The dragon's burning eyes cast a halo around Arthur.

Shivam jerked his head toward Arthur, and shouted, "You want immortality? Are you out of your frigging mind?"

"He is," Tiyasha said in a hushed voice. Josh and Took didn't say anything, they just looked at the proceedings, both dumbfounded. The dragon watched.

Arthur pointed an index finger at Shivam. "Don't interfere," he warned.

"INTERFERE?" Shivam ran towards Arthur and threw a punch. Arthur blocked it and caught Shivam in a deathgrip, immobilizing his body. "You...used...us..." Shivam mumbled, his face red as he struggled for breath.

"ENOUGH! RELEASE HIM!" the dragon commanded. Arthur let go of Shivam, and looked at the dragon again.

"Ask for something else, human. Immortality is against the working principles of the Universe," the dragon said.

"But I..." Arthur began.

"Enough!" The dragon admonished, and its voice won silence from Arthur. "Why do humans always ask for immortality? Why this puerile desire infects your brains? Death is beautiful, and when I see the shadow of death lurking over you all, I do not flinch, like you would, if you could. Only the life of Shivam is valuable, it is meant to serve a Higher purpose, a purpose no one can fully comprehend, not even me," the dragon said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Shivam asked, panting. It sounded very dark, for sure. 'Shadow of death lurking over you all'? Really?

"It's not about the meaning, itself. It's much more about what chances the meaning might have...in other words, what can come of it," the dragon said.

"I do not understand," Shivam said. None of them did, in fact.

"There's so much you'll never understand, young man. But the evil that rose in Heart some eighteen years ago, began from this place, began with my blessing. I granted that no one born in this world would be able to defeat Blikrot, or his army. And thus, you, young man, who were meant to be born in this world as a Raiser, were born in another world instead. And of course to bring you into Heart a woman would have been needed, and thus your beloved, actually an Imoogi, was born in your world, too. When the time came, she found her true self, and came to Heart. Aided by a Seamstress, as was meant to be, you came here, too. And since then you have been entangling yourself in your Fate, young man. Blikrot has marked you as his Foe by now...and even if you refuse to fight him, he won't hesitate to kill you," the dragon said.

Shivam, and everyone else, was silenced by these revelations. Shivam, in particular, felt cheated for some reason. Was he just a fly looking for a candle's flame? Was love just a bait to get him into this quicksand of Fate, in which he was surely sinking now? More importantly, had Aparajita known all this? Had she known that he, ever faithful, would do anything to find and save her, and would serve his "fate" in the process?

"I want to find Aparajita. That's my wish," Shivam said.

"It's not a fair wish, and it mustn't be granted. Besides, your beloved is no more, Shivam. She's an Imoogi now, an Imoogi meant for warfare. When the time comes, she, too, will storm Blikrot's castle, but I do not know when, or how. An Imoogi would have no memory of her previous false life. And there's no magic to turn her back into a girl...unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless you use the Shadowblade," the dragon said.

"The Shadowblade is REAL?" Josh wheezed. Took jerked up his head towards Josh, disbelieving that he would want to draw attention like this. Took was terrified of the dragon in front of them. Tiyasha gasped, her brain buzzing with a thousand thoughts. She was focusing on every single word spoken by the dragon. To her it was obvious that the dragon was speaking in riddles. Arthur was still silent, thinking about what to wish for.

"Oh, it is as real as reality can get, child," the dragon said. "The Shadowblade, Shivam. The most powerful sword in the universe, waiting for someone in the Temple of Eclipse. It can break through any shield, any spell, any magic that exists. It can also break through facades, and reveal the truth."

"And how would this sword help me in turning the Imoogi back into Aparajita?" Shivam asked.

"I cannot promise it will do any such thing, but it may. If the memory of your love lingers somewhere inside the Imoogi, then the Shadowblade will rip her outer form of the Imoogi, and reveal her true self-the self of your beloved," the dragon said.

"But just a moment ago you said that the Imoogi was her true self."

"Indeed, and it all comes down to this, Shivam: How powerful is your love? If you use the Shadowblade on the Imoogi, and there is no trace of the erstwhile Aparajita inside it, then the Imoogi would surely die."

"I want to find the Shadowblade. That is my wish," Shivam said.

The dragon was relieved. The young man had wished for something that would hurl him against Blikrot once again. "Granted," the dragon said. "Go to the Glaciers, Shivam. And now...let's hear the other wishes."

Arthur stepped forward again.

****Author's Note*****

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