Chapter 24: The blue-eyed boy's sacrifice

Alythia groaned at how heavy her body felt.

'There's that song again' she thought as she struggled to open her eyes.

After a few moments she sat up... everything around her was white.

She leaned back and felt that she was against something solid so she glanced up.

Right behind her sat the figure of a Dragon with a tender gaze emanating from its black eyes.

"Do not fear child, you are safe" it said with a soothing voice.

Alythia suddenly remembered where she had been just moments before.

"DAMIEN!!!!!!!!! WHERE'S DAMIEN!!!???????" she desperately cried while clinging to the Dragon's body.

He glanced down at her.

"He used Absorb. It's a Unicorn's special ability and allows the Familiar to take on the damage of any attack directed at one of its companions. It also has a reflective quality to it – so it redirects that same attack back to the attacker. However, the ability is quite fatal. The Unicorn acts as a shield for someone else but if the attack is too severe, though the one who is shielded will survive, the shield itself is likely to shatter"

Alythia's eyes filled with fear.

"NO!! THEN DAMIEN... IS DAMIEN---"

"Peace child" the Dragon interrupted her. "You need not worry about him – fretting leads only to evil. He is also my treasure and I care for what is mine far more than any mortal mind could ever fathom"

With that the girl let out a sigh of relief.

Her grip eased and the upright posture she had held up till now deflated.

"But Izana..." she eyed him dubiously "how could Damien possibly survive? That lightning bolt wat gigantic"

"Alythia, that is between Damien and I – it is his story to tell should he wish to tell it"

The Dragon then bent its neck down until its large forehead was gently pressed against the girl's chest. She wrapped her arms around its head and leaned over it, resting her cheek on its soft scales.

"But... won't something bad happen to him since his father meddled in the dark arts?" she asked, a little fearful of the Dragon's response.

"My girl, am I so unjust as to punish the one for the other's faults? Far be it from me. Each will give an account for themselves – about how they have used the magic I had entrusted to them. But only regarding themselves, nothing more and most certainly nothing less"

Alythia lifted her head up and gently started petting the beautiful white scales in front of her. "Alright, I will believe Izana's words" she said resolutely.

"But" she continued, "Might I then ask something that has also been bothering me for quite some time?"

The Dragon very slightly nodded his head as confirmation so the pink haired girl bravely ventured on.

"Why did Izana sacrifice his life for Nyfia?"

The Dragon fell silent for a long time.

When it finally spoke Alythia could clearly hear a deep affection radiate from the beast's voice.

"Who else would save my bride if not I?", it whispered, more to itself than to her.

And after another brief moment of utter silence, its attention seemed to shift back to Alythia.

"You might find my love hard to understand child, since it is so different from yours. I have no needs for you to meet.... so my love can only give, while your love can only take"

Alythia thought over his words for a time before responding "But...then how can I also get that love in me – the kind of love that gives?"

"The surest way to have something, sweet girl, is to receive it"

But Alythia was still confused. "Receive it from who?"

"From the only one who has it" he replied, while intently fixing his eyes on her.

"Remember this about love child: It is by giving love, and not by receiving it, that you move closer to the soul of another"

===================================

Alythia shut her eyes and covered her mouth with her hands as she felt a yawn coming on.

Yet when she reopened them she was in another somewhat familiar setting.

Karlyle was sitting on a bed a few feet away from her but the moment he heard her yawn he instantly appeared at her side.

It would seem the healers had dressed him... thank goodness.

Since my dear reader, you see, no clothing (no matter its quality or stretching capabilities) could ever survive a Familiar's morphing.

"Tia are you okay?" he asked as both his hands gently cupped her face.

She smiled at him "I am, and Kai is alright too?"

Karlyle nodded.

Alythia glanced around the room. "Where's Damien?" she eagerly asked.

Karlyle hesitated for a moment.

"He's also fine. They had to move him to another room but he's not in critical condition anymore"

Alythia sighed as she felt relief spread through her heart.

Just then she heard Blake's voice and saw Karlyle pushed to the side.

Something picked her up – and mind you almost crushed to death.

"Pinky you're safe" Blanke said merrily as Ray also joined in on the hug, all the while forgetting that human beings tend to have a limited air supply and Alythia couldn't really remain conscious without breathing.

Karlyle clicked his tongue. "Blake let go" he sternly demanded "Tia's face is turning blue you dimwit".

Instantly the Price released his hold and the girl plopped back onto the bed. "Ah sorry Pinky" he said while nervously rubbing the back of his head.

As soon as Alythia's lungs re-inflated she glanced up at the Hero and Heroine. "What happened to Diego?"

Karlyle, Blake, and Ray all cautiously eyed one another before turning their gaze to her.

Ray was the first to respond.

"He's gone Ally. I helped the healers search for his body afterwards but the only thing we found was an ash heap in between his burnt up clothing".

Blake chimed in "Yea, it was absolutely insane!! I have no idea how Damien managed to shield you two from that blast without being burnt to a crisp in the process"

Alythia put her hands on the bed's railing and pulled herself to her feet. "I want to go to Damien"

Karlyle nodded and reached out his hand "I'll take Tia to see him"

===================================

Alythia entered the room and saw Kloeye sitting on a chair next to the blond boy's bed and tightly clenching his hand in hers.

"Ally!!" the girl chirped when she caught sight of Karlyle and Alythia standing at the room's entrance.

"Hey Kloe" Alythia responded with a sad smile "How's he doing?"

"Why don't you come and see for yourself?" Damien's voice echoed through the room as he proper himself up on his elbows and looked at the pink haired girl, his eyes somewhat amused.

Instantly she dashed to his bed.

"YOU STUPID CHILD!!" she yelled, tears threatening to roll down her cheeks. "You could've gotten yourself killed!!!"

Damien tried to defuse the situation but before he even had the chance to respond Alythia's hand was already felt as it smacked him over his head.

"Don't ever do that again... or I'll kill you myself next time" the pink haired lady scowled.

By now Karlyle had reached the bed and pulled the feisty girl off of Damien before she could hit him again.

Damien protectively covered his head with both arms in case of another onslaught "Is that how you treat a sick person huh? Aren't you supposed to bring me some flowers or at the very least a teddy bear?"

His voice clearly revealed how unappreciative he was towards Alythia's strange show of affection.

Karlyle decided to interrupt their banter before it got out of hand "Damien did anything strange happen after the blast? I mean we're all really happy that you're alright but how you were able to survive that attack remains quite the mystery"

At Karlyle's question the squirming girl in his arms settled down since she was also curious as to what actually happened after she blacked out.

As Damien looked at Karlyle a tender smile spread across his face.

"I'm not exactly sure myself. All I remember is that right when I moved in front of you two I saw the figure of something like a white Dragon move in front of me. The Dragon is the one who took most of the attack – I only felt a small part of it..." his voice trailed off as he thought for a bit.

"If it wasn't for that Dragon I definitely would've died. There's absolutely no doubt about it. That attack was way too strong – no normal Familiar could've endured it and lived"

Everyone stared at Damien in shock.

After a few moments of slience Alythia cleared her throat and spoke.

"Well... then you better thank that Dragon when you meet him again"

Damien arched a curious brow "How do you know I'll be able to meet him again?"

The pink haired girl smiled "because he will always meet with those who wish to meet with him"

A few moments later all three of them were chased out of the room since the healers were urging Damien to rest.

"I'm worried about him" Kloeye mumbled as they walked back to the room Alythia and Karlyle had woken up in. "He doesn't have anyone anymore... he lost his mother and now his father too" the tiny girl said, her voice trembling.

Alythia gently put her arm around the girl "It's alright, he's in Izana's hands and that's by far the best place for him to be so he'll pull through"

"Plus" Karlyle added "He's not alone – apart from Izana – he has us"

Both girls eyed him suspiciously, wondering how strange it was that Karlyle's immense distaste towards the boy had seemingly vanished.

'Looks like this dragon has a soft spot for human shields... seems like all it took to get on his good side was a near death experience'