Chapter 34: Fathers and other Dragons

As the dark shadows fell across Tomas' room. He rose from the bed. The sun had retreated under the cover of the dark night's sky. It was loaded with stars scattered and drawn up by a waning moon. Tomas turned abruptly toward the door and opened it slowly.

He glanced down the corridor. It was dark and empty.

"Yona?" he called softly.

She appeared as usual seemingly out of nowhere.

"What's wrong, Tomas?" she asked.

"I...uh, I need a candle for my room," he glanced back inside waywardly, "where can I get one?"

"I will bring one for you," Yona replied. She disappeared back into the shadowy hallway. A few moments later she return with a long candle holstered in a holder. Upon returning, she found Tomas not by the door but leaning against the open window frame inside. He was staring out with a forlorn gaze. His sad blue eyes slowly came back to her. She set the candle down on the bedside and turned to leave.

"Wait," Tomas said in a low voice.

Yona paused by the door to look back at him.

"Will you stay with me for a while?" Tomas asked quietly, "I don't feel so well,"

"Yes," Yona answered at once. She softly closed the door and stood by it rigidly like a statue.

Tomas let out a light chuckle, "Come here, I want to show you something," he gestured outside.

Yona obliged and came by the window.

"Do you see that star?" Tomas pointed up to a slightly reddish star above their heads. "My people call it the Ruby. Do you know why?"

"Because it is red?" Yona answered matter-of-factly.

Tomas smiled, "Yes it is, but that's not why."

"Then what is the reason?" Yona's eyes came down to Tomas. They were a similar shade of effervescent red. Tomas glanced down at them then back to the stars.

"Along time ago, a great dragon named Gangaro roamed the desert. He had a terrible appetite for all things of beauty. His favourite among his vast treasures was a collection of priceless shining rubies. He piled up rooms full of the red gem, but he feared greatly that someone might come and rob him of them. He tried to bury them in the sky so that no man nor beast might encroach upon his treasure. But the journey to the ethereal plain above was treacherous. The gods did not take kindly to his quest. In punishment for his greed and conceit, they struck him with a wicked curse. His great white wings shrivelled upon piercing the clouds and his golden scale became blood-red. All his thousands of rubies fell back to the earth and were crushed to dust."

"Then what happened to Gangaro?" Yona asked eagerly.

"What do you mean?" Tomas laughed. He turned back to the stars, "there he is right there. A great shining ruby,"

"Do you really believe that?" Yona said sceptically.

"It doesn't matter what I believe," Tomas said quietly, "the story is meant as a lesson. My father told me the story when I was a child. He told me if I go beyond the reach of our desert, the gods would punish me for my greed like Gangaro."

"Yet you still left," Yona remarked.

"Because Yona, the gods were unfair in their punishment of Gangaro. Was he really so wrong to want to protect what was his?" Tomas shook his head, " If so, then why were the gods themselves so greedy in preventing from him entering their realm? Weren't they the ones who gave him wings to fly in the first place?"

Yona's red eyes glittered with unusual passion. "So then, did you leave the desert to punish the gods or to punish your father?"

"It wasn't about punishing anyone," Tomas smiled sadly, "It was about being free. I didn't want to be controlled by anyone ever again. The gods gave me wings, so I should fly, don't you think?"

Yona's blank expression showed a flicker of hesitation, "Even if you get punished for it?"

"What can any man really do to punish another man? He can tear at his flesh, but can he really reach his soul?" Tomas said slowly.

"You are talking with words. Human words that know nothing of real fear or pain," Yona turned away, "Demons have no use for a soul. We take what we want and that is the end of it,"

"And what is it that you want, Yona?" Tomas met her gaze unflinchingly.

"What I want?" Yona faltered. "I don't know,"

"Think hard, Yona," Tomas tapped the frame lightly, "This will be the only time I ever ask you,"

Yona glanced up apprehensive, "what do you mean by that?"

"Tell me what you want, Yona," Tomas repeated.

Yona shifted uncomfortably as her eyes panned down to the floor then back slowly back up to Tomas, "I...want....you,"

"Me?" Tomas looked at her uncomfortably, " to kill me?"

"No," Yona shook her head forcefully, "I want...to love you. I want to be loved by you,"

For a moment Tomas was quiet. "How can you love me if you don't have a soul? Or is it that you mean you'll just take what you want even if I refuse?"

Yona's eyes widened and her lips parted but she could not speak. Tomas returned his gaze back outside. Yona grabbed his wrist with a trembling hand.

"I would never," she uttered in a barely audible whisper, "but can't you at least let me try to love you?"

Tomas glanced down at the pale hand wrapped around his, then back to Yona who was staring at him ardently.

"It's not like I can stop you," Tomas remarked coolly, "but I wonder what is that you like about me, Yona. We don't match at all. Shouldn't you find someone more suitable?"

"Suitable?" Yona blinked slowly, "you mean because I am a demon?"

"No," Tomas scoffed, "because you are beautiful, powerful and better at everything you do. Whereas I am not particularly handsome, nor talented. I talk too much, I'm loud and I'm petty. I couldn't think of a worse match than you and I,"

"Are we a bad match because you don't want me or is that you think I don't really want you?" Yona returned.

"You don't have to say it so bluntly," Tomas shrugged, "I just... find it hard to believe,"

At that moment, Yona pulled Tomas forward with a sharp yank. He tumbled forward from the window. She laced her hands around his neck and kissed him intensely and passionately. Tomas step back startled.

"Well, is it real or not?" Yona asked with unusual impatience.

"I.." for once, Tomas was speechless. He swung around and turned his face from her into the cold night air. Yona followed him apprehensively.

"Tomas?"

He instantly held up a hand covering his face, but his cheeks were bright red.

"Are you ill?" Yona enquired.

"No...not ill," he said still covering his face, "I...er...just give me a second. I can't speak when you're right there,"

"What are you talking about? We've been speaking this whole time,"

"Ah, I know," Tomas gave a weak smile and turned back around, "I'm just not good at this stuff. So....you like me?"

"Yes, you believe me now?" Yona asked with some of her composure returning.

"I do," Tomas answered slowly, "...which makes what I'm about to do that much harder,"

Before Yona could answer, he unfurled his fist and blew the herbs into the air. Yona stumbled back in surprise. Tomas caught hold of her as her head tilted back and her eyes closed. He lay her down gently upon the bed with one more glance back. Then turning swiftly, he flew out into the open night air.

This time, he didn't land on the ground below but took off high into the air surveying the mansion below. Beyond the borders of the stately garden, he could see a row of fields disappearing beyond the dark horizon. He turned to the other side of the manner. Again it was just more fields and forests. However, just as he was about to turn once more, from the corner of his eye he saw a white pillar staunchly oppressing its surroundings to the East. He shot off towards it without a moment's hesitation.

As Tomas soared through the night air, an oddly shaped cloud appeared blocking his view. He at once stirred away only to encounter another. Tomas stopped abruptly to inspect it. It was a dark and dense, opaque shape floating in the air. Suddenly, Tomas realised it was not a cloud at all. The strange form began to expand. With a pop, they burst open like an explosion. Tomas was unceremoniously thrown back to the ground. He managed to just about bolster his fall, but the impact sent him off balance and he roughly tumbled across the field below.

Just as he began to rise, he sensed a presence suddenly in front of him. However, before he could even look up, he was savagely kicked back. He hit the ground with a slam. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. His eyes came up slowly as he shuddered against the ground writhing in pain.

"Oh dear," came a voice, "looks like your parents never told you that no means no, huh kid?"

Tomas met the general's fierce red eyes with a pain-filled gasp. He forced a wryly smile, "actually, that's all they knew how to say. Also, I'm not a kid!"

"Oh really?" Ace replied flatly, "but you look like a kid to me,"

He yanked Tomas up by the throat, "Flirting with Yona then stealing off into the night? Seems like a kid to me,"

"What?" Tomas exclaimed, "Is Yona your daughter or something?"

"Well, I raised her," Ace tilted his head back with severe glare, "I guess that makes her my daughter,"

"But she calls you master!" Tomas protested.

"Because she's a little fool and so are you," Ace threw Tomas to the ground.

"And I thought my parents were bad," Tomas coughed, "So you're angry because I kissed Yona?"

"You kissed Yona?" Ace stared down at him coldly.

Tomas flinched, "No, I didn't," he shook his head quickly, "I mean she kissed me but what does it matter! I'm leaving, just let me go and I won't bother her again!"

"Now, this is a problem," Ace remarked darkly, "see, I was a bit annoyed you ran off again, but now you've actually made me angry. And I don't get angrily easily. No, this doesn't sit right at all. I was going too easy on you, but I've changed my mind."

Tomas's eyes narrowed as he leapt back. He threw out his hand and a ripple of wind rushed towards the general. Instead of evading, the general simply held up his hand. He was pushed back slightly under the intensity of Tomas' magic, but eventually, every ounce of magic was swallowed up. The general raised an eyebrow then uttered with irritation:

"Didn't Errik tell you that your magic won't work on me?"