Memories of the past - Chapter 3

At the dawn of the world, in the era known as the "Age of Origin," the first races emerged, among them, the noble lineage of dragons. Within this ancient race, three lineages are distinguished: the beast-type dragons, whose behavior resembles that of wild beasts; the draconic, possessing a form reminiscent of humans and elves, retaining some characteristic traits of dragons; and finally, the ancients, a mysterious and powerful caste of which little is known.

The great disease dragon, although belonging to the beastly lineage, is endowed with exceptional intellect, placing it in the category of intelligent beasts.

Five hundred years ago, amidst the Great War ravaging the continent, the Disease Dragon appeared for the first time. In those times, kingdoms clashed in a fierce struggle, the sky poured blood, the earth shook, and death ruled the battlefield. In this scene of despair, it emerged from the bowels of the earth like a demon from hell itself, engulfed in purple flames.

The Disease Dragon emerged amidst the combatants, its arrival marked by a roar that pierced the bones of those who heard it. The battle turned into a living hell, fire covered the field, and despair seized everyone. By the time they realized its presence, it was already too late.

As the Disease Dragon advanced, death spread around it. The purple flames were not mere fires; they carried a plague that devoured life itself. Soldiers, both friends and foes, fell prey to a disease that corroded their bodies and souls. Desperation and terror spread, and resistance crumbled before the dragon's unstoppable march.

Amidst the flames and destruction, a group of brave heroes attempted to confront it. Wizards and warriors, armed with ancient artifacts and powerful spells, joined forces in a desperate attempt to stop the calamity the Disease Dragon brought with it. However, their efforts were in vain. The creature seemed invulnerable, its cold and calculating intellect surpassing any tactic mortals could devise.

The dragon was not merely a beast; it was an intelligent and ruthless entity, aware of its power and the chaos it unleashed. Its eyes gleamed with ancestral malevolence, a reflection of ages of suffering and destruction. It was not just a battle; it was a massacre, a reminder of humanity's insignificance against the primordial forces of the world.

Finally, the dragon disappeared as abruptly as it had arrived, leaving behind a battlefield covered in corpses and ashes. The few survivors scattered, carrying with them stories of horror and warnings for future generations. The Disease Dragon became a legend, a shadow lurking in the darkest corners of collective memory.

The dragon had not been seen since, but its legacy endured. Every time its name was mentioned, a shiver ran down the spines of those who heard it. It was a reminder that, in the vast and dangerous world, there were powers beyond human understanding and control.

The Disease Dragon disappeared for five hundred years, leaving a legacy of terror and desolation in its wake. However, peace did not last. As a harbinger of the coming calamity, the dragon emerged once again, this time in the realm of Mythrandor. Its awakening was as sudden as it was devastating, announcing its presence with a new wave of purple fire and pestilence. The kingdom, still scarred by wars of the past, was plunged once again into chaos.

The king of Mythrandor, aware of the imminent danger, wasted no time. He quickly called upon all capable warriors and heroes to fight. The situation was dire: just like five hundred years ago, the dragon awoke in the midst of a war.

Among those who answered the king's call was Edmund, a brave and skilled noble. Edmund was known for his prowess in combat and sense of duty. He couldn't ignore the call, especially when the danger was so great. Alongside other brave souls, he headed towards the devastated area where the dragon had begun its attack.

The journey to the frontlines was a tense and silent march. The soldiers and heroes advanced with grim faces, aware of the magnitude of the challenge they faced. Upon arrival, they found a desolate landscape, reminiscent of tales from the ancient war: scorched earth, decaying bodies, and the air heavy with pestilence.

Edmund, seeing the horror the dragon had unleashed, understood the gravity of the situation. However, his determination did not waver. He organized his men, outlining a plan to confront the dragon. They knew they couldn't face it head-on and hope to survive; they had to be cunning and strategic.

Amidst the chaos, Edmund stood out, leading his men with bravery and wisdom. However, the Disease Dragon was a formidable adversary. Not only was it a creature of overwhelming physical power, but it also possessed an intelligence surpassing that of humans. Edmund and his men fought with all they had, but the purple flames and pestilence of the dragon decimated their ranks.

Despite their efforts, the tide of battle was against them. Edmund found himself face to face with the dragon, its eyes reflecting the same ancestral malevolence that had terrified ancient warriors. With a deafening roar, the dragon launched its attack, and Edmund, knowing his fate was sealed, made one last desperate attempt to wound the beast. In the midst of the battle, Edmund saw innocents trapped in the chaos. Without hesitation, he rushed to save them, standing between them and the dragon, sacrificing his own safety.

Edmund's sacrifice was not in vain. Although gravely injured, he managed to inflict significant damage on the dragon, enough to make the beast momentarily retreat. However, victory came at a cost. Edmund, infected by the dragon's plague curse.

In the darkest moment, when all seemed lost, a powerful wizard appeared to confront the dragon. With impressive power, the wizard managed to drive back the beast, forcing it to flee. This wizard was none other than Lucius, an old friend and comrade-in-arms of Edmund. Lucius arrived late to the battle, but his intervention was crucial in saving Edmund and preventing an even greater catastrophe.

The dragon disappeared again, and Lucius tried to pursue it, but he couldn't leave his friend to die alone on a battlefield where not a single soul remained.

Edmund was brought back to the kingdom in critical condition. All his battle comrades had fallen, and Edmund was left alone, with his days numbered.

Lucius remembered the past with painful clarity. He arrived late, too late. The image of his fallen comrades, charred and reduced to ashes, haunted him. The stench of burnt flesh and the acrid smell of death pervaded his memories. He felt weak, insignificant in the face of the overwhelming power of the Disease Dragon, a creature that mocked human frailty with every roar and every purple flame.

Scenes of agony replayed in his mind. Faces distorted in pain, bodies writhing under fire and poison. Lucius, surrounded by corpses and the battle's fire, felt powerless, falling to his knees. The dragon's sadistic laughter echoed in his ears, an infernal echo that haunted him even in his darkest dreams.

Despite having fought the dragon and repelled it, the weight of defeat crushed him. The souls of his comrades, trapped in the limbo of torment, haunted him. He would never forget that monster; he would never forget the visceral fear he felt, the sensation of having failed in his most sacred duty. His nightmares were filled with fire and blood, and every time he closed his eyes, he saw the dragon laughing, relishing in his suffering.

Seeing Adam smile again today, Lucius couldn't help but remember his friend Edmund, whom he couldn't save. The sad image of that day remained etched in his memory.

The image of Edmund, agonizing in his bed, remained vivid. Despite his pain, Edmund never stopped smiling.

[Edmund] - Don't make that face, Lu. My time is running out, and maybe I won't make it through today, so I don't want to see my friend sad, okay? - said Edmund with a weak but genuine smile. Lucius couldn't say anything. He felt it was his fault that Edmund was in that situation, although he knew Edmund didn't see it that way.

[Edmund] - Please, don't blame yourself for what happened that day. It's not your fault - continued Edmund, looking into Lucius's eyes and holding his hands with surprising strength for someone in his condition.

Lucius tried to smile, although inside he felt the pain and guilt consuming him as he watched his friend suffer.

Lucius looked at Edmund, trying to keep his composure. Tears threatened to escape his eyes, but he knew his friend didn't want to see his sadness.

[Lucius] - I promise I'll do everything I can to make your sacrifice not in vain. The dragon... I'll find a way to defeat it definitively.

[Edmund] - I know you will, Lu. You are stronger than you think. You always have been - Edmund replied with a smile, although his voice was beginning to weaken.

That was the last time he saw his friend. The next day, he passed away, but at least he didn't die alone like his comrades in a field of flames, but rather died alongside the person who mattered most to him.

[Lucius] - If only... I had arrived earlier... I could have saved them all... - whispered Lucius, his voice broken by sorrow, as Annet hugged him in silence.

Tears fell onto Lucius's face, his voice broken and a sorrow as heavy as a mountain in his heart. It was then that Annet, with a serene gesture, wiped away his tears and lifted his downcast face, forcing him to look at her. Her celestial eyes and a look of love and understanding were what Lucius found when he looked up at his wife.

Annet held Lucius's hands, which were as cold as a corpse, and with a soft and deep, and with a soft and deep tone, she spoke.

[Annet] - Lucius, darling... You can't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. What happened wasn't your fault. You did everything you could. Sometimes, even the strongest need to accept that they can't control everything.

Lucius closed his eyes, trying to contain the consuming pain.

[Annet] - Those who are gone, they know how much you loved them and how hard you fought for them. But now, you must allow yourself to heal. You're not alone in this. I'm here with you, and I always will be. Don't torture yourself anymore, please.

Lucius felt a slight comfort in Annet's words. The love and understanding in her voice began to calm his restless spirit. The darkness that surrounded him seemed less dense with each word she spoke.

[Annet] - We will live, my love. We will live for them and find a way to honor their memory. But first, you must forgive yourself. Only then can you find the peace you so desperately need.

Lucius opened his eyes, finding a ray of hope in his wife's gaze. His hands, though still cold, began to feel the warmth of Annet's love and support.

[Lucius] - Thank you, Annet. I'll try... I'll try to move forward.

Annet embraced him, and in that embrace, Lucius felt a renewed strength, knowing he wasn't alone in his struggle.

Once calmed, Lucius stood up from the ground. Annet, with a reassuring smile, took his hand and suggested they go back to their son.

[Annet] - And don't you think Adam and our little Neo get along well when you saw them? Even Adam was smiling.

[Lucius] - Now that you mention it, yes - replied Lucius, remembering how happy Adam looked with Neo.

Annet approached and, with a whisper in Lucius's ear, proposed something. Lucius's expression changed to one of joy, and they both nodded, as if they had come to an agreement without needing words.

[Lucius] - That's a great idea, Annet. Let's do it.

With a renewed spirit, Lucius and Annet walked together towards their son.

Neo in Adam's arms was still in the garden, they continued playing there. However, in Neo's mind, the question of how to get closer to Adam more bubbled, although he had already achieved some closeness. Remembering Adam's game with his brother in the past, Neo hoped that these moments of nostalgia could make Adam see him as a close bond, as an extension of those happy moments.

The loss of a loved one is inevitable, as is the longing to have them back. Adam's games with his brother brought memories of a past full of happiness. However, with his brother's departure, that happiness disappeared, plunging his world into darkness. But by reliving those sensations, the memory of a happy past in another, Adam could glimpse the possibility of light returning to his life.

It was a risky move by Neo. The possibility that Adam would wonder how a baby could know a game that only he and his brother shared could have ruined everything. But luckily, everything turned out well.

Using Adam's memories and nostalgia to create a bond was risky but promising for Neo. Although he has managed to establish some connection with Adam, he doesn't think it's enough. He knows he'll need something more for Adam to truly bond with him.