Chapter 1

The Cost of Freedom

"The coast is clear!" Aaron nodded as he followed his older brother around the pillar of the city gate. They both stood in dark hooded cloaks avoiding any near passerby. Aaron had never been beyond the city's gate before. They had slipped out past dawn, avoiding palace security. Two young princes out in the night would certainly cause some alarm.

Aaron's feet stumbled clumsily on the robe that draped past his feet. He began to fall face-first into the hard gravel. Rolue caught him by his hood causing Aaron's curly hair to escape from its nest. His brother quickly pushed his hood over his head to avoid any suspicious glances from onlookers.

"You have to be more careful if you want to come with me." Rolue's dark brown eyes examined him. His deep chocolate eyes didn't leave a trace of sympathy for the younger sibling.

Aaron turned away crossly. "You said I could come with you, and I've never done this before so don't expect me to be perfect." Rolue let out a deep sigh and met Aaron with a forced smile. "Do what I say and maybe we won't get caught."

They stood with the mass of people lined at the city's gate. Traffic was particularly slow tonight. Aaron tugged on his brother's sleeve, indicating he wanted to whisper into his ear. His brother stood at a towering five feet at only 14. "Why are there so many people coming into Rarapu?"

Rolue's smile flickered momentarily. "Our home, Rarapu, is stuck in between the city of NoaKoata and the home of the creatures called Beastlings in Waitangi. The Beastlings were banished from NoaKoata a few days ago, and they have been desperately trying to get back home to Waitangi."

"Oh! So all the Beastlings are coming through Rarapu? Where are they? I want to see one!" Aaron skimmed the crowd excitedly.

"No, Aaron! Beastlings are not allowed here!"

"But why?"

Rolue's eyes wavered. "It's all a bunch of complicated grown-up stuff."

"What do you mean?" Aaron's voice rose to a shout. "You're not a grown-up! I have every right to know as much as you do!"

"SHHH! We can't talk about this here, you never know who's listening in a place like this."

Aaron's gaze dropped angrily and he felt his sweaty palms as his fist clenched. "What could be so bad about these strangers?"

Not a word was exchanged between the two brothers until they had approached the front of the line issuing passports. It broke out into multiple lines of people all being issued into booths lined up by the exit. People in large, fake smiles happily took passports and repeated the same high-pitched messages.

Even with the light emanating from nearby lampposts, Aaron could tell that this system was causing mass chaos and confusion. Men and women alike could be seen scattering frantically trying to find their correct gate.

Rolue placed a gentle hand on his brother's shoulder. "This is the hardest part, so do exactly as I say." Aaron nodded intently, turning around in self-doubt. "Rolue I don't know if I can..."

Aaron pay attention to the crowd!" His brother's tight grip pushed him forward.

The pair hopped in line to a booth on the far right. Large signs with numbers loomed above them containing various advertisements. As they approached the booth, Aaron scrambled to see over the countertop to see the lady guiding them through the exit.

"How can I help you two tonight?"

"Ummm," Rolue coughed to clear his throat. "Can you help me so I don't end up at the tail of the line?"

Without missing a beat, two tickets were printed out of the booth and handed to them.

"Follow that next exit to your right around the office." She winked at Aaron before beckoning the next customer forward. Aaron stared at her as he dragged his feet forward. He didn't get a chance to catch her eye as Rolue grabbed his hand, guiding him past the gates. Small buildings were littered to the left and right as they followed the center road crowded with people.

Rolue craned his neck to see over the adults walking past them. "It's one of these buildings... I think." He murmured mostly to himself. Aaron squeezed his big brother's hand a little harder. They were making a steady pace through the noisy crowd, and Aaron did not want to get swept away.

Rolue eventually turned to the side of the road, peeking around buildings. "I was sure it was one of these." His eyes lit up when he saw a crowd of people gathered at the end of an alleyway. He quickly picked up into a jog, forcing Aaron to sprint to the end of the alleyway with his short legs.

They mingled in with the cluster talking in hushed voices. Aaron stared at the group of hooded individuals squished between the alley of brick buildings. "Rolue where are we, I thought we were going to see the cliffs?"

Before he could respond, a large man wearing a hoodie walked around the corner in front of the crowd. His head was covered by a large green sock cap. Despite being a heavier man, he walked with a hefty skip in his step. "Well," he announced to the horde, "that's another successful group."

He leaned his hand into the wall. Aaron watched as the stone illuminated a green symbol and sank into the wall. The stones began to shift in front of them, causing a stone barrier to seal the passengers into the corner. Aaron stared in awe as the floral design underneath the man's hand slowly spread into a brilliant glow. The floor jumped underneath their feet. They slowly began to descend.

The crowd broke into a loud cheer. Hoods were dropped as an outburst of grins were shared between the company. The eruption of joyous energy caused Rolue to share a smile with the stranger next to him. As they struck up a friendly conversation, Aaron almost jumped in surprise. Sitting on top of this stranger's blonde hair were two stubby horns. Aaron stared at the top of his head with wonder.

"Where did you get those?" Aaron said aghast.

The boy grinned proudly. "They started coming in about 3 weeks ago, do you want to feel them?" He knelt down and tilted his head. Aaron reached his hand out curiously. He was surprised by the sharpness as his thumb prodded at the engraved spike.

Rolue stared disapprovingly at the act, but his smile returned as soon as the goat-boy stood back up. "My mom says that one day they will be bigger than hers!" He gestured to a lady standing nearby with winding horns escaping her hair. Aaron looked around in awe taking in everyone stuck in the corner with them.

Everyone was uniquely different, from tails to claws, to patches of fur grazing the skin. "They...you're all...beastlings!" The outbreak from Aaron caused some harsh glares aimed at the two brothers. Rolue smiled his dashing smile apologetically as people rolled their eyes in disgust. Even the goat-boy Rolue had been talking to had distanced himself from the two of them.

Rolue wrapped a protective arm around his brother. "Eru you can't call these people that name."

"Well, why not? That's what everyone else calls them."

"Yes, but, you shouldn't call them that." Rolue scolded.

"What should I call them then?" Aaron crossed his arms, clearly annoyed.

"I...I don't know what they're actually called." Rolue dipped his head as his face shifted into a puzzled expression.

The floor beneath their feet abruptly came to a halt. The man that was leaning on the green glowing stone had released his hand from the symbol. The green sign slowly dimmed out as the walls around them stopped moving up.

"Now folks, I'm gonna have to ask you to watch your step onto the platform." The wall behind him let out a loud creak as it slid open. It was my pleasure to escort you fine folk today. Please stay safe for the rest of your journey." He shook many hands as he waved goodbye at people parading out of the cramped transport.

Many of them stopped to thank him personally with gratitude radiating off of their smiles. Rolue and Aaron approached the exit point with haste. "What if he won't let us pass because we're not one of them?" Aaron said.

"Eldor wouldn't do that to me," Rolue responded confidently.

"Eldor? You know him?"

"Indeed he does!" Eldor's pudgy but overwhelmingly jolly demeanor quickly overwhelmed the two princes. "I could never forget one of my favorite passengers." He offered out his hand steadily to the older brother. Rolue, following suit, grasped the man's firm handshake. He broke into a genuine smile. "It's great to see you Eldor."

"Oh please, the pleasure is all mine, if I do say so myself. He paused a moment to process his own statement. "And I do say so!" He laughed heartily and obnoxiously for someone of his age. He didn't seem to realize this or care. The laughter was infectious, and Aaron even felt himself twisting the corner of his mouth.

Eldor diverted his attention to the junior boy standing next to his towering older brother. "You must be the amazing brother I've heard so much about. It's good to finally put a name to a face." Eldor and Aaron shook hands and waved goodbye as the last of the people hurried out of the transport.

"I hope to see you two again!" Eldor called out to them as people quickly began replacing their spots on the elevator. "And Rolue, please take care to see you're both home on time." He emphasized the word home, drawing it out slowly before winking at them and returning to his task as the operator.

The boys hurried down the dark illuminated tunnel. The sound of joyous cries echoed down the chamber as they continued forward toward the stone maze. Aaron could barely believe his eyes as he rounded the corner. The cave branched out into a massive common room filled with Beastlings of all ages interacting and embracing each other.

Rolue glanced at his brother, who was marveling at the new atmosphere they had found themselves in. They walked under a large sign at the entrance. "Welcome to Port 5" Aaron followed his brother as they weaved around the crowded room. The upbeat atmosphere was much grander than either of them was used to.

The room seemed to be endless, with tunnels blossoming outward in almost every direction. Small booths were propped up in the walkway issuing maps and small candies. Runaway bulletins and wrappers scattered the cold ground. Wanted posters littered the walls. Some were even crossed out by hasty scribbles.

Rolue dodged the bystanders and turned up a ramp to their right. The tunnel seemed abandoned and made Aaron's skin crawl. He glanced down at his brother's hand and was tempted to grab a hold of it. The thought was quickly forgotten as the darkness of the night covered them as they emerged outside.

The tall grasses waiting for them at the cave entrance rose to Aaron's waist. To their right, was the entrance to the kingdom. The black doorway was guarded heavily by surveillance crews.

He craned his neck up to find a massive boulder surrounded by a mix of vines and jungles overtaking the rock. Aaron gazed longingly, an unexplainable desire to see the top. He sprinted over and wrapped the vines around his hands in a firm grasp. "We're not going that way, Aaron." Rolue chuckled rolling his eyes.

Aaron turned angrily. "Why not?"

"You can't climb that thing, it's like 15 feet tall! You'd hurt yourself trying to get up it!

Aaron grumbled as he watched his brother lean down and army crawl under the bushes. The vines scraped his arms as his nose stayed an inch from the soft soil.

"I bet I could climb up it," he grumbled. Aaron hesitantly followed Rolue in close pursuit.

They emerged covered in light scratches, and patches of dirt on their robes. Aaron smirked at his brother and his patch of brown clinging to the tip of his nose. Role noticed Aaron staring, and turned his back to him to adjust his appearance. He only succeeded in smudging the spot into a darker mark on his face.

Aaron's eyes lit up mischievously, planning not to alert Rolue of his stylish mark. Role rolled his eyes. "Come on, Aaron we're almost there."

The walk was only 10 minutes from the rock hiding the cave entrance. Aaron broke into a run, at the sound of running water up ahead. Aaron knew one thing, he had never been this high up before.

He overlooked his home, the City of Rarapu from the rolling cliff side. Aaron closed his eyes feeling the wind graze his hair and tickle his face. The moon shone brightly overhead, casting a white glow onto waves as it crashed beneath the rocky slopes.

Aaron, the youngest son of King Fildör had escaped the prison of the palace walls. The royal rugs no longer scraped against his feet. The giant windows advertising the rocky hillside were no longer out of reach. He had escaped.

A pair of hands on his shoulders shook him, awakening him from his daze. The handsome face peered over him smugly. Rolue jokingly rocked him forward letting his eyes peer over the edge of the cliff. Aarons's shoulders didn't budge as he leaned over the peak.

"I thought you'd be more scared! You're not afraid of falling into that deep, dark, scary water are you?" His voice dragged each word slowly out like it was stuck in the mud.

Aaron shoved his brother away. "I'm not a baby anymore! Heights don't scare me!" Aaron glared defiantly at his older brother. His posture did nothing to conceal his pride. He stood with his shoulders back. His chest moved forward in a pompous manner. This was how he was raised, as a prince.

In reality, Aaron was not intimidating in the slightest, with his infamous shaggy brown hair demeaning any menacing look he might throw. Rolue, however, had already begun to resemble the other noblemen. He had a strong build, the wisps of a beard, and the muscles to make ladies swoon.

Rolue jerked an eyebrow, a smolder that would've made any girl blush. Aaron scowled, he hated that look more than anything. He used his anger to unexpectedly reach out and tackle his brother. Rolue laughed as he did his best to keep them both from tumbling down the bluff. They rolled away from the cliffs, towards the valley that seemed to continue for miles on end.

Aaron landed on top of his brother and pinned him against the grass. Rolue dramatically began to die. "I see the light brother... if only I could reach it!" His hand reached upward toward the sky. "Goodbye, cruel world," His head lay to the side with his tongue out. Aaron only rolled his eyes, The anger faded from his expression, and his muscles finally unclenched themselves from their stiff positions.

Aaron jumped off his brother and clambered back toward the cliffside. The view was just as stunning as he had left it. His mind wandered back to his brother's words. He knew there was nothing down there. Rolue was just trying to get into his head and it wasn't working. He wasn't even tempted. There was no reason to look.

Aaron peeked down the never-ending drop. He half expected the dark, gloomy, water that was described to him. Instead, a small waterfall trickled over a cave, that fell down into the ocean below. It was peaceful, and Aaron almost laughed out loud at his own foolishness. Almost. He got down on his knees and leaned out as far as his tiny body would allow him. The water leaked slowly down the steep slope covered in weeds hoping to benefit from the flow.

Almost involuntarily, he reached his hand out to touch it. If he could touch it, it would be real. The thought of going home back to his father would be a long distant memory. The stream of water ran through his hands. Maybe if he reached further...

"You're not thinking of jumping are you Aaron?" his brother's voice called out to him lazily. He was still laying on the ground gazing up thoughtfully at the sparkling night sky. His arm rested comfortably across his chest. Rolue was enjoying the peaceful atmosphere as much as he was.

Aaron pulled back quickly as If the moment had never happened at all. "I know Rolue!" Aaron sneaked one last peek over the edge. He didn't blink as he tried to engrave the view into his memory.

Suddenly, the small movement from the underbrush quickly grew out of proportion. The rocks began to shift until the rocks began to take a different form. As the animal emerged, its camouflage began to unmask itself.

A golden shimmer glazed across titanic scales. Two frosty blue eyes attached to the head of a tremendous dragon emerged from the side of the cliff. A loud hiss erupted from its forked tongue as the dragon's snout hovered feet away for Aaron. The dragon watched him intently, displaying his fangs.

Aaron wanted to run. Every instinct, every muscle, every part of him was screaming at him to move. However, his feet remained frozen. Aaron forgot how to breathe. He could feel his brother's hands grabbing his torso and he was hurled backward. He looked up at his brother's shadow. Rolue didn't have a weapon, but that never stopped his foolish bravery from playing the hero.

"AARON RUN!" Rolue shouted. His voice has turned ice cold. There was no hint of humor or laziness in his composure. Aaron nodded slightly with a far-off look in his eyes. His feet staggered backward slowly before he turned and broke into a sprint.

A deafening roar followed him. He threw a glance over his shoulder at his brother, hoping to see him close behind. Instead, his brother stood with a sharp stick in his hand as the mighty creature loomed over him.

"ROLUE!" Aaron's feet screeched to a stop. His scream tore at his vocal cords letting out a high pitch shriek.

"Aaron you have to run, I'll distract it!" Rolue's face was dark, but his legs were trembling.

Aaron felt warm tears trail down his cheeks. He stood frozen, trying to see through his teary eyes. His mind froze. He wasn't like his brother. He wasn't fearless and determined. He was terrified.

Before he could register what was happening, his legs started running. He didn't know where, somewhere, anywhere else other than here. The wind stung his face as he ran. It was no longer his friend. Who knew the feeling he enjoyed so much, could also feel so cold?

Aaron ran until he could barely see the underbrush through his wet blubbering. A large boulder stood separating it from the thorns covering the crawl space. It had taken the two brothers ages to clear it, he didn't have that amount of time. Instead of going through the crawl space, Aaron dug his nails at the boulder, crawling up using every edge as a foothold to pull himself up.

Almost halfway up the rock, he craned his neck around. He could see his brother's shadow running toward him. Except, in front of him was a dragon quickly approaching. Its massive wings were flying swiftly over the grassy hills. If the dragon had lost interest in Rolue, that meant there was a different target. The wheels of his mind were turning too fast.

Aaron's eyes burned. His hands held onto the narrow ledge in a death-like grip. He rapidly flung his legs at the rock trying to find a stronghold. Instead, he slid down three feet and created a large blood-dripping gash emerging from his shin. The pain was so surprising that he cried out in a broken yelp.

Before he hit the bottom, something wrapped itself around Aaron. He continued to hear his brother's screams calling out to him. He wished he could cry back to him, but his throat was clamped shut with a harsh sting. Tears seemed never-ending as he took in gulps for breath. The force landed and cushioned his body onto a hard surface. He didn't dare move a muscle.

As the claw slowly wrenched itself from around him, he collapsed onto the surface; The top of the boulder. His body lay limply as he continued to lose blood as it poured out of his leg. "Thank you," he whispered into the ground. His eyes refocused enough to make out the yellow dragon eyes hovering next to him. His relief turned to panic. This creature was not hospitable. The dragon's gaze fixated on Aaron. Somehow, he knew what it meant.

"Don't thank me yet."

Rolue was still twenty yards out, but he stopped mid-sprint. His composure melted away and he sank to his knees at the sight. The dragon sat on top of the gigantic cobblestone, and let out a triumphant, bellowing roar. Rolue didn't hear the dragon, his eyes were fixated on the dark crimson blood oozing down the side of the rock.