CHAPTER 15
AUTHOR COLLINS COLLEX
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The Dragon Queen, recognizing the wisdom in Kai's words and the weight of her own predicament, finally agreed. "You're right," she admitted, her voice echoing through the cavern. "The longer I remain here, the weaker I become. Perhaps it's time for a change."
With a solemn nod, she extended a claw towards Kai. "You have proven yourself worthy. Let us forge a new path together."
As Kai accepted the Dragon Queen's offer, a surge of power coursed through him, connecting him to the ancient being. A bond was formed, a bond that would shape the destiny of both their races.
The Dragon Queen, her voice echoing in Kai's mind, asked, "When will you release me?"
Kai replied, "I will release you at the right time. You will know it when it happens, but it won't be long."
She opened her mouth and blew a strange, ethereal breath unto Kai. The blood of the dragon flowed into his body, a mystical transfusion. She then handed him a dragon egg, an ancient relic left by Arclight, believing it would hatch while they were together.
Kai was now the first human to have dragon blood coursing through his veins. An immediate breakthrough occurred, elevating him from a lowly E-rank mage to a powerful D-rank mage. The sudden surge of power overwhelmed him, causing him to faint.
Darius watched over his unconscious son, his mind racing. Kai's actions within the crypt were nothing short of astonishing. Not only had he negotiated with a Dragon Queen, but he had also become a Dragon Rider. Staring at the dragon egg beside Kai, Darius mused, "Perhaps he is the prophesied child who will unite the continent of Zenith. He has already united dragons and humans. What's to come may be greater than we can imagine. The prophecy of the Tale of Powers..." he trailed off, a knowing smile spreading across his face.
Last night, after bringing the naked, unconscious Kai back home, Darius placed him on his bed to rest. After keeping watch over his son for several hours and pondering the events in the crypt, morning arrived. Darius left the room to attend to some matters, entrusting the midwife to watch over young Kai.
Returning to his chamber, Darius rested for a while before Frey entered. "Darius," Frey began, "a messenger from the capital has arrived with grave news. He insists on speaking to you personally and has gathered everyone in the courtroom."
Darius followed Frey out of his chamber, dressing like a lord with his sword hanging at his waist. As he moved towards the courtroom, everyone knelt before him, acknowledging his lordship.
Before entering the courtroom, Darius approached the midwife in charge of Kai. "How is Kai?" he asked.
"He hasn't woken up yet, but he seems fine," she replied. "I've assigned two guards to watch over him."
Hearing the news about Kai, Darius walked into the courtroom with a stern expression. Over forty people had gathered, their faces etched with worry. As he walked, his gaze swept across the room, meeting the eyes of his sister, Cara, and others like Eve, who was carrying her newborn daughter. He also exchanged a brief smile with Aldwin and Kael, who stood together. Finally, he sat down in the lone chair, a king's seat.
Looking at Frey, Darius gestured for him to bring in the messenger. The man, haggard and breathless, was clearly exhausted from a long and arduous journey. His appearance suggested he had ridden a swift beast, covering great distances at breakneck speed.
As the messenger was brought into the room, he stumbled towards Darius and gasped, "My lord, the city of Nomad has fallen! Every member of the great family are dead. Not a single soul from the Nomad family survived."
A collective gasp swept through the courtroom as the messenger's grim news sank in. Darius, however, remained composed. "How?" he asked, his voice steady. "What happened? Who dared to attack Nomad?" He was perplexed, as he hadn't heard of any impending conflict. Could it be the Wind Whisperers? As he pondered this thought, the messenger's voice cut through his musings.
"My lord, Gazing Glade, a kingdom to the west, laid siege to Nomad two nights ago. The entire Nomad family was slaughtered. The news reached the capital last night, and the king has summoned you to the capital to defend the remaining western villages," the messenger reported.
After the messenger's grim announcement, the court was dismissed, and everyone returned to their homes or duties. The news of Nomad's fall spread quickly throughout Ember's Keep, casting a shadow of fear and uncertainty over the village.
In the aftermath of the news, a somber mood settled over Ember's Keep. Villagers gathered in hushed groups, discussing the tragic fall of the Nomad family. The impending departure of their lord to war filled their hearts with worry and sorrow. Secretly, many offered prayers for his safe return.
After leaving the courtroom, Darius retreated to his office. He spent some time writing a series of letters, which he placed in a box before leaving the office.
In a richly decorated chamber, Darius packed the essentials for his journey to the capital. Despite his reluctance to leave his young son, the weight of the Arclight family's duty to protect the kingdom compelled him to answer the king's call.