Morning had finally arrived. By then, my tears had dried, but my eyes remained heavy, as if filled with sand. Sitting, leaning against Elyndra's dead carcass, I stared blankly into space. Everything that had happened while I slept continued to haunt me, though I couldn't explain why. It was as if Elyndra and Ignarion had used that dream to say goodbye to me and their hatchlings, also leaving important messages.
My body felt more exhausted than usual, and my mind wandered, questioning if it had all really been real. Do spirits exist? I thought. And if Elyndra and Ignarion were really the names of those dragons? Then I remembered the mark Ignarion had engraved on my chest before leaving. So, I slowly looked down, my heart racing faster and faster, and there it was: the mark.
My eyes widened. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It had all really happened. With a trembling hand, I touched the mark, feeling its texture as the memories of the dream came flooding back.
- "I..." I murmured, running my fingers over the mark, trying to find the strength to continue.
At that moment, I was destroyed. I had fallen into the abyss of pain, but then something caught my attention: a faint glow, shimmering under the light of Estalyrion, which passed through holes in the ceiling of the hall. I raised my hand to shield my eyes from the brightness, trying to identify the source of that reflection, and when I finally saw it's source I realized that they were the eggs.
The light hit them directly, making them shine. As I looked at them, I could almost hear Elyndra asking me to take care of her hatchlings, just as she had in my dream. That stirred something within me. The darkness that had taken over my soul gave way a little to the light. My heart, once crushed by sadness, found a spark of determination. So I dried my tears and clenched my fists, as a smile appeared on my face.
- "...Enough of this, Dravyn. They're in a much better place now. It's time to move forward. There's still so much to be done... These dragon babies will be taken care of in the best possible way, and I will avenge those who made me go through all this... LET'S GO!" I said.
I got up as if I had never been on the ground. I stretched, taking a deep breath, and began planning my next steps. Things had changed drastically, and any previous plan was no longer viable.
My priority now was to understand the dangers I would face. I was alone, with an immense responsibility: to take care of the dragon eggs. At that moment, I remembered the words of that cursed noble before his death. He had said that others would come looking for the missing group. Besides, he mentioned that he belonged to the Kingdom of Kaerthalyon, ruled by a mad prince, obsessed with power and filled with hatred for the Zol'karnes — the half-animal people.
- "Right... First of all, I need to prepare for the dangers," I said, trying to organize my thoughts.
At that moment, I remembered the threats he made.
- "...More of them will come... This is going to be a headache." I grumbled.
- "But as long as they come in small numbers, I can handle them. The real problem will be if that cursed prince learns about the eggs. He won't spare any effort to get them, and that would be catastrophic."
As much as I relied on my knowledge about many things, which had allowed me to fight against those soldiers the previous night, I still couldn't face a royal army. Therefore, I should keep the existence of the dragon eggs a closely guarded secret until I had enough power to destroy the Kingdom of Kaerthalyon, which, to me, would still take some time.
My mind was racing, almost on the verge of exploding with so many variables. I needed to consider caring for the eggs, the imminent danger of attacks, and at the same time, think about how to survive and strengthen myself. To concentrate, I took a deep breath and slapped my cheeks with my hands.
"...Sigh...paf…paf… Let's go, Dravyn, focus…" I said, while slapping both cheeks with my hands.
Then, I looked at the eggs and murmured:
- "First, I need to ensure they have an ideal environment for development. This region is dry, so it will be necessary to humidify them regularly. If the internal moisture of the eggs escapes, the embryos won't survive... That would be horrible."
I thought for a moment, analyzing the situation.
- "...Besides, I need to build layers of defense and traps. This way, I can better handle any future attacks. I'll also improve this place, making it more comfortable for me and suitable for the hatchlings when they are born." I said, while considering the rest of the things I had to do.
- "...I'll also need to create a schedule to strengthen myself by training, and I need to start planting fields, as well as developing more advanced technologies to help protect this place and bring more security for the hatchlings." I added.
With all this in mind, I raised my head and looked at the dragon eggs.
- "Sigh… That's it. But before anything, I need to clean this place." I murmured, taking a deep breath while looking around.
My eyes turned to Elyndra, and a weight filled my chest.
- "...And also... I must fulfill Elyndra's last request." I said, as I approached her carcass. A sad smile appeared on my face, remembering everything she had done for me.
I paused for a moment, closing my eyes, and took another deep breath.
- "...Sigh… Ok, LET'S GET STARTED WITH EVERYTHING!" I exclaimed, raising my voice to dispel the melancholy and motivate myself.
With this renewed energy, I got up all at once, determined to act. And so, I began to put my plan into action, starting with what Elyndra had asked me the last time I saw her.