Page 364 of Of Empires and Dust

The great dragon clamped the talon of his winged forelimb down onto Vyrmír’s throat and slammed Vyrmír’s head into the ground. Helios loomed over Vyrmír and let out a monstrous roar. Nothing would harm his soulkin. Nothing.

Eltoar looked at Salara, who stood still as a statue, the power of the Spark pulsing from her as she gazed open-mouthed at Helios and Vyrmír.

“Take Vyrmír and go, Salara. I am done killing today.”

“I am not!”

Slowly, Helios pulled away from Vyrmír, a low growl resonating in his chest as he backed away, the ground shaking beneath him.

As Vyrmír pulled himself back upright, Eltoar mounted Helios. He looked down at Salara for a moment longer before Helios cracked his wings and they lifted into the sky.

It hadn’t takenEltoar long to find Karakes’s lifeless body splayed across a plain of grass, his lower jaw ripped free.

Helios whined, sorrow flowing from his heart to Eltoar’s as he nuzzled his snout into the top of Karakes’s head.

Eltoar had to close his eyes to stop the tears from flowing as Helios’s grief overcame him. “Laël sanyinal, myia nithríen.”

I am so sorry, my soulkin.

He rested a hand on one of Karakes’s scales, waiting just a moment before walking slowly towards where Lyina lay, her legs snapped, blood coating her face and armour.

A physical ache set into Eltoar’s chest, and his stomach felt as though it would turn. He knelt beside Lyina and dropped his gauntlet on the ground before brushing a strand of bloodied hair from her face. He cupped her cheek, leaned forwards, and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Du vyin alura anis, yíar’ydil. Duän il haydria i myia elwyn.”

You can rest now, old friend. You were the honour in my heart.

As gently as he would a newborn babe, Eltoar slid his arms beneath Lyina’s broken body and lifted her to his chest. He carried the woman he had flown beside for centuries to Karakes’s chest and laid her against it, so that she might rest closer to his heart.

Eltoar brushed a thumb along Lyina’s cheek. “Heraya væra alioner nåir aie vënai din nära.”

Heraya will smile when she sees your light.

Eltoar needed to move, but he didn’t want to. To move was to leave Lyina and Karakes, to accept they were gone, to face the truth of what was. His heart needed just a little longer.

He knelt there until his back ached and his legs lost feeling. The entire time, Helios curled around Karakes, a low whimper in his throat, his heart bleeding.

Eltoar nodded softly to himself, then brushed his hand along Lyina’s cheek for the last time. “You were too good…”

He stood, collected his gauntlets, and walked to stand fifty or so feet away. Helios rose from where he was curled around Karakes, his red eyes speaking only of loss. The dragon moved behind Eltoar and stared down at their dead kin.

“I will make this right,” he whispered.

Eltoar reached out to the Spark and pulled in threads of Earth, Spirit, Fire, and Water, pushing them into the ground. The earth beneath Eltoar’s feet shook, cracks spreading. He wove the threads around Lyina and Karakes and deeper into the soil. He drew a breath, Helios’s strength joining his as he dragged earth and rock and root from about him and forged a hill around the two soulkin. As the earth climbed, Helios leaned forwards, a pressure building within him, and he poured dragonfire down over Lyina and Karakes’s bodies, so hot itmelted the steel of Lyina’s armour. The flames continued to rage until the hill swallowed them.

Eltoar slid his sword from its scabbard and climbed to the top of the formed hill. He wrapped both his hands around the hilt, then drove the blade into the earth. He leaned down and rested his forehead against the pommel for just a moment before turning, climbing back down, and mounting Helios.

He would find Voranur and Seleraine, and then he would do what needed to be done.

Chapter 85

Loss

22ndDay of the Blood Moon

Firnin Mountains – Winter, Year 3081 After Doom

Rist walkedthrough the ashes of the camp, bones and snapped wood crunching beneath his boots. Neera walked with him while many soldiers scoured the remnants around him.

The dragons had made sure to burn everything.Calenhad made sure to burn everything.

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