9 Belief and Resolve

Akai flew over to Mt. Geolith. There were no other dragons, there. No dragon would actually be there, unless called by another. The icy winds blew at Akai's dragon form as he swept in to land. He perched himself on the mountain and gave a call to the skies. A call that would bring the remaining ancient dragons to his location.

He waited there for some time and the three ancient dragons, Azor, Aquis, and Kytlmyne arrived one after the other.

"I haven't heard from Jezeboyah. What happened?" Azor asked.

"Jezeboyah... is dead." Akai replied in a sorrowful tone.

The ancient dragons lowered their heads in anguish. "That is most unfortunate," Kytlmyne said, "Please tell us the details of your task."

Akai explained to the three about his adventure into Troll's cave and about how Jezeboyah destroyed a nearby town.

"That doesn't sound like Jezeboyah to me" Aquis said "Are you sure it was him?"

"Absolutely. He told me that his mind was reverting back to that of an animal. He also told me that this... degeneration will come to all of us with age," Akai told them.

"I don't feel any animalistic urges. Do you, Kytlmyne? Aquis?" Azor asked to the other ancient dragons. They shook their heads.

"Maybe, it won't happen today, but I'm sure that it will come in the future for all of us. Jezeboyah killed innocent women and children. That is an act he never would forgive, let alone act."

"Tell me," Kytlmyne replied having a hard time believing in Akai, "How did our old friend die?"

Akai paused and looked away for a second. Then, he looked at them and replied "I had to kill him."

The other dragons gasped in surprise. "I had no choice. He was about to kill a young boy. I had to do something," Akai continued. The other dragons looked at each other and then back at Akai.

"Please. I know that what I have done is a crime against nature. Killing an ancient dragon and somebody... I felt close to." Akai paused thinking back to the one who raised him when no other dragon took him in. He pleaded to the other dragons. "You can decide any punishment that you see fit, but I'm begging you to look into -"

"I have heard enough." Kytlmyne interrupted. "I don't believe there is any such thing as this... degeneration of our minds. I am still able to control my animal urges. As for you, young Akai. Perhaps Jezeboyah did go mad and destroy a village."

He paused. "Or perhaps you did." Akai's eyes widened at the accusation in fear. Kytlmyne, ruler of the forests, continued while the other two ancient dragons listened. "You're 200 years old. Young for a dragon. You may not have full control of yourself and you killed our good friend because of your lack of control."

"I-I would never try to hurt Jezeboyah! He was like a father to me!" Akai started to sweat. He knew what he saw and the others didn't believe him.

"Kytlmyne, if what you say is true, then how would this small dragon be able to defeat the ruler of volcanoes?" Aquis asked.

Akai relaxed, thinking that at least one of them believed him.

"It is as young Akai said. They were very close to each other. Jezeboyah may have been soft for the child. In that case, if Akai did try to kill our friend on purpose or otherwise, Jezeboyah wouldn't retaliate in full force. I believe that our friend wouldn't have tried to harm his precious pet."

"Pet!?" Akai yelled. His yellow eyes turned to fury. "He would never think of me as some pet!" he said in rage while small breaths of fire spat out with each word. Veins began to pop being shown from his scales.

"See. This young dragon has no control over himself. He gets angered too quickly." Kytlmyne said.

At this moment, Akai realized what became of him and relaxed himself.

"He does seem quick to anger. Maybe, it was too early to trust a task to him. Perhaps, we will never know what happened at that cave." Azor said to the other ancient dragons. The ancient dragons looked at Akai, then they huddled together whispering among themselves.

Akai's face showed worry and fear. "At least believe me on the degeneration. You three are the wisest of all dragons. You three would be able to find some way to stop it if you worked together"

"Silence!" Kytlmyne yelled. "We will decide later what your punishment is for killing our friend."

As he said this, the ancient dragons began to flap their wings. They started to fly off of the ground.

"Please, believe me. You three are the also the oldest. You will be the first affected by it!" Akai plead, but the other dragons didn't listen as they flew away from Mt. Geolith.

Akai still perched on the mountain. They didn't believe in any degeneration in their minds. Akai began to cry alone on top of the mountain. He didn't care what punishment they would deal to him, but the fact that the three remaining ancient dragons didn't believe him hardened a heavy stone casing around his heart. His tears stopped flowing. He realized crying wouldn't be able to save anybody. He wanted to save the remainder of the dragons, but he didn't know how.

He then thought back to the village burning by Jezeboyah. It could have been much worse, if he hadn't shown up. The ruler of volcanoes was not just any title. He could ravage entire lands in lava. Erupt volcanoes all across the continent of Shieldrake. What he saw was only a fraction of a fraction of what the ancient dragon could do.

He looked back towards where the other ancient dragons stood. There was nobody there, but he imagined what destruction they could cause if their minds began to degenerate.

He imagined Aquis, ruler of the seas, drowning the land and then freezing it to cause an Ice Age. Azor, ruler of the skies, spitting fire from heights that no other living being could ever fly to, burning the continent without any way to stop him. Kytlmyne, ruler of the forests, controlling the plants to overrun cities and him above burning whatever is left.

The power that only one of them has could cause destruction enough to wipe out life not just on the continent, but on the entire world.

Akai flew to the tip of the mountain and looked above at the stars. The sky was beautifully lit. His yellow eyes gleamed brighter than any of the stars as his resolve strengthened. His resolve to save the world.