Darak's last adventure - Part 2

* Writer's Note: if you haven't read the first part of this tale, I suggest you to do it before going on... BTW, at the end of that story, Darak was obviously alive... otherwise, how could he write it down? ;-) *

Silence.

Darkness.

... and pain, HARSH pain.

They say the dead don't feel anything... maybe I was still alive, after all...

Oh!And how it hurt!!! It ached so badly I could not even tell where the pain came from...

I tried to raise my eyelids...

It took me but a moment, but it seemed like eternity; then a bright light pierced my red eyes. I closed them again instinctively, then slowly, VERY slowly, I tried once again to open them...

It took me some time to get accostumed to that gleam that blinded me before. As soon as I could see clearly, I made out something like a wall of light shimmering before my very eyes. Enduring the pain, I tried to move my head and had a look around: it seemed like I was completely surrounded by that strange light; strangely even the "floor" where I was lying, though undoubtedly solid, was made of it.

Pointing my hands to the ground, I tried to stand; my bones ached a bit (especially my back) but the pain was diminishing. Now I was able to better consider my situation: I was trapped in a shining globe that imprisoned me like some sort of cocoon; but what really astonished me was that, looking at myself, I found that I was completely naked.

I wondered again whether I was dead or alive: as far as I knew this could be the after-life... but, while I was pondering this, I noticed I could see beyond the sphere of light and, to my astonishment, I spotted the bare walls of the dragon's lair!

And then I saw it: looking down, I spotted its huge shape, sleeping soundly on the carvern floor: I had never seen a real dragon before, so I remained impressed by its dimensions and I wondered how large its wing span could be, since now it had them folded on its back...

... but there was no time for it, even if my scholar curiosity pushed me to examine it more carefully... anyway, I had to escape, and this could be my only chance to do it: I had to act quick if I wanted to recount this encounter.

I drew from myself all my majicka I could gather and tried to dispel the strange globe that imprisoned me. I was beginning to direct all my energy towards it when the power fizzled! Every single drop of majicka I released simply crackled in a sparkle and disappeared!

Without my magic I was completely lost: I could do nothing but stare in vain at my prison... when I realised the dragon was AWAKE! I felt its enourmous mass hovering behind me and his snake-like eyes fixed on my back. I turned around and saw one of its claws protending towards the sphere: it gently clutched the globe in its palm and drew it closer to its head, then, with a roar and and hiss it began to speak with a cavernous voice that resounded all around.

"You are awake, at last, Darak. I thought you were more resilient."

I was paralyzed by fear, but the irony in its words shook me: what did it want from me, to keep me alive?

"Why did you imprison me? Why don't you kill me outright?"

"How impatient you are" it laughed "I have other plans for you..."

"You want to play with me, don't you? You don't fool me, dragon" I replied indignant.

"You are not quite right Darak... actually, I'm no dragon: I am a dragoness..."

"Oh, and what is this supposed to mean?" I said, puzzled by its words...

"It means I am the last of my kind, as far as I know: I have met no dragons for centuries; maybe some of them do still exist, but they are nowhere to be found: maybe they are lying in a deep slumber in the womb of the earth, maybe they dwell in the depths of the ocean... who knows... You are not likely to track a dragon if he doesn't want to be found"

"You mean you wanted me to find you?"

"I had looked for someone like you for such a long a time: magic is strong within you: you will be my companion, my mate... you will be the father of a new race!"

My eyes opened wide "You want me to have a child with you???"

"You are right, but it's not just that: you can't imagine how boring an immortal life could be. I want someone to cast away the pain of my loneliness; a person intelligent and strong-willed to share this endless eternity... I will make you immortal, Darak, like I am"

"But... I never sought immortality, I never wanted it!!!"

"The fathers' faults always fall on their sons' shoulders", she said criptially

"What do you mean?"

"It's not up to me to reveal some secrets... Now, Darak, you will remain here with me, forever: ask me whatever you want and I will please you each and every desire of yours... except, of course, going away from here..."

And with these words, before I could reply, she laid the globe to the floor, as gently as she had lifted it; the lower half disappeared in the ground. Then, in a sudden flash of light, the shape of the dragon was replaced by a dark-elven woman, the most beautiful I had ever seen. She raised her arms up above her head and the emisphere surrounding me expanded in height and width, reaching the ceiling of the cave and froming a sort of dome.

While I was still astonished for what had occurred in but a few instants, she strode confidently towards me and took me in her arms.

"Relax, Darak... from now on this will be your home"... and she kissed me.

**************************

So long a time has passed I cannot even count it. I lived in my golden cage and eventually began to feel something similar to love for the dragoness, just as it usually happens to a prisoner for his jailor; sometimes, though I find myself hating her with all my energies... but for one thing I will always be grateful to her: Darakeen, my son...

* Writer's Note: so end the journies of Darak Shadowblade, imprisoned in the dragoness' lair. But Darak has still many other past tales of his to tell, and his son will surely become an adventurer as well; and, by the way, are you really sure his voyages will end here? I'm not ;-) *