Unexpectedly they moved all at once. Kainan took a hasty shuffle backwards as the ground shook beneath his feet. Their eyes turned to Meladrom who stood tall and proud. The largest of the dragons, Galtec, silver in colour like Meladrom, acknowledged him with a nod of his head. Then what they did next surprised the young Prince, all fourteen dragons knelt down before him and lowered their heads.
“Our King you have returned,” the Galtec’s voice boomed. Kainan’s mouth went suddenly dry and he was lost for words. He felt a gentle nudge from Meladrom’s snout on his shoulder. He glanced behind him and Meladrom nodded to him.
“Galtec,” the young Prince whispered, turning back and facing the huge dragon. Galtec raised his head.
“My King, do you now have the power necessary to destroy Gemini?” he asked. Kainan swallowed, searching for his voice.
“Yes Galtec,” he managed. They all rose to their feet, towering above him, they moved in closer. The young Prince felt the adrenaline coursing through him as he looked up at the dragons.
“And what of the Queen, has she too been re-born as the prophecy foretold?” Galtec asked. Kainan smiled, relaxing a little and giving a nod.
“Yes. The Queen is safe, back at the castle. She too has been given the power to defeat Gemini.”
“He still lives then?” Storm, one of the female dragons questioned. The young Prince nodded.
“Yes Storm we believe so. It has been nearly five hundred years since you were put to sleep.” The dragons looked at each other.
“So long,” Kala muttered, looking to her sons Rohan and Temock. Kainan nodded.
“We know that he still lives as we have been attacked recently by black dragons.” Suddenly, half the dragons roared in anger, including Kala and her sons, sending Kainan’s hands to his ears as the sound was deafening. The fury held within these dragons against Gemini’s creations was obvious. Kala had lost her mate, Tryan, to Gemini’s black dragons. To her it did not feel like five hundred years, it felt like it was only days ago.
“Silence,” Galtec growled angrily, spinning around to them. “Do you want that evil to detect us?” The dragons lowered their heads shamefully.
The young prince removed his hands from his ears and then continued.
“A lot has happened in the time we have been gone. One of the Kings returned the people from Zyon, back through the portal to Malgar. They have built a force field around the new Malgar hiding it from Gemini. Of course they did not know at the time that was what they were doing, they believed it to be something called the darkness. Thankfully, the new Malgar is safe. Hidden for the last forty or so years and it must remain so until Gemini is defeated. My twin brother Gareion has also been re-born although he, too, remembers nothing. He will remain at the castle.” The dragons nodded.
“Meladrom it is good to see you brother,” Galtec said, stepping forward. Meladrom greeted him with a rub to the side of his cheek with his snout. “And you brother. I have given the King the scroll to the Elwins. There is food in the second chamber for you all. I will return the King to the castle in order for him to make arrangements. Tomorrow I shall return and then take them as far as the Anara Pass. Once past the mountain Gemini would definitely detect me, so it is as far as I can go for now. If you leave the lair, keep low and go in pairs only. We must not alert him to our presence.” The other dragons nodded. Galtec turned to Kainan.
“It is good to see you my King and it is good to be back.” Kainan nodded and smiled back at him.
“It is good to see you. I am sorry that I do not yet remember you all, but things are becoming familiar to me slowly.”
“It was as expected and as such plans were made should your memory of your past life be forgotten. Once you have reached Ophidian he will help you recall everything,” Galtec informed him. Kainan put his sword back into its sheath and looked up at Meladrom, he had already told him such.
“I apologise if I seemed startled at first to see you all, but in my current body and mind this is the first time I have been near a real dragon, baring of course the black dragons that attacked us.” Galtec snarled at the mention of the black dragon.
“Our King killed two black dragons Galtec.” Meladrom informed. Galtec tilted his head.
Two black dragons on your own without a dragon to fight alongside?” he questioned in surprise. The young prince shook his head.
“No, Arweyn,” he thought, “Your Queen,” he corrected. “She helped me kill them using our combined magic.” Galtec laughed.
“The prophecy was indeed true.” He looked to the other dragons. “Now we shall kill that bastard who took so many of us. Long live King Kainan and Queen Arweyn,” he cheered and the others joined in. Kainan found his heart moved suddenly, to be cheered by dragons, to be respected in such a way, it was overwhelming. He smiled deeply as he finally felt his destiny falling into place. Meladrom nudged him with the top of his snout.
“See I told you they would not eat you,” he laughed. Galtec looked up.
“Eat him?” Galtec said surprised. Kainan felt himself blush.
“Thanks Meladrom,” the young Prince whispered as the dragons began laughing.
“Eat him! Did you hear that? Really my King you have lost your mind haven’t you,” Galtec sniggered.
He held his arms open wide, feeling the force of the wind as it buffeted him; he felt like a bird soaring through the air. They kept low down in the valley to avoid detection by Gemini. It was such an exhilarating experience, such a feeling of freedom. Pulling his arms back in Kainan held onto Meladrom’s back scales as he banked right and then swooped down low skimming the lake.
The land below was so beautiful, so fertile, and covered in a mass of forests and deep valleys reaching up into the mountains. There were small glades, which opened now and then amongst the trees, and they were full of beautiful coloured flowers. Kainan marvelled at it, and he was desperate to explore it.
“Ready thy Sword my King, we are approaching Malgar,” Meladrom informed him. “Hang tight my King I am going to transverse,” he then warned. Kainan squeezed his knees tight around the dragon’s body and hooked his feet inside two scales. Holding on with one hand, he raised the Deragan sword ready with the other. Meladrom began turning until he was completely upside down. Kainan began to chant. He could see the magical energy of the boundary and with his sword, he sliced the barrier opening it just enough for Meladrom to glide through to the other side. The dragon righted itself and Kainan relaxed a little as he watched the tear repair itself. He smiled as they made their way back down towards the castle; he was so excited to tell Arweyn everything that had happened.
Meladrom landed in the courtyard with a thud. It was just past midday. The young prince jumped off, waving his arms to the soldiers that had gathered with their swords.
“It is okay, stand down,” he ordered. The soldiers bowed and backed away cautiously, still unsure about having a dragon within their midst.
“Thank you Meladrom,” Kainan said. The dragon’s head lowered to him.
“I shall wait for you here my Lord and we shall leave at first light. I can take you as far as the Anara Pass. After that, you will have to follow the map to the Elwins. I cannot fly into that territory Gemini would definitely sense my presence.”
“Do you need anything?” Kainan asked. Meladrom shook his head.
“No thank you I am still quite full,” he drew his lips back in a sort of grin and it made the young Prince laugh.
“Very well, I shall see you at first light if I do not get time to come back before,” he confirmed, before turning and walking over to an impatient Drew, who had now arrived on the scene.
“Your highness what happened, are you okay?” Drew rushed, keeping a wary eye on the dragon. Kainan placed an arm around his shoulder.
“Drew you worry too much I am fine. I have just flown through the sky like a bird and woken fourteen dragons.” Drew stopped dead, looking at him startled.
“Fourteen dragons,” Drew repe
ated, glancing warily once again towards Meladrom.
“Fourteen dragons and they are all loyal to me and ready to fight Gemini.” Drew took in a breath, before grasping Kainan’s arm.
“You are sure about all of this?” The young Prince looked at his concerned face and nodded.
“Yes Drew I am. Now where is my wife?” The King’s bodyguard studied his face for a moment, realising he was deadly serious, he nodded.
“She is I believe my Lord, in your chambers, resting.” Kainan patted his back.
“Make sure the dragon is looked after, no-one is to harm him do I make myself clear?” Drew nodded reluctantly, as he watched Kainan walk through a door and into the castle. Walking with quickening speed to his chamber Kainan soon arrived. He turned the handle it was unlocked.
“Arweyn,” he called, entering their chamber. She sat at the table, having spent most of the morning reading the book. Her eyes shone with joy at the sound of his voice and she spun around towards him before jumping to her feet and rushing to him.
“Kainan!” she cried, running into his arms. “Thank the stars I have been going out of my mind.” He held her tight for a moment and then kissed her.
“Arweyn it was unbelievable,” he said excitedly, taking her hand and leading her to the large blue sofa on the other side of their chamber. Sitting down he swung an arm around her and she nuzzled into him.
“Everything we thought is true. Meladrom took me to the dragon’s lair.” Her eyes widened at him as he spoke.
“There are another fourteen dragons all with the green wings,” he rushed. “I awoke them all.” He took a breath.
“Kainan were you not terrified?” She swallowed nervously just at the thought of it.
“Yes, at first, but they are all so incredible and I can understand them all. Arweyn we have lived before.” He took both her hands, his heart pounding as he explained. “We ruled Malgar together as King and Queen over five hundred years ago.” She frowned at him as she thought.
“Then what I said back at Mennock Mountain, about waiting five hundred years for you, was true?” He nodded as her eyes wandered all over his face.
“Yes. According to the dragons, we were unable to defeat a dark Lord called Gemini. He and his black dragons invaded our world from a place called Earth. Gemini is an immortal. Gareion was my twin back then too and he did write the book. Gareion and my mother of that time were the ones who led the thousand through the portal to Zyon and left all the clues so that one day when I was re-born, I would be able to find them.” She looked at him completely stunned.
“What happened to us?” she asked, a little apprehensively.
“We led the remaining empire and hid them somewhere Meladrom called the Shankar Mountains. We put them all in a magical sleep, turned them to stone.” She frowned again and shook her head.
“This is unbelievable.”
“That is not all. When the people were asleep we,” he hesitated and squeezed her hands.
“Kainan?” she questioned.
“We sacrificed ourselves to the Deragan Sword.” She gasped.
“The sword absorbed all our powers and joined our souls together so that one day we would be re-born and be together again. When we joined using the Deragan sword, it re-started the prophecy. It joined our powers together so that we would be strong enough to defeat Gemini and release our empire from their sleep. The other sword the book speaks of is the Gameron sword. It is a sword that I must retrieve in order to kill Gemini.”
“Where is this sword?” she asked. He took a sharp breath.
“Gemini has it. My sword is a sword of good, the Gameron sword, is a sword of darkness. By joining the two swords together it will create the Twin Sword, a legendary sword that is the only known weapon that will kill an immortal.”
“So you think this Gemini is still alive?” she asked. He moved a lock of hair from her eyes before running the back of his knuckles down her beautiful face.
“Yes. Meladrom said if there were black dragons then Gemini still lived.” She took a deep breath.
“This is so much to take in,” she mumbled.
“I know but it is our destiny. We always knew there was something more than just the Gorzars.” She nodded in agreement.
“Meladrom will fly us to a place called the Anara pass.”
“Fly…. on a dragon?” she said, hesitantly. He grinned at her scared face.
“Do not worry it is the most amazing feeling, you will love it.” She raised a wary eyebrow at him, doubting that very much. He reached into his pocket.
“Here read this.” He passed her the note he had written five hundred years ago and watched with an excited smile as her eyes scanned the parchment in stunned silence.
“You wrote this?” Her eyes lifted to his. He nodded and then grinned.
“I know it is mad isn’t it! This is a map to the Elwins. Apparently, we gave them the knowledge of where our people are and there is a great water-dragon called Ophidian protecting them. Our first task will be to find these Elwins. They live on another world, but I have been assured that when we reach this location they will know and contact us.”
“So we go on foot from here.” She pointed and he nodded.
“Yes. Meladrom cannot risk leaving the valley, else Gemini might sense him.” She gave a little nod somewhat apprehensively. He drew her closer.
“Are you ready for another adventure my beautiful wife?” Her eyes fell to his and she smiled.
“Where you go I go my husband,” she whispered, shuddering as his lips brushed hers his hand holding the back of her head they kissed. Parting he stood up.
“I am going to check on father quickly.” She nodded.
“Okay I will finish packing.” He winked at her and then left charged with excitement and energy. He had known all along that his empire was still out there. He was not sure how his mother would take it but there was no choice, they had to go.
Six ~ Coronation of a King
“Mother,” Kainan called in greeting, as he entered his father’s chamber. Sat on the bed, she glanced up to him.
“Kainan!” she said startled. Standing up she walked over to him. “What is all this nonsense about a dragon? Drew said you had woken the dragon in the fountain and gone off with it through the boundary. I told him not to be so ridiculous and to stop eating those dammed magic mushrooms.” Kainan laughed. Embracing her, he kissed her cheek.
“Mother, Drew was not eating magic mushrooms he was telling you the truth. I have woken the dragon from the fountain and …” he hesitated at her frown, “another fourteen dragons, all of which were hidden in a lair outside of our boundary.” She let go of him and sat back down onto the bed.
“Are you serious?” she questioned, glancing up at him. He sat down on the bed next to her.
“Yes I am.” He reached for her hand and rubbed his thumb gently over it. “Arweyn, Gareion, and I found a secret passageway from the Chamber of Knowledge, which led into the old city of Malgar.”
“Kainan!” she exclaimed, surprised. He tipped his head, lifting his eyes to hers.
“We discovered a chamber full of scrolls and books and in one of these books was an enchantment, which revealed itself to me. It was an enchantment to release the dragons from a five hundred year sleep.” She shook her head, trying to take in what he was telling her.
“Mother, Arweyn, and I have lived a life before. We once ruled as King and Queen of Malgar, the old Malgar and the reason the people fled all those years ago was because of an evil dark lord called Gemini, he is an immortal. He and his evil dragons and creatures of the darkness tried to destroy Malgar. The only way I could save them was to hide the people and place on them an enchantment turning them to stone until me and Arweyn are re-born. That time is now. Everything that has happened to me, to us is because of this prophecy. The dragons are our allies and they will help me to defeat this Gemini and return our people to life and to their homes.”
“My son this is insane,” sh
e said, shaking her head at him. Kainan sighed.
“I know it sounds insane but it is true. Arweyn and Gareion have both been re-born to help end this prophecy, to kill this madman and take back what belongs to us.” She shook her head.
“How do you know all of this, from a book?” He shook his head.
“No not all of it, from the dragons, they told me.” She took a sharp breath.
“You spoke to the dragons?”
“Yes mother, I am a dragon lord. I am able to communicate with all dragons. I have the command of the fifteen dragons they will do as I ask of them.” She sucked on her bottom lip.
“But look what a dragon did to your father,” she whispered, glancing to her husband lying beside her. He leaned towards her.
“Mother the dragon that has poisoned father is one of Gemini’s creations, made by magic. My dragons are real, pure blood. If I can kill this Gemini, then whatever poison runs through father’s veins may be destroyed, and father may return to us.” A tear ran down her cheek as she looked at him.
“Kainan, I have always known that you were special from the very first day you came home.” She rubbed her head. “This just sounds too crazy.” He stood up and held out his hand.
“Come to the window,” he said. She looked at him puzzled, but took his hand anyway. He walked her to the window and pointed.
“Look down below and tell me what you see.” She caught his eyes and then peered out of the window. She gasped, her mouth dropping open.
“Well?” he asked, smiling.
“A dragon,” she replied in a whisper, before turning back to him and looking him in the eyes. “You are going to leave aren’t you?” she asked and he smiled ruefully.
“Yes mother. Tomorrow Arweyn and I will leave with the dragon and search for our lost empire, and I will kill Gemini.” She sighed heavily returning to the bed and sitting down, looking at her husband as he lay in a sleeping death. Kainan sat back down next to his father, picking up his hand; it felt cold. He rubbed it gently with his thumb. For a while, the Queen sat in silent thought then she turned to him.
Deragan Sword Prophecy: Book 02 - Meladrom Page 12
