FOOTSTEPS PATTERED against the stone hallway, echoing through the chamber with each step. They were in haste, but inconsistent, like whoever was entering the chamber was injured. There were two sets of footsteps, each one distinct. Both were afraid—their fear could be heard in each step they took. The steps ceased when they arrived. Cloaks shifted, echoing in the small chamber. The two men knelt behind him.
“Your Highness.” The speaker gulped. “We return with news on the Resistance.”
Galedar spun his chair around. He brushed his long white hair from his eyes as he studied the two men. One was the captain under General Keiran. Galedar knew the man, and had recently heard of his failures.
“Captain Vesryn? I do hope this is important for you to disturb me without going through the proper chain of command.”
Vesryn gulped. “It is, Sire.”
“Who is this with you?” Galedar asked, glancing to the man kneeling several feet behind the captain.
“His name is Tirask, and he is the only living dragonrider left in my unit.”
Galedar’s eyes widened and his jaw clenched. “Explain.”
“General Keiran commanded us to search for a small force of Resistance, who escaped from the small camp in north Kaeldroga above Caspar. We destroyed the camp suspected of allying with the Resistance, but the small party who escaped has been eluding us.”
“Get to the point,” Galedar growled.
“Yes, Sire. We caught them once, but somehow they managed to escape. We continued our search, until eventually, we found them with the Resistance, in the south. They were in the forest northwest of Laeraed, collecting lumber. We attacked.”
“How many?”
“We had ten dragonriders and me, Sire.”
“They destroyed nine dragonriders?” Galedar glared at Vesryn. “How?”
“They had dragons, my lord.”
“They’ve found dragons? Where?”
“I do not know,” Vesryn said. “They weren’t as large as ours. In fact, they also looked a little different.”
“How so?”
Vesryn bit his bottom lip. “They only had two legs, not four, and instead of all red dragons, they were a variety of colors.”
“Wyverns.”
“Sire?”
“They weren’t dragons. They were wyverns. There is a little information in the old history books about them.”
“Wyverns,” Vesryn muttered, trying to commit the word to his memory.
“How did creatures much smaller than your dragons defeat you?”
“They had double the numbers, Sire. And”—Vesryn took a deep breath—“they had different abilities. They weren’t like our dragons, who only breathe fire.”
“Abilities?” Galedar asked.
“Yes, Sire. They had some who spat fire, like our dragons, though in much lower volume. However, they also had a few who spat ice, freezing several of our dragons. Another had lightning, and umm … some kind of acid. The last turned into some kind of steel when it attacked.”
“Is that all of them?”
“Oh, and I almost forgot. Another one seemed to create wind. It kept blowing us off course.”
Galedar scratched his chin. “I always found the Resistance a nuisance, but from the sound of this … they are a threat.”
“Yes, Sire.”
“Stand.”
Vesryn complied. He refused to look up to meet Galedar’s hard gaze.
Galedar stood. His muscles were weak, and he felt old. He was old, older than anyone else in Dragonia, older than anyone in Kaeldroga. Nobody truly knew he was the first dragonrider. Nobody except … he clenched his teeth at the memory … at the betrayal.
He stepped toward Vesryn, dropping a hand to rest on the pommel of his sword. “What you’re telling me is you’ve failed.”
Vesryn’s eyes grew wide. “Sire, I—”
“Were you instructed to find and capture the rogue men and women who escaped the village in the north?”
Vesryn gulped. “Yes.”
“Were you successful?”
“No, Sire.”
“And then you failed to defeat them when you found them.”
“Yes, Sire.”
“A captain is supposed to be able to lead an army. You cannot. You’ve failed.”
“Forgive me, Sire.” Vesryn’s head dipped even lower.
“Look at me when I’m speaking to you. Meet my eyes.”
Vesryn shivered. His head slowly rose until his eyes met Galedar’s, then he trembled.
“I do not accept failure.”
Vesryn’s eyes widened, and his mouth open as he attempted to speak, but Galedar was quicker. He unsheathed his sword, and in two hard swings, decapitated the captain.
His head flew to the ground as his body continued to stand. The body trembled for several long seconds until Galedar pushed the body away. It convulsed for a few seconds longer when it hit the ground.
The other dragonrider, Tirask, continued to kneel, his eyes clenched tight.
“Tirask, stand.”
He stood. Tirask inhaled deeply and met Galedar’s eyes.
“You will report to General Keiran. He will decide your fate.”
“Yes, Sire. Thank you, Sire.”
“Leave.”
Galedar sat back in his chair. He’d been silent for too long, trusting the men in the Dragonia Empire to rule the land for him. Now, he knew it was a mistake. His men were incompetent. He hadn’t chosen the right leaders. It was time for a change. He would come out of the shadows and make his presence known once more. His men no longer feared him. They needed a reason to fear him, to be absolutely obedient, to do everything in their power not to disappoint him. It was time.
A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.
He frowned. “Come in.”
His messenger stepped inside. He trembled with each step toward Galedar. At least his messenger properly feared him.
“What is it?” Galedar asked.
“A mercenary wishes to speak with you.”
“Who?”
“He says his name is Derkas. He claims General Keiran hired him.”
“Derkas?” Galedar’s eyebrows furrowed. “Send him in.”
Galedar leaned back in his chair and crossed his hands.
The door opened, and a mercenary entered wearing a grin and showing very little fear. His hair was greased back and his scabbard was missing, mostly likely forfeited at the door, though Galedar knew the man hid more weapons. The man glanced at Vesryn’s decapitated body for only an instant before meeting Galedar’s eyes.
“Derkas. It has been a long time,” Galedar said.
“Yes, Sire. I trust you are well. I notice you haven’t aged a day.”
“How’s my dragon?” Galedar asked.
“I won him fair and square.” He paused. “I’ve noticed you no longer set bounties with a name your own price.”
Galedar raised his brows. “I cannot afford to lose any more dragons.”
“It’s a shame. I brought some news for you, but it’s worth more than gold. I suppose I could leave.”
“What information do you have?”
“I know where the Resistance has been hiding.” He grinned. “I found them.”
Galedar’s eyes bulged. His teeth gritted. “Where!?”
“Now, now. We haven’t even negotiated a price.”
Galedar’s eyes darkened. “What do you want? You already have the most prized possession in Kaeldroga.”
“My dragon …? I didn’t realize she was so special.”
“She is the only blue dragon who has hatched,” Galedar said through clenched teeth.
“She is beautiful.”
“Tell me … does she breathe fire … or ice?”
Derkas raised an eyebrow. “What makes you ask that?”
“We recently ran into some of the Resistance and their … wyverns. They don’t all breathe fire.”
“Very interesting. Well, it sounds like they’re building. And with that look on your face, I imagine they’ve been more trouble for you lately. The price for their sanctuary has doubled.”
“What do you want?” Galedar repeated through clenched teeth.
“I want Zaviana. Release her from prison and slavery.”
Galedar’s teeth ground together, his fists clenched, and his blood boiled. Zaviana was the only person he’d found to have a special ability, some kind of extra power, an inner magic. He’d been studying her, hoping to discover how he could use her or harness her ability for himself. Was the destruction of the Resistance worth losing her? He exhaled. It was … for now. “Fine. You’ll have it. Now, tell me, where are they?”
“They’ve hidden themselves in the southern Trekkium Mountains. They’re not easy to find, they’ve even camouflaged themselves from aerial view … but they’re there.”
“Excellent.”
“Now, about my reward?” Derkas asked.
“You’ll have her.”
The End
