Storm quickly looked towards where he last saw his son. He found him staring at the dagger in a trance.
"Orian, aren't you listening to me?!!" Yelled Storm.
His son took a single step towards the altar.
"I saw this so many years ago!! I had almost forgotten!!" Said an unknown voice.
Even though the voice came from Orian, it clearly didn't belong to him.
It was deep, like it belonged to a dragon far larger and older than him.
An ethereal echo sounded from the voice and echoed in their minds.
"Mimereus?!" Asked Storm concerned.
Before he could investigate, Storm heard another voice.
One that he hadn't heard in decades calling to him.
"Father?" Asked Storm confused.
"Storm listen to me!! Whatever you are hearing or seeing!! It isn't real!! Don't follow the voices!!" Called Mimereus.
His father ignored him and began moving deeper into the forest. Mimereus could clearly see shadow beings lurking around the edge of the clearing. Mimereus knew these creatures well.
They bewitched the mind, taking the form of long dead loved ones.They lured their victims into private areas where they slowly fed on their life force until they died.
Mimereus needed to act fast, but there was a limit to what he could do with this hatchling body.
His eye fell on the dagger. It was made from one of his fangs. And so still held a fraction of his power. Problem was, could the hatchling's body handle it?
He held out a claw and the dagger began to vibrate.
"Come to me!!" Ordered Mimereus.
The dagger shattered and a bright golden light appeared and flew into his body. He snarled as his tiny body began to levitate.
"BEGONE!!!" Bellowed Mimereus.
A wave of golden energy left his body, banishing the shadow beings and purifying the area of corruption.
The spell affecting Storm and Aurora was instantly dispelled and he shook his head to clear his confusion.
"Orian!!" Exclaimed Storm.
He looked in the center of the clearing and saw his son laying on his side unconscious.
Both Storm and Aurora rushed to his side and began to shake him until he woke up.
"What happened?" Asked Orian as he rose to his feet.
Storm and Aurora were relieved to hear that his voice was that of a child again. Though he clearly didn't look the same.
His golden scales had spread across his body to replace the usual green and gold, and his body seemed to have gone through something of a growth sprout.
Originally he was the size of a small cat, now he was nearly double in size at roughly the size of a young medium-sized dog. Closely resembling a 5 year old juvenile dragon. Small golden feathers had also grown along his wings.
"Cool!!! I'm big now!!" Exclaimed Orian excitedly.
"Orian? How much do you remember?" Asked Storm.
His son thought about it for a moment.
I was looking at the altar, you said something I couldn't make out.Then you shook me awake now?" Stated Orian.
Storm looked at the destroyed altar.
Suddenly several souls flew out of it and up into the sky.
One lingered however.
After a moment the ghostly image of his father appeared.
"Father?" Asked Storm .
The ghost nodded his head.
"What did we just witness ?" Asked Storm.
"A powerful curse, one that held those that had died at the hatching grounds prisoner here.
You have freed us now, and we are able to move on." Explained his father.
Storm nodded his head.
"Good! You have earned your rest! Give my regards to mother when you see her!" Stated Storm.
The ghost hesitated.
"Raijin... Your mother wasn't trapped here with the rest of us..."
Storm was stunned.
"What are you saying, father?!" Exclaimed Storm.
"Son... I think your mother survived the massacre..." Explained his father.
"That can't be!! We found no trace of her!!" Exclaimed Storm.
"I don't know, son. It's possible that her spirit escaped the trap that ensnared the rest of us.
But I doubt it.
Everyone else that died during the fighting was imprisoned with me." Explained his father.
He looked down at Orian as he began to fade.
"Protect your son, Raijin. The witch responsible for the massacre knows of him now. His light is a danger to her plans. She'll do everything she can to ensure that it is snuffed out."
His father rejoined the other spirits and departed the world for the next one.
"Storm! You said you saw sites like this before!!?" Asked Aurora.
Storm nodded his head.
"A village bordering the Dark Forest was destroyed by her creatures. It's inhabitants cursed to linger long after death." Explained Storm.
"But why?!" Asked Aurora.
"To spread dark magic and weaken the barrier around the Dark Forest. " stated Storm.
"But we're no where near the Dark Forest?!What could she gain from tainting the ground here?!" Asked Aurora.
Storm shrugged.
"I don't know. But I intend to find out!!
If she was responsible for the massacre of our home, then she will pay for it in blood!!" Exclaimed Storm.
A light tapping at his left forelimb drew his attention. He saw Orian standing close while looking around fearfully.
"Dad!? I want to go home!!" Cried Orian.
Storm picked up his son and cradled him in his arms.
"Soon, son. We'll just go report our success back at the hatching grounds, then we'll go home."
With the danger now passed.
Storm returned to the hatching grounds and told the first citizen he encountered to bring their leader to him ASAP.
After a moment, Storm was surprised when a young female griffin answered his summons instead of the elder he met earlier.
"Ahh, Calamity!!
Forgive me for not being able to meet you earlier!! I was busy with something that demanded my full focus and so did not know about your arrival. I'm the temporary leader until a permanent replacement can be called for.
Storm frowned.
"I met an elder dragon earlier!!" Stated Storm.
The Griffin frowned.
"The only dragon elder here was old Azurian, and you couldn't have met with him."
"He never gave me his name. Was Azurian a blue dragon like me with a broken horn?" Asked Storm.
The Griffin nodded her head
"That sounds like him, but like I said it isn't possible."
"Why is that?" Asked Storm.
"Calamity.... Azurian died 2 months ago from natural causes..." said the Griffin.
Storm was speachless.
"Then who did we meet?" Asked Aurora concerned.
"Take me to his gravesite." Ordered Storm.
The Griffin took Storm to an large burial mound just on the outskirts of the settlement.
On the mound was a single letter with his name written on it. He opened it and read the letter.
'Dear Calamity.
Thank you for the aid you provided for my fellow ghosts, I apologize for the deception.
But I didn't believe you would trust me if you knew what I was. Search in my old quarters by the left wall, you will find a hidden alcove with an magical ring.
Consider it your inheritance for helping an old dragon find his rest. I'll put in a good word for you with our Creator Mother and beg her to watch over you and your family.
Sincerely
Azurian. '