Chapter 63

Ayla gasped and took two steps back.

"What are you doing?" she asked, feeling her cheeks turn red.

"She and her half have not completed the bond," Ayla heard the dragons that sniffed her say. "They have shared pleasure, but they are yet to complete their bond. The Peace-Bringer is not fully Awakened. That's why our powers are still dormant."

"Peace-Brinker, you must complete the bond! You have to become one in body, mind, heart, and soul with your half! The time is short, and the seven undead brothers are looking for the lost temple of the gods."

The more the dragons spoke, the more confused Ayla got. What half were the dragons talking about?

"I don't understand what you are talking about," Ayla said.

"Fire, Water, Spirit, and Darkness, the four elements of the Void, will have to look for the four ancient artifacts of the gods. Without these artifacts, they will not enter the Valley of Adanoss. For it is in this Valley that the lost temple of the gods is. Only Fire, and Water, and Spirit, and Darkness can open the sealed door of the temple. While inside the temple, the four elements should never trust the Shadows, for they want to stop anyone that dares to enter the temple. The last chamber where Uzriel is can only be opened by the blood of the seven stones–Sapphire, Topaz, Emerald, Obsidian, Kyanite, Garnet, and Moonstone.

The Avatar of Inoss and Avatar of Adanoss with become one, and they shall defeat the Avatar of Beliar.

After the Avatar of Beliar is defeated, the four elements of the Void, the seven stones, the Avatar of Inoss, and the Avatar of Adanoss will have to go to the Halls of Darkness. There they will find Beliar. Fire, Water, Spirit, Darkness, and the two Avatars will become one, and they shall defeat Beliar, sealing him forever.

And then Peace will reign on Aylarra.

This is the prophecy we received a thousand years ago."

Ayla's head was spinning. The words of the dragons made no sense to her. She had so many questions; she didn't know what to ask first.

After a few moments of thinking and looking at the dragons, Ayla finally asked, "Who is Uzriel?"

"The Avatar of Adanoss," the answer came from one of the dragons.

"And the Avatar of Inoss?"

"The Avatar of Inoss is the last of his name. He who has the blood of the first Paladin flowing through his veins. He who has entered the Sea of the Fire and the Fire did not burn him but embraced him. He who has submerged under the Water but the Water did not drown him. He who the Darkness swallowed, but did not corrupt him, and the Darkness became part of him. He who the Spirit is his constant companion. He who has lost his soul but found it again. He who is loved both by Inoss and Adanoss and is the very essence of Aylarra. He and only he can fight Beliar and seal him back into the Void."

Ayla's head was spinning more than ever. The more the dragons spoke, the more confused she became.

"But if the seven undead brothers get to Uzriel first, then all is lost!" one dragon said.

"Can't you stop them?" Ayla asked.

"Not without our powers," the answer came a second later.

When Ayla was about to ask more questions, she felt an evil presence. When she looked around to see what that presence was, to her shock, she saw two Dark Mages–an older man with white hai, and a young woman with red hair. They were advancing fast, coming towards Ayla.

The dragons roared in anger.

"A Dark Master and his apprentice! Do not let them touch you, Peace-Bringer!"

"Leave this place, servants of the Darkness!"

"We don't have enough power to cast them away! Get away from here, Peace-Bringer!" Ayla heard the voices of the dragons in her mind.

Ayla ran, but the Dark Master appeared right in front of her. She could not avoid the collision.

She was about to fall on her back when the Dark Master put his palms against her temples. Ayla felt as if her head was being split in half. She screamed in agony. The Dark Master was in her memories, searching, seeing, observing.

While the Dark Master searched her mind, Ayla could hear the roars of fury coming from the dragons. She put her palms against his wrists and tried to pull the Dark Master's hands away from him, but he was so much stronger.

When Ayla thought she would die because of the pain, the Dark Master took his hands away, looked at the woman, and said, "She is the one we have been looking for. Bring her to me."

Even if the Dark Master let go of her, Ayla still felt as if her head was split in half. The world around her was turning black when she heard the dragons for the last time, "Now he knows who you are. He will not rest until he gets you. Complete the bond with your half! Only then you will be safe from the Dark Master!"

Ayla woke up gasping for air. Her head was pounding so hard she could not think because of the pain.

"T'xoria! What's wrong?" she heard Rhobart asking her.

"My head! Hurts!" Ayla managed to say between waves of pain. Tears were coming down her cheeks. Ayla couldn't even keep her eyes open because of the pain.

The amulet of her mother was hot against her skin. She wanted to take it off, but she remembered that her grandmother said that the amulet would protect her. Moments later, it cooled down.

She felt it when Rhobart picked her up in her arms. He started walking as fast as he could, leaving the room behind.

"I am taking you to Milton! Just bear it until we get there!"

Ayla put her cheek against his chest and tried to breathe, but it hurt too much.

"Rhobart! Please hurry! It hurts too much!"

After what felt like an eternity to Ayla, Rhobart got to Milton's room. He didn't even bother knocking on the door as the King entered directly.

"Milton! I need you! Wake up!" Rhobart said in a loud tone.

Ayla heard the Fire Mage moving in the bed. She still couldn't open her eyes.

"What time is it?" Milton asked.

"Just get up! Ayla is in great pain, and I need you to help her!" Rhobart said in a desperate tone.

"Put her here!" the Fire Mage said, and Ayla felt it when Rhobart put her on top of a bed.

She grabbed Rhobart's hand and did not let go. She needed to feel him as close as possible. To her relief, Ayla's relief Rhobart sat next to her and stroked her arm up and down. It soothed her.

"What happened?" Milton asked.

"We were sleeping when Ayla suddenly woke up, crying and saying her head hurts very bad."

"Ayla? I am going to ask you a few questions," Milton said. "Try answering them if you can."

Ayla nodded.

"Has your head hurt like this before?"

"No," Ayla said. "Can you give me something? It hurts too bad!"

"Give her something for the pain! You can ask your damn questions later!" Rhobart said in an angry tone.

"To give her something, I need to know what caused the pain," Milton said.

The dream she had before came into Ayla's mind, but she could not remember all of it, just fragments of it.

"I was dreaming about some dragons and a temple. And something about a prophecy, But I can't remember everything," Ayla said. "Then someone appeared, and he put his hands on my head, and I felt only pain."

"Sometimes dreams can be very vivid," Milton said. "It can explain the pain you are feeling. I will give you a potion that will take the pain and help you sleep."

Moments after Ayla drank the potion, she felt the pain fading away, and she fell asleep.