I stirred from a dreamless sleep and jolted awake feeling immediately the familiar sensation of being confined and constrained, a rather bothersome persistent and run of the mill situation for myself as of late. Before my eyes could adjust I flung my arms and sat upright with a start, like an animal that had yet to accept that the cage surrounding it was unbreakable regardless of how many times it has failed in the past... A reaction born of fear and well rehearsed by now, a rather depressing thing to think about, how this kind of thing was not unfamiliar to me. However, instead of the clatter of bone or searing pain I found my movements were not hindered for long and what had been binding me was thrown off easily. A flutter of brown fabric fluttered down and settled around my waist and soon after I was assaulted by the bitter sting of cold. A crackle of embers from a fire caught my adjusting eyes to the meager glow from a makeshift campfire just out of arms reach, most of the wood fuel already charred black.

 

All around was the stone walls of a cave dug into what I presume one of the taller mountains in this region. Now that I was awake and moving about I started to notice I was breathing more often and heavier with each breath, the air must be thin so thin that this entire area must be edging near three thousand meters above sea level. Just a guess, I wonder why such a specific number popped out of my head? Regardless, I wasn't acclimatized to this kind of environment. Considering how tired I was earlier, it's no wonder I passed out like a light for so long. I shook my head and rubbed the sand and sleep from my eyes with my thumb and index finger and as I did I thought, 'What now? What fine mess have you gotten yourself into this time?'

 

     “Fu fu fu~ Awake at last?” A voice called out from the darkness.

 

I shook violently and my body went tense and rigid, for a moment like a startled animal freezing in place hoping in vain the predator close by hadn't seen it yet. There certainly wasn't anywhere else to run. There was only one dark passageway leading from this little alcove deep within this cave. Most likely the exit and beyond that a sheer drop hundreds if not thousands of meters down.

 

     The unmistakable feminine voice trying to sound masculine called out again,“Fear not. For you shall not come to harm. You are in the presence of the safest place for leagues around.”

 

As she spoke her voice echoed off the walls. It was as though she was purposefully throwing her voice in an act of ventriloquism, but the more she spoke, the easier it was to home onto her location. Once she had spoke, I was distinctly aware of a presence nearby, like a pin prick under my scalp telling me danger was nearby. After her cryptic pseudo-introduction, she hadn't spoken another word. It felt as though she was waiting for something and even as the seconds ticked by, five then ten of them, she still said nothing.

 

     “Who are you?” I finally asked.

 

     As though waiting for just those exact words the voice from the darkness spoke up again with extra gusto, “I am the guardian of these mountains. I bring justice to evil and mercy for the innocent. A mighty rival to the immoral and guardian of the helpless...”

 

As her long winded speech droned on and on, singing her own praises in the most shameless and embarrassing way possible, I started to figure out the acoustics of the cave and my eyes adjusted more thoroughly, I spotted a looming silhouette hanging to the wall outside the sphere of light.

 

     “I am the bright burning flame underneath a shroud of wickedness blanketing the-”

 

     “Yeah yeah, you can hurry up and come out now. I can see you.” I said rather impatiently.

 

Her voice came to a halt at once and her entire silhouette violently twitched once from shock. Muttered quietly under her breath a single, 'wha?' I noticed the distinctive and forced masculine accent was missing.

 

     I pointed my finger in her direction next and made my tone a little more strict, “Yeah... You.”

 

There was an awkward silence and if there were such a thing as alpine crickets, I'm sure you would hear them chirp right about now. The girl was not deterred for long though and once more she let out a curt laugh.

 

     “Fu fu fu, I see your powers of perception are above average. It seems I have erred and underestimated you.” She spoke again with her husky voice.

 

I stood up straight and faced the figure in the darkness as she materialized into what light this quaint little cave had. Emerging from shadows was exactly who I expected. With green horns and reptile fins for ears, her face was lit from below like some cheesy flashlight during a summer campfire horror story. A slightly oval face and wide expressive eyes which conflicted with the serious and imposing image she tried so hard to impose. I couldn't help but see her face as anything other than cheerful and excited, so her performance came off as campy. Her attempt to compensate came with her arms which were crossed over her chest; arms that were mostly wings that didn't even have hands. From her wrists a leathery flight membrane connected to her armpits which both took up the lion's share of her wings' surface area.

 

She slowly moseyed forward on a pair of long legs tapering off at the knees into what looked like calves and feet that belonged on a prehistoric dinosaur. Like a pair of high boots which eventually melded back from green dragon scales arrayed like splint mail armor to the soft white human skin of her upper thighs. Each toe of hers dexterously clattered and scratched against the stone floor like fingers drumming against a tabletop, each one looking as powerful as an arm on its own and tipped with long and menacing ivory talons.

 

As she came closer I was immediately made aware of one other very jarring physical feature, the closer she got, the more she was illuminated by the fire, I noticed she was tall. Very tall. She must be a little over two meters tall and the closer the more I had to lean my head back to maintain eye contact as we stared one another down. Suddenly she sunk down and lowered her center of mass and threw out one of her arms, an arm much like that of a prehistoric pterodactyl. Along with it came the sound of rustling leather as the scaly membrane making up her wing snapped taut. The total length of her wing span from tip of the wing extending far past her talon fingers was staggering, the length from right tip to left has to be about three and a half meters in total. I'm pretty sure I understand how a sea creature feels when it runs into a puffer fish.

 

With a snap she extended her other arm upwards toward the ceiling and impressively almost reaching it with ease. With arms arrayed like a clock, she rotated her arms clockwise like a windmill as she continued her performance.

 

     “I am the Dark Wing Drake...”

 

Then she pulled back her left elbow and shot her right arm forward into my face, nearly grazing my face with those claws of hers as the rest of her wing rushed past me. I couldn't help but flinch like an amateur boxer in his first fight and I nearly fell backward onto my ass before quickly pulling back my other foot to balance myself.

 

     “Defender of the Wyrmbacks...”

 

Pulling her arms back and crossing her wings over her chest and wrapping them around her torso she then pulled one leg up like some martial artist from an old Hong Kong kung fu movie before moving her arms rapidly from that stance like she was imitating a series of letters from an alphabet I did not know.

 

     “Christophaclies!”

 

Finally the crescendo of her spectacle as she shouts her name at last, she stomps back down with her raised leg, one wing with its talons drawing across her face and freezing in a salute by her temple and the other wing spread out in front of her as she sinks down and bends her knees, as though ready to pounce.

 

And there she stood, stock still, well, almost. As the moments dragged forward in the awkward aftermath, I think I could see her legs quiver ever so slightly and her arms sway a little as she tried to stay completely still, a heroic looking stalwart expression on her face twitching ever so slightly once every few seconds. I didn't know what she was waiting for. I looked over my shoulder to make sure I was the only one around., but I am the entire audience, right? There wasn't a flashing applause sign, but I decided to clap for her anyways. I felt obligated to for some reason. She suddenly sprung back to life and stood back upright and tall, her legs spread shoulder width apart and resting her claws on her hips and chest puffed out. Just jiggling there like- No! Focus Laven. Focus...

 

     “I suppose I have to follow an act like that...” I groaned. “The name is-.”

 

     “What name you call yourself is of no concern to me. Time is short, Thirteenth.”

 

Son of a- cutting me off like that so suddenly. So rude. And what the hell is this about, 'thirteenth'?

 

     “Whoa whoa whoa!” I said waving my hand. I made a T with my hands and desperately called for a 'timeout'. “Hold on a second. I just woke up after who knows how long in a cave with someone I've never met before up a mountain I'd never be able to descend if I tried for the rest of my life.”

 

Which would be a very short one if I slipped just once.

 

     “Damn.” She cursed, clicking her tongue. “You've forgotten everything?”

 

How the hell? That was a shocking arrangement of words to hear. How the hell does she know that? No. Calm down, Laven. It's just a coincidence.

 

     “The shadowy forces of darkness clench their fist tighter.” She said holding her fingers out and flexing them in a vain attempt to make a fist. “Soon they will choke the life from Domdracveria and with it... Everything else will follow soon after.”

 

As she prattled on my brain which had been waking up slowly had starting briefing me on the little details and events that had brought me here. Remembering that, I had to ask-

 

     “Does fighting that evil include sneaking up on the Princess? Like some kind of assassin?”

 

I gave the best menacing glare I could, which wasn't very much. I had nothing. No weapon, no size advantage, no clue. But so long as I was here and not dead yet, I was going to get to the bottom of all this. That was the least I could do.

 

     “Huh?” She said tilting her head to the side.

 

Okay. Playing the dumb card a little too often miss.

 

     “Yeah. You.” I said pointing my finger at her face. “Stalking around the Palace dressed like you were. Were you after the Princess? Did you capture me to hold me ransom?”

 

     “Skulk?” She quipped in surprise. “Ransom!?” She yelled angrily. “Who's an assassin?”

 

She marched right up in my face and looked down on my face wearing a furious expression.

 

     “Why would I do any such disgraceful acts toward Vio?”

 

Vio? That some sort of cute little nickname for.... The princess? Wait. Hold on. Just what was this monster of a woman talking about- Wait, let's see here: Knows the princess, large, and a wyvern.

 

     “You're the one everyone was talking about.”

 

     “Oh ho?” She laughed, her mood returning to normal in mere moments. “Yes, that's correct. I am Christophaclies. The Dark Wing-”

 

     “-The one that almost plunged this place into civil war!” I interrupted.

 

Christophaclies looked on with a confused expression as I exploded at her.

 

     “You're the one who has been attacking bandits around here recently. Aren't you?”

 

     “Fu fu fu.” She laughed through her lips, down from the pit of her stomach. “That's correct. It is I, The Dark Wing Drake, the bastion of Justice in these high hills who has been dispatching the evil no one else dare face.”

 

I cradled my hand in the palm of my hand. I had to wonder who of anyone would play so eloquently into Deron's hands, but now I knew exactly how.

 

     “Go on. The bards will sing songs and regale everyone of my exploits and the people will know, the evil that hide among them in the shadows and the ones who hide in their tall towers will know my name and think twice before they ever-”

 

     “Yeah yeah. I already to credit for all that.”

 

     “-Think to commit crimes aga-WHAT?” Christophaclies yelled, her long tail shooting rigid and straight up into the air in outright surprise and anger.

 

     “Dont you yell at me!” I shot back. “You do realize you almost threw this country into civil war! If they could have pinned that on you, things would have gone to hell by now.”

 

     “Civil war? Hah! A false flag.”

 

     “No, seriously. Look. It's painfully obvious the bandits are just a ploy to get hotheads like you to do something. Hotheaded wyverns that apparently shouldn't be running amok like you are. Prince Deron has been waiting for an excuse to throw Princess Violetta off the throne.”

 

     “Deron?” Christophaclies asked, sounding surprised.

 

     “Yes. Deron. I think that much painfully obvious-”

 

     “The prince would do no such thing!” She hollered as she slid right back into my face and looked down at me.

 

Whoa. Wait. Hold on. Did she just claim that Deron would do no such thing? I'm pretty sure there isn't a soul alive that wouldn't think twice about that guy being the worst kind of conniving scumbag there are. The kind that only gets away with what they do because they can hide behind their status and no one can or dares call them out on their bullshit. Then it struck me. If this was the wyvern I was thinking about, that would mean she's...

 

     “Just how blind do you have to be?” I decided to be confrontational after all. “Deron has pretty much proven there's nothing that will stop him from becoming King, even if its by force.”

 

     “Hold you tongue. You're speaking about the royalty of this country I serve. I wont forgive eve you, Thirteenth, if you keep going on like that.”

 

     

     “And who the hell is Thirteenth supposed to be? I am not a number. I am-”

 

     “Laven. Yes I know full well who you presume to be.”

 

How the hell does she know my name? Was she stalking after all?

 

     “Fu fu fu. Surprised? Don't be. This much is trivial to someone like me.”

 

Just how the hell did she... Wait. Thinking back on it now. There was one time...

 

     “Maybe you lost more than just your memories, Thirteenth. If you can't even-”

 

     “Back at the camp. High up on the cliff face. That was you wasn't it?”

 

     “Erk.” She choked as I interrupted her.

 

     “You were watching over the camp you had just burned down. I knew I felt someone was watching.”

 

     “But I was- How did you?” Her stalwart heroic and gruff tone of voice vaporized for a second as she looked at me with wide eyes full of shock. She then coughed violently before forcing her voice one more, “Fu fu fu. I truly have underestimated you, Thirteenth. Perhaps you are awakened more than I previously thought. To see through my stealth techniques so easily. To think you could sense me from so far away.”

 

     “Thirteenth again... Who the hell are you talking about?”

 

     “King Rudright the Great and his Twelve Knights. Except not twelve but the thirteenth. The lost knight. He who stumbled from his mount, thought dead but his spirit roams free. When I look upon you, I think you might just be...”

 

As her voice trailed off she stepped even closer, right into my personal space, and looked down at me, her eyes glued to me, almost dragging across me as she was lost deep in thought.

 

     “Uh...” I grimaced, trying to back away, only to have her follow me unerringly.

 

     “Whether you are or not. I cannot have you move freely after seeing my face. I thought that only someone special could keep up with me. Only someone of stern stuff could hold on while I soared. Only someone with great courage could be so persistent as you were. When I looked down and saw it the man on the mountain path just days ago... There are no coincidences. Maybe... Just maybe...”

 

And there she went off into her own little world again.

 

     “Wait.” I cried out, suddenly realizing. “So you do admit that you know you're not supposed to be just running about doing whatever you want? You're not holding me hostage to-”

 

     “Because their agents are everywhere!” She suddenly screamed, throwing her wings to the sides with a mighty flap.

 

The short burst of wind from just that wing buffet alone almost sent me flying backward. When I regained my balance, the first thing I thought was, 'Do I really want to know?'

 

     “The evil in the shadows. The one behind the bandits. There is no way they could organize on their own like they have. I've fought them. Brought justice to them. They scatter like leaves in the wind like any other bandits. Something else more sinister is at work here.”

 

And this something sinister is not Prince Deron? I'm really starting to feel that I don't want to know what she's going to say next. It sounds like she's on the right track but about to come to some crazy conclusion.

 

     “A world spanning empire of evil. Bent on nothing but complete dominance of all life...”

 

Oh crap here it comes.

 

     “The Free Brewers!”

 

A moment of silence. An awkward moment of silence, I felt like I was producing enough to make up for dozens of others. That didn't seem to stop of faze Christophaclies.

 

     “With their alchemy, they fester like a disease. A disease in the shadows. And it shall be me who- Hey! Where do you think you're going?”

 

     “I've had enough.” I said. “I don't care about the climb anymore. I just want to leave now.”

 

Ignoring the protests and calls from behind me I just kept walking and left the cave. Rounding the corner and leaving the warm fire behind me only to be faced with a wall of white. Not even a glint of light shone in on the passageway leading outside, instead a wall of gusting wind carrying a fine white powder being deposited in a pile at the entrance. A raging tempest enveloping the mountaintop, blocking all escape. Perfect just perfect.

 

     “Where do you think you're going? You'll freeze to death.” Christophaclies scolded me, worrying about me.

 

She appeared from around the corner and I turned around to face her. I ignored the biting cold from the storm that the fire had been holding at bay.

 

     “Okay. Look.” I said regaining my composure. “You're a busy girl. I get that now. Lots of things to do, world to save. Me? I'm busy myself. So if you could drop me back off at Ifern when the storm is over... I'd appreciate it.”

 

 

     “That I cannot do.”

 

     “No, seriously. I wont tell a soul about what I've seen. Or saw. You can have my word on that. I'll just-”

 

I stopped as she looked down at the floor, distraught. Oh no. Don't do that to me now. No. Ain't gonna work. No way in hell...

 

     “Look. I don't know who you think I am, but whatever it is you're going to ask next. Just know the answer is-”

 

     “Laven.” She said resolutely.

 

     “JUST KNOW,” I stressed heavily. “That my answer is-”

 

     “I have almost uncovered the secrets and ciphers of the Free Brewers. Fu fu fu, an easy task for me, but a long one. I am on the verge of find thing evil and when I do, it will not stand before my flame and talon. I will find it, and tear its tendrils from the land in one swift blow.”

 

Okay, not liking the sound of this now.

 

     “The bandit's main base! The heart of the beast. From there, all their plans laid bare. Not even the Free Brewers will leave the place unscathed of clues!”

 

Just what part of this does the girl not get? If she gets spotted and creates witnesses like last time... I don't think even I could in the most favorable conditions pull off what I did before. Deron would find out of certain and he would march on the capital again. This time with a full army.

 

     “What does this have to do with me?” I said snapping back at her.

 

     She pointed at my with her right wing, “You are a man of justice, are you not? Now is the time to deliver it! This is not a task I seek to greedily devour by myself. Your help is wanted. No. Needed. No! Justice demands it!”

 

No way in hell. Absolutely not. If she goes ahead and pulls this off after just scraping by and defying the odds yesterday, it will lead to war for sure.

 

     “You're gonna throw a rock at the hornet's nest? You realize what could happen right? Everything could go right to hell.”

 

     “Evil may only triumph when good does nothing! I care not what becomes of me, but there is no price too steep to pay if it means evil may be brought to justice!”

 

Ugh, this isn't going to go anywhere. Is there no way to stop this? My thoughts keeping turning over and over again inside my head, unable to start and gain any traction to how I could stop her. She seems impervious to logic. Delusional and not in touch with reality. How do you reason with a person like that? I'm pretty sure I couldn't stop her physically if you gave me a hundred years either... There is one option... No. Absolutely not. Suicide. It's suicide. Completely moronic. It would be better to rot in this cave instead... Just like at the castle with nothing to do... Aw crap. I'm remembering that feeling of listless helplessness again.

 

     “Alright! Fine! You win.” I shouted. I'll help you.”

 

Christophaclies' face brightened and she gave out a hearty laugh and wrapped a wing around my shoulder and pulled me closer.

 

     “Good. Good! I'm sure with the thirteenth that the Free Brewers and whatever plan they have in store will be no match.”

 

I think this is the only option I have right now. If there is anything I can do, it's try to reign this girl in. If I can prevent what happened at the burnt out bandit camp from happening again, then mission accomplished. Either way, if Deron and his bandits have indeed left some clue behind, maybe we can turn the tables and implicate him instead. Even if this girl denies it, maybe, just maybe, if I can convince her I can convince the whole kingdom. I just hope Rose and Susan can hold down the fort.