FSE

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Chapter 15

"This is really happening." Axton said in disbelief as Infinity watched him start to pace in front of her. He ran his hand softly through his hair as he repeated the phrase over again in a near whisper. He stopped and she saw him shiver, take a deep breath and let it out of his mouth in one long single exhale.

"It is." She replied, feeling the anticipation building in her chest. After so many years, after so many failed attempts at this. Here she was, once again hours away from her escape, and this time it actually felt like she might succeed. All thanks to you son. She dove in, wrapping up the human in her paws as she pulled him tightly in for a hug. A warm, comforting hug, that made her spirit soar.

"We're...going to be free." Axton sniffed, as she felt him hug her tighter, and press his warm, soft cheek against her scales. She felt him tremble once again in her grip, and sensed the fear in his heart. Like a small tremor of lightning it danced across her chest.

"Shhhh." She caressed the back of his head with her paw. Gently rotating her soft pads to ruffle his hair. "It's going to be ok....I know." She made a few more comforting noises from her throat, taking pride in how he relaxed in her grip, letting out a sigh.

"I know...just after all this time...you'll be finally free as well....I love you mom."

"I love you too son." Infinity hugged Axton tighter, tapping her tail in delight. If there ever was a treasure she could call her own it would be him. And if one day she did have mounds and mounds of treasure, art, and magical items to call her own. Axton would still be the greatest thing within her hoard. "No matter what." She smiled when he repeated her words, and just continued to hold her close. His small breaths and steady heartbeat brought comfort to her, just as she was sure her heart did to him. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the closeness of this embrace for several minutes.

"Okay." Axton finally said, breaking the silence and gently pushing against her scales to gaze up into her. His icy blue eyes filled with determination. "I just have to gather some things before we go." He held up a hand and started rattling off items that they needed. "A compass, map, some potions maybe, a book or two, my cloak, perhaps some coin, a rope, some torches."

"Woah, woah, woah." She nuzzled him laughing, "We don't want to bring everything. I can get slowed down after all. Just bring what you need for the journey. I am sure we can pick up other things along the way."

"Well." He puffed out his chest, and placed his hands on his waist. "I am the son of a dragon now. I have to be prepared for everything."

"Don't be prepared." She giggled, nosing him in the chest. "Be Free!" She snorted air, causing him to clench her head and laugh. She waited for him to calm down before retracting her snout, and watching him quickly dash across the room. He picked up several items scattered around the place. She saw him roll up a manilla map, binding the vellum with a thin red piece of cloth. He than grabbed a few leather bound books that he had lying on the table. Infinity figured they were spellbooks of several kinds. He grabbed some vials of potions he had been experimenting with with a clink, and wrapping them up in spare dark clothing before stashing them as well into his leather pack. It was all over in a matter of ten minutes before Axton was standing before her, fastening a black cloak around his neck with a golden broach in the shape of a dragon. She smiled as she realized the broach's design was clearly her.

"You like it?" Axton smiled, "I made it the other day, and molded it with a spell." He tapped the little golden dragon with a finger. "I think I captured that resplendence you were talking about today."

"You always did that though." She returned the warm gaze, gesturing to some pictures of her that he still had laid out on a different table. Instead of the first few that she had come across before, there were now dozens of different pictures. Some of her in flight, signing, tapping her tail, flying with a certain human on her back. She tapped her tail as she thought about how he was coming along to be a talented artist. She figured if the wizardry thing had not worked out, he would have made an excellent painter or something. "And you did a wonderful job."

"Thanks." He fastened the broach, and holding his hands wide for a moment. "There...how do I look?" He twirled around quickly, the cloak billowing around him as he moved.

"Dashing." She lowered her snout and nosed him. "You look like one of those traveling wizards from your story books."

"Yea. but I am missing the hat." He laughed pointing to his head. "And the dwarves I need to go steal from a dragon."

"I would not go stealing from dragons Axton." She touched his nose with a talon softly, causing him to close his eyes. "We steal right back." She wrapped him up again with a cackling laugh as he tried to squirm away. She fell back onto the bed continuing her joyous sounds, thumping her tail, and throwing her head back. And how I stole from you Nigel.. The apprentice you once thought was yours when you brought him in...Is now my son..She held Axton tighter savoring her loving victory over that pile of undead trash.

"Hey I still needed....to....put on my belt!" Axton laughed out, trying to wriggle from her grasp.

"Fine." She smiled, letting him loose again. She curled her head up and waved a paw to him. "Well hurry up then..So that we may take a nap for the night ahead."

"A nap?" Axton asked, as he pulled himself off gently from the dragoness and grabbed his leather belt that was hanging on a coat rack near the entrance to the room. "Why would we want to get in a nap? Why not leave like...right now?"

"It just became night." Infinity gestured to the window with her serpentine neck. She could see the moon had just began to crest over the horizon. It was full this evening, starting to bath the trees around the tower in a faint white light, and creating long shadows. "We can wait a few hours, so that we have the energy to fly through the night.and.." She unfolded one of her wings and pointed to the stars that dotted them. "It will help that my wings blend in with the night sky."

"Ok...that makes sense." Axton replied, fastening the belt and wrapping the loose end within the binding. "I think I'm ready." He looked up to her with a worried smile. "How about you."

"Axton." She held a paw to her chest, and flopped onto the bed. "I am always ready." She wiggled her tail and hoped that she was at least keeping him calm. "Now come to bed so that we may rest for the flight ahead."

"You just want to snuggle your little wyrmling again." He replied, she listened to the sound of his footsteps as he strode over towards her.

"Is that so wrong?" She laughed, holding up her paws and letting out a pleasured croon as Axton dove into them. She flopped back onto the bed, pulling the human against her chest as he used her very much like a pillow. She wrapped them both with her wings, closing her eyes and giving a soft sigh.

"So adventure then?

"Yep." She replied without opening her eyes.

"Traveling the world?"

"Yep." she wiggled her tail.

"Maybe we will even find that dragon spell."

"Yep...Axton." She giggled, "Get some rest...you will need your strength as well."

"Pffffft." she heard him laugh. "Ok mom." She felt him sigh, and press his cheek against her. Than after several minutes of being wrapped in contentment and hope, Infinity fell asleep clutching her son tightly.

*

Infinity woke later, opening her eye to the darkened room that was hers. It was lit by the bright white light of the moon, casting the items all around with long shadows. She took a deep breath, the room that had once been just Axton's now thoroughly smelled like him and her. Part of her even felt bad that they were going to escape. As her gaze fell to all the books, tables, and other various items, she realized she was actually leaving a home. For a better one of course. She thought, turning her neck to gaze out the window to the freedom outside. Her eyes found the moon high in the sky, a witness to the glory that was going to be her escape. The stars that twinkled around it in the sky, the other dragon's of old cheering her on. She could imagine their praises and stories they would tell each other after tonight. Infinity, the black dragon who outsmarted a lich and adopted a human to call her own.

"Psttt. Axton." Infinity whispered, looking down to the human resting comfortably in her paws. She internally smiled at how adorable he looked, and felt bad she had to wake him. However they were going to escape after all, and their would more time for resting.

"You have to get up." She nudged him gently with her snout, causing him to bolt awake suddenly.

"Did we miss it?" he asked suddenly, fear present in his groggy voice.

"No." he gestured to the window with one of her wings. "Just in time actually." She let go of him, and rose to all fours. She found herself stretching every limb, and wing as she padded over towards the door. She was mindful to not scrape her talons, or make any noise. They would have to be silent for the time ahead. "Now come on..but be quiet." She whispered, gesturing for the human to follow after her with a curl of her tail. She made sure he was right behind her as she opened the door and led him down the silent hallways.

Together they tried to hug every shadow, stopping several times so that she could listen and wait with her ears twitching. Her heart pounding every time as she imagined hearing Nigel's voice, or his footsteps or various other sounds that could put an end to their escape. Who would have thought after all this time, their escape was in the illusion room? Infinity shook her head slightly as Axton and her crossed yet another hallway. She tried to steady her anticipation. Reel in the hope she was feeling as she pictured the outside, flying high with Axton on her back. She swayed her head from side to side, eyes inspecting the last few feet before opening the illusion room door with a quick whisper of "open" in draconic.

"Okay...breathe." Axton said softly from her left. His calm and reassuring voice, helping steady the rising anxiety in her chest. After all, they were almost there now. Practically a single step from escaping this hellhole.

She grabbed Axton with one of her wings, and dragged him inside to the illusionary countryside. She looked out to the fake night sky that's stars twinkled across the black tapestry. With a snort she dismissed them, after all. She and her son were about to get a feel for the real night sky. After all this time. She stood up proudly, looking back to her tail as she prepared to flick it in the way Emerald Lady had done previously.

"You can do it Infinity." Axton patted her scales.

Gathering her courage she looked back to the vast hills, and focused on the word to set her free. She took a deep breath, trying to push all the misery out of her mind, all the suffering she had endured. It was all going to be a distant memory after this. With a flick of her tail in an L shape motion, she announced loudly in draconic. "Door."

Before them, the door from before cracked the illusion around them, showing them a rippling shape of magical energy, and the real grass just beyond it. The twinkling bright stars, the ivory moon, and the chorus of crickets filling the night air with their music.

"Come on." She wrapped Axton with a wing, and quickly pulled him through the door. There would be a time to marvel in the beauty of the outside later. They needed to escape now, before their captor found out what they were up to. When her paws touched the cool, wet grass she shivered in happiness. With a cool breeze battering against her scales she crouched for Axton, who grabbed hold of her and hoisted himself up onto her back. She folded down her spines so that it would not hurt him.

"Oh no you don't" came the voice of the Lich, to her horror. From the illusion room like some dark spectre he rose from the ground. His blackened eyes locking onto her as he seemed to float towards her. His midnight robes flowing in the night air. "She said to not hurt you, but this is ridiculous." He held up one of his boney hands, and clicked them together. "I cannot have you escaping after..."

There was no shock from around her neck as she smirked. Axton had removed that awhile ago. She spread her wings wide, as she heard Axton gasp in surprise at the walking corpse that was now before them.

"WHAT?" The lich screamed in fury, his bony fingers already starting to have electricity dance around them, as he snapped them several more times in disbelief.

Infinity bounded into the air without a second thought. Letting her great wings carry her into the night sky. She felt Axton grab hold of her neck tightly, pressing his body against her. She could feel the pounding of his heart, a mirror of her own as he scales tingled.

"So you disabled the runes...clever..but you LEFT the tower!" He cackled out from his dead throat, tossing a bolt of lighting straight at her. It flew through the sky in an instant crackling as it closed in on Infinity and Axton.

She caught it though by twirling around. The bolt flowing around her like water, just like she had done with the Emerald Lady. She smirked as Axton cheered, and she tossed the bolt of death back towards the undead monster on the ground. She flapped her wings and carried them higher as she heard him scream out in fury.

"Keep flying!" Axton shouted out from her back. She heard him mutter something, a blue glow shining briefly from her back.

Infinity arched her neck to see what Axton was talking about and wished she had not. The lich was now soaring up through the sky on fluttering robes. Like a great twisted monster he rocketed towards her, his blackened eyes glaring at her with hatred. His bony hands wrapped in wreaths of orange flames.

"You will not be escaping you two!" The lich roared out, flicking his hand. A green bolt of magic flew out towards her, steam flowing off the vibrant viridian stream of magical energy. Infinity went to swerve to avoid the magical attack but she needed not.

Axton swished his hand up with a single motion, causing the beam to change direction to where he pointed, which was straight into the sky. "Counterspell!" He laughed in glee as Infinity carried them further from the lich.

Infinity smiled, despite the Lich being able to fly with no doubt some sort of spell, she was easily outpacing him. It would not be long until she was far enough away that he would not be able to cast any spells at them. Then we will be free! She thought as she beat against the air harder with every flap. Each one a desperate thing to carry them away from the monster chasing right behind them. Then everything felt heavy. Her limbs all weighted down by stones. Even her wings struggled to keep them aloft. What's going on!" Her mind screamed, but she already knew. She looked back to see the Lich's bones glowing a soft purple as he focused just on her. Damnt! She struggled to keep themselves from falling to the ground below, her wings already lighting up in pain from the effort. No!....It can't end like this....We were almost!...

"Let her go!" Axton shouted out, tossing seven smaller bolts of magical energy at the lich. They coursed through the air striking the undead thing several times in the face. The lich let out a loud rasping hiss into the night sky, and Infinity felt her limbs return to normal. "Yea take that magic missile you piece of shite!"

"Language Axton!" She laughed, redoubling her efforts to carry them away from the undead creature chasing them. They were almost at that point now. With a few more wing beats they would be far enough away that he would not be able to keep pace and cast spells. We did it Axton! She mentally cheered, but she heard the Lich let out one last cackle into the night air. A terrible thing that send shivers down her spine once more.

"Than I will destroy you both then!" The Lich held out his hands, summoning large molten boulders all around infinity with flashed into existence with bursts of golden red light. Steam billowed off of their red hot surfaces, hanging in the air like silent guardians. One last hurdle to pass through before they were free. "You cannot escape Infinity!"

"So you keep saying!" She roared out in defiance as the boulders started drifting towards her. She felt tears start to form in her eyes as she swooped, turned, and dove to try and avoid the mass of fiery death following her every move. We were so close. She pounded her wings in desperation, daring to not look back at the boulders she knew were closing in. Come on Infinity! You can do it! For your son! For everyone! She willed herself to fly faster, her wings starting to light up in pain.

"Now die!"

Infinity looked to see the boulders were practically on top of her. She could feel the heat radiating off of them, it started to make her scales feel uncomfortable, as if she had stayed in the sun for far too long. She closed her eyes tight as she heard Axton scream in terror. It will be all over in an instant then Axton...

"Axton I..." she looked down to see the small bracelet the Emerald Lady had given her from before. It's small frame whipping around in the breeze. "Protect!' She shouted out in desperation, her lungs starting to flame up from the effort.

She saw it light up in a brilliant flash of green energy, causing her to close her eyes with a snarl. In her mind she pictured themselves escaping the lich, he destroyed in front of their view. She felt a tingling sensation fill her limbs, swirling around and making her forget about the pain that had plagued her wings moments ago. Than she felt something strange, like a small poke from a talon in her side. She could feel several sensations like that, and she realized with excited breath they were the boulders. She reached out with her mind like she was summoning her lighting, and found she could feel them greater than before. She opened her eyes with a grin as she tilted her wing membranes and swirled around, holding up her forelimbs.

"I am Night Rising, you monster! And today I rid myself from you!" She thrust her right forelimb out, the boulders following along her gaze, and flying right towards the lich behind her.

"What!?" The Lich let out one last scream of surprise as he tried to fly away from the soaring rocks of molten death. However his spell did not carry him as fast as her wings could. So with a large smile she watched as the rocks struck him, exploding into the night sky with brilliant flashes of light. Each one a pleasant thing to watch as the Lich turned to ash before her very eyes.

She knew the spell would not kill him. He was immortal after all, but she hoped it would buy them enough time to escape and plan. Heck maybe they would get far enough away that he would consider it too much to come and find them. She smiled, letting out a roar of victory that sounded out to the countryside below. Everyone who heard it would know. Infinity the great black dragon had bested the horrid Lich of that wicked tower.

"You did it!" Axton cheered, "Infinity you d.....Aggggggghjhj!" Axton screamed as she felt him clutch at his chest, go rigid, than slide off of her neck and start to plummet to the ground below.

"NO AXTON!" She screamed, entering a dive after the human. She folded her wings and let herself plummet with him. The fear building in her eyes as she saw the approaching ground, tears already started to well up within them. Than she felt something grab at her tail, and start pulling her up, slowing her descent. She looked up to see the half burned visage of the lich holding fast to her. With an inhuman strength he yanked up again.

"No..You lose this day Infinity."

"NO!" She snarled out, twisting on herself to yank the horrid thing free. She opened her maw and let her flames burn away the undead creature of her nightmares. The thing that had taken her mother...her father..He was not going take Axton too. Without another thought she resumed falling towards the ground, beating her wings to regain lost time. I will not lose...I will not have you die right now...He cannot win...WE have to escape Axton.. She reached out with a paw as the ground grew ever closer. She was not even sure she could pull up in time when she grabbed him.

Infinity pulled Axton against her chest as she snatched the boy out of mid air. Twirling around she placed her back between the ground and her son. I have you Axton. She closed her eyes and grabbed the human tight. If this was going to be her last moment of life. Let it be the caring mother who saved her human son. Like you saved me. She clenched her eyes and waited for the coming pain of the ground's embrace. However when she struck the hard surface, it instead felt like she had landed into the softest of beds. She bounced, and rolled on the odd ground, opening her eyes in surprise. "Were alive!" She smiled, tapping the ground with her tail. It certainly felt like normal ground. What could have? She looked down to see Axton was smiling up at her. Despite the pained look in his eyes he just uttered.

"Feather fall."

Oh you clever thing. "You saved us magnificent son of mine!" She cheered out, flipping herself onto all fours. She flung him onto her back, and started bounding off across the fields. Only for the human to cough, and grab at her neck weakly.

"I-Infinity...s-stop...e-everything...h-hurts." Axton stammered out. His pained words a knife right to her heart.

She stopped dead in her tracks. Swerving her head back to look at her son. Who was holding onto her. His face looked like a shadow had passed onto it as he shook slightly. "What's wrong?" She asked, dread already filling her.

"Somethings...wrong." He gasped out, clutching at his stomach. "It f-feels...like I'm on fire."

"I don't know any healing." She cried out, moving her snout closer and gazing back to the tower. The thought entered her mind of bringing him back, and searching for some sort of healing potion for them to use.

"Infinity!" Axton shrieked out, for when he held her hand up to touch her. She saw that his hands had started to blacken and crack. His fingers fell away one by one turning into ash, scattering into the breeze that washed over them.

No.no..no...no. The fear grew in the pit of her stomach as she grabbed the human and gently placed him onto the ground. She nearly cried out when his legs broke away into ash, collapsing into a pile on the grass. She set him down, eyes misting as she frantically looked him over, looking for some miracle she could do to help her hurting son.

H...How is this happening.. She thought desperately as she tried to focus on her son's eyes. "Please don't go Axton..I need you.."

"Infinity.." Axton gasped, sobbing as tears started to form in his eyes. He reached out with his other hand, it also starting to blacken and crack like before.

Infinity wrapped herself around her human. Clutching at him with her claws as she moved her snout in close, letting him grab onto her snout. Tears spilled from her eyes, faster and in greater quantity than ever before.

"No.no.no.no.no." Axton cried out, as his arm broke away into the same ash as everything else. She heard him sob, and terror fill his heart.

"Y-you'll be fine.." She lied, licking his face. "You'll be fine....We're...going to find a way out of this."

"Infinity..." Axton murmered, looking into her eyes, as she saw the black cracks start to make their way up his face.

"Yes." Her heart ached, ready to explode.

"I lov-" Axton exploded into ash before her very eyes. Coating her claws and scales with a thin layer of black dust.

"AXTON!" She screamed out. Grabbing at the ash that had been her son, trying to gather it together as she sobbed. "No..No..No." She covered it with her wings, raising her claws and trying to focus on any magic the Emerald Lady had taught her. "Please....Please.." She sobbed, twirling her claws, feeling out the tendrils of magic and trying to get them to wrap into the ash. However no matter what she did, the magic would not work, and she was left with tears in her eyes as she stared at the remains of her son. She hardly noticed as the bracelet that she had called on to save her life turned into the very ash her son had.

She felt all her senses go numb as she just stared down, continuing to sob within the confines of her wings. "Axton.." She muttered, thinking back to every happy moment they shared. His happy face, his joyous attitude, how he had truly set her free. "We..were supposed to escape.." She sobbed. "Not..just...me.." She sunk her head lower, trying to imagine his face were right still within her grasp. "Let this be a dream...." She unfolded her wings and looked to all the stars in the sky through blurry eyes. "Let this be a bad dream." She sobbed, thumping her tail. However after a pregnant pause of sobbing and quivering. The grim realization set in that this was real. And Axton, her son. Was gone.

"Graaaaaaahhh!" She roared into the night air. Her fury untold as she thrashed her tail into the dirt so hard that it stung. She lashed out with her claws, pulling up grass and dirt and scattering it behind her. She unfolded her wings,and pointed her head into the sky. Taking a deep breath and letting out a gout of the brightest blue fire she had ever produced. She held the flames with each tear that leaked down her cheek, until with a final gasp she was let standing there gasping for breath.

Inifinity's gaze fell down to the pack of her human, the only thing she would have of him now. She grabbed the broach that was still around his cloak and stashed it inside the leather pack. She arched her neck back towards the tower as another breeze blew through her wings. She could already feel the tears threatening to come again as she pictured Axton once more. If only I would have stayed...he would not have... She shook her head and narrowed her eyes at the tower.

"One day." She snarled, with tears in her eyes and teeth bared. "I will find you again Lich..and I will bring friends...the strongest I can find....and we will meet again...and next time." She spread her wings wide, readying herself for flight. "You won't be coming back." Without a second glance she bounded into the sky. She thought a head to the sky before her, and the freedom she had longed for years upon years. Now those happy thoughts brought her nothing but pain and emptiness, and part of her wished she had remained in her cell.