Origins: The Fire Within -- Part Two by zyranyx |  |
The Tyrannian Volcano stood in its all its majestic glory
as Yakynaza and his family approached the beautiful land of Tyrannia. The sun
glistened off of its molten peaks, its rays off shooting in a golden crown.
Yakynaza knew of no other place so serene, yet so deadly.
Yakynaza's mind tingled with a certain
familiarity as he and his family strode on, though he could not place this feeling.
It was as though he once knew this land, although he and his family only traveled
here a scant few times. He thought back to his dream, but like most dreams that
seem so real when you dream it, it faded just as quickly when he woke. He could
barely remember it… it had been something about a fire Lupe, a yellow paint
brush, and… he could not remember.
"Yakynaza! Yakynaza!" His owner calling
him snapped him out of his dazed and confused thoughts, and he looked up to
see Zyranyx spreading the picnic while his brothers started a fart bomb fight.
Yakynaza's owner smiled warmly and said, "It'll be a while before the picnic
is ready, so why don't you go out and explore?" To this, Yakynaza nodded mutely,
a strange force seeming to propel him toward the volcano.
Yakynaza had reached the top of the volcano's
peak when something stopped him short. "Yakynaza, tsol si wenk ecnou oydl ro
weht. Tnen im esi Enulede fognim oceht." A whisper of an unseen voice suddenly
pricked Yakynaza's ears involuntarily. Yakynaza shook his head and strode onward.
The fire Lupe watched the lava bubble in
the pit within the volcano. It would have been searing hot had it not been for
Yakynaza's flaming coat. To him it was like a warm, comfortable breeze. Yakynaza
continued to watch the lava as it boiled and spit, seemingly mesmerized.
Then, it happened.
The voice called again to him, louder and
more persistent: "Ynit sedru oyepac seton nacuoy, Nusth gin di Meht Foflow."
Yakynaza stood, hypnotized by the voice, his flaming tail blowing as if by the
wind towards the boiling lava. He walked to the volcano's edge, poised for a
minute.
Then, he jumped.
He suddenly snapped out of his trance,
but it was too late to stop his descent. He did not cry out, but his silvery
blue eyes were large and frightened, like a young puppy's.
***
"Where…where am I?" Yakynaza blearily opened his eyes, feeling bruised, but
otherwise not hurt. His head spun with confusion, wondering how he survived
a fall into a volcano. He got to his feet and looked around. His bright blue
eyes were once again wide, not with fear, but with amazement. He was in some
sort of cavern that had been naturally formed by dripping lava. Letters of an
ancient language had been painstakingly carved into the ceiling above a blank
stone wall: Nusth gindi Meht fodna Sevlow, Fom odggin Ksob o led onier Fosro
Od. The letters were in English, but what struck Yakynaza as most peculiar was
the fact that the words were written in a language he almost understood, but
not quite.
He stared at the wall and noticed two paw-shaped
imprints on the stone. He walked up to them and placed his own two front paws
on them with a sense of familiarity. Then, even though there had been no trace
of a crack or mar, the stone wall opened to reveal itself as a door, and a passage
beyond. Curiosity getting the better of him, he strode forward into the corridor,
and gaped.
It was the exact same passageway that had
been in his dream, down to the last pillar. It was older looking and slightly
less grand, but the torches shone brightly and the shimmering banners had not
lost their splendor. He wandered the hallways, wondering why the place was so
deserted despite being well maintained.
"Hey, you there! Halt!" Yakynaza turned
at the sound of the voice, which came from a Fire Lupe dressed in shining plate
and chain mail armour. This Lupe, however, was different than the normal fire
Lupes Yakynaza had seen. For the most part, he was black, as all fire Lupes
were, but instead of painted flames on his legs, tail, and ears, there was actual
fire at his heels and crowning his head. His tail, like Yakynaza's, was purely
made of flame. The knight seemed unperturbed by the fact that he was seemingly
on fire, and brandished a highly-polished long sword at Yakynaza.
"What business brings you here, outlander?"
the knight asked, his eyes glittering with suspicion. "Your legs are painted
flame, yet your tail is purely fire. You are from the outside world, are you
not?" At this, Yakynaza stammered that he didn't know where he was, and that
he had been exploring the volcano when he had fallen into this place.
"Hah, a likely story!" the knight surmised,
his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Perhaps I should slay you at this moment,
outlander spy!" He spat the last two words with relish.
"Stay your sword, Enulreilave, son of Enuledreilave!"
a commanding voice ordered. Yakynaza and the knight spun to face another fire
Lupe, dressed in royal robes of a deep burgundy and adorned with gold embroidery.
This Lupe, too, had fire in place of painted flames, and a golden crown. Yakynaza
didn't know who this newcomer was, but evidently Enulreilave did, because he
quickly knelt, bowing his head, and saying, "King Reyilíci…" Realizing this
was a Lupe of great importance, Yakynaza, bowed, too.
"What business brings you here, outlander?"
the king asked, though in a different manner than the knight Enulreilave. "You
may rise." When Enulreilave and Yakynaza had done so, the king asked, "Outlander,
it is plain that you are not of this kingdom. What is your name?"
"Yakynaza. Your Majesty," Yakynaza hastily
added. "I do not know how I came to be here, or why, but I didn't mean to intrude
on anything. If I have your leave, I should like to know where I am."
The king paused. "You may address me as
Reyilíci, outsider, for the Lupes of this kingdom are hospitable to guests.
You have a rare privilege, Yakynaza. Not many of my subjects can call me simply
by name and expect no punishment. Sir Enulreilave, you may go." Enulreilave
stole a jealous look at Yakynaza before taking flight up a stairwell. The king
continued, "Young Lupe, you are an unexpected visitor, but a guest nonetheless.
It is customary, therefore, to introduce you to my kingdom."
Reyilíci led the way up many flights of
stairs and down many hallways before stopping at a large stone wall, much like
the one at the entrance to the kingdom, also having paw-shaped imprints. "Lupes
from my kingdom have a certain magic born into them," Reyilíci said. "Therefore,
only my subjects, and occasionally faeries, can open the doors to my kingdom,
by placing a paw on each of the stone paw prints. Any other who tries to do
this instantly goes mad." Yakynaza shivered, but didn't tell Reyilíci that he
had opened the doors to the kingdom on his own. The king gently laid his paws
on the prints, and the wall opened to reveal a great stone chamber, with many
hundreds of thousands of raised seats. Yakynaza gasped.
In every one of these seats sat a fire
Lupe, with fire for painted flames.
"Welcome," said the king. "To Reino de
Lobos."
To be continued...
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