The Fortress Crab

Eventually he drifted into waters that hunters came to call 'The New world' whilst he thought the title for the continent was...uninspired he supposed it was more fitting that whatever name it once had before the fall of the dragons. The waters were calm but not desolate, he felt the presence of other dragons but they seemed to avoid him. Maelstrom simply chalked it up to more primal survival oriented feelings, few would dare to challenge a dragon as aged and hardened as himself. He didn't resent the loneliness but he didn't embrace it either.

The calm silence of the waters was broken and quite violently so. A hunt was on, the quarry was a dragon that could definitely match up to Maelstrom's strength. Alatreon. An unstable but dangerous dragon, it didn't have mastery of the elements, far from it. In Maelstrom's blind eyes he saw the Alatreon as a puppet of the elements, no less dangerous than its reputation let on but a more tragic existence to be sure. A resounding boom echoed throughout the air and water as Maelstrom weaved his body between rocks that were dislodged and fell into the churning waters he resided in.

Something more than rocks fell to the sea however.

A huntress. One Maelstrom recognised. She was one that was present at Nalkark's first fall, he could feel a connection to the huntress that personally dealt with him during that whole debacle. A huntress, a murderer of Maelstrom's kin and one who personally intervened in his own life for better or for worse. Despite that, despite everything Maelstrom had learnt and everything he thought telling him not to. He took pity on this huntress. He brought her to the surface so that she would not drown and looked up to the plateau the Alatreon had claimed. The golden elder knew better than to tussle with such a powerful dragon, and so he left.

The journey was slow and careful, Maelstrom had to travel along the surface of the waves thanks to his new passenger but he was determined to bring her somewhere safe. He followed trade ships, he listened to the words of hunters carried on the waters and soon that lead him somewhere.

Kamura.

Not that Maelstrom knew the name of the village, he just knew it was safe. Under the cover of the moon the hunters associated with his species Maelstrom dropped off his passenger. Before submerging and vanishing once more he felt compelled to give her a message for when she woke.

"The Golden Moon will watch over you."

Isolation wasn’t a new feeling for Maelstrom. It had been one he’d grown accustomed to many times in life. Being isolated in darkness. Being trapped in the caverns beneath Wyvern’s end and Dragon’s genesis...and working for Nalkark. However Maelstrom’s experience with isolation had taught him one important lesson, it will always pass.

This time would be like all the others. The crackling net that seemed to choke the sea he was residing in would surely fade with time like every other trap the world seemed to snare him in. Be it days, months, years or millennia. Nothing could last forever. That was something the Keeper told him in confidence. It wasn’t some big secret, it was some kingdom shattering knowledge. It was a simple yet obvious line of thought. Nothing lasts forever. Maelstrom’s sight didn’t last forever, neither did his blindness. The kingdom he swore fealty to also faded into history. The winding caverns that kept him trapped were eventually unsealed. So it stood to reason, that his loyalty to the Keeper’s bloodline too...would not last forever.

Unable to crawl up onto the stone island that Nalkark had claimed, Maelstrom was alone with these thoughts. One of Nalkark’s strongest traits was his Charisma and intellect, whilst he would never have been able to completely quash dissent in Maelstrom’s mind he was able to steer the Ceadeus’ mind away from such thoughts. Without the squid’s constant prattle and megalomania Maelstrom felt...oddly calm. 

He meditated within the calming blue depths, his own bioluminescence flickering and twinkling within the abyss. Nothing could ever last forever and deep down there was one truth that Maelstrom tried and tried to deny. The age of dragons had ended long ago and his oath to the Keeper’s bloodline was but a foolish attempt at trying to challenge the innate nature of time. It was time to accept the truth. The age of Dragons was over. A new age had begun, and foolishly Maelstrom had assumed it was there to usurp the empty world once claimed by dragons. He didn’t know the truth of this new age but he knew the lies that he’d been told. 

The sound from the tower stirred Maelstrom from his deep meditation, he could feel it. The energy keeping him anchored here had faded, as every other snare and trap had in the past, this too had faded. The golden dragon surfaced and stared up at the shadowy tower in the mists. He had finally made his choice.

She steeled her nerves as she stepped onto the bridge over the unnervingly still waters that isolated the island from the mainland. The mists limited her vision but from the route she took and the winds blowing, the sea should have been a roaring roil of activity and yet...it was still. As she walked further along the stone bridge a figure began to form in the fogs. It was huge, unnatural and perfectly still. 

The closer she got, the clearer the figure became. It was a gaunt monstrosity of flesh and metal. At first glance it appeared to be a twisted statue but closer examination revealed it to be breathing, its chest subtly heaving as if every breath was a monumental uptaking. As if every last ember of will, every spark of life had been devoted to simply keeping it alive. The presence of the creature posed a question to the woman. Not a simple question with a simple answer, a more distressing one.

Had something gone wrong?

Undoubtedly yes, this creature was suffering and clearly not fulfilling its purpose but a long examination of the creature added a new question. Was that better for the world? Had these creatures been allowed to roam free, to hunt, to kill...the world would have been in turmoil. So whilst perhaps this place had failed itself...it had succeeded the world.

She wasn’t a philosopher though, she was a doctor...not a doctor of philosophy at least. She soldiered on, finally stepping from the bridge onto the island. The mist seemed to thin a little as she continued on her path. Similar figures could be seen silhouetted in the mist, like a gallery created by a madman. Though the paralysed monstrosities were not the most imposing shadow that seemed to lurk in the mist.

That title would have to be granted to the tower that stood tall over the entire island. A silent and dormant watcher. She approached the structure and saw the entrance, broken and battered. Someone had been here recently. She stepped through the threshold and let out a quiet curse as a jagged rock nicked her leg. Green blood splattered to the floor and the many ancient symbols carved into it began to glow. Stones began to stir and old technology churned...but as quickly as it began it stopped. 

She made a mental note to be more cautious as she began to ascent the structure. It was mostly empty, a hollow building clearly meant to carry some form of resonance or signal. Every pebble and stone she caused to fall with her movement echoed for what felt like an eternity against the perfectly carved walls. 

Finally she arrived at the top of the structure, above the mists and staring out over the world below. She was thankful she wasn’t afraid of heights. Though the height of the structure wasn’t what she noticed at first. She wasn’t alone up here. Two figures stood atop the tower, one small and cloaked and another huge and imposing. Both were restrained by some unknown force, crimson veins crackling along their bodies in brief pulses. A heartbeat. These weren’t like the statues below, these were untouched by the steel and rust. Then one spoke.

“Destroy it.” He muttered, a voice weary and tired.

Behind the two was a pedestal and upon it was a small silver device that was glowing a similar shade of crimson to the veins upon the two. A doctor is sworn to help those in need and that is what she did. She took the device from its pedestal and held it up, examining it. It was reinforced, a sharp impact wouldn’t dent it...but she had other plans. The woman pulled her face mask off and let her jaws separate, viscous translucent yellow fluid dripped from her mouth. As it made contact with the metal a quiet hiss filled the silent air. The liquid eventually bored its way into the core of the device.

A sound rang out from the device and by proxy the tower. A high pitched ring that began to lower in pitch, like the dying wails of some great beast. Though none could see it, below the mist the statue like monstrosities began to collapse, their breathing stopping once more and hopefully forever more. The seas began to churn and crash as whatever was keeping them still had fallen away! Finally, atop the tower the two bound figures fell to the floor.

“Please...your name...I need to thank you properly.” The smaller figure asked, his voice still pained.

“Anki...Doctor Anki.” The adventurous woman replied.

“Thank you Doctor Anki…”

“What about yours?...You did all this didn’t you? I think I should be given the grace of your name.” Despite her words, her tone wasn’t accusatory...if anything..it carried reverence?