Zion turned to nod toward the empty crack next to the glittering throne. “When the evil first contaminated the magic, we all assumed it was the after-effects of the civil war that ripped apart the dragons. It’s not unusual for strong emotions to create a toxic brew that eventually takes on a power of its own.”
Azh nodded. “In the world I come from it’s known as a miasma.”
Zion managed to look even more grim, his fingers trailing along the scars that marred his face.
“After all the death and suffering we endured it would have been shocking if our homeland wasn’t tainted by the destruction we’d caused. It was an unbearable tragedy.”
Azh had read the histories written about the civil war, but he no longer trusted what they claimed as truth. As Wynn had pointed out, those books were written by the victors and those in power. It was to their benefit to offer a distorted view of the causes and victims of any conflict.
Unfortunately, delving into the truth of the past was yet another thing that would have to wait.
“Why are you convinced that the war wasn’t the cause of the corruption?”
“We did everything to purge the evil. Including the combination of magic by our most powerful dragons to destroy it. The best we could do was contain it within this royal temple.”
Azh glanced around, belatedly realizing that this was more than a throne room perched in the sky.
It had become a prison.
His attention returned to the elder dragon. “Once the evil tainted the magic, your efforts might have made things worse, not better. It could have been feeding on whatever power you were using to destroy it.”
Zion sent him an approving nod. “That was my thought as well. But first I wanted to test the theory.”
“How?”
“I captured a portion of the magic in a lead container that had been wrapped in a binding spell and took it to an isolated spot in the mountains.”
Azh arched a brow. He liked to think he was courageous, but the thought of gathering the green sludge and hauling it around sent shudders of horror through him.
“You went alone?”
“I had no choice. I wanted to eliminate any possibility it was capable of feeding from a dragon without them being aware of what was happening. And of course, there was the risk the corruption might infect any companion I brought with me. I’d taken precautions to ensure that if I was tainted I would be unable to leave the cavern I’d chosen.” The male didn’t have to explain that he’d triggered a doomsday countdown. Every dragon possessed the ability to destroy themselves in a worst-case scenario. It meant they couldn’t be taken captive and imprisoned by their enemies or forced to use their enormous powers against their will. It was also used when they were too grievously injured to heal themselves. Zion shrugged. “Besides, I didn’ttruly expect anything to happen. It was more a desperate attempt to feel as if I was still trying to rid us of the evil than a truly scientific experiment.”
Azh could sympathize. That’s what he’d been doing the past weeks. Simply running around trying to stumble across the truth.
“But something did happen?” he asked.
Zion’s expression remained calm, but he pressed his hands together, as if battling against a wave of emotions.
“Once I created a barrier to keep the corruption trapped and any outside magic from getting in, I settled in and prepared to wait.”
“And?”
“And there was no need to wait. As soon as the barrier was fully in place, the magic was cleansed. I couldn’t believe it had been that simple.”
Azh was confused. He’d seen the evil with his own eyes. “The corruption was gone?”
“Completely.”
“Wait. So does that mean the corruption feeds on magic?”
Zion held up his hand, as if urging Azh to remain patient. A task that was painfully difficult when every instinct screamed that Wynn was in trouble.
“I had to test the theory. First I removed the protective spells around the container. When nothing happened, I walked back down the mountain toward a small village. I remained a safe distance away, but there was enough power in the area to stir the corruption back to existence.”
Azh’s confusion deepened. “Still nothing?”
“Nothing. I was convinced I now had the answer to destroying the corruption. I rushed back to this temple to reveal what I had discovered to the queen.” Zion glanced toward the empty throne, a hint of wistful regret in his voice. “I was about to become the savior of our people.”
