CHAPTER 03: Wings of Time and Fate

Dragon Punk #253

Eon Drake soared through the evening sky, his powerful wings cutting through the warm currents of Paradise Valley's summer air. The cityscape glittered beneath him as the last rays of sunlight caught the glass of skyscrapers and the gentle ripples of the harbor. His amber scales reflected the golden hour light, making him almost glow against the darkening blue canvas.

His phone vibrated in his pocket. Again. Third time in the last fifteen minutes. Eon ignored it, banking sharply right and diving between two towers. He had more pressing matters—like the three burly dragons hot on his tail.

"You can't run forever, Drake!" one of them bellowed, his voice carrying on the wind.

Eon smirked. The Steelclaw brothers weren't known for their speed or agility. What they lacked in grace, however, they made up for in brute strength and an impressive ability to hold grudges.

"I wasn't running," Eon called back. "Just giving you boys a scenic tour of the city!"

The lead dragon, Krax Steelclaw, accelerated with a roar of fury. His bronze scales were still slick with bits of tentacle and ink—remnants of the giant squid Eon had "accidentally" dropped on him at the docks earlier that afternoon.

Eon hadn't planned for his day to include being chased across town, but that's what happens when you embarrass the most hot-headed enforcers of the city's shipping district. The squid had been intended as a prank on his coworker, but sometimes opportunity presented itself in unexpected ways.

With a quick glance over his shoulder, Eon tucked his wings and plummeted toward the narrow alleyways of the Old Quarter. His slender frame allowed him to navigate the tight spaces with ease, while the bulkier Steelclaws would struggle to follow.

He slipped between the buildings, hearing frustrated roars from above as his pursuers circled, unable to follow. Eon chuckled to himself as he landed lightly on the old cobblestones, folding his wings tight against his back.

"Better luck next time, boys," he murmured, straightening his jacket.

His phone vibrated again. Eon sighed but continued walking down the alley, emerging onto Coral Street. The neon sign of Miyazaki's Sushi glowed invitingly just a few doors down. His stomach rumbled, reminding him he hadn't eaten since breakfast.

"Perfect timing," he said to himself, pushing through the door.

The familiar scent of fried rice and fresh fish washed over him as the bell jingled above the door. Miyazaki, an elderly sea dragon with scales the color of polished jade, nodded in recognition from behind the counter.

"The usual, Eon?" he asked, already reaching for his knife.

"You know it," Eon replied, sliding onto a stool at the counter. "Extra wasabi this time."

As Miyazaki worked the blade, Eon gazed around the small restaurant. A few other dragons sat at tables, enjoying their meals. Through the large front window, he could see evening life in the city continuing as usual—dragons walking home from work, street performers setting up for the night crowd, the occasional police patrol flying overhead.

His phone buzzed again, but he ignored it as Miyazaki placed a beautiful arrangement of sashimi before him. Food first, messages later. That was Eon's way.

He was halfway through his meal when he felt it—a subtle tremor that rattled the cups on the counter. The soy sauce in his dish rippled. He paused, chopsticks suspended midair, and glanced around. The other patrons had noticed it too, looking up from their meals with mild concern.

"Probably just the subway," someone said.

Eon nodded, returning to his food. Paradise Valley wasn't known for earthquakes. His phone vibrated again in his pocket, but the tuna nigiri before him demanded his immediate attention.

Then came another tremor, stronger this time. The hanging lanterns swayed, and a glass fell from a shelf behind the counter, shattering on the floor.

"That's no subway," Miyazaki muttered, steadying himself against the counter.

The tremors continued, growing in intensity. Outside, dragons were stopping in the street, looking around in confusion. Eon watched through the window as a mother dragon hurried past, clutching the hand of her small child. The little one seemed more curious than afraid, tugging back toward the window to look at something above.

Eon's gaze followed the child's, and he spotted it—a large air conditioning unit on the second floor of the building, shaking loose from its mounting brackets. It teetered precariously directly above where the mother and child had stopped.

He took another bite of his sushi, expecting them to move along. The mother was distracted, fumbling in her purse, while the little one continued staring upward, fascinated by the danger.

The ground shook violently now, and Eon watched as the AC unit broke free completely, beginning its deadly descent toward the oblivious pair below.

Eon's instincts took over. In one fluid motion, he vaulted over the counter, burst through the door, and launched himself toward the mother and child. His powerful wings propelled him forward as he crashed into them, wrapping his arms around both dragons and rolling them away from the building.

The air conditioning unit smashed into the sidewalk where they had stood just seconds before, exploding into shards of metal and plastic. A cloud of dust and debris billowed around them.

"Are you alright?" Eon asked, helping the stunned mother to her feet.

She nodded in shock, clutching her child close to her chest. The little dragon stared at Eon with wide-eyed wonder.

"You saved us," the mother finally managed. "Thank you."

Eon nodded awkwardly, unused to being cast in the role of hero. "Just be careful. Something strange is happening."

Indeed, all around them, the city seemed to be coming apart at the seams. The tremors were now constant, and in the distance, Eon could see buildings swaying dangerously. Car alarms wailed, and the sky filled with dragons taking flight to escape whatever catastrophe was unfolding.

His phone vibrated again. With a sigh, he reached into his pocket, suddenly feeling a pang of guilt for ignoring it for so long.

The screen showed several missed calls and messages—all from Nova, his sister.

His heart dropped as he opened the most recent: "Eon help me!"

There were more: "I was looking at that famous painting when something terrible happened. Everything has disappeared."

And finally: "Please find me."

Cold fear gripped Eon's chest. His little sister, always the dramatic one, but this time—with everything happening around him—he couldn't dismiss her messages as exaggeration.

He rushed back into the restaurant, tossed some bills on the counter, and called a quick apology to Miyazaki. "Family emergency!"

The elderly dragon nodded understanding as Eon bolted back outside and launched himself into the air. The city was in chaos below him, but his mind focused on one thing only: finding Nova.

He flew first to her apartment in the Artists' District, landing on her balcony and pounding on the glass door. No answer. The place was empty, her morning coffee cup still sitting on the counter.

Next, he tried the local Community College, where she took classes. The campus was in disarray, students and faculty evacuating as the tremors continued. No sign of Nova among them.

The Dragonfire Acting Studio was his next stop. Nova had been so proud when she was accepted into their prestigious evening program. The building was dark, but Eon broke in anyway, calling her name through empty hallways. Nothing.

Where could she be? What had happened to her? The city was falling apart around him, and his sister was somewhere in the midst of it all, alone and afraid.

As he stood on the roof of the acting studio, surveying the chaotic cityscape, something caught his eye. In the distance, near the Old Cultural District, a strange golden light pulsed against the darkening sky. It seemed to be coming from the alley where the famous mural of Elra Sol was painted—a spot Nova had always loved.

"Of coarse! the painting!" He thought.

Eon launched himself into the air, wings beating powerfully against the turbulent currents. Whatever was happening to Paradise Valley, whatever strange catastrophe was unfolding, he knew in his heart that Nova was at the center of it.

And he would find her, even if he had to tear apart reality itself.

As he flew toward the pulsing light, the tremors seemed to intensify. Buildings below began to flicker, as if phasing in and out of existence. Dragons in flight suddenly vanished mid-air, leaving nothing but empty sky where they had been seconds before.

Eon's heart raced and he flew with all his might.

"Hang on, Nova," he whispered. "I'm coming."

The golden light grew brighter, almost blinding as he approached. The mural of Elra Sol was indeed the source—the painting seemed alive, the Sun Goddess's eyes tracking Eon as he circled above.

He landed in the alley, which seemed strangely untouched by the chaos affecting the rest of the city. The ground was steady here, though the air hummed with a strange energy.

"Nova?" he called, approaching the mural cautiously.

Amidst the chaos, Eon almost didn't notice the ringing in his ears.

The mural painting before him rippled like water. The face of Elra Sol seemed to smile, and her painted hand extended outward, becoming three-dimensional, reaching toward him.

Eon stepped back in shock, but something stopped him from fleeing. A certainty gripped him—Nova had been here. She had seen this same impossible sight. And somehow, she had gone beyond it.

The painted hand beckoned.

"This is crazy," Eon muttered to himself as the painting moved as if it was dancing off the wall. But then he thought of Nova's messages. The desperation. The fear.

He took a deep breath and stepped forward, reaching out to grasp the Goddess's hand before him. "This makes no sense." He thought.

The moment their hands touched, the world around him shattered like glass. Paradise Valley, the alley, the mural—all dissolved into nothingness. Eon felt himself falling through darkness, with no sense of up or down, no sound, no light.

Just when he thought he would fall forever, he landed hard on what felt like solid ground, though he saw only blackness beneath him.

"Hello?" he called, his voice swallowed by the void, producing no echo. "Nova? Are you here?"

Only silence answered him. But as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw something in the distance—a faint blue glow.

Hope surged through him. He spread his wings and launched himself toward it, determined not to lose this one tenuous connection to his sister.

As he flew through the void, the blue light grew stronger. And then he saw her—a small figure huddled in the nothingness, the dying light of her phone illuminating her face.

"Nova!" he called out.

Her head snapped up, eyes wide with disbelief and then brimming with tears of relief.

"Eon!?" she gasped in relief. "Is it really you?"

He landed beside her, wrapping his wings around her trembling form. "It's me, sis. I got your messages. I found you."

Nova clung to him, sobbing. "Everything disappeared. Our entire world—just gone. I thought I was alone forever."

Eon held her tightly, looking around at the endless void surrounding them. "What is this place? What happened?"

Nova wiped her tears, her scientific mind already working despite her fear. "I think... I think our world wasn't real. The mural—it was some kind of gateway, a portal. Or maybe a glitch in whatever system we were living in."

"Like a simulation?" Eon asked doubtful.

She nodded slowly. "Maybe. Or maybe something even stranger. All I know is that everything we knew is gone. I'm just so glad you found me."

They embraced in a moment of silence. When suddenly a tiny light appeared in the distance.

She pointed at the tiny pinprick of golden light that had appeared.

"What is that?" Eon asked.

Nova's eyes gleamed with determination through her tears. "I don't know. But it's the only thing here besides us. I think it's getting closer."

As they watched, the golden light indeed grew larger, brighter. It approached them through the void, taking shape as it came—the unmistakable form of a magnificent dragon, wings spread wide, scales radiating light that pushed back the darkness.

"Elra Sol," Nova whispered in awe. "The Sun Goddess. She's real!"

The radiant dragon stopped before them, hovering in the void. Her voice, when she spoke, seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

"Not a goddess," she said, her voice musical and ancient. "Just a traveler, like you. A seeker of truth between worlds."

Eon stood protectively in front of his sister. "What happened to our home? To the city? to Paradise Valley?"

Elra Sol's luminous eyes regarded them with compassion. "It was one reality among many—a construct, yes, but no less real for those who lived within it. Something has disturbed the balance between worlds. The boundaries are collapsing."

"Can we go back?" Nova asked, her voice small but steady.

The shining dragon shook her head sadly. "That doorway has closed forever. But there are others." She extended her hand, just as her painted image had done to Eon. "Come. I can show you."

The Drake siblings exchanged a look—fear mixed with the faintest spark of excitement. Their world was gone, but perhaps their journey was indeed just beginning.

"Together?" Eon asked, extending his hand to his sister.

Nova took it, squeezing tight. "Together."

And with their free hands, they both reached out to grasp the offered hand of Elra Sol.

The void around them exploded with light, with color, with sound. They felt themselves falling through a tunnel of pure energy, witnessing countless worlds flash before their eyes, many beyond their comprehension. A few in particular caught Eon's eye... entire worlds filled with pixel like characters going about life. In another world he saw was full of ape like monkey creatures wearing simple clothes with droopy faces and what seemed to have no care in the world. They did strange and peculiar things.

They were falling again, but this time, they weren't afraid. They had each other. And somewhere ahead, a new reality awaited them—a new home, new adventures, new truths to discover.

The Drake siblings, once ordinary citizens of Paradise Valley, had become travelers between worlds. And as they fell through the multiverse, wings spread wide, hands clasped tight, they knew that whatever wonders or terrors awaited them, they would face them together.

Their journey together had only just begun.

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