Teeth of God, blood of man

Aurene touched down from flight outside a cozy cave, not unlike the one from Cantha she had nested in for some time. As she made her way inside, she wondered if she would fit the whole way. Marvelously, she did, though she had to make a tight squeeze in some places. Inside the cave, there was a space just big enough for her to lay comfortably. Good. Sleep was clawing at her, unlike anything she had ever felt before. It tugged deep at her core, called to her. She even felt it as she flew, leaving her to wobble in the air like she’d never done before. Ungraceful, she would call it. An Elder Dragon should be, of all things, graceful.

She began to lay down, curling her tail around herself, and all of her muscles relaxed. She had never felt sore after flying after her ascension, but… something in her was deeply grateful for the ground.

As she rested, everything in her sank. But not in a way that disturbed her. No, instead, she was comforted. She was so tired, and finally, she was resting. She took a moment to contemplate her surroundings. Dark, except for the light leaking in from the entrance of the cave. The sun was setting. Her last, for a long time, she suspected.

It was time.

As her eyes shut and the light faded, darkness enclosed her, trapped her in its graces. It was a feeling she had felt once before… something long ago, something in a time much less peaceful than this. A memory flooded through her.

Darkness.

All she felt… was darkness. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t see. Where had she just been? Wasn’t she doing something important?

Suddenly, she heard whispers. All around her. Encompassing her and swirling around her, disorienting her even more. And then, light flooded through her vision. She opened her eyes.

Two beings she never thought she’d ever see greeted her. To one side, a giant blue dragoness with light blue crystals adorning her body in great spikes. To the other, a large brown dragon with green crystals all around him. Her mother- her brother. Her eyes widened, and tears immediately filled her vision.

“Mother? Brother?”

“Welcome, my scion.” Glint spoke first. Her voice was kind, motherly, everything Aurene had ever imagined.

“Sister.” Vlast greeted.

“How-” Aurene began, and then quickly cut herself off. “How are you here?” “Oh, my scion…” Glint sighed, a mournful flit to her voice.

“You’re dead. I never thought… I never thought I’d meet you. Hear your voices. How are you here? How am I…”

She trailed off. Everything hit her at once; the memories, the feelings… the way she had dove in front of her Champion, when she roared in defiance and tried with all her might to breathe away Kralkatorrik’s influence. She remembered the pain when his crystals pierced her hide; the last thing she saw was his triumphant maw. Her Champion, her Commander, flying away and the crystals growing around them.

“Aurene…” Her mother tried.

“You are in the Mists.” Vlast finished.

Aurene stood silent for a long stretch, her wings drooping in the realization.

“I’m…” She swallowed thickly, the tears dry, unable to fall in her pure shock. “I failed.”

“Aurene,” Glint said carefully, “you did not fail.”

“But I am dead.” Aurene croaked out. “My Champion may be dead.”

“Your Champion has not joined us in the Mists just yet, my scion.” Glint promised. Aurene’s head rose in hope, her eyes glinting in the light of the Mists. “We would have known if they had; that I assure you.”

Aurene looked down once more.

“But that does not change that I am dead. What can I do for the world now? I am useless. Tyria is doomed, and I can do nothing.”

“Aurene…”

Glint stepped forward. She gently rose her arm and grasped Aurene’s chin in her talons, looking her scion in the eyes. “You did not fail.”

Aurene’s chest fluttered at the touch of her mother. She leaned into it eagerly, a heartsick grumble in her throat. “Listen to me carefully, my child.” Glint began. “You have not failed anyone. You remember the Vision. This was always meant to be.”

“But if I were to die, why would you send me and my Champion to fight Him?”

“I had faith in you, my scion. I still do.” Glint sighed. “This is just a stepping stone in the larger plan. This is how it must go.”

“Without me… what will they do?” Aurene’s voice was but a whisper.

“Sister. Remember yourself.” Vlast spoke next, approaching the two. “Not all hope is lost. Not yet. Not while your Champion still lives and breathes.”

Aurene stepped away from her mother and her brother in frustration.

“But I am dead! It is pointless. Without me, they cannot hope to strike Kralkatorrik in a way that matters.”

“Aurene, do you remember what you did to the Elonan Conquerer?” Vlast asked.

Aurene looked confused.

“Yes, but I-” She cut herself off once again. Her eyes widened. “I ate him. His magic.”

Vlast and Glint nodded. Aurene blinked, and then moved toward her family. “But I can feel His crystals still inside me. I do not think I can do anything meaningful.”

“That can easily be remedied, my dear sister.” Vlast assured.

“My Champion... They still live.”

“Scion, listen to me.” Glint spoke once more. “There is still hope for this world. You are not gone, not completely. Your Champion still lives. When you return to the waking world, you must know one thing, and one thing only.”

“Yes, mother?”

“I love you.”

Aurene stood silent, staring up at her mother. The mother she thought she’d never meet; the mother she had only felt as a cold corpse until today.

“I love you too, dear sister.” Vlast added.

Aurene felt tears prick at her eyes. And then, suddenly, a pulling force, deep in her core. Something was happening.

“My Champion!”

“They are pulling the crystals free from you,” Glint said, looking far off in the distance. She then looked back at Aurene, “You will not be with us much longer.”

“Mother…” Aurene said, her voice wistful. “Brother. I love you both.”

“Go, and be our guiding light, Scion.” Glint said. Vlast moved to stand beside her as they watched a glowing light erupt from Aurene’s chest. “I am so, so proud of you.”

“We are.”

Aurene closed her eyes, tears pouring out. As the Mists faded around her, she watched as her mother and brother smiled.

“We’ll always be with you.”