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Ere, as Rai, had been the leader of them all, given that he led the giant eagles, who in turn led the other Beasts of earth and sea. Sai, the sea dragon, was aloof, calm and mysterious, like the serpents that he led. And Kai was the hothead. The fiercest, boldest, and craziest.
He never backed down, no matter the odds. He always met seemingly insurmountable challenges with a booming laugh.
He was also extremely loyal and brave. When Ere revealed his plans to end the Age of the Gods, including the Twins who created them, Kai didn’t ask questions. He simply thumped his thorned tail upon the ground in support and bared all of his packed rows of teeth in a beatific grin.
Though they’d been creatures of the gods, without families, friends or attachments, Ere had always viewed the other two dragons as more than comrades. They’d been brothers.
And now that he’d lived many lifetimes amongst immortals and humans, now that he understood what real family and friendship was, what it truly meant tolove, he felt inexplicably…protectiveof Kai.
He cast a long, lingering look at the earth dragon before turning to the Master.
“What are we looking for this time?” he asked the unknowable being. “I don’t suppose you’ll give us more clues on this quest than before?”
Not surprisingly, Shifu didn’t deign to answer him directly.
Instead, he said, “In a far-off realm, at the edge of worlds, a mighty storm is brewing.”
“What an auspicious beginning,” Ere muttered beneath his breath.
Sorin grunted in agreement beside him, while Kai didn’t even seem to be paying attention. He’d finished all the meat on his drumstick by now and was crunching on the bone itself, making distracting cracking noises that had Ere’s own bones wincing in sympathy.
The Master paid none of them any mind, of course.
“Gods, monsters and heroes of men have but one chance to prevent the end of worlds. Within the maelstrom, you shall find the Wish of Wonders. Fulfill it before the sands of time run out, and your quest will be complete.”
Ere could barely contain his impatience. He tried to suppress his agitation with deep breaths through his nose.
This quest was even more of a riddle than the others!
How was one supposed to know what wish to fulfill? Never mind fulfill it? It wasn’t even a physical object they could see and touch.
“Will you at least reveal what time and place we’re headed to?” he settled for asking through clenched teeth.
He knew not to provoke the Master by now. The fickle being could randomly determine to give them even less information or confusing clues. In so many ways, Ere felt as though he was playing with their lives.
Like pawns upon a chess board.
Now, what did that remind him of?
Oh, yes. The way Ere himself used to play with the Pure and Dark Ones according to his evil Mistress, Medusa’s, plans.
He grimaced at the realization: Beyond the game, there was always another game; the chess master of one could well be the unsuspecting pawn of another.
“A barbaric age,” the Master answered without being specific. His specialty.
Then added, “The modern humans would call the people of this ageVikings. And yet, your travels will not take you to a time of record, only the time during which your quest will bear fruit…or not.”
As cryptic as ever, Ere thought glumly.
Before he could ask more questions, the Master reiterated, “Fulfill the Wish before time runs out. All the other rules apply. No staying in that time, no bringing back anyone from that time, and so forth.”
With that, his figure began to lose substance and form.
“Wait!” Ere quickly threw out.
“What about Merlin? Why was Kai battling him? What will become of him?”
The Master’s disappearing form halted in its disintegration, leaving a ghostly shell as he replied, “The red dragon is not your concern. Yet. Focus on the task at hand.”
