Page 9 of The Divine Shallows
Bane’s demeanor was imposing yet measured, his eyes filled with watchful awareness as he sniffed at Elyria’s hair. After a moment, he emitted a deep huff, briefly acknowledging Elyria before shifting towards Elowyn, who remained rooted to her spot. Bane approached Elowyn, his eyes locking onto hers with piercing, slit-like pupils. The aura surrounding him felt unsettling as he drew nearer.
Elowyn remained still as Bane scrutinized her, extending her hand in a gesture of trust. Bane sniffed at her moon-inked skin before gently resting his maw in her palm, his gaze never leaving hers. Gradually, the tense atmosphere surrounding Bane dissipated, replaced by a sense of calm and ease. With a grin, Elowyn leaned forward, resting her forehead against Bane’s scaled snout in fondness.
Stryx and Bane were firedrakes, commonly known as fire dragons, renowned for their agility, sleek winged forms, and their fearsome ability to breathe fire. These creatures had coexisted with the Fangwrights for generations,first appearing in the New Age during the reign of Eriden’s founding king, the first of these dragons being a gift from Caena. Prior to this, their birthplace had been shrouded in mystery. Whether due to their divine origins or their inherent magic, firedrakes varied greatly in size, anatomy, and the extent of their powers.
Bane possessed scales shaped like teardrops, smooth at the base yet razor-sharp at the edges, forming a glimmering, sinister coat of charcoal, smoke, and leaden ash. He was among the largest firedrakes in Fangwright history, exuding a majestic yet bone-chilling presence. His mouth bristled with jagged fangs, while five pointed horns jutted from his skull like a crown of blades.
In contrast, Stryx, also a male fire dragon, hailed from a bloodline known for its litheness and lean physique. His scales, stark white and oval-shaped, adorned his body in overlapping patterns, smooth and uniform in color. Though initially appearing friendly and sociable, Stryx’s nature belied the potential for ferocity—only fools would underestimate a firedrake.
Elowyn recalled the moment she witnessed Stryx pin two handlers down as he ripped their limbs one by one from their body. Some found it cruel, but Stryx was not left unprovoked. The handlers attempted to thieve one of his scales and pocket it for their own. In Neramyr, dragon scales were a valuable good, a rarity to come by, as they could be used to concoct powerful potions, manipulated in powerful spells, and sold for large sums of gold. Since that day, her father ceased access to the hallowed dragon’s territory unless the individual were of royal blood.
There were only three fire dragons in total that inhabited the ranges of the Eriden mountains: Stryx, Bane, and Nerys. Fire dragons did not roam freely in Neramyr, nor did they dwell spontaneously in the feylands. The first king of Eriden was gifted a firedrake from the Moon Goddess, and all subsequent firedrakes in Eriden were procured in the divine Trial.
Only fey who demonstrate great sacrifice, honor, and integrity during the Trial of Caena were eligible to forma bond with ananimus. This mystical connection transcended lifetimes, uniting the magical beast and the fey in service to one another across realms, even beyond death. In accordance with Trial principle, a fey could attempt to soul-bond with an otherworldly creature only once; if rejected, they forfeited the chance to claim ananimusfor the remainder of their life.
Approaching Bane, Elowyn ran her palms along his weathered hide, tracing the rugged terrain of battle scars that marked the surface. She felt the otherworldly aura emanating from him, akin to the one her father possessed.
Bane was her father’sanimus, bound to him by an unbreakable connection. Throughout their lives, Bane had shown favoritism towards Elowyn over her older sister. This allegiance stemmed from the unwavering bond between Bane and their father. Even in their childhood, Bane allowed only Elowyn as a rider, never Elyria.
Stryx was their mother’sanimus,and he was a companionable creature. Elyria delighted in his company, and Elowyn, too, spent countless days soaring the mountainsides with him, finding equal joy in his presence. Unlike Bane, Stryx showed no favoritism between the sisters, living in contentment and doing as he pleased. He was renowned as the fastest of the three firedrakes in Eriden, his deft features fostering great stealth.
While Stryx lacked the brute strength of Bane, he compensated with fierce intelligence, akin to a cardsharp opportunist who both amused desires and preyed on fears. Together, the two firedrakes formed a formidable pairing, much like their parents.
Nerys, a sapphire-blue firedrake, and their uncle’sanimus,was rarely seen in the mountains, as their uncle had resided on the shores of the Elune Isles for the past decade.
Moving to Bane’s side, Elowyn patted his hide, prompting him to lower his body closer to the ground. With practiced ease, she hoisted herself onto his back, securing her position by gripping onto the ridged spikes that ran along his spine. Sensing her stability, Bane lifted himself upright once more, ready for their journey.
“Ready for a rematch?” Elyria’s taunt echoed behind her.
Turning towards her sister’s voice, Elowyn watched as Stryx dashed towards the cliffside, leaping into the sky with Elyria in tow. With a spirited screech, Stryx ascended higher and higher, Elyria’s laughter trailing behind her as her ivory hair whipped in the wind. The white firedrake executed graceful loops and sharp arcs with breathtaking precision.
“Showoffs,” Elowyn grumbled quietly. Leaning forward, she addressed Bane in a low tone. “Let’s show them how it’s done.”
Bane turned his head towards the sky, emitting a deep rumble from his throat. His massive body began to move forward, each thundering stride shaking the ground beneath them as he gained momentum.
As Bane approached the edge of the cliff, Elowyn gripped the spikes on his back tightly, her knuckles turning white. She knew she had to hold on tightly—for her life depended on it. Ordinarily, only a fully grown male fey could handle riding Bane comfortably, but Elowyn relished the challenge. With an ear-splitting shriek, Bane propelled himself from the ground, cresting the edge of the cliff with powerful hind-legs.
Elowyn’s stomach lurched as Bane plunged down the mountainside with his wings tucked close to his body. Descending deeper into the crag, he then spread his wings in a powerful motion, causing Elowyn to recoil at the force, her stomach knotting in her throat as Bane leveled himself in the air. With each colossal flap of his wings, he surged forward, racing towards the other firedrake.
Meanwhile, Stryx and Elyria had already darted away, disappearing into the clouds until they were mere specks in the sky. Undeterred, Bane doubled his efforts, barreling towards them with fierce determination. Elowyn huddled closer to Bane, urging him onward as she felt him gain momentum with each beat of his wings, steadily closing the distance between them and Stryx.
As they neared, Elowyn sensed Stryx beginning to falter, which was uncommon for the swift firedrake. With a smirk, she admired Bane’s perseverance, marveling at how he managed to tire his swift opponent. Drawing level with Stryx, Elowyn found herself flying side by side with Elyria. She smirked again as she turned to face her sister, noticing a hint of shock and disbelief in Elyria’s expression before it settled into neutrality.
The older sister arched her brows, her voice echoing in Elowyn’s mind.“I’m impressed... Bane’s gotten faster. Have you both been holding out on me?”
“You’re probably just losing your touch,”Elowyn retorted mentally, shrugging off Elyria’s remark.
“Ouch. I would take that to heart, but even I know you don’t believe that,”Elyria countered, wearing a smug smirk.
“Goddess, your head is bigger than Bane,”Elowyn scoffed, rolling her eyes.
“Now that would be a frightening sight,”Elyria chuckled.“Nothing is bigger than Bane.”
Patting the giant beast beneath her, Elowyn conceded,“You’re totally right. Nothing is bigger than Bane.”
“And nothing is faster than Stryx,”Elyria added with a wink, her vain words echoing in Elowyn’s mind.
As if the earlier exhaustion was a ruse, the white firedrake rocketed forward, vanishing into a curtain of clouds before them.
