The Child of Cataclysm

Chapter 7

Pandemonium filled the throne room.

Lechelon's advisors had not taken the discovery of Skirin being a great dragon well; particularly after the realization that Cataclam is one too.

Martier's head pounded from all of the voices shouting over one another.

"He's dangerous!"

"He's a weapon!"

"A dangerous weapon!"

"We can use him!"

Martier groaned and shifted in his seat against the wall.

"ENOUGH!"

Shocked silence filled the throne room as everyone turned to the emperor. The elderly man had stood up, heaving as he glared at the people in the room. "Skirin being a great dragon is news to everyone, including me. But that is no reason to behave in such a manner," he said sternly, his eyes moving from one person to the next.

Embarrassed coughs filled the air as several people ducked their heads shamefully and shuffled their feet. "Now then," Lechelon said as he sat back down, "let's discuss this like the civilized people we are, hmm?"

One of the advisors stepped forward out of the crowd. "Your excellency, Cataclam the Devil is a great dragon; and even though he himself is trapped under a mountain, his Scorched are still a threat. I say we use Skirin to destroy him once and for all!"

"I object!" another advisor said, stepping forward, "Skirin is a great dragon as well. What if he betrays us?"

Martier clenched his fists.

"He helped us in the fight against the Children, and he killed the Matriarch," Bezeel pointed out. "Did he?" the second man rebuked, "she is outside right now, with that beast! How do we know that she isn't secretly controlling him?"

"T-that's not how it works," Bezeel stammered.

"What we should do," the first man interjected, "is put him on a leash. It is true that we don't know if we can trust him."

Martier had enough. He bolted to his feet and stalked through the crowd towards the men. "You can trust him," he snapped as he approached, "Skirin and I have been side-by-side for years. We want to bring an end to this as much as you do."

"Oh, please," the first man scoffed, "Of course he'll do anything for you. But what about the rest of us? For all we know, you could just turn him against us!"

"We would never do that," Martier snarled. "Wouldn't he?" the second man snapped. Martier wheeled on him. "He's just your pet, right? A lapdog?"

"Shut up," Martier growled, "he can think for himself. He's a free spirit."

"Oh really? Then why doesn't he come in here and speak for himself?"

Martier hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "He...he can't," he hesitantly explained. "Oh really? Why not? Because he's just an animal?"

"Seker!" Lechelon snapped, "Enough of this!"

"I am only asking, Your Majesty," Seker responded. "Well, isn't he? Isn't Skirin just a savage beast?" he pressed, turning back to Martier.

"Shut. Up," Martier growled, balling his fists.

"Go ahead, tell us!" He waved his hand at the onlookers around them. "Tell us about Skirin's true nature."

"SHUT UP!" Martier roared. His fist swung up and smashed into Seker's nose with a crack. The man stumbled back with a cry, cupping his nose.

"Martier!"