So this was a short story I had to write for my college English class. I was trapped in a page limit so it's not really what I wanted it to be, but I will NOT be adding to it. I also use part of this as an intro for role playing.
Tao grumbled as he glared out at the world that couldn't see him, to think that people had changed so much to no longer be able to see spirits of nature, life, time, and the elements. He harrumphed as he crossed his legs and amused himself by tapping on the glass in front of him watching people jump back shocked that this thing either really was 'haunted' or had some device hidden in it to make tapping sounds.
The truth was he was bored, bored as hell and that was saying something for a spirit of time. It had been ages ago that he had trusted a dragon of all things when it promised not to hurt him as he was looking for shelter weakened after being trapped and abused by humans. Humans had found out that he was a spirit of time and had trapped him and left him weak so they could control him and as such control time. He didn't blame the humans, time was so short for them. He did however blame the dragon that had let him believe he was safe, listened to what happened, fed him, clothed him, and the moment he finally passed out trapped him.
Yes trapped him, and even though he controlled time there was nothing he could do about it because dragon forged items lasted nearly forever. The dragon had crafted an hourglass large enough to allow him to lay and stand in either half comfortably and be able to pass sides. It had been filled with volcanic sand he could survive in but the glass was the problem. Though it really wasn't glass, it was volcanic sand mixed with ground dragon scales so he couldn't destroy it. He'd been placed inside with the sand and then the dragon had sealed it with unicorn blood and gold. Normally it wouldn't be a problem but Unicorn blood and gold were strong seals when mixed together and really only a unicorn, a dragon, or humans could free him.
All of this led to his current problem, sitting in an hourglass in the middle of some park in some city knowing humans couldn't see him, dragons all but dead, and who knew what happened to the unicorns. He just wanted out finally, it had been centuries since he'd been trapped and even dragon's were well laughed at legends now. Now his hourglass was seen as 'haunted' and people thought the strange actions of the sand and tapping were the cause of an annoyed ghost! Well he was annoyed but he was no ghost.
Huffing he pulled at one of his fox ears and fell back screaming in frustration knowing everyone would hear it, not that he really cared. Rolling over he pressed his hands to the glass and stared out at the park his tail waving lazily in the sand making it move. Oh yes he'd forgotten that part, while he was a spirit of time he resembled a snow white fox demon when angry, weak, trapped or bored, with fangs, claws, ears, and tail. Smirking he waited for a child to lean close to the glass trying to see the ghost before he howled and slammed his hands against the glass to scare them. Really it was the little things like scaring people that kept him alive anymore...not counting the fact that only a few things could even kill him.
Oh if the fox only knew that he was being watched and plans were being made, after all there were creatures like the trapped fox still left in the world, most of them knew the power the trapped fox held and half of them wanted to use it for themselves. A man got to his feet, tossing his empty coffee cup in the trash before climbing into a car that had pulled to the curb, closing the door he faced the driver, "Tonight the park is going to be closed in preparation of a festival."
"Then we make our move tonight." The driver replied smirking showing abnormally long and sharp teeth, "We won't be seen will we?" The man shook his head, "There's no chance of us being seen tonight while we make our move Zelier." The driver, Zelier, nodded as he pulled into traffic, "Good, if things go according to plan I'll be able to fix the mess my brother made by trapping that fox. You'll get your reward when the fox is free and no sooner, do you understand that Micheal?" Micheal rolled his eyes, "I got it boss, you keep reminding me of that fact every day."
Later that evening, after the park was shut down the two men dropped over the wall separating the park from the rest of the city. They had to move quickly though because even with the lights off in the park, and it being well past midnight there was still a chance they could be seen. Making their way to the hourglass Zelier paused for a moment before taking a deep breath, as he breathed his form stretched and distorted becoming larger and more reptilian, then wings appeared. Micheal stepped back trying to keep an eye out for anyone who might see them, after all his part in this job was just to find a good time for Zelier to free the fox trapped. He didn't really care though because the pay promised to be good, after all getting almost eternal life for freeing one stupid fox?
Once the change ended Zelier slowly and carefully walked toward the hourglass trying to keep from making to much noise or disturbance, after all 'dragons don't exist'. Stepping up to the hourglass he raised his head and glared at the seal around the top reading the engraving there recognizing his brother's writing, and snorting at the threat it listed. Raising a clawed hand that had soaked in small amount of unicorn blood, he started scratching at the seal to separate the top from the rest of the hourglass. It was taking longer than he'd like it to, but at least it was starting to open.
Tao stirred hearing a strange sound and moved to the glass so he could see what was going on only to freeze when he saw nothing but scales in his view, growling he moved closer to the top of the glass to investigate the sound. After all he was curious as to why a dragon was messing with his prison, though he wouldn't argue with freedom. Finally he hissed when the seal broke free enough for fresh air to reach him, it was a sudden shock and almost to much for him to handle after having been trapped for so long.
Getting impatient when the opening in the seal appeared the dragon leaned down to look at the trapped fox, "Move." Zelier's deep voice almost boomed as it reverberated against the hourglass, and when the fox darted to the bottom of the glass he raised his head once more. Looking at the problem he forced the claws of one hand into the hole he'd made while the other wrapped around the glass to hold it in place as he started trying to pry the seal off by force alone.
It took almost an hour of alternating the prying to the clawing but the seal was soon removed from the hourglass, "Come out fox." Zelier ordered keeping a claw ready to help the fox out of his prison. Tao was uncertain that he could trust this dragon, especially after what happened from trusting one ages ago, but the call of freedom was to much and he made his way to the top of his prison and looked at the offered claw that was as large as he was, "What is it you want from me Dragon?"
Zelier grinned down at the fox that was now in his grasp, not caring that a it displayed all of his teeth, "All things that come to those in time." He set the fox on the ground and placed the removed seal back on top of the hourglass breathing a little fire to reseal the cage. It was while Zelier was returning to his human form when Micheal made his move lunging at the fox pinning Tao to the ground with a knife to his neck, "Make me immortal or I'll kill you." Tao growled as he stared at the man as his eyes started to glow, "You want immortality so I'll give it to you, the only immortality promised everyone." He said as he reached out and cut the man's timeline leaving him to a very quick death, before he kicked the man off of him and stood up.
Zelier sighed now that he was back to his human form, "Did you have to kill him? I would have killed him myself shortly either way." Tao narrowed his eyes as his ears flattened in irritation, "What is it you want from me, no riddles this time." Zelier smirked, "I want all things that come to everyone in time, exactly what they deserve, and my brother deserves everything time has been unable to do to him since he trapped you. I want you to get revenge on him." Tao growled as his eyes narrowed, "That dragon will get everything he deserves all right." Zelier nodded before he started to move for the wall near where he'd parked, "Lets get out of here then." "You never told me what it was that you wanted Dragon." Tao replied even as he followed the dragon.
Zelier shot the fox an amused look, "I did, you just have to solve the riddle to understand my request. It's not a very hard riddle either, in my opinion." Tao resisted the urge to roll his eyes in annoyance though he did mutter about dragons and their love of riddles, even if it was an annoying habit, "Where is the dragon that trapped me?" "Ah, now we come to it then. I'll take you to where he's staying, he hasn't aged since trapping you, and he's been very pleased to have such a long life." Zelier called as he started to climb up the wall to escape the park with the fox following closely.
Once in the car it was a long drive to the mountain range that Tao's captor called home, the great age of the place helped calm the fox as he looked around noticing a lack of human presence. Zelier drummed his fingers on the hood of the car, "My brother will arrive shortly, no one is allowed into his land, not even humans." Tao closed his eyes and focused, it was something that helped calm him, soon however his eyes opened to the sound of great wings against the air as a large black dragon landed before he and his savior, throwing it's head back it roared in anger.
Tao narrowed his eyes as he stepped forward, "Remember me Dragon? Time cannot be contained, as you are about to learn, time takes it's toll on everything." The black dragon laughed causing the ground to shake slightly, "I trapped you once little fox, you were powerless then, and you are powerless now." Zelier sat on the hood of the car wondering what was going to happen, looking between the massive dragon and the fox one would think the fox was destined to fail, but time was on the fox's side and no one should ignore time.
There was a dreadful sound as the dragon lunged forward jaws snapping only to collide with the ground the fox gone from sight, fox's are tricksters after all, and open attacks are not their way of fighting. Tao was amused when the dragon fell for his bait and while the great lizard was trying to collect it's wits he was already in contact with the beast and speeding up it's timeline to where the dragon should be at it's age, an old and fragile creature rather than the fearsome monster it currently was. "Now we're almost even Dragon, time has been given back to you. Now I'm going to leave you old, toothless, to weak to fly, and leave you to your sorry fate. Had you helped me ages ago things would have been different."
Zelier was confused as he approached both the dragon and the fox, "I thought you were going to kill him?" Tao narrowed his eyes, "Death is to quick, I bid my time waiting for the end of my captivity, he can bide his while he waits for death to him from this captivity. Now that I've had my revenge, tell me with more more riddles, what is it you want?" Zelier sighed even as the black dragon crawled away to try and save it's life, "I want all things that come to those in time. I want the end of my time, I'm tired of this world and being a dragon I have to much time left."
Tao looked somewhere between confused and amused, "You are a rather strange being. You want to die now, rather than in your time...Fine, I'll give you your request." He said before placing his hand on the dragon's shoulder and altering the dragon's time. He refused the request however and reversed the dragon's time returning him to a young child, "There, the you that was tired of the world is gone and dead, now you can start over." Picking up the now child he returned to the car, once getting the boy situated he got in the drivers seat and left knowing that all things in time changed, and happened as they should.
Moral: In time all your decisions come back to either haunt you or help you, what seems like a good idea now may not be the best thing for you in the long run. |
