Old Blues in a New Future

Chronos was defeated. Everyone's futures, here and elsewhere, were saved thanks to the efforts of just one timeline against all odds. The chain of causality yanked present times back to the point where they were interfered with for the first time. And none were any wiser, save for the ones who fought and won against time itself.

But not everyone got to go home afterwards.

_____


As individuals, humans rarely interested Lindworm, but seeing Halidom grow so much since her arrival truly pleased her. Even mundane things, such as smithwyrms constantly working on the castle, had a tinge of beauty in their existence. To build something like this from literal ruins in these times earned a little respect from her, even if the stonework was rather mediocre. Were they not laboring all day, Lindworm would've taught the smithwyrms a few things about fine sculpting. Unfortunately, the only ones interested in learning from her were that hopeless sylvan with her awful paintings and the prince himself. At least the latter's poems showed some minimal improvement.

But learning about other worlds fascinated her more than anything else. What kind of wonders did they hold? Only Audric and his Zodiark knew tales from different timelines, though they'd oft be rather grim. Not to mention the dragon reminded her so much of their own Zodiark. Their past struggles and mistakes had some overlap, but Parallel Zodiark seemed to have had it even worse. Dragons and humans had rotated in groups, some fighting Chronos while others rested. She never did it in front of him, but the stories he shared then made her tear up several times. He'd say talking eased the pain, something that Lindworm found hard to believe at times.

His being was the greatest treasure Lindworm had ever set her eyes on. And for the first time ever, she truly cared about someone else. That's why she did what was asked of her that day. Not for others or herself, but for them both.

In the late morning, Audric had come to her strolling in the gardens. She stopped when she saw the atoning king running straight towards her. Him laying his hands on her scales almost offended her, were it not for his request.

"Zodiark needs your help. Please, dragon, I was told you speak to him often."

Lindworm was very surprised, "What's wrong? Is he hurt?"

Audric hung his head down, "Yes, in a way," he looked her in the eyes again, "I beg you, he's the last of those who followed me! I can't fail-"

"Quiet. I will do as you ask."

Lindworm saw the king grit his teeth and look down again, "Thank you... He's in his lair."

Lindworm nodded, though Audric couldn't see it. She took to the skies immediately and headed towards the dragon's island.

___


The hunk of rock was kept afloat by the Windwyrm's powers, like all others. Lindworm landed on it at speed and hurried towards Zodiark's cave. She called his name as she ran inside, but received no response. Going deeper though, she picked up a faint sound of crying.

Lindworm found Zodiark curled up in his nest, facing away in a pile of plain, cut grass. His lair had no decorations, only rough rock walls and a few shiny trinkets he had brought from somewhere. The light coming from the entrance was strong enough at this time to see clearly without using other means, that's how Lindworm noticed his body shook slightly every now and then.

She was too afraid to say a word, standing in place for a moment. When she built up enough courage, she laid a hand on his shoulder, "Zodiark? Is there anything I can do for you?"

He turned around, stood up and hugged her. Through tears, he asked, "Please, don't leave me..."

Lindworm returned the embrace, "Heavens, I would never do that."

They remained like this for a while. Lindworm saw he was too consumed by sadness to say anything more and her intuition said to let him cry into her shoulder. "It's alright, Zodiark," she whispered.

That only made him bawl even harder. His hug tightened, "It's not! They're all gone!"

"Who is?", Lindworm asked.

"Everyone..." Zodiark wept and wept. "I thought we would return after all this..." He kept on crying.

"Lay down, dear, no need to stand." Lindworm gently laid down Zodiark on his own nest, as if he was her child and she the mother. "Easy, I am here for you. What went wrong?"

She paid close attention to not have him repeat himself. From what she understood, yes, Audric and Zodiark remained in their saved timeline after their final goodbyes. For a minute. Severing their chains meant that their reality itself didn't need them anymore. When the prince and his allies were pulled back to their times, Zodiark's timeline healed and reformed in a way that didn't include neither Chronos nor these exact copies of the dragon and king. And unlike Chronos, Zodiark wasn't powerful enough to keep their reality going and the two were thrown out of it as its time went backwards.

"We're lost in time, we have no way back. All of this, just to be left with nothing..."

The strong emotions tired out Zodiark and he became quieter. Lindworm draped a wing over his body, "I am sure everyone back there would hail you as a hero forever. You should be proud."

Zodiark gritted his teeth, "I should, but the last time I saw my friends, they were either dead or enemies. And that's how we last saw one another..."

"I..." Lindworm stopped for a second, "Please, if there is any way I can make it easier for you, tell me."

The Shadowwyrm sobbed quietly, "I just wanted to see home again. To tell them they're safe now. Instead, we unmade everything, everything I knew." Their Zodiark never wept openly. But this once proud dragon had gone through so much and lost everything, doing it next to another of his kind didn't matter. This wasn't the first time Lindworm saw an entire lifetime go to waste for a single purpose. The first time was a human painter, dedicated to depicting her beauty on canvas. But his struggle was fueled by passion, not loss. Zodiark's former life now existed only as memories he and his king had. No shared past, no present or future he'd understand. "It hurts, to have nobody left."

Lindworm nuzzled her snout against his, "We're all here for you."

"This isn't the home I fought for. It's all different." Tears welled up in his eyes, "Wouldn't make a difference if I was gone..."

A cold feeling gripped Lindworm's heart. She shook Zodiark slightly, "No! Don't even think this way! I...

...I hold you dear, Zodiark."

He looked at her, surprised, "Why?"

"You've suffered so much, stayed strong all that time. I don't want you to see you cry," her voice cracked and eyes became wet, "Smile. That would fit you so much more."

His lips curled upwards ever so slightly, "I- I never thought you cared."

"To see your stories lead to a happy ending would be the most beautiful thing in my life." Lindworm wiped the tears off Zodiark's face and silently laid next to him. Neither said anything for a long time, merely sharing their warmth, Lindworm gently caressing Zodiark's head. The smooth, white scales stood out against the black ones, covered in scratches from countless battles. In places, they gave way to ivory bone. Great muscles bulged and twisted beneath, tense even now. She ran her hand across them, taking in their shape and gently massaging them. She could feel his pulse whenever a finger crossed over a vein, quick at first, but slowing down over time.

Zodiark broke the silence, "Your presence is a bright light in this darkness. Thank you, truly."

Lindworm smiled, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, though I fear little has changed."

"Your companions would have been proud to see your victory, their future is a better one thanks to you. Your duty is fulfilled, ours is not. If anyone here deserves rest, it is you."

"It still hurts to be unable to talk to them just one more time."

"But knowing what you do, would your world really end up the way you expect it to?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know things they do not. Would those you care about become the same people and dragons again?"

"Maybe. Causality can be an unpredictable thing."

"Can this not be your new home? Is it really that different?"

"Yes," Zodiark looked her in the eyes, "For example, you are the nicest Lindworm I have met."

She chuckled, "I used to be a very selfish dragoness, but this place rubbed off on me.

"All I see now is a beautiful and kind one." Lindworm blushed and looked away. Zodiark grinned, "I know, you love compliments. They all did."

"Hm, so perhaps things aren't so different after all?" She smiled. "Or are they better than before?"

"The future certainly seems brighter now. And my friends... They'll be fine..." Zodiark teared up again. "Right?"

Lindworm comforted him, "I am certain they couldn't be happier. And we are glad to have you here too."

Zodiark thought of all the dragons he got to know here. Midgardsormr, calm and wise as always. Brunhilda, protective and a little overzealous. Graceful and motherly Mercury, who cared not just about the people and dragons, but the land they inhabited too. And Jupiter... Well, he was annoying as always, fate seemed to enjoy tormenting realities with the Lightwyrm's sense of humor. And the other Zodiark was a solemn, but interesting one, especially with Aurelius' soul being a part of him. The devil was in the numerous details. But they suddenly bothered him less. There was a new prince, new Empire and a new merry band of adventurers and dragons. Zodiark smiled, thinking of the glimpse of their future he saw. They would win and Grastaea know peace again. And though he couldn't see himself in that future, it just extended a hand to him.

"Lindworm, could you stay with me a little longer?"

"Of course, we have plenty of time now."

Zodiark scooted up closer and placed a hindleg on Lindworm, "Do you mind?"

Lindworm nuzzled her head against his neck, "This is a rather close position, wouldn't you agree?."

Zodiark snorted, "I yearn for affection, but not of that kind. Yet," he added with a small smile.

"As long as it makes you happy, do as you please."



They spent the rest of the day together, hunting and playing. Before sunset, Lindworm briefly left Zodiark's side to ask for her daily gifts to be delivered to his island instead and that under no circumstances was anyone allowed to go inside the lair. She returned as quickly as possible and perched on the edge next to Zodiark. "We shan't be bothered come tomorrow morning."

"'We'?" Asked Zodiark, "You wish to spend the night with me?"

"Mhm. Does that not please you?"

He closed his eyes and held back the tears, "Lindworm... I can't thank you enough for what you've done."

"Now now, do not make me watch you cry again", Lindworm smiled and draped a wing over his back.

His eyes opened to a single tear falling, "It's hard not to."

Her claw scooped the tear off his cheek. She admired the sunset's reflection in the teardrop, "Let this be the last one you shed, alright?"

He rubbed his eyes and sighed, "I promise." The smile she gave him then, illuminated by warm sunlight, seemed more radiant than the sun itself.

"Good. And I have brought something special, to help you relax," Lindworm revealed a large barrel and two dragon sized golden cups her dextrous tail had been holding out of Zodiark's sight, "Never had a reason to bring this one out until now."

He looked at them and noticed a label, "Wine?"

"The best I have. Here, make some room," she put the barrel between them, handed Zodiark his cup and carefully cracked the top open with a claw, "Give it a whiff."

Zodiark scooped up some wine and smelled it. Lindworm's heart jumped with joy when a broad smile adorned his face, "Fruity, with a hint of petrichor. I may have had something similar once before."

"Really? On what occasion?"

Zodiark laughed, "The king's wedding. A trifling reason for us dragons, is it not?"

Lindworm too laughed out loud, "Indeed, it is. They do it all the time, don't they?"

"At least that marriage lasted for a while, unlike some others," Zodiark laid down on his side and gestured with his cup as he began to regale Lindworm with a story, "You see, there was once a king who had married a young girl of noble birth. Among his royal possesions was a great vineyard and a collection of countless wines his ancestors and masters of the craft had made. No man but him was allowed to have anything taken from or even added to it. Audric must have worked some miracles to get some of these casks for his wedding. Anyways, one fine day the king learns that someone is regularly stealing the wine. The only people with access to the key is him and his consort, but he never catches her in the act and the key was not touched even once in the meantime. Eventually, he posts guards in the wine cellar itself and has them wait for the thief. They stay locked inside for a while, but manage to catch the thief and have him confess his crimes. Turns out, the wine he stole went to the girl's family to be sold for rather large sums. They investigate, interrogate and learn that the girl had sent her family a cast of the key in a letter, made with the candle wax in the royal chambers. The king has the family executed for treason, but spares her seeing how young she is. And there he made a mistake, for later she takes revenge and murders him in his own bed. The nobility has her killed as well, but the king's only heir is still a baby, from a previous marriage by the way, story for another time. With no proper successor, some attempt to seize power and in a dozen of years the kingdom falls apart into several smaller pieces that others eventually conquer." Zodiark had completely forgotten how full the cup was by now and took a quick peek before swirling, "Funny how even wine can have such a story tied to it. And by the way," he took a sip and giggled in delight, "This one is divine."

Lindworm had taken to lying on the side as well. She chuckled, "You really get carried away with these stories, you know that?"

"For once, it was of a tragedy not mine."

"Does talk of that not bother you?"

Zodiark gave a sly smile and tipped the cup towards Lindworm, "Not with an audience like this."

Lindworm snickered, "You're going to take every opportunity to compliment me, aren't you?"

"We both know you love it," he smirked. His gaze turned to the Halidom below, "I must say, time with you soothed my heart greatly. Thank you, again."

"This is just the beginning," Lindworm raised her cup, "To a better future?"

"Ours and theirs."


___



Elsewhere, time did not stop rewinding until it reached the first of missing pieces. Somewhere in the world, a baby black dragon hatched from an egg born of shadow mana. He grew strong and wise, but also found himself to be blessed with an ability he kept a secret his entire life. When faced with a hard decision, he'd get this feeling that a certain choice was right. Sometimes he couldn't even explain why, but it always made things end in everyone's favour. He saved many lives this way and leaders would turn to him for advice, so he grew to be respected by both humans and dragons as a great protector, some even saying he was a reincarnation of Elysium. That always amused him, for he was no more powerful than other dragons. When the world was threatened by an ancient evil for the second time, he formed a pact with a king and ended the threat once and for all. That reality would never know war again.

The dragon's name was Zodiark.