OUTCAST : THE PATH OF A WARRIOR

23. IN THE DRAGON'S CLAWS

CHAPTER 23

The thundering blasts continued within the vast caves, while the Guardians who were able to walk, numbering a measly ten, including Pietro, came to join us, Solomon, Parissa , and my self.

" Master Roland, glad you're not hurt!" Said Parissa, greeting the leader of the Guardians.

" We numbered twenty, before today, now we are down to fifteen." Sighed Roland, shaking his head.

"Of those, five are badly injured, leaving just ten of us who maybe able to defend Nisso." Continued Roland, then glancing at the three young men who accompanied him.

" And half of them are still children, and nowhere near completed their studies yet!"

The constant blasting inside the cave was becoming more intense.

" How did the Dragon wake up ?" Said Roland turning his attention to both Parissa and Solomon.

"You do realise the dire consequences we are all facing, don't you! If that senile Dragon goes free somehow, there won't be any Guardians left for me to be Master of!" Said Master Roland, scornfully.

"And who's bright idea was it to put the crystals under the nose of a crazy Dragon in the first place?" He said scouting the faces around.

Solomon looked at Parissa, hoping she had an explanation, and I was given the distinct impression, he and Roland were not on best relations.

" We made the mistake of thinking the stones were best safeguarded, if they were hidden under the Dragon's mouth, nobody would dare to look there. We did not calculate that one of our very own would ever discover the means to find us here in Nisso!" Said Parissa, duly frustrated.

"My assumption is that when Lore opened the box, the crystal's power somehow woke the Dragon from its three hundred year slumber. I take it that it's pissed, confused and is naturally lashing out to escape its prison."

"What now, Solomon?" Said Roland turning to face him as his mouth tightened.

" I assumed you knew your duties, as gatekeeper. Are you not in charge of access, in and out, of Nisso. Even I, the Master of this once a peaceful paradise, needs your final approval to come and go from this bloody place!"

" Wait just a minute Roland! I Hope you're not accusing me of having anything to do with all this!" Said Solomon, looking at everyone before him, then finally to Parissa, hoping for more support from his long time friend.

"I took this from Lore's neck, and that's how he found us ." Said Parissa dangling a white shiny crystal on a thin rope-chain.

" This was his original blue stone, which he had manipulated with dark magic. He used it to bring him here, which also, of course, maintained his youthfulness just like it did for us too". Continued Parissa, glancing at Roland and Solomon.

His gaze then went to me. "So this must be the one you have mentioned to us, ehm...Narek is it?" Said Roland stroking his thick pointed grey beard.

"And Pietro told me, that you are the one who killed the traitor, Lore!"

"Norak, from Tavronia." Parissa corrected." And.....

Roland then put his hand in front of him, and rudely interrupted her.

" And how, if I may ask, did you manage to kill a master Warlock, who managed to survive for five hundred years? The one who literally almost single-handedly obliterated the whole of the Guardians?"He said suspiciously.

He was of course, rather rude, and made me feel uncomfortable, but i intended to answer him, nevertheless.

" If I may?" I said as I looked at Parissa, while leaning on the vertically standing spear.