Hoarder of Hridaya

The effervescent spray of ocean sifted through the last rays of sunlight as Cintra lowered herself deeper into the Volcano of Moor. The faint zipping of the threaded rope she had spent months developing for this task echoed against the hollowed mountaintop. The darkness swallowed her as if thick wool were thrown over the sun, leaving nothing but the glowing crystals attached to her pack. She had collected them just this morning from the Field of Light.

Her daughter Kali had followed just behind her, the obsidian curtain of her hair flicking at her shoulders like the angry twitch of a cat’s tail. 

“This is ridiculous. You're just going to leave all of us behind? Leave me behind?”

Cintra had stopped at the glowing patch of crystals, turning her face toward her Kali.

“I cannot quell these desires. I am sorry. I don’t know how to explain my pain. I don’t know how to make you understand.” 

“Your pain? She was my sister! She was important to everyone. It has been three years. Our people need a leader again. I need a mother…,” Kali trailed off, covering her mouth as if the reality of it shocked her more. Kali has always been the younger but more independent daughter – the troublemaker, the tomboy. Elora was the perfect one, the born leader, the true heir to the throne. But she was gone.

Cintra turned back to her task, letting the sting of those words dissolve in the radiant light while busying herself with her harvest. 

“You’re crazy for thinking that Elora would have wanted this...”

The words hissed past Kali’s lips before she could stop them, like poisonous gas from the desert geysers. She turned swiftly, letting her dark mane fan out in all directions -- gone before Cintra’s tears fell. 

A buzzing energy pulled her from her memories as Cintra continued her descent into the volcano. Her thoughts had kept her from noticing the bubble of magma far below her. The rock wall that she rappeled down was humming with aliveness and each fall toward the Earth pulled her deeper into the vibrations of sound and heat. Determination and revenge were continuously battling her fear of what lay ahead. Certain death? Her hand went to the crystal hilt at her side. The blade had been carved from stone and bathed in the light of the Moon for a fortnight. The Mystics were sure this would slay any beast. 

An outcropping of rock came up against her hardened feet and she stumbled against it, her silk armor taking the brunt of her fall. The hardened webbing had been delicately stitched over the last three years to withstand tearing teeth or claws and it moved fluidly with her movements.

She lay panting on her back, assessing her body for injuries before unclipping herself from her rope. A pool of magma lay below, utterly deafening in its constantly folding chaos. She grasped at her crystals that had fallen between a crack in the rock wall but instead of attaching them to her pack, she held them out in front of her. The rock outcropping curled into the wall of the volcano and she ducked underneath the small doorway to more darkness, the heat of the pool behind her licking at her backside.

A chill joined the fear she couldn’t deny as icy drops landed against her nose and cheeks, the incessant dripping from stalactites joining the never-ending hum of the volcano. She recited the prayers from her Elders, but the Words of Wisdom felt slippery and false.

She twisted further into the mountain's depths, the chill growing greater against her skin. The darkness shifted to something ineffable – an emptiness almost as great as the one in her chest. A distant brightness appeared around a bend and as she came closer to it, she lifted her arm to shield her eyes from the sudden intensity. It was a swirling pattern of beautiful shimmering stones carved into a circular pattern against the ceiling of the cave. The light pulled at her, calling her name and as she stepped underneath to reach up to them, she fell tumbling into more darkness.

The pain splitting up Cintra’s thigh brought her back to fitful consciousness, and she began coughing up the death that had tried to seep into her chest. The rushing of water sloshed together with the symphony of the hollowed mountain, a humming, dripping, living entity and she lay at the belly of it all. Shifting onto her hands and knees, she righted herself before taking in this massive cavern. The brilliant colors of the carved stones were scattered above, each placed into a swirling pattern against this granite sky -- each one a slightly different shade than the next for mere seconds before shifting again. A waterfall plummeted through a wide gap in the cave floor to her right, its destination even deeper down into the Earth.

A searing sensation in her leg brought her back to her body as she noticed blood still pumping steadily from a gash behind her knee. She twisted to see it better while stripping a strand of silk from her magicked armor. The missing silk quickly replaced itself. She molded the stretch of steel webbing and tied it tightly around the wound.

Once on her feet, she whirled and paced about, the openness of this carved space in the mountain too threatening. She was exposed and did not feel safe removing her hand from the hilt of her weapon. There were mismatched stairs carved erratically into the wall across from the waterfall. A throne just beyond it -- a sickly pile of broken femurs and mismatched jaws placed on purpose to form the bed of a monster. Her fear reeled, but she refused to let her panic overwhelm her here. Something was watching.

Quite observant, aren’t we? the voice was a spider rappelling into her consciousness, its presence skittering against her mind. Undeniably ancient and like that of a Grand Mother. She spun about, looking for its owner – unable to respond to the question hanging in the air.

Hmm, will you not speak with me, girl? It has been so long…

She released the carved blade from its resting place and held it steady, slowing her breathing as best she could. The enchantment from the Moon vibrated with the stone blade as the light from the ceiling cast against it. For only a moment, she felt powerful.

She kept silent as she continued to circle at the center of this ghastly throne room. But soon, the bones began to shake, the ground quaked as she fell back the sword clattered to the floor.

Against the far wall, the rocks shimmered, and the color of white, scarred skin rippled through the air over the body of a dragon, its diaphanous wings tucked tightly against its torso. The dragon’s tail finished its apparition with a snap like a whip and a roar silenced all else.

Cintra scrambled to right herself, grabbing the sword and tumbling into an upright position, her back to the cascading water. The dragon flared the webbing around her face, screeching again at Cintra before she sat back on her haunches and fell calm.

Is this what you wanted, dear girl? To see us? Hmm?

She could no longer steady the shaking of her hands. The dragon flared her wings, the translucent skin catching the light of the swirling rainbow stones from above. She came to the throne of broken bones and curled against it, lifting her head to shift a yellowed iris at Cintra.

Surviving the descent of this mountain is no simple task. Do you think yourself a warrior? Or even perhaps, a dragon slayer?

Cintra found her voice, “Are you the dragon called Perpetua?”

The dragon bowed her bony chin to touch the ground.

We are the one called Perpetua.

Heat flared in Cintra’s cheeks as her anger found its place again, but she did her best to keep her voice steady.

“Then, you are the one that took my daughter’s life.”

We have taken many a life, so we will not contend with this statement. And we will not feel the guilt that you wish us to feel for it. For we are Predators of the Sky and so we were made. And yet…

The dragon’s voice trailed off as she lifted herself onto her hind legs again. She took a pointed claw to the ceiling and pressed the hardened tip against one of the glowing stones in the wall. It came off gently into her scaly palm. She returned to her position, placing the stone in front of Cintra. It was the size of an ostrich egg and similarly shaped, now shifting in shades of various greens, the Earthly shimmer lit the dragon’s white skin. Cintra glanced down at the stone but returned her eyes to her target.

Do you mind if we call you by your name Cintra? We couldn’t help but find the letters tucked tightly in the folds here. Will you grant us a wish? We wouldn’t expect you to do so. We only have but one question. This here, the dragon pointed to the stone at her feet.

Do you know what this is?

Cintra wasn’t willing to allow the dragon to use her name, grant a wish, or show any mercy, but she saw no other options. She kept silent.

The dragon huffed and placed a pointed claw against the apex of the stone.

This is Hridaya.

Cintra looked at the stone again sharply and back at the dragon in disbelief. The term was nothing foreign to her. Hridaya, the heart space -- the center, that which gives and takes in perfect balance. She looked back at the colored stone once more, her gaze lingering this time. The dragon went on.

And so, you understand, each stone -- they are all the center. They are all the many heart spaces that we have gathered over time. Each life was placed here above our throne and throughout our home. The souls gathered at the hands of our endless appetite. You see, we thought we could collect them. Keep them here with us so they could spread their beautiful light and life continuously. We did not wish them to be forgotten, so we kept them.

` Cintra looked all around her at the stones now, so many lives, each one pressed into the walls of this mountain in the form of glowing energy. Hundreds of thousands of dancing souls…

Her arms fell to her side as she took it all in, the tip of the stone sword resting against the floor of the cavern. The dragon shifted with anxious movement, before pushing the green stone slightly closer to Cintra.

This one… it called to you.

Cintra let the hilt of her weapon slip from her hand as she fell to kneel in front of the stone. If these were the hearts of the dragon’s victims…

She hesitated for a moment before placing her hands against it. A warmth seeped into Cintra, and the rest of her senses flooded. The smell of Elora’s hair after a swim in the hot springs, the vibration of her voice as she commanded their guards, the gentle shift of her hips as she practiced swordplay with Kali. It was all there right in front of Cintra, held within this circular rock. She fell back into a seat and pulled the stone into an embrace. Rocking the soul of her daughter between her thighs and letting the apologies spill from her lips.

The dragon only watched in reverent silence as Cintra crumbled further into a fetal position with the rock pressed against her chest.

We understand, dear girl, we do. The stones will mesmerize, they pulled us in. These heart spaces have lived here for many millennia, all because we felt they should be collected. And yet…

The dragon paused for a moment, before continuing.

And yet, it is not their purpose, you see. To be admired. To be coddled, held, or put on display. Their purpose is only to be. Your daughter, she is only energy now. Purpose and life and expanding knowing. She has no desire, no needs or wants. She is but the very essence of existence. You should not mourn for her as she does not mourn for herself.

Cintra pushed the dragon's voice away, wanting to return to the sensations of her daughter’s life, ready to immerse herself in the addiction of memories swirling about in this stone. She imagined escaping with the precious cargo attached to her pack.

You will not find any happiness if you leave here with that stone.

The dragon plucked it from her grip as if she were a small child and replaced the shining soul of her daughter back into the ceiling out of her reach.

Cintra’s despair bubbled like lava, her pride dissolving in the heat of her rage.

“How dare you take her from me again? Give her back to me, you horrid creature. Have you no mercy? She was my reason for all of this.”

How dare we? Settle yourself, child. You are overtaken with your sorrow, yes. This cannot be denied. But we stand here before you with a worthy wisdom to share. And so, you should listen even if the pain seems too much. Your daughter does not need you, and you do not need your daughter. Because you have her. She exists in the ones you left behind as much as she swirls about in this stone. Do you not see the truth of it?

“Please, dragon! I only wish for moments longer with her. More time than what you have given me! Just a few nights to share with the one that I have lost!” Cintra begged.

Perpetua shivered and shook her heavy head, moisture slipping from her golden eyes. The dragon flattened herself to the ground in front of Cintra.

Too long we have danced in the light of these souls, too long living in their lives and losing ourselves to it all. It is not living, Cintra. It brings no true joy. We beg of you to run from her. To let go of your desires to feel her again. It will tear you apart. Unlike Perpetua, you have others in this world to lift you, to save you. Go to them.

“I cannot leave her here… you don’t understand."

The dragon lifted her chin slightly, just enough to expose the soft skin of her neck.

You must. And we do. We ask of you a trade. You came to slay the dragon? Do it. Have your revenge, Cintra. Leave this hollowed place for that is what we wish to do as well. We have waited too long now for a chance at being.

The dragon’s tail curled around the hilt of the forgotten blade, dragging it to the ground between them. Cintra knelt to grasp it but the weight felt foreign in her hand. She looked up at the pulsing neck of the dragon so close to her, but her sword remained heavy.

“This is not how it was meant to happen…”, Cintra trailed off.

The dragon turned an eye to her once more.

We do not feel the guilt of your daughter’s death. But we feel the sorrow of your loss. We understand if you cannot do this. But we beg you if only for your own happiness. Your daughter speaks the same truth. Believe us. Trust your enemy. And let go of all this. Jump.

Cintra lost herself in the swirling irises as the dragon spoke, and for a moment, she felt the gentle whisper of Elora’s voice against her ear. Jump...

Cintra’s decision sliced through the air with the stone blade and it opened the white flesh of the dragon’s neck. Perpetua squealed, her head slumping with the blow. Her tail whipped for only moments before stilling. The dragon's voice flooded Cintra’s mind for the last time.

Blessings from the heart of the one… called Perpetua…

She pulled her gaze away from the motionless creature and looked to the ceiling, scanning the colored stones for her daughter but each one melded with the next. Her tears streamed as she turned from the truth, from her past, and ran toward the rush of water. She kept her eye's forward and when she neared the rocky edge, she jumped.