Dark Parables: The Woes of Belladonna

Chapter 10: The Dragon Man

BELLADONNA'S POV

Belladonna coughed as the flames continued to ravage the entire place. Her hands were covered in soot. Serafina left her in a state of something similar to lethargy and with the smoke threatening to leave toxins in her body and the heat growing intense, she needed to get out of here. Fast!

Fortunately for Belladonna, the portal machine is still intact. Coughing, she crawled to it, willing her body to give all the might it needed. Wooden beams covered in flames fell for the floor, increasing the urgency so as to live. Beside the portal was the control mechanism and nearing it, Belladonna, with the aid of her arms pushed herself to stand, tumbling towards the contraption and hitting it to leave bruises in her arms. 

By then, the heat has risen to that of a coal oven. Her eye lids forming slits while she maneuvers the panels, urging herself to get it done before her body gave in. 

Yellow light began to glow from within the arch and Belladonna did not waste anytime going through it. She landed on white stonewashed floor, coughing the hell out of her lungs. When she regained her strength and stood up, she backed an inch at the sight of the Daemon's beastly face.

"It's you again!" she heard the man growl. "You tried to kill me three times already. Now it's my turn!"

The dragon appeared behind him, ready to attack at his master's command. Belladonna didn't really know what to do. She just escaped from a burning library and now she must deal with another. However, she didn't want to appear afraid and put herself in a fighting stance, ready to summon her pollen.

"Go Solais!" he said and the dragon disappeared, surprisingly Belladonna. "To be honest, I am too weak to use my Daemon to fight for me right now. Besides, I know you are not my enemy. Those two sisters tricked you just like they used me. It looks like they even tried to kill you. Am I right?" Belladonna forgone the fighting position. There is no denying that. Belladonna was covered in soot and ashes. "It's up to you whether you trust me or not, but believe me, we are on the same side. I want to save Brigid at any cost, and you want to save the world. By saving Brigid, we can accomplish both of our goals."

"Get me a healing drug first to heal my injuries. Then, I will have the energy to tell you what I know," he added.

Belladonna decided to look for it in the cottage where the dragon man kept Brigid locked up. However, from a glance, she noticed a grave with Wanda's face on the gold emblem. Brigid's mother married a Daemon Evoker.

When she returned from the cottage a few minutes later, she handed the gold vial to the man. "Ah, I feel much better now," he gave a sigh of relief. "I never did introduce myself, did I? I am Nuada, the Prince of the Daemon Evokers clan. My dragon partner is Solais. Brigid is my daughter."

"I knew it! I knew it! I was right! Brigid, you should have listened to me," Belladonna said happily.

"Her adoptive father, King Henryk brought war against our clan. Most of my clan died fighting. I was seriously injured during the final battle. By the time I returned home, I found my wife dead and my daughter taken by the King. At the King's command, the witch put up a barrier around the kingdom and created two dolls to protect Brigid. As a result, I never succeeded in any of my attempts to reclaim my daughter. A hundred years ago, King Henryk invited me to his kingdom. Even knowing it was probably a trap, I went in the hopes of seeing Brigid. The King lured me into the salt mines, then the palace collapsed on top of me. Thanks to my ancestry, I did not die. The two dolls freed me and used magic to manipulate me so that they could trick Brigid into coming back to this kingdom."

"You mean Mother Gothel?" Belladonna said rather darkly.

"You know her?" Prince Nuada said, a quick flame glinting in her brown eyes.

"She was the very reason of my misery," Belladonna gritted through her teeth.

"Then, we are on the same side after all," he said. "There is no time to waste. We must find the dolls and stop them from using Brigid in their horrible scheme to end this world."