of me" the silhouette had a girl's voice "I am not the enemy"

"Who are you?" Tyler asked letting Hope be behind him. "Name yourself"

"They call me... The Curator here" she replied quietly. 

"The Curator? Are you Abby?"

"They gave me this name, yes." the silhouette changed to a girl. She had violet hair and black-purple eyes. Those looked very sad. "I don't have much time to talk to you... But I heard, you want to find Eclip... I want to find him too"

"How did you..." Tyler became more serious

"It doesn't matter for now" Abby interrupted him "For now you must find your friend. He has something I need to save you all."

"Save us?" Hope asked her "What do you mean?"

"I will explain everything when we'll meet. But now... To find The Key you have to go where one Story ended, but another began"

She disappeared leaving the Dragons in a total silence. The darkness dissolved, and they noticed they were in the throne room of Enia's castle.

The place where one Story ended, but another began... Could it be...?