win.
And then, time stopped.
“That, Callum, was a gamble.”
He turned his head as a girl in white strolled from the shadows, her eyes faintly amused as she crossed the room towards the dais. He watched her carefully, unable to move his body.
“You're...”
“Yes. Your father sends his regards by the way. He's back with the rest of the clan now.”
“Is he alright?”
“Recovering. Being controlled by an external force is a difficult thing for a dragon of his power to deal with.”
She walked to the sarcophagus, and tapped her finger lightly on the back of the hand gripping the void stone.
“This, however, could go one of two ways – it could either burn you to a cinder, or it could become the single greatest power you'll ever wield. The choice is yours.”
“Mine? How is the choice mine?” he said. “It's an artefact of pure power – it'll either destroy me or it won't!”
She smiled slightly, and sat on the edge of the sarcophagus, one leg crossed over the other. She looked around sixteen, her brown hair held at the nape of her neck in a long ponytail. Her white robe was clasped at the shoulder by an elaborately designed brooch.
“The choice is always yours Callum. It was your choice to pick the stone up, now it’s your choice whether to wield it or let it destroy you. A human wouldn't have the opportunity to make that choice, but you have advantages, don't you. But be careful – Time is always on my side, it isn't necessarily on yours.”
The world moved again, and Callum focused on the stone, his eyes boring into it's white depths. He felt the dragonpower rise up inside him, seeking to overwhelm the power of the void.
He pulled it back, seeking instead to find the balancing point between the two, the point where the two energies would form harmony, not chaos. Gradually, the pain in his arm subsided, to be replaced by a warm glow. Gently, he lifted the stone from it's resting place, and held it before him. The light inside danced, almost happily, at his touch.
“Good lord.” Nathaniel said, his voice awed. Elizabeth carefully let the ward down and walked over to the dais.
“Are you alright?”
“Perfectly.” he said. She leaned over, and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
“I'm glad. Now please never do anything like that again.”
He shot her a wry grin, and laid the stone gently back into the sarcophagus.
“Are you not taking it with you?” Nathaniel asked.
“No. We don't need it right now.”
“Don't you want to use it?”
“Yes, but it's not overwhelming. Come on, I could really do with a cup of tea.”
Nathaniel glanced at Elizabeth, his face relieved.
“Infinite power in his hands, and he wants a cup of tea.”
“And a biscuit, if there are any left.” The dragon-blood added.
“Yes, he's clearly gone power mad. We should lock him in here.” Elizabeth grinned.
Callum laughed, and headed for the door.
***
They found Carlisle and Ward sitting in the mess hall, their helmets on the table before them, and sheets of paper spread out to the side.
“How are we holding up?”
“We're all right. Just going over the inventory whilst we've got a moment.” Carlisle looked up, his eyes tired as they sat down opposite him.
“You look awful.” Elizabeth said critically.
“Thankyou, I was rather sure I did.”
“How about we take over here, and you go and get a couple of hours sleep.”
“I really need to do this work Elizabeth. It's part of my responsibility as an officer.”
“It's also part of your responsibility to be ready to fight when the time comes. Go and get some sleep Roger.” Nathaniel said.
Carlisle gave him a wry grin.
“Is than an order, Mr Wittington-Smythe?”
“I thought you didn't want me in command?”
“I don't but on this occasion I'll happily make an exception.”
“Then I order you to go and get some bloody sleep.”
Carlisle grinned, saluted, and headed off in the direction of the barracks. Callum gave Sergeant Ward an
And then, time stopped.
“That, Callum, was a gamble.”
He turned his head as a girl in white strolled from the shadows, her eyes faintly amused as she crossed the room towards the dais. He watched her carefully, unable to move his body.
“You're...”
“Yes. Your father sends his regards by the way. He's back with the rest of the clan now.”
“Is he alright?”
“Recovering. Being controlled by an external force is a difficult thing for a dragon of his power to deal with.”
She walked to the sarcophagus, and tapped her finger lightly on the back of the hand gripping the void stone.
“This, however, could go one of two ways – it could either burn you to a cinder, or it could become the single greatest power you'll ever wield. The choice is yours.”
“Mine? How is the choice mine?” he said. “It's an artefact of pure power – it'll either destroy me or it won't!”
She smiled slightly, and sat on the edge of the sarcophagus, one leg crossed over the other. She looked around sixteen, her brown hair held at the nape of her neck in a long ponytail. Her white robe was clasped at the shoulder by an elaborately designed brooch.
“The choice is always yours Callum. It was your choice to pick the stone up, now it’s your choice whether to wield it or let it destroy you. A human wouldn't have the opportunity to make that choice, but you have advantages, don't you. But be careful – Time is always on my side, it isn't necessarily on yours.”
The world moved again, and Callum focused on the stone, his eyes boring into it's white depths. He felt the dragonpower rise up inside him, seeking to overwhelm the power of the void.
He pulled it back, seeking instead to find the balancing point between the two, the point where the two energies would form harmony, not chaos. Gradually, the pain in his arm subsided, to be replaced by a warm glow. Gently, he lifted the stone from it's resting place, and held it before him. The light inside danced, almost happily, at his touch.
“Good lord.” Nathaniel said, his voice awed. Elizabeth carefully let the ward down and walked over to the dais.
“Are you alright?”
“Perfectly.” he said. She leaned over, and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
“I'm glad. Now please never do anything like that again.”
He shot her a wry grin, and laid the stone gently back into the sarcophagus.
“Are you not taking it with you?” Nathaniel asked.
“No. We don't need it right now.”
“Don't you want to use it?”
“Yes, but it's not overwhelming. Come on, I could really do with a cup of tea.”
Nathaniel glanced at Elizabeth, his face relieved.
“Infinite power in his hands, and he wants a cup of tea.”
“And a biscuit, if there are any left.” The dragon-blood added.
“Yes, he's clearly gone power mad. We should lock him in here.” Elizabeth grinned.
Callum laughed, and headed for the door.
***
They found Carlisle and Ward sitting in the mess hall, their helmets on the table before them, and sheets of paper spread out to the side.
“How are we holding up?”
“We're all right. Just going over the inventory whilst we've got a moment.” Carlisle looked up, his eyes tired as they sat down opposite him.
“You look awful.” Elizabeth said critically.
“Thankyou, I was rather sure I did.”
“How about we take over here, and you go and get a couple of hours sleep.”
“I really need to do this work Elizabeth. It's part of my responsibility as an officer.”
“It's also part of your responsibility to be ready to fight when the time comes. Go and get some sleep Roger.” Nathaniel said.
Carlisle gave him a wry grin.
“Is than an order, Mr Wittington-Smythe?”
“I thought you didn't want me in command?”
“I don't but on this occasion I'll happily make an exception.”
“Then I order you to go and get some bloody sleep.”
Carlisle grinned, saluted, and headed off in the direction of the barracks. Callum gave Sergeant Ward an
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