Salvation: Jashakaru

Jashakaru~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~Prologue
The destruction of the islands was stopped, narrowly avoided by the sacrifices of ten brave souls. With the dragon isle now unseen and untouchable by the outside world the human army returns to the north, joining other smaller armies in the snowy mountain regions.
Years pass, as they will, and despite their numbers and their powers the dragon race slowly loses ground. Rumors fly of a gold dragon fighting in allegiance with the human army, bonded to one immortal woman that commands the vast army ruthlessly.
The army spreads, bringing the war to the east and south in search of the remaining dragon clans still on the mainland. Akarasha and Jashakaru are adults now, and even though there is peace on the islands, it is far from their hearts.

~~~~~Begin~~~~~

Akarasha watches from the balcony off of the main council chambers, his brow knitted in concern.
Far below on the lawn a group of dragons, new to the islands, laid spread out on the grass lawns below. It would have been like any other time during the day when dragons lay on the lawn basking in the sun, except for the heavy, tense silence that blankets the lawn.
Blood stains the grass beneath many of them, others to exhausted to move. A few of them have already died since the clan had arrived. Dragons move about the group, anyone with any healing abilities using it to do what they can to save the remains of the clan.
As if sensing his gaze on her one of them pauses, her gold eyes meeting his gaze. The most capable and talented of them his twin sister Jashakaru only shakes her head grimly, briefly before continuing on to the next dragon.
[So many have arrived like this these days.] He thinks to himself as he moves back inside the council chambers.

It is after sunset when she joins him in the council chambers. She joins him on the dais and lays in her customary place, her head sinking down to rest on his back.
[The other healers and I have done all we can for now.] She sends to him, her mind voice sounding completely exhausted.
[How many were lost?]
[According to them seven were lost on the way here and four more since they arrived.] She says, slipping into silence. She doesn’t move for a time and he thinks she’s asleep until her voice whispers to him again.
[I am so sick of death.]
[I am as well.]
[We have to try and do something about this.] He sighs.
[If there were something we could do I would have tried it already.]
[There’s something I can do.] He glances down at her.
[What would that be?]
[Most of the wounds they are getting are sustained in battles.] He abruptly shakes his head.
[Absolutely not. We have discussed this many times before. We are both needed here to keep up the spell.]
[We have both left before and nothing happened. Akarasha, I think that I could do more for them up there.]
[What if something happens to you while you’re up there?] She raises her head from his back, her gold eyes meeting his silver.
[You are the Kyra Akarasha. I am merely waiting for you too take a mate before I give our mot hers cuffs to her. Your life matters more then mine.] She states matter-of-factly.
[Don’t say that!] He yells in her mind. [I don’t ever want to hear you say anything like that ever again!] Stunned at his sudden fierceness she nods, shifting away from him.
[Yes brother.]
[Good.] After a second she sighs.
[Brother, all I am trying to say is that I believe that doing this would be worth giving my life for. I would leave my life behind if it would help others live theirs.] She says quietly.
They are interrupted when one of the healers comes into the council chambers.
“Pardon the interruption Kyra, Kyrai, but I bring an update on the new clan.”
“What is it?” Akarasha asks. The healer takes a deep breath.
“We just lost another.” The healer says quietly. Jashakaru bows her head as Akarasha nods slowly.
“Thank you healer. You know what needs to be done.” She nods, bowing out of the room silently. Before she reaches the doorway Jashakaru stops her.
“Which one was it?” She asks. The healer stops, her shoulders slumping as she looks back. She doesn’t speak aloud and Jashakaru nods slowly.
“Thank you. I will send someone out there with some food for you out there in a moment.” The healer smiles slightly and nods, disappearing out the door.

After the healer is gone Akarasha leans slightly against his sister, feeling her body shaking slightly.
“Why did you ask which one?” He asks quietly. Jashakaru sighs, her head dipping down to rest against his shoulder.
“I was trying to save her but the burns were too bad for her to live much longer. Nothing I tried worked.” She says with a shaky voice.
“Who was it Jash?” He asks quietly.
“The last child left in their clan. All the children except for her were slain before even getting here.” Akarasha bows his head for a moment before glancing out the window.
[A healer may be able to feel the pain of the wounded, but there is no greater pain then losing one.] He thinks to himself. [Jashakaru,] He looks back at his sister at his side for a time before sending to her. [If you wish to go I will not stop you. Just please promise to come back in one piece.] He sends to her. She nods slowly, her gold eyes showing him a pain he could never fully understand.
[I will brother, I will.]

As the sun rises the next morning Akarasha and Jashakaru both rise from their shared quarters, the same rooms they had lived in all their lives. They recline in the main room, each quite, both reluctant to take the next step. Akarasha watches his sister doze on the ledge opposite him. Even after a night’s rest she still rests, still worn from yesterday’s work.
He starts when he hears her voice, lost in his own thoughts when she speaks to him.
“I don’t dare take the links with me. I would be too recognizable to our enemies on the main land. We should ask him if he can take them until I return or you take a mate.” He nods, rising before heading out to the balcony to call their old friend.

To the twin’s surprise, the old friend arrives shortly after Akarasha returns to his ledge.
“Good morning you two.” He says cheerfully as he appears in the doorway. Akarasha chuckles as the black dragon settles himself on the empty ledge near Jashakaru.
“It’s always like you to be so cheerful in the mornings Balan. How did you get here so fast?” Balan shrugs.
“I was actually out for a morning flight when you called.” Akarasha chuckles.
“How are your parents doing? We haven’t heard from them in a while.” Jash comments. Balan shakes his head.
“You know those two.” Jash just nods. “So, what’s going on? You two usually don’t call unless something’s up.”
“I wanted to ask you if you could assume the cuffs for me.” Jash replies. He looks over at her, slightly stunned. “What? You plan on going some where?” Jash nods.
“To the north. Someone needs to go up there and guide the clans south to the islands. Too many are being wounded and killed. They need healers up there.” Balan glances at Akarasha.
“No offense Kyrai, but wouldn’t it make sense to send someone else?” She shakes her head.
“No. The other healers are needed here on the islands. They need me up there, my talent is needed up there. It makes sense for me to go.” He sighs; quiet a moment as he thinks it over.
“Can it be done?” Akarasha asks quietly. Balan closes his eyes a moment, then nods, opening his eyes again.
“Yes. I will watch over them until either Jashakaru returns or you take a mate Akarasha.” Jashakaru nods, the three looking down at the links glinting silver in the morning sun.
“I owe you Balan, but one question.”
“What is it?” Jash looks up at Balan almost sheepishly.
“How do you take these off?”

After advising a very concerned dragon council Jashakaru readies to leave, choosing to leave at sunset that night. As the sun touches the horizon Akarasha and Jashakaru are on the balcony outside their chambers. Akarasha watches as Jash approaches the edge spreading her wings in a stretch.
“You watch after yourself.” Akarasha says quietly, feeling the sudden urge to say something, anything. All their lives the twins had never been parted, keeping to each others side through the hard years after their parents sacrifices.
His sister turns back to him and smiles slightly.
“I believe that that is my line, little brother.” He scowls at her for calling him the pet name only she dares call him.
“Only by a few minutes. Don’t forget that.”
“You never let me.” She says with a chuckle. After a second of silent humor, both lose their smiles. “I will come back Akarasha, give me one year. I’ll be back in one year’s time.” He nods.
“Don’t get into to much trouble now.” She smiles slightly.
“No more than usual.” And with that she takes flight.

She travels north by night, following the coastline as she goes. Traveling during the night and hiding during the day in the caves that dot the cliffs of the mainland coast.
The further north she travels she notices the terrain beneath and around her changing. Sloping grasslands and sparse stands of trees slowly give way to mountains carpeted with thick stands of old growth trees standing tall and unmoving on the rocky landscape. As she glides high above the ground her mind drifts back to the stories her father used to tell her of the time he first met her mother, back when he had guided her and her clan across the land she now flies over and she would find herself smiling.
Four days into her journey she is gliding over the cliffs, scanning the rock face for a place to hide and rest for the day as the sun begins to lighten the sky to the east. Seeing nothing but only small caves she is about to turn inland when she hears a pained cry echo out over the trees. Frowning she veers inland, circling around over the trees as she searches for the source.
Movement in the trees draws her attention and she catches sight of a form moving quickly through the trees toward the cliffs. She dips down lower in the air currents, watching as a young male dragon stumbles into the clear area at the cliffs edge. Concerned, she watches the young grey male turn a circle quickly, scanning the forest behind him. The grey stumbles, falling to the ground hard as she dips lower in the air currents. The grey doesn’t move for a moment, then rises slowly, scanning the cliffs. Even from her altitude Jash can see how the grays body shakes from fresh wounds marking his scales. One wing is half tucked against his side, the end hanging down to drag on the ground limply, clearly broken. The gray suddenly leaps back, stumbling as Jash hears a snapping sound. Several arrows suddenly slam into the ground where the gray had been standing and Jash sees several men emerge from the cover of the trees, weapons glinting in the dawning sun.
Suddenly she hears a voice crying out in her mind, a desperate call.
[Someone please, if you can hear me, help me!]