Earth and Sky (Aerious/Nayru)

[Nayru Al-Saiduq]

[Soundtrack for post: youtu.be/RN7tUJcQry8]

Nayru knew fear.

Not of Aerious. Not of Bern, nor of men, even of the Heroes of the Scouring. Not of Elly or Zelphiam or Jasper. Not even of her own death, though she was all too aware of how likely this path was to lead there.

It was the responsibility that hung in the air, a guillotine poised such that the razor's edge kissed her skin. If she took this horrible responsibility, if she swore to Aerious, to herself that she would carry on - the sheer damage that failure could cause was crippling. She saw a vision of Elibe plunged into endless war, of men against men, of dragons ruling atop the ashes of human civilization or cut down to the last. She saw the war blind humanity to the coming storm, the darkness sweeping over a weakened civilization and sweeping it away whole.

She saw a blonde girl lying dead in her bed, sleeping forever as maggots descended upon the corpse.

"We cannot simply... save the humans from the coming darkness, can we." It was a realization as much as a statement, an admission of the truth in Aerious's words as well as a truth he had not stated. Humanity was weakest when it depended on others, when it curled up in bed and hoped that the night did not devour it whole. "Perhaps we could defeat the darkness, even purge it forever, but then what? At best, we might be feted as heroes - for a generation, or two were luck on our side. At worst, we would simply be hunted down as soon as the other threat dissipated. Thanked for our efforts, only to feel the poisoned dagger in our backs, the smiles never leaving their faces."

"And yet-" That was the problem. Regardless of humanity's survival, regardless of any of their personal feelings on humanity were, they could not simply leave the world to be scoured by darkness. "We are guardians. Not of humans. That was our mistake, what led to the Scouring. We are the keepers of this world." Protecting humanity blindly had wrought nothing but untold death as the race grew complacent, then greedy. "They saw us as obstacles to their ascension. They forgot what existence had been like without us, forgot that it was we who kept the shadows back, saved them from their own failures, and thought themselves no longer in need of us."

Nayru moved as she thought, gradually shifting into aimless movement, pacing the area. "We cannot merely save them, for then they would learn nothing, and we would be back where we are now in short order. We cannot simply lend them strength, lest they turn it against us as soon as they think we are no longer needed, as is their wont." The idea of hunting down or creating weaponry capable of combating these creatures Aerious spoke of had occurred to her, but the stupidity of giving weapons of that caliber haphazardly to humanity was immediately obvious - the mortal kingdoms would tear themselves asunder after taking care of the shadow and the dragons.

She finally looked up to Aerious, mulling over the path that her thoughts was gradually leading her towards. The visions of a continent crumbling into war were brighter, now, a vivid sea of carnage that spread from sea to sea, dying the skies and the seas with hatred and blood. There was hope there, too; amongst countless visions of tragedy, a few of happiness stood out, of a world whose skies were filled with wyverns and dragons alike - and some pegasi, she guessed.

When Nayru spoke again, her voice no longer quivered with fear; there was a hoarse acceptance, a haunting question to her words, and yet a conviction beneath the surface that held true as she thought aloud. "...We were not meant to be the rulers of men, to insulate them from the hardships that would have forced them to grow as a species, to evolve, to learn. In protecting them, we held them back from wisdom. Our races can never be equals if we hold this course, but... perhaps we were meant to guide them to, and through, the challenges they must face. Not to protect them from the truths of this world, not to rule them, not to annihilate them for their past mistakes, but to use our knowledge to help them earn equality - with all that that word entails."

She turned away, mind ablaze. "I see a world in which humanity has risen to that test and been forged in apocalyptic flame to actually live up to the flickers of what I have seen in them, what you have seen in them, what our kind saw in them a thousand years ago, until short-sighted men drowned that part of themselves in hatred and fear. A world in which human and manakete alike can be equals. Not 'equals' as our kinds would be today, but true equals, with a mankind that has become something more than it is now through tribulations that taught them the lessons our ancestors were once forced to learn."

There was an abrupt silence, her words stopping without warning as she thought. When she continued, Nayru's voice was lower, quieter, much less self-assured, her tone an admission of what she had said earlier. "...I am not strong enough to bring that world to pass. Not in body, not in mind, not in will. All I have is a dream, one that would crush me in an instant if I tried to grasp it as I am now."

She turned to Aerious again, hands hanging limply at her sides. "But no dream worth realizing can be carried by a lone idealist, whether human or dragon. The power to bring that dream to fruition lies amongst all those who are willing to shoulder it, to distribute that impossible weight into countless fragments that each of us can bear. If you would help me carry that dream, share that vision of the future with me, it would be my honor and my duty alike to walk at your side. Ever onwards towards that future, for the sakes of those who who will live in it, and for those who never had the opportunity."

The still world of ash and death still seemed close, a reminder of one of countless ways that the weight of their responsibility could crush them and shattered the world in its wake - but a potent reminder of what they were fighting to escape as well.

[Alternate soundtrack: youtu.be/QH2-TGUlwu4]

[Aerious]

Aerious could not deny feeling a smile spread on his lips as she spoke. Her lips speaking the words of wisdom that some even beyond her years had never considered, and certainly few humans had.

"Well said." Was his first response. "You handled the situation with the care and concern it rightly deserves. I beg your forgiveness, but I was testing you. One who accepted without thought would just be an idealist, and an idealist crumbles at the first sign of stress. Only one who can realize the heavy price and time such a world would take could possibly stand a chance of forming it."

He reached out to her, extending his hand for the young dragon maiden. "To stand above or below someone does not lead to equality. Until humanity has put aside their notions of superiority, unto themselves and others, there will be no peace. It is possible this future they are causing could hasten the process, but at such a massive cost. When I said it was their own fault, I did mean that, and they must solve it. But that does not mean we should sit idly by and watch as they fall to a power they do not understand. I will not stand against the tide for them, but I will guide them to their fullest potential. Perhaps, then, that is the purpose for which all of us are given. In time long past, there was a belief that all dragons came to be for a purpose that was theirs and theirs alone. When one thinks about it, forced to hide among humans, living among them for so long, seeing their flaws and potential strengths. Perhaps it was always intended to be our task to guide them to the greatness they can attain. Perhaps it is just the foolishness that I see here, but I would like to believe that there is something that can be done to set these humans on the right path, without fighting their battles for them."

He smiled to her. "It has been a long time since I had a reason to journey that was not based in hate. And I thank you for reminding me of what I had long since given up hope in. There will be many nations, many humans with the spark that we would have to nurture. It will not be an easy task, you understand this I trust?"

He paused, though this was really just for dramatic effect. "It could take even beyond our natural lives, thousands of years, to nurture this sapling in humanity. It will be tireless work, and may very well be a thankless duty that none will come to realize until long after our time. That is acceptable with you?"

This was a massive undertaking, not something to be engaged in lightly. Children would become men, men would become leaders, leaders would become dynasties, and through time and blood, these traits of honor and strength would be passed down. But for that to happen on a universal and complete scale, could take centuries, or more.

[Nayru Al-Saiduq]

The power of words never ceased to amaze her - nor did the consequences that an idle thought given voice could bring. She had thought Aerious to have given himself over to rage and hatred when they had first met, and yet now it seemed more like he had been testing her all along. Perhaps he had only started now, and her words had actually possessed the effect she hoped - or perhaps he had simply been testing her to see if she reached the correct conclusions on her own. How much of the same dream had they already shared when fortune first brought them together?

As he spoke, extended his hand to her, she looked at her own hand. It was so very small to carry the weight of the world, so fragile and thin. Unlike Atlas, though, that weight was not to rest solely on her shoulders. She had a companion, a fellow dragon at her side, someone to share that terrible burden with. And what a burden it was - she had already begun to realize the sheer enormity of it as Aerious continued to speak of how difficult their journey would be. The great nations, smaller territories, the seas and islands and satrapies across the world they called home; they could leave nothing untouched.

"We do this not for our own sakes, but for those who can not. We take not the obvious path, one of blood and conquest, nor that of hiding away in hopes that humanity eventually blunders its way to an answer. In creating this future we take the road least traveled, a path of sweat and tears, held aloft by faith. Faith that that world can come to pass, that we do not lose ourselves to the darkness along the way."

A journey of a thousand miles began with a single step, and Nayru took hers during that thoughtful pause, taking Aerious's outstretched hand with her own, feeling the warmth of his body through that contact. Even in the darkness that surrounded them, she could not help but smile at the knowledge of what had been born by the battered boulder that evening. "It is fortunate that we have so many years remaining to do what we must, then, is it not? As this dream passes on to others, other dragons, to heroes among men, they too will join us in carrying the world to that future. Not for personal glory, but for a better world. For both the living, and for the dead."

"...Thank you, Aerious." Her words came out quieter, almost shy - it was difficult to actually express how much the discussion had affected her. "It appears that I yet have much to learn from you. You owe no apologies for helped me to grow."

[Aerious]

"Thanks? Given to me? Hmph." Aerious clasped her hand in both of his, kneeling to the ground. "Were it not for the wisdom you had displayed, the flickering light of my own dream may have been extinguished forever. Age does not always lead to wisdom. Sometimes, the most important lessons are learned from those who have yet to walk the paths that we have. They see things unclouded by bias and feelings, simply as they are."

He rose again, releasing her hand. "I will consider this a mutually beneficial agreement. We have much to learn from each other, it would seem. And we have much to teach those we meet." He could have left it at that, they could have split up right now and met up tomorrow to begin the journey. But, that did not seem correct. Indeed it seemed that they had much more work to be done.

"Those that travel with you. You mentioned three if I remember. Do they have the makings of gifted humans? Do they have that spark that we seek?" He knew they weren't going to change all of humanity in one generation, you needed to find the most promising, work with them, and then move on. It wouldn't be so simple, of course. There would be setbacks, there would be downright failures, but they had centuries to keep trying, and this was a cause worth pursuing. "We have to start somewhere, and what better place then where we are right now?"

Aerious would not say it. But he hated being alone. He'd resigned himself to it for so long, but he despised it. Now, he had a true companion. One whom he could share all stories, all of his thoughts with, with no fear. And she had given his life purpose again. So this was why humans often sought out companionship. It would be the first time he'd ever traveled with another dragon...ever. An odd first for someone over a millennium old.

[Nayru Al-Saiduq]

Her pulse froze for a moment as Aerious knelt before her, his hands so very warm wrapped about her own. He had a curious ability to make her feel like an immature fool one moment and a princess the next. Nayru realized a few moments later that she was smiling, awkward and unsure, her cheeks flushed. It continued as her companion spoke, and so she listened to him while looking anywhere else. "Much to learn indeed." She didn't like not being in full control of her emotions, but it seemed that being around another dragon, having finally found a companion, had loosened the gates somewhat. If only she had actually been able to deal with these emotions in the first place.

Nayru forced herself into the present, focusing on her companion's words. It seemed that he had somewhat misunderstood her relationship with the mortal from earlier. "I only met them today, and have not interacted enough with any of the three yet to be sure, but - there are flickers." And a grouchy as hell swordsman who seemed determined to take the art of alternating openness and aggression to a new level, and the wyvern rider who gave her just the slightest unpleasant premonition she couldn't explain, and a girl too idealistic for her own good with a penchant for crash landings. "Flickers of hope tempered by a lack of common sense so absolute that even my own... occasional... lapses in judgment pale in comparison." She couldn't hold back this smile, either; it was as genuine as the last time, but instead of being mixed with confusion and awkwardness, it spoke of quiet laughter she was struggling to keep inside. "I have never crash-landed a pegasus before, but it is an experience as profound as one's first flight." Nayru snorted, amused at how little of that experience she could convey.

"I had actually intended to leave them during the night, but - perhaps I will spend the night here, with them, and have a more satisfactory answer for you in the morn. They are a curious group, but certain of them have piqued my interest. It grows late tonight, but tomorrow we have much to discuss about exactly how to realize this fanciful dream - you mentioned how long it may take, but if we are to forge this world into something greater, many other materials will be needed."

It had been a long time since she had traveled anywhere with another dragon, no matter how short the difference. Nayru swallowed down the lump in her throat, remembering the last time she had gone anywhere with another dragon. The memories were ancient, but the emotion attached to them was as fresh as the day it was born, the warmth of that situation still lodged firmly in her mind. She had never had many friends, her own fault more than anyone else's - but perhaps Aerious would be willing to fill that role.

If only the last person she had been privileged to call friend had shared her dream, how different her life might have been.

[Aerious]

Aerious nodded at her assessment. "That would seem a wise choice. And if you doubt what they could grow into, one day I must tell you a story of Rayl of Lycia. Now their greatest knight, but when I first met him, naught but a cowardly and traitorous drunk. People are capable of amazing growth, but they need to find it themselves. Some just take longer then others."

He looked at the spire once again, before glancing back to her. "I'm going to stay here for a bit more, I have some thinking to do. I will meet you after sunrise, I do not imagine you and your companions will be too difficult to find."

What a utopian thing, to have a purpose again. To have a reason to continue, to fight. It had been so long since he'd had a cause, he almost forgotten what it meant. But now, it was time to continue the fight. Time to resume where he'd left off so long ago.

And when they were done, perhaps this world would be better off for everyone involved.

"Good night, Nayru. And try not to be too hard on them, they are only human." He said, waving her off as he remained by the darkened spire of earth.

[Nayru Al-Saiduq]

"Endless potential - for both good and evil." Nayru chuckled lightly, trying to imagine the story of Rayl and how her friend had convinced himself to deal with the drunk at all; Aerious had not stuck her as exceptionally patient with humans so far, though there was a gentleness to him buried beneath the crusted layers of hatred that she had been privileged to glimpse over the course of the evening. "It is easy to forget, sometimes, that I cannot force people to change. They must do it on their own. I know it intellectually, but emotionally it is a truth that sometimes emotion pushes aside." She paused for a moment, remembering the last time she had tried to force someone to change - and how she had lost a friend because of it.

The shadows in her eyes as she turned away were hidden by the darkness of the night, memories she had hoped to leave forever forgotten surfacing once more from the vault. It was going to be an interesting evening if she didn't manage to get control of her emotions, Nayru realized. She would have to find somewhere outside the stifled tavern to rest and collect her thoughts for some time before the morning. Sleep could come later, if at all.

A small part of her wondered how exactly the other dragon knew where they were staying, but suspected that he intended to sense her essence flow, the same way she had recognized his nature earlier. It did provide a useful tool for finding other dragons in human holdings without doing anything too ostentatious. Nayru smiled lightly, letting out a snorted breath that might have grown into laughter had it not been stifled shortly afterwards. "If you see any pegasus-shaped holes in a roof, we'll probably be there. Good night, Aerious. Dream well."

Definitely no double meanings there.

Fin~