Dragon Mage II: Chapter 59 - Painful Reminder

The simple question had hounded Eric since he had fully awoke weeks ago.  He could understand Rebecca's reluctance to answer at first, given that he was bandaged and otherwise in poor shape.  However, he grew increasingly frustrated and angry that nobody would tell him what happened.  He had nightmares on a regular basis, to the point that he could not get a full night of rest more than one night at a time.  If he was lucky, he slept through every other night.

Every time it was the same.  He was being attacked, by a white dragon.  Making things worse, was that Eric re-entered a panicked state when he saw any of the others who were helping him during those times, except for Rebecca or Scarlet.  He knew the four others were dragons; specifically, the type of dragons that had tried to harm him.  He recognized Scarlet and remembered she had protected him on more than one occasion, and of course he knew Rebecca.  As a result, they quickly became the only two who could calm Eric when he awoke from such dreams.

Such a simple question, for which the answer had eluded Eric.  On his own, he failed to recall.  To his frustration, he could not understand why everyone, even those he trusted, withheld the information.  He sought not necessarily answers, but solace.  In spite of Ewith's words, Eric felt that he would have more peace if he knew what had happened.  If he knew what happened, maybe the nightmares would stop; he may get a peaceful night's sleep and full rest.  If he knew what happened, he may be able to recognize who he could really trust beyond Rebecca, Angela, and the two dragons.

Rebecca sighed, visibly upset.  “I – I can't do this, Eric.  I can't take it.  I can't tell you what happened.  I don't know all of it, and I'm under strict instructions to not tell you.  You keep asking me, and it truly pains me to not answer you, but I can't!”  Eric saw tears fall.  “Yet,” she sniffed, “you're not the same person.  I know you've had a hard time trusting others, but now you're downright hostile.  You're irritable all the time.”

Eric was slightly shocked to hear this.  He sat, silent, wondering what Rebecca would say or do.  Could he now, no longer trust her?

She wiped her eyes.  “I hate this!  I hate seeing you like this!”  She stopped.

Rebecca had been getting even less sleep than Eric, since she would lay awake, worried for him and what the night would bring.  That, combined with the stress, was taking a toll.

Finally, she spoke again.  “I will do what I can.”

Once again, Eric found himself waiting for what was, to him, a painfully long amount of time.  Rebecca returned with Scarlet, looking downcast.  “Eric,” she started quietly, “I'm not going to leave you.  I am frustrated.  I need you to trust these people, but it's been explained that you can't right now.”  She looked at him in earnest, and put her hands on his shoulders.  “We'll help you remember what happened.  I hope it helps.”  She embraced him, then, letting go, she took his hand.  “Come with me.”

Rebecca slowly walked down the hall, pacing herself to accommodate his limp.  It was enough to be noticeable and have an effect on his movement, but not enough to tire him.

Eric arrived outside.  The house was a fairly large wooden house, located in the middle of a forest.  Rebecca led him around a path outside of the house.  With his limp, Eric stumbled a few times until he became accustomed to his leg.

They were not walking for too long when Eric recognized they were approaching a small clearing.  Rebecca turned to him and smiled, then ushered him forward, allowing him ahead of her.  When he could see into the clearing, he saw ten Bright Royals in a formation to surround whatever was at the center.  On seeing him, some moved aside, showing what they were guarding.

It was Rose.

Rose was laying, resting.  Eric brightened instantly, and he approached.  Rose opened her eye wide, and lifted her head.  When Eric was within her wing's reach, she stretched it, and scooped him to bring him to her.

“Rose!”  Eric couldn't help but exclaim as he was brought against her arm, and held onto it.  “You're here!  Nobody let me see you or told me anything about you!”

Rose regarded Eric with a gently appraising eye.  He became slightly somber when he sensed that while she was happy to see him, she had a serious tone. I am glad to see you, as well.  She was still watching him.

Eric grew slightly agitated.  “What are you doing?”

She closed her eye. You have been told once already, that you are not quite well.  While your physical injuries have mended, your mind was affected.  Something is amiss.  You have many questions.  I do not believe you are ready for the answers.

Yet another dead end.  Eric spun on his heel, exasperated.  “This is worse than Serene ever was!  At least when I asked her something, she would answer my question when she could.”  He turned again to Rose.  “Rose, what makes me most angry, is that everyone knows what happened, but nobody is telling me.  My own wife won't even tell me!  Why won't anyone tell me anything!?  And,” he added as an afterthought, “where is Serene?”

Eric realized something.  In the past, when he had been hurt, Serene was always around, and always checking on him after the fact.  In the weeks that had passed, he had not seen her once.

“Rose,” he said with a quiet, hushed tone, almost too calmly, “how is Serene?  Where is she?”

When Rose started again, she sounded tired, and defeated. I have no choice, Eric.  Please sit.

Eric looked at Rose.  “What are you doing?”

Resurfacing memories, she communicated in a gentle tone, that also had a touch of concern. Now, please close your eyes, and brace yourself.

Eric did not know what to expect, but closed his eyes.  Nearly instantly, he began to remember the confrontation with Tevyn.  It began in his office.  Tevyn, Jarrod, and York somehow passed his guard.  He remembered crashing through his window, being guided down by Fortis.

He remembered defending himself against Tevyn, and discovering to his horror that Tevyn was a dragon.  He was of the same type as Ewith.  As he remembered, he understood why it was difficult for him to see even Ewith now.  Tevyn was trying to kill Eric.  York would have tried if not for the intervention of Jasper and Scarlet.  Jarrod did try, and Eric killed him.

He was jarred at the thought that he had taken yet another life.  “No,” he said, objecting to what he saw.  He knew it was too late to change what had happened, but he had taken another life.

The memories continued.  He saw once again, Tevyn nearly removing Rose's wing.  “No,” he said again.  Once more, he was a helpless bystander; even more so he felt it now, since events had already happened.  As he saw Rose collapse in his memory, he uttered another objection.

Tevyn was on Eric, and Jasper tried to stop him, but was killed in the attempt.  He objected more strongly.  He faced Tevyn again, and before Tevyn could do anything, he was hit with a lightning ball, this time from Serene.  Eric tried to stop him from hurting her, but Tevyn kicked him, and that was how Eric injured his arm.

He arrived in time to see the look on Serene's face.  It was shock, horror, and helpless.  She fell.  When Tevyn turned to him, he demanded Tevyn surrender.  Tevyn didn't, and tried to kill Eric again.  “No!”  Eric suddenly realized what had happened.  “No,” he repeated, “please, stop, I can't do this!  No more, please!”

While the dragons had removed their influence, Eric's mind finished the scene.  He had killed Tevyn.  He remembered the spray from his neck as the sword, with Necromantic tendrils around it, had finally pierced the dragon's flesh.

He remembered Serene's face as he saw her laying on the ground, the result of her last effort to save his own life.  He had begun to cast a powerful spell, in an attempt to undo Tevyn's deed.  The last thing he remembered was the blue band encircling the two of them.

“Serene,” he said in a pained whisper.  His body went limp, and his eyes stared blankly ahead.  If his mind had any capability to comprehend at that moment, he would have understood why nobody told him anything.  It was simply too much for him to bear.  His mind had protected itself, and him, by not allowing the memory to the surface.

Eric was alive, but in a state of mental shock.  When his head finally cleared and he could think, Rebecca was crying, pleading for a response from him.  He took her hand.  She embraced him gratefully, holding on to him for a few moments before stepping backward.  He felt Scarlet's tail holding onto him; her grip was slightly tighter than usual.  He sighed.  “Serene's dead, isn't she,” he said quietly.

Rebecca could only nod.

“I'm sorry, I tried -” he began.

And we stopped you.  Rose interjected.

He glared accusingly at Rose, and his tone reflected his pain and anger.  “How could you?”

Scarlet answered. If we had not stopped you, you would have died as well.  She was already dead.  There was nothing you could do.

We are sorry, Rose continued, but we had no choice.

Eric sighed and lowered his head.  Serene had put everything on the line for him, from the time he was a month old.  When she found him again at the academy, she had guided him so he could survive and live; he would have finished at the academy, had it not been for the efforts of his instructor.

He realized that to her, he was so much more than a Dragon Mage in need of help.  He was a valuable individual, for whom she cared deeply, and probably had some affection.  He admitted that he felt the same for her.  It was not the love that he felt for Rebecca; for that was in a category all of its own, not to be shared, nor compared.  No, it was a deep friendship between them that developed as they grew to know each other.  Aside from Rebecca, he had not been closer to anyone else.

Everything that he knew about who he was and his true heritage, had come from Serene.  She had given him protection, invaluable advice, and guidance during the most trying time of his life.  She seemed always to know more than what she was saying, and knew more about Eric and his family than anyone else.  She was the first person who outright told him of his value as a human.

A knot formed in the pit of Eric's stomach.  There was one unavoidable truth he now faced.  In spite of being surrounded by friends, he still felt he faced it alone.  The fact was, even though they knew of the friendship, they never really could understand it.  Further, Serene would have been buried long ago, shortly after the incident; being in his condition, he could not have attended.  Eric felt doubly alone, facing the last remaining painful fact.

Serene was gone.