---

Zyerks awoke with a yawn as she slowly lifted herself off the gem-filled ground. She licked her lips as her eyes opened. Gems, rubies, and emeralds fell off from her shoulders—to her wings when she stood up to her full height. She turned to her left, finding the Doom Slayer sitting with his back against the wall, his arms crossed, and his chest rose and fell. Zyerks smiles at the sight of her sleeping idol. He looked so peaceful as he was sleeping. She brought her claw up gently placing it on her right cheek gawking at him in awe.

Seems he’s still asleep, she thought, wishful I am of wanting to awake him I shouldn’t. I must make haste and notify my mother and the elders of the great one’s arrival.

Looking straight she started her way down the long cavern tunnel. Exiting the cave’s mouth Zyerks stepped forward glancing up at the clear blue sky, the warm air kissing her face all over. Taking a few deep breaths, her wings opened up spreading wide, giving them a good flap lifting her body into the sky and causing the trees to rattle and shake with the force of the wind. With a few more quick flaps she flew up into the clear blue sky, distancing farther from the earth’s floor.

Reaching high to the sky the snowy drake slowed down levitating herself by the support of her wings. Her head jerked back inhaling the fire in her belly before shooting a hot torrent of cyan flames in the air. The flames dance and swirled hence the wind being pulled to an occurring anomaly taking place.

Pale lime particles begin to spark out and fly around in the contained flames, before a small green ball appears in the sky. Shining bright for just a flash, the ball dulls to an almost black shade of color, as it rapidly expands in size. The ball has transformed into a large, deep green circle. Standing almost as tall as her, the circular anomaly spins ever so slowly.

With one flap she soars into the portal.
But not long after she went through she flew out of it before said portal enveloped and disintegrated out of existence. Her wings flapped once lagging carefully and landed with ease as her feet buried beneath the snow. Her eyes blinked when she felt a sense of familiarity to a sudden humming in the air. Her eyes darted to her left.

Watering the plants with gentle care stood another female snow dragon. Both her and Zyerks were at the same height and shared the same traits of scales and spikes. The only discrimination of their differences were her snake-like eyes as they both hued in two shades of darkish and light yellow.

The snow dragon’s claw paused for a moment. They cracked their heads to Zyerk’s direction and their mouths were slightly agape as if seeing them for the first time. To all her pears, elders, and baby drakes in the snowy kingdom, they know her as Blazer. But to Zyerks, she was her dear beloved mother.

“Zyerks? Is that you, dear?”

Zyerks beamed at the sound of her voice whilst walking up to her mother. It felt like an eternity since she last hear her soft and tender tone. The last time she saw her Zyerks was a baby drake, in dragon years, she left her home when she was seven years old and yet to her it still felt like that was yesterday. Time really flies by in light speed.

“Peace to you, mother, it has been a long time.” Zyerks greeted her mother with a smile. Blazer smiled back at her dearest child.

“Peace to you as well, my daughter,” Blazer returned, “and indeed it has. It’s been ten-thousand years since the last time we’ve spoken, yes?”

“But of course mother, how could I forget?”

“Do my ears deceive me? Has the breezies of eden descended upon me - relaying to me good news that my niece has returned from her long journey?”

Stepping into the scene was another snow dragon, larger than both Zyerks and Blazer combined. Her pale red eyes showing experience and humbleness staring at Zyerk with a warm smile. The wrinkles that hung on her eyes were no exception reminding Zyerk that she wasn’t the same young drake she once was.

“Peace to you, aunty,” she greeted.

“Peace to you, my niece,” Kyerks returned, “you’ve been busy of late.”

“Tell me Zyerks, what has brought you back here?” Blazer asked, looking at her daughter curiously.

Zyerk smirked at the two drakes.

“I have good news, mother. News that I wish to discuss with you and aunty in private length,” she replied, darting her eyes from tower to tower for any signs of eve’s droppers. Both Blazer and Kyerk gauged at each other nodding their heads.

“Very well, let us go to my throne room.” Kyerk rolled her body around leading the two drakes forward.

The three snow dragons walked down the long cobblestone hallway each step of their feet echoed through the hall. There were no guards around. The only inhabitant seemed to be them as they entered their way out of the garden, in the hallway following the stone path, approaching two high double doors. With one push they entered the throne room then stopped on the middle base of the cobblestone floor and watched the double doors close with a click. Assured they were alone, Blazer and Kyerk turn their attention back to Zyerk.

“Well, we are alone dear. What is it you like to tell us?” Blazer placed her claws on her hips waiting patiently for whatever this was about.

Zyerk’s eyes closed, raising both claws in the air and stared up to the heavens.

“I have consulted with the spirits, as they deem their prophecy true and so, the great one has arrived.” Zyerks announced, smiling warmly at her mother and aunt. Blazer and Kyerks were shocked by this new revelation.

“True is it not of what you proclaim?” Blazer asked, looking at her daughter sternly.

“My words utter no lie my dear mother.” Zyerk’s crossed her arms. “He’s sleeping in the cave as we speak.”

Kyerks step up next to her daughter. She too was also curious and wanted to know more of her niece’s story. “Did you by any chance get to see him in his art of battle?”

“Indeed I have aunty.”

And indeed she has. It was one thing being told of the tales of great warriors fighting fearlessly in battle. But there were no words of narration from all the tales she learned that could mark her awe of what she witnessed yesterday. Again, being told was one thing but to actually live it and see it with your own eyes was a whole other experience.

Though she wasn’t afraid of the dragons that had her captive but anyone else If they were in her shoes definitely would’ve been. But even if they were, the dragons that were terrifying visibly to the naked eye were mere mice to an unyielding, and unstoppable executioner. His strength, speed, and overwhelming aura married together beautifully into the incarnation of death.

“It’s just so wonderful. We should take this chance to send word to the other kingdoms of his arrival! Prep a welcome festival for the Slayer.” Zyerk said, beaming at the idea of said festival.

“A wise idea it is not, Zyerk.” Kyerk retorted, walking over to a filled basket of seeds, grasping one seed in her palm. Zyerk turned to her aunt with bewilderment.

“Not a wise idea?” Zyerk was confused. “Whatever do you mean aunty?”

“To my knowledge, there are more than eleven seeds from around the world, some are big and some are small but they all share one thing in common: they all need water. On this fateful day the great one is the seed and this world is their free roam homing pot. How can one expect such a seed to sprout to life if not given the proper soil for its abiding stay?” Kyerk explained as she shot a small torrent of flames into the seed in her palm instantly transforming it into a bright rose flower.

“I believe it wouldn’t be a wise idea for the Slayer to be rushed,” Kyerks turned at her niece. “You remember our tradition do you not? We never rush our goals like the likes of your cousin Garble and his family. We go step-by-step on the road to success with determination and humility.”

“Garble?” Blazer scoffed, not delighted hearing his name mentioned. “Tsk, please do not bring up his name in these sacred grounds. Forgive me but he’s a foolish fellow.”

Zyerks gestured her claw in an optimistic protest. “Oh come now mother, he’s not that bad. He’s still family.”

“There are no words in the tongues of breezies nor dogs that could mark my disdain. Immeasurable is my disappointment for his bad character.” Blazer commented, crossing her arms and shaking her head. Kyerks nodded in agreement to Blazer’s comment.

“I have to agree with your mother on this one, my dear niece,” said Kyerks. “Do you remember his last visit here, Blazer?”

“Indeed I do,” replied Blazer. “When my mate, Luna rest his soul, told Garble about the prophecy, he laughed and called him a crazy old man. He was lucky we let him go, otherwise if our hearts were as hardened as other dragons he would’ve gotten more than just a seventh tier torrent of our flames.”

Kyerks cleared her throat.

“Getting back on topic, my advice to you my dear niece is to not rush things with him,” Kyerks said, walking up to her niece resting her claw on her shoulder. “Think of him like a sponge; let him absorb everything that this world has to offer, and you best assure you follow his every command with absolute. Step-by-step, let his soul be at ease with you, and you alone.”

Zyerk stared at her aunt taking in every word she was told. Indeed she was right it would be an unwise move to just hurdler things at the Slayer when he just arrived here. It’s too soon nor is it right and un proper. Furthermore, this made her more determined to strive to be his loyal and righteous servant at heart. Even as a fully grown matured dragon Zyerks still has a lot to learn and she’s sure she’ll learn more new lessons in the road ahead.

Raising one finger Kyerk continued. “And you best also make sure to keep note of every action he makes and maybe even learn more about him than just his talents. Avoid fueling the furnace of his anger if need be of whatever may displease him except if his anger is towards his enemies. But most of all, stay by his side until the end.”

Filled with determination by her aunt’s instructions she stepped back and beamed at the both of them.

“Thank you for your advice my dear aunty, I shall do my best to take it with good memory.” Zyerks places her right claw to the base of her heart before bowing her head in utmost respect. Kyerks and Blazer gauged at one another darting back to Zyerks and nodded.

Blazer rolled her body around and jerked her head back, inhaling the fire in her belly before shooting a hot torrent of cyan flames in the air. The flames dance and swirl, instantly forming into a ball rapidly expanding in size. As the large deep green circle appeared before her, Blazer turned to her daughter, gesturing her right claw to the portal. “You best be off Zyerks, you wouldn’t want to keep your lord waiting when he awakes.”

Zyerk nodded but before she could start her way towards the portal Blazer wrapped her arms around her hugging her daughter close.

“When the time is ripe we shall meet again. Take care, my dear.” Blazer whispered, pulling back from her embrace before planting her lips on her daughter’s forehead.

Once the two pull away Zyerk starts her way past her mother and into the portal striding forth with determination towards the future.

---

Right thumb raised then tapped the top button. The circular reels spun to life signaling the handler that it was on. The handler sighed softly and spoke in calm composure.

“This is Dr. Elena Richardson, log entry 002 - subject analysis of Doom Slayer. January 24th, 2163.

There is no chance that the subject is a demon - we have blood samples pulled from Mars base event that show his blood type is AB positive. He is male with a genome that makes him very much a member of the human race, but the enhanced strength, speed and athleticism would indicate otherwise. But we can see from the blood samples that there are foreign bodies present of unknown origin.

I cannot as a contributing member of the scientific community agree with the assumption by some of my colleagues that he is, for lack of a better word...a God; an avenging angel - the right hand of Doom here to save humanity from its sins. But... I cannot ignore that the timing of his arrival - the identity of his enemies - the fire and brimstone element to this catastrophe we currently find ourselves in has...it has definitely shaken my scientific resolve.”

With a click, she ends her log.

Next Chapter: CH.4 - A Scream Beyond The Trees Estimated time remaining: 29 Minutes