Chapter 295 - Liravalennan, the Shining Star III (1/2)
”You...why have you returned after turning your back to the will of Val?”
Lira shrugged.
She sat atop the head of the high dragon Valerikynthimos, or the White Queen of the Elements as she was called among the mortals that worshipped her.
The high dragon's enormous, serpentine body sprawled out atop cratered and smoking earth, marking out a shining white line amid the blackened rock.
Her body was riddled with bleeding scars and the six pink frills comprising her elementally charged mane were dull, drooping down with quiet, pitiful crackles of once roaring lightning.
”Wanted to meet the old man again. Call it homesickness,” said Lira as she looked up, towards the last stretch of Torr Valeris that stood right at the cusp of the void between the world's skies and the infinite starry expanse of space.
She was one of an exceeding few creatures in the entire world with the power and privilege to reach this far up Torr Valeris, at the highest point in the world.
Funny that the tallest spot of this whole planet was her father's head. There must have been some kind of joke about pride there, but two hundred and twelve years had mellowed her humor just a tiny bit.
Maybe that was why all the high dragons were so damn grumpy.
”You take our crowning treasure, break your horn to sever your ties with us, consort with the mortals, and now, you wish audience with Val?” Valerikynthimos's voice boomed, and Lira shut her up by slamming the Prometheas down on her head.
”It's been two hundred years, big sister, and you still talk the most out of all of us.” Lira looked around her. There were eleven more high dragons of varying shapes and sizes sprawled out in states of injury and unconsciousness throughout the mountainous battlescape. ”And you still have no idea that staying up here, holed up in this mountain and lording over everyone and thinking everything under these heights truly beneath you makes you weak. Empty.”
”Oh?” hissed Valerikynthimos. ”And you are strong because you cavort with those that are less than the very air we breathe? That ring on your finger - you believe that is proof you are better than us?”
Lira held out her hand and looked at her wedding ring, smiling at the emerald winking back at her with its l.u.s.ter. It had been many years since the other half of that ring had returned to the earth, but that did not reduce the shine of the memories any.
”Yes I do,” said Lira simply as she stood up and then slammed the Prometheas down hard on Valerikynthimos's head, causing tremors to rumble through the earth from the sheer impact. The high dragon grew still, knocked out cold.
”Now to talk to father,” said Lira as she jumped up, fire billowing from the thrusters in her armor as she headed up to the stone carved visage of her father's head.
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”Hello, father,” said Lira as she stepped into the cavern that housed her during her youth. Or perhaps her prison. It was much the same as it was, and she remembered clear as day despite the experience being two hundred years ago.