Dragon's Calling

"There weren't always dragons in the valley. But the Gods above demanded for their return." Kasa remembered the tale told to her from the elders of her clan while staring up at the temple carved into the base of the mountain. The obsidian rock was fashioned to look like the massive skull of a dragon complete with a frightening maw, razor sharp teeth longer than spears, the scales seemed bit rough but shiny enough to reflect the sun's rays, and the eyeless sockets were deeper than any abyss she's ever seen. It would have been the most accurate life like replica if the statue had the actual eyes of most serpents. Glassy orbs, with pupils as sharp as swords and daggers.

This place was created as tribute, a monument to the flying serpents when the earth was first created by previous generations. She knew her people came here to worship, sing songs of praise and give offerings to the temple in allegiance to the sky serpents.

While standing in front of the entrance, Kasa compared her small body, that was barely the size of the statue's teeth, she couldn't help but feel so...insignificant. But here she was, clad in her clan's ceremonial attire, a robe of intricate red and orange floral designs with some green beadwork. Her long raven dreadlocks styled into two braids held into place by gold clips. She looked like a girl in her early adolescence, but she was tasked with an enormous responsibility...to herald the return of the Descendants of Tiamat. The Great Dragon of the world.

The young girl inhaled letting the afternoon air fill her lungs and breathed out. She closed her eyes trying to compose her rapidly beating heart, as if attempting to meditate standing up. Her pointed ears focused on the silence around her in the mountain valley, the wind seemed to echo and howl more around the stone Dragon's mouth like ghostly wails of spirits ushering her to came forward or to turn back.

Though Kasa was no medium, not yet anyways, she would have plenty more time to develop her gifts after the heralding ceremony...or so she hoped. With a final deep exhaling of breath she began to march forward into the darkness that was the temple's cave, allowing the mouth's shadows to swallow her form, disappearing into the cavern.

As her eyes adjusted to the blackness further she went, they began to cast an eerie teal glow, she followed the path her elders had laid before her, quietly observing the glyphs on the temple walls instructing her where to go. Carvings of her ancestors and their time with the dragons how all co-existed, her people the Fae and the descendants of Tiamat. All of them were protectors of nature.

Kasa remembered her Grandmother, an elder of the clan detailing how the Fae were protectors and stewards of the earth and forest, while the Dragons were guardians of the sky. The very cosmos itself. They were power and might personified, Earth's first line of defense and wardens of the world to keep the balance of mother nature.

But that all changed when some humans made a pact with the evil, jealous God, only known in her language as the Demiurge. Not only did the evil god tried to lay claim on a world that wasn't his own, but he had helped the humans push the Dragons to the brink of extinction. Now the lands that were lush with vegetation had become desserts, the waters had become so polluted that even the mermaids the guardians of water struggle to survive. And now the humans were attempting to capture and enslave the Faefolk to learn of their magic.

This was a war for survival and for balance to be restored on earth the dragons had to come back. That much was certain.

She moved through the smooth black corridors that twisted and winded like a snake, Kasa saw rows of torches lit by blue fire leading to a wide room. In the middle of the space there was an elevated platform, made of malachite stone and surrounding that platform were ten others in similar ceremonial attire to her but these robes were black and red. The patterns on these robes were made to resemble fire.

These people were the conductors of the heralding ceremony.

"My child--you came at last!" A familiar voice cried out relieved as one of the conductors stepped forward to approach Kasa in a hug. "I was afraid you'd change your mind."

"Granny!?" Kasa gasped, pleasantly surprised. The young girl was instantly at ease whenever she saw her grandmother...she had always looked to the older woman for strength, for wisdom, for everything a young fae girl needed to be nurtured in this world. In Kasa's humble opinion her Grandmother, M'kana should have been one to take over the clan...not Gaerth. It's not that Kasa didn't think the man wasn't smart or strong with magic, it's just that...she never really trusted him. Call it gut instinct or intuition or just plain dislike Kasa just didn't like the man.

"Oh no Granny, I would never run from something like this we have so much at stake and I want to do my part with helping everyone. We already lost so much to the war...including my parents. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help our people." The very mention of her parents made her eyes water, and her throat itch, but she couldn't break down now. Today she had to be strong no matter what it takes.

"That's what we like to hear." Kasa froze hearing the deep baritone voice belonging to none other than Gaerth stepping out of the shadows and into the middle of the smooth malachite green platform. The Fae man adorned in the same ceremonial robes as everyone else but with a golden staff in his left hand. The staff was a long thing, as tall and elegant as he was standing at least seven feet tall, the top of the staff fashioned into the head of a Golden Dragon with blood red rubies for eyes.

Kasa stared the man down cautiously, of course he would be here after all.

Gaerth began to circle the young girl like a hawk, his long and wild silver hair reaching the floor, trailing behind him like a bride's veil. The smile on his face, devoid of any flaws or advanced age held a glimmer of mischief. "Everyone was doubtful, but I knew you'd find your resolve dear girl. Now if your done with your reunion we must start the ceremony. We have no time to waste. " The clan leader clapped his hands.

Kasa was released from the embrace of her Grandmother to stand on the middle of the Malachite platform while the conductors of the ceremony were standing on the outside of the platform, now ten people forming a circle around her. While Gareth stood opposite on the platform with Kasa and began the ceremony.

Gaerth held his golden staff in the air and started to recite an incantation in their native language. His eyes began to give off an eerie blue glow while calling on the ancient magic of the fae, the glyphs that littered the temple walls also began to be covered by blue light. The rest of the conductors began repeating the incantation while Gaerth spoke.

"Brothers and Sisters, Sons and Daughters of the Earth. Lend me your hearts, and ears so that it may reach your souls! Today we call upon the Descendants of Tiamat! Great Dragon of the world! Goddess and protector of us all! Through our collective power we can turn the tides of war! "

Then the clan leader turned his staff towards the young girl and Kasa could feel a a heavy weight in her chest, and her palms getting clammy.

"Kasa has been chosen by the Goddess! To be the bridge between Heaven and Earth! Fae and Dragon! To Herald the new age...the return of the Dragons! She will be first to bring the children of the great Goddess into our physical realm again!"

The young girl silently gulped, still awaiting to see what part did she exactly have to play in all of this? She was told she would have to call upon Tiamat's children but wasn't fully aware how that would look in practice. Worry began to crease her brows. Was she starting to sweat due to nerves? Or was the blue torches lining the wall giving off an extra amount of heat?

Gaerth then proceeded to place one clawed hand onto Kasa's head. "Do not be afraid my child. You are going to be a vessel, an avatar for the Dragons."

And then the young fae suddenly began to feel cold all over her body, starting from her head all the way down to her toes. It was as if the unforgiving chill of winter seized her body, freezing her in place.

"As the vessel there are some...sacrifices that will be made. Your body and soul will be one with the Dragons. You shall become a Dragon!"

Then it all clicked in Kasa's head but before the horror could set in, the sensation of feeling overwhelming cold instantly switched to a burning heat. Her body began to give off smoke, her skin started to boil until she combusted into blue flames. The only thing Kasa could remember was her blood curdling screams, this wasn't normal fire, this was magic! Not only was her body being set ablaze but her soul as well. The fire was consuming her inside and out. And she couldn't even put herself out--she was held solely in place by Gaerth and Gaerth's will alone. Not even his hand on top her head was affected by the flames.

Some of the conductors of the ritual were screaming in a panic, the others desperately pleading to stop. Even Kasa's Grandmother tried to run to her aid but was forcibly held in her tracks by Gaerth's magic.

"Ah, ah, ah." Gaerth laughed. "You know we have to complete the ceremony all the way through. No interruptions."

"But you never mentioned anything about burning my granddaughter alive in any of our meetings for the resurrection of the Dragons! You never mentioned anything of Sacrifice!" M'kana shouted and struggled in in the magical grip of their leader.

Her terrified eyes looked on as she watched her grandchild burn. The other elders were stunned as to what they should do now, should they stop the ritual? Or let it continue?

"Correction M'kana I never told YOU about what the full ritual entailed. I've already told my plans to the rest of the elders. Once Kasa's body is consumed by the flame, her entire being will be reborn as a Dragon. She will not be lost forever! Once her soul is free we will transfer her soul into one of the few petrified Dragon eggs we keep beneath the temple near the dormant volcano of this mountain!"

The full scope of horror began to register onto the older woman's face, completely helpless to do anything about Gaerth's plans. All she could do now is scream as Kasa screamed.