Sebastian tossed and turned though he really couldn't move. He could feel the bonds holding him still. The pain in his wing joint searing like a red hot poker had been driven through his flesh. The putrid scent of decay, lingering in the air. Layered over with the odour of unwashed male dragon musk. The last thing he could remember was the training session with Sigmund. He couldn't remember how long ago that was but he thought it was the day before. He tried to shift his position once again, yet the bonds holding him wouldn't give. Craning his neck around to look at his injured wing made his body twinge. The sight of the oozing puss caused his breath to catch in his throat. The combination of pain and rancid odour caused his eyes to roll into the back of his head.
Losing consciousness should have been a blessing. He relived the moment the blade plunged into his shoulder. Then what he sensed could have only been the magic that had infected the guard leeching into him as he worked to heal the guardsman. The colour of oozing puss from his shoulder was all too close in shade to be a coincidence. Amarna, he had to warn Amarna. He couldn't move. There were no physical bonds yet he was frozen to the floor. His mind thick he couldn't send telepathically. His throat constricted cutting off his ability to vocalize. Vision swimming, he swore he saw Sergei enter.
"Eldrick is beyond you now. I have no idea who you are but there is no way you can hurt me now." He drew a blade, "my family has all gone to the great circle. The time will come for us to be reborn once again." Plunging the blade into his chest there was an evil cackling.
"Oh, you simple fool. There is no escape for Eldrick and your sacrifice is such a useless gesture. I was sent to kill you and now you have done it for me. Our master has plans for your little protege and if you had lived to hear about it, you would find something vaguely familiar." The deep bass voice was cold and unemotional.
Sebastian tried to thrash and couldn't move. He saw a shadowy hooded figure emerging from the smoke. Where it had come from he couldn't tell. The figure stopping about six feet from him, raised its arm and pointed at him.
"You are never going to fly again. Oh, how lovely. I shall enjoy feasting upon your flesh." The high soprano voice was redolent with malice. "There is going to be a feast to be remembered." Turning, the hood fell away to reveal a flowing mane of silver hair. The figure laughing with such evil intent, "Young, oh I cannot wait to be young once again."
His vision clouding over again. When it cleared, standing in front of him was Eldrick. "I fear you may be mistaken. I am not who you think I am and that may be your undoing." The countenance began to shimmer and glow. The light became so bright as to be blinding. As the light faded where Eldrick had once stood was a beautiful woman. "The customs of this order cannot be ignored. In fact, you have sworn to uphold the will and decrees of the Grand Druid."
Sebastian's vision and hearing were dimming to the point where he could no longer make out what was happening. Nagging dread began to infect him as surely as the wound was infected. There was nothing he could do but lie there in shock and dismay. Fear causing him to sweat, and tremble. He was cold and hot at the same time. He could hear a faint plink, plink, plink. He was not sure if he wanted to know where it was coming from or what it might mean. He had seen too much already. None of it could be true, it just couldn't be.
"I fear there is more going on here than we are aware of." The soft voice held concern. "I wish I had some of my books but I never thought I would need such tomes here."
"What do you mean?" The rich baritone asked.
Both voices held a hint of the familiar, though where he knew them from he did not know. The silence once again enveloped him. What seemed like moments later he heard the unmistakable sound of battle. Close it was too close. He had to do something. He was frozen to the ground. The words of Amaryliss rang through his mind. 'A dragon which cannot fly is a dead dragon' followed quickly by the words 'You are never going to fly again, I shall enjoy feasting on your flesh'. Panic gripped him, its icy fingers piercing his flesh to wrap around his warm heart. Slowly, painfully squeezing the life out of him as his heart slowed. The inevitable was coming. Alie's words coming back to him once again, 'There will be a time when Eldrick needs you most but you can not be there'. Sebastian understood now. He wouldn't be there because he would be dead. He could feel his breath slowly leaving his body, the urge to draw another fled.
