(Chapter 117)
Blinding light surrounded Eirian, as well as thick smoke as the lightning found it’s target.
“Did we get her?!” asked Johan who stood on top of a raised dais made of bedrock. He raised himself just in time to evade Dorin’s lightning.
“I... I think so...” said Xander who was trying to see through the dust and smoke.
“Wind!” Venet called, blowing the smoke and debris away.
“How annoying.”
They saw Eirian climbing out of a thick glass bauble.
“Are you really that vehement to stay here, Dorin?”
“That’s right Eirian, and it’s not like I could leave, anyway,” replied Dorin. “Didn’t mother tell you that I can’t leave without graduating first?”
“Psh,” she snorted. “That would be easy. I could just tell the Dean to give you a diploma. Problem solved. No need to wait for years just for senile old men to decide if you’re good enough to pass.”
“I don’t want that, Eirian. I want to learn.”
“I can teach you everything they know, and more.”
“Yet you would only show me what you want me to see.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?” Eirian smirked. “My Damien told you himself. History in books are used to make those with power look pretty. Well, I can show you the ugly truth behind everything around you...”
“Even the ugly truth about you?”
Eirian glared at Dorin.
“Do you expect me to believe you now, after all you have done?”
“You will believe, Dorin,” she told him. “You have no choice but to do so.”
And the command on that voice was enough to send Dorin’s mind back to sleep, if not for a small dragon child who had sneakily flown around Eirian and suddenly breathed fire on her tattered clothes.
“Ahh!” yelled Eirian who thrashed with her arms out. “You cursed little worm!”
The words hit Dagon so hard that it sent him flying, his form, reverting into his original dragon body.
“Dagon!” cried Johan who leapt after him.
“I warned you silver witch!” snarled Lord Ombra who appeared behind Dagon and caught him in mid air.
He appeared by her side, next, raising his sharp claws to strike the enchantress where she stood.
“Teleport.”
Eirian was suddenly behind Dorin and his companions.
“This is getting more annoying by the minute,” she said coldly, as burnt pieces of clothes and hair fell off her body, uncovering...
“Why is she so flat?” Venet was the first to notice.
“And look at those abs!” Xander followed.
“I knew it!” Mordecai piped in. “That person is no other than the last silver tongue himself!”
“Elazar...” Dorin whispered the name. “The last silver tongue who survived the massacre that led to the Dark Revolt.”
“Is that really Elazar Revante?” Xander asked, “The same silver tongue who founded the University and made a truce between the kingdom and all magical beings?”
“You mean... Eirian was a guy all along?” Johan asked Dorin wide-eyed.
“Yeah, she likes to dress up since she looks prettier that way,” Dorin explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And now that I know who you really are, I can finally hear your true name.”
“You are exposed now, silver witch,” Lord Ombra said in his gravelly voice, his figure, getting bigger by the second, “and you have attacked my brethren, now you face the consequences!”
“Hmph, it’s gotten even more annoying,” mumbled Eirian. “Dorin, I ask you one last time. Won’t you come back with me?”
The two friends stared at each other.
“No,” Dorin finally replied. “I wish to stay here and finish my studies.”
By then, the image of Lord Ombra have disappeared in to dark smoke and living shadow, an enormous being that occupied the air above them, sending shivers down the spine of the lesser students. It was a mercy that they could not see his true form that materialized in this shadow and aimed a gigantic claw where Eirian stood.
“So be it,” the silver tongue said before disappearing from sight.
A piercing cry filled the air as the shadow dragon missed its mark, leaving deep claw marks on the ground where she stood.
“Is she gone?” asked Benette who stood beside Dean Alcione who sat bewildered on the ground.
“How is the dean?” asked Mordecai who rushed beside them.
“He’s much better,” replied Benette. “Eirian’s hold on him is strong, but I have somehow managed to help him regain his voice.”
‘He broke a silver tongue’s spell?’ Mordecai thought to himself, his brows raised.
“Is everyone else okay?” asked Benette who rose to his feet and scanned the area for other possible patients. His sight fell on the small unconscious dragon in Johan’s arms, and was immediately running towards them. “Is Dagon okay?”
“Yeah, I think he’s just sleeping...” said Johan. “I hope...”
“He hasn’t any wounds, has he?”
“None that I can see...”
“Give him to me,” came Lord Ombra’s authoritative voice that made Benette jump and bite his lips shut.
“Benette is still checking him up!” Johan told the dragon Lord with a frown. “Go ahead, Benette, do your thing!”
Benette looked at Lord Ombra who stood tall in his human form, then at Johan who nodded at him. He then touched Dagon’s temples and gently massaged it.
A gentle light came from his fingers, and soon, the dragon child stirred and open his dilated yellow eyes. It opened it’s scaly mouth, showing sharp teeth and a pale pink tongue that lapped at the medic’s pale hands.
“Dagon... hungry...!” said the child.
Johan laughed in relief, so did Benette who took the dragon in his arms and hugged it.
“I guess it’s time for dinner...” he told the child whose scales sank in and turned to soft pink skin.
“Are there any more injured students?” they heard Dean Alcione ask the rest of the class.
“So, it’s finally over?” Asked Venet whose voice didn’t sound irritating for once.
“I sure hope so,” Xander replied, walking towards Dorin who still stood staring at the place where Eirian vanished. “Are you okay, Dorin?”
The other slowly nodded.
“I had no idea...” he mumbled. “To think that I was raised by such a magnificent person...”
“By such a psycho, you mean?” Johan piped in. “He was about to either kill us all or erase our memories to manipulate us again!”
“But it was all due to his loneliness...” Dorin tried to reason out.
“Dorin, he wanted to lock you up so he can have you all to himself,” Mordecai pointed out. “I don’t think that’s simply due to loneliness.”
“But from all he’s been through... perhaps it’s because he doesn’t like other people...”
“Do you really believe that?” Xander asked, “From an attention whore like Eirian?”
Venet stared at his liege. “My prince, your language!” he gasped.
“I understand that you want to defend Eirian, or Elazar, but Dorin, you should face the truth as well.” said Mordecai.
“That’s right, Dorin,” said Xander. “She already told you what she wanted – how she wanted to treat you. And you have told her that you would rather stay here in the University with us. Are you having second thoughts after all that’s happened?”
Dorin kept his gaze at the empty spot gauged deeply with Ombra’s claws.
Finally, he gave a deep sigh and shook his head.
“No. I have made my choice and will not regret it.”
“Good.” Xander touched his shoulder. “For I plan to finish University with you. My friend.”
“So do I,” Johan piped in, touching Dorin’s other shoulder.
“S-same here!” Benette said in a loud quivering voice.
“So do I!” said Venet with a pout, “Tough you irritate me to no end!”
“Count us in too!” cried their classmates who cheered on him, “We may not know what the hell’s really going on, but we’re glad we’re in the same class as you, Dorin.”
“That’s right, even the University is proud of you,” said the Dean. “But for now, we need to get back and get some rest,” he added. “I know, I badly need it.”
He was answered by Dorin’s growling stomach which earned laughter from the people near him.
“Yeah, it’s been a long, tiring day,” Dorin laughed with them. “Let’s all go back together.”