XI - Ferrum's Beginning

Ferrum was in that place again. This time he was with the dragon face to face.

"So your name is…?"

"You moron. You had that vision and you still fail to recognize my name?" The dragon shot back.

"Sirafuem, huh? So what are you? The Dragon of Light?"

"Dragon of Apex Light. That was my father's mantle. I am Apex Light."

"Apex… light?"

"The light of the supreme. I rule the element of light and those that are worshiped in it. The light is my domain."

"But doesn't the Drake of Golden Dawn rule the light too? How can you rule a territory that a Great One possesses as well?"

Sirafuem looked at Ferrum and shook his head.

"So it's official."

Ferrum tilted his head in confusion, not knowing what Sirafuem meant.

"What is official?"

Sirafuem looked at his hands before down at Ferrum.

"Ferrum, would you believe me if I said I was once a Great One but I had been forcefully forgotten in history?"

Ferrum held his chin and scratched his head. Sirafuem looked at him, waiting for an answer.

"I do not but I do at the same time. It is possible for someone to be forgotten in history, but a Great One, I will need proof."

"Is that so?"

Sirafuem closed his eyes and turned around.

"Ferrum, I have a proposal for you."

Ferrum tilted his head.

"What is it?"

"I will lend you my power, show you how to use it, make it yours and in return, you will help me have my Legend recognized once more."

"Is that really what you want?"

"I cannot accept my end. I was betrayed by those I trusted. My friends became enemies and my enemies became my allies. If I was not saved by the Phoenix I would've ceased to exist."

"Phoenix?"

Sirafuem glanced at Ferrum and a small Phoenix appeared in his hand.

"Yurigan, the Phoenix that resides in your sister, Zera. This is the remnant that revived me when I was near the brink of death."

"Brink of death?" Ferrum was surprised. He could never imagine that a dragon who claimed to be a Great One was near the brink of death.

"How is that possible? Aren't you a supposed Great One?"

Sirafuem smashed the ground and leaned in closer to Ferrum.

"Even Great Ones can die! I so happened to be bested by another dragon."

"And that is?"

Suddenly a massive figure loomed behind Sirafuem and Sirafuem's body glowed incandescently.

"The Dragon of Eternal Punishment. Starstorm."

The figure would be a dragon with colossal sized wings. Though it was a statue, it looked as if it was alive.

"Starstorm? I have heard of him in stories. He was the supposed hero of the old war between the Great Ones."

Sirafuem growled as he turned and swiped at Starstorm's statue. The statue shattered into pieces.

"He is no hero! He has no honor! No integrity! He struck me down when he claimed to be a bystander! When I see him once more, he will feel my wrath!"

The area lit up brightly and became a sea of blue fire.

"So, what do you say?" Sirafuem asked, turning around.

Ferrum pondered about it, taking a while to make a decision. Soon, he made up his mind.

"I still need a bit more convincing. I do not trust that you are a Great One yet. However, I do know this. You are definitely what you say you are."

"So you agree with my proposal." Sirafuem asked and Ferrum nodded.

"Yeah."

Sirafuem stood up straight and chuckled.

"So it begins."

Sirafuem infused light into one of his hands and pierced his own chest, ripping his heart out.

"This is the ritual. You will have my heart, I will have your body when the situation is too much for you. We will be one."

Ferrum stared at the heart before approaching it. When Ferrum touched the heart, it turned into particles which would course into his chest.

Then his vision faded.

When Ferrum opened his eyes, his body was drowned in fatigue and pain. He was bare naked and he had chains holding him down. As he lifted his head, he saw bars and Gerald sitting in a chair, napping.

"Ge-Gerald?"

Gerald woke up and when he saw that Ferrum was awake, he quickly panicked and fled up the stairs.

"W-wait…"

After a while, Gerald came back with Cerana and Eranheart.

"Look who is awake." Eranheart smiled. Cerana clutched her spear, ready to fight.

Seconds later, Mairi appeared from the stairs.

"What shall we do with him, Lady Yoshida?" Cerana asked.

"Leave us. I will speak to him personally."

Everyone looked at each and nodded as they took their leave.

"Lock the door when you leave." Mairi said before they left.

Eventually, it was just Ferrum and Mairi. Mairi took in a deep breath as Ferrum stared at her.

Mairi took a step forward, approaching the bars. Suddenly, she phased past the bars and was now in the same domain as Ferrum.

"Ferrum, I had a vote with my people. They have decided they want you executed." Mairi said, Ferrum looking down at the ground in shame.

"Did… anyone die?" Ferrum asked, worried that that was the reason.

"Fortunately, no. Only a few were injured, but their injuries were minor. However, they want you gone because of the destruction you caused. Believe it or not Ferrum, but us Mythics, we are feared because of our power and we have been discriminated against because of that. Mythics like us need protection and that is what the Adventurer's committee is for. They protect us from those that want to discriminate against us, abuse us, and kill us. They cannot lay hands on you, but if you had not been an Adventurer and was an outsider, you'd have been stomped and beaten. You are lucky I took your side."

The jail cell was silent. Ferrum felt shame and guilt for what he did. Mairi noticed that Ferrum felt despair and she approached him.

"So what happens to me now? Are you going to execute me publicly?"

Mairi crouched and lifted Ferrum by his chin. She stared into his eyes before smiling.

"No, I'm going to exile you."

Suddenly the chains that held Ferrum shattered. Mairi placed down Ferrum's clothes and the two met eyes.

"Ferrum, I apologize for not helping you because of my busy schedule. Since the people want you gone, you will disappear. Luckily, my father returns in 2 days and I plan to leave this village for good. I am going to move to the capital where work over there pays well and I am going to bring you along. My brother will be visiting this afternoon to give us our new identification cards. He has been sent here because of the commotion we caused two weeks ago. He said he wants to meet you."

Ferrum, still confused, watched as Mairi phased through the jail cell and walked up the stairs. Then she stopped and said one more thing.

"Before he arrives, I should tell you this. He is a Mythic, and his Myth is a Legend."

Mairi left and Ferrum stared at his clothes and his blade. He huddled into a corner, reflecting on his actions and preparing himself.

"Another Legendary Myth. How fortunate."

After a few hours, the door opened again and entering the room was Mairi and a tall man, donning dark wicked armor.

"So this is the dragon that wreaked havoc in my hometown?" The man asked and Mairi nodded.

"Yes. This is him."

The man approached the jail cell and took a look at Ferrum. He looked at him from head to toe before staring at his chest.

"Your heart. It's not human." The man asked. Ferrum recalled when he had touched Sirafuem's heart. He did not know that his heart would become Sirafuem's.

"So it's true. You are alive." A different voice spoke, coarse and deep.

"What?" Ferrum was puzzled. He did not understand what he meant by that.

"Ferrum, I want to speak with your Myth. Can he come out?"

Ferrum tilted his head in confusion until a voice spoke in his head.

'Let me speak. I know that voice.' Sirafuem's voice echoed in his head.

'Wait, you can communicate with me like this.' Ferrum though in his mind and Sirafuem chuckled.

'You have lots to learn. Now will you kindly let me take over.'

Ferrum hesitated for a moment but eventually gave in.

Ferrum's eyes and chest began to glow an incandescent blue. His body limped for a moment before standing up normally.

"How long has it been since we last met, Sirafuem?" The man said, his eyes glowed white and chest shimmered scarlet red.

"Hard to say. It's been eons since we last saw each other, and many more since we've clashed, Eriact."

The two chuckled and Eriact held onto the bars.

"You lost your footing. I still can't believe my sister beat you in a fight." Eriact taunted, looking at Mairi.

"Your sister?" Sirafuem glanced at Mairi as her eyes glowed scarlet red and her chest violet.

"Brother, let's make this professional." Mairi said, her voice turned to Rashakane's.

"I apologize. Still, it's been many years. I heard you were slain and forgotten." Eriact resumed.

"I was. Luckily Yurigan saved me before I was taken by the reaper."

"Ah. Las. He is no longer the Reaper of the Fallen. He is now the God of Ashen Hell."

"And what of Acceral?"

Eriact remained silent and Sirafuem glared at him.

"Acceral has become a Grand Wyvern, but that is all I know. Since I had been slain during the war, I have been traveling as a ghost. It wasn't until the first Mythic was born that I adopted a human body. The process was complex and apparently, if your Mythic is not compatible with your spirit, they will collapse. My host is compatible with me however and so is my sister's host."

"When Mairi first awakened me, she had trouble controlling my powers. Eriact's host awakened right after me. He was the one that stopped my rampage." Rashakane added.

"Anyway, when I was a spirit, it turns out we have been marked as evil. Our Legends are worshiped but it is mostly corrupted with lies. However, it is not worse than yours." Eriact said, Sirafuem clenched his fist.

"So what now. I have heard that Rashakane's host will travel to the capital and that you will help us."

"Well, let's let them talk, shall we?"

The three nodded in unison and then everyone returned to their own bodies.

"I-I'm back?" Ferrum questioned.

"You'll get used to it. They do that sometimes." Eriact's host said.

"Anyway, before they wanted to interrupt us, I didn't introduce you to my brother." Mairi said.

"Ferrum, this is my brother, Belfest Yoshida, General Mythic of Ulram's Imperial Army. Belfest, this is Ferrum Vesper."

The two nodded. Belfest reached into his pocket and pulled out two cards.

"I believe these are yours." Belfest handed the cards to Mairi. Mairi thanked him before turning towards Ferrum.

"Sadly, you will have to be in here for a while, Ferrum. If anyone sees you, there will be complaints. When the time comes, I will come get you and then we may head out. Just be patient."

"I understand." Ferrum nodded.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Ferrum. I entrust my sister to you. We may cross paths in the future. Who knows?"

Belfest turned and left. Mairi smiled and nodded at him before following.

The rest of the day was Gerald and Cerana delivering food to Ferrum, silent the entire time they were there. The only person that still talked to him was Eranheart.

"Hmph, still can't believe you became a giant dragon." Eranheart said, munching on some candy.

"Well, I won't be doing that again, I can assure."

"Don't know about that. When I used to dedicate my studies to being an apothecary, I have seen accidental Mythicization."

"Mythicization?"

"Mythicization is when one transforms into their Myth. That's the term we use. Then there is Legendization."

"And what is that?"

"I don't know. It's related only to those that possess Legendary Type Myths. No one has ever seen such a thing happen but it's pretty much when one fully masters their Myth's powers. Not that anyone can do it anyway."

Eranheart leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling.

"I heard what Mairi is going to do with you and I have no problems with it. There is a reason she wanted to do it."

"What do you mean?"

"Her father was planning on making Mairi chief. Truth is, she doesn't want to be chief. Though she takes her duties seriously. Instead, Cerana will be taking over from now on."

"Really? What is her opinion?"

"Cerana was alright with it. She has been shadowing Mairi and her father ever since she met them. When you two are gone, this village will be under Cerana's watchful eye."

"Well glad to hear this village will be in good hands."

Eranheart yawned and got up from the seat. As he approached the stairs, he said one more thing.

"By the way, Cerana did have a message for you regarding you accompanying Mairi."

Eranheart cleared his throat and began imitating Cerana's voice and mannerism.

"Tell Ferrum that if I hear Mairi gets injured or does something to her, I will shove my spear down his throat, through his fucking as*****!"

Ferrum was speechless as Eranheart took his leave.The

When Eranheart left, Ferrum scratched his head, letting out a loud gulp.

"A-alright then."