The first courtier further asked, “If we are not going to support the Emperor, should we support the northern rebels?”
“No! What do we have to gain from a bunch of rabble with little to offer? Just return to your homes and pretend nothing happened. For better or worse, I declare Darrm neutral in the war that is to come!”
CHAPTER 14
Kemrin sat alone in the king’s bedchamber, sitting on the bed and staring at his Ferruman crown. The spiked circlet was both beautiful and intimidating at the same time. Even though it was normally a light object, it felt heavy in his hands.
“So I am King of Umbran now. To make matters worse, I am about to lead the northern kingdoms to war. I hoped to inherit the throne during peacetime, but this is too much happening too fast. What should I do?” Kemrin asked himself softly.
At that moment, there was a gentle knocking at the door, causing Kemrin to holler, “Enter!”
The oaken door opened to reveal Lyra dressed in her sky-blue nightgown. In the candlelight, Lyra’s fair skin glittered like diamonds, her blonde hair shimmered like a river of molten gold, and her sapphire eyes glistened like gemstones. Overall, the atmosphere of the room made Lyra seem more beautiful than normal. It was a sight that made Kemrin blush and nervously shift his weight on the bed.
Lyra looked at Kemrin with a sadness that tugged at Kemrin’s heartstrings. She slowly approached him before sitting next to Kemrin on the bed. For a while, an uncomfortable silence filled the chamber and neither of them knew what to say to break the silence.
Finally, Kemrin asked, “How are you holding up?”
Staring blankly across the room, Lyra answered, “Trying to survive what happened to us. Walter is disfigured and my father is incinerated. All of those people died in front of us and all of their faces haunt my dreams. How does one cope with something like that?”
Shaking his head, Kemrin said, “I don’t know. I hated my father with such a passion. As his son, I should mourn him, but I do not. Whenever I think of him, all I can see are all the times he used me as his political puppet to further his goals. I wanted to be my own man and he took that choice from me. I probably know the answer, but does that make me a bad person?”
Shrugging, Lyra replied, “Who knows. I know you were not going to be a faithful husband, but I married you anyway because of my father’s ambitions. I guess we were both pawns in our fathers’ games. I should be indifferent to my father’s death like you are with yours, but I am not. I am just confused beyond words.”
Gently holding Lyra’s slender hand, Kemrin asked, “What should we do now?”
Looking at Kemrin with a small smile, Lyra said, “We look forward to the future, whatever that may be.”
Once they made eye contact, Kemrin and Lyra felt as though they were enthralled by one another’s spell. A swirling cauldron of mixed emotions circulated through their minds as they slowly leaned towards one another. Then their lips made contact and the ambiguous emotions that plagued them were washed away. The world around them seemed to slow down as they stripped one another bare.
______
The next morning, Kemrin, clad in his black and gold fluted armor, knelt before the altar in the northern Temple, his mind filled with doubts, hopes, and fears. The interior of the Temple was silent with the exception of the faint flickering of the candles. Staring blankly at Kemrin were the towering statues of the five Elemental Gods. Resting in front of Kemrin was Gramfyre and Numen’s Ferruman crown.
Even though Kemrin was not a pious individual, he prayed, “Lords of the elements, I beg your forgiveness for what I am about to do. I am about to seek vengeance, not for my father’s death, but for the dishonor that has been done to my family’s name. I know that you teach us to love our fathers, but I can never love my father. For the sins of seeking revenge and not loving my father, I ask for absolution. However, there are more sins I must commit in the journey ahead. I leave everything that is to come to your judgment. So I ask you to judge and favor my cause. Favor my cause and I will grant you a sacrifice that will satiate you ten times over. The sacrifice I offer is the blood and bones of my enemies. Leyfa.”
As Kemrin placed the tips of his fingers on his brow in respect to the Elemental Gods, Daegar entered the Temple, dressed in spiky armor, and announced, “It is time . . . Your Majesty.”
Kemrin picked up Gramfyre and slid it into his scabbard before placing the Ferruman crown on his head. Whenever Kemrin touched Gramfyre’s ivory hilt, he felt a jolt of power surge through his veins. It was as though his hands were struck by lightning and temporarily became numb all the way up to the shoulders. Despite the initial discomfort, Kemrin quickly became accustomed to the intoxicating energy that tingled his soul’s appetite. In addition, the Ferruman crown was light yet felt heavy on his spirit like a glacier resting on a mountain.
Did my father feel these sensations when he was king? The sword gives me power yet burns like white-hot steel. The crown gives me authority yet it feels like a shackle. Am I ready to continue what my father started? Do I really have what it takes to be king of Umbran let alone Emperor of Gradaia? Kemrin thought to himself anxiously.
Still plagued with doubts, Kemrin followed Daegar out of the Temple, their dark cloaks billowing in the wind as they walked through the threshold. Outside of the Temple were the rest of Kemrin’s siblings with their dragons. Everyone wore their finest armor while their dragons wore the new saddles. Surrounding the dragons were thousands of spectators gathered to watch their sovereigns depart on their mission south.
Upon mounting Razos, Kemrin turned to his subjects and announced, “People of Umbran, today we enact our vengeance upon the treachery that has been done to us! Today is our declaration of war! Two golden beasts have awakened, the phoenix in the north and the gryphon in the south! Due to that, the war that is about to begin shall be known as the War of the Gilded Beasts!”
All of the spectators cheered at Kemrin’s speech as the Magnus siblings took flight on their dragons and headed south.
______
Kemrin rode Razos towards the wooded border of Storuuk, the wind blowing so hard on his face that he could not feel his features for hours. What made Kemrin even colder was the frost that was coating the metal in his armor. He watched as trees, mountains, and valleys flew past them at astonishing speed. Razos’s new saddle was very comfortable and was as snug as a pillow yet as firm as a throne.
Eagerly, Razos said, “It’s about time we get to burn something! Where shall I burn first?”
“Don’t burn anything until we are past the border with Storuuk. When we reach central Raevor, burn every village and town you can find. We have to buy the northern kingdoms time to rally their forces and slow down the southern kingdoms from summoning their levies. With any luck, we might frighten some of the kings and barons into neutrality, which will reduce the number of enemies we will face when the war officially starts,” Kemrin explained.
“Bah! I’m not interested in human politics! All I am interested in is burning something and finding a worthy opponent! The chimera that killed Vaerox looks like an ideal option!”
“Vaerox was your father, Razos. Do you not mourn him?”
“Dragons do not mourn their dead like humans do. With us, only the strong are allowed to survive. If Vaerox was killed by that chimera, then he was too weak to get the job done. Plain and simple.”
“That’s a little cold, isn’t it?”
Razos chuckled before saying, “You’re one to talk. I can sense through our bond that you do not mourn your father either. I guess that makes us compatible as dragon and rider.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Kemrin agreed, “I guess you’re right.”
Finally, the forests of southern Storuuk vanished to reveal vast fields with a number of villages dotting the landscape.
Smiling, Kemrin ordered, “Now you can burn something!”
In response, Razos roared before unleashing a blast of fire that set the Raevoran land abla
ze.
______
Daegar sat on the back of his dragon Mendryg, whose silvery scales glittered in the sunlight like a collection of mirrors. The reflected light made Daegar’s own armor look even more spectacular with flashes of white and gray light. Even though Daegar had been bonded to Mendryg for all of his life, he was still amazed by how enormous the dragon was. Despite being born at around the same time as the other Magnus dragons, Mendryg was the largest living dragon in the world.
“I just had an interesting thought,” Daegar announced.
Emitting a guttural sigh, Mendryg asked, “What is it, Master Daegar?”
“When we finally fight a battle, we should give you a special title.”
“What do you mean?”
“Vaerox was called the Blood Demon. If we make you infamous enough, we should come up with a title like that to make you even more fearsome.”
“Why would I want to be more fearsome? I am the largest and most powerful dragon alive! I have no need for such petty titles!”
“I know. It was just a fun thought.”
“Although, I must agree with you in that I should prove my infamy for all the Empire to see. We are about to get that chance. Where shall we start when we reach western Raevor?”
Shrugging, Daegar suggested, “How about Mottingham? It is the second largest town in Raevor. That means there will be plenty of levies for the Sylvas to draw upon. If we can wipe out that town, then we can reduce the number of potential recruits they can summon.”
“Sounds good to me. If that town is as large as you claim, then it will be the perfect place to start my reputation as a force to be feared.”
“Let’s do it!”
After that exchange, Mendryg roared before soaring towards the westernmost border of Raevor.
______
Vaeron tightly gripped the back of his dragon Nergal, whose pitch black scales glittered cold against the sunlight. Compared to his siblings, Vaeron was lightly armored and carried only a small dagger. Among the Magnus dragons, Nergal was in the middle in terms of size, but was still an intimidating beast to behold. Ahead of them were the lands leading up to eastern Raevor, which whispered to both dragon and rider with promises of conquest.
Sensing something wrong with his rider, Nergal asked, “What is troubling you, Vaeron? I can feel your eagerness and disappointment at the same time.”
“I am happy that we are working together with the others on this mission, but I wonder if we will do something significant in the future. If we get an assignment, I hope it will be a big one that will allow us to prove our mettle to the rest of our family,” Vaeron answered.
“Sounds to me like you wish for more glory.”
“Aye. I do long for glory. My father was the Monster Slayer and took the Umbran throne from Robar Baal. Kemrin is the new king and is about to lead us to a tremendous civil war. Daegar is a great warrior even though he was defeated by Clovis Virtus in the final round of the melee. Caelum is smart and has the potential to be a good politician. Me? I am just an average hunter with a bow. I could not even win the archery contest! How can I ever be worthy of the Magnus name with a record like that? I need a mission big enough to get as much glory as I can get,” Vaeron explained.
“I can feel your frustration. Can I make a suggestion?”
“What do you have in mind?”
“Why don’t we take our frustration out on our targets in the south? If we hit a big enough target, that should give us the glory you crave. Any ideas?”
After much thought, Vaeron replied, “Why don’t we go for Mummerset? It is a large fortified city near Raevor’s border with Gaena. That should allow us to earn our spurs.”
“Then let’s do it!” Nergal declared, roaring before flapping his great wings faster.
______
Over the skies of Waes, Caelum and Rhea were soaring through cloudy skies. Flocks of migrating birds fluttered past them with astonishing speed. The air was moist and drizzled on Caelum’s face as he held onto Rhea. In the sunlight, Rhea’s white scales glittered like polished mother-of-pearl.
“So where shall we strike next?” Rhea asked.
Hesitating, Caelum answered, “I don’t really know. I’m just thinking if this war is really necessary.”
“Why would it be unnecessary? The Sylvas desecrated our home and murdered your father. What other reason do you need?”
“It’s just that I have read a number of books about the various wars that ravaged this continent over the centuries. It is horrifying! If we go to war, there will be a huge loss of life. I don’t know if I can go through with it.”
“Then why did you come on this mission?”
“Kemrin is the new king and I am honor-bound to obey him. To decide otherwise would be treason and I can’t have that.”
“You talk about your reluctance to kill, but you just sounded like you value your own life over others.”
“That’s not what I’m saying!”
“Oh, but it is. I can sense it through our link. You are afraid to die and afraid to kill. If you became king, would you even be worthy enough to make the tough decisions that no one else would be able to make?”
“I don’t want to be king. I just want to serve at my brother’s side like a good sibling.”
“That sounds like something a weakling would say. You have no sense of independence. You cannot even fight a battle without me.”
“Aye. I am a weakling and I will not apologize for it.”
“I don’t mean to be overly critical, but a day will come when you will have to show initiative and become strong. When that day comes, I may not be there to help you. Please keep that in mind.”
Smiling, Caelum sighed, “I love you, Rhea.”
Her voice becoming more gentle, the dragon said, “I love you too, Caelum son of Numen.”
______
Ymir sat on her dragon’s scaly back and pouted bitterly. Faxia was the smallest of the Magnus dragons and glowed like a living emerald when the sun shined on her. Ahead of them were the gold-rich lands of Gaena, capital region of the Empire. Even though Ymir loved gold and jewels, her mind was elsewhere.
Sensing her rider’s frustration, Faxia asked, “What’s troubling you, Ymir? You’ve been quiet since we left Umbran.”
Sighing, Ymir complained, “It’s something Kemrin said I had to do when everyone marches south.”
“What did he say?”
“He says that while he and the rest of my brothers go to war, I have to stay behind and look after Umbran. That’s not fair! I should be down south with everyone! I will be sixteen in four months!”
“Look at it this way, with your brothers gone, you can pretty much do whatever you want. You could have the best birthday you can imagine when the time comes.”
Smirking, Ymir said, “Aye. I can see that. After everyone is gone, I will talk with Regan about preparations. Besides, with no one to watch over me, I will have that handsome Baal all to myself!”
“If you need me to heat up the mead, let me know and I will use my biggest flame.”
“I will. Now let’s get this mission finished as soon as possible so we can get party preparations ready.”
Faxia carried Ymir along the Gaenan coast, setting every port city ablaze as they went.
CHAPTER 15
Three months later, the Imperial Palace was in a frenzy as knights, barons, and kings gathered in the throne room to address their Emperor. In front of the crowd of nobles were the three High Princes dressed in purple and gold plate armor. Gyran’s injuries had healed to a certain degree with the cut on his face becoming a gnarled scar. His maimed hand was replaced by a mixture between a sword and gauntlet called a pata, which served as both a prosthesis and melee weapon. Overseeing the gathering was Emperor Autem, who was wheezing heavily as he stooped slightly from the Imperial Throne.
After everyone had gotten into position, Autem cleared his throat and addressed, “My lords and ladies, three months ago, the Magnus
rebels and their northern allies attacked our lands with fire and brimstone. Hundreds were slain and thousands more were injured. Even though many of the southern barons and all of Darrm have declared neutrality out of fear, I am pleased you all answered my call. Our reports say that Waes has mustered twenty-two thousand men, Raevor fifty-five thousand, and Gaena thirty-three thousand. That gives us a total of one hundred and ten thousand strong, which should be sufficient to quell the rebellion in the north. My sons will lead you to Medgarfort, where you will rendezvous with the rest of the Imperial Army. May the gods watch over you all!”
Every man in the chamber bowed their heads and chanted, “Hail to the Emperor!”
As everyone left the room, Autem motioned Gyran forward and his former heir obediently complied.
Autem leaned forward and said, “I know I may have been too tough on you because of your disobedience, but if you quell this rebellion, I will consider restoring you as heir apparent.”
Hope glimmering in his eyes, Gyran bowed his head and vowed, “I will not fail you again, Your Imperial Majesty.”
“Indeed you won’t, High Prince,” Autem agreed chillingly.
After Gyran hastily left, Agatha emerged from behind the Imperial Throne and asked, “Are you going to fulfill that promise, husband?”
“Only if he succeeds. If he doesn’t, then he is disinherited forever. Until our granddaughter comes of age, Tytus is the current heir apparent.”
“Must you take such drastic action?”
“Our dynasty has been in decline for the last three generations. Our cadet branches are extinct and the Imperial Duchies have been vacant for decades. You, me, our sons, and our granddaughter are all that remains of our bloodline. If we do not win this war, it will be the end of us all!”
“Did you consider the long-term consequences of what would happen when we killed your father, brother, and nephews? Maybe we should have let them live.”
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