Chapter 5 - Sand City Part 2

George walked up to the castle's moat and the drawbridge was down. Standing on the drawbridge was Jac, with his helmet helped in his hands.

"Hello George. Did you get some good breakfast and good night's rest?", asked Jac.

"Yes thank you, so much.", replies George as he walks onto the drawbridge.

"Where did you go to eat?"asked Jac as he began to walk into the capital.

"I ate at the tavern across from the hotel."

"So did you meet Godfrey?"

"Yeah I did, I think that he was pretty cool."

"Well he is a hero around here. He saved this whole country from your grandfather."

"What? Really, what did my grandfather do?"

"He tried to burn down this country, but Godfrey was able to stop him. Godfrey took your grandfather's left leg and your grandfather took Godfrey's left eye."

"So my grandfather is an awful man?"

"Yes he is driven by greed."

"Is? Not was?"

Jac stops walking and turns back, "Wait, do you not know that your grandfather and father are alive?"

"I thought that my whole village was killed."

"Would you like me to tell you what really happened that day, while we walked through the city?"

"Yes please do."

"Well your grandfather was a poor man, who worked all day and all night. His smithing skills were amazing so he trained for years and killed his first dragon. He loved the feeling of that battle, so he made a pact with a demon to give him the temporary power to find and kill the rarest dragon."

George quickly interrupted Jac's story, "And he made an enchanted sword out of its skin?"

"Close enough, he made a sword, but it was not enchanted."

"But why can't anyone pick it up then?"

"Because the sword is just really heavy. Bareilly anyone can lift it. Only Godfrey and your Grandfather can lift it."

"Godfrey can lift it?"

"That sword is what he used to cut off your grandfather's left leg.", says Jac as they approach the keep, "We will finish this later."

Two knights in the same gold armor Jac wear stand guard. They both open the door at the same time and one of them says, "Good day Sir Jacques, King Draco is not here right now but he will be here soon. You also have a visitor."

"Who is the visitor?", asked Jac.

"She said her name was Alyssa, but she did not give a formal title nor did she give a last name. Should we kick her out?"

"No, she is a friend. Where is she?"

"She is at the training grounds."

George and Jac walk through the door. There is a large stone staircase which leads up to a hallway. They start up the staircase and go out to a balcony. The balcony overlooks a small yard with a sand stone as a floor, and on the rightside against the wall is a pile of dummies and sacks of sand. At the center of the courtyard stood Alyssa elegantly swinging her sword.

"It has been a while!", yells Jac as he waves from the balcony.

Alyssa looks up and sees Jac waving, "Jac! Is that you?", she stops swinging her sword and puts it into her sheath. She begins walking to the staircase on the left side and gets onto the balcony.

"Hey who is this Jac? A new squire?"

"No even better. An Osmund."

Alyssa chuckles and then quickly stops, "You are joking, right?"

"No, he is an Osmund."

"I've been sent on my last mission to find him."

"Wait, why did Zala need an Osmund?"

"She didn't need an Osmund but she wanted to keep him safe."

"From what?"

"From Kai."

Jac looks around, then quickly and sternly says, "We should talk about this in my room."

They enter Jac's room which is quite large. He has a window which looks out on the training grounds, he also has a ginormous bed, and a huge table in the middle with a leather cushion chair. Jac sits down on the bed and Alyssa goes to sit on the chair. George stands near the door.

"So why would Kai want to find George?", asks Jac quickly.

"That is between Kai and the kid."

"Alyssa. . . I can't let you take him. He is going to stay here and help this army."

"You can not choose for me.", says George quietly. Jac and Alyssa both turn around. George walks closer to them, "I want to become a Dragon Slayer and I want to meet my grandfather. Though people think he is not a good person I would like to have freedom and choose for myself."

"Well you can come train with me and Skai at the Water Witch cave. Which will also keep George and Skai safe from Kai.", said Alyssa as she angled the chair so she could put her feet up onto the bed.

"As long as you bring him back in thirty days I am sure that will be fine."

"Why in a month?"

"That is when the Siege will most likely begin.", Jac stands up and walks over to George, "Is that ok with you?"

"Well how hard is it to become a Dragon Slayer?", asked George.

"The training will help.", Alyssa said quickly, "If that is what you were going to ask."

"Yes I was. I just want to fight for freedom, find my grandfather, and become a Dragon Slayer. I will take whatever it takes to achieve my goals."

"Ok so you will go to the oasis and be back in a month."

A knock is heard on the door then a loud voice says from outside the door, "King Draco of Sand City is entering your room, Sir Jacques.". The King with two guards enter the small room as George steps further into the room to avoid being in their way.

"Ah you have a guest, should I come back later?", says the King right when he walks in.

"Actually no, we need to ask you something, Alyssa?"

"Can we take Skai with us to the oasis to train and keep safe?"

"Well yes that seems fine with me, as long as you are back before the siege of this city."

"Thank you, we will be leaving now.", Alyssa begins to walk out of the room but the King holds onto her right arm.

"I need you to keep Skai safe, but also by the time he comes back he needs to have absorbed this.", the King pulls out of his left pocket a glowing white rock the size of a small pebble.

"Is this the. . . the shard of power orb?", asked Alyssa.

"Yes it is. But don't just stand here and stare at it."

"Yes King Draco.", says Alyssa as she bows and starts walking out, George walks out with her. The King turns around and shuts the door. Just the King and Jac remain in the room. The King slowly walks to the chair, only his boots against the wood can be heard. He sits down and for a second the room is dead silent.

"We are all going to die before the Siege is over.", says the King.

"What do you mean? Do you expect us to lose this war?"

"Our country is poor, we don't have the money to afford any extra help. Plus no one will benefit from helping us.", the King pauses and slowly crosses his legs, "Also they have a spy."

"How do you know?"

"Because they know about Skai."

"Do you know who it is?"

"No but that is why I am here. I need to update you on the current plan.". The King pauses and waits for Jac to say anything but he does not so the King continues, "Godfrey is on the move trying to evacuate everyone. He has a team of five people he trusts that are evacuating the city,whilst also trying to find the traitor. I need you to find out who the slave is, okay?"

"Yes King Draco.", says Jac as he bows, opens the door, and walks out of the room.

George and Alyssa were walking down a dark hall when they approached iron bars which blocked them from continuing forward. A sign on the bars says Skai's Room. In the back by the wall a scrawny, pale, white haired, blue eyed child laid on the ground with his arms chained to the wall.