Guardians (working title)

Chapter 5
The morning after

Nelsara woke late into the next day. His headache was terrible but he couldn't really complain as it was self inflicted. He had vague memories of talking to various people and telling Detalani how much he loved her again and again. When he judged his head stable enough he turned to see if she was still in bed. She was, and still sleeping soundly. He turned around and curled into the shape of her body. She stirred ever so slightly, enough to turn and give him a kiss before she fell back into a peaceful sleep. Nelsara was soon soothed to sleep by her breathing and also fell into a restful sleep.
He knew as soon as he saw his surroundings that he was in a dream, it was as if he was seeing a warped version of Antua but even then something was not right. The large church of Kitar didn't pierce the skyline with its impressive stained glass steeple, in its place was a stone building which looked similar to the Feirionite churches. He was sitting on the wall of the church like building but no one seemed to notice him. The people he saw had no cat ears but no wings either. Maybe they were pure dragons who could turn into humanoids. He was not sure.
He got up off the wall and began to walk along the main street. Everyone had a strange translucent quality to them not quite enough to be ghostly but enough to be unsettling. He could see what he thought were shops, indeed a large shopping area practically hugged the church. He recognised some products such as food and clothes but other things he had no idea what they were. He could hear muffled conversations but the language sounded intricate and fast. Suddenly he saw a flash of red light. Its glow fed out through the crowd and when it reached him it was warm. It was coming towards him. A yellow light was nestled beside it. The crowd parted and suddenly he saw two women infused in the light. They seemed oblivious to it. As they got closer the light shrunk so it only sat in their hearts.

We see you.

Nelsara looked around. He couldn't see who had said it.

And you see us don't you. You see our light hidden away in these people.

It was the women, they had stopped and were chatting to each other and a man who's body held a blue light.

You must come to get us before its too late. We need help to know who we are.

How do I find you. Nelsara whispered.

Look for the hidden words The voices cooed. Its been right under your nose the whole time, you just have to look closer.

Nelsara stared. Where, where should I look.

Under your nose Nelsara, look under your nose.

He woke up suddenly. He could hear the voice whispering to him begging him to find them. He closed his eyes.

Show me show me where you are.

He heard a faint buzzing in the back of his head before it roared over him, the same pain, the same feeling as he had had twice in the woods. This time instead of the pain making him collapse it sucked him into his own head so he was looking through his own eyes like it was a mask. He felt himself get up and walk out of bed. He could see himself reaching for his robe and putting it on his body moving a woozy sluggish manner, his feet padded out in the snow and he was powerless to stop it.

You must find it. Time is running out. Its right under your nose Nel

He walked past the clearing where the tables and chairs were still set out and clean up had not started yet. He walked and walked until he reached a tree, a tree with his claw marks in it.

Its right under your nose Nel.

The voice repeated over and over and Nelsara felt his body kneel and bend forward. His hands clawed at the snow and the earth. He dug and dug until he found a small box. When he laid his hands upon the box his body was released.
He rushed home without opening the box. His feet were freezing by the time he got home but he was too excited to care. In his hand he could hold something important, something life changing. Something that could change the whole course of the future for everyone.
Imaraneth woke up and was immediately aware of the new surroundings. It wasn't until he felt the soft skin the elf that he knew where he was and what had happened in the early hours of the morning. He smile to himself as he stroked the soft brown hair of the sleeping elf. How could someone with so much energy sleep so peacefully. Sora was shorter than him and not as strong but that did not stop him from pinning the dragon down and ravishing him. Imaraneth had loved every second of it. He had not had much experience sexually and Sora was quite new to sex too but mere fact he worshipped Imaraneth made it all the better. Imaraneth felt intoxicated by the elf. Everything about him made Imaraneth thrum with wanting and need.
They had made love twice. The first time they had made love slowly taking their time to prepare each other. When Sora had finally entered his body he thought he would die from the pleasure. Sora was on top of him but they were facing each other unlike when he had mad love to Dreis. He was lying on his back looking up into Sora's soft brown eyes and was able to watch all the little changes in Sora's face as they found pleasure in each other. He loved watching Sora's face as it contorted with pleasure, Imaraneth followed not long after. For a long time they lay still, Sora still deep inside him before either had spoken or moved. In those moments Imaraneths thought he had fallen in love, just a little bit. The second time had been much more energetic with Sora gripping tight to Imaraneths hips as he slammed hard into Imaraneth, making the dragon cry out. They both collapsed after the second time feeling that all their energy had been drained. Before they could sleep they had to clean themselves up, another excuse to hug each other and explore each others body thoroughly with the added aid of soapy water in the shower. They had then fallen into bed and into a deep sleep.
Sora opened his eyes and smiled at Imaraneth before pulling the dragon in for a sleepy kiss.
“Morning Neth, How are you.”
Imaraneth smiled as Sora nuzzled his neck “I'm good. Feeling a bit tired though.”
“mmm me too.” Sora purred. “I've not had an energetic night like that for a while.”
Both laughed and then pulled each other close for a deep passionate kiss. Imaraneth felt himself stiffen again as he ran his hand along the soft skin of Soras body before stroking the feathers on Soras wings. The elf moaned into the kiss and pulled away. He began to kiss the dragons neck again , he had learned quickly what the dragon liked, he bit and sucked the skin on his neck while his hands found the dragons erection.
Imaraneth lay back flat on his back and let Sora carry on. “Your too good to me, you know that?”
He purred as Sora made his way down the dragons body. He was aware suddenly of someone shouting his name. He reluctantly told Sora to stop.
“I think someone is calling me.”
“But no one knows where you are.” Sora laughed reluctant to stop pleasuring the dragon. Imaraneth bit his lip. He didn't want Sora to stop either. Then he heard a buzzing from his trousers. He pulled out the communicator, the one piece of technology soldiers were forced to use so they could always be found. He reluctantly answered it.
“Yes!!!”
“Imaraneth, good. We went to your hut but we couldn't find you. Where are you?” It was Magda
“I stayed the night with Sora.” He whispered.
“Sora?”
“I met him last night.” Imaraneth said through gritted teeth. “Look whats going on?”
“Nelsara found something this morning. I'm heading for a meeting with Nanda about it.”
“Do I need to be there.” Imaraneth was aware of the hungry look Sora was giving him, the elf was behaving for himself for now but it was only a matter of time. He blew a kiss at him.
“Well no not really. But it would be good if you could be there. You are supposed to be on team. I know it was a late one last night but it won't take long.”
Imaraneth gave in. he hung up the phone and apologised to Sora, promising to see him later. He kissed the elf tenderly savouring the taste of him and not wanting to leave him. He headed out for the meeting the cold air doing a lot to sober him up.
When he reached the large meeting hall the air was alive with activity. Nelsara ran up to him. “Where have you been?” He squeaked. “We've been looking for you for ages.”
“Why what's happened?” Imaraneth said, he was starting to lose his anger at being torn for Sora's arms.
“I found something, I found a box, You know that tree I fell from it was under there.”
Imaraneth stared at him. “What was in it?”
Nelsaras eyes were sparkling with excitement, he held the dragons shoulders in a tight grip. “It was a book.”
Imaraneth felt his heart sink. “A book? Is that it.”
Nelsara looked annoyed. “What do you mean is that it.” He flicked his red braid back off his shoulders. “It was the book that was causing my painful headaches. If it was leaking that much magic then it must be something important.”
Imaraneth nodded. Nelsara's energy was infectious and Imaraneth found himself swept up with it. He followed Nelsara into the meeting room where the book sat on a low table near the wall. It didn't look like it was anything important. It had a dirty leather cover and the pages were held together with what looked like old string. Imaraneth stepped towards it confidently but his pace slowed when he felt the slow pulse in the air.
“Can..can I touch it do you think?” Imaraneth whispered as if the book could hear him. Nelsara nodded but he kept a respectful distance, and the dragon, between himself and the book. Imaraneth walked nearer and tentatively reached out his fingers. The book did nothing apart from giving out the same slow steady pulse like a massive heartbeat. He picked the book up and tenderly caressed its crumbling cover. He took a deep breath and opened the book inside were pages and pages of delicate writing and some sketches. Some of the words seemed familiar to Imaraneth but he could not read it.
“Do you know what it is.” He whispered to the Fierionite. Nelsara shook his head. “Nanda seems to think its a very old diary but he wouldn't say anything else. He just told us to find all the members of the group that are in charge of the elemental hunt.”
Imaraneth studied the pages closer. The drawings seemed to be of landscapes and animals but he wasn't sure what exactly they were. He could just about make out the words for haven and safety but the words were not Maspathe, just very similar. He gently closed the book and set it back down. Presently the rest of the committee entered and took their seats. Imaraneth chanced a glance at Dreis who smiled back at him though his eyes looked heavy. Hungover probably Imaraneth laughed to himself though he had a suspicion that Dreis had taken the end of their relationship a lot harder than he was letting on.
Nanda took the floor once everyone had settled. He held the book almost as if he believed it would shatter in his hands.
“The last piece of the puzzle.” He announced holding the book out so all could see it. “It was right under our noses the whole time.”
Nelsara laughed to himself at Nanda's choice of words. He was buzzing. From the way the gathered party were acting he could tell he had found something important.
“What we have here..or rather what we guess we have here is something rather special.” Nanda opened the book and began to read.
“For two days now we have been observing the inhabitants. They seem to be an overly superstitious lot believing that any little fluctuation in their day to day lives is caused by Gods. In the books they write we have found evidence that they seem to have knowledge of other races in the universe even though they have never seen any of them.”
Nanda turned a few pages.
“These people really do seem clueless to the power of the world around them. The races we viewed in the early stages of the planet did worship the elements but that seems to have paled away in the face of these dreamed up gods. The races seem to be suffering from their sundering from the rest of the universe. It is pitiful to see them pouring over books which were at one point written and past down by Peitras sons in an attempt to keep order but instead of uniting the peoples it has driven them farther apart. Oddly enough it is these things that makes this planet perfect for what we have planned.”
Nandas smiled was growing wider. Nelsara looked around the room everyone seemed to be sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for the part that they all knew was coming.
“For all this planet lacks in elemental power it makes up for in its knowledge of how to work its natural resources. However there is a downside to this. This planet has made the most destructive war machines the universe has ever seen and it uses these on its own inhabitants. Peitras dream seems to have gone astray.
I have asked myself many times whether it is a good idea to entrust our most sacred powers to a planet where they could be killed at any second or die due to pollution but still we must. It is the best place for them. Who would look here, on a planet with no ties to the element, for the elemental guardians.”
The atmosphere suddenly changed. Where once people were amused and maybe a little disgruntled at being dragged out of bed the morning after the winter festival now they were all excited. This was what they had been waiting for. They had spent ages pouring over magical texts and scrolls with not so much as a clue and suddenly all their answers popped up in a little tattered leather bound book. Plans had to be kicked into action, travel arrangements made and the last bits of training completed.